After the four Guardian Emissaries departed, Qing Ling did not return to sit on Jian Mu. Instead, he rose and walked out of the pavilion, onto the wooden bridge spanning the river towards its center.
His Flowing Cloud Boots, woven from illusory silken threads, made a soft creak as he walked on the wooden planks of the river. Before him, clouds parted and mist dispersed, revealing a river as clear as fine silk. Fish swam playfully, delighting in the water.
Qing Ling clasped his hands behind his back, his long hair trailing down. His green robe billowed slightly, and his straight spine seemed to gaze upon the world from above.
He let out a soft chuckle and said, "Fish and shrimp know they cannot survive without water, nor can they live without food. I wonder who in this world, be it a Sage or some old fossil, dares to drag me into their game."
A cold, stern voice came from behind him, "What game does Brother speak of?"
Qing Ling did not turn around. He lowered his head and smiled faintly, "Silly A-Qi, these things cannot be spoken of."
A tall and slender figure appeared behind Qing Ling at some unknown time. Clad in a blood-red robe and carrying a long saber on his back, he made the young man appear like a peerless swordsman returning from a journey across the world.
"Brother doesn't want me to worry, does he?" Qi's voice was as cold as ever. If it were any more intense, it would be the terrifying Eight-Headed Serpent Demon Saint of the demon race!
"That's fine, then. I've come to inform Brother that I'm returning to the Sea of Blood for closed-door cultivation."
Qing Ling turned to face Qi, looking into his fiery eyes and frowning. "You're going to sever a corpse? But I sense you're still a little short of the mark."
Qi shook his head. "Even if Brother doesn't tell me, the Demon Heavenly Court already has wind of it. A tribulation of slaughter is approaching, and I must advance further!"
Qing Ling looked at Qi with a hint of pity. How many life-and-death struggles would the innocent and naive big-headed child of yesteryear have to endure to forge the mighty reputation of the Eight-Headed Serpent Great Sage today?
"Since that is the case, I will assist you. You may integrate this blood into your body, but be extremely cautious."
He flipped his hand, and a point of light appeared, containing a drop of crimson, immortal essence blood.
"This is the essence blood of the great Pangu. It can replenish your origin bloodline, making the Eight-Headed Serpent bloodline comparable to that of divine beasts!"
Qi's face showed surprise. Pangu's blood! This was a treasure far more precious than any Innate Spiritual Treasure.
He did not ask where Brother obtained it, nor how. In any case, this drop of Pangu's blood was immensely valuable.
But they were brothers, brothers who had weathered storms and fought battles together. They never haggled over gain or loss, only caring about what was good or bad.
Qi left Du Guang and returned to Xi Mountain for a brief stay before departing again. He entered the Sea of Blood, the place where his saber path was forged, where he first attained the Great Dao. Thus, he had returned.
Ming He's joy at having another daughter instantly vanished, his smiling face turning to silence.
Qing Ling remained in Du Guang for five Yuan Hui before emerging once more. He found Zhen Yuanzi and then headed directly outside the heavens.
He sought Zhen Yuanzi naturally to inquire about Hong Yun's whereabouts.
The chaos was vast indeed.
If one hid in the chaos, even a Sage might not be able to find them.
Qing Ling did not have the time or inclination to search slowly, so he went to ask Zhen Yuanzi, who surely knew Hong Yun's location.
Zhen Yuanzi would not reveal it easily, after all, the allure of the Primordial Violet Qi was enough to excite everyone below the Sage realm.
However, Qing Ling swore by the Earthly Dao that he was not seeking Hong Yun's Primordial Violet Qi. Furthermore, he revealed to Zhen Yuanzi the secret of becoming a Sage, explaining that it did not lie solely in the Primordial Violet Qi. It was merely a catalyst; with it, becoming a Sage would be easier, and without it, though difficult, there was still a chance.
In the boundless chaos, Qing Ling searched for a long time. Finally, guided by the beacon provided by Zhen Yuanzi, he located Hong Yun.
It was a Middle-Thousand World named the Fire Cloud Realm.
Within the Fire Cloud Realm, the sky blazed and the earth burned, with rolling red clouds and not a single blade of grass growing!
Yet, Fire Spirit tribesmen survived here. Most of them were merely fire spirits without sentience, with only a few having awakened their intelligence.
In the sky, Fire Cloud tribesmen lived among the clouds, their cultivation generally pitiful. The strongest among them were merely at the Heavenly Immortal or Mystic Immortal level; there wasn't a single Golden Immortal being in the entire world.
