Secret Buyer

The Pope of the Pantheon realized and tentatively asked:

"So, the two techniques I’ve been cultivating for fifty or sixty thousand years can equate to a hundred thousand years?"

"Indeed."

Upon hearing this, the Pope of the Pantheon quickly weighed the pros and cons, then decisively nodded:

"Agreed!"

The World Venerate nodded peacefully:

"In principle, three sacrifices for one exchange, but rescuing you from Five Finger Mountain costs too much, so it’s five sacrifices for one exchange."

"Then, the fourth sacrifice."

Zhang Fusheng explained calmly and then focused on reaping benefits — reaping monkey benefits, his voice stern:

"The fourth sacrifice, I want your unwavering allegiance for a hundred years. During these years, you will act according to my decree, but nothing in my decree will endanger your life, what say you?"

This time, the Pope of the Pantheon pondered for a long time.

"A hundred years..."

To a being like him, a hundred years is not long, but allegiance?

After a long time.

The Pope of the Pantheon reluctantly nodded:

"Agreed."

"The final sacrifice."

Zhang Fusheng said quietly:

"The Pantheon."

The Pope of the Pantheon was shocked:

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Fusheng replied slowly:

"The Pantheon is essentially formed by some deities without celestial positions, correct? Unlike other sects, which have beings like True Saints and Celestial Venerates, Buddha-level entities."

"Within the Pantheon, even though you are the Pope, you’re likely one of the most powerful divine spirits being worshipped?"

"Yes," the Pope of the Pantheon said in a deep voice, "I am the Pope, and also the deity being worshipped."

"Then I want the entire Pantheon to change its faith, to revere Ling Mountain, with me as the supreme."

"Impossible." The Pope of the Pantheon decisively rejected, "I can accept the other four sacrifices, but this one, no."

After a pause, he quickly explained:

"The Pantheon is not solely mine. Our sect has many Great Powers and Great Divine Power Users who are entrenched in the Abyssal Dimension we created."

"They also are masters of the Pantheon. I am not the absolute ruler, nor am I able to..."

Before he could finish,

The World Venerate interrupted peacefully:

"Ling Mountain, it lacks nothing but celestial positions."

The Pope of the Pantheon was stunned, hearing the World Venerate speak softly:

"During the peak years of Ling Mountain, thirty-three Buddhas, eighty-eight Bodhisattvas, five hundred Arhats... such are all celestial positions."

The Pope of the Pantheon: ???

He was shocked and blurted out:

"Truly??"

Zhang Fusheng nodded:

"Truly."

In his memory, the named Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, approximately matched these numbers,

Based on current circumstances, with a name comes a celestial position, along with corresponding authority — although these powers may ’overlap.’

Like the Celestial Court Immortal Gods, and the Western Buddha Assembly.

The Pope of the Pantheon suddenly breathed heavily, staring at the World Venerate:

"Your ambition is greater than I imagined, you’re planning to use the shell of my Pantheon to resurrect Ling Mountain."

Zhang Fusheng said calmly:

"The Pantheon can’t truly have ten thousand divine spirits, those deities who are willing to enter Ling Mountain, ultimately can all ascend to celestial positions."

"Isn’t the celestial position what you all seek?"

He was painting a grand picture, at any rate, he mentioned ’ultimately,’ but when exactly?

It completely depended on his discretion.

The Pope of the Pantheon was silent.

After a long time, he spoke in a low voice:

"If what you say is true, I can ensure that all five sacrifices are offered to you, but the question remains, how can it be guaranteed to be true?"

"Heavenly Contract."

Zhang Fusheng said:

"I can establish a Heavenly Contract with you, when the contract is accomplished, and you walk out from Five Finger Mountain, all sacrifices will be made."

"Before that, you only need to offer thirty percent of the sacrifices, nothing more, how does that sound?"

The Pope of the Pantheon contemplated, still filled with some hesitation, but when he saw this World Venerate manifesting a Tao Scripture in his hand, he immediately nodded:

"Agreed!!"

He stared intently at that Tao Scripture, the scripture wasn’t thick, just eighty-one pages, enveloped with vast purple aura,

And on the cover, only two words.

[Tao and Virtue].

This is the Tao Te Ching of that day.

This is the Tao Te Ching of that day!!

"Mercy, mercy."

Zhang Fusheng sighed lightly, raising the Tao Te Ching with one hand, while the other stood upright before his chest, calling out:

"Celestial Venerate."

The Pope of the Pantheon instinctively looked, from the void emerged streams of chaotic fog, amidst the blur, reflecting an ancient Taoist Palace,

The Taoist Palace surpassed the limits of thought, seen by the eyes, yet unable to be retained in the mind,

At this moment, the palace doors opened wide, from within someone sat at an infinite height, stroking thousands upon thousands of lights with a wave of the hand.

Light and shadow intertwined, forming a [Heavenly Contract].

The Pope of the Pantheon was filled with trepidation, scrutinizing the contents of the Heavenly Contract, only confirming it was flawless before saying:

"I shall accept!"

In the blur, he heard a vast sound saying, "The contract is completed!"

’Boom!’

It was as if a muffled sound of a drum resonated, and the Pope of the Pantheon was astonished to find his past seven thousand years of arduous cultivation was being forcibly stripped away, irrevocably removed!

It was not forgotten, but lost directly, along with that portion of arduous spiritual cultivation!

Next, three thousand years of cultivating techniques was also stripped away!

The final thing to be stripped away was his pair of Fire Eyes Golden Gaze, capable of viewing the Different Dimension above and observing the vast void outside the universe.

"The remaining seventy percent."

Zhang Fusheng concealed his inner joy, speaking without revealing his emotion:

"It will be retrieved after I save you from Five Finger Mountain."

The Pope of the Pantheon immediately asked:

"How long will it take?"

Zhang Fusheng pondered briefly and then spoke:

"It’s uncertain, but as short as a few months, at most no more than ten years."

Saying so, he pointed to the illusory light cast by the Contract: