The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

The frail figure cloaked in dark robes recovered from his astonishment. “You do not have to concern yourself with the source of my information. This is an auction. Would the host bar the entry of another promising patron? Or are you fearful of my powers and skills? Are you worried that I am here to wreak havoc and take the elixirs by force?” said the stranger gruffly.

There was a noticeable emphasis on the words “fear”, “wreak havoc”, and “take the elixirs by force”. The stranger had intentionally tried to provoke the proud and unrelenting Yan Wuwo so that he would be allowed entry.

Yan Wuwo snorted dismissively in response. “I know your place on the Terrestrial Rankings is two places over mine and you are placed fifth on the Black List, old man, but don’t ever think that I don’t have the skills and power to defeat you, especially when it comes to a real fight. In you go. And behave yourself, unless you are interested in seeing what I am capable of!”

The Black List was a separate ranking list compiled by the dominant sects and orders of the martial world as well as the aristocracies of the land. The list specified one hundred of the greatest evil and corrupt warriors below the level of the Dharmakaya. The Black List served as a means for the disciples and warriors of the more righteous half of the martial world to understand and beware of the strength and prowess of the evildoers that they might encounter in the wild.

Yan Wuwo was not listed within the Black List for he was a warrior who aligned with no one but himself. The “Zombie Fist” technique, which he was infamous for, was not a skill that dabbled with Evil nor malice.

With a snicker of glee, the frail stranger glided over the lapping waters and landed on the bow of the boat. On the deck of the boat were numerous robes, long and wide, as well as masks made of wood. The items were not of ordinary origin for they were able to conceal the identity and the aura of the guests from anyone prying.

The frail stranger applauded the meticulous and perceptive arrangements laid out by the host. He had feared that his presence might incite unrest and aggression from the other guests who hailed from more respectable origins – the more righteous half of the Jianghu – despite Yan Wuwo’s consent to his entry. With relief, the stranger began to believe that the auction was headed by a powerful faction or individual.

Yan Wuwo watched the stranger descend into the lower levels of the boat. His lips quivered as he whispered into the air. His voice turned into a strand of aura with a chill as if coming from the Netherworld itself, flying into the ears of Meng Qi.

“He is the Oracle of the Covenant, one of the Oracles of the Luo Denomination. I have allowed him entry since you decided not to bar him.”

Meng Qi was slightly taken aback by the news. He had not expected that the Oracle of the Covenant would come. The Oracle of the Covenant was the leader of the Twelve Oracles of the Luo Denomination, a grandmaster of the Exterior who had lived for more than two hundred and twenty-six years. Twenty-sixth in the Terrestrial Rankings and fifth on the Black List. An old man literally.

“That should not be a problem. The end is nearing for the Oracle. His thirst for the concoctions might be greater than that of the others. He would probably spare no expense in procuring them.” Meng Qi replied with a smile, swiftly suppressing his surprise.

He is now a lamb waiting for slaughter!

…

The Oracle stepped into the lowermost cabin of the boat. He instantly felt the auras of the other guests present. Powerful and vast but indistinguishable. Their auras were so condensed in the cabin, even the air quivered and the sea’s salty scent was kept from flowing in.

A good many senior veterans are present as well, I see… He sighed as he looked around. There were no looks of friendliness or compassion, only the cold and dispassionate glares and stares from the other guests. This was a contest for the elixirs to lengthen their lives!

He could clearly see that the collective strength of all the powerful guests would be able to overwhelm the “Old Corpse”, Yan Wuwo so they could divide the loot amongst themselves. However, the elixirs had yet to be presented. Furthermore, who would want to get on the bad side of someone like Yan Wuwo, who was infamous for being vengeful and has constantly guarded his interests with intense jealousy, when there was a reasonable expectation of a peaceful trade.

Moreover, one would have to expect that the host might also be able to summon the aid of someone from the Celestial Rankings, seeing as he was able to enlist one of the greatest from the Terrestrial Rankings to provide security!

Prudence and cautiousness would be paramount here. Nobody could afford turmoil and chaos.

The tenseness seemed to have magnified upon the Oracle’s arrival in the cabin. Each guest was a seasoned warrior in their own right, wielding the powers to alter the fabric of the Dharma and Logos of Nature in their fingertips. Even the light in the cabin was faintly dimmed by the radiation of aura from the cabin. There were shadows of doubt and distrust over the congregation. Closed lips and dark looks seemed to indicate that they were preparing against, or worse, devising treacherous plots against each other.

