Zhunti had only just finished speaking.
The void above Spirit Mountain suddenly twisted.
Three figures—Taiqing, Yuanshi, and Nuwa—appeared out of thin air on Spirit Mountain.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoists."
Saint Taiqing nodded slightly, his tone gentle.
Venerable Lord Yuanshi and Saint Nuwa also offered their greetings.
Jieyin rose and pressed his palms together.
"Three Fellow Daoists have come from afar, and this poor monk has failed to welcome you properly."
Zhunti also stood, and with a light shake of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree in his hand, three Cushions appeared out of thin air beside the pool.
"Please, take a seat."
Jieyin pressed his palms together, his sorrowful face revealing no excess emotion.
"The three of you have come together today because Tathagata failed to prove his Dao, have you not?"
Saint Taiqing nodded.
"Indeed."
"We came precisely for this matter."
"Tathagata had perfected his merit, his foundation was deep, and with the two of you pouring out Buddhism's Destiny to aid him, by all reason, he should have succeeded."
"For him to fall short at the very last step is abnormal. The doubts in our hearts are exceedingly deep."
Venerable Lord Yuanshi looked at Jieyin and Zhunti.
"May we ask the two Fellow Daoists to tell us what exactly happened when Tathagata was proving his Dao?"
Though Saint Nuwa did not speak, she also cast them an inquiring gaze.
Zhunti and Jieyin exchanged a glance.
There was nothing worth hiding. At this point, concealing things had no meaning at all.
Jieyin slowly turned his prayer beads and recounted everything that had happened when Tathagata proved his Dao.
"Since the three Fellow Daoists have come, this poor monk will not hide it."
"Duobao failed not because his merit was insufficient, nor because his Destiny was lacking."
"It was because the three