Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 605

On the banks of the River of Oblivion, a crucial place for reincarnation.

Originally, the Reincarnation Well swallowed and exhaled the souls of the three realms. A chaotic gray-white mist permeated the well's mouth, containing both the pure aura of newly reincarnated souls and the turbid currents of unfulfilled obsessions and resentment from previous lives. The intertwining of the pure and the turbid maintained a delicate balance bestowed by the Heavenly Dao.

It is this "turbid air of the mortal world" that acts as a glue, allowing the reincarnated soul to bear the seven emotions and six desires of the secular world and take root in the mortal world.

However, at this moment, the misty air emanating from the mouths of several enormous reincarnation wells had become extremely light in color, almost transparent!

The air around the wellhead was filled with an almost excessively pure, even somewhat thin and fragile, ethereal aura.

The giant demons, including the bear, frantically purified and stripped away resentment in the Swamp of Evil Souls. Yang Jian used his iron fist to cleanse the sins of the immortal sects, directly sending a large number of beings carrying heavy sins to the Avici Hell or subjecting them to extreme punishment. This resulted in a sharp reduction in the total amount of resentment that should have entered the Well of Reincarnation to be naturally "diluted".

The purified benevolent soul, imbued with pure soul energy, was thrown into the well, like pouring excessive nectar into a spring.

As a result, the ratio of "turbid and clear air" that had been maintained in the well for hundreds of millions of years was completely broken.

"Wow...wow..."

In the mortal realm, in the Southern Continent, in the Eastern Forest Prefecture.

The midwife took the newborn baby from the sweating mother's arms, her face showing no joy, only an overwhelming sorrow and sigh.

The baby was chubby and fair-skinned with regular features, but its eyes were as empty as glass beads, unresponsive to any sounds or touches around it.

He didn't cry, he didn't make a fuss, he didn't laugh; he just stared blankly at the roof beams. This wasn't the first, nor would it be the last.

In just one month, more than 100 newborns with intellectual disabilities appeared in Donglin County!

Slow to react, bewildered, like a delicate doll that has lost its soul.

A wolf demon tribe near the old site of Black Wind Ridge in Beiju Luzhou.

"Ow—!"

A wolf's howl, filled with ferocity, pain, and panic, shattered the tranquility of the night sky.

The wolf cub, less than three days old, still had the softness of its lanugo fur, but suddenly it erupted with uncontrollable, crimson, and violent demonic power!
The demonic fire uncontrollably spewed from its mouth, nose, and pores, instantly igniting the warm grass nest!
The mother wolf beside her pounced in terror, trying to lick and soothe her, but her fur was singed by the out-of-control demonic fire, and she let out a mournful howl.

Chaos reigned in the tribe, and similar situations were simultaneously erupting among several newborn demon cubs!

The imbalance of the Reincarnation Well is having its disastrous consequences reverberating throughout the Three Realms in the most direct and devastating way!

The newborn soul is too pure and fragile to bear even the most basic worldly emotions, turning into confusion and folly;

The reincarnated souls of demons, having lost the natural buffer and harmonization of the "turbid air of the mortal world," are like wild horses running rampant and out of control within their young bodies!

The news spread like wildfire, and panic quickly spread throughout the Three Realms.

In the mortal realm, emperors offered sacrifices and prayers to the heavens, seeking divine guidance; the various tribes of the demon race were filled with dread, some even beginning to suspect that this was a new round of purges by the Heavenly Court; the Heavenly Court, having just experienced the massacre of the immortal sects, was also in a state of utter chaos.

"Reporting to the Great Sage! True Lord Yang Jian! The balance of the turbid and clear energies in the Netherworld Reincarnation Well has been disrupted, causing the reincarnated souls to mutate! The number of newborn 'foolish children' in the mortal realm has increased dramatically, and the demonic power of newborn cubs has gone out of control!" The news reached the Heavenly Court immediately.

Sun Wukong looked at Laozi and said, "Laozi! This is the root of reincarnation, what should we do?"

