The West, Mount Ling.
The Eight Treasures Merit Pool glitters with golden light, and a thin layer of merit can be faintly seen flowing within it.
Zhunti Path and the Jieyin Path awaken simultaneously from meditation.
The two exchanged a glance, Zhunti's face lit up with excitement as he laughed:
"Senior brother! Heaven is helping the West! The fortunes of the East are in turmoil, and the Three Pure Ones... have separated!"
The Daoist Jieyin's face remained sorrowful, but a glint of shrewdness flashed deep in his eyes. He slowly nodded. " Amitabha. I have long observed the Three Pure Ones. Although they are the Pangu Orthodox Lineage and share the same origin, their temperaments and beliefs are vastly different."
"Their personalities are different, and their separation and reunion are predetermined; this is an inevitable fate."
"That's exactly right!"
Zhunti's eyes gleamed, and his tone grew increasingly impassioned, "Now that the brothers have separated and their power is dispersed, it is the perfect opportunity for our Western Teachings to vigorously spread eastward and widely recruit those with affinity! I was blocked by them several times before when I went to the East and West."
"The East is a land of outstanding people and abundant resources. If we can convert more cultivators to come to our West, how can we not worry about the West's prosperity?"
Jieyin looked at Zhunti, a hint of emotion in his voice. "What you say, junior brother, is precisely the opportunity for the rise of the West. But this means you've had to work so hard."
Upon Zhunti this, Zhunti shook his head slightly and Jieyin solemnly to Jieyin: "Senior brother, why do you say such things? You and I are both for the sake of the beings of the West, and we have made a great vow together. What does it matter if I, junior brother, suffer some hardships? As long as it can revitalize our West, Zhunti have no regrets!"
Having said that, Zhunti didn't delay any longer. A flash of Buddha Light emanated from his body, transforming him into a golden stream of light that headed towards the eastern region.
Jieyin gazed in the direction he had left, softly chanted a Buddhist mantra, and his figure slowly disappeared into the Buddha Light.
On the other side, Taishang rode Green Ox, leading his only disciple Xuandu, wandering aimlessly across the Primordial Wilderness land.
His face remained calm and composed, but Xuandu, who followed behind him, was deeply troubled, frequently turning his head to look in the direction of Kunlun Mountain.
He finally couldn't hold back any longer and, mustering his courage, respectfully asked, "Master, this disciple is foolish... Kunlun Mountain is the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains, abundant in spiritual energy, and is also the Pangu Orthodox Lineage. Why must we leave there? That Martial Uncle Tongtian... this disciple... this disciple truly does not understand."
The Taishang did not turn around, gazing into the distant sea of clouds, his voice calm and detached. "The arising and ceasing of causes and conditions, the gathering and scattering, all are preordained. The unity of the Three Pure Ones is a matter of fate; their separation today is also the end of that fate."
"This is the inevitable course of the Heavenly Dao, an unstoppable trend. Even if we are saints, we are still within the Heavenly Dao; how can we escape it?"
"Even saints... cannot be spared?"
Xuandu was visibly shaken, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
In his mind, a sage was an indestructible and omnipotent being, yet he too was subject to the predetermined fate of Heavenly Dao?
So what are these cultivators compared to the vastness of the Heavenly Dao?
In an instant, Xuandu's awe of the Heavenly Dao deepened.
The Green Ox rode on auspicious clouds, traveling along countless famous mountains and rivers, without the Taishang stopping at any of them.
On this day, they arrived at a mountain range shrouded in a Xuanhuang Qi.
Taishang, the Supreme Being gently patted the ox's horn. The Green Ox understood, descended from the clouds, and landed on a main peak.
The Taishang's gaze swept across the surrounding mountains, revealing a majestic mountain range with lush forests, exuding a unique and serene Daoist Dao Rhythm.
Even more remarkably, with a slight shift in his mind, he sensed that the mountain's aura subtly resonated with his own Great Dao of tranquility and non-action.
"This place is connected to me," Taishang said calmly, having already decided to make this mountain his new Daoist temple.
He strolled forward and saw a natural cave halfway up the mountain, but the entrance was sealed by a powerful innate restriction.
The Taishang was unconcerned and began to deduce a way to break the restriction. The sage's mind was in harmony with the Heavenly Dao, and he could calculate all things; this restriction was nothing to him.
Before long, he broke the barrier.
The cave entrance opened wide, and a surge of Innate Spiritual Qi, ten times purer and richer than that outside, rushed out, mixed with the exotic fragrance of countless rare spiritual herbs.
The Taishang then entered the cave.
The cave is spacious, bathed in countless rays of light and auspicious mists.
Countless rare and precious Ganoderma lucidum herbs grow on the ground, while cranes, sparrows, and other celestial birds fly and sing in the air, creating a scene of a blessed land of immortals.
However, Taishang's gaze did not linger on these external objects; his mind was drawn to a more subtle and powerful aura emanating from the depths of the cave.
" Xuandu, you wait outside," Taishang instructed, then walked alone into the depths of the cave.
The deeper one goes, the stronger the sense of calling becomes.
Suddenly, he saw a figure!
It was something he knew all too well.
" Lin Tian... Dao Venerable Lin Tian? Why are you here?"
Lin Tian turned around, looked at Taishang, smiled faintly, and said casually, "Don't be nervous, Taishang. I'm here because there's a Spiritual Treasure that I'm destined to have."
Having said that, he ignored the Taishang Being and grabbed at the void with his large hand, unleashing a surge of immense magical power.
Buzz--!
Suddenly, a brilliant light shone forth from ahead!
An ancient, simple seal slowly appeared in the air.
The seal is decorated with nine intertwined dragons, and the four sides of the base are engraved with Primordial Wilderness mountains and rivers, exuding supreme majesty!
" The Kongtong Seal, I've finally waited for you."
Lin Tian held the Spiritual Treasure in his hand, nodded in satisfaction, and then turned to leave.
" Dao Venerable, please wait!"
Taishang suddenly stepped forward, blocking Lin Tian's path.
His expression was solemn, his gaze fixed on the Kongtong Seal in Lin Tian's hand. He said in a deep voice, " Dao Venerable, this item... sensed my aura and thus lured me here. It resonates with my aura and is rightfully mine. I hope Dao Venerable will consider..."
"Oh?" Lin Tian interrupted him, looking at Taishang with a half-smile, weighing the Kongtong Seal in his hand, "You say it's destined for you? Then call it, and see if it answers?"
"You..." Upon Taishang Laozi's breath hitched. Even though he was usually calm and inactive, he couldn't help but feel angry.
But knowing full well the unfathomable depths of the person before him, he suppressed his anger and continued, " Dao Venerable, are you not afraid of being ridiculed by the beings of the Primordial Wilderness world for your actions, accusing them of bullying the weak and seizing opportunities from younger generations?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Tian laughed heartily, his laughter filled with undisguised carefree abandon. "What a joke! Taishang, you too have achieved the status of a Saint, yet you remain so naive?"
" The Spiritual Treasure of the Primordial Wilderness belong to the capable! I obtained this seal first, why should I give it to you? Or do you want to fight me?"
His gaze swept calmly over Taishang, and although there was no murderous intent, Taishang felt an unprecedented pressure.
The Taishang Being's expression changed repeatedly, but in the end, he slowly loosened his clenched fist.
He knew that he had no chance of winning against Lin Tian.
Lin Tian said no more, holding the Kongtong Seal, his figure transformed into a golden light and disappeared without a trace.
Inside the cave, only Taishang remained, his face somber, standing silently for a long time.
The sage's wrath stirred the heavens; outside Shouyang Mountain, dark clouds gathered and thunder rumbled faintly.
After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and with a flash, he appeared outside the cave.
Xuandu, who had been waiting, hurriedly stepped forward. "Master, you've come out? Inside...?"
The Taishang Lord had already returned to his serene and composed demeanor, as if nothing had ever happened.
His gaze swept over the beautiful mountain peak, and he said calmly, "Nothing. From now on, this mountain will be named ' Shouyang Mountain,' my place of practice. Xuandu, go and tidy it up."
"Yes, Master."
Although Xuandu still had countless doubts in his heart, seeing that his master was unwilling to say more, he dared not ask any more questions. He respectfully accepted the order and began to set up the new Taiqing Daoist Temple.