Under the Heavenly Dao, even saints were but ants

For a time, countless worthy talents came to pledge their allegiance.

Ying Zheng also ordered Lord Lao Temples to be built throughout the Qin Empire.

Grand Supreme Moral Lord would be worshipped for generations.

Once he had unified the Human Race and pacified the Four Seas and Eight Desolations,

he would extend this reverence throughout the entire Primordial Wilderness.

At this moment, Hongjun's voice echoed in the saints' hearts.

"Taiqing, come to the Purple Cloud Palace."

Nüwa's gaze drifted toward Daluo Heaven.

Sure enough, the Dao Ancestor would not stand by and ignore anything beyond his control.

Meanwhile, the Two Sages of the West secretly rejoiced.

Whenever the Three Pure Ones encountered trouble, the West naturally welcomed it.

Within the Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi's expression changed abruptly.

Hongjun's move had come immediately after Elder Brother's transmission of the Dao. It was truly alarming!

"Eldest Brother, please be careful."

Filled with worry, Yuanshi directly sent him a voice transmission.

At the same time, within Daluo Heaven.

Taiqing Laozi lightly glanced toward the Purple Cloud Palace within Chaos. He had long anticipated this.

"No need to worry. I have my own way of dealing with it."

Taiqing Laozi smiled calmly and openly headed toward the Purple Cloud Palace.

Beyond Chaos, within the Purple Cloud Palace.

Taiqing Laozi entered the palace at an unhurried pace and calmly took his seat below.

Greetings, Master.

Hongjun watched Taiqing Laozi with an indifferent expression, his face utterly still as though he were deep in thought.

Meanwhile, in the Side Hall of the Purple Cloud Palace.

Tongtian sensed Taiqing Laozi's arrival. After briefly looking him over, a complicated expression crossed his face. He then withdrew his gaze and once again looked toward the many names belonging to the Interception Sect on the Heavenly Investiture of the Gods List.

Within the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun repeatedly observed Taiqing Laozi with his Divine Sense, yet found nothing.

Taiqing Laozi, meanwhile, looked directly at Hongjun without fear.

Hongjun gazed calmly at Taiqing Laozi as the supreme aura of the Heavenly Dao spread outward.

"Why have you acted in this manner?"

The voice of the Dao was tranquil and devoid of emotion.

The moment those words were spoken, it seemed as though the divine eye of the Heavenly Dao was overlooking everything from above, coldly watching Taiqing Laozi.

Taiqing Laozi immediately felt an irresistible pressure, yet he remained composed.

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

Taiqing Laozi said steadily, "During the Investiture of the Gods, the saints fought a decisive battle, shattering the Primordial Wilderness and leaving countless living beings in misery. This was the fault of all the saints."

"My actions are meant to mend heaven and earth and compensate all living beings."

Hongjun could not help but freeze, an inexplicable feeling of helplessness rising in his heart.

To compensate all living beings, you handed Primordial Chaos power over to others?

Wasn't that utterly absurd?

Yet Hongjun remained expressionless and silent.

The Divine Sense of the Heavenly Dao quietly examined the Saintfall Pill within Taiqing Laozi.

Hongjun vaguely sensed that something was unusual about Taiqing Laozi, but the Divine Sense of the Heavenly Dao found no abnormalities.

This made Hongjun furrow his brow slightly.

"Could it be that there is nothing wrong with Taiqing himself, and he is instead being directed by some hidden force?"

But what force could it be?

What power could interfere with saints while evading the Heavenly Dao?

Hongjun rapidly deduced the possibilities, thoughts flashing through his mind like lightning.

Taiqing Laozi naturally understood Hongjun's intentions and sneered inwardly.

Go ahead and speculate all you want.

It would already be strange enough if you could see through this.

Disciple

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

After all, both the Chaos Pearl and the Primordial Origin stood above the Heavenly Dao.

It was simply that Taiqing Laozi's current strength had not yet reached such a realm.

Therefore, Taiqing Laozi would not directly clash with Hongjun.

For now, his task was to conceal his strength while secretly laying out his plans.

Taiqing Laozi smiled faintly and said, "Did Master summon this disciple today to reward me?"

Hongjun: "???"

Hongjun was momentarily stunned.

You created such an enormous Variable, and I still have to reward you?

Even Hongjun's emotions were becoming confused.

Taiqing Laozi only continued smiling brightly.

"This disciple has transmitted the Dao throughout the Primordial Wilderness. In the future, perhaps the beings of the Primordial Wilderness will be able to forge their own Saint Paths, making the Primordial Wilderness even more prosperous."

"I presume the Heavenly Dao approves as well. Otherwise, it would not have permitted this disciple to act as he did, nor would it have bestowed merit."

"Isn't that right, Dao Ancestor?"

Hongjun: "..."

Who permitted it?

Before you transmitted the Primordial Chaos Dao, the Heavenly Dao had not even noticed!

Once the transmission began and everyone praised it, it naturally became a good thing.

This matter benefited the Heavenly Dao, so naturally it would not stop it.

Merit would also descend according to the rules.

Since Hongjun represented the Heavenly Dao, he could not violate its fundamental rules.

Thus, from the moment Taiqing began, Hongjun had lost the opportunity to stop him.

Taiqing Laozi's words left Hongjun in a difficult position, as though the Heavenly Dao had tacitly approved his actions.

The key was that he made perfect sense, leaving Hongjun unable to refute him.

Seeing Taiqing Laozi's sincere expression, Hongjun was briefly at a loss for words. In the end, he could only nod reluctantly. "Your transmission of the Dao to all beings was well done."

Although the deed had been done well, Hongjun was inwardly thinking that Taiqing should not do this again next time.

Taiqing Laozi smiled faintly. With memories from his previous life and the calculations of the Celestial Compass, he understood the operating rules of the Heavenly Dao perfectly. Exploiting those rules to lay out his plans was effortless for him, and Hongjun could not detect a thing.

After pondering for a moment, Hongjun casually pointed, and a miraculous pill appeared in his hand.

"This is an Ascension Pill. It can help beings below the Saint Realm achieve perfect breakthroughs." He added, "The Renjiao Sect has rendered service to heaven and earth. This is its reward."

The Ascension Pill radiated a mysterious Dao aura. Taiqing Laozi's heart stirred slightly, but he remained calm on the surface and accepted it with a smile.

"Thank you for the reward, Master."

Hongjun waved his whisk and returned to his calm expression.

"You may return."

Taiqing Laozi nodded, then rose and departed.

Hongjun watched Taiqing Laozi's receding figure, his gaze growing profound.

Taiqing's actions were exceedingly strange. Even Hongjun could not fully see through the extent of his strength.

Taiqing had remained in seclusion for many years after the Investiture of the Gods. What exactly had happened? Had he made plans of his own, or was some mysterious power acting through him?

Although Hongjun had completely merged with the Heavenly Dao, his control over the Primordial Wilderness remained limited.

The Great Dao operated according to fifty; Heaven derived forty-nine, leaving one beyond his control. That was the Variable of heaven and earth.

Taiqing might have obtained some opportunity and formed a connection with that Variable.

Therefore, Hongjun did not question the Primal Chaos Forging Dao Method. Even with a method to become a saint, one might not necessarily achieve Primordial Chaos.

Hongjun was not worried, because the path of proving the Dao through force was difficult to achieve in the Primordial Wilderness.

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

And throughout the Primordial Wilderness, only Ancestor Yang Mei had attained Primordial Chaos, and he had done so outside the Primordial Wilderness.

Calmness returned to Hongjun's eyes. His figure gradually faded away, leaving behind only the aura of the Heavenly Dao. "Even a Variable cannot escape my control. Even that fugitive one will never be allowed to ruin my final plan."

The aura of the Heavenly Dao locked onto Taiqing Laozi.

From this moment onward, every move Taiqing made would remain under Hongjun's watch.

Taiqing Laozi did not leave the Purple Cloud Palace completely. Instead, he headed directly toward the Side Hall, intending to visit Tongtian, who had been confined there.

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

After all, a single meeting could not possibly make Tongtian change his mind.

Moreover, Taiqing knew that Hongjun was certainly observing him, so he would never discuss anything with Tongtian.

"Tongtian."

Taiqing Laozi called softly outside the Side Hall.

Inside the hall, Tongtian sat as motionless as a statue, his eyes closed and his gaze lowered, his expression hazy.

He neither responded nor showed any desire to meet.

A moment later.

Taiqing Laozi gently shook his head outside, then turned and left.

Hongjun witnessed the scene without any change in expression.

Within the Side Hall.

Tongtian slowly raised his gaze, a look of desolation appearing between his sword-like brows and starry eyes.

This was not only because of the changes in Taiqing, once his Elder Brother, but also because of his concern for the Interception Sect.

Tongtian looked toward the Primordial Land.

He could not help but sigh.

Within the heaven and earth of the Primordial Wilderness, treasure light gleamed and Dao auras flowed.

Taiqing's spreading of the saintly Dao benefited all things.

Among the Primordial World Beings, many had gained enlightenment. Vitality flourished everywhere, and the prosperity surpassed even the glory of the Investiture of the Gods and the Witch-Demon Era.

Yet such a scene of universal celebration had nothing to do with the Interception Sect.

The Investiture of the Gods bound their True Spirits, leaving the Interception Sect with no chance to pursue the Primordial Great Dao.

Within the Heavenly Court, Wudang, transformed into Old Mother of Mount Li, was wholeheartedly comprehending the Primordial Great Dao. Yet Tongtian could not help but sigh. "Foolish child."

The Saint Path was difficult. Even with a method, success was not guaranteed. And even if Wudang became a saint, how could she save the Jie Sect Disciples within the Heavenly Court?

Tongtian knew well that even Taiqing could not save the Interception Sect's disciples.

Under the Heavenly Dao, even saints were but ants.

Taiqing and Hongjun had not concealed their conversation from Tongtian, so he let out a deep sigh.

If Elder Brother had awakened to this during the Investiture of the Gods, how could the Three Teachings have fallen to such a state?

But there was no use saying more now. Everything had already been decided, and there was no turning it around.

Beyond Chaos, at Qilin Cliff on Kunlun Mountain in Clear Micro Heaven of the Jade Clarity Realm, Taiqing Laozi descended upon the Jade Void Palace once more.

Yuanshi came to greet him, his tone carrying a hint of worry. "Elder Brother, how did it go?"

Yuanshi was still concerned over whether Hongjun had discovered the Saintfall Pill.

Taiqing Laozi smiled calmly. "Nothing happened."

Only then was Yuanshi relieved. As expected, Elder Brother had prepared a response long ago, and they had not been discovered!

Otherwise, if they truly had been discovered, the Three Pure Ones would likely have already met disaster within the Purple Cloud Palace.

Only then did Yuanshi speak.

"Elder Brother, I just dispatched Guangchengzi to the Primordial Wilderness."

"I had intended to use this grand gathering for transmitting the Dao to revitalize the Chan Sect, but the results were negligible."

Yuanshi looked somewhat regretful.

The Primordial Land was full of praise for the Grand Supreme Moral Lord. Yuanshi had keenly seized this opportunity, hoping to revive the Three Teachings in their name, yet he returned empty-handed, with neither their lineage nor their fortune improving in the slightest.

Taiqing Laozi gently shook his head upon hearing this.

This time, he had transmitted the Dao in the name of the Heavenly Court only to elevate the Primordial Wilderness, not to revive the lineages of the Three Teachings.

Thus, the fortune and response of the Heavenly Dao had gathered around the Heavenly Court and himself.

Yuanshi's failure was only inevitable.

Yet the current state of the Three Teachings was indeed worrying, and Yuanshi's eagerness to break the deadlock was understandable.

After pondering for a moment, Taiqing Laozi turned to Yuanshi and said:

"The Renjiao Sect has completely declined in the Primordial Wilderness. Though the Chan Sect can still maintain its footing, it is also steadily withering away."

"Even if transmitting the Dao benefits the Three Teachings, it will not be easy to revive them."

"Besides, the Investiture of the Gods shattered the heavens and earth of the Primordial Wilderness. The karmic consequences incurred were immense. The downfall of the Interception Sect was connected to this, and the Renjiao Sect and Chan Sect cannot escape blame either."

Yuanshi's brow furrowed even more deeply at those words.

"Elder Brother, I understand this as well. Must we simply stand by and do nothing?"

"Now that Elder Brother is spreading the Dao, the Primordial Wilderness is flourishing with life and filled with Variables. This is precisely the perfect opportunity."

"How about I separate my good thoughts and send them out to spread the Dao as well?"

As a Saint, Yuanshi saw clearly into the state of the Primordial Wilderness and knew full well what an extraordinary opportunity this was.

It could be called an unprecedented upheaval unseen since time immemorial!

How could he possibly let it slip away so easily?

Taiqing Laozi smiled faintly upon hearing this.

"This truly is a rare opportunity."

A glimmer of light flashed through Yuanshi's eyes. He knew Taiqing must already have a plan.

"Please enlighten me, Elder Brother."

Taiqing smiled slightly. "Saints should not intervene directly. Nor do you need to divide your Good Corpse. Instead, you should devote yourself to cultivation and comprehend the Heavenly Dao."