Under the Heavenly Dao, even Sages are but ants

In an instant, countless talents came to pledge their allegiance.

Ying Zheng also ordered the construction of Lord Lao Temples throughout the Qin Empire.

Generations would offer worship to Supreme Lord Laozi.

Once the Human Race was unified and the Four Seas and Eight Desolations pacified, he would extend this reverence across the entire Primordial Origin.

At that moment, the voice of Heavenly Dao Hongjun echoed in the hearts of the sages.

"The Grand Pure One, come to the Purple Cloud Palace."

Nüwa's gaze drifted faintly toward Daluo Heaven.

As expected, the Dao Ancestor would not stand idly by regarding matters beyond his control.

The Two Sages of the West, meanwhile, secretly rejoiced.

When the Three Pure Ones faced trouble, the West naturally welcomed it.

Inside the Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi's expression shifted abruptly.

Hongjun's move, following so closely on his elder brother's teachings, was deeply alarming!

"Eldest Brother, please be cautious."

Yuanshi, filled with worry, sent a direct voice transmission as a warning.

Meanwhile, in Daluo Heaven.

Grand Pure One Laozi cast a light glance toward the Purple Cloud Palace in the chaos, having long anticipated this.

"No need to worry. I have my own measures to deal with it."

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled calmly and strode without hesitation toward the Purple Cloud Palace.

Beyond the chaos, inside the Purple Cloud Palace.

Grand Pure One Laozi entered the palace with composure and sat down below.

Greetings, Master.

Heavenly Dao Hongjun gazed at Grand Pure One Laozi with an indifferent expression, his face unruffled, as if lost in thought.

In the side hall of the Purple Cloud Palace.

Tongtian sensed Grand Pure One Laozi's arrival, gave him a brief, complex look, then withdrew his gaze and turned back to the many names of the Jie Sect on the Heavenly Investiture of the Gods List.

Within the Purple Cloud Palace, Heavenly Dao Hongjun repeatedly probed Grand Pure One Laozi with his Divine Sense, yet found nothing.

Grand Pure One Laozi, however, met Hongjun's gaze directly, without a trace of fear.

Hongjun stared calmly at Grand Pure One Laozi, the supreme aura of Heavenly Dao spreading outward.

"Why act in this manner?"

The Dao voice was flat and devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

At these words, it seemed a Heavenly Dao divine eye gazed down from above, coldly watching Grand Pure One Laozi.

Grand Pure One Laozi instantly felt an irresistible pressure, yet he remained composed.

Though Heavenly Dao could suppress all things, how could it affect the Primordial Origin?

Grand Pure One Laozi said steadily, "During the Investiture Calamity, the sages' final battle shattered the Primordial Origin and brought suffering to all living beings—this was the fault of the sages."

"My actions now are meant to make amends to heaven and earth and compensate all beings."

Hongjun was momentarily stunned, a wave of inexplicable helplessness washing over him.

To compensate all beings, you would hand over your Primordial Chaos power to others?

Wasn't that too absurd?

Yet Hongjun's expression remained blank, and he said nothing.

The Heavenly Dao divine sense stealthily probed the Saintfall Pill within Grand Pure One Laozi's body.

Hongjun vaguely sensed something unusual about Grand Pure One Laozi, but the Heavenly Dao divine sense detected no abnormality.

This made Hongjun's brow furrow slightly.

"Could it be that the Grand Pure One himself is not the problem, but is being directed by some hidden force?"

But what force could it be?

One capable of evading Heavenly Dao's interference with a sage?

Hongjun's mind raced through calculations, thoughts flashing like lightning.

Grand Pure One Laozi naturally understood Hongjun's intent and sneered inwardly.

You may take your time speculating.

That you, my disciple, can perceive this is already quite strange.

Disciple.

Not to mention the protection of the Chaos Pearl, merely possessing the Great Dao and being bound to the Primordial Origin is enough to keep the Heavenly Dao from detecting anything unusual.

After all, both the Chaos Pearl and the Primordial Origin stand above the Heavenly Dao in status.

But with Grand Pure One Laozi's current strength, he has yet to reach that level.

Thus, Grand Pure One Laozi will not directly clash with Hongjun.

The current task is to conceal his strength while secretly laying his plans.

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled faintly and said, "Teacher, have you summoned your disciple today to grant a reward?"

Heavenly Dao Hongjun: "???"

Hongjun was momentarily stunned.

Are you saying that after causing such a massive upheaval, I should still reward you?

Even Hongjun's emotions were thrown into disarray.

Grand Pure One Laozi's face was full of smiles.

"Your disciple has been spreading the Dao across the Primordial World. In time, it may allow Primordial World Beings to forge their own Saint Paths, making the Primordial World even more prosperous."

"Surely the Heavenly Dao would approve—otherwise, it would not have permitted your disciple to act thus, nor would it have bestowed merit."

"Isn't that right, Dao Ancestor Teacher?"

Heavenly Dao Hongjun: "..."

Who permitted this?

Before you began teaching the Primal Chaos method, the Heavenly Dao hadn't even noticed!

By the time the teaching started and everyone praised it, it was naturally a good thing.

Since this matter benefits the Heavenly Dao, the Heavenly Dao naturally would not obstruct it.

Within the rules, it would even bestow merit.

Since Hongjun represents the Heavenly Dao, he too cannot violate its fundamental rules.

So from the very beginning, Hongjun had lost the chance to stop it.

Grand Pure One Laozi's words left Hongjun feeling cornered, as if the Heavenly Dao had tacitly approved his actions.

The key point was that his reasoning was sound—Hongjun had no way to refute it.

Watching Grand Pure One Laozi's earnest expression, Hongjun was momentarily speechless. In the end, he could only nod reluctantly and say, "Spreading the Dao to all beings was well done."

Though the deed was well done, Hongjun inwardly thought, Let's not have a repeat of this.

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled faintly. With his memories of a past life and the calculations of the Celestial Compass, he had a thorough understanding of the Heavenly Dao's operating rules. Using those rules to lay his traps was effortless for him—Hongjun remained completely unaware.

Hongjun pondered for a moment, then lightly tapped his finger. A miraculous pill appeared in his hand.

"This is an Ascension Pill. It can help beings below the Saint Realm achieve a perfect breakthrough in their cultivation." He added, "The Renjiao Sect has rendered merit to heaven and earth. This is your reward."

The Ascension Pill radiated a mysterious Dao resonance. Grand Pure One Laozi's heart stirred slightly, but his expression remained calm as he accepted it with a smile.

"Thank you for the gift, Teacher."

Hongjun waved his horsetail whisk and regained his composed demeanor.

"You may return."

Grand Pure One Laozi nodded, then rose and left.

Hongjun watched Grand Pure One Laozi's retreating figure, his gaze growing profound.

Laozi's behavior was exceedingly strange. Even Hongjun could not fully see through his true strength.

After the Deification, Laozi had been in seclusion for many years. What had happened? Was he plotting something on his own, or was some mysterious force acting through him?

Though Hongjun had fully merged with the Heavenly Dao, his control over the Primordial World still had limits.

The Great Dao operates by the rule of fifty, with heaven manifesting forty-nine. The one that escapes is beyond his control—it is the variable of heaven and earth.

Laozi might have obtained some opportunity that connected him to that variable.

Thus, Hongjun did not press him about the Primal Chaos Forging Dao Method. Even if there were methods to attain sainthood, they might not necessarily lead to Primal Chaos.

Hongjun was not worried, because the path of proving the Dao through sheer force was difficult to succeed in the Primordial World.

Even Great God Pangu had relied on his immense power to split heaven and earth.

And in all of the Primordial World, only Ancestor Yang Mei had ever proven the Primal Chaos Dao—and he had done so outside the Primordial World.

Hongjun's eyes returned to calm. His figure gradually faded, leaving only the aura of the Heavenly Dao. "Even a variable cannot escape my control." "Even that one which fled shall not disrupt my final scheme."

The aura of the Heavenly Dao locked onto Grand Pure One Laozi.

From this moment onward, every move of the Grand Supreme would be under Hongjun's watchful gaze.

Grand Pure One Laozi did not fully leave the Purple Cloud Palace but instead walked straight to the side hall, wishing to visit Tongtian, who was confined there.

This was merely a simple visit, with no other intent.

After all, a single meeting could not change Tongtian's mind.

Moreover, the Grand Supreme knew that Hongjun was surely observing him, so he would never discuss anything with Tongtian.

"Tongtian."

Grand Pure One Laozi called softly outside the side hall.

Inside the hall, Tongtian sat like a statue, eyes closed and head bowed, his expression hazy.

He did not respond, nor did he show any willingness to meet.

A moment passed.

Grand Pure One Laozi gently shook his head outside and turned to leave.

Hongjun witnessed this scene, his face unruffled.

Inside the side hall.

