During this time, whenever Hongjun ate with particular relish, he would occasionally wave a hand and capture demon beasts and ferocious beasts that had committed evil across the Primordial Wilderness.
There were Crimson Flame Wolves that had slaughtered tribes and Jade Water Flood Dragons that had seized Spirit Veins, all of them creatures burdened by Karmic Debt.
With a casual motion, he slaughtered and cleaned those demon beasts, cut them into chunks, and tossed them into the pot.
"Such evil beasts would only bring disaster upon the Primordial Wilderness if left alive. Better that they become ingredients and thereby atone for part of their sins."
Haotian and Jade Pool busied themselves adding ingredients. Haotian was in charge of controlling the heat, occasionally adding chili powder or sauce.
Jade Pool was responsible for adding tender leaves from spirit plants, and she would sometimes curiously ask Hongjun about interesting matters in the Primordial Wilderness.
He answered while tasting the food, and in this manner, several hundred years passed.
Only when the broth in the bronze pot had run dry and the surrounding ingredients were nearly gone did Hongjun put down his jade chopsticks, cough lightly, and rein in some of his casual manner.
"Enough. Though this hotpot is delicious, one must know when to stop."
"The ten-thousand-year deadline is approaching, and those coming to Chaos to hear the lecture should arrive soon. Haotian, Jade Pool, go welcome them outside the palace gates."
Outside Purple Cloud Palace, Chaos Airflow drifted slowly as Haotian and Jade Pool stood before the steps and waited quietly.
Space Law faintly stirred around Haotian as his gaze swept across the edge of Chaos.
Jade Pool held the Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus in her arms, the purifying radiance on its petals occasionally brushing across her fingertips. Both of them appeared entirely composed.
After waiting for roughly three hundred years, a blazing streak of light tore through Chaos. Dijun and Taiyi descended with several Demon Saints, but their expressions were far from pleasant.
Taiyi clenched the Chaos Bell Prototype in his hand until his knuckles turned white, his voice carrying suppressed fury.
"On the way here, we encountered a Chaos Storm. The leaders of the Flood Dragon Tribe and the Crimson Flame Wolf Tribe, who had already agreed to submit, were swept away by the storm and vanished without a trace."
"Yet the storm targeted only them, while we emerged completely unscathed. There is something extremely strange about this!"
Upon hearing the names Flood Dragon Tribe and Crimson Flame Wolf Tribe, Haotian and Jade Pool both showed a fleetingly peculiar expression.
They secretly exchanged glances, each seeing understanding in the other's eyes.
What Chaos Storm? Those two tribal leaders had clearly been evil beasts Hongjun had casually captured from the Primordial Wilderness years ago when he thought there were not enough ingredients for hotpot.
After all, they had committed countless evils and were steeped in Karmic Debt. Hongjun had long placed them on his list of possible ingredients, and by now they had already become meat in the pot.
But this could not be said aloud. They could hardly tell Dijun and the others that the people they were looking for had been eaten by them and their Master, could they?
The two could only swiftly compose themselves, suppress the amusement in their eyes, pretend they had heard nothing, and continue waiting before the steps with calm expressions.
Dijun, meanwhile, frowned and waved a hand. His gaze swept toward Purple Cloud Palace as he spoke in a deep voice.
"This is the Dao Ancestor's sacred ground. It is not suitable to discuss this further here. We can investigate the matter after the second lecture."
Though he said so, the gloom in his eyes did not fade. With the loss of support from those two tribes, the Demon Race's influence in the Primordial Wilderness would inevitably be affected.
Close behind Dijun and Taiyi, a golden light arrived from the east.
East King Duke held a Dragon Head Crutch, with many Great Luo and Grand Unity Golden Immortal Immortal Race cultivators following behind him. They had all submitted to him, and his procession was quite imposing.
Upon seeing Dijun and Taiyi, a faint smile touched his lips. He deliberately slowed his pace, allowing those behind him to form neat ranks opposite the Demon Race from afar.
Dijun snorted coldly at the sight, while Taiyi directly released a faint pressure. The Demon Race cultivators immediately stepped forward, glaring furiously at the Immortal Race cultivators.
For a time, the atmosphere outside the palace was taut as a drawn sword. If not for the rules of Purple Cloud Palace, they would likely have already fought. In the end, they could only divide into two rows and wait quietly.
Nearly a thousand more years passed before one presence after another finally arrived from Chaos.
The Three Pure Ones arrived atop the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, with Laozi closing his eyes in concentration.
Yuanshi held the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, while Tongtian cast a sharp gaze over Dijun and East King Duke, seeming rather disdainful of their confrontation.
Nuwa and Fuxi descended upon Seven-colored Rosy Clouds. When Nuwa saw Jade Pool, she gave her a gentle nod.
Immediately afterward, two chilly beams of moonlight slowly drifted over from the western Chaos.
Xihe and Changxi wore moon-white Daoist robes, their bodies wreathed in faint Lunar Cold Qi.
Their hair was adorned with Osmanthus Hairpins carved from Moon Jade. Their delicate hands lightly gathered their sleeves, and their steps were as graceful as immortals beneath the moon.
The two were Innate Deities born from the Moon Star and cultivated the Lunar Law. After landing, they went directly to stand not far from Nuwa, their calm eyes sweeping over the crowd outside the hall.
They neither exchanged glances with Dijun and Taiyi nor took the initiative to speak with the other factions.
Only occasionally did they quietly discuss their insights into the Lunar Law with Fuxi. Their cool, aloof aura stood in stark contrast to the Demon Race's blazing heat and the Immortal Race's ostentation.
Jieyin and Zhunti still wore Earth-yellow Daoist Robes, their faces likewise marked by suffering.
Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun arrived side by side. Hongyun seemed somewhat more composed than before, clearly having further improved his cultivation after the previous lecture.
Kunpeng came from the North Sea, cold qi curling around him. After landing, he went straight to a corner, unwilling to associate with anyone else.
Minghe carried the aura of the Blood Sea. His gaze shifted between East King Duke and Dijun, and a trace of calculation flashed through his eyes.
With the arrival of these strongest figures, many more cultivators gradually followed, amounting to tens of thousands in total.
Once everyone had assembled, someone suddenly muttered in a low voice.
"Why are some fellow Daoists from last time nowhere to be seen this time?"
As soon as those words were spoken, many hearts sank. All who could reach Purple Cloud Palace were great powers of the Primordial Wilderness.
To be absent without reason most likely meant they had perished amid the dangers of the Primordial Wilderness.
For a time, many people felt heavy-hearted, yet their gazes toward Purple Cloud Palace grew even more fervent.
Only by using the Dao Ancestor's lectures to break through to a higher realm could they truly escape the shackles of life and death and enjoy eternal freedom.
Just then, a gentle aura came from the depths of Chaos. Houtu, dressed in a plain long skirt, slowly approached.
Dense Earth Law surrounded her, entirely different from the savagery of the other Ancestral Witches. She appeared steady and compassionate.
When Haotian saw her, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. Ancestral Witches cultivated their physical bodies and did not value the primordial spirit, while Purple Cloud Palace's lectures mostly concerned laws and the primordial spirit.
After Dijang and the other Ancestral Witches had come last time, they had not continued attending.
Houtu's arrival this time likely meant she had vaguely sensed a change in her own path.
He secretly felt respect for her, yet did not go forward to speak with her. He merely gave a slight nod in greeting.
The karmic fate of Houtu becoming reincarnation in the future was of immense consequence. Speaking too much now would be useless and might instead disturb her Dao Heart.
Once all the great powers had arrived, Haotian raised a hand and lifted the barrier around Purple Cloud Palace, announcing loudly.
"Fellow Daoists, the Dao Ancestor will soon begin his lecture. Please take your seats according to the positions from last time."
Hearing this, everyone collected their thoughts and entered the palace in an orderly fashion.
Though Dijun and East King Duke still harbored grievances against each other, neither dared act recklessly within the Dao Ancestor's sacred ground. Each led his subordinates inside to take their seats.
Haotian and Jade Pool returned to the Cushions on the upper left and right. Just as they finished settling their breaths, golden light shone upon the high platform, and Hongjun's figure slowly appeared.
He held the Jade Disk of Creation, his calm gaze sweeping over the crowd as he spoke lightly.
"This lecture concerns the Quasi-Saint Path. When living beings of the Primordial Wilderness cultivate to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, most become trapped at the bottleneck of their realm."
"Today, I shall explain in detail the method for breaking through upon this path. The lecture will still last three thousand years. Listen with calm hearts."
Before you continue