These two Fellow Daoists were, naturally, Jieyin and Zhunti.
Actually, given their strength, they shouldn't have arrived at Zixiao Palace so late.
However, after they, the two brothers, entered the Chaos space, their luck was extremely poor, and they repeatedly encountered various mishaps.
This was why it took them so long to finally reach Zixiao Palace.
"Fellow Daoist, with their strength, how could they have arrived at Zixiao Palace so late?" Taichu, from above, looked at Hongjun and asked.
"Fellow Daoist, you don't know, these two are from the West. I incurred Karma with the West due to the Dao-Demon conflict. This Karma concerns the Heavenly Dao, and even though I have now attained the Dao, I still need to repay this Karma."
"Now, this Karma is imprinted upon the two of them."
Taichu was stunned when he heard Hongjun's words.
"What's going on? I clearly changed the fate of the Western Earth Meridian's destruction, so why does Hongjun still say he owes Western Karma? And even if he owes Karma, it shouldn't require two Saint positions, right?"
"Or was my previous guess wrong, and the Karma Hongjun owes isn't because of the Earth Meridian?"
"Then why would Fellow Daoist still block the two from coming to Zixiao Palace? Since Fellow Daoist needs to repay the Western Karma, why would he obstruct them?"
Hongjun shook his head after hearing Taichu's question. "This is actually due to my personal selfishness. They are not only backed by the West but also connected to Luo Hou, who has now become the Demon Realm. If it were just that, I could still accept it."
"But I saw their figures in the River of Time, involved in the breaking of the Great Desolation. Even if they might not have intentionally destroyed the Great Desolation, since I know they are involved, I don't want them to obtain that position."
"And this is determined by the Heavenly Dao. Even after my many obstructions, they still arrived at Zixiao Palace." Hongjun shook his head.
Taichu was startled by Hongjun's words. "The Western Two Sages are related to Luo Hou, and listening to Hongjun's meaning, did Luo Hou not go to the Dao Ruins after transforming into the Demon Realm? And this actually involves a game between the Heavenly Dao and Hongjun."
"Daoist Hongjun, I observe that the Great Dao of these two Westerners is completely different from the Demonic Path; in fact, it can be said to be opposite. How could they be related to Luo Hou? And didn't Luo Hou transform into the Demon Realm? How could he not have perished?"
"Fellow Daoist, you are unaware. This Fellow Daoist Luo Hou did not Cultivate the Demonic Path at first, but rather the Buddhist Dao. This Dao is completely opposite to the Demonic Path, but Luo Hou entered the Dao through Buddhism and attained the Dao through demonic means, with Buddha and Demon becoming one. These two are likely secret moves left by Luo Hou in the Great Desolation."
"As for Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's current situation, it is quite special. His Dao Heart Seed Demon is very unique. He has not perished at this time, but he is not considered alive either. His true spirit is dormant in the Dao Ruins, but a wisp of his consciousness has become the will of the Demon Realm, controlling it."
"As long as the time comes when the Dao declines and the demon rises, Luo Hou can rely on this wisp of consciousness to revive from the Dao Ruins and return to the Demon Realm." Hongjun explained to Taichu.
"Hiss, good heavens, you guys are truly beings who can forge your own Dao; your calculations are far too profound."
"The Western Earth Meridian was not destroyed by Luo Hou, so why does Fellow Daoist still say he owes Western Karma?" Taichu thought for a moment and still asked the doubt in his heart.
Hongjun shook his head. "Although the Western Earth Meridian was not damaged, Luo Hou transformed into the Demon Realm, compensating the Great Desolation. This is a great Karma, and now that Luo Hou is no more, this great Karma can only be given to the two individuals who are related to him."
"That is to say, this Western Karma should actually be Luo Hou's Karma. Jieyin and Zhunti's ability to become Saints is not due to the destruction of the Western Earth Meridian, but because they themselves are Luo Hou's secret moves left in the Great Desolation."
"And even if Hongjun knows that the two are Luo Hou's secret moves, because Luo Hou transformed into the Demon Realm, he still has no way to deal with them, and even has to let them become Saints."
"What a profound scheme. However, it seems that the coming tribulations will not only be disputes between Saints, but behind them, it will still be the Dao-Demon conflict." After hearing Hongjun's explanation, Taichu's mind slowly connected some of Luo Hou's schemes.
"Fellow Daoist's so-called Karma is probably imprinted on those six futons, right? But now there are no seats left on those futons, so how will this Karma be handled?"
"This matter still depends on Hong Yun; he is the key to the game between me and the Heavenly Dao."
Taichu was greatly surprised after hearing Hongjun's words. "Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, why is this matter related to him?"
Taichu had not expected Hong Yun to be involved in this.
"It's not Hong Yun's problem, but the problem of that seat. Whoever sits on that seat will become a chess piece for us to play our game."
"That is to say, as long as Hong Yun doesn't give up his seat, Jieyin and the two won't be able to become Saints, or at least not so easily."
"According to my memory, Hongjun ultimately lost this game again, and Hong Yun eventually gave up his seat to complete Jieyin and the two. Should I try to change this fate?"
