Shadows vanished, the bright moon reappeared, and the golden tablet closed again as usual, yet it lacked the previous moist luster and the sense of blessings from all beings.
Seeing Changle unscathed as before and the Fengtian Platform reappear, Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu both exhaled in relief.
Although the Patriarch Immortal Sage projected his presence and intervened from afar, such an event was undoubtedly extraordinary. Since neither of them had ascended to the ranks of the immortals, it was best not to get too involved.
Clear light poured down, and stars shone as large as ladles. As Yu Banshan was about to comment on the previous moment, a star as large as the moon suddenly radiated brilliant light, outshining the others, revealing faintly visible unusual hues on its surface. Looking closely, one could see pavilions and palaces, truly resembling the celestial palace.
Suddenly, a white beam of light burst forth, refined and sharp, like the most piercing and ruthless sword qi, shooting directly into the infinite heights, leaving behind a seemingly frozen trail that sent shivers through Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu.
What terrifying sword qi! It seemed to herald the end of all things! Both men found it difficult to control their minds momentarily.
Inside the Yuxu Palace, in the Yuqing Hall:
Meng Qi’s thoughts surged, wondering how many of the great experts of Yuxu would arrive after hearing the bell summoning them.
Just then, a white sword beam flew in from outside, exuding an aura that seemed to shatter reality, and landed on a meditation cushion beneath Guang Chengzi.
Within the white sword light, the blade appeared hazy and ancient, its eerie aura stretching across past eons and into countless futures, engraved with Daoist inscriptions forming two ancient characters:
“Lu Xian!” (Lushia)
Meng Qi’s pupils constricted sharply. This was the Lushia Sword of the Four Swords of Zhuxian!
And the Four Zhuxian Swords were the foundation of the Dao established by Lingbao Tianzun!
The ultimate among ultimates!
After so many years, Meng Qi had long understood that the Ten Supreme Divine Weapons listed by the Buddha of Darkness did not cover all the ultimate treasures, as some were deliberately omitted out of caution. Moreover, according to Xiao Sang’s recent remarks, the Ten Supreme Divine Weapons listed by the Buddha of Darkness mainly emerged in this current eon. The weapons from ancient epochs, such as the Four Zhuxian Swords, the Taiji Diagram, and the Seven-Jewel Wondrous Tree, were deeply feared and avoided.
Now, in this moment, he was actually witnessing the Lushia Sword!
Although he himself possessed the Supreme Blade, also an ultimate divine weapon, the fame of the Four Zhuxian Swords was simply too great and too “ancient”!
The sword light twisted, and the Lushia Sword transformed into a human figure, wearing a Daoist crown, draped in a plain robe, with a purple sash fluttering, his face thin but glowing with vitality.
Seeing this, Guang Chengzi chuckled:
“Brother Chi Jingzi, hope you’ve been well?”
So this was Chi Jingzi. Meng Qi mused thoughtfully. He wondered whether Chi Jingzi had just entered the realm of Creation or had reached the peak of Legend. His appearance differed somewhat from the descriptions in the Investiture of the Gods. After the Battle of the Myriad Immortals, the Zhuxian Sword Formation had been broken, and the four swords—Zhujue, Xianjue, Xian, and Lushia—had fallen into the hands of Guang Chengzi, Daohang Tianzun, Yu Ding Zhenren, and Chi Jingzi, respectively, and were never returned to Lingbao Tianzun.
Possessing a divine weapon like the Lushia Sword, contemplating it daily for tens of thousands of years, if Chi Jingzi had not ascended to the realm of Creation by now, he would truly have disappointed Yuanshi Tianzun’s expectations.
However, this true immortal of Yuxu was indeed a master craftsman. According to Xiao Sang, the Yin-Yang Mirror was a supreme divine artifact.
Chi Jingzi bowed slightly: “Senior Brother Guang Cheng, your demeanor remains unchanged, seemingly having made further progress.”
After the pleasantries, he turned to Meng Qi, hesitated briefly, and smiled: “So you must be Junior Brother Su? Truly extraordinary! Even the bones of the Yellow Springs were yours for the taking. When I was forging the Yin-Yang Mirror of Life and Death, I once considered the Yellow Springs, but alas, I was no match for its guardian in the Ninth Hell and had to abandon the idea.”
He addressed Meng Qi as “junior brother” since Meng Qi technically had no formal master.
—Meng Qi’s “Bagua Xuan Gong” and parts of the “Yuanshi Jin Zhang” were obtained from the Lord of the Six Dao Cycles and the Immortal Traces, while other parts were acquired within the Yuxu Palace, all directly inherited from Yuanshi Tianzun. Yang Jian merely moved the corpse and arranged things.
Given this, it was acceptable to consider Meng Qi a direct disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun.
As for how Meng Qi would address other Yuxu disciples, that would be another matter entirely.
Meng Qi smiled: “Senior Brother flatters me. If I ever forge Yellow Springs bones, I’ll surely seek your guidance.”
Heh, with that, Yang Erlang would have to call him “Junior Uncle” when he sees him. That should ease his little junior brother’s melancholy.
As the conversation continued, outside the River of Time, in the dark and chaotic void, two more sword beams burst forth and flew into the Yuqing Hall—one red and one black—each exuding a sense of collapsing heaven and earth, and the destruction of all things, marked with the inscriptions “Xianxia” (Xianxia) and “Jue Xian” (Jue Xian).
With these two swords, Yu Ding Zhenren and Dao Hang Tianzun could continue their slumber in the chaos.
One was proud yet reserved, cold but not aloof, more like a swordsman than a Daoist priest. The other always wore a smile, with a bamboo crown atop his head and a sapphire-blue Daoist robe untouched by dust.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Guang Cheng, greetings, Senior Brother Chi Jingzi,” the two respectively bowed, then exchanged greetings with the others. Yu Ding Zhenren, being the eldest, was addressed first, and following Chi Jingzi’s example, they both addressed Meng Qi as “Junior Brother.”
Anyone who possessed one of the Four Zhuxian Swords had survived across eons. If they weren’t personally chosen by Yuanshi Tianzun, I wouldn’t believe it… Watching them, Meng Qi thought half-jokingly to himself.
Dao Hang Tianzun was a mistaken name from the Investiture of the Gods. After listening to a while of small talk, Meng Qi already knew his real name was Dao Hang Xianzun.
At this moment, the Yuqing Hall slightly trembled, then calmed again. Yet Meng Qi seemed to sense within the Chaos Pool that the green lotus seed was growing, sprouting branches, blooming flowers, and forming into a clear-eyed youth whose aura shook the entire Yuxu Palace!
It was Nezha, the Grand Deity of the Three Altars, the strongest among the third generation of Yuxu disciples, second only to Yang Jian!
Nezha, clad in black armor and carrying a long spear, entered the hall with a proud and heroic demeanor. He bowed and scanned the room: “Greetings, Senior Uncles… Senior Uncles.”
He hesitated slightly when he said “Senior Uncle,” clearly reluctant to address Meng Qi as such.
Guang Chengzi’s expression darkened slightly: “And your master?”
Nezha’s eyes reddened: “My master was injured during the Demon Uprising and couldn’t withstand the erosion of time. He passed away in his cave dwelling.”
His gaze carried a trace of hatred, but he did not say who had injured Taiyi, clearly intending to avenge him himself.
So the remains of Taiyi Zhenren truly exist… I wonder who now possesses the Nine-Dragon Divine Fire Casing. If it fell into the hands of someone like Nezha, who is hot-tempered and unreasonable, there would surely be trouble… Meng Qi mused.
“It was fated to be so…” Chi Jingzi and the others all sighed.
Guang Chengzi gazed outside the hall, his sorrow undiminished: “Senior Brother Nanji perished in the battle of the falling Heaven, and Senior Brother Juliu Sun fell in Ling Mountain, his remains lost. They likely won’t be able to come.”
