Honghuang: Fire De Huaguang, I am the Horse King of Human Education

"Senior brother! This..."

Lu Ya could no longer sit still. He suddenly stood up from the lotus platform and looked at Zhunti Daoist with a livid face.

"Yuanshi Tianzun is going too far!"
He clearly intends to use us as a pawn to kill someone and weaken our demon race! How can we agree to that?!

Zhunti Daoist slowly turned around, the look of pity on his face long gone, replaced by a deep helplessness and an imperceptible calculation.

He looked at Lu Ya, his voice low.

"Junior Brother Lu Ya, please calm down."

His gaze swept over the grief-stricken demons below, then turned to Lu Ya, his voice carrying a soothing tone.

“Junior brother, do you know that our Western Sect has the shallowest foundation in the primordial world? The Three Pure Ones are of the same blood and lineage, and although Goddess Nuwa does not interfere in worldly affairs, she is not an ally of our Western Sect.”

How difficult it is for our sect to flourish! While Brother Yuanshi's actions may seem like a ploy to kill, they are also a test and a form of suppression against our Western Sect.

He paused, his tone bitter.

"If my fellow disciples and I were to refuse today, we would be completely breaking ties with our senior brother, Yuanshi."

At that time, with the Three Pure Ones joining forces, how can our Western Sect withstand them? The Investiture of the Gods calamity is already extremely dangerous; if we also become enemies with the Chan Sect, my disciples, including you, junior brother, will likely not escape this calamity!

"But……"

Lu Ya wanted to argue further.

"No buts!"

The voice of the Taoist Zhunti suddenly turned stern, carrying an unquestionable determination.

"Junior brother! You must understand! Only by living can there be hope! Only by preserving the Western Sect can you preserve the last foundation of your demon race! As for the Great Tribulation..."

His eyes gleamed, and his voice softened.

"Junior brother, rest assured! In this great calamity, danger and opportunity coexist! I, your senior brother, will personally enter the calamity to protect you all!"
"As long as you heed my commands and act prudently, you may well be able to overcome this calamity, and perhaps even... find a breakthrough amidst the carnage! My position as the Protector King of the Western Sect can also be truly made famous throughout the primordial world through this great calamity!"

Zhunti's words, like a bewitching spell, calmed Lu Ya's anger somewhat.

Personally entering the tribulation? Providing comprehensive protection? An opportunity for breakthrough? Becoming famous throughout the primordial world?
These words, like a glimmer of light in the darkness, gave the desperate Lu Ya a glimmer of hope.

However, just as Lu Ya's mind wavered, a sudden change occurred below!

thump! thump! thump!
On the ground paved with golden lotuses in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, all the new generation of demons who had not yet reached the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm knelt down in unison!
They looked up, their faces filled with grief, indignation, and fear, but even more so with a near-mad determination!

"Lord Mingwang! Esteemed Ancestors!"

The leader was a young Golden Roc demon general, his voice hoarse and trembling with sobs.

"Please! Promise the Sage! Promise the Primordial Heavenly Lord! We don't want to die! We don't want the demon race to be completely wiped out!"

"Ancestor! Promise us! We believe in the Sage! We believe in the Bright King!"

"Ancestors! I beg you! For the sake of the demon race! For our sake!"

"Say yes! Say yes!"

Tens of thousands of new-generation demons knelt on the ground, uttering deafening, tearful pleas!
With the most humble posture and the most desperate voice, they forced Lu Ya and those ancestors at the level of Great Luo Golden Immortals to accept their fate of almost certain death!

"presumptuous!"

The bull-headed demon was enraged, and its demonic energy erupted. Its enormous hand was about to strike down on the kneeling demons.

"You ants! How dare you force our ancestor?!"

"stop!"

A Buddhist chant containing supreme majesty rang out, instantly dispelling the demonic aura of the bull-headed demon!
The Guide Daoist appeared in the air, standing on a twelve-petaled golden lotus of merit, his gaze calm yet carrying an undeniable aura of power.

"All beings are equal, so how can you speak of them as ants? Your hearts are still filled with anger, how can you enter my Western religion? This is the doctrine of my Western religion, and you must remember it!"

The bull-headed demon felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over its head when it was swept by the guide's gaze. Its anger was instantly extinguished, leaving only a chilling fear.

He stood frozen in place, not daring to move an inch.

"Amitabha."

The Taoist Zhunti also spoke at the opportune moment, his voice filled with compassion.

"You new generation, with pure hearts, care about the survival of your race, and your feelings are truly pitiful. Lord Mingwang and all the protectors are also considering the future of the demon race. How could they disregard your lives? Get up quickly."

He turned his gaze to Lu Ya, his voice guiding him.

"Junior brother, look, these demon lads are placing all their hopes on you. As a guardian king, you bear a heavy responsibility. You should prioritize the greater good and lead them to fight for a future for the demon race!"

Looking down at the dark mass of the new generation of demons kneeling, their eyes filled with pleading and dependence, Lu Ya felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction and vanity instantly fill his chest!

He felt as if he had returned to the heyday of the demon race's heavenly court, where all demons paid homage!
Although he was in a difficult situation, the feeling of being looked up to by everyone and having high hopes placed on him greatly satisfied his pride, which had been thwarted by Yuanshi Tianzun!
He forced a compassionate expression onto his face and slowly raised his hand towards the ground below.

"You... rise. I... grant your request!"

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!"

"Your Majesty, the King of Light, have mercy!"

A wave of heartfelt gratitude erupted from below.

"Good."

The Guide Daoist nodded slightly and addressed Zhunti.

“Junior brother, once this matter is settled, I will take these new generation disciples back to Mount Sumeru, into the Eight Treasures Merit Pool, to wash away their impurities, rebuild their foundations, and make them true disciples of my Western Sect.”

"Thank you, senior brother."

Taoist Zhunti nodded.

Without another word, the Guide Daoist rolled up his sleeves, and a gentle yet vast Buddhist light instantly enveloped all the kneeling new generation of demons below.

With a flash of light, they vanished into the Pure Land, along with the Guide.

On the edge of the vast Eight Treasures Merit Pool, only Daoist Zhunti, Lu Ya, and dozens of Great Demons of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level with gloomy faces and suppressed auras remained.

Zhunti Daoist's gaze swept over these great demons, and his compassionate and wise smile reappeared on his face.

“Dear Dharma protectors, there is no need to be so discouraged. Although the great calamity is perilous, it also contains supreme opportunities.”

His voice had a strange, seductive quality.

"Since the beginning of time, the primordial world has undergone several great calamities. Each calamity is the collapse of the old order and the establishment of a new one! It is also the opportunity for countless powerful beings to fall and for countless new stars to rise!"

During the great calamity of the Lich King, Emperor Jun and Taiyi perished, and Kunpeng fled. However, Houtu also reincarnated and became a Saint of the Earthly Path! This serves as a warning from the past!

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on the assembled demons.

"You are all at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, only one step away from the Quasi-Saint realm!"
This step might be the key to severing the three corpses! It might be the sudden enlightenment to condense the origin of the laws! And within the Great Tribulation, amidst the killing and fighting, the clash of destinies, it is the best battlefield to comprehend the Great Dao and break through bottlenecks! "The Quasi-Saint Realm?!"

The eyes of the powerful beings at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, including the Bull-Headed Demon and the Eagle-Faced Demon, instantly flashed with an uncontrollable glint!

That is a yearning for a higher realm! An ultimate pursuit of power!
Zhunti's words were like sparks thrown into dry wood, instantly igniting the ambitions in their hearts that had been suppressed by fear and resentment!
"Sage...is this truly the truth?"

The eagle-faced demon's voice trembled, and his eyes were filled with longing.

"Of course I take it seriously."

Master Zhunti smiled slightly, his smile compassionate and profound.

"My Western Religion has a wondrous method that can help you comprehend the true meaning of killing and accumulating merit and fortune. As long as you obey my commands and establish merits during the great eon, I will personally lend you a helping hand to break through to the Quasi-Saint realm!"
At that time, you will be the true protectors of our Western Religion, holding a revered position and living as long as heaven and earth!

"Aiming for Quasi-Saint!"

"Guardian Deity!"

May you live as long as heaven and earth!

These words, like the sweetest poison, instantly shattered the resistance and fear in the hearts of the great demons!

A burning ambition ignited in their eyes! The regret and resentment they felt before seemed to have been diluted by this immense temptation!

As long as one can break through to the Quasi-Saint level, become a true powerhouse, and possess supreme status and power, then... taking some risks seems worthwhile!

"We...will humbly obey the decree of the Sage!"

The demons exchanged glances, then bowed in unison, their voices filled with fervor and determination!
Zhunti Daoist looked at these great demons whose eyes blazed with hope and ambition, his smile unchanged, but his heart was ice-cold. A calamity with a nine-out-of-ten chance of death? The danger far exceeded their imagination?

He naturally wouldn't say these things. These powerful demons were merely pawns for the Western Sect to use in the Great Tribulation. If they were fortunate enough to break through to the Quasi-Saint level, it would naturally be a blessing for the Western Sect.

If not... then it is their fate, and they are just filling the Investiture of the Gods list, which can be considered as making the best use of them.

Their fate was sealed the moment they stepped into Western religion.

As Zhunti Daoist looked at the great demons before him, whose eyes had been rekindled with ambition and hope, his expression of pity deepened.

With a flick of his wrist, six Bodhi leaves, each a vibrant green with clear veins, radiating a warm luster and profound Taoist charm, appeared out of thin air.

"This is a leaf from the Bodhi tree that is my true form, containing the innate wood spirit and traces of my understanding of the Great Dao."

The Taoist Master Zhunti spoke gently, with a hint of expectation.

"The great calamity is perilous. This leaf can protect your souls from external demons and help you comprehend the Great Dao, understand your true nature, and realize your innermost thoughts. I hope you will study it carefully and not disappoint my expectations."

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and the six Bodhi leaves transformed into six streams of light, falling into the hands of Lu Ya and five other powerful demons, including Ox-Head and Eagle-Face, whose auras were the strongest and who had reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

The leaves felt warm to the touch, and a pure life force and profound Daoist essence instantly flowed into their bodies, invigorating Lu Ya and the others, as if even their souls had become clearer.

They quickly bowed and thanked them.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing this treasure!"

"good."

Master Zhunti nodded slightly and waved his sleeve lightly.

"There is no time to lose. You shall all follow me to Xiqi. The great calamity has begun, and this is the time for you to establish your merits and attain enlightenment!"

As soon as he finished speaking, an auspicious cloud rose from beneath the feet of Daoist Zhunti, its thousands of rays of auspicious energy and myriad rays of light instantly enveloping Lu Ya and the five great demons.

Auspicious clouds rose into the sky, transforming into a streak of light that shot towards the western part of the primordial continent.

Meanwhile, deep within the Western Paradise, atop Mount Sumeru.

Inside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool, golden light shone brightly, and the sound of chanting filled the air.

The pool water exudes a sacred aura that cleanses the soul and purifies the very essence.

By the pond, the Guide stood quietly, his face filled with sorrow, yet his gaze was as deep as the sea.

In the pool, tens of thousands of new-generation demons of various shapes and complex auras are immersed in the golden water.

Their faces showed pain and struggle, and the fierce demonic aura that had originally surrounded them quickly melted away and faded under the washing of the Merit Pool water.

Instead, wisps of pure, peaceful Buddhist spiritual light, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood, slowly emerged and grew stronger from within them.

"what--!"

A young tiger demon let out a painful roar, feeling his bloodline essence being forcibly stripped away and transformed!
The wildness and ferocity of the demon race were replaced by a strange, gentle aura that carried a forceful assimilation power!

He wanted to resist, but he was powerless in the face of the vast Buddha light and holy might.

"Hold on! This is a blessing from a saint! It's a great opportunity for a complete transformation!"

An older fox demon beside him hissed in a low voice. His eyes also showed pain, but even more so numbness and obedience.

He knew that resistance was futile; the only option was to accept it.

Gradually, the roaring subsided.

The pain on the faces of the new generation of demons in the pool was replaced by an almost numb calm.

The demonic energy within them completely disappeared, replaced by pure Buddhist spiritual power.

Their eyes, which had initially been arrogant and wild, became peaceful and compliant, even showing devotion and reliance on the Buddha's light.

"Amitabha."

As the guide looked at the "new disciples" in the pool, now refreshed and with pure auras, a barely perceptible smile slowly appeared on his sorrowful face.

He seemed to see the future prosperity of Western religions—ten thousand Buddhas paying homage, and believers as numerous as the sea!

These disciples, whose demonic traits have been completely removed and who have been integrated into the Western Sect's bloodline, will become the most solid foundation for the Western Sect's great prosperity!
The destiny of the demon race will ultimately be transformed into the destiny of the Western religion! This is... the will of Heaven!
The netherworld, deep within the six realms of reincarnation.

An endless sea of ​​blood churned, and the vortex of reincarnation slowly rotated, emanating a terrifying aura that obliterated true spirits and reshaped cause and effect.

In the center of the sea of ​​blood, a massive palace constructed from stark white skeletons stands majestically—the Ancestral Temple of the Witch Clan!
Inside the hall, the Taoist Ran Deng was emaciated and weak, bound tightly to a huge stone pillar by jet-black chains formed from the power of reincarnation.

Before him stood Lady Pingxin, dressed in hemp clothing, surrounded by endless ghostly death energy and the will of reincarnation, her gaze calmly fixed on him.

"Randeng, I will ask you one more time."

Empress Pingxin's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Where did that coffin lantern in your hand come from? This lantern contains the essence of reincarnation; it is no ordinary object. What is your connection with the Styx Ancestor?"

The Taoist Ran Deng struggled to raise his head, his face filled with bitterness and fear.

"Your Majesty...this humble Taoist...this humble Taoist truly knows nothing! This lamp...was something I obtained by chance in an ancient ruin when I was traveling through the primordial world in my early years...As for the Styx Ancestor...this humble Taoist...has had no dealings with him whatsoever!" (End of Chapter)