Atop the West Pole Mountain that touched the sky, high and perilous, the entire mountain range spanned over forty-three thousand nine hundred miles, with countless kingdoms, cities, and tribes on its expanse, all adherents of the West Pole Sect.

This sect had a history of more than five thousand years, with cultivation methods that were neither Buddhist nor Daoist, forming its own school. It was adept at the arts of charms, orders, and prohibitions, possessing formidable power.

Especially within the sect, six Elders had all achieved Undying Bodies, allowing them to surpass calamities and obtain immortality. Their strength was the greatest in the West Sea region, and no one dared to fly over the mountain—everyone chose to take a detour instead.

The sect had long-standing enmity with the Shaoyang God Monarch of the West Sea Moqiu Island's Lizhu Palace. The Shaoyang God Monarch was a master of the Fire Element Daoist Technique and had perfected the Fire Technique among the minor paths. Despite being attacked by the sect multiple times, Elder Cangxu, one of the Cosmic Six Strange, was a close friend of the Shaoyang God Monarch and had repeatedly come to his aid. However, even with Elder Cangxu's help, the Shaoyang God Monarch could not eliminate the West Pole Sect, leading to several centuries of strife.

The West Pole Mountain was very far from Central Earth, and its adherents seldom visited there until the Song and Yuan dynasties when they began to gradually come to Central Earth. Following the westward journey of figures like Shang Heyang, Green Robe Ancestor, and Poison Dragon Venerable, who spoke of the unique natural environment and culture of Central Earth, the six Elders of the West Pole Sect deliberated and dispatched disciples to spread their teachings.

Initially, to facilitate proselytization, the West Pole Sect followers disguised themselves as monks. Moreover, high-ranking Buddhist monks had transmitted teachings to them in earlier times, so they were well-versed in Buddhist doctrines and were more readily accepted by the populace of Central Earth. In recent years, as their influence grew, they began to reveal their true nature.

Their robes were white garments, short in the front and long in the back, with naturally coiled, tangled hair, akin to being draped in ropes of uneven lengths of white hemp. Atop their heads, they purposefully shaved a large circle, creating a "Mediterranean" look. With thick eyebrows and eyes flashing blue light, they were starkly different from the people of Central Earth.

Two years ago, the Great Elder Donna dispatched five disciples led by Ji Fan to Central Earth to spread their teachings; they revealed Miracles in the regions of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, attracting many followers and solidifying their existing base.

After understanding the local situation, the first thing Ji Fan did was to label "Prince Xie" as a malevolent demon who deluded the peoples' hearts, demanding his followers demolish all the Xie Wang Temples.

According to the doctrines of the West Pole Sect, their followers could only believe in their own gods as True Gods; all others were considered demons and devils.

The faith in "Prince Xie" was widely prevalent in the regions of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian. Each year, on the birth anniversary of Prince Xie, significant temple fair events were held.

Over the years, the stories of Prince Xie Xie Shan and his two daughters, Xie Ying and Xie Lin, developed and expanded. Nearly every year, new books were published: "Prince Xie Causes Havoc in the Underworld to Save His Parents," "Prince Xie Causes Havoc in the Heavenly Palace to Save His Daughter," "Prince Xie's Love For His Wife Across Three Lifetimes," "Prince Xie Causes Havoc in the Dragon Palace to Save His Beloved Concubine"...

Stories of Prince Xie's sons emerged, with Crown Prince Xie taking up a post in the Heavenly Court, Second Prince Xie becoming a judge in the Underworld, and Third Prince Xie becoming an Arhat before the seat of Tathagata... a total of nine sons.

Later, there were rumors that Prince Xie was originally the Dragon King of Immortal Mountain's Dinghu Peak, who, having offended heavenly laws, was pursued by the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and escaped in desperation to the East Sea... This tale was the result of local people near Dinghu Peak associating Prince Xie with sightings of the Black Dragon King.

