Chapter 495: Xia Wuji’s Change
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Chapter 177 Xia Wuji’s Change
A thousand years had passed since the Starry Sky war. The world had changed dramatically, experts had retired, and newcomers were unaware of them, though their legends still lingered.
In these legends, there was no mention of the Heavenly Emperor.
Back then, during the Dimensional Battlefield, the Heavenly Emperor had obtained the Gate of Xuanpin.
In that perilous battle in the Dimensional Battlefield, the Heavenly Emperor had summoned the Gate of Xuanpin with all her might, showcasing its tremendous power.
After she entered the Immortal Plane, she disappeared without a trace.
To this day, there has been no news of the Heavenly Emperor.
Li Qingshan often wondered where the Heavenly Emperor had gone.
He had also instructed the Celestial Court to search for the Heavenly Emperor’s whereabouts and inform him if there was any news.
In a thousand years, the Celestial Court had not contacted him once.
Sometimes, Li Qingshan discussed this with Immortal Northstar, Xia Wuji, and Little Nine.
They all pondered where the Heavenly Emperor could have gone.
Xia Wuji said, “When we all arrived in the Immortal Plane back then, we went our separate ways. The Heavenly Emperor said she was going to inherit her master’s legacy.”
“I also asked who her master was, but the Heavenly Emperor never said. No one knew. Since that parting, a thousand years have passed, and she has never reappeared, as if she vanished into thin air,” sighed Immortal Northstar, who missed the Heavenly Emperor greatly.
She was one of the few friends he had known in the human world.
“Where did Heavenly Emperor Sister go?” Little Nine pouted, looking into the distance, but saw nothing.
Li Qingshan remained silent. He cherished each of his few friends dearly.
He found Demon Frog and asked, “Do you know about the Gate of Xuanpin?”
Demon Frog replied in surprise, “The Valley Spirit never dies; it is called the Xuanpin. The Gate of Xuanpin is the root of heaven and earth, inexhaustible and ever-present?”
“That’s from the Dao Scripture. I’m asking about the Gate of Xuanpin.” Li Qingshan shook his head.
“Then I don’t know. Don’t think I know everything. There are too many magic treasures and weapons in this universe. Just the Great Path Weapons alone are countless. How could I know them all?” said Demon Frog.
Li Qingshan extinguished his thoughts and stopped asking.
In fact, aside from the Heavenly Emperor, no one else had ever mentioned the Gate of Xuanpin, so no one knew about it.
The Heavenly Emperor’s whereabouts remained unknown, and Li Qingshan felt melancholy. He chose to travel and see the scenery.
The Western Lands were beautiful, with picturesque sacred lakes, pristine snow-capped mountains, clear skies, and white clouds, as well as the sacred piles representing good fortune.
The sacred lake’s water was clear. Li Qingshan washed his hands in it, while the people of the Western Lands revered this place.
Often, devotees would take three steps and nine bows, circling mountains, lakes, and Buddha towers, cleansing their hearts of troubles and unnecessary desires.
Li Qingshan did not disturb them.
As usual, he walked to the foot of Mount Sumeru, where he unexpectedly found a pregnant woman whose water had broken, screaming as she fell.
No one around knew what to do, and since this was a Buddhist sanctuary, many were worried that childbirth might bring bad luck.
But the next moment, a group of monks rushed out from Mount Sumeru. The leading old monk immediately began helping the woman give birth, disregarding any taboos and soon saved both mother and child.
The surrounding people cheered and applauded the monk’s actions.
Li Qingshan did the same, witnessing this scene and the birth of a new life. He prepared to leave.
But the next moment, the monk announced loudly, “This child is the reincarnation of the World Honored One, destined to be a living Buddha!”
Li Qingshan watched curiously.
The devotees around also watched curiously.
A newborn, already the World Honored One?
In Buddhist traditions, especially in the Western Lands, which had the oldest and most orthodox Buddhist heritage, the World Honored One referred to one person.
Amitabha!
Outsiders called him Emperor Amitabha, Buddha Amitabha, Patriarch of Buddhist sects…
But within the Western Lands, all monks referred to him as the World Honored One!
Now, the old monk said this newborn was the reincarnation of the World Honored One, immediately drawing many doubts.
But the old monk did not explain, placing the child on the ground and quickly retreating.
The newborn did not cry or fuss, instead pointing one hand to the sky and the other to the earth, declaring, “Above the heavens and below the earth, I alone am honored!”
This statement shocked many, and the devotees knelt and worshipped without doubt.
Li Qingshan watched in surprise. Was this child really the reincarnation of the World Honored One?
According to Buddhist legends, when Amitabha was born in his first life, he made the same gesture.
He pointed one hand to the sky and the other to the earth, saying, “Above the heavens and below the earth, I alone am honored!”
This phrase meant that everyone is the master of their own world.
In other words, besides oneself (specifically, besides the consciousness of “I”), everything else seen (including the self we see) is an illusion.
It did not mean “I am the number one under heaven.”
Now, this newborn made the same gesture, naturally drawing immense attention.
Li Qingshan saw clearly that this baby was not being manipulated, and the monk who delivered the baby was not a conspirator.
This baby was truly the reincarnation of the World Honored One!
“Wait, I recognize this baby!” Li Qingshan observed closely and suddenly realized the truth.
This baby was Monk Wu’o!
Li Qingshan was shocked. Observing carefully, he finally saw Monk Wu’o’s shadow deep in the baby’s soul.
Since the Starry Sky war a thousand years ago, when Monk Wu’o had descended with Amitabha’s previous life body and brought the departed ‘Buddha’ back to the human world, displaying supreme power.
Monk Wu’o had disappeared.
Li Qingshan had thought he had found a place to quietly retire, but now he discovered that Monk Wu’o had reincarnated and was now a baby.
The baby, revered by the devotees, drew the attention of many monks from Mount Sumeru. They all came down to welcome the reincarnation of the World Honored One.
Li Qingshan watched as they respectfully took the baby and the mother into Mount Sumeru, their attitudes fervent, eyes fixed on the baby without blinking.
The revered World Honored One had truly been reborn.
Li Qingshan did not disturb this scene, as a figure appeared beside him.
It was Monk Wu’o’s primordial spirit!
He still looked like a handsome Buddhist monk, his primordial spirit floating, feet not touching the ground, smiling at Li Qingshan.
“Benefactor Li Qingshan, I did not expect to see you here,” Monk Wu’o said kindly.
Li Qingshan asked curiously, “What are you doing?”
“Reincarnating to cultivate anew!” Monk Wu’o replied.
“For the past thousand years, I have reincarnated every century, experiencing the same processes as the World Honored One in his various lives. In this life, I am experiencing the establishment of Buddhism by the World Honored One,” Monk Wu’o explained.
“Does this help your cultivation?” Li Qingshan asked.
“Of course. I am a disciple of Amitabha in his previous life’s dream. He passed his previous life on to me. During the Starry Sky war, I fused with the World Honored One’s previous life, unleashing immense power. Though we won the battle, I could not inherit the World Honored One’s vast Venerable cultivation. So, I chose to reincarnate and cultivate anew, experiencing all of the World Honored One’s identities. This is my final life,” Monk Wu’o explained in detail.
Li Qingshan nodded, hands behind his back, watching the baby being carried up, and asked, “After this life, you will have inherited all of the World Honored One’s power?”
“Yes, after experiencing this life, there will be no need to experience it anymore. The Supreme Path is about to descend,” Monk Wu’o said seriously.
Li Qingshan frowned, looking at the primordial spirit of Monk Wu’o, and asked in surprise, “You know when the Supreme Path will descend?”
He didn’t even know.
Demon Frog didn’t know.
Hua Yun did not know either.
The Primordial Heavenly Demon did not know either.
How did Monk Wu’o know?
Li Qingshan looked at him curiously.
Monk Wu’o smiled slightly, a hint of pride on his fair face, “My master is a Buddha!”
Li Qingshan frowned and then fell silent.
Monk Wu’o’s master was the Buddha, who had entered the Supreme Path and stirred up a great commotion.
“Are you sure the Supreme Path is going to descend?” Li Qingshan asked seriously. Since Monk Wu’o’s master was the Buddha, he was willing to believe it.
“In this very lifetime!” Monk Wu’o said firmly.
Li Qingshan nodded gently and said to Monk Wu’o, “Thank you!”
Monk Wu’o also smiled lightly, his primordial spirit like smoke, flying into Mount Sumeru, entering the sea of consciousness of the reincarnated living Buddha, continuing to lie dormant, waiting for this lifetime to end.
Li Qingshan witnessed all this, then turned and left Mount Sumeru, continuing to watch the scenery of the Western Lands.
Knowing that the Supreme Path was going to descend, he was not in a hurry. After all, there was still one lifetime, and he could continue to live an ordinary life.
Along the way, Li Qingshan saw the sacred lake, crossed the snowy mountains, touched the sky, raised prayer flags, scattered wind horses, and finally passed through the human world, returning to the village.
After this journey, Li Qingshan felt much more at ease. Knowing that the disappearance of the Heavenly Emperor was an irresistible force, having no news was sometimes good news.
Li Qingshan believed… no, he was convinced.
One day in the future, he would meet the Heavenly Emperor again.
She was so excellent, with her inheritance and the Gate of Xuanpin, she would be fine.
After returning, Li Qingshan told everyone the news that the Supreme Path would descend in this lifetime.
The Demon Frog, upon hearing this, patted his big belly excitedly and laughed heartily, “I can finally go back.”
His home was not in this universe but in the Six Equal Universes.
Everyone else was also very happy.
Xia Wuji rubbed his hands and said, “I’m quite eager to go to the Supreme Path and see the so-called Six Equal Universes.”
“I also want to go. In this universe, the road has reached its end. There is no more path ahead. I must continue to climb other great mountains,” Immortal Northstar said firmly.
“But the Supreme Path is very dangerous. If you’re not careful, you could die there,” the little fox advised.
After marrying Li Qingshan, she knew he was going to the Supreme Path, and she and Little Nine, A’wei, and the others had to stay in this universe. The little fox was very worried.
“What’s there to be afraid of? If a man dies, he faces the sky. If he doesn’t die, he lives for ten thousand years. If something really happens, all green hills are the same. Wherever you die, you get buried,” Xia Wuji said nonchalantly, still as passionate as he was back then.
“To kill you, they would have to deliver a fatal blow. Otherwise, with your current recovery, the enemy wouldn’t stand a chance,” Li Qingshan teased.
Xia Wuji’s bloodline had completely exploded after entering the Venerable Realm. His injuries recovered incomprehensibly.
As Li Qingshan said, to kill Xia Wuji, you would have to annihilate his primordial spirit in one strike to be effective.
“Heh heh heh, now even deadly poison can’t kill me,” Xia Wuji said proudly. To test his recovery ability, he drank poison that could kill an Emperor, and nothing happened. That poison would make an Emperor’s primordial spirit decay within moments.
Even a Venerable would find their primordial spirit polluted and hard to cleanse.
But Xia Wuji just went to the bathroom and expelled the poison.
This action left everyone speechless.
Since then, anyone who wanted to test their strength would take Xia Wuji to the Starry Sky for a life-and-death fight.
They would fight with all their might, knowing Xia Wuji wouldn’t die.
