Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Shuiyue Nunnery’s Abbess Mingtong?

Meng Qi suddenly opened his eyes and the meditation room regained its brightness, as though the sunlight outside finally penetrated the darkness.

He didn’t have any connection with Mingtong, why did she come here to see him?

Shuiyue Nunnery, the teachings of the Bodhisattva of Compassion… is it because I hit her goldfish hence she sent someone here to talk? Meng Qi suddenly felt like he had hit a child and now his parents were here to look for him. Of course, a naughty kid like the Afflatus King not only deserved a beating but should be beaten hard. Even the Bodhisattva of Compassion’s reputation wouldn’t be able to help!

He curled his lip and slowly said, “Invite Abbess Mingtong in.”

Dressed in a gray robe, Mingtong waited outside the Jade Mirage Palace. After a short while, she saw the strange green doorkeeper come out shaking its branches and said in a high and mighty tone, “My master invites you in.”

Zen at heart, Mingtong did not think much about it. With her palms together, she chanted the honorific name of the Bodhisattva as she started walking, following Daqinggen into the main door, bypassing the wall, going through the cloister and arriving at the main hall filled with the fragrance of lotuses.

The statue of Heavenly Lord Yuanshi was enshrined in the main hall. In the left was a door leading to a meditation room, and inside it was a table and a copper furnace. Sandalwood smoke rose continuously, bringing quietness to the surroundings.

Behind the sandalwood smoke was a low bed with a priest in Taoist attire sitting on it. He had handsome features and looked quite young. Being hidden in the fogginess gave him a faint celestial disposition, making his aged temples and eyes look soft.

This is the world-renowned sect master of Jade Mirage Palace, the Primitive Emperor Su Meng? Mingtong felt like she was directly facing a Buddha or a deity.

He wasn’t born yet when she made a name for herself, but now he was already a celestial while she was still a mortal.

“Greetings, Master Su,” Mingtong placed her palms together again, her expression looked peaceful and her eyes kind.

“Abbess, why the formalities? In terms of seniority, I’m your junior.” Meng Qi smiled, “May I know what is so important that made you travel all the way here?”

Mingtong chanted the honorific name of the Bodhisattva of Compassion and took out a leaf from her ring. The shape of the leaf looked like that of the willow family. Fresh and with white fog moving around it, it had light hidden in it.

“Please look at this, Master Su,” with a wave of her right hand, the willow leaf collapsed naturally and transformed into golden light before forming a round mirror.

The mirror emitted a pale golden light, looking exquisite and translucent. As the light flashed past, it reflected an area covered by darkness. Thunder that illuminated the scene could be seen from time to time. Deep inside proudly stood a sky-supporting Golden Cudgel, flowers bloomed and withered in the surroundings, thunder came and went, universes formed and ended.

“Spirited Mountain…” Meng Qi muttered, looking unusually calm.

This is Spirited Mountain where tens of thousands of Buddhas fell!

He could recognize this place even if it had turned into ashes, having entered it twice with a different mood each time. The countless memories, entanglements, and fear that eventually made him draw out the blade of utmost firmness and determination!

This wasn’t just Spirited Mountain, but also his mental journey.

There would eventually be a day when he would go to Spirited Mountain again, not for the Nether Skeleton that was lost there but because the Devil Buddha was sealed there.

As the scene got closer, Meng Qi once again saw the golden-bodied Buddhas shedding tears of blood at the peak. They were huge and majestic with some purity remaining, contaminated by the deadly air and darkness, showing both death and evilness.

The ground shook violently in this place filled with the corpses of tens of thousands of golden-bodied Buddhas, and out came a tall gray-robed figure. His hair was hanging loosely and there was thick black beard under his chin. His eyes were dull and in front of his chest was a string if white-boned beads – he was Monk Sha, Sha Wujing!

He actually went to Spirited Mountain? Meng Qi was shocked.

After parting at Jade Mirage Palace, because he hadn’t heard of any action from Sha Wujing, he linked the three sentences he sent and hence concluded that he had gone to the West. Now it seemed like his guess was indeed correct, but he had only gotten half of it correct. He had not only gone to the West but also entered the dilapidated Spirited Mountain!

Sha Wujing’s posture was a little strange. His back was slightly hunched and every step he took made the Spirited Mountain shake. Meng Qi looked over and noticed that he was carrying something on his back. It was an indiscernible object enveloped in strange black fog.

Looking at its shape and features, Meng Qi suspected it to be a corpse.

Sha Wujing went deep inside Spirited Mountain where the Buddhas fell just to carry out a corpse?

The corpse seemed very heavy, making the Legendary character bend his waist and hunch his back. The dilapidated Spirited Mountain looked as though it was unable to support it.

