Chapter 83: The Emergence of the Kongtong Seal

In truth, Tongtian himself understood clearly that if he wished to safeguard the lives of his disciples in the coming great calamity, he would need to hold back at least two of the Sages. Only then could he and his followers stand undefeated amid the catastrophe. Yet such a notion was fraught with difficulty. Why was this so? The primary reason lay with Jieyin and Zhunti from the West, who would never cease their ambitions. For the West to flourish, it needed to expand its influence, and the source of that influence was to draw talent from the East.

Whenever the opportunity presented itself, Jieyin and Zhunti would immediately emerge to reap the benefits—this was the truly fearsome aspect of the West.

Clearing his mind of these distractions, Tongtian entered a state of profound serenity. It had been long since he last had the time to consolidate his own cultivation. No matter the circumstances, without a stable foundation, the road ahead would be filled with hardship.

The world of the Great Desolation had already entered a new era—the Age of Sages. As the “legitimate representatives” of the Sages, these disciples were making their names renowned across the land.

Just then, from the direction of Mount Buzhou, a seal appeared. This seal was protected by nine dragon-shaped phantasms, a rare and extraordinary sight. This treasure was none other than the Qilin Seal, the sacred relic of the Qilin clan among the three primordial tribes. It had once fallen into the hands of the Elder Dragon of the Dragon clan, who infused it with the essence of his bloodline, thus giving rise to the legend of the nine dragons guarding it.

In the end, it was returned to the Qilin tribe for the sake of preserving the land of the Great Desolation and the inheritance of the three clans. In the chaos, the Jade Qilin of the Qilin tribe had left behind this sacred treasure of their people. Perhaps it was the will of Heaven, for the Qilin Seal, untainted by the primordial foulness, remained completely intact.

At that moment, from beneath Mount Buzhou, a divine radiance shone forth—the treasure was about to emerge. The mighty ones of the Great Desolation, always lacking innate spiritual treasures, all set their sights upon the Qilin Seal. None, however, anticipated that even the Sages themselves would be stirred and descend to the mortal realm.

Upon discovering the event, Tongtian hurried from the Eastern Sea, yet he was still a step too late. On the ruins of Mount Buzhou, he found his two elder brothers had already arrived. Since they had met, he could not ignore them. Approaching, Tongtian said, “Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I greet you both.”

“Third Brother, what brings you to Mount Buzhou?” asked Yuanshi Tianzun. Since the passing of the Holy Mother Taiyuan, Yuanshi’s demeanor had grown strange—sharp-tongued, critical, and fiercely protective of his own. Only now did Tongtian realize that this was the true face of Yuanshi Tianzun, as he had later known him.

But Tongtian showed no sign of joy, for he knew well: since the death of the Holy Mother Taiyuan, the bond between the Three Pure Ones had begun to fracture irreparably. In the past, she had held them together, but with her gone, deep rifts had appeared, impossible to mend.

“With this treasure about to emerge, I came to have a look,” Tongtian replied honestly. At the level of a Sage, there was no point in concealing one’s intentions—even if he did not speak, the others would see through him.

“When the treasure emerges, that will be the moment of our contest,” Yuanshi Tianzun said, his expression dark.

“Third Brother, would you be willing to let me have this treasure?” asked the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, who had been silent until now. “This treasure concerns the fortune of my sect. I hope you will consider and perhaps yield it to me.”

In truth, even without the Elder Lord’s request, Tongtian had already intended to let him have it. The Qilin Seal was vital for the Human Sect to stabilize the fate of the human race; it was the imperial seal used by the leaders of the humans to marshal their strength—a testament to its value.

“Of course. We Three Pure Ones are as one,” Tongtian agreed without hesitation.

Yuanshi Tianzun’s face grew even darker. Having spoken, there was no taking his words back—he may as well have stayed silent.

“My thanks, Third Brother,” the Grand Supreme Elder Lord replied, his heart filled with comfort. It was not the gift of the treasure itself that pleased him, but the words, “We Three Pure Ones are as one,” for these showed that Tongtian still cherished their bond. He decided to discuss with Yuanshi how best to nurture their relationship with Tongtian in the future.

As the Three Pure Ones conversed animatedly, a poem suddenly drifted from the West:

“The Great Immortal walks barefoot, the scent of jujube and pear upon him,
Treading auspicious clouds in wondrous form;
Twelve-petal lotus dais unveils divine treasures,
By the Eight Virtues Pool, gleaming white light is born.
Life as long as Heaven and Earth—no idle boast,
Blessings as vast as the flood—not wild talk;
Attaining the sacred relic, mastering the breath of the womb,
Serene and blissful—such is the Western land.”

This was the entrance of the Western Sage, the Honored Jieyin—a grand and imposing introduction, granting even the Three Pure Ones ample respect. The Three Pure Ones, however, felt somewhat ill at ease—what was this “serene and blissful Western land”? Was the East not equally blessed?

Still, having met, they could not ignore etiquette. Just as the Three Pure Ones were about to exchange greetings, another verse sounded from the West:

“The Enlightened Golden Immortal at the peerless hour,
The wondrous law of the West, ancestral Bodhi.
Neither birth nor death, threefold paths he treads,
Wholly vital, wholly divine, boundless in mercy.
Silent and natural, transforming with ease,
True nature as it wills, following the Dao.
Life as long as Heaven, a dignified form,
Through countless tribulations, the heart remains clear—Master.”

These Western sages were truly full of energy—if only they would devote themselves to cultivation instead of composing poetry to flaunt their literary elegance! Their true worth was well known; there was no need to show off. Such were Tongtian’s private thoughts, but of course, he could not voice them—doing so would be sheer foolishness!

“I wonder what business brings the two Honored Ones to our Eastern land?” Tongtian inquired, knowing full well the purpose of Jieyin and Zhunti’s arrival, but etiquette demanded that he ask.

Now, only the Empress Nuwa had yet to arrive. With Yuanshi and the Elder Lord already persuaded to help him seize the treasure, their side’s strength had reached its peak. Even if Nuwa did come, it would make no difference—their advantage was overwhelming.

“We merely came to observe,” said Jieyin, stepping forward to address the Grand Supreme Elder Lord. He then turned to Zhunti and shook his head with a faint sigh.

Anyone with eyes could see the truth: the Three Pure Ones stood together, signifying their unity. Clearly, their bond remained strong, and Jieyin’s schemes were foiled. With a troubled look, Jieyin said to Zhunti, “It seems this treasure is not fated for us.”

“Should we not try to contest it anyway?” Zhunti replied, their conversation now conducted entirely via spiritual transmission, without moving their lips. Zhunti was unwilling to give up—after all the effort to reach Mount Buzhou, to leave empty-handed was galling indeed.

“That will depend on our stratagems,” Jieyin responded, immediately adjusting his expression to one of stoic composure, as did Zhunti.

The Grand Supreme Elder Lord smiled serenely, as if the scales of victory had already tipped in his favor.

“You loose immortals have no fate with this treasure. Please take your leave,” Yuanshi Tianzun now announced coldly to the assembled immortals below.

Most had already realized, upon seeing the Sages appear, that the treasure was beyond their reach. Yet, curiosity about the contest among Sages kept some bold cultivators lingering near Mount Buzhou.

Upon hearing Yuanshi’s words, their resolve wavered. If mere presence could intimidate so, what of their true might? With this, they abandoned their ambitions and fled in disarray.

The Grand Supreme Elder Lord extended his hand, and his powerful divine force instantly enveloped the newly-emerged seal, drawing it into his palm. He laughed heartily and said to Jieyin and Zhunti, “My thanks for yielding.”

With that, he vanished from Mount Buzhou, while Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian each returned to their own abodes, closing this chapter.

Only Jieyin and Zhunti remained at Mount Buzhou, their discussion unknown to any other.