Within Spiritual Mountain of the Western Teachings.
Ever since returning from Zixiao Palace, Zhunti had grown angrier the more he thought about it.
"Senior Brother! The Dao Ancestor is far too biased! He gives every benefit to the Sanqing. Aren't we nominal disciples still disciples?"
Zhunti complained bitterly to Jieyin. They could understand Dao Ancestor Hongjun favoring Xuan Yi and Nuwa, after all—one was the Dao Ancestor's son, while the other was his daughter-in-law.
But now he was blatantly favoring the Sanqing as well. Zhunti simply could not swallow this indignation.
Faced with Zhunti's grumbling, Jieyin was equally bitter.
"Hahaha!"
"I told you long ago that you would never rise to prominence if you followed Hongjun!"
A low voice rang out. A black-robed figure surrounded by demonic aura appeared before the two of them.
"So what? The Dao Ancestor rules the prehistoric world with a single word. Could we possibly oppose him?"
Jieyin and Zhunti were not surprised by this person's appearance, as though they had long known of his existence.
"It is very simple! As long as you cooperate with our Demon Race, I, Mo Yi, can guarantee that once it is done, Buddhism will become the greatest sect in the prehistoric world."
Mo Yi was an Outer Realm Sky Demon. The Outer Demonic Realm was essentially a reflection of the prehistoric world, while Luohu held a status there equivalent to that of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
Mo Yi, meanwhile, was the foremost Saint of the Outer Demonic Realm. His cultivation had reached the seventh level of Sainthood, making him even stronger than Taishang and Nuwa.
However, because the Arcane Sect's providence was too powerful, even though Mo Yi had endured countless hardships to reach the prehistoric world, his cultivation had been suppressed to merely the second level of Sainthood.
"You need only betray the Arcane Sect and establish Buddhism. The Arcane Sect's providence will surely plummet, while the strength of our Demon Race will continue to grow."
"Then you will stand in the light while I remain in the shadows. Once the Arcane Sect's providence falls to its lowest point and our Demon Race descends upon the prehistoric world, the Buddhist Sect will become its greatest sect."
"What do you think?"
Mo Yi had come to the prehistoric world as soon as the two attained Sainthood, and had been tempting them ever since.
Seeing how deeply Jieyin and Zhunti resented Hongjun today, he once more invited them to join him.
"Hmph! You make it sound easy. The moment we betray the Arcane Sect, the Dao Ancestor will likely erase us at once. How could we speak of developing a sect then?"
How could Zhunti not be tempted? But he was even more afraid of being killed outright by the Dao Ancestor.
"Rest assured. Even if you betray the Arcane Sect, Hongjun will not make a move against you."
Mo Yi appeared utterly certain.
"Why are you so certain that the Dao Ancestor will not act against us?"
Mo Yi's confident manner made Jieyin and Zhunti unable to suppress their doubts, and they asked the question aloud.
"Our Outer Demonic Realm is like the prehistoric world reflected in a mirror. Once Hongjun merged with the Heavenly Dao, I naturally became well aware of his limitations."
"After you betray the Arcane Sect, Hongjun will certainly want to destroy you, but he cannot do so, because this is the greater trend."
"Do you think Hongjun does not know that you will betray the sect? Yet he still chose to make you Saints. This is the greater trend decreed by the Great Dao, and Hongjun is powerless to change it."
"My appearance merely brings forward the time of your betrayal. What? Do you still have doubts?"
Upon hearing Mo Yi's words, Zhunti wavered somewhat.
"Senior Brother, we cannot gain any development within the Arcane Sect anyway. Whenever there are benefits, the Dao Ancestor gives them all to Xuan Yi. If Xuan Yi does not want them, he gives them to the Sanqing."
"If this continues, when will we ever have a chance to rise?"
"Why not establish the Buddhist Sect and avoid being controlled by others?"
Jieyin found it quite reasonable, and immediately made up his mind as well.
"Fine. I can agree to establish the Buddhist Sect, but I hope you will fulfill your promises when the time comes."
Seeing that the two had finally agreed, Mo Yi was overjoyed. His lengthy persuasion had not been in vain. He immediately promised, "Rest assured. Our Demon Race will not establish a sect. When the deed is accomplished in the future, Buddhism will become the greatest sect in the prehistoric world."
Atop Spiritual Mountain, Jieyin and Zhunti stood solemnly on the summit.
"Senior Brother, let us begin!"
Jieyin and Zhunti circulated their mana and began to announce it to the prehistoric world.
"Heavenly Dao above, we, Jieyin and Zhunti of the Western Teachings, today leave the Arcane Sect and transform the Western Teachings into Buddhism. I, Jieyin, shall be Buddhism's Amitabha. I, Zhunti, shall be Buddhism's Ancestor of Ten Thousand Buddhas. May the Heavenly Dao bear witness!"
Jieyin and Zhunti's voices spread throughout the prehistoric world, and their appearances began to change as well. Their Daoist robes transformed into kasayas, while the black hair atop their heads slowly fell away. Before long, they had become bald.
Rumble!
When Saints made their vows, heaven and earth shook. The Arcane Sect's providence instantly fell by nearly thirty percent, and amid the rolling thunder, their oath spread throughout the prehistoric world.
Xuan Yi, Taishang Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, Lady Nuwa, Tongtian Jiaozhu, and countless mighty beings across the Three Realms all stared westward in horror.
"Have Jieyin and Zhunti gone mad? How dare they do this? Are they not afraid of the Dao Ancestor's punishment?"
Countless mighty beings in the Three Realms were shocked, all lamenting that Jieyin and Zhunti had gone mad.
At Shouyang Mountain's Taiqing Palace, Taishang Laozi's expression darkened.
"Betraying the Arcane Sect to establish Buddhism? Hmph! They truly are ungrateful wretches!"
Within Yuqing Palace on Kunlun Mountain, Yuanshi Tianzun's face turned black, and he began cursing outright.
"Jieyin! Zhunti! You dare establish another Buddhist Sect? You are utterly unworthy of standing as Saints alongside our Sanqing! You truly deserve death!"
At Biyou Palace on Golden Ao Island, Tongtian Jiaozhu was initially greatly startled, before his face turned icy.
"Jieyin and Zhunti dared betray the Arcane Sect and cause our sect's providence to plummet. Are they not afraid of Teacher's punishment?"
At Jade Capital Mountain, Xuan Yi and Nuwa's expressions were equally grim. The plunge in the Arcane Sect's providence greatly affected Nuwa as well.
Xuan Yi, meanwhile, was filled with killing intent. He knew the two would betray the Buddhist Sect in the future, but he had not expected it to happen so soon.
"Hmph! Father is not in a position to act, so let this Daoist teach you two traitors a lesson."
Growing angrier the more he thought about it, Xuan Yi could no longer endure it. He rose to his feet and flew westward.
Meanwhile, in the west of the prehistoric world, atop Spiritual Mountain, Jieyin and Zhunti wore seven-colored kasayas as boundless Buddhist light radiated from their bodies.
Their faces no longer bore their former suffering, instead becoming filled with peace, compassion, and mercy.
"Today, Mahayana Buddhism is established. From this day forward, we shall take Buddhism as our foundation and save the living beings of the prehistoric world. Henceforth, there will be no more Western Teachings in the world—only Western Mahayana Buddhism!"
With exceptionally benevolent gazes, Jieyin and Zhunti addressed the disciples behind them in ringing voices.
"Save the living beings of the prehistoric world? Today, this Daoist will first save you two traitors!"
A voice came from above the nine heavens. Then an enormous palm that blotted out the sky and covered the earth descended toward them.
The massive palm radiated endless destructive aura. If it struck Spiritual Mountain, not a single disciple of the Buddhist Sect would survive.
Jieyin and Zhunti were alarmed and hurriedly acted to block it.
In an instant, Buddhist light burst forth from their bodies, transforming them into two Buddhas who clashed head-on with the giant palm.
Boom!
Although they blocked the giant palm's attack, Jieyin and Zhunti were blasted into the ground as well.
"Our Buddhist Sect has only just been established. Who is so bold as to behave so outrageously here?"
The two flew out of the ground in a disheveled state, their faces immediately filled with fury.
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