Her enchanting demeanor, paired with her peerless beauty, made Tongtian's heart stir, and he could not recover for a long while.
After some time, he looked at her cheeks, quietly flushed with color, and remembered the Saint who had once stood high above the Ninth Heaven, looking down upon all beings. Now, she was the woman beside his pillow.
A blaze of heat surged through his heart. How could he care whether it was day or night?
He swept her into his arms, and his figure vanished in an instant.
Only a faint cry of surprise lingered in the hall, softly echoing between the beams, recounting the tender moment just now.
Now, as for Laozi—
Over these thousand years, he had never stopped, traveling alone through every corner of the Primordial Wilderness.
Whenever he arrived at a mountain or river blessed with spiritual energy, he would always stand quietly for a long time, lost in thought.
Though his cultivation had not soared dramatically, his eyes had long been washed clean of worldly vanity, settling into the profound depth of one who had weathered countless years.
He had seen spring blossoms and autumn harvests, the cycle turning without end;
He had also watched countless living beings be born, grow, and finally return to dust.
On this day, as usual, he climbed an immortal mountain filled with spiritual energy and stood at its summit.
His past experiences flashed through his mind like scenes from a painted scroll—
Once... twice... three times...
Then suddenly, his entire body shook violently!
The strand of Primordial Violet Qi deep within his brow abruptly surged, as though it were about to burst from his body.
An indescribably profound meaning slowly rose from the depths of his heart and spread throughout his body.
His originally somewhat clouded eyes gradually became clear and bright, as though the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.
The next moment, he soared into the air, sat cross-legged in the void, and spoke words of the Great Dao:
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name..."
His voice was low at first, then spread in all directions. Before long, it resounded through Heaven and Earth, shaking the cosmos.
As Myriad Beings raised their heads to search for the source of the voice, Laozi suddenly opened his eyes. His voice rang like a great bell as he declared:
"Heavenly Dao, bear witness! Today, I, Laozi, of Pangu's lineage and the Dao Ancestor's third disciple, establish a teaching within this Primordial Wilderness. It shall be called Daoism!"
"I shall bear the responsibility of enlightening all living beings, wield the Innate Supreme Treasure Taiji Diagram to suppress the fortune of Heaven and Earth, and take the honorific title Grand Pure Saint—Daoism is hereby established!"
A thunderous boom shook Heaven and Earth.
The Heavenly Dao responded.
In an instant, boundless merit condensed into clouds, rolling and gathering from above the Ninth Heaven.
Laozi's heart trembled as the immense Creation Merit long contained within his body suddenly burst forth with radiance.
Moments later, auspicious clouds descended, and golden light spread across Heaven and Earth.
A vast and majestic aura erupted from his body!
With him at its center, it rapidly spread outward like a tidal wave, covering the entire Primordial World in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, Myriad Worlds trembled, and the void quaked.
Countless phenomena churned and rose in the sky, while Myriad Beings involuntarily prostrated themselves on the ground.
"We welcome the Grand Pure Saint!"
At that moment.
The mighty experts who had been cultivating in Closed Door Meditation were all startled awake, their Divine Sense sweeping outward.
"Hiss—another Saint has been born? How long has it even been?"
"How astonishing! Now only Fuxi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti remain without enlightenment. I wonder who will be next?"
"If you ask me, it will most likely be Fuxi.
He has Saint Tongtian supporting him, and his opportunities run deep."
"Indeed. With Tongtian's abilities, giving him a few pointers and helping him ascend the Great Dao would not be difficult."
"But I always feel that Tongtian and Fuxi have other plans. They may not act so hastily..."
The immortals had not yet finished discussing it.
Laozi, seated high in the void, suddenly turned and looked toward Kunlun Mountain, shouting in a deep voice:
"Second Brother, the time has come. Why not seize the moment and establish a teaching?"
Yuanshi, who had been meditating quietly, felt his heart skip. Joy had only just appeared on his face, and he was about to leave to offer congratulations when that sharp shout froze him in place.
In an instant, his blood and qi surged while his spiritual platform became clear.
The strand of Primordial Violet Qi in his brow throbbed violently, as though resonating with the heavenly secrets hidden in the unseen.
He began murmuring uncontrollably:
"Establish a teaching... establish a teaching... I must establish a teaching..."
As he murmured, his eyes gradually brightened, divine light flickering within them.
In a daze, a flash of inspiration streaked through his mind like lightning, and everything suddenly became clear.
He raised his head toward the sky above Kunlun and declared:
"Heavenly Dao, bear witness! Today, I, Yuanshi, one of Pangu's Direct Descendants and the Dao Ancestor's fourth disciple, establish Chan Teachings here!"
"To elucidate is to reveal—to reveal the righteous Dao to the world, to illuminate the mysteries of Heaven and Earth, to follow Heaven and answer mankind. I shall wield the Innate Supreme Treasure Pangu Banner as the treasure that suppresses this teaching, and its fortune shall prosper forever! I take the honorific title Primordial Pure Saint—Chan Teachings, arise!"
Rumble—!
The Heavenly Dao responded once more.
Boundless clouds of merit again gathered in the Heavenly Vault.
Yuanshi also invoked the Creation Merit he possessed.
In but a moment, auspicious clouds descended, and golden rays illuminated the eight desolations.
An immense pressure surged from his body, sweeping across the four poles and six directions, shrouding the entire Primordial Wilderness.
The Heaven and Earth that had yet to settle now churned with even fiercer winds and clouds, its momentum growing ever greater.
Auspicious signs rose one after another in the void, echoing the scene from Laozi's ascension to sainthood.
The beings who had only just begun to rise were immediately forced back down by this even sharper Saint's might.
"We pay respects to the Primordial Pure Saint!"
This scene rendered the many mighty experts who had just been guessing who would become a Saint speechless.
Then, one meaningful gaze after another quietly turned toward Spirit Mountain in the west.
Feeling the mockery within those gazes, Jieyin and Zhunti immediately grew anxious.
Nuwa had already attained the Saintly Position, while Laozi and Yuanshi had now achieved the Dao in succession. How could they be willing to fall behind?
Yet they had never found the method to attain enlightenment. Though they harbored lofty ambitions, they found them difficult to fulfill.
Fortunately, Laozi's call for Yuanshi to establish a teaching reached their ears. The two exchanged a glance and suddenly understood.
They immediately stepped down from their Lotus Platforms together and swore an oath toward the heavens:
"The Heavenly Dao shines brightly. Today, we, Jieyin and Zhunti, shall jointly establish a teaching in the western lands. It shall be called the Western Teach."
"We shall save all beings from suffering and lead them to joy, guide those lost astray toward true enlightenment, build a pure Buddha kingdom, and establish the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
"With the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Twelve-grade Golden Lotus of Merit to suppress the teaching's fortune—the Western Teach is established!"
As soon as the words fell, the Heavenly Dao responded, and clouds of merit slowly gathered in the air.
Unfortunately, neither of them possessed even a trace of Creation Merit.
Seeing the auspicious clouds nearly form only to lack the strength to continue, the brothers' expressions changed slightly, and they sighed in unison:
"Bitter!"
Thinking of the indescribable wonders of the Saint realm, as well as the Heaven and Earth Laws where the strong ruled and the weak were controlled,
The two gritted their teeth, hardened their hearts, and spoke again:
"If I ultimately attain supreme perfect enlightenment, the Buddha kingdom I create shall be complete and adorned with boundless merit; within it, there shall be no hells, hungry ghosts, beasts, or the three evil paths!"
"Any spirit drowning in the sea of suffering, even souls deep within the Netherworld, may be reborn in my realm, hear the Buddhist Dharma, and receive my salvation. All shall attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and never fall into reincarnation again. If this vow is not fulfilled, I swear I shall not become a Buddha!"
"If I cannot fulfill this vow, I shall never attain supreme perfect enlightenment. If I become a Buddha, then all beings in the ten directions who possess sincere faith and joyfully aspire toward my land—even if they only recite my name ten times—shall be reborn there. If not, I swear I shall not become a Buddha."
"Only those who commit the five heinous sins or slander the true Dharma are excluded. If I attain the Dao, then any being in the ten directions who awakens the heart of enlightenment, cultivates good deeds extensively, and wholeheartedly wishes to be born in my land—when their life comes to an end, if I do not personally lead the assembly of Sages to appear and receive them, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment either."
"If I can ultimately attain supreme perfect enlightenment..."
"If I can ultimately attain supreme perfect enlightenment..."
No one knew how much time passed before the Sanskrit chants in the air gradually faded.
In an instant, wondrous flowers rained down from the sky like snow, while golden Lotus Platforms emerged from the earth.
A brilliant golden beam pierced Heaven and Earth. A relic rose into the air, slowly releasing a delicate sandalwood fragrance that seeped into the soul.
At this moment, the two fellow disciples made forty-eight grand vows, founded the Western Teach, and established the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
They vowed to save every lost being. Their vows resonated with the Heavenly Dao, and immense merit descended from the heavens, gathering above their heads.
Centered on them, an indescribable majesty spread outward, enveloping the entire Primordial Wilderness.
Wherever it passed, mountains and rivers shook, and the void churned.
Countless phenomena rolled across the sky. Myriad Spirits were all alarmed and involuntarily crawled upon the ground, kneeling once more.
"We welcome the arrival of Jieyin Saint!"
"We pay respects to Saint Zhunti!"
Four Saints had been born in a single day. All Primordial Beings were stunned and thrown into an uproar.
Everyone understood the deeper meaning behind it.
Countless Divine Senses quietly gathered in the void, discussing in low voices.
"The era of the Saints rising together has arrived. We must be doubly cautious in all we do from now on."
"Without attaining the Saint Fruit, one will ultimately remain no more than an ant or a blade of grass. We must warn our disciples never to casually provoke the disciples of Sages."
"I understand now! So establishing a Dao lineage is necessary to become a Saint!"
"Hiss—an insightful observation, brother! Counting them up, aside from Saint Nuwa, whether it is Saint Tongtian or the four Saints today, all of them have established teachings."
"Though Nuwa did not establish a sect, she created the Human Race and controls the fortune of the Interception Sect. How could such merit be inferior to establishing a teaching?"
On Three Immortal Islands, Sect Master Tongtian suddenly felt four waves of Saint's might bearing down on him. His brows furrowed slightly, and displeasure flashed through his eyes as he coldly uttered one word:
"Disperse."
As his words fell, Words Manifested as Law, and the laws responded.
The four auras that had surged toward the islands like raging tides collapsed before they could even reach them, as though invisible giant hands had crushed them apart in the void. They vanished without a sound, leaving no trace behind.
Witnessing Tongtian dissolve the might of four Saints with a single word, Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti all darkened.
They had originally intended to use this opportunity to display their Saint's might, intimidate the Primordial Wilderness, and earn the reverence of all beings.
Yet one casual sentence had effortlessly ruined their plans!
Though separated by immeasurable distances, unwillingness rose within all four of them at once. As though their thoughts were connected, they released overwhelming Saint's might once more.
If the previous display had merely been the unconscious aftershock of attaining the Dao, this time, they were deliberately applying pressure.
In an instant, four waves of pressure a hundred times stronger than before condensed into tangible form and charged toward Three Immortal Islands like raging ocean waves.
Though their target was only one group of islands, that terrifying momentum still made Myriad Beings throughout the Primordial Wilderness tremble in fear, their faces drained of color.
Some stared into the void, their eyes filled with terror and unease.
Do they really think they can come right up to my face and run wild?
Tongtian's gaze turned icy as he snorted inwardly.
How could he not know that their actions were called a show of force, but were in truth a probe into the depths of his strength?
Unfortunately, they had chosen the wrong opponent.
Anger rose in his heart, and Tongtian no longer showed mercy.
He slowly raised his right hand and swept his broad sleeve.
In an instant, beneath the gaze of countless mighty experts and living beings, four beams of sword light shot from Three Immortal Islands, tore through the sky, and streaked toward the four directions.
The sword light appeared utterly ordinary, plain and unadorned, as though it could be blocked with a casual gesture. Even cultivators in the Heavenly Immortal realm seemed capable of taking one or two strikes head-on.
Yet the instant they saw the Sword Shadow, the expressions of the four Heavenly Dao Saints changed drastically!
Without hesitation, Laozi brought forth the Taiji Diagram, Yuanshi raised the Pangu Banner, Jieyin summoned the Twelve-grade Golden Lotus of Merit, and Zhunti revealed the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree.
In an instant, the radiance of the Innate Supreme Treasures illuminated the heavens. Their might was terrifying, and all spiritual energy within hundreds of millions of miles was annihilated, leaving Heaven and Earth empty.
The four Saints had responded so hastily that they had completely lost the bearing of Sages.
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