Chapter 91: Response
Laozi understood and decided to delay the sermon. Firstly, it was quite a considerable affair to preach The Way of Celestial Immortality. One could never be too careful in matters like that. Secondly, he needed time to sort out his enlightenments and would not preach to the Human Tribe until they were qualified.
As soon as Laozi arrived at the human territory, Minghe told Musen. However, he didn't want to intervene on Musen's plan. Minghe's transmutation of Primordial Mazinger to Rakshasa was only a matter of time. Once he was involved, he would only care about his own interests.
Musen was different. He was the Selfcentric Separation of Minghe. But he had a more independent personality compared with the Good Separation and Evil Separation. One more thing that should be noticed is that Musen was the separation of Minghe's past life. In a word, Minghe believed that the Human Tribe should be ruled by humans. He chose to observe from the sidelines.
Musen received the news and sighed slightly, he couldn't help worrying about the future, though he had already envisaged the possibility of Laozi's decision. Martial Arts would instantly suffer great shock from The Way of Celestial Immortality when Laozi preached to the Human Tribe. Contrary to Martial Arts' setbacks, The Way of Celestial Immortality was going much more smoothly in the early stage of practice.
Different from all the other races, Human Tribe had quite a short life expectancy. An ordinary person who was in good physical condition could live for no more than one hundred years. Martial Arts Practices or Immortal Cultivation helped lengthen the lifespan, however, with the proliferation of humans, they became weaker and mediocre. It was difficult for them to master Martial Arts or The Way of Celestial Immortality. If things went on like this, the majority of human beings would become ordinary people.
Musen was certainly aware of this. Judging from the Holy Land Contest which was held every 10 years, he realized that elites became fewer and fewer, not to mention geniuses. Musen could do nothing about it but cultivate the Human Tribe in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance and try his best to help them become stronger.
Although there were numberless humans outside, only ten million humans lived in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. What was more, the number would not increase in the future. Nevertheless, humans in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance were much more powerful than that outside. As long as the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance existed, the humans would survive. It was with the Human Tribe as with the leaves on the tree: once the spring came, they would flourish again.
Wherever it was, Martial Arts was more prosperous than the Way of Celestial Immortality. After all, Musen himself was the founder of Martial Arts and was proficient in it. However, the Way of Celestial Immortality had only an Enlightenment Tablet which was engraved with many transforming exercises. There were no masters in the Human Tribe at all. Musen also didn't quite understand it.
Nowadays, with Laozi in the human territory, no doubt he would preach the Way of Celestial Immortality to humans. Soon the Way of Celestial Immortality in the Human Tribe would rise abruptly and completely suppress the Martial Arts. In fact, it helped to develop the power of humans. Musen would certainly not disturb it. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't.
Although Musen was Martial Ancestors of the Human Tribe, he couldn't stop humans from pursuing the Way of Celestial Immortality. Compared with Immortal Cultivation, the early stage of Martial Arts was very slow. A profound Foundation was necessary for Martial Arts. Otherwise, it would easily affect future practice.
Since Laozi had come to the Human Tribe, Musen could do nothing but face it. He decided to consult with Suiren-Shi, Youchao-Shi, and Ziyi-Shi. He was not a dictator, and others had the right to know the affairs.
The three made it right away after receiving Musen's letter. Obsessed with the Martial Arts practice, they desired a significant Breakthrough of Fate Reading Level and seldom had time to take part in the management of Human Tribe. It was the same with Musen. Though it was hard to properly manage the Human Tribe affairs, other tribesmen, instead of themselves, were able to manage it well. In the final analysis, the Human Tribe was well developed nowadays and there was nothing to worry about at all.
Suiren-Shi came in and asked, "Mu, why do you call us together today? Is there a new comprehension of Martial Arts? Would you like to share with us?" The Way of Martial Arts he cultivated was achieved by the Enlightenment of his Merit Spiritual Treasure, and the Divine Law he had enlightened was the Law of Fire, which was quite suitable for him. Musen shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry to disappoint you but someone has come into our territory, that's why I came and found you." Though Musen was the fourth ancestor of the Human Tribe, he had gotten on well with the others all along. He was both their dear friend and a profitable conductor. And he explained Martial Arts to them now and then.
Youchao-Shi asked, "Mu, what are you so nervous about? Will he threaten the development of the Human Tribe?" Youchao- Shi was a prudent fellow. He had followed Musen's useful advice and enlightened the Way of Martial Arts using his Merit Spiritual Treasure.
Suiren-Shi had sent fire to the Human Tribe, Youchao-Shi had built houses and Ziyi-Shi had made clothes for them. They were born to hold the responsibility for the Way of Heaven. With missions fulfilled, each of them obtained a Merit Spiritual Treasure. The Merit Spiritual Treasure was attached to some Human Tribe Luck, thus they yielded twice the results with half the efforts.
The Divine Law which Youchao-Shi had enlightened was the Law of Earth, it could be both defensive and offensive, and it could even use the power of the earth to suppress enemies. Ziyi- Shi had only gotten a defensive law but had more power than that of Youchao-Shi. The three owned laws corresponding to their Merit Spiritual Treasures, which was all very good.
Musen was aware of their concerns and explained, "He is not a threat to the Human Tribe at all. On the contrary, he will be a great assistant to our tribe. The Martial Arts of the Human Tribe has been well developed, but the Way of Celestial Immortality is not strong enough, and this person is able to cover the shortage."
Ziyi-Shi asked, "Mu, who is this person on earth? He can solve the problems of the Way of Celestial Immortality and attract your attention successfully. Must he be a real master in the Untainted Land." Musen was the ace of Fate Reading Level which equaled Sage-to-be in the Untainted Land. Since he paid special attention to the person, there must be something extraordinary about it.
Musen nodded and said, "He is truly overwhelmingly outstanding. He was the chief disciple of Ancestor Hongjun, also the leader of the Three Pure Ones, Laozi, the Grand Pure One. He killed the Good Separation and Evil Separation and ranks at the Late Stage of Sage-to-be. What's more, he holds the Primordial Supreme Treasure, Map of Taichi. Aside from a Sage, few people can compete with him in Untainted Land." Suiren-Shi and the others were totally taken by surprise. They had heard of the Three Pure Ones before. They were disciples of Ancestor Hongjun, also the Real Entity of Pangu. They were even the senior fellows of the the Holy Mother of Human Tribe, Goddess Nvywa. They were the chosen ones, Sages of the Heavenly Way. And now, their chief, Laozi, had arrived in human territory. They could not help but be amazed.
It would be a good thing if Laozi came and preached the Way of Celestial Immortality. However, Musen seemed a little worried. Suiren-Shi asked, "Mu, what are you worried about? Once the Way of Celestial Immortality is completed, the Human Tribe will be further developed. You're afraid that Martial Arts would be shaken by then, aren't you?" Suiren-Shi seemed to be a little annoyed.
Musen absolutely understood, but he didn't care. "Of course not," he said. "I knew things would happen like this since the day I created Martial Arts. The majority of the elites have been under my command since the very beginning. I sincerely expected them to receive my Spiritual Inheritance of Martial Arts. And the Spiritual Inheritance will never be influenced by the fading of Martial Arts outside."
Suiren-Shi was slightly embarrassed, but he noticed that Musen had not been offended by it, so he kept silent. Youchao- Shi asked, "The thriving of the Way of Celestial Immortality of the Human Tribe is quite a good thing. What are you worried about then?"
Musen sighed, "The thriving of The Way of Celestial Immortality of the Human Tribe is a good thing, but everything has its advantages and disadvantages. It certainly helps develop the Human Tribe, but also causes harmful dependence. After Laozi becomes a sage, he could instantly meddle in the affairs of the Human Tribe. Did we originally intend to establish a Human Tribe like this?"
Suiren-Shi and the others fell into sorrow after hearing Musen's words. They had put painstaking efforts into the development of the Human Tribe and desired to become powerful and be able to compete with the Sorcerer and Demon tribes. By that time, even sages couldn't interfere them. If the news brought by Musen was true, they would be doomed to failure.
Ziyi-Shi asked anxiously, "What can we do to cope with it, Mu?" Although the three had made tremendous contributions to the development of the tribe, the tribal affairs had generally been decided by Musen ever since. They admired his foresight and sagacity. They would give suggestions only when needed.
Musen shook his head and said, "One day The Way of Celestial Immortality will finally thrive in the Human Tribe, and we can do nothing to stop it. I intend to send out all the immortal cultivators in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance when Laozi is teaching to the Human Tribe, thus The Way of Celestial Immortality will thoroughly thrive with the help of Laozi."
Chapter 92: Lao Zi Becoming a Sage
The three were all shocked. Suiren-shi cried out, "What? Will all the immortal cultivators in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance be sent out to listen to the Teachings? That means others could seize the chance to intrude into the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. Humans in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance are all selected elites!"
Musen answered, "Of course I know, humans in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance are exactly elites, but Martial Arts are more prosperous than the Way of Celestial Immortality. I can teach them Martial Arts, but who will teach them the Way of Celestial Immortality? They can only rely on themselves and improve slowly by trial and error. If things continue this way, the thriving of Martial Arts will remain while the Way of Celestial Immortality will gradually fade and lead to conflicts.
"Instead of conflicting, it would be better to send them out. Laozi is the master of the Way of Celestial Immortality. His sermon must be extraordinary. We should not miss the chance. As for the future, we'll find a solution then. Without pain, there can be no gain. We can't block them from the Fated Chance of the Way of Celestial Immortality." Under such circumstances, the three said nothing more. They obeyed what Musen said and ordered all the immortal cultivators in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance to move to the Human Tribe with the mission of finding Fated Chance of the Way of Celestial Immortality. But they knew nothing about the so-called Fated Chance at all. Though confused, they still left the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance and went for the Fated Chance.
There were nearly 10 million people in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance, but only one million of them cultivated the Way of Celestial Immortality. Compared with 10 billion humans outside, they were certainly unable to stir up things. However, when all the 10 million people left the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance simultaneously, the whole Human Tribe was highly concerned about it. It was well known that the 10 million immortal cultivators were all elites with great power and impact.
Laozi had already arrived in the Human Tribe, so he soon got the news and was totally confused. Of course, he had heard of the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance before and showed great appreciation. Now humans came out from the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. And they were all immortal cultivators who claimed that they were seeking for the so-called Fated Chance. He could not help but be confused. Four Ancestors of HumanityLaozi had been hiding his traces ever since he'd left Mount Kunlun. Only the Honoured Lord of the Origin and Tongtian knew where he'd gone. And they absolutely would not let the secret out. Why did the immortal cultivators of the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance leave for the Fated Chance all of a sudden? He was confused about the reasons for the arrangements the Four Ancestors of Humanity had made.
The Four Ancestors of Humanity were highly respected by humans, especially Musen, the ancestor of martial arts. He was well-matched, sometimes even suppressed, in prestige with the Sacred Lady of the Human Tribe, Goddess Nvywa. Great events of the Human Tribe were usually decided by Musen. He must have been the one who incited immortal cultivators of the Human Tribe to leave the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. Had he known that some masters of the Way of Celestial Immortality had come into the Human Tribe?
Laozi thought of this and was shocked. Was it possible that his traces had been discovered? No, that was impossible. Anyhow, he was a master in the Late Stage of Sage-to-be. And he had hidden his traces deliberately. Ordinary people could absolutely not find a clue. Were there some unknown masters in the Human Tribe? Or, was someone else hiding backstage? Laozi thought for a long time and had no clue. So he continued to travel around in the Human Tribe. At the same time, he could conveniently learn more details about the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance from the humans who had just left the land. The Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance had been forbidden to visit in the past. No one knew what it was like inside. But humans came out from it now. News about the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance would soon be widespread.
Laozi was especially excited when he heard about the Sacred Palace of Spiritual Inheritance. He was surprised that the Martial Ancestors of the Human Tribe had obtained the Enlightenment Tablet. This tablet had existed since the Longhan Cultivation Tribulation. And it had disappeared ever since. The Refining of it had been sealed to everyone up till now. It was really a surprise that it reappeared in the Human Tribe.
Laozi also found out something else. Although immortal cultivators from the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance had cultivated the transformation exercises engraved in the Enlightenment Tablet, they had no masters to follow. As a result, they could only rely on themselves and improve by trial and error. It explained why the Way of Celestial Immortality of the Human Tribe had faded while the Martial Arts, the cultivation speed of which was obviously slower, were prospering.
After one hundred years of traveling, Laozi finally decided to establish the religious sect in the Human Tribe. Humans had primordial immortal qualifications. They held the Spiritual Inheritance of the Way of Celestial Immortality but had neither systems nor masters, which was suitable for him to preach Taoism lineage and establish a religious sect.
Laozi found an isolated hill, set a platform high above, and nobly sat on it. "I am Laozi, the Grand Pure One, one of the Three Pure Ones," he proclaimed. "I have been traveling around the Human Tribe for nearly a hundred years. And I found that your Spiritual Inheritance of the Way of Celestial Immortality was defective. So I intend to preach The Way of Dao with Gold Core to you. You all can gather together to listen to my Teachings."
Although Laozi's voice was not loud, it penetrated into the whole crowd constantly and clearly. It must be attained by some immortal master. Immortal cultivators of the Way of Celestial Immortality in the Human Tribe hurriedly came to the place one by one. What was more, many cultivators of Martial Arts also rushed to the platform out of curiosity. Or perhaps they had heard about the Three Pure Ones before and wanted to listen to the sermon.
The isolated hill was soon covered with people, there were huge crowds of people even at the foot of the hill. Seeing this, Laozi began to preach his Great Way with Gold Core:
"The Tao that can be told of is not the Absolute Tao. The names that can be given are not Absolute Names. The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth. The Named is the Mother of All Things. Therefore, oftentimes, one stripes oneself of passion in order to see the Secret of Life. Oftentimes, one regards life with passion in order to see its manifest forms. These two (the Secret and its manifestations) are (in their nature) the same. They are given different names. When they become manifest, they may both be called the Cosmic Mystery. Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery is the gate to the Secret of All Life.
"When the people of the earth all know beauty as beauty, the recognition of evil arises. Therefore, being and non-being interdepend in contrast. High and low interdepend on position. Tones and voice interdepend on harmony. Front and behind interdepend on a company. Therefore, the Sage manages affairs without action and preaches the doctrine without words. "All things take their rise, but he does not turn away from them. He gives them life but does not take possession of them. He acts but does not appropriate. Accomplishes, but claims no credit. That the credit cannot be taken away from him. Exalt not the wise, so that the people shall not scheme and content. Prize not rare objects, so that the people shall not steal. Shut out from the things of desire, so that the people's hearts shall not be disturbed. Therefore, in the government of the Sage, he keeps empty in their hearts. Makes full their bellies, discourages their ambitions, strengthens their frames, so that the people may be innocent of knowledge and desires. And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere by action without deeds. May all live in peace."
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The Way of Celestial Immortality preached by Laozi was exactly what the Human Tribe lacked. All the humans around were deeply indulged with his words. When Laozi was preaching the teaching, the Hong Meng Immortal Qi slowly melted into his Original Spirit. After 49 years, Laozi had finally succeeded.
The vital force of Laozi resulted in great pressures to the Human Tribe. They all saw that Laozi stood up with the Baraka Exquisite Pagoda above his head. He threw out his Primordial Supreme Treasure, the Map of Taichi, and shouted in a deep voice, "Heaven bears witness to my words, I'm Laozi, the Grand Pure One, one of the Three Pure Ones. Today I realize that the Great Way is achieved, and I decide to establish Tribe of Humanity in order to civilize the Human Tribe. The Map of Taichi acts as the Supreme Treasure of the Clan, it will accumulate the Luck of Tribe of Humanity. Now I announce that Tribe of Humanity is formally established."
After Laozi finished his speech, a gigantic Golden Wheel of Merit appeared in the sky. Incalculable Golden Light of Merit entered into Laozi's body. He was gaining remarkable momentum and the Creatures in the Untainted Land were shocked. The Human Tribe nearby even kowtowed to Laozi involuntarily. Spiritual music and scents from Heaven wreathed in the air, auspicious signs emerged in an endless stream.
Laozi became a Sage and shocked the public in the Untainted Land. There was one more Sage now. The Sages appeared one by one. It seemed that a brand-new era had begun. In the Untainted Land, the status of the Sorcerer and Demon tribes was declining continually. Sages were the true dominators of the Untainted Land. Of course, some people were greatly discontent with what Laozi had done. In Wahuang Heaven, Goddess Nvywa witnessed Laozi establishing Tribe of Humanity, thus becoming the Sage. She was very unhappy. Goddess Nvywa was the creator of the Human Tribe. Laozi had dared to establish Tribe of Humanity without notifying her of the whole thing. The most important thing was that Laozi occupied nearly 30% of the Luck of the Human Tribe when he established the Clan and became a Sage. 10% of it was derived from Goddess Nvywa. She had no reason to be happy.
Certainly, Goddess Nvywa was not the only person who had been deprived of Luck. Musen also lost his 10% of the Luck of the Human Tribe. Only Suiren-shi, Youchao-shi, and Ziyi-shi were free from loss, because the three were in charge of the survival of the Human Tribe, not the civilization. Naturally, Laozi was unable to deprive them of the Luck.
As Laozi became a Sage, his cultivation was upgraded to the Secondary Stage of the Sage. He could burst out a more coercion of the Sage than Goddess Nvywa and Minghe. All the Creatures in the Untainted Land were amazed. Although Goddess Nvywa and Minghe had already become Sages, now, Laozi was the one who was more powerful. After all, the Untainted Land was a world which praised highly of power. Laozi owed two Karmas when he became a Sage, he deprived 10% of the Luck of the Human Tribe from Goddess Nvywa and Musen respectively. He could certainly not obtain it without payment. If he failed to pay the Karmas back, his cultivation would be badly influenced as well.
Chapter 93: Five Sages a Day
In the Human Clan's Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance, Mu Sen, Suiren-Shi, Youchao-Shi and Ziyi-Shi all looked in the direction of Lao Zi with different expressions. Mu Sen was aware of the loss of his luck, while the other three were just shocked at Lao Zi's strong power.
As for the Wu cultivators in the Sacred Land, they were all pressed by the Sage's force. Although Mu Sen could protect them from it, he didn't do so. Martial Arts required its cultivators to be courageous and fearless. If even the endurance of the Sage's pressure was hard for them, then Martial Arts cultivation would face a gloomy prospect.
Seeing the Wu cultivators strenuously sustaining the force, Mu Sen said gently, "As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along." Soft, but as if a spring of fresh water had been injected into the Human Clan's hearts in the Sacred Land. Strive along ceaselessly... Strive along ceaselessly... Strive along ceaselessly.
All the Wu cultivators' powers burst out and their forces were integrated with each other. It was surprising that they withstood the Sage's might completely. Numerous Ways of Martial Arts exploded together, baptized in the Sage's force and increasingly sublimated under pressure. More powerful forces burst out constantly.
Seeing this, Mu Sen smiled slightly. As expected, the Wu cultivators hadn't let him down. They had not only resisted the Sage's force but even improved their Ways of Martial Arts by virtue of such enormous pressure. With the help of this, some also reached new realms. For example, there were several new Martial Artists at Heaven Clashing Level. In this way, they could save years of arduous cultivation.
However, looking in the direction where Lao Zi had become Sage, Mu Sen's face turned gloomy, too. The Human Clan had taken this thing for granted and they all showed great admiration and submitted to it. Even the Human Clan from the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance was no exception, without any resistance. In contrast to Martial Artists in the Sacred Land, their behaviors bitterly disappointed Mu Sen. It would have been better if they had fought but failed. At least they would have tried. However, what Mu Sen saw were innate submission.
How could Mu Sen not be depressed? All this time, he had craved that the Human Clan would grow into a genuinely strong clan, striving to become strong and independent rather than surrendering to the Sage's force without any refusal. In this way, the Human Clan's was destined to become the Sages' tool to contend for Luck. Who would care for their true demands then?
Fortunately, at least the Martial Arts' Spiritual Inheritors of the Human Clan hadn't disappointed Mu Sen. Almost 80% of the elites and talents in the Human Clan gathered in the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance as Wu cultivators. If they gradually developed well, they would definitely play the role of a mainstay in the Human Clan. Though the Way of Celestial Immortality was controlled by the Sages, Martial Arts still belonged to Humans. Thus, there was still hope for them to be strong.
After Lao Zi became a Sage, the Primeval Lord of Heaven and Tong Tian in Mount Kunlun understood instantly that this was the fated chance for them to become Sages. Establish a Clan. When this thought hit, their Hong Meng Immortal Qi began to be integrated into their Purusas. As a result, their Realm improved rapidly and there were no difficulties in understanding what had confused them before. This was the extraordinarily incredible effect of Hong Meng Immortal Qi.
"I'm the Primeval Lord of Heaven. As the second disciple of Ancestor Hong Jun, I'm Original Pan Gu derived from Great Divinity Pan Gu's Purusa. Now I set a clan, named Chan Clan. Chan means enlightenment. So this clan will obey the rule of heaven and explain the Way of Dao. The Primordial Supreme Treasure, Pan Gu Banner will be used to underpin the Chan Clan's Luck. Spiritual Products in the Land, as well as talented creatures, can all join this clan and acquire the doctrine of Hong Jun and Pan Gu. The Chan Clan begins.
"I'm Tong Tian Taoist. As the third disciple of Ancestor Hong Jun, I'm Original Pan Gu derived from Great Divinity Pan Gu's Purusa. Today I also establish a clan named the Clan of Severity as extracting a part of Heaven's Secrets, in order to instruct all mortal beings. The God-killing Sword Formation is the treasure to stabilize the Clan. In the Untainted Land, all living things who have a predestination with the Clan of Severity can join it. Creatures who are kind and concentrated on cultivation can acquire the Way of Dao. The Clan of Severity begins."
At this moment, the Way of Heaven endowed two Merits again. For a while, two strong Sage's forces spread throughout the Untainted Land. While Tong Tian Taoist's force was slightly weaker than Lao Zi's, it was still more forceful than that of Goddess Nv Wa and Ming He, who had been at the Secondary Stage of the Sage. Thus, it didn't shame the fame of the Original Pan Gu. The Three Pristine Taoists became Sages one by one, astonishing the whole Untainted Land.
