The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

Meng Qi weaved his way through the boisterous crowd that occupied the banks of Lake Xiaonan. His appearance had been changed once more, “detaching” himself from the matter of his reunion with his subsidiaries.

This was the vicinity of the ancestral seat of the Wang Clan of Jiangdong. Considering that he had once encountered Wang Siyuan in this area, he would not be so rash as to allow anyone know that he had met Yuanyang and his other subsidiaries here.

His thoughts wandered back to the letter that informed him of Wang Siyuan’s venture into the secret passage of the rear mountain of the Shaolin Temple. Meng Qi decided not to dwell on the matter anymore. What could he do, after all? Could he incite a conflict against the Wang Clan of Jiangdong that had weathered the decay of time and endured the trials beset upon it? The best he could do was to inform the Primogenitor Lingbao, Master Lu, and Abbot Kong Wen. Only they wielded the power to make something out of it!

The identity of the author of the letter still bothered him greatly. He had tried and tried to make out the mysterious author but to no avail. The Wang Clan of Jiangdong would surely have hidden gambits when Wang Siyuan dared to slip into the rear mountain of the Shaolin Temple. The author was most probably not a member of the clan. The clan’s involvement with the secret passage would be unknown to Meng Qi, Master Lu, Abbot Kong Wen and the relevant parties if the letter had not informed him of Wang Siyuan’s secret trip to Mount Liantai. This begged the question: who was the author of the letter who possessed the knowledge of Wang Siyuan’s foray into the passage?

The stone door in the rear mountain of the Shaolin Temple was a secret even to the disciples of the order. The mere knowledge of the existence of the passage would imply that the mysterious writer of the letter possessed insights into the affair. He could be conveying the indisputable truth, or he could be trying to implicate the Wang Clan. Only two possibilities occurred to Meng Qi: the letter was authored by Han Guang, the Evil Master, or it was written by a disgruntled confederate or a member of the Wang Clan who possessed conflicting interests with Wang Siyuan!

For better or for worse, Meng Qi had chosen not to involve himself with the delicate intricacies of the matter. The dangerous undercurrent was not something that he would gladly risk. He would best busy himself with the auction of the Immortality Elixir of East Pole!

In addition to the Immortality Elixir, he also had an abundance of other draughts and items that would help extend one’s life from the Plenitude Sect. Obviously, the Immortality Elixirs alone would hardly be sufficient for an auction that would be attended by seasoned warriors!

The Primogenitor Lingbao had no spare time to help Meng Qi seeing as his full attention was on the enigmas surrounding Sprite of Herbs and Dominator of the Six Samsara. Meng Qi would require a guard with sufficient power and strength to ensure order during the auction. Not far away, in the city of Jiangdong, there was another member of The Immortals who fulfilled Meng Qi’s requirements! One who would also greatly relish the opportunity to amass exotic minerals and produce for the students of his order and trade away some draughts and concoction of longevity: Yan Wuwo, the “Flying Yaksha”!

Meng Qi walked through the mob of people with his hands behind his back. He walked along the highway outside of Guangling to Mount Suigui at the west of Jiangzhou province. The Space Ring that he had brought was not sold to Yuanyang and her companions. Their absence from the Samsara Square did not make the trade possible. Moreover, the Space Ring would hardly be their immediate concern, seeing as they had to prioritize trading for additional skills and techniques to mask their identities. Meng Qi would propose the trade before the start of his next mission via the exclusive channels that the Dominator had erected for trade between him and his subsidiaries.

…

In a quiet, dimly lit chamber on the Amphiptere Peak of Mount Zhenwu.

A bearded old man was sitting cross-legged on a bed fashioned from jade. His beard and brows were white as snow, with only a few strands of black hair as a reminder of his youth that had passed many winters before. In deep meditation the elder sat, absorbing the chilling aura that seeped from the jade bed. Over the meridian point of his brain, a Taoist headdress floated over his head. The headdress shone with the radiance of the sun as droplets of flames rained over the elder.

The Form of a large taijitu symbol materialized behind the elder. The symbol spun slowly. The Yin half of the symbol ingurgitated the chilling aura from the bed of jade while the Yang half received the aura of blistering heat from the shining headdress. In its snail-like motion, the spiraling taijitu symbol looked like a millstone of black and white, or a large turtle bearing the taijitu symbol on its back.

The meditation of the elder continued for a long time. The taijitu symbol inched closer to his body. It was not merely returning, instead, the form of the symbol was fusing with his body.

A terrifying loud noise reverberated through the entire chamber, followed by a loud rumbling groan. A bright glimmer shone from the skin of the old man. On his skin, skin markings of irregular motifs began to form. Suddenly, the brightness was extinguished as swiftly as it had come.

Behind him, the Black and white taijitu symbol jolted and shuddered before retreating back into his body.

