The sea of suffering is boundless, spanning all heavens and myriad realms. Birth, aging, sickness, death, love, hatred, unfulfilled desires, and lingering obsessions—all these bind people in endless cycles of reincarnation, never granting them liberation.
Beneath Meng Qi’s feet, three illusory Great Dao paths condensed into a boat, carrying him across the vast ocean. As far as the eye could see, there was no shore in sight, only towering waves and fierce winds that threatened to capsize him at any moment, plunging him back into the sea of suffering to “drown” once more.
The closer one gets to the Great Dao, the harder the journey becomes. The sea of suffering has no bounds—where is the shore?
Inside the Jade Void Palace, the Pangu Banner, the Dao Yi Glazed Lamp, and the Supreme Primordial Origin Auspicious Cloud above Meng Qi’s head descended one after another, settling into his mud-pill palace. The surrounding anomalies vanished, and everything returned to normal.
Guang Chengzi immediately stood up, cupping his hands with a smile. “Congratulations, Junior Brother Sect Master, for attaining the Creation Realm and stepping into the final stage of the sea of suffering.”
“Congratulations, Junior Brother Sect Master, for attaining the Creation Realm and mastering divine powers,” Manjushri, the Venerable of Vast Dharma, along with Chi Jingzi, Yu Ding Zhenren, Dao Xing Xianzun, and others, also rose to offer their congratulations.
Even during the peak of ancient times, Great Divine Power cultivators were the foundation of top-tier forces. In the heyday of the Buddha’s existence, the various Pure Lands had no more than a dozen Creation Realm experts, each capable of being revered as a Buddha or Patriarch, dominating their era. Now that Meng Qi had broken through to become a Great Divine Power cultivator, aside from his status as the Primordial Beginning’s direct descendant and the current sect master, his personal strength alone granted him a pivotal position within the Jade Void Palace. In the current era, where powerful figures were returning across the heavens and myriad realms, his name was now counted among the most formidable.
Amid the echoing congratulations, Meng Qi smiled faintly and nodded. “We are all but drowning souls in the sea of suffering. There’s no need for such formalities, Senior Brothers and Sisters.”
Before his words faded, the Dao Yi Glazed Lamp hidden deep within his glabella flickered strangely, transmitting unfamiliar voices:
“Just give it to me… I swear, I’ll divorce my wife and marry you properly. If I break this vow, may I be struck by five thunderbolts!”
“This matter is confidential. Everyone must sign the contract and not leak it, or else face the wrath of Yin Fire, leaving no corpse behind!”
…
Hmm? What’s this…? Meng Qi was momentarily surprised before realizing that due to the uniqueness of the “Cause of All Effects,” after condensing his illusory Great Dao, he had gained some of the divine peculiarities of other Karma-related techniques that formed illusory Dao Fruits. He had effectively become a living embodiment of part of the Karma Dao itself. Oaths, contracts—anything involving retribution fell under the domain of karma, which he now governed.
Does this mean I’ll learn many secrets? A faint smile curled at the corners of Meng Qi’s lips. More importantly, this divine peculiarity of the “Cause of All Effects,” combined with the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, would greatly enhance his ability to obscure heavenly secrets and sense impending dangers.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, his right hand twitched slightly—ready to “light three fires” as a newly appointed official.
…
In an elegantly decorated boudoir, a beautiful young woman sat on the edge of her bed, arms crossed defensively over her chest. Before her stood a man in his thirties, wearing a soft hat and Confucian robes, his expression agitated, eyes slightly bloodshot. With an air of absolute sincerity, he declared, “Ziyin, just give it to me… I swear, I’ll divorce my wife and marry you properly. If I break this vow, may I be struck by five thunderbolts!”
Matters of gods and spirits were ethereal, but it was better to believe than to mock. Seeing the man so earnest and desperate, even daring to swear such an oath, the young woman was deeply moved. She reached out to cover his mouth, urging him not to speak recklessly.
At that moment, a blinding flash of white light erupted, illuminating the entire room.
Silver serpents of lightning slithered in through the window, striking the ground before the man—five bolts in total.
BOOM!
Thunder roared, and acrid smoke rose as the floor between the man and the woman blackened, emitting a charred stench.
“W-what…?” The two stared at each other, utterly bewildered.
He really was struck by five thunderbolts…
Though it seemed the lightning missed him…
Just as the young woman was about to speak, the man’s lips trembled, his face pale with panic. “Z-Ziyin, I just remembered something urgent. I have to go!”
Without another word, he fled in haste, his mind echoing a single thought:
I was just making an empty vow—does Heaven really have to take it so seriously?!
The young woman sat in stunned silence before suddenly bursting into tears.
…
In a secret chamber, nine individuals in varied attire were signing a Yin Fire Contract. Some exuded sinister auras, others wore black robes—clearly members of unorthodox sects—while a few carried an air of authority, their eyes haughty, as if they belonged to official households. They seemed to be conspiring in secret for some grand scheme.
“The Human Emperor is mighty and wise, but even he cannot oversee every detail. If you help us infiltrate the Six Gates and corrupt the Great Zhou’s bureaucracy, the rewards will be unimaginable. For example…” The black-robed leader spoke eloquently.
This was a familiar topic, and the attendees quickly finished signing the Yin Fire Contract. They rose, exchanging smiles and pleasantries to strengthen their bonds.
“No one can predict how far the current Son of Heaven will go. We have no choice but to hedge our bets…” One of the haughty officials concluded the night with these words.
Just as they prepared to leave, the chamber door burst open. A golden-badge constable strode in, his gaze fierce, while the exits were sealed tight.
“This constable has received intelligence of your conspiracy to disrupt the imperial court. You are under arrest!” the golden-badge constable declared sternly.
The nine conspirators exchanged stunned glances, their faces blank.
The plan had just been finalized, the contract freshly signed. No outsiders knew of it, and there were no surveillance measures nearby. How could the news have leaked?
This is downright supernatural!
…
Seated at the head of the Jade Void Palace, Meng Qi alternated between discussing Creation Realm insights with seasoned Great Divine Power cultivators like Guang Chengzi and processing various oaths and contracts. However, the novelty soon wore off. With slight adjustments, he delegated most tasks back to the Karma Dao, letting the fully formed Dao Yi Glazed Lamp handle them autonomously. He reserved only those vows involving Dharmakaya-level figures or mentioning his own name.
This distinction highlighted the difference between the Reward Body and the Dharmakaya. The former relied on retribution to refine oneself and align with the Great Dao, necessitating strict adherence to its principles until perfection. The latter, however, took the self as the foundation, emulating nature and forming illusory Great Dao paths based on aspects of the Dao. Thus, while the essence remained unchanged, the rules could be altered at will, granting greater freedom and unrestrained existence.
“At this stage, our demon race must attempt…” Suddenly, a contract-related message reached Meng Qi’s mind, making his expression tighten. This… this sounded like the voice of Little Fox Qingqiu, the successor of the Demon Saint.
Just as he focused to investigate, the voice blurred, as if obscured by something. No further messages followed.
Meng Qi frowned pensively. “Could it be that the Demon Emperor, aware of my breakthrough to the Creation Realm, deliberately concealed and managed critical demon affairs…?”
What were the demons plotting just now?
Did it have anything to do with Xiaotian Quan’s visit?
…
Kunlun Mountains, Jade Void Palace.
“Hahaha! The Sect Master has attained the Creation Realm and mastered divine powers!” Da Qinggen laughed wildly, hands on hips.
Though not particularly strong, its long lifespan had exposed it to countless mighty figures. It had keenly sensed anomalies in the Great Dao moments earlier, followed by the brightening of Meng Qi’s soul lamp—no longer drowning in the sea of suffering. Thus, it understood what had transpired.
Yu Banshan, who was practicing martial arts, heard Da Qinggen’s words and rejoiced. “Master attaining the Creation Realm makes him the first since the Middle Ages to achieve such a feat! This triumph must be celebrated across the world!”
“But Master hasn’t ordered this. Perhaps he wishes to keep it hidden for now?” Qi Jinxiu hesitated.
Da Qinggen’s eyes gleamed. “Don’t worry. Let’s proceed tentatively. If the Sect Master disapproves, he’ll stop us. Besides, such a grand celebration shouldn’t require his explicit orders—that would be beneath his dignity!”
Seeing Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu still wavering, Da Qinggen thumped its chest. “Leave it to me! If the Sect Master reprimands anyone, it’ll be me, not you.”
“Of course, organizing a celebration requires funds… Could you two authorize a batch of Yuanhuang Coins…?”
Hehe, this way, I can openly profit from Yuanhuang Coins!
After some deliberation, Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu approved the funds within their authority.
That evening, Yu Banshan returned to his room after training, took out his Myriad World Talisman, and entered a group chat with friends from his travels. Before he could speak, a message popped up:
“Today marks the glorious day when the Yuanhuang Immortal Venerable of the Jade Void Palace broke through to the Creation Realm! Forward this message to three groups to instantly receive 100 Yuanhuang Coins!”
“…” Yu Banshan’s jaw dropped as a sinking feeling took hold.
Meanwhile, in the Jade Void Palace’s gatehouse, Da Qinggen tirelessly forwarded the message, raking in Yuanhuang Coins.
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