Chapter 451: Dare You Go?

Shangguan Heng shook his head abruptly, trying to shake off the lingering sense of the other’s unfathomable profundity, and coldly snorted, “Dharma-body experts can enter and exit Qingming; they have no doubts. Your groundless speculations are nothing but madness. As for the questions about Heaven, there are Dao Venerables, Buddha Ancestors, Yuanshi, Daode, and others who can answer them. Why should you bother?”

“Yeah,” Meng Qi sighed, feeling the deepening night and the dazzling brilliance of countless stars stretching boundlessly into the distance.

Indeed, this world had numerous Dharma-body experts, and in ancient times, there were many unfathomable great beings. Would they not know whether the world was flat or round, or whether there was any difference between the sun and stars?

Meng Qi pulled out a blade of green grass, stuck it in his mouth, rested his head on a stone, and mumbled, “After the fall of the Celestial Court, the invasion of monsters, and the recent threat of the Demon Buddha destroying the world, besides martial arts inheritances, very few ancient texts have survived. How could they contain such knowledge?”

As for the current Dharma-body experts, although they can enter Qingming at the initial stage, what about reincarnation?

Even if this world is indeed flat and round, what about the countless reincarnation worlds? How are they positioned within the heavens and earth? Are they illusions created by the Six Paths, or do they relate to the fundamental nature of the universe and the great mysteries of Heaven and Earth?

Leaving aside whether Dharma-body experts can explore reincarnation, at least so far, he had never heard of any records regarding reincarnation or other worlds.

Similarly, what about Lankes Temple, which can turn “a short distance into a vast expanse and vice versa”? What about other Buddhist Pure Lands? In what manner and at what position do they exist within the universe?

What about the Earth from his previous life? What about the universe from his previous life? What is their relationship with this world?

If he had not experienced reincarnation worlds, if he had not carried over the knowledge from his previous life, Meng Qi might have been like many others in this era who, upon hearing that Dharma-body experts can enter Qingming, would have naturally dismissed all these questions.

Hearing Meng Qi’s questions, Shangguan Heng, who usually acted more than he thought, paused for a moment and said, “It’s true that ancient inheritances have often been lost across generations, but the Wang Clan of Jiangdong still exists. Since ancient times, they have survived every calamity and must have preserved the corresponding scriptures.”

Breathing in the cool wind with a faint smile, Meng Qi asked, “So, have you seen the ancient texts collected by the Wang Clan of Jiangdong?”

Shangguan Heng’s face darkened, “Of course not! The Wang Clan of Jiangdong treats their scriptures as treasures, never revealing them to outsiders, as if they were hiding some great secret…”

His voice trailed off as he realized his own words seemed to support Su Meng’s point.

“Exactly. Perhaps in ancient times, people’s understanding of the universe was completely different from today…” Meng Qi’s voice drifted, filled with a sense of nostalgia and speculation, enveloping the surroundings.

Seeing Meng Qi leaning against a stone, a blade of grass in his mouth, exuding a casual and unrestrained demeanor, Shangguan Heng suddenly felt a tinge of envy. He took a few steps back and sat cross-legged, leaning against a large tree. “You’re just making wild guesses. There are many reasons why the Wang Clan of Jiangdong keeps their scriptures hidden. Moreover, many sects and clans trace their inheritances back to the ancient and middle ages. At the very least, martial arts have never been truly severed.”

Meng Qi had been troubled about where to begin investigating these matters when Shangguan’s words sparked an idea. He smiled leisurely and said, “Right, martial arts have never been severed. I believe the inheritances of ancient great beings, their Dharma-body techniques, must contain their understanding of the Dao and the principles of the universe. If we carefully study and compare them, we might grasp their views of the cosmos and verify our own ideas.”

Yes, this was a world where supernatural powers originated from within the self. The higher one ascended, the more martial arts techniques and divine skills would reflect their creators’ understanding and mastery of nature. Legends said Yuanshi Tianzun split the heavens and Daode Tianzun spread the Dao since the beginning of time. Surely their inheritances contained relevant “knowledge”?

