Outside the Jade Void Palace, the heavens and earth were tranquil and peaceful. The massive destruction caused by the residual waves of the battle on the Other Shore had been restored to its original state under the influence of time reversal and historical alteration. The mountains were clear, the waters beautiful, and the mortal world’s paths crisscrossed. Among the thirty-six ancient wells enclosed by jade railings, twenty-four continuously surged with radiant flames and colorful mists, as if boiling, creating a dreamlike and transcendent atmosphere.
Deep within the layers of palace halls, inside the Jade Void Hall, Meng Qi calmly accepted the congratulations of his fellow disciples and friends—Guang Chengzi, Chi Jingzi, Gao Lan, Jiang Zhiwei, and others—officially taking charge of this place and becoming the true master of the Jade Void Palace, the new “Primordial Heavenly Venerable.”
After the formalities, Guang Chengzi gazed at Meng Qi, whose golden lamps and jeweled ornaments shimmered around him, with auspicious clouds of light cascading like a water curtain before the eaves. He sighed deeply and said, “Junior Brother Sect Master, why must you do this…?”
Our side hasn’t suffered any substantial losses. Taking a step back would bring calm. Severing the path not only means no hope of transcending this epoch but also brings backlash and entanglement. The embryonic form of the Dao Fruit, once within reach, will likely become difficult to attain.
At the Legendary realm, if historical alterations are significant—such as when the Primordial Heavenly Venerable once opened the source of time, extracted and excised a segment of the “river” from the Investiture of the Gods onward—the mighty ones, due to their innate spiritual radiance dwelling at infinite heights, retain fragmented memories unrelated to themselves. However, should such historical shifts directly implicate them, their cognition grows muddled, rendering them oblivious to any anomalies in their own experiences. Only upon attaining the Creation realm, where one can perceive the冲刷 of the River of Time, does partial clarity emerge regarding events that occurred and were altered. Yet, it remains devoid of the tangibility of lived experience, akin to a surreal dream—a vision of another potential destiny.
Without reaching the Other Shore, without leaving the sea of suffering, one can never see the truth. Even someone like Guang Chengzi, a perfected Creation being who has explored the Other Shore and lacks no accumulation, feels no deep-seated hatred for his past death. It’s like dreaming of being killed by someone—there’s no reason to pursue it after waking up.
As for Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu, it’s even harder for them to comprehend Meng Qi’s feelings when he delivered that strike. It’s not that they don’t understand him well enough; it’s that they simply don’t grasp the situation at all.
The difference in realms isn’t just about strength.
And among all these realms, the gap between the Other Shore and those below is the greatest—so vast that even the metaphor of “heaven and abyss” falls short!
Meng Qi’s gaze was gentle, devoid of any Other Shore majesty. After surveying the room, he spoke slowly: “For the Golden Mother, this is undoubtedly the best outcome.”
“If I had endured silently and first repaid the debt of my Dao attainment, given the current circumstances, it would have amounted to helping Her with two things: first, obstructing Maitreya’s escape from the sea of suffering, halting Amitabha’s efforts to reduce and seek emptiness; second, devising various plans to help Xiaosang break through to the Other Shore, bringing the Golden Mother closer to the Dao Fruit. After settling the debt of Dao attainment, I would undoubtedly have confirmed the embryonic form of the Dao Fruit, qualifying me to join their competition. Yet, with lingering resentment and hatred in my heart, coupled with my relationship with Xiaosang, there would be no possibility of cooperation with Her.”
“Thus, She deliberately provoked me to deliver that strike. This way, not only is my path severed, eliminating any hope of competing with Her for the Dao Fruit in this epoch, but it also delays Teacher Primordial’s transcendence, leaving Her with hope. As for Maitreya’s escape from the sea of suffering, once the Golden Mother reveals Her true colors and Amitabha exposes Empress Fu, my assistance to either side would be inconsequential. And when Xiaosang attempts to break through to the Other Shore, whether or not there’s a debt of Dao attainment, I would help with all my strength.”
“With such a move achieving multiple goals, the Golden Mother’s choice is self-evident.”
Listening quietly to Meng Qi’s explanation, Manjushri the Dharma King couldn’t help but sigh: “Since ancient times, She has been adept at scheming. After reaching the Other Shore, Her grasp of human nature and the situation has become even more chilling.”
The crux of this matter lies in the fact that, whether or not there’s a “debt of Dao attainment,” Junior Brother Sect Master would help the Golden Emperor’s product of reduction and emptiness-seeking to break through to the Other Shore. Given this, wasting the “debt of Dao attainment” on this would clearly not maximize the Golden Emperor’s benefits. Instead, forcing Junior Brother Sect Master to sever his own path while also delaying Teacher’s attainment of the Dao is the better choice.
And this crux was deliberately crafted by the Golden Emperor from the very beginning, manipulating human hearts and fate.
From the moment Gu Xiaosang was born, from the moment Junior Brother Sect Master was placed on the board by the Devil Buddha, the Golden Emperor has been waiting for this strike!
Just thinking about these details sends chills down one’s spine, a bone-deep coldness and despair.
“But it also requires Junior Brother Sect Master’s willingness to deliver this strike…” Guang Chengzi sighed again, unwilling to see Meng Qi sacrifice so much for their illusory, bubble-like fates.
Meng Qi smiled faintly, then said solemnly: “If I couldn’t deliver this strike, I would gradually be assimilated by the ‘Other Shore realm,’ becoming a lofty will of heaven, devoid of any human touch.”
“And the Dao of others is not ‘my’ Dao.”
“This strike severed my path, but it saved ‘me.'”
“If even ‘I’ cease to exist, what does the Dao Fruit matter? What does transcendence matter?”
He didn’t elaborate further. This was a conviction forged by his own experiences, worldview, and beliefs. It’s normal for others not to understand. And even if the road ahead is treacherous, even if it’s severed, he would press on without hesitation.
After countless kalpas, after who knows how many epochs, whether it’s “Primordial Heavenly Venerable” Su Meng or simply the Primordial Heavenly Venerable—that will be the difference.
With that, he turned to Gao Lan. The Human Emperor Sword flew out from the pure, flawless halo behind his head and landed in the other’s hands:
“Imperial Brother, while the Great Zhou may not be restored immediately, the islands of the East Sea, the nations of the Investiture, and the four continents of the Journey to the West all hold great potential. Reestablishing the human path won’t be difficult. I hope one day, you and I can stand side by side.”
Gao Lan took the Human Emperor Sword, and the altered past suddenly felt more real to him. He laughed heartily and declared boldly: “No need to provoke me. In this life, I’ve never lagged behind others. Sooner or later, the Human Emperor and the Heavenly Venerable will be spoken of in the same breath.”
With that, he lifted the pale golden longsword and strode out of the Jade Pure Hall. Seeing this, Manjushri reminded him: “The Staff of the Gods is still under control. Don’t forget to retrieve it from the Tushita Palace.”
When the Luo Sect and the Buddhist faith swept across the world, they didn’t spare the Investiture World. Duke Huan of Qi, Xiaobai, took refuge in the Tushita Palace.
Gao Lan’s thin lips pressed together slightly as he nodded and left with his head held high.
Meng Qi then turned to Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu, chuckling: “From now on, don’t get my title wrong.”
Originally, because Meng Qi had reached the Other Shore, with the pure and flawless halo behind his head, the profound and chaotic auspicious clouds above, and the golden lamps and jeweled ornaments surrounding him, Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu had felt a strong sense of distance, as if an insurmountable chasm had opened between them. The Su Meng they once knew had become a lofty figure. But as these words left his mouth, Jiang Zhiwei burst into laughter, and Ruan Yushu smiled faintly, the distance between them instantly closing.
This might be the least imposing and pretentious Other Shore being.
“Yes, Little Monk,” Jiang Zhiwei replied, stifling her laughter, while Ruan Yushu nodded lightly.
Meng Qi smiled warmly: “If you can deeply contemplate your innate spiritual light and distinguish the ‘true’ from the ‘false’ caused by historical changes, you’ll benefit greatly in the future.”
After offering further guidance to Chi Jingzi and the others, Meng Qi bid them farewell, as he needed to stabilize his realm first.
When the Jade Pure Hall returned to its eternal silence, the pure halo behind his head flickered, revealing the lush and vibrant Tree of the Great Dao, its branches bearing two illusory Dao Fruits, the Overlord’s Absolute Blade, and the Three Treasures Ruyi. Gu Xiaosang appeared before him.
Her previously pale face and tearful eyes were gone, replaced by an air of serenity amidst her ethereal demeanor.
“Don’t worry. Your wife has always been used to setbacks. I won’t collapse from this. I’m just a bit lost—how much of my past self wasn’t shaped by the Golden Emperor?” Gu Xiaosang smiled faintly, a rare moment of candid vulnerability before Meng Qi.
Meng Qi looked at her and said: “The Golden Emperor could only guide. The key lies in your original nature. Having passed the Legendary threshold, your husband believes you’ll find your way out.”
Gu Xiaosang chuckled softly: “When you speak like this, husband, it always gives me goosebumps.”
She paused, then continued: “But I can’t help feeling resentful. What’s the point of finding my way out? Won’t I still have to follow Her ‘arrangement,’ driven by overwhelming hatred to forge ahead, with a resolute heart to break through to the Other Shore…? I might as well sever myself and deny Her any hope of the Dao Fruit this epoch.”
“You wouldn’t choose that. It would mean admitting you’re merely an appendage of the Golden Mother, with no independent existence,” Meng Qi said, smiling at her. “Besides, your breakthrough to the Other Shore isn’t just for the Golden Mother.”
“…” Gu Xiaosang was momentarily stunned, then her brows relaxed, her eyes sparkling. “Is my husband about to say something cheesy again?”
Meng Qi coughed lightly: “After reaching the Other Shore, time can hardly erode you. But those around you may not all reach the Other Shore. Even if I exhaust all means, after billions of years, after several epochs, they will inevitably pass away one by one, leaving me with fewer and fewer ties to the mortal world. Eventually, I’ll be completely isolated, becoming a lofty figure.”
His voice carried a desolate tone, as if he’d already seen that outcome:
“That’s why I need your help—to reach the Other Shore, so we can walk together forever.”
Gu Xiaosang’s eyes curved into crescents as she giggled softly: “Husband is getting better at sweet talk…”
Then, her gaze shifted toward the outside of the Jade Void Palace, and she smiled: “A gift has arrived.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage