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Chapter 11: The Saint's Sermon
🕑 Added 2022-07-28 13:01:04 +0000 UTCHaotian's and Yaochi's movement paused for a slight moment, and that was all it took as two yellow-robed figures slipped through. They made for a sorry sight with tattered robes and wounded bodies.
'So these are the famous Jieyin and Zhunti,' Tongtian thought as she observed them. 'Yep, their heads are very shiny. Did Buddhists shave their heads because of them?'
She turned her sights on the fifth and sixth prayer mats. According to legend, the Three Purities sat on the first three prayer mats, Nuwa sat on the fourth, Kunpeng sat on the fifth, and Redcloud Ancestor sat on the sixth, but the fifth and sixth eventually transferred to Jieyin and Zhunti.
Now that the Golden-Winged Great Roc had sat on the fifth prayer mat, will things play out like the legends said?
Zhunti stared at the full room, especially the six occupied prayer mats in the front. He shared a quick look with Jieyin and burst out in tears.
"Ah, Senior Brother, we rushed as fast as we could from the West, but the journey was long and fraught with danger. The West is barren and we didn't have any protective artifacts. We almost died in the chaotic boundary. I didn't expect that we rushed with all our strength, only to see this."
Jieyin sighed. Anyone who heard it would feel a sense of bottomless sadness welling from within them. "Speak no more, Junior Brother. It is already our fortune to be here and listen to the Saint's preaching."
"But we are the only gods from the West. With only the two of us, how can we bring prosperity back to the West and free all creatures of suffering?"
'Wow, so shameless,' Tongtian thought. She wasn't the only one. Although many showed sympathetic faces, few had any thoughts of getting up. Some even showed outright disdain for the two's act.
Tongtian spared a glance at Redcloud Ancestor, and his face was clearly torn.
Seeing that there was no reaction, Zhunti started sobbing. "I can't live knowing that the West is still suffering from the devilish aura. If that is the case, I might as well die here!"
To the shock of all the gods present, Zhunti actually started to charge toward one of the walls, seemingly filled with the intent to shatter his head on it. No one expected him to be so daring and rash. If you made the Saint unhappy, wouldn't it cause more misery for the West?
Unknown to anyone, a cloudy look appeared in Redcloud Ancestor's eyes for the briefest of moments. "Fellow Daoist, please wait!"
Zhunti's body slowed down, allowing enough time for Jieyin to grab and secure him. They both looked towards Redcloud Ancestor, who continued. "There is no need to go so far. I'll give you my seat."
Tears continued to leak from Zhunti's eyes as a smile blossomed on his face. He quickly sat down on Redcloud Ancestor's spot. "Thank you, fellow Daoist. I'll never forget this kindness."
Redcloud Ancestor smiled back, but internally, he was already regretting his decision as he felt a sense of unknown loss. Ignoring the disdainful gaze of the other gods, he sat down next to Zhen Yuanzi.
"You, ah you! Why did you give up your seat?" Zhen Yuanzi asked with exasperation.
Redcloud Ancestor only smiled back. He also questioned what came over him.
As for Tongtian, she thought. 'As expected as the Number One Nice Guy of the Great Desolation.'
Zhunti's smile disappeared. He had a seat but Jieyin, the greatest benefactor of his life, didn't. Greed knows no bounds, and he turned his sight to the other prayer mats.
He had never heard of the fame of the Three Purities, but just from a single glance, he knew they weren't simple. In addition, all three were linked, so targeting one meant he would earn the ire of all three.
On the fourth prayer mat was a woman. Zhunti could tell that her cultivation and strength were not one bit weaker than his own. Furthermore, he saw another person supporting her from behind, so she was out of the question.
That only left the fifth prayer mat. The golden-robed man was an early Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament, the weakest one present. Even the one behind him that seemed to be linked with him only was an intermediate Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament.
"Who are you? How can you be qualified to sit with us?" Zhunti bellowed.
"Wha?" the Golden-Winged Great Roc let out dumbly, having never expected Zhunti to question him.
At this moment, Taiyi spoke up. "Fellow Daoist is right. What qualification do you have to sit in the front with your strength?"
