Unaware of the Han Dynasty, let alone the Wei and Jin Dynasties… Upon hearing the question from Master Yunhe, Meng Qi’s mind immediately conjured these eight characters, feeling a mixture of melancholy and amusement.
This is like the real-life version of Peach Blossom Spring!
Observing Master Yunhe’s solemn expression, Jiang Zhiwei replied with a faint sigh, “Master, you are not aware that the chaos caused by the Demon Buddha did not last long before the Buddha intervened and subdued him.”
“The Buddha?” Master Yunhe’s right hand trembled, scattering the whisk, its fine strands rising like surging clouds.
His expression was one of bewilderment, his eyes filled with shock.
The Buddha, a legendary figure since ancient times, actually intervened?
Is he still alive?
Does an immortal path truly exist in this world?
Seeing Master Yunhe’s reaction, Meng Qi’s contemplation vanished instantly. Ha! The old fox who moments ago had dominated the conversation with his imposing presence was now so astonished, giving Meng Qi a sudden sense of intellectual superiority!
He coughed lightly, “This is absolutely true. The Demon Buddha sought to eradicate the Buddhist sect, eventually provoking the Buddha himself, proving to the world that immortality is no mere fantasy.”
“Truly immortal… the Buddha still exists in this world…” Master Yunhe seemed slightly dazed, murmuring to himself like an old man afflicted with senility.
This reaction left Guo Feihu, the Celestial Master, wide-eyed in disbelief. Having entered the Myriad Phenomena Sect at a young age, he had now become a Celestial Master after many years, yet he had never seen his revered master so flustered before!
There was no Buddhist lineage within the cave heaven, and the ancient secrets were accessible only to the sect leader or true cultivators who had achieved the Yangshen state. Guo Feihu’s mind had never even conceived of the concept of monks, let alone the Buddha and what he represented!
Master Yunhe sighed deeply, “I can sense that you are not lying, but it’s a pity our predecessors destroyed the Myriad Phenomena Gate back then, missing the opportunity to witness this grand event and resolve the greatest mystery of cultivation. What a pity indeed.”
Throughout the ages, cultivators—whether alchemists, talisman practitioners, or those cultivating the reward body—have always faced the ultimate question: is there truly an immortal path beyond all calamities? Otherwise, what was the point of spending millennia cultivating, only to end up as a handful of dust?
Although most of them knew deep down that reaching such a destination was unlikely, the existence or absence of such a goal and hope were entirely different matters.
After Master Yunhe’s emotions had settled, Meng Qi turned serious and said, “However, since the Demon Buddha’s chaos, the world has changed again, the natural laws have shifted, the primordial energy has become increasingly thin, and martial arts, no, the alchemical path has gradually declined.”
“It’s indeed as I suspected…” Master Yunhe, as if having anticipated this, nodded slightly, “May I ask how many Dharma Bodies exist in the present era?”
This was a question to gauge his own strength’s position. Hearing Master Yunhe directly address the core issue, Meng Qi carefully considered his words: “There are currently ten Dharma Bodies, though there might be some unknown to the public.”
The Demon Sage Han Guang has been missing for years—whether dead or subdued remains unknown. My sworn brother Gao Lan secretly formed a Dharma Body, a fact unknown to the world, so there’s no need to mention him for now.
“Ten people?” Master Yunhe was momentarily stunned, then sighed again, “The alchemists have indeed declined so much.”
He then chuckled bitterly, “But it’s still better than within this cave heaven.”
Better? That meant there were even fewer than three Dharma Bodies here? Meng Qi mused thoughtfully.
Taking the opportunity, Master Yunhe asked, “May I know the identities of these ten Dharma Bodies?”
Meng Qi recalled the long-unchanged rankings of the Heaven List: “The first is Gurdo, the Khan of the Grasslands, who wields the Divine Execution Axe.”
“The Divine Execution Axe? After the chaos of the demon beasts and the Demon Buddha, this legendary divine weapon still appears in the mortal world.” Master Yunhe showed slight surprise, clearly aware of this legendary artifact from ancient times.
Compared to the previous topic about the Buddha, Master Guo was more familiar with this subject. At least he had read some ancient records and knew of the Divine Execution Axe.
Jiang Zhiwei nodded, “Indeed, it is that same Divine Execution Axe with boundless power.”
Master Yunhe casually inquired about some details regarding the Grasslands, cross-referencing ancient and modern place names, then fell silent, using his gaze to prompt Meng Qi to continue.
Meng Qi continued, “The second is Master Chonghe of the Pure Yang Sect, and the third is Abbot Kongwen of Shaolin.”
“Kongwen, seems to be a Buddhist cultivator?” Due to the previous mention of the Buddha, Master Yunhe was particularly interested in the Buddhist Dharma Body.
“Yes, he has attained the Golden Body of the Dragon-Taming Arhat.” Meng Qi replied frankly.
Master Yunhe smiled and said, “Before the Demon Buddha’s chaos, there was no mention of Shaolin. It seems it was established afterward. I wonder which Buddha or Bodhisattva’s lineage it follows?”
“Over two thousand years ago, Patriarch Bodhidharma accidentally discovered one move of the Buddha’s Palm, from which he derived many Buddhist cultivation techniques, founding the Shaolin sect at Lotus Mountain.” Meng Qi briefly explained.
Through this conversation, Meng Qi vaguely sensed that Master Yunhe was genuinely interested in the outside world, without the sense of isolation or the intent to kill.
Master Yunhe asked in confusion, “Patriarch Bodhidharma?”
Is this young man a lay disciple of Shaolin?
Meng Qi smiled bitterly, “To be honest, Master, I was originally from Shaolin, but was expelled for breaking the precepts. However, my master still lives, so I dare not show disrespect to Patriarch Bodhidharma.”
“My master still lives…” So he comes from a Dharma Body sect! No wonder he is so young yet possesses such strength! Master Guo was both shocked and enlightened, growing even more wary of Meng Qi.
Master Yunhe chuckled, “A great master produces an outstanding disciple.”
His gaze shifted between Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, seemingly wondering if the broken precept was related to romantic conduct.
This made Meng Qi’s expression awkward and Jiang Zhiwei’s face slightly flushed.
“May I ask where Lotus Mountain is?” Master Yunhe casually inquired, his gaze returning.
He enjoyed asking about place names, comparing ancient and modern ones to form a mental map of the current world.
Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei each described the famous surrounding landscapes, recalling their names before the Demon Buddha’s chaos.
After listening, Master Yunhe stroked his white beard and asked, “Could the sacred weapon of Shaolin be the Ananda Blade?”
“Eh…” Meng Qi was clearly taken aback. How did he guess that?
Jiang Zhiwei lightly furrowed her brows, clearly puzzled as well. Why did Master Yunhe guess that? They had never mentioned Ananda before!
Seeing their expressions, Master Yunhe chuckled, “Lotus Mountain wasn’t called that during the chaos of the demon beasts; it was known as ‘Shaohua Mountain.’ ‘The Great Arhat’ Ananda somehow offended the Demoness and was relentlessly pursued. Later, it was rumored that he was killed by the Demoness on Shaohua Mountain.”
“Since then, the Demoness became even more ferocious and unrestrained. The Immortal Sage, sensing trouble, relocated our Myriad Phenomena Sect into this cave heaven.”
“After learning that Lotus Mountain is Shaohua Mountain, I boldly guessed that your sect’s Patriarch Bodhidharma might have discovered Ananda’s relics.”
Lotus Mountain, Shaohua Mountain, Ananda killed by the Demoness, “Kindness and benevolence, do not enter this gate”… Meng Qi’s mind was in a whirl.
Suddenly, he recalled the reincarnation world where he received the true essence of Ananda’s Broken Precept Blade technique. In that world, the mountain where Shaolin was located was called Shaohua Mountain!
What is the connection here? Why is this so strange?
What secrets does the reincarnation world hide?
Meng Qi asked a few more questions about this, but Master Yunhe clearly knew little. He had to suppress his confusion and continued introducing the remaining Heaven List Dharma Bodies, expanding on their respective sects, factions, and geography.
After listening, Master Yunhe sighed briefly, “All these sects are unfamiliar, though their legacies seem vaguely familiar.”
Meng Qi grinned, “Not all are unfamiliar. The Wang clan of Jiangdong still exists.”
“The Wang clan still exists?” Master Yunhe was half-surprised, half-pleased.
Seeing Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei confirm this, Master Yunhe took a deep breath, “In ancient times, our sect had some connection with the ancestors of the Wang clan. I never expected that after countless eons, we would meet again…”
After gaining a general understanding of the outside world, Master Yunhe placed the whisk back on his left arm and chuckled, “Thank you both, young friends, for enlightening this old man.”
