The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

The Xuanlei, carrying its might, shattered the heavens; the golden body shot back to control the lightning.

I would rather my own body be shattered than let the common people perish like embers.

High in the sky, the Eagle Alliance's stealthy flying boat was moving stealthily, concealing its presence.

"Target locked, Holy Flame City center, three breaths countdown, activate thunder!"

The leading thunder master made a hand seal, and the black iron hatch under the belly of the flying boat slowly opened.

That world-destroying profound lightning, secretly crafted by the Eagle Alliance and containing five million jin of annihilating power,

It detaches from the hanger, the spiritual fire ignites, and it accelerates instantly.

In the blink of an eye, Lei Shen's speed covered a thousand miles, his tail flame trailing like a dark purple rainbow.

It hurtled straight down on its target with the power to destroy the world.

On the flying boat, two Eagle Alliance cultivators completed the lightning activation procedure and were about to turn the boat around and return.

One of them suddenly rubbed his eyes, stared at the spiritual energy array plate in front of him, and exclaimed in surprise:

"Senior brother, look! What's this?"

On the spirit array plate, a point of light is moving at an incredible speed...

It shot into the sky from the direction of Holy Flame City, coming straight towards us.

"An intercepting magical artifact? Impossible! What Western Desert tribe would possess a treasure capable of such rapid escape!"

"The escape speed is still increasing... a thousand miles, fifteen hundred miles... Heavens, this isn't a magical artifact, this is..."

Through the boat window, the two saw a sight they would never forget:

A figure radiating brilliant golden light was flying towards them at a speed that seemed to tear through the sky.

The man spread his arms wide, his eyes calm and undisturbed, yet his eyes held a resolute determination to face death.

"Spirit-Activating Crossbow! Fire!"

The black iron crossbows on both sides of the flying boat fired simultaneously, and black iron crossbow bolts, each about an inch thick, poured out like a torrential rain.

But the crossbow bolts were deflected by an invisible field of holy power as they approached within three feet of the man.

It sparked a sky full of sparks, but it couldn't hurt him in the slightest.

Su Qingxuan neither dodged nor avoided, his divine sense firmly locked onto the Annihilation Thunder.

He "saw" the eagle-shaped incantation engraved on Lei's body.

They also sensed the countdown to the eruption of Thunder Heart's Annihilation Power—only a hundred breaths left.

enough.

He drew a golden arc in the air, dodging the dark shadow flying boat.

It hurtled straight at the eight-meter-long world-destroying lightning bolt.

At the last moment, he looked back down at the city below—where four pairs of tearful eyes were seen.

He was staring intently at the horizon.

Sorry, Wanqing, Lingxi, Lingyue, and Chiying.

In this life, you will once again witness my death, but this time, it marks the beginning of our reunion.

A smile spread across Su Qingxuan's lips, and then she opened her arms.

He held tightly to the massive, icy-cold, and desolate lightning bolt.

Within Lei's body, a surging, boiling power of destruction pulsed within his consciousness:

Eighty-three breaths.

"Send this to me!"

Su Qingxuan let out a low shout, unleashing his full power as a Quasi-Saint.

Golden light shot into the sky, condensing into a ten-thousand-foot-tall phantom image of a saint in the air:

Wearing a black robe and a fish-shaped crown, he held ten thousand scrolls of poetry in his left hand and the three-lineage Dharma seal in his right.

Three golden wheels slowly rotated behind his head, corresponding to the three lineages of Daoist tradition.

Simultaneously, the Holy Image extended its giant hand, embracing the Annihilation Thunder together with its main body.

The direction was abruptly reversed...

The world-destroying lightning traced a near-right-angle trajectory in the air.

From heading straight for Holy Flame City, the direction shifted to the desolate Gobi Desert to the southeast—

That was a desolate wasteland, deserted for thousands of miles.

The Ink Shadow Flying Boat was tumbled several times in the air by this overwhelming force, almost losing control.

The two cultivators stared with bloodshot eyes at the world-destroying lightning bolt that had already been fired.

It was forcibly changed course by being held and shot into the depths of the desert at an even faster speed.

"This...this is a Saint?!...He took Xuan Lei away..."

Countdown: Ten breaths.

