Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Borderless Heavenly Capital:

When Gu Hai came out of seclusion, he received word of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s two thousand cities breaking out in chaos.

After speaking to Gu Qin using the zither puppet, he knew Gu Qin was waiting in Spirit Mountain City to see the final results.

To avoid any accidents, Gu Hai told Gu Qin to return early. However, Gu Qin did not want to, so Gu Hai did not press the issue. After all, Gu Qin’s boldness came by imitating him.

More importantly, Gu Hai received a letter after coming out of seclusion. This letter made Gu Hai shift his attention from Spirit Mountain City.

A white-clad man had come to deliver this letter. At the same time, this man produced a large seal, which resulted in all the officials in Borderless Heavenly Capital allowing him to reach Gu Hai.

“This humble one is a staff officer in the White Emperor’s army. My mistress sent me with this seal to deliver a letter. Imperial Emperor Gu, this is my mistress’s letter!” the white-clad man said respectfully.

The White Emperor sent a letter?

Gu Hai and Chen Tianshan, who brought the white-clad man to Gu Hai, appeared curious.

Gu Hai accepted the letter, opened it, and read it.

“Gu Hai:

“I know you are capable, and I also understand I stand no chance if I fight you. If I get help from another faction, I will only end up their pawn. I cannot accept this, but I cannot help it. I desire to settle down and live peacefully until I die of old age. Unfortunately, I have a burden in my heart.

“Naturally, I understand that Jiang Gautama is using me to deal with you, and he does not have good intentions. However, I have to go.

“I am doing this for Gu Tang.

“Recently, my earthly soul has been trembling, bursting with emotions. I keep recalling the memories of my reincarnation, Chen Xianer. Although I can suppress it with reasoning, there are some things I cannot let go of.

“Chen Xianer’s four sons, Qin, Han, Tang, and Ming, are the people most important to her besides you.

“Among them, Chen Xianer doted on Gu Tang since young. Furthermore, he was filial. After Chen Xianer died, he immediately followed the Azure Emperor to remain by my side, protecting me at all times.

“Gu Tang was extremely filial, helping me settle many difficult situations. Although I was cold to him, he refused to give up and leave.

“What more could a parent want with such a son?

“I am jealous of Chen Xianer for having such a filial son.

“I never saw him as my son, but he always saw me as his mother.

“I initially wanted to hide somewhere. Unfortunately, Chen Xianer’s earthly soul could not stop worrying about this filial son.

“Perhaps you might not believe it, but I have to tell you. The souls that Jiang Gautama returned to you previously are fake. The real Gu Tang has always been in Jiang Gautama’s hands. He is prepared to use Gu Tang’s souls against you.

“My son? I have to rescue him before I go into hiding, only because he treated me as his mother all these years.

“Jiang Gautama hid Gu Tang in his Gautama Immortal Firmament. You cannot find him.

“I am qualified to enter only because I chose to be ‘loyal’ to Jiang Gautama.

“Before I wrote this letter, I saw you deal with the Purple Jade Heavenly Demon. I don’t know whether you can deal with Jiang Gautama, but I choose to believe in you. At the very least, you won’t give up on your son.

“I will send my subordinate to deliver this letter, and it will take some time for it to arrive in your hands. If I have rescued Gu Tang, I will stop my subordinate, and this letter will not reach you. However, if I fail, I am probably trapped. Saving Little Tang will depend on you now.

“Jiang Gautama’s Gautama Immortal Firmament is like the Purple Jade Heavenly Demon’s secret realm immortal firmament; both were given by the Unrestrained Heavenly Demon. He hid the Gautama Immortal Firmament in the Hell Path Secret Realm, which is the eighteen layers of hell. You have been there before. The Gautama Immortal Firmament is somewhere there.

“If I fail, I can only rely on you to save him. You must pay close attention to this.

“Regards, White Emperor.”

“The White Emperor? She only joined Jiang Gautama to save Little Tang?” Gu Hai’s face sank.

“Your Reverence, did this letter come from the White Emperor?” Chen Tianshan asked worriedly.

Although Chen Tianshan did not read the letter, the courier’s arrival had been quite abrupt.

Gu Hai looked at the person who delivered the letter, and nodded. “Little Tang showed us a portrait of this person before. He is one of the White Emperor’s most loyal men. There should be no mistake. Chen Tianshan, bring him to get some rest. Don’t tarry.”

“Yes!” Chen Tianshan answered.

“The eighteen layers of hell?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly.

Since this person delivered the letter, it meant that the White Emperor was trapped there.

Gu Hai rushed to Vairocana’s courtyard, holding the letter.

At this moment, Vairocana was studying the pill furnace that had burned Shangguan Hen.

“The Earthen Flame Burning the World Furnace? Gu Hai, this furnace is quite peculiar. It is actually an Eight Trigram Furnace?” Vairocana marveled.

“An Eight Trigram Furnace?” Gu Hai felt slightly startled.

Isn’t the Eight Trigram Furnace in the Myriad Age Daoist Sect?

“There are eight kinds of Eight Trigram Furnaces. If I guess right, the one belonging to Sect Master Supreme Ascendant is a fire-attributed Eight Trigram Furnace forged from the fire calabash. That corresponds to the Eight Trigram Furnace of Earth’s Lord of the Dao and the Virtue. This is the Kun-attributed Eight Trigram Furnace,” Vairocana explained.

[TL Note: The Kun Trigram is the one of the eight trigrams. It is earth-attributed and has the imagery of the ground. As there are eight trigrams and only five elements, some elements correspond to more than one trigram. The Gen Trigram also corresponds to the earth element but has the imagery of mountains. The fire element only corresponds to the Li Trigram.]

Although Gu Hai felt curious, he had more important things to do.

“Take your time in studying this pill furnace. I would like your help with something,” Gu Hai said gravely.

“Oh?” Vairocana shifted his gaze from the pill furnace to Gu Hai.

“While the Six Paths Immortal Firmament and Sa’s Immortal Firmament have differences, their Heavenly Dao and laws are the same. I just want to know if you can find the Hell Path Secret Realm’s entrance and enter the eighteen layers of hell?” Gu Hai asked.

“The eighteen layers of hell?” Vairocana parroted in bewilderment.

“Yes. The Six Paths Immortal practically sealed off the eighteen layers of hell. However, Jiang Gautama can enter it using the Reincarnation Pool. Previously, I entered the eighteen layers of hell using the Reincarnation Pool. However, I came out using a Reincarnation Lotus. This Reincarnation Lotus only allows me to exit, but I want to go in. Do you have a way to find a new entrance using this lotus flower?” Gu Hai took out a small bottle.

There was a Reincarnation Lotus in that bottle.

“It indeed has an aura of reincarnation. I have to study it for a while,” Vairocana said as he checked the lotus flower.

“Thank you for your hard work!” Gu Hai nodded.

Buzz!

Vairocana placed his hand over the lotus flower, and it gave off seven-colored light.

Gu Hai did not leave, waiting there patiently for two days.

Buzz!

The lotus flower suddenly trembled, and a seam appeared in space.

“I have not failed in my mission!” Vairocana said with a smile.

“You found it? Many thanks!” Gu Hai said joyfully.

Just as Gu Hai was about to see for himself, he suddenly turned his head back to a nearby palace hall. The zither puppet connected to Long Shenying and Gu Qin was in that palace hall.

Long Shenying’s startled cry came from that zither puppet. “It’s the Gautama Divine Palm! Jiang Gautama? Your Highness, go quickly! Quickly leave the Blazing Sun Desert!”

“Oh no! There’s a problem!” Gu Hai’s expression changed.

Vairocana was quick-witted, immediately understanding what happened.

“There! The Blazing Sun Desert. Vairocana, can I trouble you—”

Boom!

Gu Hai pointed in a direction, but before he could finish speaking, Vairocana had already turned into a beam of light shooting into the distance.

Vairocana moved extremely quickly. As he flew in the direction Gu Hai indicated, he saw a large Gautama Divine Palm in the distance, moving towards Long Shenying with a heavenly might.

------

A vast stretch of desert along the Han Imperial Dynasty’s border:

Long Shenying escorted Gu Qin as they flew quickly.

“Your Highness, my Han Imperial Dynasty’s border is right in front!” Long Shenying smiled as he looked into the distance.

“Although Father kept urging us to return early, I would regret it if I did not personally see the results after working hard for half a year. Hahaha! It was truly fantastic!” Gu Qin guffawed.

“It was more than fantastic! You made an incomparable contribution to the Han Nation! Destroying the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s blessings? Had this humble one not seen it in person, I would never have imagined it!” Long Shenying still felt like he was dreaming.

“Incomparable contribution? Hah! I just executed Father’s Blessings Destruction Plan. This was all Father’s plan. What I look forward to the most is Father rescuing Mother and Little Tang. I don’t care about anything else!” Anticipation flashed in Gu Qin’s eyes.

“With the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s blessings destroyed, Jiang Gautama will lack firm foundations. I believe His Reverence can accomplish his wish soon,” Long Shenying said with anticipation.

“Indeed, Father will do it!” Gu Qin said somewhat excitedly.

Right then, Long Shenying’s hair stood on end in a presentiment of grave danger. His expression changed, and he exclaimed, “What?”

As Long Shenying cried out, he instinctively took out a zither puppet and simultaneously turned his head to look back.

A beam of golden light shot over from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, radiating overwhelming anger. Amid the golden light was a large golden palm that looked like it would smash the two into pieces.

“It’s the Gautama Divine Palm! Jiang Gautama? Your Highness, go quickly! Quickly leave the Blazing Sun Desert!” Long Shenying’s expression changed dramatically. He flung out his wide sleeves and hurled Gu Qin into the distance. Simultaneously, he threw a palm strike to clash.

It was not that Long Shenying did not want to dodge, but he simply could not. Jiang Gautama had locked the surroundings. If he did not clash with this incoming palm, the palm would destroy Gu Qin.

How could Gu Qin survive with his cultivation?

At this moment of danger, Long Shenying could only save Gu Qin first and had to fight back immediately.

“Hahaha! Long Shenying, if Long Zhanguo were still alive, I might have given you a chance. To think you want to protect him now? No one can save him. Since you are seeking death, then die!” Jiang Gautama suddenly descended from the sky.

Boom!

The humongous golden palm smashed down, looking like it would destroy the world. It created a black hole in space, with all its force focused on Long Shenying.

“Hah!” Long Shenying roared ferociously and transformed into his zombie form. A large pair of dragon-scaled bone wings burst out of his back, manifesting Jiangchen’s body. He was at the ninth-layer Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, and as he clashed with the Gautama Divine Palm, he used his full power.

Boom!

A loud report resulted from the clash. Sand blasted up into the sky all over the vast desert. The whole place turned chaotic, looking like the end of the world.

However, Long Shenying had managed to hurl Gu Qin out of the area covered by the sandstorm.

Right now, Long Shenying was doing his best to block Jiang Gautama. Naturally, Gu Qin would not remain to be a burden. He quickly turned and rushed towards the Han Nation’s border. Simultaneously, he took out a zither puppet to inform Gu Hai.

“Lord Long, I have implicated you. You must hold on. Hold on for a while. Father will come and save you!” Gu Qin cried out anxiously.

Bang!

A black figure shot towards Gu Qin like a fired cannonball.

“Lord Long?” Gu Qin exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Long Shenying’s body had cracks all over from the Gautama Divine Palm. Blood spurted out from everywhere, and the large dragon-scaled bone wings were broken and bleeding.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Long Shenying crashed through a series of rocky mountains at the edge of the desert, eventually stopping at the foot of the fiftieth mountain.

Blargh!

Long Shenying could not stop vomiting blood. He had helped Gu Qin block that palm strike but sustained severe injuries that rendered him powerless.

Jiang Gautama was simply too strong.

Jiang Gautama’s palm strike, launched in anger, was not simply powerful. This was Long Shenying. Yet, this attack left him hors de combat.

Whoosh!

Jiang Gautama appeared beside Gu Qin in an instant. As he looked at the zither puppet, he smirked.