The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

The lights were bright and the night scenery of the city was beautiful. On a balcony, a man and a woman were admiring the river of lights that looked like a reflection of the starry sky. Behind them, there was a television wall which was showing news. The anchorwoman was reporting in a serious tone,

“Emergency broadcast, emergency broadcast. A large-scale blackout is happening in the Xianan district. It’s suspected that a fault in the electrical power systems has occurred. Currently, the power supply department is investigating into this issue, and the power supply is expected to be restored before dawn.”

“How long has it been since the last massive blackout?” The man and woman turned their heads to the television curiously.

Outside of the Xianan district, countless people were listening to the news and speculating about the reason of the power supply failure.

Staring at the culprit of all the mess, Nangong Chong was shivering in fear and he could not even close his mouth. There was only one thought in his mind, “This isn’t true, this isn’t true. A boss has been chasing after me from an online game to the real world… I must be dreaming, yes, I’m dreaming…”

Clap! Nangong Chong raised his hand and gave himself a slap. His face was so painful that it went numb, and his tears were almost falling. He felt more clear-headed than ever before. But when he looked up, the mature green-robed man was still there, standing with his hands behind his back and looking at him with a faint smile.

Nangong Chong’s vision went dark and almost fainted. However, with a slight electrical shock on his body, he was immediately awake.

“Can you tell me what’s with that box?” Meng Qi asked with a smile, pointing to the large box with the words An Epoch-Making Masterpiece: The Witch of The Black Mountain.

As he spoke, Meng Qi stretched his arm and pulled out a decorative metal longsword in the room. When his palm came in contact with the hilt, lightning was flashing and sparks were flying off in all directions.

At the next second, Nangong Chong saw the longsword melting and the molten iron droplets were about to drip on the floor.

His mouth opened slowly again and turned into an O-shape. Apparently, the man really was the hidden boss in the game. He was terribly strong!

But how was it possible for the boss to climb out of a game?

Just then, Meng Qi added, “You know you can’t hide any thoughts from me, right?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Nangong Chong saw from the window that the power had been restored in all the buildings. The lights were so bright that it illuminated the whole city. It was as if a star river was hanging upside down. The lights of the city spilled on the mysterious green-robed boss and made him look like a god or a devil!

“I-I-I kn-kn-know!” Nangong Chong responded with all his strength as his legs were feeling weak and his whole body was shivering in horror.

What should he do? What should he do? The boss in the game had came to the real world!

Without the martial arts skills and the secret treasure, Nangong Chong was feeling so desperate and helpless at the moment. He should have started the game all over again instead of going back to the archive point!

Meng Qi pointed to the large box again and looked at the metal cabin with a slight feeling of envy, “What is that?”

The voice of Meng Qi seemed to have a soothing power that had weakened the feeling of fear and despair in Nangong Chong’s heart. Nangong Chong felt that after he was frightened to the maximum extent, he was, surprisingly, not so afraid anymore.

Nangong Chong pondered for a while and said, “That’s an epoch-making game, the Witch of the Black Mountain, developed by the Canopy Game Company. It’s known as the most realistic game and a masterpiece of virtual reality technology. The metal cabin and helmet are the supporting equipment used to enter the game. Um… um… sir, do you know the concepts of a company, virtual reality, and supporting equipment?”

“I’ve got a basic idea. Just go on.” The corner of mouth of Meng Qi twitched slightly because apparently, Nangong Chong thought he was a hillbilly!

Nangong Chong continued, “In short… in short, sir, you’re an NPC in the game. No, I mean you’re a non-player character, and I’m a game player. If I put it this way, do you understand it?”

It’s kind of interesting… Meng Qi repeated these four words again in his heart. Then, he pointed to the metal cabin. “So, your ability of turning back time comes from there?”

“You… you know about it!” Nangong Chong was shocked. It turned out that this mysterious boss was aware that he had saved an archive point and repeated playing the game, again and again!

Don’t I look like a clown in front of the boss?

The boss is really a game bug, no, he’s a bug in reality as well…

“I want to try this.” Meng Qi went to the metal cabin and signaled Nangong Chong to demonstrate to him.

