Chapter 2554: Knowing the Book of Qi

The human world is a sea of suffering, where there are always some who harbor regrets. This is not about Yuan Kong, but about Dizang.

Yuan Kong Shi Tai is both explaining her path to the compassionate Buddha and demonstrating her transcendent path to this world, hoping the Buddha will grant understanding and tolerance—just as Dizang always says He understands and tolerates everything.

She praises, "My Buddha!"

In these two words, her voice suddenly becomes aged, as if discarded time has been picked up again, accumulating into the wrinkles of years!

Although hidden deep within the scroll of the heavenly way, no one can escape time—unless they have already transcended and can reach eternity.

And time is her ladder; she walks from old age toward youth, and then from youth toward old age. In this process, as the years flow like water, she always walks toward a stronger self.

Her hand pressed against Dizang’s neck, the hand holding the life-cutting knife, is instantly warm and smooth like jade, then instantly wrinkled like tree bark. The skin of Dizang’s neck, pressed by her, also instantly becomes smooth, then instantly withered and wrinkled. In this process of decay and rejuvenation, the eternal life is continuously peeled away, revealing its fundamental essence.

Life and death Zen skill, withering and flourishing have their times!

She holds positions in both Withering and Flourishing Temple and Washing Moon Nunnery, as the "Lord of the Past, Master of Withering and Flourishing," relying on this to glimpse transcendence!

Her cultivation is complete and extremely high, indeed just a hint of an old shadow, quietly waiting for Buddha’s blood to wash it away. Transcendence, in her eyes, is separated by only a thin veil.

Just at this moment of alternating withering and flourishing, the cloud veil on her body floats up, flying toward the cauldron of red dust heaven and earth above. It receives the roasting fire of red dust, obtains the offering of red dust meaning, and then unfolds into a quietly hanging scroll of the heavenly way.

But in the painting, the beautiful person has already left, leaving only the turbulent heaven sea. The waves solidify into ferocious postures, possessing a kind of baring-fangs-and-brandishing-claws loneliness.

However, as the Heavenly Consort’s voice sounds, this scroll of the heavenly way begins to "move." From still to moving, from dead to alive, a painting that was empty and desolate, depicting only the heaven way ocean, actually becomes like a vivid world, giving people a feeling of vibrant life.

It instantly embodies a vitality so strong that it makes people produce an illusion—that the present world is within it, and the viewer is in the painting!

Then, in this shocking mistaken thought, within the scroll there is a mass of ink shadow, unnoticed at first, like a heavenly haze, but in the unending waves of the heaven sea, it gradually spreads out.

That is a gradually clear… person.

The process of this mass of ink shadow spreading is as if that person is walking out from the depths of the heaven sea!

It is also as if they are walking from past time into the present.

Now this scroll of the heavenly way has a "protagonist" again, and once more becomes a complete character painting.

Now that the protagonist has left the painting, the former protagonist can manifest—back then, it was originally one painting with two layers.

First one layer was drawn, and then another layer was drawn.

Both are self-portraits, and also paintings of a beautiful person. Once for the sentiment of a boudoir, now for the manifestation of the great dao.

The figure manifesting in the painting is a youth with an exceptionally handsome appearance.

Wearing a set of clothes whose material cannot be seen, but tailored fittingly, clean and neat, his upright and beautiful figure is fully visible. Between his eyebrows and eyes is an ineradicable noble air, yet he is born with a pair of amorous eyes.

The person in the painting, though only a static image, seems to gaze at you with affection.

The red dust cauldron, like an incense burner, offers incense to the painting with red dust as smoke.

And the Heavenly Consort solemnly holds the knife, like the ritual official presiding over a grand ceremony, about to slaughter the sacrifice for worship.

This is precisely the "My Buddha!" spoken by the Heavenly Consort.

The tides of the heaven sea rise and fall, and the scroll of the heavenly way lightly flutters along, the waves within the scroll's heaven sea also seeming to undulate.

From this movement, the corner of the clothing of the person in the painting also moves.

