Sainthood allotted, the reasons revealed

"The foundation of the Sage Dao lies first and foremost in its roots!"

The root is what originates from, and the foundation is what is built through Merit!

Just as towering trees must have deep roots in the earth, and magnificent buildings must have a solid and unshakeable foundation!

Root Foundation, Virtue, Dao Attainment Fortune, Merit —these five are indispensable to form the foundation of the Sage Dao.

Those who attempt to take shortcuts, whose foundations are weak, even if they attain Sainthood, will find their positions crumbling like a tower built on sand!

"Next, in my Great Vow!"

Words spoken become law, resonating with the Origin of the Way of Earth!

This Great Vow is not an empty promise, nor a boastful statement; it is a covenant with heaven and earth, bearing the hopes and expectations of all living beings!

Zhenyuanzi Yuanzi, I wish to use the Earth Scroll, the Kun Origin Diagram, and the Ginseng Fruit Tree as my guide to sort out the Earth Veins the Primordial Desolation Earth land, safeguard the waters and soil of the four directions, Investiture of the Gods, and cultivate the Earth Spirit, so that I may ultimately gain the favor of the Earthly Dao and achieve my Sagehood.

Once this Great Vow is established, its fate is intertwined with the rise and fall of the Earthly Dao; even through countless eons, we must strive to fulfill it!

Furthermore, it's my duty!

Once one becomes Earth Dao Saint, one is no longer just an individual.

Its body is in harmony with the Origin of the Way of Earth, its actions are related to the Reincarnation, and its thoughts affect the Primordial Desolation Earth!

Guarding the endless rotation of the Earthly Dao passages and maintaining the Stable Foundation the Primordial Desolation Earth is the Saint Heavenly Duty of a sage, leaving no room for the slightest slackening!

Those who treat the common people as chess pieces and prioritize their own benefit over the Earthly Dao are merely virtuous in name only. They will suffer the backlash of the Earthly Dao, be stripped of their source energy, and be doomed to eternal damnation!

Her words, like Heavenly Dao pronouncements, carrying the will of Reincarnation, were deeply imprinted on the Primordial Spirit of every person present who sought Sainthood.

"The Sainthood is not the end, but the starting point for truly bearing the weight of all living beings and protecting the fundamental principles of this realm!"

They enjoy the holy name and bear the holy responsibility; they receive the Earth Spirit Origin Qi and also bear the shackles of the Earthly Dao!

Those who are wicked and disregard their duties, even if they manage to become saints, will remain enemies of the Earthly Dao and will ultimately be reduced to ashes under the millstone of Reincarnation!

The last sentence struck like a thunderbolt, shaking the minds of many who were restless, leaving them drenched in sweat, and truly making them understand the heavy responsibility and constraints that lay beneath the halo of Sainthood.

As the Third Lecture concluded, the powerful and authentic Earthly Dao rhythms flowed gently within the hall, nourishing the soul and foundation of every Dao Listener.

However, the crowd did not leave immediately. Their eyes were fixed on Empress Houtu on the Dharma Platform, filled with a final sense of anticipation and trepidation.

The doctrine of the Sage Dao's way is clear, and the path to sainthood is also evident, but the most crucial question remains: to whom will the Earth Spirit Origin Qi, necessary for achieving the status of Earth Dao Saint, reside?

Houtu surveyed the crowd, her gaze deep and unfathomable, and slowly spoke:

The sacred foundation has been stated, and the sacred duty has been clarified.

However, the Great Dao opportunities and chances will inevitably be given to those who have contributed to the Earthly Dao, conformed to its principles, and borne its weight.

With a gentle wave of her hand, four indescribable halos appeared, like the primordial energy of the Beginning of Chaos, like the deepest and most profound pulse of the earth, containing a power that all living beings both yearn to be close to and instinctively revere—it was the Earth Spirit Origin Qi!

"The Netherworld Blood Sea, originally a collection of impurities from Pangu's Heaven-Opening, Filthy and Corrupt Place accumulated in the Primordial World, naturally has its function in balancing the Clear and Turbid Qi of heaven and earth!" Houtu's gaze turned to the Ancestor Minghe.

Fellow Minghe, you created the Asura Clan and ruled the Blood Sea; you laid out the Filth Source Network and pollution, connecting the Primordial World filth nodes, so that the accumulated Earth Fiend Qi and resentful Remnant Soul could be orderly guided, turning pollution into a source, and feeding back into the stability of Reincarnation. Your contribution to the operation of the Asura Path is immense!

The restoration of Order in the Blood Sea aligns perfectly with the underground Earthly Dao's responsibility for 'containment and operation'!

This is your achievement!

This Earth Spirit Origin Qi is truly yours to bestow!

The halo, carrying a profound and vast fusion of Blood Fiend and Order, entered the Minghe's body!

In an instant, the blood waves surged behind the Minghe's illusory image, and the boundless Blood Sea and the Filth Source Network seemed to be sublimated, their aura becoming purer and more powerful, and their connection with the Origin of the Way of Earth instantly becoming profound and unfathomable!

Bojun, Uma, and other core Asura were overcome with excitement and prostrated themselves in worship.

"Mount Tai stands majestically, situated at the Yin-Yang Pivot!"

"Mount Tai Prefecture Lord!" Houtu's voice turned to a middle-aged deity dressed in a black and red Emperor's Robe, exuding an air of majesty.

You Mount Tai-born Deity, possessing the power to govern Yin-Yang.

He established the Ghost Capital atop Mount Tai, demarcating the boundary between Yin-Yang World, protecting the peace of the mortal realm, and deterring evil spirits.

In the Youming, he governs the ghost city, establishes the Judge's office, guides the Departed Souls, rewards the good and punishes the evil, and organizes the souls and ghosts lingering in the Yang World, Order!

Your Dao Attainment and responsibilities naturally align with the essence of the 'Yin-Yang Judgment' and 'Ghost Dao Order' in the Reincarnation!

With a solid foundation, it has made great contributions to the Earthly Dao!

This Earth Spirit Origin Qi belongs to you!

This primordial energy is even more upright and solemn than that of the Minghe, containing profound Yin-Yang authority and the will of judgment, and it merges into the body of the Mount Tai Prefecture Lord.

His Emperor's Robe fluttered without wind, and the phantom of the Ghost Capital appeared behind him, making the city walls even clearer and more majestic. Countless illusory figures of just and dignified Judge bowed to the sky.

His aura surged rapidly, and the power of the Youming Order skyrocketed!

"Ziwei!" Houtu looked at the man in the star-studded robe, gentle and refined.

You wield the Star Authority, opening up the Netherworld Starry Sky in the depths of the Youming, drawing Stars to illuminate the dark paths of the Youming, enlightening Remnant Soul, comforting the dead, and communicating with the Star Fate and Reincarnation.

This act fills the gap in the cycle of Reincarnation and makes an unprecedented contribution to the Land of Reincarnation!

Furthermore, he made outstanding contributions to the restoration of the Western Region and the establishment of Spirit Land in many Primordial World by sorting out and stabilizing the Earth Veins!

The Stars guide the way, subtly aligning with the workings of the Earthly Dao!

The Earth Spirit Origin Qi shall be bestowed upon you!

The radiant Earth Spirit Origin Qi merged into the main body of Ziwei Star Lord, Netherworld Starry Sky behind him instantly expanded. Countless Stars seemed to come alive, their light piercing through the Youming and creating a wondrous resonance with the Six Paths Wheel.

As the stars move through the orbits, it seems to add a guiding and protective force to the Reincarnation.

"Fengdu!" Houtu's gaze finally settled on a black-robed figure exuding a chilling and imposing imperial aura.

You inherit the Ancestral Vein of Fengdu and rule over the core Yin Earth of the Netherworld.

Stabilizing the ley Earth Veins the Youming, suppressing the evil atmosphere of the Nether Soil, governing the chaos of the underworld, and maintaining the foundation for the vast operation of the Youming —this is a great achievement for the Underworld!

This is to safeguard the fundamental principle of the Earthly Dao: 'deathly Return to Truth to truth, orderly cycle'.

When one obtains the Earth Spirit Origin Qi, one becomes Earth Dao Saint.

This supreme ruler of the underworld, who sits at the heart of the netherworld, commands all ghosts, and whose power Netherworld Supreme even that of the Ten Halls of Yama, suddenly became unfathomable, his Youming aura Perfect World blending with imperial majesty.

He bowed deeply in reverence towards the direction of the Empress Houtu, saying, "Fengdu this opportunity; we will surely uphold the Order of the Six Paths, judge the merits and demerits of the world, and ensure that the majesty of the Youming does not decline!"

The Mount Tai Prefecture Lord and the Great Emperor Fengdu received this generous gift, and a low gasp of amazement rippled through the hall.

Although these two gods of the underworld are not well-known among the common people of the Primordial World, their achievements and positions are of paramount importance in the eyes of powerful beings who truly understand the workings of the Youming.

The Earthly Dao authorities have now bestowed this honor upon them is the best recognition of their dedication and Inherited Burden.

However, what truly stirred up the atmosphere was that the Ziwei Star Lord actually obtained one of the four Earth Spirit Origin Qi!

At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and even Minghe's eyes flashed with an extremely rare look of astonishment.

The Ziwei Star Lord, the former ruler of Primordial World the stars in the primordial Starry Sky and the emperor who ruled the Primordial Desolation Starry Sky, was defeated by Di Jun, who was at the height of his Fortune and held the River Diagram and Luo Shu, in the peak struggle of the primordial starry sky before the establishment of the Heavenly Court. In the end, he withdrew from the starry Starry Sky in disgrace, joined the Western Teachings, and became the head of the Star Academy.

Who would have thought that, in the Youming, in the dark depths of the Nine Netherworlds, he would win the opportunity to become Earth Dao Saint through his unique merit of "Jieyin the Departed Souls with starlight and stabilizing the Youming Space-Time," supplemented by the immense Merit and Fortune he had silently accumulated over many years in the Western Teachings to assist in the revival of the Western Region!

The Ziwei Star Lord remained calm, but a flicker of excitement flashed deep in his eyes.

His body was surrounded by dazzling starlight, a darker, more inclusive Youming Starlight that seemed to soothe the souls of the Departed Souls, nurtured by the Origin of the Way of Earth and cleansed by the Nine Netherworlds.

He bowed deeply to the Houtu: "By the grace of the Goddess, Ziwei is willing to dedicate this body to eternally guarding the Nine Netherworlds Star Order, guiding lost Departed Souls with the Star Path, may its light Immortality and its duty never be neglected!"

The moment the Ziwei Star Lord finished speaking, an extremely sharp gaze, filled with complex emotions, shot out from the direction where the Demon Clan were sitting!

It's Di Jun!

This Demon Emperor, who ruled over the Primordial Desolation Starry Sky, still maintained the majesty of an emperor, but deep in his eyes churned intense resentment and a stinging pain from being cruelly mocked by fate!

He, Di Jun, is the undisputed Stars Supreme of the Primordial Desolation World, the one who holds the power over the River Diagram and Luo Shu and the Circulating Stars!

He established the Demon Clan Heavenly Court, ruled over all spirits, and his power shook the universe!

In order to break through the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, he devoted endless energy and resources, leading the top forces of the Demon Clan to personally supervise the construction of the Chaos Fetal Membrane Great Formation. He gave almost everything to seize this opportunity to prove himself!

And the result?

