All Saints Visit Huoyun Cave

No sooner had Zhunti finished speaking than—

The void above Spirit Mountain suddenly twisted.

Three figures—Taiqing, Primordial Lord, and Nuwa—appeared out of thin air above Spirit Mountain.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoists."

Taiqing Saint nodded slightly, his tone mild.

Primordial Lord Tianzun and Nuwa Saint followed suit with greetings.

Jieyin rose to his feet and pressed his palms together.

"Three Fellow Daoists have come from afar. Poor Monk failed to welcome you properly."

Zhunti also stood, lightly waving the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree in his hand. Three prayer mats appeared beside the pool out of nowhere.

"Please, have a seat."

Jieyin pressed his palms together, his sorrowful face betraying no extra emotion.

"The Three Fellow Daoists have come together today because of Tathagata's failed attainment of the Dao, have you not?"

Taiqing Saint nodded.

"Indeed."

"That is precisely why we came."

"Tathagata's Merit had reached completion, his foundation was profound, and the two of you poured all of Buddhism's fortune into aiding him. By all reason, he should have succeeded."

"Yet he met with failure at the moment of success. This is highly unusual, and we are deeply puzzled."

Primordial Lord Tianzun looked at Jieyin and Zhunti.

"Could the two of you tell us exactly what happened when Tathagata sought to attain the Dao?"

Though Nuwa Saint said nothing, her gaze carried the same question.

Zhunti and Jieyin exchanged a glance.

There was nothing left to hide. At this point, concealing it would be meaningless.

Jieyin slowly rolled his Prayer Beads through his fingers and recounted everything that had happened during Tathagata's attempt to attain the Dao.

"Since the Three Fellow Daoists have come, Poor Monk will not conceal anything."

"Duobao failed not because his Merit was insufficient, nor because his fortune was lacking."

"It was because of Three Corpses Repelling."

"It