The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Since the encounter of Yu Longzi at the Devil Tomb, Meng Qi had met only Gu Xiaosang, believing all the while that she had finally found a way to cure her schizophrenia. But from what she had just told him, it seems eerily possible that she and Yu Longzi had separated into two different persons.

Could it be possible that she has indeed found a way to sever the persona of Yu Longzi from her body or her soul? Or was there another hidden ploy afoot here?

Even though everything seemed to be at peace for now, but dangers prowled around them with every step that Meng Qi could hardly feel at ease. He shirked off other thoughts and doubts and instructed Gu Xiaosang to relay his warning to the Dharma King Dushi to prevent from provoking Gao Lan.

His eldest sworn brother was nothing more than a time bomb now. There was no telling when would he suddenly burst into a murderous frenzy. It could be mere moments before he erupts; or maybe, he could even maintain his current state until they leave the domain of the Ninth Heaven. Nevertheless, there would hardly be any possibilities for survival if he – who wielded the invincibility of the Dharmakaya Realm – were to transform before Meng Qi could leave.

Meng Qi could hear his heart thumping anxiously despite his ability to maintain his composure and state of mind.

They must leave as soon as possible!

With their powers of the Dharmakaya Realm, Gao Lan, Han Guang, and the Dharma King Dushi projected their spiritual senses and scanned the entire surroundings of the Temple with ease. With the protective spells broken by Gao Lan earlier, nothing could be hidden from their senses anymore.

There were only a few broken walls left of the flanks of the structure of the Temple, with nothing of value. The rear chambers utterly demolished as if its construction had been flattened to the ground by a considerable force from above. The items brewed and concocted by the deities of old reduced into nothing but debris and dust. They explored deeper and found an abandoned square which used to be a garden. But there were only scorch marks and craters everywhere as if a thunderstorm had unleashed its wrath there ages ago, leaving no vestiges of the garden’s former beauty for not even the garden’s soil could be found.

“This place seems to have been deliberately destroyed.” Gao Lan disclosed his findings.

Han Guang stepped forth with his robes fluttering. The presence of his mask added only to the grandeur of his imperious air. Flatly, he spoke, “But why to leave only the Hall of Today?”

It was not to disprove Gao Lan’s intuition, merely a suspicion that he felt odd.

Meng Qi looked at both sides of the Temple. The parts where the central structure was broken off from its wings, the Halls of Yesterday and Tomorrow also appeared blackened with burn marks. But the flames did not seem to have spread deeper into both wings. The observations made him agree to both suspicions of Gao Lan and Han Guang.

Indeed, the Temple seemed to be destroyed by predetermined force. But why retain only the Hall of Today?

“Perhaps the person who has committed the act still has a use for the Hall of Today.” Gu Xiaosang remarked playfully without any hint of wariness and fear.

“And what could that use be for?” Gao Lan’s eyes studied their surroundings, but he found no signs of any magical seals or barriers. Nothing apart from the Mirror of Today was of value, save for the bricks of gold that was still plunderable.

Meng Qi could hear his heartbeat drumming again. He was afraid that Gao Lan could be restored by Han Guang any time. Not wanting to lose any moment, he suggested immediately, “There seems to be nothing here in the Hall of Today, Brother. I suggest we conduct a quick search and look somewhere else so that we do not have to make a detour back here. Cryptic questions such as the reason on why the Hall of Today still stands would have to wait for some other day.”

“Indeed. So be it then.” Gao Lan clapped hard on Meng Qi’s shoulder approvingly.

All it took were mere seconds for the Dharmakaya practitioners to complete their search. In a hollow voice, the Dharma King Dushi declared flatly, “There is nothing here.”

Han Guang nodded gently, indicating the same. But there was still a troubled look on his face. The skills of the Heaven Sovereign’s impartation that he learned had led him to the direction of the Three-life Temple. Silently, he wondered if his objective was not here, but deeper instead.

Just then, Gu Xiaosang chuckled and remarked, “At least there is the Mirror of Today here.”

The gazes of everyone instantly trained upon the Mirror of Today. The Mirror, which stood at half a man’s height, shone with a gentle spark. Its surface gleamed with crystal-clear clarity like the still surface of a lake on a sunny day. Upon its glistening surface, Meng Qi could vaguely notice the twinkles of flakes of gold which danced around the Mirror like the manifestation of the Dharma and Logos of Nature.

“I will have this Mirror.” Gao Lan spoke suddenly. “I shall not take anything else before the each of you pick one item.”

“But for what reason could Brother want the Mirror? To remind himself of the scars of his past and drench himself in its neverending torment?” Meng Qi wondered with dismay. But he kept silent and made no objections. This could prolong Gao Lan’s current state.

