The Five-Eyed Merciful One slowly regained consciousness. The first thing that entered his vision was a radiant white surface. It was smooth and crystal-clear, though bright white patterns could be seen through the pale layer. Just one glance made his head spin.
The terror in his heart only rose as he gradually came to his senses. He dared not lift his head and simply stared at the white mist curling around his legs. His heart felt frozen, and the chill was not helping his dizziness.
His teeth chattered as he muttered, “It’s over... I’ve provoked someone far beyond me...”
Hearing no movement, the Merciful One slowly raised his head and his heart nearly burst from terror. A vast, boundless hall stretched before him. Pristine jade pillars soared into the clouds, and at the highest point sat a man clad in white.
His face radiated dazzling light, so white and brilliant that the Merciful One winced in pain. His garments exuded celestial grace as he leaned upon a lofty jade immortal seat. The light cascading from him transformed into the myriad forms of lifelike and vivid sentient beings once the rays hit the ground.
This... this! His eyes felt like they were on the verge of bleeding, and upon seeing the immortal seat soaring into the heavens, his heart went hollow. Only one thought remained in his mind, An immortal?!
Lu Jiangxian gazed at the Five-Eyed Merciful One on the ground. He rested one hand gently on the jade seat, composed and unhurried.
This was the second time someone had divined his true form. But he was no longer the Lu Jiangxian of the past; he had risen far above that. Moreover, what stood before him now wasn’t the Maha Jinlian who briefly could trap him, but merely a Merciful One of the Way of Emptiness. He was no better than a fish slab falling into his hand.
He gestured discreetly and a golden radiance bloomed in his palm. Morning mist churned and thoughts flickered within it. Bit by bit, the Merciful One’s memories surfaced, each idea from his mind laid bare.
I’ll just wait and watch, thought the Merciful One.
Lu Jiangxian remained silent, as if cultivating in seclusion. The Merciful One trembled on the floor for a moment, his terror far beyond its limit. When he looked up, he was struck again by the blinding brilliance of the immortal seat above. It was vast and overwhelming, so he could only lower his gaze to the floor again.
He squirmed on the ground for a moment, legs pressed together as he slowly scooted backward. Yet the hall held no other scenery aside from the radiance. It was so still that there was not a sound to be heard. He felt like he had moved for a long time, then he glanced around.
Nothing had changed in any direction. He was still kneeling in the exact same spot.
Putting on a full display of fear and dread, the Merciful One could only say in a sorrowful tone, “This humble cultivator greets the Exalted Immortal... I have sullied the immortal hall through my intrusion... and am stricken with shame and dread.”
At last, a cool and indifferent voice descended from above, echoing through the hall, “What era is this now...”
That one line sent thunder through the Merciful One’s heart and he immediately concluded, He’s not searching my soul; that must mean he’s a righteous immortal. And to ask about the state of the world... he must be an immortal from before the heavenly upheaval. Such divine power yet ignorance of worldly affairs, there must be a flaw. Most likely, he has been sealed in this hall! That’s the only reason for such a question!
He spoke in a low voice, “Reporting to the Exalted Immortal, the Wei Dynasty has been gone for over seventeen hundred years.”
A pause of silence from above, then another question followed, “Where is Li Qianyuan?”
The Merciful One felt a chill run down his spine. Trembling, he replied, “The Great Ancestor of Wei has long since fallen. In Mount Luoxia, a True Monarch stands just a step away from attaining the Bright Yang Fruition.”
Lu Jiangxian glanced at his palm; the memory was already half-recovered. He asked again, offhandedly, “I see the Fruition Attainments of old left hanging, do you know where they’ve all gone?”
The Merciful One was stunned by the question. Understanding dawned, and he thought, I’ve heard that even Dharma Masters cannot perceive whether the Fruition Attainments are occupied... He must be an immortal beyond doubt.
He kowtowed repeatedly, replying aloud, “This humble one has managed to live a little longer thanks to the art of reincarnation, over seven hundred years now! In my youth, I lived during the reign of Fu Qiyan, and heard many tales from that time.”
