Primordial Era: I cultivate the Great Dao of Unparalleled Power, driving even sages mad!

Li Bai's current mindset is that of a strategist: to live a life of compromise and avoid trouble if possible, and to forget about these two sages.

Li Bai is basically safe in the prehistoric world now. With Yaochi around, as long as he doesn't cause trouble, he won't be in any danger. Even the Investiture of the Gods tribulation can't harm him.

Let Yao Ji go and invite Laozi and Yuanshi!

The Shangqing Tongtian Sect Leader is relatively straightforward, and Nuwa is unlikely to overthink things. The two Western Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, are known for their humility, and it would be safer for them to go alone.

Li Taibai bowed to Yao Ji and said, "Fairy, your status is noble, and you are the younger sister of the Great Heavenly Venerable Haotian. It would be more appropriate for you to go to the Taiqing Saint and the Yuqing Saint. I will go to the Shangqing Saint, the Goddess Nuwa, and the two Saints of the West, Jieyin and Zhunti, to present invitations and respectfully invite you to come."

Upon hearing this, Yao Ji looked apologetic and said softly, "In that case, Tai Bai will have to go through a lot. The journey to the west is long and requires visiting three sages, which is much more complicated than our journey here."

Li Taibai quickly bowed and declined, saying humbly, "You flatter me, fairy. This is my duty, and I dare not say that I am being burdened. It is my honor to serve the Heavenly Court and share the burdens of the two Great Heavenly Venerables."

Yao Ji nodded slightly and said no more: "In that case, let us set off immediately and deliver the invitations to the saints as soon as possible, so that we can prepare for the follow-up matters of the grand event with peace of mind."

Li Bai replied, "It's all up to the fairy's arrangement."

After Li Taibai departed, Yaoji watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh in admiration: "Taibai Jinxing, truly a wise minister of Heaven! My brother is too suspicious! Fortunately, we have a wise minister like Taibai, otherwise my brother and the Empress would have fallen apart!"

Li Bai rode the clouds to bid farewell to the Jade Pool, intending to head straight for the Western Paradise.

However, the journey to the West was long and far beyond what Li Bai, who had just taken human form, could achieve with his own magical powers.

Li Bai pondered for a moment, then turned his cloud around and returned to the fairyland of Yaochi.

Upon entering the main hall of Yaochi, Li Taibai said, "Your Majesty, I have been ordered to travel to the West to invite Your Majesty. However, the West is too far away, and my cultivation is too shallow to cross such a long distance. I beg Your Majesty to lend me a hand and escort me on my way."

The Queen Mother of the West sat upright on her cloud bed and nodded slightly upon hearing this.

As a quasi-saint, sending an early-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal across the primordial world is merely a matter of lifting a finger.

Yaochi raised her hand and gently waved her fairy sleeve. Li Bai was surrounded by the golden light of Yaochi, and in no time, he arrived at the foot of Mount Sumeru in the west.

Li Bai straightened his clothes and looked at Mount Sumeru before him. The mountain soared into the clouds, its peak reaching the heavens. Auspicious clouds swirled around the mountain, and Buddha's light shone everywhere. Countless celestial birds and beasts roamed among them, exuding peace and solemnity.

Li Taibai sighed inwardly, "As expected of one of the top sacred mountains in the primordial world, its magnificent scenery is extraordinary."

"Venus, the planet of the Heavenly Queen Mother of the Jade Pool, has come to request an audience with the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti. Please inform them of this."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mountain gate slowly opened, and a figure walked out. It was Maitreya Buddha of the Western Sect. At this moment, he was wearing a kasaya, with a smiling face and an extraordinary demeanor.

Maitreya Buddha was personally taught by Cundi Jieyin, which is considered an extremely powerful lineage in the barren land of the West.

Maitreya Buddha's gaze fell upon Li Taibai, and he nodded slightly, asking, "This humble monk Maitreya greets fellow Daoist. Why do you request an audience with these two sages?"

Li Taibai cupped his hands and said, "So it is Fellow Daoist Maitreya. I am Taibai Jinxing, a disciple of the Queen Mother of the Jade Pool in Heaven. Today, the two Great Heavenly Venerables of Heaven wish to hold a grand gathering at the Jade Pool. I have come to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss on the orders of the Queen Mother of the Jade Pool to respectfully invite the two sages to grace us with their presence. This is the invitation."

