“Even the Great Sage Equaling Heaven?” Meng Qi had a vague understanding of his own situation and wasn’t surprised, but he never expected that Sun Wukong had also become a product of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable’s “Reversion to Emptiness.”
Yang Jian nodded slightly. “In the ancient times of the primordial chaos, after witnessing the Daoist Venerable’s Reversion to Emptiness and attainment of the Dao Fruit realm, our Patriarch began exploring his own path, slightly different from the Daoist Venerable’s. He severed the Holy Buddha, used the Ancient Buddha Bodhi to enter the Pure Land, perfected the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, marking the beginning of everything. The subsequent transmission of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art to Sun Wukong through the Ancient Buddha Bodhi was the first attempt. Severing the Dao Unity Seal and leaving it to you was the second, and possibly the final, effort.”
“The Daoist Venerable left behind the Heavenly Dao Monster, the Buddha severed the Golden Cicada to bear the Mahayana Dharma and perform the ‘Golden Cicada Shedding its Shell’ act. The Primordial Teacher’s method seems more indirect.” Meng Qi pondered the events Yang Jian described, discerning the differences.
Shouldn’t the product of Reversion to Emptiness be directly severed from oneself?
Yang Jian smiled faintly. “Indeed. By borrowing ‘objects’ from other Shore-crossers to bear the fruit of one’s Reversion to Emptiness, certain undesirable outcomes are avoided. Moreover, the selections are not arbitrary—each is a pivotal element of the calamity at that time. For instance, Sun Wukong was the Five-Colored Stone left by the Demon Emperor, and you are the ‘Other Self’ secretly hidden by the Demon Buddha. The entire process is primarily guided to minimize the connection with the original self.”
“I see.” Meng Qi sighed softly.
Even after reaching the Shore, the path of the Dao remains long and arduous.
After this reflection, he asked, “Do you know where the Primordial Teacher is now?”
To attain the Shore, a major calamity is the obstruction from enemies. Understanding the whereabouts and condition of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable is crucial to determine whether to include Him in the calculations of the situation.
Yang Jian’s smile turned bitter. “Aside from the Virtuous Heavenly Venerable, there is likely only one being in heaven and earth who knows the Patriarch’s whereabouts. When estimating the will of heaven, it’s best to exclude Him. His non-intervention is expected; any assistance would be a pleasant surprise, merely icing on the cake, inconsequential to the grand scheme. The same applies to the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable.”
He clearly had no intention of revealing who, besides the Virtuous Heavenly Venerable, knew the Primordial Heavenly Venerable’s whereabouts.
“Naturally.” Meng Qi nodded lightly, showing no disappointment or frustration.
Then, Yang Jian changed the subject. “Little Martial Uncle, although you’ve moved your ‘past’ into the Nine Nethers, the imprints remain in the real world. To reach the Shore, merely retracing the past in the Nine Nethers is far from sufficient. Moreover, attaining the Shore within the Nine Nethers is nearly impossible. Benefiting from the Nine Nethers also means being constrained by them. Even the Demon Lord of the past chose to leave and create his own demon realm in the void.”
“I understand this. But the moment I return to the real world, it will inevitably provoke clashes with other Shore-crossers. The current balance is superficial at best.” Meng Qi recounted discussions he’d had many times with Gu Xiaosang over the years. “The Virtuous Martial Uncle undoubtedly stands on my side—no variables there. The Green Emperor is friendly toward me, willing to shield me from the pursuit of the Old Mother of No Birth, but He may not be pleased to see me reach the Shore. Similarly, the Demon Emperor might assist me, helping me grow to weaken the Demon Buddha, but She likely doesn’t wish to see me escape the sea of suffering.”
“For Shore-crossers, the number of major figures should not increase unless absolutely necessary. One more Shore-crosser means infinitely more variables.”
“Among the opponents, the Old Mother of No Birth and I are irreconcilable. The Ancient Buddha Bodhi has past grievances with me, and Amitabha certainly wouldn’t want me to reach the Shore, rebuild humanity, and disrupt the momentum of the earthly Buddha-land. Their stances are firm and clear, with almost no room for reconciliation.”
