Talisman Emperor

After almost five years of time, the doors to Arambha Temple had been opened once more.

When he stepped foot into it once more, Chen Xi’s emotions were completely different from the first time he’d come here, and it carried a wisp of hope and anticipation.

The white spirit deer stood outside the entrance, and he spoke in a warm voice upon noticing Chen Xi’s arrival. “There’s no need to worry. Master will personally see you later.”

As he spoke, he suddenly glanced at Ye Yan. He seemed to not be surprised by her appearance here, or perhaps he’d been aware of her arrival since the beginning.

He said in a warm voice, “Little Bao, take this young miss to see Huicong at the Meditation Hall.”

Little Bao was stunned, and then he nodded.

At this moment, Ye Yan’s expression was even more complicated, and she seemed to be fearful to meet Huicong yet was very excited at the same time. She looked over inadvertently and saw Chen Xi was looking at her with a smile on his face.

Suddenly, she seemed to have somehow summoned up the courage to nod before she said, “Little Bao, let’s go.”

Little Bao immediately led the way and quickly vanished along with Ye Yan.

Arambha Temple was as simple and elegant as it was in the past. Everything within it seemed to be extremely ordinary, yet they carried a pure aura of the Dao that caused them to seem extraordinary because of it.

As it was said, besides Gautama Buddha, could anyone comprehend the world through a single flower? The profundities of this place were something that was utterly impossible for ordinary cultivators to comprehend.

It was like one of the legends that had been constantly spread throughout the mortal world. The legend said that a woodcutter had gone into the mountain to cut wood, yet he encountered two old men that were playing Go by chance. A single glance caused him to be enchanted by their game, and when he woke from this, the axe in his hand was in horrible shape. When he returned to his home, he noticed his wife was gone and the world had changed because countless years had actually passed.

This was a legend about an ordinary person that had stumbled upon and entered the world of immortals.

This actually represented that ordinary people were utterly unable to sense the existence of the profundities and aura of the Dao, but they would be affected without themselves noticing it.

The overall layout of Arambha Temple was roughly similar to this. However, it was created for cultivators. Once one went about it arbitrarily, then the consequences would be worse than what that ordinary person in the legend had faced.

“Chen Xi, come with me.” The white spirit deer turned around and started leading the way.

Chen Xi followed closely behind him. They walked along a winding footpath for a long time before finally arriving at a building that was constructed from limestone, and its roof was covered in bright golden straw.

“Master, Chen Xi is here,” said the white spirit deer.

“Tell him to come in.” The Goddess’ voice sounded out from within.

The white spirit deer nodded to Chen Xi and said, “Please enter.”

“Thank you.” Chen Xi cupped his fists, and then he took a deep breath before walking in.

…

This building was spacious and quiet, and the air was filled with a divine aura that calmed the heart.

The Goddess sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion while her entire body was suffused by strands of milky white brilliance, causing others to be unable to see her appearance clearly.

However, while she merely sat there in a casual manner, she still emanated a strand of an indescribably mighty aura. It seemed like a divine mark that couldn’t be wiped away for eternity, and it caused others to involuntarily arouse feelings of reverence.

“Senior.” Chen Xi’s expression became solemn as he bowed.

“Sit,” said the Goddess in a casual manner. As she spoke, a meditation cushion and a table appeared before Chen Xi. Moreover, a pot of hot tea and two teacups had appeared on the table as well.

The Goddess picked up the pot and poured a cup of tea for both Chen Xi and herself. The tea was clear, and it emanated a strand of sweet fragrance.

“Please help yourself.” The Goddess pushed a cup to Chen Xi.

Chen Xi picked it up and took a sip, causing a strand of warmth to swiftly spread throughout his body, and it felt comfortable, profound, and refreshing.

Obviously, this tea was an extraordinary and precious treasure.

“The Divine Black Lich Venom has been suppressed, and you can take that young miss away later,” said the Goddess. She didn’t engage in small take, and she spoke in a flat and calm tone. “However, if you want to eliminate it, then you have to accomplish that by yourself. I’m unable to be of any more help.”

Even if he’d guessed that this would be the outcome, a wisp of indescribable happiness still couldn’t help but surge out from Chen Xi’s heart.

He took a deep breath, and then he stood up, bowed, and said, “Thank you, Senior.”

“Don’t mention it. I was merely returning a favor of your Senior Brother from years ago.” The Goddess gestured for Chen Xi to sit, and then she said, “Now that this matter is resolves, you can leave at any time. However, I have a few things to ask you before you do.”

Chen Xi was stunned, and then he said, “Senior, please feel free to be frank.”

“Two years ago, the marriage agreement that little girl, Ye Yan, was carrying had been destroyed by you. If I’m not wrong, you probably utilized the might of Terminus, right?” The Goddess’ voice was still flat, but when it entered into Chen Xi’s ears, it caused his heart to shake fiercely. He’d truly never imagined that the Goddess had actually noticed all of this.

Doesn’t this mean that she noticed everything that occurred in these past five years?After staying silent for a long time, Chen Xi nodded.

The Terminus Dao Insight was from the Netherworld Register, and Chen Xi had merely utilized it a few times since he’d grasped it. Normally, unless he had no other choice, he would never utilize it.

After all, this force was too heaven defying, and it was a taboo that the gods and demons of the world didn’t tolerate. Once it made an appearance in the world, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Even though the Ancient God Domain couldn’t be compared to the three dimensions, Chen Xi didn’t dare be careless. All those years ago, how extraordinary was Third Netherworld Emperor? Yet didn’t he still suffer the fate of being crushed by the great figures of the world and perished?

