Chapter 1050: The Buddha of the Past, the Buddha of the Present, and the Buddha of the Future
“Have you finished forging your immortal body then?” Lu Yang asked. The immortal body the Epoch Immortal has been condensing for three hundred thousand years feels far more powerful than the temporary one I’ve condensed.
“Finished forging it just over a decade ago,” the Epoch Immortal replied with a smile.
“Then do you know Tang Chuanwu?”
“Tang Chuanwu? Oh, that child? I saw that he might encounter a deadly tribulation in the future, so I granted him the ability to reverse time.”
“To test the mastermind’s reaction?” Lu Yang pressed further.
The Epoch Immortal looked at Lu Yang in surprise, then smiled. “Correct. Although I didn’t clearly see who ambushed me back then, the mastermind doesn’t know how much I actually saw. Hence, I conferred the ability to reverse time upon Tang Chuanwu, letting the mastermind know that I was still alive. The mastermind would surely want to find me, and in their haste, they might reveal a weakness.”
Lu Yang remarked inwardly, So it’s just as I’d expected. When he had previously speculated about the user of the Epoch Dao Fruit, he had considered that the user might be sending a message to the mastermind through Tang Chuanwu.
And what message could it have been? The Epoch Immortal must have been trying to tell the mastermind that he’s still alive.
Subsequently, Lu Yang had learned of the Epoch Immortal-Searching Token’s origin, which leveraged the principle of the Dao Fruit’s suppression on its Incipient Dao Fruits, thereby locating the Epoch Immortal.
The suppression of a Dao Fruit on its Incipient Dao Fruits couldn’t be avoided simply by hiding in a small world. If that were possible, the Qilin Immortal would have long hidden himself away, allowing Ao Ling and Jiang Lianyi to become immortals in the outside world.
The fact that the Great Qian Dynasty could craft the Epoch Immortal-Searching Token proved that the user of the Epoch Dao Fruit had already existed during the Great Qian era.
Both events suggested that the Epoch Immortal might still be alive. Therefore, when Lu Yang saw the Epoch Immortal in the Mahavira Hall, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
But this leads to another question—whose reincarnation is Li Haoran? If Li Haoran isn’t the reincarnation of the Epoch Immortal, then is he the reincarnation of the immortal whose body had been taken over by the mastermind?!
As Li Haoran’s cultivation grows, his memories will awaken, revealing who he was in his first life. In that case, no one else must know that Junior Brother Li is someone’s reincarnation. If the mastermind learns of Junior Brother Li’s existence, they will surely stop at nothing to kill him!
“Young Friend Lu Yang, since you asked about Tang Chuanwu, does that mean you’ve met him?”
“Yes, I’ve met him. The mastermind also acted, though not directly, so hardly any clues were left behind.”
“I see.” The Epoch Immortal was slightly disappointed. The mastermind is really cautious.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door of the Mahavira Hall.
“Little Junior Brother, are you inside?”
“Who’s there?!” The Epoch Immortal was startled.
“Aiya, just a little lass.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy waved dismissively. “Xiao Yangzi, go open the door.”
While Lu Yang went to open the door, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy secretly transmitted an auditory message to the Epoch Immortal.
“Hey, Epoch, let me ask you. Didn’t you say that the future is uncertain?”
The Epoch Immortal paused, then nodded. “Yes, I did. Why?”
“Xiao Yangzi and I could come to the Buddhist Kingdom because a Nian Year Beast carried us here. Along the way, we fell into the river of time, where we saw the past and a glimpse of the future.”
“So what did you see?” The Epoch Immortal’s expression grew strange. I’ve never seen Everlasting act so coy.
“What I saw was...me reluctantly saying goodbye to Xiao Yangzi, saying ‘I truly can’t bear to part with you.’”
The Epoch Immortal started. “What?”
“That’s why I’m asking you—can the future I saw be changed?”
The Epoch Immortal’s expression grew solemn as he realized the gravity of the matter. “When is the future you saw?”
~~~
Lu Yang pushed open the door of the Mahavira Hall. Outside stood a heroine in a white dress, wearing a conical bamboo hat draped with white fabric that concealed her face.
Seeing Lu Yang, the heroine removed her hat, revealing exquisite features. It was none other than Yun Zhi.
“Big Senior Sister, what brings you here?” Lu Yang was overjoyed. I didn’t summon her, though.
“Your second senior brother contacted me with a letter, saying something had happened at Xitian Temple.”
Lu Yang had felt that he had everything under control, and the outcome proved him right, though Ye Zijin had clearly thought otherwise.
“Letter?” Lu Yang remembered that Gan Tian had also reached out to Yun Zhi through letters while in the Demon Region. It seems Second Senior Brother has letters too.
“Then why don’t I have any?”
“I gave letters to Second Junior Brother and Third Junior Sister because I was concerned for their safety. You naturally have no need for such things.”
Yun Zhi sized up her little junior brother, whom she hadn’t seen for months. A rare trace of a smile appeared on her visage. “After the Nian Year Beast took you away, Mengmeng was quite worried about you. It seems you’re doing well in the Buddhist Kingdom. You’ve even condensed an immortal body.”
Lu Yang scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. “It was just a cheap trick. Big Senior Sister, please come in. The Immortal Fairy and Senior Epoch Immortal are inside.”
“Oh? You’ve found Senior Epoch Immortal as well?” I knew I didn’t have to worry about Little Junior Brother. He can handle problems on his own outside and still stumble upon fortuitous encounters afterward.
“Lass Yun, come, come, let me introduce you. This glowing Buddha statue is the Epoch Immortal.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy patted the Epoch Immortal on the shoulder.
“This junior, Yun Zhi, pays respects to Senior Epoch Immortal.”
“Everlasting, who is this?” The moment the Epoch Immortal saw Yun Zhi, he felt that she was no ordinary person, though he couldn’t say why.
I think I’ve heard Mingyu mention the name Yun Zhi. Apparently, she’s the true sect leader of the Dao-Seeking Sect.
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy stood proudly between Lu Yang and Yun Zhi, pointing to herself. “I am the strongest of ancient times.”
Then she pointed to Yun Zhi on her right. “Lass Yun is the strongest of the present age.
“Xiao Yangzi is the strongest of the future.”
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy put her arms around them, laughing happily. “The three of us are the strongest cultivators of the past, present, and future!
“Doesn’t our Buddhism have the Buddha of the Past, the Buddha of the Present, and the Buddha of the Future? Epoch, add the three of us, too.”
“Strongest of the present age?” The Epoch Immortal was stunned. Everlasting has incredibly high standards. To receive such an appraisal from her is no small achievement.
But considering that Young Friend Lu Yang has been evaluated as the “strongest of the future,” I can’t help but feel that the assessment of “strongest of the present age” may also be inflated.
“What, you don’t believe me? If you don’t believe me, spar with her!” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy incited him.
The Epoch Immortal genuinely didn’t believe it. If not for the incident along the way, I would have been the first to become an immortal. Afterward, I wielded the mysterious and unfathomable Epoch Dao Fruit. Apart from Everlasting, I’ve never feared anyone.
“Then let’s try!” Since condensing his incense immortal body, he had never had a chance to fight. This is the perfect opportunity to show off my skills!
Yun Zhi and the Epoch Immortal faced off, the atmosphere tense.
The Epoch Immortal activated his Epoch Dao Fruit to examine all future possibilities.
“Please give me your guidance, Senior,” Yun Zhi said calmly.
“Wait a moment,” the Epoch Immortal suddenly said before the fight began. “Everlasting, what did you just say?”
“Spar with her?”
“The sentence before that.”
“What, you don’t believe me?”
“I believe you.”
