Looking at the rotund monk holding an alms bowl before him, Lin Suhe felt an inexplicable dread, as if he had been dragged into an inescapable whirlpool.
He forced a smile and said, “Master, your words are mistaken. Even if there is fate, how can it be forced? Does the Buddhist path cultivate the heart of a bandit and the methods of murder?”
The monk’s translucent pure light rippled outward in waves, his smile unwavering as he replied, “Benefactor, you know one but not the other. This object is tied to the Nine Nether Fiend Gods and concerns the safety of the world. Since this old monk has encountered it, I have resolved to protect the Dharma, even at the cost of this body. For the sake of the Real World and all living beings, I implore you to entrust this object to me so that it may be taken to the Pure Land and spared from wreaking havoc.”
His words were solemn and filled with compassion, leaving Lin Suhe momentarily stunned.
The jade-green box and the Stellar River Meteorite Crystal did seem to originate from the Nine Nether Fiend Gods…
Could this truly be part of their scheme to invade the Real World?
No, this was meant to be delivered to the Fusang Ancient Tree Realm, where the Green Emperor stood guard. What Fiend God could possibly stir up waves there?
Yet, the words of the Fiend Gods might not be true. What if, upon passing through the teleportation array, the jade-green box silently opened, releasing something apocalyptic, turning me into an unwitting accomplice to their evil deeds, scorned by the world…
Seeing Lin Suhe’s doubt and inner struggle, the rotund monk extended his right hand, clutching prayer beads. Points of Buddhist light flickered, coalescing into a majestic, pure Buddha’s palm that reached for the mottled jade-green box.
Just then, a sharp shout rang out from the sky above:
“Great Wheel Vajra!”
“Who?” The rotund monk, startled, reflexively responded.
But before his voice faded, his body suddenly transformed into light, shooting upward, shrinking until it vanished into a purple-gold-red gourd, which was then sealed with a yellow talisman inscribed: “By the Decree of the Supreme Elder Lord Laozi.”
In the blink of an eye, the gourd disappeared, leaving only the vast blue waves and a dazed Lin Suhe. The events had unfolded too abruptly, ending too quickly, as if it had all been a daydream.
Gritting his teeth, he touched the Stellar River Meteorite Crystal and the jade-green box in his bosom. Since he owed his life to this intervention, he decided to first deliver them to the Fusang Ancient Tree Realm. In the current era, the great figures of the Other Shore had long since returned. If any real trouble arose, the Fiend Gods would stand no chance. After all, when the sky fell, the tall would bear the brunt.
His escape light rose again, skimming the sea, parting the waves as he sped toward the island.
In the Pure Land Buddha Realm, spanning countless kalpas, the Ancient Buddha Dipankara watched this scene from afar, the twenty-four perfect Buddha halos behind his head gently swaying, stirring boundless ripples.
“What exactly does Su Meng intend to send to the Fusang Ancient Tree Realm?” he murmured, turning to the seemingly indifferent Devil Buddha Ananda beside him.
The jade-green box contained traces of the Eastern Emperor’s remnants and had been refined by Su Meng, the pseudo-Other Shore, into a peculiar treasure, making it difficult even for him to discern its contents. The great figures of the Other Shore likely couldn’t see clearly either.
Ananda chuckled lightly. “What is sent matters less than the act of sending itself.”
“What do you mean?” Dipankara faintly grasped Su Meng’s intention.
Ananda replied leisurely, “If it were truly important, the moment that mortal carried the box out of the Nine Nether, the Green Emperor would have intervened directly. Of course, other Other Shore beings would have obstructed, leading to another confrontation. Yet the Green Emperor remains unmoved in the Eastern Glazed World. That speaks volumes.”
“This is Su Meng’s probe,” Dipankara concluded.
“Indeed. His ‘stone-throwing’ tactic—testing the boundaries of the Other Shore beings. If this succeeds, there will be a second, a third, and many more attempts.” Ananda explained with a smile, showing no trace of anger. “For Su Meng to attain the Other Shore, he must return to the Real World, reclaim the ‘past’ he left in the Nine Nether, reconnect with the upper reaches of the River of Time—the largest and most crucial—and glimpse its future tributaries to establish the firmest foundation.”
“But if he dares to return in person, the Mother of No Birth will strike without hesitation, reigniting the confrontation from over a century ago. When both sides reach a stalemate, I will benefit. By then, allies like you, who wish to see Su Meng gone, will have no choice but to free me.”
