The sea of clouds stretched boundless, as Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei walked upon it, soaring through the air with their robes fluttering.
“Performing ‘Severing the Dao to See the Self’ at the Sword-Washing Pavilion is just like spreading the Dao here. Aren’t you afraid that ‘Her I’ will benefit from it, grow rapidly in the future, and compete with you for the position of ‘True I’?” Meng Qi asked with a smile.
Jiang Zhiwei slightly lifted her head. “She hasn’t even established her foundation yet, while I have already reached the Semi-Dharma Body stage. She only has a handwritten copy of the “Supreme Sword Sutra” and has seen ‘Severing the Dao to See the Self’ just once, while I have both the ‘Supreme Sword Sutra’ and the authentic transmission of ‘Severing the Dao to See the Self,’ along with the nearly complete outline of the ‘Seven Heavens-Interrupting Sword.’ She is in a fragment of cosmic time and space, where legendary secret realms and treasures are scarce, limiting her cultivation experiences. I, however, have gone through numerous life-and-death trials, experienced cycles of reincarnation, and encountered many fortuitous opportunities. How little confidence would you have in me to think she could surpass me?”
Her gaze was full of confidence.
“I’m just worried that some ‘Master of the Sixfold Cycle of Rebirth’ might casually place a piece, pulling her into the cycle and giving her extraordinary encounters to restrain you,” Meng Qi replied. As for himself, he had already severed all past connections, eliminated all other selves, and stood alone, so he wasn’t afraid of such things.
Jiang Zhiwei smiled and glanced sideways. “I’m only at the Semi-Dharma Body stage and am not anyone’s fish or Dao marker. The great cultivators have so many things to worry about that they probably won’t even think of me. Even if some great cultivator casually places a piece and pulls her into the cycle, unless they deliberately cultivate her, why should I fear it? Even if they do deliberately cultivate her and grant her many fortuitous encounters, I still don’t think I’d lose to her.”
Meng Qi nodded. As a martial artist devoted to the sword, such confidence was the bare minimum.
After a moment of thought, he asked, “Zhiwei, the way you deal with ‘Her I’ doesn’t seem to be the simplest form of communication and assimilation, does it?”
Earlier, when the two Jiang Zhiweis approached each other, a subtle connection had strengthened, which Meng Qi had sensed.
“That’s right,” Jiang Zhiwei replied. “The Supreme is impartial and has no special affections. My approach to dealing with ‘Her I’ is modeled after Heaven itself. Heaven gives birth to all things but does not possess them, nurtures them but does not rely on them, and fosters them but does not control them. Once a connection is established, why must we assimilate? Haven’t you noticed that Heaven doesn’t assimilate every living being, nor does it fear their resistance?”
However, if they did not assimilate, the many thoughts and struggles that arose would severely test one’s Dao heart and Yuan Shen. A slight carelessness could lead to backlash or even a spiritual breakdown.
Meng Qi clapped his hands and laughed. “A truly virtuous person, most commendable.”
Jiang Zhiwei smiled and accepted his praise. Looking around, she asked, “Where shall we go next?”
“Shaolin,” Meng Qi replied calmly.
Jiang Zhiwei was slightly surprised. “You don’t plan to help them complete the ‘Maha Pacifying Fist’?”
Meng Qi shook his head, his gaze deep and distant. “No. In my heart, I only have one master.”
“If ‘Her I’ is not me, wouldn’t allowing the Xuan Bei of this world to grow pose a threat to my master?”
After a pause, he continued, “The Shaolin here likely no longer has the authentic transmission of ‘Flower-Gazing Smile,’ but forty years ago, when the sect split, Abbot Kongwen had already reached the Dharma Body stage and had already grasped the essence of ‘Flower-Gazing Smile.’ He wouldn’t have forgotten his related memories and insights. Therefore, I want to go to Shaolin and demonstrate the outline of the ‘Tathagata Palm,’ hoping he can gain something from it and slightly grasp ‘Flower-Gazing Smile’ to make up for past regrets.”
Meng Qi had studied the outline of the ‘Tathagata Palm’ many times and had gained some understanding, but it was impossible for him to fully demonstrate it. He could only show what he had personally realized, and how much Abbot Kongwen could gain from it would depend entirely on his cultivation in Buddhist Dharma and martial arts.
Not long after Kongwen had broken free from his imprisonment, he was about to attain the Bodhisattva stage when he was killed in the war between righteousness and evil. Meng Qi had felt deep regret at the time.
“Good,” Jiang Zhiwei nodded gently, then smiled. “If we bring this Abbot Kongwen back to the Real World, it would probably shock many people into dropping their jaws.”
