Hongjun Merges with the Dao, Sentient Beings Bid Farewell!

"Alright." Hongjun clapped his hands, his tone growing solemn. "From now on, you must stand on your own. Jade Pool, no more of this girlish demeanor—you must support Haotian well."

"The time has come. Your master must merge with the Dao. Watch quietly and learn."

As his words fell, Hongjun raised a hand and waved. The Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation hovering above his head suddenly burst into golden light.

The Dao runes on the jade plate spun rapidly, drawing forth a massive Eye of the Heavenly Dao from the Chaos Void beyond the hall. Its pupil contained all the laws governing the Primordial Wilderness.

Hongjun's Dao Rhythm surged, slowly connecting with the Eye of the Heavenly Dao. Chaos Airflow poured in from outside the hall, swirling around him to form a massive cocoon of Dao.

Though Haotian and Jade Pool were reluctant, they knew they could not stop this. They quickly sat cross-legged on their cushions and began circulating their techniques to comprehend.

As Hongjun merged with the Heavenly Dao, strands of pure Heavenly Dao Origin continuously dispersed.

Some fused into the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation within Haotian's brow, elevating his understanding of Space Law to a new level.

Others intertwined with Jade Pool's Ren Water Spiritual Qi, helping her solidify her foundation at the mid-stage Golden Immortal of the Origin and even brushing against the threshold of the late stage.

They could almost see the threads of the Heavenly Dao's operation—the trajectories of stars, the flow of spiritual veins, and the reincarnation of living beings.

Though it was only a glimpse, it deepened their comprehension of the essence of the Dao.

The three avatars within Haotian also saw their cultivation subtly improve under the nourishment of the Heavenly Dao Origin.

The Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus on Jade Pool's lap grew denser in its clear, ethereal glow, its resonance with her deepening further.

Thousands of years slipped away in the midst of enlightenment. At some point, Hongjun's voice suddenly echoed across every corner of the Primordial Wilderness—aged yet majestic.

"I see that the Primordial Wilderness's origin is incomplete. Now, I merge my body with the Dao to mend the Heavenly Dao! Henceforth, Hongjun is the Heavenly Dao, but the Heavenly Dao is not Hongjun. I shall not emerge unless a great calamity arises!"

"We respectfully see off the Dao Ancestor!" All forces across the Primordial Wilderness bowed toward the direction of the Purple Xiao Palace, their voices filled with heartfelt reverence.

Even Dijun and Taiyi set aside their ambitions to expand the Demon Race for the moment, their expressions solemn as they paid their respects.

Hongjun's sacrifice to merge with the Dao and complete the Heavenly Dao was a monumental act of merit for the entire Primordial Wilderness.

With this proclamation, within the Purple Xiao Palace, Hongjun's form gradually turned translucent.

The Dao Rhythm around him fully merged with the Eye of the Heavenly Dao, and he vanished without a trace.

Haotian and Jade Pool slowly opened their eyes, their gazes filled with complexity.

There was reluctance, respect, and also a firm resolve for the future.

They rose and bowed deeply toward the high platform, their voices low but earnest: "Your disciples respectfully see you off, Master."

The Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation floating above the platform flashed with a golden ring of law.

Within the ring was a faint resonance of the Great Dao, as if it were Hongjun's final reply.

Then it transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the void, leaving only the lingering traces of Dao Rhythm within the hall.

Haotian and Jade Pool exchanged a glance. The reluctance in their eyes gradually faded, replaced by a steadfast determination for what lay ahead.

They composed themselves and walked side by side toward the rear hall of the Purple Xiao Palace. According to Hongjun's earlier guidance, a special gift awaited them there.

The rear hall was quiet. At its center floated a piece of Chaos Spirit Stone the size of an infant.

The stone was wrapped in dense Chaos Spiritual Energy, and faint glimmers of spiritual light flickered on its surface. It had clearly given birth to nascent intelligence, though it was not yet mature.

Looking at this stone, a flicker of complexity passed through Haotian's eyes.

This was a fragment that had broken off from his original body, the Chaos Spirit Stone.

Though it was part of him, with its newly born intelligence, it was now an independent entity—and would become his future sister, Yaoji.

He knew of Yaoji's troubled fate in the original timeline. Now that he had the chance to change it, he would not stand by.

