The carriage, with its walls of dark metal inlaid with pearls and gems, was spacious and floated with a radiant glow, its interior bright as day. Yet, the only thing basking in the luster of these treasures was emptiness, pierced only by an ancient, unbroken silence. It was nothing like what Meng Qi and the others had speculated—that a deity might be seated here, attempting to escape the Immortal Realm via the Milky Way.
Meng Qi had no time to ponder further. His eyes caught a slight movement in the mane, and the celestial steed’s muscles subtly tensed and swelled, seemingly about to awaken.
Acting on instinct, Meng Qi’s lightning scar on the back of his hand flared as he mimicked the aura of an ancient thunder god. Using the “water film” as cover, he lunged toward the carriage and simultaneously transmitted his voice to his companions:
“Get into the carriage!”
In truth, Meng Qi’s reminder was unnecessary. Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and others had already reached the same conclusion. The celestial steed appeared to possess extraordinary abilities, capable of traversing space even before reaching the Dharma Body stage, soaring through the starry rivers. Once it set off, even if Dangshan Jun grew a hundred pairs of wings, he wouldn’t be able to catch up, instantly escaping the battlefield!
Meng Qi led the way, sending out a clone to test the carriage’s magical restrictions. Jiang Zhiwei, whose aura surged, barely maintained control of the Calming Sea Pearl, staying at the rear.
With this escape plan, she no longer needed to risk a stealth attack!
After all, Dangshan Jun was already a zombie. The primary function of the Calming Sea Pearl was to disrupt the primordial spirit, shatter the physical body, and control water flows. Even if it reduced a giant serpent to shreds, it might still fail to eliminate the creature.
The clone entered the carriage without triggering any defenses, easing Meng Qi’s mind. He leapt inside, followed by Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and Zhao Heng. Jiang Zhiwei also stepped to the edge.
At that moment, a terrifying, icy presence approached. A massive serpent’s head, large enough to fill an entire pond, thrust inward. Its eyes burned crimson as before. The white-haired zombie and Luosheng Yi’s shadow lurked behind, deeply fearful of Meng Qi’s “Only I Am Supreme” aura!
The suffocating pressure, nearly equivalent to half a Dharmakaya, sent chills down Meng Qi and his companions’ spines, freezing their bloodlines and slightly slowing the movements of their primordial spirits. To make matters worse, the venom was on the verge of erupting, poised to taint the surroundings. Meanwhile, the celestial steed had only just begun to stir, not yet breaking into a gallop!
Feet planted at the edge of the carriage, Jiang Zhiwei’s eyes were calm but not cold, unflinching. Her mind raced as she raised the Calming Sea Pearl, glowing with five-colored rays, preparing to smash it forward.
Dangshan Jun, having suffered from the treasures of Meng Qi and his companions, instinctively recoiled at the sight of the pearl. Yet, unwilling to give up, it hesitated, its enormous maw seemingly poised to unleash a heaven-devouring force. It would risk taking a direct hit, sacrificing its physical form to seize this opportunity!
Meng Qi’s mind remained calm. His motion of drawing the long blade slowed, his pupils deepening, streaked with brilliant starlines, illusory and profound.
The Unbreakable Blade—touched by karma!
When he looked at Dangshan Jun again, it was no longer quite the same. The threads of karmic connection it had extended were few; most had dissipated with its death. Only a handful—no more than ten—remained. Yet among them was one particularly striking thread, thick and solid, half-real and half-illusory, shimmering with a darkness that stretched toward some unknown distance.
That gaze sent a chill through Dangshan Jun’s heart. Coupled with the imposing aura of the Calming Sea Pearl, the enormous serpent’s head abruptly withdrew.
Seizing the moment, Jiang Zhiwei flicked her left foot. With a loud *crack*, the carriage door slammed shut.
The celestial steed awoke, seamlessly resuming its former role. Without hesitation or delay, it stepped forward into the Milky Way. As the carriage was submerged in its intangible waters, a faint green glow shimmered across its surface, and the magical seals activated themselves, sealing the carriage tightly.
