HSSB831: The two sides of the wall
After having visited many places big and small and openly enquired as well as secretly questioned, Yan Zhaoge discovered one thing.
There were no traces of Daoist legacies at all here in this world known as the Obscured Way World.
The ordinary folk here had not even heard of the founders of the Three Purities before.
Some who were more knowledgeable and well-read with many texts in their homes had seen a few instances in which the ancient texts mentioned Daoism. Yet, this was not even considered as history as it was as good as myth.
No traces of Daoism had been seen here at all in the past few millennia.
As for the Great Calamity, there was actually a record of this here. However, it was said that the Future Buddha had supported the myriad worlds with his unrivalled power, protecting the many lifeforms in peacefully tiding through what would otherwise have been a catastrophic tribulation.
This became a major merit that the believers attributed to and worshipped the Future Buddha for.
Sensing the spiritual qi flow within the Obscured Way World, Yan Zhaoge discovered that it was extremely similar to the great thousand worlds of pre-Great Calamity times, only much weaker.
This place had been minimally affected by the Great Calamity, with the culture and legacies here preserved comparatively well.
Still, they had clearly been tampered with.
While a few legends regarding Daoism still remained, all records of it had already been wiped out.
Yan Zhaoge could not help but suspect something as he thought about the situation here.
Could the same sort of thing have happened over on the other side with the World beyond Worlds, the Eight Extremities World and the Vast Ocean World?
It was just that it had been reversed, with all traces of Buddhism having been removed.
That aside, there was also something else that Yan Zhaoge felt concerned about.
The Obscured Way World was not that big. Its size was similar to that of the Eight Extremities World.
Even so, it could allow experts above the third level of the Martial Saint realm to traverse its interior.
Yan Zhaoge pondered, “Because the Pill Hall and the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace stirred chaos amidst space and I interfered with it as well, I might have inadvertently broken through a ‘wall’ which would usually be impossible to break through beneath normal circumstances?”
On one side of the ‘wall’ was Daoism, with the loftiest World beyond Worlds as well as numerous lower worlds like the Eight Extremities World, Floating Life World, Flame Devil World etcetera.
The power of dimensions was unique in these heavens and earth as they were unable to bear the existence of Seeing Divinity Martial Saints.
After martial practitioners had attained the fourth level of the Martial Saint realm, they would automatically ascend to the World beyond Worlds.
The heavens had been switched and the earth changed following the Great Calamity, many things having had to start over once again.
It was worth mentioning that the numerous lower worlds could have been formed immediately after the Great Calamity.
As for the World beyond Worlds, it may instead have been born a bit later.
On the other side of the ‘wall’ existed Buddhism. Currently, having only seen this Obscured Way World, Yan Zhaoge was still unable to know the specifics of this.
While this place had also been affected by the Great Calamity, it had been minimally affected for some reason.
It could really be because of the Future Buddha, or it could also be because of something else.
Additionally, this world was able to tolerate the presence of Seeing Divinity Martial Saints.
Yan Zhaoge rubbed his temples lightly, “There are few things that I can know. If I ran into some peak experts and their Buddhist martial arts here, I should be able to learn more things. Maybe I should visit a few more worlds. Otherwise, just this Obscured Way World alone would be insufficient to arrive at a conclusion with.”
As for the ‘wall’, it was only his guess as there also existed the possibility of him being wrong.
His hands at his waist, Yan Zhaoge silently gazed at the Obscured Way World before him, numerous thoughts rising unceasingly within his mind.
The Pill Hall and the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace was extremely special existences, If not for them, with the current cultivation bases of Yan Zhaoge and the others, they should not have been able to break through that ‘wall’.
Still, while Yan Zhaoge was currently unable to achieve it, that did not mean that no one could.
At the very least, from what he understood, it should be no problems for the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors.
The Western Exalt who cultivated in the Spatial Heavenly Scripture would likely be able to do so as well. The same was uncertain for Cao Jie, Zhuang Shen and the other Exalts.
There would definitely be people from Buddhism who were able to do so as well.
Since the ‘wall’s’ function had still been continually maintained even though there were people who could break through it, this meant that the groups on both sides of this ‘wall’ had a tacit agreement.
With this tacit understanding, most people of both camps with lower cultivation bases would not even know of the existence of the ‘wall’.
“Wait, if there really does exist such a ‘wall’, does that mean that…are the Roving Jade Heavens on the same side as the World beyond Worlds?”
Yan Zhaoge suddenly wondered about this.
From what he knew of, whenever one ascended from the Eight Extremities World, Vast Ocean World, Floating Gate World or the other lower worlds, they would arrive at the World beyond Worlds.
It could be said that all these lower worlds were subordinate to the World beyond Worlds.
The Roving Jade Heavens were clearly not like that.
Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes, “Are the Roving Jade Heavens on the same side of the ‘wall’ as the World beyond Worlds, or could it be…the ‘wall’ does not just segregate two sides from each other?”
He promptly entered the Myriad Dragon Palace and started interrogating Sun Zhongda once more.
Frowning, Sun Zhongda said, “Young Master Yan, I have already said all that I can say. There is really nothing that I have left to tell you. I would rather suffer the fate of torture…”
Yan Zhaoge did not hear him out as he directly interjected, “I have no intention of asking about the Roving Jade Heavens. What I want to ask you if-have you heard of or met anyone from Buddhism? I am referring to disciples of Buddhism who survived the Great Calamity.”
Sun Zhongda looked rather astonishedly at Yan Zhaoge, seemingly realising something after a bit as he chortled, “Right, you of the World beyond Worlds treat all this as a taboo, never mentioning it.”
Yan Zhaoge stared coldly and indifferently at Sun Zhongda, causing his back to feel a little chilly.
He laughed dryly, “While I have never met them before, I have heard of them. Following the Great Calamity, the Future Buddha continued to exist as he even raised numerous abodes of Buddhism.”
“Still, what he does…” Sun Zhongda curled his lips, “From the words of the Profound Sovereign, a false Buddha!”
Yan Zhaoge glanced at him. He really had courage indeed, knowing that the Future Buddha still existed yet still daring to say such things.
In this world, ‘Raise your head anywhere-divinities exist three feet above’ was no mere saying.
While he appeared far more slippery than most other martial practitioners cultivating in the dao of the sword, the arrogance of descendants of the Prime Clear lineage could be seen on Sun Zhongda.
Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “Your Profound Sovereign was not the first major figure to have evaluated the scriptures of the Future Buddha this way. The Purple Tenuity Emperor of the Four Imperials in pre-Great Calamity times was the first to do so.”
Sun Zhongda was taken aback, “You know?”
Yan Zhaoge did not answer his question, “Go on, tell me everything you know.”
Sun Zhongda appeared rather awkward, “What I know is actually also limited, because I have never personally encountered them before.”
“Master also said that martial practitioners of my level should not encounter those followers of the false Buddha where we are active.”
“Still, if I do really meet them, I should either immediately retreat or make a move and slay them straight away. If I really do slay them, I would have to return to the Roving Jade Heavens as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the other side’s bigwigs would know that I was the culprit within a very short period of time and rush over almost instantaneously.”
Sun Zhongda’s expression became firm and also resolute, “While I am not clear on the specifics, the Great Calamity in which Daoism went from flourishing to deteriorating seems related to Buddhism!”