Logically speaking, the game world created by virtual reality should be classified as a type of illusion, because it was not supported by any actual substances. The senses in the game were merely simulating the senses in real life. However, when Meng Qi was in the world of the Witch of the Black Mountain, he was not aware that he was in the world of virtual reality when he activated the Best in the World and Yuan Xin Seal. Perhaps the technology of Nangong Chong’s world had been developed to an incredible level that even virtual reality was more realistic than the illusions created by a Dharmakaya. Nonetheless, it might also be due to some other mysterious reasons.

Both of the reasons were worth exploring, especially the latter one. If he wanted to be freed from the past and cut off the karma, it was very important for him to develop a deeper understanding of time.

With a blank look, Nangong Chong showed Meng Qi how to operate the metal cabin. Then, he saw the hidden boss of the game playing that same game after he came to the real world.

Although the sentence in his mind sounded awkward, he really felt this way in his heart. Everything was so absurd.

Meng Qi tried to start the game. With the help of the helmet and metal cabin, he felt that his consciousness had extended to a mysterious place and kept spreading infinitely. His consciousness had penetrated a very thick barrier that was hard to be described, and he was able to sense his own body.

Meng Qi interrupted the process and pulled back his consciousness. After thinking for a moment, he had selected Nangong Chong’s archive point and simulated the characteristics of his consciousness.

Meng Qi’s senses were plunged into darkness that showed nothing at all. Thereafter, he saw a sparkling river with innumerable tributaries, each of which had many tributaries, and they were scattering all over the place.

At the next moment, Meng Qi could not sense anything. Shortly after that, he saw himself, Du QingQing, Yan Chixia, and Ning Caichen, who was always in the middle of passing water.

…

Once Nangong Chong saw the mysterious green-robed man activate the metal cabin, he immediately turned around and dashed toward the other side of the room using all his strength. Stumbling across the room, he reached the videophone and pressed the alarm button “1” to call the police.

After the sounds of a ringback tone, a sweet female voice was heard from the videophone,

“This is the police station. How can I help you, sir?”

The previously suppressed feelings of panic and fear could be seen on Nangong Chong’s face. He said in a hurry, “Something bad has happened! The hidden boss of a video game has appeared in my house! He climbed out of the simulation cabin, and he… he wanted to kill…”

“You’re crazy!” The voice of anger was followed by a long tone, “Doo…”

“He wanted to kill me…” continued Nangong Chong helplessly. His facial expression was frozen, as if it was paused at the previous moment.

He clutched his hair in both hands and rubbed it while he mumbled something fearfully.

Suddenly, a thought had crossed his mind, Only the Ten Years’ Collection version has added in the hidden boss. Uncle… yes, I can find my uncle!

He called his uncle, but no one answered.

“Uncle is in the core group, so he always works overtime…” Nangong Chong rushed back to look at the metal cabin for fear that it would suddenly open again and the terrifying green-robed man would walk out of it.

Suddenly, Nangong Chong clenched his fist tightly. As his anger surged, an intense hatred suddenly arose in his heart which made him bold enough to do anything. Yes, as long as I smash the simulation cabin, break the brainwave helmet and destroy the Ten Years’ Collection version, he will have no way to come out of the game world!

But now that he has already found a way to come out, smashing the cabin will only enrage him… Nangong Chong tried to think of a solution with all his might.

After thinking for a while, he pressed the alarm button “1” to call the police again.

“This is the police station. How can I help you, sir?”

Nangong Chong said in a rush, “A robber has broken into my house, my address is…”

It was better to let the police deal with it. They had an anesthetic gun that could paralyze a dinosaur, and they could apply for space-based weapons during emergency. They should be able to deal with the terrific guy.

After calling the police, Nangong Chong paced back and forth, hoping to escape from his house immediately. But he was afraid that the boss had left something on him that could trace him.

After playing the game for so long, he knew that the powerful martial artists were capable of doing many things!

Keeping track of time, Nangong Chong opened the door three minutes later and saw a group of policemen coming out of the elevator and stairs.

