The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

What business is it of yours? What business is it of mine? That's right, his additional selves were either simulated imprints or projections without wisdom. They were unique on their own and there was no need to consider the problem of the many memories and emotions of the additional selves attacking one another and getting lost.

That being the case, what has another I, one that is exactly the same, got to do with him? He is he, and I am I!

With this enlightenment, Meng Qi seemed to have the layer of fog in front of him unveiled and everything looked clear. Thoughts ran through his mind without any more obstruction, and he could vaguely sense his original intention, hence felt energetic and wonderful.

However, this had merely cleared the fog and showed the path. As for how to get close, it was still filled with difficulties and obstacles and also all misleading ways.

He pondered for a while, smiled and slowly got up with his hands cupped together, "Thank you for your advice, sir."

"The third question, if what you've experienced in the past are all dreams ⁠- your wife, Huamei Heights, the sword in your hand ⁠- how do you face it?"

"Common magic spells definitely have no effect on you, but what if you are in the dream world of Amitabha? Everything you see, hear, touch and feel are dreams, they look real but are essentially illusions. In Zhuang Zhou's dream of a butterfly, was it Zhuang Zhou who dreamed of the butterfly or was it the butterfly that dreamed of itself becoming Zhou Zhuang?"

Meng Qi asked the Brain in a Vat question in a totally different way. After which, he turned and slowly walked down the mountain road without waiting for Mister Lu Da's reply.

A breeze was blowing at the side of the road and there was the fragrance of flowers. The silhouette with a wooden hairpin gradually got further away.

With a sword by his side, Mister Lu Da's eyes were shining. His mouth opened and closed, but was unable to say out his answer as he simply watched Meng Qi leave the back of the mountain.

…

After getting out of Huamei Heights, Meng Qi looked around and felt at a loss not knowing where to go. As thoughts ran through his mind, he subconsciously went toward the southwest. By the time he collected himself, he was already in front of a mountain peak that looked like a long sword.

The entrance to Xijian Pavilion!

Meng Qi stood blankly in front of the mountain and suddenly let out a laugh, he really couldn't totally let go of that matter.

That sentence left a deep impression on him, "In my whole life I only love the Seven-Foot Sword, cut myself to see me and I am not who I am."

He didn't hide his presence and Jiang Zhiwei had already appeared at the foot of the mountain. Behind her were blooming flowers, looking like a painting.

The lady was in a yellow dress, her black hair loosely tied up with a few strands hanging loosely, and was still as stunning as before. She said smilingly, "Why didn't you inform me that you're coming?"

"I played it by ear and my heart brought me here," dressed in a green robe and with a wooden hairpin on his head, Meng Qi looked carefree as he said zenly with a smile.

Jiang Zhiwei laughed lightly, "You don't usually visit without a cause. So, what is it?"

Her eyes were smiling as she gave an I-know-you look.

"Mmm." Meng Qi pondered for a while and said, "You've once said cut myself to see me and I am not who I am, which myself did you cut and which me did you see?"

Jiang Zhiwei laughed upon realizing, "So you're thinking about I am who I am."

Then, her expression became more serious before saying firmly, "Myself refers to the external I, including the flesh body, experiences, martial arts, emotions, etc., while me refers to the original intention and nature."

"Since the original intention left the path, it acquired contamination ⁠- the eyes mystified by colors, the ears confused by sounds, the nose tinted by tastes and the heart blinded by experiences and emotions, making it difficult to see one true colors."

"Cutting off isn't cutting away, nor is it forsaking, but seeing through their limitations and understanding their illusions, thereby seeing the real me."

Meng Qi gained some understanding, frowning slightly as he pondered.

Seeing which, Jiang Zhiwei gave it a thought and used less profound words to talk about her experience, "Although I was on a long retreat, I did not just know about cut myself to see me recently. This should be a difficulty in martial arts after passing through the Exterior realm. In simple terms, what the eyes see is limited by the eyes themselves. Unable to see everything like the Buddha, there are always some omissions. What the eyes see may not all be real, and it is very easy to make mistakes by fully believing in what the eyes see. Being confused by external factors, one wouldn't be able to see things as they are."

"Similarly, before the end, the ears have restrictions, and so does the nose as well as the experiences and martial arts gained. Fully relying on experiences would result in being trapped by experiences, thereby having deviation in the perception of things. Fully relying on martial arts would result in being bound by martial arts, thereby becoming more extreme."

"Recognize them, see through them, and cut off the illusions they brought. Then you would be able to break free and see your actual self."

Meng Qi nodded, "It sounds easy, but really doing it must be extremely difficult. Everything we do since birth has been more or less influenced by myself, and relying on it has long been a habit and instinct. We wouldn't think there is any problem at all and hence wouldn't be able to see through this."

He understood what Jiang Zhiwei meant and also knew what he needed to do was cut myself to see me. Once he saw his real self, he would be able to self-attain the Legendary realm!

The flowers on the mountain were bright, and two silhouettes were standing opposite each other at the foot of the mountain. One yellow and one green, they were exchanging their experiences on cut myself to see me. Harmonious and picturesque, they looked somewhat like a couple.

Meng Qi looked up at Jiang Weiwei followed by the familiar yet strange mountain road, and suddenly laughed, "When Mister Lu Da mentioned about the difference of one thought, I was thinking if I hadn't listened to my brother's instigation at the time to come to Xijian Pavilion to persuade you and subtly express my feelings, would the ending be different?"

This was already the past and he was already able to face this calmly.

Jiang Zhiwei pressed her lips into a smile, stroked her hair and said seriously, "Even without Gao Lan's instigation, you would definitely still come after hesitating, just that you might not have been in time. And no matter when you came, my answer would still be the same."

With her eyes shining like stars in the night sky, she said in a low and firm voice, "This is you, and this is me."

Meng Qi let out a long sigh and said with a smile, "Sure enough, this is you, and this is me."

Looking up and seeing the beautiful scenery on the mountain with all kinds of flowers, he seemed to see Jiang Zhiwei's gradually drifting silhouette at that time. Smiling with his hands behind his back, he stepped forward and walked up the mountain road.

Jiang Zhiwei smiled slightly and walked together beside him.

The two did not speak, being able to understand each other without words. One in yellow and one in green, they slowly walked to the top of the mountain, as though Xijian Pavilion was a no man's land.

Looking at the magnificent view of white clouds and the sun, Meng Qi let out a laugh and conveyed at ease.

Jiang Zhiwei looked quietly at the sea of clouds and also let out a light laugh after a short while. With her clothes flowing, she returned to her residence.

Since ancient times, the sea of ​​clouds hadn't changed.

…

Stepping on the clouds and against the strong wind, Meng Qi was thinking as he moved, putting other thoughts aside and walking freely.

He unknowingly came to the Southern Wasteland and saw a prosperous scene, the growth of a martial arts holy land, and a powerful ancient presence seemed to be hidden deep in the Southern Wasteland.

"The demons return to the world and the sages follow?" Meng Qi suddenly thought of this sentence he heard a very long time ago.

Are the demonic sages returning from reincarnation?

As thoughts ran through his mind, Qi Zhengyan appeared in front of him in an ordinary long robe and with an ordinary look. Other than the two stars between his brows and the strange Devil's Claws on his left hand, there really wasn't anything special, but his every move seemed to contain great momentum. The heaven constantly moves, and a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement.

"Something's bothering you?" Qi Zhengyan said straight to the point.

Meng Qi slightly nodded and repeated what Mister Lu Da and Jiang Zhiwei said before saying, "How should I cut myself to see me?"

Senior Qi has the knowledge and experience of a Demonic Lord and should be able to answer.

Qi Zhengyan gave it a thought and said, "Since you want to cut yourself to see you, then try really cutting. What is your greatest dependence and reliance now, cut it off and experience it."

"What is my greatest dependence and reliance?" Meng Qi frowned and mumbled to himself.

Heavenly Lord Yuanshi? No, how could he fully rely on him when he's wary of him?

The Tyrant's Invincible Blade? It wasn't as if he didn't have a life before it had awakened to the Legendary level…

As thoughts ran through his mind, he heard Qi Zhengyan say indifferently, "Your greatest dependence and reliance is your martial arts. Without martial arts, there would be no Primitive Emperor and what you are today."

Meng Qi took in a deep breath as thoughts ran through his mind. He wanted to refute, but had nothing to say.

Yes, after coming to this world full of strong and powerful characters, his greatest dependence and reliance was martial arts. Neither Yuanshi nor Daode could be relied on, only his own abilities were real!

When he was in a hopeless situation when facing the Devil Buddha back then, he didn't pray for help from gods or Buddha but practised martial arts step by step, sharpening the blade in his heart and finally broke free.

Qi Zhengyan stared at Meng Qi and said in a low voice, "So, are you able to cut off this greatest dependence and reliance?"

"Moreover, you might not necessarily succeed even if you forsake it. By then, you would be an ordinary person without power, and it would be extremely difficult for you to regain it."

"By then, would you still be the Primitive Emperor? Would you still be Su Meng? Would you still be able to maintain your personality and style? Without martial arts, would there be you?"

"Do you dare to forsake it?"