The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

As the shadow faded, the bright moon was unveiled. The moonlight glimmered on the ground, covering the Heaven Conferring Platform with a layer of silver linen. The beautiful picture of mountains and rivers with four distinctive colors gradually vanished into the mist, as though it had merged with the altar and become one with the capital and core of the land of the Great Dynasty, Changle City.

As Gao Lan’s Emperor’s Sword pointed downward, a Golden Light surfaced and lit up the seal. The masculine man stood upright. Confronting the oppression of two Great Medium from ancient times, the Maitreya Buddha and Roc Demon King, appeared to be fearless and unyielding. It was as though he could bear the legacy and heritage of the entire Terran race, with the Nine Levels of Underground underneath his feet and celestial world above his head!

After hearing the announcement of Maitreya Buddha and Roc Demon King, Shaoxuan and Xi’e who were deeply worried before, felt much relieved, as if Gao Lan was the only mighty person of the Legendary Realm among them.

Xi’e reviewed her thoughts and eliminated all the influences before she finally spoke with a frown, “Your Majesty, the battle is about to begin. With the fierce return of the remaining Great Sages of the demon race and the plan made by the Maitreya hundreds of thousands of years ago, we’ll not be able to last for a few days even with the help of the Primitive Emperor. It will take at least another month to complete the Heaven Conferring Platform. Furthermore, there is also the ambitious Luo Sect that single-handedly incited the battle that woke up the Legendary Realm in advance. They will never let this opportunity slip. What should we do now?”

In the later stage of the demon battle, the powerful emperor was already on the upper hand. With the support of Amitabha, Maitreya once had the intention to build the Buddhist Nation. However, many interludes caused his eventual failure. He had no choice but to revise his proposal and await the Final Trial. That was why Xi’e described his plan as hundreds of thousands of years old.

Looking at how cool and indifferent Gao Lan was, Xi’e paused before she continued, “If Your Majesty wishes to build the Heaven Conferring Platform, you have to gauge the current situation, understanding that it’s not only important to keep the Heaven Conferring Platform safe but also to defend the terrain of Great Zhou. Now that the situation is going according to our expectations, with your shrewdness and tactics you have shown in the past, you need a contingency.”

She had always admired Gao Lan for his intelligence and equanimity as a ruler.

Gao Lan put away the seal and the Emperor’s Sword. He rested both of his hands behind his back and took a few steps forward. When he was about to speak, the surroundings of the Heaven Conferring Platform began to rain with cherry blossoms. Golden Lotus appeared and formed a silhouette who was wearing a robe and a shabby Dao Crown. His beautiful features carried a hint of a unique charm like the Congenital God. It was Meng Qi who arrived with the ubiquitous technique.

Upon seeing the arrival of the new mighty person, Shaoxuan and Xi’e felt an inexplicable pressure as if their opponent possessed some quality that had greatly surpassed the Legendary realm.

Meng Qi entered the circumference of the Heaven Conferring Platform and laughed, “There must be a demon amid unusual circumstances. Before Imperial Brother began the construction of the Heaven Conferring Platform, you had never made many friends and formed allies for the exchange of interest. You had always waited for the fall of the demon race, the Luo Sect, and the Buddhist country alone. Even after you obtained the beautiful picture of mountains and rivers, you were still a very passive person. There must be a reason for you to make such an unwise decision now.”

He believed that Gao Lan was not a heedless and reckless person. Hence, he decided to create a boy born by Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu so that he could possess him to do things during crucial times even with his concern regarding the Luo Sect’s suspicions.

With Xiaosang’s analysis of the affair, the problems were more apparent than ever.

Gao Lan stood still with his hands remaining behind his back. His eyes deepened as he solemnly spoke.

“Third brother, the world is like a game of chess. With our current status, we are definitely being watched by the influential figures. There are things that I can’t disclose yet. I can only tell you that all my belongings were taken away when I was being oppressed by the seal in Changle City. How could I retrieve the Divine Emperor’s Demon Order and the items to conceal the Heaven’s Punishment?”

