The Pangu Banner appeared, the Hegemon’s Ultimate Blade emerged, and a flash of blade light split the heavens and earth. The core fragment of the Hao Tian Mirror, already riddled with deep cracks, suffered another devastating blow. A crisp cracking sound echoed as it shattered into two pieces, one larger and one smaller. The fragment’s damaged spiritual essence, yet to recover, would take an indeterminate amount of time—perhaps even countless years—to regenerate.
At this moment, Meng Qi ignored the faint desire of the Dao Tree to swallow and absorb the fragments. Transmitting his thoughts with a tone of frustration, he conveyed, “If you want to ‘consume’ these things, you must grow stronger quickly. Face items like the Celestial Execution Axe directly and stop bullying these fragile, broken remnants!”
Grasping the two fragments of the Hao Tian Mirror, Meng Qi felt his mood lighten. Smiling at Master Da Lu, he said, “Senior, if you ever need them, feel free to use the fragments of the Hao Tian Mirror.”
Master Da Lu did not feign modesty and nodded seriously, replying, “I owe you another favor.”
Though both Master Da Lu and Meng Qi followed a new path that severed the concept of “other selves,” seemingly eliminating the need to communicate with the mirror fragments in advance, having such an artifact as an aid would significantly enhance their chances of attaining the Legendary realm.
Following the conventional cultivation path, one could faintly sense parts of one’s “other selves” upon reaching the peak of the Immortal realm. Then came the arduous task of grasping the subtle connections between them, extending one’s consciousness into different universes to communicate with these “other selves.” Establishing stronger bonds, even directly occupying or absorbing them to turn them into personal projections, would eventually lead to a qualitative leap once a certain threshold of connected “other selves” was reached, thus entering the Legendary realm.
The process was fraught with immense difficulty and peril. Establishing delicate connections alone posed a significant challenge, and a single misstep could result in being influenced by one’s “alternate selves,” leading to mental instability, personality fragmentation, and ultimately, descent into madness and death. Even in ancient times when Immortals were plentiful, Legendary-level experts remained exceedingly rare. For instance, in the Nine Nether Realms, where various factions flourished independently, the total number of practitioners at or above the Legendary tier did not exceed twenty. Of course, many malevolent spirits and deities gained half or even one to two tiers of power within the Nine Nether, so those possessing Legendary-level strength might number over a hundred.
How prosperous was the Buddhist sect, nearly surpassing the Celestial Court and suppressing the Daoist sects. With countless Pure Lands combined, the total number of Buddhas, powerful Bodhisattvas, and Arhats amounted to only a few hundred. It was only through the prophecy of “future Buddhahood” that they managed to claim a total of three thousand, boasting of the “Ten Thousand Buddha Formation.” More importantly, a significant portion of these hundreds of Legendary beings were actually the same individual with multiple identities, such as the three corpses or incarnations they had severed, or their past and present selves—like Guanyin Bodhisattva and Tathagata Zhengfa Ming. If one were to be precise, the actual number of Legendary beings in the Buddhist sect was barely over a hundred. Thus, after the battle at Vulture Peak, when the “Ten Thousand Buddhas” perished, not only did the Legendary experts of Vulture Peak fall, but many from other branches like the Western Paradise also met their end. From then on, the Buddhist sect declined, never to regain its former glory.
This illustrates both the rarity of Legendary experts and the difficulty of attaining the Legendary realm. Yet, no matter how arduous the path, there was always a way forward. Meng Qi and Master Da Lu followed a path that severed their “other selves,” a road shrouded in mist. Others could sense their “other selves,” grasp subtle connections, and use them as support, but they had none of that. They had to rely on their own strength to penetrate different universes, identify the characteristics their “true selves” should possess in each universe, align with the Dao’s source, and remain in the most suitable place in the most appropriate manner, thereby reestablishing subtle connections—not something that could be achieved by simply leaving behind a mark. Similarly, the method of leaving behind a mark also required exploration.
Therefore, with the help of the Hao Tian Mirror fragments, they could traverse myriad worlds and universes, experiencing the connections it naturally produced, saving Meng Qi and Master Da Lu considerable effort and preventing many detours in their future attempts. They might even, like Su Wuming, develop more Legendary traits in advance.
This was a rare and valuable item. Although it would lose its significance after this stage, no longer possessing the other functions of the core fragment, it remained an exceptional treasure.
As Meng Qi placed the fragments into his sleeve, he smiled and said, “Juniors have received much from seniors; there’s no need to keep score. This place is about to collapse; let’s leave first.”
A colorless ancient lamp lit in his eyes, its black-and-white radiance resembling the entangled threads of causality in heaven and earth.
Grasping the connection, he swung the Hegemon’s Ultimate Blade, slicing into the crack of the Jade Pond.
The blade light enveloped Su Wuming and Master Da Lu.
They pierced through illusions and penetrated reality, and Meng Qi’s trio emerged before Yun He Zhenren and He Qi.
“Big, uh, where’s the Mad Emperor?” Meng Qi feigned ignorance of Gao Lan’s earlier words.
Yun He Zhenren smiled and said, “With the gathering of Dharma Bodies here, Master Gao volunteered to go out and guard humanity, fearing that the demon race might seize the opportunity.”
Meng Qi’s heart sank. Could his elder brother be heading south?
He had stationed Gao Lan here, not taking him into the Jade Pond, precisely for this reason—to leave behind a Dharma Body capable of countering the Demon Saint Spear. Yet, he worried about the Northern Zhou’s conquest of the Southern Jin, creating a dilemma.
“The Mad Emperor seems to be pursuing the righteous path. I observed the celestial changes and found no calamity impending upon the Southern Jin,” He Qi, understanding Meng Qi’s concern, added.
Due to Meng Qi’s battle with the manifested Qi Tian Dasheng, the restrictive formations above the Ice and Snow Palace had been shattered, requiring some time to recover. As a result, He Qi was able to sense the shifting of the stars.
Meng Qi exhaled in relief. Ever since his elder brother recovered from his mental illness, Meng Qi had increasingly found it difficult to predict his thoughts.
Relaxing, Meng Qi, Master Da Lu, and Su Wuming each took out a fragment of divine treasures as shared spoils of war.
In any case, Yun He, He Qi, and Gao Lan had held the rear guard—though without notable merit, they had certainly toiled diligently, risking their sects and the palace by standing as backup forces. Without due acknowledgment, their morale would undoubtedly suffer.
Master Da Lu offered a fragment of the Glazed Lamp, Su Wuming presented a fragment of the Green Flame Seven-Slaughtering Saber, and Meng Qi contributed a fragment of the Qingli Sword. He Qi opted for the latter, Yun He took the former, while the Seven-Slaughtering Saber fragment was designated for Gao Lan.
After that, Meng Qi looked at Master Yun He and took out the remaining fragments of the Profound Darkness Sword, the Vermilion Bird Flame Sword, the Eastern Azure Wood Sword, the Blood Transformation Divine Saber, and the Gu God Shell: “Master, do you think it’s possible to forge a divine sword from some of these materials?”
The Mountain-Driver Whip was a unique divine treasure and shouldn’t be wasted.
“Divine Saber of Blood Transformation… Did the Blood Sea Rakshasa fall by your hand?” He Qi instantly recognized the treasured weapon of the Blood Robe Sect!
Without their treasure weapon, the Blood Robe Sect would inevitably meet its demise. Among the nine ancient demonic sects, two had already been annihilated by the actions of Su and Meng, leaving only the new generation’s Demon Emperor to fill the void!
As for Su Meng’s capability to slay the Blood Sea Rakshasa, He Qi, Yun He, Master Da Lu, and Su Wuming—who had not witnessed that battle—were not surprised. If even the Gu God had fallen, how much more so the Blood Sea Rakshasa?
Meng Qi hesitated slightly and said, “Without the strike from the core fragment of the Hao Tian Mirror, I might not have been able to kill the Blood Sea Rakshasa. A trace of consciousness from the Nine Nether Blood Demon had returned, nearly fully awakening the Blood Transformation Divine Saber…”
He revealed the approaching footsteps of the great catastrophe.
The several Dharma Bodies nodded, each concealing their emotions, their thoughts varied.
