The purple aura surged for thirty thousand li, the Dao De Jing’s five thousand words echoing high into the sky, as if Heaven itself had proclaimed a voice that shook the deafened world, teaching humanity and spreading the Great Dao, so that even the farthest corners could hear.
Inside the Golden Light Cave, King Zhuang of Chu sat with furrowed brows, pondering his recent difficult predicament and how to counter Duke Huan of Qi’s strategy of alliance. Suddenly, purple energy emerged from the void, and specks of dark yellow, black, and white descended slowly.
King Zhuang was startled and looked up, as a grand and solemn voice rang in his ears: “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.”
“The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao…” His brows eased, and he murmured softly, sensing that these words were filled with profound mystery. The more he pondered, the deeper their meaning became—neither confined to specifics nor governing all laws.
As he mused, King Zhuang suddenly snapped back to awareness, now hearing, “Dissolve its disputes, harmonize its light, and merge with its dust…” He had missed many verses of the Dao De Jing, causing him to instinctively scratch his head in frustration and regret.
He activated the Dao of Shifting Across Ten Thousand Worlds, his eyes shining with the source of the Dao’s voice, seeking to uncover the truth.
His vision blurred with layers of images, revealing a figure riding an ox, sitting calmly on its back, swaying gently back and forth, exuding ease and naturalness—strangely familiar.
In an instant, King Zhuang blurted out, “Su Mo!”
It was indeed Su Mo, the Mohist Juzi who had obtained the Primordial Unity Seal and maintained close ties with the Jade Void Palace!
He was the one who had spoken such profound Daoist words!
When a Sage appears, all schools flourish!
Inside the royal palace of Qi, Duke Huan of Qi listened with delight, occasionally clapping in rhythm. As the lingering echoes of the Dao De Jing faded, he sighed, “With methods and techniques, one eventually attains the Dao!”
The ox stepped higher, Meng Qi’s expression serene, not controlling its direction, for he knew there were matters he must now face.
Now that he had broken free, severed past and future, and shattered the hopeful plans of the Demon Buddha A’nan to escape imprisonment early, the one behind the scenes would likely reveal himself. The one who had hidden his Earthly body within the Jade Void Palace, the one who had left him the Dao De Jing personally inscribed by Laozi!
The ox’s hooves flew, clouds blossoming beneath its feet, ascending ever higher. Ahead, white clouds stretched like a vast sea, magnificent and surging.
It was mid-afternoon, the sun shining directly down, the sea of clouds glowing golden, radiant and grand.
Deep within the clouds, a palace suddenly emerged. Its foundation was dark yellow, with eaves hanging with dragon-shaped streams of energy. The vermilion gates were tightly shut, studded with golden nails, exuding nobility and majesty. Around it stood nine ancient wells, each surrounded by jade railings—clearly the Jade Void Palace!
The ox stepped through the air, weaving through the clouds, and slowly arrived before the gates of the Jade Void Palace.
With a creak, the vermilion gates opened by themselves!
Meng Qi dismounted and waved his hand. The ox instantly dissolved into specks of dark yellow, black and white, and purple light, which entered Meng Qi’s Dharmakaya, repairing the hidden damage caused by intense battles during its formation.
Meng Qi strode toward the gates, his green robe fluttering, his temples slightly streaked with gray. The Emperor’s Sword had long flown away, returning to Gao Lan to avoid another decade-long loan, while the Overlord’s Blade had turned black again, occasionally flashing purple lightning, glowing translucent.
At this moment, apart from the Overlord’s Blade, he carried only a few items—true inheritances already integrated into his sea of consciousness, along with the Tree of Dao and the eerie Blood Peach. The rest had either turned to dust with the destruction of his physical body or transformed into the Dao De Jing, spreading throughout the world.
Truly arriving empty-handed and leaving empty-handed, taking away almost nothing—how free and unburdened.
Passing through the vermilion gates, Meng Qi saw a clear corridor ahead, all forbidden arts withdrawn, as if welcoming a guest.
Beyond the corridor, the layout was unlike any previous experiences. A solemn, ancient, and majestic hall appeared directly, with a plaque inscribed:
“Yu Qing Palace!”
The dark yellow gates slowly opened as Meng Qi approached, revealing the interior—spacious and simple, with only meditation cushions.
On one cushion sat a man in flowing robes, wearing a fan-shaped cloud crown, straw sandals, and a silk sash around his waist. His face was clear and handsome, lips red and teeth white, giving Meng Qi a strangely familiar feeling.
He sat there, as if omnipresent, as if existing in all times—past, present, and future. He bore no signs of age, yet exuded the depth of time. He radiated no authority, yet made one dare not meet his gaze directly.
He smiled slightly as Meng Qi entered:
“Senior Brother, do you remember your junior brother from the Lake Mingyang days?”
“Zhen Hui…” Meng Qi’s eyes narrowed, then he added, “Yang Jian…”
Junior brother Zhen Hui was actually Yang Jian, the Divine Sovereign of the Clear Source and the Sublime Path!
The great being hailed as the most promising to reach the other shore in his generation!
The great being whose words could determine heaven and earth!
All the coincidences—discovering Zhen Chang’s theft of scriptures, the luck of Han Hai’s rash actions—flashed through Meng Qi’s mind, culminating in one thought: So that was it!
His fate had seemingly deviated to some extent.
But how could he reconcile that obedient, simple-minded junior brother—the one always with shining eyes, the one who risked his life to find Meng Qi and their master, the one who grieved deeply when Meng Qi was expelled from Shaolin, the one who, after many years, still felt like family—with this refined, graceful, and mighty figure before him?
A quiet sorrow and anger brewed within Meng Qi as he stood at the doorway, not entering further, nor sitting on a cushion.
Yang Jian smiled gently and said, “Not a fish, not a marker of the Dao, not a reincarnation body. Zhen Hui was merely a fragment of my consciousness, formed with my pre-Dao cultivation temperament and nature, only hiding most of my memories to avoid detection. He is me, and I am him—no separation, no distinction.”
“When did you regain all your memories?” Meng Qi calmed himself and sighed.
Reflecting on past details, combined with his current understanding and cultivation, Meng Qi had to admit Yang Jian’s words were true.
Yang Jian pointed to a cushion before him, inviting Meng Qi to sit, and casually replied, “When you entered the Jade Void Palace, discovered your Earthly body, and triggered the hidden seals I left behind.”
“You were the one who moved my Earthly body to the Jade Void Palace?” Meng Qi slowly sat down, keeping some distance from Yang Jian.
Yang Jian nodded lightly with a smile: “I pursued my Grandmaster’s trail, found the Jade Void Palace again, and entered the highest level of the Nine Heavens. There, I discovered some clues I initially didn’t understand. Only after A-nan’s rise to power and his subsequent suppression by the Buddha did I realize their meaning. Following the clues, I found your Earthly self. When A-nan stole your soul and possessed Su Zi Yuan, I switched your body before he could destroy it, hiding it within the secret chambers of the Jade Void Palace.”
“You did all this to stop the Demon Buddha’s escape?” Meng Qi remained expressionless, guessing the schemes of Yuanshi Tianzun and Yang Jian.
Yang Jian shook his head: “No. After A-nan reversed the Buddha Palm, turning from Buddhist to demonic, he quickly regained his peak power and advanced remarkably. It wasn’t long before he reached the other shore, even tracing back to the primordial past and seizing control of all possible futures across nearly every time stream in all universes. He became one of the ancient great beings who had reached the other shore, nearly matching my Grandmaster.”
“This exceeded all expectations of the great beings. They suspected A-nan had hidden secrets, but regardless, his power became unstoppable. It was a bloody era, claiming countless great beings of the Middle Ages, until the Buddha finally intervened.”
“A-nan’s cultivation approached omniscience and omnipotence, defying logic and nearing perfection. Few could rival him. If he fully escaped, the heavens would darken. Fortunately, he needed to set up his plans in advance, hoping to escape secretly through hidden means. I found the opportunity based on my Grandmaster’s clues.”
“He is part of you. Your independence would strip him of perfection, dragging him into the normal ranks of the other shore, making him no longer omnipotent. He would become an enemy within the realm of imagination. Therefore, once he escapes, his first priority will be to consume you and regain perfection.”
Meng Qi listened silently, finally understanding Yang Jian’s meticulous planning: “Can’t the Buddha continue to suppress A-nan?”
“The final calamity has arrived, and all seals are loosening. Only if the Buddha intervenes again or at least three other great beings unite can A-nan be resealed,” Yang Jian said calmly, showing no fear.
“Isn’t Tianzun slightly superior to him? Can’t he do it either?” Meng Qi was unsure how to address Yuanshi Tianzun.
Yang Jian gave a faint smile: “I have searched through countless ages but never found my Grandmaster, unaware of his whereabouts, only receiving some clues.”
“What about the Buddha? Why didn’t he act from Ling Mountain, and why didn’t he reinforce the seals when they weakened?” Meng Qi asked in confusion.
“After forming the Dao Fruit, all guesses and understandings of them become incorrect. Therefore, I don’t know why he acted this way,” Yang Jian replied.
Meng Qi pondered for a while before asking, “What is the Final Calamity?”
“Heaven and Earth have cycles, and eras have endings. This world is nearing its end. Based on my Grandmaster’s clues, I suspect this may be the last era, with uncertain chances of another. Hence, it is called the Final Calamity of Immortals. Who will transcend, who will endure, and who will vanish into dust—all depends on this calamity,” Yang Jian explained. “At that time, countless great beings who have reached the other shore or attained creation will return.”
“Like you? Why not return earlier?” Meng Qi’s eyes darkened.
“For ancient beings like us who have lived through countless ages, once we return to the River of Time, our bodies will suffer severe erosion, and our powers will gradually fade. Therefore, we must maintain our peak condition and return at the most suitable moment,” Yang Jian pointed to himself. “This fragment of my spirit will soon return to the main body, as the great calamity is about to begin. So, time is short. Do you have anything else to ask?”
Meng Qi thought for a moment and asked, “If I want to rescue Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, Zhao Heng, and Qi Zhengyan, what should I do?”
“They are different from you. Some are listed on the God-Sealing List. If you show any intention to rescue them, their bodies will be destroyed immediately and drawn into it. Others are partially controlled by the Demon Emperor’s Claw. Any mistake could trigger the Demon King’s early return. Therefore, you must proceed cautiously, waiting or creating opportunities…” Yang Jian explained, and Meng Qi listened carefully.
As soon as he finished, Yang Jian’s body gradually became transparent, and a phantom River of Time appeared. He smiled again: “For now, you must rely on yourself. I hope I can still see my senior brother when I return.”
Meng Qi sighed, stood up, and walked outside the hall without looking back, murmuring softly, “In my heart, my junior brother is already dead.”
Before him stood ancient wells, and rolling clouds surged endlessly.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage