Chapter 760: The Most Unexpected Discovery
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Yang Xizhi took out the strange straw doll with her right hand still clasped over the Fan of Flames and Aves. It was as if she was afraid that Meng Qi would make a sudden return and swing his whip at them.
In such dire moments, no amount of caution was too much!
Beside her, Gu Heng consumed an elixir and then picked up his severed hand. He stuck the hand near his wound and his flesh began to wriggle, slowly merging with it. Simultaneously, a suction force appeared in his right hand, drawing the blood and flesh of Meng Qi that was scattered all over the ground. He directed them toward the straw doll and imbued them into it.
Gradually, the bloody radiance coming off the straw doll turned denser. It made the doll seem even more sinister. In the end, the words “Su Ziyuan” that were written in blood seemed to gain life as it emanated a ghoul-like brilliance.
Joy surfaced on Yang Xizhi’s face as she sincerely said, “With this, we won’t have to build any more altars and pray for twenty-one days.”
Gu Heng stared at the straw doll before dully saying, “Since Master has Su Ziyuan’s name and birth details, why doesn’t he just build an altar and pray for the dissipation of Su Ziyuan’s Vital Spirit?”
This issue had plagued his mind for a long time. He never quite understood why a powerful person like his Master would choose such a complicated and difficult method of killing Su Ziyuan!
“Being trapped in Wuchao, perhaps Master is facing some restrictions and isn’t free to make the move himself. On the other hand, we’re not capable of using the Seven Blades of Assassination. If we rely on only a secret treasure to make use of Su Ziyuan’s name and birth details, there’s a chance that he has a way of dealing with it...” Yang Xizhi said, guessing.
Then, numerous red strands and lanterns flew out of her Space Ring and formed the shape of an altar. The red strands formed a wall, with the lanterns acting as the entrance. They weaved together to form a massive net.
Yang Xizhi first placed the Seven Blades of Assassination in the middle of the altar before taking several steps backward. With a stern expression, she handed the Fan of Flames and Aves to Gu Heng. She fashioned gestures with her left hand and wielded her sword in her right. She began spinning around the altar at a maddening speed, all while muttering to herself. Every now and then, there would be seals breaking down and being thrown into the altar.
...
The black-and-white radiance glinted. Meng Qi could feel the burden of karma on his body and that there was an object that was closely linked to him drawing him toward it. Time and place were both spinning, so much so that his Vital Spirit was in a state of vertigo.
By the time the karmic radiance that enveloped him dissipated, he realized that his feet were already firmly planted on the ground. He could tell that he was still within the Jade Virtual Palace.
Looking around, he noticed that he was inside a serene and quiet hall. The walls and pillars on both sides were all blackin color. Only the brass pillars that lined the sides of the walls gave off a flickering splendor.
There were ancient lamps made of colored glass burning above the brass pillars. Meng Qi got the impression that these lamps had been illuminating the hall in this manner since time immemorial, never extinguishing until the end of time.
Moving along the row of flickering lamps, Meng Qi saw a mottled ancient wall hidden in the darkness in the distance. He could not see the top of the wall, only the closely shut bronze door above it.
The spots where the door knockers ought to be had now became two connected dents that someone had dug into. However, there was nothing hidden in those dents.
“Spiritual perception and such won’t pass through the walls or the entrance...” Meng Qi was able to make this judgment after projecting his will to envelop the hall.
“Just what sort of object imbued with karma that has borrowed the ‘Dao-yi Seal’ to bring me here? Or is the seal taking charge in sensing out karmic items and thus took me here?” Doubts and confusions rose in his mind but he did not have the luxury of time to be pondering over them at the moment. Having gotten an idea of his present environment, he immediately took out a pellet of Golden Elixir of Yuxu and consumed it.
He looked at his hand at the same time and was stunned to find that “Dao-yi Seal” had gone missing!
His flesh wriggled as it was restored to its former condition under the pale golden glow. Meng Qi calmed himself down and recalled the past happenings. He decided to first try to operate his Vital Spirit.
The Big Golden Buddha materialized in his now empty mind. The Gist of Trueness impartation of “I, the Unique and Righteous” pointed at the sky and touched the ground. Sitting opposite it was a black-and-white seal that was hovering yet sinking in the “boundless void”. The seal emanated a dark, turbid light and radiated lights of black and white hue. The radiance then interweaved to form all sorts of fine rays of light that extended far into the void. It was as if the karmic objects of the world would be able to recall up to this point if they continue to seek payment of their karmic debt!
“The Gist of Trueness impartation of ‘Dao-yi Seal’ has entered my Vital Spirit but it doesn’t seem like it’s a single-use impartation...” Seeing that his surroundings were peaceful, he allowed himself to think deeply about the matter. Simultaneously, he also noticed that his wounds had all recovered in a flash. In fact, his strength was climbing to its peak.
