Light Sea, Immortal Nexus.
In the Deep Bliss Pure Land to the west, at the Spirit Mountain Great Hero Treasure Hall, one could see countless ancient temples, layer upon layer, with Arhats and Bodhisattvas, and all manner of dharma appearances displayed upon lotus platforms.
And in the very center of the lotus platform sat a towering golden-bodied Buddha of solemn and dignified appearance. He possessed eighteen arms and twenty-four heads; his Buddha face displayed all manner of thoughts from the mortal world. He held various treasures, including rosaries, umbrellas, flower jars, swords, Vajra pestles, precious files, golden bells, golden bows, silver halberds, and banners.
The surging Buddha light rose slowly from behind the Buddha's head, like fire and pillars, piercing directly through the clouds.
What met the eye were towering stupas and the faint fragrance of utpala blossoms—a realm wholly apart from the dusty world, where clouds drifted idly and the days stretched long. Here, in this mortal realm, all karmic ties seemed severed, and within the Great Dharma Hall, nothing was lacking even across ten thousand tribulations.
"Amitabha."
Seeing this, [Guangming] let out a heartfelt, long breath. He felt that the air in this holy realm of Spirit Mountain was sweet, countless times better than his own Fu Long Temple .
Speaking of Fu Long Temple , times had certainly changed.
Looking back to those days, when the [Fu Long Arhat] was the abbot of the temple, he, a little novice monk like himself, wasn't even at the Foundation Establishment realm; he was destined to be nothing more than mere material for the [Fu Long Arhat] .
However, the era had changed.
Ever since the Dao Venerable ruled the world, the new firmament replaced the old, and the sun and moon regained their radiance, who didn't know that he, [Guangming] , had once been valued by the World Honored One and had even served as a Buddha Child ?
Not to mention—there was that person.
At this thought, [Guangming] even felt as if he were in a dream: The Dao Venerable—in his simple worldview, a Nascent Soul Dao Lord was already a being of the heavens.
No, never mind Dao Lords .
Even a Golden Core Bodhisattva was once a being beyond reach... Yet, after waking from a great dream, he had actually clashed with the Dao Venerable himself!
He had even once forced the Dao Venerable into a predicament where he could only flee in disarray beyond the heavens?
"Hiss."
At this thought, [Guangming] gasped. An inexplicable sense of excitement stirred in his heart. The current Dao Venerable was just a small-time nobody back then.
Rounding it up, am I evenly matched with the Dao Venerable?
With the Dao Venerable's talent and comprehension, to go from a small-time nobody back then to the current supreme existence that suppresses the Light Sea —I feel like if I were him, I could do it too!
[Guangming] looked up at the firmament, his gaze passing through the heavens of the Immortal Nexus, landing on the Dark Void, and landing on the [Door of Transcendence] located in that infinitely lofty place. The limitless majesty surging within the rift hung high in the Dark Void; no matter one's cultivation level, one could see this doorway.
It was like a sign, a flag.
The existence of the [Profound Nexus Governing Change Dao Venerable] and the [Door of Transcendence] stimulated every cultivator of humble origin to strive upward toward higher realms.
Because in this world, the [Variable] reigns supreme.
The road ahead is not a dead end; everyone has the opportunity to reach the summit.
At this thought, [Guangming] very skillfully loosened his palms that had been pressed together in the Buddhist manner, switched to a Daoist hand seal, and naturally said:
"Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable!"
As the words fell, [Guangming] spirited himself up and walked briskly toward the depths of Spirit Mountain to continue his diligent cultivation—and all of this was seen clearly by someone.
At the peak of spirit mountain, the towering holy image with twenty-four heads, located right in the center, suddenly lowered its eyes, its Buddha face—which had always been compassionate and peaceful—then curled its lips:
"Excellent, excellent."
At the center of the Buddha's brow, in the surging sea of consciousness, a wisp of the World Honored One 's divine sense manifested, sitting cross-legged on a lotus platform, watching with a smile as another figure appeared before him.
