The abyss was dark and profound, past and future in chaos, indistinguishable up, down, left, or right. Meng Qi stood beside the Primordial Lotus, his figure resembling a mere speck amidst the chaos, as if the Primordial Daoist himself had descended into the world.
As soon as the words faded, he had already raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and struck forward. His movement blended seamlessly with the surrounding chaos, beyond description by any conventional terms such as speed, slowness, strength, or weakness.
Whether divine or human, all beings can only describe things based on their own experiences, insights, and senses. Once committed to words, especially when describing such profound and esoteric states or phenomena, all descriptions inevitably become pale and thin, failing to capture the true essence.
Facing this punch, Han Guang’s Yama incarnation instinctively thrust out his palm, his six fingers radiating a distinct aura of annihilation—heralding the apocalypse, the end of all things.
The power capable of annihilating heaven, earth, and gods transformed into the deepest, heaviest, and most terrifying darkness, rolling forward relentlessly. Yet upon encountering Meng Qi’s right fist, it naturally vanished without a trace.
Bang!
The punch was unstoppable, striking Han Guang’s Yama hand directly the moment it landed.
Deng deng deng! Han Guang’s physical form blurred as his avatar dissipated, and he staggered backward, violently ejected from the chaos. What gushed out was not blood, but a surge of dark energy.
With just one punch, Han Guang’s incarnation of Yama was nearly destroyed.
Standing by the lotus pond, Han Guang chuckled, pointing his finger to recall the Yama form as light, then turned and left, exclaiming, “Well done! Excellent use of the Infinite Seal! Excellent Primordial Daoist!”
Leveraging the advantageous terrain of the chaos, Meng Qi had successfully unleashed the Infinite Seal, a technique he had previously been unable to directly use in combat!
At the same time, the “Cause of All Effects” was activated, sealing fate so that Han Guang’s Yama avatar had no means of escape.
In just two or three graceful steps, Han Guang departed without hesitation, as if this journey had merely been an attempt, and failing to seize the Primordial Lotus was no cause for regret.
If not for the coincidental arrival of the Demon Master, precisely entering the same ancient well universe, and possessing the ability to reverse time, he truly would have been helpless against the “Primordial Projection”… Meng Qi gazed thoughtfully at Han Guang’s retreating figure.
The stance of the figure behind the Demon Master was indeed ambiguous…
As these thoughts stirred, Meng Qi extended his right hand, ready to seize the Primordial Lotus. Naturally, before harvesting, he had to inspect and examine it first, to avoid traps or unintended consequences.
Even if legends spoke of great beings breaking free from the ancient well universe, the proper procedures must still be followed—countless great figures of the past had fallen precisely due to neglecting such steps.
His eyes radiated the Dao-Yi Glazed Lamp, illuminating the lotus with the light of karma. Meng Qi’s heartbeat involuntarily quickened, akin to checking college entrance exam results, or like the moment when the girl he secretly admired was about to respond after hearing his confession.
Suddenly, Meng Qi uttered a soft “Huh?” because this Primordial Lotus bore no trace or connection to Gu Xiao Sang.
“If this lotus truly contained Gu Xiao Sang, this seat would have already retrieved it.” A warm, smiling voice pierced through the chaos. Meng Qi’s spiritual sense extended, discovering that behind this chaos, the pond bloomed with white lotuses, forming a lotus throne, upon which appeared the ever-grinning former crown prince Zhao Qian, the Descending Maitreya.
He seemed to have arrived even earlier than the Hunyuan Fairy!
Meng Qi exhaled softly, “Then who is within?”
His mind rippled, quickly returning to calm. Truthfully, he had never really believed he could directly encounter Xiao Sang or the Primordial Lotus seed containing her dharma body inside the Jade Void Palace. Such a scenario was too straightforward, too prone to failure. Given the depth of the Great Luo Demoness’s schemes, she would never hinge success or failure on such a single link. More likely, she had left behind clues, hence why he always referred to it as a “backup plan.”
Still, understanding was one thing; expectations and desires were another.
“You understand Gu Xiaosang well, but the Golden Emperor comprehended her just as profoundly. Think about why that legendary figure arrived so late—perhaps all she wanted was for you to meet that legendary being,” Zhao Qian chuckled. “As for who lies within this lotus, ‘gestating’ isn’t quite the right term. ‘Slumbering’ would be more accurate.”
Suddenly, a mirror appeared in his hand, adorned with guardian deities and the Five Buddha Directions, its surface crystal-clear, illuminating the lotus and revealing a hazy image—faintly visible was a pearl.
The Lingzhu Child! Nezha! One of the Jade Void Palace’s third generation, second only to Yang Jian! Meng Qi shifted his gaze to the lotus, letting out a quiet sigh.
Ancient figures were truly returning one by one.