The two Taoists in the West also reacted to this event. Anxious and worried, Zhun Ti said to Jie Yin, "Brother, Taoists in the East have all became Sages. Where is our Dao?"
Now there were five Sages in the East. Without primordial Merit, it would take much more effort to gain the position of Sage.
But if they didn't do this right now, the gap between them and Sages in the East would become increasingly wider. How could they rejuvenate the West? Their time was limitless. A moment later, Jie Yin's eyes opened. Seeing this, Zhun Ti asked in a hurry, "Brother, do you have an idea?"
Jie Yin sighed and answered in a more miserable and slow way, "There is indeed a solution, but it would cause serious Karma and much inconvenience for us later." Hearing this, Zhun Ti was confused. Why would becoming Sages cause serious Karma? Puzzled, he asked again, "Brother, what's the idea? Why will there be serious Karma? Honorable Ancestor has said that the Sage would not suffer from it. So how could it happen to us?" Jie Yin explained to Zhun Ti, "The Honorable Ancestor's true meaning is that Sages are immortal, so they have numerous time to settle Karma, rather than that they are free from Karma. Besides, even if Karma will not hurt Sages, it may cause damage to their disciples. What's worse, it is also possible the Clan could be exterminated." The Sage was still affected by Karma, but just in another way.
"So brother, what's the solution indeed?" asked Zhun Ti in haste. There was no time to consider Karma. It was crucial to become Sages. Jie Yin could not help but answer,
"It is rectifying Dao by promising Great Aspiration, the great aspiration in the Land. Only in this way which combines the Great Aspiration with our Merit of establishing Clan can we have the possibility to become Sages."
Seeing Zhun Ti's expectant look, Jie Yin also understood that time waits for no man. They had already fallen behind Taoists in the east. If they could not manage to achieve the status of Sage soon, the gap between east and west would become too wide to fill. At that time everything would be meaningless.
"Nonetheless, Great Aspiration means to draw Merit from the Way of Heaven in advance. Thus, we must fulfill these aspirations. Otherwise, the Way of Heaven would impose tribulation, or scourge upon us. If we adopt this way, we will not be as free as other Sages like Lao Zi and we will also be considerably limited in handling matters!"
Hearing this, Zhun Ti was stunned. How great the Aspiration would be that it could enable them to become Sages! It was unimaginable. If so, it was worthless to even establish a great Clan, for such serious Karma was powerful enough to wipe out the Clan. Zhun Ti's expression kept changing as his mind was intertwined with difficult choices.
"Well, that's it!" Finally, Zhun Ti braced himself to agree. Jie Yin stared at Zhun Ti in an astonished way, because it was out of his expectation that Zhun Ti would accept this proposal. He was going to find another solution. Though he was not sure to find a better one, at least it would be no worse than making Great Aspiration. Jie Yin was surprised that Zhun Ti agreed.
Zhun Ti knew what Jie Yin was worried about. Thus, he said at once, "Brother, we don't have time. As for the great Clan, we can plan it in the future. For now, the most important thing is to become Sages. The West is infertile and barren, we don't have to worry about the Taoists in the East making trouble here. This is a good opportunity for us to develop the great Clan. When events happen in the East, we can watch for the proper moment for action. So, it is possible that we can invigorate the Clan."
Jie Yin thought what Zhun Ti said was reasonable. The West had been quite poor after the last Cultivation Tribulation, so the East would not be interested in it. Thus, it was the right time to cultivate a great Clan. When the opportunity arose, achieving rejuvenation was hopeful. He turned to Zhun Ti, "Since you accept it. Then that's it."
They stood upon the Holy Mountain, and spoke loudly, "Today, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti establish a Clan in the West together, named the Western Sect, which will instruct the living beings to be kind and eliminate misery and worries. The West will be as happy as paradise. The Primordial Spiritual Treasure Golden Lotus of Merit is used to underpin the Luck of the Western Sect. The Western Sect begins!" At this, the Way of Heaven reacted, and the Merit of Clan Establishment was accumulated in the sky. However, in contrast to Lao Zi, the Primeval Lord of Heaven, and Tong Tian, the Merit didn't fall down.
Jie Yin and Zhun Ti dared not to treat this with disregard, making Great Aspiration hurriedly. Buddhist chanting spread all over the Untainted Land, "If I can rectify supreme bodhi and attain authentic wisdom, Buddhist temples in the West will all possess an inconceivable collection of merit and virtue. There will be no hell, demons, beasts or flying and peristaltic pests. All living creatures, including the ones in the Flame Moluo World and the Three Evil Realm, accepting my education, can achieve anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They will not make evil things again. If these are fulfilled, I can become Buddha.
"If not, then supreme enlightenment cannot be achieved. If I attain the Buddhist cultivation, living creatures will want to live in my pure land, they only need to read my Buddha name ten times. If you do so but your will isn't achieved, I cannot become Buddha as a punishment. People who commit severe crimes of Five Rebellion and slandering Buddhism are excluded. If I attain the Buddhist Cultivation, living creatures who want to be born in my land just need to have boddhicitta, cultivate Merit and make promise sincerely. If their promises haven't been fulfilled, I cannot become Buddha."
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For a while, the Buddhist sound disappeared. Petals were swirling in the sky and gold lotus rose from the earth. The Land was filled with a flash of gold light and Sharipu flew into the sky, with the mentally refreshing scent of sanders. Jie Yin and Zhun Ti made 48 Great Aspirations in one stroke. They established the Western Sect and Paradise so as to redeem lost living creatures. The Way of Heaven reacted to their Aspirations. Finally, they became Sages and attained Supreme Buddhist Cultivation.
Chapter 94: Influence
Welcoming five Sages in a day was such a grand sight that Untainted Land seethed with excitement. As the Sages appeared, Auspicious Signs fell from the heaven and the whole land joined the jubilation. Numerous creatures were enlightened as a result. Many famous mountains and great waters returned to life as if Untainted Land was baptized. What was more, the Spiritual Air in Land also became much denser.
On Sacred Island in Blood Sea, seeing the five become Sages, Minghe realized the era of Sages had fully arrived. Competitions in future, whether in the open or in secret, would be unusually fierce. With just with one careless move, one might lose the whole game. Fortunately, these Sages were not closely united. Even the Three Pure Ones, who were brothers, might split up before long.
The relationships among the Sages was solely sustained by interest. There were neither eternal friends nor permanent enemies. Just as in the Battle of Gods Investiture, Laozi and Honoured Lord of the Origin even took the initiative to join up with Western Taoists, Zhunti, and Jieyin to combat Tongtian. They completely threw their brotherhood to the back of their minds. What concerned them was only the Luck of their own clans. In contrast, the friendship between Zhunti and Jieyin, who were not blood brothers, was more solid than that between the Three Pure Ones.
But one thing was beyond Minghe's expectations. The simultaneous appearances of Sages had allowed the Spiritual Air in Untainted Land to recover to a certain extent. Before the Longhan Cultivation Tribulation, the world including some famous mountains and rivers were full of Spiritual Air. However, this was now rarely seen. As time went by, the Spiritual Air became increasingly thinner, unworthy to be discussed in the same breath with its past state.
But now, the Spiritual Air in the world had actually recovered with the appearance of the Sages. How was it possible that Minghe's suspicion was not provoked? When Goddess Nvywa appeared, Minghe was occupied with Selfcentric Separation and the Human Tribe. He paid no attention to the event. It now seemed that the Spiritual Air in Land had been strengthening since then. He simply had not noticed.
However, now that five Sages had appeared on the same day, the Spiritual Air in the world suddenly recovered by 30 percent. How could it escape Minghe's notice? Was this only due to the Auspicious Signs triggered by the Sages? No, it was not so. The Auspicious Signs could only momentarily strengthen the Spiritual Air. It would not be the way it was now, air denser by 30 percent.
Minghe looked at the sky, contemplating. Was it because the Way of Heaven had become stronger? Or perhaps, the Way of Heaven had been perfected? The appearance of the Sages was the general trend of the Way of Heaven and their supernatural powers were limitless. Though the Sages might easily damage Untainted Land, their appearances could indeed further complete the Way of Heaven. If so, it was reasonable for the Spiritual Air in the world to recover.
The combat force of the Sages would also be reinforced with the improvement of The Way of Heaven. After all, they could make use of its power. This spelled bad news for Minghe. However, now that they had reached the Realm of Origin, they would not easily launch attacks as waging a war would bring immeasurable harm. There were currently no conflicts among Minghe and other six Sages. For the time being, he could just concentrate on cultivating and enhancing his power without worries.
... The simultaneous appearances of the five Sages had greatly affected Untainted Land. The ones that bore the brunt were naturally the Sorcerer and Demon tribes. The two tribes could be regarded as the dominators of Untainted Land in the past. Goddess Nvywa had further enhanced the Demon Tribe's status. Later when Minghe became the Sage (that was what they were expecting), their positions would be fairly weakened.
But it was different now. The simultaneous appearances of the five Sages had demoted the position of the two tribes in Untainted Land even further. Besides, these five Sages were just two forces. One was the Three Pure Ones, the other was the West. The two tribes could not afford to offend either.
...
Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery gathered in Hall of Pangu to discuss matters about the Houtu becoming Sages. There were already six Sages and a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin, Minghe, in Untainted Land. Though Houtu owned the last Hong Meng Immortal Qi, the Wu Tribe did not have Original Spirit. Houtu had no way of comprehending the mystery of Hong Meng Immortal Qi. Therefore, Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery were panicking. The Demon Tribe at least had the Sage, Goddess Nvywa. There was no one in the Wu Tribe. Though their tribe owned the Real Entity of Pangu as a lethal weapon, they could only use it temporarily. They could only be considered as having a true patron if Houtu becomes a Sage.
Seeing Houtu's anxious look, Emperor Jiang also felt helpless. Though Hong Meng Immortal Qi was the necessary Foundation of the Dao to become a Sage, it was not easy to depend on it to become a Sage. Houtu still had not gained anything in the slightest after owning it for several years.
Emperor Jiang turned to his second younger brother, Torch Dragon, who was lost in contemplation. As he had always been the wisest one among them, Emperor Jiang could only ask for his opinion. "Second brother, it has been thousands of years since Houtu gained Hong Meng Immortal Qi. But until now she still hasn't figured out the Fated Chance to become a Sage. Now the simultaneous appearances of the Sages are greatly pressuring our Wu Tribe. Do you have any way to help Houtu become a Sage early?"
Torch Dragon replied hesitantly, "I don't know how to help Houtu quickly become a Sage either. However, considering the current situation, I only have two suggestions for Houtu. But I'm not sure if they'll be effective."
Emperor Jiang said in a hurry, "Please tell me your suggestions. As long as they're feasible, we'll help Houtu even if we put the weight of our entire Wu Tribe behind it. Once we have a Sage, the other Sages will not dare offend us that easily."
Torch Dragon said, "My first suggestion is for Houtu to travel across Untainted Land and see if she can find her Fated Chance. Both Goddess Nvywa and Laozi found their Fated Chances while traveling around Untainted Land. And the other four became Sages after benefiting from Laozi's success. So I'm afraid she'll not find the Fated Chance by staying at home all the time."
"As for the second one," Torch Dragon said quite hesitantly, "Instead of using Hong Meng Immortal Qi, Minghe succeed in becoming Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin by relying on his own cultivation. We can see how extraordinary he is. Moreover, Houtu's Hong Meng Immortal Qi was given by Minghe. Since he chose to do business with our tribe, I'm afraid he must have figured out something instead of wanting to solely repay Karma to God the Father like he said. If Houtu still can't gain anything after traveling, you can go to Blood Sea to ask for Minghe's advice. Maybe he will offer some guidance." Emperor Jiang thought his suggestions were reasonable. Houtu would not encounter any dangers in her journey as Untainted Land was their territory. In addition, no one except Minghe and Ancestor of Sorcery knew Houtu was the one with the last Hong Meng Immortal Qi. Even if danger really appeared, they could hasten to her assistance at any time.
Emperor Jiang stared at Houtu. She needed to make the final decision, whether to first follow the first advice or directly seek Minghe's help. Seeing that all her siblings were looking at her, Houtu said, "I best travel around Untainted Land first. Maybe I can find the Fated Chance to become a Sage. If this fails, then I'll go to Blood Sea to ask Minghe for help. After all, it'd be better if I can understand the Fated Chance myself."
...
In the backyard of Wuzhuang Taoist Temple, Zhenyuanzi was standing in front of the swaying Ginseng Tree with a dignified expression on his face. He had just received Minghe's message. The message was naturally not something trivial. Thus, he came to the Ginseng Tree to discuss it with his old friend, Hongyun.
After that war, only a wisp of Hongyun's soul remained. After all, he was a Sage-to-be so that was enough for him to come back to life. After thousands of years of recovery and nutrient from the Three Light Holy Water, his remaining soul was a lot stronger. His mental ability had also recovered, so he could talk with others now.
Inside the Ginseng Tree, Hongyun looked at Zhenyuanzi and asked, "Zhenyuanzi, what did Minghe say in the message?" They were good friends, so Zhenyuanzi would naturally tell the truth to Hongyun. Towards the fact that his old friend was able to have the Fated Chance to achieve Rectification, Hongyun was of course delighted. Having experienced a life-or-death tribulation, Hongyun had become more broad-minded now. It seemed ridiculous he had been so obsessed with Hong Meng Immortal Qi then.
Zhenyuanzi answered, "His letter tells me to preach Taoism Lineage among the Human Tribe." Previously under Minghe's indication, he had carefully comprehended the Nether World Book of Eternal Spiritual Treasure. Consequently, he had also discovered the secret in the book. Maybe this was the Fated Chance Minghe had mentioned. However, it was impossible to establish the Dao of Earthly Immortals with his strength alone. A tremendous power was needed to support him. There was still a large number of Individual Cultivators in Untainted Land beside the Sorcerer and Demon tribes. However, even if they all joined Zhenyuanzi, it was still an utterly insignificant measure compared to the vastness of Untainted Land. Now Minghe had suggested him that he preach in the Human Tribe. This would actually open a new door for him.
Chapter 95: The Changes in the Human Tribe
Hearing that, Hongyun pondered for a while and said, "Zhenyuanzi, the Human Tribe is indeed suitable for you to pass on Taoism lineage. Just take Goddess Nvywa and Laozi as examples. Both succeeded in becoming Sages through the Human Tribe. Minghe also thought very highly of the tribe. Furthermore, they are developing extremely fast. We can see that they are extraordinary. Teaching them would bring you no harm."
Zhenyuanzi naturally understood what Hongyun said. He just sighed. "What you and I initially wanted was to be free and leisurely Immortals. But now you're injured because of Hong Meng Immortal Qi. And I've no choice but enter the fight for Luck in Untainted Land to actualize the Realm of Origin. It's hard to say if this will bring blessing or disaster!"
Hongyun remained silent. After a long time, he said, "Zhenyuanzi, are you really willing to be a Carefree Immortal unconcerned about worldly affairs?" Zhenyuanzi was stunned to hear such a question from Hongyun. Was he willing to do so? He could not help but question himself if he was truly willing. Zhenyuanzi was confused. In the beginning, he thought he walked on this path solely due to Minghe and Hongyun. But was it really true? If he was truly unwilling, perhaps not even Minghe could force him. Or perhaps, he did it for the Fated Chance that Minghe promised to give Hongyun?
No, no, no, these were not the reasons. All of a sudden, the momentum of Zhenyuanzi's body flared up, sweeping over all his previous confusion. Inside that momentum, there was an indescribable appeal which was hard to understand, the same as Minghe's. It was a fearless determination that belonged to the strong.
Hongyun laughed loudly when he saw the change in Zhenyuanzi. "Congratulations, Zhenyuanzi!" Hongyun naturally noticed the change in his old friend. Now that Zhenyuanzi had swept his confusions away, his Rectification road would be smoother. After all, if there was confusion in the heart, perhaps it would not be easy to travel down this Rectification road.
...
"The Way of Heaven upon, I, Ancestor Minghe, have comprehended the supreme Way of Killing. I'll establish the Religion of Ashura among the Ashura Tribe. Kill the Heaven. Kill the earth. Kill every living thing. The primordial supreme treasure, the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth, is used to suppress the Luck of the Religion of Ashura. The Religion of Ashura is established!"
On Blood Sea, Minghe had seen the formation of the four Sects of Untainted Land and felt he too should establish the Religion of Ashura. As for the Spiritual Treasures to quell the Great Sect, Minghe could only use the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth. As Grade 24 Red Lotus of Fire had already become his Evil Separation, it was impossible to use them to quell Luck.
It was inevitable that he would have to expose the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth, but he could make use of this opportunity to demonstrate his strength. In Untainted Land, only Three Pure Ones possessed primordial supreme treasures among the Sages. Now he also possessed one. It would naturally act as some sort of deterrence to the other Sages.
Minghe gained a new wave of Merit by founding the Religion of Ashura. Besides the appearance of the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth that somewhat astonished the Sages and other creatures in Untainted Land, other things did not cause a lot of waves in Untainted Land. After all, the Religion of Ashura was obviously founded for the Ashura Tribe and its foundation was the rule of killing. Thus it would be hard for it to spread in Untainted Land.
...
The initially thriving Martial Arts started to decline among the Human Tribe, whereas the Way of Celestial Immortality was seeing a rise. The Golden Core Way of Great Way that Laozi passed onto the tribe was something he took a long time to arrange. It was the most suitable Way of Celestial Immortality for the tribe. With this kind of Spiritual Inheritance of the Way of Celestial Immortality, the gate to the Way of Celestial Immortality for the Human Tribe opened at once.
The five sects of Untainted Land were established simultaneously. Except for the Religion of Ashura, the other sects were all suitable for humans to participate. If one could have a Sage personally given a sermon, frequently listening to their teachings would naturally benefit one's cultivation in The Way of Celestial Immortality. Therefore, the craze of honoring one's master instantly rose among the Human Tribe.
The Western Religion Sect was located west of Untainted Land. The area was remote so there were few human who went to honor their masters there. But it was not the same with the Tribe of Humanity, the Clan of Enlightenments, and the Tribe of Severity. Their temples were located in Mount Kunlun in the east. Countless creatures went to be their apprentices. Among those creatures, those from the Human Tribe made for a large segment.
Musen and Suiren-Shi who dwelled in the Human Tribe's Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance naturally had anticipated this situation. However, they never thought the Way of Celestial Immortality would thrive so successfully and bring such huge impact on the Martial Arts of Human Tribe. Nowadays, it was hard to find Spiritual Inheritance of Martial Arts outside the sacred land.
Suiren-Shi and the two other elders were naturally distressed about this. Moreover, a great number of the elites of the tribe wanted to be the sect apprentices of the Sages. Wouldn't this ease the Sages to interfere with affairs of their tribe? Suiren-Shi worriedly said, "Brother, everything is indeed as you've mentioned. The Way of Celestial Immortality thrives successfully in my clan. Though our strength is increased, it'll also let the Sages' Sects gain benefit. What should we do now?" Musen was expressionless. His gaze was deep as he quietly said, "We've already anticipated this. Why should we worry about it again? As for what we should do, I have thought of a way. Nowadays among the Human Tribe outside, the Way of Celestial Immortality is prevalent while Martial Art is gradually declining. If this situation continues, perhaps there will be gradually fewer Martial Cultivators among the tribe outside. They may completely disappear in the end.
"For now, the plan is to issue an edict ordering all the Martial Cultivators of the tribe to return to Coast of East Sea and let them dwell outside the Sacred Land. At the same time, we'll remove some of the restrictions of the sacred land and give them a chance to enter and listen to my explanation of Martial Arts. Furthermore, they'll have the chance to enter Temple of Spiritual Inheritance to comprehend the Enlightenment Tablets. With this, we can at least guarantee the existing Spiritual Inheritance of Martial Arts from the Human Tribe will no longer be weak."
Youchao-Shi nodded. "It's indeed a good idea. If the Martial Arts of our tribe is no longer weak, we'll certainly regain our power someday. But what should we do about The Way of Celestial Immortality? Will we let things be or will we interfere?" Musen shook his head. "There's no need. Even if we interfere now, I'm afraid it'll only produce the opposite result. It's better to let them be. Furthermore, we still have to fully support those seeking The Way of Celestial Immortality. Of course, the ones they could worship as Masters shouldn't be limited to the Sages' Sects. Skilled Individual Cultivators in Untainted Land like Zhenyuanzi can also be the object of their worship."
The eyes of the three persons brightened. Right! In Untainted Land, there were many skilled Individual Cultivators besides the Sages. The Sages could not carelessly accept apprentices. In the Human Tribe alone, there was already a large number of people who wanted to be their apprentices. Even if the Sages accepted apprentices, they would not accept everyone. They could only choose a few talented ones and the remaining ones would inevitably fail to be chosen. In that case, these skilled Individual Cultivators would become proper targets of their worships.
Ziyi-Shi laughed and said, "Fourth brother's trick is really brilliant! The Sages wouldn't blindly recruit disciples. I'm afraid most would return in disappointment. But if we can point out some skilled Individual Cultivators, they would settle for second best. Since the Sages' Sects hold no hope for them, then those skilled Individual Cultivators are also pretty good options. Using this as a pretext, our Human Tribe can also draw a lot of skilled Individual Cultivators in. We're doing everything in one stroke."
Musen smiled. It was indeed 'doing everything in one stroke. First, they could reduce some of the influence the Sages had over their tribe. Therefore it would not only be the Sages' Taoism lineage that dominated the clan. Second, they could draw some skilled Individual Cultivators in. Third, this went well for Minghe's scheme. Zhenyuanzi wanted to establish the Way of Earth Immortals, so he needed a lot of manpower and what the Human Tribe did not lack most was precisely men.