The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Duan, took a deep breath to settle his emotions and keep his composure while waiting for the auction to begin.

The wariness and reservation that he had maintained earlier diminished tremendously. The presence of so many warriors of the highest order and caliber had convinced him that there would truly be elixirs and concoctions to be auctioned. Anticipation and eagerness replaced the apprehension and doubt that previously filled his heart.

A screech was suddenly heard, followed by the loud, deafening clang of a door being slammed. The great door to the cabin had been shut tightly. The “Flying Yaksha”, Yan Wuwo, then appeared on a low platform at the end of the cabin.

A single stroke from any of the guests would have been sufficient to cripple and possibly sink the entire ship, yet the loud clang of the main door being slammed shut seemed to struck fear into the hearts of the powerful guests that some of them cringed at its echo.

At the same time, a trapdoor at the end of the cabin opened. A figure stepped into view, a person who was wearing the same grey robes as they, and a similar wooden mask.

So it begins!

The same thought was shared by many of the warriors.

Tense with anticipation, they looked at the mysterious host of the auction as they waited for him to speak.

Meng Qi stopped beside Yan Wuwo. He looked at the congregation of warriors before him. The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan and the Third Master of the Ruan Clan stood out most to him. The former had been specially invited by him, whilst the latter’s presence was definitely unexpected.

He had expected the Ruan Clan to be able to brew the Immortality Elixirs of East Pole on their own, so he would not have been surprised if the Patriarch of the Ruan Clan had decided not to appear. But he would never have anticipated that it was Ruan Chengde, the Third Master of the Ruan Clan who had appeared instead. Word in the Jianghu was that he had retreated into seclusion ever since he suffered a seizure that robbed him of his powers and left him paralyzed.

Ruan Yushu’s father was the Patriarch’s anointed heir amongst the siblings of the former generation – the firstborn of the Patriarch and the current Master of the Ruan Clan. But it was Ruan Chengde, the son of the Patriarch’s older sibling, who was in the favor of the Patriarch and the upper echelons of the Clan many years before. However, the news of his seizure and his subsequent fall from grace blazed rapidly through the Jianghu just when he was in the peak of his rise into the Terrestrial Rankings, much to the dismay of many.

The resurgence of the Third Master is a great boon to the Ruan Clan… Meng Qi was happy about the Third Master’s presence due to his closeness to Ruan Yushu and, by extension, the Ruan Clan. He took a breath and altered his voice as he spoke.

“I am truly humbled by your presences, gentlemen…”

After a few words in greeting, Meng Qi dove straight into the main order of business – the auction. “These are the items that we will present today: the Immortality Elixir of East Pole, which lengthens the lifespan of its user by sixty years… the Fortune’s Endurance Elixir, which lengthens the lifespan of its user by thirty years, applicable only with techniques or conjurations of the Wood Element… the Meridian Treasured Powder, which lengthens the lifespan of its user by a decade…”

“A detailed announcement of all the elixirs they are offering? So soon?” Zhang Duan, the Patriarch of the Zhang Clan had previous experience attending auctions of this nature, but it was the first time he had encountered such irregularities. Usually, the host would first present a list containing the names of the items for sale so the guests could decide which item they wanted to focus on. Never had he attended an auction which would so brazenly detail the properties of all their wares with such frankness! Should he not announce these particulars only during the course of the bidding?

By the end of Meng Qi’s brisk introduction, the guests present had already gained a clear insight into the value of the items offered.

Just as a dull silence blanketed the entire congregation of guests as busy thoughts and calculation circled around their minds, Meng Qi spoke suddenly.

“The first item. We present the Immortality Elixir of East Pole. We have two of the elixirs at present.”

“The Immortality Elixir? The most valuable Immortality Elixir so early in the proceedings?” The Patriarch of the Zhan Clan could hardly believe his ears. He had not expected this at all.

Why in the world is the best item the first to be sold?

The rest of the guests stirred with similar reactions, wondering at the unbelievable turn of events.

But who could have known that Meng Qi had only the simplest intention, which was to secure the best interest for himself? Of the wares that would be offered for sale during the auction, only the Immortality Elixirs of East Pole were his. The rest of the other elixirs and concoctions were items of the Plenitude Sect that they had requested Meng Qi to sell on their behalf. A great portion of the profit from the sale of these items would go to the cunning Immortal Yunhe’s coffers instead of his own.

Meng Qi conducted the auction this way in order to ensure that the guests would not trade all their valuables for the other concoctions and end up with not enough competition for his own elixirs.

