High Firmament Central Yellow Most Holy Celestial Pivot Great Heavenly Venerable of Creation!

"So it turns out a Buddha is nothing more than this." A single, lighthearted sentence felt heavier than the heavens themselves, suffocating everyone present and leaving them dumbfounded. "A mere Heavenly Immortal managed to suppress an esteemed Golden Immortal mighty figure?! Am I seeing things?" "Fellow Daoist He, if even your Heaven-Gazing Spiritual Eyes are seeing things, then the rest of us are completely blind." "I thought Heavenly Venerable Huang holding out for several hundred exchanges against Formless Pure Stream Buddha was already formidable enough. I truly never imagined it would end like this!" "The number one Heavenly Immortal since antiquity!!" "I was wrong. I should have known long ago—if Heavenly Venerable Huang weren't certain of victory, he never would have rashly rescued the True Sage Equaling Heaven. And since he did, he had to possess the means to handle a Golden Immortal!" "What I care about most is what kind of Dao Seed he actually has. If anyone ever dares to say it's the Dao Seed of Yang again, I'll spit in their face twice!" "I can't tell, can't tell at all. Perhaps Yin-Yang? Or Five Elements? Or some extraordinarily rare Dao Seed?" "What use is knowing? There are tens of thousands of Dao Seeds in the world. Even if you knew, you couldn't comprehend it, so your envy is futile." "Listen to you—can't a person even be curious? Besides his Dao Seed, the divine ability he displayed just now astonished me even more. Once that divine light unfurled, it shrouded the Four Great Continents. When it rippled, stars shifted from their courses, and heaven and earth inverted! It truly is the greatest divine ability in our realm!" In the High Heavenly Court, the Sovereign Emperor and the Eastern Polar Emperor exchanged a glance. The latter froze. "Sovereign Emperor, the situation... seems to have taken an extraordinary turn—" The Sovereign Emperor nodded dumbly, opening his mouth as if to speak, then falling into deep thought. In Dong Shengshenzhou, the Zhuanghua Superior Sage was so startled he nearly dropped his melon. "Could I still be dreaming? No, that can't be right—I didn't cast the Butterfly Dream divine ability!" The Dao Ancestor's avatar halted the hand stroking his beard, his face full of disbelief. And atop Mount Ling, the World-Illuminating Ever-Abiding Buddha and the Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha, who had been watching the battle from afar, held their breath in bewilderment. As two of the very few Golden Immortal mighty figures in the Earth Immortal Realm, they had witnessed far too many astonishing marvels over countless ages. They had seen innumerable geniuses and powerhouses—millions upon millions would be an understatement. They had long believed nothing left in existence could shock them. Yet the sight before them plunged them into utter confusion! A newly ascendant Heavenly Immortal had suppressed a Golden Immortal Buddha on the spot! Not matched, not defeated, but suppressed! The gulf between those three outcomes was astronomical! Throughout the ages, no matter how supremely invincible a Heavenly Immortal might be, it was impossible for one to rival a Golden Immortal. Lasting a hundred exchanges was already considered extraordinary; an ordinary Heavenly Immortal would be obliterated within a single strike. Yet this absolute impossibility had actually come to pass! The two exchanged a look. The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha steadied his mind and asked through voice transmission, "Buddha, what should we do now?" The Buddha fell silent. What could they do? There were only two choices. The first was to fight: both of them would strike together, battle Huang Tian, suppress him, and rescue Formless Pure Stream Buddha. Yet if they forcefully intervened, would the Sovereign Emperor and the Eastern Polar Emperor of the Heavenly Court simply stand by and watch? If the Heavenly Court aided Huang Tian, their side would instead be outnumbered. Even if the emperors remained aloof out of diplomatic caution, would the two of them truly be able to take down Huang Tian? "The power of that seven-colored divine light is truly terrifying!" the Buddha murmured gravely. "It took merely three sweeps to cast down Formless Pure Stream Buddha. Though there was an element of surprise, even if we were prepared, could we truly counter it? Furthermore, we know next to nothing of his methods. Does he possess other great divine abilities or supreme dharma treasures that he has yet to reveal?" The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha fell silent. It was true. This Heavenly Venerable Huang had advanced at terrifying speed, attaining the Heavenly Immortal realm in just a few short years. The outside world knew very little about him—his Dao Seed, divine abilities, dharma treasures, and all the rest were complete mysteries! If he still held hidden cards, rashly engaging him in battle would likely lead to an unfavorable outcome. Therefore, continuing the fight was definitely out of the question. The Buddha pondered. "Our Buddhist sect bears no deep feud or grudge against him. The matter of Miaoyin Bodhisattva was her own wrongdoing, so