Whose body is it? Meng Qi was astonished. A Dao Yi glaze lamp appeared in his eyes as he rotated the Principle of Karma. However, the strange black fog turned everything blurry, and he couldn’t make out anything with his current level.

Could it be the body of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven?

Or the mysterious golden cicada that the Golden Emperor said, that makes it the body of Tripitaka?

Of course, there were other possibilities that he didn’t know.

Thump, thump, thump. Sha Wujing stepped forward, shaking the Spirited Mountain and bringing about continuous roaring of Buddhas.

When passing the Golden Cudgel, he paused briefly and looked over in a daze as two drops of sordid tears appeared in the corner of his eyes.

The Buddha has tears, so does a Legendary character. So what if one’s soul is complete, not achieving transcendence is sad and regrettable!

Sha Wujing turned back and continued walking out of the Thousand Buddha Formation with the heavy corpse on his back. When passing the White Dragon corpse coiled to the ground, he clenched his teeth and availed one hand to grab its dragon horn.

There was a heavy friction sound as the White Dragon Corpse was being dragged. Sha Wujing had to put in more effort but he didn’t give up, wanting to drag the White Dragon corpse out of this sordid place.

Shaking with every step he took, Sha Wujing slowly left the peak with the corpses. Out of the five characters who traveled to the West, he was the only one left now. His silhouette spelled of endless loneliness.

The round mirror broke into small pieces, turning into light and disappeared. There were no other scenes shown anymore.

Some mighty or powerful character has indeed landed his thought and sent this image… Meng Qi nodded as he pondered but did not guess the Bodhisattva of Compassion straight away. After all, the strongest in Shuiyue Nunnery currently was only a Half-Step Dharmakaya, so it was possible for them to be protected by other mighty characters. Of course, judging from the characteristics of the willow leaf, there was a very high possibility that it was the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

If this is the case, wouldn’t the Immortal Demon Deity be Samantabhadra?

But the possibility of it being the thought sent by the Immortal Demon Deity cannot be ruled out…

“What was he carrying on his back? Whose body?” Meng Qi asked directly to the point as he pondered.

Mingtong shook her head, “The Bodhisattva didn’t mention, only saying that this matter is very important and that you should know about it.”

I hate guessing and reading between the lines… Meng Qi cursed silently, pondering in which way was this matter important while he asked, “Did the Bodhisattva of Compassion have any other words for me?”

Mingtong let out a rare smile, adding color to her peaceful face, “The Bodhisattva asked for you to be careful, as there are some forces that do not want to see you self-attain the Legendary realm or achieve it too fast.”

“Oh, how are they going to sabotage me?” Meng Qi put aside Spirited Mountain for the time being.

Attaining the Legendary realm was something very private, not using much of external objects and not being disturbed, with links only between oneself. And he already had the Haotian Mirror Fragment, one of the rare few external objects, in his hands, so how were others going to delay his speed?

If anyone didn’t want to see him attain the Legendary realm, they could simply kill him with whatever method, ending it once and for all. But how was one supposed to delay his speed in entering the Legendary realm?

Mingtong maintained her gentle smile, “Creating a virtual additional self and forming imprints of links requires one to feel the change and make adjustments bit by bit. It takes a long time for each adjustment to get retroaction, which is very time-consuming and laborious. But what if there is a Devil Buddha’s projection of additional self as a reference? The Devil Buddha is you, and you’re the Devil Buddha, Master Su. His additional self and your virtual additional self are very similar. If you can refer to it, it would definitely shorten the time needed for the road to the Legendary realm by a great amount.”

“Yes, you’re right, Abbess Mingtong,” Meng Qi admitted frankly.

This was his method, just that he couldn’t directly absorb the Devil Buddha’s projection of additional self like how he did for the Yuanshi projection. Because it was merely a stamp and not an imprint. After all, other than himself, every additional self of the Devil Buddha was being suppressed in Spirited Mountain together with him. This was the case even for the Demon Lord and Master Yuanmeng after the seal had been loosened and relaid. How could the Gautama Buddha’s seal be so easy to bypass?

To a Nirvana character like the Devil Buddha, being able to leave an additional self again in the outside world was basically equivalent of having escaped.

Mingtong continued, “Master Su, I guess you do not know of many Devil Buddha’s projections of additional self in this vast universe, wouldn’t this delay your journey to the Legendary realm?”

“So you mean, there is someone who knows many Devil Buddha’s projections of additional self?” Meng Qi understood right away, feeling shook up all of a sudden.

Mingtong stopped smiling, looking solemn as she said, “The Devil Buddha is Ananda, a Devil Buddha’s projection of additional self should originally equate a projection of additional self of Ananda and a projection of additional self of the God of Thunder. But the Tyrant lost control and achieved the Legendary realm, so Ananda wasn’t able to merge the God of Thunder’s portion.”

