"Alright." Hongjun clapped his hands, his tone gradually turning solemn. "From now on, you must be able to stand on your own. Jade Pool, stop acting like such a little girl and help Haotian more."
"The time has come. Your master must merge with the Dao. Watch carefully and calm your minds."
As his words fell, Hongjun raised a hand and waved it. The Jade Disk of Creation floating above his head suddenly erupted with golden light.
The Great Dao runes on the disk rapidly circulated, stirring the Chaos Void outside the hall and revealing an enormous Eye of the Heavenly Dao. Within its pupil lay every law governing the Primordial Wilderness.
Hongjun's Dao Rhythm surged around him as he slowly began connecting with the Eye of the Heavenly Dao. Chaos Airflow poured in from outside the hall, winding around him and forming an immense Dao cocoon.
Though Haotian and Jade Pool were filled with reluctance, they knew they could not stop him. They hurriedly sat cross-legged on their Cushions and circulated their cultivation techniques in contemplation.
As Hongjun fused with the Heavenly Dao, strands of pure Heavenly Dao Origin continuously seeped out.
Some merged into the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation between Haotian's brows, pushing his understanding of Space Law to a new level.
Others intertwined with Jade Pool's Ren Water Spiritual Qi, helping her consolidate the foundation of her Mid Golden Immortal of the Origin realm and even faintly touch the threshold of the late stage.
They seemed able to see the workings of the Heavenly Dao, the paths of the stars, the flow of Spirit Veins, and the reincarnation of living beings.
Though it was merely the tip of the iceberg, it was enough to grant them a deeper understanding of the essence of the Dao.
The three incarnations within Haotian were also nourished by the Heavenly Dao Origin, their cultivation faintly improving.
The pure aura around the Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus resting on Jade Pool's lap grew ever richer, and its compatibility with her deepened further.
Several thousand years quietly passed amid their comprehension of the Dao. Then, at a certain moment, Hongjun's voice suddenly rang through every corner of the Primordial Wilderness, aged yet full of majesty.
"I see that the Origin of the Primordial Wilderness is incomplete. Today, I shall merge with the Dao to perfect the Heavenly Dao! From this day forth, Hongjun shall be the Heavenly Dao, but the Heavenly Dao shall not be Hongjun. Unless a great calamity arises, I shall not appear!"
"We respectfully see off the Dao Ancestor!" Powers throughout the Primordial Wilderness bowed in the direction of the Purple Firmament Palace, their voices filled with heartfelt respect.
Even Dijun and Taiyi temporarily set aside their ambitions of expanding the demon race, solemnly seeing him off.
Hongjun's merging with the Dao to perfect the Heavenly Dao was an immense Merit for the entire Primordial Wilderness.
With this declaration, Hongjun's figure within the Purple Firmament Palace gradually became transparent.
The Dao Rhythm around him completely fused with the Eye of the Heavenly Dao before finally vanishing.
Haotian and Jade Pool slowly opened their eyes, their gazes full of complicated emotions.
There was reluctance, reverence, and an equal measure of resolve for the future.
They rose and bowed toward the high platform, their voices low but solemn. "Your disciples respectfully see Master off."
The Jade Disk of Creation floating above the platform flashed with a golden halo of laws.
The halo contained a faint resonance of the Great Dao, as though it were Hongjun's final response to Haotian and Jade Pool.
Then it transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the void, leaving behind only the faint lingering Dao Rhythm within the hall.
Haotian and Jade Pool exchanged a glance. The reluctance in their eyes gradually faded, replaced by resolve for the future.
After gathering themselves, the two walked side by side toward the rear hall of the Purple Firmament Palace. Following Hongjun's prior instructions, a special gift was hidden there.
The rear hall was tranquil. At its center floated a Chaos Spirit Stone the size of an infant.
The spirit stone was wrapped in dense Chaos Spiritual Energy, and faint spiritual light flickered across its surface. It had clearly already developed intelligence, though it had yet to mature.
Seeing the spirit stone, a complicated look flashed through Haotian's eyes.
This was a fragment that had fallen from his original body, the Chaos Spirit Stone, back then.
Though it could be considered a part of him, its newly born intelligence made it an independent individual—and his future younger sister, Yaoji.
He knew that Yaoji's fate in the original timeline had been full of misfortune. Now that he had a chance to change it, he naturally would not stand by and do nothing.
