"Zhurong, do you truly intend to go to war with my demon race here?" Di Jun snorted coldly.
"So what if I do?"
Zhurong bellowed, looking ready to start fighting at the slightest disagreement.
The other witches behind her said nothing, but murderous aura surged from their bodies as they faced off against Di Jun's group.
"You're courting death!"
Donghuang Taiyi shouted angrily, and the Chaos Bell suddenly trembled. Killing intent flashed through Di Jun's eyes as she stopped Donghuang Taiyi.
She remained relatively calm. If they started a massive battle outside the Purple Firmament Palace today, regardless of who won or lost, they would be the lesser for it—and might even anger the Saint who was about to give a sermon.
At that critical moment, an auspicious cloud drifted over from afar and stopped between the two sides.
Two Daoists stood atop the cloud.
The leader wore a smile and a red Daoist robe, her aura peaceful and harmonious. She was none other than Ancestor Hong Yun, the famously kind-hearted figure of the prehistoric world.
Beside her stood a solemn woman holding the Book of Earth. It was Zhen Yuanzi.
"Oh, fellow Daoists, why such terrible tempers?"
As soon as Hong Yun landed, she greeted both sides with a beaming smile.
"Today is a great day for the Saint's sermon. We have all come in pursuit of the Great Dao, so harmony should come first."
She first smiled at Zhurong. "Fellow Daoist Zhurong, please calm yourself."
Then she turned toward Di Jun and Taiyi, her smile deepening. "Fellow Daoist Di Jun, Fellow Daoist Taiyi, could you give Hong Yun some face? Starting a conflict here may anger the Saint. The loss would outweigh the gain."
When Zhurong saw that it was Hong Yun, she merely snorted. Though impulsive, she knew that Hong Yun was exceptionally well-liked throughout the prehistoric world.
Moreover, she had learned from Chu Feng that Hong Yun was a pitiful girl who had been killed by Kunpeng over giving up her seat. Thinking of that, Zhurong restrained her temper.
Seeing this, Di Jun immediately understood. Hong Yun's arrival had given her a way out.
She had not wanted to fight here in the first place. This would preserve her dignity while easing the tension.
She glanced at Zhurong, then cupped her hands toward Hong Yun. "Fellow Daoist Hong Yun is right. We came to hear the Saint expound the Great Dao, not to lower ourselves by arguing with these barbarians who know nothing of Heaven's decree."
At that, her tone shifted as she looked at Taiyi. "Little sister, put away the Chaos Bell. Do not lose sight of the greater matter and offend the Saint."
Donghuang Taiyi had always trusted her elder sister's words. With a cold snort, she withdrew the Chaos Bell as its radiance faded, then flicked her sleeve.
At that moment, a golden bridge of light stretched across the heavens, and three graceful figures slowly flew over.
The woman in front appeared natural and detached, the one in the middle looked imposing, and the last carried a sword on her back, her gaze sharp and sword intent soaring to the heavens. They were the Three Pure Ones.
Before long, auspicious clouds swirled as Nuwa and Fuxi arrived together.
Nuwa possessed peerless beauty and exuded endless intent of creation. Fuxi held a Bagua diagram in her palm, its patterns flowing through her eyes, her expression gentle. After arriving, they quietly stood to one side.
Soon, the Purple Firmament Palace's exterior had gathered the most powerful figures of the prehistoric world, and everyone turned their eyes toward the palace.
At that moment, the tightly shut palace gates slowly opened.
Everyone's expressions grew solemn. They knew that the Saint's Daoist sanctuary had opened.
A gleam flashed through Di Jun's eyes as she transmitted to Taiyi, "Little sister, move! Come with me to pay respects to the Saint."
Before her words had faded, she and Taiyi transformed into two golden rainbows and rushed into the palace gates first.
At the same time, the Three Pure Ones stepped forward almost simultaneously, appearing before the palace gates in an instant. The Twelve Ancestral Witches roared and followed close behind.
For a time, the great powers of every faction displayed their divine abilities and surged toward the Purple Firmament Palace.
