The End of the Era of Saints

Gu Changqing smiled. "Thank you, two Martial Uncles. A pleasure working together."

The two Saints: What had we even worked together on?

Gu Changqing added, "As long as the Human and Chan Sects do not trouble me, I will not make another move against them."

Only after hearing Gu Changqing say this did Laozi and Yuanshi finally relax.

Although this negotiation had cost them dearly, they had at least preserved the foundations of their two sects.

At this moment, Jie Yin stood and said, "Since the peace talks have concluded, we shall take our leave."

The Two Sages of the West feared that Gu Changqing would turn around and fleece them again, so they prepared to slip away.

After offering a brief farewell, the two immediately fled into the distance.

Dong—

The Chaos Bell rang.

The Two Sages of the West returned, rubbing their foreheads.

They had been forced back by the Chaos Bell.

As the Chaos Bell rang, all the Saints were alarmed.

Laozi and Yuanshi in particular.

"Gu Changqing, what are you trying to do?"

Yuanshi immediately exploded.

Gu Changqing smiled awkwardly and replied, "Do not misunderstand, Second Martial Uncle. Changqing merely did not wish for our peace talks to be disturbed, so I used the Chaos Bell to protect Wa Palace."

I believe you, my ass!

We were all Saints. Who would dare disturb us?

Yuanshi and Laozi immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong. Looking with their Dharma Eyes, they saw that Wa Palace and a vast stretch of Chaos beyond it were all shrouded by the Chaos Bell.

Laozi frowned. "Gu Changqing, do you truly intend to exterminate us all?"

He had never expected Gu Changqing to be so treacherous.

"First Martial Uncle misunderstands. I truly only wished to protect Wa Palace."

As Gu Changqing spoke, he withdrew the Chaos Bell.

The instant the Chaos Bell was withdrawn, countless messages flooded into the minds of the two Saints.

Every one of them was a plea for help.

Using their Dharma Eyes to look upon the mortal realm, the two Saints felt a chill shoot from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads.

Gu Changqing had indeed left them their foundations, but only their foundations remained.

Other than Eight Scenery Palace and Jade Void Palace, every branch of the Human and Chan Sects had been purged.

Even Eight Scenery Palace and Jade Void Palace had been surrounded from all sides.

Pfft!

Yuanshi immediately spat out blood and nearly fainted, while Laozi's face turned livid.

They had been played!

This brat was far too vicious!

Who could have imagined that Gu Changqing would dare use tens of thousands of disciples as bait?

And who could have imagined that Gu Changqing had arranged such a contingency in the mortal realm?

In this calamity, the Human and Chan Sects had lost!

They had lost without warning, lost utterly and completely!

The Two Sages of the West were even more terrified in hindsight. Fortunately, the Western Sect had withdrawn quickly, or they too would have been finished.

Even Nüwa's expression changed.

Too ruthless!

No wonder this brat had agreed so readily back then. He had been plotting this all along!

Tong Tian: Should I get a dog and take it for walks?

With this brat in the Intercepting Sect, what was left for me to do?

Luckily, this brat was my disciple. If he had become Second Brother's disciple, I would be the one vomiting blood right now.

After recovering his senses, Laozi sighed inwardly and said, "Gu Changqing, can you leave us a path to survive?"

When they still had the Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner, they could barely put up a fight.

No, even with them, they could not!

They had sworn Heavenly Dao oaths not to attack the Human Race, and Gu Changqing was Human Race as well!

Until the Heavenly Dao oaths were lifted, they could only endure being beaten.

Gu Changqing said, "Those below Earth Immortal may remain. Those above Earth Immortal must either withdraw from the mortal realm or remain forever within Eight Scenery Palace and Jade Void Palace."

Gu Changqing issued the two Saints his final ultimatum.

He raised a finger, and the Power of the Great Dao danced at its tip.

Gu Changqing added, "I know Heavenly Dao oaths cannot truly bind the two Martial Uncles. Changqing may be lacking in talent and possess no Saint Demise Pill, but I have fortunately comprehended a trace of the Power of the Great Dao."

A threat!

A blatant threat!

Seeing that thread of power at Gu Changqing's fingertip, every Saint was shaken.

It appeared weak, yet it contained the power to destroy everything.

So that was the Power of the Great Dao!

Laozi sighed helplessly. "The Human Sect will withdraw from the mortal realm."

Gu Changqing then looked at Yuanshi. "What about you, Second Martial Uncle?"

"The Chan Sect will withdraw from the mortal realm!"

Yuanshi gritted out the words. If they did not withdraw, they would be imprisoned forever on Kunlun Mountain.

Withdrawing only meant temporarily abandoning their interests in the mortal realm.

Even if they could no longer scheme for the mortal realm, they could still scheme for Heaven.

If he refused, there would be no place for the Chan Sect in either Heaven or Earth.

Seeing Laozi and Yuanshi yield, the Two Sages of the West knew that the era of Saints had come to an end. They could not help mourning the fate of those like themselves.

This time, Gu Changqing had used the Investiture of the Gods Calamity to eradicate the Human and Chan Sects. Next time, would he find an excuse to wipe out the Western Sect as well?

Where there were interests, there would be conflict.

And conflict would always find a reason.

