The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Bodhi was the symbol of wisdom and enlightenment in Buddhism. In the past, the Primogenitor of Buddhism had achieved enlightenment underneath a Bodhi tree.

“Yeah, wearing a Bodhi seed around can help with sensing heaven and earth. From there, you can understand yourself and begin a preliminary search for your path. But such things aren’t definite. In the end, it still depends on you.” Jiang Zhiwei gently nodded, reminding Meng Qi to be careful as per usual.

Meng Qi forced a smile and answered, “Don’t worry, I know what I should be doing.”

He was mainly counting on the Bodhi seed to “understand” The Buddha’s Palm and reap gains from there. As for other aspects, it would be good if it could help, but there was no harm if it could not. His path had to be formed by himself one step at a time.

Concerning Meng Qi’s decision, Qi Zhengyan and Ruan Yushu both understood his intentions. They knew that he was like Zhao Heng– the cultivation of their physical bodies during the enlightenment period had more or less reached its limit. What they needed now was to take their Vital Spirits and souls to the next level.

Although Meng Qi had not explicitly said it, everyone could tell what he was thinking. His goal was to attain Oneness of Heaven and Men and begin forming his path before the next mission.

Meng Qi turned around and retrieved the Bodhi seed that he had been eyeing for long, but had never had enough funds leftover to exchange for it.

It was a lustrous blue-green brimming with intelligence. As he held it in his hand, Meng Qi felt a refreshing feeling wash over him.

“500-year-old Bodhi-seed, an earthly treasure. When worn on the body, it can help one come to realizations, especially for Teachings of Buddhism. Its ability will disappear after nine months. It is worth 1,000 Karma points.”

The Bodhi-seed was considered inexpensive because it had little value to most people. Apart from Buddhist monks or people like Meng Qi who required enlightenment about Buddhism Gist of Trueness impartations, few had a use for it. After all, the ability to sense heaven and earth was not considered outstanding.

Meng Qi strung the seed on some string as a pendant and hung it around his neck. In an instant, he felt his mind become much clearer. After some deliberation, he decided to select a move that engaged both blade and sword in a combined attack. He thought that if he lacked such an ability, Meng Qi would have to wait for a coincidental chance before he could realize corresponding skills from “The Buddha’s Palm.”

When it came to “sword and blade combined attacks,” the first thing that came to Meng Qi’s mind was, without a doubt, the “Three Heavenly Techniques” from “Three Blade Three Swords Three Heavenly Techniques.” Unfortunately, they were Dharmakaya moves. He was still far from that level, and he did not urgently need the Three Blades or Three Swords.

He shared his thoughts with his team. Jiang Zhiwei and the others began flipping through their Exchange Lists in search of any similar moves and continually suggested them to him.

Finally, Meng Qi decided on an iconic the Exterior-level move from a Rogue Cultivator from the main world over 300 years ago: “Yin-Yang Reversal.” It cost 1,050 Karma points.

It was only at the preliminary level of the Exterior, but it encompassed techniques and the Dharma Access of blade and sword combined attacks and Yin and Yang revolvement. It was a very appropriate option for someone like Meng Qi who was only beginning to practice in that aspect. As for blade and sword skills during the enlightenment period, they were easily understandable and rather essential. He would be able to quickly grasp them himself with his current realm of bladesmanship and sword art.

“Alright then, I’ll see you all in two years.” Jiang Zhiwei gently exhaled and brightly smiled at her comrades. Her words were an encouragement to herself, but also her blessings to Meng Qi and the others, wishing them all the best for their next mission.

With that, the young girl turned and determinedly stepped into the light pillar used for exiting the place. The mist rose all around her until she could no longer be seen, leaving behind only a cold and faint shadow.

Meng Qi’s facial muscles contorted into a faint expression of sadness as he maintained a rare silence. Then, he bade farewell to Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and Zhao Heng after explaining that he was headed North for the grasslands.

Shadows and light flashed, and suddenly, Meng Qi was back in his own house. Daylight flooded in from the windows and bathed the place in a brilliant golden that revealed the dust dancing in the air.

That generous and cheerful young girl, the one who had reached out to him when he had been at his lowest point of life, was about to undergo Life-risking Hermetic Training? Perhaps he would never see her again? Heavy emotions started to well up in him out of the blue, causing him to lose himself in a trance for a moment.

They had now parted in life, but was it also a parting by death?

“Hey, Third Brother, you’ve already opened your nine acupores, so why aren’t you coming out to drink and celebrate?” A fluffy head suddenly popped up by the window. Its owner was none other than Gao Lan, who had not bothered with his hair for god knew how long.

Meng Qi looked up, only to find a faint glint of rumination in the man’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat for a moment. He had entered Samsara with Gao Lan right by his side. Could the man have discovered something?

Meng Qi had previously met Dharmakaya masters before, such as His Abbotship Kong Wen and Master Lu. However, when he had entered Samsara, he had been relatively far away from them and had also been in a crowded place. On the other hand, he was but a mere three feet away from Gao Lan at the moment, and there was not a soul around, apart from a few snakes and pests.

“Relax, relax, everyone has their secrets. Do I look like someone who randomly pries into other people’s secrets?” Gao Lan was wearing an expression that seemed to say he had already seen through Meng Qi’s secret.

“Uh, there’s no response from the Dominator, so maybe he can only vaguely tell something’s amiss, but he doesn’t know about the crucial parts?” Meng Qi calmed a little and rose to his feet. “Big Brother, do you still have any more ‘Drunken Immortal’?”

He was a mess of feelings inside and wanted to drink his sorrows away.

Gao Lan casually slotted the iron strip into his waistband and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, continually looking Meng Qi up and down as he did so. It made Meng Qi extremely anxious because he had no idea what Gao Lan’s actions were supposed to mean.

“Big Brother, aren’t we supposed to be drinking to celebrate?” Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and asked without showing any trace of his nervousness.

Gao Lan clicked his tongue twice. “You’re not happy in the least. Why the hell would we be drinking and celebrating? Judging from your expression, could it be that you’re lovesick?”

“Of course not!” Meng Qi immediately denied.

“Third Brother, you may be able to fool others, but you can’t-fool me. If your unhappiness isn’t due to some young lady, I’ll gladly cut my head off for you to use as a stool!” Gao Lan complacently declared.

“How…” Meng Qi was about to deny it again, but he had barely uttered a word when he gave in to a long sigh. ” It is related to a young lady, but I’m not lovesick.”

Gao Lan nodded, delighted with his wit and sharp eyes. His eyes turned large and round with interest as he urged Meng Qi, “Tell me about it, tell me about it.”

Seeing Gao Lan’s expression, Meng Qi remembered those dubious matchmakers. However, his messy feelings within resulted in an impulse to pour his heart out, and thus he sighed and said, “Big Brother, do you remember when I mentioned a friend who has gone through life and death with me? The heir of a main stream martial arts sect who brightly shines keeps swordwill in her heart, and is cheerful and generous…”

“Yeah, yeah, and what about her?” Gao Lan enthusiastically pressed.

“She intends to undergo Life-risking Hermetic Training.” Meng Qi sounded depressed.

An extended “Oh” from Gao Lan filled the silence. “So it’s the heir of Sword Washing Pavilion. Not bad, little one.”

“What do you mean ‘not bad’?” Meng Qi retorted in frustration.

Gao Lan grinned. “Even the most talented risk dying should they undergo Sword Washing Pavilion’s Life-risking Hermetic Training. You hate to see her go, don’t you? You want her to stay, don’t you?”

“It’s true that I can’t bear to see her leave, but it’s impossible to make her stay…” Meng Qi answered after a brief pause.

Gao Lan slapped his palms together. “That’s right! And you still say you aren’t lovesick?”

Meng Qi’s face flushed a little. “I can’t bear to see her go, but as friends. Life-risking Hermetic Training means that I may never see her again.”

“In any case, you can’t bear to see her leave, and there are a lot of emotions inside you that aren’t reconcilable, right?” Gao Lan raised his eyebrows.

Meng Qi nodded without saying anything.

“Then you should say that to her face. Wanting her to stay or not is your problem, but whether she stays or not is her choice!” Gao Lan grabbed Meng Qi’s collar.

“It would ruin her state of mind…” Meng Qi had not even finished his sentence when their surroundings became quiet all of a sudden. Everything had gone dark. He could only vaguely feel Gao Lan’s hand on his collar.

After some time, a light finally appeared again and before Meng Qi’s eyes was a mountain peak as straight as a sword.

“Where are we?” Meng Qi was astounded.

Gao Lan’s carefree laughter rang out beside his ear. “Of course we’re at the mountain where Sword Washing Pavilion is.”

“Ah…” Meng Qi was somewhat at a loss.

Gao Lan’s smile vanished, and a severe expression took its place instead. “Even if you’re friends, shouldn’t you also express your feelings before parting ways? Anyway, don’t do anything you’ll regret. I don’t want my sworn brother to end up like me.”

Jiang Zhiwei, that bright and beautiful young lady with her painted brows and large, bright eyes, merely tied black hair that gently flowed down her shoulders, and that pale yellow robe she always wore …

Jiang Zhiwei, who called him “Little Monk” and reached out to him…

Jiang Zhiwei, who always had his back and perfectly coordinated with him…

Jiang Zhiwei, who had given him advice on countless occasions and crossed thousands of miles to help him in River East …

Jiang Zhiwei, who never wavered in front of powerful enemies…

Jiang Zhiwei, who burnt her spirit and executed the Twenty-three Swords Skill …

As well as Jiang Zhiwei, the “Chicken-slaying Sword God”…

Various memories were pulled out of the depths of his mind and began appearing before his eyes. Meng Qi took a deep breath. His gaze became firm. Big Brother Gao was right– He had to express his feelings about their parting ways.

He strode over to the front door of the sect. The disciple before him asked,

“This friend here, how may I help you?”

“I am Su Meng. I would like to meet Senior Sister Jiang Zhiwei.” Meng Qi replied while cupping one hand in the other before his chest.

…

Jiang Zhiwei was sitting on a wooden stool in a room. She scanned her surroundings. The room was very different from a typical woman’s chambers. There was only a single mirror, no vanity, and a few boxes meant to hold her clothes and belongings. The windows were bright and the table clean, giving off a refreshing yet straightforward feeling to it. Sword art scripts were placed all around the room.

This was where she had lived for more than ten years.

Jiang Zhiwei closed her eyes and said goodbye to her past. She carried her long sword and was about to stand up when she heard a Junior Brother outside call out,

“Senior Sister Jiang, Su Meng has come to see you. Would you like to see him?”

Meng Qi was a well-known figure, so the Sword Washing Pavilion disciple was aware of his identity.

Jiang Zhiwei froze. Her hand that was gripping her sword slid down a little as she bit on her lower lip and failed to give a reply.

“Senior Sister Jiang?” The disciple outside raised his volume.

“You have to walk your path…” Her master’s cautions reverberated in her head. Jiang Zhiwei took a long, deep breath and then slowly exhaled. She finally answered, “Ask him to wait for me at the pavilion halfway down the mountain.”

Inside a stone room, there sat a man dressed in blue robes with a long sword balanced across his knees. He seemed to be utterly empty as if he had traveled far, far away. He did not stop Jiang Zhiwei.

Gao Lan stood at the foot of the mountain with his hands folded behind his back. He looked at Sword Washing Pavilion in the distance and peered through all sorts of obstacles before he seemed to see a figure flash by. Out of the blue, he furrowed his brows and muttered to himself,

“This madman… I can’t believe he picked the most difficult path…”

…

At the pavilion at the halfway point, Meng Qi glanced at the clouds drifting past the mountain, his long saber strapped to his waist. He was suddenly feeling slightly anxious.