“Terminus….” When she saw Chen Xi admit it, she seemed to fall into silence, and she finally sighed lightly after a long time. “Those that obey the heaven are born in response to luck, and those that defy the heavens are born in response to calamity. It really is true.”

Even though he was unable to figure out the meaning behind these words, Chen Xi’s heart shook while he recalled a scene from five years ago for no rhyme or reason.

He recalled the scene before the death of the boss of the Nightbird Stellar Bandits, Ghosteye Vulture.

“You… you… you really are a… Savior! No wonder, no wonder you fought for the skull of a Holy Shaman with me…. God… Dammit!!”

Ghosteye Vulture’s furious howl before his death still resounded by Chen Xi’s ears, causing a ripple to arise in his originally tranquil mental state.

At that time, Chen Xi hadn’t even launched an attack when Ghosteye Vulture’s left eye suddenly exploded into pieces. Moreover, it caused him to destroy himself by way of being burnt to death by invisible divine flames.

That scene was extremely strange, so Chen Xi was unable to forget it even until now.

Now, when he heard the Goddess’ obscure sigh, his heart actually started palpitating for no reason.

The energy of Terminus…. A Savior…. Could they be related?

“Do you know why while the Ancient God Domain is so vast, gorgeous, and encompasses all things and Daos, it doesn’t have a cycle of rebirth?” Suddenly, the Goddess jolted Chen Xi awake from his deep contemplation with a question, and then he was stunned once more because of it. Right, why does the Ancient God Domain encompass a myriad of Daos yet only lacks a cycle of rebirth?

Could it be that because the Netherworld only exists in the three dimensions, so that’s the reason why hell and the cycle of rebirth exists there?

Chen Xi couldn’t help but look at the Goddess.

However, she changed the topic and spoke about something else. “The lack of a cycle of rebirth to the living beings of the Ancient God Domain represents eternal life so long as they don’t suffer calamity.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t true eternal life.”

When she spoke up to here, the Goddess’ voice was slightly low and heavy. “What’s true eternal life?

“It’s remaining eternal while facing a myriad of tribulations.

“It’s remaining eternal while the world is destroyed.

“It’s remaining eternal while the Grand Dao collapses.

“That’s the true objective that cultivators pursue!”

Chen Xi’s emotions rose and fell like a surging wave when he heard this, and he was unable to calm down.

He understood her. An eternal lifespan didn’t represent true immortality. For example, all the gods in the Ancient God Domain possessed practically boundless lifespans, but they would still suffer calamity, still be killed, and still perish!

On the other hand, she was speaking about the’ quintessence of eternal life’, and it was a form of true immortality and eternal life which all calamities, tribulations, and slaughters were unable to reverse!

“Unfortunately, many people in the world think that so long as the cycle of reincarnation doesn’t exist, then they can live forever and remain aloof from mortal considerations. Actually, that’s merely an excuse to deceive everyone.” When she spoke up to here, she couldn’t help but shake her head, and then she raised her teacup, took a sip, and didn’t speaking any further.

An excuse to deceive everyone? Chen Xi was shocked. What does that mean?

“Do you know what the core profundities of Samsara are?” asked the Goddess.

Chen Xi was naturally aware of it. He’d once comprehended three types of supreme Grand Daos from the Netherworld Register, and they were respectively the profundities of Paramita, Oblivion, and Terminus.

Later on, he finally attained enlightenment that these three profundities weren’t heaven defying because the Terminus Dao Insight was a taboo or was too heaven defying, and it was instead because they were the core that constructed the energy of Samsara, which was the cycle of reincarnation!

It was just like the Taichi Grand Dao was formed from the four supreme Grand Daos of light, darkness, Yin, and Yang. Samsara was formed from the supreme profundities of Paramita, Oblivion, and Terminus.

Chen Xi nodded.

She said, “You ought to be clearly aware that the energy of Samsara can guide souls to rebirth, and it can make souls fall into oblivion. Moreover, it can form the energy of the Six Paths that judges the sins and merits of all living beings, and it can establish hell to judge the good and evil.”

She paused for a moment and continued. “Its final objective is none other than to allow good to come to those who do good, and punishment for those who commit evil. So, the world can be cleaned, and justice will be upheld for all living beings.”

Chen Xi was slightly shocked in his heart. Because he’d never expected that this Goddess would actually discuss Samsara with him.

Not had he imagined that she would possess such an understanding of Samsara. Because while these few sentences she spoke seemed to be shallow and direct, it had actually clearly described the core profundities of Samsara.

“The good live while giving care and consideration for others while the evil merely live for themselves, and that’s why the good have short lives while the evil live long. The Ancient God Domain seems like the residence of all gods that exists for eternity and a paradise that countless living beings yearn to reside in. However, none are aware that the order of this paradise has been firmly controlled in the hands of experts since a long time ago. So, who would care about good and evil or right and wrong?” She sighed with slight emotion, and she seemed to have recalled matters of the past.

Chen Xi was stunned, and he was at a slight loss for what to say.

“Of course, all of this isn’t important.” After a short period of silence, her voice recovered its dignified and indifferent tone. “Most importantly, as the number of the gods in the Ancient God Domain grows, it’s bound to bring boundless calamities to the world. In the end, all of this will still descend onto those cultivators!