Once the edict of Four Ancestors of Humanity appeared, the Human Tribe immediately flared up. Countless Martial Arts Cultivators headed towards Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. The human ancestors did not abandon them, the ones who were cultivating Martial Arts outside the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance. These tribesmen were naturally excited to have the chance to enter the sacred land. Furthermore, they would also have the chance to listen to Ancestor of Martial Arts's teaching. These had greatly roused them as people who persisted in Martial Arts.
Also, in addition to the Sages' Sect, the four human ancestors also pointed out some Individual Cultivators who were living in seclusion in Untainted Land. This had also given the tribesmen who had consciously worshipped the Sages' Sect a new hope. Since the Sages were beyond their reach, they would always have some chance with these Individual Cultivators.
It did not take long for those still cultivating Martial Arts in the Human Tribe to gather outside the sacred land. However, when their numbers were counted, there were only few hundred millions of them. It was incomparable with more than ten billions of them at the peak of Martial Arts.
Suiren-Shi, Youchao-Shi, and Ziyi-Shi felt extremely distressed about it. They acknowledged Musen's Martial Arts more than the Way of Celestial Immortality. After all, Martial Arts were created by Musen which was equivalent to be created by the Human Tribe. Besides, it could have strived together with the Way of Celestial Immorality. But now, Martial Arts had declined to such a state outside the Holy Land. How could they not feel distressed?
On the contrary, Musen was very calm. Even though the Martial Arts outside the sacred land had weakened, the foundation was still there. Furthermore, Martial Arts was extremely prosperous inside the land. It might seem like Martial Arts had been greatly injured, but in reality, the injury had only reached the exterior. From the beginning, Musen had never thought Martial Arts could thrive forever in the Human Tribe. For it to decline was only a matter of time. After all, its difficulty in cultivation was a serious weakness for Martial Arts.
Chapter 96: Houtu Became a Sage
Musen was very satisfied that there were millions of the Human Tribe cultivating Martial Arts. Being able to persevere in Martial Arts Cultivation under the impact of the Way of Celestial Immortality showed that they were firm-minded and talented in practicing Martial Arts. It was worth the effort that Musen spent on cultivating them.
In the past, there were tens of billions of Human Tribesmen who practiced Martial Arts. Musen could only establish the Sacred Land of Spiritual Inheritance and select the elite geniuses to be trained. However, now there were only a few hundred million Human Tribesmen remaining in the cultivation of Martial Arts. Although Musen could not train them like he trained the Human Tribe inside the Holy Land, spending some effort on them was still possible. After all, this workload was much smaller than teaching Martial Arts cultivation to tens of billions.
…
After Ancestor of Sorcery Houtu left the Hall of Pangu, she traveled alone in Untainted Land, hoping that she would comprehend the Fated Chance of becoming a Sage like Goddess Nvywa and Laozi had. After all, only comprehending it by herself would be the most suitable for her.
Besides, back then, Minghe and the Ancestors of Sorcery had made a trade. Although both sides got what they desired, in fact, it was they, the Wu Tribe, who owed Minghe a favor. If now she went to ask Minghe, they would owe him another favor. Furthermore, Minghe might not know the whereabouts of her Fated Chance for becoming a Sage. It would be better for her to travel in Untainted Land and see if she could find the Fated Chance.
In Untainted Land, aside from the Wu Tribe, there were also the Demon Tribe and Human Tribe. There was no conflict between the Wu Tribe and the Human Tribe, but the two tribes fought against Demon Tribe constantly. Houtu had been accustomed to this scene. However, now she noticed one thing
—after death.
The Wu Tribe did not have Original Spirit, and after death, the Wu Tribe would die completely. In the Wu Tribe's terms, they would return to God the Father after they died, so the Wu Tribe was not afraid of death. However, the Demon Tribe and the Human Tribe were different, after death their souls would remain in the world. However, without a human body, it was difficult for a soul to survive. Under the Yang sunlight, it would soon scatter. But some of the souls would either become corporeal souls or evil souls under the Killing Intent of Heaven and Earth or Yin energy.
They liked to devour the souls of other creatures and they could also swallow each other, so the grievances between the Heaven and Earth became more numerous. Seeing this scene, Houtu felt disturbed. Without shelter, once a soul died, that would be its true death. Furthermore, these souls would even be used to refine Magic Weapons, which was extremely cruel.
Was there no way in this world to change this situation? Houtu was terribly upset. She began to wander aimlessly in Untainted Land, trying to find a way to change this situation, but she never found one. Was death really the end of life?
Unconsciously, Houtu suddenly found herself coming to the Blood Sea. The scene in the Blood Sea really shocked her—there were numerous souls struggling and wailing in grief, their resentments collided straight with the Heaven and Earth. Houtu became much more disturbed. Looking at this scene, Houtu was lost in thought. Suddenly, a flash of enlightenment came into her mind—she comprehended it! God the Father Pangu established the universe of Honghuan, but this world was not completed. Hongjun combined himself with the Tao to complete the Way of Heaven of Untainted Land and the Sages were born to complete this world. However, this world still lacked a place to accommodate the reincarnation of the souls of all beings.
This was her mission and also the mission of the Wu Tribe left by God the Father Pangu. Among the Wu Tribe, the most powerful people were the Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery; the matter should be completed by one of them. Compared to other ancestors, Houtu was more benevolent and was proficient in the Way of the Tao of the Earth, so she was the best candidate.
But… Houtu was unwilling to do this. The Wu Tribe did not have Original Spirit, and changing her body into reincarnation would certainly result in the Disintegration of the Soul. She could not bear to part from the other 11 ancestors or the Wu Tribe. But she had no choice, this had to be done by her. If the other 11 ancestors knew, they would not allow her to do so.
"Why does Ancestor of Sorcery Houtu come to my Blood Sea?" A Taoist in green clothes suddenly appeared beside Houtu. She looked at him and asked with suspicion, "Who are you and why do you look so similar to Minghe?"
"I am Heaven and Earth Taoist, the Merit body of Ancestor Minghe. His Veneration is still in Closed Door Meditation and can only have me to welcome you on His Veneration's behalf." The man was the Merit body Heaven and Earth Taoist. Once Houtu came to the Blood Sea, he instantly knew about it. But since Minghe and Red Lotus Taoist were in Closed Door Meditation, he had to step in.
Houtu watched Heaven and Earth Taoist and flatly said, "Fellow Taoist Minghe is really powerful. Although you are his Merit body, I am afraid that your power will make all living beings of Untainted Land ashamed. Even we, the Ancestors of Sorcery, might not be able to compare with your strength."
Heaven and Earth Taoist laughed and said, "Ancestor of Sorcery Houtu is over-praising. The might of the Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery has shaken the entire Untainted Land. Fellow Taoist is just a Merit body, how can I be on par with you? Why do you come to the Blood Sea?" Heaven and Earth Taoist knew well about the reason—it must be about reincarnation. Houtu looked at the sinking souls in the Blood Sea and sadly said, "I come here for these souls of the dead. I want to set up a reincarnation place for the souls, but there is a thing that I need you to help with."
Heaven and Earth Taoist said, "I do admire your kindness for cherishing the wild beings in Untainted Land, however, I do not know what I can do for you. As long as it isn't under my ability, I will not refuse." Although Houtu was female and he had already known what was going to happen today, her actions indeed won the admiration of Heaven and Earth Taoist.
Houtu suddenly extracted three drops of Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery. Her face suddenly became very pale. She gave the three drops of Blood of Essence to Heaven and Earth Taoists, saying, "I will definitely die. Please give these three drops of Blood of Essence to my eldest brother, and tell him that I'm sorry to go first."
Seeing Heaven and Earth Taoist accept the Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery, Houtu seemed to have finished her final wish. She looked up and said, "By the Way of Heaven, today I, Houtu of Pangu, am willing to transform this body of the Wu Tribe to be reincarnated in order to solve the pain of the world—transforming the small me into the great me! After death, all living beings of Untainted Land would enter Reincarnation. I set six paths: the Way of Heaven, the Way of Asuras, the Way of Humans, the Way of Animals, the Way of Evil Ghosts, and the Way of Hell.
"Those who had great Merit when they were alive can enter the Way of Heaven in happiness and freedom; killers will enter the Way of Asuras; those who didn't have any achievements will enter the Way of Humans; the people who had more sins than merits will enter the Way of Animals; and the people who had enormous sins will enter the Way of Evil Ghosts and the Way of Hell. From now on all the souls will return to their positions."
With those words, Houtu flew to the sky high above the Blood Sea. She was covered with a strong, turbulent black aura which suddenly filled the entire sky above the Blood Sea. Houtu said loudly, "Six Paths of Reincarnation, appear!" The black vital force gradually turned into six rotating discs. Meanwhile, the supernatural power of Houtu's body exploded, joining the six rotating discs.
When the Six Paths of Reincarnation was complete, waves of thunder instantly burst above the sky as endless Merits fell down from the sky. These Merits were a lot more than what the other Sages gained when they became a Sage. The Merits fell into the Six Paths of Reincarnation, stabilizing the newborn Six Paths of Reincarnation. The rest went into Houtu's disappearing veridical soul and an Original Spirit was actually created for Houtu.
At this moment, Heaven and Earth Taoist moved. The Blood of Essence of Ancestor of Sorcery Houtu was in his hand. One drop flew under his control and integrated with Houtu's newly born Original Spirit. Houtu was very shocked for she had never thought that the Merit of Reincarnation would unexpectedly create an Original Spirit for her and that Heaven and Earth Taoist would even send a drop of the Blood of Essence over, completing her new body.
Although it was only a drop of Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery, it was powerful enough to make a body for Houtu, a Wu Tribe's body at that. Although the body was not as powerful as the Body of an Ancestor of Sorcery, at least it was still a body—a body that could be restored to the real body of an Ancestor of Sorcery.
Under the moistening of the Merit, Houtu's new body and the Original Spirit began to grow rampantly. At the same time, the Hong Meng Immortal Qi, which had never any movement before, suddenly started to blend with the Original Spirit of Houtu and made her overjoyed. She stood quietly to feel the evolution of the Way of Heaven.
This Merit was the greatest Merit of all except for the Merit of Creation. If Houtu only had an Original Spirit, she would not be able to completely absorb the Merit. But now, she had a human body, so some of the Merits merged with her body, making the body grow stronger and stronger. Houtu actually absorbed 90% of the Merit.
Suddenly, Houtu's power soared, and the power of a Sage covered the entire Untainted Land. Auspicious Signs immediately fell from the sky and golden lotuses appeared on the earth. Countless creatures in Untainted Land simultaneously worshiped: "Goddess Houtu is benevolent!" Indeed, Houtu was benevolent. This deed was profitable for all living beings of Untainted Land, except for the Wu Tribe.
Chapter 97: Heaven and Earth Taoist Builds the Nether World
Though he was living under Houtu's Sage coercion, Heaven and Earth Taoist appeared completely unaffected. Houtu becoming a Sage was well within his expectations, so he was well prepared for it. And Houtu's coercion was not weak in any way, so it was all thanks to the great Merit that he could withstand it.
The Seven Sages of Untainted Land were now complete. Laozi, as the head of The Three Pristine Ones, had the strongest cultivation being in Secondary Stage of the Sage. Though Primeval Lord of Heaven and Tongtian shared similar cultivation as Laozi, they were a little weaker. Jieyin was also in the same situation. The weakest of them were obviously Goddess Nvywa and Zhunti, who were in the Early Stage of the Sage.
