Meng Qi paid no attention to the changes in the outside world. His essence, energy, spirit, and will—along with all his thoughts—were focused on breaking through to the Other Shore, so concentrated that it was as if the spirit of Mr. Lu Da had possessed him.
Only by attaining the Other Shore as soon as possible could the situation be changed. There was no other way!
The Dao Yi Glazed Lamp stood firm in the void, illuminating all heavens. On either side of it floated two illusory Dao Fruits slowly taking shape—one dark and chaotic, the other shrouded in purple qi with hints of white—positioning Meng Qi at the current node, supporting his innate spiritual light so it wouldn’t sink into the Sea of Bitterness, half-submerged in the River of Time.
With this aid, Meng Qi connected to the first “historical landmark” he had left behind—himself in the thirty-seventh year of Tianle, when he planted an inner demon in the leader of the Unkindness Tower!
His figure flickered as he flew toward this landmark. The waters of time around him, no longer illusory, became viscous and dense, resisting his backward journey.
His thoughts scattered bit by bit, but Meng Qi’s heart held only an indomitable sharpness and an unyielding courage so absolute that even if he forgot everything, he maintained his speed and determination to reach the “landmark”—swift and unwavering!
This process was one of the great trials of the Other Shore. The slightest hesitation, the tiniest lack of confidence, the faintest hope for luck, and he would sink into the River of Time, dissolve into the boundless Sea of Bitterness, and vanish completely, with no chance of revival—just like the Black Emperor of old!
—
Inside the Jade Void Palace, Meng Qi sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, surrounded by Guangchengzi, Manjushri, Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren, Daoxing Xianzun, Nezha, and the Howling Celestial Dog, discussing who should temporarily take the position of sect leader.
“This position of sect leader isn’t particularly beneficial. At least until one reaches the Other Shore, the Jade Void Palace cannot be fully controlled.” Guangchengzi stood up with a smile, bowing to Meng Qi with a Daoist salute.
“Greetings, Sect Leader Su.”
Meng Qi suddenly shuddered. The sound of a rushing river echoed around him, a glimmer of realization flashing in his eyes before a warm smile spread across his face.
*Senior brothers, it’s been so long!*
—
Under the Bodhi tree in a Buddhist temple on West Mountain, Wang Siyuan mixed famous teas like Snow Bud, Bamboo Lord, Dragon-Tiger Peak, Iron Flower, and Hidden Dragon together, using the chaotic flavors to remind Meng Qi and guide him: “All past events vanish like smoke—only the Tyrant’s Absolute Blade can grant this. Everything else is false.”
Meng Qi slowly stood up, his expression slightly complicated. “Why are you telling me this?”
A chess piece slipped from Wang Siyuan’s hand, clattering onto the board and scattering everywhere, disrupting the game.
His face hidden in the Bodhi tree’s shadow, his voice ethereal, he said, “Helping you break the game is helping myself break the game.”
Meng Qi’s gaze swept past him, and suddenly, he heard the distant roar of a river. His body trembled inexplicably, the drunkenness in his eyes fading instantly, replaced by a profound clarity as deep as another world.
Turning back to Wang Siyuan, the corner of his mouth curled up as he muttered to himself:
*You damned fortune-teller. Before, every time I saw you, I wanted to punch you. But now, I’ll say this—you’re a friend I’ll definitely keep!*
—
Late at night, the fog thick, two “drunks” wandered through a quiet alley, carrying wine jars and singing the inexplicable tune *Laughing Across the Sea*.
Gao Lan, still somewhat sober, staggered forward, watching with amusement as Meng Qi, eyes bleary, banged on someone’s door.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The noise startled the neighbors. The homeowner threw on a coat and shouted, “Who’s there? What do you want?”
“I—I want to buy a rooster… and, and yellow paper,” Meng Qi slurred.
The homeowner froze, then exploded in anger.
“Get lost! What kind of drunken lunatic comes knocking at this hour?”
*Where the hell would I keep a rooster?*
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Undeterred, Meng Qi moved to the next house, got doused with cold water, but remained stubbornly drunk, knocking on every door. Some tried to come out and beat him, only to see corpses piled at the alley’s entrance, forcing them to slam their doors shut in fear.
Finally, unable to bear the disturbance, someone tossed out a rooster, and another threw out yellow paper.
