Before long, inside the Ancestral Witch Hall.
Chu Feng looked at Hong Yun with a grave expression and got straight to the point. "Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, in the Purple Sky Palace, you had already secured a cushion seat. Why did you give it to Jieyin and Zhunti, who came from the west?"
As soon as he said this, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Fuxi, and the others all turned curious gazes toward them.
They had witnessed the matter of yielding the seat and had assumed Hong Yun's kindness had simply flared up.
Hearing this, Hong Yun sighed and said emotionally, "Fellow Daoist Chu, you do not know this. Fellow Daoists Jieyin and Zhunti came from the barren western lands,
and they sought a glimmer of survival for the countless living beings of the west. Seeing the two of them plead so bitterly, I could not bear to see those countless beings suffer, so I yielded it."
After hearing this, Chu Feng's expression became even graver. Sure enough, Hong Yun was the great good person of the primordial world.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, do you know that by yielding that seat, not only did you fail to accumulate boundless merit, you instead invited a Tribulation of Killing that will end in your death and the dispersal of your Dao?" Chu Feng said calmly.
As soon as he said this, the smile on Hong Yun's face instantly froze.
"A Tribulation of Killing? How could that be?"
Hong Yun was filled with confusion. "I merely acted out of kindness and gave up a seat. How could that bring about a calamity that would take my life? Fellow Daoist Chu, surely you are joking with me?"
Zhen Yuanzi's expression also darkened. He said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Chu, this concerns my close friend's life and fortune. Please enlighten us."
At that moment, Dijiang suddenly interrupted, "Since Fellow Daoist Hong Yun bears a Tribulation of Killing, this is not the place to discuss it. Let us go to Pangu Hall and speak there."
Dijiang's proposal immediately won everyone's approval.
Hong Yun's mind was in turmoil. How could she have any ideas of her own now? She could only look to Zhen Yuanzi.
Zhen Yuanzi was unfamiliar with the Witch Clan, but he knew that they had always acted openly and honorably. Dijiang's words also made sense, so he nodded to Hong Yun.
With everyone in agreement, they arrived at Pangu Hall.
Dijiang immediately cast a spell to open Pangu Hall, and everyone entered one after another.
Inside Pangu Hall, baleful energy intertwined with vitality, and an ancient aura rushed toward them.
"Greetings, Father God!"
"Greetings, Father God!"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Three Pure Ones spoke at the same time.
Chu Feng smiled. He truly had never seen the Three Pure Ones visit Pangu Hall to pay respects to Pangu before.
After the formalities were complete.
Everyone took their seats. Hong Yun immediately rose and bowed to Chu Feng, asking anxiously, "Fellow Daoist Chu, can you tell me now? Why exactly have I incurred this Tribulation of Killing?"
Chu Feng looked at her, sighed, and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist, do you know that that cushion represented more than just a seat?
It was also the key to attaining sainthood in the future. You gave away your own opportunity, and this karma has thus fallen upon you."
He paused, then continued, "After you yielded your seat to Jieyin,
Jieyin and Zhunti joined forces to drive Kunpeng from her seat. In Kunpeng's eyes, the source of her lost opportunity to attain sainthood and this unbearable humiliation was you.
She did not dare retaliate against Jieyin and Zhunti, but she would blame you for yielding your seat. If you had not yielded it and set a precedent, Jieyin and Zhunti would not have seized her seat.
You cut off her path to the Dao. She would find a way to take your life. That was where your Tribulation of Killing lay."
As soon as he said this, Pangu Hall fell into deathly silence.
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. They had not expected Hong Yun's Tribulation of Killing to arise from being resented for yielding a seat.
Hong Yun looked as though she had been struck by lightning. Her face turned deathly pale as she murmured, "How could this happen? I only..."
She could not understand why her good intentions had brought her such overwhelming murderous danger.
"Kunpeng has gone too far!"
Zhen Yuanzi flew into a rage and slammed his palm onto the table.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun is kindhearted. Kunpeng dares not trouble Jieyin and Zhunti, yet she takes out her resentment on Fellow Daoist Hong Yun! Does she truly think we are easy to bully?"