Some blood trickled from the edges of the old man’s lips. Filled with melancholy over another failure, the elder lamented,

“Still too soon…”

Then again, there was indeed need for haste. Fifty winters had come and gone since his ascension to the level of the Second Celestial Ladder, lifting himself into the ranks of reigning grandmasters. Yet he had only passed through the hurdles of the First-fold Heaven. Not even the peaks of the Exterior were within the reach of his lifetime, let alone the Half-step to the level of the Dharmakaya. There had been rising anxiety in the household as he could only watch the end of his lifespan beckoning. Could he not be concerned?

The members of his clan had searched everywhere for elixirs or concoction of longevity for him without regard for cost. Without these supplements, he would have passed on two decades ago. The lifespan of one who has attained the levels of the Exterior could reach between twofold or threefold of sixty years. Without the complement of elixirs or draughts, none of the Exterior could live past threefold of sixty years, especially with the injuries and ailments left by the long years of battling through steel and fire.

Twenty years… that is all I have if I do not achieve the level of the Half-step to the Dharmakaya… The elder moaned to himself. With unspoken angst and dread, the elder rose to his feet and ambled aimlessly in the chamber with his hands at his back.

If only he could break through into the realm of the Half-step from the Dharmkaya, he would be able to secure an additional decade of life. The Zhenwu Sect had in its stores a rare elixir that enabled its user to lengthen his life by another thirty years, but only one who was at the level of the Half-step from the Dharmakaya could withstand the excruciating pain that accompanied its ingestion.

An extension of forty years added with the two decades that I presently have… that should be enough time for me to watch over the rise of the fresh talents in the household… The elder imagined the most optimistic prospect, but his shoulders sank as he sighed. He knew well that without fortuitous fortunes or encounters, a breakthrough of that magnitude would hardly be achievable within the twenty years that he had left and the present state of his mind.

His hands trembled at the dire fate that loomed over his clan. The eyes that had witnessed the cruel passage of time were full of sorrow.

“If only Yuanshan was still alive. He had the potential and fortitude to rival the likes of Su Meng, Jiang Zhiwei, He Jiu, Wang Siyuan and the others. He would not have been far behind even if his achievements and powers paled slightly if matched with them. He would have been so close to leaping past the hurdles of the Exterior.”

“If only I could find the one behind Yuanshan’s death! I would pursue him to the ends of the earth and tear him into bits and pieces and watch his ashes fly!

For half a century, the capacity of the Zhang Clan had dwindled rapidly. The clan had been able to command a respectable number of members possessing powers at the levels of the Exterior with the sustenance of strong and steady resources. However, the bulk of them suffered from a poor state of mind or the lack of robust fundamentals. Only two from the entire flock had leaped into the levels of the Exterior from a complete cultivation of the Oneness of Heaven and Men. The progress and growth of the entire flock had been bogged down at early stages of the Exterior, without even the faintest glint of hope to make it past the Second Celestial Ladder. For years, the elder had yearned for the emergence of one who could finally live up to his hopes and expectations. Zhang Yuanshan finally came with all the qualities required of an heir, but all hope was lost when he was slain during one of his pilgrimages abroad. The shocking news of his demise had caused the elder, the Patriarch of the Zhang Clan, great pain and sorrow.

Yuanshan had barely displayed any potential during his early days. It was after he had begun his training when his aptitude and flair began to blossom. The younglings of the clan may seem hardly noteworthy now, but amongst them might be slow bloomers who have yet to rise… The Patriarch tried his best to assuage his concern.

A loud ring broke the silence. Someone outside had rung the bell to summon the Patriarch from his hermetic training.

What could have happened? The brows of the Patriarch of the Zhang Clan rose inquiringly. He composed his thoughts and unlocked the sealed chamber. At the door was Zhang Tingzhai, the kinsman who served at his beck and call.

“Master Patriarch, someone tried to send you a letter in secret,” said Zhang Tingzhai respectfully. He handed over a dark red envelope.

“An invitation?” The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan asked with his brows raised. He had long retreated from the affairs of Jianghu. He did not expect an invitation bearing his name.

After making sure that it was safe to open, he unfolded the invitation.

“You are cordially invited to an auction of Immortality Elixirs of East Pole and other concoctions of longevity and health. The auction shall be held at the Tide-watching Rock of the East Sea at dusk on the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the year. Sale of the items shall go to the highest bidder. Please bring the following items for the auction: Loulan Granite, Wyrm Herb…”

“The Immortality Elixirs of East Pole?” The veins in the elder’s hand elder swelled as it clutched the invitation. His heart was beating with apprehension.

It was the name given to the elixirs once concocted by the Azure Emperor of legend. It was used specifically to lengthen one’s lifespan. Unlike the concoctions of the ancient age, the present renditions could only extend one’s life by sixty years. Even then, only a handful of other elixirs could have comparable effects.

Sixty years… All could be settled if only I manage to live another sixty years… The invitation brought much-awaited hope to the Patriarch of the Zhang Clan. He felt his heart thumping with excitement and renewed vigor. He took a long, deep breath to regain his composure.

He would venture to the East Sea and see for himself! There was no telling if this was a ruse or scheme of devious designs, but with his life nearing its end there was no other option. As long as there were no enemies at the level of the Dharmakaya or the presence of any Divine Weapons, his skills and experiences would allow him to flee safely!

The note at the end of the invitation left the Patriarch befuddled. Why did the author of the invitation specifically ask for exotic minerals and produce to be brought to the auction? In all his years in the Jianghu, the Patriarch had never laid eyes on an invitation that listed the items that would be required!

He curiously looked at the bottom corner of the letter and saw only words instead of the signed name of its author,

“Blessed is He who is Generous and Charitable.”

“A friendly benefactor? Is that what these words imply? ” But the Patriarch of the Zhang Clan was hardly troubled by the words. It had merely shown that the author did not intend to reveal his name and identity. He paced to and fro, pondering on his decision. Finally, he made a resolution: he would amass an adequate amount of the items mentioned in the letter, no matter what they cost!

Folks of humble and modest origins may be hard-pressed to accumulate such a bulk of exotic minerals and resources in the extremely narrow timeframe of one month, but he was confident. With the resources of the clan and the Zhenwu Sect, he would accomplish the impossible for the sake of the clan’s future!

…

In the Ancestral Residence of the Ruan Clan of Langya.

The Patriarch of the Ruan Clan was enjoying the music played by a younger kin. His eyes were closed as he savored the peacefulness and tranquility of the music with a fresh vim that belied his age.

A head servant came to him suddenly and presented an invitation. “Master, there is an invitation with your name on it.”

The Patriarch looked at the younger scions of his clan gathered around him and motioned for all of them to retreat from his presence. With a flick of his wrist, the invitation flew from the hands of the head servant and landed softly in his grasp.

“You are cordially invited to an auction of Immortality Elixirs of East Pole and other concoctions of longevity and health. The auction shall be held at the Tide-watching Rock of the East Sea at dusk on the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the year. Sale of the items shall go to the highest bidder.”

“Blessed is He who is Generous and Charitable.”

“The Immortality Elixir of East Pole?!” The Patriarch chuckled with amusement. “Years ago I wouldn’t have shied away from such events. Summon my third son. Let him attend the auction in my place. Have him procure as many elixirs and concoctions of longevity as possible. There is always need for such items.”

The hunt for ingredients had begun ever since the Ruan Clan laid hands on the formula for the Immortality Elixir of East Pole. Much effort and resources were expended and they finally accumulated the materials after one year. It was only after three failed attempts at concocting it that they finally tasted success. It came at a hefty price.

“The Third Master?” The head servant gasped in disbelief.

The Patriarch nodded lightly. “He only made a misstep in that incident many years ago. He should not have borne the blame alone. I was overly harsh back then.”

“Winters and summers have passed. The Twenty-first Daughter has grown from a baby to one of the greatest of the Ranking List of Young Masters. What more could I ask for? What’s done is done. What’s needed now are resolution and reparation. I should allow him the opportunity for it.”

The head servant had hardly any knowledge of what happened many years ago, but he could not contain the joy and relief that the Third Master who had shown him kindness would finally be released from his indefinite chastisement. With repeated sounds of acknowledgment, the head servant hurriedly retreated.

…

“The Immortality Elixir of East Pole?” A frail and thin old man had been watching the construction of his own tomb. He crushed the Divine Sun Stone in his hand.

“The Immortality Elixir of East Pole!” Another man gasped to himself. He staggered upright. He was alone in a shabby and decrepit shrine filled with nothing but flocks of crows. His scrawny figure was nothing but a bag of bones. There were no layers of skin nor flesh on his hands, only bones!

Word of the auction blazed through Jiangdong, Central Province, and all other areas surrounding the East Sea. One after another, the feeble and sickly figures of warriors of the Exterior rose and shook off the weariness that weighed over their shoulders. They turned their gazes in the direction of the Tide-watching rock.

Only a few warriors over the level of Half-step to the Dharmakaya and those who wielded Divine Weapons were invited to the event.

……

A shadow landed by the Tide-watching Rock. An aura that bespoke of the decay and rigors of life emanated from the figure of the stranger. The stranger noticed a large, common-looking ship, and upon its decks was another aura of torrid desolation and death.

“Is that you, Old Corpse?” The stranger spoke hoarsely with surprise.

“I was requested to stand guard here.” A voice came from the cabins of the boat. The steady voice was strong and confident. “But I do not seem to remember you being invited?”

The Old Corpse is guarding the ship? The cloaked stranger tore his bitter gaze away. Death and despair seemed to encircle him. With amazement, he wondered about the identity of the host of the auction that he was even able to enlist the Flying Yaksha as his guard!