The moment they did, silver coins landed precisely in their hands, leaving them utterly bewildered.
*Is… is this really a drunk?*
Meng Qi carried the rooster, Gao Lan the yellow paper and wine jar, and they returned to the abandoned courtyard where they’d started. They lit dry grass, burned the yellow paper, beheaded the rooster, and mixed its blood into the wine.
“Here. After offering this to heaven and earth, drinking this blood wine, we’ll be sworn brothers. I’m definitely older, so I’ll be the elder brother, and you’ll be the second.” Gao Lan laughed heartily.
Meng Qi, deep in his cups, stammered, “N-no… ‘second brother’ sounds too damn stupid. I—I want to be the third brother!”
“Hah, interesting.” Gao Lan chuckled. “Fine, let’s do it!”
He pulled Meng Qi to kneel before the ashes of the burned yellow paper. “Now, bow to the heavens. We’re brothers now!”
At that moment, the night seemed to ripple, the faint sound of rushing water echoing. Gao Lan noticed nothing, but Meng Qi shuddered violently, the drunkenness vanishing from his eyes as they turned deep and profound, as if holding another world within.
Looking at Gao Lan beside him, his eyes filled with both realization and sorrow, he turned and bowed deeply.
*Imperial Brother, this bow—I offer it willingly.*
—
At Yuexiu Tower, Ruan Yushu and Meng Qi had just killed Gao Tong and relaxed, sitting before the dishes they’d ordered earlier.
Picking up his chopsticks, Meng Qi enjoyed the food, noticing Ruan Yushu hadn’t touched hers.
“Eat up. My treat,” he said cheerfully.
Ruan Yushu nodded slightly, then with elegant yet lightning-fast movements, devoured the entire table’s worth of food, leaving Meng Qi dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe this refined, aloof girl could eat like this.
Her face slightly flushed, she looked up. “You invited me. I… I don’t stand on ceremony.”
Meng Qi nearly laughed. Suddenly, he saw an illusory river, shimmering as it flowed silently, and a figure racing upstream toward him—only to realize it was himself!
The two figures merged abruptly. Meng Qi’s gaze softened as he thought to himself:
*No need to stand on ceremony. I’ll treat you often.*
—
The cold moon hung high, its light dancing on the great river, silver waves rippling.
A mournful, enchanting flute melody accompanied a small boat emerging from the darkness. At its bow stood a white-robed maiden, exquisitely beautiful, her ethereal aura making her seem like a celestial descended to earth. She held a green jade flute to her lips, playing a sorrowful tune.
Opposite her, Meng Qi’s expression shifted. He drew his sword, adopting a guarded stance, his voice calm.
“Miss Gu, long time no see.”
Gu Xiaosang lowered the flute, her starry eyes gazing at him with a mix of melancholy and reproach.
“Husband, you’ve come here yet refuse to see me. How could I be ‘no different’?”
*Husband? Every time we meet, the title escalates…* Meng Qi’s face twitched. Suddenly, he felt surrounded by rushing water, endless and unceasing.
His eyes softened with tenderness as he whispered in reply:
“Yes… wife.”
*Wife.*
Gu Xiaosang’s expression froze.
—
In Shaolin Temple’s Meditation Courtyard, Meng Qi stood balanced with a heavy bronze-sheathed sword pressed against his chest. Before him was a stunningly beautiful girl—oval-faced, with arched brows and bright eyes, her black hair simply tied and cascading down, dressed in a pale yellow gown.
She burst into laughter. “You look more like a nobleman than a little monk. You should call me ‘benefactress.’”
Then she flipped the sword and returned the salute. “I’m Jiang Zhiwei, of the Washing Sword Pavilion. Sorry for dragging you into our fight.”
Meng Qi was about to reply when the surroundings dimmed, shimmering as if submerged in deep water.
He saw a pair of eyes—his own—and a flash of realization crossed his gaze. Quietly, he looked at the girl before him and sighed inwardly:
*You said I didn’t look like a monk… yet you called me ‘little monk’ for a lifetime…*
—
Seated on a meditation cushion, Meng Qi watched as Xuan Ku, holding a ruler, questioned a child about his secular name and why he’d entered Shaolin.
The boy, around ten years old with fair features, answered woodenly, “I’m Fang Aqi. I was sold to the monks because there wasn’t enough food at home.”
Meng Qi nearly laughed but suddenly saw an illusory river in his eyes, a moment of enlightenment striking him.
Suppressing his smile, he looked at Fang Aqi—the future Zhen Hui—and sighed inwardly, all his lingering grievances dissolving.
*Little Junior Brother… I never imagined you’d turn out to be Erlang Shen…*
—
With the Golden Emperor’s interference gone, Meng Qi’s figure raced backward through time, using the influence of other universes within the Real World to trace every part of himself, awakening his past and unifying his being.
The speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, he was approaching the moment of his birth!
In the Buddha Land spanning countless kalpas, Ran Deng watched in shock as the situation turned dire. The Golden Emperor was temporarily entangled with the Heavenly Dao Monster, leaving no one to stop Su Meng. Making a swift decision, the ancient glazed lamp flew from behind his head.
At this point, it was a battle of foundational strength!
He would hold nothing back!
In the Western Paradise, the Buddha of Immeasurable Life clasped his hands, while the Bodhisattva of Great Strength and other Buddhist and Luo Sect creation-level experts prepared to act!
Not only did they outnumber the alliance of Qingdi, the Jade Void, and the Moral Celestial in terms of creation-level experts, but even in great supernatural powers. The demonic faction wouldn’t intervene deeply, following the Demon Emperor’s stance. The only question was—how would the Lingbao Heavenly Venerables choose?
—
On Three Clouds Island, forbidden arts surged as Yunxiao gazed at the sky and sighed.
“Our revival was thanks to Su Meng’s kindness. Today, we repay this karma.”
Bixiao and Qiongxiao smiled in agreement.
—
In the Jade Void Palace, Manjushri, knowing the Three Clouds’ temperament, had no doubts about their intervention. Now, she could barely contain her excitement—the situation was turning favorable. If this continued, Junior Brother Su would soon attain the Other Shore!
Maitreya was still hesitating whether to seize this chance to ascend. Ran Deng was blocked by her, the Buddha of Immeasurable Life by the Nine Spirits Sage, and the Ancient Buddha of Bodhi seemed to be holding back. The Daoist of the West and the Black Heavenly Emperor likely wouldn’t join the fray. With no other creation-level experts interfering, once the Three Clouds deployed the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, the combined forces of Buddhism and the Luo Sect would be meaningless—no matter how many came, they’d be trapped!
Now, it all depended on the Heavenly Venerable of Multitudinous Treasures…
—
Just as Meng Qi was about to reach his infant state, just as Ran Deng and the others were about to strike, the eyes of the Devil Buddha A’nan atop Spiritual Mountain suddenly darkened with a chaotic crimson—
As mad and disordered as the Heavenly Dao Monster!
*Boom!*
A deafening explosion shook the heavens as the chaotic crimson vortex collapsed, transforming into a monstrous hand that abandoned the Golden Emperor and instead swiped at Meng Qi!
*The Devil Buddha could control the Heavenly Dao Monster all along—effortlessly, unlike Wang Siyuan or Gu Xiaosang’s feeble influence!*
Seeing this, the Golden Emperor wasted no time—her flawless white finger pointed once more.
Watching this, the Devil Buddha’s lips curled into a cruel, triumphant smile.
*Since ancient times, Donghuang Taiyi—the Heavenly Dao Monster—has been under my control, acting on my will. Only after the Buddha suppressed it did I refrain from using it, lest the gap grow too wide and it rebel.*
*Decades ago, I quietly freed myself but kept this trump card hidden, waiting for today!*
*Wang Siyuan, Gu Xiaosang—did you really think you could hide your schemes from me?*
*Without this, why would Su Meng dare leave the Netherworld?*
*Did you think that after reaching the Other Shore, I’d fear the karmic consequences of someone like the Number Saint and spare the Wang family? I spared you because you’ve always been my pawns—puppets of the Heavenly Dao Monster!*
*Without its hidden aid, do you think the Tyrant could’ve forged the Absolute Blade? That I could’ve left my mark?*
*Now, with the Mother of No Birth and the Heavenly Dao Monster both striking, let’s see how you escape!*
The Devil Buddha’s gaze darkened with ferocity.
*Meng Qi… you’re dead.*
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