Taichu wanted to transmit a message to Hong Yun, telling him not to give up his seat later, but he found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't transmit a message.
"Fellow Daoist, give up. This is where the Heavenly Dao is most concentrated. It's impossible for you to transmit a message from here. This matter can only depend on Hong Yun's own choice." Hongjun clearly noticed Taichu's subtle movements and said.
"Then, how are Fellow Daoist and the Heavenly Dao playing their game concerning Fellow Daoist Hong Yun?"
"Hong Yun, sitting on the futon at this moment, will see countless scenes of him perishing and his Dao collapsing after occupying the futon. This kind of sensation is deduced by the Heavenly Dao; it is his true fate later on. And Hong Yun's Great Dao is the Dao of Freedom, which emphasizes following one's heart. He sat on the futon precisely because of this."
"And the game between me and the Heavenly Dao lies in whether Hong Yun can firmly follow his true heart."
"So, the seemingly dramatic struggle for seats in Zixiao Palace actually involved so many schemes."
And just as the two were discussing, Jieyin and Zhunti outside also saw the six futons in Zixiao Palace.
The two looked around and, seeing the gazes of the Innate Sacreds in the hall, knew that they also had ideas about those futons.
It was just that those people were waiting for someone to be the first to act. Thinking of this, Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged glances.
Others might not dare to be the first to act, but they, the two brothers, dared.
Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged glances; after a brief communication, Zhunti's gaze quickly dimmed.
"My two brothers are suffering! The Western Spiritual Qi is scarce, and the strength of us two brothers is not as great as that of all you Fellow Daoists present. The journey here was long and full of difficulties.
We barely made it to Zixiao Palace in the nick of time, but in this Zixiao Palace, there isn't even a place for us brothers to stand.
Alas, it seems that in the end, our Opportunity was insufficient, and we don't even have the qualifications to listen to the Dao." Zhunti sighed deeply.
Chapter 77 Seats Reserved
The Innate Sacreds in the hall looked at the still spacious hall, glancing at each other.
They truly couldn't understand how Zhunti could say such a thing as there being no room to even stand in Zixiao Palace.
However, the Innate Sacreds noticed Zhunti's gaze inadvertently sweeping towards the six people on the seats when he spoke.
They then understood the thoughts of Zhunti and his companion.
"These two are truly cunning; they actually attempt to seize the futon seats up there, but anyone who gives up their seat would be a fool."
The six people on the seats all ignored him.
Seeing that the six people ignored him, Zhunti, disregarding his dignity, began to wail: "Wuwuwu, I never expected that my brother and I would come all the way to Zixiao Palace, enduring hardships, just to listen to Saint Hongjun's teachings, but we arrived here and don't even have a seat.
If we cannot listen to the Dao, my brother and I will not be able to change the West. Thus, it seems better for me, Zhunti, to perish here, rather than to suffer through future cultivation." With that, he charged towards a pillar in the main hall.
"This Zhunti is truly shameless. If he wants to perish, he can just shatter his own Soul. Who is he putting on a show for here?" The Innate Sacreds all looked at Zhunti as if he were a clown.
However, the Innate Sacreds at this moment all wanted to scheme for the seats above. Even if they felt Zhunti was a clown, now that someone was testing Hongjun's attitude, they would naturally cooperate.
Many people echoed Zhunti's words, as if not giving Zhunti a seat was a sin.
Just then, a series of images appeared in Hongyun's eyes, who was on the futon. As the images appeared, Hongyun felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles on the futon.
After hearing the voices of the people around him, Hongyun's Dao Heart seemed to waver slightly. Then, for some unknown reason, Hongyun suddenly stood up and pulled Zhunti, who was about to crash into the pillar, to his own seat.
"Fellow Daoist, it is merely a seat. I will yield my seat to you."
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, you…" Zhenyuanzi, behind Hongyun, looked at Hongyun, who had given up his seat, in surprise.
After Hongyun yielded his seat to Zhunti, he let out a great sigh of relief in his heart.
However, for some unknown reason, he felt that he had missed an Opportunity.
But he felt that after yielding the seat, his Dao Heart became purer, and he felt that his comprehension of the Dao of Freedom had deepened: "There is gain only with sacrifice."
"Hongyun, why did you yield your seat?" Zhenyuanzi looked incredulously at Hongyun, who was already sitting beside him.
"It was my Dao Heart's doing." Hongyun shook his head.
"What is this all about? In this situation, who won the game between Fellow Daoist and Heavenly Dao?" Taichu also looked at Hongyun's decision with some surprise.
The game between Hongjun and Heavenly Dao hinged on whether Hongyun would stick to his Dao and refuse to give up his seat, or be forced to abandon his seat by a life-and-death crisis.
But now, Hongyun's Dao Heart made Hongyun yield the seat. From this perspective, Hongjun won, but Hongyun also gave up the seat, so Heavenly Dao also won.
"We both won, but now the futon has been given up by Hongyun, and that position belongs to Zhunti. However, Hongyun followed his Dao, so he also has a chance to obtain that position."