Just then, a figure dressed in light yellow robes appeared from around the corner of the mountain path.

It was the middle of summer. The flowers all around them bloomed in their vivid colors while the trees accentuated their beauty with their deep green leaves, painting quite the romantic tableau. Jiang Zhiwei slowly made her way over like a fairy appearing from amidst the flowers.

She was no longer wearing her blue robes but had changed into her usual light yellow ones instead. She still had painted brows and large eyes, her hair was merely tied and gently flowed down her shoulders, and her bright beauty was the same as when Meng Qi had first met her.

“I didn’t expect you to come here.” Jiang Zhiwei cheerily smiled as she stepped into the pavilion and seated herself on one of its stone stools.

Meng Qi sat opposite her and gave a bitter smile. “It’s normal to have some sentiments to express when people go their separate ways. I wanted to see you again and tell you that apart from Life-risking Hermetic Training, there are many other ways to break through.”

Finally saying the words he had kept bottled up inside himself instantly made Meng Qi feel much more relieved, but also intensified his apprehension at the same time.

Jiang Zhiwei did not appear to be angry. Instead, she showed her usual smile and replied, “Naturally, I’ve contemplated this for a long time before making up my mind.”

Her gaze softened, and she smiled at Meng Qi, her voice as soothing as the bubbling water of a fountain as she continued,

“My Master has a special position in the sect, and therefore everyone has high expectations of me and respects me. Senior Brothers, Junior Brothers, Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters are all exceptionally polite when they see me. Nobody has ever joked around with me.”

“Whereas you, during our first encounter, oh, it should be our second encounter, dared to give me a nickname straightaway. On top of that, it was something like ‘Chicken-slaying Sword God.’ That made me both pissed and amused.”

“You were clearly just a little monk who hardly knew any kung fu, but you were bold and fearless and fiercely battled even in the face of death.”

Meng Qi stayed silent, quietly listening to Jiang Zhiwei recall her memories.

“You always say that you love doing crazy things and pretending to be holy in front of others, and you always wanted to become like the heroes in those novels. You’ve always had fun things to say and plenty of playful actions that make me want to burst out laughing. But when it comes to critical moments, you’re always the first to rush to the frontlines and fearlessly stand before the enemy, making you a reliable and trustworthy comrade.”

“Back then, you were a tender, lovable boy, and I saw you as a younger brother. But slowly, you’ve grown taller than me and are becoming more and more mature. Your quips and witty remarks are not as common anymore, but your actual actions have become steadier and more reliable.”

“I’ve always enjoyed spending time with you, as well as the reserved but tolerant Senior Brother Qi, Younger Sister Yushu who’s young and lonely like me, and Senior Brother Zhang and Miss Fu. You all value righteousness over material gains will willingly take revenge for your comrades, and have gone through life and death with me. You’ve fulfilled everything that I expected of Jianghu…”

Jiang Zhiwei’s voice carried a little happiness in it, and a sincere smile had spread across her lips.

Pausing, her bright, black eyes gazed deep into Meng Qi’s eyes. Her voice was not loud, but clear when she said,

“But that’s not what I want the most.”

Meng Qi kept quiet for a moment. Then he smiled.

“I understand.”

Jiang Zhiwei nodded. Without bidding Meng Qi farewell, she lifted her long sword and slowly turned to leave, heading for the mountain peak at a neutral pace.

When she was about to reach the turn at the mountain’s path, she tapped her scabbard. The precious sword inside released a soft cry that resembled a dragon’s.

Amidst the sword’s cries, she recited in a measured tone,

“In this life, my heart is set only on my Seven-feet Sword. As I sever my past, never will I be the same person again.”

Meng Qi calmly listened. All he saw was the beautiful flowers swaying in the breeze as they gradually obscured that disappearing, pale-yellow silhouette.