The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Two towering Bodhi trees supported the Vaiduryanirbhasa, green flames burned while calcinating the breath and marks left by Bhaisajyaguru. The marks melted into the River of History gradually while the breath condensed into a cyan-colored Azure pearl after the green flames diminished. Compared to the previous relic, the pearl was lacking in Buddha shadow and Withered Tree Splendor Bodhi. It was clear and glistening as if it carried pure and dreamy lights.

The cyan Azure pearl swirled and fell into the Buddha of Moonlight's palm as he spread his palm. It looked dreamy as it reflected moonlight and glistened in cyan lights.

"This can send you back safely if you use it with the corresponding tactical formations," the Buddha of Moonlight smiled faintly and tossed the Azure pearl to Meng Qi.

He seemed to understand the words of the Buddha and knew many secrets to comprehend the true background of Meng Qi and the others after the Bhaisajyaguru had his Nirvana reborn and escaped the River of Time and River of Destiny.

Meng Qi who was in shock forgot his confusion temporarily and joy sparked in him. He took the cyan Azure pearl respectfully. I can return safely with this and get Brother Doubi to set up a tactical formation for me!

The Buddha of Moonlight changed his tone suddenly, "This can only help you to return safely. If the changes in history are too big, you will still not be able to escape the illusion bubble. Therefore, you must prepare well before you return. As I mentioned, the Qing Emperor will only be willing to send you back. The other Dharmakayas are under other strong people's responsibility so they will not meet his objective. Do you think that all of you can go back?"

"You're right," Meng Qi let out a breath and replayed everything he went through in his mind. He concluded that what happened to Yu Bo was not an accident but arranged by someone. What happened afterwards might also have been plotted by someone.

Some things became clear instantly after he changed his perspective.

He was confused as to why the Wise Holy Monk had set things up to confront him. Aside from the Talisman of the Six Runes, he also used Maitreya Buddha's ultimate magic weapon, the Back of Sky Sack.

Maitreya could not have known that Meng Qi will reject Maitreya by the good intentions of the Gambling Monk in the future as he was not from the Nirvana Realm. Besides, he was fresh off the boat and had not met any monks in the Middle Ages yet. There were no grudges between him and the Maitreya so why would he target him without any reason?

Thinking about it further, he was sent by the Qing Emperor and he carried the duty of enlightening his past Buddhist self. He is also involved in the key step for the Qing Emperor to enter the Nirvana Realm. If he was brought to the pure land by the Wise Holy Monk under Maitreya's orders to listen to his preaching, his time would be used up and the Qing Emperor's plans would fail. If they missed this village, the shop that enlightened the Bhaisajyaguru might not be there anymore even if other men will be sent there in the future. After all, even if history did not change, chances to jump out of the River of Time would be slim, not to mention the problem of current nodes that was always forwarding.

Therefore, although Maitreya seemed to be targeting him for no reason, his actual intention was to interfere with the Qing Emperor's key step towards the Nirvana Realm!

Maitreya was not from the Nirvana Realm so he could not have known about the Qing Emperor's activity in the future. This meant that someone powerful from the Nirvana Realm was instructing him from his back. Meng Qi suspected that Namo Amitabha was the powerful person from the Nirvana Realm that compiled Maitreya's deeds recorded in ancient books. He had the Fulfilled Sambhogakaya pure land known as invincible by others and he reached the essence of Taoism many eras ago. He is indeed a very powerful and ancient person from the Nirvana Realm!

He was the one who tried to stop the Qing Emperor!

Although plotted by a person from the Nirvana Realm, Meng Qi successfully escaped both the talisman of the Six Runes and the Back of Sky Sack, and found out about Chunyangzi's comment of 'who am I, I am who?' He also understood that he had to keep an eye out regarding the Qing Emperor. He then linked to the Bhaisajyaguru, Eastern Vaiduryanirbhasa and the Buddha of Moonlight.

He feared that there was another powerful person from the Nirvana Realm behind all this.

This is because only a person from the Nirvana Realm can counter another!

Meng Qi's thoughts had gotten clearer. The underlying meaning started to appear.

The most important reason behind how he managed to escape both the talisman of the Six Runes and the Back of Sky Sack was not because of his alertness and his odd practice. It was because he made a coincidental breakthrough and became an Earth Fairy. He might not even make it through the first seal with his Man Fairy self!

He managed to become an Earth Fairy with the help of Han Guang, the Devil Master and one night was equivalent to five years in the remains of the Heavenly Court.

His words that he wanted himself to be more radiant to form a contrast with shadows to cover his path to be the Celestial Ruler to prevent from being targeted were from the bottom of his heart and they were unlikely lies. However, just because he was speaking the truth did not mean that he was speaking the whole truth. Perhaps he was hiding under this excuse to let himself be an Earth Fairy in order to help the Qing Emperor in taking the key step in proving the essence of Taoism?

Meng Qi took a breath. A Devil Master, indeed. I wouldn't even know how he stabbed me if I believed in all his words. However, even if I don't believe a single word from him, I might die, too!

Han Guang was a Celestial Being. He would never be able to intimidate a person from the Nirvana Realm in a chess match as he could only be a chess piece. Whose chess piece was he then? Who was the person that helped the Qing Emperor in taking the key step in proving the essence of Taoism?

Time Blade? There is still Celestial Ruler's unfulfilled wish left in the Nirvana Realm level heavenly weapon which was also known as the First Capriciousness? Does this mean that the Celestial Ruler who had fallen to Eternity already set up to aid the Qing Emperor?