He paused for a moment.
Here comes the main point… Meng Qi remained outwardly calm, his vigilance rising to its peak.
“Confined in this cave heaven for over a hundred thousand years, with only a handful of major powers, many of our disciples have grown arrogant and indulgent. This old man often worries. Moreover, the primordial energy continues to thin, and after prolonged exploitation, many rare treasures are nearly depleted. I must plan for the long term.” Master Yunhe said seriously, “This old man wishes to establish communication with the outside world. What are your thoughts, young friends?”
Wow, this is exactly what I originally wanted! Meng Qi didn’t know whether to feel happy or surprised, “How does Master plan to communicate?”
“Suddenly appearing before the world will surely provoke suspicion. This old man wishes to ask you two young friends to first take a few disciples outside to explore the world, send messengers to Jiangdong, establish an initial foothold, and bring along the rare treasures and talismans and pills our sect produces, to exchange for what we lack.” Master Yunhe explained slowly, “The characteristics of the Ink Palace are too obvious; for now, do not reveal them.”
Seeing Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei hesitate, Master Yunhe added, “Our sect will naturally offer you both appropriate rewards.”
The profit from mere trade alone would earn us many treasures; the reward is secondary… Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei exchanged glances and nodded slightly, “That is indeed our wish; we would not dare to request otherwise.”
Master Yunhe laughed, “Excellent. This old man will return to the sect to prepare. You two young friends may visit the Ink Palace headquarters. Although the Divine Masters there are not as eager as I am, they are not indifferent either. Perhaps you might even gain some benefits from them.”
With Master Yunhe’s words, Meng Qi was determined to visit the Ink Palace headquarters!
He stood up and escorted Master Yunhe and Master Guo outside. As they took their first steps, he suddenly remembered something, “Master Yunhe, I wish to leave behind the alchemical sect’s legacy here. Would that be acceptable?”
Master Yunhe glanced at Meng Qi without asking further, and gently nodded, “No problem.”
…
Stars glittered, the night was crisp and clear. Guo Feihu, the Celestial Master, followed Master Yunhe with a puzzled expression.
“Feihu, you have something to say?” Master Yunhe did not turn around.
Master Guo took a breath, “Master, I don’t see the necessity of communicating with the outside world. Our sect’s legacy has lasted over a hundred thousand years, and we lack neither cultivation methods nor treasures.”
“There may indeed be few major powers here, but that is both a drawback and a benefit. At least we do not have to engage in ruthless struggles and can enjoy a carefree life. Moreover, we have set up numerous formations to assist in the growth of rare treasures. Even if they cannot keep up with consumption, we are secure for at least ten thousand years. Why take such a risk to communicate with the outside world? At the very least, at the very least, wait until you achieve the Yangshen state!”
The Myriad Phenomena Sect had set up various formations in many places to simulate the formation process of treasures like the Sun Stone, replenishing resources. As a Grandmaster with a lifespan of only three or four decades, even a thousand years felt too distant to consider, let alone ten thousand years.
Master Yunhe sighed, “This old man has lived nearly four hundred years and has some confidence in achieving Yangshen, which is why I am even more eager to communicate with the outside world. The reason for bringing the talismans is to display our strength, to deter any possible covetousness.”
Yangshen is a type of Dharma Body, known in ancient times as a “True Person,” not a title given merely for becoming the sect leader.
“Eager…” Master Guo grew even more puzzled, “The outside world’s heaven and earth are no different from ours.”
Master Yunhe gazed at the stars and said, “No, there’s an essential difference.”
Before Master Guo could ask again, Master Yunhe continued, “Moreover, the Immortal Sage’s whereabouts remain unknown. From what the two young friends said, there is an ancient tomb deep in the Snow Mountains, seemingly sealing something. As a disciple, how can I not clarify this matter?”
…
Outside the door, several kneeling martial artists watched Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei return to their room, and the night once again fell silent.
After a long while, they heard the door open again, their hearts leaping with hope. Just as they were about to plead, they found themselves facing a mechanical carriage from the post station. Mr. Su and Miss Jiang boarded the carriage one after another, slowly departing the post station as the first light of dawn appeared.
The martial artists hurriedly stood up, enduring the numbness in their legs from prolonged kneeling, and followed in haste.
The carriage headed straight out of the city, heading toward the wilderness.
At noon, Chang Huan came to invite Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, but found only a note with several large characters:
“We are going to the Ink Palace ourselves.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage