Daojun, start from Penglai foundation building

The bells and chimes resound with celestial music, and the radiant glow of the sunset illuminates the sacred deity.

To the south of the Nine Heavens Palace, divine soldiers and generals cleared the way with gongs and drums, while strongmen and Taoist warriors beat drums and raised flags. Three thousand celestial maidens accompanied the procession, showering down nine-colored heavenly flowers. Celestial birds and beasts surrounded the procession, spreading layers of spiritual energy. Amidst the divine soldiers, generals, celestial maidens, and strongmen, stood a crystal cloud chariot with a jade umbrella and canopy.

As the crystal-clear flying cloud chariot slowly approached, auspicious clouds floated upon it, and the Dao wheel swayed gently. A Daoist, with an ethereal and otherworldly appearance, sat cross-legged on the chariot, holding a whisk in his hand, with a smile on his face, appearing very kind and approachable.

When the cloud chariot arrived at the Dou Niu Palace, a divine lord and star official bowed and said, "Greetings, Emperor Xiaoyun Changsheng."

Emperor Changsheng of the Clouds!

Jiang Sheng looked at the imposing imperial carriage: "Is that Qiongyun Daojun of the Zhenxiao Dao Sect in the Xiaoyun Realm?"

Lin Fan nodded, his expression somewhat complicated: "Yes, now that he is the Longevity Emperor of the Heavenly Court, the fortune of my Daoist immortals has been diverted to the Heavenly Court."

Lingwei remained calm, as if the Eastern Heavenly Daoist School had completely seized the fortune of the Xuanmen Great Calamity.

That's impossible.

To strive for perfection in everything, to occupy the extreme and complete, is neither a Daoist concept nor a principle of heaven and earth.

Don't you see those who claim to be blessed by heaven and favored by fate? They leave no room for maneuver in their actions, taking all the benefits. They either scrape the most precious natural treasures out of the world or smash and destroy them, leaving no descendants. Those who do not understand cause and effect or destiny are ultimately devoured by fate and fortune, and it is good enough if they die.

Even the Great Dao evolves from four to nine and then retreats to one; why do you insist on monopolizing the fortune?
"The theory of fortune and merit is that it is strong but not overwhelming, and one possesses much but not all of it; this is the right path."

“It is only right that the fortune be left to the Zhenxiao Dao Sect. After all, it is the orthodox lineage of the Xuanmen. If their lineage does not take some of the fortune, it will fall into the hands of others. It is better to let them take it, at least it will save a lot of trouble.”

Yuan Yi Zhenjun appeared beside Jiang Sheng and the others at some point. After exchanging greetings, they were full of admiration for Yuan Yi Zhenjun, who was wearing a sun crown and a Great Sun Daoist robe.

Lin Fan laughed and said, "Uncle-Master Yuanyi, now that your cultivation level has reached the Great Vehicle stage, it won't be long before you ascend to the Pure Yang realm, will it?"

The reason why Kaiyuan Tianzun conferred the title of Yuanyi Zhenjun as the master of a region of sun and stars was to allow him to immerse himself in the Dharma and use his Mahayana status to comprehend the mysteries of the Dao so that he could ascend to the Pure Yang realm as soon as possible.

Upon hearing Lin Fan's words, a smile appeared on Yuan Yi Zhenjun's usually serious face: "It should be about time in a thousand years."

"I have cultivated in the Integration Realm for nearly ten thousand years, honing my foundation for ten thousand years, but I am just one step away from the finish line."

"Previously, the existence of six Dao Lords from Penglai was unique in the Mountain and River Realm. Their fortune was strong, but there were not enough of them. Now, with the merger of the Three Realms and the establishment of the Great Thousand World, and having survived the Xuanmen Tribulation, we have earned a share of fortune and merit. This should be enough for us to break through to the Pure Yang Realm."

After saying that, Yuan Yi Zhenjun looked at Lin Fan: "Ling Zhao, you've followed me to become the assistant ruler of the Sun Star, so don't expect me to let you go."

"You are of the blazing sun constitution, more in tune with the way of the sun and stars than I am. You need to preside over the rising and setting of the sun and stars, and comprehend the rhythm of the great sun. If you can manage the sun and stars for a thousand years, the path of the Five Tribulations will be a smooth road."

Lin Fan said solemnly, "I understand, nephew."

As Daoist Qiongyun's entourage drove straight into the Dou Niu Palace, the auspicious clouds and radiant light filling the sky, along with the pure Yang heavenly might, all vanished in an instant. The assembled gods and star officials in front of the Dou Niu Palace breathed a sigh of relief. Before attaining this Heavenly Fruit, Emperor Xiaoyun Changsheng was a pure Yang Daoist of the Dao-holding realm. Even without the Great Emperor's Fruit, he was still a true master of the Great Thousand Worlds and a Chaos Sub-Lord. The arrival of such a Dao-holding Great Emperor in his true form, even if it was just a trace of his overflowing pressure, was something that the gods of the Upper Three Realms could hardly resist.

Now, in this Ninth Heaven Realm, as more and more immortals, gods, demons, and Buddhas qualified to attend the banquet at the Bullfighting Palace gather, the distinction between immortals and gods has become clear.

All the gods and deities, the star officials of the four directions, and other divine beings bestowed by the Heavenly Emperor were waiting in front of the Dou Niu Palace to welcome the honored guests from all directions. The immortals of the Eastern Heavenly Daoist sect gathered in the east, while the side sects were scattered in the south. The dragon lords of the dragon clan were arranged in the four directions according to the east, west, south, north, and four seas. As for the Buddhist sect and the demon clan, they had not yet appeared in the west and north.

Jiang Sheng looked around and saw that the immortals of Qinghua Dao Sect were calmly resting with their eyes closed on one side, while the people of Tianhe Dao Sect were pointing at the Divine Lord Star Officials in the direction of Dou Niu Palace with their heads held high. As for the Penglai family, they were scattered into several groups according to the generations of true disciples, chatting in hushed tones.

For example, on Jiang Sheng's side, there were the members of the Ling generation from Penglai: Ling Wei, Ling Yu, Ling Xuan, Ling Yan, and Ling Qiu. With Jiang Sheng and Lin Fan, the seven members of the Ling generation were all there.

Lin Fan looked towards the direction of the Dou Niu Palace and watched as Daoist Qiongyun's grand procession entered the palace. He said, "Daoist Qiongyun, you seem to be the first Chunyang to arrive, right?"

Yuan Yi Zhenjun shook his head: "The four emperors of the Heavenly Court have also arrived. Those Sun Lords and Moon Lords arrived even earlier than the Heavenly Court Emperors. Yan Guang Yu Ming Emperor, Ming Hui Lan Qing Moon Lord and others have already entered the Pi Xiang Palace."

"That is, those from the East, West, and North haven't arrived yet."

Lin Fan responded with an air of self-righteousness: "Those emperors and lords of the Heavenly Court rely on His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor for their livelihood, so naturally they should arrive early. As for Daoist Qiongyun, she has also pledged allegiance to His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, so how could she be late?"

"But how can they be compared to my Eastern Heavenly Daoist school?"

"If the Great Sage of the North doesn't come, and the Buddha of the West doesn't come, how could my Heavenly Venerable of the Eastern Heaven possibly come?"

Lin Fan's words were perfectly reasonable, and Yuan Yi Zhenjun, Ling Wei, and Ling Yu all agreed wholeheartedly.

With the end of the Xuanmen Calamity, the Eastern Heaven Daoist School has achieved a complete victory, and the Kaiyuan Daoist Lord has ascended to the realm of the Heavenly Venerable Master. Now, the Eastern Heaven has three Heavenly Venerables standing side by side. The Heavenly Emperor is holding a banquet. Apart from the Eastern Heaven, who else dares to claim the title of the most honored and noble guest?
As they were talking, suddenly the sounds of bells, chimes, drums, and music rang out again. In the north of the Nine Heavens Palace, the might of the Pure Yang Demon Saints swept in, and it turned out that several Pure Yang Great Saints from the Demon Emperor's Palace had arrived.

A large number of demon soldiers from the north came in formation. Tigers, leopards, lions, wolves, eagles, sparrows, owls, vultures, and all kinds of beasts and birds guarded a palace as it slowly approached. Below the palace, sixteen giant elephants could be seen supporting it. The giant elephants were thousands of feet tall and tens of thousands of feet long, with six tusks and backs like towering mountains. They were none other than the Six-Tusked Treasure Elephant King.

The sixteen six-tusked elephant kings carried the palace on their backs, and every step they took caused the earth to shake. On the left and right sides of the palace, eighteen golden eagles spread their wings, their sharp claws capable of splitting mountains and rocks gripping steel chains, supporting the weight of the palace from above.

With giant elephants carrying the mountain and golden eagles supporting the sky, the palace was able to proceed normally. Even before the palace arrived, it already faintly exuded the wild and untamed aura of a great demon saint.

"It is the Demon Saint's Palace of the Demon Emperor's Palace."

"This is what Yuan Yi Zhenjun said."

Jiang Sheng looked at the palace: "Legend has it that the Demon Emperor Palace's Demon Saint Palace was obtained from the Great Wilderness Realm. Its original form was a fallen sun. After the sun fell, it was forged by a Great Sage of the Great Wilderness Realm using heavy water and fierce fire, and was transformed into a magnificent palace weighing hundreds of millions of jin. Later, this palace was given to the Five Elements Great Sage as a birthday gift during his birthday celebration."

Yuan Yi Zhenjun nodded: "That's right, this is the palace."

"It is indestructible and fearless of wind and thunder, and undisturbed by water and fire. It contains a universe within itself, forming a small world that can contain fire-based weapons, and its power is immeasurable."

As the Demon Emperor's Palace slowly approached, the Dragon Lords, wandering immortals, and other powerful figures from the north immediately stepped forward to wait. In any case, the Demon Emperor's Palace was the strongest force in the Northern Continent and the Northern Sea.

“Yuan Chen is Kong Zhen.”

Lin Fan pointed to the Demon Saint's Palace. Jiang Sheng looked over and saw Kong Zhen standing at the palace gate. He was dressed in a brocade white feather robe, wearing a five-colored sparrow tail crown, with a jade belt around his waist and his hands behind his back. He was truly handsome and dashing.

"The Five Elements Great Sage, the Ocean-Connecting Great Sage, the Water-Overturning Great Sage, and the Divine Wind Great Sage have arrived!"

With a loud shout from Kong Zhen, the Demon Saint Palace broke free from the support of the giant elephant and golden eagle and flew straight towards the main gate of the Dou Niu Palace. The group of gods and star officials guarding the Dou Niu Palace also hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings, Great Saints."

The True Lords of the Eastern Heaven Daoist also bowed. The Five Elements Great Sage and the Divine Wind Great Sage had contributed to the Eastern Heaven Daoist, and as beings of the same realm, the Eastern Heaven Daoist naturally felt more affinity towards the Demon Emperor's Palace.

Jiang Sheng could see it clearly: before the Demon Saint's Palace entered the Dou Niu Palace, Kong Zhen winked at him, the meaning of which was clearly, "Fellow Daoist, I'll go in first."

Jiang Sheng smiled and shook his head, truly not expecting Kong Zhen to make such a small move in this kind of situation.

"Who is more reliable, those who have shared life and death, or the creatures of our own land?"

Lin Fan spoke softly, clearly having noticed Kong Zhen's little trick. Jiang Sheng remained noncommittal and said nothing more, only looking westward: "Qiongyun Daojun has arrived, the Great Saints of the Demon Clan have also arrived, and the Bodhisattvas and Arhats of the Great Lingyin Temple in the west should be here by now, right?"

As they were talking, Jiang Sheng suddenly sensed the sound of bells and chimes ringing in the south, celestial flowers falling, golden lotuses surging, and a radiant light of Buddha shining forth, bringing salvation to all directions. Then he heard the Dharma protectors chanting, "Pure Lotus Bodhisattva, Bright Light Bodhisattva have arrived!"

Two great Bodhisattvas from the Lesser Light Realm have arrived!
Lin Fan's spirits lifted, and he looked up: "Yuan Chen, I remember you had a confidante in that Lesser Light Realm, right?"

Before Jiang Sheng could speak, Ling Yu punched Lin Fan in annoyance: "Stop talking nonsense. Bai He from Shao Guang Realm was fighting Ling Yuan to the death in Di Xuan Realm. How did she become his confidante?"

Lin Fan was just about to show off his understanding of confidantes when he suddenly paused: "The people from Jinchan Temple and Tianlong Temple have arrived!"

Lingyu looked over and saw that, sure enough, behind the two great bodhisattvas of Shaoguang Realm, there were countless golden lotus flowers in the sky, and the shimmering Buddha light rippled outwards, with the sound of cicadas chirping. There were also heavenly dragons soaring through the sky, majestic and solemn, displaying gilded scriptures. It was clear that the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva of Jinchan Temple and the Dragon-Subduing Arhat of Tianlong Temple had arrived.

"The Golden Cicada Bodhisattva, the Heavenly Roc Bodhisattva, the Tide Sound Bodhisattva, and the Precious Light Bodhisattva of the Golden Zen Temple have arrived!"

"The Dragon-Subduing Arhat, the Poisonous Owl Arhat, the Laughing Lion Arhat, and the Deer-Riding Arhat of Tianlong Temple have arrived!"

Jinchan Temple and Tianlong Temple are major Buddhist temples that rebelled from Hengsha Realm. Now, backed by the Eastern Heaven Daoist School, they are extremely popular in the Southern Continent. They have also contributed to the Eastern Heaven Daoist School during the Xuanmen Calamity. The fact that the Great Sage Tianpeng and the Great Sage Zhenxiao from the Twelve Royal Courts of the Great Wilderness Realm converted to Buddhism is the best symbol of their contributions.

Upon seeing the arrival of Jinchan Temple and Tianlong Temple, all the immortals and true lords from Penglai, Qinghua, and Tianhe bowed and said, "Greetings to all Bodhisattvas and Arhats!"

The processions of Jinchan Temple, Tianlong Temple, and Shaoguang Realm met in front of Dou Niu Palace, a scene that surprised the gods and star officials.

What surprised them most was that the Pure Lotus Bodhisattva and the Bright Light Bodhisattva had stopped their ceremonies and were subtly confronting the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva and the Dragon-Taming Arhat.

The four Buddhist masters at the Dao-holding realm were locked in a subtle standoff. Even without using Buddhist teachings, a heavy and stagnant atmosphere rose within the Nine Heavens Palace.

"If Jinchan Temple and Tianlong Temple really fight against Shaoguang Realm, we must help them out no matter what!"

Lin Fan was eager to try, looking as if he was afraid the world wouldn't be in chaos.

As for those with the same attitude as Lin Fan, there were actually several from both the Qinghua Dao Sect and the Tianhe Dao Sect. In particular, almost all the True Monarchs of the Tianhe Dao Sect were eager to make a move. Since the Kaiyuan Heavenly Venerable ascended to the True Yang Realm of the Dao Master, the True Monarchs of the Tianhe Dao Sect had become more confident and ambitious. Now they were looking all over the world for an opportunity to establish their authority, afraid of missing any chance.

Jiang Sheng looked south. After the four Buddhist masters met, although their auras were in confrontation, their smiles remained unchanged.

Suddenly, the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva smiled and performed a Buddhist salute, saying, "Golden Cicada greets Fellow Daoist Mingguang and Fellow Daoist Jinglian."

Bodhisattva Mingguang smiled and returned the greeting: "Fellow Daoist Jin Chan, please. We have been invited by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor to attend the banquet in the Pixiang Palace. It is fate that we meet here outside the Dou Niu Palace. Why don't you go first, Fellow Daoist?"

Golden Cicada Bodhisattva then chided, "Fellow Daoist, since we came together, why is there a reason for us to be in front and behind? Why don't we enter together?"

Bodhisattva Mingguang nodded repeatedly: "Fellow Daoist Jinchan is right. In that case, let us enter the Dou Niu Palace together."

Lin Fan was dumbfounded, unable to understand why the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, whose auras had been subtly tense before, had suddenly become so friendly.

Suddenly, thunder resounded, and the Buddha's light spread everywhere. The vast Buddha's light came from the west, illuminating the westernmost point and shining brightly throughout the world. One could see Bodhisattvas and Arhats floating in the sky, together surrounding a golden lotus throne.

On the golden lotus throne, the Buddha Jinjue, the master of the Western Great Lingyin Temple, sat cross-legged with a smile on his face.

With eight thousand monks chanting Buddhist sutras and thirty thousand Vajras manifesting pagodas, and with Heavenly Kings protecting them from the front and back, and Venerable Ones standing on either side, the abbot of the Western Great Lingyin Temple, surrounded by Bodhisattvas and Arhats, displayed a truly magnificent and awe-inspiring presence, befitting a World Honored One of Buddhism.

Looking at the group of Pure Yang disciples from the Great Lingyin Temple who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Lin Fan finally understood why the two great bodhisattvas from the Shaoguang Realm had so readily made peace with the Golden Zen Temple and the Heavenly Dragon Temple. Before that Buddhist leader, they truly had no courage to stand up if they did not unite.

"I wondered who was expounding the Dharma and discussing the Dao outside the Dou Niu Palace. It turned out to be two fellow Daoists from Shao Guang Realm and some old acquaintances from Jin Chan Temple and Tian Long Temple."

The Buddha Jinjue spoke calmly, but the vast thunderous sound was like the roar of the Great Dao, making the faces of the Bodhisattva Jinchan, the Arhat Subduing Dragon, the Bodhisattva Mingguang, and the Bodhisattva Jinglian extremely ugly. In front of this True Yang who held the Dao, although they were at the level of upholding the Dao, they were clearly far inferior.

Let alone the four of them, even if four more came, they probably wouldn't be able to withstand the Buddha's oppressive aura.

After all, he was the Buddha who opened the Bodhi path and founded Mahayana Buddhism. Putting aside his fortune and merits, his vast and boundless Buddhist teachings alone made him invincible in all the heavens and myriad worlds. Even among those who master the Dao, he would not fall out of the top three.

Now that he has seen the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva and the Dragon-Subduing Arhat who betrayed the Hengsha Realm and divided the fortunes of Buddhism and the Hengsha Realm, he naturally has nothing nice to say. He seems to be smiling, but his pressure is pressing down on the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva and the Dragon-Subduing Arhat.

Sensing the overwhelming pressure emanating from Buddha Jinjue, which seemed to permeate all the heavens and press down on the universe, Bodhisattva Jinchan forced a calm smile and said, "So it is Buddha Jinjue who has arrived."

"We were just about to enter the hall together. Now that Buddha Jinjue has arrived, why don't we go first?"

At this point, the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva was willing to make concessions. After all, the Golden Awakening Buddha was already a man of immense Buddhist power, so why not give him a little leeway?

“What Fellow Daoist Jin Chan said is true. Buddha has suppressed the fortune of my Buddhist family and attained the Buddhahood. He should enter the hall first.”

"Who?!"

The Golden Cicada Bodhisattva glanced coldly. He was willing to give face to the Golden Awakening Buddha because he knew that even if their Golden Zen Temple, Heavenly Dragon Temple, and the two Mingguang and Jinglian from the Lesser Light Realm were no match for the Golden Awakening Buddha, it didn't mean he would give face to others.

"This old monk Maitreya greets fellow practitioners."

With a kind laugh, a Buddhist bodhisattva appeared from the west.

The Bodhisattva sat on a white lotus throne, with a smiling face and kind eyes. A group of venerable ones stood beside him, among whom the yellow-browed venerable one was the most extraordinary.

As the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva looked at the newcomer, his expression became solemn: The Maitreya Bodhisattva of the Buddhist Realm, has this person truly pledged allegiance to the Great Lingyin Temple?
Suddenly, the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva smiled and said, "So it is Fellow Daoist Maitreya. Fellow Daoist Maitreya is right. In that case, please let the Golden Enlightenment Buddha go first!"

Then, the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva looked at the Maitreya Bodhisattva and asked, "Fellow Daoist Maitreya, would you be willing to travel with us?"

Maitreya Bodhisattva remained expressionless: "That's excellent."

The Buddhist masters were engaging in cryptic exchanges, while the immortals of the Eastern Heavenly Daoist sect and the celestial deities and star officials of the Heavenly Court were completely bewildered.

It's clear that the two great Bodhisattvas of the Lesser Light Realm are at odds with the Golden Cicada Bodhisattva and the Dragon-Taming Arhat, yet they've shaken hands and made peace; it's clear that Maitreya Bodhisattva of the Floating Pagoda Realm should be on the side of the Great Lingyin Temple, yet he insists on traveling with the others mentioned earlier.

The relationships between these Buddhist bodhisattvas are truly incomprehensible, leaving people bewildered and prompting them to remark on the chaotic state of Buddhism.

Buddha Jinjue smiled as he looked at the several great bodhisattvas without saying much. They were just a group of bodhisattvas at the Dao level trying to take advantage of his power to fight him. No matter how they tried to outwit him, they were no match for him in the end.

Don't you see that even when all these Bodhisattvas and Arhats arrive together, they still have to nod and bow to you, letting you go first?

With a soft laugh, Buddha Jinjue slowly nodded and, surrounded by a group of Bodhisattvas and Arhats from Dalingyin Temple, was about to enter the Dou Niu Palace.

Suddenly, a heavenly sound resounded from the east, with bells and chimes ringing out in unison. Along with the vast heavenly sound, auspicious clouds and rosy light swept in, revealing twelve mysterious and colorful radiances. When the Golden Enlightenment Buddha turned his head to look, he could see that among the twelve mysterious radiances, three ceremonial guards were slowly approaching.

Heavenly soldiers led the way, and immortal lords accompanied them. The rosy clouds transformed into cranes, white deer, dragons, and phoenixes. Vast and auspicious clouds rose and fell endlessly, and the ethereal Dao wheel illuminated all the heavens.

The three ceremonial guards proceeded side by side, with three Taoist priests seated cross-legged upon them. Amidst the interplay of gold and purple, and the rising and falling of azure and black, a clear voice rang out:
"The Celestial Venerable Qingyan, the Celestial Venerable Mingyang, and the Celestial Venerable Kaiyuan have arrived!" (End of Chapter)