Di Jun didn't say anything, but his expression revealed his agreement. The two had grand ambitions, and they didn't want the Golden-Winged Great Rock to gain an advantage over them, especially since they were both avian creatures.
Under the pressuring gazes of all the gods present, the Golden-Winged Great Rock felt sweat drip down his face. Just as he was about to vacate his seat under pressure, a voice spoke up.
"Hmpf, my brother gained the seat with his abilities. Stop using your own failure to pressure him!" Kong Xuan said as he glared at Zhunti and the two golden crows.
"Your own abilities? Hmpf," At this moment, Kunpeng spoke out. Out of all the gods present, he hated the two the most. He was just one step away from the prayer mat, but because of Kong Xuan's unexpected attack, he lost his chance. "It's true everyone competed fairly, but you broke the rules. Aren't you afraid of offending the Saint by attacking in his palace?"
Kong Xuan also snorted, not willing to show weakness. "Rules, I don't recall any rules about not attacking. Stop blaming others for your own stupidity."
"No, Fellow Daoist has a point," Nuwa spoke out. Originally, Fuxi should have had a chance, but Kong Xuan's attack injured him, causing Nuwa to hold a grudge. "Not attacking in the Saint's palace is basic respect. If you can't even understand that, neither of you deserves that seat."
Nuwa's words were like the straw that broke the camel's back. As one of the six in the front, her words held great sway. The Golden-Winged Great Roc was about to move, but Yuanshi chose this moment to speak out.
"Flat-feathered beasts like you aren't worthy to sit with us, the Three Purities."
The Golden-Winged Great Roc caved in and moved away and sat behind Kong Xuan. Kong Xuan sent a withering gaze at everyone, especially Yuanshi and the Three Purities. He then glared at the Golden-Winged Great Roc, hating iron not becoming steel.
Jieyin seamlessly slid into the vacant prayer mat. He greeted Zhunti, Nuwa, and the Three Purities, but Laozi ignored him, and Yuanshi only snorted. He only spoke those words because he found the Golden-Winged Great Roc displeasing to the eye. Who told him to be a bird like the guy who stared at his sister?
Tongtian didn't care about this at the moment, but she wanted to kick Yuanshi in the shin. The Golden-Winged Great Roc was already going to leave. Why did Yuanshi have to muddy the waters?
Great, not only did they earn the ire of Kong Xuan, but Di Jun and Taiyi were glaring at them. Di Jun was going to become the Heavenly Emperor until Haotian took the reign as the Jade Emperor.
Tongtian wasn't afraid of them, but that didn't mean she wanted to make enemies needlessly. However, there was thankfully a powerful ally who drew away the aggro.
"This isn't right," Kong Xuan said, unwilling to give up. But he discovered that no one was on his side, so he turned his gaze on Haotian.
"Haotian, how can you let them get away with this? You should be ashamed as the Saint's servant."
Haotian's face darkened. Correct, he was Hongjun's attendant, but that didn't mean anyone could just call his name out like this. "Fellow Daoist, be mindful of your words. I had already turned a blind eye to your actions earlier. Since you couldn't keep the prayer mat, then you aren't destined with it."
"Haotian, you brat," Kong Xuan cursed.
At this moment, the air in the hall changed, and everyone turned their gaze towards the front, where a white-robed Daoist sitting on a cloud throne appeared. It was as if he had always been there despite just appearing.
Hongjun scanned the room and took observed each and every one of the gods present. Tongtian didn’t know if she imagined it, but she felt as if Hongjun’s gaze had paused on her for the slimmest of moments.
"From now on, the seating will not be changed," he said as he stared at Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan's expression froze, and a drop of sweat appeared on his forehead, but it soon returned to normal. He bowed his head and reverentially said, "As the Saint wills," along with the other guests at Violet Heaven Palace.
"Haotian, ring the bell."
Haotian nodded. After fully closing the gate to the palace, he walked up to the Purple Gold Bell and struck it with a small hammer. The ring echoed throughout the hall, and everyone felt refreshed, and even their thoughts turned faster.
