Chapter 42

"If he wishes to use our words to spread the news, then we shall go along with the flow."

"Perhaps we can influence the course of the Witch-Demon war and benefit our Western Teachings."

Jieyin slowly explained the matter to Lu Tian.

Every word was clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

Lu Tian understood.

He knew the course of the Primordial World well.

The key to the changes in the Witch-Demon Calamity was that Jieyin and Zhunti had lured the ten Golden Crows down to the mortal realm, where Da Yi shot them down, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately led to the great war!

At this time, the two had yet to perfect their plan.

They had not yet met the ten princes of the demon race, so they had not considered everything thoroughly.

Once they came to understand the inner workings of the Witch-Demon conflict, they could naturally make their arrangements.

Sure enough—

Zhunti added with a smile, "This matter will still require time."

"When the demon race's princes are born and invite others to a banquet, that will be the perfect opportunity to probe the situation."

Wonderful!

Lu Tian secretly marveled.

Not because the scheme was ingenious.

But because he lamented that the destiny of the Primordial World was hard to defy.

The deeper his cultivation became, the more he heard, and with Jieyin and Zhunti's guidance, the more deeply he understood this truth.

Even without his involvement, this matter would still develop according to the Heavenly Dao.

It was merely being reenacted in a different form now.

"What Dao De Tianzun said in the past was true. Heavenly Dao Saints truly need to advance the calamities."

Jieyin said solemnly.

"If this succeeds, the Witch-Demon Calamity will greatly advance, and the two of us will benefit as well."

"Though it began because of you, we cannot share it with you."

"Only Saints untouched by Karma can handle this matter. If you intervene, you may invite disaster."

Lu Tian understood.

Jieyin and Zhunti still owed Heavenly Dao Merit.

Even if they succeeded, what they gained would be limited.

"I understand. Without Master's guidance, I would have gained nothing. To be of service to my masters, I am already completely satisfied."

The two exchanged smiles.

"We will count this as owing you."

"If an opportunity arises in the future, we will certainly compensate you."

Such frankness was truly rare.

They schemed against everyone else, yet they were as open as a whetstone with Lu Tian.

"Then I thank you in advance, Masters."

Jieyin waved his hand with a smile.

You certainly know how to speak.

Zhunti suddenly interjected from the side, "As for the humans you brought, since you brought them here, arrange them yourself. Let them multiply and thrive here for now."

"You may as well repair the Earth Veins, open up a place for them to live, and accumulate some merit in the process."

"I just calculated it. The human race's fortune is extraordinary and will greatly benefit our teachings."

"You can gather the human race's fortune and faith. When the time comes, bring a few of your senior brothers and establish a lineage of teachings together."

Lu Tian respectfully accepted, then chatted with his two masters for a while longer.

Jieyin and Zhunti went into seclusion in satisfaction, while Lu Tian set out to arrange matters concerning the human race.

Lu Tian left Spirit Mountain and found a region a million li away.

He did not immediately release the human race. Instead, he first began repairing the Earth Veins.

This was no easy task—the battle between the Dao Ancestor and Luohu during the Dao-Demon Conflict had destroyed the Western Earth Veins and extinguished all vitality.

If there had been an easy method, Jieyin and Zhunti would have long since completed it. Why would they need Lu Tian to act?

His greatest reliance was the Kunyuan Dao Robe, which could mobilize the power of the Earth Veins. Though it was not as effortless as the Earth Book, with the secret repair method taught by his masters, it was barely workable.

Though progress was slow, Lu Tian was quite patient.

He only needed to open up an initial place for the human race to settle, so he continued the restoration work with unwavering focus.

Time flowed on.

News that the demon race's Imperial Sons were about to be born quickly spread through the mouths of the Western Teachings disciples.

The demon race was happy to see this happen and secretly fanned the flames, deliberately creating the illusion that the news had been leaked unintentionally.

By the time the All Sages emerged from seclusion three thousand years later, the news had spread among the upper echelons of the Primordial World.

Seeing that they could no longer conceal it, the demon race simply sent invitations everywhere, inviting great powers from all sides to the Heavenly Court to celebrate the Imperial Sons' birth.

It was the height of the Heavenly Court's prosperity, and many great powers responded.

Meanwhile, Lu Tian finally opened up a patch of land—roughly the size of Earth in his previous life, merely a drop in the ocean within the vast Primordial World.

If the Earth Veins had not been damaged, gathering such fortune would have been no more than a wave of Lu Tian's hand.

The instant the Earth Veins were restored, golden radiance stretching ten thousand zhang suddenly bloomed across the sky.

A thin strand of merit descended around Lu Tian—

In the end, the region was too small, so what he received was limited.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he released the human race that had been dormant inside the flying boat.

Over three thousand years, one billion living beings had multiplied within that tiny pocket world. If not for the depletion of spiritual qi restricting cultivation, and the limits of birth, aging, illness, and death, their population might have increased a hundredfold.

The leading Human Immortal trembled as he led the crowd to kneel.

This was the only Human Immortal born during the great migration. His beard and hair were now white, and his lifespan was nearly exhausted. Yet nourished by the newly restored Earth Veins, his withered face gradually regained its vitality.

"Thank you, Immortal Lord, for the grace of granting us new life!"

The voices of a billion people shook the wilderness.

Standing upon clouds and mist, Lu Tian looked down at all living beings, his voice like thunder from the Ninth Heaven:

"This place is the West."

With a turn of his palm, he drew in mountains and ravines, which rumbled into place around the restored land, leaving only one winding path leading into the distance.

"Those who cross the boundary will bear the consequences of life and death themselves."

"If anyone dares to risk the dangers and journey a million li westward..."

His gaze swept over the restless crowd, and his voice suddenly turned cold:

"Spirit Mountain lies at the end."

The aged Human Immortal suddenly felt a chill between his brows.

A wisp of clear light withdrew from Lu Tian's fingertip. "You are very good."

"I grant you the cultivation of an Earth Immortal. Cultivate diligently from now on and continue protecting these humans so their lineage may endure."

It was precisely because this immortal understood worldly matters that the humans aboard the flying boat had recited scriptures and worshipped the Buddha day and night, devoutly venerating the doctrines of the Western Teachings, gradually becoming what they were today.

"Settle down and live peacefully here. Before long, emissaries will come to spread the teachings of our Western Teachings and instruct you in the rites of worship."

"..."

After giving a few more instructions, Lu Tian departed on the clouds.

Come to think of it.

The human race's current situation was rather like sheep raised inside a fence.

Lu Tian gave them peaceful years, shielded them from foreign enemies, marked out this land for them to live and multiply upon, and then received the power of their faith.

But for these humans, was that not a blessing?

In the East, their lives had hung by a thread. Living past forty was considered a long life.

Here, at the very least, they could live in peace.

This patch of land was no more than a tiny spot to Lu Tian, but to mortals, it was a vast territory they could not cross in an entire lifetime.

He forbade them from leaving only because he feared they would throw away their lives.

Once the Western Earth Veins were fully restored, one day their descendants would spread across the lands of the West.

As for faith?

What was it compared to being alive?

Lu Tian rode the wind away.

After returning to the Western Teachings, he immediately contacted several senior brothers and gave them two Dharma treasures: an ink painting and a Spirit Brush.

He made an agreement with his senior brothers:

The five of them would take turns going to the human race to spread the teachings and enlighten the people.

They could use the Dharma treasures to grant mortals the supplies they needed, helping the human race multiply and thrive.

Lu Tian and the others sought only the human race's fortune and faith, not to become servants. It was enough for them to descend occasionally.

Each person only needed to go once.

Such assistance was no more than a trivial effort for them, yet for the early human race, it was rain after a long drought!

Surely within a thousand years, with this aid, the human race would bloom into a splendid civilization in the West!

The senior brothers were naturally overcome with gratitude. They pulled Lu Tian into a candlelit all-night conversation and thanked him again and again.

Only after Lu Tian discussed the Dao and exchanged insights with his senior brothers did he leave.

At this point, all matters concerning the human race had been properly arranged.

In the blink of an eye, a thousand years passed.

The Western Human Race grew increasingly prosperous and finally took shape!

The five senior brothers descended among the human race in accordance with their agreement.

With their early assistance, the human race quickly gained a foothold and became self-sufficient.

In truth, the human race had always possessed remarkable resilience. This assistance merely allowed them to adapt to their new land more quickly.

The golden Dharma images of Jieyin, Zhunti, Pharmacist, Mahasthamaprapta, Maitreya, Sunlight, Moonlight, and Lu Tian were all devoutly worshipped, their incense offerings unceasing!

Most especially, the incense offerings to Lu Tian's golden image were second only to those of Jieyin and Zhunti.

Even in the temples dedicated solely to him, the incense offerings from believers were more abundant than those for all the others combined.

When the human race had completely settled down.

Lu Tian raised his head toward the sky.

Above the heavens, boundless Golden Light of Merit illuminated Spirit Mountain for a million li!

The brilliant radiance nearly burned the eyes of the Western Teachings disciples.

Jieyin and Zhunti hurriedly appeared. Looking at the Golden Light of Merit filling the sky, their hearts churned with excitement.

Such immense merit was enough to create a Quasi-Saint!

If they had possessed such merit as a foundation back then, how could they have been so impoverished!

The golden light began to descend.

One-tenth of it was distributed among Pharmacist, Mahasthamaprapta, Maitreya, Sunlight, and Moonlight.

Jieyin and Zhunti each received two-tenths, and joy was written across their faces.

The remaining half all entered Lu Tian's body!

The vast merit bestowed by the human race sent the entire Western Teachings into celebration.

Lu Tian could clearly sense—

If he used all this merit to break through in cultivation,

He would surely reach the peak of the Great Luo realm and only need to sever the Three Corpses to enter the Quasi-Saint realm!

The human race truly was extraordinary!

Naturally, he would not waste merit on increasing his cultivation. His own cultivation was enough.

He would save it for now and use it later.

Jieyin and Zhunti looked at Lu Tian with eyes full of envy.

This enormous amount of merit was equivalent to half a percent of the debt they owed!

Though they could ask Lu Tian for things like Enlightenment Tea Leaves and Three Lights Divine Water,

They absolutely would not dare ask for merit.

To any cultivator, this was a supreme treasure.

What the two felt more than anything was gratification:

They were happy for Lu Tian's opportunity, for his long efforts had finally received a rich reward;

They also saw that the disciples in the teachings were harmonious. Though the others were envious, they were even more grateful, knowing that Lu Tian had generously given the treasures to them.

Lu Tian neither claimed credit nor showed any disappointment.

This harmonious atmosphere greatly comforted Jieyin and Zhunti.

Once the merit had been distributed,

Everyone returned to their cave abodes in satisfaction.

Lu Tian, too, could not conceal his delight.

If he received such merit several more times, he might even try to attain the Dao through merit.

Of course, that thought was somewhat too arrogant.

He had received such a generous reward this time entirely because he had established the Western Human Race lineage through a fortunate coincidence.

It would likely not be easy to obtain such merit again in the future.

Yet besides merit, there were also long-term gains such as fortune and faith.

No matter how one looked at it, it was a guaranteed profit.

Lu Tian returned to his cave abode to cultivate in seclusion and carefully reflect on what he had gained.

Though it had not directly increased his combat strength,

it had solidified the foundation of his cultivation—

such profound reserves were far more precious than an increase in combat strength.

If he sought to improve his combat strength, he could study the Dao of the Blade, delve into laws, or cultivate secret arts.

A breakthrough in one's foundation could only be left to fate.

Lu Tian quietly meditated on his insights, and in the blink of an eye, another two thousand years passed.

On this day, powerful figures from all across the primordial world flew toward the Thirty-Third Heaven.

The day of the demon race's Imperial Son's birth had arrived!

Jieyin and Zhunti arrived at the Heavenly Court with Pharmacist, Lu Tian, and the others.

Kunpeng personally welcomed them, giving the saints every courtesy befitting his status as Demon Master.

"Di Jun and Taiyi are still awaiting the Imperial Son's birth. I hope the saints will excuse them."

Kunpeng explained with a smile.

Jieyin and Zhunti were secretly delighted, but they said, "We shall follow the host's arrangements."