Inside the Purple Firmament Palace, three thousand great powers each found a place and sat cross-legged.
Yet everyone's gaze rested on the six cushions at the very front.
"So Fellow Daoist Chu spoke the truth."
Dijiang gave the six cushions a cold glance, a disdainful sneer curving her lips.
Behind her, Zhurong, the most hot-tempered of them all, merely snorted and looked away.
The other Ancestral Witches—Qiangliang, Jumang, Gonggong, Houtu, and the rest—also glanced at them but made no move.
Their unusual behavior caught the attention of the surrounding great powers. The Witch Clan revered neither Heaven nor Earth, honoring only Pangu, and their overbearing brutality was already known throughout the prehistoric world.
By all rights, faced with such a tremendous opportunity, they should have been the first to rush forward and seize it. Why were they so quiet today?
Not far away, Nuwa and Fuxi also stood silently.
A ripple passed through Nuwa's beautiful eyes as she looked at the six cushions, then gently shook her head. Fuxi also gave them an indifferent glance and made no attempt to compete.
Whether the Twelve Ancestral Witches or Nuwa and Fuxi, Chu Feng's warning echoed in their hearts.
"The Saint Position is a shackle of the Heavenly Dao. Once you sit upon it, although your primordial spirit will be entrusted to the Heavenly Dao and appear immortal and indestructible, you will in truth be bound by the Heavenly Dao."
While everyone was still hesitating, three streams of Pure Qi shot into the sky.
Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian each took a step and were already seated.
Laozi claimed the first cushion, Yuanshi the second, and Tongtian Sect Master the third.
At the same time, Zhen Yuanzi forcibly carved a path through the crowd and sent Hong Yun to the fourth cushion.
Hong Yun nodded gratefully to Zhen Yuanzi and sat down.
Suddenly, a black shadow flashed like lightning. Before anyone could react, it seized the fifth cushion. It was Kunpeng!
Di Jun obtained the sixth cushion.
At that moment, two bedraggled figures stumbled through the gates of the Purple Firmament Palace.
"Wuwuwu~ My sister and I came from the barren western lands, crossing mountains and rivers and enduring endless hardships before finally reaching the Saint's Daoist sanctuary,
all to seek a trace of the Great Dao's true meaning. Yet we never expected that there would not even be a place for us to stand!"
The arrivals were none other than Jieyin and Zhunti of the West.
Jieyin wore a grief-stricken expression, while Zhunti looked utterly anxious. In coordination with Jieyin, she beat her chest and stamped her feet.
As soon as the two spoke, many softhearted great powers showed sympathy.
But a cold smile flashed through Di Jun's eyes.
Donghuang Taiyi curled her lips slightly and muttered, "Crying and whining like that—truly unfit for the grand stage."
Yuanshi's brows knitted tightly. In her eyes, such conduct—disregarding one's status and publicly playing the victim—was simply a disgrace to the Innate Deities.
If Chu Feng had been here, he would surely have mocked them. As expected of the shameless Western duo. Even after becoming women, they were still just as shameless...
Jieyin's cries grew louder and louder. Her gaze swept across the hall before finally settling on Hong Yun.
"Fellow Daoist, I can see that you have a kind face and a compassionate heart, blessed with deep merit and virtue. Countless living beings of the West are still struggling in a sea of suffering.
My sister and I did not come for ourselves, but only to seek a sliver of hope for those Western beings!
Fellow Daoist, you occupy such an honored seat. Could you show mercy and give your seat to us sisters?" Jieyin said to Hong Yun.
Zhunti immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply to Hong Yun, her words earnest as tears streamed down her face.
For a moment, everyone's eyes focused on Hong Yun.
Moral coercion—blatant moral coercion!
Hong Yun had always been kindhearted. After Zhunti's words, her face immediately reddened, and she became restless in her seat.
She looked at the miserably weeping Jieyin, then at the complicated gazes of the surrounding great powers, utterly at a loss...
Before you continue