This particular Saint, among the seven Saints of the Primordial World, was the most low-key. He had only been high-profile once, and that was at the moment of his ascension to Sainthood.
The great powers of the Primordial World speculated that this Saint was the last to achieve Sainthood, and his strength was inferior to the other Saints. Thus, forbearance and a low profile were the only sensible paths.
However, most people were unaware that this most low-key Saint of All Beings had already deeply integrated himself with all beings, occupying the great destiny of all beings, thus transcending the other Saints.
For no matter how the protagonists of the Primordial World changed, as long as the protagonists remained all beings, this Saint would stand in an invincible position.
Under the Primordial World, across the twelve planes and nine hundred medium-sized and small worlds, there was a Hall of All Beings in each.
Although each Hall of All Beings in every world had few staff, perhaps only two or three Hall Envoys, as long as this Hall of All Beings existed, and the plaque above the grand hall still bore the words "Hall of All Beings," it would be protected by the Saint's mighty power.
Within the city, an old man and a youth walked onto the chaotic and crowded main road. Countless members of the Yuhun tribe looked on in fear, bewilderment, numbness, or despair…
The people of this world possessed Soul Eyes, capable of touching souls. This was highly beneficial against the demonic races, who were naturally adept at bewitching people's hearts. Therefore, the Lord of this world, Daoist Wu Hun, sacrificed all its living beings to a great power in the Demon Realm in exchange for the opportunity to enter the ranks of demonic great powers after his own demonic transformation.
Kong Xuan sighed, "A pity for the beings of this world."
Qing Ling did not respond, instead gazing at this world.
"Wuwu~"
Outside the city, endless demons charged forward, their ferocious demonic claws and fangs dripping with blood and saliva, flying towards the city. Ten-thousand-foot-tall behemoths roared and crashed against the giant city.
"Buzz~"
A profound yellow light enveloped the giant city, protecting the last line of defense for this world.
The three large characters "Hall of All Beings" hung high in the sky, shining brightly, illuminating the pupils of countless Yuhun tribesmen and repelling all the demons.
A white-haired patriarch emerged. Leaning on his cane, he climbed the high platform with great difficulty. He had to gasp for breath after every two steps, his trembling body making it seem as though he would collapse at any moment.
But in the end, the old man persevered. He ascended the high platform in the city, channeling the last bit of soul power in his life, and said, "My surviving kin of the Yuhun tribe, I am the second-generation Patriarch of the Yuhun tribe. Our lineage has now reached its three hundred and forty-second generation, and we are the foremost tribe in the Yuhun Realm.
Alas, our Realm Lord has abandoned us, trading our entire tribe's lives for his own gain. From this day forth, our tribe shall no longer be servants to him, the main god, Wu Hun, the Lord of our Yuhun Realm, nor shall he be the lord of our Yuhun Realm.
Today, we face a great calamity. Our tribe is almost annihilated, with only the last million remaining in the city.
I, this old man, cannot bewitch hearts, nor can I deliver impassioned speeches, nor can I pray to all the divine beings. For I know that our Yuhun Realm has never been the center of the world, and the celestial beings filling the heavens will not pay attention to our minor world.
Fortunately, though the heavens may wish to destroy us, our fate is not yet sealed. Within our city stands a Hall of All Beings established by the Saint of All Beings, which can preserve our lineage and heritage.
However, the remaining tribesmen can only die fighting. I hope that our kin can decide for themselves who will be the preserved fire. The Hall Envoys of the Hall of All Beings have done their best, only able to send a thousand people to another realm.
These thousand people will consist of two hundred from each of the five main branches. The rest will perish with me and these inter-dimensional demons!
..."
The old man's speech continued, not with fiery passion, but with a simple statement of fact: out of a million tribesmen, only a thousand could live; the remaining nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand would die!
This was because the Hall of All Beings did not interfere in racial conflicts; it only preserved inheritance and a spark of hope for a race when its world was perishing.
Otherwise, the Hall of All Beings would not be spread across nine hundred and thirty worlds and twelve planes.
This was the foundational principle of the Hall of All Beings.
After all, no one could claim that their race, clan, or world would never face destruction. With such an entity, even the greatest misfortunes would eventually leave behind a spark.
