"Boom!"
After heaven and earth returned to normal and the Primordial World was back on course, a violent rumble rang out beyond the nine heavens. Then an enormous merit golden cloud appeared, no less impressive than the merit bestowed for attaining sainthood-and seemingly even greater in scale.
It hovered above the nine heavens, astounding the countless living beings still alive below.
Immediately afterward, a mighty voice rang out, seemingly devoid of emotion.
"Meng Zhang, Jian Bing, Lingguang, Zhiming, Huanglin, for your meritorious deeds in saving the world, you shall be honored as Sacred Beasts. Guard the Four Extremes and the Central Land, untouched by karma, imperishable through myriad tribulations!"
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
As the voice faded, sixty percent of the merit golden cloud split off and shot toward Meng Zhang and the others, entering their bodies in an instant. Dazzling divine light immediately burst from them, illuminating heaven and earth, while their auras rose continuously. They were weaker than Saints, but far surpassed all other quasi-saints.
"Roar!" Sensing this, all five threw back their heads and let out excited roars toward the sky.
Then they declared in unison, "Thank you, Heavenly Dao. We are willing to guard the Four Extremes and the Central Land forever and protect the Primordial World!"
"Whoosh!" With that, each transformed into a streak of auroral light and shot away. Meng Zhang and the other three arrived at the Divine Turtle's four limbs to guard the new pillars of heaven, while Huanglin descended onto the collapsed Mount Buzhou to stand watch there. A towering tree had already taken root on that spot.
Indeed, it was the Forestwood Demon God's physical body.
Over those forty-nine days, Nuwa, Meng Zhang, and the others had not been the only ones to act to save the world. After