Meng Qi nodded lightly as he came to a realization. Cutting out a body for refining meant that the additional self was also split up, otherwise others would have had figured out something long ago. If Heavenly Lod Taiyi, the Medicine Buddha, and the Qing Emperor didn’t have links on their origins, they would be two totally different and independent powerful characters.

At this point, Mingtong changed the topic, “The demonic race has been after Ananda and people who practiced the Ananda Oath-breaking Bladesmanship for generations. If they have the chance and the ability, they might not even spare the Anandas of other universes, which are also Ananda’s additional selves which have definitely accumulated rich information in this area. Even if the additional selves have been through reincarnation and show differences in every generation, you would still be able to see their nature and get twice the result with half the effort.”

Meng Qi was dumbfounded after listening to this. The Demonic Sage really had very obsessive hatred. Generations of reincarnated Ananda and generations of Ananda additional selves were nothing compared to it.

But this also verified a saying – your enemy is usually the one who understands you the most. No one was more professional than the demonic race in searching for Ananda’s additional self…

“What’s the demonic race’s approach?” Meng Qi asked with a serious expression.

Since Mingtong was here to pass the message, she should know quite a lot.

Indeed, Mingtong answered immediately without thinking, “The demonic race is not a unified body and has differences among themselves. They do not wish to see the Devil Buddha complete because of your death but also do not wish you to grow and disturb their plan of going to Spirited Mountain to save the remaining Great Sages.”

“Their plan was to go to Spirited Mountain to save the remaining Great Sages,” Meng Qi was shocked.

The remaining Great Sages who have been sealed inside where the Golden Cudgel pierced through Spirited Mountain?

These were all dominating true sages of ancient times. If they escaped, they could wipe out the real world and the World of Gods right away. The human race would have no more backing, and powerful characters had to sacrifice themselves, awakening in advance in order to counter.

This was truly a great plan made in silence!

“Have they found the entrance of Spirited Mountain?” Meng Qi asked in a low voice after recovering from his shock.

Mingtong shook her head, “They couldn’t, but the Luo Sect is contacting them to form an alliance. The Void Hometown contains and controls all things.”

The Ajati Matriarch is really ambitious… Meng Qi sighed silently. And took actions to the point.

Take for example Sha Wujing awakening in advance. With Gu Xiaosang who had to be compensated as a weak point, having any extreme reaction would be easily acceptable without causing any tensed atmosphere or situation. After awakening, Sha Wujing’s whereabouts were secretive, and had gone to Spirited Mountain. He did not cause disturbance to the real world as was expected, hence was within the tolerable limits of other influential characters so they didn’t have to sacrifice their Creation and Legendary realms.

After Sha Wujing returned from the West, he would definitely show some power and clean up popular beliefs, expanding the Luo Sect but not provoking the Great Zhou and the Pure Land of Buddhism. By then, who would be willing to take on the power of a Legendary character, albeit one who had awakened in advance and only had a small portion of his power remaining!

As thoughts ran through his mind, Meng Qi said, “I guess the Luo Sect wouldn’t tell the Demonic race the entrance of Spirited Mountain so easily.”

“You’re absolutely right. The Luo Sect definitely does not want to see the current good situation gone because of the escape of the Great Sages, hence both parties are strategizing against each other. Likewise, although the Ajati Matriarch wants to use you to test other influential characters and find out some secrets, she definitely does not wish for you to grow into a Legendary character fast, hoping that you would have a breakthrough after she awakens and returns. In this way, unforeseen circumstances could be prevented,” Mingtong analyzed the Luo Sect’s approach.

These words really did not sound like what a Half-Step Dharmakaya would say.

Meng Qi slightly nodded. This was similar to what he thought, but how could a Nirvana character’s thinking be figured out so easily?

He had gotten it wrong once when he was at the Jade Mirage Palace to take the green lotus.

Heaven’s will has always been difficult to comprehend. What is heaven’s will? A Nirvana character’s will is heaven’s will!

“That’s all for today. I shall take my leave. May you self-attain Legendary realm, Master Su,” Mingtong put her palms together and chanted the honorific name of the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

She had told him some things and also analyzed some things, but did not make any suggestions from the beginning to the end.

Sitting on the low bed, Meng Qi quietly watched her leave as he had a thorough understanding of the intention of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, or rather, the Buddhism Sect.

They didn’t want to see him forced by the situation and ended up absorbing the Yuanshi projection which was the fastest and simplest way, becoming another Heavenly Lord Yuanshi, as that would probably cause the return of the Final Trial!

Things really change with time. The Amitabha Buddhism Sect had already changed their attitude toward him many times.

