The Sanqing’s words fell, and the countless golden lotuses of the Great Dao on Kunlun Mountain immediately bloomed, sending vast amounts of merit and virtue towards the people of Kunlun Mountain!
Most of this merit and virtue flowed towards the Sanqing, with only a small portion going to the assembled people of Kunlun Mountain!
On Mount Sumeru, Jieyin and Zhunti looked at the soaring golden light from Kunlun Mountain, their faces filled with disbelief. They exclaimed:
"Merit and virtue of the Great Dao?"
They felt that Heaven and Earth were utterly unfair! They had just established their own sects, and their brothers were burdened with immense debt, yet the Sanqing establishing theirs actually received the descent of merit and virtue from the Great Dao?
After receiving the merit and virtue of the Great Dao, the members of the Wu and Yao tribes felt the repelling force of this world towards them vanish.
Zhenyuanzi, after absorbing the merit and virtue of the Great Dao that flew towards him, radiated golden light of merit and virtue all over his body.
Zhenyuanzi was already the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. He usually maintained the earth veins for many places in the Primordial World, bringing great benefits to Heaven and Earth. With this latest influx of merit and virtue from the Great Dao, he was subtly on the verge of achieving sainthood!
Seeing this, Taishang immediately drew a portion of the merit and virtue of the Great Dao that was flowing towards him and sent it towards Zhenyuanzi!
Yuanshi and Tongtian, seeing this, also drew a portion of the merit and virtue of the Great Dao that flowed towards them and sent it towards Zhenyuanzi!
Zhenyuanzi, sensing his imminent breakthrough to sainthood, had been continuously striving for this new realm. However, he realized that his merit and virtue were still somewhat lacking. Just as he was disheartened, he suddenly felt three more streams of merit and virtue surge into his body!
Zhenyuanzi’s eyes snapped open as he saw three streams of merit and virtue flying towards him from the Sanqing. Such merit and virtue of the Great Dao were rare and fortuitous. He never expected the Sanqing to use them to help him achieve sainthood! Zhenyuanzi immediately cast a grateful glance at the three.
Seeing this, Taishang immediately spoke:
"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, do not be distracted. If you cannot seize this moment, you may find it difficult to enter this realm again!"
Hearing Taishang's voice, everyone snapped out of their joyous contemplation of the merit and virtue of the Great Dao and realized that Zhenyuanzi was emanating saintly power!
Everyone looked at Zhenyuanzi with complex expressions, thinking how fortunate Zhenyuanzi truly was! They then recalled that they were all contemporaries of the Sanqing and Zhenyuanzi, and now they were achieving sainthood while the others were still uncertain of their path.
With the Sanqing’s assistance, Zhenyuanzi successfully entered the realm of sainthood, and a wave of saintly power emanated from him. Zhenyuanzi spoke:
"From this day forward, I am the Yuan Sage!"
Suppressed by this saintly power, everyone immediately bowed and said:
"We pay respects to the Yuan Sage!"
Simultaneously, people throughout the Primordial World felt Zhenyuanzi's saintly power and hastily knelt in worship:
"We pay respects to the Yuan Sage!"
Zhenyuanzi retracted his saintly power and bowed to the Sanqing, saying:
"Many thanks to you three fellow Daoists for your assistance!"
The Sanqing returned the bow and said:
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on achieving sainthood!"
Nuwa also spoke:
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on achieving sainthood!"
After Zhenyuanzi achieved sainthood, the Sanqing had also almost finished absorbing the merit and virtue of the Great Dao.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Dao manifested in the sky, and the Earthly Dao also appeared on the ground!
Between the Heavenly Dao and the Earthly Dao, a Great Dao slowly emerged!
The voice of the Great Dao echoed throughout Heaven and Earth:
"Pangu opened Heaven, and the Heavenly Dao manifested! Houtu achieved sainthood, and the Earthly Dao was established! The Sanqing established their sects, and the Human Dao was formed! Heaven, Earth, and Man stand together; Earth carries its people! The Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man enter the Dao!"