she should bear the consequences alone. Though we were unaware beforehand, we still bear the blame for failing to foresee it. Only the matter of the True Sage Equaling Heaven poses great trouble—" The True Sage Equaling Heaven was a pivotal figure in the grand rise of the Buddhist teachings. According to the Heavenly Dao's momentum, after completing his tribulation, he would travel west to become a Bodhisattva; if fortune favored him, he might even attain the Golden Immortal realm and become a Buddha! Hence, the Buddha had originally intended to suppress the monkey again by any means necessary, guiding everything back to its ordained path. Yet that approach was now entirely unfeasible. Because this Huang Tian—a figure who had sprung out of nowhere—was on good terms with the True Sage Equaling Heaven. To suppress the monkey, one would have to confront Huang Tian head-on. The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha said, "If we sue for peace, we will completely lose control over the True Sage Equaling Heaven, and he may become an anomaly." The Buddha sighed. "Compared to this Heavenly Venerable Huang, what kind of anomaly is the monkey?!" Huang Tian was the true anomaly! When the Buddhist teachings were supposed to be on the rise, how could such a figure—capable of overpowering a Golden Immortal—suddenly emerge in the Earth Immortal Realm? "The tides are unpredictable; we can only take things one step at a time. At the very least, we must preserve Formless Pure Stream Buddha's life first." Helpless, the Buddha finally made his decision. The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha nodded. In the next moment, the two channeled their divine abilities and crossed vast oceans and continents with a single stride, arriving in Southern Jambudvipa to face Huang Tian from afar across the high sky. "Hiss... Could the two Buddhas have decided to fight Heavenly Venerable Huang to the death?" The immortals and gods watching from the distance gasped. "Sovereign Emperor?" The Eastern Polar Emperor glanced at the Sovereign Emperor, asking whether they should intervene to help. The latter shook his head and murmured, "The Buddha's wisdom is luminous. How could he fail to recognize the situation?" The Eastern Polar Emperor understood and turned his gaze back to the sky. Sure enough, the World-Illuminating Ever-Abiding Buddha pressed his palms together. "Greetings, Heavenly Venerable Huang." Huang Tian nodded. "Does the Buddha wish to exchange moves with me?" The Buddha's eyelid twitched. "No. The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha and I have come only to request that the Heavenly Venerable stay his hand and spare Formless Pure Stream Buddha's life." Huang Tian said nothing. The Buddha, exceedingly shrewd, sent a voice transmission: "I perceive that the Heavenly Venerable has only recently attained the Heavenly Immortal realm, and your dharmic power is far from fully polished. Our sect is willing to offer treasures as compensation: thirty Sixth-Revolution Immortal Pills, one hundred Bodhi seeds, ten Dao-Enlightenment Lotuses, five seventh-rank immortal treasures, and three Ninth-Revolution Immortal Pills—" "Double it," Huang Tian said concisely. Even with the Buddha's temperament, he could not help but wince at those words. Yet this matter left no room for negotiation—Formless Pure Stream Buddha's life outweighed everything else. "Agreed!" "In that case, his life is spared. However, he suppressed the True Sage Equaling Heaven for three hundred years and struck against me, so I must suppress him for thirty thousand years as punishment," Huang Tian said. "Agreed!" the Buddha replied without hesitation. A Golden Immortal mighty figure possessed boundless lifespan; being suppressed for thirty thousand years was entirely acceptable. Though humiliating, they had already lost a great deal of face today, so losing a little more hardly mattered. "Lastly, Miaoyin Bodhisattva—" Huang Tian glanced at the Buddha. The latter closed his eyes and breathed a soft sigh. "Alas." Huang Tian immediately understood his meaning. His robes billowed, and two swirling currents of yin and yang qi surged forth, entwining and cycling through the void before transforming into a Yin-Yang Bracelet in the blink of an eye. The bracelet spun gracefully in the air, crossed the void, and drifted lightly toward the dozen or so Bodhisattvas standing in the distance. The Bodhisattvas were horrified. They knew that while this bracelet appeared unremarkable, it possessed the terrifying might of a Golden Immortal. In an instant, they scattered in all directions. Miaoyin Bodhisattva was even more frantic. She was certain the Yin-Yang Bracelet was aimed straight at her. Turning into an escape light, she fled while erecting her protective divine abilities, crying out in terror, "Buddha, save me!!" Yet the Buddha seemed not to hear, uttering not a word and keeping his eyes shut. The Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha remained wooden-faced, showing no emotion whatsoever. Thus, beneath the unseeing gaze of both Buddhas, the Yin-Yang Bracelet overtook Miaoyin Bodhisattva in a flash. Clang—! The bracelet shattered her protective Buddha light instantly and slammed against the back of