People in Conferred Gods: Rising from humble beginnings, I am the God of Wealth

Chapter 311 The Stubborn Styx, Raging Against the Sage! (11)

"Young friend, you are destined to meet me. Please come with me to Mount Sumeru in the West!"

As the words fell, Yang Xuan, though he had never seen the gaunt old Taoist priest before, guessed the newcomer's identity.

If nothing unexpected happens, this gaunt old Taoist priest must be the Western saint—the Taoist Zhunti!
Combined with the strange phenomenon before him, Yang Xuan knew that he had probably already fallen into the hands of the Taoist priest.

This puzzled him greatly. Even if the two Western Saints were shameless, they wouldn't personally attack a Great Luo Golden Immortal like him.

Even with the karmic connection of Ksitigarbha entering the underworld, if the two Western Saints disliked Yang Xuan, they should have had their disciples take action.

Even if Maitreya suffered repeated defeats at his hands, Maitreya should have brought some fellow disciples to get revenge, rather than the saint Zhunti personally taking action.

Although Yang Xuan's situation was unexpected, he wasn't too worried.

Given his importance to the Heavenly Court, even Zhunti wouldn't dare to go too far. Otherwise, Haotian would definitely go to Zixiao Palace to ask the Dao Ancestor to bail him out. Zhunti might also be so distraught.

However, with Zhunti's personal presence, this trip to Mount Sumeru is probably inevitable; he is not arrogant enough to face a sage directly.

However, Yang Xuan would not just sit idly by and wait for his death.

He couldn't deal with the sage, but he wasn't completely helpless!

Yang Xuan's expression remained unchanged. After a brief moment of surprise, he regained his composure and bowed to the front.

"This humble god Yang Xuan greets the Sage. May I ask what brings you here, Sage?"

As he spoke, he silently recited the name of the man in his mind.

After the events of building the Underworld and Mingyue entering the Netherworld, Houtu told Yang Xuan that no matter what trouble he encountered, as long as he was still in the primordial world, he could call her name and she would respond.

Zhunti is definitely not someone he can deal with. The only solution is to call upon Houtu's name and ask for her assistance.

However, his calls went unanswered.

"It still doesn't work..."

Yang Xuan felt helpless, but he wasn't too surprised. Anyone with eyes could see that Yang Xuan and Houtu had some kind of karmic connection.

If it were just a fight between equals, no one would care about that. As long as Yang Xuan isn't killed, there's no need to worry about Houtu intervening.

Even saints, to some extent, have a sense of pride.

Ok……

Except for certain people!
What all living beings in the primordial world knew, how could Zhunti not know?

Moreover, the Blood Sea is not far from the Netherworld. Since Zhunti made his move here, how could he have been unprepared?
As Yang Xuan had expected, a slender Taoist appeared before him as soon as he finished speaking.

This person wore a dark blue Taoist robe, with the Six Roots of Purity bamboo draped over his arm, radiating a blue, glassy light.

His face was kind and gentle, which made people feel good about him.

If one did not know his character well, one would surely think he was a kind and virtuous enlightened master.

Zhunti's eyes flickered slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, clearly indicating that he had noticed Yang Xuan's actions.

However, he had long coveted Yang Xuan and wanted to bring Yang Xuan into the Western Sect. This had been a long-term plan, and he had been preparing for it for many years.

Since they've made the move, they must have been fully prepared.

As early as when Yang Xuan was still in Huoyun Cave, Zhunti had already planned to personally take action and bring him back to Mount Sumeru.

If it weren't for Yu the Great giving Yang Xuan a fragment of the Heavenly Mystery Pearl, which was voluntarily gifted by Wuzhiqi, making the Heavenly Mystery Pearl even more perfect and increasing the number of innate restrictions to forty-one, it would have been a different story.

Even a sage would find it difficult to deduce his whereabouts if he were activated at full power.

In addition, the primordial world was already generating calamity energy at that time, which allowed him to escape a calamity. In a way, he owed Wuzhiqi a debt of karma that was neither too big nor too small.

Now that the primordial calamity is intensifying, if it weren't for Fairy Yunhua's descent to the mortal realm, which allowed Zhunti to guess, Yang Xuan would definitely have gone to the underworld.

Furthermore, a spy from the Western Sect in Heaven reported that even Zhunti would likely find it difficult to catch Yang Xuan.

He went to such great lengths to finally catch Yang Xuan; how could he not be on guard?
The space they are in now has been completely cut off from the secrets of heaven and the cause and effect have been disrupted by the Sage Zhunti.

Unless a sage is constantly watching Yang Xuan, or leaves this space, there is absolutely no possibility of any accidents.

Having made so many preparations, Daoist Zhunti was naturally full of confidence. He was not in a hurry and slowly said:

"I am a humble Taoist priest who has not yet found a master for you. I have come here to guide you to the Western Paradise."

"There are eight hundred great paths and three thousand righteous teachings on Mount Sumeru in the West, each of which can be studied and comprehended by you, young friend. If you enter my Western Paradise, my senior brother and I will treat you as our personal disciples."

"Looking across the entire primordial world, you, young friend, are undoubtedly the first to have received the teachings of two sages!"

Zhunti promised that if possible, he would prefer Yang Xuan to voluntarily join the Western Church and become a member of the Western Religion.

In this way, even if Houtu found out afterward, she couldn't say anything.

Furthermore, since Yang Xuan voluntarily joined the religion, he will be able to bring more benefits to the Western Religion in the future. Forcibly converting someone will ultimately have some drawbacks.

Upon hearing this, Yang Xuan suddenly understood the sage's purpose.

Zhunti personally intervened to stop him and cut off the connection with the sage, not to cause him trouble, but because he valued Zhunti's innate talent and understanding, and even more so, his status in the Heavenly Court and the Underworld.

If we can take him to the West and make him a disciple of the Western religion, then everything he has now in Heaven and the Underworld will become sustenance for the rise of the West.

From a certain perspective, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Even if the two Western Saints are shameless, they are still saints, the two most outstanding figures in the primordial world.

If he joins the Underworld, with those two saints protecting him, he will be able to roam freely in the prehistoric world, and few will be afraid of him. Many of Yang Xuan's plans will be more successful, and he will not have to worry about an unexpected death.

If it were Yang Xuan who had just taken human form and had not yet ascended to heaven, and had received Zhunti's invitation to join the sect, Yang Xuan would most likely have chosen to go to the West.

During the Investiture of the Gods, the Western Sect was less affected than the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect. As it was a sect of saints, joining the Western Sect would be an excellent choice.

But now...

Yang Xuan, however, had no intention of going to the West!
Even without the help of a sage, he was confident that he could survive the Investiture of the Gods on his own, and even gain some benefits during the calamity, saving the lives of some who were destined to die.

In addition, in terms of cultivation, Yang Xuan had long ago determined the path he was pursuing, and had gained a deep understanding of the many great principles that make up the way of commerce.

Furthermore, he created the Five Virtues Mystic Art, which is extremely compatible with himself, and learned the method of severing the three corpses. He has even begun to combine it with the Five Virtues Mystic Art.

As for his backing, Haotian, the number one person with connections in the prehistoric world, is his backer. Even though the Dao Ancestor once schemed against him, it cannot change the fact that Haotian still owes him a lot of karma. If he asks for help, Haotian will definitely respond.

The human race, the protagonist of this world with three near-sages, is his backer. Even Houtu, a sage herself, is his backer. Asking Houtu for help once or twice wouldn't be a problem. So, the question is, given all this, why would he join the Western Religion?

However, the current situation is not as favorable as others. After all, Zhunti is a saint, and he has come in person. After thinking for a moment, Yang Xuan finally decided to back down so as not to anger Zhunti.