The Second Dao Ancestor of [Fate] cultivation, [Guiming].
Theoretically, he was the "past life" of the World Honored One, but because of the existence of that [Profound Nexus Governing Change Dao Venerable], he had survived and retained his self.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
[Guiming] spoke first, a smile on his lips: "Truly, the creation is mysterious and worldly affairs are inconstant. In fact, I have long wanted to come and have a conversation with [Me]."
"This statement is a great error."
The World Honored One shook his head: "In all the heavens and all the earths, [I] alone am the honored one. You and I are close, but ultimately, you cannot be called [Me]."
"Fair enough."
[Guiming] did not refute, only sighing: "However, in all honesty, your experience in the Light Sea and mine in the Divine Land are truly identical."
"Oh?" The World Honored One was startled: "In what way are they identical?"
"Equally weak."
[Guiming] put on an expression of having met a kindred spirit and whispered: "I heard that among the Dao Lords of the Light Sea , you were the weakest back then; anyone could step on you."
"Isn't it a coincidence? I was the same. Among the seventeen Dao Ancestors back then, I was also the weakest, which is why I was the only one who never thought of fighting the Final Tribulation head-on. My mind was filled only with running away, taking the sentient beings with me. From this perspective, it is no wonder we are past and present lives."
The World Honored One: "..."
If you are going to put it that way, I am not convinced. As everyone knows, a person's achievements depend not only on their own abilities but also on their era and background.
What era were you in?
Pre-Ancient Divine Land . Even if one doesn't call it an era of flourishing Immortal Dao, one could at least call it a prosperous age of cultivation. With those conditions, you being the weakest was because you lacked ability.
What era was I in?
Under the rule of the Primordial Saint of the Dark Void Light Sea, everyone was mere material. With those conditions, I was the weakest because I was deliberately targeted; there was nothing wrong with my ability!
At this thought, the World Honored One immediately prepared to argue from every angle that "I really wasn't the weakest, being schemed against by the Primordial Saint wasn't because I was 'weak', it was because I was targeted by the Primordial Saint; if you were in my shoes, you'd be about the same." However, before he could, [Guiming] predicted the World Honored One's reaction, proactively changing the subject:
"Speaking of which."
"How were you taken in as a disciple by the Primordial Saint back then? I heard that under the Primordial Saint, you are the eldest senior brother, having followed the Primordial Saint for an exceptionally long time."
At this, [Guiming] looked curious.
After all, among the various Dao Ancestors of the Divine Land, only he was somewhat special, having died the earliest, so he actually had no concept of the Primordial Saint whom everyone loathed.
He only knew that this person's Dao heart was [Supreme Forgotten Emotions], he was always unscrupulous in his dealings, and his style of conduct was despised by all Dao Ancestors.
But just how ruthless? How unscrupulous?
"To tell the truth, judging solely by his deeds, this Primordial Saint was a formidable hero. If not for the Dao Venerable back then, he would probably have been the one to win in the end."
[Guiming] counted on his fingers, enunciating each word: "He inherited the traditions of the School of Names and School of Forms, took four disciples to seize their aura, borrowed external forces to kill the Ancestral Dragon, created the [Paramita], then borrowed the [Paramita] to suppress [Sisui], immediately reached the summit of the Light Sea, and later even competed with the Dao Venerable, only losing by a single move and meeting his sorrowful end."
"Hmph."
At this, the World Honored One tugged at the corners of his mouth and sneered: "He only sounds decent at first glance. He is no hero; he is merely a small-minded person."
"But he was lucky."
"The despicable have the passport of the vile, and he was the most despicable of all, which is why he gained power. But this does not mean he was right."
"If you had truly lived with him, you would know how disgusting he was."
After speaking, the World Honored One even shuddered, even though he was long since a Dao Lord body, he still got goosebumps like an ordinary mortal.
Seeing him like this, [Guiming] was even more curious.
"Oh? How disgusting? Why doesn't Fellow Daoist tell me?"
As long as it was something that blackened the [Primordial Saint], the World Honored One never refused, so he nodded readily: "Since that is the case, then I will tell you."
So where to start?
"Hmm... Fellow Daoist just asked how that old bastard took me as a disciple. Actually, that is not accurate; he didn't take me as a disciple first."
"He took all four of us—myself, Pill Cauldron, Heaven-Mending, and Beast Taming—at once."
At this, the World Honored One 's face, which had been somewhat gloomy due to the mention of the [Primordial Saint], suddenly thawed. His brows relaxed, revealing a heartfelt smile:
"As for the final seniority of senior and junior brothers, we ranked it ourselves."
"I won't hide it from you, Fellow Daoist— the position of eldest senior brother was won by me with real blade and spear, by my own ability."
Withered vines, old trees, evening crows; a small bridge, flowing water, a family's home.
Looking across the vast Light Sea , this was merely a small realm, not even comparable to the provinces and land of some large world realms. In the Light Sea , it appeared extremely inconspicuous.
And on a cliff in the center of the small realm.
Four figures stood imposingly.
They each occupied a position, their expressions varied, but without exception, they all carried the pride and confidence unique to "proud sons of heaven."
One of them—[Shi Tianyi] —earnestly scrutinized the other three.
'Master said, status must be fought for by oneself. He has other urgent matters and let the four of us decide who is superior and inferior, and determine the seniority.'
At this thought, [Shi Tianyi] became even more serious.
In his simple worldview at this moment, the seniority in the master-disciple school directly determined whether one could receive the true teachings. It was a matter of cultivation; he could not afford not to compete.
However, he soon felt he had a significant advantage.
On the left was a person with black hair reaching to the waist, looking extremely beautiful; for a moment, he couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, but at a glance, he could see those thin arms and weak legs.
Back in his hometown, this kind of person would be sent away to be a catamite.
Nothing to worry about!
On the right, there was a bit of masculinity. Moreover, he wasn't very old, but his temper was not small. He glared at him, and he actually dared to glare back at him.
A brainless ruffian, he could capture him with one hand!
The last one... [Shi Tianyi] looked up at the youth directly ahead—no, rather than calling him a youth, it would be better to say he was still a child.
At most, he was eight years old.
However, unlike an ordinary eight-year-old child, he held his arms across his chest, his legs spread wide, his nose held high, looking as if "Heaven is number one and I am number two."
Theoretically, this should be the most negligible opponent, yet [Shi Tianyi] still felt a hint of threat. He couldn't see the Wisdom Light yet, but his innate spirituality still made him realize the terror of the child before him. This was likely a genius whose comprehension far exceeded his own!
'This is not good.'
[Shi Tianyi] was somewhat nervous. He was already seventeen years old this year, while the two beside him were at most twelve or thirteen. If he couldn't even beat this eight-year-old...
Then in the future, he would have to call him "Eldest Senior Brother"?
What kind of joke is this!
At this thought, [Shi Tianyi]'s expression grew increasingly grave. His dignity did not allow this to happen; he was determined to secure the position of Eldest Senior Brother!
"Cough, cough."
[Shi Tianyi] spoke first, deciding to act first to suppress the others: "In terms of seniority, it is generally based on age. I am the oldest here, so I am the Eldest Senior Brother..."
Before his voice faded, the masculine youth beside him immediately refuted:
"Why?"
"It is said that ambition does not depend on age, and cultivation does not care about youth. Who is the Eldest Senior Brother depends on ability. Let's have a fight; whoever wins is the Eldest Senior Brother!"
As his voice fell, the stunningly beautiful youth on the other side didn't seem to care much, gently agreeing with the masculine youth: "I am fine with anything; I have no objections."
The masculine youth was extremely satisfied to see this.
He first looked at the stunningly beautiful youth with approving eyes, then turned around to look at the eight-year-old child whose nostrils were pointing at the sky.
"Little doll, what about you?"
As soon as this was said, the child who had grown tired of holding his head up seemed to finally find an opportunity to speak. He hurriedly lowered his head, first rubbed his sore neck, then said in a milky, childish voice:
"Who are you calling a doll?"
"I am your grandfather!"
After speaking, the child patted his chest: "You don't need to compete anymore. You, Daoist here, I have the highest talent. The position of Eldest Senior Brother belongs to me!"
"Arrogant!"
The masculine youth immediately refused to accept this, stepping forward to give the child a heavy slap. However, as he slapped down, his expression changed.
The child also raised his hand. The fleshy little hand was now stronger than copper walls and iron barriers; with a light press, he pushed the masculine youth back.
"How is that possible!?"
The masculine youth widened his eyes in disbelief.
What the hell, is this eight years old? Could it be some old monster disguised as a child to scare me?
On the other side, the child was also somewhat shaken.
Clearly, he didn't have much combat experience. He had only reacted subconsciously. That he could push back the masculine youth with one press actually surprised him a bit.
However, this did not hinder his pride.
"Hoo... Wh-what? I'm amazing, right?"
The child put his hands on his hips and laughed toward the sky: "I'm not afraid to tell you, before I came, Master said: I am invincible at the same level!"
"Early stage of Qi Refining, no one is my opponent!"
"Spiritual power, Dao arts , Dharma body, comprehension, and cultivation method—I have no flaws! So you'd better obediently admit defeat and acknowledge me as Eldest Senior Brother..."
Before the child's voice faded, [Shi Tianyi] spoke.
"Cough, cough!"
At this moment, his expression had returned to calm, even with a hint of a smile: "Little doll, I haven't even made a move yet. Do you think you've already won?"
"Oh?"
The child immediately tilted his nostrils toward the sky again: "Why? You also want to challenge me? Don't cry if you lose! I have never been afraid of anyone in the early stage of Qi Refining !"
"Then what about the middle stage of Qi Refining?"
"I am also... Wait, what stage did you say you were?"
The child was stunned. The nostrils that had previously been raised high lowered themselves unconsciously. He stared blankly as the aura of [Shi Tianyi] erupted outward bit by bit.
In an instant, [Shi Tianyi]'s spiritual power whistled out. Middle stage of Qi Refining suppressing early stage—the absolute suppression in realm directly ignored all Light of Wisdom and the gap in comprehension, pressing the child firmly onto the ground.
[Shi Tianyi] didn't hold back either; he reached out and grabbed the child before him.
"Unfair, unfair!"
The child struggled vigorously: "If you have the guts, lower your realm and duel me at the same level! Only knowing how to use your realm to suppress people—does this count as a cultivation genius?"
"Fool, the high realm I cultivated so hard for is meant to be used at times like this!"
"Invincible at the same level? Watch me defeat you from a higher realm!"
[Shi Tianyi] sneered, raising his palm high.
The child widened his watery, big eyes, seemingly realizing something: "I warn you, Dad and Mom have never hit me, don't mess around..."
Slap!
"Awoooooo——!!!"
In an instant, the child's vigorous, shrill screams echoed in the clouds at the summit, lingering endlessly, interspersed with the sound of heavy, powerful slapping.
Afterward, because the child had been beaten up, he lay limp on the ground, while the masculine youth and the stunningly beautiful youth had mercilessly chosen to pick up the leftovers. Thus, in the end, the child not only failed to secure the status of Eldest Senior Brother but instead became the youngest junior brother with the lowest status among the four.
For this, the child held a grudge for many years.
It wasn't until he discovered that as the youngest junior brother, he could legitimately ask his "Senior Brothers" for New Year's red envelopes that he stopped making a fuss and proactively accepted this position.