The Primordial World

Although Yuanshi and Tongtian maintained a calm exterior, they were quite pleased with Xuandu's performance and even considered holding more Three Pure Ones martial arts competitions in the future.

However, Xuandu wasn't particularly interested in these matters. He was a replica of Li Er, possessing a steady personality yet not lacking a spirit of adventure, a trait inherited from the Grand Pure lineage.

Following this, Xuandu arrived at the Pangu Divine Hall, the main base of the Witch Clan.

Due to Li Er's great renown and the Pangu Imprint he displayed in his battle against the Heavenly Dao, the Eleven Ancestor Witches held a favorable attitude towards him, similar to Houtu.

As a Human Race member, Xuandu shared a deep connection with the Twelve Ancestor Witches of the Witch Clan.

He had fulfilled Houtu's request and returned safely from the Witch Clan, heading to the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Like a traveler returning home, Xuandu had undergone immense changes over the past century, advancing from a Taiyi Golden Immortal to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, even surpassing veteran powerhouses like Daoist Randeng.

At this moment, he possessed powerful destiny and profound merit.

He deeply understood that all his achievements were inseparable from his master, Li Er's, arrangements, and Xuandu was filled with gratitude.

Just then, Li Er's voice transmission echoed in Xuandu's mind, summoning him to the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Only the master and disciple were in the palace, awaiting further developments.

Li Er sat atop a cloud platform, his aura deeply concealed, making it difficult even for Xuandu to perceive the depth of his cultivation.

If he hadn't known that the person before him was his master, Xuandu might have mistaken Li Er for an ordinary person.

However, even though his aura was completely restrained, that extraordinary temperament remained eye-catching and unique.

Even Xuandu had only inherited a portion of it.

He marveled inwardly, lamenting his master's power and mystery.

While conversing with Xuandu, Li Er calmly inquired about Xuandu's cultivation achievements after breaking through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal and his recent battle records.

Xuandu answered these questions honestly, without any humility or concealment.

After Li Er's brief commentary, Xuandu's admiration for his master's unfathomable depth grew even greater.

Meanwhile, the Demon Race rejoiced upon learning that Ancestor Witch Houtu of the Witch Clan had sacrificed herself to merge with the Dao.

Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi discussed launching an offensive, planning to engage in a major battle with the Witch Clan after clearing out certain Immortal Courts.

In their view, Houtu's sacrifice had significantly weakened the Witch Clan's combat power, making it an opportune moment to attack.

They prepared to go to war, using their immense power to sweep away all forces that obstructed their path to dominance.

Later, Nuwa achieved sainthood, ushering in the era of Saints. This prompted Li Er to slay his Three Corpses and prove his Dao, followed by the emergence of numerous Saints, fully igniting the Saint era.

This forced them to passively await the establishment of their respective sects by the various Saints and focus on defense.

Now, the Demon Race's opportunity had been suppressed, and they had to act immediately.

Di Jun and Taiyi knew well that without becoming Saints, they would always remain insignificant.

They planned to have the Demon Race dominate the Primordial World, thereby seizing the destiny of the Great Tribulation and striving for the Saint realm.

The Demon Race's actions naturally did not escape the notice of Li Er and the other Saints.

As Li Er suppressed his own lineage and did not emerge, their focus was on establishing their own sects, and they did not interfere excessively with the Demon Race.

But now, with the emergence of the Three Sects' lineages, immense pressure was placed upon the Demon Race.

They realized the need to take the initiative.

In the Eight Sceneries Palace, Li Er began to understand the profound meaning behind his predecessor Laozi's choice of this location as his Dao field.

Every scene here was a cultivation of the mind.

Li Er did not delve deeply into the insights, but Xuandu cultivated nearby. Although his cultivation seemed unchanged, his vital energy was exceptionally solid.

Even while comprehending the Classic of Morality, a mysterious and indescribable Dao charm emanated from Xuandu.

Li Er was very pleased with Xuandu's performance and believed that before the end of the Witch-Demon Calamity, Xuandu might be able to slay his Good Corpse and step into the Quasi-Saint realm.

Xuandu was concentrating on his cultivation. As he comprehended the Classic of Morality under Li Er's guidance, he suddenly felt an unusual fluctuation of energy.

He looked up and saw a stern divine light erupting from Li Er's eyes, indicating that something major was about to happen.

Upon inquiry, he learned that an old acquaintance from Li Er's past, whom he met while listening to the Dao in Purple霄 Palace, had arrived.