The four celestial steeds raised their heads and neighed, then burst into motion, galloping through the boundless Milky Way.
Their forms suddenly turned illusory, as if entering a mysterious passage!
Only now did Meng Qi exhale in relief. The strange and terrifying karmic thread from Dangshan Jun—if he had drawn it in, he feared he might not have been able to withstand it, leading to mutual destruction. Driving it away was the best possible outcome!
He glanced around the carriage, finally allowing a question to surface in his mind: Was this carriage prepared by Old Pig for him, or had someone else once occupied it, only to leave?
If it was the former, considering that Old Pig had survived the scorching heat of the sun’s surface for so many years without turning to ash, he could certainly escape far more effectively than the celestial steeds. If it was the latter, when had the deity inside departed? During the fall of the Celestial Court? Afterward? Or before or after Meng Qi and his companions had entered?
Dangshan Jun’s massive head reappeared, revealing only the gently rippling waters of the Milky Way.
It roared in fury, shaking the starry rivers, but it was already too late!
…
The four celestial steeds pulled the golden carriage, flickering in and out of the illusory starry river, galloping swiftly across its surface.
On a planet covered with oceans, land, and green trees, a dozen humans in strange clothing gathered before an ancient ruin.
The leader pointed at the structure, lecturing: “This is an altar built by the ancient people to worship the gods and seek their protection. Many ancient texts mention accounts of deities descending here. From this, we can reconstruct the lifestyle, societal conditions, beliefs, and tribal relationships of the ancient people.”
Around him, some took notes diligently, others curiously examined the altar, some admired the ancient patterns on their ceremonial robes, while others gazed at the blue sky, imagining the lives of those ancient ancestors.
Suddenly, one person staring at the sky let out a stuttering sound, unable to form words. Before the others could react, a streak of light, trailing a long fiery tail, descended from the heavens—not rushing like a meteor, but calmly and steadily, as if surveying the world.
“The patterns of the Mysterious Bird (xuán niǎo) carved on the altar symbolize this ancient tribe, later evolving through integration…” The lecturer noticed the blank expressions on his students’ faces and realized something was amiss. Then, he felt a radiant light enveloping his body, sensing something approaching from behind.
Instinctively turning, he looked blankly at the altar and saw four white-maned horses pulling a sacred, solemn golden war chariot along a beam of light, descending “slowly” onto the altar.
“This….” Everyone present was speechless, as if trapped in a dream.
The celestial steeds rested briefly, then neighed again, activating the formation to aid themselves. Their hooves flew, soaring upward, their forms fading into the clouds.
Night seemed to fall early, the starry river shining brightly, a streak of light flashing by, now visible, now hidden.
On another planet, where yellow sands filled the sky and pointed towers stood tall, several men dressed as priests stood atop a small room on the tower, gazing over the magnificent yet desolate scenery.
“Tomorrow is the grand ceremony to worship Heaven,” one priest remarked.
Another laughed: “It’s just for show. No need to be tense.”
As the words left his mouth, their gazes suddenly froze. On the horizon, a shooting star approached, growing larger. They could clearly see the divine, noble white horses and the golden carriage forged in gold, feeling the sacred and solemn aura.
The celestial steeds landed atop the tower, rearing their heads in rest, ignoring the stunned priests.
After a short while, they stamped their hooves together. The tower radiated light, enveloping the steeds.
The celestial steeds soared again, galloping rapidly into the void, leaving behind statuesque priests.
…
Again and again, the steeds made brief stops, leaping through the starry river. Suddenly, they ascended and plunged into a vortex.
The carriage came to a complete stop. Meng Qi and the others sensed their surroundings through the carriage walls, detecting no danger. They opened the door and stepped out.
Only now did the voice of the Sixfold Cycle Lord sound again: “The battle is over. The mission is complete. You may return immediately or stay for half an hour. Regardless of whether you engage in battle or not during this time, you may choose to return.”
Greatly relieved, Meng Qi looked around. The sky was blue, the air clear, giving him an indescribable feeling—as if he had returned to the Journey to the West world!
