Qing Ling looked at the Tai Yin Star and said, "Fellow Daoist Chang'e, I trouble you."
In the clear and cold moon palace, the plain-clothed beauty raised her fingers lightly. Twelve moon shadows emerged from the sky, transforming into twelve full moons and descending into the twelve planes. They became the Moon Goddesses of the twelve planes, and all the luck and merit would converge on Chang'e alone.
The great powers watched with red eyes. There were nine Sun Gods, but only one Moon God. This immense luck and merit was enough to drive them mad.
When the twelve planes were completed, immeasurable profound yellow merit arose between heaven and earth, even surpassing the merit of Nuwa mending the sky.
One-tenth of this vast merit fell into the twelve planes, nourishing their origins.
One-tenth fell upon the twelve creation gods.
One-tenth fell upon the Five Sages, as they had blocked the heavenly punishment and dragged out the birth of the twelve planes.
From this moment on, the will of heaven and earth no longer fully trusted the Heavenly Dao.
One-tenth fell upon Nuwa, as her creation merit was instrumental in the establishment of the twelve planes.
Another three-tenths of the merit fell upon Jian Mu, which was now the World Tree of all realms. Its body became even more divine with the merit of heaven and earth.
The remaining four-tenths of the merit all fell upon Qing Ling. The golden light of immense merit descended for three days and three nights, washing away the malevolence left from the Wu-Yao tribulation. The Primordial World became fresh and vibrant once more.
At this moment, Qing Ling merged all the profound yellow merit into his primordial spirit. He split off a strand of his primordial spirit and entrusted it to heaven and earth. Heaven and earth, sensing the primordial spirit of merit, merged with it.
Qing Ling once again proclaimed to all beings in heaven and earth, "Today, I, Qing Ling, decree for the twelve planes, having received immeasurable merit from heaven and earth, shall today attain the status of a Sage with immeasurable merit!"
Between heaven and earth, green lotuses bloomed over the four seas, auspicious clouds filled the universe, immortal music arose, and exotic fragrances filled the air. All beings offered their congratulations.
The Six Sages were all astonished. None of them had expected that Qing Ling would choose to become a Sage, and one of merit, the weakest among Sages.
However, upon further thought, Qing Ling was already a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal, and one comparable to the Dao Ancestor. The Sage status was merely an aid, helping him contend with other Sages within the Primordial World without being suppressed by the laws of heaven and earth.
With the Sage position bestowed upon him, Qing Ling felt the suppression within the Primordial World greatly reduced. He could even manipulate the mighty forces of heaven and earth. All beings truly appeared like ants in his eyes, easily annihilated if he wished.
Even though he was a Sage of merit, the weakest among the Six Sages in his ability to wield the power of heaven and earth in the Primordial World, he was still this terrifying. It was likely that the other Six Sages were even more formidable.
Qing Ling smiled at all beings in heaven and earth and said, "I have received the merit of the twelve planes, which has led to my Sage status today. Therefore, I shall seek further merit for all beings. From now on, my Jian Mu will be the World Tree. It can henceforth branch out into myriad leaves. Any Daluo Golden Immortal who achieves enlightenment can connect to a branch of my Jian Mu, open up three thousand worlds, and attain self-fulfillment and their own Dao realms!"
As his words fell, all the Daluo Golden Immortals in heaven and earth were shaken, and then overjoyed. This meant that they too could become World Gods, masters of a realm. Even if it were only a minor, middle, or great world, they would still be the rulers and could control the myriad beings within it, as well as comprehend their own Great Dao within their own Dao realms.
All the Daluo Golden Immortals, and even the great elders, bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Sage, for your compassion!"
Qing Ling smiled and said, "My position comes from all beings, and I must act for their sake. From now on, I am the Sage of all beings. Within the twelve planes, I shall establish the Hall of Beings, teach the Dharma, and pass down inheritances, ensuring that all beings have teachings to impart and the right to survive."
The twelve planes, the four great continents of the Primordial World, and the countless beings all belong to all beings, each possessing the right to exist and the opportunity to seek the Dao.
Immortals and gods are not necessarily aloof, demons are not necessarily universally feared, demons are not born to be food for others, Asuras and witches do not have the right to slaughter other races at will, ordinary mortals are not necessarily destined for a life of insignificance, beings in the west are not forever poor and reclusive, and beings in the east are not superior to those in the west.
Within the Primordial World, there are only heaven and earth, and all beings, with the three balanced.
Even the gods in the highest heavens and an ant in the dust of the earth are all beings within the Human Dao.
Though there are differences in status among beings, their destinies are myriad. Those with great perseverance ascend, those with great merit become gods, those with great fortune become immortals. The lazy remain humble, the cruel suffer misfortune, and the self-abandoned fail.
In the rolling mortal world, beings walk their own Great Dao. Destiny is determined by heaven, and the future is in my hands. Myriad beings have their own paths, their own actions, and their own choices. When destiny and reality intersect, it is the manifestation of each being's cultivation achievements. Do not blame heaven and earth, and do not, upon near success, curse fate.
May all beings remember this!
All beings gazed at the Sage in the sky and thanked him for his teachings.
Qing Ling concealed his saintly image, and heaven and earth returned to clarity. The deed was done, the situation was settled, and the Heavenly Dao could only retreat in helplessness.
However, with this retreat, the beings in heaven and earth would no longer be easily controlled by the Heavenly Dao.
The twelve planes each had their own Dao and respected their own Dao, and would not respect this external Heavenly Dao.
Furthermore, the twelve planes were utilizing the power of the Heavenly Dao to transform the four chaotic primal spirits into spiritual energy and strengthen themselves. The twelve planes would make the Primordial World stronger, but because they did not submit to the Heavenly Dao, the Heavenly Dao could only wait helplessly, waiting for its authority over heaven and earth to gradually wither away and be lost. Although this process would be long, it would eventually come.
The Heavenly Dao would not acknowledge Qing Ling's Sage status and would try every means to suppress Qing Ling or destroy Jian Mu, even if it meant the sky would collapse once more.
However, the Heavenly Dao now had no helpers.
The creation gods of the twelve planes were all maintainers of Qing Ling's Jian Mu. Their planes depended on Jian Mu for existence. They could borrow the power of the Heavenly Dao to convert spiritual energy. Whoever destroyed Jian Mu would become their enemy, the enemy of the twelve planes.
In the future, as Daluo Golden Immortals opened up great, middle, and minor worlds with the branches of Jian Mu, they too would become loyal maintainers of Jian Mu.
The virtuous are many in their support, while the unvirtuous are few.
The Sage of all beings has the support of all beings. As long as all beings exist, Jian Mu will not fall, the Sage will not die, and Qing Ling will not be extinguished.
Qing Ling gathered with the Six Sages in the Thirty-Third Heaven to discuss the division of the Primordial World.
Zhunti smiled and said, "Although Xi Niu He Zhou occupies some former eastern territories, my Buddhist sect has always been in the west. Xi Niu He Zhou is my Buddhist sect's territory. I don't believe any fellow Daoists will object, right?"
The Sages heard this and could not find any words of rebuttal, so they could only implicitly agree.
Nuwa said idly, "I will not contend with you. The demon realm plane is under the protection of my Wa Huang Palace. I no longer wish to stay in the Primordial World. From now on, I will reside in the demon realm."
Zhunti smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Nuwa has a good disposition."
Nuwa chuckled, glanced at Qing Ling, and said, "You all discuss. I need to go into seclusion for some time to recover from the injuries sustained while mending the sky."
All the Sages bowed and bid farewell to Nuwa.
Tongtian said, "The Primordial World only has four great continents. Even if Fellow Daoist Nuwa takes a portion, it will still be difficult for us six Sages to divide it in detail. I will also not contend. Since the Dragon clan has already left the East Sea, all the seas, except for the Dragon Palace, will become the domain for my Jie Jiao to guide."