“Heh, most people barely grasp the surface of Dharma-body techniques, let alone reach the Opening Heaven stage, not to mention comprehending them.” Shangguan Heng scoffed, though with a hint of pride.

Meng Qi stretched lazily and spat out the grass, “It doesn’t necessarily require deep comprehension. By comparing the inheritances or Dharma-body techniques of different great beings, we can observe their differing understandings of the universe at a superficial level.”

Deeper understanding would inevitably involve the nature of the Dao itself, which could easily confuse one’s mind. At his current level, he would struggle to grasp such profound truths.

“Different great beings’ inheritances or Dharma-body techniques…” Shangguan Heng didn’t finish his sentence, clearly thinking Meng Qi was indulging in fantasy.

Meng Qi smiled without responding, patted his robe, and slowly stood up. After all, he possessed inheritances like the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, Yuanshi Golden Scripture, Divine Xiao Destruction, and even the Buddha’s Palm. He certainly wouldn’t lack material for study.

The night sky glittered with stars as Shangguan Heng looked up in confusion at Meng Qi standing. “Are we leaving again?”

“I suddenly had an idea, so I can’t wait to get to the city ahead.” Meng Qi chuckled, waving his sleeve as if riding a gentle breeze, exuding a relaxed and carefree aura.

This spontaneous, unrestrained attitude stirred a sudden sense of envy in Shangguan Heng, who quickly followed behind.

As dawn broke faintly over the horizon, Meng Qi emerged from the dense mountains and entered the nearest city without delay, heading straight for a bookstore.

“Shangguan, I’ve been in Northern Zhou for a while now. Besides you, why hasn’t anyone else challenged me?” Meng Qi suddenly asked as they walked.

Upholding his usual stance, Shangguan Heng remained a few steps behind Meng Qi, not walking beside him. He grumbled, “You defeated me in one move. Naturally, other Opening Heaven experts would think twice before facing humiliation. Those who still have confidence probably haven’t arrived yet.”

Among the Human List, Shangguan Heng was second only to “Mercyless Earth Immortal” Cao E. Even if there were a few other experts in Northern Zhou with less renowned achievements but slightly superior strength to him, they would still weigh their chances against Meng Qi, who had defeated Shangguan in a single move—when the gap is too large, a challenge becomes meaningless.

“I understand that,” Meng Qi said, “but what about those experts who covet my divine skills and treasures?”

With both hands behind his back, he continued scanning the street for bookstores.

Unconsciously slipping into a follower’s role, Shangguan Heng replied grudgingly, “Although you were a Shaolin outcast, you’re on good terms with many clans and sects. Moreover, you’re under twenty and already the second-ranked expert on the Human List, having survived numerous calamities. Either you have powerful backing, or you’re a rare genius blessed with extraordinary fortune. People avoid provoking the powerful, and they dare not provoke the fortunate.”

“Besides, many experts who have reached the Externo for years already have their own treasures. Only those who recently broke through might have such thoughts, and how many of them are there? There are far more pressing matters for them.”

People favored by fortune often experience inexplicable events. Without deep hatred or irresistible temptation, who would recklessly provoke someone like that? Aren’t they afraid of tripping in a ditch?

Meng Qi smiled without asking further. Another important reason was that he traveled unpredictably and acted on impulse. Even if someone had intentions, they might not even be able to find him. This was mainly due to his caution regarding the “Myth” and the enemies among the Nine Heresies of Evil Cults.

At this moment, he crossed the street and entered a bookstore, searching carefully before purchasing many Buddhist and Daoist scriptures.

“Are you really going mad?” Shangguan Heng was somewhat stunned.

Was “Crazy Blade” Su Meng planning to become a monk or a Daoist?