After thinking for a moment, Jie Yin suddenly said, "Junior Brother Zhun Ti and I have long been exhausted from rushing about. We too wish to rest Beyond the Heavens. Would Fellow Daoist Changqing be willing to look after the Western Sect for us?"

Jie Yin understood clearly that they would be driven away sooner or later. They might as well withdraw with dignity.

Gu Changqing regarded Jie Yin more highly once again. "Changqing owes the Western Sect a karmic debt, so I will naturally look after it to some extent. Have you two Martial Uncles thought this through?"

"Our minds are made up!" Jie Yin added, "Under the Human Emperor's leadership, the mortal realm will surely advance toward glory."

"Very well." Gu Changqing added, "I killed Mahavairocana, so I will return a Tathagata to you."

As he spoke, he directly exchanged one million merits for a Merit Incarnation.

The Merit Incarnation possessed a solemn, sacred appearance. He greeted the Saints. "Amitabha. Tathagata greets the Saints."

Then he addressed Gu Changqing. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Changqing."

Upon seeing Tathagata, Jie Yin immediately understood. So Gu Changqing had prepared this long ago.

Gu Changqing used the Power of the Great Dao to sever his connection with Tathagata. "From today onward, you are you, and I am I. We have never had karma between us, and from now on, we shall have none."

Seeing Gu Changqing do this, Jie Yin immediately thanked him. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Changqing."

Once their karma was severed, Tathagata would be the Western Sect's Tathagata.

If it were not severed, Tathagata would be Gu Changqing's Tathagata.

The difference between the two was as vast as Heaven and Earth. This was also the advantage of withdrawing with dignity.

Gu Changqing smiled. "This was originally where the Western Sect's fortune lay."

Jie Yin laughed bitterly inwardly. Fortune, my ass. Was it not simply because I caught on quickly enough?

Tong Tian looked at Gu Changqing, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Gu Changqing's series of methods had been vicious, ruthless, and grand!

They had also made his attitude abundantly clear.

From the very beginning, from the instant he left Golden Turtle Island, his plan had already begun.

What he had wanted to win had never been the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, but the Saints and the entire mortal realm.

Perhaps his plan had begun the moment he first set foot on Golden Turtle Island.

This had been a conspiracy, a plot aimed at all the Saints.

What member of the Human Race could prove the Dao of Mixed Origin in merely a dozen years?

Impossible!

Unless he had been Mixed Origin from the start!

Thinking of this, Tong Tian felt a wave of lingering fear.

Had he not gone along with Gu Changqing all this time, the Intercepting Sect might have been finished as well!

Human Race!

What an enormous game they had played!

The Saints had lost, yet they did not even know at whose hands they had lost.

Fortunately, the Intercepting Sect had been preserved.

Tong Tian thought for a long time before finally finding peace within himself.

"Changqing, from this day onward, I pass the position of Intercepting Sect Leader to you. I will retire with your First and Second Martial Uncles."

Gu Changqing: What was this old fellow smoking?

Gu Changqing had never been as complicated as the Saints imagined. He had merely been cheating his way forward all along.

"Master, I..."

Before Gu Changqing could finish, Tong Tian took out the Four Swords of Zhuxian and handed them to Gu Changqing. "The Four Swords of Zhuxian symbolize the Intercepting Sect. Today, I pass them on to you."

"I..."

In the end, Gu Changqing accepted the Four Swords of Zhuxian and took over the Intercepting Sect as well.

Tong Tian looked at Laozi and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Eldest Brother!"

Then he respectfully bowed to Yuanshi. "Greetings, Second Brother!"

"Third Brother!"

"Third Brother!"

With no more conflicts of interest between them, the brotherly bond that had been absent for so many years returned once more.

There were no excessive words, only one greeting for Eldest Brother, one for Second Brother, and two calls of Third Brother.

Their years of brotherhood were contained within them.

So too were their years of grudges.

Moved by the Three Pure Ones, Gu Changqing stepped before Laozi and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, First Martial Uncle."

As he spoke, he took out the Taiji Diagram and returned it to Laozi. "First Martial Uncle, what happened in the mortal realm was unavoidable."

"Enough, enough."

Laozi recalled the days when Heaven and Earth had first opened, when the three brothers had lived so freely and unrestrainedly.

Seeing that Laozi refused to accept it, Gu Changqing added, "The Taiji Diagram is where First Martial Uncle's Dao lies. Please do not refuse it."

At this moment, Tong Tian took the Taiji Diagram and said, "I will accept it on behalf of your First Martial Uncle. Also, take out your Second Martial Uncle's Pangu Banner!"

After being deceived for so long, taking two of your treasures was not excessive, was it?

Gu Changqing took out the Pangu Banner and handed it to Tong Tian with a smile. "We are family. Why the rush?"

"You brat, are you asking for a beating?"

Feigning anger was a master's final stubborn pride.

Gu Changqing took out the Chaos Bell and handed it to Tong Tian as well. "The Three Pure Ones are one family. How can these three supreme treasures be separated? The Chaos Bell shall go to Master."

"At least you brat have a conscience!"

Tong Tian snatched the Chaos Bell from Gu Changqing's hand, his heart filled with ease.

If you truly were my disciple, how wonderful that would be!