He wasn't chosen for the Heavenly Dao Sainthood back then, and now the Earthly Dao hasn't favored him either, the Stars Lord who is the focus of everyone's attention. Instead, the Earth Spirit Origin Qi has fallen on the head of the Ziwei Star Lord, the opponent he defeated in the Starry Sky Contest back then!

A "loser" who lost his Starry Sky Authority and sought refuge under someone else's roof has now surpassed him by achieving "heretical" feats in the Youming and obtained the long-awaited opportunity to attain enlightenment!

How could this not ignite a surge of anger within him?

It felt as if an invisible hand had slapped him, the ruler of the Primordial World, hard across the face, leaving him in a burning pain!

He clenched his fist in his sleeve, his fingertips almost digging into his palm, barely managing to maintain a semblance of calm.

The four Earth Spirit Origin Qi each had their own destination, and after a brief climax, the atmosphere within the Hall of Reincarnation quickly returned to a calm and serene state.

The figure of Empress Houtu gradually disappeared, leaving only an echoing proverb. "

The opportunity has been given; study it carefully, and when you succeed, you will not have failed the expectations of the Earthly Dao.

The palace gates slowly opened, and the powerful figures, each with their own thoughts, filed out.

The Mount Tai Prefecture Lord, the Great Emperor Fengdu, and the Ziwei Star Lord were instantly surrounded by countless complex gazes—some envious, some offering blessings, some inquiring, and some harboring deep-seated resentment.

The Mount Tai Prefecture Lord and the Great Emperor Fengdu, with solemn expressions, nodded slightly to the greetings from all sides, whether familiar or unfamiliar, before transforming into two Evasion Light, one heading towards Mount Tai and the other returning to the Fengdu Ghost City, clearly intending to immediately go into seclusion to comprehend this supreme opportunity.

The Ziwei Star Lord glanced towards Western Mount Sumeru, sensed it briefly, and then fled into the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, to the Netherworld Star Domain he had created.

Instead of returning to the Western Teachings Ancestral Court, he chose to remain in the Land of Nine Netherworlds, where his foundation was already established, the power of the Earthly Dao was most abundant, and it was more suitable for him to comprehend the mysteries of the Stars Youming the netherworld, where he began his Sage Dao Seclusion.

The starlight, like water, cast a mysterious Star Chart around him, isolating him from the disturbances of the outside world.

The other powerful beings also departed one after another.

Di Jun remained expressionless, and together with Fuxi, Changxi, and other core members of the Demon Clan, they instantly transformed into golden streaks of light and returned to the Heavenly Realm.

Minghe laughed wildly several times, transforming into a terrifying blood rainbow that burst forth from the Blood Sea.

Xuanming Ancestral Witch, accompanied by several high-ranking Great Witch of the Witch Clan, glanced thoughtfully in the direction Ziwei had left before disappearing into the depths of Reincarnation.

News of the Ziwei Star Lord's seclusion in the Nine Netherworlds quickly reached Mount Sumeru. Everyone knew that he had obtained the Sagehood Opportunity and was now staying in the Nine Netherworlds to comprehend it.

On this day, the core disciples of the Western Teachings gathered in the Grand Hall of Mount Sumeru. They had come because of the imprisonment of the Spirit Gourd Daoist in the Spirit Bamboo Mountain, and wanted to seek guidance from their sect leader.

Inside the main hall were Yaoshi, Maitreya, Maitreya, Ksitigarbha, Sunlight, the Three Xiao Moonlight, Zhao Gongming, and Kong Xuan, the Hall Master the Guardian Hall.

The Restriction formed by the Yuqing Immortal Light outside Spirit Bamboo Mountain cast a huge shadow over everyone's hearts, especially since they had just learned that their Martial Aunt Ziwei had obtained a tremendous opportunity but chose to stay in the Nine Netherworlds instead of returning to the sect's holy land, which added an unusual atmosphere to the situation.

When the two Saints, Jieyin Zhunti, came back to their senses from their comprehension of the Laws, all the disciples felt an unusual solemnity.

"Master!" The Yaoshi, as the chief disciple, stepped forward first and asked,

We disciples are not clear about this.

Spirit Gourd Daoist is in charge of the Spirit Bamboo Dao Field and performs the educational duties on behalf of the Third Cult Master. His Hunyuan True Self resides in the Chaos. Why would the Yuqing Saint dare to directly imprison him?

Was this action inappropriate, and how does it damage the reputation of our religion?

I hope my master can provide guidance.

Zhao Gongming, being of a straightforward nature, couldn't help but speak up:

Master, the Three Pure Ones are so arrogant; they clearly don't take our Western Teachings seriously!

"Sealing Restriction Spirit Bamboo Mountain is tantamount to suppressing our Western Teachings. Are we just going to sit idly by and do nothing?"

The Three Xiao Sisters also looked worried, especially Bixiao, who had the best relationship with Jiang Yun in the past, and was now the most worried.

Kong Xuan remained silent, but deep within his calm eyes, a faint Five-Colored Divine Light flickered, revealing the unease within him.

The Daoist Jieyin's face was heavy with sorrow. He sighed softly, his voice heavy. "This matter is of utmost importance; you are unaware that it involves the great Karma of heaven and earth."

The Daoist Zhunti, with a serious expression, replied:

Jiang Yun's path is extraordinary.

His Dao of All Beings is based on the beings of heaven and earth, and he wishes to help all beings in the Primordial World to understand their true nature amidst the Tribulation Current, to reach the Other Shore, and to transcend heaven and earth!

This is a Great Vow aspiration and great compassion that Primordial Desolation All Spirits!

However, the operation of heaven and earth has its own inherent laws and predetermined numbers, which is what is called the "Great Trend of the Heavenly Dao".

When Tribulation Cycle begins, it is the spontaneous adjustment that the Heavenly Dao performs on the Primordial Desolation World due to the accumulation of Karma, the struggles between living beings, and the accumulation of calamities.

The beings who perished in this calamity were simply following the inevitable course of this cycle of heaven and earth.

The purpose of the Dao of All Beings is to fight for the survival of all beings, especially when conflicts between Witch-Demon are about to break out, it has repeatedly stepped in to stop the slaughter and delay the calamity.

Although the intention was good, the actions, unknowingly, went against the Heavenly Dao, which used the conflict between Witch-Demon to cleanse Karma and eliminate excessive Calamity Qi.

Its Incarnation Spirit Gourd, residing on Spirit Bamboo Mountain, observing the heavens and earth. Its frequent warnings and interference only exacerbate the accumulation of the Heaven and Earth's Baleful Qi that should have been released freely!

Zhunti's tone was filled with a hint of helplessness and emotion. "

Now, the invisible, accumulated Karma Karmic Retribution is like a volcano that is being constantly filled in, and its power is becoming increasingly turbulent.

Therefore, anyone who obstructs the Great Tribulation is Heaven and Earth's Anomaly, and is not tolerated by heaven and earth.

This is the fundamental reason why Fellow Daoist Spirit Gourd was imprisoned in the Dao Field. It was not due to personal grudges, but because he, with his immeasurable Merit, had acted against the general trend, becoming the greatest variable in the operation of heaven and earth.

Fellow Yuanshi Yuqing Yuanshi's actions are in accordance with Heaven's will and aim to eliminate this variable, allowing the delayed and distorted Great Trend of the Heavenly Dao to continue its forward progress.

These words struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of every core disciple of the Western Teachings.

They finally understood that the imprisonment of the Spirit Gourd was not a simple matter of personal strife or suppression among Saint, but rather a correction by the very will of the Primordial Desolation World itself!

Behind this lies the overwhelming force of the will of heaven and earth, a force that no single religion or sect can withstand.