Once met in Tianxiong City, a youth like a jade tree facing the wind!

This situation, this scene, this kind of painted character, can naturally only be the legendary figure in Qi country's history, the legend that the entire Eastern Domain cannot avoid—Qi Wu Emperor Jiang Wugui.

He is not in the scroll of the heavenly way, but in the "past" cultivated by Yuan Kong Shi Tai!

Qi Wu Emperor was not a heavenly person, yet he could use star divination technique to draw a scroll of the heavenly way, helping the Heavenly Consort isolate the heavenly way. His understanding of the heavenly way was not inferior to any heavenly person!

Just like fish, though naturally skilled at swimming and controlling water, do not necessarily understand the composition of water. On the contrary, a river official on the shore who scoops up water every day to observe and research might understand the essence of water more deeply.

To observe the heavenly way with star divination, such talent can be called heaven-bestowed.

But the first layer self-portrait he drew in the scroll of the heavenly way is not what happened in real history, but the past written by Yuan Kong Shi Tai—it has already become real.

Qi Wu Emperor’s departure back then was hurried and constrained by the situation, and his future layout could not be too perfect. It is Yuan Kong in these years who has gradually repaired the "past," erasing the falsehoods of history, writing the reality she seeks, making Qi Wu Emperor eternally proven, becoming the inevitability that is about to happen.

Jiang Shu was born an emperor, with the six directions as his ambition, self-confident throughout ancient and modern times, wanting to surpass all monarchs. Yet, he extremely admires Qi Wu Emperor, often comparing himself to Wu Emperor.

Only in terms of achievements, he has actually already surpassed Wu Emperor, but he is never arrogant. Because with his wisdom and power, he is the only one in a thousand years capable of continuing Qi Wu Emperor’s layout from that year. Thus, he can know what preparations Wu Emperor made before he died that year.

This is precisely Qi country’s foundation.

The foundation of Qi Wu Emperor alone!

He not only rebuilt Qi country from the ruins, leaving a substantial family legacy, but also reserved the possibility of transcendence.

All this is the capital for people today to contend for the six directions.

Actually, in history, there is another more famous person who also married a heavenly person as wife.

Namely, the ancient human emperor Youxiong Clan, whose wife was known as "Xuan Yuan Heavenly Consort."

Of course, Youxiong Clan married the innate heavenly person of the Yiluo Clan.

Qi Wu Emperor married the acquired heavenly person like Jiang Wang and Wu Zhai Xue.

According to the proper Qi history records, Qi Wu Emperor extremely admired the ancient human emperor. He called it "within three generations, I alone revere it," believing that the ancient human emperor Youxiong Clan was a great existence surpassing the far ancient human emperor Suiren Clan and the middle ancient human emperor Lieshan Clan.

Those battling in the heaven sea today, of course, should know. Besides those widely transmitted histories, in the ancient era, there was also a huge crisis concerning the survival of the human race—

The Yiluo heavenly person clan born from the heavenly way to replace humans!

And the ancient human emperor Youxiong Clan, not only constructed the Ten Thousand Demons Gate, forever cutting off the demon clan's hope, killed the Demon Ancestor, and ended the demon tide. During the period when He led the human race, He also silently wiped out the Yiluo Clan!

People today view the past, almost unaware that history had Yiluo. Even if they knew of the Yiluo Clan’s existence, they often do not regard it as a crisis. Because under Youxiong Clan’s heaven-defying supreme means, it really did not cause any impact on the human race.

The demon clan’s hoped-for counterattack, the heavenly way’s instinctive human tribulation… seemed to never happen.

The good warrior has no illustrious merits. The ancient human emperor’s handling of the Yiluo Clan is where Qi Wu Emperor thought He was superior.

When Qi Wu Emperor was in power, he often compared himself to the ancient human emperor. His taking in the female nuns of Withering and Flourishing Temple into his harem was also seen by many people as a kind of imitation of the ancient sage emperor.

Now time passes quickly, Wu Emperor’s former beauties gradually wither, and Wu Emperor himself also passed away.

Only one Heavenly Consort remains, becoming the behind-the-scenes controller of Washing Moon Nunnery, the mysterious person in the painting.

She grasped Washing Moon Nunnery’s past Zen skill, wanting to cultivate a Qi Wu Emperor in the past—this Qi Wu Emperor in fact already exists, just like Yu Zhen indeed has a segment of past named "Yu Zhen," and Mei Yue indeed has a segment of history named "Mei Yue."

Just like cultivators, the stronger they are, the harder they are to heal once seriously injured. In the past Zen skill, the stronger the person, the harder it is to cultivate them, especially when Qi Wu Emperor is already dead and cannot provide support.

But fortunately, Qi Wu Emperor’s red dust heaven and earth cauldron is still there and has always been nurtured in the Heavenly Consort’s heart; fortunately, everything about Qi Wu Emperor is like yesterday in her memory, not forgotten a bit; fortunately, there is an honored position in Qi country’s ancestral temple, where Qi Wu is equally revered with the founding ancestor, even having a special Hall of Protecting the Country to worship the meritorious ministers who followed him in restoring the country… fortunately, today’s Qi country has already established a hegemonic enterprise!

In the Hall of Protecting the Country, the heroic spirits are the last means when the state perishes. And the monarch enfeoffed as Qi Wu is the most revered in the ancestral temple.

The vast Eastern Country is the undertaking he left, the tree he planted a thousand years ago. After flourishing and towering, it can, according to his plan, give him unlimited feedback.

Among all Zen sects in the world, Suspended Temple cultivates the present, and Mount Sumeru cultivates the future.

Withering and Flourishing Temple also cultivates the past, but what they worship is not Burning Lamp.

The life and death Zen skill cannot make Qi Wu Emperor die and resurrect. Although Withering and Flourishing Temple and the Qi royal family are as close as honey and oil and have put in a lot of effort at the national level, their ultimate ideals are not consistent—

They do not necessarily welcome Qi Wu Emperor stepping toward transcendence.

In the year 1079 of the Dao Calendar, the divine envoy Minhal was killed, and the moon in Fengshan Well was touched.

Qi country was founded in 1922 of the Dao Calendar.

The restoration of Qi country was in 2813 of the Dao Calendar, the year Yang country perished.

Dizang's power could reach the human world early on. Of course, at first, He could not push heavenly will like today's knife, wanting to chop whichever side He wished. But it was sufficient to transmit some voices.

The monks in Withering and Flourishing Temple are those who firmly believe the World Honored One still exists.

They bet on Jiang Wugui, actively promoting the construction of Qi country. Their ultimate purpose is to welcome back the World Honored One and establish an eternal Buddha country!

And among all Zen sects, regarding the cultivation of the past, only Washing Moon Nunnery is the most ancient, and it is also the most mysterious—so mysterious that it is almost disappearing.

So the Heavenly Consort, before Wu Emperor’s death, already faked her death and escaped. When Withering and Flourishing Temple was still glorious, she entered another Zen gate. For the sake of the past Zen skill, for that one "Past Majestic Tribulation Sutra." From that time, she has been laying out for today.

The so-called "Past Burning Lamp Buddha."

Light a lamp, illuminate the past.

This lamp is the red dust heaven and earth cauldron, which is also Jiang Wugui.

Jiang Wugui is precisely the Zen cultivated by Yuan Kong Shi Tai!

All the layouts unfold today, and with the help of the current Qi emperor Jiang Shu, they converge into a perfect ending—

Cut the Buddha’s thousand years of life as an offering, make Qi Wu Emperor in the past achieve transcendence, and change history!

Jiang Shu leans on the halberd and stands, his purple eyes gazing at Dizang’s orifices. The purple micro starlight repeatedly washes the Buddha’s body, manifesting crisscrossing virtual lines on this flesh Buddha body—the heavenly classics and earthly wefts infinitely divide the Dizang Buddha body to help the Heavenly Consort find the life gap in this Buddha body.

