Saint Laozi looked at the few little ones below, who were gazing up at him eagerly for magic treasures, then at Dao Xuan, who wore an awkward expression and kept waving his hands to show his innocence.
The faint smile on his dignified face deepened slightly.
"Very well."
His saintly voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority.
"Since you have entered my sect, how can you go without treasures to protect yourselves?"
As his words fell,
the auspicious cloud above Saint Laozi's head churned, and the Three Flowers swayed.
He flicked his finger.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Six streams of light, each carrying a different Innate Dao Rhyme, shot toward the six kneeling figures.
Before Gourd Baby,
floated not a gourd, but a palm-sized round shield, entirely profound yellow and neither metal nor jade.
Its surface was smooth as a mirror. Yin and Yang energies flowed endlessly within it, forming a miniature Taiji Diagram and radiating a dense, steadfast protective Dao Rhyme that was invulnerable to all laws.
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Taiji Profound Yellow Shield."
"It contains the true intent of innate Yin Yang Protection. It can change size at will, possesses peerless defense, is difficult even for Golden Immortals to break, and can even reflect part of an opponent's spells and divine abilities."
"Though you were born from a gourd, your heart of protection is sincere. This shield suits your nature perfectly and will help you comprehend Yin Yang Protection and the Path of Invincibility."
Gourd Baby's little eyes shone as he grabbed the small shield and caressed it lovingly.
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure! This is much sturdier than a gourd!"
Before Golden Peng,
floated a halberd over twelve feet long.
The shaft was neither metal nor jade, woven from dark gold and silver-white hues like congealed Yin and Yang energies.
Its blade was long and sharp, cold light flickering from its edge as though it could rip through space itself.
An incomparably fierce, razor-sharp aura capable of destroying all laws spread outward!
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Yin Yang Void-Piercing Halberd."
"It contains the true intent of innate Yin Yang destruction. Its sharpness is unparalleled, its speed extraordinary, and when wielded, it can draw upon Yin and Yang energies to tear apart space."
"You were formed from the origin of innate Yin and Yang energies. This halberd perfectly matches your origin and will help you comprehend Yin Yang Extreme Speed and the Path of Destruction."
Golden Peng's golden eyes lit up as he reached out and gripped the halberd's shaft.
The halberd gave a soft hum as Yin and Yang energies flowed through it, instantly resonating with the origin within his body!
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure!" Golden Peng said excitedly.
Before Six-Eared Macaque,
floated a small and exquisite bell, neither metal nor jade.
The bell was pale gold, its surface covered in fine and profound natural Dao patterns.
When gently shaken, it made no sound, yet it seemed able to stir ripples through the void and penetrate directly into the depths of the Divine Soul.
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Myriad Laws Listening Bell."
"A silent bell that can hear the inner voices of all things, dispel falsehoods and auditory illusions, and even stir ripples of the Great Dao to shake the Divine Soul. It is especially effective against soundwave, illusion, and divine abilities."
"You possess the talent of six ears and excel at listening to sounds. This bell can help you block out noise, hear the true sounds of the Great Dao, protect your Divine Soul, and strengthen your divine abilities."
Six-Eared Macaque was so excited that all six of his ears trembled slightly.
He respectfully held up the bell and tied it at his waist.
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure!"
Before Suiren,
floated an ancient bronze lamp.
The lamp was simple in design and held no oil within, yet a warm, bright golden flame that would never be extinguished quietly burned inside it.
Within the flame, faint phantoms of civilization's hearthfire being passed down flowed and shifted.
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Hearthfire Legacy Lamp."
"Within this lamp is Humanity's Civilizational Hearthfire. It shares the same origin as your Suiren's Fire Drill and can help you comprehend the Civilization of Fire and the Path of Legacy. It can also burn away evil entities and protect the mind."
Suiren respectfully accepted the lamp. Feeling the warm, familiar flame, he was deeply moved.
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure!"
Before Youchao,
floated a small earth-yellow seal.
The seal was square, its handle shaped like a miniature house, radiating an aura of solidity, stability, and bearing all things.
It was as though lifting this seal meant lifting an entire stretch of earth.
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Thick Earth Home-Securing Seal."
"It contains the essence of innate Wu Earth and bears the power of the land. It can suppress earth veins, stabilize houses, and transform into barriers of earth and stone, with peerless defensive power."
"It complements your Youchao Dwelling perfectly and will help you comprehend the earth's burden-bearing nature and the Path of Protection."
Youchao accepted the seal with both hands and immediately felt a dense, stable force surge into his body.
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure!"
Before Zhisheng,
floated a roll of plain white silk, neither silk nor hemp, flowing with a moonlight-like sheen.
The fabric bore no words, yet it seemed able to reflect one's heart and evolve into countless forms of clothing, emitting a profound aura of comfort, propriety, and concealing heavenly secrets.
"This is a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Heavenly Garment Formless Silk."
"It can evolve into countless forms of clothing according to one's wishes. It is immune to water and fire, untouched by dust and grime, and can also conceal one's aura and muddle heavenly secrets."
"It shares an origin with your Zhisheng Garment and will help you comprehend Creation Weaving and the Path of Concealment."
Zhisheng happily accepted the silk and gently stroked it, feeling its smooth and comfortable texture.
"Thank you, Patriarch, for the treasure!"
Once the treasures had been distributed,
Saint Laozi turned his gaze toward Dao Xuan, a clear trace of teasing in his eyes.
"Dao Xuan, my disciple."
"Your disciple is here!" Dao Xuan hurriedly bowed.
"You are my first disciple, the foremost immortal of the third generation of the Mystical Sect, wealthy and possessed of many magic treasures..." Laozi drawled, deliberately pausing.
A bad feeling rose in Dao Xuan's heart.
Sure enough, Laozi continued, "You will not receive a treasure this time."
Pfft!
Gourd Baby was the first to fail to hold it in. He laughed aloud, then hurriedly covered his mouth.
Golden Peng's lips twitched as he fought back his laughter.
Six-Eared Macaque lowered his head, his shoulders faintly shaking.
The three ancestors, including Suiren, also wore strange expressions, wanting to laugh but not daring to.
Dao Xuan's old face stiffened, and he felt somewhat embarrassed.
"Teacher... your disciple... your disciple is actually quite poor too..." he tried to struggle a little.
Saint Laozi looked at him with a half-smile. "Oh? Is that so? I recall that back in Purple Cloud Palace, someone gained quite a lot."
Dao Xuan: "..."
Right, the "glorious deed" of robbing the Dao Ancestor had been brought up again!
He could only smile awkwardly and cup his hands. "Teacher sees clearly. This disciple is content, content..."
Yet inwardly, he wailed, Teacher, this is blatant revenge! I only took the blame once! Was that enough reason to withhold my benefits?
Seeing Dao Xuan's aggrieved look, where he dared not voice his complaints, the amusement in Saint Laozi's eyes grew stronger.
No longer teasing this "wealthy" first disciple, he swept his gaze over the hundreds of millions of clansmen below who lay prostrate under Saintly Pressure and declared in a booming voice:
"Now that the Human Religion has been established, it must educate humanity and transmit the Dao."
"Dao Xuan!"
"Your disciple is here!" Dao Xuan composed himself and answered solemnly.
"You are the First Disciple of the Human Religion and humanity's Martial Ancestor. You must shoulder the responsibility of education and lead humanity in Constant Self-Improvement!"
"This disciple shall obey Teacher's decree!"
"Good."
Saint Laozi nodded slightly but did not immediately depart.
He calculated with his fingers. Dao Rhyme flowed around his fingertips, and heavenly secrets revealed themselves.
A moment later, his gaze turned toward a place somewhere on the Great Desolation continent.
"My Dao field shall be on Shouyang Mountain."
With that, the saintly carriage transformed into a streak of clear light. Rather than soaring straight into the Nine Heavens Above, it flew toward a towering divine mountain somewhere on the Great Desolation continent.
That place was the famous future Taiching Dao field—Shouyang Mountain!
The Saint would personally establish a Dao field and transmit the Dao throughout the Great Desolation.
The Great Desolation trembled!
Saint Laozi had established the Human Religion and attained the Dao of Hunyuan!
That vast Saintly Might which swept across the Great Desolation World, that magnificent phenomenon of Purple Qi Comes from the East for thirty thousand li,
had already spread to every corner of the Great Desolation at the very first moment!
Kunlun Mountain, Jade Void Palace.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate sat cross-legged upon a cloud bed. Sensing the immense aura of Laozi's sainthood, a trace of understanding and a smile appeared on his stern face.
"Eldest Brother has attained the Dao. My Dao is also before my eyes!"
He rose to his full height, stepped out of Jade Void Palace, and stood atop Kunlun's peak!
He wore the Jade Purity Lotus Crown, a golden-cloud longevity robe, and held the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi.
Though his Saintly Might had yet to manifest, his Dao Rhyme had already pierced the heavens!
His gaze swept over the Great Desolation, and his vast Dao voice resounded through the universe:
"Heavenly Dao above!"
"I am of Pangu's orthodox lineage, Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerate!"
"Today, sensing the Heavenly Dao and following the greater trend, I establish a religion named 'Chan'! Chan means illumination! Follow Heaven and Respond to Humanity, elucidating the supreme principles of the Heavenly Dao!"
"With the Primordial Supreme Treasure, the Pangu Banner, I suppress the fortune of the Chan Religion!"
The ancient, chaotic giant banner, whose aura seemed capable of tearing apart primordial chaos, flew from above Primordial Heavenly Venerate's head. It snapped in the wind and stabilized heaven and earth!
"The Chan Religion, established!"
Rumble!
Above the Nine Heavens Above, Mysterious Yellow Merit poured down once more!
Seventy percent of the merit entered his body, awakening ten percent of the merit from opening heaven within his primordial spirit!
Boundless saintly light erupted!
Purple qi surged mightily, and golden lotuses bloomed!
Primordial Heavenly Venerate attained the Dao of Hunyuan!
The Jade Purity Saint!
Saintly Might swept outward, and the Great Desolation trembled once more!
All beings worshipped again!
In the depths of the Eastern Sea,
Sect Master Tongtian stood upon an immortal island shaped like a gigantic ao, surrounded by immortal qi and roaming auspicious beasts.
This island was the supreme Blessed Land of Grotto-Heaven he had discovered during his travels—Golden Ao Island!
Sensing his two elder brothers attain sainthood one after another, Sect Master Tongtian's swordlike brows rose, and his heroic spirit soared!
"Both Eldest Brother and Second Brother have become Saints. My Dao lies here as well!"
Standing before Biyou Palace on Golden Ao Island, he raised his voice in a long cry:
"Heavenly Dao above!"
"I am of Pangu's orthodox lineage, Upper Pure Heavens Master!"
"Today, on Golden Ao Island in the Eastern Sea, I establish a religion named 'Jie'! Jie means to seize! The Great Dao has fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine; seize that single thread of life!"
"With the Four Swords of Execution and the formation diagram, I suppress the fortune of the Jie Religion!"
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Four ancient longswords whose baleful aura pierced the heavens, as though capable of slaughtering immortals and gods, flew out from behind Sect Master Tongtian together with the formation diagram. Sword qi stretched across hundreds of millions of li!
"The Jie Religion, established!"
Boom!
Mysterious Yellow Merit descended once more!
Seventy percent of the merit awakened the merit from opening heaven!
Sword qi surged into the heavens around Sect Master Tongtian as the Saintly Might of Hunyuan erupted!
Purple qi surged mightily, and Golden Ao cried out!
Sect Master Tongtian attained the Dao of Hunyuan!
The Shangqing Saint!
In the West, a barren land.
Beside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool.
Daoist Jieyin was sallow and thin, the sorrow on his face growing deeper.
Daoist Zhunti bore an expression of hardship, but anxiety and longing flickered in his eyes.
"Senior Brother! The Three Pure Ones have all become Saints! Where is our opportunity?!" Zhunti's voice was urgent, like an ant on a hot pan.
Jieyin let out a long sigh, his voice so sorrowful it seemed capable of wringing out water. "Our West is barren, our fortune insufficient, our foundation shallow... Difficult, difficult, difficult! Is this the will of Heaven?"
A trace of desperate resolve flashed through Zhunti's eyes. "The will of Heaven? Even the will of Heaven must be fought for! We'll take out a loan from the Heavenly Dao!"
"A... a loan?" Jieyin froze, his troubled face full of question marks.
"Exactly!" Zhunti gritted his teeth, as though he had made an earthshaking decision. "Establish a great teaching and make grand vows! Advance merit from the Heavenly Dao! Pay in installments! Get on board first, buy the ticket later!"
Hearing this, a flicker of temptation appeared on Jieyin's sallow face, only to turn into even deeper sorrow. "This is tremendous karma... I fear the interest will compound, and we'll never be able to repay it..."
"We can't worry about that now!" Zhunti cut him off, his tone utterly decisive. "Only after becoming Saints will we have a voice! Once we become Saints, we can repay it slowly! Better than just standing here and watching!"
The two exchanged a glance and saw the same all-or-nothing determination in each other's eyes.
Thus.
Jieyin and Zhunti rose into the air and stood atop Western Spirit Mountain.
Three dimly glowing Sarira appeared above Jieyin's head.
Zhunti held the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, whose precious radiance also appeared listless and weak.
The two took a deep breath. Like warriors about to walk to the execution ground, they spoke at the same time, their voices tragic and stirring, yet carrying a faint tremble of salesmanship as they echoed across the primordial world:
"Heavenly Dao above!"
"I, Jieyin (Zhunti)!"
"Today, seeing the barrenness of the West and the suffering of all beings, I form a heart of great compassion and establish a teaching named: 'West'!"
"With the Twelve-petal Merit Golden Lotus (Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree), I shall suppress the fortune of the Western Teachings!"
A drooping golden lotus and the phantom of a treasure tree with faint radiance trembled into view.
However...
In the Nine Heavens Above, the Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi merely rippled symbolically before a sparse trickle descended, not even making a splash.
It was nowhere near enough to become Saints!
For a moment, the scene was extremely awkward.
All beings of the primordial world: "..."
The Three Pure Ones: "..."
Dao Xuan nearly burst out laughing by the East Sea. "Pfft! Good grief, their loan application got rejected outright? Their credit score wasn't high enough!"
Zhunti's old face flushed crimson. He was getting desperate!
He stomped hard, raised his voice, and began wildly making extravagant promises, his words firing out like a string of cannon blasts:
"If I attain unsurpassed Bodhi, may I not attain perfect enlightenment!"
"When I become Buddha, if there are hells, hungry ghosts, or beasts in my land... may I not attain perfect enlightenment!"
"When I become Buddha, if beings of the Ten Directions hear my name and sincerely believe with joy... may I not attain perfect enlightenment!"
One grand vow after another—each sounding utterly outrageous—poured from Zhunti's mouth as if they cost nothing.
Jieyin cooperated from the side, the sorrow on his face so thick it seemed ready to drip oil. He too made vows with great "feeling," his voice mournful:
"If I attain Buddhahood, and there are hells, hungry ghosts, or beasts in my land, may I not attain perfect enlightenment..."
"If I attain Buddhahood, and heavenly beings in my land, after their lifespan ends, return to the three evil paths, may I not attain perfect enlightenment..."
The two took turns, like street vendors selling miracle pills or impassioned pyramid scheme lecturers.
In one breath, they actually made forty-eight earthshaking grand vows!
Their promises covered everything: eliminating the three evil paths, making everyone a Buddha, turning their land into a five-star hotel, granting divine powers comparable to Saints... They practically wanted to treat the Heavenly Dao like a gullible fool and pitch a massive "Western Pure Land" project deck!
All beings of the primordial world listened in stunned disbelief, their jaws dropping to the ground.
At their respective dao grounds, the corners of the Three Pure Ones' mouths twitched violently.
Dao Xuan had already covered his eyes below, unable to bear the sight. "My heavens! Forty-eight bad checks! Those promises are bigger than chaos itself! They really are Loan Saints! How many immeasurable calamities will it take to repay that? The Heavenly Dao Bank is taking a massive loss this time!"
Perhaps even the Heavenly Dao had been dumbfounded by the thick skin and wild promises of these two "primordial deadbeats."
Or perhaps those forty-eight grand vows truly touched upon some rule of "getting something for nothing."
At last!
Boom!
From the Nine Heavens Above, far more Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi than before descended with a heavy air of reluctance, as though saying, "Consider this a failed investment!"
Though the amount was far inferior to that of the Three Pure Ones, it was barely enough.
Seventy percent of the merit poured into them!
Jieyin and Zhunti possessed no merit from opening Heaven. They could only force their way through with this "high-interest loan merit"!
Buzz! Buzz!
Two slightly "unsteady" auras of Primordial Saintly Might, clearly far less condensed and substantial than those of the Three Pure Ones, erupted from the West.
Violet qi... well, it barely drifted eastward for a few thousand li, and even then it came in fits and starts.
Golden lotuses... only a few bloomed sparsely, all drooping listlessly.
Daoist Jieyin attained the Primordial Dao!
Daoist Zhunti attained the Primordial Dao!
The Two Sages of the West!
"We did it! Senior Brother, we did it!" Zhunti was so excited that tears filled his eyes, and he nearly jumped up.
Jieyin still wore a troubled expression, but a trace of relieved fortune flashed through his eyes. "Sigh... We succeeded, but this debt... In what year of the donkey and month of the horse will we ever pay it off..."
His voice was filled with compassion, as though he had already seen the miserable future of countless eras spent working 996 shifts to repay the loan.
All beings of the primordial world: "..."
From this point onward.
Supreme Pure Laozi! Yuqing Yuanshi! Shangqing Tongtian! Jieyin! Zhunti!
The Five Saints stood together!
Of the holders of Primordial Violet Qi, aside from Old Ancestor Hongyun, whose whereabouts were unknown and whose blessings were shallow, all had become Saints!
Across the primordial world.
Several hidden, greedy gazes instantly locked onto the last possible direction in which Old Ancestor Hongyun might appear.
Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
Dijun's face was as dark as water as his fingers unconsciously tapped the armrest of his throne.
Solar True Fire flickered in Taiyi's eyes, killing intent faintly emerging.
"Big Brother, the six Saints have emerged... That final strand of Primordial Violet Qi..."
"We can't wait any longer!" Dijun's voice was icy. "Issue the order. Closely monitor Wuzhuang Temple and every place Hongyun may appear! The moment there is news, report back immediately!"
Northern Sea, Demon Master Palace.
Old Ancestor Kunpeng's expression was gloomy, Demonic Aura churning around him.
"Saints... Hmph! Hongyun! If you hadn't yielded your seat back then and caused this ancestor to lose his chance at a Saint position... Your violet qi should rightfully belong to me!"
His figure flashed, transforming into a faint streak of light as he slipped into the void and stealthily headed toward the places where Hongyun might be hiding.
Netherworld Sea of Blood, Asura Hall.
Old Ancestor Minghe sat upon the Karmic Fire Red Lotus as all four hundred eighty million Blood God Son avatars opened their blood-red eyes in unison.
"Heh heh heh... With six Saints emerging, the world's structure is undergoing a great change! That good old fellow Hongyun's violet qi is the opportunity for my Sea of Blood lineage to take another step forward! This ancestor shall go 'invite' Fellow Daoist Hongyun to be a guest!"
The Sea of Blood churned as Old Ancestor Minghe surged out of it.
Longevity Mountain, Wuzhuang Temple.
Zhenyuanzi frowned tightly as he gazed anxiously beyond the temple.
"Old friend Hongyun... Disaster is approaching..."
With a wave of his hand, he sent out one Mystic Art after another. The phantom of the Earth Book appeared, mobilizing the power of Longevity Mountain's earth veins to their utmost and forming a powerful protective barrier.
An invisible sense of urgency, like dark clouds, instantly enveloped Old Ancestor Hongyun's head!
With the six Saints having emerged, the tremendous pressure made those great powers coveting the Primordial Violet Qi unable to restrain themselves any longer!
A bloody storm targeting Hongyun had already begun!
The era of Saints had officially begun!
The primordial world's structure, with six Saints standing together—Nuwa having become one long ago—was about to undergo unprecedented upheaval!
Undercurrents surged, and killing intent lurked everywhere!
By the East Sea.
Dao Xuan withdrew his gaze from the West and from the several soaring waves of killing intent he had sensed, a playful smile curling across his lips.
"Loan Saints... Truly extraordinary talents of the primordial world!"
Before you continue