All the while, Meng Qi had always been curious about Gao Lan’s secret in achieving his Dharmakaya. If Gao Lan was suppressed by the seal, who would leave him with Divine Emperor’s Demon Order and the items to conceal the Heaven’s Punishment? Maybe he did an extremely good job at hiding it and the items were not detected during the search. Or, he might have tamed the guards with his domineering aura, went through challenges and retrieved his items.

However, both the theories were very unlikely to be true. During Gao Lan’s mass massacre in Changle City, strong people from many sects stepped in. Inevitably, they focused on containing the turmoil and was too occupied to frisk the people. However, with the return of Priest Chonghe and Mister Lu Da who were equipped with Divine Sense of Dharmakaya, it was almost impossible for him to hide his weapons. As for the guards, they were either appointed by the sects or begrudged him and would definitely be vigilant as they watched him. How could they be so foolish and be tamed by him?

Now that Gao Lan had admitted it directly, Meng Qi’s doubt had finally been resolved. However, he could only make a guess together with Xiaosang regarding the details of the incident later.

“Indeed,” Shaoxuan and Xi’e heaved a sigh of relief.

Gao Lan looked at Meng Qi as a faint grin painted across his thin lips, “Third brother, according to what you said, you’re planning to make friends and find allies to fight against the demon race, the Buddhist Nation, and the Luo Sect?”

“You’re right,” Meng Qi nodded smilingly.

Brother Doubi was an intelligent man. Even when Meng Qi had merely pointed out the unusual spots, Gao Lan was able to immediately grasp the meaning of his words.

“During the later days of the ancient times, when the emperor battled against the demon race, the Buddhist Nation, and the Luo Sect, he made many friends with his open-mindedness, including the immortals of Jade Mirage, Aquamarine, other Taoism sects, and some sects of the Buddhist Society. Besides, he also formed an alliance with the remaining mighty people and Gods after the downfall of the Heavenly Court. Many of them have survived to this day,” Gao Lan explained in an unvarying and indifferent tone.

Brother Guangcheng was the teacher to the emperor while the Fairy of Ninth Heaven had once helped the emperor… Meng Qi gently nodded. He knew that Brother Doubi was speaking the truth, “Then, why did Imperial Brother not ask for aid from your allies and construct the Heaven Conferring Platform directly?”

Gao Lan laughed, almost hysterically, “If I inform them in advance and communicate with them, the establishment of the Heaven Conferring Platform will surely be postponed. As forces of all parties continue to return, no one is willing to amplify the matter in advance.”

“Now, the building of the Heaven Conferring Platform is going to be completed. The situation has become vehement as the demon race, the Buddhist Nation, and the Luo Sect have made an alliance. The die is cast. As long as they still have the intention to overthrow the other parties and refuse to share their success, they can only await their vanquishment. They have to admit that things will be much easier if they stay humble and amicable to seek for help.”

“The precondition of a collaboration is always profit sharing and never about complying to the terms.”

As he spoke, his expression turned solemn.

“I am the reigning emperor, the son of the Great Zhou Dynasty. I have to be the leader even in a competition. I am never an amenable man.”

He spoke nonchalantly as he stood upright in an arrogant manner. He was still the god-brother Meng Qi used to know. Either he was a bold mad man, a ruthless reigner, or his current self, which was a combination of both. He always carried an unyielding and haughty pride with him.

“But, is it too late now?” Shaoxuan had no intention to hide her concern.

If we are ruined, will our enemies give up on Great Zhou?

Gao Lan looked at Meng Qi with a calm gaze.

“Third brother, you appear rather composed. Do you have a plan in your mind?”

Meng Qi snorted, “Imperial Brother is indeed sharp.”

His smile vanished as he finished his sentence, then he continued with a straight face, “I need to borrow the altar.”