The stories of Xie Ying and Xie Lin were also thrilling. Both had husbands; Xie Ying's husband was a Heavenly God who came to the Lower Realm, offended heavenly laws for her, and was demoted to the Beast Path, becoming a Red Snake demon...

Xie Lin's husband was a Scholar from within Hangzhou City, who, while journeying to the Capital for the imperial examination, stayed overnight in a desolate mountain temple where he encountered female ghosts and demons but was saved by Xie Lin.

Clearly, these two stories weren't written by the same author.

There were past lives in addition to their current lives, suggesting Xie Ying's past life as a prince's consort during the Tang Dynasty, and Xie Lin as a military commander's wife from the Song Dynasty, even taking up arms to help her husband defeat twelve generals from the North Country.

The tales became more fantastical; in the Xie Wang Temples, aside from Xie Shan and the two daughters from Immortal City, there were his nine sons, aligning with another narrative that dragons have nine offspring. Aside from the Xie Family, sometimes they added Prince Xie's grandmother and the Immortal City daughters' seven husbands.

As the spread became wider, the stories more miraculous, the common folk's impressions grew deeper, feeling the deity more efficacious. Some even composed religious texts like "Xie Wang Sensing Chapter," "Xie Wang Kindness Song," and "Xie Wang Suffering Relief Scripture," and there were clergy dedicated to spirit writing and inviting possession, embodying Xie Shan himself.

The matter was a source of great distress for Xie Shan and his daughters, who had tried to demolish the temples, but as the belief had spread, the followers would rebuild them even if torn down.

Xie Shan also resorted to casting dreams, telling others he was an Evil Demon and not to worship him. Yet the faithful cursed him as the Evil Demon, convinced that Prince Xie was benevolent. The next day, they would go to the temples and offer incense, asking Prince Xie to drive away the harassing evil spirits.

Left without options, Xie Shan's senior brother from the Han Dynasty, the venerable Buddhist monk Tian Meng Zen Master, eventually could no longer stand by and appeared before him, advising, "Both good and bad actions are karma. A true Buddhist cultivator, no matter the circumstance, can be valiant and diligently progress, turning even malevolent karma into opportunities for growth with the wisdom of Buddhist Law—do you not know that vexations are the seeds of enlightenment?

Why not then make a grand vow, much like Guanyin Bodhisattva, to seek out cries of suffering to save, and help deliver countless people? Just as Amitabha Buddha and other Buddhas who, before attaining enlightenment, made vows to liberate sentient beings and later created Buddha Countries on their fruition grounds—such merits are inconceivable."

He told Xie Shan that the more followers he had, the stronger his Buddha Light would be upon attaining Buddhahood. Amitabha Buddha was known as the Buddha of Infinite Light precisely because he had countless devotees connected to him, and because he had made grand vows before his enlightenment that covered many beings, enabling him to achieve the unparalleled and noble Nirvana.

At this point, Xie Shan had no other choice but to follow suit, becoming a monk alongside Tian Meng Zen Master, shaving his head before Buddha, with the monastic name Han Yue.

He also made a vow before the Buddha to universally enlighten all sentient beings who had destiny with him, to lead them away from suffering towards joy.

The vow had been made, but the work needed to be done bit by bit, one task at a time.

He originally had no fate with these believers; it was only because Elder Tai of Immortal Mountain had played matchmaker that he came to have such a connection.

He and Zen Master Tian Meng had been monks since the Han Dynasty, among the earliest monks in Huaxia, but due to insufficient innate capacity and merits, he later fell from grace and underwent consecutive transmigrations, only to become Xie Shan in this life, an Independent Immortal of the Daoist path. To utter grand vows like Amitabha Buddha or Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva requires tremendous Wisdom and courage. Great Wisdom, Great Compassion, Great Action, and Great Vow—all must be present; otherwise, vexations will arise.

It is like someone swearing to be a good person, giving ten dollars to a beggar every day. In the beginning, they might feel very satisfied, but as time goes on, they start to feel the pinch, and then regret, anger, and various vexations emerge.