Yang Xuan bowed to the Sage Zhunti, his face sincere, and said in a deep voice:

"My cultivation has now broken through to the late stage of the Great Luo realm, and it will not be a problem for me to sever my corpse in the future."

"After the minor god has severed his corpse, a benevolent corpse can be arranged to take over the Western Sect and become a disciple of the Western Sect."

"If, during this period, the Sage needs anything from me, please give the order directly. I will certainly do my utmost to assist you and will not dare to be negligent in any way."

Yang Xuan's words were quite sincere, without any pretense, and indeed they were true.

Although he has no interest in joining the Western religion now, he has even begun to guard against the Buddhist sect usurping the power of Heaven and the Underworld.

However, if his benevolent body could join the Western Religion and influence the development of Buddhism to some extent, it would be possible to safeguard the interests of both Heaven and the Underworld.

They can also benefit from Buddhism and receive the protection of the two Western Saints, which can be said to be a win-win situation, and it is a good thing for them.

However, Zhunti frowned slightly after hearing Yang Xuan's words.

"Just a benevolent corpse? Not enough!"

Although Yang Xuan's current situation does indeed have a considerable probability of severing his corpse, if he were to receive assistance from the two sages, the chances would be even greater.

However, even with a high probability, there is still a possibility of accidents.

In addition, the three corpses are divided into the good corpse, the evil corpse, and the self-attached corpse. There is no rule about which corpse to cut off first in the method of cutting off the three corpses. It is just that cutting off the self-attached corpse is the most difficult, so it is usually placed last.

However, there is no requirement for a specific order in which the good corpse and the evil corpse are severed. Some people achieve quasi-sainthood by severing the good corpse, while others achieve it by severing the evil corpse.

Admittedly, Yang Xuan does have a good chance of severing one of the three corpses, but whether he can sever a second one is another matter.

If the first of the three corpses that Yang Xuan cuts off is an evil corpse, then it's hard to say whether he will be able to cut off a good corpse in the future.

If Yang Xuan fails to sever the good corpse in the future, wouldn't he be forever barred from joining the Western Sect? Wouldn't all his plans over the years become a joke? How could that be acceptable?
"What a sly lad! Even in this state, he still dares to play such tricks in front of the Sage. How interesting!"

Zhunti chuckled inwardly, but he was not angry. Instead, he became even more optimistic about Yang Xuan and further strengthened his determination to bring him into the Western Religion.

Ordinary creatures would be filled with fear and trepidation when they see a sage, so how could they dare to have such a scheme?
Even a stubborn guy like Styx, just like Qingluan, stood there dumbfounded, not daring to say a word.
A being as calm and clear-headed as Yang Xuan is probably one of the most rare beings in the entire prehistoric world.

"Such a talented person is truly destined for the West and should join our Western religion to help us revitalize the West!"

Zhunti's gaze toward Yang Xuan grew even more benevolent, and he smiled kindly:

"Young friend, don't rush to conclusions. Why not listen to my teachings on the Eight Hundred Great Paths and Three Thousand Orthodox Laws of the West before making a decision?"

"Don't worry, it won't take you too long. This lecture will last at most ten Yuanhui, and you will then have a basic understanding of the Eight Hundred Great Daos and Three Thousand Orthodox Laws of the West!"

What?! Ten Yuanhui?!
If I were to listen to your sermon here for ten eons, the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods might have already begun, or it might have already ended.

How can I then gain benefits from the Great Tribulation, ensure the safety of Bixiao and the others during the Great Tribulation, and cultivate the Great Tribulation Corpse-Slaying Technique during the Great Tribulation?

To reiterate, if this had happened when Yang Xuan had just taken human form, he would have been delighted and wouldn't have resisted it at all.

But now, the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods is about to arrive. If he is trapped here for several eons, wouldn't all his plans over the years be in vain?

