Duobao casually waved his hand, and the Immortal Slaying Four Swords immediately entered his primordial spirit. The next moment, he put away the Immortal Slaying Sword Array Diagram as well.
His body suddenly shuddered!
Duobao clearly sensed that the Immortal Slaying Sword Array had become completely different.
He actually felt as though he were wielding the Earth Splitting Chisel!
Duobao froze slightly.
Then something even more astonishing happened.
Where was this?
Spiritual energy surged like a tidal wave, liquefying into an ocean!
Was this still the Investiture of the Gods Battlefield?
Duobao steadied himself and saw his master, Tongtian, standing there with an axe in hand, smiling.
He hurriedly led the Biyou Palace disciples forward to pay his respects to Tongtian.
The disciples of the other great sects did much the same.
The Western Teachings disciples looked as if they were about to cry.
They had come within a hair's breadth... of collapsing!
Jieyin and Zhunti glared fiercely at Duobao. They had never expected the seemingly honest and simple Duobao to be so ruthless!
Killing people and destroying their hearts was no worse than this!
Yuanshi expressionlessly looked at the remaining Chan Jiao immortals.
He had once treasured these immortals dearly.
But only upon reaching a true battlefield had he realized...
They were worthless timber!
Especially with the Eight Great Disciples of Biyou Palace there to contrast them.
Yuanshi felt even more disappointed in the Chan Jiao immortals.
It did not matter if their cultivation was lower, but they had to learn how to judge the situation.
Take Lingzhuzi of Wa Imperial Palace. He was merely a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, yet had he tried to show off?
Not at all!
He had obediently hidden behind Jinling the entire time.
He had not faced the slightest danger!
In contrast, their Chan Jiao had successively lost Randeng, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Cihang, Juliusun, and others—one Quasi-Saint and four Daluo!
They had utterly disgraced themselves!
Yuanshi gritted his teeth. "When we return to Chan Jiao, just wait and see how I deal with you!"
But regardless, the Mystic Gate had won this Investiture of the Gods Calamity!
This result greatly invigorated the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate.
Hongjun announced, "The positions on the Investiture of the Gods List are full. The Investiture of the Gods Calamity has ended. All Saints shall return to their respective abodes. None may disturb the Three Realms without cause!"
The Four Saints of the Mystic Gate and the Two Sages of the West all acknowledged the order!
The Mystic Gate Saints were one thing.
But the Two Sages of the West truly breathed sighs of relief.
This time, Ten Thousand Immortals had marched forth, yet more than three thousand disciples had been lost the moment they entered the Immortal Slaying Sword Array.
The pain made the two Saints want to weep!
Still, they had managed to hold on!
But that did not mean they had no lingering troubles.
Duobao's actions had nearly shattered the confidence of the Western Teachings disciples.
The two Western Saints still had to use their methods to stabilize the Dao Hearts of their disciples!
That was another troublesome matter!
Hongjun swept his gaze over the Saints. "Return to your palaces. Rest, then await my summons."
The Saints' hearts tightened.
The Immeasurable Calamity had already passed. Why was there still something else?
Something was wrong!
But who would dare refute the words of the Dao Ancestor?
Hongjun gave Tongtian an indifferent glance before directly returning to Zixiao Palace.
He feared that if he did not leave now, he would truly end up fighting Tongtian!
Once the Dao Ancestor returned to Zixiao Palace, the Saints immediately relaxed.
Boundless Merit descended from the heavens and fell upon the survivors. This was the reward for surviving the calamity.
Tongtian led his disciples, preparing to return to Biyou Palace.
But Yuanshi said,
"Junior Brother, if you have the time, why not come to Kunlun Mountain Jade Void Palace for a chat?"
He also directly invited Taishang and Nuwa.
"Senior Brother and Junior Sister, come as well!"
The three Saints were slightly stunned... What was Yuanshi planning?
On Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea, Lin Dong wore a wistful expression.
"I never expected the Investiture of the Gods Calamity to end like this!"
"Even the legendary Great Immortal Yang Mei has fallen!"
"The Primordial Era is terrifying!"
In the various Primordial Era novels Lin Dong had read before transmigrating,
Great Immortal Yang Mei had been an unquestionable boss-level powerhouse in every one of them.
Some had even portrayed him as the escaped One, a mastermind lurking behind the scenes.
