Hongjun rose to his feet, the Jade Plate of Creation appearing behind him, revealing forty-nine strands of primal Dao essence. "Since that is the case, the Heavenly Dao shall return to its original state."
Lao Tzu trembled upon hearing this, bowed, and said, "Many thanks to the Dao Ancestor for your fulfillment!"
Above the Primordial World, cracks appeared in the eyes of the Heavenly Punishment, and the Heavenly Dao began to collapse boundlessly. The shackles of the Heavenly Dao were being unlocked. The Heavenly Dao, unwilling, transmitted its will into the minds of every defiant individual.
"You ants will surely suffer immeasurable calamity for your actions today!"
"Rumble~"
Billions of living beings looked up at the sky. The sky seemed to be collapsing, yet it did not. It was the Heavenly Dao that was collapsing.
Countless beings rejoiced. Shackles that had confined numerous Daoists, living beings, and races were broken. Spiritual energy surged like tides throughout heaven and earth, and countless Daoists broke through their cultivation realms.
The divine lightning of the Heavenly Dao's origin rolled down. Qing Ling waved his sleeve and sent it to the Western Niu He Continent.
Zhunti and Jieyin's eyes lit up. The two accepted this divine lightning, the origin of the Heavenly Dao, and it landed on the Western Niu He Continent, transforming into a magnificent towering mountain. Spiritual energy emanated from the mountain, and thunder rumbled outside its borders. It gathered the myriad mountains and veins of the West, replenishing the origin of the West's spiritual energy.
Zhunti laughed heartily, "Many thanks, Daoist Qing Ling! This mountain shall be my Western Spiritual Mountain, the root of the Great Vehicle Buddhism!"
Qing Ling smiled faintly, then pointed again. Three strands of Primordial Oath Dao descended upon the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes. The three tribes bowed in gratitude. From this day forward, they would re-emerge into the world!
An old man with white hair excitedly received a fragment of the Primordial God's origin scattered after the collapse of the Heavenly Dao. The inscription from the patterns of the Innate Great Dao revealed the characters "Tai Li."
The man who emerged from the giant coffin obtained a sliver of the Heavenly Dao's soul. He left the Primordial World with satisfaction.
In the North Sea, Kun Peng's monstrous mouth swallowed an unknown amount of Heavenly Dao. Since the Primordial Era, he had gazed at the heavens, not in reverence, but with the desire to devour them. Today, he finally got his wish! The Heavenly Dao had never imagined it would be devoured by an ant.
...
With the collapse of the Heavenly Dao, the era of the Saints came to an end.
A new era had begun.
Yuanshi stood at the edge of the sky and observed for a long time. Just as he was about to leave, he saw a golden phoenix soaring into the sky above Chaoge. The Human Dao's destiny condensed into a new Old Ancestor at the Half-step Hunyuan realm.
He then stopped and looked at Qing Ling, saying, "Fellow Daoist, it is time to return my Apricot Yellow Banner."
Qing Ling's expression flickered, and he chuckled, "How about I use this Apricot Yellow Banner to grant the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan School perfect Dao foundations?"
Yuanshi trembled, stared at Qing Ling, then turned back to look at his disciples. "Very well."
The Nine Dragon Exquisite Carriage carried Yuanshi away, and the disciples of the Chan School returned to Kunlun.
Tongtian bowed his head, thanked Qing Ling, and with a wave of his hand, gathered his ten thousand disciples and returned to Biyou Palace.
Nuwa descended from the sky, her phoenix eyes flowing, "Fellow Daoist, you have been hidden for so many years, truly ascending to the heavens in one step."
Qing Ling cupped his hands and smiled, "Fellow Daoist, are you envious?"
Nuwa's playful demeanor faded, her armor returning to her palace attire. Her face became solemn, "Our era has ended, and it is time to leave some hope for future generations. Soon, I will depart the Primordial World."
Qing Ling nodded, "Fellow Daoist, your virtue is truly great. I have long had the same intention. We seven Saints have completed our teachings, and it is time for a new era of Saints to govern."
Nuwa smiled, "I knew you and I were of the same path. The Dao Ancestor once said that the number of Saints in the Primordial World is predetermined, and nine is the ultimate number. Above are the Dao Ancestor and you, then the six of us Saints, and below is Fellow Daoist Houtu, making the ultimate number of nine. If a new Sage is to govern, the old Sages must perish or disappear for a new generation to replace them. We must leave a sliver of hope for those who come after us."
Nuwa departed amidst a sky of red clouds.