"In the first sermon, I will preach the Immortal Path and the three thousand laws. The Immortal Path is the method I created to refine essence into qi and refine the spirit with qi to promote the self and break through your limits."
All the gods present showed joy. Out of all the guests present, less than half were Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament. Most were Golden Immortals of the Great Unity, and a rare few were Golden Immortals who managed to reach Violet Heaven Palace by luck.
They weren't like the Three Purities. All their inherited knowledge only reached the limit of the Great Unity Realm, and few, if any, of them could create a method to break into the Great Firmament Realm.
Hongjun's sermon was like an oasis for a man dying of thirst in a desert.
"Earth Immortals are the beginning of the Immortal Path. Earth Immortals refine yin essence and strengthen their spirit. However, their body is still weak and is easily destroyed."
"Sky Immortals refine yang essence and strengthen the body. Bringing balance between the spirit and the body. Once yin and yang are balanced, Sky Immortals are ready to ascend to the step realm."
"Profound Immortals merge yin and yang to transform their spirit and soul to achieve eternity and share longevity with Heaven and Earth. But their body is not strong enough, tipping the balance between yin and yang."
Hongjun suddenly paused, much to the confusion of everyone present. He opened his mouth, but it wasn’t a continuation of his previous words.
“The Dao must not be transmitted to Liu Er!”
Hongjun’s words didn’t just echo inside Vast Heaven Palace. It spread throught he chaotic boundary and entered the Great Desolation, reaching every corner. At a certain mountain, a white-haired macaque with three pairs of ears on his head doubled over and clutched his bleeding ears.
‘Liu Er? Six Ears? The Six-Eared Macaque of the Four Celestial Primates?’ Tongtian thought, but she didn’t have time to ponder more as Hongjun resumed his sermon.
"Golden Immortals refine their body with their spirit and achieve an unaging body, and attain true immortality. They will not age, nor will they weaken with the passage of time."
"Golden Immortals of the Great Unity refine the five qis of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal in their dantian. When they merge all five, they achieve perfection. They will no longer be harmed by anything still trapped within the five-element."
"Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament have jumped out of the river of time. They are no longer bound by any constraints, allowing them to perceive the laws of heaven and earth. Only Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament who comprehended a law can lay the foundation to embark on the Great Dao."
Hongjun no longer spoke about the realms between Earth Immortal to the Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament but started to give a preliminary introduction to the three thousand laws that formed the foundation of heaven and earth.
In the front, green clouds appeared behind Laozi. His three flowers started to give an unfathomable aura as his clouds changed from green to nothingness. They were present but indiscernible, nowhere yet everywhere.
For Yuanshi, his clouds changed from green to black with countless tiny motes of light. They exuded a chaotic aura yet radiated orderliness—anyone who observed it would feel as if they had been transported into the chaos.
The clouds behind Tongtian transformed into silver clouds and exuded a timeless aura. The petals that formed Tongtian's three flowers seemed to have transformed into sharp swords that sliced through the silver clouds and controlled them. Those with a weak will who stare into them will find themselves drowning in memories of their past.
Nuwa's green clouds turned azure and exuded an aura of good fortune and prosperity, bringing joy to any who basked in it.
Both Zhunti and Jieyin's green clouds turned a golden yellow, but Jieyin exuded a brighter sheen. Anyone who observed the golden clouds would feel goodwill toward Jieyin as if they were lifelong friends.
Di Jun and Taiyi's clouds turned a fiery red, like the surface of the Supreme Yang Star. Redcloud Ancestor's cloud transformed into red clouds, like the cloud that he had been transformed from. Zhen Yuanzi's cloud turned into an earthly yellow and exuded a steady and firm aura.
The Golden-Winged Great Roc's green cloud didn't change, but his aura rose, and he opened his second flower.
Kong Xuan's green cloud split into five. One of them kept the green color but exuded an aura of wood. The rest turned into red, black, yellow, and white; each of them radiated an aura of fire, water, earth, and metal.
While everyone was still basking under the Saint's sermon, it suddenly stopped. Everyone opened their eyes with unwillingness, like they had been awakened from a wonderful dream.
"The three thousand years have come to an end. The next sermon will begin in thirty thousand years."