After a moment, Yun He Zhenren glanced at the materials in Meng Qi’s hands and said with a smile, “These are all fragments of Heavenly Immortal-level divine artifacts. Combined with the Blood Transformation Divine Saber and the Earth Immortal Shell, they are enough to forge a Heavenly Immortal divine weapon. The issue is, I only have twenty to thirty percent confidence. If it fails, only debris will remain. Are you certain you want me to attempt it?”
Only two or three out of ten confidence? Meng Qi’s heart wavered, reluctant yet puzzled as he asked, “Master, didn’t you refine the corpse of the Arctic True Dragon into a protective treasure?”
Yun He Zhenren extended his palm, and the dragon, no larger than a hand, soared out, spiraling around him as it swallowed clouds and exhaled mist, its majestic aura fully displayed.
Pointing at the dragon, he chuckled, “Do you remember how large the Arctic True Dragon’s corpse was? I don’t know how many parts I ruined before forging this treasure.”
“Ahh…” Meng Qi looked at the palm-sized dragon, recalling the massive True Dragon corpse, the stark contrast leaving him momentarily dazed.
This shrinkage was too drastic!
“Alright, I was joking. The dragon can grow or shrink, fly or hide. If this little dragon expands, it can be dozens of zhang long. However, this was forged using the mechanical techniques of the Mo Gong, and I did fail five times before finally succeeding. I wasted a full eighty percent of the True Dragon corpse,” Yun He Zhenren said seriously, “The materials you have can only be used for two forging attempts, and I can’t guarantee success.”
In that case, wouldn’t it be better to try obtaining the genuine Qingping Sword—the very sword Chong He had wished to attempt but never got the chance? The sword personally wielded by the Heavenly Lord Tongtian, also known as the Heavenly Lord Lingbao! This thought flashed through Meng Qi’s mind. The details about the Qingping Sword were a closely guarded secret within the Immortal Trace organization, but given his current status, he was now qualified to access such information.
Moreover, only he had the strength to claim it!
At this moment, Yun He Zhenren glanced at Master Da Lu and the others, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Actually, ever since I emerged from the Wanxiang Heaven, I’ve noticed that the current world is far smaller than it was in ancient times. Although it retains its essence—the origin of humanity’s rise—the overall scale is less than one ten-thousandth of what it once was.”
He lifted his head, his divine consciousness cutting through barriers and tempests, gazing at the countless stars as he fell into deep contemplation: “Perhaps during the Great Demon Upheaval, the True World was shattered into innumerable fragments, with only the largest piece remaining, while the rest scattered into the cosmos, becoming countless celestial bodies.”
“From what I know, there were only a single set of stars in ancient times, but now there are far more.”
“This is a common speculation among many sages. The world was likely further shattered during the chaotic era of the Demon Buddha, and many places recorded in classical texts from the middle ages can no longer be found,” Master Da Lu said. “Moreover, there are also many fragments of time and space.”
The previous fragments referred to spatial fragmentation, while the fragments of cosmic light belonged to possible divisions of time. Though different in nature, both were phenomena that frequently emerged during great calamities.
Yun He Zhenren nodded and said, “Hmm, just now I was reminded of the ‘Golden Crow Sect’ from the late ancient era at the end of the East Sea. They were quite renowned and particularly skilled in forging. The materials Young Friend Su has are certainly sufficient to forge a Heavenly Immortal-level divine weapon. Unfortunately, there is currently no trace of them left.”
“Perhaps exploring fragments of the Cosmic Light or wandering the Starry Sea might yield some discoveries. It’s possible that the Golden Crow Sect still exists at the eastern edge of the sea today,” He Qi comforted Meng Qi.
At the edge of the East Sea, white mist filled the sky. No matter how one walked, they could never escape it, nor encounter any islands or living beings. It was as if some great being had plucked it away, leaving only emptiness. He Qi, after attaining the Dharma Body, had explored the area several times but found nothing.
For Dharma Body experts, if they extended their divine consciousness into the heavens and earth and traversed the illusory laws, they might discover the Pure Lands of Buddhism, the blessed grotto-heavens of Taoism, or fragments of cosmic radiance, thereby gaining profound experiences. Hence, wandering through various Pure Lands and paying homage to the remaining Buddhas and Bodhisattvas was a common cultivation practice among the Dharma Bodies of Buddhism. In the past, Han Guang’s transformation, Kong Wen, had used this as a pretext, feigning ignorance of the cycle.