Unlike usual auctions, the items that Immortal Yunhe had concocted were all extremely rare. The methods and crafts in the concoction of these elixirs were lost through the decay of Time and only the Immortal still possessed them. The elixirs were of great value to most warriors and practitioners of martial disciplines above the levels of the Exterior that they would hardly deign to trade for them.

Meng Qi’s plan ensured that the guests would not leave empty-handed despite the scarcity of the Immortality Elixirs. The ones who missed the Immortality Elixirs would be able to bid and purchase the items of Immortal Yunhe, and Meng Qi would be able to avoid an uproar. Meng Qi also wanted to complete the sale of his own elixirs as early as possible so that he could prevent any losses of his own if things were to turn ugly in case of a sudden uproar.

“The first item. We present the Immortality Elixir of East Pole. We have two of the elixirs at present.”

Meng Qi repeated himself. The guests recovered from their stunned disbelief. The very air in the room was tense and anxious with anticipation as everyone seemed to have held their breath.

The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan fingered the Space Ring that held the exotic minerals and produce that he had amassed, representing a huge portion of the clan’s wealth. The items that he had accumulated were extremely rare and valuable.

“I only pray that I have brought enough…” Zhang Duan whispered a silent prayer to the forefathers of the clan for their blessing.

“The first Immortality Elixir is presented for bidding on behalf of a secret beneficiary. He requests for the following items: Loulan Granite, Wyrm Herb, and… The beneficiary would require at least twelve pieces of the fifteen types of the aforementioned exotic minerals and produce to be included in the offers of your bids. Naturally, the sale of the item shall go to the highest bidder.” Meng Qi announced calmly, the full attention of the congregation focused on him.

The announcement struck the Patriarch of the Zhan Clan like a lightning bolt; he was momentarily astonished. The minerals and valuable resources that he had stocked within the Space Ring met the requirements of the trade perfectly.

His thoughts flashed back to the note at the bottom of the invitation. Fearing that he could not be the only one with sufficient provisions for the trade, he quickly called out. “I offer pieces of Loulan Granite and… a total of thirteen exotic minerals and produce.”

He had intentionally left out a few more in order for him to increase his bids later if a challenger came forth.

Zhang Duan’s bid was met with dreadful silence. The entire cabin was quiet save for the heavy breathing of the guests.

“No challengers?” Even Zhang Duan could hardly believe it.

“With no challengers to the bid, the sale of this Immortality Elixir is awarded to this friend.” Meng Qi indifferently made the announcement.

The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan could hardly believe his fortune. With a dazed expression concealed by his mask, he stepped forward and produced the items that he had promised. He received from the host an emerald-green elixir the size of a longan fruit. The mere presence of the elixir in his grasp seemed to have granted him refreshed vim and renewed vigor.

The Oracle of the Covenant suspiciously eyed the items that Zhang Duan had offered for the trade. “To think that you have the very items that were specifically requested,” he said with a gruff and hollow voice.

Who would have amassed exotic minerals and produce of such impressive rarity if not by design?

This looks like a true handicap indeed!

Realization dawned on the Patriarch instantly: none of the other invitations had the note at the bottom!

The Patriarch gazed deeply at Meng Qi, wondering about the identity of the unknown benefactor before him. He removed his mask and ingested the elixir without caring about revealing his identity or about the possibility that the elixir would not yield its full potential if ingested directly.

He thought it best to extinguish the hopes of anyone who might be waiting to rob him of the elixir in such perilous surroundings!

Moreover, spreading the news that he had gained another sixty years of life would discourage further hostilities between the Zhang Clan and the Yao Clan. Keeping it secret would, in fact, incur more adverse effects!

“The old devil of the Zhang Clan…” Someone in the crowd had recognized Zhang Duan.

Immediately, Meng Qi presented the second Immortality Elixir.

“May the highest bidder win.”

Meng Qi concluded his sentence without any additional conditions.

Not willing to tarry anymore, the Oracle of the Covenant called out loud, “I offer the Fifth-earth Essence and… a sum of fourteen exotic minerals and produce, in addition to the Shadow Sword, a Precious Weapon of high grade.”

The Oracle had barely ended the announcement of his offer, when another raucous voice rang. “Fifteen exotic minerals of similar nature, in addition to the Moon-falling Stick, an exquisite Precious Weapon.”

A Precious Weapon of exquisite quality?

Not even the Third Master of the Ruan Clan could hold back his curiosity as he turned to look at the stranger who had spoken.