Volume One, Chapter Thirty-Nine: Is the Sacred Egg a Windfall or a Trap?

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Is the Cosmic Egg a Windfall, or a Trap?

No matter how fearless Tu Zhe was, the words spoken by his master, Mara, still left him utterly stunned.

This was… a seed capable of nurturing and giving birth to an entire minor world?

Me…?

Refine it?

What on earth did that even mean?

Tu Zhe racked his memory, trying to recall what his past life's geography textbook said about the Milky Way.

Over a hundred thousand light-years in diameter, ten thousand light-years thick at the center. It contains more than eighty major constellations, including Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and the twelve signs of the zodiac. There are about 120 billion stars. Countless interstellar clouds and dust. Unknown amounts of radiation, black holes, and powerful sources of cosmic rays.

…

To refine all this immeasurable matter, and all the forces carried within it, for my own use?

Or in other words, would I alone wield the power of an entire galaxy?

That would mean those deities who move mountains and fill seas, pluck stars from the sky, create worlds, and perform a myriad of divine feats—their powers would be less than child's play before such might.

Would this… become my power?

Tu Zhe was momentarily dumbfounded.

He wasn't alone. Even Mara and Moxulouta, who had been explaining, were equally struck speechless.

After all, these two were among the most supreme beings in all the heavens of the Three Realms. Their divine powers were legendary.

Yet, compared to the strength of a minor world, could their own power even be called power?

Longing and wild imaginings were inevitable.

Regaining his composure, Tu Zhe cleared his throat a few times.

“Master… about this refining—?”

Mara jolted, glanced at Tu Zhe, then at Moxulouta, then at the little dog, then suddenly leapt up so abruptly he nearly toppled the soft throne draped in silken cloth.

Mara began pacing in excitement, divine radiance flickering wildly from his body, the crown of light above his head flashing, appearing half-mad as he loudly exclaimed, almost hysterical:

“Why not? Why not? Huh?

The power of a minor world! Damn it, in all my days, I’ve never heard of any god or Buddha possessing such might.

Just imagine it! Imagine it!

Open and close your eyes, and there is light and darkness, day and night, the sun rising and the moon setting—

Blow a breath, and billions of worlds are shattered, the wind of destruction reducing all things to ash—

Where your footsteps fall, billions of stars are born and perish, a myriad of worlds cycle through creation and dissolution—

A single thought, and billions of beings are born, billions more die—

Even a sneeze or a fart would bring about celestial music and a shower of heavenly flowers, golden lotuses springing from the earth—just imagine what a sight that would be!

The Five Elements of the Three Realms blend at will, all the heavens and myriad domains layered as you please; those who hear your voice hear the very music of the Dao; those who see your writing glimpse the script of heaven; those who study your chess comprehend the mysteries of the cosmos; those who behold you receive a hundred lifetimes of fortune…

Just imagine it! Just imagine it!

And this person—will be my disciple? My disciple! Gods will bow, Buddhas will follow, and in all the three thousand great worlds, is there anyone more powerful? Perhaps, but who has ever heard of such a thing?”

Nearly frenzied, Mara grabbed Tu Zhe by the shoulders and shook him fiercely. He had been holding back his excitement atop Mount Sumeru, but now, if he didn’t vent this energy, he might well fall into madness.

Mara then seized Moxulouta’s shoulders, exclaiming, “Let me tell you, no one can stop this. If anyone tries, I’ll fight them to the end, even if I have to shatter the heavens themselves, my disciple must refine this world seed.

Brother, do you realize what an exhilarating, magnificent, and utterly extraordinary thing this is?”

Suddenly, the little dog burst into tears and curled up in Tu Zhe’s arms, shrieking, “Brother Rogue, quick, beat up your giant master—he’s gone mad! Oh, I’m scared to death, wuaaah—”

Yet Tu Zhe’s face remained calm, his gaze lowered in deep thought, completely ignoring Mara’s madness.

Mara, finally sobered by the dog’s wailing, scratched his head and forced a self-deprecating smile. “Well, I did get a bit carried away, didn’t I? Haha, forgive me…”

Tu Zhe raised his head and looked at Mara.

“I have a few questions, and I hope Master can explain them…”

Mara frowned. “Very well, speak.”

Tu Zhe said, “First, this cosmic egg—where does it come from? I imagine it is a divine object, incredibly hard to obtain. Under what circumstances does it appear?”

Mara replied, “When a world is on the verge of destruction, a seed is born.”

“Oh?” Tu Zhe asked. “And how long does it take for a world to reach its end?”

Mara answered, “There are four cosmic periods: formation, existence, destruction, and emptiness. Each contains twenty intermediate kalpas, for a total of eighty, which together are called a great kalpa. By your previous world’s reckoning, a great kalpa is 26.8 billion years.”

Tu Zhe nodded.

“Second question: There are three thousand great thousand worlds, countless worlds beyond number. Does that mean worlds are constantly being born and destroyed?”

Mara said, “That is so.”

Tu Zhe continued, “Does that mean that throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds, there are always countless cosmic eggs being conceived and born?”

Mara frowned and thought for a while. “That should be the case. However, the birth and destruction of a minor world within a short span is still limited—not truly innumerable. For even a minor world, in the scope of the great thousand worlds, is only a drop in the ocean. Would you agree?”

Tu Zhe was silent for a long time.

“What you say makes sense, Master. So, this cosmic egg could have come from our own galaxy, or more likely, from another minor world. Is that correct?”

Mara glanced at Moxulouta, who nodded in agreement with Tu Zhe’s deduction.

Tu Zhe furrowed his brow and said, “Let’s suppose this cosmic egg did come from our own galaxy. That would mean our minor world is nearing destruction. But as I understand it, Jambudvipa has existed for about 4.5 billion years—still far from 26.8 billion. So can we suppose our minor world is still a long way from its end?”

Mara was taken aback. “Well… probably… maybe… I suppose?”

Tu Zhe gave a wry smile.

“If the cosmic egg came from another minor or major world, wouldn’t that mean the egg serves as a refuge or sanctuary for the world that possessed or discovered it, in times of calamity?”

Mara nodded. “That is very likely…”

Tu Zhe went on, “So now, with this cosmic egg in my hands, there are three possibilities.

The first, least likely, is that Maniashu the Great Thief happened upon it by chance while traversing countless spaces. I’d say that’s as probable as Pigsy marrying Chang’e, but we can’t rule it out entirely…”

At this, the little dog piped up, “I know, I know about Pigsy—mmph mmph—”

Tu Zhe clamped a hand over the dog’s mouth and continued, “The second possibility is that the egg had already been discovered and claimed by a world, but Maniashu stole it and gave it to me.

The third possibility is that Maniashu simply seized it directly.”