Thus, he raised a hand and opened the protective formation, carefully storing the Chaos Spirit Stone in the temporary space created by the Primordial Heaven-Measuring Ruler.
Chaos Spiritual Energy was abundant there, making it the perfect place to continue nurturing the spirit stone's intelligence.
After finishing all this, Haotian took Jade Pool's hand and brought out the Purple Firmament Palace token Hongjun had bestowed upon him.
The instant the token activated, a spatial gate appeared before the hall. The two stepped inside, and their figures instantly disappeared from the Purple Firmament Palace.
When they appeared again, they had already returned to Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea.
Clouds and mist wreathed the island, spiritual springs murmured, and the Innate Spiritual Roots were laden with Spiritual Fruit.
The dense spiritual energy washed over them. It was entirely different from the Dao Rhythm of the Purple Firmament Palace, yet it brimmed with even greater vitality.
The familiar sight allowed them to completely set aside their feelings of parting, and they walked side by side toward the Penglai Main Hall.
After entering the main hall, Haotian raised a hand and activated Space Law, creating a small Secret Realm behind the hall.
The concentration of spiritual energy within the Secret Realm was ten times that of the outside world. It was also equipped with a Spirit Gathering Formation and a protective formation, making it ideal for nurturing intelligence.
He took the Chaos Spirit Stone from the temporary space and gently placed it beside the spiritual spring at the center of the Secret Realm. He then set up an additional warming formation to ensure that the spirit stone could grow peacefully.
Once the formations were complete, Haotian turned to Jade Pool, his tone carrying a trace of apology.
"Junior Sister, during this visit to the Purple Firmament Palace to hear the Dao, I gained new insights into the realm of the Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal. I fear I will need to enter seclusion for a long time."
"I'm afraid my promise to take you traveling through the Primordial Wilderness will have to be put aside for now."
"Senior Brother, there's no need to feel guilty. I gained quite a lot this time as well. I can use this period to enter seclusion and consolidate the foundation of my Early Golden Immortal of the Origin realm."
Jade Pool smiled and shook her head, her eyes full of understanding. "Once we both finish our seclusion, it won't be too late to travel through the Primordial Wilderness together."
Hearing Jade Pool's understanding words, much of Haotian's guilt dissipated.
After watching her leave, he released his primordial spirit. A streak of white light then flew from between Haotian's brows and took Fengyin's form.
"Original Body, don't you think Penglai Immortal Island is a little too quiet with just the few of us?"
Fengyin circled Haotian once and spoke with a grin.
Haotian raised an eyebrow, knowingly asking, "So, what do you have in mind?"
"I think it's time to start building the foundation for the future Heavenly Court!"
Fengyin's playful expression vanished, and his tone became more serious. "Though the Primordial Wilderness appears peaceful now, the Wu Yao forces are already rising in secret."
"If we don't make arrangements in advance, we'll inevitably be caught unprepared when the time comes to establish the Heavenly Court."
"If Original Body trusts me, there's nothing better than leaving this matter to me."
Hearing this, Haotian fell into brief thought. Fengyin's mastery of Wind Law was extremely high.
His understanding of Space Law was not bad either, and his adaptable nature truly made him suited to overseeing such matters.
Thus, after some thought, Haotian gently nodded.
"You're right. It's time to prepare the foundation that will belong to the Heavenly Court."
"I'll leave this matter to you. Be cautious, and prioritize taking in beings with steady temperaments and pure Dao Rhythm. Do not rush for quick results."
"Rest assured, Original Body! I guarantee I'll recruit a batch of reliable people for you!"
Fengyin said with a grin, transforming into a streak of white light once more and flying out of the main hall. He was clearly impatient to begin.
Watching Fengyin's departing figure, Haotian lightly shook his head, though a trace of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
He then turned and headed toward his cultivation chamber. The instant he pushed open the door, the fluctuations of Space Law around him abruptly intensified.
Entering seclusion to break through into the Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm was not merely to increase his own strength.
It was also so that he could protect those he cared about and safeguard the foundation of the future Heavenly Court amid the coming upheavals of the Primordial Wilderness.
Thus, after sitting down cross-legged, Haotian pressed the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation to his brow and slowly circulated the Primordial Heart Sutra.
Chaos Spiritual Energy poured into his body from every direction, merging with his understanding of the Dao of Hunyuan as it struck against the barrier of the Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
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