Above the heavens, rosy clouds filled the sky, and purple qi soared for a hundred thousand miles.
Below the clouds, golden merit light surged like a vast sea and rolling tide, ready to descend at any moment.
There was also the faint sound of the Great Dao Divine Sound descending from the unseen.
On Five Elements Mountain, everyone was dumbfounded.
Ying Long, Daoist Jieyin, and Daoist Zhunti—the three Quasi-Saint Heavenly Venerates whose fame shook Hong Huang—were dumbfounded as well.
"Is the Way of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches that Dao Lord Gu Xi intends to explain really this outrageous? He has not even begun yet, and such wondrous phenomena have already appeared. Golden merit light is even descending ahead of time... This is simply inconceivable!"
"Why do I feel as if the heavens cannot wait for Dao Lord Gu Xi to establish this Great Dao, preparing the merit in advance and merely waiting for him to begin expounding it?"
"What a sight to behold. I have lived for millions of years, yet I have never seen anything like this. I have not even heard of such a thing."
"What kind of Great Dao is this so-called Way of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, to trigger such astonishing phenomena?"
"Without question, the Way of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches that Dao Lord Gu Xi is about to explain will be of enormous benefit to perfecting the Heavenly Dao Laws. Otherwise, the heavens would not be so shameless as to deliver the reward of merit directly to his doorstep in advance..."
"Hahaha, hahahaha! Coming to Five Elements Mountain to offer my congratulations to Dao Lord Gu Xi was probably the best decision I have ever made. Not only can I hear Dao Lord Gu Xi and the three Quasi-Saint Heavenly Venerates expound the Dao... I can also witness the birth of such an astonishing Great Dao."
"Yes, we are incredibly fortunate. Such a Great Dao must contain exceptionally profound mysteries. Later, we must focus all our attention on listening. If we gain anything from it, it may greatly benefit our Dao practice."
On Five Elements Mountain, whether they were powerful members of the Human Race like Suiren Shi or the many gods and demons who had come to offer congratulations, every one of them was both shocked and excited.
Their attention had never been more focused. They pricked up their ears and waited quietly for Gu Xi to begin explaining the Way of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
"A Great Dao derived from Four Seasons Sequence, one with an even greater influence upon heaven and earth?"
"What kind of Great Dao are these Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches?"
Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti both stared at Gu Xi in shock.
Secretly, they guessed at what aspect of the Great Dao the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Gu Xi spoke of actually involved.
"Remarkable, truly remarkable. The Four Seasons Sequence Great Dao was already astonishing. I never expected Fellow Daoist Gu Xi to derive an even higher-level Great Dao from Four Seasons Sequence, one involving more Great Dao Laws and having a greater influence on heaven and earth."
"Such talent would amaze countless eras."
"Second Brother made the right bet this time. By investing in Gu Xi, our Dragon Clan will profit immensely."
Ying Long clicked his tongue in inward amazement, the corners of his mouth nearly splitting from his smile.
"What is that? A golden sea? No... Th-that is golden merit light!"
"Gasp! It is actually an ocean formed from gathered golden merit light!"
"Could someone be using merit to attain sainthood again?"
"No, that is in the direction of Five Elements Mountain, the Human Race Holy Land. What exactly has happened in the Human Race Holy Land for such boundless golden merit light to appear, looking ready to descend at any moment?"
On Purple Mansion Continent, East King Duke sensed the disturbance on Five Elements Mountain and immediately opened his Dharma Eye. His gaze pierced through billions of spans of time and space toward the Human Race Holy Land.
When he saw the golden merit light above the Human Race Holy Land, vast as an ocean, his expression froze.
His entire body went stiff.
He seemed to have turned into a fool.
He could not imagine who had done what to cause the Heavenly Dao to bestow such vast merit.
And it had even descended in advance.
"That boundless golden merit light must be related to Human Race Gu Xi."
"What exactly did he do, or what is he about to do? How could he receive such favor from the Heavenly Dao, which has sent down so much golden merit light as if merit were worthless?"
West Queen Mother appeared beside East King Duke and looked toward Five Elements Mountain of the Human Race, her face filled with disbelief and astonishment.
On Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones also opened their Dharma Eyes and stared fixedly in the direction of the Human Race Holy Land.
"What virtue or ability does this Human Race Gu Xi possess, that the Heavenly Dao would prepare so much golden merit light for him?"
Laozi spoke somewhat distractedly.
If that wave of golden merit light had been for him, he might have been able to attain sainthood through it.
"Th-this is impossible!"
"We, Pangu's Three Pure Ones, inherited the legacy of Father God Pangu and are direct disciples of the Dao Ancestor. Yet the Heavenly Dao has never bestowed such vast merit upon us... Why should Gu Xi receive so much?"
