"Senior Brother, after you have come to understand the human race, I would like to hear your opinion of them before making a decision."
A glint flashed through Laozi's murky eyes. He said nothing, merely nodded indifferently.
Then he drifted away.
Qing Xuanzi sighed. "I hope the human race has welcomed a great source of aid."
He had already made up his mind: if the Humanity Sect Laozi established still clung to the human race and sucked their blood as it had in his previous life—
Only to cast them aside like worn-out shoes at a critical moment—
Then he would have to seek out Hongjun. Better not to establish this Humanity Sect at all.
He had the confidence to do so now.
Five hundred years later, Laozi came looking for Qing Xuanzi, his face glowing with health.
"Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, I have already understood my opportunity to become a saint." Laozi stared straight at Qing Xuanzi with his murky eyes.
"Senior Brother, you still have not answered my question. What do you think of the human race?"
Laozi fell silent for a moment before saying, "I can ensure that the human race will not perish."
Qing Xuanzi shook his head and said calmly, "In that case, Senior Brother, you had best return where you came from. I will not agree."
Laozi's eyes widened, his murky gaze filling with bloodshot veins. His aura surged to its peak, as though he would strike at any moment.
Qing Xuanzi showed no weakness, releasing the aura of a peak Hunyuan Golden Immortal. Its might was not inferior to Laozi's in the slightest.
Though there was no wind in the entire room, faint whistling sounds filled it. The tension had reached its peak.
After a moment, Laozi's aura deflated like a punctured ball, and he returned to looking like an old man with one foot in the grave.
Qing Xuanzi also took the opportunity to withdraw his aura.
Laozi stomped his foot resentfully and said, word by word, "Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi."
Qing Xuanzi sighed softly.
"Master favored me enough to accept me as his Closed-Door Disciple. I can be considered half a disciple of the Heavenly Dao. You are different, Senior Brother. You received the Hongmeng Purple Qi and are entirely a disciple of the Heavenly Dao. Am I right?"
There was hidden meaning in Qing Xuanzi's words. He did not state it outright, because the Heavenly Dao was certainly watching. There was no need to become openly hostile with it.
Yet Laozi understood: Qing Xuanzi was an authentic member of the Congenital Human Race, the child of Human Dao Luck. Becoming half a disciple of the Heavenly Dao was merely a way to ease the relationship between himself and the Heavenly Dao.
Laozi himself, however, was wholly a disciple of the Heavenly Dao. In the future, the Heavenly Dao would certainly have the final say in his actions.
The Hongmeng Purple Qi was a marvelous thing. The luck it possessed varied according to the person.
If one's heart leaned toward the Heavenly Dao, it became Heavenly Dao Luck.
If one's heart leaned toward the Human Dao, it became Human Dao Luck.
If one's heart leaned toward the Earth Dao, it became Earth Dao Luck.
Over these many years, Laozi had already thoroughly understood this characteristic of the Hongmeng Purple Qi.
Thus, Qing Xuanzi was dissatisfied with his answer because he wanted Laozi's heart to lean toward the Human Dao.
At the very least, he could not disregard the human race. That was Qing Xuanzi's bottom line.
Qing Xuanzi had also mentioned Hongjun. Clearly, if Laozi could not satisfy him, Qing Xuanzi would go directly before Hongjun and explain everything.
"Fine, fine. If I establish the Humanity Sect, Junior Brother may serve as its Deputy Sect Leader and command the greater fortunes of the human race." Laozi finally sighed and compromised.
He was also making his position clear: he would not involve himself in the struggle between the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao. That was his bottom line as well.
Of course, if the situation became clear in the future, he could still side with the stronger party.
That was the ingenious use of the position of Deputy Sect Leader that he had promised.
Qing Xuanzi smiled. He was satisfied. For Laozi to yield this much was already exceedingly rare.
"Agreed." Qing Xuanzi readily accepted as well.
"Hehe, Junior Brother, you truly are the sort who will not release the hawk until he sees the hare." Laozi's expression relaxed at this point. Since both sides had yielded and the matter was resolved, he was in the mood to joke.
"You flatter me. Qing Xuanzi bears the heavy responsibility of the human race and had no choice but to act this way. I hope Senior Brother will not blame me."
"Forget it. I should get busy with my own affairs. Oh, right. Since you are the Deputy Sect Leader, you may take the future object that suppresses the sect's luck."
Laozi was not entirely without sentiment. Although he knew that his concession had cost him something—
He also knew that Qing Xuanzi still valued their bond as fellow disciples. Otherwise, this matter would never have been resolved so easily.
After all, Qing Xuanzi held the initiative.
Try replacing him with those two from the Western Sect.
Laozi might have simply thrown them out.
Thus, he readily promised to hand over the Kongtong Seal. It was an object of the human race anyway, and controlling it was only meant to better contend for luck.
Now that Qing Xuanzi was here, was there any need to fear being unable to suppress that luck?
Most importantly, Laozi had also realized that when the Kongtong Seal emerged, it might directly acknowledge Qing Xuanzi as its master.
By giving it away himself, hehe, he would appear quite generous. Giving Qing Xuanzi something that was originally his anyway—this deal could be made.
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Although Qing Xuanzi understood what was going on, he still had to thank Laozi outwardly.
There was nothing he could do. Laozi had to be allowed to show off this time.
Ten years later.
"Heavenly Dao above, I, Grand Pure Laozi, eldest disciple of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, hereby establish the Humanity Sect. My junior brother Qing Xuanzi shall serve as Deputy Sect Leader. We shall enlighten the human race, with the Taiji Diagram suppressing the luck of the Humanity Sect."
As soon as Laozi's declaration to establish the sect fell, boundless merit descended from the nine heavens, gleaming golden and dazzling to the eye.
The merit of establishing the sect entered his body, instantly drawing out Laozi's legacy from the creation of Heaven and Earth—the merit of creation bestowed by the Great Dao.
Laozi became a saint.
Unlike the Humanity Sect Qing Xuanzi knew, he became the blessed sect leader of the Humanity Sect, holding the greater fortunes of the human race in his hands.
At the same time, Laozi passed down the Golden Core Great Dao.
Qing Xuanzi modified the Golden Core Great Dao before teaching it to the Congenital Human Race. "This is the revised Golden Core Great Dao. It can lead directly to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm."
The original Golden Core Great Dao could at most reach the Golden Immortal realm.
After Qing Xuanzi's revision, it could directly reach the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
It could be considered a great path leading straight to the Great Luo realm, laid out for the human race whose innate foundations were lacking.
It would inevitably raise the overall strength of the human race to a new level.
After Laozi attained the Dao and became a saint, Yuanshi and Tongtian soon established their sects and became saints as well, without much fanfare.
They were the future Elucidating Sect and Intercepting Sect.
When it came to the two from the Western Sect, however, they hit a snag.
Zhunti looked at that meager bit of merit above his head and nearly jumped up to curse the Heavenly Dao for its unfairness.
Fortunately, the previous Heavenly Tribulation had left a deep impression on him, allowing him to restrain himself.
"Senior Brother, what do we do? There is not enough merit. Forget the two of us—even enough for one person to become a saint is lacking!" Zhunti was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
The Three Pure Ones had all become saints smoothly. If the two of them could not become saints—
Losing face would be one thing. Losing face was no great matter.
The problem was that they might lose their lives as well.
Just look at Ancestor Red Cloud. If the Demon Clan learned that the two of them could not become saints—
They would likely come straight over and kill them.
They had dealt with Hong Yun in secret before, but if things went badly this time—
The others could beat them openly and aboveboard.
Jie Yin ignored the frantic Zhunti and sat with his eyes closed, silently pondering.
After a long while, he opened his eyes and said, "When I become Buddha..."
Seeing Jie Yin begin making wishes to the Heavenly Dao on his own, Zhunti's eyes lit up, and he followed, saying, "When I become Buddha..."
The two of them made every vow they could think of, a full forty-eight great vows.
Without immense perseverance and immense opportunity, not a single one of those vows could be fulfilled.
But in order to become saints, Jie Yin and Zhunti gritted their teeth. They would gamble on it.
Before you continue