Chapter 1050: Past Buddha, Present Buddha, and Future Buddha

"Has Your Immortal Body finished forming?" Lu Yang asked. He felt that the immortal form the Immortal of Years had condensed over three hundred thousand years was inherently more powerful than the temporary body he himself had conjured.

"It was just completed a little over ten years ago," the Immortal of Years replied with a smile. Currently, he was at the absolute zenith of his power.

"Then, do you know Tang Chuanwu?"

"Tang Chuanwu? Oh, that child. I foresaw that he might encounter a fatal calamity in the future, so I bestowed upon him the ability to reverse time."

"To test the reaction of the mastermind behind the scenes?" Lu Yang pressed further.

The Immortal of Years glanced at Lu Yang with a touch of surprise, a smile spreading across his face. "Indeed."

"Though I did not see clearly who ambushed me back then, the mastermind has no way of knowing whether I saw them or not. Thus, by granting Tang Chuanwu the power of time reversal, I signaled to the mastermind that I am still alive. They would inevitably seek me out, and in their haste, they might very well expose a flaw."

So it really was as he thought, Lu Yang noted inwardly. When he had previously speculated about the user of the Fruit of Years, he had wondered if that person was using Tang Chuanwu to send a message to the mastermind.

What could the message be? Simply the Immortal of Years telling the hidden foe: I am still alive.

Later, Lu Yang had learned the origin of the Token for Finding the Immortal of Years, which utilized the suppression of a nascent fruit by a fully realized Dao Fruit to locate the deity.

Such suppression could not be evaded by merely hiding within a minor realm. If it were that simple, the Qilin Immortal would have hidden in a minor realm long ago to allow Ao Ling and Jiang Lianyi to ascend to immortality in the outside world.

The fact that the Great Gan Dynasty could manufacture the Token for Finding the Immortal of Years indicated that the user of the Fruit of Years already existed during that era.

Both matters pointed to the possibility that the Immortal of Years remained alive.

Therefore, Lu Yang felt little surprise upon meeting the Immortal of Years within the Mahavira Hall.

Yet this gave rise to another question—whose reincarnation was Li Haoran, then?

If Li Haoran was not the reincarnation of the Immortal of Years, could he be the reincarnation of the very immortal who had been possessed by the mastermind?!

As long as Li Haoran’s cultivation continued to rise, his memories would eventually awaken, revealing the true identity of his first life.

If that were the case, the fact that Junior Brother Li was a reincarnation could never be disclosed to anyone else.

Should the mastermind discover Junior Brother Li’s existence, they would undoubtedly stop at nothing to eliminate him.

"Since young friend Lu Yang has brought up Tang Chuanwu, does it mean you have met him?"

"I have. The mastermind made a move as well, though they did not act directly, leaving behind very few clues."

"I see," the Immortal of Years murmured with a hint of regret. The mastermind was indeed exceedingly cautious.

Suddenly, a knock resounded against the doors of the Mahavira Hall.

"Junior Brother, are you inside?"

"Who is it?!" The Immortal of Years startled.

"Oh, just a little slip of a girl," the Indestructible Fairy said, waving her hand dismissively. "Little Yang, go open the door."

While Lu Yang went to answer the door, the Indestructible Fairy quietly sent a divine transmission to the Immortal of Years.

"Hey, Years, let me ask you something. Did you once say that the future is uncertain?"

The Immortal of Years paused, then nodded. "I did say that. What of it?"

"When Little Yang and I came to the Buddhist Kingdom, the Nian Beast carried us on its back. On the way, we entered the torrent of time, witnessing events of the past and a glimpse of the future."

"So, what did you see?" The Immortal of Years inquired, his expression growing peculiar. He had never seen the Indestructible Fairy act so hesitant and awkward.

"What I saw... I saw myself bidding a reluctant farewell to Little Yang, saying, 'I really cannot bear to part with you.'"

The Immortal of Years was instantly struck with shock.

"What?"

"That is why I am asking you, can the future I witnessed truly be changed?"

The expression of the Immortal of Years grew solemn, recognizing this as a matter of monumental gravity. "From what period of time did this future hail?"

...

Lu Yang pushed open the doors of the Mahavira Hall. Standing outside was a female warrior clad in a pristine white robe, wearing a bamboo conical hat draped with a layer of white cloth that concealed her face.

Upon seeing Lu Yang, the warrior removed her hat, revealing an exquisite countenance. It was none other than Eldest Senior Sister.

"Eldest Senior Sister, what brings you here?" Lu Yang asked, overjoyed. He was certain he had not summoned her.

"Your Second Senior Brother contacted me via messenger paper, stating that something had occurred at the Western Heaven Temple."

Lu Yang felt that everything had been entirely under his control, which was true, though evidently Ye Zijin did not share that confidence.

"Messenger paper?" Lu Yang recalled that Third Senior Sister had used such paper to communicate with Eldest Senior Sister while in the Demon Realm. It seemed Second Senior Brother possessed it as well.

"Then why do I not have any?"

"I gave them the messenger paper because I worried for the safety of your Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister. You, of course, have no need for such things."

Yun Zhi surveyed her young junior brother, whom she had not seen for several months, and a rare, faint smile graced her lips.

"After you were carried away by the Nian Beast, Mengmeng was quite worried about you. It appears you have fared rather well in the Buddhist Kingdom, having even condensed an immortal form."

Lu Yang scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "It was merely a stroke of luck. Eldest Senior Sister, please come inside. The Fairy and Senior Immortal of Years are both within."

"Oh? You even found the Senior Immortal of Years?" Yun Zhi knew her young junior brother was remarkably self-sufficient; whenever he encountered trouble abroad, he could resolve it himself and even stumble upon miraculous fortunes afterward.

"Girl Yun, come, come, let me introduce you. This glowing Buddha statue is the Immortal of Years," the Indestructible Fairy said, patting the Immortal of Years on the shoulder.

"Junior Yun Zhi pays respects to Senior Immortal of Years."

"Indestructible, who exactly is this?" From his very first glance at Yun Zhi, the Immortal of Years felt this person was extraordinary, though he could not quite pinpoint the reason.

He seemed to recall Ming Yu mentioning the name Yun Zhi, referring to her as the true master of the Dao Seeking Sect.

The Indestructible Fairy stood proudly between Lu Yang and Yun Zhi, pointing to herself. "I am the strongest of antiquity."

She then pointed to Yun Zhi on her right. "Girl Yun is the strongest of the present age."

"And Little Yang is the strongest of the future."

Throwing her arms around both of them, the Indestructible Fairy laughed merrily. "The three of us are the strongest cultivators across the past, the present, and the future!"

"Does this Buddhist sect of ours not have a Buddha of the Past, a Buddha of the Present, and a Buddha of the Future? Years, when you look back, add the three of us to the pantheon."

"The strongest of the present age?" The Immortal of Years was astonished. The Indestructible Fairy held herself in the highest regard; to receive such an evaluation from her was no simple matter.

However, considering that young friend Lu Yang had received the title of "strongest of the future," he could not help but feel that the title of "strongest of the present age" might be somewhat exaggerated by association.

"What, you do not believe it? If you do not believe it, why not exchange a few blows with her?" the Indestructible Fairy egged him on.

The Immortal of Years genuinely harbored doubts. Had an accident not occurred midway through his journey, he would have been the very first to achieve immortality. Furthermore, possessing the enigmatic Fruit of Years, he had truly feared no one save for the Indestructible Fairy.

"Then let us try!" Since condensing his incense-fueled immortal body, he had lacked an opportunity to test his strength. This was the perfect occasion to flex his muscles.

Yun Zhi and the Immortal of Years faced one another, the atmosphere turning chillingly tense. The Immortal of Years invoked the Fruit of Years to peer into every possible future outcome.

"Please guide me, Senior," Yun Zhi said softly.

"Wait a moment," the Immortal of Years suddenly interjected before the clash could begin. "Indestructible, what did you just say?"

"Exchange a few blows with her?"

"The sentence before that."

"What, you do not believe it?"

"I believe it."