Ultimately, it was because Yang Mei possessed strength sufficient to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
But who could have imagined that it had all been an illusion!
Yang Mei had long ago been refined into a puppet by Hongjun. He had not even known that he had become someone else's puppet.
Even if Tongtian had not slain him, Hongjun would sooner or later have possessed his body.
Yang Mei's Fate had long been decided!
He had been destined to fall. It was merely a matter of sooner or later!
What surprised Lin Dong was not merely the fall of Great Immortal Yang Mei,
but also the mighty figure who had caused his fall—the master of Biyou Palace, Tongtian!
This was completely beyond his expectations!
Lin Dong had interacted with Little Friend Lingbao before. The cultivation method of their Shangqing lineage had its own unique qualities.
They used an opportunistic method to first enter the next realm.
They climbed high to see far, then used the perspective of a higher realm to turn back and make up for their own shortcomings.
This not only greatly reduced the time needed for cultivation, but also allowed them to stay a step ahead of others in every respect.
All that was required was to lay a firm foundation!
Lin Dong had been deeply impressed by Little Friend Lingbao and his eight disciples.
These little friends all possessed first-rate comprehension and innate talent.
Fortunately, he had formed good ties with them.
Shangqing Heavenly Venerate Lingbao's combat power was simply too formidable.
He could even slay Great Immortal Yang Mei!
No Saint could be underestimated after all!
Lin Dong was not worried that the Shangqing Saint would come to Penglai Immortal Island to discuss the Dao with him.
His Immeasurable Great Array could not be broken by anyone below a Hunyuan Infinite Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.
Moreover, Lin Dong had good ties with Little Friend Lingbao and the others.
He had even been the one to reveal the intelligence concerning Yang Mei and Hongjun to Little Friend Lingbao.
Besides, the Shangqing Heavenly Venerate's cultivation had soared so madly largely thanks to Lin Dong's boundless Merit.
Shangqing Heavenly Venerate Lingbao had Karma with him and would absolutely not come looking for trouble.
That was also why Lin Dong dared to act so frequently.
Lin Dong quietly tapped the table, slowly pondering.
"In the original plan, Hongjun wanted the Western Teachings to achieve a great victory. That way, he could promote the Rise of the West."
"The separation of immortals and mortals, as well as setting the Three Realms upon their proper tracks, all revolved around this point."
"For Western Buddhism Spreading East to happen, there had to be a prerequisite—the Western Teachings had to gain enough benefits in the Investiture of the Gods Calamity!"
"But in this Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the Western Teachings did not gain enough strength!"
Duobao had beaten the Dao Hearts of the Western Teachings disciples to the brink of collapse.
Even if the two Western Saints wanted to restore their disciples' Dao Hearts, they would likely need fifty or sixty thousand years.
Under normal circumstances, that amount of time was nothing.
But Lin Dong knew that the Journey to the West Calamity would begin in a thousand years.
If the Two Sages of the West did not quickly soothe their disciples' Dao Hearts,
then did they still want the Rise of the West?
Impossible!
Lin Dong understood even more clearly that the Rise of the West did not only come after Journey to the West.
On the contrary, Journey to the West could only happen after the Rise of the West.
Journey to the West was merely a ceremony.
The Rise of the West was the key to Journey to the West being able to proceed.
Otherwise, without sufficient strength, what would it matter even if they endured one hundred and eight trials?
Lin Dong's fingers rhythmically tapped against the table.
"Dao Ancestor Hongjun's plan has come to nothing... Will he accept that?"
"If he refuses to accept it, will he still follow through with the originally planned Journey to the West?"
"Probably not, right?!"
Change was what fascinated people most.
Hongjun's early plans had failed. Would he alter his original plan?
Probably not!
Then would Hongjun accept such an outcome?
He definitely would not!
If so, what would Hongjun do?
Lin Dong was greatly looking forward to it.
He felt as though he were playing a puzzle game. Every time he guessed correctly, an enormous sense of accomplishment welled up within him.
He was growing increasingly fond of the current Primordial Era world!
"The Investiture of the Gods Calamity has ended. It is time for my disciple to enter the world."
"I hope the Primordial Era world becomes more and more interesting!"
This ray of light left the great array and shot straight toward Flower Fruit Mountain in the East Sea's Aolai Kingdom!
