Nightfall

The Buddhist temple was cold in the autumn rain. Ning Que stood outside the temple and looked at the sky high up above and said, “At the Front Gate of the Devil’s Doctrine, Master Lotus once said that the Devil’s Doctrine cultivates in themselves and that they are the world. That is why they were not accepted by Heaven’s Way.”

“But you said earlier, that once cultivators break through the Five States, they would have a chance to create their own rules. This would mean that they would have their own world, and this is no different from the Devil’s Doctrine’s ways. This would also be unacceptable by Heaven’s Way.”

Master Qishan stood up and walked to his side. He looked up at the sky and said calmly, “The Classics from Haotian Taoism said that cultivation was a gift from Haotian. However, if we look toward the end, no matter the Haotian Taoism’s desire to live a prolonged life, or the Buddhism Sect’s desire to reach the other side of the shore, or the mad craving of the Devil’s Doctrine for immortality, they are all attempts to break free of the restraints that Haotian has placed on Mankind.”

Ning Que thought of how Youngest Uncle had died from Heaven’s punishments. Then, the thought of many notable characters in the cultivation history who disappeared, silently succumbing to Heaven’s Way. He grew cold, and said bitterly, “Haotian doesn’t care about the Underworld Invasion, but keeps a keen watch on the mortal realm. It is very annoying.”

Master Qishan smiled and said, “Such speech and thoughts are considered blasphemous. If you were not a disciple of the Academy, and if you had not spoken inside a Buddhist temple, the West-Hill Divine Palace would not spare you.”

Ning Que suddenly recalled something. He turned around and asked the Master, “I heard that Buddha had read the ‘Ming’ Handscroll from the Tomes of the Arcane?”

Master Qishan nodded and said, “Many thoughts of Buddha might have been created by himself, but they originate from his reading of that tome. I heard that Buddha once wrote a scroll to explain it. Unfortunately, it is now lost.”

Ning Que had heard this from the Headmaster. He could not understand the “Ming” Handscroll, so he wanted to know what Buddha had seen from it, so he felt a little regret when he heard that.

“But Buddha must have mentioned the Underworld Invasion.”

“In Buddhism, the Underworld Invasion is called the Dharma Ending Period. On some old scriptures, it is also called Nirvana. The Xuankong Temple and the Lanke Temple exist because of this.”

“Are you talking about rituals commemorating the Underworld during the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival? Or the legendary Light of Buddha?”

“In fact, the most important mission of the Lanke Temple is to find the Son of Yama.”

Ning Que said, “Master, you know that I am very sensitive to the term ‘Son of Yama’ now. Furthermore... The Buddhism Sect is focused on tolerance and leaving the mortal realm. Even if they found him, would they use the Light of Buddha against him?”

The master laughed and said, “Even if they tolerated, they’d want to know what they’re tolerating, no? The Buddha had not experienced the previous Dharma Ending Period. I guess he must have been curious about what Yama would do when he entered Nirvana.”

“There is something that I don’t understand.”

Ning Que said, “Even if the rumors become reality, with the coming of darkness and the Underworld Invasion really happening, why would Yama send his son to our world? It is ludicrous to think of the Son of Yama as his vanguard. If it was meant as preparation for him to inherit the throne, that’d be even funnier.”

“Rumors say that Yama was born before the beginning of time and would die at the end of time. He is the opposite of Haotian’s light and is almighty. He doesn’t move and doesn’t die, and is called Invariant Yama. There are also rumors that Yama stays outside of space and holds the infinite world in his hands that is wide and endless. So he is known as the Lord Guang Ming. However, what he wants to do most, is to turn the mortal world into the Underworld.”

Master Qishan said.

Ning Que suddenly said, “Teacher doesn’t believe in the Underworld Invasion.”

Master Qishan said with an odd expression, “Did the Headmaster tell you that?”

Ning Que nodded and said, “Because teacher has not found where the Underworld is located.”

Master Qishan said with a slight smile, “Then just treat it as me telling you a story.”

Ning Que answered, “Thank you, Master.”

The master smiled and continued, “To counter the Underworld Invasion, Haotian recreated 69,999 false worlds in the Infinite Space after a previous attack. Then, he mixed the real world into it. No matter how powerful Yama is, he cannot differentiate which world is the real one in Haotian’s light.”

“So at the cost of sleeping for a thousand years, Yama divided 70,000 auras and sent them into the 70,000 worlds. They are the legendary 70,000 children of Yama. The 70,000 children who grew up in their own world will eventually wake up one day, and once they wake up, the Underworld will be able to sense the rules of the child’s world, confirming whether it is a real or a false world.”

At this point, Master Qishan remained silent for a long time. He whispered a few names of Buddha, forced himself to suppress his fatigue, and went on to say, “If the Son of Yama wakes up, Yama will know the exact position of our world in the light of Haotian. Then he will come to earth according to his son’s coordinates.”

Ning Que looked at the cooling pot of tea and suddenly said, “Since the dark night has come, there is no point in finding the Son of Yama now.”

“The dark night has yet to come. What we can sense now are all warning signs of the danger that will come to pass. Even if the Underworld is aware of our location, without the body of Son of Yama as a conduit, it would be impossible for it to come.”

“So... we have to kill the Son of Yama to save the world?”

“There are other ways aside from killing him.”

“What are they?”

“For example, having him cultivate in the Buddhist heart of peace, and then cleansing him with light?”

“Master... why do I feel like you’re talking about me.”

“Ning Que, you really are an interesting child.”

“How am I interesting?”

“You are interesting because you can control your mental state perfectly.”

“I do not understand.”

“You can do whatever you desire. And if you do not wish to do it, you can stop yourself from doing it. This is a good thing.”

“Master, I have said that I am not good at meditation.”

“Then what are you good at?”

“Fighting?”

“...”

Before the quiet and cold Buddhist temple, Ning Que’s and Master Qishan’s voices droned on.

There wasn’t anyone around the temple, so there was no need to worry about anyone overhearing them.

Deep inside the Buddhist temple, Sangsang had awoken from her meditation. She was reading a Buddhist scripture seriously.

Scriptures were scattered all around her.

Some of the scriptures were old and yellowing at the sides, while some were newly printed and still smelled of ink.

The light from outside the temple entered through the window and shone upon her.

A black cotton robe was wrapped around her slender body.

Her slightly dark long hair flowed down her shoulders.

She read the Buddhist scripture in earnest. She looked at ease and did not hear the voices outside the temple.

At the end of the next day.

Ning Que entered the meditation room. There was a copper plate by the window and in it, burned a stick of incense.

Sangsang lowered the Buddhist scripture and looked up at him with a happy smile, revealing two clean teeth.

Ning Que asked, “Is it interesting?”

Sangsang nodded and answered, “It’s interesting.”

Ning Que said, “The thing is, whether it’s useful or not.”

Sangsang thought for a moment and said, “Erm... it seems to be useful.”

Then, she explained softly, “It’s like, I don’t have to think of it, and then my illness is forgotten and won’t flare up again.”

“To forget it is not enough. You have to keep thinking about how to get rid of the cold aura.”

Ning Que sat beside her and reached for her wrist. After a quiet moment of perceiving, he confirmed that the cold aura deep in her body had become much calmer than the previous days.

He suddenly noticed the calmness in Sangsang’s eyes. Her entire disposition seemed to have changed. He was surprised, and thought to himself wondering whether studying Buddhism really came with so many benefits.

Sangsang continued reading the Buddhist scriptures. Perhaps she was anxious to cure her illness for Ning Que to stop worrying about it, so she worked really hard. According to the common concept of Buddhism, this kind of meticulous idealism was not necessarily beneficial to the study of Buddhism; it might even be a great obstacle. But the amazing thing was that it didn’t seem to affect her at all.

Ning Que sat by the window and began to read scriptures illuminated by the twilight.

He comforted himself in the knowledge that it was natural to read the scriptures in a temple. This was also a silent explanation to his Second Brother who insisted on slandering Buddhism.

He began to study Buddhism yesterday. While he did not possess a connection to Buddhism like Sangsang, his understanding was stronger than most. He read the scriptures quickly and when he encountered any difficulties, he went to consult Master Qishan...

Slap!

Ning Que suddenly closed the scripture he was reading.

The sound startled Sangsang, who looked up at him.

Ning Que shook his head indicating that nothing was wrong.

Sangsang continued reading scriptures.

Ning Que stared at the scripture in his hands, stupefied.

The scripture was very old, but the pages did not curl up because of this. It looked as if it few people ever read it.

The cover page of the scripture was empty; there wasn’t a title on it.

Ning Que only recalled then, the complex expression on Master Qishan’s face when he handed him the book. Master Qishan had looked comforted, freed, and extremely grave.

After some time, he slowly opened the scripture in his hands again.

The scripture was not profound, it was written by a monk describing the method to break the Knowledge barrier.

However, in the warm red glow of the setting sun, other words appeared on the yellowing pages.

There was a second layer in this scripture.

Ning Que carefully studied the binding of the scripture and confirmed that the page on Knowledge barriers was imposed on the original page in order to hide it.

With stable hands, he carefully pried the page open.

10 yellowed pages appeared before him.

These pages were made from an unknown material and written with unidentifiable ink. The colors made it look as if it had existed for tens and millions of years. They were extremely yellow but were not damaged at all. When he held them in his hands, they did not give any signs of flaking into dust.

The writing on the page did not look exceptional to Ning Que.

But when he saw the words, he did not blink even once.

The first paragraph was:

“Wise men, so were the Sun and Moon.”

Ning Que had seen this sentence... on the “Ming” Handscroll of the Tomes of the Arcane.

So he knew that these pages were the notes written by Buddha after he read the “Ming” Handscroll.