Chapter 42: Zi Xiao Palace, Zhou Cheng Attains Enlightenment

  Zhou Cheng returned to Qingqiu Mountain with his disciples and instructed Kong Xuan: "In your spare time, take care of the human tribe. Within 500 years, if there is anyone who brings harm, regardless of who it is, kill them all." The human tribe was so weak that Zhou Cheng couldn't bear it. Although he didn't want to interfere too much with the human tribe's own evolution, some necessary support was still needed. Under the heavens, the human tribe should have prospered, but if they were too miserable, he couldn't bear it. Moreover, in the future, the struggle for dominance among the sects would bring disaster to the human tribe for thousands of years, and the human tribe would be pitied, being repeatedly schemed against by the saints until they were not even as good as ants.

  After Zhou Cheng finished giving his instructions, he closed himself off to cultivate the Tao. This time, the affairs of the human world had greatly disturbed his Taoist machine. He was originally a person from a later generation, and although he only had that short life of several decades, the wonderful experiences he had were probably unmatched by this immortal life. Although it has been thousands of years since he was reborn, he still hasn't forgotten his past experiences. Fortunately, he was reborn and came to the chaotic era, regardless of what fate had in store for him under the heavens, he would eventually have a new goal as a human being. The Sage, the Sage, although undying and immortal, is this really the life that Zhou Cheng wants? Is the sect's prosperity and the Sage's reputation destined to be his entire life? Although several of his disciples received his love and pity, will this be all the emotions he has invested in?

  I am different, Zhou Cheng deeply understands. If it were just like an ordinary sage, doing many useless and empty struggles, what difference is there between that sage and the common people? It's just that under the sage, all living things are ants, and under the Heavenly Way, the sage steals life. The sage does not die, the great thief does not stop. The sage is both a synonym for the great thief of heaven and earth, and the most hypocritical existence in heaven and earth. Hypocrisy refers to the ordinary people. All the great thieves' affairs in heaven and earth are done by these sages. The great thief is not stealing money or property, but doing things that deceive people's hearts, and yet despising all living things. The reason is simple, just like how later generations of people chase stars. If you know that the idol you have always worshipped only looks at you as pigs and dogs, under the atmosphere of regret, it's probably only helpless. Humans are originally weak and vulnerable, why are they destined to be bullied and played by the strong? I was once a pawn myself, but under the enlightenment of the Heavenly Way, I am indignant in every way.

  I am a saint, yet I feel uneasy about the will of heaven. Even if I were to lose my face in the future, I would still protect humanity with all my might. Zhou Cheng thought to himself, what is the use of saints who have no troubles or difficulties? Is it not just a matter of pursuing fame and fortune, using the world as a plaything, and calling that the way of the saint? It's probably not even worth being a walking corpse. The way of Zhou Cheng is the way of emotions, not seeking emotions, but already having them. Let those other saints who are willing to forget their emotions go ahead and do so; I will enjoy my carefree life instead. My goal will always be to protect humanity with all my might, and not let it suffer at the hands of the saints' hypocrisy. Thinking about his teacher Hong Jun, he also followed the way of emotions, not using the world as a mere tool, but rather as a vessel for the Tao. In the end, he sacrificed himself to merge with the Tao, protecting the world with all his might. He gradually came to understand what Nüwa said, that Zhou Cheng had attained enlightenment, and in doing so, had gained insight into half of it.

  For ninety-eight years before and after Zhou Cheng's retreat, the heavenly mechanism was pulling him, and the position of a saint was only one step away. The opportunity to achieve enlightenment had been found, but it still lacked the final step. Zhou Cheng carefully considered his situation, including what Hong Yu had said earlier, and he had already vaguely grasped the outline of the problem. However, he suspected that the real issue lay with the Great Method of Creation. Earlier, because he didn't have the upper part of the Great Method of Creation, he couldn't understand it and strayed from the correct path, developing a fixation on the great heavenly mechanism in his heart. After Hong Yu gave him the Jade Disc of Creation, he still couldn't understand it immediately because he had already strayed for so long. He was like a lost lamb who saw the direction home but couldn't return after being lost for so long. If he truly took his time to fully comprehend and resolve the confusion in his heart, it would likely take countless eons. Hong Yu's understanding of the Way was merely that he had grasped the first half of the Great Method of Creation. To fully understand it himself, three words: difficult, difficult, difficult.

  Helpless, he could only go to the Purple Mist Palace, hoping for a bit of good fortune.

  Zi Xuan Palace, Hong Jun saw Zhou Cheng kneeling down below, with a faint smile on his face, just like the time when they divided the treasure.

  "Teacher, your disciple is dull-witted. Although I have received the master's kindness and been taught the Jade Disc of Creation, the mechanism of the Great Way remains elusive and cannot be found, although it is only a short distance away, it is still an unbridgeable gap, and I am unable to cross over."

  "Zhou Cheng, your previous incarnation's deeds, sensing the heavenly mechanism, closed off for 98 years, has already achieved success. Your ascension to sainthood is imminent. You were born in chaos, but it was you who came first, and then I followed. The Chaos Chapter is also a great law, not beneath my Hong Jun Great Law." Hong Jun paused, "Becoming a saint so late, do you have any regrets?"

  "I dare not resent, the affairs of the world, when they reach their extreme, they will reverse. Prosperity will inevitably decline. Pangu, the great god, was so divine and powerful, yet he died after opening up the sky, but what he gained was also what he lost. My sister, Nüwa, said that my attainment of the Tao is between gain and loss, and my disciples should understand this as well, pointing to both gains and losses."

  One attains the Great Way, receives the Heavenly Mandate, and is born in the Primordial Chaos; two attains the Ancestral Throne, and is appointed to a Sacred Position. One loss is losing the Heavenly Mechanism of the Great Way, and thus cannot become a Sage for a long time; two losses are...

  Hong Jun smiled and nodded: "Among the many saints under my gate, you are the first. Since you have already understood the heavenly timing and grasped the heavenly mechanism, your attainment of the Tao is imminent. The number 99, Zhou Cheng has attained the Tao." After finishing speaking, he closed his eyes and went into a meditative state.

  Zhou Cheng's face was calm and serene, and he immediately sat upright on the cushion, quietly waiting for the completion of the 99th number.

  "Zhou Cheng, still not enlightened, what are you waiting for?" Hong Jun suddenly opened his eyes, and his gaze shot towards Zhou Cheng like electricity, immediately startling him awake.

  "Please help me, teacher." Zhou Chengyi bowed his hands and said.

  Hong Jun raised his hand, pointing at Zhou Cheng with one finger. A ball of chaotic-colored energy emerged from Zhou Cheng's brow and hovered in mid-air, churning restlessly. Wave after wave of primordial energy shot out, seemingly born, extinguished, revealed, and mysterious.

  "Zhou Cheng, this object has now returned to its original form and become a divine artifact. If you had not been obsessed with it in your heart, you would have become a saint by now. In the future, when the time is ripe, there will be an opportunity to use it. The Great Law of Creation will ultimately belong to you, but for now, you still need to wait." Hong Jun pointed at the chaotic air mass, and instantly, it solidified into a jade mirror with four ancient seal characters on it: "Creation Jade Mirror".

  Holding the Huahua Jade Mirror in his hand, Zhou Cheng sighed inexplicably. With this object away from his primordial spirit, he felt as if he had shed countless burdens, and his heart suddenly became crystal clear. The Great Way's heavenly mechanism was transparent and unparalleled, and the Hunyuan chapter automatically appeared in his mind. As it churned, it repeatedly recited the "Sage Chapter". A faint smile, billions of years of bitter cultivation, accomplished.

  Inside the Purple Mansion, a surge of energy stirred, and Zhou Cheng's body flickered back and forth several times before finally solidifying. A green lotus platform emerged, lifting Zhou Cheng up and suspending him in mid-air - it was the Thirty-Sixth Rank Primordial Green Lotus that had nurtured him. At this moment, Zhou Cheng's face showed little change, with a benevolent expression and a loyal appearance, but his complexion seemed more tranquil than before. His right hand grasped a staff, which was actually a branch from the Primordial Fruit Tree, which he had borrowed to refine into a sacred instrument. His left hand held an ancient longsword upside down, which was the versatile and sensitive Mixed Origin Sword. Zhou Cheng's appearance this time was not much different from Hong Jun's - he wore a green Daoist robe and a pair of plain cloud boots, exuding an air of simplicity and elegance. However, he seemed more low-key than Hong Jun, giving people the impression that he did not like to fight. In the future, his despicable incarnation would no longer be usable; otherwise, it would only lead to disrespect and ugliness.

  "The disciple has finally become a saint, the teacher's holy grace." Zhou Cheng put away the lotus platform and the Hunyuan sword, faced Hong Jun, bowed his hands to the ground, respectfully kowtowed, and performed three ritual bows.

  "Very good, very good." Hong Jun also didn't say much and disappeared into nothingness. Zhou Cheng saw this and left the Purple Cloud Palace, returning to Qingqiu Mountain.

  Nüwa, who was meditating in the Imperial Palace, suddenly opened her eyes, smiled slightly, and then closed them again, her spirit wandering into the vast expanse. This time when Zhou Cheng attained enlightenment, the Primordial Chaos did not respond. There were two reasons for this: firstly, his power had reached a sufficient level, allowing him to attain enlightenment through force of will, so the Heavenly Dao's response was not strong; secondly, the place where he attained enlightenment was that Zi Xuan Palace, located outside the Thirty-Three Heavens, and it was also being suppressed by Hong Jun. Therefore, apart from Nüwa, who had already become a Sage and had some perception of this, the other several quasi-Sages only felt a slight disturbance in the Heavenly Mechanism, but upon calculating it, they could not grasp its significance.

  Wow, amazing! Rebirth of Western Fantasy is so popular, it shot up to the top of the click-through rankings in an instant.

  Talking about recommendation tickets, although everyone actively helped Xiaoyu, they still hovered around 25:1.

  Alas, a long sigh from a small fish! When will my way be accomplished?

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