With Nezha sleeping here, he no longer needed to fear that Great Being of the Luo Sect.
“In fact, Gu Xiao Sang did come here,” Zhao Qian said with a kind and amiable expression. He swept his right hand across the mirror, and the scene changed, the time seemingly flowing backward. “This is the Moonlight Treasure Mirror, capable of revealing the past of this place.”
The chaos was deep and silent, time rushing backward swiftly, until suddenly a familiar figure in white robes appeared—her brows and eyes as exquisite as a painting, ethereal and serene. It was Gu Xiaosang, long departed.
She stepped into the chaos, stood beside this Primordial Lotus, gazing silently. After several breaths, a faint smile curved her lips, her dimples showing a hint of cleverness. Then, without doing anything else, she turned and left, softly humming a tune:
“When night falls and the path is perilous~ The Dao is long and death uncertain~ The morrow unseen~”
“Consume my body~ Burn my soul~ A brilliant moment rivaling sun and moon~”
Meng Qi closed his eyes briefly, his emotions complex yet gradually easing. At last, he felt certain of one thing—Xiao Sang had been scheming for years, even visiting the depths of the Jade Void Palace. She had truly left behind a backup plan, a possibility of resurgence even in failure.
But where was that plan?
She appeared to have done nothing at all…
Reflecting, Meng Qi turned to Zhao Qian: “If this is where the Lingzhu Child sleeps, why didn’t you just leave directly and instead lingered here?”
“Because this seat was waiting for you,” Zhao Qian smiled gently.
“Waiting for me?” Meng Qi wasn’t surprised, but still asked.
Zhao Qian nodded slightly, joining his palms: “Buddhism emphasizes compassion. All can be saved if willing. At this point, many great beings have discerned your role in the Primordial Daoist. We cultivate tirelessly, seeking omnipresence across the Eight Wildernesses and Six Directions, the past and future, building through addition. Yet at the Primordial Daoist’s current level, perhaps it’s time for subtraction. The ability to sever the ‘Cause of All Effects’ indicates a realm beyond description. The more you carry of the Primordial Daoist, the more he ‘subtracts,’ ultimately perhaps returning to true ‘nothingness,’ attaining the Dao fruit.”
Meng Qi pondered, then replied earnestly, “I’ve had similar suspicions.”
After all these experiences, if he hadn’t formed some guesses, what was the point of having a mind?
Zhao Qian’s smile grew even warmer: “Your connection with the Demon Buddha has put many great beings on guard—a masterstroke by the Primordial Daoist. But Master Su, you must realize that some great beings do not wish to see the Primordial Daoist transcend. Some aspire to become the ‘Cause of All Effects,’ while others oppose the Primordial Daoist’s liberation. After all, history—from the eras of the Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West, to the fall of the Celestial Court—has shown that when an opportunity for Dao attainment arises, only one can succeed. In the end, it was the Buddha of Ling Mountain who reaped the benefits. This time, no one will stand by idly as the Primordial Daoist succeeds, especially since this is the Final Calamity, and there may never be another chance.”
Zhao Qian’s tone was subtle when mentioning the Buddha of Lingshan.
“So, you sought me out?” Meng Qi asked calmly, though internally he was stirred by Zhao Qian’s words.
Zhao Qian laughed, “Master Su has never been one to accept manipulation. Would you truly follow the path predetermined by the Primordial Daoist, regardless of what lies ahead? At the very least, you must seek some balance, to ensure choices remain in the future.”
“At least for now, I’ve seen no malice from the Jade Void lineage,” Meng Qi replied calmly.
Of course, he disliked manipulation, but without sufficient strength, he could only proceed cautiously, waiting for the future. Unlike the urgency with the Demon Buddha, this situation allowed for a slower approach.
After leaving the Jade Void Palace, he would once again attempt to simulate the Demon Buddha’s path, striving for balance with the Primordial Daoist’s projection. If the Jade Void lineage did not interfere, it would mean they cared little about his ultimate path, so long as he bore certain burdens, granting him full choice. If interference or disruption occurred, he would need to plan ahead.
Of course, such thoughts were not for outsiders to know, especially not within the Jade Void Palace.
Zhao Qian understood this, said no more, and with a smile, stepped off the white lotus throne, retrieving three Primordial Lotus seeds that contained no孕育 or hidden entities, then departed leisurely.
Meng Qi considered, then collected the remaining two lotus seeds first. These were excellent materials for rebuilding a dharma body, usable even when projection and blood-rebirth techniques failed.
Then, he explored the surroundings, seeking any trace left by Gu Xiao Sang.
As Zhao Qian departed, the ancient well radiated brilliant light, a vast, galaxy-like aura bursting forth, descending before the Jade Clarity Palace.
The timing was perfect, as if waiting for their conversation to end.
With a single step, Meng Qi stood once again beside the Primordial Lotus.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage