The surroundings were a void, deep and pitch-black, utterly empty. Not only was the passage of time faint, almost as if it had vanished, but everything seemed frozen. At times, chaos reigned, tearing at both the dharma body and the true spirit. Even the illusory threads of karma coiled tightly, and anything slightly farther away was obscured by an almost absolute nothingness. Even with Meng Qi’s current formidable mastery as the “Cause of All Effects,” he could barely perceive anything, only vaguely sensing traces in the haze.
In such circumstances, the half-floating palace ahead was like a beacon, impossible for Meng Qi to bypass—especially since a dim, flickering candlelight still burned inside, as if illuminating the vast emptiness and chaos like a lighthouse.
With auspicious clouds swirling above his head and an ethereal glow rippling around him like water, Meng Qi took a step forward and landed on the remnants of the palace’s steps. Through the gap of the slightly ajar door, he saw a figure clad in plain white robes, her back graceful, her aura pure and transcendent, untouched by worldly dust. She was adjusting the flame of a golden glazed lamp, making it burn brighter.
This figure was no stranger to Meng Qi. With one hand behind his back, he pushed open the palace door and stepped inside, greeting her casually:
“So it’s Miss Liulou. I wonder if I should address you now as the inheritor of the Mystic Maiden or as the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden herself?”
Around Liulou, an ethereal immortal aura faintly resisted the encroaching void, clearly displaying the power of the Creation Realm and an ancient, timeless presence.
The figure in white slowly turned, her robes swaying gracefully, revealing an elegant and beautiful face—indeed, it was Liulou, the former inheritor of the Mystic Maiden.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she replied, “Su Sect Leader may address me as he pleases. Titles are but external things—why should they matter?”
Meng Qi studied her deeply. “When I last encountered the broken stele, you and the remaining deities of the ancient Heavenly Court had just entered the highest layer. I never expected you to recover faster than I did, even finding time to light a lamp.”
Liulou, the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, smiled faintly. “As a deity who once presided over warfare and conquest in the Heavenly Court, I am naturally familiar with the Heavenly Emperor’s might and most of the remnants here. Does this surprise you, Su Sect Leader?”
“Only what’s expected,” Meng Qi sighed as he gazed at this ancient deity. “The method of incarnations you passed down within the Pure Maiden Sect was indeed created for your own revival. Each generation of Mystic Maidens and their inheritors were merely vessels.”
Every generation of Mystic Maidens had broken the hearts of countless men, burdened with endless karmic debts—despicable figures. Yet, despicable as they were, they were also pitiable, their fates never their own, mere furnaces for revival.
Liulou shook her head, her immortal grace now tinged with authority. “You are mistaken, Su Sect Leader. Had it not been for the interference of the Golden Emperor’s herald, Gu Xiaosang, why would I have needed to borrow Liu Shuyu’s body?”
“My divine form and dharma body were separated—the former indestructible, safeguarded by others, while my true spirit was hidden somewhere in the immortal realm, slowing time and staving off decay. Once the right moment came, the two would reunite, restoring me to my former peak. But if they met prematurely, the imprints of each generation would backlash, as if trapped in endless cycles of reincarnation. A single misstep would mean annihilation, with no chance of return.”
Hearing this, Meng Qi recalled Gu Xiaosang’s mysterious actions during their visit to the Pure Maiden Immortal Realm and the little girl who had called him “Father.” His lips twitched involuntarily, and he couldn’t help but admire the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden’s ability to utter such words without hesitation—truly befitting an ancient deity, unbound by mortal morals or gossip.
“Generational imprints?” He seized the key point.
By now, the candlelight had reached its brightest, illuminating the ruined hall as if it were daylight. Liulou glanced around calmly as she answered, “To survive the ages and reach the end of the kalpa using the method I mentioned, the most crucial prerequisite is that the imprints remain unbroken, passed down through generations, preserving the spirit. That is why I created the Mystic Maiden Incarnation Method.”
“Every generation of Mystic Maidens and their inheritors who practiced this method became my incarnations, living in my stead, continuing my existence.”
“So that’s how it is,” Meng Qi nodded in understanding.
Liulou continued, “They were like my avatars, born in response to the times, each with their own lives, karma, and emotions—unaffected by me, never possessed by me, until their lives ended and they returned to heaven and earth, completing a cycle before vanishing completely.”