A smile appeared at the corner of Lin Dong's lips.
He found the future development of the Primordial Era world increasingly interesting!
He had a feeling that great changes in the Primordial Era world were imminent.
Lin Dong looked forward to them more and more.
Within Kunlun Mountain Jade Void Palace, the Saints took their seats as host and guests, dismissing their disciples.
Nuwa asked Yuanshi in confusion,
"Senior Brother, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity has ended, and the Karma of the Primordial Era has settled. This is precisely the best time to comprehend the Dao."
Taishang and Tongtian both looked toward Yuanshi.
Yuanshi was especially cautious. His usually gloomy face was now even darker!
He rose and casually disrupted the Heavenly Secret to prevent other Saints from eavesdropping.
The three Saints were immediately startled.
Nuwa asked in surprise, "Senior Brother Yuanshi, is such caution necessary?"
There was not the slightest trace of a smile on Yuanshi's face!
He solemnly nodded.
Then he suddenly said,
"Junior Sister, do you know that during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity just now... we were in great danger!"
Nuwa nodded.
"Yes. If Senior Brother Tongtian had not frantically burned Merit, we truly would have been in danger."
"Yang Mei's cultivation was too high. Otherwise, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity would truly have been lost!"
"We might really have been suppressed by Yang Mei for several eras."
Taishang nodded.
Nuwa was absolutely right. That was indeed the case!
Yuanshi shook his head and said coldly,
"No! What danger is that?!"
Taishang and Nuwa both looked toward Yuanshi!
And this wasn't dangerous?
Then what counted as dangerous?!
Yuanshi sneered. "This truly doesn't count as dangerous."
"If Junior Brother Tongtian hadn't burned the Merit of the Primordial Era just now, our best outcome would have been being suppressed and imprisoned."
"As for the worst outcome..."
Yuanshi looked at Tongtian and saw that his expression remained unchanged. Yuanshi immediately understood that Tongtian had known this all along.
He said fiercely,
"If things had gone wrong... it would not have been Yang Mei who perished, but the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate!"
His words were nothing short of shocking!
Taishang and Nuwa cried out together, "Impossible!"
The two Saints exchanged a glance. Nuwa calmly explained, "We are Saints. Our primordial spirits are entrusted to the void of Heavenly Dao. So long as Heavenly Dao remains, we Saints cannot perish!"
"Though Yang Mei's cultivation is profound, he has no ability to break through Heavenly Dao's limits."
"With Heavenly Dao protecting us, we cannot fall!"
Taishang nodded.
This was what they had relied on when they had dared to step forward and stop Yang Mei!
Saints were deathless and indestructible. Even if Yang Mei suppressed them for several epochs, so what?
Tongtian suddenly said,
"The Saint Position is not omnipotent!"
"There is a punishment in Zixiao Palace specifically for Saints: the Saint-Slaying Pill!"
"Once a Saint takes the Saint-Slaying Pill, they will be stripped of their Saint Position. They will no longer be Saints, only Hunyuan!"
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa all revealed shocked expressions.
They stared at Tongtian in disbelief.
The moment the words "Saint-Slaying Pill" were spoken, their primordial spirits trembled incessantly within their Seas of Consciousness!
A sudden foreboding arose; their primordial spirits sounded the alarm!
This was actually real.
The Saint-Slaying Pill was clearly a means for Heavenly Dao to punish Saints!
It stripped them of their Saint Positions, leaving them no longer Saints.
How ruthless!
The three Saints' minds churned.
Nuwa forced a smile. "Even if such a Saint-Slaying Pill exists, Great Immortal Yang Mei would not possess one."
Yuanshi said coldly,
"That is precisely why I need to tell you this!"
"Great Immortal Yang Mei and Dao Ancestor Hongjun are in league with each other. The two of them have been putting on an act to deceive us!"
What?!
Taishang and Nuwa's expressions truly changed.
How could something so absurd be possible?
Yuanshi analyzed calmly,
"Do you remember?"
"What did Yang Mei say when he appeared?"
"He said that this was his first time returning to the Primordial Era and that he had come to settle his Karma with the Dao Ancestor."
"He even cursed the Dao Ancestor!"
Taishang and Nuwa nodded together.
A Saint's memory was exceptionally powerful.
Yang Mei had indeed said such things.
