Secret Buyer

(Tomorrow, an additional 4,000 words will be posted)

The white jade steps are gone.

The imposing Profound Yellow Waterfall is also gone.

Massive, shadowy figures stand in the thick fog, illuminated by the sparse heavenly light of the Taoist Palace,

appearing to cast grand shadows like iron mountains, projecting from the terrifying beings, stretching through the fog.

"Eight Sceneries Palace..."

An elder softly sighs, lost in the majestic Taoist Palace’s gaze:

"A thousand years have passed..."

He is Huang Qiuxian, who, over the millennia, hasn’t become an Innate Ancestral Spirit like Chen Nuanyu or Buddha Son, but is nonetheless extraordinary, having risen to high positions in the former Eastern Sect.

Coupled with an unknown destiny’s favor, opportunities continuously arose, leading him to reach the level of a Great Divine Power User, mastering the Thunder Technique to its peak.

"Are you... the Third Seat?"

Buddha Son—or now the Six-armed Great Black Heaven—sighs, his voice equally deep:

"Yes, over a millennium..."

Buddha Son looks around; the First Seat is present, the Second and Fourth Seats are unharmed, the Seventh and Eighth Seats are familiar faces,

even the successor of the vanished and fallen Sixth Seat is unscathed.

Eight Sceneries Palace, Eight Sceneries Palace.

Eight figures gaze at the towering Taoist Palace, as the Sixth Seat, Li Jing, speaks solemnly:

"Seems like this place has changed locations?"

The seats glance in all directions; indeed, the Eight Sceneries Palace is no longer in its original spot, with no Profound Yellow Celestial Pillar or white jade steps in sight,

and everyone now seeing differently; observing closely through their present eyesight, the fog reveals a blurred glimpse of another world—the human realm.

An ancient dynasty, martial artists, martial courts, Martial Artists, knights...

"A world in the Great Void," the Second Seat, Du Mingsheng, asserts, now also formidable, with high status in the former Mandala Lineage.

"All of you, after a millennium, seem extraordinary?"

This time, it’s the Fourth Seat, Shi Zhengyuan, speaking, with a smile, Buddhist charm abounding, cleansing endless, faintly revealing bright compassion and righteousness,

clearly having traversed far along the path of Buddhism.

"Your aura is like a profound sea, especially the First and Fifth Seats," the Seventh Seat, Shen Baobao, speaks crisply:

"What’s the world like now?"

The First Seat, Chen Nuanyu, raises an eyebrow, quietly withdrawing his gaze from the Fifth Seat, Buddha Son—unsure if it’s an illusion,

he always feels the Fifth Seat’s Taoist charm and aura are familiar.

Chen Nuanyu scrutinizes the Seventh Seat, he ponders:

"From the Seventh Seat’s words, it seems you’ve been absent from the world for a long time?"

"More than just a long time," Shen Baobao says with resignation, "since the last gathering over a thousand years ago, I’ve never seen the human realm."

"Throughout this millennium, I’ve constantly been trapped in a mysterious Taoist Palace... How fares the Federation?"

All seats look peculiar; the Eighth Seat, Miss Mingyue, nods:

"I’m also curious; how is the Federation now? To be honest, I’ve been trapped somewhere as well."

She chuckles bitterly; over a millennium, she still hasn’t emerged from Two Realms Mountain, nor left the terrifying beings’ Little Stone Mountain town.

"This will be a long story."

Buddha Son clicks his tongue:

"The Federation collapsed a millennium ago; the mother star has become a vast continent, with provinces and cities no longer under a singular heaven."

"At this moment, the human realm, the New Federation and Ghost Country confront each other north and south, the Celestial Court reigning above, the six Holy Lands are prominent, and the upper realm overshadows everything."

Miss Mingyue is bewildered:

"Ghost Country?"

"Yes."

Buddha Son nods:

"During a cataclysmic event a millennium ago, all Great Divine Power Users and above vanished, unyielding iron laws surfaced in the world..."

He briefly narrates, finally adding:

"Following that event, the Six Paths Prison disappeared, and the deceased are no longer Residual Souls, remaining long in the human realm as solitary souls and wandering ghosts."

"Later, these solitary souls and wandering ghosts united to establish the Ghost Country in the new world’s north."

Miss Mingyue, Shen Baobao exchange glances.

The former earnestly sizes up the Fifth Seat, Buddha Son, "Fifth Seat, your aura... Have you become a True Saint?"

"Indeed."

Buddha Son admits frankly:

"By chance and luck, I became a True Saint—if I’m not mistaken, the First Seat and I have obtained the same opportunity?"

They look at each other now, confirming that both appeared a millennium ago at the ancient court, identifying each other as the "Upper Realm’s Ten Seniors."

However, they exchange no further information.

"A millennium... What’s the reason for today’s summoning by the Celestial Venerate?"

Buddha Son finally looks toward the Eight Sceneries Palace, now its doors are open, inside is incredibly deep, with the vast Chaos Mist rolling unceasingly.

Silence, silence.

The seats exchange looks and finally head towards the Eight Sceneries Palace, stepping inside, maintaining ceremony as always.

"Infinite Celestial Venerate, Tao Ancestor above!"

Grand echoes reverberate, profound manifestations float and reveal, Buddha’s Pure Land, Taoist blessings, five thunders entrenched...

Sceneries rise and fall among the seats, ebbing and flowing.

All in homage to the silhouette hidden within the Chaos Mist.

.........

Great Stone City.

"Your vision is quite sharp."

High above the sky, this generation’s Traveler from the Other Shore World is seated high up in the clouds,

he quietly gazes down, surrounded by immortal music spontaneously resonating, with three hundred and sixty Pocket Worlds floating behind him, layered upon layered!

Evidently an Extreme Celestial Being.

Hu Lifo stretches lazily, a faint smile gracing his lips:

"Your methods are quite remarkable, two Innate beings can block one of my palms..."

Shi Tianming and the Little Monk look sternly, gazing up at the heavens at the Other Shore Traveler,

The former takes a deep breath:

"Ling Mountain, Shi Tianming under the Eternal Bodhisattva’s seat, greets the Traveler."