Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

Deep within the Purple Cloud Palace.

Hongjun stood with his hands behind his back in the chaos, his gaze piercing through the void and falling upon the lower realm.

It landed on Jin'ao Island.

It fell toward the Chaos Bell suspended in the pivot of destiny.

The bell's body shimmered with light, reflecting the aura of the Jie Sect.

stable.

Heavy and substantial.

indestructible.

Hongjun stared at the giant bell, his gaze slightly narrowed.

Chaos Bell.

One of the Three Treasures of Creation, the companion treasure of Donghuang Taiyi, transformed from Pangu's axe.

With this bell in hand, one can attack or defend, suppress destiny, and protect the lineage.

The Jie Sect's billion-dollar society is missing this very item.

Today, the Chaos Bell hangs above Jin'ao Island, suppressing the destiny of the Jie Sect.

Even he could not easily shake it.

But so what?

The Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods was ordained by the will of Heaven.

Even the Chaos Bell couldn't stop it.

Hongjun withdrew his gaze.

He turned and looked into the depths of the Purple Cloud Palace.

There, a chaotic mass of primordial energy floated silently.

The Way of Heaven is the origin.

One-tenth of the product was consumed.

Ninety percent remain.

enough.

It is sufficient to support the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods.

This is sufficient to advance the predetermined course of destiny.

It's enough to suppress the Jie Sect.

Enough for Xuandu to face the calamity.

Hongjun slowly closed his eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, there was a deep, unfathomable calm in them.

Xuandu.

Although you have reached the seventh heaven.

Although there is a Chaos Pearl.

Although there is a Chaos Bell.

Although it possesses the fortune of the Jie Sect.

But so what?

Under the rule of Heaven, all are but ants.

No one can escape destiny.

You are no exception.

The sound faded, returning to nothingness.

......

Deep in Mount Sumeru

The void rippled silently.

Xuan Du's form materialized and landed deep within the mountain.

There was dead silence all around.

No light, no sound, no wind.

Only rocks, endless rocks.

Mount Sumeru is a sacred site of the Western Paradise, where the Bodhisattvas Jieyin and Zhunti reside. The Buddha's light shines everywhere, and the sounds of chanting fill the air.

But deep within this mountain, there was not a trace of Buddha's light.

Only darkness.

An eternal darkness.

Xuan Du stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

Under the cover of the Chaos Pearl, his aura, cause and effect, and origin were all hidden in the void.

Even Jieyin and Zhunti could not sense that he had gone deep into the mountain.

But his brows furrowed slightly.

No.

There was nothing there.

He could not sense even the slightest trace of demonic energy.

There was no demonic energy, no murderous intent, and no destructive rage.

Only deathly silence.

Endless silence.

"That shouldn't be the case."

Xuandu muttered to himself.

Rahu was the Demon Ancestor, born from the Chaos Demon God, and the first master of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation.

During the battle between the Dao and the Demon, he self-destructed on Mount Sumeru, scattering fragments of his true spirit there.

It means that the billions of dollars are dormant, suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, or their origin is exhausted.

It shouldn't have left not a trace of demonic energy.

unless……

Xuan Du's gaze sharpened.

Unless Rahu's true spirit is not here at all.

Unless his true spirit had already vanished into chaos after his self-destruction.

Unless that so-called "sleeping beneath Mount Sumeru" is nothing more than smoke released by Hongjun Daozu.

But if that were the case, how could Jieyin and Zhunti establish themselves in the West?

What they borrowed was the demonic essence left behind after Rahu's self-destruction.

Transforming it into the light of Buddha to guide all sentient beings is how Western religion came to be what it is today.

Without that remaining source, the West would be barren, how could two sages have been born?

Xuan Du stood in the darkness, his brows furrowed.

He remembered something.

Something that happened a long time ago.

The righteous path declines while the evil path flourishes.

These four words struck his heart like a thunderclap.

In the past, during the battle between the Dao and the Demonic Path, Hongjun and Rahu fought a decisive battle at the foot of Mount Sumeru.

Rahu was defeated, he self-destructed, and his true spirit dissipated.

But before he died, he made a vow:

"When the Way declines, the Demonic Way grows; when the Demonic Way grows, the Way declines."

"As long as Taoism prospers, demonic forces will decline."

"As long as Taoism declines, demonic paths will flourish."

"The Way and the Demon are irreconcilable, and their conflict will never end."

That oath was fueled by his foundation as a chaotic demon god, fueled by his origin as a demon ancestor, and centered on his fallen obsession.

It is etched into the Heavenly Dao and imprinted upon the primordial world.

The billion-dollar gathering has never disappeared.

Xuan Du's eyes brightened slightly.

The righteous path declines while the evil path flourishes.

What is the state of Taoism today?

The three schools of Taoism—Jiejiao, Chanjiao, and Renjiao—are all disciples of Hongjun Daozu.

The Jie Sect was at its peak, attracting countless immortals to pay homage, while the Chaos Bell suppressed its fortune.

Although the Chan Sect is not as powerful as the Jie Sect, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable broke through the Seven Heavens, and all twelve Golden Immortals became Quasi-Saints.

Although the Humanist sect has been abolished, Laozi is still at the seventh level of the Heavenly Realm. Although he only has one disciple, he is still at the peak of the Quasi-Saint level.

The three religions are flourishing, like the sun at its zenith.

The Taoist sect is currently at its peak.

And what about the demonic path?

The Demon Ancestor slumbered, the demonic path declined, and demonic energy ceased to exist.

In the primordial world, there were no more demonic cultivators.

Is the Way declining while the Demonic Way is rising?

No.

Now the Taoist priests have prevailed and the demons have vanquished.

The most prosperous time for Taoism was the most declining time for demonic Taoism.

That was when Rahu's true spirit was at its weakest.

Xuan Du stood in the darkness, his eyes gleaming.

He got it.

Why can't I sense any demonic aura?

Because Rahu's true spirit was so weak that even his breath could not escape.

Because the Taoist sect was too powerful, it suppressed the demonic sect, preventing it from gaining any traction.

Because of that vow that "the Way will decline and the Demon will grow," it has now backfired on Rahu himself.

The stronger the Taoist sect is, the weaker the demonic sect becomes.

The more prosperous the Jie Sect became, the more Rahu declined.

He probably can't even wake up now.

It can only sleep.

We can only wait.

Waiting for the day when Taoism declines.

Waiting for the day when the demonic path flourishes.

Waiting for the moment when that vow is reversed.

But when will that day come?

Xuan Du's mind raced with thoughts.

If Rahu were to wait on his own, he would only be able to wait until after the Investiture of the Gods.

During the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, the Jie Sect was the ones destined to face this calamity.

Hongjun Daozu orchestrated the billion-dollar calamity to suppress the Jie Sect.

At that time, all the immortals of the Jie Sect will be listed, and their fortune will be greatly damaged.

The Master of the Heavenly Sect was imprisoned in the Purple Cloud Palace and forbidden from leaving.

The Jie Sect exists in name only.

And what about the Chan sect?

Although Yuanshi Tianzun won the Investiture of the Gods, most of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect had their three flowers on their heads removed and were forced to reflect on their mistakes in seclusion.

The fortunes of the Chan sect plummeted.

What about the People's Education Press?

Lao Tzu originally had only one disciple, and after the Investiture of the Gods, he went into seclusion.

With the decline of the three religions, Taoism's fortunes plummeted.

And what about Western religions?

Taking advantage of the calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, Jieyin and Zhunti ferried three thousand mortals away, greatly boosting the fortunes of the Western Sect.

But they couldn't be kept either.

After the Investiture of the Gods, the Western religion separated from the Xuanmen sect and transformed into Buddhism.

Buddhism flourished, while Taoism declined.

Only then will Taoism truly decline.

Only then did the demonic path begin to grow.

Only then did Rahu's true spirit begin to revive.

And then later...

Xuan Du's gaze sharpened.

The Buddha is in chaos.

That was the reincarnation of Moro, born with the destiny of the demonic path.

With unparalleled demonic power, they attacked and captured Mount Ling, forcing the Buddha to reincarnate and causing all Buddhas to fall into ruin.

That was the time when the demonic path flourished.

That will be the day when the oath to eliminate evil and strengthen righteousness is fulfilled.

But that's too far.

They couldn't wait as long as Rahu.

Even if it's as far as Xuandu, we can't wait.

What he wants is now.

It was before the Investiture of the Gods.

It was before the birth of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

This is before humanity awakens.

This was before the return of the sage to his rightful place.

He wanted to invite Rahu to join the Jie Sect.

Before the deification ceremony, the drawbacks of real-time effects must be eliminated.

Before Hongjun makes his move, he must ensure that he has no worries about the future.

Therefore, he cannot wait.

We also cannot let Rahu wait.

He intends to use the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation to awaken Rahu.

We must use the Qi and fortune of the Jie Sect to help him reunite his true spirit.

We must use the principle of Hunyuan to guide him onto a new path.

Xuan Du took a deep breath, suppressing the surging thoughts in his heart.

He remembered something.

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation.

The Four Swords of Zhuxian: Luxian, Xianxian, Juexian, and Zhuxian.

When the four swords are unleashed together, only the four saints can break through.

This formation was created by Rahu.

He used the origin of the Chaos God as his foundation, the Way of Slaughter as his core, and the Four Swords of Zhuxian as his guide.

This supreme killing formation was forged with the utmost dedication throughout his life.

During the conflict between the Dao and the Demonic Path, Rahu used this formation to trap the four saints: Hongjun, Yangmei, Yin Yang, and Qiankun.

If it weren't for Hongjun's design, using the Three Saints as bait to deplete Rahu's essence.

The outcome of that battle was unpredictable.

After Luo Hou self-destructed, the Four Swords of Zhuxian fell into Hongjun's hands.

During a sermon at Zixiao Palace, Hongjun bestowed this formation upon Tongtian.

Tongtian used this formation to establish the foundation of the Jie Sect and protect the entire Golden Turtle Island.

The billion-dollar meeting has never been lost.

But is there any mark of Rahu left in that sword formation?

Does it retain the origin of Rahu?

Does it contain fragments of Rahu's true spirit?

Xuan Du's eyes brightened slightly.

Probably.

The Four Swords of Zhuxian were Luo Hou's innate treasures, connected to his mind and bloodline.

It means that he will self-destruct and perish, that his true spirit will dissipate, and that his sacred body will crumble.

Among those four swords, there must be traces of his remaining marks.

That mark was the key to awakening him.

That mark is the catalyst for reuniting his true spirit.

That mark was the bargaining chip used to invite him to join the Jie Sect.

Thinking of this, Xuandu turned around.

Step out.

The void rippled silently.

The figure in green vanished into the depths of Mount Sumeru in an instant.