Chapter 55: Houtu Attains Sainthood in the Flesh
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“Has someone attained sainthood?”
The twenty-one great beings of the Ninth Heaven were all shaken and lost their composure.
Suddenly, a voice of the Dao echoed throughout heaven and earth:
“I am Hongjun. Today I have proven the Primordial Infinite Dao, and shall become the Patriarch of the Mystic Gate!”
“Now, within the Chaos Heavens, I establish a palace, named the Purple Cloud Palace!”
“Moved by the plight of all living beings in the Great Desolation who seek the Dao with difficulty, I shall open the Purple Cloud Palace in a thousand years, to teach my Primordial Infinite Dao. Any who are destined may come!”
As the words fell, a purple aura swept thirty thousand miles from the east, celestial flowers rained from the sky, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.
The hearts of all beings in the Great Desolation were stirred, and they immediately prostrated themselves in worship.
Yet at this moment, those bowing in the direction of the Purple Cloud Palace were merely the ordinary divine spirits and demons of the desolate world.
The true mighty ones—Pangu’s Three Pure Ones, Emperor Jun, the Eastern Emperor—how could they possibly prostrate themselves across countless miles without even meeting face to face?
Even if the Dao Patriarch Hongjun were standing before them, the Three Pure Ones born from Pangu would never debase themselves so!
However.
For ordinary innate beings, even respectful prostration availed them little.
The Purple Cloud Palace stood beyond the Ninth Heaven, within the Realm of Chaos.
Apart from the likes of Emperor Jun and the Eastern Emperor, who did not kneel, who else could so easily break free from the land of desolation and enter the Purple Cloud Palace beyond the Ninth Heaven, within the Chaos?
...
“How could this be?”
The Twelve Ancestral Witches, Emperor Jun, the Eastern Emperor, Fuxi, Nuwa, and others were first shocked, then grave.
Fuxi calmly analyzed, “Not long ago, we united to form the Triumvirate Alliance. For what purpose? It was to combine our strength and jointly suppress the Great Desolation. Who could have foreseen that at this very moment, a Saint would emerge?”
“With a Saint’s advent, who can withstand them?”
Fuxi smiled, “Should we declare our stance, perhaps withdraw from the Celestial Court or Buzhou Mountain, and temporarily support the Saint Hongjun in ruling the Great Desolation?”
Nuwa replied serenely, “Judging from the Saint Hongjun’s words, he seems to pity all living beings, and wishes to establish the Purple Cloud Palace to teach the Dao, not like the ruthless Demon Ancestor Luohu. Perhaps peace is possible.”
“Alas!”
Emperor Jun sighed, “Nuwa, perhaps you are too generous in your assumptions about the Chaos Gods. Remember, our alliance also established the Witch Academy, Celestial Academy, and Saint Academy. For what purpose?”
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“Certainly, to enlighten all beings. But more than that, our hope was to gather all gods and demons under our sway.”
“Even if our intent is to teach, it does not mean there are no ulterior motives!”
The Ancestral Witch Dijang said, “If a great catastrophe truly comes, how should we decide?”
Dijang deliberately tore open space, summoning Emperor Cang to the Ninth Heaven to join the council of the twenty-one great beings.
...
Emperor Cang, after listening for a while to the deliberations of the twenty-one powerful ones, quickly understood their perspectives and concerns.
He smiled, and said to the Ancestral Witch Houtu, “Our Great Desolation was born from the fall of the Father God, Pangu, and has the protection of the Chaos Dao. Even if a hundred or a thousand Chaos Gods appeared, under the scrutiny of the Dao, they could never obliterate the Great Desolation!”
“Unless the Heavenly Dao is fully formed and the Great Dao withdraws, then there is cause for concern!”
“In other words?”
Houtu asked, “Even in the worst case, the Saint Hongjun cannot act against us, correct?”
Emperor Cang replied, “At the very least, he cannot attack us without cause!”
He respectfully continued, “Saint Hongjun’s establishment of the Purple Cloud Palace and his teaching of the Dao serve three purposes: first, to enlighten all beings and gain immense merit; second, to gather all life in the Great Desolation as disciples—thus, though not uniting the world, the desolate world becomes the Saint’s domain; third, to demonstrate benevolence, so that all beings honor him as Dao Patriarch.”
“These three are the sole purposes for the Purple Cloud Palace. There can be no others.”
“As such—”
Emperor Cang said, “The Saint Hongjun cannot harm us without justification, nor commit wanton slaughter. So long as we are cautious in word and deed, there should be no grave danger.”
Houtu then explained the situation in detail.
Fuxi, Nuwa, and the others all agreed.
Emperor Jun sighed, “As things stand, our best course may be for one among us to also step forth and become a Chaos God, to stand against Saint Hongjun, so we need not live in fear. What do you all think?”
Zhenyuanzi smiled, “Becoming a Chaos God is easier said than done.”
All eyes turned to Houtu.
She said, “I possess the soul essence of a Primordial Chaos God. With it, I have cultivated my primordial spirit with ease, reaching the pinnacle of the quasi-saint realm. Additionally, I have Pangu’s Heart, which I use to temper my body. Though it cannot make my flesh as indestructible as Father Pangu’s, it allows me, Houtu, to transform into Pangu’s true form. The strength of my body is not inferior to that of an ordinary Chaos God!”
“In other words—”
Houtu smiled, “The power of my physical body has reached its peak, attaining the ninth transformation of the Ninefold Profound Art!”
“My primordial spirit is just half a step away!”
“If my primordial spirit and body merge in one stride, I shall reach the realm of Chaos God. Or, if my primordial spirit advances further, I could also step into that realm!”
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“However—”
Houtu sighed, “Although it is but half a step, that half-step is as far as heaven and earth. Who knows when I might truly break through—perhaps tomorrow, or perhaps not even in this entire cosmic kalpa.”
...
Hearing Houtu’s words, the Twelve Ancestral Witches and Emperor Cang understood.
At this moment, the Ancestral Witch Houtu had become a Saint in the flesh!
Though she had attained sainthood, it was only her body that had transformed into Pangu’s true form, comparable to the body of a Chaos God.
First, she had not become a Great Dao Saint—she was still half a step short.
Second, she was not a Heavenly Dao Saint, for she had not merged her primordial spirit with the Heavenly Dao.
Thus.
Houtu’s physical sainthood brought about no celestial omens.
Even so, it was an extraordinary achievement.
If a Heavenly Dao Saint were to emerge now in the Great Desolation and battle Houtu, the outcome would still be uncertain!
...
The assembly now understood that Hongjun bore no malice, and that Houtu herself had hope of attaining the Dao. They could not help but breathe a long sigh of relief and relax.
“Everyone!”
Emperor Jun took the initiative, “When the time comes to visit the Purple Cloud Palace, the twenty-one of us should go together. Though a Great Dao Saint is peerless, we are among the foremost of the Primordial Gods and Demons. Together, even a Great Dao Saint cannot easily slight us.”
“Indeed!”
All the mighty ones nodded in agreement.
Emperor Cang respectfully suggested, “Perhaps we should prepare early. Saint Hongjun’s sermon may have other arrangements. If we enter the Purple Cloud Palace ahead of time and secure advantageous positions, there may be hidden opportunities!”
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