After several sages established their religions, they would recruit disciples in the primordial world to prepare for the great calamity that was about to begin.
Laozi, one of the Three Pure Ones, advocated non-action and did not accept any disciples other than Xuandu.
Among the Three Pure Ones, Yuanshi and Tongtian had some conflicts due to their different doctrines.
The Primordial Way emphasizes innate qualities and origins. In the primordial chaos, all living beings were divided into different classes. Those who were not born with extraordinary talents or spiritual roots and were naturally nurtured by nature were not allowed to enter the Primordial Way. This obviously does not include demons and the like. So-called demons are all creatures with fur, scales, and mane, flowers, trees, insects, fish, birds, and beasts. How could they possibly be worthy of the Primordial Way's approval?
The Way of Heaven advocates education for all, regardless of background; under the Way of Heaven, all beings are equal. Anyone who aspires to the Way is destined to attain it. If they are granted the Great Law of Hongjun, their future achievements will surely be remarkable. His view is that the key to attaining the Way lies in whether one has a heart inclined towards it.
The conflict between Tongtian and Yuanshi began here. Both belonged to the Three Pure Ones, transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu, and both were concerned with saving face and upholding the orthodox tradition. Even more controversial was that both believed the other was wrong, sowing the seeds of future conflict—a struggle for orthodoxy, doctrine, and the dignity of saints. In this world, those with higher status and position valued face and their own beliefs most.
Yuanshi set up three great formations on Kunlun Mountain: the Zhou Tian Mi Luo Formation, the Five Elements Mystery Formation, and the Nine Palaces Heavenly Evolution Formation. After setting up the formations, he entered the Jade Void Palace, sat on a cloud bed, and auspicious clouds appeared above him, about the size of an acre of land, with thousands of golden lotuses and tassels hanging down in an endless stream.
He then spoke, saying, "A great calamity is about to begin, and all beings are deluded, unaware of the changes in the Heavenly Way. I am here to preach the Way, and those who are destined may come and listen."
After saying this, he began to preach, and his voice spread throughout the Three Realms and resounded throughout the Nine Netherworlds. In an instant, all the cultivators in the prehistoric world flew to Kunlun Mountain.
At that time, Tongtian on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea also began to preach. Unlike Yuanshi, Tongtian did not set up a great formation. Instead, he appeared on a cloud bed in Biyou Palace and said, "A great calamity is about to begin. All living beings are deluded. I am preaching here today. Those who are destined can come here to listen to the sermon, join my Jie Sect, and learn my great law, so as not to fall into the great calamity and turn to ashes."
After saying this, he began to preach, and flowers truly scattered from the sky and golden lotuses sprang from the ground.
When Yuanshi heard Tongtian preaching, he stopped. This time, Yuanshi preached for only forty-nine days. Only twelve cultivators sat in the square in front of Yuxu Palace. It turned out that Yuanshi Tianzun accepted disciples differently from Tongtian Jiaozhu. Those with weak wills, demons, ghosts, and monsters could not pass through the mountain protection formation. Therefore, after the forty-nine days of preaching, only twelve people were able to enter Yuxu Palace.
These twelve individuals are: Randeng Daoren of Yuanjue Cave on Lingjiu Mountain; Chijingzi of Yunxiao Cave on Taihua Mountain; Huanglong Zhenren of Magu Cave on Erxian Mountain; Julusun of Feiyun Cave on Jialong Mountain; Taiyi Zhenren of Jinguang Cave on Qianyuan Mountain; Lingbao Dafashi of Yuanyang Cave on Kongtong Mountain; Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun of Yunxiao Cave on Wulong Mountain; Puxian Zhenren of Baihe Cave on Jiugong Mountain; Cihang Daoren of Luojia Cave on Putuo Mountain; Yuding Zhenren of Jinxia Cave on Yuquan Mountain; Daoxing Tianzun of Yuwu Cave on Jinting Mountain; and Qingxu Daode Zhenjun of Ziyang Cave on Qingfeng Mountain. Among them, Randeng Daoren was allowed by Yuanshi Tianzun to listen to lectures at Yuxu Palace, thus being considered a disciple of the Chan Sect, but not a direct disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun. The other eleven all took Yuanshi Tianzun as their master, and later, together with Guangchengzi, they were known as the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect.
Tongtian preached for eighty-one days, mostly to demons. Because Tongtian advocated education for all, and his teachings were more suitable for demons to cultivate than those of Yuanshi, many demons came directly to Jin'ao Island after hearing Tongtian's sermon. Among them were also those who could not enter the three great formations of Kunlun Mountain who came to Jin'ao Island after hearing Tongtian's sermon.
Several thousand people were seated in front of Biyou Palace, all of whom had come to listen to the sermon.
Tongtian was overjoyed upon seeing this. He had once greatly admired the grandeur of the Heavenly Court, where all the demons came to pay homage, and he thought that he too would one day experience the feeling of "all the immortals coming to pay homage".
At that moment, Tongtian waved his hand and took all the thousands of cultivators into the Jie Sect, and also took the dozen or so people with better aptitude as his inner disciples.
Among them are Daoist Duobao, Holy Mother Jinling, Holy Mother Wudang, Holy Mother Guiling, Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, Bixiao, Jinguangxian, Wuyunxian, Qiushouxian, and Changer Dingguangxian.
"Our teachings follow the principles of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, which advocates education for all without discrimination. Dao Ancestor Hongjun said that anyone in the world with nine orifices can become an immortal. All living beings under the Heavenly Dao are like ants. After joining our sect, as long as you do not betray your master and ancestors, everything else is up to you," Tongtian said.
"From now on, Duobao will be the eldest disciple and manage all affairs on the island, Yunxiao will be the second disciple and assist Duobao, and Zhao Gongming will be the eldest outer disciple and manage the other disciples." After saying this, Tongtian disappeared into the shadows.
Since the two Westerners attained sainthood, they had been recruiting disciples with great fanfare. However, since the beginning of time, thousands of dragons and phoenixes had self-destructed in the Western lands, leaving the West impoverished. Apart from the time when they established their religion, when many people were lured into the world by the chanting of Brahma, no one else was willing to join the Western religion.
A century has passed. Above the East Sea, a bell tolls, echoing through heaven and earth. Twelve figures burst forth from the eye of the East Sea—it is none other than Donghuang Taiyi, imprisoned in the East Sea by the Dao Ancestor, and the eleven Ancestral Witches. A thousand years have passed. Upon meeting, they glare at each other angrily, yet do not attack. Though confined to the East Sea, they are aware of the events of the past millennium. Six have attained sainthood, Houtu has entered reincarnation, and the Witch Clan's strength has greatly diminished. Otherwise, the eleven Ancestral Witches would have seized this opportunity to eliminate Taiyi, forever removing this thorn in their side.
Taiyi's injuries had healed over the past thousand years, and the shock of Dijun's death had greatly increased his cultivation, which had now reached the Great Perfection of Quasi-Saint. If Dijun had not died, he would probably have taken advantage of the fact that the Witch Clan had lost Houtu to kill these eleven Ancestral Witches and eliminate future troubles. However, neither side dared to act rashly at the moment, so they could only exchange angry snorts before flying back to their respective places.
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