Only after hearing Hongjun's explanation did Taichu understand why, in his memory, both Hongyun and Kunpeng had given up their seats, but in the end, that Hongmeng Purple Energy chose Hongyun.
So that was the reason.
Zhunti was not satisfied after getting a seat, as his Senior Brother Jieyin still did not have one.
His gaze swept over the Three Pure Ones and others, but feeling he couldn't provoke any of them, he finally looked at the solitary Kunpeng.
Zhunti smiled and looked at Kunpeng beside him.
"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, you see, my brother and I came together. Now I already have a seat, but my Senior Brother still doesn't. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Kunpeng could, like Fellow Daoist Hongyun, bear the pain and give up your seat to my Senior Brother. The favor of yielding your seat today, my brother and I will surely remember it in our hearts."
"You two brothers are truly shameless." Kunpeng, who had been watching the show, snorted coldly after hearing Zhunti's words.
At this moment, Kunpeng's entire body and mind were tense. He knew that now, it wasn't just Zhunti and his companion who wanted to attack him.
The other Innate Sacreds, seeing that Saint Hongjun did not stop Zhunti from getting a seat, were all a bit restless.
Even if Zhunti didn't speak, others would come to snatch his seat.
He was not mistaken; if it weren't for Zhunti provoking Kunpeng right after sitting down, the others below would have also chosen to act.
"If you don't give up the seat, then don't. Why do you still insult us two brothers?"
Zhunti's face instantly flushed red upon hearing Kunpeng's words, as if he had suffered some immense humiliation.
Kunpeng was even more enraged upon hearing Zhunti's words.
"You said it was very difficult for you two to come here. Did I not experience the hardships of that journey when I came here? If your own strength is insufficient, you naturally don't deserve a seat, and there are plenty of empty seats behind this hall. I have no relation to you two, so why should I yield my seat to you?"
"I am not that fool Hongyun, who would give up his seat after hearing a few words from you. If you want to get my seat, then speak with your ability." Kunpeng looked at Zhunti with disdain.
Upon hearing this, Zhunti immediately feigned a look of extreme anger, his eyes wide, glaring fiercely at Kunpeng.
He shouted loudly: "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, you actually look down on us two brothers so much, and Fellow Daoist Hongyun willingly gave up his seat, yet now you still humiliate him. It seems you are deliberately trying to oppose us two brothers."
Kunpeng's face instantly turned ashen, like a pig's liver, upon hearing Zhunti's sophistry and distortion of facts.
"What Dao are these two guys cultivating? How can they be so shameless, actually calling black white, it's truly despicable."
Taiyi, seeing Kunpeng so angered by Zhunti that he lost his composure, added fuel to the fire: "That's right, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, Fellow Daoist Zhunti just wants the seat you are sitting on. If you don't want to give it up, then so be it, why insult their two brothers like that? If I were you, I would give up the seat. Someone like you doesn't deserve to have a seat."
"Exactly, you Kunpeng are merely a creature born from dampness and eggs, what right do you have to sit in the same hall as us?"
As soon as Zhunti uttered these words, Taiyi, who had just chimed in, instantly stiffened and stood frozen on the spot.
Moreover, many beings in the hall looked at Zhunti with great displeasure.
"Oh no, I seem to have said the wrong thing." As soon as Zhunti spoke, he immediately realized his slip of the tongue.
He had forgotten that many people in this hall were also the so-called "creatures born from dampness and eggs."
And Yuanshi, who was originally unrelated to this matter, now spoke: "Hmph, Fellow Daoist Zhunti is right. Creatures born from dampness and eggs have no right to sit with us. If you know what's good for you, get out."
"You, you!!" Kunpeng's face turned pale then green upon hearing Yuanshi's words, and he felt a bit embarrassed.
Tongtian frowned slightly upon hearing Yuanshi's words, clearly not agreeing with him, but in the end, he did not speak.
And Zhunti, seeing Kunpeng distracted by Yuanshi's words, knew his Opportunity had come.
It wasn't just him; others knew this was an Opportunity.
Zhunti unhesitatingly sacrificed his Spirit Treasure, the Seven Treasure Tree.
The Seven Treasure Tree flashed with light and swept Kunpeng off his seat.
The beings in the hall seized this Opportunity and instantly flew towards that futon.
However, they still couldn't contend with Jieyin, who was already prepared.
After Jieyin sat firmly on the futon, he looked at the fallen Kunpeng and said loudly: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, for your generous yielding of the seat. Just now, my Junior Brother's words were inappropriate and offended Fellow Daoist. I apologize to Fellow Daoist Kunpeng on his behalf, and I hope Fellow Daoist will not mind."
The other Innate Sacreds, seeing that the seat had been taken by Jieyin, still wanted to continue fighting for it, but just then, the figures of Hongjun and Taichu appeared in Zixiao Palace.
As soonjun appeared, the Innate Sacreds in Zixiao Palace found themselves unable to move.
"The lecture is about to begin. You all must not move around anymore."
Hongjun glanced at the Innate Sacreds below and then said,
"Henceforth, the seats are fixed as they are. They may not be changed without cause."