Qing Ling immediately spotted the Fire Cloud Palace in the void, where Hong Yun resided.
Hong Yun's face turned pale. He walked out of the palace and forced a smile, "So it is the East Desolation Dao Master Senior! Junior has failed to greet you properly, please forgive me!"
Even though Qing Ling had treated him kindly in the past, Hong Yun, who now possessed the Primordial Violet Qi but was not powerful, living alone in the Fire Cloud Realm, could hardly avoid harboring thoughts of robbing and killing.
Seeing his nervousness, Qing Ling chuckled, "It was Daoist Zhen Yuanzi who told me of your whereabouts, otherwise I truly wouldn't have found this place."
"Zhen Yuanzi?" Hong Yun blinked in surprise, then his expression relaxed. "So that's how it is. Junior misunderstood Senior."
Qing Ling chuckled, "It's nothing. Daoist Hong Yun, with only the cultivation of one severed corpse, yet possessing such a Sage-making treasure as the Primordial Violet Qi, would naturally be cautious wherever you go, wouldn't you?"
Hong Yun gave a bitter smile. "It is Junior's lack of talent. The six Daoist friends of that year have all become Sages, yet I remain stagnant."
Qing Ling sighed. "For Daoist to hide in the chaos and create a Middle-Thousand World with the power of a Great Dao, sustaining life by transforming spiritual energy, is already no easy feat. Naturally, your cultivation would be difficult to advance. However, with the protection of the will of heaven and earth, I believe you are safe."
Although these great beings who delved into the chaos found it difficult to advance their cultivation, as long as they opened up a world and educated its inhabitants, the will of heaven and earth would protect them from the karmic entanglements of the Primordial World, thus averting disaster.
Hong Yun's face was troubled. "Senior, you may not know, but even so, with the Violet Qi in my possession, I am truly terrified, fearing that one day someone might take the Violet Qi and I will perish. This Violet Qi, I would rather not have it, but it has already merged with my primordial spirit; I cannot even give it away."
Qing Ling laughed heartily. "Since that is the case, why doesn't Daoist contend for it?"
Hong Yun froze, and then said sadly, "Junior has nothing to contend for, no strength to contend."
Compared to birth, he couldn't compare to the Three Pure Ones or Nuwa. Compared to spiritual treasures, he was even less. He had no backing, and his cultivation lagged behind all the Sages. All he had was a strand of Violet Qi.
Qing Ling said solemnly, "The will of heaven and earth can protect for a time, but not forever. If one day a disciple of a Sage needs to borrow the Violet Qi to become a Sage, do you think the will of heaven and earth can still protect you? If you wish to live, if you wish to survive, you must seek fire from death, and find life from annihilation. Today, I present a path before you. Whether you choose it or not, it is up to you."
Hong Yun's spirit surged. "Junior will listen intently!"
Qing Ling made a sweeping motion, and four Dao patterns appeared before him: "Heaven, Earth, Man, and the Great Dao."
"In the Primordial World, under the Great Dao of the will of heaven and earth, there are only these three paths. The Grand Pure Sage is a Sage of the Great Dao, establishing the Human Teachings, standing with the human race and its sentient beings. In terms of actions and schemes, he is considered a half-Human Dao Sage."
The words "Grand Pure" appeared under the Human Dao, but only half-heartedly illuminated.
"The Jade Pure Sage is a Sage of the Heavenly Dao, naturally within the Heavenly Dao, but he educates humanity through the Heavenly Dao. The Upper Pure Sage, though seemingly not establishing any specific Dao, leans towards the Human Dao in his words, actions, and teachings. In fact, the Two Sages of the West, by converting all sentient beings, are also considered half-Human Dao Sages. Empress Nuwa calls herself the Sage of the Demon Race, and the demon race are also sentient beings, thus also considered half-Human Dao Sages. Daoist Hong Yun, do you see anything?"
Hong Yun frowned, "The six Sages' struggles are all within the Human Dao?"
Qing Ling nodded. "Indeed. The six Sages' struggles are all within the Human Dao. But have you not noticed, if they wish to contend for the Human Dao, why don't they establish themselves as Human Dao Sages when they attain the Dao?"
Hong Yun was startled. Did the Sages not consider this? That was ridiculous. The calculations of Sages could encompass billions of sentient beings with ease. In their minds, there was nothing they did not know, nothing they could not do.
Qing Ling smiled and pointed. The Heavenly Dao was above, the Earthly Dao sank below, and the Human Dao was in the center, with the three paths differentiating. The titles of the six Sages also shifted with the paths.
"The Heavenly Dao's authority is the strongest, the Earthly Dao is the weakest, and the Human Dao is in between. The six Sages themselves emerged from sentient beings and transcended them, no longer within the Human Dao of sentient beings. If they were to establish themselves as Human Dao Sages again, how would they position themselves? What would their transcendence be called? Moreover, the Heavenly and Earthly Daos are manifestations of the world's will, while the Human Dao is a manifestation of the will of the world's sentient beings. The Heavenly and Earthly Daos are inherently superior in status to the Human Dao, thus they can bear Sages, while the Human Dao cannot."
Hong Yun's heart was suddenly enlightened. He respectfully said, "Senior's wisdom is profound!"
Qing Ling smiled and asked, "You cultivate the Great Dao of Heavenly Fire and the Great Dao of Heavenly Clouds, don't you?"
Hong Yun affirmed, his awe of Qing Ling growing even deeper.
"The Heavenly Dao can bear Sages, and the Earthly Dao can naturally bear Sages as well. The Heavenly Dao is lofty, the Great Dao and the Heavenly Dao Sages are lofty, but they overlook the Earthly Dao, which is closest to the Human Dao. The Earthly Dao is, in fact, the key to contending for the Human Dao. Obtaining the Earthly Dao means obtaining half of the Human Dao's destiny! Daoist Hong Yun, are you tempted?"
Hong Yun's heart was suddenly struck, as if by a thunderclap that shook his soul. He awoke and quickly said, "Junior dares not!"
Qing Ling chuckled. "What is there to dare not? It's just that you feel you lack the strength now. But I have come today to give you that strength!"
Hong Yun's eyes trembled. "May I ask what Senior means?"
Qing Ling made a sweeping motion, and two lines appeared between the Heavenly Dao and the Human Dao before him: one was Destiny, the other was Merit. Human Dao Destiny was connected to the Heavenly Dao and the six Sages. Merit descended from the Heavenly Dao into the Human Dao. The Great Dao's merit divided into seven streams, one for the six Sages and one for the Human Dao.
Qing Ling then said, "The Human Dao is key to the world's will, and even to the six Sages. Human Dao Destiny allows the Heavenly Dao to gain greater authority from the Great Dao, and it allows the six Sages to receive greater assistance from the Great Dao, comprehending higher realms of Hunyuan. As for the Heavenly Dao's control over the Human Dao, it is merely through merit and punishment. The six Sages have only the means of education in the Human Dao. Today, I have a path for you: for the Earthly Dao to educate the Human Dao, for the Earthly Dao to reward and punish the Human Dao, diverting the Heavenly Dao's destiny, diverting the Sages' destiny, but it can give you a chance to contend for Hunyuan. Hong Yun, are you willing?"
Hong Yun's eyelids twitched wildly, and his voice trembled, "This is opposing the Heavenly Dao and the six Sages!"
Qing Ling shook his head. "If you enter my Earthly Dao, the Heavenly Dao will be unable to do anything to you. Among the six Sages, the Two Sages of the West will surely comprehend great principles and perfect their Buddhist doctrines, thus owing you karma and naturally not making things difficult for you. Empress Nuwa will not care about this bit of destiny that she cannot reach, and will even be kind to you because it is I who control the Earthly Dao. The Three Pure Ones are harder to say, but the Three Pure Ones are now in increasing conflict and are no longer the same as before; Tongtian will most likely not attack you. As for Laozi and Yuanshi, as long as I am not defeated, they will not attack you. If you consider it another way, you are completing the rules of heaven and earth, which is meritorious! Even if there is a struggle for destiny, the Sages will not hate you. Thus, you can rest assured and do it!"
Hong Yun fell into deep thought. The path to becoming a Sage was before him, but the risks were too great, and he found it difficult to make a decision.
After pondering for a long time, Hong Yun finally said, "Since Senior has gone to such lengths, Junior will do his best to try! May I ask what this path is?"
Qing Ling smiled faintly and wrote two Dao patterns with his hand: "Yin Virtue"!
"Heaven rewards the good deeds of all beings during their lives with merit, while Earth punishes the creations of all beings after death with Yin Virtue. Heavenly merit benefits for a lifetime, while Earthly Yin Virtue governs the actions of countless lifetimes!"