Chapter 54: Grand Aspirations

Nuwa also swept her gaze over the people below. When her eyes landed on Zhunti, sitting quietly in a corner, a thought seemed to cross her mind. She turned slightly and sent a message to Li Tian: “When I attained sainthood, my divine consciousness merged with the Heavenly Dao, and in the territory of the Wu tribe, I saw the one who was together with Zhunti over a hundred thousand years ago.”

“Hm?” Li Tian was momentarily stunned.

The one who was with Zhunti over a hundred thousand years ago?

It was Jieyin!

He’s not dead yet?

However, with so many eyes watching below, Li Tian didn’t ask any more. After all, Jieyin without his position as a Saint was just a minor figure, incapable of stirring up any real trouble.

Still, Li Tian felt a flicker of surprise in his heart.

Could Jieyin be one of those legendary protagonists who never die, no matter how many times they’re struck down?

In a certain sense, Jieyin truly did possess the deep fortune of a protagonist. Not only Jieyin, but also the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and even himself—otherwise, how could they have distinguished themselves from the countless beings and attained sainthood?

With that thought, Li Tian felt at ease. Someone blessed with such great fortune as Jieyin wouldn’t fall so easily; if he did, that would truly be strange.

Unlike Li Tian, Nuwa didn’t give it much thought. Once everyone was seated, she began her sermon without delay. In her eyes, Jieyin was merely an insignificant figure.

Beneath a Saint, all are but ants. If not for Li Tian’s past scheming against Jieyin, she wouldn’t have spared him a second glance.

Nuwa was a Saint, so her sermon was accompanied by auspicious omens: golden lotuses blooming from the earth, celestial radiance filling the air, much like Hongjun’s gatherings. However, her teachings were much simpler, and most of those present could comprehend them.

Yet, what she spoke of meant little to Li Tian, the Three Pure Ones, or Zhunti.

Nevertheless, they listened patiently. Li Tian was there to accompany Nuwa, while the Three Pure Ones and Zhunti hoped to glean insights from her path to sainthood, using it as a reference for their own.

As Nuwa’s sermon unfolded, time flew swiftly by. Before long, the gathering drew to a close. Under the reluctant gazes of the assembled beings, Nuwa finished her sermon. Then, imitating Hongjun’s tone, she said coolly, “The sermon at the Empress Palace is now concluded. All of you may go your separate ways.”

Hearing this, the crowd, though unwilling, had no choice but to rise, bow respectfully, and express their gratitude before dispersing.

However, the Three Pure Ones, Zhunti, and a few members of the Heavenly Court remained behind. Once most had left, the Three Pure Ones and Zhunti eagerly approached Nuwa.

“Do you have some matter to discuss?” Nuwa inquired curiously.

The Three Pure Ones and Zhunti exchanged glances, each finding it difficult to speak.

Li Tian, seeing their hesitation, immediately understood their intentions. After a moment’s thought, he smiled, stepped forward, and said, “The answer you seek lies within the human race.”

To be honest, Li Tian hadn’t wanted to reveal the method of becoming a Saint to them. However, even if he didn’t, the Three Pure Ones and Zhunti would discover it sooner or later. Rather than hiding it, he might as well say it openly and earn their gratitude.

The human race?

The Three Pure Ones and Zhunti exchanged glances. At the very moment Li Tian uttered those words, they felt the Primordial Purple Qi within themselves stir restlessly.

The opportunity for sainthood lay with the human race!

At once, the four of them bowed to Li Tian, a flash of gratitude in their eyes.

“Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!” they said in unison. Even Yuanshi, rarely, addressed him as Senior Brother, which filled Li Tian with satisfaction—it hadn’t been in vain to reveal the path to sainthood.

After sending them off, Li Tian gave a few instructions to the members of the Heavenly Court, then sent them away as well.

Soon, only Li Tian and Nuwa remained in the Empress Palace.

Looking at Nuwa, who now radiated a noble aura from head to toe after her ascension, Li Tian approached her with a broad, playful smile.

“Now there’s only the two of us left...”

As he spoke, Li Tian lifted Nuwa’s chin, leaning in as if to kiss her.

“Don’t!” Nuwa rolled her eyes, pushing his face away.

She understood Li Tian’s intentions, yet she didn’t refuse—she simply didn’t want it to happen here.

“Nuwa, my dear…” Li Tian looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, confused.

“Alright, alright, we’ll talk inside,” she said, unable to suppress a smile at his crestfallen look.

The two of them walked deeper into the Empress Palace. Nuwa asked curiously, “Why did you reveal the method to become a Saint?”

“They’ll become Saints sooner or later. Whether I say it or not, the result is the same. Moreover, if I kept silent, I might earn their resentment. This way, I can win their goodwill,” Li Tian explained, not seeing any reason to conceal his thoughts.

Nuwa nodded, asking no further. The two of them continued into the depths of the Empress Palace. With a wave of her hand, Nuwa cast a spell to conceal their presence, so that even the Heavenly Dao could not perceive what happened within.

Once that was done, Li Tian gently drew Nuwa into his arms and kissed her without hesitation. Nuwa closed her eyes and did not resist.

After all, they were an old married couple by now.

...

It must be said, after becoming a Saint, Nuwa was utterly different from before.

...

The two spent more than ten days together in the Empress Palace before returning hand in hand to the Heavenly Court. With the power of Nuwa’s sainthood, they crossed the boundless chaos and returned to the Celestial Realm in an instant.

As a result, they actually arrived back before the others from the Heavenly Court.

Having personally experienced the might of a Saint, and knowing that the Three Pure Ones were about to ascend as well, Li Tian’s desire for sainthood became even more intense.

But where could he acquire the last bit of merit he needed?

After careful thought, Li Tian decided to perform a great sacrifice to Heaven and make a grand vow to obtain the merit.

To make a grand vow was, in essence, to borrow merit from the Heavenly Dao by pledging to do something of great benefit to Heaven and Earth in the future. If the Heavenly Dao recognized this, merit would be granted.

Later, Zhunti and Jieyin would both follow this path, though they made so many vows that countless eons later, they still hadn’t fulfilled them. Fortunately, they hadn’t set any time limits on their vows, otherwise the consequences would have been disastrous.

Li Tian’s circumstances, however, were different. Once he became a Saint, ruling over the vast wilderness would be effortless. Fulfilling his vows would be simple, and he didn’t need much merit, nor did he need to make any grand promises.

Just to be safe, Li Tian also had no intention of setting a time limit. After all, the chances were slim, but if he failed to fulfill his vow, it would be a disaster.

There was no reason not to take advantage of such a loophole.

After discussing his plan with Nuwa, she mulled it over and nodded in agreement. The two of them then decided on the vow he would make.

When the members of the Heavenly Court arrived, Li Tian announced the upcoming great sacrifice in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and soon, the entire Heavenly Court was bustling with preparations once more...

This would be the third grand sacrifice of the Heavenly Court, so everyone was well practiced by now.