Xie Shan always sought purity, not fond of noise and commotion, belonging to what is called "attaching to purity" in Buddhism, believing that purity is just that—purity. Such an attachment, a desire to remain within purity, is also a form of greed.

Once things are no longer pure, he would become distressed, vexations would arise...

Therefore, his cultivation over the years had not been effective. In converting believers and teaching them to learn Buddhism, the believers were all motivated by benefits. They would learn for the benefits but bolt once they got what they wanted. During prayers, they would implore Prince Xie to help them achieve certain goals—whether it was business prosperity, academic success, finding a wife, or bestowing children, promising to offer more incense money upon success.

Prince Xie toiled hard for many years, but in the end, without even one enlightened follower converting to Buddhism, he could only sigh helplessly, "The beings in Southern Jambudvipa are stubborn and difficult to transform; their every thought and moment is marred by sin!"

Xie Ying and Xie Lin had fewer followers than he, and their Effort was weaker and less influential. However, as their Effort gradually deepened, they began to feel more of its impact. There were several times they deviated from the path, but luckily Ye Bin discovered them in time and saved them from disaster.

Xie Shan, resigned, could only have them start practicing Buddhism early, leading them to universally enlighten beings alongside him.

However, Xie Ying and Xie Lin did not become fully ordained and did not become nuns; without a Vow Body, they practiced the Bodhisattva path, appearing in lay clothing while preaching the Law, laypeople performing the work of monastics.

The Three Jewels of Buddhism—Buddha, Law, and Monastic Community—each have their significance.

If they self-studied self-cultivated, it was all fine, but to vow and preach in front of others without ordination was not proper, not only were there no benefits, but it also gave rise to many vexations. Especially Xie Lin, who had a lesser natural disposition than her sister, was soon ready to recklessly settle scores with the foolish men and women who twisted the Buddhist Law with cunning arguments.

Xie Shan had no choice but to ordain them, and both became novitiate nuns, making grand vows before the Buddha; this brought them some tranquility at last.

The Great Mage Ji Fan of the West Pole Sect felt that to establish a presence in Central Earth, the first thing to do was to eradicate the Prince Xie faith. He thus ordered his followers to dismantle the Xie Wang Temples, leading to several large fights. First, over two hundred temples were dismantled in Guangdong, but further progress to the north stalled. The followers of Prince Xie fiercely defended their temples in groups of hundreds and thousands.

Ji Fan then leveraged the government to label Prince Xie as an Evil Demon and used government officials to help tear down the temples, and currently, the conflict continues in Fujian.

He hadn't intended to provoke Shi Feiyang at first, but his official followers persuaded him to go to the Capital to see the Emperor. If he could become the State Preceptor, he could directly ban the Prince Xie faith, or even outright forbid Buddhism, and have the entire Great Ming adopt the West Pole God as the state religion. Then the people would dare not oppose the court, and all Prince Xie temples could be dismantled overnight.

Ji Fan was tempted by the big picture they painted and went to the Capital to meet the Emperor, only to end up snubbed.

After spending over three months in the Capital without seeing the Emperor, he had to return to the Southern Region to continue preaching.

Shi Feiyang was always busy dealing with matters between immortals and mortals in the Immortal Market and only learned that his story was widely circulated among the people after Ji Fan had already returned to the Southern Region.

Although the man had gone, Shi Feiyang did not intend to let him off easily.

This brazen attack could not be easily forgiven; otherwise, Ji Fan would surely become even more audacious.

The West Pole Sect had six Undead Beings. If they all came to Central Earth, even he would have to be somewhat cautious. However, a few disciples were as simple to deal with as slaughtering pigs and dogs!

Shi Feiyang quietly calculated and found they had already started battling with Xie Shan and his daughters, and that was interesting.

Neither side was anything decent—better for them to fight fiercely. But he couldn't just sit by and watch; he needed to take control of the situation himself.

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