Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Book 6: Chapter 097: Hetu

The ice mountain became great nourishment for the Absolute Zero Calabash, quickly repairing it. The damage to the Absolute Zero Calabash made it easier for Gu Hai to refine it.

His earthly soul in his middle heavenly palace quickly absorbed the boundless Essence.

Gu Hai had gained another batch of Essence. Although it was much less than eight hundred thousand years in the future, it was still a vast amount.

Two hours later:

Boom!

A powerful shock wave came from Gu Hai’s body.

“Oh?” Sect Master Supreme Ascendant and Heavenly Access turned their heads to look.

Huff! Gu Hai opened his eyes and breathed out.

The Middle Heavenly Palace Realm’s ninth layer.

Gu Hai’s cultivation had broken through another layer.

Gu Hai smiled bitterly. It is indeed challenging to increase my cultivation further. After taking in all the Essence in the entire hell path of reincarnation, I improved by only one layer?

“Congratulations on pushing your cultivation to a new level, Imperial Emperor Gu!” Sect Master Supreme Ascendant smiled.

“I’ve embarrassed myself before Sect Master Supreme Ascendant. I’m still in the Middle Heavenly Palace, nothing worth mentioning.” Gu Hai shook his head.

Sect Master Supreme Ascendant shook his head. “I have a feeling that one layer for you is harder than one realm for others.”

“Perhaps,” Gu Hai said with a faint smile but did not elaborate.

Sect Master Supreme Ascendant is indeed sharp. No wonder he could compose the Supreme Ascendant Longevity Piece in the future.

Gu Hai’s recent improvement in cultivation also helped heal his injuries significantly, but he was still enfeebled. However, he had Mending Heaven Energy and felt confident of fully recovering within ten days.

Gu Hai did not just advance by one layer. Due to his mortal soul monopolizing his physical body, his physical body had reached its peak, tenfold stronger than previously.

Perhaps due to worrying about Gu Hai’s injuries, the group did not fly very fast. They only arrived after four hours.

Now, they neared a large island in the Eastern Sea.

This island did not stand out in any way. Clouds and fog surrounded it, and there were no blessings around. There was nothing special at all.

“We’ve arrived!” Sect Master Supreme Ascendent said.

“This is where Fuxi stays?” A strange look flashed in Heavenly Access’s eyes.

“Does it look very ordinary? Don’t underestimate it. Let’s go!” The Supreme Ascendant smiled.

The group flew slowly toward the ordinary-looking island, eventually entering the fog around the island.

Whoosh!

Upon entering the fog, Gu Hai was startled to find that the three people by him had vanished.

“Huh?” Gu Hai’s pupils constricted as he stood up and looked around coldly.

The scene before his eyes was completely different. The earlier island had disappeared, leaving a vast land. Gu Hai stood in the center of this vast land, and the surroundings were silent.

“An illusion?” Gu Hai’s face sank.

The four had entered a ritual array.

Unfortunately, this was not a Go Dao ritual array, so Gu Hai could not immediately comprehend this ritual array. He did not wander around but remained in place to observe the ritual array.

“Oh? So, it is one of the demons? How dare you come to All Magnificent Island? Watch me capture you and repay the Six Paths Veritable Lord’s favor! Hahahaha!” Cold laughter suddenly rang out.

Gu Hai’s face sank. “The four of us are here to seek the Human Sovereign Fuxi with sincerity. Who are you? How did you become a lackey of the Six Paths Veritable Lord? Did Fuxi also submit to the Six Paths Veritable Lord?”

“How audacious! How dare you make such accusations of my master?” that voice suddenly shouted.

“Master? Hah! You want to repay the Six Paths Veritable Lord’s favor, and it seems like Fuxi is your master. However, you trapped Fuxi’s guests to please the Six Paths Veritable Lord, using your authority for private interests. You sell out your master to seek personal glory, unrighteous and disloyal. How are you worthy of addressing Fuxi as master? If I were Fuxi, I would be deeply ashamed of you!” Gu Hai shouted with a cold gaze.

[TL Note: The usage of master here refers to a master-servant relationship rather than a master-disciple relationship.]

Gu Hai was trying to agitate the person in the ritual array. He could find the weakness of the ritual array only if that person appeared.

“Humph! What a sharp tongue! However, it is useless against me. You said so much to provoke me to show up, right? So what if you see me?” The voice sounded arrogant.

Suddenly, a thick fog appeared near Gu Hai. Then, the fog slowly scattered to reveal a black-robed man.

“Huh?” Gu Hai’s pupils constricted, as the black-robed man had the same appearance as him.

“Who are you?” Gu Hai glared.

“I am you!” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

“You are me? Hah! Do you think you would be me by just looking like me?” Gu Hai said, revealing a cold smile.

“I am exactly the same as you, do you believe it?” The fake Gu Hai smiled.

Gu Hai stared at the person before him. Indeed, that person looked exactly like him.

“You don’t believe me? Then, check out my attacks!” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

As the fake Gu Hai spoke, he stepped toward Gu Hai. However, he started coughing blood after the first step. “Cough! Cough! Cough!” Blargh!

Gu Hai: “…”

“Why are you this injured? You caused me to tear the injuries when I just started circulating energy. Damn it! My back is completely torn up! Why didn’t you say that you are already severely injured!” the fake Gu Hai shouted furiously at Gu Hai, feeling depressed.

Gu Hai looked at the counterfeit in confusion. What is this logic? I’m injured, so you cannot circulate energy?

“How unlucky! To think you are just an invalid? You caused me to work so hard? Humph!” The fake Gu Hai looked at Gu Hai in depression.

“Who are you?” Gu Hai asked once again.

“Humph! I’ve already said, I am you! The exact same you!” the fake Gu Hai sneered once again.

“Me? Hah! Your imitation is pretty good. Immediately dismiss the ritual array. Otherwise, I won’t care that you are Fuxi’s servant!” Gu Hai said coldly.

“Bring it on, then!” The fake Gu Hai felt no fear.

Gu Hai extended his hand, and the Immortal Slaying Calabash appeared.

The fake Gu Hai did the same, and an Immortal Slaying Calabash also appeared.

“Treasure, please turn around!” both Gu Hais shouted simultaneously.

Shing!

Boom!

The two Immortal Slaying Calabashs each sent out an Immortal Slaying Flying Saber. The two Immortal Slaying Flying Sabers clashed in midair and returned to their respective Immortal Slaying Calabashs.

“What did I say? Exactly, the same, right?” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

“What do you want?” Gu Hai asked coldly.

“Surrender yourself, and I can spare you from death,” the fake Gu Hai replied coldly.

“Hah! With just you?” Gu Hai sneered.

While Gu Hai was currently injured, it did not mean he could not fight. However, this doppelganger seemed extremely strange, so he did not immediately use everything he had.

“Don’t worry. I can waste time here with you. I can wait an eternity here in my ritual array until you are willing to surrender!” The fake Gu Hai smiled.

However, Gu Hai narrowed his eyes. The attitude of this fake version is extremely strange. He wants to capture me but is not in a rush?

“You say that you are exactly the same as me? My best skill is Go. Are you the same?” Gu Hai asked.

“Go? Hah! You cannot beat me!” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

“Oh?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.

“Houtu is the best Go player in the world. Even she cannot defeat me here, what more you? Also, that what’s-his-name, Old Mister Guan Qi, is no match for me here, either. With just you?” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

“Hah! What confidence! Are you not afraid of your words embarrassing you?” Gu Hai sneered back.

“Don’t believe it? How about we try?” The fake Gu Hai smiled.

Gu Hai frowned slightly but nodded.

Whoosh!

The fake Gu Hai waved, and a Go board appeared out of nowhere. Then, he invited Gu Hai to start first.

Gu Hai picked up a black Go stone and did not hesitate to play it at tengen.

“I already said, I am you. No, I surpass you in the Go Dao!” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

Clack!

The fake Gu Hai played nine-five.

The two continuously placed Go stones down. At first, Gu Hai thought the fake Gu Hai was just bragging, so he did not bring out his full ability. However, as he played on, his opponent’s moves targeted his critical points. He discovered that this person’s Go Dao was indeed extraordinary.

Gu Hai started to take the game seriously as he continuously played more moves. However, as he got serious, the fake Gu Hai’s Go skills quickly increased in level.

“Huh?” Gu Hai glared.

What strange Go skills! To think that the opponent’s Go skills increase along with mine? Furthermore, to think that his style is so similar to mine, almost exactly the same.

The style seems to be copying mine.

Gu Hai’s expression turned sullen as his focus tightened. However, the opponent’s Go skills kept up with his, remaining about the same level. How strange!

“I’ve already said, I am you!” the fake Gu Hai sneered.

Gu Hai ignored his opponent and continued playing.

“How about this? If you can beat me, I’ll let you into the island. However, if you cannot beat me, you’ll surrender. That will save me some effort.” The fake Gu Hai smiled.

“Amitābha!” A Buddha greeting rang out near Gu Hai.

“Huh?” The fake Gu Hai’s expression changed.

Gu Hai turned his head and looked. He saw a fat monk holding a lush-green bamboo cane. He seemed to tear space apart as he walked over.

Bamboo cane?

Gu Hai’s expression changed. This bamboo cane seems familiar. Qin Zibai has one, too, right?

“Future Buddha? How did you escape my dream barrier?” The fake Gu Hai suddenly glared.

“Although this humble monk cannot see, this humble monk has my mind’s eye and a Savant Wisdom Divine Cane. They allowed me to cross the dream barrier you left. What’s wrong? Mister Hetu, you took on another person’s appearance instead of mine?” The fat Future Buddha smiled.

“The Future Buddha?” Gu Hai felt slightly startled.

This was not the Future Buddha from eight hundred thousand years in the future but the previous Future Buddha. Eight hundred thousand years in the future, the evil Gautama, the Past Buddha, and Bodhisattva Lian Sheng killed him.

The fake Gu Hai’s expression changed. “Monk, have you not given up yet? I already told you none of those demons are good people, especially that Old Mister Guan Qi. He is evil beyond redemption. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“This humble monk just wants to meet Fuxi!” the Future Buddha said gravely.

“My master is not meeting guests. Also, I told you before, you have to get past me first if you want to get to the island. If you can’t even do that, how are you qualified to enter the island?” the fake Gu Hai said coldly.

“Gu Hai greets Future Buddha!” Gu Hai stood up and said solemnly.

Although the Future Buddha could not see, his mind’s eye could see everything clearly.

The Future Buddha frowned slightly. “You are the same as the Past Buddha and Present Buddha? Coming from eight hundred thousand years in the future?”

“Oh? Precisely!” Gu Hai nodded.

“Future Buddha, how many times have I told you? That thing about eight hundred thousand years in the future is just foolish talk. Why are you all so stupid?” the fake Gu Hai said, feeling depressed.

“Stupid?” The Future Buddha shook his head. “Mister Hetu, how can you be sure what they said is false?”

“Hetu?” Gu Hai looked at the fake Gu Hai before him.

“Mister Gu, this is Fuxi’s servant, Hetu. He can see the future. We are currently in the dream realm he created. That’s why he can become exactly like you in this dream, regardless of the detail. How you see yourself in your heart is how you see him. Oh! That’s right. Are you playing Go with him? It looks like he is using his ability to cheat again. Don’t play Go with him. He can see your move ahead of time,” the Future Buddha said while shaking his head.

[TL Note: There does not seem to be a Hetu counterpart in Chinese mythology. However, there is an item of the same name related to Fuxi in Chinese mythology: the Yellow River Map. Hetu translates to river diagram. It is said that Fuxi created the Yellow River Map, from which the first trigrams were derived, and later on, the Classic of Changes. Here is the Wikipedia entry on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_River_Map.]