Su Qingxuan unleashed all his holy power, propelling the Xuan Lei higher and farther into the sky.

His speed exceeded the limit, and the air friction ignited a fierce wind and flame around him.

The golden light protecting his body gradually turned black, but his arms were as hard as iron, and he held on to Xuan Lei tightly, refusing to let go.

People on the ground looked up and saw a golden fireball streak across the sky, falling towards the southeastern desert.

Those with keen eyesight could vaguely see a human figure encased within the shooting star.

"What is that?"

"Is he a divine being who descended from the heavens?"

"Is he the savior mentioned in the ancient desert scrolls?"

On the mountaintop atop the House of Wisdom in Holy Flame City.

The four women were in tears as they watched their young master carry the World-Destroying Thunderbolt and fly into the desert.

Watching him engulfed in flames, watching his resolute figure recede further and further into the distance.

"Young Master—!"

The four women cried out in unison, their voices echoing through the sky, filled with heart-wrenching pain.

Countdown: Five breaths.

enough.

At this distance, Holy Flame City should be safe.

Su Qingxuan mentally calculated that the explosion point was 800 li southeast of Holy Flame City.

The explosion erupted from a great height; the annihilation shockwave and evil energy would be largely weakened by the heavens.

With the protection of the four women, the city and its five million inhabitants can be saved.

He glanced down at Xuan Lei in his arms.

These world-destroying weapons were originally extremely powerful and yang-like objects refined by cultivators.

How ironic that they were used to slaughter unarmed creatures.

"Very well, let me teach you one last lesson—"

Objects themselves are neither good nor evil; they can kill or save.

The key lies in who holds it and why it is used.

Countdown: Three breaths.

He recalled his father Su Wenyuan's teachings: "The way of the sage begins with self-cultivation and ends with helping the world."

He recalled his mother, Madam Liu's, gentle admonition: "Xuan'er, be a kind-hearted person."

I think of the courtyard in Qingxi Town, and the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Thinking back on every person I met along the way, and every life I saved...

I have dedicated my life to the path of righteousness, without regret or remorse.

Countdown: One breath.

Su Qingxuan raised his eyes and smiled, then said softly:

"Father, Mother; Wanqing, Lingxi, Lingyue, Chiying—see you in the Heavenly Realm."

"Take care, mortal!"

High above the desolate Gobi Desert, thousands of feet above the ground.

Five million jin of annihilating profound thunder erupted with a deafening roar.

A desolate lightning bolt, a million times brighter than the blazing sun, suddenly exploded, instantly illuminating the dark sky as if it were daytime.

Even in the city of Holy Flame, eight hundred miles away, people had to close their eyes and lower their gaze to avoid being burned by the lightning.

The blazing white light expanded wildly, instantly engulfing Su Qingxuan's body.

That destructive power, capable of melting gold and fossilizing stone, and annihilating everything, can turn even ordinary iron and stubborn rock into ashes.

But at the last moment of the eruption, Su Qingxuan unleashed the full power of the Three Meridians Seal.

This forms a protective zone with a diameter of 100 zhang (approximately 33 meters).

This wasn't to protect himself—he already knew his physical body would perish.

This area is designed to limit the power of the explosion.

The annihilating energy, which should have spread evenly in all directions, was forcibly gathered and restrained by the Three Meridian Seal Domain.

Ninety percent of the power was directed to the highest heavens, while the remaining ten percent spread rampantly in the desert.

The fireball expanded to a diameter of two thousand feet, then slowly rose, condensing into a huge dark purple cloud of tribulation.

The shockwave spread with overwhelming force, lifting the Gobi Desert surface into towering sandstorm walls hundreds of feet high.

The sand directly beneath the explosion was melted into a sheet of glass by the intense annihilation heat.

It refracts an eerie luster in the afterglow.

But Holy Flame City still stands.

When the annihilation shockwave reached the city, it was already at its last gasp.

The four women had already taken action together, setting up layers of protection:

Lin Wanqing's righteous aura condensed into a golden light shield.

Xiao Lingxi's pure and mysterious energy transformed into a blue barrier.

Xiao Lingyue's compassionate light formed a white lotus platform.

The chilling, murderous aura of the Red-Tasseled Army condensed into a crimson siege.

The four colors of light intertwined and swirled, transforming into a massive barrier that covered the entire Holy Flame City.