As the voice of the Great Dao faded, the Heavenly Dao suddenly felt the suppression of the Earthly Dao, which Hongjun had planned, disappear. Houtu, meanwhile, suddenly felt the Heavenly Dao's suppression of her vanish.
Houtu’s face lit up with joy. She immediately left the Underworld and headed towards Kunlun Mountain!
As Houtu arrived at Kunlun Mountain, the Heavenly Dao also manifested there!
The Heavenly Dao looked at Houtu and asked:
"Are you the Master of the Earthly Dao?"
Although Houtu had achieved sainthood long ago, she had unfortunately been suppressed by Hongjun. She had been in a constant struggle with Hongjun and had never had the chance to meet this saint of the same caliber as herself!
Houtu also looked at the transparent figure and inquired:
"Are you the Heavenly Dao?"
The Heavenly Dao nodded and said:
"I must tell you, it wasn't me who suppressed you. It was a scheme set by Hongjun, and it had nothing to do with me!"
Houtu furrowed her brow and asked:
"Hongjun? What does this have to do with Hongjun?"
The Heavenly Dao wished to explain, but seeing Houtu's doubtful gaze, it said:
"Never mind, let Fellow Daoist Sanqing explain to you! They are now the Masters of the Human Dao as well!"
After speaking, the Heavenly Dao headed towards Taiqing Peak!
Houtu followed closely behind. Her only desire now was to see her eleven ancestral siblings. Houtu had known about the Sanqing's actions when they intervened, but the war between the Wu and Yao tribes had claimed countless souls, and she had been busy maintaining order in the Underworld during that time.
If the Dao of Heaven, Earth, and Man had not been established, she would not have dared to leave the Underworld! Otherwise, if the Underworld fell into chaos, her responsibility as the Master of the Underworld would be immense!
Upon seeing her eleven ancestral siblings, Houtu immediately spoke to the Sanqing:
"Many thanks to you three fellow Daoists for saving my brothers and sisters!"
Tongtian looked at Houtu and asked in confusion:
"How did you get in? Even if my formation couldn't stop you, you shouldn't have been able to enter so silently?"
Hearing this, Houtu turned to look at Taishang, her gaze suggesting: Is this Master of the Human Dao an idiot?
Taishang spoke:
"Third Brother, Fellow Daoist Houtu is the Master of the Underworld. She can go anywhere without restriction. Not only Fellow Daoist Houtu, but all the inhabitants of the Underworld can come and go as they please to claim souls!"
Taishang then turned to Houtu and said:
"Am I not correct, Fellow Daoist Houtu?"
The eleven ancestral witches were overjoyed to see Houtu, almost jumping with excitement. They had never expected to see Houtu on Kunlun Mountain!
Seeing this, Taishang said:
"Since you brothers and sisters have not seen each other for a long time, we shall not disturb Fellow Daoist Houtu!"
Then, the Sanqing saw the arrival of the Heavenly Dao. Taishang furrowed his brow, wondering what the Heavenly Dao wanted.
Taishang cupped his fists and bowed, saying:
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist!"
The Heavenly Dao returned the bow and said:
"The last time we met, you addressed me as an elder. I did not expect to be addressing each other as fellow Daoists today!"
Taishang smiled and said:
"With the three Daos running in parallel, it is no longer appropriate to call you an elder. We are now also Masters of the Human Dao!"
The Heavenly Dao nodded and said:
"I have a favor to ask of you three. Please explain to the Master of the Earthly Dao that the Heavenly Dao suppressing the Earthly Dao was truly not my doing, but Hongjun's!"
Taishang readily agreed and said:
"Very well, I will find an opportunity to help you explain!"
Hearing this, the Heavenly Dao said:
"Thank you! Farewell!"
With that, the Heavenly Dao disappeared!