With Hongjun's words, the Innate Sacreds reluctantly gave up the idea of fighting for the seats.
"Damn it, I knew this futon must contain an Opportunity. If it weren't for Jieyin and Zhunti, as well as those shameless instigators, I would also have a futon.
Oh, and Hongyun too. If he hadn't played the good guy and given his seat to Zhunti, I might have been able to hold out until a Saint appeared. They all deserve to die." Kunpeng's eyes were filled with resentment after hearing Hongjun's words, and he glared fiercely at Jieyin and the others.
Many beings in the hall at this moment all showed expressions of annoyance, secretly regretting in their hearts: "If only we had known, we should have, like those two, Jieyin and his companion, sacrificed a bit of face and fought for that futon."
Taichu looked at the unwillingness on those people's faces and shook his head, "Do you think Hongjun only came out now? Wasn't it just waiting for the seats to be settled?"
Hongjun and Heavenly Dao's game was off by one move; now, those seats must belong to the two Westerners
Juexian. The Innate Sacreds in Zixiao Palace looked up and saw Hongjun, and naturally, they also noticed Taichu below Hongjun's right. They looked at Taichu with varied expressions.
"Why is there another Daoist on the Saint's right? What is his identity?"
"This Fellow Daoist Taichu can actually sit on the Saint's right. Could it be that his status is even nobler than us Sanqing?"
"Fellow Daoist Taichu's relationship with the Saint is indeed extraordinary."
"I wonder what Hongjun Saint called Taichu in for in advance?"
"Who is this guy? Our two brothers had to shamelessly scramble for these two cushions, yet he can have the Saint specially set up a seat for him."
"Who is this guy? Why does he have the Qi of Father God on him, and why does his body seem to have similarities with our Wu Clan?"
Hongjun ignored their gazes and spoke to himself, saying,
"Poor Daoist Hongjun, born at the same time as the Prehistoric World, received the favor and help of Heavenly Dao, allowing me to become the first Saint in the Prehistoric World."
"However, under Heavenly Dao, the Cultivation of all living beings is difficult. Since I am a Saint, I naturally bear the important responsibility of enlightening all living beings."
"Therefore, Poor Daoist will preach three times in this Zixiao Palace for destined beings, each lasting thirty thousand years."
"As for how much you all present can comprehend from these three sermons, it will depend entirely on your own luck and fortune."
"Great righteousness of the Saint!" The beings in Zixiao Palace all thanked him in unison after hearing Hongjun's words.
Hongjun ignored their words and continued to speak,
"This time, I will preach about the Cultivation of living beings from the beginning up to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. I hope you all listen attentively and gain something."
"Dao is the origin of the Universe, the beginning of all things..."
As Hongjun's sermon began, golden flowers started to appear above Zixiao Palace, and golden lotuses began to emerge from beneath Zixiao Palace. Countless Spiritual Qi gathered within Zixiao Palace.
After these phenomena appeared, the beings listening in Zixiao Palace could feel their comprehension of the Great Dao becoming more harmonious. Countless Great Daos seemed to be opening their doors to them.
Logically, even a Saint's sermon would not cause these phenomena to appear. However, Hongjun was not just a Saint at this time; he was also the spokesperson for Heavenly Dao.
His sermon would naturally not be the same as an ordinary Saint's.
As the content of Hongjun's sermon deepened step by step, the beings in Zixiao Palace unconsciously immersed themselves in the Dao's profoundness.
At this time, a rich power of Heavenly Dao also erupted from the cushions of Sanqing and others, clearly Heavenly Dao was giving special treatment to the destined Saints.
Hongjun noticed this situation but did not intervene.
With the blessing of Heavenly Dao's power, Laozi's aura among the Sanqing became increasingly indifferent, and his divinity grew stronger. Yuanshi's aura constantly wavered between divinity and humanity, while Tongtian's aura, on the contrary, became more human, and his expressions grew richer.
Above Nuwa's head, strange and varied beings were born and perished.
Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions were also very strange; they were happy for a moment, then angry, then sorrowful, then joyful. Their faces constantly shifted between joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, and the seven emotions and six desires.
The other beings below them also underwent changes.
For example, a ray of light emanated from a piece of tattered cloth on Minghe's body, enveloping Minghe. Within it, the four Sword Intents of Immortal Slaughtering, Immortal Trapping, Immortal Slaying, and Immortal Exterminating combined with Minghe's Great Dao of Slaughter.
With the combination of the two, Sword Intent derived from the Zhu Xian Four Swords appeared on Minghe's body, and within it,
The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Intent transformed into Dao-infused Sword Intent containing vitality. However, upon closer inspection, one would discover that this vibrant Sword Intent actually eroded the vitality of others to nourish itself.
The Xianxian Sword Intent transformed into the sharpest and hardest Sword Intent, abandoning all else. But beneath this hard exterior lay layers of illusory intent; as soon as the Sword Intent approached, one would unknowingly be affected by the illusory intent.
The Immortal Slaying Sword Intent transformed into streams of deathly silent Qi, the Qi within continuously eroding a person's vitality and intellect.