How could this be?! If that's the case, I'd rather you take me to Mount Sumeru; at least that way, Haotian could discover it sooner.

Moreover, what kind of good person needs ten eons to explain some basic doctrines? Yang Xuan would never believe that Zhunti's sermon this time was given without any supplementary material.

If Yang Xuan were to actually listen to this sermon, he would probably no longer be the same Yang Xuan!
After a moment of silence, Yang Xuan decided to try again.

"Your Majesty, according to the decree of the Goddess Houtu, I need to go to the Underworld to discuss matters there."

"Could the matter of listening to the teachings be postponed for a while? Once I have finished dealing with matters in the underworld, I will personally go to Mount Sumeru in the west to listen to the sage preach."

Zhunti did not answer, but countless auspicious clouds appeared above his head.

Amidst the chanting of Buddhist hymns, he had begun to forcefully preach, his voice engulfing the entire world.
"Young friend, you have a connection with the West. Hearing the teachings of the Ten Yuan Society will surely change your mind!"

In fact, Zhunti's plan differed somewhat from Yang Xuan's.

He knew that Yang Xuan had Houtu as his backer, and Haotian might even go to Zixiao Palace to complain, so he did not intend to go too far and forcibly convert him.

He has now been preaching to Yang Xuan for ten Yuanhui, which is a great opportunity for him. What can Haotian and Houtu say?
But just as Yang Xuan had thought, Zhunti's sermon this time was indeed not pure.

Because he was wary of Houtu and Haotian, and because Yang Xuan truly satisfied him, he had no intention of forcibly converting him.

However, given his cultivation level, it wouldn't be a big problem for him to win Yang Xuan's favor through his sermons over the next ten epochs, change his original thoughts, and have him take the initiative to propose joining the Western Religion.

A sage personally intervened, spending ten eons to brainwash a Grand Luo Golden Immortal—this treatment is truly unparalleled.

Seeing this, Yang Xuan felt helpless, knowing that he could not leave. He could only keep his mind focused to avoid falling into Zhunti's trap.

But at that moment, as if lost in thought, the Styx Daoist, who had been silent to the side, suddenly had two beams of blood-red light appear in his eyes.

His blood and qi surged, his magical power surged, briefly shaking off the surrounding strange phenomena. He drew his Yuan Tu Sword, pointed it at the Daoist Zhunti, and angrily cursed:
"You shameless saint Zhunti, you go to such great lengths to force fellow Daoist Yang Xuan to hear about your meeting with the Ten Yuan Society. I'm afraid you're trying to convert fellow Daoist Yang Xuan into your Western Sect."

"I despise your style the most. Behold my sword!"

Yang Xuan: ???
Seriously? Are you always this stubborn? This is a saint! Even if you can't die from the Blood Sea, you can't be this reckless!

Hearing Styx's angry curses, Yang Xuan was completely dumbfounded and couldn't maintain his Dao heart at all.

Before he could think any further, the Styx Daoist's entire body erupted with boundless blood light, embodying the essence of slaughter.

In the end, the Styx Daoist's entire body transformed into blood energy, which surged into the Yuan Tu Sword in his hand, leaving only a faint phantom in place, holding the Yuan Tu Sword and slashing at the Zhunti Daoist.

Even though this space was created by a saint, the top quasi-saint of the prehistoric world, Styx still developed cracks under this sword strike.

Unfortunately, the gap between a Quasi-Saint and a Saint is simply too great; even Styx's full-force sword strike could only achieve this much.

"presumptuous!"

With a roar, Daoist Zhunti casually struck out with his palm. The blood-red sword light withered rapidly like an autumn flower, and even the last remaining phantom of the Styx River instantly died out and disappeared.

But at that moment, Master Zhunti's expression changed slightly, and he turned to look behind him.

"Shu Zi, you dare!"

Above the sea of ​​blood, countless drops of blood coalesced into a blood-red hand, which slammed down towards an open space outside the sea's edge...

(End of this chapter)