Meng Qi pondered for a moment. “In other words, aside from the subtle and imperceptible karmic connection, they saw themselves and lived their lives entirely as the Mystic Maidens or inheritors, unrelated to being incarnations. Unless you intervened, they were the real deal.”
“With such a method, weren’t you afraid an incarnation might grow stronger than the original and overtake you?”
Liulou smiled faintly. “The incarnation method I passed down was inherently limited to the Legendary Realm. Even with extraordinary fortune, none could threaten me unless they reached the Creation Realm.”
Meng Qi nodded thoughtfully. “Then, every Mystic Maiden or inheritor’s incarnation was also your incarnation, right? With some karmic connection?”
Liulou found his tone slightly odd but still nodded. “Yes.”
At this, she sighed softly, a trace of melancholy in her voice. “Without the protection of a Nirvana-level being, and without reaching the pinnacle of the Creation Realm that touches Nirvana, surviving the ages to reach the end of the kalpa required unique methods. Some relied on leaving their names in books, some severed parts of themselves as substitutes while slumbering, some spread faith and relied on worship—while I could only use the incarnation method.”
When the Heavenly Court fell and the Heavenly Emperor perished, these Nine Heavens deities lost their shelter.
Meng Qi didn’t press further. Instead, he surveyed the hall, noting its ancient and immortal design. Casually, he asked, “Which hall of the highest layer was this in the past?”
Liulou’s voice carried nostalgia. “This was where we waited for the Heavenly Emperor’s summons. Back then, the highest layer was heavily restricted—even I and the Lord of Purple Tenuity could only move in designated areas, never seeing the full picture. Who would have thought that after ages, the Hall of Lingxiao would have long crumbled to dust, the rest reduced to nothing, yet half of this hall remains? Truly, fate is unpredictable.”
“The battle back then must have been unimaginably fierce, with power surpassing comprehension,” Meng Qi mused, gazing at the void outside and recalling the battlefield of Yuanshi and Lingbao. “It seems even the River of Time flowing through here was shattered, with fragments of past, present, and future coexisting?”
Liulou sighed in agreement. “That battle indeed affected the River of Time. Even our ‘past selves’ from when we were summoned by the Heavenly Emperor were destroyed. Had it not been for the Heavenly Emperor’s protection, I might not have survived that calamity. The Lord of Purple Tenuity perished because of it.”
Hearing this, Meng Qi grew puzzled. The Heavenly Emperor still had the strength to protect a few deities like the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden? In the end, he fell into dust, perishing completely and transforming into the Blade of Time!
Normally, if he had any strength left, shouldn’t he have used it to save himself? Preserving his own existence would have been far more important than protecting subordinates at the Creation Realm.
A Nirvana-level being, as long as they lived, had infinite possibilities—they could even alter the past and resurrect their followers!
Unless… unless the Heavenly Emperor knew escape was impossible and instead concealed his hopes or contingencies within a few deities like the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, plotting for the future?
After the fall of the Heavenly Court, the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden vanished for a time before descending at her peak to aid the Human Emperor, helping him establish his reign. Yet, the Human Emperor later died mysteriously! Meanwhile, the Mystic Maiden lineage founded the Pure Maiden Sect and took in the Joy Bodhisattva’s faction… Countless thoughts flashed through Meng Qi’s mind, revealing hints of strangeness. Though he couldn’t yet piece together the full story, he sensed the scent of conspiracy.
The Human Emperor’s death was not solely tied to the Old Mother of No-Birth…
Why would the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden reveal such a crucial detail—that she survived due to the Heavenly Emperor’s protection? Meng Qi’s heart stirred as he looked up at Liulou, only to see her lips curling slightly, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.
Just as Meng Qi was about to speak, he suddenly sensed an overwhelming presence approaching. Turning, he saw a golden Buddha with twenty-four perfect halos of Buddhist light descending onto the steps.
“Ancient Buddha Dipankara…” Meng Qi uttered solemnly. “Truly, enemies are bound to meet.”
The second supreme powerhouse he encountered after separating was none other than Ancient Buddha Dipankara!
Dipankara smiled kindly and humbly. “Not so, not so. It is merely that a certain fellow practitioner shares a subtle connection with you, a karmic bond from past lives, allowing us to sense each other even across chaotic time and space.”
As he spoke, figures flickered within the twenty-four halos behind him—some bearing expressions of suffering, others handsome and smiling—none other than the Devil Buddha, Ananda!
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