The Immortal Exterminating Sword Intent transformed into the purest Sword Intent of death. Within this deathly Sword Intent was an incomparably cold Qi, but beneath the coldness and deathly Sword Intent, there was still a glimmer of vitality.
The four Sword Intents continuously clashed above Minghe.
Within Zixiao Palace, countless other phantoms successively appeared, such as Emperor Jun's Great Dao of Yang and Great Dao of Emperor, Hongyun's Great Dao of Freedom, Zhenyuanzi's Great Dao of Earth, and so on. Every being, in Hongjun's sermon, pursued their own Great Dao phenomena.
Among the phenomena of these people, the most terrifying was on Taichu, who was below Hongjun's right.
Above Taichu, a silver-white River of Time flowed quietly. Within that river, one could see fragmented scenes. Taichu's aura also began to fluctuate under the influence of the River of Time's phantom.
When Hongjun sensed the phenomenon above Taichu's head, he couldn't help but divert a trace of his mind to Taichu.
"What exactly is the Great Dao that Fellow Daoist Taichu Cultivates? Why is it related to the River of Time? This is something even the Great Dao of Time cannot achieve?"
"How is this possible!!! The Sea of Chaos, the River of Destiny... one after another, things representing the ultimate of the Great Dao appeared above Taichu."
After his surprise, Hongjun quickly acted to completely shield the phenomenon above Taichu's head.
"Fellow Daoist Taichu, no wonder I couldn't see through your Great Dao. It turns out that the Great Dao you Cultivate is on the same level as Pangu's Great Dao of Force."
"Your origin, I'm afraid, is not as simple as just the pure world white lotus."
"However, with your existence, I have an even greater grasp on changing the destiny of the Prehistoric World. Grow up quickly." After Hongjun finished speaking, he sent the fragment of the Creation Jade Disc above his head to Taichu's head.
With the addition of the Creation Jade Disc, the phenomena above Taichu's head changed even more frequently. However, at present, only Hongjun could observe this phenomenon.
Among the Innate Sacreds, there were also a few anomalies, namely the Ancestral Witches. Among them, except for Houtu, who was diligently absorbing Hongjun's sermon and insights, the other eleven Ancestral Witches had already fallen into slumber.
After Hongjun sensed the Ancestral Witches' situation, he sighed in his heart, but he did not interfere with their actions.
Time slowly passed like this. Unconsciously, Hongjun's first sermon, which lasted thirty thousand years, came to an end.
As soon as the thirty thousand years were up, Hongjun stopped preaching. And as Hongjun stopped preaching, the Innate Sacreds in Zixiao Palace gradually woke up.
After they awoke, their faces were filled with reluctance.
This time, Hongjun's sermon meticulously covered everything from the Earth Immortal Realm all the way to the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, re-organizing all the Realms before Daluo one by one.
Although the lowest Cultivation of the beings who could reach Zixiao Palace was Grand Unity Golden Immortal Late Stage, Hongjun's sermon this time was still of great help to them.
"The three myriad years of lecturing have passed. If any of you have questions, feel free to ask, and I will answer each of them for you." Hongjun calmly looked at the crowd below Zixiao Palace after they had all awakened.
Upon hearing Hongjun's words, everyone in Zixiao Palace fell into contemplation. Opportunities to ask a Saint questions were rare.
After a moment, Laozi was the first to ask a question.
"May I ask, Saint, what is a Saint? Is the Realm above Grand Unity Golden Immortal a Saint?"
Laozi's question was also what everyone in Zixiao Palace most wanted to know, so upon hearing his question, they all looked expectantly at Hongjun, hoping he could answer them.
Hongjun calmly looked at Laozi, "Above Grand Unity Golden Immortal is Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal."
"What? Above Grand Unity Golden Immortal is not a Saint? Then what Realm is a Saint? Could it be that only above Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal is a Saint? If so, how strong must Hongjun Saint be?"
Hongjun paid no mind to their surprise and continued, "However, a Saint can also be considered a Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal. All Saints are Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortals, but a Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal is not necessarily a Saint."
"Phew, so a Saint and a Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal are the same Realm." Hongjun's words made everyone collectively sigh in relief.
"Saint, since the Saint Realm and the Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal are the same Realm, why is there still a distinction? Is there a difference between the two?" Yuanshi then asked.
"A Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal entrusts their great power to themselves, Cultivates the self, and Demonstrates the Dao."
"Whereas a Saint entrusts to the Heavenly Dao, Cultivating to Saint Realm means their Primordial Spirit will be entrusted to the Heavenly Dao. A Saint can act on behalf of the Heaven, endure myriad tribulations without being worn down, be stained by Karma without being defiled, exist eternally with the Heaven, and coexist with the Dao, being almost omniscient and omnipotent.
Because they are entrusted to the Heavenly Dao, Saints can borrow the power of the Heavenly Dao within the Great Desolation. However, once a Saint leaves the Great Desolation and loses the Heavenly Dao's blessing, their strength will decline."
A Saint, by entrusting to the Heavenly Dao, can achieve immortality and indestructibility within the Great Desolation. However, a Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal, once fallen, will still enter the Dao Ruins. Thus, it seems that a Saint is better as long as they do not leave the Great Desolation.
