423 An Unexpected Fortune (1/2)

Apart from the mainstream martial artists and aristocratic families like the Gao Family from Chang Le, Meng Qi knew next to nothing about the North Zhou Dynasty sects and families. He had never heard of Confucian Temple, so he could only make a few perfunctory remarks in response. He was thinking about familiar sayings like ”Awareness only goes as far as the mind” and ”Knowledge and actions should go hand in hand”, and whether there is difference in strength between the current Dharmakaya master and the two Confucius Sect Saints was in terms of realms.

Gao Lan took two steps forward and suddenly released a light gasp.

Standing in the Dragon Platform and stepping onto its ancient road, Meng Qi felt somewhat like he were in a dream. He, some fellow who had not even opened the Hidden Latch between his eyebrows, had actually been implicated in a fight for the Sword of the Human Sovereign! If he had not already experienced Zhenwu's Decoy Grave and The Buddha's Palm, he would probably be at a loss for what to do. He was still a ball of nerves though, fearful of whether evil ghosts and demons would spring out any second.

Evil beings that could survive in Human Sovereign's Dragon Platform had probably all been magnificently powerful people once. Even with Gao Lan next to him, there was no way Meng Qi could relax. This was not one of the Samsara tasks. There was no limit to the number of people that could enter, and it was not a controlled environment. All sorts of accidents could happen. Hence, upon hearing Gao Lan's soft gasp, Meng Qi was so frightened that he whipped out his saber. On high alert, he scanned his surroundings but there was nothing there. There were no enemies or attackers around.

”What are you afraid of? If I can't defeat it, you would die even if you had another nine lives to spare.” Gao Lan rejoiced. ”I was only surprised that the Wang family's old devil has also been here.”

”The Wang family's old devil?” Meng Qi looked in the direction Gao Lan was pointing in and discovered that there was something in the distance. At a spot two steps further than Benevolent Saint, there was an incomprehensible feeling present. Upon careful sensing, he realized that there was a breath there that was hidden beyond heaven and earth. ”He's the ancestor of the Wang family of River East?”

Gao Lan nodded. With one hand behind his back and the other holding the True Emperor Seal, he began advancing again in large strides. ”He's the Wang family's old devil, known as the Divination Saint back in medieval times.”

”He actually managed to go further than Benevolent Saint and Heart Saint,” mused Meng Qi.

”Gah!” Gao Lan spat. ”He only managed to get two steps further because he relied on his divination arts. He gained an advantage because he deceived nature's mysteries and used some tricks. His actual realm is probably around their level.”

”I see he has an aversion to those charlatans as well...” Meng Qi suddenly felt as if they shared an intimate connection and could not help but agree with the man's opinion.

After a few more steps, the heavy stone door was almost within reach. Purple thunderbolts noisily crackled as they jumped about next to the door, and a fierce, unyielding feeling leapt at their faces.

”Overlord?” Meng Qi guessed.

Few had ever attained such a high level of the thunderclap skill, and the Thunder God of ancient times should already have passed away during the reign of Human Sovereign.

Gao Lan's eyes were fixed on the purple thunder. ”Yes. It's unfortunate that because of the time gap, we'll never be able to see Six Cutting of Overlord and Nine Annihilation at Heavenly Nights.”

His words were brimming with a thirst for battle.

Stimulated by his tone, similar emotions were evoked in Meng Qi. When he had thoroughly mastered everything he had learned in the future, he, too, would create his own Six Cutting of Overlord!

The crackling sounds emitted by the purple thunderbolts grew louder and louder as Meng Qi and Gao Lan neared the door. They danced about wildly as if rejecting everyone who came close, exposing their haughty and overbearing attitudes.

However, they were still nothing more than mere traces left behind in the Human Emperor's Ancient Path and had no power. Gao Lan and Meng Qi leapt over them one after the other.

All of a sudden, they stopped. Next to the purple thunderbolts was a monk sitting with his legs crossed!

The monk was garbed in a dull dusty frock and his face was partially obscured. He had a skinny frame that emitted a colored glaze-like glow, exuding an air of tranquility, solemnness, carefreeness, and being free of all restraints.

”It's a breath...” Gao Lan blew at the monk and the Golden Body swayed. Thankfully, it was just an illusion that did not contain any Gist of Trueness.

”Who is this monk, actually on par with the Overlord! There weren't many monks who claimed the Buddha Effect Seat in medieval times. Could it be the Medicine Buddha? No, doesn't feel right.” Gao Lan mulled over it as he considered the history of monks.

Meng Qi was making his own speculations as well. He tried to sense the unique traits of the Golden Body's breath.

Out of the blue, a long sigh floated in his ear.

”That's what it is.”

”Ananda?” Meng Qi blurted, shocked beyond belief.

There were still signs of his activity even after the reign of Human Sovereign!

”Ananda? The Great Arhat might still be possible...” Gao Lan furrowed his eyebrows and continued, ”but after the Monster Saint passed away, the demonic cult retreated to places like Heavenly Sea Source and Ananda completely vanished from the face of the earth. I can't believe that even after Human Sovereign's reign, he's appeared in this life...”

Meng Qi took a deep breath. Since Gao Lan was by his side, he dared to inch nearer to the Golden Body created by the illusory breath in an attempt to closely inspect it further. If he could find some clues, perhaps he could break free from Ananda's pestering.

Unfortunately, it was a mere trace left behind in the Human Emperor's Ancient Path, just like the purple thunder. Apart from its unique characteristics, Meng Qi did not find any actual gains.

”You do seem quite interested in this monk...” Gao Lan was still in the dark about Meng Qi's bladesmanship and his background. ”Since you possess a thunder-based long saber, I thought you would've paid more attention to Overlord.”

Meng Qi could not explain too much, so he gave a bitter laugh in response. ”I've learned two forms of the Ananda Oath-breaking Bladesmanship.”

Gao Lan gently nodded and did not probe further, for his mind had drifted elsewhere. The left hand that had been folded behind his back reached out and pressed against the crude-looking stone door before him. Then, he gave a mighty push.

The heavy stone door slowly opened without a sound. A sea of fire immediately appeared into Meng Qi's view.

Flames surged, morphing into leaping serpents or phoenixes from time to time. The outer perimeter of the fire was a radiant gold that gradually progressed into bluish-white the further into the fire they walked. When they went even deeper into the fire, Meng Qi could not see anything at all because his sight had already been consumed by the flames that kept burning towards him.

”Even if Grand Sun came here, he's nothing more than this.” Gao Lan sighed, showing a rare moment of seriousness.