On the Gobi, dark stones stretched endlessly, occasionally sprinkled with patches of yellow sand. Yet today, the landscape for miles around had turned a bloody yellow, as if drenched in a strange rain, intensifying the atmosphere of deathly silence.
Kong Wen, wearing a yellow monk’s robe and a red kasaya, held a nine-ringed staff in his right hand while playing with three bones that alternated between pure white and pitch black in his left. These bones included hand and rib bones, exuding a paradoxical aura of both corruption and transcendence.
“This is indeed an unexpected surprise,” he murmured, his long white eyebrows slightly quivering as he gazed forward with a faintly carefree expression, seemingly speaking to the void.
Around him were scattered remnants of shattered bones, interspersed with torn shadows and flesh, as though a hungry beast had just ravaged this place.
…
The fragments of Zhen Guang, Xie Damo, Han Guang, and their connection to the Celestial Emperor… After hearing Kong Wen’s narration, Meng Qi felt deeply enlightened. Whether the person trapped inside was truly Kong Wen or not, and whether his words were entirely truthful, at least some of the information dispelled Meng Qi’s doubts. The account was coherent and free of obvious contradictions.
In particular, the mention of Zhen Guang fragments brought Meng Qi one step closer to uncovering the secrets of the samsara worlds. Although many samsara worlds didn’t fit similar descriptions, this information at least explained some of them. In the future, this knowledge would provide a significant advantage when encountering such worlds.
“Abbot,” Meng Qi spoke up earnestly, “this sixth layer of the formation is unpredictable and dangerous, combining five techniques into one. It is beyond the capability of anyone below the level of a Grandmaster to enter and rescue you. I fear my strength is insufficient. Do you have any plan?”
Reaching the depth of the formation required mastery at the Grandmaster level. To destroy the formation from the outside, left behind by Han Guang and the mysterious Dharma body, would demand even higher requirements!
As for the true Pure Land, even eminent monks like Damo, who had attained the fruit of Bodhisattvahood, could only reach the seventh level. Without special methods and sufficient strength, it was absolutely impossible to ascend any higher!
More importantly, Meng Qi couldn’t be certain whether the person inside was truly Kong Wen. Even if he had the ability, he might hesitate to act, so it would be better to invite a senior expert to assist.
Kong Wen chuckled, his tone open and calm. “Even if Master Su wishes to rescue me, I must stop you. The sixth layer is far more perilous than the first five. Even someone who owns the Zhen Guang fragments would need to have crossed the second heavenly ladder to proceed. I wouldn’t want to endanger your life for my own selfish reasons.”
He paused, then added, “If Master Su is compassionate enough, please do me a favor. Once I escape this predicament, I will surely repay you.”
Trapped within the formation, he couldn’t exert any force or transmit objects. Even without involving Shaolin’s martial arts, simply conveying techniques verbally without physical demonstration or guidance was extremely difficult, so he could only make verbal promises for now.
For Meng Qi, if the person inside was indeed the true Kong Wen, he would strive to rescue him even without any reward. Setting aside their master-disciple relationship, merely the fact that Kong Wen had a vendetta with the “Myth” was enough reason to try. After all, the enemy of an enemy is a friend!
“Abbot, where should I go to help you?” Meng Qi asked.
Kong Wen hesitated briefly. “Two places: first, Lan Ke Temple. Several senior nuns from the Shuiyue Nunnery can assist you in entering the temple. Second, Huamei Villa. Master Lu is humble, outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, and of upright character. I once discussed Chan and swordsmanship with him for a day and know his strength surpasses what people generally understand. He won’t fear discovery by Han Guang.”
Seeking help from Lan Ke Temple made sense, but why abandon Daoist Chong He and instead approach Master Lu? Meng Qi frowned slightly, puzzled by Kong Wen’s choice.
Although Chong He was old, his Dharma body only decayed after his death. His many years of accumulated strength were actually an advantage. How much stronger could Master Lu be compared to him?
Had Master Lu quietly broken through a barrier, surpassing other Dharma bodies? Or was this merely a conflict between the Buddhist and Daoist sects?
Alternatively, after the incident with Han Guang, had Kong Wen become suspicious of Chong He, suspecting him of having a similar experience to Han Guang based on various signs, and thus decided to proceed with caution?
“As for the Shaolin monks, I don’t know which ones have been influenced by Han Guang. Master Su, it’s better to delay informing them to avoid exposure,” Kong Wen warned.
Apart from his master and younger apprentice brother, Meng Qi distrusted the other monks, so he nodded in agreement. Finally, he said, “Abbot, may I ask what kind of Dharma body Han Guang attained and what special techniques he possesses? If this matter is exposed, knowing this in advance will give Master Lu and the senior monks of Lan Ke Temple a better chance of victory.”
At the time, when Han Guang first attained his Dharma body, he surely gave his all when facing Kong Wen. This encounter might reveal his relationship with the “Celestial Emperor”!
Kong Wen appeared to have contemplated this question for years. Without the slightest hesitation and speaking with remarkable fluency, he replied, “Normally, Han Guang should have cultivated the ‘Six Annihilation Yamantau Body’ of the Destroy Heaven Sect. However, based on my observations, there are numerous discrepancies.”
“Yama” was a naturally malevolent entity, second only to the Demon Lord and Tian Sha Dao Ren. He was infamous for his philosophy of annihilating heaven and earth, and his power rivaled that of the “Yellow Spring” within the Nine Nether Realms.
“What differences?” Meng Qi asked gravely. Having witnessed the “Doumu Yuanyun” Ye Yuqi and the “Flying Sky Yaksha” Yan Wuyou, he suspected that Han Guang, like them, might have based his Dharma body on one primary technique while incorporating elements from another, creating his own Dharma image and attaining the Dharma body.
Without needing to recall, Kong Wen answered directly, “The originally six-armed ‘Yama’ now has only two arms. His hideous and grotesque face has become blurred, exuding a sense of majesty and loftiness. Instead of wearing black armor, he wears an imperial robe and a heavenly crown, appearing less like an annihilator and more like a slayer and ruler. This might be Han Guang’s integration of several paths of the ‘Six Annihilation Yamantau Body,’ or it could be a hidden path within the technique.”
Yama Emperor Body? Yama Heavenly Prince Body? Meng Qi was almost certain that Han Guang was the “Celestial Emperor”!
As for the two appearances of the “Celestial Emperor,” as long as Han Guang had a sufficient reason to leave Shaolin, either by temporarily leaving his companions or having already controlled them, using the Dharma body’s ability to travel thousands of miles in an instant, it wouldn’t be hard for him to suddenly appear.
After carefully listening to Kong Wen’s description of Han Guang’s Dharma body characteristics and some abilities, Meng Qi deeply bowed, representing his master, and returned toward the foot of the mountain.
The matter of the “Celestial Emperor” was of utmost importance, and since a mysterious Dharma body had once assisted him, concealing this from the Immortal Traces might lead to significant losses and painful failures. Therefore, Meng Qi decided to directly report to the Lord of Spiritual Treasures. As for how much to reveal and to what extent, he would need to carefully consider.
…
Inside Yuhai City, within the Immortal Realm of the Su Nu.
The “Primordial Unity Supreme Divine Talisman” stabilized the transformation of principles and served as the formation’s core, aiding Yun He Zhen Ren in developing the “Myriad Phenomena Formation,” which depicted the myriad aspects of the universe and created layers of deadly traps!
At times, golden crows flew into his arms, vaporizing his body; at other times, metal transformed into rainbows, filled with a killing aura. Within a small space, layers of deadly traps were set. Without divine weapons or at the peak of mastery, even a Grandmaster might be instantly overwhelmed by the myriad dangers, reduced to dust in an instant.
However, the true form of Xuan Nu, with her celestial grace, effortlessly wielded her bamboo staff, lightly brushing in all directions, dissipating the killing intent into nothingness.
With the enhancement of the Su Nu Immortal Realm’s power and the influence of principles, she even held a slight advantage!
At this moment, Jiang Zhiwei had retreated to the edge of the “Su Nu Immortal Realm,” continuously employing sword techniques to strike at the pivotal points of this world’s operation. However, her strength was insufficient. Although her strikes were precise, she could only create ripples and tremors.
Even though this was merely an illusion created by the current Xuan Nu using a bit of the Su Nu Immortal Realm’s energy, it had a self-contained feel, and her cultivation level was significantly higher than Jiang Zhiwei’s!