After saying this, Li Bai presented the jade slip invitation with both hands.

Maitreya Buddha accepted the invitation, glanced at it, and immediately understood. He smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Venus, please follow me. The two sages are already waiting for us in the hall."

Li Bai responded and followed closely behind Maitreya Buddha, climbing the steps slowly to ascend Mount Sumeru.

Before long, the three arrived at the Mahavira Hall atop Mount Sumeru.

The Amitabha Buddha sits on a lotus throne with a compassionate face, surrounded by Buddhist light. The Cundi Buddha sits on the other side. The two are seated in a figure-eight configuration, one on the left and one on the right.

Li Taibai hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said in a very respectful tone: "This humble immortal Taibai Jinxing greets the two sages."

The sage Zhunti spoke first: "Where do you come from? What brings you here?"

Li Taibai respectfully replied, "Your Excellencies, I am Taibai Jinxing, the Grand Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court and a disciple of the Queen Mother of the West. Since the Heavenly Court was newly established, Your Excellencies wish to hold a grand gathering at the Jade Pool to gather the immortals and gods of the Three Realms and stabilize the order of the Heavenly Court. Therefore, I have come to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss on the orders of the Queen Mother of the West and Your Excellency, to sincerely invite Your Excellencies to grace us with your presence. This is the invitation."

After speaking, Li Bai once again presented the invitation with both hands.

Saint Zhunti raised his hand, gently accepted the invitation, scanned it with his divine sense, then nodded and said calmly, "Very well, you may go now."

Upon hearing this, Li Taibai continued, "My two sages, I have important matters to attend to on this mission. After bidding farewell to you, I wish to travel to Jin'ao Island in the East Sea to visit the Shangqing Sage. However, the journey from Mount Sumeru to Jin'ao Island is long and arduous, and my cultivation is too low for my magical power. I humbly request that you two sages lend me a helping hand and escort me on my way."

Upon hearing this, the Sage Zhunti smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying, "This matter is easy."

A golden light suddenly enveloped Li Taibai, and in a flash, he disappeared from the summit of Mount Sumeru.

The next moment, Li Bai appeared above Jin'ao Island in the East China Sea.

Not long after Li Bai left, he was inside the Mahavira Hall of Mount Sumeru.

The Sage of Guidance raised his eyes to look at the Sage of Zhunti and slowly asked, "Junior Brother, what is your opinion on the matter of Yaochi and Haotian?"

Upon hearing this, Zhunti calmly replied, "They are merely two newly arrived celestial attendants who wish to use the Peach Banquet to flaunt the status of the two Great Celestial Venerables."

Jieyin shook his head slightly and said, "These two are ignorant. No matter what they do, they probably can't reach the power and prestige of Dijun and Taiyi back then."

"That's just wishful thinking."

The Sage Zhunti spoke with disdain: "We have now entered the era of the Sage's Order, and the primordial order has been established. Even if these two possess extraordinary abilities, they cannot shake the order set by the Sages; it is nothing but wishful thinking!"

After a moment of contemplation, the Sage of Guidance said, "However, these two still have the titles and blessings bestowed by the Dao Ancestor."

Sage Zhunti chuckled and shook his head. "The Dao Ancestor has long since merged with the Dao and retired to Zixiao Palace, no longer concerning himself with the trivial matters of the primordial world. Even if these two possess extraordinary abilities, they are nothing more than puppets left behind by the Dao Ancestor."

Upon hearing this, Jieyin nodded slowly, acknowledging Zhunti's words: "Junior Brother is absolutely right."

Jieyin paused for a moment, then said, "Very well, the West is barren, and it's rare to have a Peach Banquet. These peaches are the Water Peach bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, one of the five great spiritual roots, truly a supreme treasure. Since it is a Peach Banquet, let us take our disciples there and taste the flavor of these peaches."

Zhunti nodded slightly and replied, "Very well, the Jade Pool of Heaven will surely present the Sage with the Peaches of Immortality. These peaches are useless to you and me, but they are still treasures to me. So, I will have Maitreya, Bhaisajyaguru, and the other disciples accompany us to the Heavenly Court to attend this Peach Banquet."

