The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

The wagon drew near.

Gao Lan wore a green thin robe and his face grew stubble beard. He was not a bit less handsome than his young age and became even more mature and manly. Without the emperor's dress and crown, he looked like an average man going out with his family driving the wagon by himself.

"Here I am, on a spring excursion, with apricot flowers blown full on my head."

The wagon stopped. Gao Lan jumped out of it and slowly opened the door behind. He gently took out a wooden plate written with:

"My beloved wife Yan Ran's Tomb… made by her husband Gao Lan."

He walked slowly toward the lake and placed the plate on a stone next to him. He stared at the center of the lake reflecting sunshine in which silver fish swam here and there.

"Come out," Gao Lan suddenly spoke. His voice was low but clear.

Even with the help of the Dao Yi Seal, he still could not hide his presence from him with Emperor's Sword… Meng Qi sighed and slowly stood up. He walked nearby Gao Lan.

Watching him from far away, Meng Qi was quite sure that Gao Lan was more of an emotional man than logical. With a little stimulation, he would change to a funny brother at any time. And without stimulation, Meng Qi believed that he could communicate with Gao Lan in a friendly way.

Gao Lan folded his hands on his back and looked at the waving water tenderly with his green robe waving in the breeze. He said casually, "You never go to the temple for nothing. You want to ask for my help?"

I am not a king… Meng Qi stood firmly together with Gao Lan shoulder by shoulder. Meng Qi stared at Wild Goose Lake and its waving water and said, "You should know it clearly that my Qi Yun is not normal."

"Yes, I do," Gao Lan answered. He did not turn his head and a few of his hairs danced in the breeze.

Meng Qi stared at the horizon across the far-off lake and said casually, "This is because I became one of the candidates of reincarnation for mighty people. I started this journey smoothly but this is not a simple trip. Sometimes I had to fight with my close friends and those who helped me. But I do not things to happen like this. I want to get rid of the control of others and cut away the past. I want to be a man of only this life. Therefore I'm here to ask for your help for The Mirror of Present Life."

Meng Qi did not hide his real intention as the Emperor's Sword was by his side now. If the sword sensed the Six Dao and other mighty people around, it would soon be activated and block their perceptions.

Gao Lan looked down at the lake and drew a deep sigh, "I used to be quite well known among travelers and my name carried the same weight as Han Guang. The Sects of the Great Zhou Dynasty and some families especially those from Changle City hated the Gao Family and the court. They were all frightened to see me achieving so much at a young age and that's why they went after the Yan Family and held Yan Ran as hostage. They attempted to make me become out of my mind. And then find a reason to kill me with supports from other sects."

Meng Qi listened quietly and attentively with a heavy heart.

"If I was less emotional at that time, I would have never been held in captivity under the spell for more than a decade. And I would not be any slower than Han Guang achieving Dharmakaya," Gao Lan said calmly, "but I have no regret."

"If a man cannot even protect his beloved one, then he cannot be called a man but a dog. That's why I killed everyone in Changle City. I want them all to die without any descendants left. I cared nothing about myself and even if Luda and Chonghe came to prevent, I would have killed them, too. It's not about being strong or weak, it's all about my heart!" Gao Lan said sadly.

It seemed as if he still could not let something go.

He turned around and looked at Meng Qi, "What I want to say is that I understand your feelings right now."

His eyes were dark and he stood there in a such a dignified manner that nobody dared to look into his face. There was not a clue of him being mad.

Meng Qi's hair stood on end and his acupuncture points all opened at the same time like a scared cat.

This was not crazy Gao Lan. It was Emperor Gao Lan!

He made a big mistake.

He felt like falling down in an ice cave. He could barely handle a guru carrying the Spear of Mythical Creatures, not to mention Dharmakaya carrying Emperor's Sword, especially in the Great Zhou area.

He tried to keep calm as if nothing happened.

Gao Lan sat down cross-legged and he patted on the stone next to him and said in a casual way, "Sit down."

