Four Sages in One Day, Tongtian Clarified His Swordheart

"Heavenly Dao above, I, Grand Pure One Laozi, having perceived that the Dao methods of the Primordial World were a mixed bag of good and bad, wish to establish a sect to enlighten all living beings, using the Taiji Diagram to suppress its fortune."

"Dao Sect, arise!"

Under the influence of the Heavenly Dao, Laozi's voice resounded throughout the entire Primordial World. Golden clouds of merit spread across thousands of miles in the sky. Though they could not compare to Nuwa's creation of the Human Race, they were still a rare sight in the Primordial World—far more than Styx had received.

With the Dao Sect established, the clouds of merit transformed into a pillar of light. Roughly seventy percent entered Laozi's body, while thirty percent descended upon the Taiji Diagram.

As the merit entered Laozi's body, although it was abundant, it still fell just short of allowing him to become a Sage. However, the World-Opening Merit deep within Laozi's Primordial Spirit was drawn forth, finally bringing his merit to completion.

A wisp of Sage might bloomed from Laozi's body. Strange phenomena arose everywhere.

"Teacher..."

Beside Laozi, a young child of the Human Race gazed at the scene of rosy light stretching ten thousand miles and golden lotuses springing from the earth. Her eyes brimmed with worship and longing.

"In a thousand years, I will preach the Dao at Kunlun Mountain. All those fated may come."

"There is another Sage in the world!"

Feeling that familiar pressure, the great powers of heaven and earth secretly tensed.

On Kunlun Mountain, Yuanshi stirred upon hearing this. The Primordial Chaos Purple Qi deep within his Primordial Spirit shook wildly before quietly merging with it.

A flash of realization crossed Yuanshi's eyes, followed by wild delight.

"I have finally comprehended the path to Sainthood!"

Yuanshi then rose to his feet and flew out of Three Pure Ones Palace, stepping upon the void as some of the arrogance on his face receded.

"Heavenly Dao above, I, Jade Pure One Yuanshi, I, Jieyin and Zhunti... shall use the Pangu Banner and the Twelfth-Grade Meritorious Golden Lotus to suppress our fortune."

"Chan Sect and Western Sect, arise!"

For a time, auspicious clouds stretching thousands of miles appeared around Kunlun Mountain and Spirit Mountain in the west, though they were somewhat fewer than Laozi's.

The first person was the one to eat the crab. Laozi had been the first to establish a sect, so he had claimed the greatest share of fortune.

The merit obtained by Yuanshi, Zhunti, and Jieyin was far less, inherently insufficient to support their ascension to Sainthood.

Yuanshi had World-Opening Merit to supplement it, and Sage might bloomed from his body.

But there were still two people in the west. Naturally, they required even more merit.

Seeing Yuanshi become a Sage as well, Zhunti and Jieyin could not help showing some anxiety.

If they failed to become Sages today, becoming Sages in the future would likely be even harder.

Zhunti's eyes turned, and a rotten idea immediately rose in his mind.

He whispered several words into Jieyin's ear.

"This..."

After hearing Zhunti's rotten idea, hesitation appeared on Jieyin's face.

Though the idea was somewhat rotten, it was not without merit.

It was simply that the price was rather steep.

"Senior Brother, only by becoming Sages will we have even a sliver of a chance to take revenge!"

Hatred flashed in Zhunti's eyes.

How could he so easily forget the humiliation Tongtian had brought him?

And how would he dare forget it!

Hearing Zhunti's words, the struggle on Jieyin's face turned into resolve.

"Today, no matter what, we must become Sages!"

Jieyin and Zhunti faced the sky and spoke in unison.

"If I attain the Dao, I shall certainly eradicate the western earth veins and restore them completely..."

"If I attain the Dao..."

One great vow after another spilled from Jieyin and Zhunti's mouths like strings of pearls, as though they cost nothing.

The clouds of merit in the sky then grew even denser.