Meng Qi thought about it and found it amusing. He chuckled, “If the Demon Sage causes trouble again, we could secretly bring back this Abbot Kongwen and have him suddenly appear before the Demon Sage at a critical moment. His demonic heart would surely falter, and even if he doesn’t die of fright, he’ll definitely reveal a weakness.”
What a shocking thought—Kongwen, that dead monk, actually coming back to life!
As he spoke, Meng Qi looked up at the high sky and sighed. “This fragment of cosmic time and space is hidden deep in the darkness, surrounded by desolation. To outsiders, without a connection, it’s hard to find. And for cultivators at the Dharma Body stage in this world, even when their consciousness travels, they definitely cannot find other fragments of cosmic time and space or pure lands. If they stray too far, they will easily get lost in the darkness, only by chance encountering other fragments or the Real World, expanding their horizons and completing their cultivation techniques.”
“If one doesn’t have such fortune, this world will gradually become mediocre. Once the Dharma Bodies perish one by one, all connections with the outside world will be completely severed, leading to passive stagnation, making it impossible to transcend and causing the world to become increasingly ordinary.”
This was the situation for most fragments of cosmic time and space, as they were all rare treasures that cultivators in the Real World could only encounter by chance.
“It’s a pity that Lanke Temple is only a Bodhisattva-level Reward Body Pure Land and cannot exist across all worlds. It’s confined to the Real World. Otherwise, it could serve as a bridge for communication between the inside and outside.” Jiang Zhiwei had gained profound insight into the specific nature of Lanke Temple after being enlightened by Meng Qi and the Fairyland ruins.
Cultivating a Reward Body differs from cultivating a normal Dharma Body. Instead of gradually forming a separate world from within and controlling the outside, it relies on karmic feedback to gradually merge with certain laws of the world. Therefore, it exists everywhere in this world, making distant places feel close. When a Reward Body Pure Land reaches the Legendary stage, it will spread across multiple universes and fragments of cosmic time and space, merging with certain laws of each. Truly, it will exist in all worlds.
Although Lanke Temple was only a Bodhisattva-level Reward Body Pure Land, its essence was a fragment derived from the Eastern Lapis Lazuli Pure Land of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha. Since it involved a legendary existence, it silently “disappeared” during the split forty years ago, and anyway, not many people knew of its existence.
As for the current understanding of fragments of cosmic time and space and various pure lands among the Dharma Body cultivators in this world, it would be naturally forgotten unless awakened again.
Upon hearing Jiang Zhiwei’s words, Meng Qi furrowed his brow. “Isn’t it said that Amitabha Buddha’s Western Paradise is a perfect Reward Body Pure Land? No matter where one is, as long as one sincerely pays homage to the Buddha and recites the Buddha’s name before death, one will be reborn in the Western Paradise. Then why can’t we sense the existence of this Pure Land?”
In the Real World, there had been no news of the Western Paradise for countless millennia. When cultivators at the Dharma Body stage traveled with their consciousness through various pure lands, they had never discovered this one perfect Reward Body Pure Land.
According to Daqinggen’s account, even if the world is destroyed, the perfect Reward Body Pure Land will not be destroyed. Even if an era ends, the Western Paradise would likely continue. Where has it gone now?
“Perhaps it has transcended the River of Time and is sleeping in the chaos,” Jiang Zhiwei guessed based on what Meng Qi had told her.
As they spoke, they leisurely walked eastward toward Shaolin without any urgency.
After walking for a few moments, Meng Qi suddenly stopped and smiled. “To the south is the Zhenwu Sect. Shall we go visit Senior Zhang first?”
Forty years ago, Zhang Yuanshan had not even been born yet, so he could not possibly be a reincarnator, meaning his existence would not be affected. After all, reincarnators also have “Other Selves.” Otherwise, every reincarnator would be a legend, the difference being whether their “Other Selves” are also reincarnators.
“Senior Zhang?” Jiang Zhiwei’s eyes lit up, and she nodded immediately.
Calculating his age, Senior Zhang should be about eight or nine years old now, the age when disciples in sects and noble families officially begin their cultivation. However, their progress is usually slowed down initially to avoid affecting their physical development.
…
Xuanwu City, the gateway to the Zhenwu Sect.
Zhang Yuanshan sat in the pavilion of the Zhang family’s mansion. He had no mood to go out shopping or sightseeing, his expression slightly gloomy. Despite his young age, he already showed signs of an adult’s composure, remarkably steady.
“Yang Tai and Yao Xinghen are truly martial geniuses. Others take ten or fifteen days to master a sword technique, but they can completely learn it in two or three days without appearing hasty or superficial,” Zhang Yuanshan sighed like a little adult. “I’m better than the average disciple, but compared to them, I still have a considerable gap. Although Grandpa doesn’t say anything, I know myself that my talent is still inferior to theirs. Alas, how can I live up to Grandpa’s and my parents’ expectations in the future? How can I shoulder the responsibility of the family?”
He was already too burdened with thoughts for his young age.
Unable to dispel his worries, Zhang Yuanshan decided to go to the riverside to watch the waves. He wanted to go secretly by himself, without the servants noticing his discouragement and distress, so as not to disappoint Grandpa and his parents.
Once he made the decision, Zhang Yuanshan acted methodically and calmly. Soon, he had slipped past the servants, sneaked out of the mansion and the city, arriving at a secluded riverside spot, breathing in the fresh river breeze and trying to ease his mood.
At that very moment, his heart was stirred, and he turned his gaze to the side. There, he saw a man and a woman walking toward him. The man was dressed in a green robe, exuding an air of effortless grace, his temples slightly tinged with gray, handsome and mature. The woman wore a yellow dress, radiant and breathtakingly beautiful, with a long sword in her hand that added a heroic touch to her presence.
Seeing the man and woman walking straight toward him, Zhang Yuanshan’s heart sank. Something’s wrong—were they coming for him?
“Junior Zhang, no need to be afraid,” Meng Qi smiled as he looked at the young Zhang, who already showed signs of a refined demeanor.
Junior Zhang… They know me? Zhang Yuanshan’s mind raced with thoughts:
Could they be enemies of the Zhenwu Sect or my Zhang family?
Or perhaps they are “child traffickers,” seeing that I have decent talent and wanting to sell me to some evil cult?
Escape? How? Jump into the river, or cry out for help? The river here is swift, and jumping in might cost me my life. And the area is remote—shouting loudly might not be heard by anyone…
Should I pretend to comply and wait for an opportunity?
Thoughts swirling, Zhang Yuanshan couldn’t make a decision.
At that moment, he heard the man in the green robe chuckle lightly, “He’s just like Senior Zhang, always thinking too much and worrying too much…”
Zhang Yuanshan was momentarily stunned and instinctively asked, “You… what exactly do you want?”
“What do we want?” He saw the man with gray temples at his temples curl his lips into a smile, extend his right hand, and speak in a tone tinged with humor, “To put it simply, in plain words, you’ve encountered something called a ‘fortuitous encounter.'”
Fortuitous encounter? Zhang Yuanshan’s eyes widened in confusion, watching helplessly as the man in the green robe placed his right hand on his head.
A sensation of alternating heat and cold coursed through him, as if he were being drenched in hot water and then plunged into an icy pool. He felt unbearable pain, as though his body were tearing apart inch by inch, yet he could not utter a sound.
The “Yin-Yang Seal” could even refine the Pure Vase of White Jade belonging to the Bodhisattva of Compassion, naturally possessing the effect of marrow cleansing and bone transformation. Not to mention, Meng Qi could simulate the circulation of the “Muscle-Bone Changing Scripture” within others’ bodies!
As the pain vanished, he saw the man in the green robe bend his finger and flick it, shooting a streak of light into his mind. It was a sword beam that pervaded the universe, reaching everywhere, without distinction of strength or weakness.
The outline of the “Seven Heavens-Interrupting Sword” and the transmission of Dao throughout the universe!
Of course, it was limited to the parts Meng Qi had currently understood.
The profundity of the sword beam completely captivated Zhang Yuanshan. He only vaguely saw the man and woman walking away on the river surface, faintly hearing their conversation.
“Should we introduce the true Dao of this world to him?”
“No need. Everything should be left to fate. I dislike having my destiny manipulated by great cultivators, so how could I manipulate their destinies?”
Who is “Zhen Zhen”? Zhang Yuanshan gradually regained his senses, first puzzled, then marveling at how the sword technique he had just received surpassed his imagination, appearing even mightier than the techniques demonstrated by the sect’s leader!
This truly was a fortuitous encounter!
But… wasn’t it all a bit too sudden?
…
On the grasslands, within a temple with yellow walls and black tiles.
A tall, thin monk of the Esoteric Sect, possessing a strange charm, stepped out of his meditation room.
“Congratulations, Master, on completing your cultivation, recovering from your injuries, and achieving the ultimate skill!” Several disciples dressed in lama robes showed joy on their faces.
This esoteric monk was none other than the Living Buddha Hutuktu. He smiled slightly. “I have recovered from my injuries and would like to travel south to visit my old ‘friends’ and new ‘friends’ and see how they are doing now.”
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