Chapter 118 - 116: Seeing the Black Coffin and Obtaining Another Divine Stele
The story tells of Daoist Equal to Heaven entering the ancient Hate Heaven Clan’s secret realm, where he found Ancestor Buddha Sakyamuni. After some conversation, he gained a bit of insight.
Upon exiting the inner hall, he came upon a deep and long corridor, the end of which was unknown.
Daoist Equal to Heaven did not linger; he briskly walked into the corridor, pressing forward.
Daoist Equal to Heaven thought to himself, "This Hate Heaven secret realm is quite mysterious; I don’t know where this corridor leads. Merit Buddha mentioned that the Hate Heaven Clan is guarding the Ruins, but I don’t know exactly what they are guarding."
Daoist Equal to Heaven formed a spell with his hands, and a spot of Buddha Light emanated from his forehead, illuminating the surrounding darkness, which allowed him to see quite clearly.
After a period that lasted as long as it takes an incense stick to burn, he finally emerged from the corridor, but the sight before him left him astonished.
This was a valley, and at the center of the valley stood a colossal gate made seemingly of bronze. This giant gate appeared to block off an entire world, spanning the entire Ruins, and towering thousands of feet high. The gate was engraved with talismans, all bearing the Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal. Interestingly, these characters were all the same.
Each character was meticulously and sharply carved, as if inscribed by the Heavenly Blade itself.
As Daoist Equal to Heaven approached the giant gate, he felt his own insignificance for the first time—a feeling of unattainability. He placed his hand on the gate. The texture was rough and cold, much like the Netherworld, each Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal pressed into it seeming to suppress something.
The mystery of the Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal confounded even Confucius; unable to decipher it thoroughly, Daoist Equal to Heaven took out his own Swallowing Dragon Stele, compared the thousands of characters on it with those on the gate, and identified one that matched exactly, which he secretly memorized to discuss with a Saint or Confucius later, to understand its meaning.
The material of this giant gate was neither copper, iron, nor gold, but he was shockingly familiar with it. "Could this be crafted from the Divine Iron used to make Ruyi Jingu Bang?! Such a massive gate, all made from that same Divine Iron; it’s extravagantly... extravagant!" he exclaimed.