If so, isn't the Celestial Ruler a little too scary? Meng Qi frowned with disbelief.

Han Guang was still a Samsara Traveller and he never broke off contact with the List of Deification. Perhaps he obtained Lu Ya's advice? From the fact that Lu Ya let himself to obtain the Hao Tian Mirror Fragment at Jasper Lake and look for the Qing Emperor, it's possible. However, it is highly likely that Lu Ya has not reached the Nirvana Realm yet. Even if he did, he should be in a repressed state, how can he balance himself out with the Namo Amitabha from Nirvana Realm?

There were too many puzzles and Meng Qi could not think it through. Then, he changed his perspective of thinking. He only wanted to go to the Zhenwu Sect's hidden treasure, Chunyangzi's mausoleum and Xi Jian Pavilion's hidden treasure. He did not plan his trip to Jade Emperor Mountain, enter Heavenly Court's hidden treasure and meet Han Guang the Devil Master, go through one night which was equivalent to five years and become an Earth Fairy.

He only went to the Jade Emperor Mountain because of Wang Daolin, the Sage of Arithmethic's guidance.

That old trickster!

The Wang Family was inherited from the ancient times and they had many secrets. So, it would be normal for them to have contact with someone from the Nirvana Realm. Of course, it is possible that he followed his guidance in a blur… Meng Qi's thoughts were lost again as there are too many people from the Nirvana Realm.

"A powerful person from the Nirvana Realm normally pays attention to karma when he makes an act. When he lets you do something to help him without your knowledge, he wouldn't let you do it without any benefit for yourself. You can also think from this angle," the Moonlight Buddha looked at Meng Qi who was lost in thought silently and spoke suddenly.

He seemed to also be curious about the person from the Nirvana Realm who helped the Qing Emperor.

"Benefit?" Meng Qi muttered. He caused many troubles after he came to the Middle Ages but he also obtained many benefits including obtaining the whole set of the Fairy Slaying Sword Manual and the Celestial Slashing Sword Manual, becoming an Earth Fairy and the direct knowledge for Yi Qi Turning San Qing.

Meng Qi was shocked suddenly as if a lightning struck inside his brain and illuminated the darkness.

The Fairy Slaying Sword Manual and the Celestial Slashing Sword Manual were obtained by exchanging my own belongings so they don't really count as benefits. Becoming an Earth Fairy was great, but it was mandatory and merely coincidental. Nothing really relates to karma here.

Yi Qi Turning San Qing was Lord Dao De's direct knowledge. Having Tao Te Ching written by him, he incarnated into Lao Dan to spread the essence of Taoism to undergo deification and escape from Devil Buddha. The Qing Emperor had a Taoist identity of Lord Taiyi and his incarnation Chunyangzi was also a Taoist. Mister Luda had fragments of Jin Gang bracelet and the Heavenly Body comprehended by Xi Jian Pavilion was nearer to the concept of Taishang. Related to him, Lord Dao De, and the Qing Emperor, Chunyangzi and Eastern Sun Beppu were all tangled up…

After all this thinking, although Meng Qi still had not made out a perfect inference nor solid proof, he was certain that the person who helped the Qing Emperor in proving the essence in Taoism was Lord Dao De, one of the oldest people from the Nirvana Realm!

Indeed, only a person from the Nirvana Realm can fight another!

This was a match between the ancients!

It was almost impossible to enter the Nirvana Realm without the support from at least one person from the Nirvana Realm!

"When the others were sent to the Middle Ages by Lord Dao De, there were only two scenarios. First, help was given from people with evil intent like Gu Erduo to open Chunyangzi's mausoleum to find out that Chunyangzi was the incarnation of the Qing Emperor, the 'who am I, I am who' message was obtained by them and they realized that they should head to the Eastern Vaiduryanirbhasa. Secondly, they clouded their vision and hid their intent to confuse the judgment of Namo Amitabha and the others from the Nirvana Realm to suspect that there were others that participated, causing scruples to prevent unexpected events from happening. This benefits them as past life can be found in the Middle Ages and some traces can be left for the future. What a good tactic!" Meng Qi praised in his mind.

As to whether Gao Lan was sent back by the Emperor's Sword, whether Lu Ya and Han Guang was related to Lord Dao De, whether the Golden Emperor attempted to collaborate with him to recruit the Night Emperor because he planned to set something up, none of these matter anymore.

"It seems like mister understood," the Moonlight Buddha smiled faintly.

Meng Qi pointed towards his White Mustard Ring, "I think it's him."

"It's him," Moonlight Buddha exhaled as the smile on his face widened. Amused, he said, "We might meet again if mister returns to the future."

Does this mean that the Qing Emperor will change history by finishing his practice and survive the War of Devil Buddhas? Meng Qi was shocked once again.

Of course, with the Qing Emperor's wits, he would have made the choice that would affect history on a minimal level. For example, he would have broken a small part of a pure land to help Moonlight Buddha to create a clone or use another identity to replace his death to avoid the pure land in the midst of the chaos and only appear during the Great Trial.

Meng Qi suspected that the Qing Emperor had not reach Nirvana Realm. His status was strange and hard to be balanced by common knowledge since he carved a path. The original realm distinctions could not be used to determine this.

He should have the powers of Nirvana Realm already. He only needed to awaken the communication to merge the distinctions of the past and find his complete original self step by step to reach the Nirvana Realm. He only lacked one final key step.