The Primordial Era: Starting from Being Forced to Become an Apprentice of the Three Pure Ones

Jieyin's sigh was very soft, but Li Bai heard it clearly.

Just as he was thinking the time was right and was about to speak, Zhunti beside him moved first.

Zhunti strode to Jieyin's side, his gaze intense, and said:

"Senior brother, the Three Pure Ones all established great teachings and attracted the merits of the Heavenly Dao before they were able to attain sainthood in one fell swoop. The Great Dao is ahead, and its path can be followed."

If they can stand, why can't my brother? We should follow their example.

He also established a religion in the West, gathering auspicious energy to achieve perfect merit and attain sainthood!

Upon hearing this, Jieyin's eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light. What Zhunti said had precisely revealed the vague thought in his mind.

However, at that moment, Taibai stepped forward and said to the Western duo:

"Uncle-Master, establishing a religion is indeed the common path to sainthood. But can your disciple, Master, break through the shackles in one fell swoop through merit?"

All of them were born with the merits of creating the world, and their accumulated merits eventually led to their success.

The two senior disciples wish to establish a great Western religion; their merits and vows may be activated, but those merits may not necessarily enable both teachers to simultaneously attain enlightenment and sainthood.

Upon hearing this, the light that had just appeared on the faces of Jieyin and Zhunti suddenly froze, and their brows furrowed in unison.

Only then did they realize that their own foundation and strength were simply no match for the Three Pure Ones.

However, this solemnity and hesitation lasted only a moment. The desire for the holy throne and the obsession with the prosperity of the West quickly overwhelmed the warning.

Whether establishing a religion can lead to sainthood and supreme status, the two of them will ultimately have to try to find out.

Moreover, the one who spoke was merely a minor Taiyi Golden Immortal. Even if he was a disciple of the Three Pure Ones, how could he truly understand what such powerful beings sought?

"Haha, thank you for your guidance, junior brother, but we cultivators are inherently defying fate and fighting against destiny."

Whether one possesses a solid foundation or not depends on human effort; today, I ask my nephew to bear witness.

Behold how my senior brother and I will establish an eternal lineage for all beings in the West, and together ascend to sainthood!

After Zhunti finished speaking, he and Jieyin transformed into two streaks of light, soaring into the sky and arriving directly at the summit of Mount Sumeru.

"Heaven is above. Now there is the Western Guide (Cundi), who is moved by the barrenness of the West, the suffering of all beings, and the obscurity of the Great Way."

We two wish to establish a religious sect in the West, named the Western Religion.

"The purpose of Western religion is to save all sentient beings from suffering and bring them happiness, to guide those with affinity to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and to enjoy purity and freedom."

"We suppress the destiny with the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus of Merit and the Seven-Jeweled Tree. The Western Sect is established!"

When the two of them made their vows to establish their religion, the extraordinary phenomena in the world were far less impressive than those when the Three Pure Ones established their religion.

Above Mount Sumeru, only a thin layer of golden clouds of merit gathered, far smaller in scale than the vast merit of the Three Pure Ones.

As the Heavenly Merit slowly descended upon Jieyin and Zhunti's heads, their auras also rose accordingly.

His realm has far surpassed that of ordinary quasi-saint cultivators, barely touching that supreme threshold.

However, just as they were about to achieve their goal, the golden cloud completely dissipated, and the force that had been lifting them toward their final step came to an abrupt end.

In the end, they failed to achieve the same status as the Three Pure Ones, attaining the indestructible position of saints who coexist with the Heavenly Dao.

Zhunti could sense that the holy position that was so close was about to be lost because the total amount of merit from the Heavenly Dao was insufficient.

The joy on the face of the person standing to the side turned into a somber mood.

Throughout the primordial world, the thoughts of those powerful deities were once again focused on Mount Sumeru in the west.

In his mind, there was regret, indifference, but more than anything, there was undisguised mockery.

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, both seeing the bitterness and helplessness in each other's eyes.

With things having come to this, they composed themselves and descended slowly from the sky, looking somewhat forlorn.

Seeing the two land, Taibai seized the opportunity, quickly stepped forward, and once again solemnly bowed, breaking the suffocating silence:

"My two senior uncles, do not be discouraged or disappointed because of this. The Heavenly Dao is fifty, and one of them escapes. There is always a glimmer of hope for everything."

"This humble disciple has a plan in mind that may help my two senior uncles overcome this tribulation and attain the Primordial Chaos Realm."

Jieyin gave a bitter laugh, his voice hoarse:

"What good plan do you have, nephew? Please speak freely. If it can truly help my brother and I attain sainthood..."

Whether it succeeds or fails, we both owe you a great debt of karma, which we will surely repay one day. What do you say?

Taibai did not respond immediately, but bowed again:

"My two senior uncles, my plan is of great importance. Before I reveal it to you in its entirety..."

Please, my two senior uncles, swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao that you will never do anything detrimental to your disciple in the future.

Jieyin and Zhunti were taken aback at first, then a hint of confusion flashed in their eyes.

They couldn't understand why Taibai was so cautious, even to the point of demanding that they swear an oath.

Moreover, Taibai's teachers were three sages, so how could they dare to lay a hand on him?

However, when they saw the determination in Taibai's eyes, they realized that Taibai was not joking.

Moreover, it was merely a vow not to harm him, insignificant compared to the opportunity to become a saint.

"By the will of Heaven, I, Jieyin (Zhunti), hereby swear an oath today."

I will never again lay a hand on Taibai. If I defy him, I am willing to suffer the wrath of Heaven and have my true spirit annihilated!

As the vow was made, two invisible chains of cause and effect descended and merged into the depths of the true spirits of Jieyin and Zhunti.

The Heavenly Way trembled slightly as a sign of witness.

"Disciple thanks both senior uncles for their understanding and trust!"

Taibai bowed again, then placed his hands behind his back and began to speak:

"The two senior uncles failed to become saints simply because they lacked sufficient merit."

The only course of action at present is to make a grand vow to the Heavenly Dao, thereby accumulating merit to secure a sacred position.

After hearing this, Jieyin suddenly understood and laughed twice, saying:

"Haha, not bad! What you said is exactly what I wanted to hear."

Based on our shared path, the future of Western religion, and the infinite forces of cause and effect and the passage of time,

"I make a great vow to Heaven, borrowing merit to attain sainthood!"

In contrast, Zhunti gasped in shock. In his view, asking Heaven for merit was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin.

From this day forward, one's own path and the fortune of one's sect will be closely intertwined with the Way of Heaven. One must dedicate countless years to fulfilling the vows made today in order to repay them.

If one's grand aspirations are not fulfilled, or if unforeseen circumstances arise along the way, one may suffer a backlash from Heaven, resulting in the collapse of one's Dao fruit and eternal damnation.

However, looking at the almost resolute flame in Jieyin's eyes, and feeling his own awkward state of being suspended on the threshold, neither up nor down, he finally gritted his teeth.

If you don't become a saint, you'll remain an ant.

In this era when sages are about to emerge, the gap between a half-step sage and a true Primordial Sage will only widen.

If we do not fight today, the West will never have a chance to turn things around.

"My two senior uncles, this is an opportunity not to be missed, for it will not come again. Please make your decision quickly."

As long as one makes a grand vow to the Heavenly Way, the Heavenly Way will surely respond.

The merit bestowed upon them at that time would be enough to allow both of their senior uncles to simultaneously attain the indestructible state of sainthood!