Yuanshi had always been stern.
It was as though his expression would never change.
He was always so noble and dignified, always so... aloof.
But at this moment, he could no longer maintain that expression.
He lost his composure.
Traces of dark envy, jealousy, and hatred began to grow in the deepest recesses of his heart.
And the moment those traces appeared, they spread through his heart like a prairie fire.
Ever since Gu Xi had ridden Nuwa's merit from creating humans to obtain an enormous amount of merit, as well as the status of Human Race Holy Father, Yuanshi had taken notice of him.
Yet at that time, he had not regarded a mere Heavenly Immortal like Gu Xi as worthy of attention.
He had only thought Gu Xi was somewhat lucky.
Still not worth mentioning.
But as Gu Xi continuously enlightened the Human Race and obtained merit time and again, as though gaining merit were as simple to him as eating and drinking, a seed of envy, jealousy, and hatred sprouted in the deepest part of Yuanshi's heart.
When Gu Xi established Four Seasons Sequence, obtaining immense merit and many divine positions such as God of Seasons, while also gaining an endless stream of providential fortune from heaven and earth in the future...
That seed of envy, jealousy, and hatred within Yuanshi's heart officially took shape and quietly rooted itself.
And at this moment, the envy, jealousy, and hatred in his heart could no longer be suppressed. Like a prairie fire, it spread wildly through him.
Why?
He, Yuanshi, was of Pangu Orthodox Lineage and a direct disciple of the Dao Ancestor, yet he did not possess so much merit. How could Gu Xi, a mere "Wild Cultivator" who had not even entered the Dao Ancestor's sect, receive so much merit?
If all the merit Gu Xi had obtained had been given to Yuanshi instead, he would have become a saint long ago.
At this moment, Yuanshi's expression was incomparably gloomy.
The Pangu Banner within his Primordial Spirit stirred restlessly, emanating terrifying fluctuations capable of shattering time and space and creating the world.
Yet he ultimately did not make a move.
On one hand, he was wary of the Chaos Divine Thunder Gu Xi had once "summoned."
On the other hand, Gu Xi had never offended him and had never even met him...
He had no sufficient reason to act.
As one of Pangu's Three Pure Ones, he still cared about his reputation.
"How strange. Why does Gu Xi obtain merit so easily?"
"Hm? This seems somewhat aligned with the mysteries of the Primordial Interception Fortune Great Dao that I have comprehended... The Great Dao has fifty, Heaven evolves forty-nine, and one escapes. There is always a sliver of hope."
"It is not necessarily only those beings with noble origins and identities or the greatest strength who can obtain great merit and great accomplishments... Among the countless living beings, those with ordinary origins and strength may also obtain great merit and great accomplishments..."
Tongtian seemed to gain an insight. The aura around him suddenly became a little more agile, and his Dao practice actually increased.
"Is this... the treatment of the Heavenly Dao's Illegitimate Child?"
"The Heavenly Dao is truly biased!"
Within Wa Huang Heaven, Nuwa looked toward Five Elements Mountain and muttered silently to herself.
"Damn it, why is it him again!"
"What exactly is he going to do? The Heavenly Dao actually prepared so much merit for him in advance... That is an entire ocean of merit! Is merit no longer valuable?"
Within Pangu Sacred Hall, Di Jiang, Zhu Rong, Gong Gong, and the other Ancestral Witches looked toward the Human Sacred Hall, their faces twisted with rage.
Each of them panted heavily, terrifying killing intent bursting from their eyes. Overwhelming baleful qi howled from their bodies like black hurricanes, shredding the surrounding time and space.
As Gu Xi's "enemies," they naturally did not wish to see this scene before them.
Di Jun and Donghuang Taiyi in the Demon Race Heavenly Court felt no better.
"Why does it have to be him?"
"The Heavenly Dao is unfair!"
That day, deep within the Demon Race Heavenly Court, two masses of Solar True Fire seemingly spiraled out of control, sweeping wildly through the area and burning countless magnificent palaces into ash.
Countless Demon Gods knelt within the Demon Race Heavenly Court, trembling in fear.
From that terrifying Solar True Fire, they could sense the anger of the two Emperors.
Zhen Yuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple, Daoist Hongyun of Huoyun Cave, Fuxi of Buzhou Mountain, Ancestor Minghe of the Blood Sea, Demon Master Kunpeng of the Northern Sea...
As well as countless God and Demon Dao Lords and Quasi-Saint Heavenly Venerates.
On this day, all of them stared fixedly toward the Human Race Holy Land, all giving rise to the same emotion—envy, jealousy, and hatred!
Sixth update!
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