Chapter Ninety-Two: The Empress Descends, All Sages Emerge

In the blink of an eye, more than two thousand years had passed since the emergence of the human race.

During these two millennia, a momentous event shook the expanse of Fangzhang Island and reverberated throughout the primordial world. Over a thousand years ago, after a millennium of pregnancy, the little demon at last gave birth to a daughter for Chenxing.

At the moment of her birth, the laws of heaven and earth entwined around her, the principles of the Dao filled the skies, purple energy suffused the world, the Grand Dao itself appeared to shield her, and the four sacred beasts manifested to offer their congratulations. The Heavenly Dao bestowed upon her endless merit.

The river of time and space flickered within the chaos, countless worlds within its flow, ancient peoples bowed in worship as if welcoming a divine presence into the world. A domineering aura emanated from endless ages, as though an empress who ruled past, future, time, and space was returning.

All cultivators across the primordial wilderness knelt upon the earth—be they from the Witch Tribe, the Demon Tribe, or even the three thousand mighty ones of the Purple Palace. Even Hongjun appeared in the world, representing the Heavenly Dao, bending low in reverence.

In that instant, no one could control their own bodies, as if they were compelled to welcome the arrival of their sovereign ruler.

On Fangzhang Island, aside from Chenxing’s family, Nuwa, and the little demon in her chamber, everyone else involuntarily knelt.

When the child reached her first month, every being of significance in the primordial world prepared lavish gifts to celebrate. Even Hongjun sent Haotian to deliver a congenital spiritual root—a celestial apricot—as a gift for the child.

At the celebration, all eyes lingered on the girl in the little demon’s arms, each with their own thoughts. Though they knew her origins were extraordinary, they understood she was far beyond their comprehension. With Chenxing and Nuwa’s protection, none dared plot against her.

The festivities lasted a full century before the guests dispersed. Yet curiously, not only had the child emerged slowly from her mother’s womb, her growth was even slower—after a hundred years, she was no larger than an ordinary one-year-old.

On this day, within Chenxing’s bedroom on Fangzhang Island, he called, “Little Chenchen, come let Daddy hold you!” The child twisted her little face, burrowing into the little demon’s embrace, ignoring him. The little demon could not help but laugh with delight.

Chenxing looked dejected, seeing his daughter reject him yet again, forcing a smile as he tried to amuse her while she nestled in her mother’s arms.

Chenchen—that was the name chosen for her after both sets of parents discussed it. Strangely, from the day she was born, Chenchen refused to let Chenxing hold her. Whenever he took her from someone else’s arms, she would cry so loudly it shook the heavens.

But if anyone took her from Chenxing’s arms, she would immediately break into giggles. This left Chenxing perpetually frustrated, unable to understand what he had done wrong. Wasn’t a daughter supposed to be her father’s little treasure?

Despite a century of rejections, Chenxing never tired of trying.

After being refused once more, Chenxing sighed and walked out, recalling his younger sister, Chenmi. Ah, how adorable she was in childhood, so affectionate toward her elder brother.

Thinking of Chenmi brought him worry. Since Chenxing had returned from the heavens, he had not seen her. According to his mother, just short of a century before Chenxing’s return, Chenmi had finally broken through to the quasi-saint realm, her body maturing into that of a young woman. Yet her temperament suddenly changed; she insisted on adventuring into the chaos despite everyone’s objections, and then she disappeared.

Before Chenchen was born, Chenxing had asked Pangu and Nuwa to divine Chenmi’s whereabouts. They could only ascertain she was not in danger, cultivating somewhere in the chaos, but nothing more. Though Chenxing was disappointed, he breathed a sigh of relief—at least his sister was safe.

As Chenxing pondered where to wander, a grand voice resounded through heaven and earth: “Now I, Zhenyuanzi, moved by the lack of opportunity for all living beings to attain the Dao, hereby establish the Gate of the Dao, using the treasured Earth Book to suppress its fortune, to enlighten the masses. The Heavenly Dao bears witness! The Gate of the Dao is established!”

At once, boundless merit descended toward Mount Longevity. Soon, a saintly pressure spread across the primordial world—Zhenyuanzi had become a saint!

Sensing the majesty of Zhenyuanzi’s sanctification, all living beings bowed, crying out, “Mercy of the Saint!”

Chenxing was stunned. Was the age of the saints beginning already? With Zhenyuanzi as an unexpected variable, would the other saints still ascend as they had in the original history, all in a single day?