The guiding sage nodded in agreement and said no more.

At this moment, Jieyin and Zhunti's goal is straightforward: to freeload and enjoy themselves. After all, things in the East are not for the West to worry about for the time being!

..........

Teleported by Zhunti's golden light, Li Taibai's figure suddenly stopped above Jin'ao Island in the East China Sea.

The golden light around him had not yet dissipated, and beneath his feet were the surging waves of the East China Sea. Before him lay a sacred mountain shrouded in clouds and mist, its celestial light dazzling. The sudden spatial shift left Li Taibai momentarily disoriented.

At this moment, a female fairy walked slowly, her posture as upright as a pine tree, her eyebrows and eyes exuding heroic spirit, her actions decisive, without the slightest trace of coquettishness.

"Where do you come from, fellow Daoist? What brings you to Jin'ao Island?"

Li Taibai looked up and saw the person who had come. He felt that the other person was heroic and imposing, and his immortal power was profound and steady. He was no ordinary immortal. He quickly bowed and said, "This humble immortal is Taibai Jinxing, a disciple of the Queen Mother of the Jade Pool in the Heavenly Court. I greet the immortal."

"Now that the Heavenly Court has just been established, the two Great Heavenly Venerables, Haotian and Yaochi, wish to hold a grand Peach Banquet. They have specially ordered this humble immortal to come and pay homage to the Sage of Shangqing, present an invitation, and respectfully invite the Holy One to come."

Now, Li Bai is simply feigning humility and adopting an extremely subservient attitude.

Upon hearing this, the Holy Mother Jinling's eyes flickered slightly, knowing that they were guests from the Heavenly Court, and she did not ask any further questions: "Come with me."

Li Taibai hurriedly followed, and as they traveled, he admired the Golden Spirit Mother's dashing demeanor and couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness possesses extraordinary bearing and unparalleled power. May I ask your esteemed title, Your Highness?"

Without turning her head, the Holy Mother Jinling spoke frankly and directly: "I am the Holy Mother Jinling, a direct disciple of the Saint of the Intercepting Sect."

Li Taibai was startled and immediately cupped his hands in greeting: "So it is the Holy Mother Jinling! This humble immortal has long admired your name, Holy Mother, and has heard that your cultivation is unparalleled, making you one of the top female immortals in the Three Realms. No one in the Jie Sect dares to disrespect you. Seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is indeed well-deserved. Your dignified bearing is truly awe-inspiring!"

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit was always upright and disliked empty flattery, but upon hearing such sincere praise, a rare smile appeared on her heroic brows!

"You flatter me. I am merely practicing diligently and following my master's instructions. How could I have such a great reputation? There is no need for such praise."

Li Bai followed closely behind the Holy Mother Jinling and entered the Biyou Palace, the sacred site of the Jie Sect.

Inside the hall, a sea of ​​clouds stretched out, the sword path was hidden in all directions, the spiritual energy was vast, and the Daoist charm was boundless.

On the central high platform, the Tongtian Sect Master of Shangqing sat upright, surrounded by the Great Dao of Slaughter.

Upon seeing the Tongtian Sect Leader atop the Cloud Terrace, Li Bai dared not show the slightest negligence. He immediately straightened his robes, clasped his hands in a fist, and bowed deeply, performing the grand ceremony of paying homage to the sage.

"Little immortal, Venus, the Venus of the Queen Mother of the West, pays respects to the Supreme Saint of the Heavenly Purity."

Tongtian slowly raised his eyes, his gaze falling indifferently on the person who had come below: "What brings you from so far to Jin'ao Island?"

Li Taibai slowly explained his purpose: "Reporting to the Sage, when the Heavenly Court was first established, the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Jade Heaven and the Golden Mother of the Jade Pool jointly governed the Celestial Court of the Three Realms."

"The two Great Celestial Venerables have decided to hold a Peach Banquet to entertain the great powers of the Three Realms and all the holy immortals."

"I am here on Her Majesty's orders to deliver this invitation to the Holy One at Biyou Palace, and respectfully invite you to attend this gathering."

After speaking, Li Bai raised both hands high and presented the Heavenly Court invitation card engraved with celestial patterns.

Tongtian raised his hand, and a gentle force swept over it, catching the invitation in his palm. With a sweep of his divine sense, he had already seen through the whole picture.

"It turns out that Junior Brother Haotian and Junior Sister Yaochi wish to hold a Peach Banquet. In the past, Zixiao listened to the Daoist teachings together. Since they have invited me, I will naturally accept and will definitely go to the Heavenly Court at that time."

Li Taibai hurriedly said, "Thank you for your permission, Your Majesty. Your Highness will certainly clean the Jade Pool Wonderland to welcome Your Majesty's arrival. I also hope to hear Your Majesty's profound truths about the glimmer of hope."

This line encapsulates the main significance of Li Bai's visit: to find an outsider for Yaochi!

This is preparation for the future; once Yaochi is to hold the grand sacrificial ceremony for Hongjun, it will need external assistance.

Li Bai would definitely not choose one of the two Western figures, and Lao Tzu's philosophy of non-action, or even non-interference, would not allow him to leave any possibility of foreign aid!

Even if Yuanshi Tianzun is the only one who is supreme, Yaochi can't avoid Yuanshi's test if he wants to find some benefits in the prehistoric world after passing the Haotian hurdle!

Basically, Li Taibai knew very well that the first test on the path to enlightenment was Haotian, the second test was Yuanshi, and the third test was Laozi. As for Tongtian, when he faced the Investiture of the Gods, he would basically be unable to protect himself!

Why choose Tongtian? Because when Yaochi faces Yuanshi, Tongtian is naturally at odds with Yuanshi. This is a clash between their Great Daos, so Tongtian is a natural external ally!

Although Tongtian is destined to fail, this is indeed an excellent opportunity to win over external forces. In any case, Yaochi is absolutely safe!

For Li Bai, Tongtian was of utmost importance. Once the Peach Banquet was held, it would be a time of change. Having a sage to assist him would be an invaluable asset!

Upon hearing this, Tongtian's previously indifferent gaze faltered, and a hint of surprise appeared between his brows.

"Oh? Yaochi also knows about and acknowledges my glimmer of hope?"

At this moment, Tongtian was stunned by Yaochi's recognition of his glimmer of hope, and then he was overjoyed. If Yaochi recognized him, wouldn't that mean that Daozu also recognized him?

Li Bai remained calm and composed, replying with unhurried confidence: "Your wisdom is profound!"

"The Dao Ancestor bestowed upon the Jade Pool Goddess the title of Great Heavenly Venerable who governs all immortals and controls the order of all immortals in the Three Realms. If the world were to become rigid, and the hierarchy locked in place, with no change in anything and no chance of survival for any living being, then countless wandering immortals, unorthodox cultivators, and other kinds of beings would never have a chance to rise again."

"If there is no glimmer of hope, the immortals will have no free path ahead. The immortals will become disunited and harbor resentment. The Empress's authority over the immortals will be meaningless, and the Celestial Court of the Three Realms will ultimately be unable to maintain its stability."

"It is precisely for this reason that Your Majesty deeply understands the fundamental principles of the Great Dao. You fully endorse the path followed by the sages, which emphasizes the equality of all beings and the survival of every immortal. This is not a heretical or unorthodox path, but rather the ultimate truth that sustains the coexistence of all immortals in the Three Realms."

"Therefore, Her Majesty often says that in the Three Realms, only the Great Dao of the Sage Who Reaches Heaven is the true source of life for all immortals!"

After hearing these words, Tongtian remained silent for a moment, then threw his head back and burst into laughter, the sound echoing throughout the entire Biyou Palace.

"Excellent! Excellent!"

"As expected of the Dao Ancestor who personally appointed her as the Lord of Immortals, Junior Sister Yaochi's vision and perspective far surpass those of the pedantic!"

"My humble Daoist has ten thousand immortals paying homage to me, and I advocate equality among all immortals, each seeking their own Great Dao."

"The Jade Pool governs all the immortals and recognizes a glimmer of hope. Since we are all on the path of immortality, we share the same origin and are destined to be together."

Tongtian's expression relaxed, and his tone became much more amiable: "Tell me, how should we find a glimmer of hope?"