Since the Final Tribulation had brought Nirvana to the Heavens and the Primordial Heavenly Venerable had created a new Heaven, two Eras had passed.
And the third Era had reached its final moments. It was about to perish and fall into ruin.
In the first Era after the Final Tribulation, the Demon Emperor transcended and attained the Dao Fruit Position, becoming the fifth Dao Fruit Bearer in existence.
Amitabha Buddha narrowly lost in that Era.
In the second Era after the Final Tribulation, Wusheng Holy Mother emerged victorious despite being besieged on all sides, becoming the sixth Dao Fruit Bearer since the creation of Heaven and Earth.
Amitabha Buddha narrowly lost again.
In the third Era after the Final Tribulation, as Heaven and Earth approached destruction, the Dao Fruit Contest began anew.
The Primordial Heavenly Venerable, Amitabha Buddha, Bodhi Ancient Buddha, the Demon Sage, and the Azure Emperor—these five Other Shore Beings had all cultivated Reducing to Emptiness to Perfection. Each had a chance to attain the Dao Fruit Position.
The Void shattered, the Ten Thousand Worlds turned to dust, the Great Dao collapsed, and Order ceased to exist.
Chaos poured in. Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire swept across the Heavens in a vision of Great Destruction and utter extinction.
The five who had perfected Reducing to Emptiness each unleashed their methods, opposed yet united in their refusal to let anyone but themselves transcend.
Former Allies now turned their weapons on one another.
The Karma they had once owed each other had naturally been settled by now. It could no longer bind them.
After all, if they were still entangled in Karma, they could never have reached the Perfection of Reducing to Emptiness.
To be utterly "empty" was a necessary condition for perfecting Reducing to Emptiness.
"Daoist Friend Wusheng has