Baidi’s azure vertical pupils examined Xu Qi’an for a long while, then it slowly shook its head:
“The Daoist Venerable has long since perished. Even if he were still alive, you could not possibly be him.”
As expected, only the topic of the Daoist Venerable could make this descendant of the gods and demons take me seriously, and effectively buy time… Xu Qi’an showed no embarrassment at being seen through, and said with a smile:
“You are too confident, Baidi!
“The schemes of a Beyond-rank are beyond your imagination. The corresponding trap had already been laid back when I drove you all out of the Jiuzhou continent.”
Baidi fell silent for a moment, then sighed:
“You even knew that. If I were not certain you were not Him, I really might have been deceived by you.”
Suddenly, from the roiling black clouds, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl struck down, crooked and twisting as it smashed towards Luo Yuheng.
The Golden Core tribulation had begun.
A brilliant Golden Core shot out above Luo Yuheng’s head, its radiance illuminating all directions. This immortal Golden Core took the lightning tribulation head-on, enduring its tempering and baptism.
In the western sky, streaks of Buddhist light lit up, and Agaruka Bodhisattva’s figure condensed in mid-air. Looking towards Baidi from afar, he said:
“Strike. Do not let him stall for time.”
Lightning flickered between Baidi’s horns.
Xu Qi’an shouted:
“I know far more than you imagine. I also know that the Beyond-ranks are plotting around the Gatekeeper. You are plotting around the Gatekeeper too. But what you definitely do not know is how far the Daoist Venerable got.”
The speed at which lightning gathered between Baidi’s horns slowed.
It knew Xu Qi’an was stalling for time, creating a chance for Luo Yuheng to get through the Golden Core tribulation.
The Daoist Sect’s heavenly tribulation had two stages. One was the Golden Core tribulation, the other was the four aspects tribulation.
The two stages were not continuous. Once the Golden Core tribulation was over, there would be a brief recovery period, allowing the tribulation transcender to solidify their “surviving myriad calamities” body.
But information about the Daoist Venerable was truly tempting to Baidi. There were many mysteries it still had not solved.
In any case, it would not delay matters for long, so it might as well listen. As long as the boy uttered a single falsehood, it would strike at once…
Even so, it won’t delay too much, so I might as well listen. If this boy dares utter one falsehood, then I’ll strike immediately… thinking this, it slowed the condensation of the lightning sphere even further.
It knew many ancient secrets, and could easily tell whether Xu Qi’an was making things up, or whether he really knew some secrets about the Daoist Venerable.
Xu Qi’an asked in a testing tone, “Have you heard of the way of spirit and incense?”
“A little. That cultivation system appeared after the end of the age of gods and demons. However, in the early days of the way of spirit and incense, the descendants of the gods and demons had already been driven out of Jiuzhou by the Daoist Venerable.”
Baidi said.
Xu Qi’an said:
“The way of spirit and incense was a method of cultivation. It refined the essence of mountains and rivers into god seals, then established temples and gathered fortune via incense-fire. In this way, cultivators who controlled the corresponding god seals could become ‘invincible’ within their own territory.
“Well? Doesn’t that sound familiar?”
A light appeared in Baidi’s azure eyes, and it blurted out:
“The Arcanist system!”
It immediately recalled its conversation with Sarun Agu that day. That Great Warlock had been deeply puzzled and confused by the fact that his disciple had created the Arcanist system.
The truth had come to light.
The Arcanist system was related to the ancient way of spirit and incense. The first Jianzheng had obtained the legacy of the way of spirit and incense and, using that as a foundation, had created the Arcanist system.
A look of sudden understanding flashed through Baidi’s eyes, as another doubt was resolved. It became slightly more proactive and asked:
“But what does this have to do with the Daoist Venerable?”
As it spoke, another bolt of lightning fell, striking the Golden Core viciously.
There’s eighty-one bolts in the Golden Core tribulation. Delaying even one is worth it… Xu Qi’an’s smile widened as he answered Baidi’s question:
“What if I told you that the Daoist Venerable destroyed the way of spirit and incense?
“What if I told you that the Daoist Venerable gathered all the god seals and used his own body as material to forge a magical artefact called the Earth Book?”
Baidi showed shock. Its eyes froze, and for a long while it said nothing, chewing over the information Xu Qi’an had given it.
After a long time, Baidi seemed to be speaking to itself, or perhaps asking aloud:
“The way of spirit and incense is related to the Gatekeeper. The Daoist Venerable saw through this secret, so he destroyed the way of spirit and incense and took the god seals for himself.