Everlasting without a gap, but after dissecting "eternity," the endless oppression will necessarily cause a life gap to appear.

Wu Emperor has waited for a long time!

How could Jiang Shu not also have looked forward to this for many years?

When he was a prince fighting on the battlefield, when he was a crown prince conquering east and west, when he was an emperor going to punish the disobedient, when he first faced Si Yuan approaching hegemony…

Along this path, as if walking on the edge of an abyss, he often thinks of Wu Emperor’s regrets, using history to warn himself, looking back on the past, and not knowing how to maneuver to walk to this day!

In such a moment, he glanced at Jiang Wang in the purple bamboo forest who was eager to try, and suddenly asked: "Does Feng Hua child know the Qi Book?"

Jiang Wang of course sensitively caught that gaze and almost subconsciously opened his mouth—then silently closed it. Thinking, originally the emperor summons anyone to recite books.

Never mind, we read the "Qi Summary" in "History Knife Chiseling Sea," but we haven't read much of the Qi Book. To use Old Mister Zuo Qiu Wu’s words, "Histories of various countries throughout history are often full of embellishments, like powdered men and women, not seeing the pitted foundation." Better not read it!

Chong Xuan Zun stands on the solar war chariot, quietly staying in his own lunar phase world, silently observing this slaughter beyond the limits of the present world. Cutting delusion is not only for this world, but also for himself. He knows he cannot play a role, so he just watches. If the Heavenly Consort wants the knife, he will hand over the knife; if not, he will just watch the play.

For a character like him, his own constant growth is the greatest help to Qi country.

The vastness of the heaven sea is something he is seeing for the first time, and the wonders of transcendence make him sigh—but alas, no wine.

Hearing the emperor’s question, he said without humility or arrogance: "I like to read books; my hand never leaves the volume."

Those who like to read books naturally read history. The historical transmissions of various countries are all not a problem.

Jiang Shu then asked: "How do the history books record Wu Emperor’s passing?"

In the "Qi Summary," there is no related record. Mister Sima Heng wrote history, and regarding monarchs, he always penned only up to before the posthumous title, to show that the monarch's generation ends here.

Jiang Wang then also looks at Chong Xuan Zun.

Chong Xuan Zun stands loftily in the wind, only saying: "The Qi Book records, in the year 2894 of the Dao Calendar, Wu Emperor abdicated. The next year… merits dispersed and body died."

The countless ghosts and gods surrounding the Fangtian ghost god halberd seem to all be sighing.

Jiang Shu said: "Only four words."

Chong Xuan Zun said: "Only four words."

Qi Wu Emperor’s life was brilliant, his life was romantic, his life left countless stories. Regarding his death, in Qi country’s history books, it is only briefly brushed over in one stroke.

Of course, there are hidden matters, historical sorrows that books cannot record.

The Jiang imperial clan, of course, must remember. That year, Qi Wu Emperor took advantage of the excellent opportunity of Yang country's destruction and the great chaos in the Eastern Domain to complete the great undertaking of restoration. That year, with great ambition, he wanted to end the chaos in the Eastern Domain and sweep across all sides, and it was hard for him to suffer a defeat.

His tenure of less than a hundred years and subsequent abdication was due to the joint pressure of the nine Sunrise countries and the southern border Xia country and Shao country, forcing him to retreat.

It is not that these eleven countries were so remarkable; behind the chaos of the Eastern Domain stood the three colossal entities—

Jing country, Mu country, Chu country.

The three hegemonic countries all intended to plot eastward. Having finally waited for the day when Yang country suddenly collapsed, how could they allow another colossal entity to rise?

Qi Wu Emperor, the most likely to unify the Eastern Domain, became their first target for elimination.

