Time flew by, and no one knew how much time had passed.
In an unknown space within the Honghuang World, countless Great Dao Laws emerged, and cultivating here was like directly facing the Great Dao itself.
All the blessed lands in the Honghuang World could not compare to this place; if the living beings of the Honghuang World knew about this place, even Grand Unity Golden Immortals would be unable to resist fighting over it, likely stirring up a bloody storm.
At this moment, a white-robed Daoist stood in this space, with a nearly complete jade disc above his head.
This white-robed Daoist in the space was naturally Hongjun, who ascended after the Dragon Han Calamity, and this space was the Heaven's Dao Space, the most mysterious location of the Heavenly Dao in the Honghuang World.
"My Dao is complete; it is time to fulfill my mission," Hongjun opened his eyes, which were now filled with the boundless power of Great Dao Laws.
As Hongjun spoke, his body slowly began to depart from the Heaven's Dao Space.
Soon, Hongjun's figure appeared in the Void Realm of the Honghuang World.
The moment Hongjun appeared in the Honghuang World, the Heavenly Dao rumbled, and the entire Honghuang World trembled.
Golden flowers descended from the sky, scattering like a golden rain.
When these golden flowers were absorbed by the fated beings in the Honghuang World, they could enhance their comprehension of the Great Dao for ten thousand years.
The earth also began to tremble violently, and countless golden lotuses gushed forth from beneath the ground.
When these golden lotuses were absorbed by the fated beings, they could equate to ten thousand years of arduous cultivation.
Above the Nine Heavens, myriad rays of light and thousands of auspicious colors intertwined, forming a dazzling curtain of light.
Such a scene naturally attracted the gaze of countless beings.
Behind Hongjun, who was in the Void Realm, purple Qi surged for ninety thousand li, bringing infinite creation.
Hongjun's eyes were deep and serene, as if he had seen through the mysteries of all things in the world.
Every pore of his body was exhaling Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and every breath caused a surge of energy in the heavens and earth.
The living beings of the Honghuang World felt as if they had seen the "Dao" the instant they saw Hongjun.
At this moment, Hongjun's consciousness merged with the Heavenly Dao; he felt the heartbeat of the entire Honghuang World and comprehended the most fundamental Laws between heaven and earth.
His Primordial Spirit roamed in the boundless Void Realm, conversing with the stars and shining with the sun and moon.
His body gradually became transparent, as if merging with heaven and earth, yet leaving his imprint in every corner.
"Poor Daoist Hongjun, today I have attained the fruit of a Heavenly Dao Saint."
A ethereal yet incomparably majestic voice emanated from Hongjun's mouth, spreading throughout the entire Honghuang World, resounding in the ears of every Honghuang being, deeply shocking their hearts.
"I feel that although the living beings of the Honghuang World possess Innate Legacy, they lack a method to transcend and become a Saint.
Therefore, I have decided to preach the Great Dao in Zixiao Palace beyond the heavens in thirty thousand years; all those who are fated may attend."
As Hongjun spoke, the living beings of the Honghuang World felt the Saint's pressure emanating from him, and those with lower cultivation levels involuntarily bowed towards Hongjun under his Saint's pressure.
After speaking, Hongjun paid no attention to the living beings below and directly disappeared into the Void Realm of the Honghuang World.
The living beings of the Honghuang World first breathed a sigh of relief after sensing Hongjun's aura disappear, but then their expressions became excited.
A Saint preaching the Dao!!!
Although they still did not know how strong a Saint truly was, from Hongjun's pressure, they knew that a Saint's strength was far greater than theirs.
Now, Saint Hongjun was going to preach the Dao in thirty thousand years, which was a great Opportunity for the living beings of the Honghuang World, and countless beings were already rushing impatiently towards the Nine Heavens.
However, they did not know that Hongjun's invitation to the fated was not without a threshold; to reach Zixiao Palace beyond the heavens, one had to leave the Honghuang World and enter Chaos, and without cultivation above the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm, one could not enter at all.
Moreover, even a Taiyi Golden Immortal could perish if they were not careful.
"Hongjun has, after all, become a Saint," Taichu, in the Sea of Blood, looked up at Hongjun in the Void Realm with a complex expression and sighed.
"What Realm is a Saint? Is a Saint above the Hunyuan Golden Immortal?" Minghe pondered as he looked at Hongjun in the Void Realm.
Currently, both Taichu and Minghe had already achieved a Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Middle Stage, and Minghe was even on the verge of a Breakthrough.
"You'll know when you go," Taichu heard Minghe's murmur and chose not to answer him.
"Good, then let's go," Minghe nodded when he heard Taichu's words.
Subsequently, the two transformed into two streaks of rainbow light and disappeared into the Sea of Blood, heading towards the Nine Heavens.
"Elder Brother, should we go to Saint Hongjun's sermon?" Yuanshi, in Kunlun Mountain, looked up at Laozi.