her head. In a single breath, her escape light ground to a halt, and her form reemerged, trembling faintly high in the sky. Before she could even let out a scream, she scattered like dust, her body and soul completely annihilated, her lifetime of karmic fruits and cultivation extinguished. A dead silence fell over heaven and earth. No one had imagined that an esteemed Bodhisattva of the Buddhist sect would be struck dead right before two Buddhas! And the Buddhas had simply allowed it. Such overbearing might was suffocating! Having dealt with Miaoyin Bodhisattva, divine light rose once more behind Huang Tian's head. Within it, the unconscious silhouette of Formless Pure Stream Buddha faintly appeared. With a thought, Huang Tian gently unfurled his Great Five Elements Yin-Yang Divine Light! Heavy metal qi condensed into steep precipices; lush wood qi sprouted into seas of trees; murky water qi flowed into deep ravines; blazing fire qi ignited into glowing clouds; vast earth qi built a solid foundation; and the two currents of yin and yang qi coiled like misty vapors, mirroring the sun and moon in the sky. As the clouds parted, an imposing, magnificent divine mountain emerged between heaven and earth! Indeed: Rooted three thousand zhang deep in the thick earth, Its peaks mirror the twelve tiers of the celestial dome. Boulders parted in five colors harbor true essence, Springs surging with two polarities merge with the Dao's flow. On southern slopes, emerald pines and cypresses brush the clouds; In northern ravines, dew-kissed vines dwell in secluded shadow. This is no divine ability forcing creation into being— Lo, heaven and earth themselves have fixed their gaze! Once the mountain formed, it descended slowly from the clouds. When it settled upon the earth, it brought neither thunderous roars nor trembling tremors. The unconscious Formless Pure Stream Buddha, like a fallen leaf, was enveloped by the mountain's shadow and pressed securely beneath its base. At that moment, the sun stood high in the sky. The light of heaven and earth illuminated the mountain, coating its eastern slopes in gold dust. Mountain mists rose gradually, turning into five-colored clouds before slowly dispersing, returning the world to clear brightness. Only that mountain stood firm as an ancient monument, silent and still. Even quieter than the mountain were the immortals and gods watching from afar, as well as the fleeing Bodhisattvas. Every single one of them was left wide-eyed and tongue-tied. The World-Illuminating Ever-Abiding Buddha and the Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha, on the other hand, let out sighs of relief. The former said, "Thank you for your mercy, Heavenly Venerable. All the promised treasures will be delivered this very day." Huang Tian replied calmly, "These matters are now settled. However, if your sect harbors resentment, I am still willing to entertain you." The Buddha gave a light cough. "How could that be? Certainly not." Huang Tian had only just entered the Heavenly Immortal realm, and the two Golden Immortals already dared not clash with him head-on. Once his dharmic power was fully refined or he advanced into the Golden Immortal realm, any thoughts of hostility would be out of the question. After a parting remark, the World-Illuminating Ever-Abiding Buddha and the Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha channeled their divine abilities and returned to Xi Niuhezhou in an instant. The remaining Bodhisattvas followed closely behind under a mantle of Buddha light. Only then did Huang Tian turn his gaze toward the monkey, who had already recalled his Law Phenomenon of Heaven and Earth divine ability. "Great Sage, all matters are concluded. It is time we shared some fine wine and delicacies." The monkey snapped out of his daze and leapt in front of Huang Tian. He looked him up, down, left, and right, finding the scene more absurd the longer he looked. "You... are you really that little boy who sought guidance from me on the Dao a few years ago?!" He scratched his cheek, his tone thick with astonishment. In just a few short years, the boy who had claimed he feared death and sought immortality had overturned the grand momentum of the Earth Immortal Realm with a flip of his hand, leaving the Western sect thoroughly disgraced on his own! This change was far too vast! Even in a bizarre world, things shouldn't be bizarre to this degree! Huang Tian chuckled. "There is a saying in the mortal realm: 'A gentleman must undergo the transformations of dragon and serpent.' I have merely changed a fraction more than mortals." A fraction? The monkey scratched his cheek, speechlessly wanting to retort, finding himself at a loss for words. Huang Tian laughed heartily. "Just a jest. Come, let us rest at my modest manor. I will have a banquet prepared so we can drink our fill." The monkey finally cast aside his hesitation and nodded. "Splendid, splendid!" Immediately, the two rode their escape lights toward the Heavenly Court. Yet as soon as they reached the Heavenly Gate, they halted. Standing before the gate were the Sovereign Emperor and the Eastern Polar Emperor, followed by an assembly of Star Lords, Heavenly Generals, and immortal officials. Some wore feather robes, some