“I will pray to the Heavenly Lord Yuanshi, rotate the Principles of Karma, and borrow the Four Fairy-Slaying Swords in the name of Teacher Su!”

Gao Lan replied with a gentle nod before he made way for Meng Qi. Shaoxuan and Xi’e spoke in synchrony.

“Teacher Su, please help yourself.”

Meng Qi fixed his outfit and walked up the stairs steadily. All of a sudden, the atmosphere became solemn and sacred.

Arriving at the Heaven Conferring Platform, he bowed to the Jade Palace that was located at the infinity peak. Then, he paid respect to the Five Emperors of Five Countries. As Meng Qi stood in the center of the altar, a glaze lamp emerged and exited his eyes. It then turned into an illusionary decree and summoned the sparkling asteroids.

When the decree disappeared, Meng Qi pointed into the sky as he exclaimed,

“In the name of the Teacher of Jade Palace, I request to borrow the Fairy-Slaying Sword from Brother Guangcheng of the Nine Immortal Mountain!”

When he finished his sentence, an asteroid began to burn. A star that was as big as the moon abruptly lit up and shone on the grand mountain peaks. The entire place was covered in bright green light!

…

Within the source of Tianhai, a gigantic silhouette with two horns on his head stood up in an imposing manner and laughed unreservedly.

“It is time to destroy Great Zhou!”

He arrived at Gobi after taking only one step. Alongside him was the legendary dragon that was flying in the sky and Garuda that was big enough to hide the moon and the stars. The night sky was swamped by their aura, causing the stars in the galaxies to shift around.

The forces were grand!

At this moment, a green light penetrated the shades and glimmered on the ground. The atmosphere was overwhelmed by fierceness when a spectacular green sword beam fell on the earth and plunged into the boundless ocean.

This Sacred Mountain was a simple gigantic green sword. A few words were engraved on it.

“Fairy-Slaying!”

The mercilessness and forces of destructiveness erupted from the sword, causing the two-horned enormous silhouette to take a step back instinctively.

The others exclaimed in unison,

“This is the Fairy-Slaying Sword?”

On the border of Donghai, Maitreya Buddha mounted on the Magic Cloud. He was surrounded by the azure golden light as the petals of white lotus fell onto him. With Fahualin and Damiaoxiang standing by his side, he arrived conspicuously with the escort of the many Bodhisattva and Luohan.

He is here to save the world!

“Namo Amitabha,” Maitreya Buddha chanted Moniker in a muffled voice. He waited to sail across Jiangdong and made the inactive worshippers of the Buddhist Nation rebel. Out of nowhere, he felt the terrifying power of the sword. A red light pierced through the void and plummeted into Donghai. It did not drown but the light beam was reflected on the clouds.

The sword was as red as blood. It appeared shabby but horrifying. There were also a few words carved on the sword,

“Celestial Invading!”

Maitreya paused in his tracks. His senses were ubiquitous. At the border of the Southern Wasteland and Great Zhou, a white sword beam arrived from the splendor night sky. It turned into a black Celestial Killing Sword and plunged right at the icy plain. The pitch-dark sword pierced through the entire world and was named Celestial Slashing!

Thunder rumbled.

The four swords stood upright at the four directions, north, south, east and west. The sword power interchanged with each other and formed a thick layer of cloud that shrouded Changle, Shen Du, Jiangdong, and billions of living creatures of Great Zhou’s twenty seven states. The sword power shot through the sky and rained on the Myriad World.

“Four Fairy-Slaying Swords…” the smile on Maitreya Buddha’s face froze.

In an abandoned cave among the World of Gods, Nezha sat quietly with his slightly red eyes.

At this moment, he sensed the sword power. He raised his head to look at the source of the sword power as his right hand grabbed the handle of his spear. He mumbled,

“Has it begun?”

Golden Turtle Island stood oddly in the middle of Donghai. A lofty great white ape stood up abruptly.

“Four Fairy-Slaying Swords?” the shadow of the four divine swords were reflected in Yuan Hong’s eyes.