Tongtian slowly lifted his gaze, his sword-like brows and starry eyes revealing a look of loss.

This was not only because of the change in his former elder brother, the Grand Supreme, but also due to his worry for the Jie Sect.

Tongtian's gaze fell upon the Primordial World.

He could not help but sigh.

In the Primordial World, treasures shimmered with light, and the rhythm of the Dao flowed.

The Grand Supreme spread the sacred path, benefiting all things.

Among the Primordial World Beings, many comprehended the Dao, brimming with vitality and prosperity far surpassing the glory of the Investiture of the Gods and the Witch-Demon Era.

Yet this scene of universal celebration had nothing to do with the Jie Sect.

The Investiture List bound the true spirits, and the Jie Sect had no share in the Primordial Great Dao.

In the Heavenly Court, Wudang, who had incarnated as the Old Mother of Mount Li, was striving to comprehend the Primordial Great Dao, but Tongtian could only sigh: "Foolish child."

The path of a saint was arduous; even with a method, success was not guaranteed, and even if Wudang became a saint, how could she save the Jie Sect disciples in the Heavenly Court?

Tongtian knew well that even the Grand Supreme could not rescue the Jie Sect's disciples.

Under the Heavenly Dao, even saints were but ants.

The words of the Grand Supreme and Hongjun had not been hidden from Tongtian, so he sighed deeply.

If his elder brother had realized this during the Investiture of the Gods, how could the Three Teachings have fallen to such a state!

But now, further words were useless; everything was already set, beyond redemption.

Beyond the Chaos, in the Jade Clarity Realm, Clear Micro Heaven, on the Qilin Cliff of Kunlun Mountain, within the Jade Void Palace, Grand Pure One Laozi descended once more.

Yuanshi greeted him, his tone slightly worried: "Elder brother, how did it go?"

Yuanshi was still concerned about whether the matter of the Saintfall Pill had been detected by Hongjun.

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled calmly: "No trouble."

Yuanshi finally felt at ease. Indeed, his elder brother had long prepared a countermeasure; they had not been discovered!

Otherwise, if they had been found out, the Three Pure Ones would likely have already met their doom in the Purple Cloud Palace.

Only then did Yuanshi speak.

"Elder brother, I just sent Guangchengzi to the Primordial World."

"I had hoped to use this grand sermon to revive the Chan Sect, but the results were meager."

Yuanshi's expression showed a hint of regret.

The Primordial World praised the Grand Supreme Moral Lord, and Yuanshi keenly seized this opportunity, intending to revive the Three Teachings under the name of the Three Pure Ones, but to no avail—his Dao lineage and fortune made no progress.

Grand Pure One Laozi gently shook his head upon hearing this.

His sermon under the guise of the Heavenly Court was solely to elevate the Primordial World, not to revive the Three Teachings' Dao lineage.

Thus, the Heavenly Dao's fortune and resonance were concentrated on the Heavenly Court and himself.

Yuanshi's failure was inevitable.

But the current state of the Three Teachings was indeed dire, and Yuanshi's eagerness to break the deadlock was a move born of desperation.

Grand Pure One Laozi pondered for a moment, then turned to Yuanshi and said:

"The Renjiao Sect has completely declined in the Primordial World. The Chan Sect can still hold its ground, but it too is withering day by day."

"Even if spreading the Dao benefits the Three Teachings, reviving them will not be easy."

"Moreover, the Investiture of the Gods back then shattered the primordial world, and the immense karmic consequences tied to it led to the fall of the Jie Sect. The Renjiao and Chan Sects cannot escape their share of the blame either."

Yuanshi frowned even deeper upon hearing this.

"Brother, I understand this as well, but can we simply stand by and do nothing?"

"Now that you are spreading the Dao, the primordial world brims with vitality and teems with variables—this is the perfect opportunity."

"Perhaps I should also split off a Good Thought to spread the Dao?"

As a sage, Yuanshi saw through the situation in the primordial world and knew full well what an opportunity this was.

It could be called an unprecedented upheaval in all of eternity!

How could he let it slip by so easily?

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled faintly upon hearing this.

"This is indeed a rare opportunity."

A glimmer of light flashed in Yuanshi's eyes as he heard this, knowing that the Grand Pure One must have a plan in mind.

"I ask for my brother's guidance."

The Grand Pure One smiled slightly. "Sages should not intervene directly, nor do you need to split off your Good Corpse. Instead, you ought to cultivate diligently and comprehend the Heavenly Dao."