Looking at the Sword of the Human Sovereign, both Han Guang and Dharma King Dushi made no indication of protest, since the Mirror would hardly be of any use to them.

Without any opinions herself, Gu Xiaosang retreated a few steps from the Mirror, allowing Gao Lan to step forth and claim it.

Gao Lan stretched an arm forward and grasped the edge of the Mirror. There were no signs of him channeling his powers. But the Mirror immediately shrank in his grasp, turning smaller in size so that it was no bigger than his palm.

“The name of the Heavens’ Fist indeed precedes its reputation.” Han Guang laughed softly with a seemingly casual remark. He seized the opportunity to mention anything familiar to Gao Lan in an attempt to restore him!

Meng Qi heaved a sigh of relief quietly. With the Mirror of Today taken by Gao Lan, they can now depart the Temple. He and Gu Xiaosang would find a pretense to slip away. The Three-life Temple seemed not to have the item which she sought, leaving the Temple empty-handed would hardly be a fault on to him!

But he had barely thought of leaving then suddenly Gu Xiaosang emitted a gasp of surprise. In two steps, she rushed forward while she made a few hand seals and channeled her powers. Several water lilies materialized around the platform below where the Mirror of Today once stood.

The stone platform glowed suddenly with shimmers of light emanating through the air. The platform broke into two, revealing a set of stairs below it!

Gu Xiaosang stepped back with surprise as she uttered, “I noticed the engraved patterns on the platform which looked vaguely familiar to me. Then I remembered it seemed to be part of protective spells. That was why I tried a spell that may be able to undo the magic. But I did not expect it to work and reveal the secret passage within.”

“What a lie… You knew it was there all along…” Meng Qi thought quietly, not understanding why Gu Xiaosang had risked their safety by revealing the secret passage on her own!

“Was the hidden item that important to her?”

“The cunning demoness is indeed putting both our lives on the line for it!”

Knowing Gu Xiaosang, Han Guang understood that Gu Xiaosang knew many secrets about the Celestial Cout. But he did nothing to expose her. Instead, he merely laughed and held his hand behind his back as he spoke, “This is a Heaven-sent fortune for all of us.”

Gao Lan chortled inquiringly, “The magical spell and the passage are well-hidden indeed. They have both slipped my search. Interesting… interesting.”

He looked around the platform, studying the enchantment that protected the secret entrance.

Han Guang and the Dharma King Dushi cast a few spells of their own as they enter the tunnel to undo the other enchantments and traps that lurked within. For the ones that would require more time and effort, Gao Lan would directly destroy them by force using the Sword of the Human Sovereign.

Time passed swiftly. Meng Qi took another heavy breath and calmed himself, keeping an eye for opportunities to slip away.

Suddenly Han Guang turned to face Meng Qi. From behind the expressionless mask of the Heaven Sovereign, was a soft and jovial voice,

“The passage is safe now, Little Brother. Let us proceed to search for treasures lest this turns into a fruitless trip for you.”

His sudden cordiality instead sent shivers down Meng Qi’s back.

“Indeed, anyhow, you should not leave empty-handed.” Gao Lan quipped in agreement. Quietly, he whispered to Meng Qi via telepathy, “Fear not, Little Brother. Your Big Brother is here!”

“You are the one I fear most, Brother…” Meng Qi remarked to himself, his lips twitching again at Gao Lan’s urges. He would have blurted the very words from his mouth if not for fear of Gao Lan’s schizophrenia.

But Meng Qi felt calmer despite the rising tension. With a thin smile, he replied, “All right.”

Saying thus, he stepped forth taking the lead down the steps.

Atop the peaks of Mount Wei Er, perched a tremendous and magnificent hall. The hall’s defenses contained many magical enchantments and mighty warriors.

No one was at the rear chambers of the hall, save for a statue of the Heaven Sovereign, who perpetually wore a proud and stern glance as if it was guarding the three planes of existence.

Before the statue of the Heaven Sovereign, sat an emerald-green casket made of Fairy Jade. Inside was a long saber which seemed to absorb all illumination of light around it into its blade.

All of a sudden, the blade glowed brightly that even the air shimmered in its radiance. The entire chamber fell into stasis as if its confinement was in a separate domain suspended in Time. Some time would pass before everything returned to normal.

………..

The company of Cui Qinghe and the rest of the others followed the path ahead of them, keeping an eye for anything of value as they ventured through the levels of the Celestial Court. During their exploration, they found traces that there have been others that came before them. The evidence of others made them anxious as they increased their pace. Still, the earlier delay had taken up quite some time before they reached the vortex on the third level.

………..

Following the steps deeper down the passage, Meng Qi studied intently of his surroundings, trying his best to keep his eyes open for any signs or peculiarities as he maintained constant vigilance for danger.