There are no permanent enemies, only permanent benefits.

Meng Qi sat on the low bed for a long time analyzing the approach of the up-and-coming forces and came to a preliminary plan. He would first come into contact with the demonic race and test if he could change their thinking. If he succeeded and got the years of accumulation regarding the Ananda additional self, he would be able to shorten his creation of additional self imprint from thirty years to ten years. If he could add on the Yuanshi projection for balancing, it would be even shorter.

How should he come into contact with the higher management of the demonic race?

Meng Qi was a little stumbled by this. After returning from the Middle Ages, the demonic race seemed to have disappeared. Neither the peacock Taili nor the Demonic Sage successor Little Fox appeared again. As for those seemingly brainless demonic kings and deities in the West, they obviously did not have the right to control such secrets.

Thinking, a thought flashed across Meng Qi’s mind and he thought of a place:

The eye of Donghai!

Not the sea eye in the World of Gods leading to the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Worlds, but the eye of Donghai of the real world that leads to the unknown.

According to Senior Su Wuming’s description, when he was chasing after the Peacock Demonic King, it was there that he lost trace of him.

And when he himself met the Qing Emperor when boating in the sea, he had also disappeared from there.

With his current level and abilities, he should be able to pass through that sea eye?

He quickly made a decision, but did not set off immediately but continued his retreat.

After a full month, a figure of an old monk suddenly appeared beside Meng Qi. He took a step forward and merged with the Dharmakaya body – it was the additional self imprint of Master Yuanmeng!

It was only then that Meng Qi opened his eyes and slowly headed toward Donghai, his disposition appeared to be more indiscernible.

…

Splash, there was a whirlpool in the sea eye. Black and bottomless, he didn’t know where it led to. The unknown mysteries are most horrifying.

Meng Qi pushed his Cloud Crown, showing the Supreme Endless Premier auspicious cloud as he gradually stepped into it with a dim light around his body.

Splash!

The flow of the water was heavy, grinding and cutting everything. But Meng Qi who had passed through the black hole looked relaxed as he walked deeper in. He also gradually concealed his body, since he wasn’t sure if there were any enemies or ambush in front of him.

After a long while, his eyes lit up. Mist and chaotic air filled the surroundings. Light came from an old and obscure palace, and on top of it was an inscribed board with demonic characters written on it.

Meng Qi who had his body concealed carefully identified the words and read them out one by one, “Demon, King, Palace…”

“Demon King Palace!”

He was shocked and many thoughts sprung up in his mind.

The Demon King Palace guarded by the demon Xiaoqiandong of Jade Mirage Mountain in the World of Gods?

The Demon King Palace that the talkative Vertical Wing talked about?

No wonder the peacock Taili disappeared in the eye of Donghai!

But why did the Qing Emperor come here?

Shocked and uncertain, Meng Qi became more cautious. He slowly walked away from a spring in front of the palace, worried that there might be sleeping sages like Yuan Hong guarding this place since it was an important place of the demonic race.

He looked around and observed for a while and noticed something strange. The Demon King Palace seemed to have only one side, and it was that side facing him all the while. Only the main gate and the inscribed board would be seen.

“This is strange indeed…” Meng Qi realized there seemed to be no enemies around and started to observe even more carefully.

At this moment, the main gate that had been closed for a long time creaked before opening with a loud bang and a ball rolled out from it.

“Isn’t it just a miscalculation? Do you have to throw me out like this?” the ball jumped up and cursed.

It was the size of a water buffalo with a round body covered with black feathers. Two wings of a few feet in length flapped on his back, bringing about fierce winds. It looked like a bird.

But this bird was ugly – its mouth didn’t have a beak, looking like a fish.

Meng Qi was joyous the moment he saw it. Wasn’t this the talkative Vertical Wing he knew when he was in Shaolin Temple?

He finally escaped from captivity and came to the Demon King Palace that he kept talking about?

Who was he talking to?

Vertical Wing could talk all day. After a long while, Meng Qi finally figured out that he wasn’t talking to anyone but was just pissed at being thrown out by the restrictive spell of the Demon King Palace.

Meng Qi showed his body and walked to the side of Vertical Wing.

“I’m a descendent of the Great Roc, the only remaining Great Roc in the world. I’m not just a nobody, how can I be treated this way?” Vertical Wing was furious.

“Yes, you shouldn’t be treated this way.” there was suddenly a deep voice beside his ears.

“See, there are people who agree, huh…” Vertical Wing was suddenly stunned . Turning his head to the side, he saw a very familiar face that had obviously matured by a lot.

“You, you, you, how did you find this place?” recognizing Meng Qi, he jumped up to a height of eight feet and started to stammer with fear.

Meng Qi smiled, “Make a guess.”