“Your threat is useless.” The teleporting creature responded.
“I’m not threatening you since if I wanted to do so, I would have done it the last time I was here. I’m just telling you right now since this is my last visit to Buddhist Plain, no need to do so anymore. Thus, I need the answer or I will make it truly disappear from history!”
“I also want to tell you.” The creature shook its head: “Unfortunately, we also don’t know the answer since we didn’t actually partic.i.p.ate. All I can do is apologize, we won’t be able to help.”
Li Qiye raised his brow and said: “So, you are saying that the one who found this world isn’t your group but rather the Golden Buddha that left.”
“Yes.” The creature said: “We only researched the way to face the disaster back then but he had his own ideas. He believed that our method was useless so he tried to look for other ways, including the non-existent world.”
“I see.” Li Qiye replied: “No wonder why he was able to escape during the destruction of an epoch. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t let go of everything, unable to quell his desire.”
“No one can, not even a Buddha after the long years.” The creature said: “It is also the same for you, someone who wants to partic.i.p.ate in the final battle. Perhaps you are like him, finding a way to help your epoch survive with the non-existent world.”
“No, I am not a compa.s.sionate person. I am trying to find it for my own sake, not for the rest of the world.” Li Qiye shook his head with a smile and added: “You all do not have what I’m searching for, it is time for me to leave.”
“You may leave with an item.” The creature spread its palm, revealing a seed on its furry paw.
When this seed appeared, a Buddhist light illuminated the entire place. It seemed to be gestating three thousand worlds with a majestic life force. Trillions of existences could be born from it. Once it grew up, it would be able to open a new world.
“If this seed germinates, it will be a brilliant era.” The creature said: “No one else but you will be able to plant it. You have experienced our epoch and learned the dao here so you can also shoulder an entirely new epoch, opening an unprecedented path.”
“You should keep something that amazing then.” Li Qiye smiled: “I’m not a naive kid who salivates at the first sight of treasure. This karmic fruit is indeed amazing, gestated by an epoch. Unfortunately, it also carries the karma of an epoch. Even if it could bring about an amazing yield, its karma is also frightening! Severing this karma to start a new age is quite problematic, so go ahead and keep it, let the fateful have it instead.” He stood up after saying this.
“Outside of this seed, perhaps we could give you even more.” The creature said: “As long as you plant this seed outside, you’ll get more from our world. You’re an exceptional person, you should know that there is no escaping the destruction. Don’t you know what you should do during that period?”
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile. He sat down again: “Trying to persuade me? In terms of treasures, to be frank, I’m not interested in any of them. There are countless in the world, why would I need to be involved in your karma?”
He paused and continued: “As for the destruction of the world, I have also researched enough epochs, not just yours. That’s why I know exactly what will happen and the consequences.”
“You are a sage with vast knowledge and should know how to save the world. Even though we have failed, we have experienced that power and know it quite well. We can teach it to you.” The creature said.
“No, you are mistaken again. I’m no world savior, thinking about how to save everyone. If you are thinking about teaching me about those things, you’re talking to the wrong person.” Li Qiye smiled.
“If you won’t try to save the world, will you hide in the darkness then?” The creature asked.
Li Qiye shook his head: “Those aren’t the only two options. Saving the world has nothing to do with me, I will simply cut down everyone in my path. What below my feet will be a new age, so why bother saving anything else?! Your plan was flawed from the start, thinking about saving the world during the destruction instead of taking down the inevitableness. The high heaven does not have sympathy, no one else does. Doing so will only be burying an opportunity. You might be able to save one era but what about the rest? Only by severing the dao would the world be able to exist forever but of course, this brings up another problem afterward, a real test for your dao hearts.”
“The reason for a lack of a true savior is because everything is up to the heart of people. In all honesty, both darkness and destruction are due to the nature of beings. Even if you are able to save your world, you won’t be able to change the heart of all.”
The creature was silent. At their level, they were able to see through this clearly. Nevertheless, they still had their own stance about it.
“In your epoch, the Buddhist light illuminated everything with mercy but it still wasn’t enough.” Li Qiye chuckled: “Everyone knows that saving the world can’t be done in just one day. The villainous heaven knows this too. Everything is just a cycle; it’s not about you or me or even the heaven. It’s all in the heart of people.”
“If you don’t want to save the world, why do you try so hard without giving up? With your current makings, it is more than enough to run far away. Why fight to the end?” The creature said slowly.
“I want an answer, thus, I must fight the final battle!.” Li Qiye chuckled.
The creature said: “No one can answer your question, but perhaps you know this already in your heart, that even the final battle might not give you an answer!”
“No problem, even if I have an answer already, I’ll still seek another one. If they won’t give me one, then I’ll beat them until I get one.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
“Then what happens after?” The creature asked: “After success, like you have said earlier, the world will be beneath your feet. Why would you not save it then?”
“Like I said, the real world is in everyone’s heart. Saving or not saving it is up to everyone else. Let the heaven and earth be the judge; this particular phrase isn’t just a legend, imperceptible it might be, but it has always been there.” Li Qiye smiled mysteriously.
“Because of this, when people look up at the sky with the descending destruction, they should touch their chest and have a moment of reflection. This intangible judge will always be there, even across the cycles and world destructions.” With that, Li Qiye continued: “Your seed is a Buddhist one to enlighten and save the beings. But if there is no evil, what is there to be enlightened about? You all have done it for many generations but couldn’t be completely thorough. Is it because you lack the necessary amount of compa.s.sion or is there just too much evil in the world? Or perhaps there is no good or evil in the first place and no need for you to enlighten anyone.”
The creature didn’t respond.
“Because of this, my path will be different from all the other epochs. It doesn’t matter if I become a Buddha, a devil, a G.o.d, or an immortal. I will only plant the judgment of the heaven and earth in this epoch! In the future, the people’s heart will determine the state of the world. As long as the fair judgment is there when I make it to the final battle, I will have accomplished what needs to be done.”
“Everyone has a responsibility for their world since youth. That’s why no savior will save them since such salvation is only ephemeral in nature. But with enough solidarity, they just might be able to do so something about it instead of doing something self-indulging like waiting for a savior.”
Li Qiye’s expression became solemn. He never talked about this with others but the being before him was at the level to truly have a real discussion. Others were only looking at the moon in the water or the reflection of the flower in the mist.”
“The judgment of the heaven and earth.” The creature murmured.
“That’s why I’m not a savior, neither are you.” Li Qiye chuckled: “You planted Buddhism but it didn’t permeate straight to everyone’s heart. Otherwise, you might have had a chance. As for the other Golden Buddha, even if he could return again, so what? Even if he could partic.i.p.ate in the final battle? So what? All futile in the end.”