"We hope Saint will be merciful and inform us of the Demonstration methods."
Hongjun looked at the crowd below and sighed.
"Every great Dao can lead to Demonstration. I know of three.
One is Demonstration by Force, where one forcibly pushes their Cultivation to the Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm through their own Dao. This method is the most difficult, and no living being has ever succeeded: Two is Demonstration by Karma, this Demonstration method requires a living being to make great contributions and create great fortune for the Great Desolation, obtaining great Karma to Demonstrate: Three is Demonstration by Three Corpses Severing Method. This method requires severing one's good, evil, and obsessive thoughts and entrusting them into Innate Spirit Treasures, and finally, making the Three Corpses and one's own Primordial Spirit fuse, reaching a Realm of egolessness, self-Perfection, and freedom, thereby Demonstrating.
The Three Corpses Severing Method is actually a roundabout Demonstration method I created when I was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, feeling the difficulty of Demonstration by Force.
Methods similar to the Three Corpses Severing Method include Luo Hou's Heart Demon Seeding Technique, and the Luck Dao of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin three races, all belong to this category."
Upon hearing Hongjun's words, everyone in Zixiao Palace shook their heads internally. Demonstration by Force has not been achieved by anyone in the many years since the Great Desolation's birth; it is too difficult. And Demonstration by Karma requires great Karma for the Great Desolation, which is also not so easy to Demonstrate. Only the Three Corpses Severing Method seems the most reliable.
Everyone in Zixiao Palace knew that the Three Corpses Severing Method was created by Hongjun. Once they Cultivate the Three Corpses Severing Method, they would form a great Karma with Hongjun.
However, they had already formed Karma with Hongjun by coming to listen to the Dao. Now, gaining a Demonstration method would only expand this Karma. Too many debts are no burden, and for the sake of Demonstration, everyone was willing to go all out.
However, forming Karma with Hongjun, a Saint, might not be a bad thing. After realizing this, everyone in Zixiao Palace looked at Hongjun.
"We hope Hongjun Saint will impart the Three Corpses Demonstration method to us."
"The Three Corpses Severing Method will be the content of my second lecture. At that time, all who wish to listen to the Dao are welcome."
Upon hearing Hongjun's words, everyone involuntarily smiled, "Thank you, Saint."
Once everyone's emotions had calmed down, Hongjun continued to ask,
"Do any of you have any other questions? If not, this lecture will conclude here."
Among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, Houtu heard and said, "May I ask, Saint, is there a way for our Ancestral Witches to give birth to a Primordial Spirit like other Great Desolation living beings?"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches were born from the Fusion of Pangu's essence blood and the turbid Qi of Heaven and Earth. They were naturally strong in Physical Body and also mastered a complete Law. As long as they continuously tempered their Physical Body, they could achieve Demonstration through their Physical Body, though this probability was also minuscule.
However, the Ancestral Witches were not without flaws. When they were born, they were contaminated by the turbid Qi of Heaven and Earth, leading to the Fusion of their spirit and flesh, where their Primordial Spirit was integrated with their body.
The lack of a Primordial Spirit prevented the Ancestral Witches from comprehending heavenly secrets, and due to the influence of the turbid Qi, the Twelve Ancestral Witches had volatile and impulsive temperaments, often acting on instinct and emotion.
It was also for this reason that the living beings in the Great Desolation generally disliked interacting with the Ancestral Witches, finding them crude and uncouth. The Ancestral Witches, on the other hand, felt that the Great Desolation was left to them by their Father God, Pangu, and thus also harbored dissatisfaction towards the Great Desolation living beings.
Only Houtu, the youngest of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, the Ancestral Witch of Earth, was the least affected by the turbid Qi of Heaven and Earth because she was born last. She could vaguely perceive that this flaw in the Ancestral Witches would affect the development of the Witch clan.
Now that Hongjun, a Saint, was willing to enlighten them, Houtu naturally did not want to miss this opportunity.
However, no sooner had she spoken than Hongjun had not finished, and the other Ancestral Witches beside Houtu showed displeasure.
"Little sister, what does it matter if we don't have a Primordial Spirit? Our Ancestral Witches have strong Physical Bodies. Even among those Great Desolation living beings, who would dare to contend with us at the same level? I think we are the most perfect living beings in the Great Desolation; those people are merely defective products created by Father God." The other Ancestral Witches, hearing Houtu's words, immediately showed displeasure.
Upon hearing the Ancestral Witches' words, everyone in Zixiao Palace showed displeasure, but Zixiao Palace was Hongjun's Dao field, so they remained silent.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches only revered their Father God Pangu, not the Heavenly Dao, and naturally, they did not revere Hongjun, who was the spokesman of the Heavenly Dao.
If Houtu had not insisted on coming to this lecture, they would likely not have come to listen to Hongjun's lecture, fearing their little sister might encounter danger.
Even having come to listen, Hongjun's lecture had barely begun when, except for Houtu, the other eleven Ancestral Witches were drowsy and soon fell into slumber.