donned rainbow silks, some bore golden crowns, and some tied jade belts. Each was shrouded in pure light and auspicious mist; when they moved, fragrant breezes fluttered from their sleeves, and when they stood, precious radiances clung to their forms. Before Huang Tian could speak, the immortals behind the Sovereign Emperor bowed in unison, their voices rising like rolling waves: "We respectfully welcome the High Firmament Central Yellow Most Holy Celestial Pivot Great Heavenly Venerable of Creation!" Huang Tian raised an eyebrow and looked at the Sovereign Emperor, who explained with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, your suppression of Formless Pure Stream Buddha proved your extraordinary might. The title of Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable no longer befits you; it is only proper that you be styled Great Heavenly Venerable, holding rank equal to mine." In the Heavenly Court, there had never been the office of 'Great Heavenly Venerable.' The master of the Heavenly Court was undeniably the Sovereign Emperor, while Star Lords who advanced to the Golden Immortal realm could be styled Emperors. Huang Tian would have normally ascended to the rank of Emperor, but he was far stronger than ordinary Golden Immortals! The Sovereign Emperor himself was not confident he could best him. Under such circumstances, naming him an Emperor was inappropriate, yet abdicating in his favor was unfeasible. Thus, the Sovereign Emperor created the new rank of Great Heavenly Venerable, granting him status on par with his own. Huang Tian understood at once. The Eastern Polar Emperor smiled and said, "A fine banquet has already been prepared within Shangxiao Palace. Would the Great Heavenly Venerable care to join us?" Huang Tian looked toward the monkey, who beamed with delight. "I've long heard that the Heavenly Court's banquets feature countless spiritual fruits and immortal brews. This is a perfect chance to taste them, though I wonder if an outsider like me is permitted to attend?" The Sovereign Emperor laughed heartily. "We are all fellows of the Dao and guests of the immortals. Why should you not?" Huang Tian nodded. "To the banquet!" With that, he and the Sovereign Emperor led the way, followed closely by the Eastern Polar Emperor, the monkey, Star Lord Jinde, and the others. Entering Shangxiao Palace, they found the interior already adorned with brilliant splendor. Cloud brocades were draped over the four-sided nine-dragon agarwood thrones, surrounded by hanging eight-treasure glazed lamps that cast a radiant, sacred glow across the magnificent hall. Below the thrones on both flanks stood thousands of cloud-tables, laden with treasures of every kind: delicacies made of dragon liver and phoenix marrow, savory dishes prepared from qilin jerky, coral platters bearing intertwining pears and fire dates, and amber chalices filled with jade nectar and sweet dew. Exotic fragrances coiled through the air, whetting everyone's appetite. "Please!" "Please!" Huang Tian and the Sovereign Emperor invited each other to take their seats upon the central thrones. The Eastern Polar Emperor and the monkey sat to their left and right, while the remaining heavenly officials and immortal functionaries took their seats in order of rank. "Commence the banquet!" At the call, strongmen rolled up pearl curtains, and immortal maidens held fans and carried cloths. Dozens of immortal dancers floated in, their long sleeves fluttering, their skirts swirling like colorful clouds, their jade pendants chiming melodiously. When they turned, they seemed like drifting wind swirling over snow; when they stretched their arms, they resembled light clouds veiling the moon. Within the palace, a hundred flowers bloomed simultaneously and colorful butterflies fluttered about, crafting a dreamlike spectacle. "Great Heavenly Venerable, let us drink together!" The Sovereign Emperor raised his cup in invitation. "Together!" Huang Tian responded. Goblets clinked amid joyous banter and laughter. As the banquet reached its peak, the immortals' faces flushed red, their conversation growing even merrier. Some discussed the Dao, some played chess, some observed the movement of the stars, and some compared their transformations and divine abilities. Meanwhile, the monkey carried a wine pot, wandering here and there, paying no mind to anyone's cultivation or official post. He simply grinned, clapped shoulders, and tugged beards, eliciting bursts of laughter wherever he went. The palace's exotic fragrances deepened, and auspicious qi shimmered softly. Suddenly, an immortal official struck a cloud clapper with his finger and sang: "What can compare to a day of pure delight? Beyond the ninefold heavens, where years fade from sight. In drunken bliss, pillow your head upon the river of stars, Too carefree to ask how many games of chess have played out in the world of dust." The immortals clapped their hands upon hearing the song and raised their cups once more. Thousands of glazed cups, agate chalices, and white jade goblets were lifted high together, reflecting the brilliant light within the hall like an inverted galaxy, filling the chamber with dazzling gems. It was, in truth, the supreme bliss of the immortal realm!