The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

The black, swirling hurricane swiftly swallowed the entire sky and darkness descended upon him.

The hurricane appeared ferocious and destructive, threatening to lay waste to wherever it came by. But its actual form was black, flitting winds of filth and darkness. It penetrated and seeped into whatever crack, slit, or crevice that it could find.

Did something happen to Primogenitor Devil? Or was this a natural phenomenon? Or had Bluecloud Progenitor done something to trigger this? Meng Qi’s body gleamed with a golden radiance like a divine protection, shielding him from the winds that sought to sting and bite at his skin. He couldn’t detect the presence of his companions as his eyesight and hearing were failing him. The winds nauseated his senses. The keen and sharp winds slicing him like searing blades torn even his astral projection, causing his spirit great strain and pain.

He smelled the stench of blood as blood trickled down his nose. He calmed himself and tried to recall where his companions were while he lit his lamp to dispel the siege of black winds assailing him.

In the middle of the shadowy, strong gale, a faceless head suddenly appeared. The sight was so eerie and ghastly that it startled Meng Qi. With a whisk, the head transformed into a black wind that penetrated his golden glow of protection and pierced his forehead.

The lamp shone brightly in his hands. The fire in it blazed defiantly as the darkness grew. The lamp glimmered in the gloom like a beacon in the dark of a storm. The golden protection enveloping Meng Qi was restored, shielding his forehead which was stabbed by the black wind. A sudden warmth entered Meng Qi, refreshing his spirit and mind.

When the wisp had stung him earlier, a sudden surge of emotions struck Meng Qi. A rush of sensation and emotions assaulted him and he was overcome with the urge to rip, kill, and taste blood! Compulsions for lust, greed, and hate tore at his conscience, driving his mind into insanity.

His enmity against the Heaven Dao, his bitterness toward humanity, and his hatred of everything tried to edge him off a knife’s edge into a killing frenzy to tear, destroy, and bite at their flesh.

The onslaught of desires and urges that devoured him was strong. Like the tide rising on the sandy beaches on a full moon’s night, Meng Qi was washed with sentiments of extreme perversions that sought to decimate his will and mind. His defense was beginning to look grim and close to crumbling.

It was the divine glow of the lamp that proved to be a timely salvation for him, delivering him from the trampling attack that nearly violated his mind.

The rays of light penetrated and dispelled the darkness. A vision of an ocean appeared before Meng Qi. It was dark and opaque, but bits and nuggets of gold representing his memories were visible on the ocean floor.

How did his awareness enter the spiritual world… Meng Qi was floating above the ocean, perplexed by the sudden change.

He instantly understood what had happened. A shadowy figure, faceless and dark, floated before him. A deep voice rang from within.

“You want to resist my possession with just that trinket?”

Meng Qi’s spiritual world grew ominous and sinister as the menacing figure approached him.

“Primogenitor Devil?” When he heard the word ‘possessed’ mentioned, he instantly thought of Skyscraping True Devil who was possessed by a shred of Primogenitor Devil’s consciousness. He could hardly believe that he was under similar circumstances.

‘Primogenitor Devil’ smirked. “You all have considerable potential. When I own your flesh and soul and they mature completely, I’ll be able to break the seal the old fart had made.”

Procedures to undo the seal? It dawned upon Meng Qi that the prime evil’s words seemed to contradict the objective of the main mission and he finally understood why. The goal of the main mission was preventing the full awakening and the coming of the actual Primogenitor Devil. It made no mention of restoration of powers or breaking of seals. Therefore the form of ‘Primogenitor Devil’ before him wasn’t the actual prime evil even if the main mission has yet to be completed.

“Your feeble Vital Spirit has yet to be bestowed with the potency of the Heaven and Earth. Give up and succumb to my will and possession. Merge with me and you shall taste true power. All that you desire will be in your hand,” the figure said, enticing assuredly.

Meng Qi remained speechless and motionless.

Primogenitor Devil was gleeful in anticipation as he said, “Good. Very good. The wise don’t impede the flows of the current.”

Meng Qi suddenly exhaled heavily.

“Why are you sighing?” His reaction stunned the shadow of evil.

Meng Qi smiled. “I’m sighing about how you’ve become ignorant after being confined for so many years. The danger is right under your nose yet you seem oblivious to it.”