“The Daoist Venerable was not wrong. He was right, because now, countless years later, the first rank of the Arcanist system, the current Jianzheng, really is the Gatekeeper.
“But why did the Daoist Venerable fail?”
If the Daoist Venerable had succeeded back then, none of what followed would have happened, and the Arcanist system would never have appeared.
Moreover, from Xu Qi’an, Baidi had once again resolved another doubt, namely why the current Jianzheng was the Gatekeeper.
The Arcanist system had not appeared for no reason, and the current Jianzheng had not become the Gatekeeper without cause. All of it could be traced back to the root.
“I can tell you the reason, but what will you trade for it?” Xu Qi’an said with a smile.
“The fact that I am listening to you is already the greatest reward I can give you,” Baidi said coolly.
The words sounded arrogant and overbearing, like a strong man pitying the weak and bestowing time upon them.
Xu Qi’an immediately skipped over the topic and once again asked in a testing tone:
“Now that we’ve spoken about the Earth Sect incarnation, let’s talk about the Heaven Sect. Do you know why the Heaven Sect incarnation vanished so strangely?”
Aside from buying time for Luo Yuheng to cross the tribulation, another reason he was saying all this to Baidi was to fleece some information from it.
This descendant of the gods and demons, which had lived from ancient times until now, certainly knew many secrets. It would never tell others for free, especially an enemy, but if that enemy also knew a great many ancient secrets, if their store of “knowledge” was on the same level, then Baidi would speak of secrets in the posture of discussion.
Xu Qi’an had openly revealed the link between the way of spirit and incense and the Arcanist system, as well as the Daoist Venerable’s incarnation forging the Earth Book, precisely to build this persona for himself.
Baidi’s gaze was cold, and its tone emotionless as it said:
“There is no need for you to say more. I have long known this matter. That incarnation of the Heaven Sect had long since merged into the Heavenly Dao.
“The Daoist Leaders of the Heaven Sect throughout the generations all vanished mysteriously because what they cultivated was ‘unity of heaven and man’. As the name implies, when one’s cultivation reached its peak, the boundary between man and heaven would become infinitely blurred. Man becomes heaven, and heaven becomes man.
“But man is always man, and could never become heaven, so the only ending is to dissolve into the Heavenly Dao and become part of the laws of nature.”
Fuck me, so that’s why… This secret struck Xu Qi’an hard, resolving a confusion that had lingered for a long time.
So the Heaven Sect’s “unity of heaven and man” is not just a figure of speech. One really would unite with heaven and man. That’s the truth behind the mysterious disappearances of the Heavenly Venerables throughout the generations.
This means the Heaven Sect incarnation of the Daoist Venerable had long since become part of the laws of nature, effectively “perishing”.
I think I understand now why there’s a “conflict of heaven and man” between the Heaven and Human Sects. If the Heavenly Venerable did not debate the Dao with the Daoist Venerable of the Human Sect, he would mysteriously vanish. By reverse reasoning, if he did debate, then he would not vanish.
At its core it’s to leave an obsession in the Heavenly Venerable’s heart, the obsession of victory and defeat, and use that to resist being assimilated by the laws of nature.
Because “heaven” has no emotion, but once there’s a desire to win, once there’s obsession, there are emotions.
How tragic. On one hand they pursue unity of heaven and man, and on the other they had to move closer to “man”, or else they would be assimilated by the Heavenly Dao. The three branches of the Daoist Sect really are a scam… Xu Qi’an lamented silently.
Also, if it’s only the desire to win, then it didn’t necessarily have to be the Daoist Leader of the Human Sect in particular. The desire to win might only be one part of it. The other part might be that the Heaven, Earth, and Human Sects had originally been one, and retained some inexplicable connection, so only the Human Sect’s Daoist Leader could help the Heavenly Venerable steady his state of mind.
Boom!
The world turned blazing white as another thunder pillar, as thick as an arm, descended and struck the Golden Core above Luo Yuheng’s head.
The lightning tribulation was intensifying.
This was the fourth bolt already. Luo Yuheng had passed it without wind or waves, gaining four tribulation bolts for nothing.
On the other side, Agaruka Bodhisattva did not give Xu Qi’an any more chance to stall for time. Above his head appeared the “Immovable Lord Dharma Aspect” and the “Vajra Dharma Aspect”.
The former lowered its eyes with palms together, divine radiance contained within, displaying no wonder.
The latter specialised in attack, flaunting twelve pairs of arms as it gathered qi and tried to attack Luo Yuheng from afar.
Agaruka did not rashly barge into the range of the heavenly tribulation. Although he had long been first rank and did not fear heavenly tribulation, not fearing it did not mean he could ignore it.
