noffsinger Chapter 196 Heavenly Merit, Different Attitudes Towards Merit
Chapter 196 Heavenly Merit, Different Attitudes Towards Merit
Chapter 196 Heavenly Merit, Different Attitudes Towards Merit
In the primordial western lands, the destructive storm that swept across the heavens and earth finally subsided, leaving behind only an endless expanse of desolation and barrenness.
The mountains, rivers, and spiritual veins that once existed have now been reduced to scorched earth and deep pits, with dense and persistent calamity energy and destructive Daoist charm lingering within.
This foreshadows that this vast land will struggle to recover its vitality for countless future eras, becoming a truly barren place.
The malevolent aura accumulated during the initial calamity of the Dragon-Han era finally began to slowly dissipate in a true sense, with the withdrawal of the three races and Luo's defeat. The suffocating oppressive feeling between heaven and earth gradually faded away, revealing a glimmer of clarity after surviving the calamity.
In the void, the figures of four powerful beings who participated in this final battle appeared.
Hongjun Daozu's face showed a barely perceptible paleness.
The immense aura that had been forcibly elevated to the Quasi-Saint realm had long since subsided, stabilizing at the late stage of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm.
He was only more profound and reserved than before. It was clear that after this fierce battle and the final resistance against the explosion of the western ley lines, he had also suffered a great loss and some backlash.
His gaze swept across the ravaged western landscape below, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes before returning to calm.
The Great Immortal Yangmei remained as aloof as ever, except for the surface of the innate treasure space bead that protected him.
A fine crack was clearly visible, indicating that he was not entirely unharmed.
He gazed at this shattered world, his eyes filled with indifference to the rise and fall of the material world.
The Yin-Yang Taoist's aura was slightly disordered, indicating that he had expended the most energy in the previous battle.
If it weren't for Zhen Yuanzi's help, they probably wouldn't have survived the devastating explosion unscathed.
He looked at Zhen Yuanzi and nodded slightly in acknowledgment, everything understood without words.
Zhen Yuanzi was the one with the most stable aura among the four, as the faint connection between the Earth Book and the primordial land provided him with continuous support.
Although the Innate Five Elements Grand Array suffered considerable damage from suppressing the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, its foundation remained intact.
He remained calm and serene, gazing at the western land. His thoughts were not on the desolation before him, but on the profound impact of Luo Li's demonic path and the response of the Great Dao, as well as the Immortal Slaughtering Sword that he had suppressed within the Five Elements Formation.
Hongjun spoke first, his voice resounding yet sincere. He bowed to Yangmei, Yinyang, and Zhenyuanzi, saying, "In this calamity, we are fortunate to have received the strong support of the three fellow Daoists. They risked their lives to fight against Luo, thus saving the prehistoric world from destruction and allowing the Heavenly Dao to shine."
This humble Taoist priest expresses his gratitude to the three fellow Taoists.
He performed this ceremony with great solemnity.
Without the three of them restraining him, the outcome of his battle against Luo, who possessed the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation and his last trump card, would be uncertain, let alone forcing Luo to make a demonic oath and detonate the Western Paradise.
Yangmei Daxian slightly turned his body, refusing the full bow, and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Hongjun, you flatter me. Luo is acting against the natural order, attempting to prove his Dao through killing, thus disrupting the order. This is not just a matter for you alone, but a calamity for all living beings in the primordial world."
Our actions are in accordance with our own conscience, and to maintain the balance of the Great Dao.
His path lies in transcendence, and upholding a certain fundamental order is also part of his way.
The Yin-Yang Daoist returned the greeting with a solemn expression: "Indeed, the demonic path is rampant, and we cultivators have an inescapable duty to act. Fellow Daoist Hongjun, there's no need for such politeness."
Although his philosophy may differ from Hongjun's, they share the same goal in fighting against Rahu.
Zhen Yuanzi returned the greeting with a smile, his tone calm: "Fellow Daoist Hongjun, you are too kind. With the demonic calamity before us, we should naturally work together."
The fact that we were able to win this battle is also due to your strategic planning and your ability to turn the tide at the crucial moment.
