The First Demon of the Chan Sect-Chapter 126 - 72: The Hard Life of Jieyin and Zhunti

Jieyin Taoist wore a face as bitter as a gourd and helplessly watched the Merit Golden Light in the sky fade into nothingness. "Fellow Daoist, it seems that now is not yet our moment to become Saints!"

Zhunti’s face twisted with ferocity, roaring madly: "How is this possible! Why should the Three Pure Ones become Saints just by establishing a religion, and why can’t we? Could it be that the Heavenly Dao really wishes to doom Western Buddhism!"

Upon hearing Zhunti’s reckless discourse on Heavenly Dao, Jieyin Taoist became nervous and quickly covered Zhunti’s mouth, saying: "Fellow Daoist, be cautious with your words! How can we presume to casually criticize the Heavenly Dao? We should rather consider why we cannot become Saints!"

The sentient beings of the Primordial Land looked towards the Western with full hope, unaware that these two from the Western were all thunder and no rain, making no more moves after gaining just a bit of merit.

"What’s going on with the Western? Those two were also supposed to be the foundation of the Great Dao, why haven’t they become Saints?"

"Yes, look at the Three Pure Ones! They became Saints just by establishing a religion, truly worthy of being the authentic lineage of Pangu!"

"These two shameful things, making me wait in vain for so long!"

...

Such talk filled the entire Primordial Land, and all beings of high spiritual intelligence chattered endlessly. But how could they know the mysteries within?

Nuwa’s ascension to sainthood was due to her created race being the predestined protagonists of the Primordial world, and being the Holy Mother of the creator race, naturally, her merit was boundless. Her merit was so immense that it was nearly comparable to the Heaven and Earth Creation merits of Pan Gu God.

Then look at the Three Pure Ones, each of whom is a Great Ability with Cultivation at the Sub-Saint Peak. Moreover, being transformations of Pan Gu God’s Primordial Spirit, they inherently possessed the great merit of creating Heaven. Then, with the additional merit of establishing their religion, the combination naturally triggered a surge in their Cultivation. Some might say that since it’s merit propelling Cultivation, doesn’t that mean the Three Pure Ones also became Saints by merit?

However, this is not the case. Merit only played an assisting role during the Three Pure Ones’ ascension. It helped them comprehend their own insights faster. Once the Three Pure Ones fully grasped their paths, they naturally broke free of shackles and instantly became Saints.

In contrast, the pitiful Jieyin and Zhunti.

These elder brothers didn’t possess merit as grand as the Three Pure Ones, and their Cultivation was only at the Quasi-Saint Peak. With such little Cultivation, they still thought they could become Saints by establishing a religion? That was indeed laughable!

Little did they know that the guests once in Zixiao Palace were shocked! Disrespecting Hong Jun, disregarding Xuan Sect! That was tantamount to betraying their own Sect, how could Hong Jun not be enraged?

But in truth, Hong Jun wasn’t really angry. He only let out a barely noticeable cold smile, his ordinary eyes suddenly brightened, then fell back into silence!

When the Three Pure Ones heard Jieyin and Zhunti’s words, Laozi showed rage on his face, glaring fiercely towards the West. Primordial’s expression turned grim, fingers clenched so tightly that veins bulged, the Pangu Banner rustled in the wind as if about to be shaken violently, ready to completely obliterate the West. Tongtian was the most impulsive, his entire body bristling with Sword Qi. The Four Immortal Slaying Swords brimmed with fierce Evil Qi, looking ready to break through the sky at any moment!

The extremely vexed Zhunti looked up at the Qingtian white daylight sky, feeling how utterly insignificant he was in the Primordial Land for the first time. Thinking of the Three Pure Ones who had already become Saints, would he and his brother be subjected to their humiliation? Thinking of Li Qingming, Zhunti felt even more hatred and gnashed his teeth!

In desperation, Zhunti’s sorrow surged from deep within, and he began to wail loudly, eventually convulsing as if mad, his face streaked with tears, he looked up to the sky and roared: "If I were to become a Buddha, I vow to save all the beings of the Eastern as compensation for the destitution of our West!"

As soon as Zhunti’s words fell, thunder rumbled across the sky, followed by a beam of Merit Golden Light as thick as a foot, accompanied by thunder, striking straight down upon Zhunti’s head.

"Ah?" Jieyin Taoist gazed at the peculiar scene before him, his eyes flashing with brilliance, "Fellow Daoist, I seem to have found a way to complete the path of merit!"

Amidst the sorrow, Zhunti listened to Jieyin Taoist’s words, raised his head and asked: "What way?"

Jieyin Taoist solemnly said: "Grand Vow!"

Zhunti was startled at first, then recalling the force of merit that had just entered his body, he wiped away the tears from his face and burst into hearty laughter, "What Elder Brother said is truly the way!"

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a look, seeing the determination in each other’s eyes. They nodded and proclaimed loudly:

"When I become a Buddha, there will be no hell, no hungry ghosts, nor beasts in my Pure Land, nor all creatures that crawl or fly. Without fulfilling this vow, I shall not become a Buddha, this is the first wish..."

"When I become a Buddha, the joy experienced by the people in my Pure Land will be the same as that of a fully liberated monk. This is The Fifteenth Wish..."

"When I become a Buddha, the bodhisattvas in my realm will be able to expound all dharmas, their commanding eloquence immeasurable. If this vow is not fulfilled, I shall not become a Buddha. This is the thirty-eighth vow..."

"When I become a Buddha, the humans in my realm shall reach the state of true faith. They will be free from inverted thoughts, distant from discrimination, with all their faculties pure and all resting in nirvana. If this vow is not fulfilled, I shall not become a Buddha. This is my last wish!"

Jieyin, with a huge Merit Golden Wheel appearing behind his head, pinched a lotus gesture and smilingly declared, "From now on, I am the Sect Hierarch of Western Buddhism, known as Amitabha Buddha!"

Zhunti revealed the true body of an eighteen-armed Buddha, adorned with yingluo across his chest and dressed in Heavenly Clothes, stepping on lotuses, seated upon the Vajra Throne in a perfect lotus position, with each of his eighteen hands holding different magic artifacts such as a vase, bell, wheel, mirror, bow, ax, and shield. Zhunti, with an impassioned expression, looked up to the heavens and loudly said, "From now on, I am the second Sect Hierarch of Western Buddhism, known as Zhunti Buddha Mother!"

With the completion of the grand vows, a Golden Lotus path paved out, penetrating the heavens and earth! Even more massive than before, the Merit Golden Light descended once more from the Nine Heavens! Two great Rocs, completely formed from Merit Golden Light and each holding a Saint Tao Fruit in their beaks, each rushed towards the minds of Jieyin and Zhunti.

As the Dao Fruits entered their bodies, the auras of Jieyin and Zhunti suddenly became ethereal, and a majestic aura of a Saint explosively emanated from them, instantly enveloping the entire Primordial Land.

The multitude of living beings in Primordial were already numb, mechanically kowtowing, and shouting loudly, "Congratulations to Jieyin Taoist for attaining enlightenment and becoming a Saint, Amitabha Buddha’s longevity is boundless! Congratulations to Zhunti Taoist for attaining enlightenment and becoming a Saint, Zhunti Buddha Mother’s longevity is boundless!"

However, the troubled Jieyin and Zhunti now face a much greater problem! This merit was advanced to them by the Heavenly Dao, and if any of these grand vows remains unfulfilled, then Jieyin and Zhunti would be in total disaster! Not only would their mana be reclaimed by the Heavenly Dao, but perhaps even their souls would be annihilated by the Heavenly Dao!

...

Nowadays, all six disciples under Hong Jun have become Saints. Although Jieyin and Zhunti have departed from the Taoist way, they also received the Hongmeng Purple Qi from Hong Jun. The Seventh Hongmeng Purple Qi was stored by Li Qingming in the Qiankun Tripod. According to Hong Jun, nine is the ultimate number, and the Eight Hongmeng Purple Qi shall be One of the Escaped. Who would know that the thread of life’s opportunities lay in the hands of Li Qingming, without him expressly revealing it?

Thus, the era of Primordial Saints has dawned!

Deep within the Netherworld, however, there was one whose brows were furrowed with worries. Who might that be? It was none other than the Netherworld River Taoist. He was a Great Power contemporary with The Three Pure Ones and Jieyin Zhunti, yet while the seven peers have already attained sainthood, he was stuck at the Quasi-Saint Peak for thousands of years, his cultivation not advancing an inch!

One day, the Netherworld Blood Sea welcomed a person whom the Netherworld River Taoist could never have anticipated.

"Netherworld River Taoist, an old acquaintance comes to visit; won’t you hurry out to welcome me?"

The Netherworld River was originally sitting in his cave dwelling, comprehending the Heavenly Dao, hoping to break through the last barrier and ascend to a Sub-Saint. Just as he was entering a fine state, he was interrupted by a clear and bright voice. Although he was initially annoyed, the sound was strangely familiar. Bewildered, he had no choice but to go out to welcome the visitor!

"Hehe, what a distinguished guest! Isn’t this Fellow Daoist Qingmingzi? How rare to see you!" From a distance, the Netherworld River spotted Li Qingming in a sky blue Daoist robe and hurriedly went to greet him, having already thrown the recent displeasure out of his mind.

"Hehe, I have come to bring a predestined opportunity to Fellow Daoist!" Li Qingming said with a beaming smile and a salute.

"Fellow Daoist, why do you say such a thing?" Now the Netherworld River was even more puzzled.

"Shall we just chat here?" Li Qingming glanced over the boundless expanse of the Netherworld Blood Sea, suddenly said.

The Netherworld River was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist, please come inside!"

Li Qingming walked through the red sea, slightly furrowing his brow, saying, "Fellow Daoist, they say your Netherworld Blood Sea is the stench and filthiest place in Primordial. I didn’t believe it at first! But coming here today, there seems to be some truth in it!"

The Netherworld River only laughed and continued to lead the way.

Seeing that the Netherworld River made no attempt to refute, Li Qingming helplessly shook his head. After descending tens of miles, the view before Li Qingming’s eyes suddenly opened up.

There, a transparent Covered Bowl firmly covered the sea floor of the Blood Sea. Massive fluctuations of mana enveloped it! Through the Covered Bowl, Li Qingming could see everything at the bottom of the sea clearly.

The entire Netherworld Blood Sea seemed like an incredibly beautiful blood-red crystal, radiating a splendid bloody radiance, with glimmering specks of starlight scattered throughout. A refreshing fragrance gently wafted from the purple-red plants.

Li Qingming’s mouth gaped in amazement, exclaiming, "Fellow Daoist, you’ve kept yourself well hidden!"

The Netherworld River laughed heartily: "The mortal world is foolish; they see only the surface, unaware of what lies within! Little do they know that my Netherworld Blood Sea is protected by an Innate Formation! Otherwise, throughout these numerous Primordial Meetings, how could I develop spiritual intelligence, undergo Transformation, and emerge? Hahaha..."