In the last city of this world, countless people began to retreat. From among these people, a thousand tribesmen emerged, almost all of them youths.
A tribe surrounded them, sending them the hope of life, and retreating themselves into death.
There was no conflict, no struggle, no contention. They spontaneously yielded the thousand most talented and hopeful members of their tribe, to carry on in their stead.
These thousand tribesmen wept tears, knelt on both knees, and bowed in all directions. The blood kinship, the love that blossomed into death, the friendship forged through life and death – all were being separated from them.
"Will you intervene and save them?" Qing Ling asked, turning his head.
Kong Xuan heard this and shook his head.
In the sky, the sole Hall Envoy of this world stood above all beings, holding the final decree to mobilize the power of the Hall of All Beings.
Countless pairs of blue-glowing eyes looked up at the young man in green standing in the sky, their eyes filled with endless hope.
The Hall Envoy's heart ached. Among those awaiting death were the frail elderly, the young children in tattered clothes, women carrying new life, and newly married couples… the hopes of countless of them rested solely on these thousand individuals.
The old man smiled and said, "Hall Envoy, thank you for your trouble."
The Hall Envoy asked incredulously, "You think so little of life and death?"
The old man shook his head. "We do not think little of life and death, but we see through the hearts of men. This is why we Yuhun tribesmen can move souls."
As he spoke, the last trace of soul power in the old man's body was exhausted. Yet, his body did not fall. Instead, it transformed into a blue jade statue, standing tall on the platform, neither joyous nor sorrowful, observing all beings.
The million tribesmen wiped away their tears, cast aside their fear, and faced death with the resolve of no return.
A million beings marched to their deaths, picking up their weapons, intending to avenge their departed kin and loved ones with their soul power, and perish together.
No one thought of hiding, running, or escaping, for this was a cruel world of gods and immortals. When the power difference was too great, there was no possibility of survival. Since that was the case, why not fight to the end and savor the moment?
Qing Ling praised, "The Yuhun tribe, a race possessing great wisdom! What now?"
The last sentence was addressed to Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan shook his head. "Disciple still will not intervene. Even if they are moving, such events cannot be prevented in this world. Moreover, it would violate the tenets and original purpose of the Hall of All Beings. If we were to intervene, we would be contending with the Demon Realm, entangling ourselves in various karmic debts. The neutral ground of the Hall of All Beings could no longer remain neutral, nor could it stand aloof from the great powers. It would only face endless struggles for power."
"You speak correctly," Qing Ling nodded. "The Hall of All Beings is indeed like that. However, I still intend to act.
Remember, the Saint of All Beings is the Saint of all beings, and the Hall of All Beings is the Hall of inheritance for all beings. We stand amongst all beings, not aloof from them."
Kong Xuan asked with some confusion, "But Master, if you intervene, while you may save these tribesmen, what about these demons? They are also beings. The hunter and the hunted; by helping one side, the other side will die!"
Qing Ling shook his head. "No. Although the affairs of all beings have their own destiny, eating and being eaten are both natural laws. However, the demons crossing realms and slaughtering across dimensions violates the decrees of our Hall of All Beings. The Hall of All Beings naturally has this responsibility.
Furthermore, if this world is abandoned, then the Hall of All Beings will no longer be a guest, but can become the host!"
Kong Xuan asked, "Then what about Wu Hun?"
Qing Ling smiled and said, "Let them deal with him themselves."
"Them? Wu Hun is the creator of this world; how can they surpass him?"
"And us," Qing Ling said slowly. "This world has no master, so our Hall of All Beings is the master. However, we are an invisible master, not meddling in affairs. This does not affect our position.
This world's plane is too low; it will be sent to other realms, or even higher planes in the future, allowing the Yuhun people to surpass Wu Hun.
Today, Wu Hun planted this seed, and in a thousand epochs to come, he may reap the fruit.
Kong Xuan, remember this.
Although the affairs of the world cannot all be managed, that is for humans, gods, and immortals. But by your side stands a Saint.
A Saint is omnipresent and omnipotent; all worldly affairs can be handled flawlessly under a Saint's power.
I will disperse this omnipotent and omnipresent power into the Halls of All Beings across countless realms. Saintly power can act and be systematized. Separated, it is all beings; united, it is a Saint. This is the Saint of All Beings."