Taiyi Dao Fruit-Chapter 1195 - 5: The Divinity Rankings Emerge in the Three Pure Ones, End of Dharma Manifests in Daluo Heaven_2
In the blink of an eye, he healed his injuries but didn't press the attack, instead immediately locking his gaze on the source of the anomaly.
As the pure light fully erupted, even the dirt evil was suppressed, revealing the true center of the universe, though vast and empty.
He saw, in a seemingly infinite distant position where the scene remained clear, three figures sitting cross-legged mid-air within three pillar-like beams of pure light.
One elderly, one middle-aged, one youthful, they embodied the three stages of life, each wearing Dao robes and exuding three majestic airs.
The grand momentum that Jiang Li had drawn upon earlier originated from these three.
As this aura emanated, Sun Wukong and the Drought Demon Ba immediately ceased their fierce fight, respectively joining their allies.
"This aura can't be mistaken; it's the aura of the Supreme Old Man. This is the Three Pure Ones!"
Sun Wukong's eyes gleamed fiercely, staring at the three pillar-like beams of pure light.
He's never seen the Three Pure Ones, but he has a close relationship with Lord Lao Zi.
This Vajra Unbreakable Body, crafted by Lao Zi.
This Fire Eyes Golden Eyes, refined in Lao Zi's alchemy furnace.
Even post-enlightenment, he often visited Doushuai Temple to loot Golden Cores; how could he not be familiar with Lao Zi?
And Lord Lao Zi is indeed the alias of Daode Tianzun.
It's clear that throughout history, anyone who makes a name for themselves usually has an alias.
"I originally planned to search in Three Pure Ones' Heaven for any remnants of the Supreme Old Man, but first I ran into two bandits, and now I've discovered the Three Pure Ones."
Sun Wukong grinned, "I told you, the Three Pure Ones aren't so easily······"
"Fallen?"
Sun Wukong spoke the last two words in a stunned manner.
Because he realized that the aura did not emanate from the three figures but from above their heads.
Within the pure light, three items loomed between existence and non-existence.
They were a massive banner, intertwined Yin Yang Tai Chi, and a black sheath-length sword.
The three auras emanated from these items, not from the figures, suggesting a possible truth······
——the Three Pure Ones might have also fallen.
And their Dao Fruits are now within these three artifacts.
"First Grade Dao Artifact, Dao Fruits of the Three Pure Ones······," Jiang Li murmured, "The Great Heavenly Venerate's Qi Cultivation Technique truly isn't bad."
Indeed, he almost obtained three pieces of First Grade Dao Artifact, if not for Sun Monkey's interference ruining everything. The Great Heavenly Venerate's mental state must be truly high to show only anger rather than lose his temper.
Though Jiang Li had reached such a level where his mental state had long been not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses, reaching an exceedingly high realm, this didn't mean he was devoid of emotions.
Even at the realm of the Three Pure Ones, encountering matters of paramount importance, they might still lose composure.
Not pleased by external gains, because the level of the gain isn't high enough. Encountering a First Grade Dao Artifact, which third grade can declare not pleased by external gains.
Not saddened by personal losses, because the adversity faced isn't severe enough. In the past, Yuanshi Tianzun and Daode Tianzun teamed with outsiders for a righteous four against one against Lingbao Tianzun, leading to the obliteration of his sect Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, causing Lingbao Tianzun to break down to the extent of needing to reforge the elemental water, wind, fire, recreate Heaven and Earth after world extinction.
If Jiang Li were to encounter such a scenario, losing out on three First Grade Dao Artifacts, he'd surely want Sun Monkey's head to drink as a consolation.
Admitting admiration for the Great Heavenly Venerate's Qi Cultivation technique, Jiang Li finally understood the name of this place.
——Three Pure Ones Heaven.
True to its name, it's the heaven where the Three Pure Ones reside; yet why is it so barren? Though the Three Pure Ones had attained Dao, it's unlikely they simply chose an empty locale to meditate.
In mythological tales, Three Pure Ones Heaven is Daluo Heaven, divided internally into three heavens, home to immortal mountains and palaces, occasionally welcoming Golden Immortals paying respects to the Three Pure Ones.