The shockwave struck the barrier, producing a deafening roar.

The barrier's light patterns trembled violently, ultimately managing to block most of the power.

Although a small amount of residual shock still seeped in, causing damage to some buildings and injuries to people,

It is a thousand times better than the calamity of destroying a city.

The city was saved.

Five million people survived.

Su Qingxuan's physical body vanished instantly amidst the annihilating lightning.

However, his true spirit remained intact under the protection of the Three Meridians Seal.

In the instant of the explosion, he felt not pain, but a complete liberation—

The cycle of cause and effect spanning ten thousand years has finally come to an end today;

The deep affection and loyalty I owed to the four women has finally been repaid today;

The mission of spreading the Way in the human realm has finally been fulfilled today.

The true spirit detached from the remaining body and slowly rose upwards.

Su Qingxuan glanced back at the lower realm:

Dark purple calamity clouds were slowly unfurling across the sky, like a blooming poisonous flower.

But Holy Flame City still stood, its lights gradually illuminating the city after the shockwave subsided.

Four incredibly powerful auras surged into the sky from the city.

That was when the four women, in their extreme grief, broke through the final seal of reincarnation.

He has fully recovered his cultivation.

Goodbye, human world.

"See you in the heavens, my girls."

The true spirit transformed into a thin golden light, piercing through the layers of clouds and flying towards the celestial realm deep in the sky.

Holy Flame City, at the summit of the House of Wisdom.

As the annihilating lightning illuminated the entire world, and as the shockwave swept in,

All four women simultaneously felt a tearing pain in their chests—

It wasn't a physical injury, but a response from the bond between our souls...

Young master, you're leaving.

That gentle and refined young master, that solitary figure throughout the ages, Su Lie,

In this life, Su Qingxuan, who preached and helped the world, protected them.

To save the five million lives in this city, he embraced the world-destroying lightning.

It transformed into the shortest yet most dazzling ray of light in the sky.

"Young Master—!"

The four women cried out in unison.

This wasn't a sudden shock; they had known all along that this day would eventually come.

But when that moment truly arrives, the pain that penetrates to the bone is still excruciating.

With this mournful cry, the seal of reincarnation that had bound them for countless lifetimes shattered completely.

Xiao Lingxi's body erupted with a sky-piercing blue light!

His immaculate body was fully restored, and his cultivation level broke through from the mortal Mahayana realm.

Human Immortal, Celestial Immortal, Golden Immortal, and finally, the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal!

True Lord Qingxi has returned after his tribulation!

Her ordinary cloth dress transformed into a flowing cloud-patterned robe, with subtle cloud patterns and an ethereal aura.

A blue-green mark appeared between his brows, which was the mark of a True Lord.

Tears streamed down Lin Wanqing's face as a surge of righteous energy welled up within her.

Five gleaming golden characters, "仁、义、礼、智、信", materialized in the air.

He achieved perfect mastery of the three realms of the Holy Gate and broke through to the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm!

Immortal Lord Wenqing has returned after his tribulation!

She was dressed in simple clothes, which transformed into a crane cloak for the Holy Gate, wearing a crown for the virtuous and holding a jade scroll.

His aura was righteous and peaceful, as if an ancient sage had descended to earth.

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together, sat down on the ground, and a thousand-handed lotus platform appeared behind her, with auspicious light spreading throughout the city.

He reached the Tenth Realm Perfection and broke through to the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal!

Venerable Lotus Moon has returned after countless tribulations!

Her plain clothes transformed into brocade robes, a halo appeared above her head, and she held a white jade bottle in her hands.

His eyes and brows radiated compassion and wisdom, as if a Bodhisattva had descended to earth.

With a crimson tassel, he looked up to the sky and roared, his blood-red aura soaring into the heavens.

A million phantom images of soldiers materialized in the air, then instantly transformed into blood-red lotuses.

He has mastered the art of warfare and achieved a breakthrough in cultivation, reaching the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm!

Li Ying, the Goddess of War, returns after her tribulations!

She transformed into a dark crimson battle armor, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, wielding a demon-slaying spear, and with a sunset longbow hanging at her waist.

His heroic spirit was overwhelming, like a god of war descending to earth.

The four women simultaneously rose into the air and hovered in mid-air.

They gazed at the dark purple cloud of tribulation slowly rising in the southeast direction.

Tears still glistened in his eyes, but his expression had already shifted from grief to determination.

The young master gave his life to teach them his final lesson:

Saints are not untouched by dust, but rather, they bloom pure lotus flowers amidst the dust.

"Deploy the barrier and protect the entire city!" Chi Ying shouted, her voice echoing throughout the streets and alleys.

The four women simultaneously activated their cultivation, unleashing bursts of blue, golden, white, and red light.

The four colors of light intertwined once more, firmly protecting the entire Holy Flame City within.

The aftershocks of the Annihilation Thunder, the lingering power of the evil spirits, and the haze filling the sky...

Upon impacting the barrier, they were weakened and purified layer by layer.

The calamity clouds slowly rose and spread, and black ash formed from the condensed evil spirits of annihilation fell from the sky.

It gradually dissipated under the purification of the barrier, leaving no trace of future trouble.

After an incense stick's time, the direct effects of the explosion completely dissipated.

The four women dispelled the barrier, hovering in mid-air, gazing down at the city that had survived the calamity.

People emerged from the bunkers one after another, still shaken but truly alive.

—This is the chance to live that the young master bought with his life.

"It's time to go," Lin Wanqing said softly, raising her eyes to gaze into the depths of the sky.

The four women simultaneously sensed the guiding power of the celestial realm—

Su Qingxuan's karmic ties have been severed, the cycle of cause and effect is closed, and their mission in the human world has also been fulfilled.

The Heavenly Gate will open, leading them to ascend and return to their rightful place.

But they did not leave immediately.

Xiao Lingxi landed on the ground and used her healing magic to treat the wounded.

Wherever the blue light passed, the skin and flesh healed and broken bones were reconnected.

Lin Wanqing organized the survivors to be resettled in an orderly manner, and with her ability to coordinate, she quickly quelled the chaos.

Xiao Lingyue chanted sutras to guide and save a small number of the deceased souls. Wherever the light reached, the souls found peace and were prevented from going astray.

Chi Ying assisted the Holy Flame City garrison in maintaining order, exuding the aura of a war god.

To nip potential unrest in the bud.

They used their final moments to practice the young master's principles:

The Great Xia civilization was characterized by benevolence and love for others; even in moments of parting, they never forgot compassion and compassion for the world.

An hour later, auspicious clouds gathered in the sky, and celestial music could be faintly heard.

A golden beam of light pierced through the clouds and descended in front of the four women.

The Heavenly Gate has opened.

The four women took one last look at this land that had suffered so much.

I glanced at the cooling Gobi glaze pit to the southeast.

Young master, we've arrived.

We will meet in the heavens.

Four figures rose slowly on golden light, flying higher and higher until they disappeared into the sea of ​​clouds.

On the ground, countless people from the Western Desert knelt and kowtowed.

They didn't know the whole story, but they all knew:

Several noble people from the Great Xia Dynasty in the East saved the city and all of them.

One of them, carrying the World-Destroying Mystic Lightning, flew towards the desert.

He single-handedly brought about a catastrophe.

"Great Xia...benefactor..." an old man with white hair murmured, tears streaming down his face.

Elder Hassan stood on the ruins, gazing in the direction where the auspicious clouds in the sky had dispersed, remaining silent for a long time.

After a long silence, he turned around and addressed the tribespeople behind him in a deep voice:

"What happened today should be engraved in the tribal history and passed down for thousands of years."

This great Xia sage died for the sake of all the people of my Western Desert.

From this day forward, the tribes of the Western Desert and the Great Xia of the East shall forever be friendly neighboring states.

The benevolent ways and peaceful principles of the Great Xia should be widely spread throughout our Western Desert.

Let the seeds of compassion take root and sprout in this land.

This day became the most tragic yet heartwarming chapter in the history of the Western Desert tribes.

On this day, the clouds of annihilation rose over the desert.

But the glory of the saint,

But it has forever shone into the hearts of millions...

It is:

As the clouds of calamity dispersed, auspicious light appeared, and the eyes of the people in foreign lands were filled with tears.

His death, though tragic, has resonated through the ages; the seeds of civilization have been sown in this desolate land.