Only after forty-eight great vows had been made did they obtain sufficient merit. Two pillars of light descended upon Zhunti and Jieyin, followed immediately by the blooming of two waves of Sage might.

On this day, four Sages rose into the heavens.

Kunlun Mountain.

Lu Chen awoke from his cave abode, stroking his chin as he pondered inwardly.

Laozi established the Dao Sect rather than the Human Cult. It seems he ran into no ordinary wall when preaching among the Human Race. I wonder how far Master has reached by now.

Sword Cave.

Tongtian slowly opened his eyes. Sword might raged around him, leaving several fresh sword marks upon the stone walls. After hearing Lu Chen's thoughts, he muttered to himself.

"Human Cult, Dao Sect... was this another one of your calculations?"

"Even with the Jade Disc of Creation's assistance, taking that step remains exceedingly difficult!"

"Perhaps I can open another path..."

"I am Upper Pure One Tongtian. Of the Great Dao's fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine; all things between heaven and earth possess a single thread of vitality. I am willing to seize that thread of vitality for all living beings, using the Green Duckweed Sword to suppress fortune! This great sect shall be called 'Jie'!"

"Jie Sect, arise!"

"In a thousand years, I will preach the Dao at Kunlun Mountain. There shall be education without distinction; all who pass the trials may enter my sect."

Lu Chen stepped out of his cave abode and looked at Tongtian, dressed in green robes and standing above Sword Cave. A complicated expression flashed through his eyes.

Auspicious clouds likewise stretched thousands of miles across the sky. Seeing Tongtian establish a sect as well, Yuanshi revealed a trace of gratification.

His own path, as well as that of his eldest brother Laozi, had been blocked at Three Corpses Severance, leaving them only the path of becoming Sages through merit. Tongtian, the only one with hope of proving the Dao by another path, had now also chosen to establish a sect and become a Sage through merit. Yuanshi instantly felt utterly refreshed.

The little brother who had once seemed to be growing crooked had finally returned to the proper track.

Watching the thousand-mile clouds of merit transform into a descending pillar of light, Tongtian remained calm as the Green Duckweed Sword appeared.

"Go."

Tongtian gave a light push of his hand, and the Green Duckweed Sword appeared above his head. The entire pillar of merit light poured into the sword.

"I have no wish to become a Sage through merit. I only wish to personally carve out a path with the sword in my hand."

"A swordsman should not borrow external things, relying only on the sword in his heart and hand!"

Tongtian murmured. The Jade Disc of Creation drifted down into Lu Chen's hands.

"Master..."

Lu Chen looked silently at Tongtian in midair.

"Eldest Brother, do you think Master can succeed?"

At some unknown point, Duobao had waddled over beside Lu Chen with his great belly, asking in a low voice.

"I do not know. Proving the Dao is incomparably difficult. But since Master has made this choice, he should have some confidence."

As Tongtian returned the Jade Disc of Creation to Lu Chen, his Swordheart Clarity came in an instant, and he gained a clear understanding of his own Dao.

The final half-step was sincerity toward the sword.

Believe not in heaven, understand not the Dao, believe only in oneself, believe only in the three-foot blade in one's hand.

The path to attaining the Dao was originally one of continuous probing and exploration, of perfecting one's own insights. Yet with the Jade Disc of Creation's enlightenment, it was as though crossing a river by feeling for stones had become walking with someone holding one's hand.

And how could one grow while always being held by another?

Buzz!

Heaven and earth trembled. An immensely powerful, unstoppable pressure erupted from Tongtian's body. Every great power who sensed it felt a piercing pain, as though sword edges were pointed all over their body.

There were strange phenomena as well, but rather than golden lotuses springing from the earth, a vast, endless river appeared above Kunlun Mountain. A tiny figure identical to Tongtian stepped out of that river, one step at a time, across stairs formed from countless sword blades.

In the end, the figure transformed into a green-edged sword and entered Tongtian's spiritual platform. An imprint resembling a sword scar appeared between Tongtian's brows.

Transcending the river of the Heavenly Dao—

This was the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!

"Tongtian truly attained the Dao!"

Yuanshi's face was filled with disbelief. His previously refreshed body and mind instantly became clogged again, and his expression turned incomparably ugly.

This was because that pressure was several times stronger than when he had become a Sage. Even though he was a mighty Sage, he had invisibly fallen a level beneath Tongtian.

How could Yuanshi, who had always considered himself inferior to no one except his eldest brother, endure this?

And he had fallen beneath his own little brother. How was he supposed to maintain the dignity of an elder brother in the future!?

"Congratulations, Master, on proving the Primordial Zenith Dao."

Lu Chen and Duobao cupped their hands toward Tongtian in congratulations.

"Kunlun Mountain will become lively from now on. As the eldest senior brother, you cannot go running around everywhere anymore."

Tongtian looked at his two disciples with a faint smile, then turned his gaze toward Lu Chen.

"When the time comes, you will handle the matter of accepting disciples."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Chen nodded in acceptance. Even if Tongtian had not assigned the task to him and had instead planned to handle it personally, Lu Chen would have found an opportunity to speak with Tongtian about accepting disciples.

Now that Tongtian had entrusted it to him, things were much simpler.

"Come to Sword Cave."

Duobao and Lu Chen exchanged a glance before entering Sword Cave.

"Do you wish to take the path of the Primordial Golden Immortal, or the path of Three Corpses Severance?"

Tongtian sat upon the ground and looked at Lu Chen and Duobao as he asked.

"The Primordial path."

Lu Chen answered without the slightest hesitation.

Duobao, however, hesitated somewhat.

"I..."

"Duobao, if you wish to take the path of the Three Corpses, you may do so as well. I will do my utmost to resolve the problem of the Three Corpses being unable to merge as one after they are all severed."

Tongtian saw Duobao's concerns at a glance and spoke slowly.

At these words, the hesitation in Duobao's eyes turned into determination. "Master, I wish to follow the Dao of Three Corpses Severance."

Tongtian nodded.

Lu Chen could try any path, but the Primordial path did not suit Duobao. To walk the Primordial path, one's cultivation depended on one's comprehension of laws. Though Duobao was an innate being with decent foundations, compared with Tongtian and Lu Chen, he still lagged far behind.

The Dao of Three Corpses Severance was instead less demanding regarding one's foundations and aptitude.

"Duobao, go cultivate first."

"Yes, Master."

Hearing Tongtian's words, Duobao gave a respectful bow, turned, and departed.

"If you wish to take the Primordial path, do not choose the Sword Dao. Judging by your foundations, the Devouring Path suits you better."

"Master, can one only choose one Dao to prove the Primordial Dao?"

Tongtian paused, then shook his head.

"Not necessarily. One may prove the Dao through several Daos at once. However, the more Dao principles you comprehend, the more difficult it becomes to prove the Dao. Likewise, after proving the Dao, your strength will be greater."

"Master, are there stronger and weaker Daos?"

"There are not."

"Do you have any other questions?"

"No, Master."

"Return and cultivate. I will enter seclusion to see whether I can deduce and perfect the Dao of Three Corpses Severance. The matter of accepting disciples is entrusted to you."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Chen returned to his cave abode. Through Tongtian's explanations, he understood that there were differences in strength among Primordial beings. It was not that some Daos were stronger than others, but that it depended on the person who comprehended them. If one proved the Primordial Dao through multiple Daos at once, one would be stronger than someone who proved it through a single Dao.

This was not difficult to understand.

Let's try the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase's new function.

Lu Chen sat on his jade bed, grabbed a handful of golden merit light, and stuffed it into the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.

Inside the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, the golden merit light was refined and condensed into droplets.

A hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.

Lu Chen slowly opened his eyes and removed a droplet from the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, examining it closely.

The droplet at Lu Chen's fingertip was chaos-colored, emanating an abstruse and profound aura. At the same time, it stirred his heart, giving rise to an impulse to swallow it in one gulp.

Lu Chen swallowed the droplet whole. It melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into an indescribable force that seeped into every limb and bone of his body.

"My origin has increased!"

Feeling the changes within himself, Lu Chen's face broke into wild delight.

After swallowing the droplet, he felt the origin of the Devouring Demon God within his body grow by a trace.

Though the increase was negligible, it had truly increased.

As his origin rose, Lu Chen gained another trace of comprehension toward the Devouring Path.

"Perhaps I have another path I can take."

The Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase's new function gave Lu Chen new ideas concerning proving the Dao.

Lu Chen immediately stuffed in another great handful of merit, along with the treasures he had gathered over the years.

A thousand years drifted by.

Lu Chen emerged from seclusion.

Today was the grand ceremony for accepting disciples. He would accept disciples on his master's behalf.

The usually rather desolate Kunlun Mountain was exceptionally lively today. Cultivators covered the mountains and plains, their line stretching from halfway up the mountain all the way to its foot.

Yuanshi and Laozi sat atop the mountain, overlooking the various cultivators below and silently assessing them. Lu Chen stepped forward and respectfully bowed. "First Senior Uncle, Second Senior Uncle."

Seeing Lu Chen alone, Yuanshi asked in confusion, "Where is Third Brother?"

"Second Senior Uncle, Master is still in seclusion. I will handle the matter of accepting disciples on his behalf."

"Xuandu greets Holy Father!"

The young man seated beside Laozi saw Lu Chen and rose to bow respectfully.

Laozi gave Lu Chen a deep look. "Then begin."

Now that he had become a Sage, besides Lu Chen's foundations, he could also see his fortune and sense the dense fortune of the Human Race surrounding him. Together with his disciple's identification just now—

Laozi secretly sighed. He had never expected the Holy Father of the Human Race to be Lu Chen.

Laozi set no trials, for he valued nonaction. Whom he accepted as disciples depended on fate—and on first impressions.

Yuanshi, on the other hand, set three trials: one to test origins, one to test fortune, and one to test comprehension. Only temperament was left untested.

Lu Chen, meanwhile, laid down a single grand formation.

The Inquiry-Heart Formation.

This formation tested neither origins, fortune, nor comprehension. It tested only one's heart.

The Jie Sect had originally fallen largely because of that two-faced rat, Long-Eared Dingguang Xian. Had he not betrayed them, the Jie Sect would not have been defeated so swiftly. Moreover, Lu Chen despised traitors most of all. As for disciples being a mixed bag or burdened with karmic slaughter, so long as they were guided, they still had a chance to mend their ways.

"Trials begin. Those who reach the summit may enter the Chan Sect (Jie Sect)."

Yuanshi and Lu Chen spoke in succession.

As their voices fell, the cultivators below grew excited, consciously dividing into two lines as they began climbing the mountain.

One had come for the Chan Sect, while the other had come for the Jie Sect.

Whether because of the prestige of a Hunyuan Great Luo or because the doctrine of teaching without distinction held greater appeal, eight or nine out of every ten cultivators at the foot of the mountain joined the Jie Sect's line.

Time trickled away. Those who passed the Inquiry-Heart Formation continued climbing in joyful spirits, while those who failed left with hearts full of resentment. Some even failed the Inquiry-Heart Formation, then tried to fish in troubled waters by slipping into the Chan Sect's line for another attempt.

Yuanshi's face darkened. With a cold snort, he shook those who tried to cheat and cut corners until their faces went pale and their minds were grievously wounded.

Someone from the Jie Sect's line reached the summit.

"Greetings..."

"Those who reach the summit are fated. You may call me Senior Brother."

"Senior Brother."

"What is your Daoist title?"

"Jin Ling."