HSSB839: Learning how to flip over the wall
In terms of external appearance, Lin Hanhua did not resemble Gao Qing in many areas.
While they hailed from the same family tree a few generations up, they were from two different branches as opposed to being direct blood relatives at the end of the day.
If one did not know that they were relatives beforehand, it would be very difficult to discover that they were related by blood.
Still, after having learnt this, observing things carefully, one might just be able to tell a thing or two.
This was not something influenced by their psychology as it was something that Yan Zhaoge and the others had concluded after comparing the two carefully and earnestly.
At Yan Zhaoge’s current cultivation level, if he were to carefully observe someone, he would be able to scrutinise them in very great detail.
“I just wonder where the root of the conflict between the World beyond Worlds and the Roving Jade Heavens lies,” Yan Zhaoge pondered, “They seem to have differing stances on Buddhism, at least.”
Ah Hu now asked, “Young Master, is there any way for us to leave this Obscured Way World?”
Yan Zhaoge said, “I have a general idea of how we could do so. Still, I am not fully certain of it succeeding. We might as well give it a go now.”
Even though he had slain that group of Buddhist martial practitioners and prevented them from transmitting news and gaining reinforcements, lingering here for a long time would still be risky.
With no news coming from the dead Buddhist martial practitioners after a long time, their fellow monks would end up feeling suspicious sooner or later, eventually coming over to look for them.
This world was Buddhist territory at the end of the day. They had already crossed the line and accrued hatred in just coming here alone.
Yan Zhaoge had the general gist of this from the words of those Buddhist martial practitioners.
It was likely that there existed some sort of agreement, whether tacit or not, between the World beyond Worlds and the Roving Jade Heavens.
Just like how the Prime Clear lineage descendants of the Roving Jade Heavens were forbidden from setting foot in the World beyond Worlds, Buddhism probably restricted Daoist martial practitioners from trespassing onto their territory as well.
Also, the Future Buddha presided high above while the bigwigs of Daoism were either all missing or dead. Beneath such circumstances, Buddhism would inevitably be the more powerful side.
Due to some reasons and agreements, Buddhism did not encroach on the World beyond Worlds and its lower worlds like the Eight Extremities World, the Floating Gate World and the Vast Ocean World.
Still, if Daoist martial practitioners left the World beyond Worlds’ protective sphere of influence, they could then be viewed as having automatically given up on their protection as they would immediately become targets of Buddhism.
Or they might become targets of illumination…
While this Obscured Way World seemed normal, it was actually rather unique.
While the Gautama Buddha had already Transcended and the Journey to the West was a tale from incredibly long ago, that Five Elements Mountain or Sage Buddha Peak was still a unique existence.
Even if Buddhism currently paid little heed to this place, they would surely not ignore it completely.
In their words, this was a ‘restricted ground’.
Since his cultivation base was currently still insufficient for him to ascend Sage Buddha Peak, Yan Zhaoge did not keep harping on this matter.
He just took note of this location, intending to leave first and return only when the time was right.
Instead, what Yan Zhaoge had to properly ponder on was how to leave this place, returning to the other side of the ‘wall’ and the World beyond Worlds.
This was still his very first time ‘flipping over the wall’ at the end of the day. Not having had any experience or clues regarding this, he had to slowly ponder on it and reach a conclusion himself.
Even though his comprehensions of the variations in time and space were much higher than that of many others, time and effort was also needed if he had to start looking for a way out from scratch.
Yan Zhaoge did not feel hasty at all. Quite a period of time was still needed before Kang Ping, Luo Zhiyuan and the others could extricate themselves from the Clear Scenic Region.
Bar any major complications, the situation was still a very stable one.
The only thing that Yan Zhaoge was rather concerned about was whether the Southern Exalt, Zhuang Shen, might make any big moves.
Currently, Yan Zhaoge researched on how to return to the other side of the ‘wall’ while traversing the lands of Buddhism even as he came to better understand how Buddhism was currently doing.
After leaving the Obscured Way World, Yan Zhaoge went to quite a few other Buddhist worlds too.
Time passed, never stopping.
Half a year had gone by just like this.
“Young Master, if we had previously known about this, we should have gone to the Roving Jade Heavens with those Prime Clear lineage disciples. I believe that returning to the World beyond Worlds from there would have been much easier.”
After leaving yet another Buddhist world, Ah Hu could not help but exclaim emotionally, “If we had done that, we should have long since returned to the World beyond Worlds by now?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled nonchalantly, “If time were tight and tensions rife, it would naturally be better for us to return as soon as we can. Now that time is lenient, we might as well make use of this rare chance to better understand this place.”
He said casually, “Most miraculous foresight and planning is established upon the foundation of news and information reports and on the information both sides possess being inequivalent.”
“Grinding the blade does not delay the chopping of firewood. If we spend some time on it now and gain a bit of accumulation, who knows if this might turn out useful in the future.”
Yan Zhaoge paused for a moment before continuing, “Moreover, the Roving Jade Heavens which is where the legacy of generations of Prime Clear lineage descendants is based may not be a paradise or blessed land for sure.”
Ah Hu scratched his head, “Young Master, I actually feel that that place should be more comfortable than the World beyond Worlds.”
“Look, in the World beyond Worlds, they don’t tell mid and low-tier martial practitioners about the existence of Buddhism. Even the likes of the North Sea Sword Pavilion’s Pavilion Lord Gu, Copper Men Island’s Chief Gongsun and the Dim Darkness Sect’s Chief Zhou Haosheng seem totally unaware.”
“I fear that only major figures at the level of the Ten Exalts at least would know of Buddhism today.”
Ah Hu pulled back the corners of his lips, “Buddhism has eliminated traces of Daoism to gather the power of faith, but this shouldn’t be necessary for the World beyond Worlds. This should just be everyone sweeping away the snow on their front porch, not wanting trouble to befall them.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “You are not wrong. Still, everyone thinks differently.”
“The decline of Daoism following the Great Calamity that year should have been related to Buddhism somehow. The descendants of the Prime Clear lineage were mostly unhappy and unwavering about this.”
“As for the World beyond Worlds, they have chosen to play down this enmity, seeking stability as they continually recuperate.”
Yan Zhaoge shrugged, “Still, one thing cannot be denied. Buddhism is currently powerful indeed. If they truly forcibly clashed with them like the Roving Jade Heavens, they would easily face a setback.”
“From the conversation between Fu Ting and Gao Qing, we can generally tell that after all these years, the overall strength of the World beyond Worlds should surpass the Roving Jade Heavens.’”
“This is not to say that the Roving Jade Heavens made an unwise choice. Instead, everyone has their own beliefs which they abide by and exact. It cannot be said for sure who is right and who is wrong.”
Ah Hu smiled, “That’s how it is. It is just that the Roving Jade Heavens’ way suits my liking more.”
“It also does mine,” Yan Zhaoge shrugged, “Still, the waters here are deep indeed.”
“The tensions between the World beyond Worlds and the Roving Jade Heavens are likely not merely about how one side is conservative and the other aggressive.”
As Yan Zhaoge said this, he sat down cross-legged in the Myriad Dragon Palace.
Streams of dragon qi congregated within his body as a faint medicinal fragrance even drifted out of the pores of his entire body.
Yan Zhaoge had currently retracted his true essence completely, not externalising any of it at all.
There was only a faint human silhouette which flickered in his pupils, several profound sigils imprinted on the surface of this person formed of light.