Meng Qi became even more confused seeing this. He sat down and said, "Are you alright…"

Gao Lan's corners of his mouth curved up. He smiled, "I was mad even before Yan Ran's death. Just Jiang Hu travelers all thought that I was only pretending."

He turned around and looked at the lake again. He said in a retrospective look, "I was too young then and I was warm-hearted and enjoyed playing around, appreciating beautiful things. But my father was very strict with me. He taught me many times that to be a real emperor, I must be ruthless and do not devote to much affection on other things besides martial arts and authority. To become a great emperor, I must act in dignified manner, speak only a few words, etc."

"I am a very proud man and strong-minded too. But I do not want to disappoint my father. So I forced myself to change. And then one day another version of myself appeared, a person that is completely different from the real me…"

Meng Qi slightly nodded. So he started to have schizophrenia since his teenage years…

Gao Lan picked up a stone and cast it to the lake. The stone struck water ten times and then fell over. He turned around and said emotionally, "I do not want my father to be disappointed so I never told this to anyone. And then I met Yan Ran, both the mad emperor and me had feelings toward her and those two started to communicate with each other."

"The turning point is Yan Ran's death. Emperor me did not allow himself feeling that sad for a woman. And the mad me blamed Emperor me for not saving Yan Ran on time and causing her death. At last these two made a clean break. After experiencing many difficulties together and obtaining The Mirror of Present Life, Emperor and Mad me agreed to repudiate previous grievances and recognize each other. They finally became one."

Meng Qi was stunned by his words, "So you mean you returned to normal now?"

He was cured by The Mirror of Present Life?

Gao Lan nodded and said suddenly:

"I have an idea. Why not be my son?"

"What…" Meng Qi was confused.

Is this a joke? But it's not funny at all…

Gao Lan said seriously, "Cutting the connection with the past is very difficult. Emperor Golden Book had one page explaining about it. But to practice arts in the Emperor Golden Book, you must be in the right position, so…"

He looked at Meng Qi, "So why not be my son. Be the crown prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty. And then you can practice martial arts in it."

What… one corner of Meng Qi's mouth twitched. He felt that he might still have that half part of the Mad Emperor. He forced a laugh and said, "The younger brother of the emperor is qualified, too."

Gao Lan thought it over for a while and said, "You are right."

Meng Qi smiled and said, "Actually, I've learned other martial arts. And I do not need to practice the Emperor Golden Book. I just need to read some part of it."

"I see," Gao Lan suddenly smiled as if he was just joking. He flipped his right hand thumb and a small point of golden light flew towards Meng Qi.

Meng Qi took it by his hand and felt it containing many martial arts concepts. He was even more surprised for not being able to know whether Gao Lan was joking or not just now even using the Yuan Xin Seal!

"The Zhen Yi Inheritance of the Emperor Golden Book is in real spirit, and I can not remake it. I can only give you the part that I understand through meditation," Gao Lan took out The Mirror of Present Life and gave it to Meng Qi.

After Meng Qi took the mirror, Gao Lan looked at him up and down. Meng Qi was goose flesh all over.

Then Gao Lan said seriously:

"Remember to return it afterwards."

Remember to return… return… Meng Qi found himself tongue-tied.

Gao Lan patted on the stone and slowly stood up.

He held Yan Ran's plate in his bosom and left the lake step by step. He walked towards the wagon with his green robe waving in the wind.

Gao Lan put the plate back to its place and sat down on driver's seat. Then he said by heart:

"My brother, I don't mind helping you out when you are facing with difficulties. But if you stood in my way, I won't mind killing you as well. You better look out for yourself."

The wagon turned around and left. Gao Lan sat in it with his back straight in a dignified manner.

Meng Qi looked at it going far away and thought over Gao Lan's words. Suddenly he realized that the man just left was the ruthless Gao Lan, but also the motional Gao Lan.

Gao Lan became flawless.