Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and bitterness in each other's eyes. They composed themselves, abandoned all impractical thoughts, and, according to plan, issued grand vows. Waves of Buddhist chanting spread throughout the Primordial World:
"I vow that if I attain supreme enlightenment and become perfectly enlightened, the Buddha-land where I reside shall possess boundless, inconceivable merits and adornments. There shall be no hells, hungry ghosts, birds, beasts, flying creatures, or crawling creatures. All sentient beings, including those in the Yama Realm and the Three Vicious Paths, who are reborn in my land and receive my Dharma transformation shall all attain Anuttara Samya Sambodhi. They shall never again fall into the evil paths. Only after fulfilling this vow shall I become a Buddha."
"If I cannot fulfill this vow, I shall not attain supreme enlightenment. If I become a Buddha, and sentient beings in the ten directions sincerely believe in and delight in me, wishing to be reborn in my land, and even if they invoke my name ten times they are not reborn there, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment. This excludes those who commit the five heinous offenses or slander the True Dharma. If I become a Buddha, and sentient beings in the ten directions arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, cultivate various merits, and sincerely vow to be reborn in my land..."
"Vow of Penetrating Knowledge of Past Lives: If I become a Buddha, and the heavenly beings and humans in my land cannot recognize their past lives, even those who cannot know the events of a hundred thousand billion nayutas of kalpas, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment."
"Vow of Immeasurable Light: If I become a Buddha, and my light has limits, even if it cannot illuminate a hundred thousand billion nayutas of Buddha-lands, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment."
"Vow to Receive and Guide at the End of Life: If I become a Buddha, and sentient beings in the ten directions arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, cultivate various merits, sincerely vow to be reborn in my land, and, when their lives end, I do not appear before them surrounded by a great assembly, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment."
"Vow to Attain the Three Dharmic Forbearances: If I become a Buddha, and the hosts of Bodhisattvas in other lands, upon hearing my name, cannot immediately attain the First Forbearance, Second Forbearance, and Third Dharmic Forbearance, or cannot immediately attain non-retrogression in the Dharma of the Buddhas, I shall not attain perfect enlightenment."
As one grand vow after another was issued, Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions grew increasingly grim. Their hearts pounded wildly. The Heavenly Dao was too ruthless. Was it forcing them to their deaths?
After a long while, one oath after another echoed throughout the Primordial World. The two sect masters issued forty-eight grand vows in succession, establishing the Western Sect and the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in an attempt to ferry all deluded sentient beings across.
At last, as the Heavenly Dao acknowledged the grand vows one by one, it bestowed increasing amounts of merit. After all forty-eight grand vows were fulfilled, the merit the two had received finally met what they needed to prove the Dao.
"Tsk, tsk! These two sect masters really have it tough!"
Sensing two waves of Saint might reach Mount Kunlun, Li Yunjing revealed a trace of schadenfreude. The two sect masters of the Western Sect had proven the Dao and become Saints. It was like a poor man wanting to buy a villa and borrowing money from the Heavenly Dao. The interest on that loan was so immense that it was impossible to imagine. Even if the world grew old and the earth withered, the two of them could never repay it. In other words, they had thoroughly become laborers for the Heavenly Dao, with virtually no hope of transcending the Primordial World.
Saints like these could not be judged simply as good or bad.
Becoming a Saint naturally brought countless benefits. One stood high above, gazing down upon the Primordial World and looking down on all beneath the heavens. Even at the cost of being completely controlled by the Heavenly Dao, ninety-nine percent of the living beings in the Primordial World would still willingly accept it.
However, Li Yunjing naturally had little interest in such a thing.
If one became an immortal, one should become a carefree immortal. After becoming a Saint, one still had to work for the Heavenly Dao to repay one's debt. Wasn't that just being a slave to one's mortgage?
At this point, all six Saint positions under Dao Ancestor Hongjun had been filled. The Primordial World had finally entered the Age of Saints.