But now, Three Pure Ones Heaven is utterly desolate, neither heaven nor earth, nor mountains or palaces in sight······
As this thought emerged from Jiang Li, the world transformed abruptly, like a blank scroll inked, mountains stretched before his eyes, peaks rolling, lush forests and bamboo groves appeared, and ethereal clouds floated.
In the distance, ancient buildings graced the mountains, including palaces and Daoist temples.
Yet accompanying the mountain's emergence was a root-level decay; as it surfaced, all creation seemed shrouded in a subtle mist, transforming the original scene from three-dimensional to two-dimensional, losing its reality.
Even the towering pure light dimmed at this moment.
"End of Dharma!"
Sun Wukong focused his gaze, his monkey face revealing shock.
He gasped, "So this is what it is!"
"What do you mean 'So this is what it is'?" Jiang Li immediately inquired.
Monkey didn't speak cryptically, feeling his speech inadequate, he transmitted directly via divine thought, "When I trained in the past, I heard existences like the Three Pure Ones themselves represent certain celestial doctrines, deemed pillars of the universe. Especially this Primordial Qi Technique originated from Three Pure Ones; Yuanshi Tianzun sourced from Primordial Ancestor Qi, creating worldly spiritual mechanisms, while Daode Tianzun widely shared Qi Refining Technique across the universe. I speculate Three Pure Ones are the source of worldly essence Qi."
"Now, with the source of essence Qi gone, End of Dharma has descended, right?" Jiang Li conjectured.
"This doesn't seem like it's gone, the Three Pure Ones might have fallen, but the celestial doctrine they represented shouldn't have vanished," Sun Wukong's face was already full of astonishment, his transmitted divine thoughts turned urgent, "The essence Qi has morphed, transforming into Five Vile Qi."
In a sense, mutation is scarier than disappearance.
Disappearance indicates Three Pure Ones' fall, while mutation implies——
"Three Pure Ones might have been killed." Sun Wukong virtually uttered word by word via divine thought.
Rarely is Sun Wukong seen this solemn, this serious; his divine thoughts tightened infinitely, his mind extremely focused.
Some presence···or some force, caused the fall of the Three Pure Ones, then eradicated the era before End of Dharma.
End of Dharma might not have stemmed from Three Pure Ones' fall, but from the force that felled them.
As the source of worldly essence Qi deteriorates into Five Vile Qi, the known "End of Dharma" descends.
Enormous revelations bombarded Jiang Li's mind, even given his mental state, he momentarily lost his composure.
"What about Wa Emperor and Emperor Xi, and Heavenly Emperor, as well as Amitabha?" Jiang Li listed names.
Heavenly Emperor wasn't Jade Emperor, but one of the ancient Heavenly Emperors, whom Jiang Li suspected might be First Grade.
Amitabha, widely known, anyone practicing vegetarianism would chant "Amitabha," theoretically his existence ranked above Tathagata.
In any case, though First Grade Tao Fruit is rare, virtually absent, tracking back can unveal possible origins. Few existences paralleled with Three Pure Ones, yet they're not absent.
"Who knows, I vanished just like that," Sun Wukong rolled his eyes.
He died in obscurity; without his unique foundation, coupled with becoming enlightened, he might have died completely.
Regarding End of Dharma knowledge, Sun Wukong wasn't far ahead of Jiang Li. His foresight of End of Dharma's origins owed to apprenticeship, being a cultured monkey versed in many secrets.
This cultured monkey had a specialty, albeit knowing a fair bit of the Three Pure Ones' foundation, ended up deceived by the Heavenly Court, taking up Horses' Fortune.
Like knowing the Emperor's gossip but being clueless about a constable's duties.
Expressing regret, Jiang Li temporarily shelved advanced inquiries, swept divine thought, distantly locking onto Great Heavenly Venerate and Drought Demon Ba.
Compared to primitive mysteries, thwarting current adversaries was more pressing.
Having restrained the Great Heavenly Venerate earlier despite ignorance of three First Grade Dao Artifacts, now informed, ensuring Great Heavenly Venerate's failure was imperative.