The five-eyed Merciful One continued quickly, “This humble one’s knowledge is shallow, but back then... I heard that among the Ancient Merging Techniques, the Yue Cultivating inheritance was seized by True Monarch Taiyue when Liang State fell and Zhao State rose. The Jade True figure relinquished their Fruition Attainment and departed, while the Whole Pill master was severely wounded and slain by Dongfang Weiming and Dongfang Weixi...
“As for the rest of the major events... I truly do not know...”
He trembled as he finished speaking. Lu Jiangxian listened attentively before casually asking, “What of the Buddhist Dao now?”
At last, this touched upon the Merciful One’s expertise. He let out a long breath of relief and answered respectfully, “Exalted Immortal! The Buddhist Dao has long been fractured ever since Suxikong and Shijiali, the last two Revered Ones, parted ways after a failed discourse, each leaving the realm. It is now divided into seven Daos...
“They are Emptiness, Virtuous, Wrath, Great Desire, Discipline, Compassion, and Dharma Realm.
“With the exception of the Way of Wrath, which was plotted against before and after, resulting in the Dharma Master failing to respond and all Mahas perishing... the rest still have Dharma Masters holding the line...”
Lu Jiangxian listened in silence, as the Merciful One gave him a general sense of the northern Buddhist sects’ current strength.
He asked softly, “How many Revered Ones remain?”
The Five-Eyed Merciful One lay prostrate on the ground, racking his brains. He rehearsed his words like lightning in his mind, repeatedly and with care, before answering with a trembling voice, “It is said... that one still responds.”
As soon as he spoke, the mist and radiance before him began to surge and shift, manifesting various forms. A voice drifted down, “Their title.”
The Merciful One’s lips quivered as if waging an internal battle. His mouth moved repeatedly before he finally replied, “Great Supreme Chan... Celestial Acarya.”
He dared not pronounce the full name, deliberately pausing in the middle. After finishing, his voice trembled uncontrollably, and he lay flat on the white tiles like a tiny, helpless ant.
From above, a voice slowly drifted down, “Oh?”
Though faintly surprised, the tone carried a trace of inquiry, and it stirred endless speculation in the Merciful One’s heart. Though he dared not dwell on it, a thrill surged through him, as though he had glimpsed some ancient secret that made his legs tremble.
Why respond this way... why such a reply... could it be that the Great Supreme Chan attained the Revered One’s seat by... At that thought, a sudden shiver ran through him. Terrified, he dared not think further, and the immortal above him remained silent.
The golden radiance in Lu Jiangxian’s hand had reached its fullness, and he now held the Merciful One’s complete memory. There was no need for further questions.
The question now is how to deal with him... he pondered for a moment.
Below, the Merciful One’s heart was in utter chaos. He opened his mouth to beg for mercy, only to find he could no longer speak. All he could do was kowtow furiously, slamming his head into the ground like he was pounding garlic.
Lu Jiangxian watched quietly as he calculated, This Merciful One’s physical body still resides in the Great Void. If I kill him outright, under the eyes of many, a single divination about his sudden death might reveal traces. Perhaps even a True Monarch or a Dharma Master is observing...
At the same time, wiping his memory... would be far too lenient.
The grand hall echoed with the sound of desperate kowtowing. Lu Jiangxian watched for a while, feeling somewhat like a man with tasteless food he couldn’t bring himself to throw away. He thought, One mere Merciful One... and one who served near a Maha at that. If anything goes awry, it’ll be noticed instantly! Any backup plans will be useless, leaving nothing but a trail of clues.
He waited a moment longer, as he continued to speculate, What’s more, from the buddhist cultivators’ perspective, Xu Mu died at Li Xijun’s hand. It’d be strange indeed if this Merciful One let him go so easily, Li Xijun walking away unscathed is suspicious in itself...
He paused, considering quietly, Either he dies swiftly and without a trace... or he must become utterly obedient.
Lu Jiangxian glanced calmly around. His tone turned colder as he spoke softly, “Five-Eyed!”
The Merciful One instantly felt his lips and tongue unseal. Overwhelmed with joy and tears, he cried out in misery, “Exalted Immortal...”
Lu Jiangxian’s voice was low and haunting as he murmured, “I have dwelled in this hall for many years... Though you are a heretical outcast... you may yet be of use.”
The Merciful One kowtowed in terror. “I shall act solely on the Exalted Immortal’s command!”