Only Houtu, despite only vaguely understanding Hongjun's lecture, still forced herself to listen to the entire three thousand years of lecturing.
Hongjun paid no mind to the Ancestral Witches' anger.
"You Ancestral Witches, as Pangu's Bloodline, are naturally strong in Physical Body and master the Law of power. However, nothing in the myriad things can be perfect.
Therefore, you Ancestral Witches became tainted with the turbid Qi of Heaven and Earth, leading to a deficient Primordial Spirit. This is a limitation of Heaven and Earth, and I am powerless to change it. However, everything in the myriad things retains a glimmer of hope. If you can grasp that glimmer of hope, you will naturally find a way to resolve your lacking Primordial Spirit."
At this time, Taichu also looked at the Witch clan. In fact, he knew how to make the Witch clan give birth to a Primordial Spirit, and there was more than one method.
It was just that the Ancestral Witches had no relation to Taichu, so he naturally would not choose to interfere in the affairs of the Witch clan.
Houtu could only sigh upon hearing Hongjun's words.
"Little sister, this guy said a lot but in the end still had no solution," Zhurong muttered.
"Saint, my brother is rude, please forgive him." Houtu sighed upon hearing the Ancestral Witch's words and hastily covered Zhurong's mouth.
After Houtu's question was answered, Hongjun continued to answer the questions of other living beings.
"All your questions have been answered. Please all return. I will conduct my second lecture three Yuanhui later. At that time, I will speak about my Three Corpses Severing Method."
After Hongjun finished speaking, his figure disappeared within Zixiao Palace.
After Hongjun left, the people in Zixiao Palace began to leave Zixiao Palace one after another and return to the Grandmist.
Taichu left his seat and came to Minghe's side, "Brother, let's go too."
Minghe nodded after hearing Taichu's words.
However, just as the two were about to leave, they were stopped by Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi, "Two Fellow Daoists, why don't we go together?"
"I almost forgot, Hongjun's first sermon should be the time to contend for the seven gourds on the gourd vine. I remember Hongyun's Nine-Nine Soul Dispersing Gourd was the red gourd that grew on the gourd vine. If I go back with Hongyun now, maybe I'll also have a chance to get a gourd."
Of the seven gourds that grew on this gourd vine, except for the last one that withered prematurely, the other six were top-tier Spirit Treasure. Taichu would not let go of such a good Opportunity if he had it.
"Okay, then let's go back to the Grandmist together." Thinking of this, Taichu readily accepted the invitation from Hongyun and the other.
Then the four of them transformed into rainbow light and disappeared into Zixiao Palace.
After leaving Zixiao Palace, the four of them passed through Chaos and Nine Heavens to return to the Grandmist. Originally, Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi wanted to invite Taichu and Minghe back to their Daoist temple.
The Daoist temple they were invited back to this time was not Zhenyuanzi's Wuzhuang Temple, but Hongyun's Fire Cloud Cave.
However, just as the four of them entered the Grandmist, Hongyun suddenly exclaimed.
"It seems my Opportunity has arrived, Three Fellow Daoists. It seems our plan to go to my Daoist temple will have to be delayed for a while."
Hongyun said with a smile to Taichu and the others.
Seeing the joy on Hongyun's face, Taichu probably guessed that Hongyun had sensed that the gourd vine was about to mature.
Hongyun's subsequent words also confirmed Taichu's guess.
"Three Fellow Daoists, I sense that there is something in Mount Buzhou calling to me. It seems my Opportunity has arrived. It looks like we'll have to go to Mount Buzhou first."
"No problem." Taichu and the other two shook their heads indifferently when they heard Hongyun's words.
The four immediately changed direction and rushed towards Mount Buzhou.
Fortunately, the location where the four returned to the Grandmist was originally in the eastern part of the Grandmist. After nearly a hundred years, the four arrived at Mount Buzhou.
"Huh, why do I also feel that there's an Opportunity for me in Mount Buzhou? Could it be that the gourd vine is also destined for me?" As soon as Taichu entered Mount Buzhou, he sensed a Qi calling to him from within Mount Buzhou.
But as he and Hongyun continuously climbed Mount Buzhou, Taichu couldn't help but frown, "Could it be that my Opportunity isn't that gourd vine?"
Taichu felt that the place Hongyun was leading them to was getting further and further away from his destined Opportunity.
"If it's not the gourd vine, what other treasures would be born in Mount Buzhou at this time?" Taichu kept recalling in his mind.
"Could it be the twenty-four grade creation green lotus!!!" After recalling for a long time, Taichu finally remembered that there was another Spirit Treasure in Mount Buzhou that shared the same origin as him.
Thinking of this, Taichu couldn't help but feel a little excited. One of his goals when he first left the sea of blood to travel the Grandmist was the twenty-four grade creation green lotus in Mount Buzhou, but unfortunately, he didn't find it in Mount Buzhou that time.
Afterwards, Taichu searched several more times but still couldn't find the twenty-four grade creation green lotus.
Thinking of this, Taichu quickly sent a voice transmission to Minghe.
