“I once said that if Sun Wukong could revive my precious tree, I would become sworn brothers with him. At that time, Brother Hongyun, Fellow Daoist Jinchanzi, Marshal Tianpeng, and General Juanlian were all present. Now that it has come true, how can it be canceled?” Zhen Yuanzi said, without the slightest regret.
He turned his head and instructed the disciples in the temple to set up an incense table to worship heaven and earth.
Given Zhen Yuanzi's situation, only Heaven and Earth and the Universe can be worshipped. Although the Three Pure Ones and the Two Elders are powerful, they belong to the same generation in terms of seniority. The Four Emperors are even younger!
He didn't think it was anything special. Sun Wukong was strong enough. His havoc in the Heavenly Palace shook the heavens and the earth!
It wasn't just a matter of strength; Zhen Yuanzi greatly admired Sun Wukong's personality and integrity.
"Alright! I, Old Sun, will become sworn brothers with you." Sun Wukong laughed, and didn't refuse any further.
Immediately afterwards, the two invited Cao Ya, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Hongyun Daoist to witness the ceremony, burning incense and offering prayers to Heaven and Earth.
"These two sworn brothers are both capable men," Cao Ya thought to himself.
In terms of cultivation, Sun Wukong is approaching the level of a weak Hunyuan, and his combat power is no less!
Once he achieves enlightenment, his combat prowess will likely rival that of Zhen Yuanzi, a veteran powerhouse in this realm!
Then, Qingfeng and Mingyue brought down ginseng fruits, which everyone enjoyed, chatting and laughing happily.
Finally, Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and the White Dragon Horse, the pilgrimage team, left Wuzhuang Temple and set off westward; Guanyin Bodhisattva returned to the Purple Bamboo Forest in the South Sea; and Cao Ya also returned to Jidu Star.
"The laws and rules of the primordial universe are countless. To become a saint, one must master one of them, use it as a template, create one's own Great Dao, and exist eternally. This is the path."
Cao Ya pondered, having advanced to the ninth level of Quasi-Saint after the great battle with the Chaos Serpent.
The next step is to continue perfecting the "Cosmic Elixir Scripture," hoping to achieve a unique saintly realm of weak Hunyuan. Achieving this is no easy task. There are numerous powerful forces stuck at the pinnacle of Quasi-Sainthood, including the Heavenly Court, Mount Ling, the Underworld, the Chan Sect, the Jie Sect, the Demonic Sect, the Demon Race, and the Fire Cloud Cave—if you calculate carefully, the number is enormous!
Don't be fooled by the fact that the ninth level is the pinnacle of Quasi-Saints; the internal differences are quite significant.
One must clearly understand one's own path and be innovative in order to have a certain possibility of weak hybridity.
Most of the quasi-saints at the ninth level don't even have this faint hope!
Even if one were to achieve an improvement and reach the weak Hunyuan realm, the path to enlightenment would undoubtedly be fraught with numerous setbacks and frustrations, requiring overcoming countless obstacles and tribulations.
It is no exaggeration to say that the journey from the ninth level of Quasi-Saint to the weak Primordial Chaos stage is far more arduous than that of an ordinary mortal who goes through many hardships to reach the Quasi-Saint stage!
The chances of reaching the seven-star Hunyuan Sacred Realm are too slim, and Cao Ya can only say that he will do his best.
His goal is to break through to the peak of the sixth star and become an unconventional saint in the [Primordial] Universe!
Perhaps, within the system space, there are multiple versions of myself, all at the peak of the six-star level. With the superposition of extraordinary systems and combined combat power, I might even be able to exchange blows with a Primordial Saint at the initial stage of the seven-star level.
Of course, Cao Ya understood that, most likely, they still couldn't win.
After the Seven Stars, a qualitative change occurs, and the essence of an individual's life becomes comparable to a vast universe!
"My 'Cosmic Alchemy Classic' takes the vast universe as the dantian, the stars as the golden elixir, and the planets, satellites, and meteors as the smaller golden elixir."
"The Primordial Era was created by the Great God Pangu. In the past, he slew many chaotic demons and gods. Except for a few survivors, most of them perished. Their divine bodies and the Great Dao became the resources for the growth of the Primordial Era, giving birth to all the heavens and myriad worlds, with complete laws."
"Furthermore, hundreds of millions of innate saints were born, each one extraordinary, some quasi-saints, some great immortals, and even the worst among them were immortal celestial immortals, mystical immortals, and golden immortals. Compared to us mortals, who initially had no magic, could not fly, and were limited in lifespan, living in a precarious situation, they were far superior."
"However, through cultivation, all beings can become stronger, reaching the levels of Great Luo, Quasi-Saint, and even Weak Primordial Chaos and Saint!"
"From the beginning of the ages, there has been no shortage of people born after birth who possessed extraordinary talent and achieved the Great Realm of Hunyuan."
While Cao Ya was filled with anticipation, he also pondered to himself that after the Heavenly Dao of the Great World of the Primordial Era took shape and was merged with by Hongjun, who then ascended to the position of "Dao Ancestor," there were countless cultivators living throughout the universe. For him to use the Great World to traverse the "Cosmic Elixir Scripture" was undoubtedly a pipe dream!
"So, my only choice is the 'Niwan Palace World'?"
Cao Ya stroked his chin. This Niwan Palace world was quite large; in this world, it was basically comparable to a grotto-heaven above the celestial realm.
However, it lacks that unified and harmonious state of mind, making it unable to reproduce naturally and thus having flaws.
But he wasn't trying to create life or truly evolve a world; he was merely pursuing sainthood. This shortcoming doesn't have much of an impact.
"All the extraordinary magical power surged into the Niwan Palace world, where the profound laws intertwined and spread, driving the subsequent evolution..."
Without hesitation, Cao Ya closed his eyes, and reincarnation, flames, light, lightning, and other elements permeated the Niwan Palace world, spreading throughout the ten directions without leaving anything behind.
"If this Niwan Palace world could expand a billion times, comparable to a seven-star world... no, even a six-star world would be fine... then, if I use it to cultivate the 'Cosmic Elixir Scripture,' there would be a considerable probability that I could become a saint."
Cao Ya suddenly burst out laughing. Did he really think that evolving the inner world was such an easy thing?
He shook his head, cleared his mind of distractions, and focused intently on understanding the rules and deducing the method.
While Cao Ya was diligently cultivating, the pilgrimage team encountered many demons and monsters in the Immortal Realm. They faced some setbacks, but in the end, they overcame them and quelled the disasters.
What great demon, even if he is a quasi-saint, or even a high-level being above the seventh heaven, how could he possibly defeat Sun Wukong?
Only a small number of them, who were already at the seventh or eighth level of Quasi-Saint, possessed great power and also had second-class spiritual treasures corresponding to the weak Hunyuan level, were able to cause some trouble for Sun Wukong.
But how ferocious is Sun Wukong? When he truly reaches the pinnacle of power, disregarding the cost, he can wield his Ruyi Jingu Bang and overcome any treacherous terrain, blasting away powerful demons and evil spirits. He is invincible. Even with second-class spiritual treasures, he can use a strategy of exchanging injury for injury, fighting to the death. He can even shake second-class spiritual treasures, causing them to be damaged, with gaps and missing pieces!
However, since his mission on this journey to the West was to obtain the scriptures, his task was to protect Tang Sanzang and ensure his safe arrival. There was no need for such a fierce and desperate struggle.
Sun Wukong was also well-versed in worldly affairs and knew that if the journey to the West succeeded, the fortunes would be reversed and the world would be vast and boundless, greatly benefiting cultivators' enlightenment. There would also be a great many immortals and Buddhas in Heaven and Mount Ling who would yearn for it.
Occasionally, he would go to sacred mountains and Buddhist lands to invite Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, immortals, and deities to come forward and subdue demons, and in return, they would all share in the spoils.
Of course, if the demons he encountered were cruel and reckless, Sun Wukong wouldn't bother asking for help; he would simply unleash his full power and forcefully destroy them, annihilating them both body and soul!
If immortals and Buddhas are involved, Sun Wukong will cause even more trouble. Moreover, with the cooperation of Ketu Star Lord "Cao Ya" and Guanyin Bodhisattva, things will only get bigger and bigger. Even a weak Hunyuan cannot suppress it. He must be severely punished, otherwise, it will be difficult to quell the chaos!
This journey to the West not only swept away the great demons and evil spirits entrenched in various places, but also a number of gods and Buddhas were knocked down to dust and their souls scattered.
Cao Ya, Sun Wukong, and Guanyin Bodhisattva were all ruthless and merciless towards such scoundrels.
Meanwhile, as the pilgrims set foot on the land of Xiniu Hezhou and approached Mount Ling, seemingly nearing the completion of their journey to the West, certain stories also began to unfold in another part of Nanzhanbuzhou.
Because she took charge of the Lotus Lantern, she joined forces with Cao Ya and Yang Jian to stop a Chaos Demon God from causing harm. Yang Chan was revered as the "Third Holy Mother" and was highly respected in the Huashan area.
As time passed, Yang Chan fell in love with a mortal cultivator named Liu Yanchang.
When Cao Ya found out, the relationship between the two brothers, Yang Jian and Yang Chan, had already become very strained because of this matter.
"As expected, this development has occurred."
Liu Yanchang was not a mere mortal, but a cultivator, so Cao Ya didn't see anything wrong with that.
In this world, anyone with a bit of opportunity can embark on the path to immortality.
Gods, immortals, Buddhas, demons, monsters, and ghosts roam the four directions, and there are countless untold relics.
A tiny glimpse between the fingers can bring about earth-shattering changes in the mundane world.
Moreover, Yang Chan was a quasi-sage; even a casual impart of knowledge would be enough to enable Liu Yanchang to rise rapidly.
"I wonder when Chenxiang was born?" Cao Ya pondered.
The growth of Chenxiang signifies the unfolding of the story of the Lotus Lantern.
Cao Ya had also heard the news that Yang Jian had sided with the Queen Mother of the West.
Many old friends expressed their incomprehension: Yang Jian, a Quasi-Saint of the Ninth Heaven and a third-generation disciple of the Chan Sect, should be seeking a weak Hunyuan realm. Why would he charge into battle for the Queen Mother of the West?
Does this mean Yang Jian is going to abandon the immortal path and turn to the divine path?
As his younger sister, Yang Chan tried several times to persuade Yang Jian not to get too involved in the factional struggles within the Heavenly Court, but to no avail. The relationship between the siblings inevitably became strained, and the conflict was further exacerbated when Yang Chan fell in love with Liu Yanchang.
Characters like Nezha and Lei Zhenzi sided with Yang Chan.
For a time, Yang Jian seemed to be showing signs of being abandoned by his followers.
"The price Yang Jian paid to change the Heavenly Laws was considerable," Cao Ya sighed.
Yang Jian and Yang Chan's mother, Yao Ji, was the Jade Emperor's sister in one of his previous lives, making her his nephew.
However, the Jade Emperor's reincarnation was a cover-up after the "Dao Ancestor" Hongjun had personally designated him as the Grand Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court. His relatives in all worlds did not care about it.
It was only because Yao Ji was talented and cultivated herself to become a master that the Jade Emperor bestowed her with a title.
However, Yao Ji descended to the mortal realm and fell in love with and married a male cultivator. The Jade Emperor was furious, believing that Yao Ji had disgraced him, and directly suppressed her with ruthless methods.
Later, Yang Jian was able to rise to prominence because he was taken in as a disciple by Yu Ding Zhenren of the Chan Sect.
However, he has absolutely no connection with the so-called Jade Emperor.
Because of his mother's tragic fate, Yang Jian hated the Heavenly Laws and hoped to change them. So he joined the Queen Mother of the West and got involved in the struggles within the Heavenly Court, waiting for his opportunity.
Other demands were also among the reasons for Yang Jian's actions.
Cao Ya speculated that Yang Jian's opposition to Yang Chan and Liu Yanchang's love was not out of prejudice, but rather a deliberate act to distance himself from Yang Chan and avoid implicating her.
It's also impossible for anyone to target Yang Chan and use her to threaten Yang Jian.
With his parents' situation as a precedent, and believing in the principle of "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement," Yang Jian would not truly oppose Yang Chan's actions, especially since Liu Yanchang was neither a villain nor a hypocrite.
That's just an excuse.
"Erlang Shen, if he is an unorthodox saint..." Cao Ya pondered. In the current Heavenly Court, there are already several unorthodox saints. Even if Yang Jian breaks through, it will be difficult for him to achieve his goal.
Only by helping the Queen Mother of the West to challenge the Jade Emperor in the arena will there be a chance.
After all, both of them were disciples of the Dao Ancestor, had the same backer, and were both at the weak Hunyuan level, possessing extraordinary power. Therefore, their infighting was not one-sided.
As for the conflict between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother, Jinling Shengmu and others gloated over it, but they also discussed it with Zhao Gongming, the Three Immortals of Sanxiao, Wen Zhong and others, and stayed out of it.
The Old Mother of Lishan and the Heavenly Venerable Taiyi would never interfere.
The same attitude was also held by the Great Emperor of the North Pole, the Great Emperor of Gouchen, the Immortal of the South Pole, and the Great Emperor of Longevity of the East Pole.
In the vast Heavenly Court, only a portion of the immortals and gods have intervened, either voluntarily or forced into the game.
Both Cao Ya and Huoyun Cave maintained a detached, indifferent stance, allowing the two disciples of the Dao Ancestor to vie for divine authority.
Just as conflicts in Heaven were escalating, the Journey to the West was finally completed, and the pilgrimage team arrived at Mount Ling.
Having obtained the true scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism, the five disciples all achieved Buddhist merits.
Tang Sanzang is the Sandalwood Merit Buddha, Sun Wukong is the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Zhu Bajie is the Clean Altar Messenger, Sha Wujing is the Golden-bodied Arhat, and the White Dragon is the Eight Heavenly Dragon Horse.
Although everyone knew that the pilgrimage was just a pretext, they had to go all the way. The five of them, carrying the scriptures, rode on auspicious clouds and quickly returned to the Tang Dynasty capital in Jambudvipa.
After handing over everything, the five of them each had their own dojos and were not often together.
On Flower Fruit Mountain in Dongsheng Shenzhou, Sun Wukong retraced his past and was deeply moved, realizing that he had broken through to the weak Hunyuan realm!
"Boom!!" The sound of the Dao spread, resounding in all directions, astonishing countless immortals and demons. Who has attained enlightenment this time?
When they discovered it was Sun Wukong, they were both surprised and suddenly realized.
This Monkey King is famous far and wide. Although he is not very old, it is not surprising that he has become a saint in a different way.
Indeed, some chaotic demons were stirring and intended to prevent Sun Wukong from attaining enlightenment.
However, since there was no deep entanglement and with the protection of Jidu Star Lord "Cao Ya" and Zhen Yuanzi, after careful consideration, he gave up the idea.
Soon after, the calamity passed, and Sun Wukong officially broke through to the next realm, adding another unconventional saint to the Earthly Immortal Realm!
"Impressive!" Cao Ya praised. In terms of combat power, Sun Wukong at present is probably able to rival his sworn brother Zhen Yuanzi. Hongyun Daoren is most likely no match for Sun Wukong.
However, after looking at her own situation, Cao Ya sighed softly.
There is still a long way to go to unify the many mysteries and refine the world of Niwan Palace.
His ambition to become an unconventional saint faces numerous difficulties.
After Journey to the West, the story of Lotus Lantern was only just beginning to unfold and had not yet been fully revealed.
With the eastward spread of Mahayana Buddhism and the expansion of human territory, the power of the Tang Dynasty continued to rise even after Emperor Taizong abdicated and went to Huoyun Cave. Under the diligent rule of subsequent emperors and civil and military officials, it dominated the world and was truly the most prosperous era in history!
The dragon's aura, once imbued with humanity, became much more profound and its foundation deep.
This was unacceptable to many demons and gods.
Some even personally intervened, wreaking havoc in Jambudvipa and causing the collapse of the Tang Dynasty's golden age!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com