After nine flight of stairs, he found himself in a barren cave passage filled with dirt. There were no signs of life around them save for the trunk of a vast and long tree in the center of the cavern. It thrived with luscious leaves and sturdy boughs, reaching deep into the earth with its roots while its top extended into the ceiling of the cavern. It was as if the tree penetrated through every level of the domain!

Looking at the huge tree, Meng Qi felt the Supreme-wisdom Tree in his Space Ring trembled and convulsed violently with a feeding frenzy!

“Yet another tree?”

Meng Qi was at first pleased. But Gao Lan, Han Guang and the other had made their entry into the cavern before he could react.

Setting aside other thoughts, he continued down the steps into the cavern. There was another course way opposite the cavern. At the right corner, he noticed the reflection of an item. It was a jade disc not more substantial than a man’s palm, filled with runic seal scripts and patterns. On the right where a heap of dirt stood, was a strange plant that has only three branches and only one leaf. It was thin and disheveled like a dead plant. There were additional forks at the top of its trunk and its left and right branches. In the middle hung two green berries the size of a thumb that emanated a mysterious aura. Something about the plant told him that they were thus since birth, and would also be the same in the future.

“B-but… But the nutrients in the vicinity should have been fully absorbed by the huge tree!”

“The berries are strange indeed!”

“Shall I first make my pick, Elder Brothers-in-law?” With a smile, Gu Xiaosang was first to speak.

Gao Lan cast a knowing look at Meng Qi, expressing a deep concern on his sworn brother’s ability to subdue his wife. But still, he agreed with a smile, “Go ahead.”

Han Guang instead took a sudden step, passing by Meng Qi and veered to the right of the cavern. He turned back to look at Gu Xiaosang. With a smile, he asked, “What is it you wish for?”

From his gestures, Gu Xiaosang knew what he wanted. With a thin smile, she remarked, “I will not rob you of the Three-life Jade Plate which you desire, Brother-in-law.”

“The Three-life Jade Plate?” At that moment, Meng Qi immediately understood what the jade disc indeed was!

The Heaven Sovereign was one of the few Immortals who had broken through the barriers where even most Immortals failed to. At his success, he compiled his skills into a codex called the Heavenly Emperor’s Scripts, these preachings regarded as the fundamental teachings of his following to his students. But before his rise to greatness, he had assimilated and meditated upon a relic which was none other than the Three-life Jade Plate!

“This is the skill needed to complete certain missions…” The revelation dawned upon Meng Qi. He felt a sudden desire for the Jade Plate. But Han Guang’s evident eagerness for it had dissuaded even Gao Lan and the Dharma King Dushi from contesting his claim.

With feigned composure, Han Guang strode forward with his hands behind his back. In a silky tone, he spoke, “I will have this Three-life Jade Plate. You will have the first pick if we discover anything else.”

With pursed lips, Gu Xiaosang said playfully, “I will have the two berries then.”

She did not brashly pluck the two berries from the tree. Instead, she strode forward slowly and produced a strange jade vial and a jade mallet. Carefully, she struck on the fruits for them to fall into her vial which she immediately sealed.

“This seems to be the objective of the cunning demoness… But what are the two berries exactly?” Meng Qi heaved a sigh of relief. Finally they were at the potential to leave, though he could not help feeling suspicious.

“But they would hardly matter for now! For it is imperative we leave as soon as possible!”

“I am afraid the huge tree is difficult to take into keeping. Do you want it, Little Brother?” Gao Lan asked the youngest of his sworn brothers, Meng Qi.

“But I want to pick an item, not absorbing it. The tree would be useless to me if I were to absorb it!” Meng Qi looked once more at the massive trunk of the giant tree. He wanted to use the Supreme-wisdom Tree to absorb the enormous tree.

Moreover, there was no guaranteeing that Han Guang and the Dharma King Dushi would not turn violent out of greed if he were to reveal the Supreme-wisdom Tree!

Things could truly take a dire turn for the worst that even his eldest sworn brother, Gao Lan might turn back to the normal him. No willing to take the risk, Meng Qi could only wish for them to leave as he said,

“Indeed, Brother. But Xiaosang had already taken the fruits. I’m sure one of the berries is for me. That should be enough for us. With more dangers that might follow, I only wish to leave as soon as possible.”

Gao Lan thought and nodded, “Very well.”

Meng Qi gave another sigh of relief, feeling his body relaxed, and upon the face of Gu Xiaosang, was the slightest hint of glee.

Satisfied with his find, Han Guang stowed away the Jade Plate. Delightedly, he spoke, “With the help of this relic, I will be able to catch up with Lu Da and Taoist Chonghe.”

“Master Lu… Taoist Chonghe…” Meng Qi heard the drumming of his heartbeats. His greatest fear could come true any moment now!