With a grim expression, Yuanshi continued his analysis.
"What does that prove?"
Nuwa hesitated for a while before finally speaking.
"Yang Mei and Hongjun were at odds, so he deliberately returned to settle their Karma."
Yuanshi gave a cold laugh.
"Exactly. Based on Yang Mei's words, he gave us the impression that he and Hongjun had always been at odds, had never been in contact, and that he had deliberately returned to settle their Karma."
"Only, the timing of his return was far too coincidental. He happened to arrive just in time for the Investiture of the Gods Calamity."
"Even more coincidentally, he comprehended the Heavenly Secret, became the Western Dao Ancestor, and was then able to interfere in the affairs of the Investiture of the Gods."
Taishang and Nuwa nodded together.
Yuanshi was not wrong in the slightest. This was precisely the impression Yang Mei had given them.
Come to think of it, it did seem quite fitting!
What was wrong with that?
Taishang and Nuwa exchanged a glance, both utterly confused.
They instinctively looked toward Yuanshi and Tongtian, only to see both Saints sneering!
Taishang and Nuwa's hearts skipped a beat.
Could there be something they had overlooked?
That shouldn't be possible, right?
With a dark expression, Yuanshi continued:
"However, I discovered that Yang Mei deliberately created this false impression for us."
"He understood our personalities as Saints perfectly. He personally said that Hongjun had told him Junior Brother Tongtian would only rely on brute courage."
"Yang Mei even called for Hongjun's help!"
Nuwa frowned slightly.
"Senior Brother, aren't you being a little too sensitive?"
Yuanshi gave a dark chuckle.
"Junior Sister, Hongjun is not merely the Dao Ancestor of the Mystic Gate. He is also the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao!"
"If someone else cursed loudly, even Haotian in the Heavenly Court would probably hear it. Could Hongjun fail to hear it?"
Yuanshi could not help letting out a string of cold laughs.
"But strangely enough, when Yang Mei cursed Hongjun, he received no response whatsoever."
"Hongjun actually tolerated such blasphemy against a Saint."
He looked at Nuwa.
"I know what you want to say. Do you think the Dao Ancestor is simply tolerant enough?"
Yuanshi shook his head.
"Then why did Hongjun immediately manifest himself the moment Yang Mei called for help?"
Nuwa was instantly stunned!
That was right!
It was self-contradictory!
Yuanshi sneered. "We all assumed Hongjun had gone off to comprehend the Dao and therefore had not seen Yang Mei's blasphemy against a Saint."
"But I dare say that if Yang Mei had not asked for help in the end, even if all of us Saints had been suppressed by Yang Mei, Hongjun would never have appeared!"
Taishang and Nuwa were deeply shaken!
Instinctively, they did not want to believe this.
Yet the Investiture of the Gods Calamity that had just passed corroborated Yuanshi's view. It was exceedingly convincing!
The two Saints' expressions changed!
Yuanshi sneered,
"I also discovered something interesting. Before the Investiture of the Gods Calamity began, there was not enough Karma in the Primordial Era to trigger a great calamity at all!"
"This great calamity was deliberately created by Dao Ancestor Hongjun!"
Taishang and Nuwa were both startled!
Such a matter could not possibly be hidden from the Saints. As long as they examined it carefully, they could uncover the truth!
Yuanshi revealed a faint smile.
"Even if you do not believe me, you should believe Tongtian, shouldn't you?!"
"Why don't you ask Junior Brother Tongtian why, after he killed Yang Mei, the hand holding the Pangu Axe was still pointed at Hongjun?!"
What?!
Taishang and Nuwa were utterly shocked.
They carefully recalled the scene from that time and suddenly realized that Yuanshi was right!
After Tongtian sent Yang Mei to his end, the axe had remained pointed at Hongjun!
The probing gazes of Taishang and Nuwa turned toward Tongtian.
Tongtian sighed.
"After Yang Mei appeared, a great expert told me something..."
The three Saints were suddenly startled.
A great expert?
Yuanshi immediately asked, "Was it the great expert who sent you that ray of light?"
Tongtian nodded seriously. He said directly, "I do not dare reveal that great expert's identity..."
"However, he bestowed this axe upon me!"
Hiss!
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa all nodded together.
They immediately abandoned any thought of probing further!
Before you continue