Jiang Zhiwei’s expression was solemn as she pursed her lips, changing her sword techniques to become lofty and indifferent—not the cold indifference of heartlessness, but the impartial detachment toward all beings. Her eyes were deep, like two dark pools.
“Heaven and Earth are impartial!”
“Immortals and demons are indistinguishable!”
“All beings are equal!”
Her sword light flowed like a sky overlooking the earth, rapidly displaying a complete set of external scenery sword techniques.
As the sword techniques unfolded, each move seamlessly followed the last, and Jiang Zhiwei’s aura grew increasingly lofty and indifferent. Whenever she seemed to reach her peak, she would rise even higher.
Suddenly, when Jiang Zhiwei’s presence became so indifferent that it was almost imperceptible, a sword light abruptly appeared, connecting heaven and earth, faint and untraceable, yet eternal and distant.
Jiang Zhiwei’s long sword followed this trace, slicing downward with an indifferent sword light, displaying an impartial nature.
“The Supreme Indifference”!
The core of the nine deadly moves of “The Supreme Sword Sutra”!
After attaining external scenery, Jiang Zhiwei gained further insights into the true meaning of sword techniques, adding “Severing the Future” and a superficial understanding of “The Supreme Indifference” to her previous mastery of “Sword Without Self.” However, “The Supreme Indifference” was too profound; she had barely grasped its surface. She needed to accumulate momentum and invoke the principles to execute it. In a real battle, it might not flow so smoothly!
The sword light had no distinction in strength or thickness, every part was equally powerful and pure, as if it would pierce through the Su Nu Immortal Realm or merge with it.
Pu!
Continuous sounds merged into one, and the operation of the Su Nu Immortal Realm became slightly sluggish. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Zhiwei transformed into a sword light and escaped!
Thankfully, she had “The Supreme Indifference,” or she might have had to use “Sword Twenty-Three” again… she thought to herself.
The slightly humid air of Yuhai entered her nose, refreshing her spirit. She was about to search for the trace of the Two Extremes Separation Scarf when she suddenly saw a figure, dressed in white, like a fairy—Xuan Nu’s manifested body!
And Xuan Nu’s manifested body had also spotted her.
…
Inside the Two Extremes Separation Scarf.
“Heavenly Thunder God” was inspecting the “Howling Moon Divine Dog’s” cinnabar ring while setting up a formation at the spot where Meng Qi had disappeared.
This formation wasn’t meant to cause harm but to entangle Meng Qi upon his return, preventing him from hiding, allowing his treasures and deadly moves to lock onto Meng Qi instantly and not giving him a chance to escape!
After completing all the preparations and acquiring two more treasures, the “Heavenly Thunder God” held his thunder blade and stood proudly opposite the formation, feeling slightly pleased, believing this mission would surely succeed.
No matter when you return, you’re doomed to die!
As this thought surfaced, he saw a faint green light, and Meng Qi’s figure directly appeared inside the formation.
So careless?
Not even trying to hide?
The “Heavenly Thunder God” was both surprised and delighted, ready to activate his treasures and thunder blade simultaneously.
Just then, he sensed something wrong—the figure’s aura was strong outwardly but hollow within.
A fake!
The formation’s light activated, entangling the hidden Meng Qi and revealing his form.
The “Heavenly Thunder God” shifted his focus, ready to strike, when suddenly he felt Meng Qi’s aura become dark and empty, seeing streaks of brilliant starlight flashing within Meng Qi’s eyes.
Meng Qi’s “Heavenly Wound” slashed out, ordinary and unremarkable, without blade qi or electric sparks.
But the “Heavenly Thunder God” felt his scalp tingling. This seemingly distant slash gave him the illusion of cutting across his body, sending a chill through him, as if he had suddenly lost a piece of “clothing”—truly bizarre!
He activated his treasures, but everything remained motionless. The causal connection between the treasures and him seemed to have vanished!
This… the “Heavenly Thunder God’s” eyes suddenly widened.
Then, he saw Meng Qi sheath his blade, his green robe fluttering in the wind, as Meng Qi sighed, “You’re already dead.”
Already dead? The “Heavenly Thunder God” felt bewildered, his vision instantly darkening.
With a thud, he collapsed lifelessly, his presence nearly vanishing!
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