Thanks to her great Merit of transforming into Six Path of Reincarnation, Houtu's cultivation directly rose to Secondary Stage of the Sage when she became a Sage. But since she did not have an Original Spirit in the past, she was still weaker than Origin, Tongtian, and Jieyin. Therefore it was hard for her to demonstrate her full strength at the moment. Just then, a voice came from the sky. "Houtu has gained immeasurable Merit for transforming into the reincarnation. The Six Path of Reincarnation is the vital center of Untainted Land and still needs to be perfect. A Sage is needed to make sure things go well and prevent any accidents. Before the occurrence of two Cultivation Tribulations, Houtu is forbidden to leave."
Houtu initially basked in joy after becoming a Sage. But Hongjun's words made her scrunched up her face. To forbid her to leave while in the current Cultivation Tribulation, was it not equal to detaining her? How could she be satisfied with this? But Ancestor Hongjun now lived in the Way of Heaven and not someone that a newly ascended Sage like her could take on. She could only obey his instructions.
Heaven and Earth Taoist's expression was also grim, but not due to Houtu's detainment. It was because of Hongjun's words exerted an infinite coercion on him, to the point where he felt like death was approaching. The coercion disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, but it was not something he could simply ignore.
Was this a warning from The Way of Heaven or Hong Jun? If it came from The Way of Heaven, was it to warn him for letting Houtu become the Sage or allowing Houtu to stay as a member of the Wu Tribe? If it was Hongjun's warning, then that was even more confusing. Why did Hongjun warn him? Was it for the same purpose as The Way to Heaven or did he have other motives? This was quite the mystery.
While Heaven and Earth Taoist was lost in thought, two streaks of lights flying from the heart of Blood Sea fell in front of him. When he held onto him, he saw that they were the Book of Life and Death as well as the Judge Pen belonging to Ming He. Since the Six Path of Reincarnation was set, it was time to welcome the Nether World. For Ming He to hand him the two items, it was obviously an indication for him to set the Nether World and be its owner.
He held the two treasures and spoke to Heaven, "I'm Heaven and Earth Taoist, the Merit body of Ancestor Minghe. Now that reincarnation was realized, the Nether World should be built. As Great Deity of Feng Capital who wields reincarnation issues, now I use Book of Life and Death and the Judge Pen, the primordial spiritual treasures, to suppress the Nether World's Luck. The Nether World is built!"
With his growl, the entire Blood Sea came to life. Endless blood flooded the Six Path of Reincarnation, beginning to form the Nether World. Cities were gradually constructed one by one. At the furthest point was a majestic outpost with bluestone walls. Three giant Chinese characters were written on the gate, which read the Gate of Death. The path before the gate was named the Yellow Spring Road, a road that separates life and death.
Within the gate was a massive city with any shop one could think of. Was it not for the red sky overhead, one would feel like he had stepped into an actual living city. Wang Xiang Terrace was built to ease the homesickness of the ghosts. It was a giant, lonely structure outside the city walls. Each day, there were many ghosts lurking around it. Inside the Department of Life and Death were the six reincarnation bridges that linked the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
It did not take long to form the Nether World. Heaven and Earth Taoist said, "With the Nether World built, there ought to be a place for punishment. We'll build the Eighteen Great Hells. Those whose deeds outweigh their sins can enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation, while the rest will be cast to the hells and shall not enter reincarnation until they atone for their crimes. The Eighteen Great Hells set!"
The first level was the Hell of Tongue-Ripping, followed by the Hell of Finger-Slicing, the Hell of Hooks Torture, the Hell of Crime Mirror, the Hell of Cauldron, the Hell of Metal Cylinder, the Hell of Mountain of Knives, the Hell of Mountain of Ice, the Hell of Oil Cauldron, the Hell of Cattle Pit, the Hell of Stone- Pressing, the Hell of Braying, the Hell of Pool of Blood, the Hell of Unnatural Death, the Hell of Skinning, the Hell of Mountain of Fire, the Hell of Grinding, and finally the Hell of Dismemberment.
The type of punishment and amount of time sinners had to spend in the hells were determined by the severity of their crimes. Each level of hell was twenty times more painful and ten times longer than the level before it. There was also a special space under the Eighteen Great Hells, called the Relentless Hell. Once a person entered it, he can never hope to reincarnate.
Since the Nether World had been built, Heaven and Earth Taoist opened the Book of Life and Death and growled, "Creatures of Untainted Land, whoever is not a Sage-to-be, is in the six realms of existence and his name on Book of Life and Death. All the Creatures' Karma, including luck and sin, will be written in this book."
Numerous lights from Untainted Land flooded into the Nether World. A black gas emerged from the Book of Life and Death, absorbing all the lights. Suddenly, endless names appeared in the book, including all creatures were not Sages-to-be, even Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals.
One could amend the book using the Judge Pen, but he has to pay the price based on the amended creature's strength and luck. If one amends carelessly, he may not only be held by Karma but be punished by Heaven and suffer the Disintegration of the Soul as well.
After the Nether World was built, thunder burst above the sky and a golden light of Merit fell directly on Heaven and Earth Taoist. The Merit awarded was not little, as much as one-tenth of Houtu's. He took out his Ruler of Heaven and Earth and collected them.
As a Top Grade Primordial Spiritual Treasure, the attacking power of the ruler was already strong enough. Now embedded with so much Merit, it had an even greater force. What was more, after becoming a Spiritual Treasure of Merit, the ruler could kill without incurring Karma.
However, as the Nether World was still empty, Heaven and Earth Taoist brought millions of Clones of Blood God here and designated ten Blood God Doppelgangers as kings of their respective hell. Now that the Nether World was being to operate. He also introduced Ox Head, Horse Face, and Impermanence to be the soul bringer, arresting and guiding ghosts in Untainted Land.
The Nether World was a place for them to gain long-term Merit. Taoist of Heaven and Hell would naturally not hand it over to anyone. Except for the soul bringer, the Clones of Blood God filled the other positions. The kings of hell, held by Blood God Doppelganger, handled the daily affairs. Therefore, he as Emperor Feng Du became the most leisurely person in the Nether World.
Was this a warning from The Way of Heaven or Hongjun? If it came from The Way of Heaven, was it to warn him for letting Houtu become the Sage or allowing Houtu to stay as a member of the Wu Tribe?
Nevertheless, Houtu did not remain idle. She used the primordial spiritual treasure converted by Blood Sacrifice she previously used to refine her Merit body, Meng Po. Meng Po permanently resided by the Naihe Bridge and provided Meng Po Soup (Five-Flavored Tea of Forgetfulness) to every soul who crossed the bridge towards their reincarnation to eliminate their memories. While Houtu was living in the Nether World, she planned to focus on her cultivation. But before this, she had to deal with Ancestor of Sorcery who had come here in a rush.
Heaven and Earth Taoist had no interest in Houtu's discussion with Ancestor of Sorcery. He only cared for the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Though there were births in his Heaven and Earth, there was no such thing as the Six Paths of Reincarnation for them. Now that it had appeared in Untainted Land, he as Great Deity of Feng Capital could take advantage for enlightenment. If he could comprehend the Law of Reincarnation, then the Divine Law of Heaven and Earth would be completed.
Of course, he also needed to build the army of ghosts. He could not depend on Minghe's Clones of Blood God for everything. The Nether World nevertheless required its own force, the same way Heavenly Court had its celestial soldiers. Though the army would not be able to handle the big issues, they would still be capable of dealing with trivial matters.
Since Six Path of Reincarnation was just set, and the Nether World is an important place in Untainted Land, though newly built, it took a large amount of luck of Untainted Land. As Houtu took 40% of the luck by reincarnation, the rest, of course, fell upon Heaven and Earth Taoist.
Chapter 98: Post-Establishment of the Nether World
Houtu turned into the reincarnation and became a Sage. Minghe's Merit body established the Nether World. Both things were not trivial. Since the Nether World was responsible for the reincarnation of creatures, it was a good place to obtain Merits. Even the other Sages in Untainted Land were jealous. With Houtu in the Nether World and Minghe in Blood Sea, no one had the opportunity to interfere in the matter for the moment.
Compared to the establishment of the Nether World, all living beings of Untainted Land was much more concerned with how Houtu became a Sage, or more precisely, where she received the Hongmeng Immortal Qi. When Ancestor Hongjun conferred the titles of Sage, he sent seven Hongmeng Immortal Qi in total. However, there were now eight Sages in Untainted Land. How could the people not be alarmed?
On Mount Kunlun, the Three Pristine Ones gathered together with grave expressions. Honoured Lord of the Origin asked first, "Brother, do you know where Houtu got the Hongmeng Immortal Qi? Ancestor Hong Jun conferred seven seats for the Sages and Minghe occupied the last one. But now Houtu has become a Sage as well. Could it be there's an eighth seat?" Laozi was puzzled as well, so he speculated, "Maybe. We three got the seats from the Honorable Ancestor, while Houtu is the descendant of Pangu. The Hall of Pangu inside the sanctum of the Wu Tribe is so mysterious that I'm afraid Great Divinity Pangu left the Hall to the Wu Tribe. Perhaps he also left the Hongmeng Immortal Qi inside for them."
Honoured Lord of the Origin agreed with Laozi's words. He was a little jealous of the thought that Pangu left the Hongmeng Immortal Qi for the Wu Tribe. Why not for him? Yet he never thought that his achievements today did not mostly come out of his own efforts, but the Cultivation Will left by Pangu instead.
Tongtian also agreed with Laozi's words. However, another thought came to his mind and shocked him, so he asked, "My brothers, is it possible that Minghe left his Hongmeng Immortal Qi for the Wu Tribe and achieved the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin rather than the Sage?"
Hearing his words, Laozi and the Honoured Lord of the Origin were stunned. Was it possible for anyone to give up the Sage seat of Hongmeng Immortal Qi? For them at least, it was impossible. But what about Minghe? He was already in the Sage- to-be Peak Level and adept in the Tao of Divine Law, so it was possible for him to get Rectification of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin by the Tao of Divine Law.
Laozi suddenly recalled the mysterious sign appearing above Blood Sea when Minghe got his Rectification and he cried out involuntarily, "I see. Minghe achieved Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin rather than the Sage. When someone becomes a Sage, auspicious signs will fall from the heaven and the whole land will join in the jubilation. Yet when Minghe got his Rectification, the mysterious sign only appeared above Blood Sea. Presumably, it's the mysterious sign of the Divine Law rather than the Sage."
What Laozi said made Honoured Lord of the Origin and Tongrian to take a double take. When the Sages appeared, there must be mysterious signs in Untainted Land. Among the eight Sages, only Minghe's sign was different. It would make sense only if Minghe got the Rectification of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of Origin.
In Untainted Land, perhaps no one would give up Hongmeng Immortal Qi for the Rectification of the Origin by the Divine Law. It was not a sure thing to get. On the contrary, since Minghe owned the Hongmeng Immortal Qi, he could easily become a Sage of the Heavenly Way with so many Merits. Tongtian burst out laughing and said, "Minghe is awesome. He's only below the seven Sages and now he's able to resist the temptation of Hongmeng Immortal Qi and instead get the Rectification of the Origin by the Tao of Divine Law. And he did it. I really want to fight with him to fulfill my wish."
