Hearing Chen Ku's sigh, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's expressions stiffened, and they could not help but feel deeply embarrassed.
After all, the Western World was like Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's home. How could they look pleased when their own home was so ruined and desolate?
"Hmph, all of this is the fault of that damned Demon Ancestor Rahu."
"If not for his savage nature and his detonation of our Western spiritual veins, how could things have come to this?!"
Zhun Ti said indignantly.
Naturally, he did not dare speak ill of Dao Ancestor Hongjun in the slightest, so he could only verbally "whip the corpse" of Luo Hou.
Besides, it had indeed been Luo Hou who, in a fit of rage, completely detonated the spiritual veins of the Western World, creating the present situation.
Meanwhile, the sorrowful expression between Jie Yin's brows had returned.
Ever since returning to the Western territory, Jie Yin had worn a heavy expression and remained silent.
He looked at Chen Ku as though deep in thought before suddenly speaking.
"Disciple, you have seen it as well. This is what the West is like."
"If you truly cannot accept it, then... as your master, I will grant you freedom. You may return to the Eastern World."
The moment these words were spoken, Zhun Ti was greatly startled and looked at Jie Yin in disbelief.
What did this mean?!
Could it be that Jie Yin wished to sever his master-disciple relationship with Chen Ku and let him cultivate in the Eastern World?
"Senior Brother, this..."
Zhun Ti instinctively spoke, wanting to ask something.
But before he could continue, Jie Yin spoke again with a solemn expression.
"Disciple Chen Ku possesses heaven-defying talent and peerless brilliance!"
"If we forcibly keep him in the West, we would only be ruining his future."
After pausing, Jie Yin looked at Zhun Ti with utmost seriousness.
"The two of us have no other path to choose. The West is our eternal home."
"But Chen Ku... need not be dragged into this and bear such consequences alongside us."
In truth, even before returning to the Western World, Jie Yin had already harbored such concerns.
Over countless ages, Eastern beings had disdained even setting foot in the Western territory. That alone explained everything.
Moreover, the more exceptional a being's talent and origin, the greater the restrictions and shackles they would face in the Western World.
And although Chen Ku had not been their disciple for very long,
through their time together, Jie Yin had long become both a master and a father figure to him.
He could not satisfy his own selfish desires by tying Chen Ku to the West.
On the contrary, so long as it benefited Chen Ku's cultivation, Jie Yin would not hesitate to endure the pain and sever this master-disciple karmic bond.
Just as Jie Yin had said, he and Zhun Ti had no choice.
From the moment they were born, the two of them had belonged to the Western World.
And now that they possessed Primordial Purple Qi, it was even more impossible for them to sever all ties with the West.
But Chen Ku was different. So long as he chose to stay away from the West, his future would remain immeasurable.
Fortunately, no other powerful beings were present at this time.
Otherwise, witnessing this scene, they would surely have been shocked beyond words.
After all, in the past, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti had forcibly converted other beings with nothing more than the phrase, "You have an affinity with the West."
Who would have thought that one day, Jie Yin would suddenly grow such a "conscience"?
This also showed that Jie Yin truly cared for and cherished Chen Ku.
Jie Yin's words left Zhun Ti speechless!
There was no denying that Jie Yin was genuinely considering Chen Ku's welfare.
Unlike the two of them, Chen Ku was not completely bound to the West. His potential was limitless, and he still had immense hope.
Moreover, Zhun Ti asked himself honestly that if he were in Chen Ku's position, he likely would not choose to stay either.
That was only human nature; there was nothing to criticize.
For a time, the two remained silent!
It had to be said that ever since Chen Ku became their disciple, he had brought Jie Yin and Zhun Ti tremendous comfort and joy.
Yet now, for the sake of Chen Ku's future, they had to take the initiative and set him free.
Jie Yin and Zhun Ti did not feel good about it either.
After his words fell, Jie Yin looked at Chen Ku with dim eyes, waiting for his response.
Yet Chen Ku said nothing.
Jie Yin's words sent a warm current through his heart.
But he did not respond to Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's expressions or proposal.
Instead, with a mere thought, the Eight Treasures Merit Pool he had previously obtained at Treasure Distribution Rock appeared at once.
Then, with another wave of his hand, the Eight Treasures Merit Pool rose and hung high in the sky.
Splash...
Splash...
Streams of merit pool water billowed forth, falling onto the earth like sweet rain.
For a moment, specks of spiritual light emerged throughout the void, profound and mysterious beyond description.
And when the merit pool water fell upon the earth, its effects were even more astonishing.
In an instant, a dense and majestic aura spread outward.
Within tens of millions of miles, vitality emerged at a visible speed and continued spreading without end.
Nourished in this way, the Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits, jade grasses, immortal blossoms, and the like—which had withered for countless ages—once again regained their dazzling spiritual radiance and swayed in the wind.
Moreover, faintly visible before the three of them, streams of black baleful qi rose up, dissipating into nothingness until they vanished completely.
The merit pool water could not only restore vitality and nourish spiritual roots.
It could even purify karmic sin, tribulation baleful qi, and other such evils in one stroke.
At this moment, Jie Yin and the other two could not help but feel utterly refreshed, their divine senses clear.
The nourishing effects of the Eight Treasures Merit Pool were limited.
But the West was simply too barren and desolate, making the current nourishment still appear remarkably astonishing.
It was like a being that had gone hungry for several days suddenly receiving food.
No matter what, it could at least be called a good beginning.
Seeing this, Chen Ku secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
This Merit Spiritual Treasure truly had astonishing effects.
Beside him, seeing Chen Ku's actions, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti wore puzzled expressions.
Only then did Chen Ku smile faintly and speak without turning his head.
"Hehe, the Western World may be bleak and desolate right now!"
"But that is only temporary."
"One day, our West will surely flourish and make all beings look upon it with new eyes."
Chen Ku did not say this merely to comfort Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.
With memories of two lifetimes, he knew full well that everything he had said would surely come to pass.
Indeed, he was already putting it rather mildly.
Given enough time, after the two great tribulations of Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West, the Western Buddhist Sect would become the unquestioned number one Dao tradition in the world.
By then, even the Three Pure Ones Dao Tradition would have thoroughly declined and fallen from its heights.
After pausing, Chen Ku turned to look at Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.
"Besides, since I have already taken you as my master and become a disciple of the West..."
"If I left the West now, would that not make all beings think I had been expelled from the sect?"
"I am someone who cares most about saving face, so... it is absolutely impossible for Master to make me leave."
As he spoke, Chen Ku deliberately put on an unbearably smug expression.
Of course, Chen Ku did not respond this way merely because he was certain that the West could flourish and wanted to win Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's favor.
Humans were not grass or trees; who could be without feelings?!
Over these thousands of years, Chen Ku had personally experienced Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's regard and protection.
Even without the advantage of foresight, he presumably would not have been so heartless as to abandon Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.
And this response eased some of the previously oppressive atmosphere.
Jie Yin and Zhun Ti could not help but shake their heads and laugh.
Cares most about saving face?!
This kid really had the nerve to say that.
However, immediately afterward, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's hearts filled with emotion.
Chen Ku's response had clearly exceeded both of their expectations.
Before you continue