"Go, why not go to a Saint's sermon? I think Saint Hongjun's strength is far greater than that of us three brothers; perhaps this Saint is the Realm after the Hunyuan Golden Immortal," Tongtian interjected when he heard Yuanshi's words.
Yuanshi's face darkened when he heard Tongtian interrupt: "Tongtian, you must not be so rude.
I am asking Elder Brother; as our younger brother, how can you act like this?"
Tongtian curled his lips indifferently when he heard Yuanshi's words, clearly not agreeing with him, but he did not continue speaking.
Laozi silently watched Yuanshi and Tongtian argue, and only after both stopped speaking did he calmly say: "Tongtian is right; Saint Hongjun's sermon is worth our brothers going to listen."
After Laozi finished speaking, his figure disappeared into Kunlun Mountain, and Yuanshi and Tongtian exchanged glances before following closely, also disappearing.
At this time, the Ancestral Witches in Pangu Hall also gathered to discuss Hongjun's sermon.
"Damn it, who exactly is this Hongjun, and what's with this Saint business?
Why can he preach the Dao to the living beings of the Honghuang World?"
"I think we should go to that Zixiao Palace right now and capture Saint Hongjun, and let him know the consequences of disrespecting Father God."
"Zhurong, don't be impulsive.
This Saint Hongjun can exert such pressure; his strength is not something we can contend with right now.
Moreover, his preaching to the living beings of the Honghuang World has no harm for the Honghuang World," Dijiang, as the leader of the Ancestral Witches, stopped the enraged Zhurong.
"Then should we still go to his sermon?" Zhurong scratched his head, a bit troubled, after Dijiang stopped him.
If it was a fight, he would definitely be the first to go, but if it involved thinking, he would be completely at a loss.
Zhurong's situation was not unique; among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, only Dijiang, the Ancestral Witch of Space, Zhu Jiuyin, the Ancestral Witch of Time, and Houtu, the Ancestral Witch of Earth, would use their minds; the rest of the Ancestral Witches were complete battle maniacs.
This cannot be blamed on the Ancestral Witches; when they were born, they were affected by the turbid Qi of heaven and earth, lacking a Primordial Spirit, and they were powerless when it came to schemes.
Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin would still ponder not because they understood these things, but because they were the eldest and second eldest, and they needed to consider their younger siblings, forcing them to sometimes suppress their natural inclinations.
Houtu, on the other hand, was the last Ancestral Witch to be born, and she was affected the least by the turbid Qi, so her temper was not as volatile as her elder brothers and sisters.
"Go," Zhu Jiuyin and Houtu both spoke at the same time when they heard Zhurong's words.
Then, the two exchanged glances and both gave reasons for wanting to go and listen to the Dao.
The other Ancestral Witches did not object, or rather, they just wanted them to make the decision for them.
Subsequently, the Twelve Ancestral Witches also left Pangu Hall together.
The simultaneous departure of the Twelve Ancestral Witches instantly caused Chaos in their surroundings.
And unbeknownst to them, countless other beings in the Honghuang World were also desperately rushing towards Zixiao Palace beyond the heavens, just to catch the sermon of Hongjun, the first Saint of the Honghuang World.
Above the Void Realm of Honghuang are the Nine Heavens, named after the nine layers of Heavenly Gang Qi gathered there. This Heavenly Gang Qi is an extremely sharp type of Spiritual Qi in Honghuang, so much so that even a Golden Immortal must be cautious when encountering it. Yet, the Nine Heavens are densely filled with Heavenly Gang Qi.
Countless beings in Honghuang, upon arriving there, sighed in despair at the prospect of Hongjun's sermon because they couldn't Breakthrough the Nine Heavens.
However, the Nine Heavens could only block beings below the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm; a Taiyi Golden Immortal already had the full ability to resist the Heavenly Gang Qi.
Countless Taiyi Golden Immortals entered the Nine Heavens and flew towards the Chaos. However, after Breaking through the Nine Heavens, the beings would arrive before the Honghuang World's embryonic membrane.
The Chaos is filled with Chaos Qi. This Chaos Qi is more Advanced than Innate Spiritual Qi, but precisely because of this, only a Taiyi Golden Immortal can barely resist it. However, a Taiyi Golden Immortal cannot stay long under the erosion of Chaos Qi and must return to Honghuang after a period of time.
Only a Grand Unity Golden Immortal can survive in the Chaos, but it is merely survival. Once a riot of Chaos Qi occurs in the Chaos, even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal faces the danger of falling.
To truly survive in the Chaos, one must reach the Hunyuan Golden Immortal Realm. To completely disregard the dangers of Chaos Qi, one must reach the Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm.
The Honghuang World's embryonic membrane can isolate Chaos Qi from Honghuang, serving as a form of protection from Pangu for Honghuang.
Countless Honghuang beings gathered before the World's embryonic membrane, hesitating. They had all witnessed the power of Chaos Qi.
As they hesitated, the three brothers of Sanqing also arrived before the World's embryonic membrane. After glancing at the other beings, they paid them no further mind.
Among the three, Laozi manifested the Karma Supreme Treasure, the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda. The pagoda contained rich Karma power, and upon its appearance, a thin membrane emerged, completely enveloping the three brothers.
Under the protection of this membrane, the three of them directly entered the Chaos and soon disappeared.
"Hiss, what is the origin of these three? They can completely disregard Chaos Qi."
"You don't know those three brothers?"
"They are the Sanqing. The Sanqing were formed from fragments of Great God Pangu's Primordial Spirit. Did you see that small pagoda above their heads?"
"Judging by its power, it must be a top-tier Spirit Treasure."
"What top-tier Spirit Treasure? That is the Karma Supreme Treasure, the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda! Its defense is unparalleled."
After saying this, some of the beings beside them showed greedy expressions in their eyes, but the person who had just spoken curled his lips in disdain when he saw their greedy eyes.
"Fellow Daoists, it's best not to seek death. Haven't you noticed that the Sanqing are all Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivators? Furthermore, the Sanqing are one entity. If you wish to covet their Spirit Treasure, first consider if you can withstand the wrath of three Grand Unity Golden Immortals."
As soon as these words were spoken, those who had harbored greedy thoughts instantly sobered up.
Although a Karma Supreme Treasure is good, one must be alive to possess it.
Not long after the Sanqing left, the Twelve Ancestral Witches arrived before the World's embryonic membrane. Upon arriving, they completely ignored the other beings and charged directly into the Chaos.
Upon seeing that it was the Twelve Ancestral Witches, many of the beings instantly turned pale. As the Twelve Ancestral Witches approached, they quickly dispersed, fearing to encounter them.
Seeing the actions of the other beings, the Twelve Ancestral Witches burst into laughter: "What a bunch of cowards."
Soon, the Twelve Ancestral Witches entered the Chaos. Countless Chaos Qi collided with their Physical Bodies.
However, the Chaos Qi had no effect whatsoever on the Physical Bodies of the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
"These guys' Physical Bodies are still so outrageous." The other beings were somewhat bewildered to see the Twelve Ancestral Witches directly using their Physical Bodies to withstand the Chaos Qi.
"The Twelve Ancestral Witches are still so barbaric. I truly don't know how such people dare to claim to be descendants of Pangu."
"Keep your voice down. They just left. Don't call those madmen back."
The Twelve Ancestral Witches were infamous in Honghuang. They were either fighting or on their way to a fight.
Therefore, in the eyes of the Honghuang beings, the Twelve Ancestral Witches were a group of mad dogs, best avoided if possible.
"It seems we're not too late." A short while after the Twelve Ancestral Witches left, the two brothers, Taichu and Minghe, also arrived before the World's embryonic membrane.
Taichu looked at the other beings and knew they hadn't arrived too late.
Actually, with the strength of Taichu and Minghe, they wouldn't have arrived so late at the World's embryonic membrane. However, after leaving the Sea of Blood this time, Taichu and Minghe didn't rush directly to the World's embryonic membrane but instead traveled leisurely through Honghuang, sightseeing along the way.
Taichu could be so leisurely because he had no intention of competing for the six cushions that represented the Saint position. If he wasn't going to compete, he only needed to arrive before Hongjun's sermon.
"Who are these Two Fellow Daoists? Why have I seemingly not heard of them in Honghuang?"
"Unclear, but judging by their aura, they are both Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivators. They should be Fellow Daoists who have been cultivating in seclusion in Honghuang."
"There are probably many such Fellow Daoists in Honghuang, but with this Saint's sermon, those people will likely choose to emerge, and the situation in Honghuang is about to change again."
Since the Dragon Han Calamity, Taichu and Minghe had barely left the Sea of Blood, so naturally, not many people knew their names.
Taichu and Minghe didn't care about this. They ignored the discussions of the beings below.
Taichu manifested the Karma Red Lotus, while Minghe also manifested the Blood Fiend Nine Underworlds Pagoda. After the two Spirit Treasures appeared, they enveloped them.
Just as the two were about to enter the Chaos, they were interrupted by a voice from behind:
"Taichu, Fellow Daoist Minghe, I didn't expect to meet you here by such a coincidence."
Taichu and Minghe turned around and saw a smiling Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi standing beside him.
"Two Fellow Daoists, since we are so fated, why don't we go together?" Taichu and Minghe hadn't seen Hongyun and the other for many years, and they were very happy to see them again now.
"Good," Hongyun and the other nodded after hearing Taichu's words.
Subsequently, the four of them entered the Chaos together.