“Huanglong Senior Brother, affected by the remnants of the Yuanjin Dou and the Jiugong Yellow River Formation, although he survived the calamity and regained his peak, could never advance further and eventually passed away after the ancient times,” Yu Ding Zhenren said calmly, his tone devoid of emotion but carrying an unmistakable sense of melancholy.
“I wonder whether Senior Brothers Puxian, Wenshu, and Cihang managed to escape the calamity at Ling Mountain,” Dao Hang Xianzun, who had lost his smile.
Hearing this, Meng Qi deliberately said: “I saw Wenshu Bodhisattva and his mount at Ling Mountain; both had become remains, later consumed by the Supreme Buddha…”
Except for Guang Chengzi, who vaguely knew of the Supreme Buddha, the others had been away from the mundane world for too long, and Ling Mountain had concealed heavenly secrets. They listened intently, each lost in thought.
“Wenshu Senior Brother was originally of the Buddhist sect, later renouncing his ancient Buddha fruit and re-cultivating as a Bodhisattva before joining Yuxu and severing his Daoist Tianzun body. Although the body of the Great Wisdom Bodhisattva has perished, he may not have truly fallen,” Chi Jingzi nodded.
Meng Qi asked curiously: “Is it the same for Senior Brothers Cihang and Puxian?”
Not out of any ulterior motive, just out of curiosity.
“There is a slight difference. Like him, they renounced their ancient Buddha fruits, but they joined Yuxu first, cultivated their Daoist bodies, gained insights, then returned to Buddhism, severing their Bodhisattva forms and ascending to the realm of Creation,” Chi Jingzi replied calmly, without resentment.
Speaking of Cihang and Puxian, Meng Qi casually mentioned the Undying Demon God and finally asked: “Senior Brothers, who do you think the Undying Demon God might be?”
“All are possible,” Guang Chengzi and the others exchanged glances and shook their heads, as their knowledge was too limited.
Just as they were about to discuss the Supreme Buddha, a beam of light flew into the Yuqing Hall, hazy and dreamlike, as if emerging from the depths of the mind.
The light landed, transforming into a Daoist woman with five topknots, her eyes brimming with unfathomable wisdom.
“Senior Brother Wenshu?” Guang Chengzi chuckled. “Why have you transformed into a woman?”
Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun?
One of the Nine Daoist Venerables!
So the Bodhisattva Wenshu had not truly perished? Through her, Meng Qi could learn the truth behind the battle at Ling Mountain!
Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun smiled slightly: “After the destruction of my Bodhisattva body, this transformation occurred.”
Hearing this, Meng Qi laughed: “Senior Brother Wenshu, I saw your remains at Ling Mountain, but unfortunately couldn’t retrieve them—they were consumed by the Supreme Buddha.”
Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun paused, then clapped her hands joyfully: “Good! Very good! Let him consume them!”
All past attachments and karmic ties would now vanish, leaving this body free and unburdened!
As Meng Qi was about to ask about Ling Mountain, another black light shot into the hall, rushing toward him.
Meng Qi, holding the Reversing Heaven Seal, was about to strike when a sudden sense of benevolence stopped him.
A red tongue extended and licked Meng Qi’s palm. The light transformed into a sleek, black-furred hound.
Xiaotian Quan (the Howling Heaven Hound)? Meng Qi was stunned. The hound wagged its tail in a fawning manner, then walked aside and sat on a meditation cushion in the standard dog posture—front legs straight, sitting upright and solemn.
“Woof! Woof!” it barked warmly: “Greetings, Senior Uncles and Junior Uncles! I’m here on behalf of my master, Erlang!”
At this sight, Meng Qi involuntarily wiped imaginary sweat from his brow.
After waiting a while longer, no more lights entered the hall. Qing Xu Daode Zhenjun, Puxian Daoren, and Cihang Daoren did not appear.
After a long silence, Guang Chengzi couldn’t help but sigh: “The body decays, the heart grows old; old friends have mostly passed…”
How many immortals once graced Yuxu, yet now the hall was nearly empty.
After another silence, Chi Jingzi finally asked: “Senior Brother Guang Cheng, why did you ring the bell to summon us here?”
They were all merely fragments of consciousness projected through divine artifacts.
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