"Dao" and "Law"

The characters "Dao" and "Law" were simply too powerful. These two Great Dao Divine Scripts were far stronger than the others.

The character "Dao" governed over a hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts, including "Immortal," "Demon," "Martial," "Blade," "Spear," "Pill," "Talisman," "Calamity," "Slaughter," and "Destruction." The character "Law," meanwhile, governed nearly a hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts, including "Knowledge," "Wisdom," "Speed," "Agility," "Flash," "Defense," "Qi," "Strength," "Fury," and "Resistance."

The moment the two sides met, it was like the Qi Sect vs Sword Sect Competition. They insisted on fighting to the death, yet neither could do anything to the other. The characters were merely manifestations of the Great Dao. As long as the Great Dao existed eternally, even if the characters were smashed into their individual components, they could recover in an instant.

Seeing so many Great Dao Divine Scripts fighting over Meng Chen, the other disciples were consumed with envy. However, these Great Dao Divine Scripts had chosen their own master. Even if the others wanted to resent Meng Chen, they could find no reason to do so.

Wasn't Daoist Duobao of the Intercepting Teaching also being fought over by several hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts?

The character "Treasure" governed over a hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts such as "Artifact," "Spirit," "Wonder," "Precious," "Extraordinary," "Pearl," "Qi," "Light," and "Glory." The character "Authority" governed nearly a hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts such as "Order," "Government," "Rule," "Judgment," "Jurisdiction," "Control," "Administration," and "Supervision." The two groups of Great Dao Divine Scripts were likewise locked in an intense battle.

Sage Laozi sighed and said, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain. In the future, these two disciples will surely have a battle."

Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian both agreed deeply. They could see Meng Chen and Daoist Duobao's relationship clearly enough.

They would not deceive themselves by claiming that the Three Teachings were One Family, and that Meng Chen and Daoist Duobao would therefore be as close as brothers.

They knew that was simply impossible.

"Eldest Brother, what could Duobao possibly use to fight Nephew Meng Chen?"

After hesitating, Master Tongtian finally spoke.

Even the characters "Dao" and "Law" had chosen Meng Chen's side. He truly could not see how Daoist Duobao could possibly contend with Meng Chen.

"Dao" and "Law" were the foundation of all cultivators. Though "Treasure" and "Authority" were important, how could they possibly be mentioned in the same breath as "Dao" and "Law"?

Sage Laozi fell silent at Master Tongtian's question and was unable to answer for a long time.

That was right. What could Daoist Duobao use to fight Meng Chen?

Setting aside Meng Chen's collection of Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, Daoist Duobao could never surpass him in terms of foundation alone. Moreover, once Meng Chen consumed an Innate Spirit Pill and became a Primordial Saint, no matter how Daoist Duobao tried to catch up, he would never reach Meng Chen.

Every Primordial Saint possessed the potential to become a Sage. Other living beings could not compare.

After a long while, Sage Laozi said, "Indeed, I was overly concerned. Second Brother, Third Brother, let the two juniors collect the Great Dao Divine Scripts. The Great Dao Divine Scripts have already acknowledged them as masters and will not resist."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian gave orders to their respective disciples.

"Chen'er, quickly use your mana to collect these Great Dao Divine Scripts."

"Duobao, the Great Dao Divine Scripts have already acknowledged you as their master. You may use your mana freely."

The Two Sages of the West naturally had no objections. The remaining several hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts had not acknowledged any Western Church disciples as their masters, so continuing to wait would only waste time.

In truth, they could hardly wait to take their disciples back to the west and digest the gains from this gathering.

After receiving their teachers' orders, Meng Chen and Daoist Duobao both breathed sighs of relief. Neither wanted to keep waiting idly. If they waited for the Great Dao Divine Scripts to determine a victor, they might have to wait several thousand years.

Boom!

With a raised hand, Meng Chen condensed an enormous hand of mana in the void, vast enough to blot out the sky and cover the earth. The hand covered the boundless heavens, enveloping the characters "Dao" and "Law" along with all the Great Dao Divine Scripts they governed.

As the hand of mana pressed down, the Great Dao Divine Scripts sensed Meng Chen's mana and offered no resistance, allowing the hand to wrap around them.

Meng Chen's hand of mana slowly descended with the many divine scripts in its grasp. Once the several hundred Great Dao Divine Scripts reached Meng Chen, they rushed to enter his body.

After absorbing so many Great Dao Divine Scripts, countless principles and insights appeared in Meng Chen's mind out of nowhere. He wished he could immediately enter seclusion and transform those principles and insights into strength.

However, this was not an appropriate time to enter seclusion. Meng Chen suppressed the urge in his heart and began carefully sorting through those insights.

At the same time, Daoist Duobao also finished collecting his own Great Dao Divine Scripts.

Having obtained roughly the same number of Great Dao Divine Scripts as Meng Chen, Daoist Duobao was filled with confidence in his future. Look, even the Heavenly Dao believed he was no worse than Meng Chen.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Yuanshi. Congratulations, Senior Brother Tongtian. With such outstanding disciples, the lineages of the Chan Sect and Intercepting Teaching will surely flourish in the future."

Sage Jieyin stepped forward and congratulated Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian. After all, they had accepted so many benefits from the Three Pure Ones. Offering a few pleasant words was only natural.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian smiled and nodded slightly at Daoist Jieyin in thanks.

Sage Jieyin continued, "This discussion of the Dao has come to an end. My junior brother and I still have important matters to attend to in the west, so we will not continue imposing on the three senior brothers."

Sage Zhunti stepped forward at the right moment and bade farewell to the Three Pure Ones together with Sage Jieyin.

Sage Laozi nodded slightly. "May you two junior brothers have a safe journey!"

The two from the west cupped their hands once more, then led the Western Church disciples back west.

After the Two Sages of the West departed, complicated emotions flashed through the eyes of the Three Pure Ones, but they quickly returned to normal.

Within the Three Pure Ones Palace, the disciples of the Teaching of Humanity, Chan Sect, and Intercepting Teaching had gathered. This was only the second time the disciples had come to the Three Pure Ones Palace since entering their sects. Sage Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Master Tongtian sat above with solemn expressions.

Sage Laozi was the first to break the silence. His gaze slowly swept across the many disciples present as he said in a deep voice, "You should all have seen the state of the Western Church. There are no fewer outstanding talents in the Western Church than in our Teaching of Humanity, Chan Sect, and Intercepting Teaching. You must cultivate diligently and not allow the Western Church to surpass you."

"We will heed Teacher's—First Elder Uncle's—teachings!"

The juniors answered in unison.

Sage Laozi swept his gaze across the Chan Sect and Intercepting Teaching disciples again, lingering a moment longer on Meng Chen and Our Lady of Wudang before continuing:

"In order to better enlighten all living beings and expand the influence of the Teaching of Humanity, Chan Sect, and Intercepting Teaching throughout the Primordial Wilderness, I have discussed it with your other two elders. From this day onward, the three teachings shall separate. The Teaching of Humanity will relocate to Shouyang Mountain, the Intercepting Teaching will relocate to Golden Ao Island in the East Sea, and the Chan Sect will remain on Kunlun Mountain!"

With the calmest tone, Sage Laozi announced the most shocking news.

The moment those words fell, the Three Pure Ones Palace erupted into an uproar. The Chan Sect disciples looked at one another, unable to understand why the Three Pure Ones had made such a decision.

Of course it was to branch out. With the three teachings crowded onto one Kunlun Mountain, they could never develop properly. In the original timeline, after the Chan Sect disciples attained Great Luo, they also left the Jade Void Palace and established Daoist Temples throughout the Primordial Wilderness.

Meng Chen remained calm. The three teachings should have separated long ago.

They could clearly occupy more territory and claim more Calamity Fate in the Primordial Wilderness, yet they insisted on crowding together on Kunlun Mountain and exhausting themselves through internal conflict. What was the point?

Our Lady of Wudang looked worried as she asked, "May I ask, First Elder Uncle, if the three teachings were originally one family, why must they separate?"

Sage Laozi nodded slightly, seemingly very satisfied with Our Lady of Wudang's reaction.

"The three teachings each have their own doctrines and their own futures. If our three teachings wish to increase our influence in the Primordial Wilderness, we cannot remain trapped in one corner. We must leave Kunlun Mountain and step into the Primordial Wilderness. You are all immortals who have comprehended laws, so you should understand that distance in space is not true distance. Only the distance between hearts is difficult to cross."

After saying that, he gave Meng Chen a meaningful look, seemingly believing Meng Chen's reaction had been too calm.

Seeing Sage Laozi look at him, Meng Chen was not flustered in the slightest. Instead, he said, "First Elder Uncle speaks wisely. The three teachings were one family from the beginning, so how could distance in space make us estranged? In the future, this disciple will certainly visit Shouyang Mountain and Golden Ao Island often to strengthen cooperation with the Teaching of Humanity and Intercepting Teaching."

Only then did Sage Laozi nod in satisfaction.

"Correct! The separation of the three teachings is not for the sake of separating, but for the future of the three teachings and even the future of the Primordial Wilderness. This Seat hopes you will always remember these words: 'Red lotus, white lotus root, green lotus leaf—the three teachings were originally one family.'"

The disciples were all shaken by those words, then bowed to the three Sages.

"We will heed Teacher's—First Elder Uncle's—teachings!"