After the four left, Emperor Jun, the two brothers Taiyi, Kunpeng, Eastern King Duke, West Queen Mother, and others successively entered the Chaos.
Seeing so many people entering the Chaos, the beings lingering before the World's embryonic membrane also began to stir.
Not long after, some beings, unable to bear the solitude, also entered the Chaos. However, their strength did not reach the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. A portion of these beings was eroded by Chaos Qi upon entering.
Nevertheless, they continued to enter the Chaos in an endless stream.
The area before the World's embryonic membrane gradually became deserted due to the departure of these beings.
After all those beings had left, two more dust-laden Daoists arrived in Honghuang, their faces filled with sorrow.
However, seeing no beings before the World's embryonic membrane, one of the Daoists manifested the Seven Treasure Tree and placed it above his head: "Elder Brother, let's go. There's no one here, so we don't need to act anymore."
The other Daoist beside him also put away his sorrowful expression and manifested a precious banner.
Under the protection of their Spirit Treasures, the two entered the Chaos.
"I didn't expect there to be only the Three Pure Ones outside Zixiao Palace. Could it be that everyone else in the Great Desolation arrived later than us? That shouldn't be the case." Taichu looked at the three lone figures outside Zixiao Palace with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Taichu originally thought they would be relatively late arrivals to Zixiao Palace, but he didn't expect to find only the Three Pure Ones there when he arrived.
Actually, Taichu didn't know that the 'those with affinity' Hongjun spoke of when he became a Saint had several hurdles. Entering the Chaos didn't guarantee finding Zixiao Palace. Only those with great Opportunity and great Karma could find Zixiao Palace in the Chaos.
If one had no affinity with Zixiao Palace, they could only remain stagnant in the Chaos.
Taichu not only had great Opportunity and great Karma, but also Hongjun's guidance, which was why they arrived at Zixiao Palace so quickly. The few people with Hongyun naturally benefited from Taichu's contribution.
At this moment, Hongyun, who was accompanying Taichu, didn't have as many thoughts as Taichu. He curiously surveyed the Zixiao Palace before him, and when he saw the Three Pure Ones, a look of joy appeared on his face. Clearly, Hongyun, this expert at making friends, knew the Three Pure Ones.
"Three Fellow Daoists, I didn't expect you to arrive even earlier than us."
Among the Three Pure Ones, Tongtian, whose temperament was similar to Hongyun's, wanted to walk towards Hongyun after seeing him, but he was stopped by the gazes of Laozi and Yuanshi.
Laozi listened to Hongyun's words, looked at Hongyun, and smiled and nodded. Yuanshi, however, disliked Hongyun's unrestrained nature, so he merely nodded.
The Three Pure Ones were not surprised to see Zhenyuanzi beside Hongyun; after all, it was widely known in the Great Desolation that Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi had a good relationship.
At this moment, the Three Pure Ones were curious about Taichu and Minghe, who were beside Hongyun.
Tongtian looked at Taichu and Minghe, then looked at Hongyun and asked, "Fellow Daoist Hongyun, who are these Two Fellow Daoists?"
"Hahaha, these two are Fellow Daoist Taichu and Fellow Daoist Minghe. These two fellows haven't left their Daoist sanctuaries for quite a few years, so it's normal that you haven't heard of them."
"But don't underestimate them; those who underestimate them won't have a good end," Hongyun said with a smile.
Laozi's gaze swept over Taichu and Minghe.
"It seems Taichu and Minghe are not simple. Hongyun seems casual, but it's rare for him to praise someone so highly."
"Moreover, although their Qi is reclusive, being able to arrive here so quickly means their Cultivation Realm will not be lower than the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm."
Taichu nodded to the Three Pure Ones, then closed his eyes and concentrated beside them, waiting for Zixiao Palace to open.
Just then, the great door of Zixiao Palace actually opened.
The Three Pure Ones and others, sensing the opening of Zixiao Palace's great door, all opened their eyes in unison and curiously looked towards Zixiao Palace.
"What's going on? Thirty thousand years haven't passed yet. Why did Zixiao Palace open at this time?"
At the great door of Zixiao Palace, two exquisitely carved young boys stood.
"These two little fellows must be Haotian and Yaochi, who will later become the masters of the Heavenly Court," Taichu curiously observed Haotian and Yaochi.
After Haotian and Yaochi emerged, they scanned the crowd outside Zixiao Palace, and finally Yaochi spoke, "Which one is Senior Taichu?"
Upon hearing Yaochi's words, everyone looked at Taichu and Minghe.
Taichu was also a little surprised to hear Yaochi's words. "Why is Hongjun looking for me at this time?"
Taichu knew that Haotian and Yaochi were here to convey Hongjun's message.
"I am Taichu. May I know why the Two Fellow Daoists are looking for me?" Taichu asked, looking at Yaochi.