“You…” Rage swelled in the evil spirit.

The spirit had barely finished when Meng Qi took a half-step, releasing a sudden force like onrushing waves. His stature seemed to grow in height and his aspect grew fearsome. With a booming voice, steely and cold, he exclaimed,

“I shall hold dominion over my own domain!”

With a thunderous battle cry, Meng Qi cast the Supernatural Power of Shaking the Heavens and Earth spell. The Buddha’s Lamp answered his call with blinding brilliance. Shards of gold rose from the bottom of the ocean and merged with his body. The immeasurable splinters of gold formed a shiny shield of protection. He was like a knight in a gleaming armor of gold, bathed in the morning sun, glittering with majesty and terrible to behold.

With a thrust of his palm, his powers transgressed both time and space and struck the evil spirit squarely on its forehead.

“You!” With a shriek of terror, the golden flames consumed the shadow of Primogenitor Devil. The flames razed and destroyed him into nothingness.

“With the Buddha’s Lamp to protect me and subdue the darkness of evil and the Supernatural Spell of Shaking Heaven and Earth, what’s there to fear of a speck of consciousness like you?” Meng Qi scoffed as he looked at the spot where the evil spirit once stood.

He would be powerless against the actual Primogenitor Devil if that was its true form. With the prime evil sealed and yet to fully awaken, how strong can a shred of consciousness be? Skyscraping True Devil must have been possessed due to the cultivation of his demonic powers, making him a target ripe for picking. He might also have willingly given in to the prime evil’s enticement in return for evil powers and strength.

He didn’t have time to celebrate as the fates of his companions were still unknown.

His vision of the spiritual ocean faded and Meng Qi felt the ferocious winds of the black hurricane vanish as he opened his eyes. When he regained his sight, he found himself in a remote, unknown location. There was a Swastikas Seal upon his head and rays of divine light illuminated his surroundings. Graceful voices of reciting sutras and mantras reverberated in his ears. His mind and soul was renewed with peace and strength.

Could this be the core of the seal? Had he been drawn here after almost getting possessed? With a deep, slow breath, he tried to calm himself and keep his thoughts clear.

He ran a quick check on himself and cast his Eight Nine Mysteries spell. Faint golden radiance glimmered upon him and he sensed that there were dark, poisonous energies flowing through his veins, trying to assimilate his genuine Qi.

Meng Qi wasted no time in swallowing a Filth-Extracting Pill. With his skills, he forced the poison out of his body. Though the Eight Nine Mysteries technique could deter and restrict the corruption of the poison, he didn’t want to risk anything as he feared the worst for his friends.

With the training and combat experience that he had amassed in this Samsara task, Meng Qi had successfully completed his training for the unsealing of his Eighth Acupore after repelling the corruption of the Devil Qi. This was particularly true for the methods of channeling his Qi for his Skythrowing Palm technique and his understanding of concentrating Qi energies by means of Dharma Access. He was now only half a step from unsealing his next Acupore.

He observed his surroundings. His trusty Heaven-Inflicted Pain shone with a bright, cold light and the Flowing-Fire blazed courageously. Both dispelled all the dark and poisonous energies that threatened to creep close to him.

As he started searching for his companions, Meng Qi thought that they should also be drawn here if they were possessed.

This location that they were transported to was indeed the core of the seal. This was where the brilliance of divine rays of the Buddha dazzled in its greatest splendor and the influence of Zen was at its peak. There were no forms or beings of evil and darkness that were able to walk the lands freely without being affected. They resided only in the passages and crevasses of underground caverns, suffering under the corroding effect of the radiation of holiness and goodness that permeated the lands above. Without Primogenitor Devil, who was much very alive despite being confined to incarceration, they would have been consumed by the holy illumination and reduced into nothingness. The glossy radiance that blanketed the lands didn’t spare even the darkness-engulfed mountains and rivers of blood stinking of rot and decay, purging the land of all that was corrupt.

In the center of the core, where Primogenitor Devil was now confined, dark and poisonous energies in form of gases swirl about. It was where the enraged roars of its resident captive resounded, a horrifying reminder of the past when evil once walked free.

Not wanting to head in that direction, Meng Qi ran to the mountains and rivers and began his search for his friends.

…

Somewhere near the Skyscraping Mountain was another peak. Thick forests of trees carpeted the mountain and cavernous ravines burrowed deep into its slopes like engravings on a wooden surface.

In one of its hidden caverns, Star of the Northern Dipper swallowed a blood-red elixir the size of a longan fruit. He sat down cross-legged and began meditating and healing himself. He had to quickly restore himself to full health or all his past efforts would have been in vain when the passage connecting the Demonic World is destroyed.

What good would the Fate-Protecting Triratna do even if they could suppress Primogenitor Devil? They couldn’t even enter the shards of the Demonic World!

Damn them all! They could even replicate the Skythrowing Palm so perfectly that the technique looked and felt the same. Were they skilled in supreme arts similar to the Power of Omni-Concealment?

He would have to speak to Matriarch of the West about this and see if she has any clues about their identities and their skills during her foray into the Evergreen Temple ruins.

He swore not to rest until he avenged himself!

He had been nearby, searching for Bluecloud Progenitor. He didn’t stop to witness the incidents, but he saw purple lightning struck the ground from afar. Then again, many Samsara travelers redeemed and exchanged techniques resembling the Seven Purple Thunderstrikes. Thunder God of the Ninth Heaven from his own organization was one of them.

Matriarch of the West stood serenely at the entrance of the cave with hands crossed behind her back. Her brown robes, hemmed with golden embroidery, accentuated her slender figure as it rustled with the cool mountain breeze.

She swiftly produced a talisman in her hand with a flick of her wrist. It burned slowly, gradually consumed by small and green flames. But she felt no heat.

“What is it?” Star of the Northern Dipper could hardly suffer a distraction.

“Military Star is nearby and requests a meeting at our designated site,” she said sweetly.

Known for his cautiousness, Military Star first ascertained the conditions of the Skyscraping Mountain to prevent a trap by the Immortals. He didn’t request the presence of Star of the Northern Dipper because he was required to guard the channel to the Demonic World.

“Go on then.” He sighed in relief. He could now focus on recovering in peace. With Military Star present, Bluecloud Progenitor wouldn’t be able to lay her hands on the channel.

Matriarch of the West glanced at him before wordlessly summoning a gale of gold that carried her down the mountain slopes.

Even with Half-Step of Exterior Scenery, she was adept at riding the winds and traveling airborne. She soared through the air with grace even though she wasn’t flying high off the ground!

Was she assisted by virtue of some mysterious artifacts or some otherworldly skill or technique?

…

The rolling landscape of the divine realm rose up to meet Meng Qi. With his Body Movements technique, he glided swiftly across the land with light steps as the sceneries rapidly flitted past his sight.

He tried hard to calm himself and assessed the situation around him. Without the lamp’s protection, his companions might suffer from the effects of mind-control if Primogenitor Devil’s shreds of consciousness possessed them.

They might have artifacts or relics entrusted to them by their elders or exchanged and redeemed for. The items would have shielded from the influence of the evil spirit or allow them to completely destroy the vile shadows. But it would be safer for him to expect the worst.

Should that be the case, he hoped to first meet the already-possessed Ruan Yushu. He would approach her, enduring the effects of her zither, and temporarily incapacitate her. He can then use his lamp and supernatural power to restore her consciousness and feed her a Filth-Extracting Pill to help her expel any residual poisoning energy and fully heal her.

With her help, he could then easily restrain Qi Zhengyan, Zhao Heng, and even Jiang Zhiwei before destroying the frail shadows of the prime evil’s consciousness. Otherwise, restraining Zhao Heng and Jiang Zhiwei would spell a tremendous struggle ahead.

Of course, with more of his companions released from the grip of the prime evil, his task would gradually become smoother.

Meng Qi was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice a figure approaching him. His tingling senses warned him, however. He ducked without a thought and swung his saber in response.

A blade gleamed and flashed dangerously, meeting Meng Qi’s blow.

The eyes of his assailant were bloodshot and her lips were a crimson red. Clad in an apricot-yellow garb, her beauty was laced with a sensuous allure of evil. She was none other than a possessed Jiang Zhiwei.

Sure enough, things wouldn’t go as planned…

Was it inevitable that their promised ‘spar’ would have to happen right now?

Meng Qi could only manage a wry smile.