The next moment, even more concentrated, grander, and more tragically desperate vows, like a torrent bursting its banks, exploded in every corner of the Primordial Wilderness:
"When I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings in my land will attain an indestructible body..."
"When I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings in the ten directions, upon hearing my name, will sincerely believe and rejoice, dedicating all their good roots to..."
"When I attain Buddhahood, my light will be immeasurable, illuminating the ten directions, surpassing all other Buddhas..."
"When I attain Buddhahood, my lifespan will be immeasurable, except for my original vow to liberate all sentient beings..."
One, two, ten, twenty... grand vows surged like a tide, each vow heavy with weight, involving the Karma and karma of countless future Tribulation.
Driven by the grand aspiration, the golden clouds of the Heavenly Dao finally began to gather at an accelerated pace, growing thicker and brighter. But every time the golden clouds thickened, an even grander and more difficult grand aspiration would be uttered, like an invisible giant hand, once again pushing this foundation for sainthood forward.
Ninety-six earth-shaking grand vows resounded through the heavens! When the last vow echoed for a long time in the nine heavens and then completely dissipated, the golden cloud of Xuanhuang merit, which had been squeezed to its limit, finally reached a critical point.
Boom--!
Two golden pillars of light, weaker than the Three Pure Ones Nuwa, and even more unstable than the murderous holy light of the Minghe, crashed down from the heavens, completely enveloping Jieyin and Zhunti!
The divine might spread out, instantly reaching all four corners of the Primordial Wilderness, announcing the birth of two more Sage.
However, as soon as this divine might spread, it brought a brief silence to the billions of living beings in the entire Primordial Wilderness world, followed by uncontrollable laughter and mockery that spread like a plague.
Kunlun Mountain, inside the Jade Void Palace.
Yuanshi Tianzun sat upright on his cloud bed, letting out a short but clear snort from his nostrils, filled with undisguised contempt.
The White Crane Boy beneath him couldn't help but cover its beak with its wings, its shoulders trembling incessantly.
In the Wa Huang Palace, the Empress Nuwa frowned slightly, gazing at the Western holy light, which was weak and superficial. She shook her head gently, and only a faint sigh escaped into the wind.
In the depths of the Netherworld Sea of Blood, where the Blood Waves had just subsided, the Ancestor Minghe sat enthroned on Karma Red Lotus. His scarlet eyes swept westward, and a grotesque grin spread across his lips, as if he had witnessed something utterly repulsive yet absurd. In the end, he uttered only two words: "Noisy."
He then closed his bloodshot eyes, too lazy to look anymore.
In the lower realms, amidst the mountains and forests, along the streams, countless sentient beings, having awakened their intelligence, began to discuss the matter without restraint:
"Did you hear that? Ninety-six! A full ninety-six!" A fiery red pheasant spirit flapped its wings, mimicking Zhunti's aggrieved tone, "'When I become a Buddha, there will be no name of the three evil realms in the land'... Tsk tsk, this debt is so deep, it's probably used up all the strength of my next life!"
A nearby old willow tree spirit swayed its branches and slowly said, "Who says it isn't? I've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and this is the first time I've heard of establishing a sect and making vows like buying on credit at a market. One vow isn't enough, so you make two, two isn't enough, so you make ten... ninety-six?"
Even a beggar on the street wouldn't have the audacity to make such a boast! This title of 'Sage' sounds like it reeks of poverty and squalor!
His words drew an even louder burst of laughter from the surrounding spirits.
Deep in the Eastern Sea Yingzhou Island.
Auspicious clouds and mist shrouded the area year-round, with exotic flowers and rare herbs blooming everywhere, and mythical birds and beasts roaming freely. Qing Huan, dressed in a simple blue robe, leaned against a primordial star tree with a canopy like clouds, flowing with rich star essence. A jade cup was between his fingers, containing starlight condensed like liquid, which swayed gently.
The ninety-six earth-shattering grand aspirations of the West, along with the accompanying ethereal holy light, pierced through endless space. Qing Huan's gesture of raising his cup suddenly froze.
"Puff--"
Even with his Sage composure, he almost spat out the precious Starlight Elixir in his mouth. He forced it down, but choked and coughed repeatedly. His lips twitched violently uncontrollably, and his expression was incredibly complex, a mixture of absurdity, astonishment, and a hint of pitiful sympathy.
"Ninety-six..."
He put down the jade cup, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his aching temples, and muttered to himself with a knowing helplessness, "You, Zhunti and Jieyin, have really gone all out this time..."
The gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, seeing that predetermined trajectory—the West should have been as barren as a purgatory, with its spiritual veins severed, where the two saints, out of compassion for humanity, made Forty-Eight Great Vows, which moved the Heavenly Dao and enabled them to achieve sainthood through hardship.
It was a helpless situation, and also a tragic one.
However, now... Qing Huan's gaze swept beyond the Immortal Island, and in the sky, there was the Zhou Tian Great Formation of the Stars, which he had passed down and which Di Jun and Tai Yi and Taiyi had set up using the River Diagram and Luo Script, covering the entire Primordial Wilderness, running day and night, absorbing chaos and transforming the primordial energy of stars.
The vast starlight, like gauze and mist, nourished every inch of the Primordial Wilderness land, naturally including the distant west. He recalled countless Kalpa ago, when the Qilin Ancestor led the great virtues of his clan, howling with grief, using their own Essence Blood and the Essence of Wutu to plunge one after another into the broken dragon veins of the western land. Qilin Cliff collapsed, blood stained the yellow sand, and they forcibly pulled those dying spiritual veins back from the brink of annihilation.
Although the West is still not as wealthy as the East, it is by no means a dead end! The springs are flowing again, the plants are sprouting, and the earth is gradually reviving.
"Earth vein repair, stellar energy nourishment..."
Qing Huan shook his head and smiled bitterly, a wisp of starlight coiling and moving like a mischievous little snake at his fingertips.
"Heavenly Dao's justice is impartial; how can it allow you two to resort to your old 'playing the victim' act again? Forty-eight methods? Ha, that's not enough."
"The immense Karma of these ninety-six grand vows is the 'premium' you paid for altering the Western ley lines!" He could almost imagine how the two Western Sage would "travel and toil" and "beg for alms" everywhere in order to repay these ninety-six enormous debts. The scene... Qing Huan couldn't help but press his twitching lips again.
Deep within the Pangu Hall, the Turbid Qi was as vast as an abyss. Gou Mang and Jiu Feng sat cross-legged on the oldest altar in the center of the palace. This altar was carved from a single piece of Chaos Stubborn Stone, naturally imprinted with the marks of Pangu's axe when he created the world. At this moment, these marks, under the influence of the bloodline of the Ancestral Witch, were emitting a faint, ancient, and desolate aura.
Gou Mang pressed his hands on the cold stone surface, his body shimmering with emerald green divine light, and an extremely rich life force surged into the stubborn stone.
With his eyes tightly closed, his consciousness sank into the deepest part of his bloodline, trying his best to capture the supreme power that belonged to the Father God in Creation Heaven-Opening world and all things.
However, that power was too vast and ethereal, as if separated by a thick layer of chaotic mist, only a vague outline could be felt, bringing with it waves of tearing, throbbing pain deep within the primordial spirit.
He clenched his teeth, veins bulged on his forehead, sweat soaked his clothes, and tiny sprouts began to grow on the stone beneath him at a visible speed, only to wither and turn to ash in an instant, repeating the cycle endlessly.