As he analyzed, Meng Qi’s expression remained unchanged, as if discussing someone else’s affairs. “Thus, for me, the most crucial task now is to accumulate momentum step by step, to stir up issues gradually. I must create opportunities for the Green Emperor and the Demon Emperor to solidify their stances, to actively seek change and new allies among the Shore-crossers. Of course, even at this stage, rash actions must be avoided. The balance between enemies and allies may seem tenuous, but the moment I return to the real world and provoke a clash, those with ulterior motives will surely release the Demon Buddha to shift the situation.”
The remaining seals on Spirit Mountain grow weaker by the day, and the Demon Buddha’s self-liberation seems imminent. It’s not impossible for the Golden Emperor and others to take desperate measures and release this variable prematurely.
As for the Heavenly Dao Monster and Fu Huang, their conditions are highly problematic—both sides might be able to manipulate them.
Yang Jian nodded in agreement with Meng Qi’s assessment, then added, “But to reach the Shore, you must first return to the real world. Little Martial Uncle, you must plan soon. Delay, and you’ll miss Maitreya’s opportunity. Delay, and the Demon Buddha may have already freed himself.”
His gaze followed the path Lin Suhe had “retreated” along, his expression thoughtful.
“Understood.” Meng Qi’s tone was calm.
Yang Jian studied him deeply, sensing no abnormality in his words or actions—no fatigue, no pain, no melancholy. Only those eyes grew increasingly abyssal. Yet, the more composed he seemed, the more it revealed the burning hatred buried deep within, using such emotions as fuel, never extinguishing.
“Little Martial Uncle, once you consolidate your recent minor breakthrough, we can jointly seek out the Black Heavenly Emperor for a ‘discussion on the Dao and Dharma,’ and assist the Dark Ghost Emperor in stirring waves within Luo Feng and the Black Prison.” Yang Jian patted his Daoist robe and slowly rose, transforming into a near-chaotic azure light that soared into the sky.
Since the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerable obtained the Demon Emperor’s Claw, all layers of demon gods have submitted—except for a few pseudo-Shore-crossers.
Silently watching Yang Jian depart, Meng Qi slowly closed his eyes. The crown of his head opened, releasing a crystalline fruit shimmering with ripples, encircled by an illusory, fragmented river.
The fruit flew out, the river following, merging with the River of Time that traversed the Nine Nethers. Meng Qi’s body then grew ethereal, as did all his past incarnations, linking together like a serpent coiled within the River of Fate.
At the beginning of this life, Meng Qi opened his eyes but did not pause, continuing his ascent against the current. The water before him darkened, forming a tunnel adorned with mysterious patterns, faintly revealing the ever-shifting scenery of the Nine Nethers outside.
After an indeterminable period of ascent, his heart suddenly stirred. The tunnel collapsed, and his figure appeared somewhere in the Nine Nethers, where the black sun and demonic mist were no different from usual.
Raising his head to look beyond the Nine Nethers, Meng Qi saw a colossal lion with nine heads crouching in the void. Its snores were like thunder, shaking heaven and earth, precisely blocking the exit.
The Nine Spirits Holy Sage?
The Nine Spirits Holy Sage guarding the gates of the Nine Nethers?
Had he traveled back to the early ancient times or the middle ancient era?
The Nine Spirits Holy Sage seemed to sense the scrutiny. Its snores ceased, and eighteen eyes opened, each reflecting a pair of abyssal eyes as cold and sinister as the deepest ocean floor.
Despite its realm and power, the Nine Spirits Holy Sage shuddered uncontrollably, gripped by inexplicable dread.
“What pseudo-Shore-crosser is this? Even more terrifying than the Black Heavenly Emperor, the Dark Ghost Emperor, and the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerable! Could it be from the future?” The Nine Spirits Holy Sage’s expression turned grave.
…
Lin Suhe retrieved the Star River Fall Crystal, concealed the jade-green box, and soared through the sky toward the nearest island with a teleportation array.
Just then, a golden, glazed light shimmered before him, revealing a portly monk holding an alms bowl.
The monk smiled at Lin Suhe. “Namo Amitabha. The jade box in your possession has a karmic connection with my Buddha.”
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