The two people of the West becoming Saints was a major event. Li Yunjing naturally needed to meet Sect Master Tongtian and ask for a place in the expedition.
Ever since Nuwa became a Saint, whenever a Saint proved the Dao, they would explain their own Great Dao. This had already become an unspoken convention. Though Li Yunjing appeared completely unconcerned about the two Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, in his heart, he still greatly acknowledged the Great Dao of the West. Since he had the opportunity, he naturally wanted to witness it for himself.
"You brat, you've already learned parts of the Great Dao of the Three Pure Ones and Junior Sister Nuwa's Great Dao, and now you're setting your sights on Jieyin and Zhunti? You should know that it's better to have nothing than something inferior. Can you really learn all of them?"
Within the Upper Pure Palace, Sect Master Tongtian naturally saw through Li Yunjing's intentions after hearing why he had come.
"Teacher! I'm merely curious about the methods by which the two Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, proved the Dao. I only wish to go and broaden my horizons." Li Yunjing bowed as he spoke. Although Sect Master Tongtian had guessed his intention, he could not admit it!
One had to understand that he was one of the Five True Disciples of the Interception Sect. If he learned another person's Great Dao and quietly cultivated it, the Saints had broad minds and would not care. But if he went around proclaiming that an Interception Sect True Disciple refused to learn the Supreme Clarity Great Dao and instead ran around studying the Great Daos of other sects, it would damage the dignity of Sect Master Tongtian and the Interception Sect.
"You slippery little fox! The road to the West is far away, and the three sects were only sending Randeng for the journey. Since you want to take a look, go with Randeng!"
Sect Master Tongtian smiled. This disciple was extremely low-key, never fighting or competing, and remained inconspicuous within the Interception Sect. However, Sect Master Tongtian knew that this brat had a solid foundation and was among the very best even within the ranks of the Grand Unity Golden Immortals. Even some quasi-Saints who lacked decent treasures were no match for Li Yunjing.
Since he possessed the ambition to prove the Dao, his master would naturally support him with everything he had. Sect Master Tongtian was also rather curious. After studying the Great Daos of the six Saints, just how great would Li Yunjing's future achievements be?
Soon, Li Yunjing emerged from the Upper Pure Palace and went to the Jade Pure Palace, where he found Daoist Randeng. Upon hearing why Li Yunjing had come, Randeng chuckled and took him along when he set out.
Randeng did not dare to underestimate Li Yunjing. One had to know that within the Exposition Sect, Primordial Heavenly Venerate had praised the talent and character of Chaos Child Li Yunjing. This was an extremely rare occurrence. In the entire Interception Sect, he was the only one to have received such positive, public recognition.
Someone valued by a Saint was naturally someone Randeng, who excelled at currying favor, would do everything to win over. The three sects were still one family for now, and if Randeng wanted to firmly occupy the position of Vice Sect Master of the Exposition Sect, he needed not only prestige within the sect but also sufficient influence outside it.
Thus, the two traveled continuously through the Primordial World and soon entered the western lands. The moment they entered the West, they exchanged a glance in unison and slightly furrowed their brows.
The spiritual energy here was extremely thin. The Innate Qi had basically all been transformed into acquired spiritual energy. Compared to Mount Kunlun, where they lived, this place was like heaven and earth apart.
It seems the two Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, haven't had it easy all these years either!
This thought surfaced in Li Yunjing's mind. The fact that the two had cultivated to the peak quasi-Saint realm in such a desolate place showed just how extraordinary their aptitudes were.
It seemed that he had truly underestimated the two Saints earlier!
Soon, the two found the direction of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and flew toward it.
When they arrived at the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the two sighed at the greatness of the Saints. In the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, wondrous phenomena filled the heavens and earth, misty radiance covered the ground, and fragrant scents permeated the air. A swath of golden light stretched across the sky, while multicolored clouds drifted overhead. Rich spiritual energy seeped into their hearts, leaving Li Yunjing and Randeng sighing in amazement.
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