"Fellow Daoist, we wouldn't dare. Senior Taichu, please come with us; our master summons you," Haotian and Yaochi shyly waved their hands upon hearing Taichu's words.
Taichu looked at the very shy pair and thought, "Who would have thought these two adorable young boys would later become the masters of the Three Realms?"
"What is the background of this Fellow Daoist Taichu that he can be summoned by a Saint in advance?" The Three Pure Ones were even more curious about Taichu after hearing Haotian's words.
The three of them were descendants of Pangu, yet even they had not received an invitation from Hongjun.
"Taichu, you know Saint Hongjun?" Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi also looked at Taichu curiously.
"It's just that I met Saint Hongjun a few times in the Great Desolation before. Fellow Daoists, I'll be leaving first." Taichu shook his head, looking at Hongyun.
After Taichu finished speaking, his figure appeared before Haotian and Yaochi.
Taichu took out two bottles of Medicinal Pills and handed them to Haotian and Yaochi. "Two Fellow Daoists, these two bottles of Medicinal Pills are for you. This spiritual fruit, the Blood Soul Pill, is something I refined in my leisure time and isn't considered rare, but this Blood Soul Pill can nourish the Primordial Spirit. It will still have a good effect on the Cultivation of you two young friends."
"Thank you, Senior Taichu." Haotian and Yaochi's faces showed surprise and joy when they heard Taichu's words. They could feel that the two bottles of Medicinal Pills would be of great benefit to their Cultivation.
"This Fellow Daoist Taichu's alchemy attainment is actually so high?" Laozi looked at the Blood Soul Pills Taichu handed to Haotian and Yaochi, feeling incredibly surprised.
Laozi's greatest pride was his alchemy, but he could feel the rich Medicinal Pill power within the Blood Soul Pills Taichu took out. Laozi knew that Taichu's alchemy level was probably not beneath his own.
"Senior Taichu, please come in. Master is waiting for you inside." After Haotian and Yaochi accepted the items, they opened the great door of Zixiao Palace.
"Brother, I'll go in first. Remember what I told you, don't rush for the futons after Zixiao Palace opens," Taichu instructed Minghe via telepathy before leaving.
Then, Taichu nodded to Haotian and Yaochi and directly entered Zixiao Palace. After Taichu entered Zixiao Palace, the great door of Zixiao Palace closed again.
Only this time, Haotian and Yaochi did not return to Zixiao Palace together, but stood on either side of the palace gate.
Hongyun looked at the disappearing figures of Taichu and Minghe, his eyes filled with doubt: "What did Fellow Daoist Taichu's telepathic message mean just now? Why did he tell me not to contend for the futons in Zixiao Palace? Is there something wrong with those futons? And how did Fellow Daoist Taichu know there would be futons in Zixiao Palace?"
After Taichu sent the telepathic message to Minghe, he also thought of Hongyun's tragic fate, which began with his yielding his seat in Zixiao Palace, so he gave Hongyun a hint. However, if Hongyun didn't heed the advice, Taichu would be helpless.
Taichu, who had entered Zixiao Palace, sighed inwardly, "I hope with my reminder, this fellow Hongyun can change his own fate."
However, Taichu immediately suppressed the thoughts in his mind and looked inside Zixiao Palace. He saw Hongjun naturally sitting in the center at the very front of Zixiao Palace, and directly below Hongjun were six futons.
"Are these the futons that represent the Saint?" Taichu murmured to himself as he looked at the futons.
And Hongjun spoke when he saw Taichu's arrival.
"Fellow Daoist Taichu, long time no see."
"It seems Hongjun is probably already preparing to merge with the Dao at this time," Taichu sighed inwardly, sensing the rich Heavenly Dao Qi on Hongjun.
Hongjun waved his hand, and a futon appeared on his right side.
"Fellow Daoist Taichu, please."
"What does Hongjun mean by this? Is he planning to directly appoint me as a Saint because I have too much Karma?" Taichu looked at Hongjun with some confusion.
Although the Saint position was good, Taichu somehow felt that the Saint position was not suitable for him.
However, upon careful observation, Taichu realized that his cushion was probably different from the cushions representing the Saint positions.
Taichu could feel rich Heavenly Dao power within the six cushions beneath Zixiao Palace, but he felt no Heavenly Dao power on the cushion that had appeared now.
Hongjun's gaze lingered on those cushions as he looked at Taichu. "Indeed, Fellow Daoist Taichu knows the secret of these six cushions. It seems that everything he did in the Western Earth Meridian during the last Calamity was not a coincidence. But how did he know? This is truly strange."
"However, Fellow Daoist Taichu's previous actions were only beneficial to the Grandmist, with no harm. As long as he doesn't destroy the Grandmist, let him be."
"Fellow Daoist Taichu, you can rest assured, this cushion is just an ordinary cushion and is not the same as those six cushions," Hongjun said, looking at Taichu who had not moved.