"Brother, I sense that there is also an Opportunity for me in Mount Buzhou. You and Fellow Daoist Hongyun go first, and I will catch up and meet you later."
"By the way, Brother, the Opportunity that Fellow Daoist Hongyun sensed should be the gourd vine, one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots of the Grandmist, which is about to mature. It should bear seven gourds. However, it's best if Brother can snatch a gourd. If not, then seize the gourd vine and the Nine Heavens Breathing Earth beneath it."
"Taichu, how do you know all this?" Minghe looked at Taichu, who had suddenly sent him a voice transmission, in confusion.
"Brother, I'll explain the reason to you later."
Taichu didn't have time to explain at this moment. After finishing his voice transmission with Minghe, he looked at Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi.
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, I sense that there is also an Opportunity for me in Mount Buzhou that is about to mature. I will leave first, and we will meet again later."
After Taichu finished speaking, before Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi could reply, he turned around and left.
Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi looked at Taichu's departing figure in surprise, but they also knew that Opportunity was a rare thing, so they didn't pay too much attention to it.
After Taichu separated from Hongyun and the others, he quickly found his destination by following that faint sensation.
Taichu looked at the First Acquired Array in front of him, his eyes filled with joy.
"This great array is so complex, and there is also the power of creation on it. It seems very likely that this is indeed the twenty-four grade creation green lotus."
The First Acquired Array in front of him might be a problem for others, but for Taichu, it was no problem at all.
Taichu looked at the First Acquired Array in front of him and just tapped a few times with his finger, and the First Acquired Array stopped operating.
As soon as Taichu entered, he saw a green lotus quietly suspended in the Void Realm, below which was a pool of spiritual water emanating misty Qi. The pool water shimmered with five-colored light, continuously supplying vitality to the green lotus.
This pool water was the three lights divine water, composed of three divine waters: the water of sun essence, the water of moon essence, and the water of star spirit.
And each petal of that green lotus was about a zhang (3.3 meters) in size, with a warm, jade-like luster, yet it exuded a vibrant glow. Threads of the power of creation flowed through its veins, as if it were alive.
Taichu's main body was the pure world white lotus, which shared the same origin as the twenty-four grade creation green lotus, so as soon as Taichu entered, he felt a sense of closeness to that green lotus.
"As expected, it's the twenty-four grade creation green lotus, and that pool water is the three lights divine water. Just this three lights divine water alone is a great harvest."
"It's just that the creation green lotus shouldn't have appeared until Hongjun's second sermon, right? Why is it earlier?"
"But I can't worry about that much now. Since I've encountered it early, I'll take this twenty-four grade creation green lotus."
Taichu waved his hand, wanting to put away the creation green lotus, but as soon as his thought arose, his Primordial Spirit gave a frantic warning.
It seemed that as long as he put away that creation green lotus, he would face a disaster.
Taichu's movements paused due to the Primordial Spirit's warning, "As expected, obtaining this creation green lotus is not a simple matter."
The grade of the twenty-four grade creation green lotus has already broken through Innate Supreme Treasure, which is not allowed in the Grandmist. This is not a rule set by the Heavenly Dao, but a rule set by Pangu.
Spirit Treasure that transcend the Innate Supreme Treasure level pose too great a danger to the Grandmist. When Pangu created the world, his three Chaos Supreme Treasure were shattered not only because they were injured by the Chaos Demon Gods, but also because the Grandmist could not bear Chaos Supreme Treasure. Pangu had no choice but to divide his three Chaos Supreme Treasure.
Now, the Foundation of the twenty-four grade creation green lotus has broken through to the level of Innate Supreme Treasure, so the creation green lotus is also facing this problem.
This is also why the creation green lotus was later divided by the Three Purities into three top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure: the Taiyi Horsetail Whisk, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and the Green Ping Sword.
Taichu looked at the twenty-four grade creation green lotus in front of him and waved the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler in his hand. He saw that the originally Perfection spiritual rhyme on the creation green lotus now had a tiny crack after Taichu's wave.
The leaking spiritual rhyme gathered beside the twenty-four grade creation green lotus, forming a twelve-grade creation green lotus. However, this green lotus was still very illusory at this time and had not yet solidified.
However, Taichu was already prepared for this situation.
"Since the Grandmist does not allow a perfect twenty-four grade creation green lotus to exist, then I'll just make it imperfect, won't I?" Taichu nodded with satisfaction after sensing that the Primordial Spirit's warning had disappeared.
Taichu waved his hand, and the twenty-four grade creation green lotus in the three lights divine water flew to Taichu's side.
"The Grandmist can't even accept a complete twenty-four grade creation green lotus, let alone my later desire to fuse the five lotus platforms. It seems I still need to find a way to solve this problem later."
"But this matter is not urgent. The Twelve-Grade Black Lotus of Destruction is still unknown where it is."
After Luo Hou transformed into the Demon Realm, all of his Spirit Treasure, except for the Zhu Xian Four Swords that Hongjun obtained by breaking the array, disappeared.
Among those that disappeared was naturally the Twelve-Grade Black Lotus of Destruction. Taichu guessed that those Spirit Treasure had long been hidden by Luo Hou.