As his words fell, the others in the hall wore varied expressions.
The primordial world was one where the strong preyed upon the weak, its factions intricately entangled.
Hong Yun's temperament made her seem friendly toward everyone and blessed with many friends.
But having good relations with everyone meant having poor relations with every faction, for the waters of the primordial world ran deep.
A flicker of emotion appeared on Laozi's face, while Yuanshi looked full of disdain, clearly looking down on Kunpeng's conduct. Tongtian raised a sword-like brow, revealing a trace of indignation.
Nuwa and Fuxi exchanged a glance. After a moment, Fuxi let out a long sigh. She had deduced part of the karma and confirmed that Chu Feng's words were true.
All Twelve Ancestral Witches showed anger. What they despised most were such schemes and intrigues.
If there was a problem, they could simply fight it out. Why resort to all these twists and turns?
After a long while, Hong Yun came back to her senses and gave Chu Feng a deep bow. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Chu, for awakening me. But now that things have come to this, is there any way to resolve it?"
Everyone's gazes focused on Chu Feng once more.
Chu Feng remained calm. "The tribulation has already formed. It cannot be avoided. The method to resolve it is difficult to say, yet easy to say. In the end, it comes down to four words: break the tribulation with strength."
He looked at Hong Yun, his gaze sharpening. "From today onward, stay with Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, or enter seclusion within the territory of the Witch Clan,
and ignore every conflict in the primordial world. Cultivate with all your strength, break through the shackles of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal as quickly as possible, and attain the Dao Fruit of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal.
As long as you are strong enough, no matter how many schemes or plots she has, you can break them all with sheer force."
"A Hunyuan Golden Immortal?"
Hong Yun was stunned. Not only her—even the Three Pure Ones were completely confused.
Hongjun had only spoken of Grand Unity Golden Immortals, Quasi-Saints, and saints. She had never mentioned Hunyuan Golden Immortals.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches and Nuwa, however, remained calm. They had already heard Chu Feng explain it and were not overly surprised.
Chu Feng swept his gaze across Hong Yun and the others, then said in a deep voice, "Above the Grand Unity Golden Immortal, there are two paths.
The first is the method of Severing the Three Corpses taught by Dao Ancestor Hongjun. One uses Innate Spiritual Treasures to sever the three corpses of good, evil, and self, entrusting one's primordial spirit to the Heavenly Dao. Though one can attain the Dao this way, one is constrained by the Heavenly Dao.
The other path is to continue comprehending laws and attain the Dao of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal. One becomes the Dao itself. Though this path is difficult, it allows one to cast off all restraints. It is the supreme path of great freedom and great ease."
Because no one knew of the ambiguous relationship between Chu Feng and Hongjun, Chu Feng gave Hongjun ample respect.
When explaining matters to the others, he also addressed her as Dao Ancestor, preserving her image.
After hearing this, everyone drew in sharp breaths. Chu Feng's words had shaken them greatly.
Laozi and Yuanshi showed little emotional reaction. Laozi believed that although Chu Feng was stronger than him now, he was ultimately inferior to Hongjun. Chu Feng's words were far too fantastical.
Tongtian's eyes, however, lit up. He was straightforward, loyal, and fond of freedom. He also cultivated the laws of the Way of the Sword, and Chu Feng's words deeply moved him.
Ever since he had sat on the cushion and listened to the Dao, he had felt that conforming to the Heavenly Dao was not the path he wished to take. It clashed with his pursuit of freedom.
"So that is how it is. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Chu, for expounding the Dao. But how should Fellow Daoist Hong Yun avoid her Tribulation of Killing?"
Zhen Yuanzi asked. If Hong Yun wanted to quickly attain the Dao of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal, there was likely no longer enough time.
"Yes, Fellow Daoist Chu, please teach me how to break this deadlock. Hong Yun will be endlessly grateful." Hong Yun clasped her hands and said with a sincere expression.
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