Under the tacit understanding of the three hegemonic countries, the allies Qi country formed at that time all remained silent. The enemies Qi country faced, one by one, flared with fierce flames. Among them, the monarch of Shao country was even Qi Wu Emperor’s sworn brother, yet he betrayed him on the battlefield…

Qi Wu Emperor led the front in every battle, won seven battles out of seven, repelled the eleven countries’ allied army, guarded Qi country’s border, and did not lose an inch of land. Then he took the initiative to propose peace, invited the envoys of Jing, Mu, and Chu to witness, using his own abdication as a condition in exchange for all countries to withdraw their troops.

He said: "The atmosphere of a great country lies in the common people, how can it be for trivial profits! The upper countries come east, not for the Eastern Domain, but for the peace of the Eastern Domain. Now stop the weapons, forever make this good, to see the virtue of the upper countries."

This is precisely the "Zi River Alliance."

The following things are not recorded in the history books, only secretly passed down to successive Qi monarchs.

Qi Wu Emperor, before abdicating, summoned the crown prince and told him three things—

First, after I abdicate, there must be a war among Jing, Mu, and Chu in the Eastern Domain. If this war has a result, choose the winner and attach to it. If this war has no result, then you can quietly wait for the heavenly opportunity.

Second, Shao country will be destroyed by Xia; you should lay out in advance.

Third, I will die.

Only these three things, no other words, he removed his crown and left.

His crown prince, who was the later Qi Hui Emperor, was diligent and conscientious throughout his reign, and rested with the people. Throughout Hui Emperor's reign, he always maintained a gentle political stance and superb political skills, navigating among the various powers, and never participated in any hegemonic war.

Of course, Qi Hui Emperor thus also has an undistinguished reputation, and his historical role and historical achievements are underestimated by history—this is also what he sought.

The three things Qi Wu Emperor said were all later verified.

After he abdicated, the three hegemonic countries did indeed descend. A chaotic war erupted in the Eastern Domain, fought to the point that the nine Sunrise countries huddled together for warmth, almost regrouping into "Yang"—the "Tianxiong Alliance" was even factually convened, and the three hegemonic countries hurriedly stopped the war and each withdrew their troops.

The nine Sunrise countries, without external pressure, also under each family's thoughts and external instigation, failed to reunite—that was the moment in history when Yang country was closest to unifying the Eastern Domain, never again after that.

The three hegemonic countries also no longer personally intervened in the Eastern Domain but turned to proxy wars. The nine countries contended with each other, and the Eastern Domain ushered in a long period of chaos.

Not more than thirty years after Qi Wu Emperor abdicated, Shao country was destroyed by Xia.

As for the process of Wu Emperor’s death that year, perhaps only he himself knew. In the history books, only the simple words "merits dispersed" were left.

How many magnificent waves, how many thrilling moments, how much heroic talent, how many hero’s regrets, in the history books, are just one stroke.

The Heavenly Consort, hearing this, inevitably feels sentimental. But she only said: "After today, the historical records will be different!"

History will change, and history books naturally also have to be rewritten—in the past, they have already been rewritten.

Just like "Huang Jiu Lei, virtue not violating," this is the truth of this world.

Today’s great Qi emperor Jiang Shu asks Chong Xuan Zun about Qi history in order to actually amend this chapter; the page in the Qi Book should open a new chapter. Qi Wu Emperor’s glory, not an inch of light should be left out.

The existence at the absolute peak of the present world, the unparalleled prodigy of the great Qi empire, should bear witness to this and endorse the historical books!

This is also history’s echo today, the story’s mark in the present world—Chong Xuan Zun completely has such weight.

Wait until Qi Wu Emperor obtains the Buddha’s thousand years of life, possessing immortal nature and a thousand years of time, supplementing the only regrets of that year. The history books will thus record—in the year 2894 of the Dao Calendar, Qi Wu Emperor abdicated, great power returned to himself, namely seeking transcendence, and then eternally proven!

His transcendence experience will truly exist in history.

Of course, in the history books, perhaps some more specific historical records will also appear, such as how Qi Wu Emperor fell into crisis that year, and how he resolved it, who had ulterior motives, and how he opened a new path with great wisdom and courage. These things skipped in the history books may turn to be described in detail.

When Qi Wu Emperor appears in the scroll of the heavenly way, when today’s great Qi emperor asks Chong Xuan Zun about history, Qi Wu Emperor’s transcendence path, the Heavenly Consort’s transcendence path, also become clear and definite, examined by this world.

This scroll of the heavenly way is so vivid, and the young Qi Wu Emperor in the painting is gazed upon by people. He also seems to be gazing at today’s people from within the painting.

Separated by a thousand years of time, the intersecting gazes are the eager hopes of the Qi people!

And Dizang is pressed on the chopping block called Wanghai Terrace, the tip of that knife against His neck line… about to be slaughtered!

"I have understood your path, Yuan Kong."

"I also see this segment of history and sigh at the hero."

"Wasted bitter world, how many beautiful dreams become empty!"

"However! However—"

His voice at this time is unexpectedly sad: "The present world Buddha are all extinct, the future does not even exist, let alone the past honored one. Buddha dharma withers to this… if I do not exist now, how can the past come?"

The Heavenly Consort, however, said: "You all admit the World Honored One is dead, yet those lost souls in Withering and Flourishing Temple still chant night after night that the World Honored One is eternal. This makes me melancholy! Does the Buddha deceive the world? Does the Buddha deceive the monks?"

Her fingers shifted slightly, pressing on the intersecting node, and she devoutly said: "Buddha, do not sorrow! I do not kill you, only cut a thousand years. A thousand years later… perhaps you will still be solely revered!"

In the intersecting classics and wefts on the Buddha body, in the intersecting history and reality, she finally saw the line she sought. Thus, she stabbed the fierce knife down, the knife tip along this line, stabbed into the Buddha’s neck!

From the Buddha’s neck seeps a drop of blood!

Round like a rolling bead, the color fresh red. There is only one drop of blood, yet it roars like a river and sea.

The Buddha’s true blood is unexpectedly also the color of red dust.

The Yiluo Clan people were originally also human race.

He can finally feel the same pain as Yin Guan.

But He seems always so sad!

Fixed on Wanghai Terrace, He sadly sighs.

What He repeatedly sighs: "As I have heard! As I have heard! I should feed my body to the six paths, support the various heavens, blood wash the bitter sea, sadly awaken the multitude…"

No one listens to Him.

Jiang Shu presses the halberd tighter, and Manjushri urges the mountain heavier.

The Heavenly Consort pushes the knife heavier!

A wisp of something like red smoke drills out from the back of Dizang’s neck, crawling on the tip of the life-cutting knife like an earthworm. Its form sometimes gathers, sometimes scatters, occasionally becoming concrete. Jiang Wang is also slightly stunned for a moment before recognizing… that is clearly the appearance of the Dao pulse true spirit in the earthworm period!

As his cultivation rises, he no longer needs to consider the problem of the Dao yuan. The Dao pulse true spirit has long since leaped to entwine with the star divine dragon, the Dao pulse has already been refined into a primordial spirit, the primordial spirit again refined into a dharma body. The Dao pulse true spirit often only exists as the world spirit in the small world. He really hasn’t seen this earthworm appearance for too long.

Originally, the manifested form of a thousand years of life is precisely this appearance.

Or is it that transcendence life is different?

Dizang’s eternal life is truly being cut out!

The red dust heaven and earth cauldron becomes even more brilliant, and that scroll of the heavenly way is encircled by wind!

The beautiful man in the painting seems to be taking one step, about to walk out of the scroll and continue his legend.

And Dizang, against the terrace, slowly squeezes out his voice, sadly saying: "You… heard the bell sound?"

Originally, there are three bell sounds ringing.

In the time when all people ignored.

One is the golden body hitting the high terrace, one is the literary mountain smashing the waist, and one is cutting delusion and dissecting eternity.

They respectively represent broad hearing, knowing hearing, and I hearing!

The World Honored One’s accompanying treasures, the three Buddha transmission bells!

This chapter is 6k words, including 2k words added for the great ally "Exactly Good Good Good" (6/10).