Upon hearing Hongjun's words, Taichu looked at him with some surprise. "Does Hongjun know my thoughts?"
"Although I still cannot clearly see your Dao, Fellow Daoist, I can feel that your Dao is not suitable for the Dao of a Saint."
"Whether it is the Dao of a Saint or the Dao of Three Corpses that I will expound, they can only serve as a reference for you, Fellow Daoist. You need to find your own Dao."
"Forge my own Dao?" Taichu murmured upon hearing Hongjun's words.
In fact, he had sensed this before, and now that he had received the answer from Hongjun, he was not too surprised.
Taichu then directly sat on that cushion. Indeed, the cushion had no special function; it was just an ordinary cushion.
"May I ask, Fellow Daoist, why you called me in early this time?" Taichu looked at Hongjun after sitting down.
"Nothing," Hongjun shook his head.
"What's going on? Did Hongjun call me in just to have me sit here?" Taichu had considered many reasons before, but he hadn't expected Hongjun to mention nothing after he came in.
"Fellow Daoist, do you know why I want to expound the Dao?" Hongjun looked at Taichu.
"Fellow Daoist is moved by the difficulties of Cultivating for the living beings of the Grandmist, and thus expounds the Dao to help them Cultivate."
Hongjun nodded upon hearing Taichu's words, then shook his head.
"That is only one aspect of the reason, but not the whole."
"I expound the Dao partly because I am moved by the difficulties of Cultivating for living beings and the requirements of the Heavenly Dao. Another reason is that I am now following the Dao of a Saint, but my original Dao path was the Dao of Three Corpses which I created. I want to pass down my Dao path. I hope someone can continue the path that I cannot walk."
"Are the Dao of a Saint and the Dao of Three Corpses not the same path?"
"That's right, the Dao of Three Corpses is a Dao path created by Hongjun, while the Dao of a Saint was formed by Hongjun changing his path midway to compensate the Heavenly Dao. It is not the original path of the Dao of Three Corpses."
"However, Hongjun is probably going to be disappointed. Neither the fated Saints nor the other three thousand guests of Zixiao Palace successfully followed the Dao of Three Corpses." Taichu shook his head inwardly.
The fated Saints aside, although they Cultivated the Dao of Three Corpses, they achieved the Demonstration of a Saint with Karma and Hongmeng Purple Energy before reaching the stage of Three Corpses merging into one. There was probably interference from the Heavenly Dao in this.
As for the other three thousand guests of Zixiao Palace, none of them succeeded in the method of Three Corpses Demonstration.
In his previous life, conspiracy theories suggested that the Dao of Three Corpses expounded by Hongjun required three Spirit Treasures of the same origin to achieve Demonstration, and Hongjun deliberately did not mention this when expounding the Dao in order to control the Saints and the living beings of the Grandmist.
However, Taichu felt this was a bit far-fetched. First, as long as the three thousand guests of Zixiao Palace Cultivated the Dao of Three Corpses, they would owe Hongjun a great Karma. Even if they succeeded in Demonstration, they would still owe Hongjun this favor.
Moreover, Hongjun was an existence who could continuously create two paths to Demonstration. His talent and foundation were probably superior even to those of the Three Purities and others. Such an existence would be the most likely to hope that someone could catch up to him, not fear it.
"It seems Hongjun wants to establish his Dao lineage before merging with the Dao, and he did the same in his previous life, even drawing all the fated Saints into his Dao lineage. But in the end, he still didn't get what he wanted." Taichu shook his head; he suddenly felt a little sorry for Hongjun.
Hongjun, unaware of Taichu's thoughts, continued speaking to himself.
"Fellow Daoist should know that I will merge with the Dao later, so before that, I have an impolite request and hope Fellow Daoist can agree."
Taichu looked at him curiously upon hearing Hongjun's words.
"What matter still requires my help, Fellow Daoist?"
Hongjun was a Saint now; there should be nothing he couldn't do in the Grandmist.
"It's nothing major. I just hope Fellow Daoist can join my Dao lineage."
"Rest assured, joining my Dao lineage will not connect your Luck to my Dao lineage; you will still be a free person." Hongjun seemed to know all of Taichu's concerns and addressed them before Taichu even asked.
"Then, Fellow Daoist, what is the purpose of wanting me to join your Dao lineage?" Taichu looked at Hongjun with some confusion.
"After I became a Saint, I once entered the River of Time. Although I still cannot see the complete future of the Grandmist, I saw the outcome of the Grandmist breaking apart."
"Did Hongjun see the Witch-Demon Calamity or the Investiture of the Gods Calamity in the River of Time?"
During the Witch-Demon Calamity, Mount Buzhou collapsed. If not for the intervention of several Saints, the Grandmist would have been destroyed. After losing Mount Buzhou, its pillar supporting the heavens, the Grandmist's capacity to withstand impact greatly diminished. During the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, several Saints actually fought fiercely within the Grandmist, causing it to completely collapse.