Meng Qi smiled without answering, tossed the money, and carried the books out of the store. He casually chose a corner, sat on the ground, and began reading intently. Apart from his decent appearance and demeanor, he looked no different from a beggar.

Earlier, when he mentioned the continuity of inheritances, it had given him another idea. Besides martial arts, wouldn’t Buddhist sutras and Daoist scriptures also contain similar reflections on the nature of the universe? If one could sift through the exaggerations and later distortions, one might glimpse the related thoughts of Buddhism and Daoism.

Meng Qi flipped through the pages while pondering deeply. Without eating or drinking, two days passed unnoticed, leaving Shangguan Heng astonished. Was this really the kind of obsession that separates the mad from the ordinary?

“A thousand small worlds, each containing the Sun, Moon, continents, and the Six Desire Heavens, plus the Three Heavens of the Second Meditation, make up a ‘Small Thousand World.’ A thousand ‘Small Thousand Worlds,’ plus the Three Heavens of the Third Meditation, form a ‘Middle Thousand World.’ A thousand ‘Middle Thousand Worlds,’ plus the Nine Heavens of the Fourth Meditation and the Four Emptiness Heavens, constitute a ‘Great Thousand World,’ also known as the ‘Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds,’ which is the domain of a single Buddha. Only ‘Tathagata’ holds this title; other Buddhas are merely different manifestations of the same Buddha…” Meng Qi murmured to himself.

“Planets and stars form galaxies; numerous galaxies form galaxy clusters; many galaxy clusters form the metagalaxy and the universe; and multiple universes form a multiverse. Yet, all of this originates from a single point that defies description, without beginning or end. How remarkably similar these two perspectives are…”

Meng Qi could understand the first similarity. After all, it was natural for classification systems to accumulate from smaller to larger units. If they weren’t similar, that would be strange. But the latter part about “Tathagata” and his own understanding of Yuanshi was quite puzzling.

Of course, there were significant differences in how Buddhism and Daoism described these concepts. Setting aside the meaning of Yuanshi, “Tathagata” was never described as the origin of all phenomena or the beginning of all things. It was merely a term for one’s own Buddha nature, a symbol of Buddhahood…

As he pondered deeply, a passage suddenly surfaced in Meng Qi’s mind:

“Embrace change, achieve immortality, all is void, realize Bodhi in the heart.”

This was the final line of the “Opening Heaven” section of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. Previously, Meng Qi had not understood its meaning, but now it became clear. This was likely the dividing line between the two fundamental paths of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art: the Indestructible Golden Body and the Bodhi Golden Body.

Under these two fundamental paths, due to differing understandings of the self and the universe, there would certainly be further distinctions in the various sub-paths.

Indeed, the mysterious gateway leads to no regrets!

Recalling what he had seen in the inheritance of Divine Xiao Destruction, where the world was created and destroyed under the “Five Thunderbolts from Heaven,” Meng Qi vaguely grasped something, but he still lacked much understanding, especially regarding the nature of his own world. He couldn’t yet shape his vague thoughts into a coherent form.

Even so, his heart felt elated. He put down the books and burst into laughter, completely indifferent to the crazy looks from Shangguan Heng and the passersby.

“Finished reading? Did you gain anything?” Shangguan Heng asked with a twitching mouth.

For fear that Meng Qi might disappear, he had been meditating nearby for the past two days, enduring the stares of people who thought he was a beggar.

Meng Qi chuckled, “I’ve gained a lot, but the most important thing now is another question—one even more urgent than comprehending the Dao of Heaven.”

“What question?” Shangguan Heng asked, puzzled.

“My stomach’s growling. I’m thinking about all the delicious food and drooling.” Meng Qi laughed heartily, rising effortlessly and heading toward a nearby tavern, exuding a carefree demeanor.

Shangguan Heng’s face turned red and then pale. Suddenly, he lowered his voice and said, “I know someone peculiar—no, a madman—who also ponders the nature of the universe. But the place he lives is very dangerous. Are you brave enough to go?”