Dipankara gave an almost imperceptible nod. “Your actions have always made you a target. Even the Welcoming Buddha and the Ancient Buddha Bodhi are reluctant to see you freed prematurely, as is the Golden Emperor. So, Su Meng is testing these boundaries—how far can he push before the Other Shore beings silently allow or tolerate your early release?”
“Precisely.” Ananda clapped his hands in amusement. “Though Su Meng must return to the Real World to escape the sea of suffering, he need not come in person. He can sever his ‘past self,’ his semi-condensed illusory Dao Fruit, and send them out of the Nine Nether under someone’s protection. It would be more complicated and riskier, but feasible. Of course, he cannot send ‘them’ directly to the Fusang Ancient Tree Realm—that would invite the Mother of No Birth’s direct interference.”
“He will break the process into many steps, mixing truth and falsehood, using attempts like delivering the jade-green box to probe the Other Shore beings’ limits, mapping out the scope of their direct involvement. While strengthening his alliance with the Green Emperor, he will lay the groundwork for his true return. But many of these preparations may already be inside the jade-green box.”
The Ancient Buddha Dipankara listened quietly, fully comprehending Su Meng’s perilous path.
Had the Devil Buddha not existed in this era, the Other Shore beings could act without restraint, leaving Su Meng no chance to return. But reality was different. The Other Shore beings had to consider that direct intervention might trigger a full-scale conflict, increasing the likelihood of the Devil Buddha’s escape—the greatest and most unpredictable variable. This balancing act gave Su Meng room to ‘throw stones and ask for directions.’ Yet, playing with fire risked self-destruction. Unleashing the Devil Buddha would be a fatal blow to him.
“No wonder Maitreya only sent the Great Wheel Vajra to obstruct…” Dipankara sighed softly. Resolving this without involving the Other Shore beings was ideal. “That benefactor’s journey ahead will be fraught with strife…”
He raised his head, fixing his gaze on Ananda. “If this escalates into a full confrontation among the Other Shore beings, how should I aid your escape?”
Dipankara had made up his mind. Past missed opportunities had taught him a lesson: indecision invites disaster.
“Aid my escape?” Ananda looked at him as if he were a fool. “I have no desire to escape—for now.”
Dipankara fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke. “Friend, did you not previously urge me to help you escape?”
“Times have changed.” The Devil Buddha Ananda sneered. “If I escape now, Su Meng’s hopes would be utterly crushed. He would never dare leave the Nine Nether. Trapped there, as a pseudo-Other Shore with the Peerless Heavenly Blade and the Human Emperor Sword, I could defeat but not kill him. Then what? Wait idly for the end of the kalpa? Incomplete, we would both perish in the final destruction—fitting for his state of mind.”
Ananda’s tone grew colder.
“I must leave him hope, let him step out of the Nine Nether and strive for the Other Shore.”
Understanding dawned on Dipankara. He clasped his hands and murmured, “Namo Amitabha.”
…
The Nine Spirits Holy Sage stared into those abyssal eyes, deep as the ocean floor, filled with doubt. Suddenly, a voice reached him, and his gaze flickered with surprise.
Then he watched as the figure before him dissolved into shimmering light, vanishing without a trace.
Once again, Meng Qi found himself in a tunnel of space-time, adorned with eerie, mysterious patterns. With ease, he traveled further back, to older, more distant epochs. The scenes around him shifted rapidly, showcasing the Nine Nether’s ever-changing landscapes across ages.
Abruptly, the tunnel collapsed under external force. He emerged beside a vast, scorching black sun, witnessing a streak of dark light plummeting from above. Where it passed, all life withered, and silence reigned. Beyond the Nine Nether, a phoenix of breathtaking beauty spread its wings, bearing a thirty-three-layer golden pagoda that cascaded with primal chaos energy. Alongside it were the Taiji Moral Scroll, the Book of Sage Virtue, the Banner of Hidden Virtue, and the Ancient Cauldron of Blessed Virtue, scattering myriad hues.
“The battle between the Demon Sage and the Heaven-Slaughtering Daoist?” Meng Qi realized he had returned to the Mythological Era.
As the thought crossed his mind, the phoenix’s eyes and the icy gaze within the sword light turned toward him—this inexplicably powerful intruder.
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