In the Ancient and Modern Heaven and Earth, sects in the mortal realm form the foundation of all major powers. Above sects lie secret realms, and above secret realms stand the Colossal Giants of the Great Wilderness. Behind these giants are the Thirty-Six Grotto Heavens and the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands.
However, throughout the ages, two entities have always stood above the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands. The first is the Sacred Ground. The second is Shangqing Heaven.
The reason is simple.
The Sacred Ground represents the Sage Path, while Shangqing Heaven represents the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao has always been the overlord of this world, dominating the fundamental essence of Heaven and Earth. The Sage Path is the great path all living beings yearn for—to become a god, one must first become a sage. It is hailed as the path closest to divinity, and legend says it was the second ruler of Heaven and Earth before the rise of the Heavenly Dao.
Yet, since the Desolation Era, the Heavenly Dao has remained exceedingly low-key. Shangqing Heaven, representing the Heavenly Dao, rarely shows itself. The Sage Path is the same, appearing only when calamities arise.
Therefore, throughout the ages, few have laid eyes on Shangqing Heaven or the Sacred Ground. Those who have heard of the Nine Sacred Sons of the Sacred Ground or the Nine Heavenly Sons of Shangqing Heaven are even fewer, and those who have seen them can be counted on one hand.
The Nine Sacred Sons of the Sacred Ground are the nine disciples of the legendary Martial Sage Xuanyuan Wuji, said to be capable of covering the sky with one hand. The Nine Heavenly Sons of Shangqing Heaven are the nine disciples of the legendary Desolation Era Heavenly General Dugu Qizhan, said to be equal to Heaven itself.
The Nine Sacred Sons are called Sacred Sons not merely because they are Xuanyuan Wuji's disciples, but because they are said to possess Sacred Bloodline from birth, hence the title 'Sacred Sons.' Similarly, the Nine Heavenly Sons are called Heavenly Sons not just because they are Dugu Qizhan's disciples, but because they are said to possess Heaven-Bestowed Bloodline from birth, hence the title 'Heaven-Bestowed Sons.'
Some might have heard rumors about the Nine Sacred Sons and the Nine Heavenly Sons, but that's all they are—rumors. Truly having seen them is exceedingly rare; even some ancestral elders of the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands might never have laid eyes on them.
Da Xing the Mad Monk claims to know everyone under the sun, with avatars spread across the myriad realms, from the highest heavens to the deepest hells. The major Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands hold few secrets from him. However, when it comes to the Sacred Ground and Shangqing Heaven, he frankly doesn't know much. His avatars can infiltrate Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, but they cannot infiltrate the Sacred Ground or Shangqing Heaven. Moreover, Da Xing never intended to use avatars to sneak in; his avatars might deceive the ancestral elders of Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, but they would never fool the ancestral elders of the Sacred Ground or Shangqing Heaven.
Of course, while his knowledge of the Sacred Ground and Shangqing Heaven is limited, he has heard of the legendary Nine Heavenly Sons and Nine Sacred Sons. Not only heard of them, but he has also met one or two.
Originally, he wouldn't have suspected that all the legendary Nine Heavenly Sons and Nine Sacred Sons were Destined Calamity Fates. After all, he previously had no idea there were so many Original Sin anomalies in the Ancient and Modern Heaven and Earth, always believing there were only a handful. If there were only a few Original Sin anomalies, then naturally there would only be a few Destined Calamity Fates.
But now things are different.
Earlier, that hidden Original Sin Patriarch said there were at least a dozen Original Sin anomalies, and the number was growing—perhaps even more than twenty. If that were true, then the legendary Nine Heavenly Sons and Nine Sacred Sons were highly likely all Destined Calamity Fates.
All the Destined Calamity Fates of the Ancient and Modern Heaven and Earth that were supposed to appear have already appeared. For instance, Emperor Changfeng, Emperor Peacock, the Holy Lady, Emperor Fusheng, plus Emperor Wuzang from the Tai Chi Wuliang pair within Xuanyao Grotto Heaven, and the mysterious Miao Rulai who is both an Original Sin anomaly and a Destined Calamity Fate.
The Thirty-Six Grotto Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands have no other Destined Calamity Fates. Da Xing reasoned that if there truly were a dozen or two dozen Original Sin anomalies in this world, then there must be an equal number of Destined Calamity Fates. Excluding the Holy Lady, Emperor Fusheng, and the others, the remainder could only be the legendary Nine Heavenly Sons and Nine Sacred Sons.
Within the scene, the vast holy light seemed boundless and inexhaustible. Under its enveloping radiance, the Breath of Original Sin continuously evaporated and dissipated. The self-lost Karmic Retribution Bodies of Original Sin writhed and screamed in agony beneath the holy light, growing increasingly distorted and blurry, vanishing into dust like smoke or mist, one after another.
With Xuanyuan Hao's descent, the majestic holy light grew even brighter, more radiant, and more dazzling. Looking around, holy light was everywhere, filling the sky, making it seem as if this was no longer the Original Sin-filled Desolation Era Nine Palaces, but a world ruled by divinity.
Everyone could see that this holy light emanated from Xuanyuan Hao. In other words, his personal holy light alone enveloped the entire Li Palace Void. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed as the legends said: he was a Destined Calamity Fate and possessed an innate Sacred Body. Moreover, Xuanyuan Hao seemed to have at least three mysterious blessings upon him. What these three blessings were, no one knew, and it wasn't important. The mere fact that he was a Destined Calamity Fate and possessed a Sacred Body was enough to place him beyond the reach of others.
The hundreds of Original Sin Dharmakayas observing from afar earlier had already hidden themselves. Both Huli Great Immortal and Old Immortal Qingmu stared at Xuanyuan Hao with rather complex expressions. Old Immortal Qingmu was fine, but Huli Great Immortal's gaze was somewhat abnormal. Perhaps because beings from the Desolation Era held a deep-rooted reverence for the Sage Path, even the notoriously arrogant and domineering Huli Great Immortal now acted with caution.
"Heh heh heh heh!" The hidden Original Sin Patriarch let out a laugh, his voice still sinister and profound, undiminished by Xuanyuan Hao's appearance. "So it's a little whelp from the Sacred Ground, and a disciple of Xuanyuan Wuji at that, one of the so-called Nine Sacred Sons! Heh heh heh heh!"
He paused, then continued laughing loudly, "Legend says the Nine Sacred Sons of the Sacred Ground all possess innate Sacred Bloodlines and, most importantly, are all Destined Calamity Fates! Heh heh heh heh! It seems now that claim is indeed true!"
"I must say, Xuanyuan Wuji is truly formidable. The scheme he laid out commands this old ancestor's utmost admiration—to actually arrange for nine Destined Calamity Fates with Sacred Bloodlines! Impressive! Truly impressive! Heh heh heh heh!"
Originally, Da Xing had only harbored suspicions. But now, hearing this Original Sin Patriarch's words, it seemed the matter was almost certainly true. Judging by the Patriarch's tone, it appeared the so-called Nine Sacred Sons were all products of Xuanyuan Wuji's scheme.
Thinking about it, it made sense. Without such a scheme, finding even one being who possessed both Sacred Bloodline and Destined Calamity Fate status would be extremely difficult, let alone nine. Only through advance planning could nine such beings with Sacred Bloodlines and Destined Calamity Fate status be produced.
As for how Xuanyuan Wuji schemed to produce nine Destined Calamity Fates with Sacred Bloodlines... that was probably something only Old Heaven Himself knew.