I still don't understand.

Luyao looked at me and asked, "Where are the Twelve Golden Immortals?"

"Outside the Ninth Heaven," this was what Tathagata told me.

"The Jade Purification Bottle in Guanyin's hand originally belonged to Cihang Daoist. The reason why Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is called Samantabhadra is because he admires Samantabhadra the True Man," Luyao said, "The treasures that the Twelve Golden Immortals cultivated with their lives should have been wielded by their disciples to unleash their greatest power. However, Guanyin can use the Jade Purification Bottle. Why? There is clearly no connection between them."

"Are you saying that the Twelve Golden Immortals have encountered an accident?"

"Before leaving the Ninth Heaven, the Twelve Golden Immortals once sought Tathagata. They entrusted their treasures to Tathagata, saying that they would come to retrieve them one day."

"Are you saying that Tathagata killed the Twelve Golden Immortals?"

"If the Twelve Golden Immortals die, then their treasures will disappear."

"So, are you saying that Tathagata has imprisoned them?"

"The powers of the Twelve Golden Immortals are basically similar to those of Tathagata. Even if Tathagata exerts all his efforts, he can only fight against one of the Twelve Golden Immortals and both would be seriously injured. How could he possibly imprison them?"

"Then what's going on?"

"Have you been to the Western Heaven?"

"Yes, I have."

"Did you notice anything different there?"

"No."

"Have you seen the sky there?"

"Yes, I have. It was filled with colorful rays, like a rainbow spread across the sky."

"Do the rainbows in the Western Heaven really have all the colors?"

"..."

"Have you been to the Mount Sumeru Palace?"

"Yes, I have."

"Have you seen the sky there?"

"I could only see the dense smoke billowing from the alchemy furnace, which obscured the sky."

"What color is the sky?"

"Blue."

"Why is it that the colorful rays in the Western Heaven cover the blue of the sky? Why is it that in the Mount Sumeru Palace, the dense smoke conceals the blue of the sky? Why did the Jade Emperor suddenly fear the sky?"

"..."

"Why did the Nordic gods come to the Three Realms?"

"Because they fear the Twilight of the Gods."

"If we put it in a different way?"

"..."

"Because there is a more terrifying existence that makes them feel fear."

"I don't understand."

"In the mortal temples, when the monks become Buddhas, are they imitating the Western Heaven? Where did my master go in the end?"

"I don't know."

"What exactly is the War of the Gods?"

"It's because the immortals are returning to their positions and establishing the Celestial Court."

"Then why was there so much bloodshed? Why did so many people have to sacrifice to break the Ten Absolute Formations?"

"Hongjun had the Three Sages establish the God-Sealing List, saying that the immortals must undergo tribulations."

"But why did so many innocent people have to die in the immortals' tribulations?"

"I don't know."

"Hongjun has already transcended the Three Realms, so why did he still intervene in resolving the grudges of the Three Clear Ones? Based on the cultivation of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, he should have the same lifespan as heaven and earth. But Hongjun should not be restricted by this. He said he had transcended the Three Realms, that even if heaven and earth were destroyed, he would not die or be annihilated. So why did he intervene in the end?"

"..."

"Do you know the story between Hongjun and heaven and earth?"

"Yes, I do," I said. "When heaven and earth were about to be destroyed, a very powerful monster would appear. Hongjun battled against it and found that no matter what, he couldn't stopit. In the end, Hongjun sacrificed himself to seal the monster, and as a result, he became the foundation of heaven and earth, supporting the Three Realms."

"That's true, but that's not the whole story," Luyao said. "Hongjun did battle against the monster, but he didn't sacrifice himself to seal it. Hongjun was defeated. He was defeated by the monster and was about to be annihilated. At that critical moment, heaven and earth, the Three Realms, and all living beings in the world made a unanimous decision to choose Hongjun as the foundation. They chose to sacrifice themselves to save Hongjun."

"What? How is that possible?"

"When Hongjun was defeated, the monster was about to devour him, and heaven and earth were about to be destroyed. At that time, all the immortals, gods, humans, and demons in the Three Realms offered their power and life force to Hongjun. They formed a massive energy that enveloped Hongjun, allowing him to overcome the monster and become the foundation of the new world. This is the true story."

I was stunned. This was completely different from what I had known.

Luyao continued, "Hongjun had always kept this secret hidden. He didn't want anyone to know the truth. He wanted everyone to remember him as a hero who sacrificed himself to save the world. But he was not the one who sacrificed himself. It was the world that sacrificed itself for him."

"Why would the world do that? Why would everyone sacrifice themselves for Hongjun?"

"Because they saw hope in Hongjun. They saw that Hongjun had the potential to become a true god, a god who could protect the Three Realms and all living beings. They believed in him and were willing to offer everything for him."

"But why did Hongjun keep it a secret? Why didn't he tell anyone?"

"Because he didn't want to burden others with the truth. He didn't want them to feel guilty or indebted to him. He wanted them to live their lives freely and happily without the weight of sacrifice on their shoulders."

I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. I felt admiration for Hongjun's selflessness, but also sadness for the sacrifices made by countless beings.

Luyao looked at me and said, "The world owes Hongjun a debt of gratitude. He has been silently protecting the Three Realms for countless eons. Now, it's our turn to protect the world he sacrificed himself for."

I nodded, realizing the weight of our responsibility. We had to protect the world, not just for ourselves, but for Hongjun and all those who had sacrificed for it.