This led to a world downgrade, and the Grandmist lost its ability to convert Chaos Qi into Innate Spiritual Qi.
The lack of Innate Spiritual Qi caused many areas in the Grandmist to begin experiencing Acquired Spiritual Qi, making Cultivating for the living beings of the Grandmist even more difficult.
Seeing this situation, Hongjun, in helplessness, divided the Grandmist into the Earth Immortal Realm and the Human Realm. Afterward, to prevent such incidents from happening again, Hongjun restricted all Saints from entering the Grandmist.
"The Grandmist broken apart? Did Fellow Daoist see it wrong? How could the Grandmist possibly break apart!" Taichu feigned surprise as he looked at Hongjun.
"I don't know the specific reason, but in the time I saw, the Grandmist truly broke apart, and the reason for its breaking was caused by Saints."
Clearly, even with Hongjun's strength, he could not control the River of Time.
"Then what does this have to do with Fellow Daoist wanting me to join your Dao lineage?"
"I am preparing to expound the Dao three times this time. After the third time, I will merge with the Dao."
"I was also wondering why I didn't intervene when the Grandmist broke apart. The only thing I can think of is that the breaking of the Grandmist involved the intervention of the Heavenly Dao. Although I don't understand what caused such a problem with the Heavenly Dao, I will not allow the Grandmist to break apart."
"Therefore, I want to request that Fellow Daoist intervene when the Grandmist breaks apart to change the fate of the Grandmist," Hongjun requested, looking at Taichu.
"Alas, Hongjun is indeed still that Hongjun. No matter when, he always considers the Grandmist first." Taichu sighed, looking at Hongjun.
However, Taichu still shook his head. "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to join the Dao lineage. If the Grandmist truly is to break apart, as a living being of the Grandmist, I will definitely intervene to stop it."
"Although I don't know the specific reason for the Grandmist's breaking, the Heavenly Dao's desire to intervene in the Grandmist must be realized through Saints. And the fated Saints will later join my Dao lineage.
At that time, if Fellow Daoist wants to intervene, you will need an identity. And if Fellow Daoist joins my Dao lineage, after I merge with the Dao, you will be my spokesperson in the Grandmist. Then you will have a reason to intervene in my Dao lineage."
After hearing Hongjun's words, Taichu pondered for a moment. "Alright, I agree to join your Dao lineage. However, if no harm comes to the Grandmist from your Dao lineage, I will not interfere with its affairs."
Upon hearing Taichu's reply, Hongjun revealed a slight smile. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
While Daoist Hongjun and Taichu communicated in Zixiao Palace, many living beings arrived one after another.
Upon reaching the Zixiao Palace, they saw Sanqing and others waiting outside, so they also stood obediently by the door.
As time flowed, thirty thousand years quickly passed.
Haotian and Yaochi opened the Zixiao Palace gate, saying, "Fellow Daoists, thirty thousand years have passed. Please enter."
With the opening of the Zixiao Palace gate, the living beings outside instantly transformed into streaks of rainbow light, flying into the Zixiao Palace.
Upon entering the Zixiao Palace, they immediately saw the six futons in the center. Although they did not know at this time that those six futons were related to the Saint, the rich Heavenly Dao aura within them, combined with their prominent placement, made it clear to anyone with a brain that those six futons held a great Opportunity.
Sanqing and the others were the first to enter. Upon seeing the futons, they rushed forward and occupied the first three.
Nuwa, with Fuxi's help, sat on the fourth futon. When Fuxi originally intended to sit on the fifth seat, he found Hongyun already there, and the sixth seat was taken by Kunpeng.
Seeing this, Fuxi shook his head and then sat behind Nuwa. Zhenyuanzi was in a similar situation to Fuxi; seeing no seat, he sat behind Hongyun.
As for Minghe, he had already received a reminder from Taichu. Even though he entered with Hongyun and the others, he did not contend for the futons upon entering Zixiao Palace. Instead, he simply found a random spot in the front and sat down.
"Strange, wasn't Taichu called in by Daoist Hongjun earlier? Why don't I see him after I came in? And Daoist Hongjun also doesn't seem to be in this hall." Minghe began searching within the Zixiao Palace after sitting down.
At this moment, not only Minghe had this doubt, but Sanqing also shared it. However, since they were in a Saint's Dao field, it was not appropriate to discuss it, so they suppressed their doubts.
Actually, they did not know that Daoist Hongjun and Taichu were observing them from above, but they were concealed by Daoist Hongjun, so they could not be discovered.
Taichu looked at Hongyun with confusion, "What's going on? Didn't I already warn Hongyun? Why did he still snatch that futon? Is there a reason for this that I don't know?"
In fact, Hongyun at this time also had unspeakable difficulties. He Cultivated the Dao of Freedom, which emphasizes following one's heart and being carefree. The moment he entered Zixiao Palace, he felt that the futon had a connection with him, and his body unconsciously flew onto the seat. By the time he regained consciousness, he was already sitting on the futon.
"The Dao of Freedom emphasizes freedom, but now I am being carried away by the meaning of freedom." Hongyun smiled bitterly after looking at the futon he was sitting on.
Most of the living beings, upon seeing that the six futons were already occupied, no longer bothered and simply sat down anywhere in the hall.
However, a small number of people's gazes lingered on Sanqing and the others.
Sanqing felt the malicious gazes from behind and frowned deeply. Then, the three of them simultaneously unleashed their Qi.
As Sanqing unleashed their Qi, everyone knew they could not afford to offend Sanqing. Then, they looked at Nuwa, but immediately saw Fuxi behind her. Hongyun was also the same; he had Zhenyuanzi protecting him.
Finally, everyone's gaze converged on the solitary Kunpeng.
Kunpeng felt the malice from behind, and his face became incredibly grim.
He knew that among those sitting on the futons, only he was alone. At this moment, he had clearly become a tempting target in the eyes of those people.
However, Kunpeng was unwilling to give up the futon, so even though he knew it was a hot potato, he would not abandon it.
Taichu looked at Kunpeng, who was restless on his seat, and could not help but feel emotional, thinking of Kunpeng's future destiny.
"This Kunpeng is truly unlucky."
Kunpeng was born without an Innate Spirit Treasure. The only thing he could present was the Acquired top-tier Spirit Treasure Kunpeng Palace, which he refined himself. This Kunpeng Palace was later renamed Demon Master Palace after Kunpeng created the Demon Text.
Furthermore, after Kunpeng became the Demon Master, he was targeted by Emperor Jun and Taiyi, who found an excuse to forcibly imprison a wisp of his true spirit within the Demon Summoning Banner.
Even during the Witch-Demon Calamity, Kunpeng temporarily defected from the Yao Race and absconded with Emperor Jun's top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure, the River Diagram and Luo River Scroll. However, even that River Diagram and Luo River Scroll were eventually demanded and given to the Human Emperor Fuxi.
Taichu shifted his gaze from Kunpeng and soon discovered something else.
"These two possess the aura of emperors, and the small bell on that person's waist... They should be Emperor Jun and Taiyi, who will create the Yao Race after this sermon."
"As for these twelve, they should be the Twelve Ancestral Witches."
At this moment, Emperor Jun and Taiyi's eyes were fixed on the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Originally, although their speed was not as fast as Kunpeng's, they had two people, and as long as one of them could free up a hand, they could stop Kunpeng, and that last spot would naturally be theirs.
Unfortunately, upon entering, they were obstructed by the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Not to mention snatching a seat, they were among the last few Purple Cloud Guests to sit in Zixiao Palace.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches, seeing Emperor Jun and Taiyi's gazes, were completely unconcerned. They didn't even care about being in Zixiao Palace, conversing and laughing unrestrainedly, effectively showing complete disregard for Daoist Hongjun.
Everyone else in Zixiao Palace frowned upon seeing the Twelve Ancestral Witches. They were there to listen to Daoist Hongjun's sermon.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches' disrespect towards Daoist Hongjun was tantamount to disrespecting those who came to listen to the Dao.
However, they knew the reputation of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, so despite their displeasure, they did not voice it.
"Brother, are we just going to let the Ancestral Witches get away with this?" Taiyi looked at the Twelve Ancestral Witches and discontentedly transmitted his voice to Emperor Jun.
"Taiyi, a small impatience can ruin a great plan. Moreover, this is Zixiao Palace. The more arrogant the Twelve Ancestral Witches are now, the better. It would be best if they could offend Saint Hongjun. Even if the Saint doesn't mind, their current behavior is beneficial to our plan." Emperor Jun was also very displeased with the Ancestral Witches, but he knew now was not the time to act against them.
Taiyi was unwilling after hearing Emperor Jun's words, but then he saw Kunpeng on the futon, and his thoughts shifted slightly. "The Twelve Ancestral Witches cannot be offended now, but can I not offend this Kunpeng?"
"Brother, why don't we drive Kunpeng down and take his seat?" Taiyi transmitted his voice to Emperor Jun, looking at Kunpeng.
"No hurry. We are not the only ones eyeing Kunpeng right now; others probably have ideas too."
"However, we don't know Saint Hongjun's attitude yet, so it's best not to act rashly."
"Someone will inevitably be unable to resist acting later. If they act and the Saint doesn't stop them, it won't be too late for us to make our move."
And while everyone in the hall harbored their own schemes, two dusty Daoists entered through the gate of Zixiao Palace.