While Chenxing wondered, another voice followed swiftly: “Now I, Laozi, to repay the grace of heaven and earth, establish the Teaching of Humanity to enlighten the human race, using the treasured Taiji Diagram to suppress its fortune. The Heavenly Dao bears witness. The Teaching of Humanity is established!” Instantly, merit nearly as great as that for Zhenyuanzi’s sanctification descended upon Kunlun Mountain. Laozi had become a saint!

“My two junior brothers, if you do not become saints now, when will you?” Laozi’s mighty cry echoed through the world.

Chenxing was speechless. Did he need to make such a spectacle to help them? They were all on Kunlun Mountain; couldn’t he just say a word? Clearly, the old fellow wanted Yuanshi and Tongtian to owe him a favor.

Just as Laozi finished speaking, Yuanshi’s voice rang out: “Now I, Yuanshi, wish to enlighten all virtuous beings; I establish a teaching called ‘Explanation,’ to elucidate the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, using the treasured Pangu Banner to suppress its fortune. The Heavenly Dao bears witness. The Teaching of Explanation is established!” Merit descended; Yuanshi became a saint.

“I am Tongtian. Now I wish to establish a teaching called ‘Interception.’ May I intercept a thread of life for all beings. All beings may enter my gate; there is no discrimination. Using the spiritual treasure, the Green Lotus Sword, to suppress its fortune. The Heavenly Dao bears witness. The Teaching of Interception is established!” Under the blessing of merit, Tongtian became a saint.

Hearing the doctrine of nondiscrimination in Tongtian’s teaching, Chenxing nodded approvingly. Among the Three Pure Ones, he had some fondness for Tongtian, though sadly, he was later betrayed miserably by his two senior brothers.

In the War of the Gods, when ten thousand immortals gathered under the Interception Teaching, only a handful survived in the end, and even Tongtian, a saint, was suppressed by Hongjun for an entire era. In Chenxing’s view, Laozi and Yuanshi were too heartless.

Meanwhile, on the Western Spirit Mountain, Zhunti looked at his senior brother Jieyin and said with a bitter smile, “Senior brother, now that several in the east have become saints, we lack merit and may fall behind.”

His eyes showed a hint of envy.

After a moment’s silence, Jieyin gritted his teeth and said to Zhunti, “Now that the saints have emerged, we cannot lag behind. It seems there is only one way.”

Zhunti was stunned and quickly asked, “What way? Can it make us saints? Please tell me, senior brother.”

Jieyin replied calmly, “We lack the deep foundation of Zhenyuanzi and the merit of the Three Pure Ones’ role in creation. The only way is to borrow merit from the Heavenly Dao ahead of time to catch up. As for what comes after, we can only deal with it then.”

Understanding his brother’s intention, Zhunti pondered and then nodded fiercely in agreement.

Just when all beings in the primordial world thought no more would ascend today and began to rise, Jieyin’s voice echoed once more: “Now I, Jieyin, and Zhunti, as disciples of the Dao Ancestor, see that the Dao Gate flourishes, yet the living beings of the west are impoverished. For their sake, we are willing to leave the Dao Gate and establish a teaching in the west, called the Western Teaching. From now on, it stands alone. With the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus and the Seven-Treasure Tree to suppress its fortune, the Heavenly Dao bears witness! The Western Teaching is established!”

In an instant, countless strands of merit descended upon the Western Spirit Mountain.

Under the baptism of the Heavenly Dao’s merit, Jieyin and Zhunti felt the filth within them dissipate, their primordial purple energy melting away by half, yet they still failed to attain sainthood.

The two exchanged glances, feeling helpless. It seemed they would have to resort to that method after all.

Without further hesitation, Jieyin’s voice rang out again: “If I attain supreme enlightenment and become a Buddha, the land I reside in will possess immeasurable, inconceivable merit and splendor. There will be no hells, hungry ghosts, animals, or crawling creatures. All beings, including those from the realm of Yama and the three evil paths, who are born in my land and receive my teachings, will all achieve Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and never again fall into evil realms. If this vow is fulfilled, I shall become a Buddha. If not, I shall not attain supreme enlightenment.

First vow: When I become a Buddha, all beings in the ten directions who are born in my land will have bodies of purple-gold, with thirty-two marks of greatness, dignified and pure, all alike. If there is any difference in appearance, any ugliness or beauty, I shall not attain enlightenment.

Second vow: When I become a Buddha, all beings born in my land will know their past lives through countless kalpas, knowing all their deeds, good and evil. They will be able to see and hear clearly, and know all things past, present, and future in the ten directions. If this vow is not fulfilled, I shall not attain enlightenment…”

With each vow, the Heavenly Dao bestowed more merit, and when they reached forty-eight vows, the merit was finally sufficient, the primordial purple energy merged into their beings.

Jieyin and Zhunti achieved sainthood.