“Are you the one who called the police?” Pointing a gun at Nangong Chong, the policeman was verifying the identity of Nangong Chong to see whether he was the householder.

Nangong Chong nodded immediately. “Yes, yes. He is inside, occupying my simulation cabin. It took me a lot of efforts to slip out.”

“Occupying your simulation cabin?” The chief officer was apparently stunned. Was this guy another Internet addiction syndrome patient?

Using standard tactics, the policemen entered the house carefully and surrounded the simulation cabin. With a worried look of Nangong Chong, they flung open the cabin door.

There was nothing in it!

Nangong Chong opened his eyes widely and could not believe it. He felt a chill rising from the bottom of his heart. Up to the top of his head and down to the bottom of his feet, he felt like he was soaked in a cold spring.

Where did he go?

“Nangong Chong, right?” After the policemen searched the house, the chief officer looked at Nangong Chong sternly. “You have to bear the legal responsibility of making a false police report, and also bear the cost of dispatching police force.”

“I’ve seen too many children like you who play games and become addicted to them. Like you, they can’t differentiate between reality and illusion. We will only tolerate with your mistake once. It’s better to ask your parents or relatives to take you to the psychiatric department for a check-up.”

Nangong Chong nodded with a blank look and watched them leave. As the door closed, he felt coldness in his heart. The movements of his entire body were slowed down as if he was frozen.

I’m screwed, I’m screwed. He must have found out what I’ve done. Now he must be hiding somewhere…

After waiting for a while, nothing happened. As a netizen, Nangong Chong pulled himself together, summoned the courage and leaped toward the computer. He turned on the computer quickly, opened the forum and posted a thread,

“Help! The hidden boss came out of the game. He’s at my house now, and he wants to kill me! What should I do? I’ll be staying online to wait for an answer, it’s very urgent!”

I can’t be the only one who’s played the Ten Years’ Collection version, right?

Laughing_at_the_sky_with_a_blade_in_my_hand replied quickly, “The same thread starter again? So brave of you to trick people into posting more replies using this way. I have to praise you even though I don’t really want to be the first!”

Braving_the_wind_and_dew came in the thread and posted a sweating emoji, “Ask your uncle to modify the game program to kill him!”

“Throw money at the Canopy Game Company until they’re satisfied!” said Three_begets_all_things.

“Why not you submit yourself to him? Just sell your ass!”

“Just be his disciple and learn some martial arts from him! It’s such a good opportunity. The great responsibility of preserving world peace in the future will be passed to you!”

…

They thought Nangong Chong was joking. Since the topic was quite interesting, they had came up with a series of jokes to poke fun at him. Nangong Chong was almost bursting into tears, and he quickly posted a reply,

“What I said was true! I swear with my eighteen generations of ancestors!”

Love_NieXiaoqian_the_most had also joined the thread, “Hehe, I love how the thread starter talks about nonsense in a serious manner.”

Nangong Chong was about to explain himself again when he suddenly saw a reflection in the window in front of him. The mature green-robed man was standing behind him!

In an instant, Nangong Chong hid the forum, turned his head and stammered, “S-sir, are you done experiencing the game?”

“I want to see your uncle,” said Meng Qi concisely.

Nangong Chong nodded in a flustered manner, “Okay… okay! I’ll keep trying to contact him!”

Without anyone knowing, he breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the hidden boss who came out from the game did not know how to use the computer. Another fortunate thing was that under the close supervision of his parents, he had become an expert in playing the computer games sneakily, thereby being so skillful in hiding the fact that he was using the computer!

Just then, he heard Meng Qi saying, “Can you step aside?”

Nangong Chong stood up with a puzzled look and moved to the side. Then, he saw Meng Qi skillfully find the hidden browser, skillfully press the “post a thread” button and skillfully write a thread title,

“Does anyone know about the Seven-Kill Tablet? I’ll be waiting for a reply online, it’s quite urgent.”

Once again, Nangong Chong’s mouth opened little by little. He felt that he would never forget this night that was dominated by fear, helplessness, and astonishment.