Honoured Lord of the Origin showed no expression as well, but he was filled with rage inside. When he was still a Sage-to- be, he fell behind Minghe. Minghe even got Rectification of the Origin by the Divine Law without the Hongmeng Immortal Qi, which he treasured so much. Was this not telling him that he was not as good as Minghe? To his relief, he was in the Secondary Stage of the Sage while Minghe was only in the Early Stage of the Origin, so Minghe was definitely no match for him.
Laozi looked calm, but felt puzzled as well. It was easier said than done to get the Rectification of the Origin by the Tao of Divine Law, and even harder than becoming a Sage. Minghe was so talented and hardworking that he achieved it. Besides, with such priceless treasures like the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth, his Luck must be powerful. Minghe would deand finitely be a strong opponent for him in the future. What was worse, he wondered whether Minghe had other trump cards.
Honoured Lord of the Origin suddenly said, "Brother, Minghe must have exchanged something with the Wu Tribe with his Hongmeng Immortal Qi. Could it be the current Nether World? If so, Minghe made a good deal." The Nether World was a good place to collect Merit and the Luck there was also strong. It was no wonder that Honoured Lord of the Origin was jealous.
Laozi thought for a while before he said, "I'm afraid not. Houtu enlightened the Fated Chance to be a Sage by herself. Minghe won't know that, let alone being able to exchange it with the Nether World. Moreover, the Wu Tribe without Purusa are unsuitable to live there. Since Minghe owns the supreme treasures of the Nether World, such as the Book of Life and Death, the Judge Pen, it's well-reasoned that Minghe established the Nether World."
Tongtian nodded. What Laozi said was reasonable. However, if they could not figure out what Minghe had exchanged with his Hongmeng Immortal Qi with the Wu Tribe, they would always be concerned. Perhaps only Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery and Minghe knew the details, while they came up with nothing for the moment.
··· In the Wahuang Heaven, Goddess Nvywa was greatly surprised that Houtu had become a Sage. With her around, the Demon Tribe was able to deal with the Real Entity of Pan Gu. Unexpectedly Houtu became a Sage. What shocked her most was that, with the help of Minghe's Merit body, Houtu had rebuilt her body with a drop of Blood of Essence from the Ancestor of Sorcerer.
Houtu became a Sage and kept her body of the Wu Tribe. So it was only a matter of time before the previous real entity of the Ancestor of Sorcery was restored. If there was one Sage among the twelve Ancestors of Sorcery arranging the Twelve Divine Beings Killing Formation, it was unimaginable how powerful the Real Entity of Pangu would be.
Fortunately, Ancestor Hongjun requested Houtu not leave the Six Path of Reincarnation within two Cultivation Tribulations. This was good news for the Demon Tribe. However, when Goddess Nvywa found that Houtu gave Minghe the Nether World, she guessed the origin of Houtu's Foundation of the Dao as the Three Pristine Ones did. This also made her worried.
Minghe handed over the Hongmeng Immortal Qi to the Wu Tribe, for whatever reason, and their relationship became closer. Then Houtu created the Six Path of Reincarnation while Minghe's Merit body established the Nether World. They even shared the Luck of the Nether World, showing their closeness. Even if Houtu could not fight, Minghe would not stand by. And as long as Houtu fought, Minghe would step in to offer help.
Then the Wu Tribe and the Demon Tribe seemed to have returned to their prior relationship. They were on their own again. Fortunately, the Wu Tribe lost one Ancestor of Sorcery. Even replaced with a Great Wu, the power of the Twelve Divine Beings Killing Formation they arranged would be greatly reduced. Besides, the Great Wu could not bear the Boomerang of the tactical formation. This way, the Demon Tribe had higher chances of success. This was most gratifying for Goddess Nvywa.
···
In the Nether World, there was a city with empty streets called Pingxin City. It was the city where Houtu lived. Houtu turned into the reincarnation and bore the Purusa, but she was no longer a member of the Wu Tribe. She should have changed her name to Goddess of Pingxin, but because of Taoist of Heaven and Earth, she did not need to do so. However, the city was named after her. Twelve Ancestors of Sorcery gathered in Pinxin Palace of Pinxin City. Emperor Jiang spoke to Houtu sternly, "Sister, you're too reckless. If the Merit allows you to bear the Purusa, I'm afraid you'll die." Though Houtu has become a Sage, their relationship was still as firm as ever.
Houtu laughed. "Brother, don't be angry. I'm safe now. Yet I can't leave the Nether World, so I'm afraid I'm not much help in the war against the Demon Tribe." Houtu has wanted to become a Sage to help her Tribe, but she could only stay in the Nether World for now. This truly depressed her.
Chapter 99: The Three Pristine Ones Accepting Disciples
Emperor Jiang laughed and said, "My sister, don't worry. You've become a Sage, which greatly improves our Wu Tribe's strength. Moreover, the Six Paths of Reincarnation is an important place in Untainted Land, and now it's in your charge. So it'll provide Luck and Blessings of Heaven for us and help our Tribe last forever. Though our Tribe may decline during this Cultivation Tribulation, we will not be entirely destroyed."
Hearing Emperor Jiang's words, the other Ancestors of Sorcery were all in silence. Houtu hesitated, and finally said, "Brother, must we fight to the death with the Demon Tribe? Are there any other solutions?"
Emperor Jiang did not answer her question. Torch Dragon sighed and said, "Sister, even I can foresee the matter. As a Sage, can't you foresee it?" Torch Dragon was the Time Ancestor of Sorcery and was adept in the Law of Time, so he could naturally foresee the fate of the Wu Tribe by the Law of Time. Though he did not know the ending, he saw signs of decline.
Houtu became silent upon hearing that, while Emperor Jiang laughed. "Hahaha, don't worry too much, my sister. Though it's the will of Heaven, we Wu Tribe never believe it. It's our style to fight against the will of Heaven. Even if we are defeated, as long as you're alive, we still have the hope to return to our previous stage."
Looking at Emperor Jiang with complex emotions, Houtu stretched out her hand and took out two drops of Blood of Essence from the Ancestors of Sorcery. As she believed she would definitely die, she gave three drops of Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery to Heaven and Earth Taoist. Unexpectedly, she became a Sage, so Heaven and Earth Taoist returned the remaining two drops to her.
Houtu looked at her Blood of Essence and said, "Brother, here are my two drops of Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery. You can select a Great Wu from our Tribe and turn him into an Ancestor of Sorcery with these two drops of Blood of Essence, so as to complete the Twelve Divine Beings Killing Formation. Then we'll have higher chances of success."
Taking over Houtu's Blood of Essence, Emperor Jiang laughed and said, "There'll be no problem to create another Ancestor of Sorcery with your Blood of Essence. I think Chiyou in your tribe is a good candidate. He's a Great Wu and has few equals among the Wu Tribe. He's the right person to inherit your Blood of Essence."
Houtu certainly agreed. Chiyou was very powerful and a promising one to turn into an Ancestor of Sorcery with the two drops of Blood of Essence of the Ancestors of Sorcery. Once Chiyou became an Ancestor of Sorcery, they could make the Twelve Divine Beings Killing Formation again. Since the Demon Tribe might believe that Houtu was trapped in the Nether World so that Wu Tribe could not arrange the Formation, they would be caught completely unawares.
Looking at the empty Pingxin City, Torch Dragon said, "Sister, this city is large but empty, you can pick some elites from our Tribe to station here. Though they can't take charge of the Nether World, they can protect it, and leave us a backup plan as well. What do you think?"
Houtu had no opinion against his words. Pingxin City was so big that she would feel lonely if she lived alone. It could be a good thing to have some Tribesmen accompany her. Besides, the city could serve as another stronghold for the Wu Tribe. Since the Nether World was an important place, with Minghe and Houtu being there, no one dared to act wildly there. The eleven Ancestors of Sorcery respectively returned to their tribes as soon as they left. They selected about millions of elites from the twelve tribes of the Wu Tribe and sent them to Pingxin City. Even if the Wu Tribe declined, these Tribes could live well under the protection of Houtu so that the Wu Tribe would not be totally destroyed.
···
Mount Kunlun, the former temple of Three Pure Ones, now had become the temple of the Sages. Originally only Laozi, the Primeval Lord of Heaven, and Tong Tian lived there, so it was peaceful and quiet. However, since the three had become Sages and set up the sects, a continuous stream of people had been coming to acknowledge them as masters. With all kinds of Tribes gathering there, the Human Tribe, the Demon Tribe, and the Dragon Tribe, Mount Kunlun totally became a mess.
Three Pure Ones also felt a headache. Since they had established the sects, surely they should accept some disciples and preach the word of Dao to them, or there was no point setting up the sects. Nevertheless, those that came to acknowledge them as masters abounded. With thousands of creatures gathered at the foot of Mount Kunlun, it was really a spectacular scene. Three Pure Ones were created by Pangu's Purusa, so Laozi, Creation, and Tongtian were respectively called Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqing to show that they were from one family. Even so, the three had different understandings of the Way of Heaven and disagreed with each other about the doctrine of the sects.
Laozi's Tribe of Humanity advocated that people should be quiet with no desires and let things take their own course; Origin's Tribe of Enlightenment advocated that people should be evaluated in respect to talent before cultivating and only gifted people with extraordinary intelligence and spiritual products could be accepted by the Tribe of Enlightenment; Tong Tian's Tribe of Severity believed they should make no social distinctions in teaching. All creatures could practice the Way of Heaven to find his true self and obtain a lifeline of the Way of Heaven.
Because of the different doctrines of the three religions, there were a lot of disagreements among Three Pure Ones in terms of accepting disciples. Laozi set up the Tribe of Humanity and advocated doing nothing that goes against nature. As long as the Human Tribe did not become extinct, he would do nothing. The Human Tribe should take its own course. As for the matter of accepting disciples, Laozi believed his disciples must have great wisdom and perseverance, and there should be an amazing connection between them.
So he left Mount Kunlun and traveled throughout Untainted Land to see if he could find a disciple he was satisfied with. As for those at the foot of Mount Kunlun, though some were gifted, Laozi was not satisfied. So he left them to Origin and Tongtian for selection.
Laozi flew to the northwest after leaving Mount Kunlun, in the direction that he had felt his Fated Chance the last time. Though he did not know whether his Fated Chance was still there, he should go and have a look. If it were still there, he would get it. If it were gone, he would not lose anything. Anyway, he came out to recruit disciples, so it was fine wherever he went.
When passing by a mountain, Laozi stopped and looked at it. The mountain was surrounded by clouds and contained a sign of the hidden dragon. There must be something special in it. Counting on his fingers, Laozi found out the mountain was originally called Mount Shouyang, the head of all the mountains in Untainted Land. It was the home of immortals. Moreover, there was some amazing connection between them. Therefore, Laozi stepped off his cloud to get a glimpse of the mountain. Just when he stepped off his cloud, he saw a young man kneeling motionless towards the mountain for a long time. He felt it interesting, so he turned into an old man and walked toward the young man with a crutch, and asked, "Young man, what's your name? Where are you from? Why are you kneeling here?"
The young man found him to be an old man, so he replied, "Senior, my name is Xuandu, a member of the Xuanqing Tribe of the Human Tribe. I want to acknowledge some master-hand as my mentor, so whenever there is a famous mountain or a great river, I'll kneel for three months to see if I could find my mentor. If not, I'll go to another place."
Laozi was satisfied with his words. Since his Taiqing Taoism advocated being quiet with no desires, Xuandu was a good candidate to be his disciple. With willpower, perseverance, and talent, he was a rare piece of jade. As long as he was well cultivated, he would become a great talent. Counting on his fingers, Laozi found out they were destined to be master and disciple.
So Laozi restored his real body, and looking at Xuandu, he laughed and asked, "I'm Supreme Lord Laozi, the head of Three Pure Ones. Xuandu, you and I are destined to be master and disciple. Are you willing to be my disciple?" Since Xuandu was fated with him, and met his requirements as a disciple, Laozi would not miss him, thus he immediately claimed his identity.
Xuandu was shocked. Supreme Lord Laozi was the Sage Laozi. He missed his teaching in the Human Tribe last time, but Laozi was famous throughout the Human Tribe. Now he met Laozi and had a chance to become his disciple. He was so thrilled that he quickly kowtowed and said, "Master, your disciple Xuandu greets you."
Laozi was elated to hear his words. He lifted him up and planned to return to Mount Kunlun. But at the thought of Mount Shouyang, he decided to get a glimpse of it first. As for returning to Mount Kunlun, there was no hurry. After all, it was still noisy, so it would not be too late to return when peace had been restored.
As Laozi had expected, Mount Kunlun was indeed quite noisy at the moment. There were so many creatures coming to be their disciples, and Creation and Tongtian could not send all of them away. After all, they needed to accept some disciples and preach the word of Dao to them. They could not take them all as well, or Mount Kunlun would totally become a mess. Origin had an arrogant personality and thought highly of himself, so he would certainly take talent into account when accepting disciples. Besides, he disliked the Demon Tribe. When scrambling for seats in the Zixiao Palace, he even insulted Kunpeng as a stupid feathered animal. So it was obvious that he was dissatisfied with the Demon Tribe. However, he could not reject them directly, so he had to make a large formation at the foot of the mountain. If someone wanted to be his disciple, he needed to pass the test of the formation.
It was an illusory formation with the secrets of Heaven inside it. The formation was divided into five elements and could evolve the life processed through aging and death. Creatures without great wisdom and perseverance could neither penetrate the mystery of the formation nor understand the secrets of Heaven it contained. Therefore they had to be trapped in it. Creation used the formation to test their talent and disposition. Only the ones who went through the formation would be taken into consideration.
Chapter 100: Division of the Three Pristine Ones
Soon enough, the gathering Creatures at the foot of Mount Kunlun all thronged inside of the Formation to accept the examinations of dispositions in hopes that they might be admitted to the Tribe of Enlightenment as inner disciples of the Primeval Saint. There they could learn the Teachings of the Jade Pure One and become immortals, free and unfettered. Most important of all, being a disciple of a Sage meant that they would be well protected.
However, the Illusion Formation arranged by the Sage was so powerful that most of those who broke into the formation were trapped inside unwittingly. Only 13 Cultivators got out, who depended on their extraordinary talent and tenacious will, and came a long way to the Primeval Saint after an arduous journey over hills and through rivers.
They were Dipamkara, Guang Chengzi, Ju Liusun, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Goddess of Mercy, Taoist cultivation, Spiritual Treasure, Void, Taiyi, Jade Tripod, Chi Jingzi, and Yellow Dragon. Origin was very happy to see all of them except Dipamkara, the sight of whom stunned him instead. Dipamkara was transformed from the Primordial Sacred Coffin when the earth was created, and there was a Spiritual Lamp alight all year round at the end of it. Therefore, the cultivator that transformed out of the Primordial Coffin was called Dipamkara Taoist.
Dipamkara's cultivation was already in the Late Stage of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, and he had also listened to the Teachings in Zixiao Palace with Origin before, though his cultivation was still in the Early Stage at that time. Never before had Origin thought that he would come, and now he felt a little awkward.
Origin referred to a calculation and affirmed that their master-disciple relationship was predestined. However, though Origin was now a Sage, he did accompany Dipamkara in listening to the Teachings of Zixiao Palace before, so he could naturally address him as Fellow Taoist. Now that Dipamkara was his disciple, he felt lost in a thoughtful arrangement.
Origin had no choice but to say, "Fellow Taoist Dipamkara, you have already obtained the cultivation of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal and we both learned the Teachings in Zixiao Palace. Why should you kindly condescend to be a disciple of mine?" Since Dipamkara had made up his mind and came, politeness needed to be shown on Origin's part.
Dipamkara bowed in reverence and said, "I'm no more than a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. Never would I dare to call you Fellow Taoist. If you would kindly accept me as your disciple, I would put in my heart and soul." The others, however, were all stunned at his powerful connections.
Hearing that, Origin did not insist on persuading him to quit. Instead, he said, "To your wishes, a listed disciple of mine you will be. And I authorize you to be a Deputy Sect Leader of the Tribe of Enlightenment, in charge of the outer disciples, and they would address you respectfully as Master."
Origin then looked at the other twelve. Jade Tripod and Red Elf were transformed from Primordial Crystal Stone, while Yellow Dragon was a member of the Dragon Tribe. Origin never liked the Demon tribe, yet since Yellow Dragon had survived the Formation, he simply accepted that. The rest of them were all members of the Human Tribe, which surprised Origin. These twelve later became the famous Twelve Golden Immortals of the Tribe of Enlightenment.
Apart from them, 10 or so outer disciples were accepted, among whom, the Old Immortal of the South was quite famous. With Dipamkara, Deputy Sect Leader of the Tribe of Enlightenment, taking charge of these outer disciples, Origin was quite reassured.
Compared with Origin, Tongtian did not make such a fuss as that. He just arranged a Formation to test the dispositions of all the comers. And he would pick some highly cultivated ones as his disciples among those who secured the formation, while others were registered as listed disciples of the Tribe of Severity.
In a very short time, Tongtian accepted nearly 1,000 disciples, many of whom became widely heard of later, including Abundant Treasures Buddha, Sacred Lady Jin Ling, Sacred Lady Wu Dang, Sacred Lady Gui Ling, Zhao Gongming, Ladies of the Three Stars, and so on. Most of those were members of the Demon Tribe.
After recruitling disciples, Origin and Tongtian started imparting teachings in harmony. However, as time went by, initial peace gave way to mess and chaos. Mount Kunlun, big as it still was, was no longer a blessed place like it used to be. Conflicts broke out now and then. Origin scolded, "How mindless you are to accept so many disciples. Never should you accept those soul demons, for most of them are mere Fowls and Beasts. We must follow the Way of Heaven, besides, cultivation and destiny should be seriously considered when choosing disciples. Why not keep a few superiors and send the others back? The people remaining would inherit the Taoism lineage."
Hearing the scoldings, Origin was flamed with anger and became further incensed when he heard Tongtian call him by name disrespectfully. He retorted, "Keep your hands out of this. Being not so mean as you, I am willing to spread my teachings to all creatures in Untainted Land. You always throw your weight around. Is it because you really think that I am scared of you?"
Ever since the enrolling of disciples, whenever conflicts occurred between these two tribes, Honoured Lord of the Origin would blame it on the Tribe of Severity. With due regard to their fraternity, Tongtian had been compromising before. Until now, he never thought that Origin would say such things as that, which challenged his patience.
Tongtian's words also incensed Origin. They had been quarreling for a long while before Laozi interrupted. "It's nonsense quarreling, for you both have your own way of teaching, it doesn't matter that you just adopt different ways." From afar, they saw the approaching Laozi with Xuandu.
At the sight of the Human Tribesman who accompanied Laozi back to Mount Kunlun, Origin said, "Brother, this disciple of yours, I can see, is of extraordinary character. Yet our third brother, Tongtian, is so indiscriminate in choosing his disciples, making such chaos in Mount Kunlun."
Those words infuriated Tongtian. He exclaimed in anger, "Well, if that is what bothers you, I will find a place as soon as I can, far away from you. Mount Kunlun is nothing important to me." Tongtian walked back without a turn of his head and took no time in gathering all of his disciples. Together, they headed downhill.
Origin was now regretful for what he had said, but he did not insist on their staying due to face. However, at the thought of a lot quieter Mount Kunlun, Origin was again in a good mood. For all his life, Origin had considered Mount Kunlun his home, which he naturally hoped to be tidy and cozy.
As Tongtian left Mount Kunlun, Laozi sighed. "I'd better find another Ashram as well. A fine place though it is, Mount Kunlun could apparently accommodate the Luck of only one Sage and I'll leave it to you, brother." As soon as he said so, he took Xuan Du downhill directly.
Origin was rooted by surprise, for never had he thought that this squabbling could actually separate the three brothers. Yet, he would not stoop to apologize, however regretful he might have been. But thinking that Mount Kunlun would be entirely his own, he felt happy.
Laozi took Xuan Du back to Mount Shouyang, where he built the Eight Wonders Palace and taught Xuan Du every day. They lived quite a tranquil life there. Whenever Laozi had some leisure time, he would refine elixir in a furnace. When the word was spread that a Sage put up in Mount Shouyang, numerous people were attracted there in the hope to be accepted as his disciples, yet nobody ever got a chance to see him.
Tongtian, with all his disciples, came to the East Sea, where they found a fairy island, named Golden Turtle Island. They built up the Jadeite Palace there and arranged the Ashram later. Tongtian called himself Lord of the Numinous Treasure. All of those who wanted to learn his teachings were welcomed and some of them might have a chance to be chosen as his disciples. By and by, the palace was crowded with visitors. That the Three Pristine Ones had separated apart made all creatures in Untainted Land astonished. Among them, some felt quite excited about it, including Jieyin and Zhunti from the west. As the west was poverty-stricken, they had only accepted several disciples since they started the tribe, and they only had Medicine Buddha, Maitreya, and a few others as their disciples.
They rejoiced at the separation of the Three Pristine Ones. Zhunti laughed and said, "Now that the Three Pristine Ones has separated, our chance has come for us to revitalize the west." Differing from the west, which became barren after the Self- explosion of Luohou, the east had long been affluent. Though Jieyin and Zhunti tried hard to improve its condition, it was still incomparable to the east, so that creatures were seldom willing to go and settle there.
Jieyin smiled and said, "The Western Sect would prosper at last. It's just a matter of time. But at present, the Sorcerer and Demon Tribes are so powerful, besides, fraternity still holds the Three Pristine Ones together mentally. If we fight against the east at this juncture, the three brothers would certainly resist together. To revitalize the Western Sect is by no means easy."
Hearing this, Zhunti knitted his brows and sighed. "We must take the long view and give it further thought." His eyes were sparkling while he spoke. Not sure what Zhunti was planning about, Jieyin kept silent. He had a disposition of quietness, just like the personality of an ascetic monk. Most affairs were in the charge of Zhunti, and Jieyin was the one who supported him behind.