Qing Ling watched Nuwa leave in the rosy glow, his heart filled with emotion. She had molded earth to create humans, bled to mend the heavens, and taught all beings. Though Nuwa appeared to be a Saint of the Monster Race, her love for this world, for all living beings, was profound.
Kong Xuan flew to his side, standing silently for a long time.
Qing Ling regained his senses and smiled, "After this tribulation, you have finally shed your superficiality and grown considerably. Fu Yu Mountain will depend on you in the future."
Kong Xuan's voice grew heavy, "Master, are you leaving too?"
Qing Ling smiled and raised his hand, patting his shoulder. Looking at his now tall and upright disciple, he chuckled, "How can a master not plan for his disciple's future? After I leave, Brother Qinglong will also return to the Dragon Clan, but the bond between Fu Yu Mountain and the Dragon Clan will remain forever. If you encounter difficulties while in charge of Fu Yu Mountain, go and seek him out."
Kong Xuan's eyes reddened, and he trembled, "Master, you are a Saint, whose lineage would dare to touch yours?"
"Heh heh. In this world, no position can be fixed for eternity," Qing Ling laughed. "Foolish child, one day I will not be a Saint. The Dao lineage of the Three Pure Ones faces the danger of extinction, how can my lineage be secured for an infinite future?"
Kong Xuan said solemnly, "Master, please rest assured, your disciple will forever protect Fu Yu Mountain and the Fu Yu Dao lineage, existing alongside the Dao!"
Qing Ling sighed, "I naturally believe you."
Kong Xuan suppressed his reluctance and smiled, "Your disciple will also never doubt Master."
He looked up at the sky. The last rays of the setting sun spread across the sea of clouds, dyeing the sky red. Birds flew in flocks in the distance, their long cries filling the sky. Such beautiful clouds and skies shone upon the burgeoning Kong Xuan, as if bestowing upon him a divine radiance.
"Master, let us return to the mountain."
"Alright!"
Across the vast yellow sands and under the cold blue sky, wind swept through like a dance of red silk. A thousand melodies of the northern frontier played, leaving only the traces of a thousand years. The smoke and fire of the human world are all mortal dust; those who leave the mortal dust become ascendants.
In the human world, the Western Zhou and the Great Shang divided the realm and ruled the world together. The Great Shang's destiny was extended for two hundred Yuan Hui, but it consequently lost the Heavenly Mandate Xuanbird, severing its connection with the Phoenix Clan. As for who would hold the empire after two hundred Yuan Hui, it held little significance for the Immortals and Buddhas of all heavens.
In the Western Niu He Continent, Spiritual Mountain had returned to its place, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was restored. Countless spiritual veins and mountains without owners attracted numerous cultivators to seek a foothold in the West, injecting a vital source of energy for the West's prosperity.
The Evil Corporeal Form of the Demon Emperor, Daoist Lu Ya, took charge of the Great Vehicle Buddhism in the West, becoming the Great Sun Tathagata, residing in Spiritual Mountain, and establishing the Great Thunderclap Temple.
Though the myriad worlds seemed to have returned to peace, the three tribes were unsealed, the locks on the Wu and Yao tribes were removed, and with no Heavenly restriction, powerful old ancestors from all realms harbored ambitious desires for wider influence.
However, with the seven Saints present, no one dared to act. After all, they had witnessed the might of a Saint. During the 'Slaying the Heavens' campaign, although a hundred tribes emerged, it was three Saints who withstood ninety percent of the Heavenly Dao's lightning tribulation. The residual power of the Saints remained, so who would dare to act recklessly?
In the distant chaos, earth, wind, water, and fire raged. An old man walked with faltering steps. Each step he took stirred a great tide of chaos, his movements causing waves to surge. Behind the old man stood a majestic giant willow, its leaves numbering in the thousands, with three thousand worlds hanging upon them.
Following the old man's footsteps were several figures, appearing and disappearing, treading through the chaotic tides as they walked towards the distance.
At this moment, the old man raised his head and looked into the distance. He saw a wave of calamity energy, within which a green lotus swayed gracefully, blooming alone at the peak of chaos.
Behind the old man, several figures' eyes turned red. They murmured the word "Honghuang," their voices deep and filled with hatred.
The old man asked, "Do you truly intend to go?"
"We must go! We absolutely must go!"
"We have to go!"
"I must avenge the calamity of creation!"
On the Yang Liu, the lords of the three thousand worlds roared frantically.
Yang Mei sighed and said, "Then go."
Behind him, a young and handsome Daoist smiled and said, "Yang Mei, are you hiding something?"
Yang Mei shook his head, "What in this world is there that you, Tai Geng, cannot foresee?"