Heavenly tribulation was like a powerful enemy. There was no need to provoke it.
At that moment, three figures manifested before Agaruka. The one in front was pitch-black all over, like a man made of charcoal, with a blazing ring of fire burning behind his head.
He was no shorter than Agaruka, and was likewise a hard, muscular man.
On the left was an old Daoist with greying hair and a ruddy complexion, sleeves fluttering, with the bearing of an immortal.
On the right was a scholar in Confucian robes, also with greying hair, wearing a Confucian cap and holding a simple ancient carving knife.
The Vajra Dharma Aspect was of supreme toughness and yang energy, symbolising strength and slaughter. Other than the Great Sun Tathagata Dharma Aspect, it was the Buddhists’ strongest offence.
Under normal circumstances, even a peak second-rank al-Asura would be suppressed to some degree by such a terrifying Dharma Aspect.
So he had activated the Asura race bloodline in advance. The Asura race was warlike. The stronger the enemy, the higher their fighting spirit. They were born without fear.
Al-Asura reached behind his head with his left hand and tore off the ring of fire into his palm.
Then he reached behind his head with his right hand and seized the brilliant halo into his palm.
So blazing flames rose from his left hand, while dazzling, resplendent light shone from his right.
He let out a deep roar, and both arms shook violently. Flame and radiant light surged along his arms and gathered at his chest.
Using the Asura race battle-body as a foundation, it carried the power of the Vajra divine art and the Executioner Phala.
It was the strongest power al-Asura could currently unleash.
Like a lone hero, he met Agaruka, the strongest fighter of the Buddhist sect.
The two collided with a boom, their four palms pressing against each other, waists bent low as if competing in raw strength.
The force generated by the clash turned into a hurricane that swept in all directions.
“You do not know your place!”
Agaruka’s face was stern as he said coolly.
The muscles in his arms bulged, gradually forcing al-Asura’s palms to bend back.
Behind him, the twelve pairs of arms of the Vajra Dharma Aspect slowly closed as well, like the fangs of a flytrap, ready to devour al-Asura.
Veins bulged one after another at the corners of his forehead. Al-Asura heard the sound of his own finger bones cracking, and from the corner of his eye he saw the Dharma Aspect’s arms closing in from all sides.
Whether in strength or qi, Agaruka far surpassed him.
But it did not matter. He still had two helpers.
Zhao Shou flicked his Confucian cap with a finger and said in a deep voice:
“One man at the pass can hold ten thousand!”
A streak of clear light shot out and merged into al-Asura’s body.
In an instant, his confidence soared and his fighting spirit blazed. He believed with absolute certainty that he was invincible in battle, that he could stand alone against all the enemies in the world.
This was not an illusion. His qi, stamina, and strength all surged by an unbelievable degree.
His bent-back palms gradually regained the advantage, and the twelve pairs of Dharma Aspect arms slowly closing around him seemed to jam, unable to close fully.
Agaruka snorted coldly. The ring of fire behind his head exploded with a boom, sending up roaring flames.
The Vajra Dharma Aspect’s aura surged sharply.
Pfft!
Al-Asura’s arms were torn off by sheer force.
The twelve pairs of arms snapped shut, and the twelve streams of power were about to pour down onto al-Asura.
Not far away, Daoist Jinlian, who had been muttering incantations, opened his eyes. Agaruka’s figure was reflected in his pupils, and a seven-coloured gleam flashed through the depths of his eyes.
Boom!
A water lightning sphere slammed brutally into the Vajra Dharma Aspect, blasting out sheets of electric arcs and scattering golden light.
The Vajra Dharma Aspect jerked violently backwards, dragging Agaruka into an uncontrolled stagger.
The water lightning sphere had been released by Baidi, but its target had been Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an shifted aside and avoided the water lightning sphere, and Agaruka happened to be directly behind him, so Agaruka suffered an undeserved disaster.
It looked like a coincidence.
It really was a coincidence, but it had been arranged by human hands.
Daoist Jinlian had weakened Agaruka’s fortune, causing him to fall into a brief spell of bad luck.
Comments for this chapter. You will need a GitHub account. Please follow all terms and conditions of GitHub issues and maintain etiquette in the comments. Cookies are required for this functionality.
If you want to talk with other readers about Nightwatchers (or other cultivation type books) you can join our cultivation groupreading discord server!
I also have a Kofi, which for legal reasons is definitely for supporting my digital art only (promise!): ko-fi.com/yanxin ... plus I guess server space isn't free, and I don't want to put ads/trackers... ever, so thank you if you do!