While pondering over it, he was able to get a faint grasp of the reason behind it. The “Dao-yi Seal” was unlike the “Yuan Xin Seal”. It was the main embodiment of the Seed of All Karma, which had only one real benefit. There could not be two “first reason” (the Seed of All Karma) in existence. If there was such a sign, there would certainly be a great struggle that would end only with one party’s death.
When the Heavenly Primogenitor was still around in the world, he was the living embodiment of the “Seed of All Karma”. No matter how one tried to comprehend the “first seal of Tao”, he would be unable to cultivate his karmic path to the Primogenitor’s level. Therefore, the “first seal of Tao” was given freely for all to comprehend. However, right now, the Primogenitor had gone missing as if he had disappeared from heaven and earth. Since the “first seal of Tao” was now in his hands, it meant that he had proactively severed the opportunity for anyone else to obtain the impartation and ensured that the “Seed of All Karma” was unique in this world.
Of course, there was also the possibility of others learning the “Seed of All Karma” through the evolution of other skills. When that happened, they would either have to fight over it or someone would have to give it up.
“This really makes me want to cry in delight and sigh at the same time...” Meng Qi took a step forward, with his perception extending to every nook and cranny of the hall. He wanted to find out just where he was and how he could leave.
He was sighing because he wanted to peddle the comprehension of the “Dao-yi Seal” and “World of Dao” to Duke Huan and other members of the Immortals for a fee so as to obtain Karma points and ingredients as well as to increase the strength of his friends. However, from the look of things right now, only the “Yuan Xin Seal” would be of use now.
His joy came from the fact that feeling that the seal was an entirely unique thing in the world. Being a person with a penchant for personal charisma and reputation, he was naturally overjoyed that his skill was something that was unique in the world.
The hall was completely deserted save for the brass pillars and lanterns made out of colored glass. Meng Qi racked his brain to find an answer to his doubt earlier.
“Is the karmic involvement the result of the Dharmakaya chapter of the Heavenly Golden Scripture and Eight Nine Mysteries?”
“Or is it a divine weapon or a magical artifact?”
Meng Qi was now standing in front of the bronze doors, with his spiritual perception sensing even the most minute details of his surroundings. He immediately detected a familiar smell from the connected dents in the doors.
“Familiar smell?”
While he was still grappling with confusion, the shape of a Ruyi Scepter appeared in his mind. It was a dignified and pure specter of purple, white, silver, and golden hues.
“It’s that!”
“The Ruyi Scepter that King Zhuang of Chu took out of the Jade Virtual Palace, the same specter that makes me feel like I’m looking at myself yet something else at the same time!”
“This was the place where Duke Huan, King Zhuang of Chu, Duke Mu of Qin, and other Dharmakaya masters once fought over the treasure? These dents were where the Ruyi Scepter was embedded in?”
Meng Qi could basically draw a sketch of the situation back then in his mind. Perhaps the Dharmakaya masters had entered from a different entrance back then. Perhaps a different protective spell would be invoked each time the doors were opened. Thus, one would arrive here without first going to places such as the Yuan Xin Hall or Dao-yi Hall.
“I wonder if they had the time to open these bronze doors...” There was a silhouette appearing in front of Meng Qi. It was his doppelganger that first pushed open the doors.
The heavy bronze doors slowly creaked open, with the sounds of friction reverberating in the air. Meng Qi was surprised that there was no protective spell in this place.
He felt vaguely disappointed. Since there was no protective spell, he believed that this place had fallen victim to the “plundering” of King Zhuang of Chu and the rest. There was likely nothing of value remaining here.
The crevice between the bronze doors gradually widened amid the creaking noises, revealing the interior of the hall.
...
The flying lights of the Dharmakaya masters who had entered from different doors abruptly slowed in their pace. They could feel an indescribable change within the Jade Virtual Palace. The feeling of depleting lifespan had become much weaker, as did the layers of restriction on them!
“Did someone take the object meant to hold down the palace?”
“Or is the bronze door that was impossible to be opened now open?”
With different thoughts swirling in their minds, Duke Mu of Qin and the others immediately picked up speed in their flight.
...
Inside the Dao-yi Hall.
Yang Xizhi took nearly ten breaths to complete the sacrificial offerings. There was some sweat beading on her pretty face by the time she was done with it. She had already put away the sword in her hand. In the place of it was a simple-looking bow and arrow.
“He will definitely die this time. Even if he leaves the palace, he’s as good as dead.” She heaved a long sigh of relief, glad that her Master’s mission was approaching completion at long last.
“With the Nine Heavens above and hell below, he has nowhere to escape anywhere between heaven and earth!” She pulled the bow and sent the arrow flying. The arrow pierced the midbrows of the strange straw doll.
“Pfft!” The tip of the arrow penetrated the straw doll but not one drop of blood was spilled.
“How can there be no blood?” Yang Xizhi widened her eyes.
“I have already prayed for the dissipation of his Vital Spirit! Shouldn’t it be that whatever spot on the straw doll that I hit would be equivalent to me striking Su Ziyuan in the same spot? How can there be no blood after I pierce him on the midbrows?”
Gu Heng was also in shock for he was very confident in the ability of the Seven Blades of Assassination. Before he and his Junior Sister had even become grandmasters, they witnessed the secret treasure “shooting” a grandmaster nicknamed Lord Xuantan to death. Yet, there was nothing unusual happening after his Junior Sister struck the straw doll. It was as if nothing had happened!
Just then, realization dawned on him. He turned to look at the entrance of the “Dao-yi Hall” and saw that a mysterious person was standing there. The man, enveloped in a black robe, was holding his forehead as he looked at them both with eyes full of electric arcs.
“Holding his forehead?” Gu Heng and Yang Xizhi immediately found the man to be exceptionally strange. Their heartbeats accelerated. “Thump! Thump! Thump!”
Just as they were about to risk their lives to use the Fan of Flames and Aves, they saw that black-robed man’s eyes abruptly turned serene and dark. They could see themselves reflected into those eyes, the images turning larger and more transparent as time passed. They could see flesh and blood, body compositions that were even smaller than a drop of blood, and specks that was nearly impossible to describe using human language.
The strands of electric light burst forth. Gu Heng and Yang Xizhi’s “silhouettes” collapsed, their disintegration beginning from the very minute speck of their bodily composition. They turned into countless dust.
Inside the Dao-yi Hall, the figures of Gu Heng and Yang Xizhi vanished. Their breaths filled the hall before separating and forming countless little parts. Even those rapidly dissipated in the air and merged with heaven and earth.
The secret treasures that they were carrying, along with the Seven Blades of Assassination in front of them, suffered the same fate. The only thing left was the feathers that formed the Fan of Flames and Aves hovering in midair.
With a surge of flames, the Fan of Flames and Aves turned into a flying light and charged out of the Dao-yi Hall and the Jade Virtual Palace. It was unknown where its destination was.
The black-robed man did not try to seize the fan. Whether it was because the fan was beneath him or he was powerless to obtain it was anyone’s guess. He stared at the center of the “Dao-yi Hall” and muttered gloomily to himself:
“Where has it shifted to?”
His tone betrayed hints of doubt and surprise. Even more was the desire to investigate.
His eyes turned increasingly dark and serene, with electric lights spinning inside his pupils as if he was projecting his will and making deductions. He extended his right hand out of his black robe. The hand was so pale that it looked like it was dead.
The bronze doors opened to reveal a rear hall that spanned nearly ten meters wide. There were the same lanterns of colored glasses above brass pillars inside. Under the lights were a heavy and pitch-black coffin lying peacefully in the middle of the hall.
“Coffin? There’s a coffin here?” Meng Qi collected himself. His doppelganger once again stood in front and entered the rear hall first. There, it stood in front of the coffin.
The coffin was firmly secured with its lid as if no one had ever entered this hall.
“What could be inside?” Meng Qi was both doubtful and curious. His doppelganger continued to explore the hall, only to find there was no other protective spell or trap. The heavy coffin was the only thing in the hall. Not even “his” strength was enough to lift the lid.
Meng Qi took in a deep breath and placed his hands on the edges of the lid. With his muscles bulging, he exerted all of his strength into lifting it.
The lid began to move. Meng Qi took a step backward, the Immortal-slaying Whip Truncheon already in hand. He positioned his doppelganger between himself and the coffin, out of fear that something inauspicious would jump out of the coffin.
Meng Qi could proudly claim to be an expert on objects in coffins. He was sure he would not embarrass himself no matter what would appear. He would not be shocked even if it was the Dharmakaya chapter of Eight Nine Mysteries and Heavenly Golden Scripture, the genuine Ruyi Specter of the Three Precious Treasures, or even the Heavenly Primogenitor himself. That was because those were well within his predictions or even wishes!
The light spilled all over the interior of the hall, eliminating the constant darkness that shrouded the coffin. There was, as expected, a person lying inside the coffin.
When the light illuminated the face of the person, there was an immediate change in Meng Qi’s eyes. He was shocked, stunned, terrified, and stupefied. His emotions were so overwhelming that the only thing that he did not do was jumping out of fright!
The person inside the coffin had an ordinary but otherwise decent-looking face. He had a common body that harbored no extraordinary strength. Certainly, he was not someone who could shock the world with his power. However, Meng Qi was the exception.
That was because the person inside was him!
It was him from his past life!
Meng Qi who came from the earth!
Why would “his body” be lying inside the Jade Virtual Palace?
Noticing the similar karmic connections, Meng Qi realized that there was a subtle change in this body of his that had originated from planet earth. “His” body was still developing its Interior realm and intelligence was just growing in his flesh. Everything from “his” body seemed to be drawing close to him right now.
Right at the same time, he felt a connection to the Qi activity in the air. Without any warning, he found himself ascending the second step of the Celestial Ladder. It appeared that when the conditions were right, success would naturally follow!