Meng Qi had just entered the Dharmakaya realm and encountered troubles, so he had not yet had the opportunity to perform the foundational practice of tranquil mind wandering.
As for traversing the Starry Sea of the Real World, first, the journey was long; second, it was perilous; third, there was concern that the sect and family would be left without support. At present, almost no Dharmakaya practitioners dared to attempt it.
Upon hearing He Qi’s suggestion, Meng Qi gave a slight nod. His current plan was to either embark on a spiritual journey through the heavens and earth or wander the starry seas in search of sects proficient in forging. Meanwhile, he would prepare to obtain the Qing Ping Sword. Should that fail, he intended to entrust the materials to the old fox, Yun He, and accumulate virtue to enhance his fortune, praying for success.
…
After leaving the Ice and Snow Palace, Meng Qi bid farewell to Master Da Lu and the others who were heading south, then found a secluded spot to once again travel to the Conferred God world.
As soon as he stepped into the world of Fengshen, a small vermilion gourd leaped out of the void, transforming into a short, elderly man adorned with a fishtail crown and clad in a bright red robe—Lu Ya.
Lu Ya stroked his beard and smiled at Meng Qi: “Daoist Lu Ya predicted correctly. Young friend, your actions indeed bring swift success. Truly worthy of being a disciple of Yuan Shi, where is the core fragment of the Hao Tian Mirror?”
He did not mention the Demon Lord.
Meng Qi retrieved the larger fragment, the one that preserved the core essence, and fixed his gaze directly into Lu Ya’s eyes: “Dao Jun, where is the List of Deification?”
Lu Ya looked at the fragment and slightly frowned, as if muttering or questioning, “It’s shattered so badly…”
“The Golden Emperor appeared through the power of vows, with the Celestial Execution Axe nearby. A great battle ensued, and the core fragment was further damaged,” Meng Qi answered solemnly.
Lu Ya appeared unfazed by Wu Sheng Laomu’s sudden appearance. With a light chuckle, he remarked, “So that’s how it is,” and chose not to pursue the matter further. As he retrieved the “Register of Deification,” he smiled and said, “Young friend, only Daoist Lu Ya and the Demon Buddha were privy to the affair of the Dao Tree. Who within the Nine Heavens could possibly plot against you?”
No wonder Lu Ya was so confident, capable of awakening the Demon Lord and truly retrieving the core fragment of the Hao Tian Mirror. Yet, Meng Qi had still managed to outmaneuver him…
Meng Qi shifted his gaze to the Fengshen Bang in Lu Ya’s hands.
It was a list glowing with a faint golden light, as if the entire world was manifested within it.
“Which name shall you remove first, young friend?” Lu Ya asked.
Meng Qi did not hesitate: “Jiang Zhiwei.”
Rescue whoever was closer to attaining the Dharma body first.
At the same time, he noticed the name Chong He on the list!
This time, he did not borrow the Divine Whip, as he was unfamiliar with the specific circumstances and could not prepare accordingly. He decided to observe first and gather more information for the next attempt.
Lu Ya nodded and reached out his right hand to erase Jiang Zhiwei’s name from the List of Deification. Suddenly, his hand paused, and he smiled: “Perhaps we should discuss the next task first. Otherwise, young friend, how could you focus on listening to Daoist Lu Ya’s chatter?”
Once Jiang Zhiwei’s name was erased from the **List of Deification**, Meng Qi would immediately return, seizing the opportunity to sever Jiang Zhiwei’s karmic ties with other great beings. Otherwise, she might easily be killed or controlled by the **”other Lords of the Six Paths of Reincarnation”**!
(Note: “封神榜” is translated as “List of Deification,” a term commonly used in Chinese mythology to refer to the register of gods. “六道轮回之主” is rendered as “Lords of the Six Paths of Reincarnation,” maintaining the original religious and mythological context.)
“What task?” Meng Qi asked.
Lu Ya smiled: “Help Daoist Lu Ya find someone.”
“Who?” Meng Qi asked, puzzled.
Lu Ya’s expression turned solemn:
“The Green Emperor, or Taiyi Heavenly Venerable.”
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