Nearby stood a dilapidated village, devoid of human presence, only a foul stench lingering.
Without delay, Meng Qi turned back to the celestial steeds. Ruan Yushu also stared intently at them.
These were “treasures,” capable of wandering the stars!
As the thought arose, Meng Qi heard the steeds neigh again. He watched them suddenly surge upward, creating a powerful gust that blew them aside before vanishing swiftly into the heights.
So sensitive… Meng Qi smirked. He had barely begun thinking of ways to capture the celestial steeds and bring them back to his world when they had already fled!
Jiang Zhiwei smiled. With her secret techniques rendered ineffective, her aura had weakened, just like Meng Qi’s. Now she turned her gaze to the nearby village, seeing ivy overtaking every building, drowning them in green.
She strained to read the plaque through the gaps, whispering: “Gao… Lao… Zhuang…”
Gao Lao Zhuang? Meng Qi stared in shock. The celestial steeds had fled to Gao Lao Zhuang?
So it really had something to do with Old Pig!
“Let’s go in and take a look,” Meng Qi inhaled deeply and, with a weary, weakened body, walked forward.
This time, it was Ruan Yushu and the others who took the lead and guarded the rear. They didn’t question Meng Qi’s decision, planning instead to scavenge for items and accumulate good deeds within half an hour.
They tore through the ivy. The village gate had rotted away, crumbling at the slightest push.
As they passed through house after house, the items Meng Qi and his companions found were all in disrepair, some even decayed into mud.
After walking a while, they reached the village’s core area and discovered what seemed to be a library pavilion and the former residence of the owner.
“Let’s go to the library first. There might be collected cultivation techniques,” Meng Qi suggested.
Others might not know, but he certainly did—Gao Lao Zhuang was Old Pig’s “maternal home.” Who knows what treasures might be hidden here!
“Mm.” Ruan Yushu was quite interested in the music and tones of the Journey to the West world. Even if it wasn’t cultivation techniques, she hoped to see them. She followed Zhao Heng, walking side by side with Meng Qi, carefully entering the library and ascending to the second floor.
They were careful because the floorboards had already rotted, threatening to collapse with the slightest pressure.
Looking around, the second floor was filled with books, all yellowed with age.
Meng Qi casually scanned the room and suddenly noticed something—a book on a window-side desk, its cover deep blue, slightly ancient in appearance.
While Jiang Zhiwei and the others searched for useful items separately, Meng Qi walked over and picked up the book. On its cover were three ancient seal script characters:
“Dao De Jing!”
“The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao…” Meng Qi flipped through it casually. Aside from being an ancient text, it seemed no different from the commonly circulated “Dao De Jing” in his world.
At that moment, Zhao Heng exhaled: “These books are too old. They crumble at the slightest touch. You must wrap them in true qi and lift them carefully. But there’s nothing truly useful here.”
“These books are too old…” Meng Qi glanced at this copy of the *De Dao Jing*, vaguely sensing something strange. Yet, no matter how he examined it, nothing seemed amiss—except that it didn’t appear quite as old as the others.
Puzzled, he called Jiang Zhiwei and the others over to examine it. But all agreed it was just an ordinary book.
“An ordinary book…” Meng Qi thought for a moment, then placed it into his jade ring first. After all, he still had space to spare.
Half an hour later, after an exhaustive search, the five-member team ultimately found nothing of value. Judging by the traces left behind, several groups of demons had already been here—no thief would leave empty-handed!
The Sixfold Cycle Lord wasted no time, and his voice rang out directly: “The main mission is complete. Each person receives 3,500 good deeds as a reward.”
“Return.”
A beam of light descended, healing their wounds. Meng Qi quickly recovered from his weakened state.
At that moment, he heard the Sixfold Cycle Lord’s indifferent voice again in his ear: “Approaching maturity, the Cycle advances once more. The next mission will be a death mission, commencing one year from now. Prepare accordingly.”
“For this mission, sealed treasures and items cannot be used. Only personal martial arts and weapons are permitted. Protective robes and healing pills may be prepared, but only one of each per person.”
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