Darkness and chaos surged as Meng Qi manifested the “Indestructible Primordial Form” behind him. All transformations, myriad things, causes and effects, past and future, collapsed into a point beyond description. At first glance, it might seem like the image of a Daoist immortal, embodying the past, present, and future simultaneously, containing all possibilities and all energies.
The surrounding void rippled, and formless, intangible laws and principles gradually solidified along the threads of past connections, slowly merging into the “Indestructible Primordial Form.”
In that moment, Meng Qi felt as though he had found his “self” and glimpsed his “other self.” The two connected, energies intertwined, and naturally he stepped onto the second tier of the Celestial Ladder, opening the door to becoming a Grandmaster.
The inexplicable bond and deep causal link convinced Meng Qi that the body inside the coffin was indeed his original Earthly body. Since “I” am unique, yet the body is split into two, through this mysterious connection, the “Earthly body” wildly absorbed primordial energy, interweaving it with the principles of the sun and other laws, transforming toward the current body—whether in appearance, formidable physique, or sentient flesh.
The surroundings gradually darkened, hazy and muddled. The power of the earth grew thin, the electric and magnetic forces weakened, and the sense of time passing faded, as if it were an illusion, like returning to the beginning. It made one feel drifting, as if the body were dissolving and then condensing into a sphere. It became difficult to harness most of the power of heaven and earth, hard to distinguish up from down, left from right, front from back, and even caused misjudgment of time—whether it was one’s own actions or an opponent’s attacks, the timing seemed impossible to grasp.
This was the “domain” of the “Indestructible Primordial Form”!
When cultivated to the utmost depth, the river of time and the eight wastelands truly condense into a single point, dragging the enemy directly into a state nearly akin to “nothingness.”
Meng Qi’s eyes never closed as he witnessed the transformation and refinement of his mortal form within the coffin. He experienced the initial merging of the Dharma Body with the laws, the mastery over heaven and earth, the strengthening of his physical vessel, and the profound realms of a Grandmaster.
Silently, Meng Qi retracted the “Indestructible Primordial Form,” and the darkness and chaos vanished. The flames from the glass lamps on both sides illuminated the interior of the coffin once more.
The Earthly body had also reached the Grandmaster stage, its inner scenery perfected, its acupoints aligned, always ready to manifest the “Indestructible Primordial Form.” The two Meng Qis—one lying down, one standing—differed only in that the one in the coffin had closed eyes, concealed vitality, and lacked the lively and nimble aura, while the standing Meng Qi had deep, vibrant eyes and overflowing vitality.
Facing each other, Meng Qi felt as if he were looking into a mirror. Yet the inexplicable bond and karmic ties allowed him to distinguish which was his original body and which was the reincarnated body of Su Ziyuan.
Why did this appear here?
I didn’t have anything special in my past life… Just an ordinary person, going to school and working, with average talent and grades. Although I often fantasized about extraordinary encounters, I never experienced any until my reincarnation…
Was I a piece in a Great Being’s game?
Taking a deep breath, Meng Qi calmed his mind and examined the coffin again. He saw two swirling auras on either side of the body, shifting and changing—sometimes taking the form of a book, sometimes tablets—alternately radiant or golden and solemn. One was the《Eight-Nine Profound Art》, the other the《Primordial Golden Scripture》.
The Dharma Body chapter of the Eighty-Nine Mysterious Arts, the general principles of the Primordial Golden Scripture concerning the Dharma Body, and his mortal form bearing the Seal of Unity—was this what Yang Jian meant by “all I desire lies within the Jade Void Palace”?
But I also want treasures like the Three-Treasure Ruyi and the Heaven-Upturning Seal… Meng Qi muttered to himself. With no time to spare and to avoid any unforeseen mishaps, he quickly checked for traps and promptly absorbed the two swirling auras. Then his expression turned solemn. His Primordial Spirit suddenly left his body and entered the one inside the coffin.
The primordial spirit merged seamlessly into the body, encountering no resistance—only a profound sense of familiarity and vitality, as though a long-lost wanderer had finally returned home.
The “Earthly Meng Qi” inside the coffin suddenly opened his eyes, stretched his limbs, and manifested the Indestructible Primordial Form.
“Truly possessing the strength of a Grandmaster…” Meng Qi frowned slightly, unable to explain this miraculous transformation.
Could it involve the fundamental connection between the “self” and the “other”?
At the same time, Meng Qi examined his primordial spirit internally and discovered that four items had accompanied him in the transfer: the true transmission of the Seal of Unity, the true transmission of “Only I Am Supreme,” the Tree of the Dao, and the eerie Blood Peach (Yao Yi Xue Tao). Somehow, they had followed him.
“I’ve always worried that my current body, frequently healed by the Six Paths, might leave hidden dangers. Now that this change has occurred, it seems to have resolved that issue perfectly.” As this thought crossed his mind, only one idea remained in his mind:
Hide this from the Master of the Six Paths!
Since Gu Xiaosang said that the gray stone hall with Yang Jian’s message could conceal things from the Six Paths’ perception, the Jade Void Palace should be able to as well!
As for the arrangements and karmic ties of the Jade Void lineage, he couldn’t think about them for now.
Simultaneously thinking and acting, Meng Qi’s primordial spirit left his earthly body and returned to his standing form. At this moment, he had only one concern: how to conceal this from the Six Paths. Nothing else held greater importance now. Moreover, he remained uncertain about the connection between the two bodies. Hastily swapping bodies might lead to complications. It would be wiser to proceed cautiously rather than act impulsively. Perhaps, ultimately, he would need to merge both bodies to attain true singularity?
Take it with me? How? Leave it here? What if he could never return? As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Meng Qi hesitated. Although he didn’t understand what changes the Earthly body would bring, he had a vague sense that this was a very important matter.
Inside the “Unity Hall,” the mysterious figure wrapped in a black robe lowered his hand from his forehead and sneered coldly, “Found you!”
The primordial magnetism warped the void, and chaotic arcs of lightning scattered as he vanished instantly from the “Unity Hall.”
Outside the bronze gates, in a nearby pavilion, a flash of lightning heralded the mysterious figure’s partial reappearance.
Just then, the pavilion seemed to sense something and suddenly trembled. The coffin in the back hall also quivered slightly, ejecting Meng Qi’s Earthly body and sending it flying toward his “true form.”
Before Meng Qi could catch his body, illusory ripples spread out from an unknown height, and the Jade Void Palace became even more distant and unfathomable.
As the ripples reached him, Meng Qi’s primordial spirit dimmed, his physical body trembled, and he was forcibly expelled from the Jade Void Palace.
Meanwhile, Qin Mugong and others had just broken through several layers of restrictions and stepped into a grand hall when they too encountered the illusory ripples.
“Why did this opening last so briefly?” Qin Mugong exclaimed in surprise and was soon expelled from the Jade Void Palace as well.
The mysterious figure, wrapped in a black robe, had barely appeared when he was struck by the illusory ripples. His body suddenly collapsed, disintegrating into a pile of fleshy mush covered by the robe.
“What exactly did he find?” The thought barely echoed before being swallowed by the illusory ripples.
The Jade Void Palace returned to silence, unchanged for eternity…
…
Sensation returned as his body reformed and his primordial spirit cleared. Meng Qi found himself back in the palace of Linzi, in the quiet chamber provided by Duke Huan of Qi.
“Where is my body?” Meng Qi looked around, finding nothing. He immediately calmed his breath, steadied his mind, and began sensing for it, intending to use the karmic bond to locate it.
Before he could even begin to perceive the karmic threads in his eyes, he sensed the “Earthly body.” He didn’t know where it was, but it was lying in a hidden cave, without a soul or fluctuating thoughts, just lying there silently.
A sudden inspiration struck Meng Qi. He focused all his primordial spirit energy and attempted to control “his own body.”
In the cave, the “Meng Qi” suddenly sat up, his eyes dull, his every movement sluggish and laborious.
Phew! The Meng Qi in Linzi exhaled deeply, feeling immense exhaustion, unable to maintain the connection. The “Meng Qi” in the cave leaned against the wall and became still again.
“This might just fool the Master of the Six Paths…” A thought suddenly occurred to Meng Qi.
Was this the work of a Great Being playing a game?
Was it the Primordial Venerable or Yang Jian?
After a brief moment of fear, Meng Qi regained his composure. When debts pile up, one no longer worries. Only when Great Beings entangle each other in their games does one have a chance to break free from the chessboard!
Putting aside further thoughts on the matter for now, Meng Qi first examined his final gains: the《Primordial Golden Scripture》and the《Eight-Nine Profound Art》.
The golden aura was solemn and sacred, constantly shifting in shape. Though it seemed to rest on nothing tangible, Meng Qi could see countless arcane seal characters swirling and innumerable unfathomable images flickering.
As his consciousness delved deeper, a not-very-long passage appeared in his mind, but its subsequent transformations were extremely complex—golden script, Daoist diagrams, and celestial charts filled his vision, making his head spin.
This is indeed the general outline of the Dharmakaya section from the *Primordial Golden Scripture*. Upon my return, I’ll use it to exchange with the Seal of Primordial Mind for the Heaven-Overturning Seal and the Earth-Stabilizing Seal. With both the general outline and the Five Seals in hand, I won’t need to worry too much about future cultivation or perfecting the Primordial aspect of my Dharmakaya.
Only now did Meng Qi’s mind fully recover from the shock of his journey to the Jade Void Palace, and a pleased smile appeared on his face.
After putting away the《Primordial Golden Scripture》, Meng Qi examined the《Eight-Nine Profound Art》.
“Only the first three chapters?” Suddenly, Meng Qi let out a soft “Huh?” and quickly flipped through the rest, only to sense a familiar consciousness at the end:
“On the path of legends, one must first see oneself. Everyone’s path differs. Before finding one’s ‘self,’ if one studies the methods of predecessors, it will influence one’s own path, causing repetition. Therefore, only the first three chapters of the Eight-Nine Profound Art are left. If one is destined, more may come in the future.”
Yang Jian’s consciousness! Meng Qi nodded slightly. With the precedent of Master Lu’s experience, he could now understand this perspective.
The first three chapters of the Eight-Nine Profound Art still encompassed Dharmakāya techniques—such as returning all phenomena to emptiness, sentient flesh, and the Wisdom Eye of Bodhi. However, each transformation of a great demon or deity corresponded to a Dharmakāya technique, resulting in a considerable total number—for instance, Zhu Jiuyin’s “Drinking from the River of Time.”
Indeed, the Eight-Nine Profound Art embraces transformations and is complex to cultivate… Meng Qi made his assessment and waited for Duke Huan’s return.
…
“You truly have a connection with the Jade Void Palace…” In the quiet chamber, the returned Duke Huan of Qi, known as Xiao Bai, gazed silently at the Peaches of Immortality, the general outline of the Dharmakāya section from the *Primordial Golden Scripture*, the first three chapters of the Dharmakāya section from the *Eight-Nine Profound Art*, the Seal of Primordial Mind, and the Taiyi Soul-Splitting Pill. After a long silence, he finally let out a deep sigh.
They were all treasures of the Jade Void sect. Last time, he had gained nothing. Comparing himself to Meng Qi made him feel defeated.
And there was still the Seal of Unity… Meng Qi inwardly rejoiced.
Duke Huan lightly tapped the table, his expression serious. “The general outline of the Dharmakaya section from the ‘Primordial Golden Scripture,’ the Seal of Primordial Mind, and the Peaches of Immortality are all priceless treasures. Although we are allies, I feel uneasy accepting them. How about this—I’ll teach you the ‘Heavenly Pocket Realm’ technique, and we’ll call it even.”
“Master, there’s no need to be so calculating…” Meng Qi was about to humbly decline, but upon hearing the last half of Duke Huan’s words, he quickly agreed. Then, with a seemingly timid tone, he asked, “Master, I have a difficult matter. May I borrow the ‘God-Beating Whip’ for a while?”
Duke Huan chuckled. “The God-Beating Whip is a national treasure and cannot be lent out. But I can accompany you and use it to help you with your difficult matter.”
“But wouldn’t that be a problem?” Meng Qi scratched his head. “This involves the Cycle of Rebirth…”
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