Although Xuandu was unaware of these acquaintances' identities, he obeyed the order to go and greet them.

At the foot of the mountain, Xuandu met two distinguished figures—East King Duke and West Queen Mother.

They were both graceful and of eminent status.

As the rulers of the Immortal Court, they controlled the destinies of all males and females who had attained the Dao and become immortals in the heavens and earth. They were personally appointed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun to jointly manage the Yin and Yang energies.

Upon learning that Di Jun and Taiyi were preparing to consolidate the Demon Race and sweep away the Immortal Courts, they decided to personally visit the Eight Sceneries Palace to discuss countermeasures with Li Er.

Many rogue cultivators in the Immortal Court were originally from the Demon Race, so they had to prepare in advance to deal with the impending **.

East King Duke and West Queen Mother were well aware of the powerful forces of the Demon Race and the Witch Clan. Although the Immortal Court was the third-largest power in the Primordial World, its influence was still inferior.

Therefore, they could not stand idly by and decided to act personally to deal with this crisis.

Facing the severe challenges of the Great Tribulation, East King Duke and West Queen Mother stepped into the Eight Sceneries Palace, seeking the protection and guidance of the Grand Pure Saint.

Their purpose for this visit was twofold: first, to bring the Immortal Court under the Dao Sect as its subordinate force; second, to persuade Li Er to intervene and help the Immortal Court overcome the current Great Tribulation.

This was their only path to survival amidst the tribulation.

Reality was harsh. Although Duke Dong harbored ambitions of building the Immortal Court into a formidable power, the ambitions of the Demon Emperor Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi far surpassed his. The grand momentum of the Demon Race had already taken shape.

He, Duke Dong, was merely one faction among many.

Therefore, joining the Daoist sect was a decision they made after careful consideration.

Among the Saints, the Grand Pure Saint held the greatest renown.

And under the Witch-Demon Calamity, the tragic fates of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity and the ancient Three Clans were vivid in their memories.

As the weakest of the three major powers, the Immortal Court possessed neither the Twelve Ancestor Witches of the Witch Clan nor the primordial influence of the Demon Race.

Especially since the Witch Clan had Houtu's reincarnation and Empress Pingxin's merit, and the Demon Race had the protection of Nuwa, the Immortal Court lacked such backing.

If they wished to survive in this precarious situation, they had to make a choice.

Though the Three Sects were good, they ultimately had their own lineages. Only Li Er, as the esteemed Sect Master of the Daoist sect, could grant them sufficient freedom by being under his tutelage.

Furthermore, the Chan, Jie, and Western Three Sects also belonged to the Daoist lineage. Since they were seeking the protection of a Saint, why settle for less? Wouldn't joining the Daoist sect directly be a better choice?

After this allegiance to the Daoist sect, future male and female immortals in the Primordial World who cultivated and entered the immortal registry would need to show respect to Duke Dong and the West Queen Mother.

Afterward, they would have to enter the Xuandu Purple Mansion and pay their respects to the Sect Master of the Daoist sect.

However, compared to the fate of utter annihilation, their current predicament was still acceptable.

Thus, Duke Dong and the West Queen Mother, suppressing their myriad thoughts, bowed and said, "Duke Dong greets the Grand Pure Saint!"

"West Queen Mother greets the Grand Pure Saint!"

Upon entering the Eight Sceneries Palace, they saw Li Er again, and their hearts stirred slightly.

They had once been listeners of the Dao in the Purple Heaven Palace, and now they had to kowtow to Li Er.

Li Er calmly helped them up and said, "I understand the purpose of your visit.

One of you is Yang, the other is Yin, and you are destined to be connected with the Grand Pure lineage.

Your arrival today proves your affinity with the Daoist sect.

I permit you to join the Daoist sect."

Upon hearing this, although Duke Dong and the West Queen Mother had cultivated a steady state of mind, they couldn't help but reveal expressions of immense joy.

Li Er's response was no different than offering them protection.

From this moment on, they had the backing of a Saint.

As a transmigrator, Li Er naturally knew the future status of Duke Dong and the West Queen Mother.

In fact, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had long seen through their origins and had personally appointed them as major figures in the immortal realm.

Therefore, Li Er would naturally not refuse their submission and surrender.

Most importantly, Li Er at this moment was no longer the Laozi of the past.

That Laozi, after the Investiture of the Gods, had slain his third corpse, traveled among the various schools of thought, and finally established his teachings, leaving behind the Classic of Morality, a timeless masterpiece.

Li Er had surpassed Laozi and ascended to the esteemed position of Sect Master of the Daoist sect ahead of time, without the need for the Three Pure Ones to jointly bear the banner of the Daoist sect.

Originally, immortals who attained the Dao had to pay homage to the Duke and Queen Mother before paying homage to the Three Pure Ones, but now they only needed to pay homage to the Grand Pure Saint.

Faced with quasi-Saint level powerhouses who came to offer their services, Li Er accepted them.

After Duke and West Queen Mother's visit and hasty departure, Xuandu inquired if the Witch-Demon Calamity was about to erupt. Li Er affirmed and stated that this was the norm for calamities.

Xuandu intended to go to the Human Race. Li Er was not surprised and supported his decision, bestowing upon him a spiritual treasure as encouragement.

Since Xuandu's arrival at the Eight Sceneries Palace, he had not received any innate spiritual treasures from Li Er, but this was a special bestowal.

Li Er did not appear stingy.

He provided Xuandu with more guidance in academics and cultivation rather than relying on innate spiritual treasures.

However, as Xuandu's cultivation gradually improved, the role of innate spiritual treasures became increasingly prominent.

When he heard that Li Er was going to bestow a treasure, Xuandu felt a faint sense of anticipation.

Li Er waved his hand gently, and the space in his palm slightly distorted, revealing a small lamp about nine inches tall.

Profound Dao patterns were coiled around the lamp, causing anyone who looked at it to fall into a trance.

Xuandu's pupils contracted. He had seen a similar Lingjiu Palace Lamp in the possession of Daoist Randeng, and this lamp had a subtle connection to it.

Facing Xuandu's confusion, Li Er explained, "This lamp is called the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp, one of the three lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man – the Heavenly Lamp.

The reason you feel a sense of familiarity is because you have seen Daoist Randeng's Lingjiu Palace Lamp."

Then, Li Er slowly revealed the mysteries of the three lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

The Lingjiu Palace Lamp in Daoist Randeng's hand was the Earth Lamp, illuminating the Nine Netherworlds and leading to the Underworld. The Precious Lotus Lamp in Saint Nuwa's possession was the Human Lamp, requiring immense benevolence to activate.

Li Er turned his gaze to Xuandu, "As the successor of my Eight Sceneries Palace lineage, this Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp is bestowed upon you."

With that, he directly handed the lamp to Xuandu.

Although Xuandu knew that his master's bestowal of treasures would be extraordinary, he was still surprised to receive a top-grade innate spiritual treasure directly.

Xuan Du wanted to say something, but Li Er raised his hand to stop him, "You are about to go to the Human Race. This is a test, and also an opportunity.

From now on, you will no longer be under my protection."

Xuan Du accepted the guidance of the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp and began the test of comprehending the Dao and slaying his three corpses.

Although the spiritual treasures bestowed by Uncle-Master Yuanshi and Uncle-Master Tongtian were good, they were not suitable.

This lamp before him seemed tailor-made for him.

Xuan Du accepted silently, understanding in his heart.

After receiving the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp, Xuan Du felt his master Li Er's profound meaning and had a glimmer of clarity about the path ahead.

The compatibility between the Heaven, Earth, and Human lamps and the slaying of the good, evil, and self corpses seemed perfect.

After sensing his master's painstaking efforts, Xuan Du respectfully bowed and accepted the new guidance.

At this moment, Xuan Du left the Eight Sceneries Palace and headed for the land of the Human Race.

Concurrently, the war of the Immortal Court began to unfold.

In the battle between the Immortal Court faction led by East King Duke and the Demon Race's Heavenly Court, East King Duke stood proudly at the front, with West Queen Mother closely following.

Facing the challenge from the Demon Emperors Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi, East King Duke directly mentioned the Grand Pure Saint, making the Demon Race somewhat apprehensive.

Everyone knew the name of the Grand Pure Saint, Li Er.

However, even as a Saint, he could not directly interfere in the battle of the Witch-Demon Calamity.

Nuwa, Houtu, and the Grand Pure Saint himself would not make a move.

The most they could do was to protect the final destiny of a faction.

At this moment, although East King Duke invoked his Saint background, Di Jun and Taiyi did not change their decision because of it.

Di Jun smiled at East King Duke, indicating that the Demon Race would take appropriate action to show respect to the Immortal Court.

Taiyi, on the other hand, directly ordered the Demon Race warriors to attack.