Something Big Happened

Since arriving at this Buddhist temple, Li Qi's brow had remained furrowed.

This place is really strange.

Although it is called a Buddhist temple, its decoration is actually very much in the style of the Tang Kingdom, which means it doesn't look like a temple at all.

Outside, stone kylins crouch, and on the eaves, tortoises, dragons, phoenixes, and tigers coil, arranged in all directions.

The courtyard even had a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) set up, with twelve earthly branches outside the trigrams, each with a corresponding animal image. In addition to the corresponding animal, there were twenty-four characters surrounding the outline, written in a style similar to clerical script, with no missing strokes, but none of the characters that Li Qi knew.

It's not exactly a Buddhist temple.

It's supposed to be a Daoist temple, but it doesn't seem to be one.

Li Qi could even sense certain arrangements of the divine and Shaman Path, such as the shrines next to the building, the various well-organized sacrificial sites, and even the Yao Qi and evil auras surrounding the Buddha Statues, which made Li Qi's scalp tingle.

This reminded him of the Zen Master's Buddha-Demon Unity of Chanzhi and demon, triggering a slight psychological trauma.

The only things that tell this place is a temple are the Buddha Statue inside and the bald monks walking around.

Even monks are not all bald; there are many who wear monk robes but have long hair.

What... is this thing?

Li Qi was puzzled, so he used his special skills.

Ask.

If you don't understand, just ask. It's no big deal.

So he stopped an elderly-looking monk. "Master, may I ask where this place is? Something seems a bit strange."

The old monk was somewhat surprised and said, "Hmm? You came here without knowing where this place is?"

"I came to Chang'an to take the imperial examination. The second examination is held here, so I came here. However, I found the furnishings here a bit strange, so I stopped you, Master, to ask you some questions. I apologize for the inconvenience," Li Qi Qibin replied politely.

"Oh, I see. Since this is your first time here, I will explain it to you."

"This temple is called the Three Lives Temple— "

The old monk began his narration.

This Three Lives Temple was originally a barren mountain. The previous emperor took the Three Lives Mirror from Luoyang and placed it in Chang'an. Then the officials chose this place and built this temple to store it.

Not all the monks here are real monks.

In reality... most of these monks are just doing a job. Only a few are true Buddhist practitioners. The rest are like the staff who hand out hadas (ceremonial scarves) in the snow area. When they are on duty, they are responsible for wearing special costumes and performing ritualistic work, showing and recreating the history and culture of Buddhism for other tourists. They also take on roles such as tour guides and psychologists.

That's why there are so many monks with long hair here; they're just here part-time, so there's no need for them to shave their heads.

As for Li Qi, he was very lucky. The old monk he managed to stop happened to be one of the few genuine Buddhist practitioners.

Their task is to guard the Three Lives Ancient Mirror, which is said to be an ancient treasure with the ability to see through three lifetimes, so people come to borrow it from time to time.

As for the strange furnishings here, it's all because of the Three Lives Ancient Mirror.

For some reason, every time the Three Lives Ancient Mirror is used, a strange thing is produced and then placed in this temple.

These things are mostly related to the user's Dao Path.

That's why there are so many things from other Dao Path here.

As they were chatting, the old monk suddenly asked Li Qi a question.

"You said you were taking an exam, but you must also be here to borrow the Three Lives Ancient Mirror, right?" the old monk asked kindly.

"I don't know either. I was just told to come here and wait for the exam. Judging by the time, there should be a notification in about fifteen minutes," Li Qi said frankly.

"In that case, please come into the inner hall and wait. I see you mentioned taking an exam, so you must be a student of the Imperial Academy. This isn't the first time the Imperial Academy has used the Three Lives Ancient Mirror for exams. Only the most outstanding students are assigned to use this item, so I suppose this time is no different," the old monk said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi calmed down.

So taking exams in places like this is common, then there's no problem.

So he thanked the old monk again and followed him into the backyard.

In the backyard, there is a locked room.

Li Qi's True Knowledge Dao Charm could sense... a strange existence.

The other party did not hide itself, so Li Qi could see it clearly, but he could not sense any vitality in it.

It's like...

I can't describe it.

It resembles some kind of inanimate object, or rather, it is a natural phenomenon.

But it's not entirely like that, because there are still some reactions, but these reactions are very mechanical and extremely rigid.

Oh, right!

Computer!

Li Qi suddenly realized that this was what computers felt like!

It reacts to the outside world, but the reactions are extremely mechanical. It can perform highly complex calculations, but it has no living consciousness whatsoever.

The aura he sensed was like that of a computer.

"This is where the Three Lives Ancient Mirror is located. You may wish to go inside and wait, so you can familiarize yourself with it beforehand. Once the notification arrives, you can simply activate it," the old monk suggested.

"Won't this break the rules? What if I'm a liar?" Li Qi, somewhat surprised.

This monk is far too trusting of himself, isn't he?

However, the old monk said, "It's just going into a room, what rules have we broken? As for the Three Lives Ancient Mirror, ordinary people can't activate it. Even if someone wanted to tamper with it, now that we're here, what can a door stop us from doing?"

"Besides, this is Chang'an. If someone harbors ill intentions, under the supreme heavenly might, where would they find refuge?"

Li Qi's expression turned strange after hearing this.

What the old monk said makes sense.

But aren't you a Buddhist? Why do you speak with such a Human Path tone?

Never mind... I guess it's just a matter of adapting to local customs.

Since everyone felt there was no problem, Li Qi didn't stand on ceremony and opened the door to go in.

Inside the room, there was a dimly lit mirror.

Li Qi had initially thought it was a full-length mirror, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was just an ordinary round mirror.

The mirror is eight inches in diameter, undecorated, and very simple.

Li Qi circled the thing around but didn't find anything special about it.

True Knowledge Dao Charm told him that there was some kind of great road flowing nearby, but he just couldn't find a trace of it.

However, not long after he started, the terminal reminded him that the second exam had begun.

But then an examiner pushed open the door.

He was the Imperial Academy Chancellor.

He smiled at Li Qi and said, "I am the one in charge of activating the Three Lives Ancient Mirror this time. Please sit in front of the mirror, Li Qi. The exam will last for seven days. If you can see through the Three Lives Mirror within seven days, you will get full marks. If you cannot see through it, we will examine the Three Lives Mirror's reaction and score you according to the reaction, dividing you into four grades: A, B, C, and D."

"You're familiar with the rules, right, candidate Li Qi?"

Li Qi had no doubts; he simply calmed himself and nodded.

He knew in his heart that if his enemies in the Tang Kingdom wanted to make a move, now was the best opportunity.

Therefore, he dared not relax. Although he did not suspect others casually, he was prepared for himself and even held the Time Reversal Talisman in his sleeve. If anything happened, he would have to save his life even if it meant abandoning the exam.

You can't doubt others, but you must be prepared for yourself. If you were an enemy, you would never let go of this opportunity to openly and legitimately attack him.

Seeing that Li Qi was ready, the Imperial Academy Chancellor chuckled inwardly.

Even if you are incredibly knowledgeable, you can't escape this time.

Your master has beheaded two high-ranking officials of the third rank, so it is only natural that you, his disciple, should pay some interest first.

He made Li Qi look directly into the mirror, then swaggered to the back and activated the Three Lives Ancient Mirror using his own privileges.

Li Qi, staring at the mirror, felt a sudden blur before his eyes.

All these inversions are like a bewitching illusion.

A pure and clear awareness forever severs ignorance.

Surrounded by immeasurable Shakyamuni and Virūḍhaka jewels, the mirror shone brightly, obscuring the light of all beings, including humans, Sravaka, Śrāvakas, and Bodhisattvas. The light of the sun, moon, stars, earth, water, fire, and wind elements also disappeared.

The world was dark, but the Buddha's light was visible.

Boundless and limitless, beyond comprehension.

It is beyond words, and has no remaining color.

Only emptiness is seen, from which light shines.

Li Qi felt that many things in the world were neither self-evident nor other-evident.

All colors are completely extinguished, and one can no longer see one's own color or appearance.

And in all that is touched there is neither this nor that nor in between, and the same is true wherever one looks. Furthermore, one cannot see the sun, moon, stars, earth, water, fire, or wind; there is nothing that is in front of the eye.

Li Qi could see nothing but the Buddha's Buddha's light before him; all five senses were lost, leaving only his inner thoughts to continue.

He neither heard a sound nor smelled a fragrance.

The tongue cannot taste, and the body cannot feel touch.

All mental phenomena are without object, there is no longer any arising of self or what belongs to self, nor any thought of the six sense organs, and one cannot obtain the great multitude of beings.

It was as if the whole world had disappeared.

Only the Buddha's light reflected in the mirror revealed the pure and true nature of all things.

Soon, Li Qi suddenly heard Buddhist chanting in his ears, as if someone was speaking in his ear.

The sound of Buddhist chanting resonated, producing a wondrous resonance:

"World Honored One, may all the bodhisattvas in this assembly, and all sentient beings in the latter days who cultivate the Mahayana, hear of this perfect and pure state of enlightenment and how to cultivate it."

"World Honored One, if those beings know that things are like illusions, then their bodies and minds are also illusions. How can they use illusion to cultivate illusion? If all illusory natures are completely extinguished, then there is no mind. Who will cultivate? How can one then say that cultivation is like an illusion? If those beings do not cultivate, and constantly dwell in illusions in the cycle of birth and death, never understanding the realm of illusion, how can their deluded minds be liberated? I wish to offer some expedient means for all beings in the latter days to gradually cultivate, so that all beings may be forever free from illusions."

Then, a higher, more distant sound was heard.

The sound seemed to come from an infinitely distant place, an echo that pierced through the entire universe.

The voice said:

"Excellent, excellent, good man. You are able to cultivate the Bodhisattva's Samadhi of Illusion for the sake of all Bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the latter days. Through expedient means and gradual progress, you enable all sentient beings to be free from all illusions. Now listen carefully, and I will explain it to you."

Li Qi understood all of these words.

It seems... there is a Bodhisattva who is praying to the World Honored One.

Who is the World Honored One?

Of course, there could be no one else but the World Honored One Great Sun Tathagata, Vairocana Buddha!

The prayer is that the Bodhisattva wants to spread the Dharma to the world, so that all sentient beings from now until the end of time can be freed from illusion and realize the existence of 'truth'.

So the World Honored One replied to him, "What you say is very good, then go and try it."

However, after the sound ended, the Buddha's light in front of Li Qi suddenly disappeared.

He regained his sense of the outside world, but... at the same time, he also sensed another force.

Something is carrying his senses, rapidly traversing the universe.

It's not about traversing space, it's about traversing the 'universe'!

The universe and the light of time are being traced back at the same time!

Li Qi possessed a Cosmic Space Dao Charm, which he would occasionally take out to study and comprehend. Although his progress was slow, he had still gained something.

The Cosmic Space Dao Charm have now been activated, solely due to the aftereffects of the Three Lives Ancient Mirror.

Li Qi sensed that the ancient mirror reacted mechanically, seemingly trying to help him rewind to his past life.

Since it wasn't a living Law Treasure, Li Qi was awkwardly swept along and traced back to the past!

His senses were swept along, traversing infinite space and endless cosmic light!

The endless, magnificent scenes that Li Qi witnessed were unknown to outsiders.

The examiner behind him, who was also the Vice Imperial Academy Chancellor, was quietly observing Li Qi's movements.

Very good, the Three Lives Ancient Mirror has started up normally.

This young master of Wushen Mountain... he really has quite a few good things on him, and two of his Daoist auras have even been activated.

A Cosmic Space Dao Charm that expands space and represents 'greatness'.

What's the other one?

It's hard to see clearly, but the Daoist aura is so subtle. I've never seen anything like it before, and I don't know what kind of remnant of the Great Dao it is.

However, no matter what, it's just a Daoist rhyme, and it doesn't seem to have any protective effect, so it's not very useful.

So the Imperial Academy Chancellor stood there obediently, waiting for the Three Lives Ancient Mirror to trace back the past.

Based on past experience, the Three Lives Ancient Mirror will soon reveal his past, present, and future lives in great detail.

Then, all of this will reveal the flaws in Li Qi's Dao heart, and he will have to confront his own weaknesses.

When used on one's own people, the Three Lives Ancient Mirror can help them make up for their flaws and cover up their shortcomings.

When used to deal with enemies, the person manipulating the mirrors can exploit these weaknesses to defeat them.

Now, we must exploit these weaknesses and implant the demonic energy of the Heavenly Demon.

Time passed little by little.

About five minutes later, the Imperial Academy Chancellor's expression changed.

What happened?

Logically speaking, the appearance of the three lifetimes should appear immediately within about a minute. If the cultivation level is too high, it may be delayed by one or two minutes.

However, as long as the volunteers do not resist, the delay should not be too long.

As for this young master of Wushen Mountain, it's useless for him to resist. He's only an eighth-rank cultivator, how could he possibly resist the Three Lives Ancient Mirror?

How come it's been five minutes and we still haven't been able to trace it successfully?

The Imperial Academy Chancellor stepped forward to check the Three Lives Ancient Mirror to see if he had failed to activate it.

It would have been better if we hadn't checked it.

His heart skipped a beat after just one quick check!

The Three Lives Ancient Mirror is frantically absorbing power!

This thing normally requires the full support of a Rank 3 expert to operate.

The reason it can be started at will is because it is connected to the Dragon Vein beneath Chang'an and is powered by the Dragon Vein.

But now, the Three Lives Ancient Mirror has absorbed more than ten times the energy it has before!

The surrounding dragon Dragon Vein are overloaded!

Due to a family funeral, I managed to squeeze in these two chapters a couple of days ago. Today, I spent a total of twenty hours in the mourning hall, kowtowing during the day and keeping vigil at night. I didn't get any sleep and walked a long way through the mountains. I couldn't do anything else, so I'm taking a day off tomorrow.

I'll try my best to update later, but I really can't guarantee it.