Thus, he raised his hand and opened the protective formation, carefully storing the Chaos Spirit Stone into a temporary space opened by the Primordial Heaven-Measuring Ruler.

Here, the Chaos Spiritual Energy was abundant, perfect for continuing to nurture the stone's intelligence.

With that done, Haotian took Jade Pool's hand and retrieved the Purple Xiao Palace token bestowed by Hongjun.

The moment the token was activated, a spatial gate appeared before the hall. The two stepped through, and their figures vanished from the Purple Xiao Palace in an instant.

When they reappeared, they were back at Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea.

The island was shrouded in mist, with spiritual springs babbling and Innate Spiritual Roots laden with spirit fruits.

A dense wave of spiritual energy greeted them—different from the Dao Rhythm of the Purple Xiao Palace, yet brimming with vitality.

The familiar sight allowed them to fully set aside their parting emotions. They walked side by side toward the main hall of Penglai.

Entering the main hall, Haotian raised his hand and activated Space Law, carving out a small pocket dimension behind the hall.

The spiritual energy density inside the pocket dimension was ten times that of the outside world, and it was equipped with both a spirit-gathering array and a protective formation—ideal for nurturing nascent intelligence.

He took the Chaos Spirit Stone from the temporary space and gently placed it beside a spiritual spring at the center of the pocket dimension. He then set up an additional warmth-nurturing array to ensure the stone could grow steadily.

With the formation complete, Haotian turned to Jade Pool, his tone carrying a hint of apology.

"Junior Sister, this time at the Purple Xiao Palace listening to the Dao, I've gained new insights into the realm of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin. I'm afraid I'll need to go into seclusion for a long time."

"The promise to take you traveling through the Primordial Wilderness will have to be put on hold for now."

"Senior Brother, don't feel guilty. I've gained quite a bit myself. I'll take this time to go into seclusion and solidify my foundation at the early stage of the Golden Immortal of the Origin."

Jade Pool shook her head with a smile, her eyes full of understanding. "When we both finish our seclusion, we can explore the Primordial Wilderness together. There's no rush."

Hearing Jade Pool's understanding words, the guilt in Haotian's heart lessened considerably.

After seeing her off, he released his Primordial Spirit, and a streak of white light flew from between Haotian's brows, taking the form of Fengyin.

"Honored One, don't you think this Penglai Immortal Island is a bit too quiet with just the few of us?"

Fengyin circled Haotian once, speaking with a grin.

Haotian raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance: "So, what do you have in mind?"

"I think it's time to start building the foundation for the future Heavenly Court!"

Fengyin dropped his playful expression, his tone turning serious: "The Primordial Wilderness may seem calm now, but the Wu and Yao forces are already rising in the shadows."

"If we don't lay the groundwork early, establishing the Heavenly Court later will be nothing but chaos."

"If the Honored One trusts me, this task is best handled by me."

Haotian fell into brief contemplation upon hearing this. Fengyin's mastery of the Wind Law was exceptional.

His comprehension of the Space Law was also considerable, and with his flexible nature, he was indeed suited to oversee such matters.

Thus, after a moment's thought, Haotian gave a slight nod.

"You're right. It's time to prepare the foundation for the Heavenly Court."

"I leave this to you. Be cautious—prioritize recruiting beings with steady temperaments and pure Dao Rhythms. Don't rush for quick results."

"Rest assured, Honored One! I'll gather a reliable group for you!"

Fengyin said with a chuckle, then transformed back into a streak of white light and flew out of the main hall, clearly eager to get started.

Watching Fengyin's departing figure, Haotian shook his head lightly, yet a glimmer of anticipation flickered in his eyes.

He then turned and walked toward his cultivation chamber. The moment he pushed open the door, the fluctuations of the Space Law around him surged sharply.

Secluding himself to break through to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin was not merely to enhance his own strength.

It was also to protect those he cared about in the coming upheavals of the Primordial Wilderness, and to secure the foundation of the Heavenly Court he would one day establish.

Thus, after sitting down cross-legged, Haotian pressed the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation to his brow, and the Primordial Heart Sutra began to circulate slowly.

Chaos Spiritual Energy surged into his body from all directions, merging with his insights into the Dao of Hunyuan, battering against the realm barrier of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin.