Primordial Wilderness Footing?

Even if one could slay their corpse, there would be nothing to anchor it to!

Soon, the auras of Fuxi and Nuwa grew increasingly violent.

Some weaker cultivators were pressed so hard they staggered, unable to steady themselves.

The two cast a grateful glance at Tongtian, then closed their eyes without hesitation to stabilize their realms.

A thousand years later, the expressions of the various Great Powers gradually grew complex.

Some wept bitterly, some laughed wildly, some wore faces full of sorrow, and others cried tears of joy—a myriad of emotions, each different.

Only those ranked near the top could barely grasp a fraction of it.

But as the sermon deepened, even they couldn't help furrowing their brows.

Only Tongtian remained composed and at ease throughout.

Cultivating the Primordial Supreme Merit, though his insight at the moment fell short of Hongjun's, he was already thoroughly familiar with the Quasi-Saint realm.

Even without listening to the sermon, he could cultivate and advance on his own.

His purpose in attending this lecture was merely to seek reference and verification.

The three-thousand-year sermon was nearing its end.

Though Tongtian had not broken through, his cultivation had been slowly pushed to the peak of early Quasi-Saint.

He was only a single step away from mid Quasi-Saint—it was merely a matter of time.

Aside from Nuwa and Fuxi, who had both stepped into early Quasi-Saint, no one else had made progress.

Some had insufficient cultivation, some lacked the support of spiritual treasures, and others had yet to even reach the late stage of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, so naturally they could not assault the Quasi-Saint realm.

On this day, just as everyone except Tongtian was lost in a fog and drowsy, Hongjun stopped his sermon.

"The three-thousand-year sermon is complete. Do any of you still have unresolved questions?"

As soon as the words fell, Laozi rose and bowed, asking respectfully:

"Your disciple presumes to ask, Teacher—what exactly is a Saint?"

"A Saint's Primordial Spirit is entrusted to the Heavenly Dao, immortal and indestructible.

All beneath a Saint are but ants."

Hongjun cast a slight glance at the carefree-looking Tongtian and explained in a calm tone.

At these words, everyone drew in a sharp breath, their faces filled with shock.

"Then may I ask, Teacher, how does one become a Saint?"

With Tongtian looming overhead like a mountain and their lives still threatened, Yuanshi spoke urgently, cutting ahead of the others.

"The Great Dao has three thousand paths, all of which can lead to Sainthood.

But the Heavenly Dao obstructs, with Shackles upon Shackles.

In the Primordial Wilderness, there are roughly three methods to become a Saint."

A glint of profundity flashed in Hongjun's eyes, and before anyone could press further, he continued:

"First, attaining the Dao through Slaying the Three Corpses.

One must use an Innate Spiritual Treasure as a vessel, slay the Good Corpse, the Evil Corpse, and the Corpse of Obsession, then merge the three corpses to attain a Saintly Position.

The stronger the spiritual treasure used as a vessel, the stronger one's strength after attaining Sainthood."

"Second, Attaining Dao Through Strength.

But the difficulty of this path can be glimpsed from the fall of the Great God Pangu.

If one succeeds, once they attain Sainthood, they will be invincible among their peers.

Tongtian is walking this very path."

At these words, everyone cast admiring glances at Tongtian.

Those with old grudges against Tongtian, like Dijun, secretly rejoiced, as if seeing hope for a comeback.

Even Pangu had failed—they didn't believe Tongtian could truly walk this path.

For a moment, thoughts churned, each person's mind drifting in different directions.

Taking in everyone's expressions, Tongtian merely shrugged and said nothing.

He naturally understood what Yuanshi and the others were thinking—

They simply hoped that once they attained Sainthood, they could retaliate at will.

After all, compared to Attaining Dao Through Strength, Slaying the Three Corpses seemed far more stable and feasible.

Pausing briefly, Hongjun continued:

"Third, attaining the Dao through merit.

Compared to the first two, this method is the most stable, the fastest, and the easiest.

By the same logic, the Heavenly Dao is impartial—gain comes with loss."

"If they force a breakthrough this way, though it seems like a shortcut, their foundation will be unstable. Among the three, his strength will be the weakest."

Hearing these words, the assembled great cultivators sank into deep thought.

They began to calculate in their minds which path to enlightenment would be the most reliable.

First, the path of Attaining Dao Through Strength was all but ruled out.

Even a being like the Great God Pangu had failed to accomplish such a feat; they dared not arrogantly believe themselves stronger than Pangu!

As for the path of Merit Enlightenment, though it sounded fast and stable, it was ultimately too elusive.

How much merit would one need to accumulate to reach the realm of a Saint?

Even the weakest Saint was far beyond what any mortal could hope to attain.

The sheer magnitude of merit required was unimaginable!

With such considerations, the crowd had largely made up their minds.

Slaying the Three Corpses became the most suitable choice.

For one, this method yielded the greatest strength upon becoming a Saint.

Those who stood at the pinnacle of this world were all firm-willed and exceptionally intelligent.

After ruling out Attaining Dao Through Strength, this was undoubtedly the safest path.

For another, compared to the intangible concept of merit, the method of Slaying the Three Corpses was easier to grasp.

Though Innate Spiritual Treasures were not easy to come by, they were at least traceable, unlike merit.

After all, merit was a matter of chance, while spiritual treasures could still be sought.

Just then, Taiyi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke:

"May I ask, Teacher, who may become a Saint?"

At these words, the entire hall fell silent.

All eyes turned to Hongjun, their gazes filled not only with curiosity but more so with anticipation.

"Within the Heavenly Dao, the number nine is the utmost. Excluding the one, there are eight in total."

"The Three Pure Ones are incarnations of the Great God Pangu's Primordial Spirit, bearing the merit of World Creation. They already possess the foundation to become Saints and shall receive three strands of Primordial Violet Qi."

"Nuwa and Fuxi will have great opportunities in the future and may also ascend to Saintly Positions."

With that, Hongjun lightly waved his sleeve, and five strands of Primordial Violet Qi flew forth, entering the bodies of the five.

Tongtian examined them briefly and sensed their mystery. His eyes flickered as he glanced to the side.

He already knew in his heart that Jieyin and Zhunti were about to make their move.

And so it was.

When Hongjun fell silent, the two had long been restless, their expressions anxious. Finally, they could no longer hold back and spoke.

"To revitalize the barren Western lands, we brothers have spared no hardship, traveling far and wide. We humbly beg Teacher to grant us an opportunity!"

As they spoke, their faces were full of sorrow, their expressions mournful, their tone so pitiful that it moved all who heard it.

"Very well. You two are also people of great perseverance. I shall grant you the last two strands of Violet Qi."

Hongjun hesitated briefly, as if reluctant, but finally nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Teacher!"

Jieyin and Zhunti quickly bowed in thanks, fearing Hongjun might change his mind.

Seeing this, a glint flashed in the eyes of the others, and they followed suit.

"Disciple begs Teacher for guidance!"

Hongjun swept his gaze over them calmly and slowly shook his head.

"You need not be fixated. Even without Primordial Violet Qi, one can still attain the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin."

The crowd was taken aback, their faces showing confusion.

"A Saint is a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin, but a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin is not necessarily a Saint."

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."

The crowd felt a measure of relief in their hearts.

Regardless, the path ahead still existed, and the future held promise.

As they pondered, their gazes unconsciously turned to Hongyun.

Ever since Jieyin and Zhunti had received the Primordial Violet Qi, he had stood frozen, long silent.

He finally understood why he had vaguely felt that day that the Cushion held a great opportunity.

So it represented the very foundation of becoming a Saint!

Who could believe he had no such opportunity?

Otherwise, why would Hongjun have bestowed the Violet Qi solely upon those seated on the Cushions?

For a moment, Hongyun's heart churned with a storm of emotions, regret flooding through him like a tidal wave.

Others had brushed past a Saintly Position, but he had personally handed his away.

Such a contrast left him wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear.

Zhenyuanzi let out a soft sigh, his heart heavy.

This old friend of his truly...

He had felt it was wrong to give up the seat back then, but now it was clear—not just wrong, but greatly mistaken!

"The three-thousand-year sermon is complete. In ten thousand years, you may all return to Purple Heaven Palace."

With those words, Hongjun's figure silently faded from the cloud bed.

Seeing this, everyone understood and rose in unison, preparing to leave.

But the moment they stepped out of Purple Heaven Palace's gates, they found Tongtian standing there, as if he had been waiting for some time.

Dijun, Yuanshi, and the others' expressions shifted.

They had planned to leave swiftly once the sermon ended, but it seemed they were already too late.

Fuxi and Nuwa, who had just severed one corpse and stepped into the Quasi-Saint realm, stood on either side of Tongtian, their expressions grave.

Their Spiritual Sense had already sealed off the surrounding void.

If the eight of them showed any sign of fleeing, they would be struck down instantly.

"Tongtian, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Perhaps emboldened by obtaining the Primordial Violet Qi, Yuanshi asked through gritted teeth, his face dark.

In his view, both he and his older brother had hope of becoming Saints in the future.

You, Tongtian, walk the path of Attain Dao Through Strength—whether you become a Saint is still uncertain.

And now you dare to offend us? Aren't you afraid we'll settle this grudge in the future?

"What am I trying to do? You haven't settled the account from last time when you all ganged up on This Seat. What do you think I mean?"

Tongtian saw through his thoughts at a glance, a cold smirk curling at his lips.

Got a little backing and already getting cocky?

Looks like you haven't figured out the situation yet.

"Then what do you want?" Yuanshi snorted lightly.

"Simple. Apologize and make amends, and this matter is over." Tongtian smiled faintly.

His tone and expression

left everyone present speechless.

Sure, they had ganged up on you before.

But back then, you were trying to hog the opportunity for yourself.

How are you acting like the victim here?

"And if I refuse?"

Before Yuanshi could speak, Taiyi shot back with icy eyes, his heart nearly bursting with rage.

In front of so many powerhouses, you're making us lose face!

If we really bow our heads and apologize, how will we ever hold our heads up in the Primordial World?

"Then we'll settle it with strength. If you're unwilling, I don't mind paying a personal visit."

Tongtian sneered, his words merciless.

After all, in the Primordial World, strength reigns supreme.

Right or wrong doesn't matter—fight first, talk later!

"Third Brother, you've gone too far."

Laozi frowned slightly, his expression calm but utterly devoid of emotion.

Compared to Yuanshi and Taiyi's impulsiveness, he could see the bigger picture.

Even with the opportunity to become a Saint, it was just an opportunity—it wouldn't boost combat power.

If it came to a real fight, the outcome would likely be the same as last time:

they'd still end up at a huge disadvantage!