Laozi closed his eyes and deduced, then slowly said after a moment: "Turbid energy is not evil, but the root of the mortal world and the resilience of the soul. Now the well is extremely clear but weak in turbidity, so it needs to be replenished with neutral and controllable 'turbid currents of the mortal world' to restore balance. However, this energy must be refined and controllable, and cannot be replaced by ordinary mortal worldly affairs."

All eyes instantly focused on the direction of Kunlun.

The core of a newly formed mineral vein is located in the heart of the Kunlun Mountains.

That eternally burning essence of the Purple Flame of the Douluo Continent seemed to sense the call of the Three Realms, its flames flickering slightly, casting their reflection on the Xuanlu Boy who was guarding it.

The young Xuanlu Boy suddenly opened his eyes, his youthful face filled with unprecedented solemnity and responsibility. Without any command, his figure transformed into a streak of azure light and rushed towards the location of the Reincarnation Well!
On the banks of the River of Oblivion, a chilling wind howled. Several enormous wells of reincarnation emitted an unnatural, pale light, like the empty eyes of dying giants.

Countless anxious underworld officials and ghost messengers had gathered by the well, their worried eyes all fixed on the blue light that had descended from the sky.

The Mysterious Furnace Boy landed on the edge of the largest Reincarnation Well, ignoring the gazes around him, and sat down cross-legged.
Take a deep breath and form a Taoist mudra with your hands in front of your chest.

"rise!"

With a clear shout, a phantom image of an ancient and imposing purple-gold alchemy furnace, exuding a rich aura of alchemy, suddenly appeared behind him!

On the furnace body, ancient hexagrams representing the balance of water and fire, and the harmony of yin and yang are clearly visible.

His ten fingers flew like butterflies, nimble and swift.

A wisp of the Pure Land Fire, representing the essence of "Heavenly Fire," was introduced into the alchemy furnace; the essence of Earthly Qi, symbolizing "Earthly Vein Magnetism," was drawn from the depths of Kunlun; and a pure, earthy aspiration, carrying the "hundred aspects of human life," was carefully guided and gathered by him...

"Yin and Yang alternate, purity and turbidity give rise to each other. The mortal world is not defiled, but rather the breath of all living beings!"

The boy from the Mysterious Furnace was chanting incantations, his voice young yet containing the true essence of the Supreme Alchemy.

"Condense! 'Worldly Elixir'—!"

A burst of light erupted from inside the furnace!

A strange pill, the size of a longan, as chaotic as a chicken egg, and seemingly containing a microcosm of countless lights, bustling city life, and joys and sorrows, slowly took shape in the heart of the furnace!
This elixir is neither pure nor turbid, yet it perfectly harmonizes all the flavors of the mortal world, and is precisely the source of the "resilience" and "emotion" required by the Heavenly Dao!

The moment the elixir was completed, the Mysterious Furnace Boy didn't hesitate and pointed his finger!
"Go!" The chaotic-colored "Dust Pill" transformed into a stream of light and plunged with perfect precision into the depths of the largest Reincarnation Well!
Om-!
The Reincarnation Well suddenly trembled!
The excessively pure and ethereal energy emanating from the wellhead surged violently, like water churned by a stone thrown in!

The mortal pill melted instantly, and an indescribable, warm and heavy chaotic current spread out, quickly merging and swirling with the remaining pure spiritual energy in the well!
The once almost transparent radiance at the wellhead was now visibly tinged with a faint, hazy hue, like the twilight, no longer dazzling, but appearing more profound, inclusive, and resilient.

"It's done!"

An old, veteran ghost judge was so excited that his beard trembled. He could clearly feel that the aura emanating from the well had returned to a long-lost, life-giving balance!
However, Xuanlu Tongzi's face turned slightly pale.

He clearly sensed that the mortal pill thrown into the well had not disappeared; it had become the pivotal core of the new balance within the well.

However, maintaining the stability of this "core" requires a continuous and pure human effort as fuel!

"Order all departments of the underworld to erect 'memorial monuments' in the City God Temples and Earth God Shrines of the mortal realm! All sincere incense offerings, prayers for peace and prosperity in the world should be guided and gathered, poured into the Well of Reincarnation, and used to nourish the mortal core! This is the foundation for maintaining the balance of reincarnation and the bond for the coexistence of the three realms!"

The boy from the Mysterious Furnace gave the order solemnly, his voice leaving no room for doubt.

When the elixir of the mortal world was poured in, the Well of Reincarnation, like a parched land receiving sweet rain, greedily swallowed and exhaled the chaotic currents of new life.

That hazy, twilight-like hue quickly spread, covering the blinding brilliance of the well opening, and a long-lost sense of balance, brimming with life, returned.

The restless well gradually calmed down, emitting a low and regular hum, as if a huge, repaired heart had begun to beat again.

In the Heavenly Court, in the Lingxiao Palace, the atmosphere did not relax despite the temporary stability of the Netherworld Reincarnation. Instead, it was stirred by another matter, with undercurrents surging and even a hint of tension about to be drawn.

Sun Wukong sat high on his throne, his gaze fixed on the warm, pulsating primordial spirit embryo deep within the starry sky.

At this moment, at the core of the chaotic nebula where the spiritual embryo is circulating, a wisp of fine yet incredibly clear, pure and resilient golden Buddhist pattern is flickering with the pulse of the spiritual embryo, radiating an aura of peace, compassion, and universal salvation.

This is precisely the manifestation of the original melting of the lotus seeds from the Eight Treasures Merit Pond bestowed by the Tathagata!
“Amitabha, well said, well said.” Guanyin stood below the steps, her countenance solemn and dignified, her palms clasped in a smile. “The spiritual embryo has been nourished by the lotus seed of my Buddha, and its spirituality has become more perfect and resilient, its mind clear and pure. It has also gained the power of compassion to illuminate the three realms and protect all sentient beings. The power of our Buddhist vows can also help the starry sky to cleanse the evil atmosphere. It is truly a blessing for the three realms.”

Before the words were finished, a cold snort, utterly impolite, came from the Taoist immortals.

"Ha, what a blessing for the Three Realms!" The Antarctic Immortal's snow-white eyebrows almost stood on end, his whisk clenched so tightly it cracked, his voice like a biting wind sweeping through the palace, "The Star Curtain is the barrier of the Three Realms, the embodiment of the will of the Chaos Origin Core, and should be impartial to the universe! Yet now it has been tainted by the mark of Buddhism, the Buddha's light spontaneously purifying evil energy—this is a generalization! If this continues, will the Star Curtain's protection of the Three Realms be truly the will of Heaven, or will it become an extension of the will of Buddhism?! With the guardians' hearts turned towards one side, how can there be impartiality? What becomes of the principles of Taoism?!"

This question is extremely sharp, directly targeting the very foundation of the spiritual embryo!
The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became tense. Although many Taoist officials did not directly confront the situation like the Antarctic Immortal, their eyes flickered, clearly indicating that they also harbored doubts.

Buddhist bodhisattvas and arhats, on the other hand, have faces as calm as still water, with a faint, radiant light.

Sun Wukong frowned. This matter concerned the very foundation of the Daoist tradition, and he also felt it was a difficult situation. His gaze unconsciously drifted toward the dark golden figure in front of the hall.

Sun Wukong leaned casually on the Star Source Seat, but his golden eyes, reflecting the chaotic nebula, were incredibly insightful.

He did not respond to the Antarctic Immortal immediately, but his fingertips unconsciously brushed against the cool and humid chaotic star crystal at his temple, feeling the protective intent emanating from the Buddhist pattern in the spiritual embryo, which was indeed more harmonious and resilient.

"The unity of the starry sky lies in inclusiveness and symbiosis." Sun Wukong's voice finally rang out, not loud, but clearly suppressing the undercurrents in the hall. "The Buddha's light shines everywhere, and the Tao follows nature; both are forces of protection. Why distinguish between them?"

"Great Sage, you are mistaken!" The Antarctic Immortal stood firm, his whisk pointing directly at the golden pattern at the core of the star curtain. "It is not that our Daoist sect is narrow-minded! This is the fundamental issue! If the spirit embryo's nature is too deeply tainted by Buddhist intent, how can its stance be truly neutral in judging future conflicts between the Three Realms? If Buddhist light becomes the first choice for purifying the star curtain, does it mean that Buddhist methods are inherently superior to Daoist methods? Once this precedent is set, the consequences will be endless! What our Daoist sect seeks is nothing more than 'fairness'! I urge the Great Sage to consider this carefully!"

“Public?” Sun Wukong’s golden eyes swirled with nebulae, and a faint smile curved his lips. “What is public? The spiritual embryo is the mirror of the heart, reflecting the true nature of all beings. Whether it is Buddhism or Taoism, if it can help them understand their true nature and stabilize the star curtain, then it is a good practice. If it cannot…” He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over both Buddhism and Taoism, “then it is a burden. Arguing is useless, but the Great Way can be debated.”

Just as the Buddhist and Taoist sides clashed, neither willing to yield, and the atmosphere inside the hall was tense, deep within the Kunlun Mountains, the eternally burning essence of the Tushita Purple Flame suddenly shone brightly!

A grand, ancient, and seemingly profound Taoist aura, as if containing the primordial truth of "the Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three" from the beginning of the universe, traversed endless space and descended upon the Lingxiao Palace!

Auspicious purple clouds travel 30,000 miles eastward!
The purest purple flames of the Douluo Palace condensed in the center of the hall, transforming into the phantom of an old man with white hair and a youthful face, dressed in a simple gray-white Taoist robe. It was a manifestation of a trace of the natal essence of Laozi!
Although it was not his true form, the vast and boundless Supreme Daoist aura instantly silenced the entire Lingxiao Palace.

"The Tao follows nature; its vastness has no bounds, its minuteness has no limits." The illusory figure of Laozi had a gentle gaze, and his voice seemed to come from beyond the heavens, carrying a peaceful power that soothed everything, yet it went straight to the core: "Buddha guides those with affinity, for affinity arises from emptiness. The way of protection lies in balance, in harmony, in the coexistence of all things without harming one another."

Laozi's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, landing on the distant Western Paradise.

At the same time, at the Great Thunderclap Temple on Mount Ling, on the lotus platform, the Buddha Tathagata, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to contain the birth and death of the three thousand great worlds.

He also felt Laozi's "invitation" across time and space.

Without any earth-shattering commotion, the two thoughts representing the pinnacle of Buddhism and Taoism in this world silently converged, collided, and merged in the depths of the vast starry sky above the Lingxiao Palace.

All the immortals and Buddhas in the hall, regardless of their cultivation level, held their breath at this moment, their minds involuntarily drawn by the invisible clash of wills.

That was not a contest of strength, but the ultimate explanation and confirmation of the origin of the universe, the true meaning of protection, and the way of all beings!

Countless Taoist and Buddhist principles transformed into visible golden lotuses, purple mists, and nebula talismans, which appeared and disappeared in the starry sky. Sometimes they seemed to grow like all things, and sometimes they seemed to be empty of all laws. In the end, they all pointed to one core—balance and symbiosis!

This clash of wills lasted for an unknown amount of time, seemingly a moment, yet also a thousand years. When the immortals and gods in the hall suddenly came to their senses and realized that their Dao hearts or Buddhist teachings had undergone a silent baptism and tempering, the endless evolving strange phenomena in the starry sky had slowly subsided.

A gentle yet profoundly enlightened voice resounded simultaneously from the Western Vulture Peak and the Supreme Being's illusory form before them, echoing in the hearts of every immortal and Buddha:

"good."

"The Tao follows nature, the Buddha guides those with affinity; the heart weighs all paths, and all arrive at the same destination."

The sixteen-character motto, like a resounding bell, dispelled all doubts and disputes!

Laozi's illusory image and Tathagata's thoughts vanished simultaneously.

But the next moment, next to the white jade ladder to the Ascension Platform, a huge stone tablet, unlike any other, rose up from the ground with a roar, bathed in endless starlight and the combined light of Taoism and Buddhism!

(End of this chapter)