Green Lotus Core Flame

On Kunlun Mountain, amidst a somber atmosphere, Venerable Yuanshi, his Dao heart shattered by the blow, had just announced he was sealing the mountain to avoid the calamity.

At the other end of the Primordial Era, in the West, on Mount Sumeru.

Beneath the Bodhi Tree, the two Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, sat facing each other.

Before them, a water mirror floated, displaying the entire process of Venerable Yuanshi activating the Pangu Banner, only to be severely injured by Heavenly Secrets and fall unconscious.

Watching Venerable Yuanshi's utterly pathetic state, Zhunti, his face etched with perpetual suffering, couldn't help but reveal a hint of schadenfreude.

"Brother, did you see? Yuanshi really brought this upon himself."

Zhunti chuckled, his tone filled with satisfaction. "He always flaunts his status as Pangu's orthodox descendant, looking down on this and that. Now look, he's kicked a steel plate. He doesn't even know who his opponent is, yet he's been beaten to the point of his Saint heart collapsing. What a colossal joke!"

Jieyin maintained his usual sorrowful expression, but a subtle fluctuation flickered in his eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice as compassionate as ever, "Junior Brother, speak with caution. Venerable Brother Yuanshi has encountered a great tribulation; we should offer him our sympathy."

"Sympathy? I can't muster any," Zhunti pouted. "Back then, for the sake of the Western Teachings' orthodoxy, my brother and I made a grand vow to the Heavenly Dao, incurring boundless karma, just to attain this Saint position. Yuanshi, on the other hand, didn't have to do anything. Just because of his good background, he gets to enjoy the esteemed position of Saint. Over the years, openly and secretly, he's caused us no end of trouble, calling us heretics."

"Now that he's in trouble, it's perfect! This signifies that the Heavenly Dao is in rotation, and the destiny of the Eastern Mystic Gate is coming to an end! This is precisely an excellent opportunity for the West to flourish!"

Zhunti grew more excited as he spoke, his eyes gleaming.

Jieyin listened to his words, his bitter expression seeming to deepen. He sighed, "Junior Brother, I understand what you're saying. But have you ever considered who this being might be, who could force Yuanshi into such a state?"

"Even with the Pangu Banner in hand, Yuanshi couldn't glean even a trace of Heavenly Secrets, and was instead severely injured. Such methods are likely beyond even the Dao Ancestor. If we act rashly now and anger that existence, our fate might be even more miserable than Yuanshi's."

Jieyin's worries were not unfounded.

Although Saints are immortal and indestructible, that's only relative. If they were to provoke a terrifying entity that even the Dao Ancestor wouldn't dare to offend, being suppressed for millions of years would be worse than death.

The excitement on Zhunti's face cooled slightly.

He frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Brother, you speak wisely. We indeed cannot afford to offend that existence. However, we are not intending to make an enemy of him!"

"Think about it, why is that existence targeting the Sect of Explanation? Why did he resurrect Shi Ji and snatch Nezha? It's clear he's supporting the Jiejiao and suppressing the Sect of Explanation!"

"This indicates that that existence has a close relationship with the Jiejiao, and even with Tongtian! What we intend to do does not conflict with his goals; in fact, it can be said to complement each other!"

Jieyin's brow twitched. "Oh? How so?"

A sharp glint flashed in Zhunti's eyes, and he lowered his voice, revealing his plan.

"Brother, our target has always been singular – Zhao Gongming of the Jiejiao, and the twenty-four Sea Calming Divine Beads and Qiankun Ruler in his possession!"

"Once we obtain these two treasures and merge them into the Twenty-Four Heavens, we can use them to stabilize the destiny of our Western Teachings! Then, our Western Teachings can completely escape the plight of poverty and truly usher in an era of great prosperity!"

"We hesitated to act before, fearing Tongtian and Yuanshi would interfere. But now?"

A wide grin spread across Zhunti's lips.

"Yuanshi is utterly terrified, has sealed his mountain, and is preoccupied with his own troubles. Tongtian, having achieved continuous victories, is currently complacent and has lowered his guard. As for that mysterious existence, his target is the entire Sect of Explanation, and he likely couldn't be bothered to care about the life or death of an outer disciple like Zhao Gongming."

"This is a godsend! Right now, it's the perfect time for us to seize the Twenty-Four Heavens! As long as we act cleanly and decisively, without harming Zhao Gongming's life, but merely 'converting' him to our West, making him willingly offer his treasures and become a guardian deity of our sect. I believe neither Tongtian nor that mysterious existence would go to war with our Western Teachings over a mere disciple!"

After hearing Zhunti's detailed analysis, Jieyin's eternally bitter face finally showed a slight loosening.

He closed his eyes and began to deduce silently.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and slowly nodded.

"Good."

He spoke only one word, but it clearly indicated his stance.

"Excellent!" Zhunti slapped his thigh and excitedly stood up. "Brother, there's no time to waste. Let's head to the East Sea immediately! Any delay could lead to complications!"

"No rush," Jieyin shook his head and stopped him.

"Brother, what are we waiting for?" Zhunti urged anxiously.

Jieyin said slowly, "Zhao Gongming's destiny is currently flourishing, and he is protected by powerful treasures. It won't be easy to convert him. Although we are Saints, if we act near Golden Ao Island, Junior Brother Tongtian could arrive in an instant, and complications might arise."

"Then what should we do?"

A profound smile appeared on Jieyin's face, though it still looked like he was crying.

"Wait."

"Wait? Wait for what?"

"Wait for Zhao Gongming to leave Golden Ao Island himself. Wait for him to walk into a place far from the Jiejiao, isolated and without support," Jieyin said slowly. "Furthermore, we cannot go directly. The arrival of Saints is known to all under heaven. We must change our identities and go stealthily."

With that, Jieyin transformed into a gaunt, worried-looking old Daoist.

Zhunti immediately understood and also transformed, becoming a short, shifty-eyed Daoist.

The two exchanged a glance, seeing a hint of "scheming success" in each other's eyes.

"Brother's insight is profound!" Zhunti said admiringly.

"Let's go, Junior Brother," Jieyin produced a bamboo staff and pointed towards the East. "East Sea, here we come."

Two inconspicuous figures silently left Mount Sumeru and stealthily headed towards the center of the calamity, the turbulent East Sea.

They were unaware that their seemingly flawless plan, their every move, was clearly displayed within the Investiture of the Gods Space, before Shen Zhaochi's eyes.

"They're finally here? The two most formidable salesmen in the Primordial Era."

Shen Zhaochi looked at the two vulgar Daoist figures in the water mirror, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

"The plan can begin."

"Zhao Gongming, your path to godhood is paved. Randeng, it's time for you to pledge your loyalty. And those two unlucky rogue immortals, Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao, your scripts have already been written."

Shen Zhaochi's gaze slowly swept across the Primordial Era map, finally settling on a celestial mountain named Mount Wuyi in the East Sea.

There, two rogue cultivators, unaware of the immensity of the heavens and earth, were congratulating themselves on a newly acquired Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Treasure Dropping Golden Coin.

A grand play, centered around Zhao Gongming and involving the Jie, Chan, and Western teachings, as well as countless rogue cultivators, was about to commence under Shen Zhaochi's personal direction.