History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474
Page 458
There was a somewhat desolate mountain there from which Buddha light faintly emanated, giving off the true intent of tranquillity and nature.
“No wonder I felt that there is a massive empty region someplace in this world. So something is truly the matter.”
Yan Zhaoge observed this seemingly otherworldly mountain, not knowing where exactly it was.
Just looking at it, Yan Zhaoge suddenly seemed to hear a voice resounding by his ear.
That voice was indistinct, appearing incomparably distant and also unclear.
Yet, it audibly contained some extremely complex emotions.
Disbelieving, quizzical, shocked, furious, sorrowful, disappointed, violent, unwilling to concede…
Varying emotions all merged, seemingly inscribed amidst the space of the universe for all eternity.
Even though Yan Zhaoge could not hear what the voice was saying at all, he was able to clearly sense just how deep and intense the emotions contained within were.
What sort of hatred and fury and despair could birth such emotions?
Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly, striding over towards that mountain.
Yet, he soon discovered himself his way hindered as he was unable to get any closer to that mountain no matter what he tried.
While he did not cultivate in the Spatial Heavenly Scripture or the Immortal Trapping Sword, Yan Zhaoge already had a decent grasp of the profound variations of space now which far surpassed what would normally be seen at his current cultivation level.
Yet, he was just unable to approach that mountain at all.
Yan Zhaoge noted how he was unable to feel any restrictions, formations, fist-intent or even any spiritual qi fluctuations there which were obstructing his advance.
Everything seemed to be perfectly normal. Yet, while that mountain seemed right before his eyes, it remained eternally beyond his reach.
“It is not that there are no restrictions here. Instead, the one who set those restrictions is just too powerful,” Yan Zhaoge frowned.
Able to make it such that the current him could not detect a single trace of those restrictions, that person’s cultivation base was just so far above him that a comparison need not even be made.
It was probably one of those almighty bigwigs who were the talk of legends.
Who could it be?
Amidst his ponderings, that voice suddenly resounded by Yan Zhaoge’s ear once more.
Those intense emotions almost destabilised Yan Zhaoge’s mind, nearly rendering him insane.
This time, Yan Zhaoge was vaguely able to hear their contents.
One word.
“Teacher?!”
That roar seemed to resound all throughout the river of time, reaching the past, present and future.
Gazing at the mountain, Yan Zhaoge pondered, “Is it coming from that world? From the mountain…”
He entered the Myriad Dragon Palace, asking, “You’d definitely have heard that voice from earlier?”
Ah Hu and Xiao Ai had blank looks on their faces.
Feng Yunsheng hesitantly answered, “It was indistinct, but I seemed to hear a voice, but it also felt like there wasn’t anything. I still thought that I was imagining things.”
Yan Zhaoge asked, “Were you able to hear the contents?”
Feng Yunsheng shook her head. Yan Zhaoge considered this for a while before asking Sun Zhongda.
Sun Zhongda’s answer was similar to Feng Yunsheng’s.
“One would have to be at least a Martial Saint to hear that voice?” Yan Zhaoge pondered in silence, “The more powerful one is, the easier it would be for them to hear it.”
Feng Yunsheng was always accompanied by the Cold Sun Divine Sabre which had high compatibility with her soul, thus having been able to hear it unlike Ah Hu and Xiao who had been wholly ignorant.
Yan Zhaoge tried approaching that mountain again but was still unable to succeed.
He returned to the Obscured Way World, looking for a populated area and subtly asking them about that mountain.
Against his expectations, the place was actually quite a famous holy ground in the surrounding area.
It was just that the name of that place left Yan Zhaoge shocked and unable to speak for a long time.
“The Sage Buddha Peak is a blessed, miraculous land. We mortals would naturally be unable to go there. Only those who are devout to the Buddha might be able to enter such a place. That is where Buddha cultivates! Without troubles, without resentment, without tribulation, with complete ease.”
“Sage Buddha Peak…this Sage Buddha refers to?”
“The Namo Victorious Fighting Buddha, of course! It is said that this Sage Buddha Peak was also once called Two Boundary Mountain, and even before that, it was first called Five Elements Mountain…”
Yan Zhaoge was already no longer in the mood to listen to that noisy chattering.
With a dazed look on his face, he gazed into the horizon towards the mountain which seemed not to exist in this world, just feeling that it was utterly ludicrous.
“Five Elements Mountain…Two Boundary Mountain…Namo Victorious Fighting Buddha…isn’t that?” Yan Zhaoge had a strange expression on his face, “I know that there are legends of the Journey to the West in this world as well, but wasn’t it that that monkey left Five Elements Mountain and headed west to collect scriptures before attaining the Buddha seat of the Victorious Fighting Buddha thereafter?”
“Could it be that it is not just space which has been distorted? Time here has also been distorted as we have returned to the era of ancient times?”
Yan Zhaoge currently felt as if he lacked sufficient brainpower, “Wait, it seems like I still cannot confirm who exactly the voice belongs to. Could it be that after the monkey broke free, another came to occupy this place?”
“Still, since it has been named Sage Buddha Peak by those who live in this Obscured Way World which directly neighbours it, whoever could it be apart from that monkey?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 833: Who is trapped beneath this mountain?
HSSB833: Who is trapped beneath this mountain?
The Journey to the West also existed in this world as a super epic tale.
Due to the limited information on hand and too much time having passed, Yan Zhaoge too was not very clear on the details.
There were many legends in this world which were similar to the stories Yan Zhaoge remembered yet diverged in quite a few areas.
For example, in the version of Journey to the West that Yan Zhaoge remembered, besides the Lord of the Dao and Virtue of the Grand Clear lineage who was also known as the Highest Elder Lord, the other two founders of the Three Purities, the Lord of Primordial Beginning and the Lord of Numinous Treasure, had been mentioned in the tale as well.
While they had not officially appeared, they had still been briefly mentioned.
For example, after the Gautama Buddha had subdued the monkey, the Jade Emperor had organised a banquet to celebration the restoration of peace to the heavens. The founders of the three Purities had all been present then.
Speaking of this, that tale had not been especially worshipful towards the position and authority of the founders of the Three Purities.
Of course, there had inevitably been many far-fetched presumptions by descendants in reading it due to their differing personal interpretations of the events of back then.
Still, in this world, only the Highest Elder Lord had been mentioned in the Journey to the West.
There had been no records of the Lord of Primordial Beginning and the Lord of Numinous Treasure at all.
It was unknown whether it had been lost over time or if it had been changed due to something else.
Anyway, the two highest Daoist bigwigs, the Lord of Primordial Beginning and the Lord of Numinous Treasure, seemed not to exist in this world’s legend of the Journey to the West at all.
Yet, it was known by all that the founders of the Three Purities had Transcended together.
Therefore, Yan Zhaoge had always been somewhat puzzled regarding this.
This prevented him from properly reconciling the history and timeline of this world as he was unable to make judgments on the order of many major events in history.
While these things might seem irrelevant, in this world where ‘raise your head anywhere-divinities exist three feet above’, any minor error of judgment could very well lead to some major incident.
“The level of the founders of the Three Purities is elusive and hard to grasp. Still, since you three have already Transcended, please don’t make it so hard for us descendants.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled wryly, gazing towards that mountain as he fell silent, pondering on some things.
While the legend of the Journey to the West here was somewhat different from the tale within his memories, there were many things within that were similar.
For example, there was that Great Sage Equalling Heaven who battled the heavens and defied the earth!
There was also how he had ultimately been trapped beneath Five Elements Mountain which was formed of the five fingers of the Gautama Buddha.
Afterwards, the monk Xuanzang had released him from beneath the mountain, master and disciple heading to the west to collect scriptures. In the end, Monk Tang had become the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit while Monkey Sun had become the Victorious Fighting Buddha…
The specific details aside, the general direction was the same.
In other words, since this mountain which had once been known as Five Elements Mountain and Two Boundaries Mountain was now called Sage Buddha Peak, that should mean that it should be where Great Sage Sun lived after having become a Buddha, or perhaps where he was worshipped and remembered. That was why its name had been changed.
Yet, great fury, hatred and despondence which could not be repressed had been contained within the voice that he had heard there, as though its owner was being held captive there.
Yan Zhaoge was just unable to understand this.
“Even though that monkey became a Buddha, it doesn’t mean that his temper really became good,” Yan Zhaoge guessed, “Could it be that he has imprisoned someone there? His disciple?”
Despite thinking this, Yan Zhaoge’s intuition vaguely told him something.
That owner of the voice was none other than the legendary Great Sage Equalling Heaven!
But if it really was him, the legend of the Journey to the West was from the very distant past, far, far before the Great Calamity.
How could he be trapped beneath Five Elements Mountain?
He should long since have escaped and journeyed to the west for the scriptures, attaining a Buddha seat.
The locals of the Obscured Way World hailing this place as Sage Buddha Peak clearly proved this too.
Then, was it that after having attained a Buddha seat, becoming the Namu Victorious Fighting Buddha, that monkey had been secretly trapped there again afterwards, few knowing of this?
Or was it to say that time was different in the space where the mountain was?
The space where the mountain was existed way back in the distant past when the monkey had still been trapped beneath Five Elements Mountain, still yet to be let out by the monk Tang Xuanzang?
The scenes which he had witnessed just now were actually from the past as time was different at the Sage Buddha Peak from the Obscured Way World and the World beyond Worlds, from the worlds of after the Great Calamity?
Many doubts and speculations instantly arose in Yan Zhaoge’s mind.
It was just that it was very difficult for him to check if they were actually true right now.
Yan Zhaoge flew back towards that mountain once more.
Passing the gaps between the overlapping boundaries of the two distinct worlds, Yan Zhaoge attempted to ascend that legendary Five Elements Mountain.
Sadly, his attempt ended once again in failure.
No matter how he tried to approach the mountain, the distance between him and the mountain never shrunk.
While the mountain existed within plain sight, it felt as far away as the ends of the world.
It was not that Yan Zhaoge did not learn anything, however, as he gained a deeper understanding of the environment before him, “This is not some mere transformation in space. Instead, someone has set down restrictions here.”
“It would be useless even if I cultivated in the Spatial Heavenly Scripture or the immortal Trapping Sword. My cultivation base would have to attain a certain level before I would have a way to take care of them.”
Yan Zhaoge’s eyes narrowed slightly, “It would be very difficult for me to break them with subtlety. The foundation of these restrictions consists not of Daoist martial arts but of Buddhist martial arts which I am comparatively unfamiliar with.”
Actually, the Martial Repository of the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace had formerly also contained some Buddhist martial scriptures. Still, they had been of a relatively interior grade as no peak ones had been amongst their number.
While Yan Zhaoge had seldom tried to cultivate in them, he had basically browsed through them once over as he was thus able to see through the foundation of the restrictions before him now.
“It looks like it would be impossible to ascend the mountain within the short term,” Yan Zhaoge rubbed his temples lightly, sighing, “Still, what exactly is there? It is a truly contentious problem…”
Amidst his thoughts, Yan Zhaoge’s heart suddenly jolted slightly as he looked in another direction.
A few figures suddenly appeared in the distant horizon before swiftly turning and speeding over in the direction of Five Elements Mountain.
Gazing over, Yan Zhaoge saw that they were all garbed in Buddhist robes with nine bright spiral dots on their heads.
They wielded Vajra pestles, Buddhist beads, bladeless sabres and sceptres, all these being trademark Buddhist weapons.
When they saw Yan Zhaoge, they all chanted a Buddhist mantra in a low tone, then said, “Someone actually came to this Obscured Way World, even coming to a restricted ground.”
“Disciple of an external dao, vanquish your stubborn desires, quickly reaching the opposite shore!”
The monks all yelled in unison before Buddha light converged that shot into the skies, resembling a sea of clouds which enveloped the entire sky.
Buddhist chanting reverberated throughout the heavens and the earth, great roiling waves sweeping over towards Yan Zhaoge.
It actually seemed as though they had no intention of trying to reason with Yan Zhaoge at all.
Even as Yan Zhaoge felt this to be rather inexplicable, he raised his brows slightly.
Just as he was about to act, his heart suddenly jolted. Gazing over in another direction, he saw another group of people suddenly appearing from another direction and nearing where he was.
Carefully gazing over, they were Gao Qing and the other descendants of the Prime Clear lineage.
Currently, Gao Qing and the others were battling others as well, retreating even as they clashed.
It was shockingly also another bunch of Buddhist monks whom they were currently fighting with.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge, those other Buddhist monks as well as Gao Qing’s group were all taken aback.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 834: Rain of swords slaying Buddha Dragon
HSSB834: Rain of swords slaying Buddha Dragon
Seeing Gao Qing and the others, Yan Zhaoge guessed that they had previously been trying to scout the Obscured Way World to find a way back to the Roving Jade Heavens.
They too had probably discovered a problem in this world’s spiritual qi cycles, thus having found their way to Five Elements Mountain.
Yet, they had clearly run into a wave of Buddhist martial practitioners before Yan Zhaoge had.
That group of monks was solemn and dignified with Buddha light enveloping their bodies from which emanated the true intent of pureness and tranquillity.
While these Buddhist martial practitio
ners were not vicious in their attacks, they were all tough and resolute with raging, unwavering eyes of steel.
With just a simple glance at them, Yan Zhaoge knew that these Buddhist martial practitioners were very similar to those from pre-Great Calamity times.
Buddhist martial arts had different cultivation levels from Daoist ones. Before having Transcended that year, the Gautama Buddha had walked a new path atop the foundation of the martial way which the Lord of the Dao and Virtue of the Grand Clear lineage had pioneered back then.
Still, while both of these had seemed somewhat opposing to each other, they shared similarities as well as they were connected at some basic level.
All these years, Daoist martial practitioners had habitually appraised Buddhist martial practitioners based on their own cultivation levels.
It was just that currently, things were already very different from how they had been back during the time of the legendary Journey to the West when the Gautama Buddha had presided over the central Whirling World, known also as Sahā-lokadhātu.
Whether it had been for better or for worse, only time could tell.
Currently, these Buddhist martial practitioners’ foundation was the Buddha light within their bodies.
This Buddha light aided them by raising their cultivation levels and boosting their strength, making it much easier for them to improve than disciples of Daoism.
One would not require great talent or high comprehensive abilities. So long as they had hearts which were devout towards the Buddha and firm, decisive wills, their strength would be able to increase by leaps and bounds within a short period of time.
Low requirements were needed and it was highly effective as well.
Still, they would be weaker than the average Daoist martial practitioner at the same cultivation level.
This was because their comprehension of their martial arts at the corresponding cultivation level and their knowledge of the principles of the heavens and the earth would be insufficient.
It would be rather like knowing how something worked but not knowing why it worked that way.
Still, although Buddhist martial practitioners were weaker than Daoist martial practitioners at the same cultivation level, there was a problem which could not be overlooked.