Nine Dharma Forms

Meng Chen had no idea how earth-shattering his actions were. Even the sages were stunned by the Dharma Forms he had cultivated.

"Seal of Earth—this is indeed the Seal of Earth, isn't it? Meng Chen has actually cultivated the Seal of Earth to such a level. This is no longer merely an art; this is the Dao itself!"

Sage Jieyin looked at the Dharma Form behind Meng Chen with a complicated expression. For a junior to possess such profound attainments in Daoist arts, it was impossible for him not to be shocked.

Yuanshi Tianzun smiled with a hint of smugness. "Chen'er has always been diligent and never slacks in cultivation. This Seat has not taught him very much. I have made my junior brother laugh!"

Seeing Yuanshi Tianzun even call him "Chen'er," Sage Jieyin inwardly grumbled, though he maintained a compassionate expression on the surface.

"Senior Brother's disciples are all outstanding talents, especially Nephew Meng Chen. It may not be impossible for him to become Xuanmen's foremost third-generation disciple in the future."

Master Tongtian naturally would not be provoked by such a petty ploy. He simply did not care. Even if his disciples were inferior and were surpassed by Chan Sect disciples, that was perfectly normal.

Had he himself not also failed to defeat Ancestor Hongjun? Was he supposed to be jealous of and resent Ancestor Hongjun over that?

"Junior Brother Jieyin, your words are mistaken! In terms of sentiment, the various Xuanmen teachings are one family, but each teaching has its own doctrines and its own leader. Even This Seat has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of other sects."

Yuanshi Tianzun did not mock Sage Jieyin with veiled words. Instead, he directly clarified the relationship between the various teachings.

The Human, Chan, Intercepting, and Western Teachings were all independent and possessed their own sovereignty. The Chan Sect fully respected the sovereignty of other teachings and would not issue orders to them.

The so-called foremost third-generation disciple of Xuanmen did not exist now, nor would it exist in the future.

In truth, even if the other sages wanted Meng Chen to manage their teachings, Yuanshi Tianzun would be unwilling. What benefit was there in becoming the foremost disciple of three teachings? Meng Chen would always be a Chan Sect disciple, not a disciple of other teachings.

If Meng Chen treated the disciples of other teachings too well, what would the Chan Sect disciples think? They would believe that he had sold out the Chan Sect's interests in order to curry favor with the other teachings.

If Meng Chen favored the Chan Sect, there would be even less to say. If the disciples of other teachings fanned the flames a few times before their own leaders, Meng Chen's position as foremost disciple of the three teachings would be gone.

Even if Meng Chen treated everyone equally, Chan Sect disciples would still grow dissatisfied because he had not secured benefits for their own teaching.

Yuanshi Tianzun had seen far too much of the human heart.

Yuanshi Tianzun did not harbor such great ambitions. He only hoped that Meng Chen would properly manage the Chan Sect's small domain and grow into a qualified Chan Sect Master. That would be enough.

Yuanshi Tianzun's clarity and rationality left Sage Jieyin feeling as though he had strength with nowhere to use it. The Intercepting Teaching was firmly suppressed by Our Lady of Wudang, while the Chan Sect had no interest in competing for dominance. When would the Chan and Intercepting Teachings ever fall out?

Sage Zhunti had far less inner drama than Sage Jieyin. His attention had always been focused on the Intercepting Teaching. The Intercepting Teaching had so many talents!

For the West to flourish, it did not lack people with profound cultivation. What it lacked were talented people from every profession.

Ensuring that every living being in the West had pills to consume, Daoist Temples to reside in, and Dao Companions by their side was the first step toward the West's prosperity.

Alchemists, artifact refiners, formation masters, immortal plant masters, spirit medicine masters, financial managers... What the West needed were talents who could develop its economy and its cultivation civilization, not thugs who only knew how to fight and kill.

The Intercepting Teaching was filled with such talents.

Zhao Gongming was clearly an expert at managing finances; Daoist Duobao would surely grow into an outstanding artifact-refining grandmaster in the future; although Lü Yue was a plague immortal, medicine and poison were inseparable—if he could refine plague toxins, he could refine pills; Han Zhixian was an expert at cultivating immortal fields and increasing the yield of immortal herbs; Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal and Yu Shuixian were both proficient in the Dao of dual cultivation between men and women. With them, the fertility rate of Western living beings would multiply...

Compared to these talents, Meng Chen was far too ordinary.

What use was cultivation alone? What Sage Zhunti wanted were people who could create value for the West. A sharp glint flashed through Sage Zhunti's eyes as he racked his brains, considering how to package all of the Intercepting Teaching's talents and bring them to the West.

Boom!

At that moment, another Dharma Form rose behind Meng Chen.

This Dharma Form was a mountain peak. The mountain was covered in the principles of the Great Dao and stood proudly in the world, like the spine of heaven and earth. Once the mountain moved, the entire world began to turn upside down, nearly overturning.

Innate Heaven Overturning Dharma Form!

Yuanshi Tianzun had yet to forge the Seal of Heaven Overturning. However, the divine ability of the Seal of Heaven Overturning had not arisen because of the Magic Treasure itself. Yuanshi Tianzun had first comprehended its divine ability, then used the principles of that ability to forge the Acquired Supreme Treasure, the Seal of Heaven Overturning.

After cultivating the Innate Heaven Overturning Dharma Form, Meng Chen's magical power increased ninefold once more.

The Innate Heaven Overturning Dharma Form stood tall and majestic, as though Mount Buzhou had been moved onto Sacred Spring Peak. Some sage disciples who had already completed their breakthroughs looked up at the phenomenon of Meng Chen's breakthrough, their minds utterly shaken.

Was this still their peer? Still their senior brother?

They felt that, compared with Wu Liangzi, Meng Chen seemed more like one of the Guests of Purple Cloud Palace.

However, just as the disciples were observing Meng Chen's cultivation, another thunderous roar rang out. Yet another Dharma Form appeared above Meng Chen's head.

This Dharma Form was as powerful and immense as the Innate Wu Ji Dharma Form and the Innate Heaven Overturning Dharma Form. It was a muscular giant with bronze skin, holding a massive axe in his hand. The axe's radiance was dazzling as it severed Yinyang, divided the Five Elements, and constantly showed signs of World Creation.

Innate Strength Dharma Form!

The disciples were already so shocked that they had gone numb. Again and again, with every breakthrough, Meng Chen's magical power surged wildly. They did not dare imagine just how great his magical power would become once he completed all his breakthroughs.

At this point, Sage Laozi and Master Tongtian also began to pay attention to Meng Chen.

They had not paid attention before because they had felt there was no need. No matter how Meng Chen broke through, he would ultimately remain an ant. But after seeing him break through repeatedly, they saw in him the possibility of becoming a sage.

Of course, that possibility was not high—not even one in a hundred million. Without Primordial Violet Qi, the possibility of becoming a sage through one's own efforts was not nonexistent, but it was close to zero.

Yet before the disciples could recover from their shock, a crack sounded from within Meng Chen's body, and another Dharma Form rose.

Innate Yin-Yang Dharma Form!

Yin-Yang Energy swirled around the Innate Yin-Yang Dharma Form. Its left eye governed life, while its right eye governed death. Wherever its left eye looked, life flourished; wherever its right eye looked, all was filled with deathly stillness.

But this was not the end.

As the Innate Yin-Yang Dharma Form condensed, Meng Chen cultivated even more Dharma Forms: the Innate Four Symbols Dharma Form, the Innate Chaos Dharma Form, the Innate Karma Dharma Form...

In the end, a total of nine Dharma Forms rose above Meng Chen's head. Each one was ninety thousand li tall and radiated terrifying pressure. Centered on Sacred Spring Peak, countless living beings trembled beneath that pressure.

"Fusion of Dharma and Self, complete!"

Meng Chen murmured, and the Nine Dharma Forms entered his body at once, completing this round of comprehension.