His words were neither humble nor arrogant; he acknowledged the alliance's contributions and also recognized Hongjun's crucial role in his final breakthrough to the Quasi-Saint level, giving him ample face without placing himself in a subordinate position.
Just as the four were talking, a mysterious yellow aura suddenly spread across the heavens, and rays of golden light pierced through the calamity clouds that had not yet completely dissipated, like sweet rain falling everywhere, or like the heavens bestowing their favor!
A vast, peaceful, and extremely pure power began to gather—it was the merit of the Heavenly Way!
The golden light of this merit was far more magnificent than ever before, almost illuminating the broken western world, attracting the attention of all the surviving great beings in the primordial wilderness, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
This is an immeasurable merit that ended the initial calamity of the Dragon-Han era and quelled the chaos of the demonic path!
The boundless golden clouds of merit swirled and condensed in the air. Finally, about half of the merit transformed into the thickest and most dazzling golden pillar of light, heading straight for Hongjun!
Hongjun looked up, his expression calm, showing no sign of resistance. He allowed the vast merit to merge into him.
In an instant, his body shone brightly, merging with the golden light of merit, and his Dao body seemed to become even clearer and more transparent, connecting him with the Dao in the darkness more closely than ever before.
He closed his eyes and began to comprehend, his body radiating Daoist energy, as if countless worlds were being born and dying and evolving. His grasp of the secrets of heaven and his understanding of the Three Thousand Great Daos were deepening at an astonishing speed.
When he opened his eyes again, his eyes were filled with understanding. It seemed that he was only one step away from achieving the ultimate Dao and realizing the Primordial Chaos, and that he needed the right opportunity and the right accumulation.
He did not directly attain enlightenment through merit, but rather used it to deepen his understanding and solidify his foundation. His ambition was clearly to achieve the unity of the three corpses, and merit was merely an aid.
The remaining half of the merit split into three in the air, transforming into three smaller but still incredibly powerful golden streams of light, which fell towards Yang Mei, Yin Yang, and Zhen Yuanzi respectively.
It is worth mentioning that the golden light of merit that flew towards Zhen Yuanzi was noticeably thicker and more solid than the one that flew towards Yang Mei and Yin Yang!
Heaven's will is impartial, and it is clear that Zhen Yuanzi, in this battle, first solidified the defensive line, and then used the Five Elements Formation to collect the Zhuxian Sword in the middle stage.
Later, he assisted Yin and Yang and activated the earth's veins to resist the explosion. His contribution was second only to Hongjun, who dominated the battle and ultimately forced Luo to leave. Therefore, he had more merits.
Faced with such immense merit that would drive any cultivator mad, Yangmei, Yin Yang, and Zhen Yuanzi reacted in a surprisingly unanimous manner.
With a flick of his sleeve, the golden light of merit that was flying toward him was collected into a seemingly ordinary jade talisman, without being absorbed at all.
His path lies in transcendence and freedom in space. If he were to improve himself through the merits of the Heavenly Dao, he might become more entangled with the karmic causes and effects of the primordial world, which would hinder his pursuit of the unrestrained Great Dao of Chaos.
The Yin-Yang Taoist did the same; with a flash of the illusory Taiji diagram, he stored his merit within the diagram's space.
He pursued the balance of Yin and Yang, forming his own path. Although his merits and virtues were good, they contained the power of the order of Heaven.
Absorbing too much might affect the purity of one's own Yin-Yang Dao, creating an additional obstacle if one wants to transcend the constraints of the Heavenly Dao in the future.
With a slight thought, Zhen Yuanzi manifested the Earth Book above his head. The Xuanhuang Qi rolled up and absorbed the most abundant merit into the Earth Book, without refining or absorbing it.
His way lies in the earth, in chaos, and in the earth's way that will transcend the way of heaven in the future.
To him, the merits of the Heavenly Dao are more like a "resource" or "certificate" that can be used to refine treasures, comprehend and learn from the rules of the Heavenly Dao, and even offset certain karmic consequences in the future, but will never be a component of his own Dao foundation.
His goal is the Primordial Limitless Golden Immortal, a true transcendent being, how could he be bound by the Heavenly Dao and merits?
The distribution of merits was completed, and the strange phenomena in the world slowly dissipated.
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