Chapter 15

Although Yuanshi and Tongtian remained calm on the surface, they were quite satisfied with Xuandu's performance. They even began considering holding more sparring matches among the Three Pure Ones in the future.

However, Xuandu had little interest in such matters. He was like a replica of Li Er—steady in temperament, yet not lacking an adventurous spirit. This was a trait inherited from the Grand Pure lineage.

Xuandu then arrived at the Witch Clan's main base, the Pangu Divine Hall.

Because of Li Er's great reputation and the Pangu Imprint he had displayed in his battle against the Heavenly Dao, the eleven Ancestral Witches regarded Li Er as favorably as Houtu did.

Xuandu of the human race had deep ties with the Twelve Ancestral Witches of the Witch Clan.

After fulfilling Houtu's request, he returned safely from the Witch Clan and headed to the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Like a wanderer returning home, Xuandu had undergone tremendous changes over the past century. He had advanced from a Taiyi Golden Immortal to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, even surpassing veteran experts such as Daoist Randeng.

At this moment, he possessed immense fortune and profound merit.

Knowing full well that none of these achievements could have existed without his master Li Er's arrangements, Xuandu's heart was filled with gratitude.

At that moment, Li Er's voice transmission rang out in Xuandu's mind, summoning him to meet at the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Only master and disciple were within the palace, quietly awaiting what would follow.

Li Er sat atop a cloud platform, his aura concealed so deeply that even Xuandu could not discern the depths of his cultivation.

If he had not known that the person before him was his master, Xuandu might have taken Li Er for an ordinary man.

Yet despite completely concealing his aura, that extraordinary bearing of his still drew the eye. He stood apart from all others.

Even Xuandu had inherited only a portion of it.

He was inwardly astonished, marveling at his master's power and mystery.

While speaking with Xuandu, Li Er casually asked about the results of Xuandu's cultivation after breaking through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, as well as his recent battle records.

Xuandu answered those questions frankly, without the slightest false modesty or concealment.

After Li Er's brief assessment, Xuandu admired even more deeply the unfathomable nature of his master.

Meanwhile, the Demon Race erupted in celebration upon learning that Ancestral Witch Houtu had sacrificed herself to transform into the Dao.

Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi discussed launching an offensive. They planned to wage a great war against the Witch Clan after clearing out certain Immortal Courts.

In their view, Houtu's sacrifice and transformation into the Dao had greatly weakened the Witch Clan's combat strength. This was the perfect opportunity to attack.

They prepared for war, intending to sweep aside every force that stood in the way of their hegemony with overwhelming power.

Later, Nuwa became a Saint, opening the era of Saints. This triggered Li Er's Slaying Three Corpses to Attain Dao, and numerous Saints emerged one after another, thoroughly igniting the era of Saints.

This forced them to wait quietly while the Saints established their respective sects and prepared their defenses.

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

Di Jun and Taiyi understood well that unless they became Saints, they would always remain insignificant.

They planned to make the Demon Race the ruler of the primordial world, thereby obtaining Calamity Fortune and charging toward the Saint realm.

Naturally, the Demon Race's actions could not escape the notice of Li Er and the other Saints.

Since Li Er had yet to reveal his Daoist Lineage, their attention was focused on establishing their own sects, and they did not interfere excessively with the Demon Race.

But now that the Daoist Lineages of the three sects had emerged, enormous pressure had been placed upon the Demon Race.

They realized that they needed to strike first.

Within the Eight Sceneries Palace, Li Er began to understand the deeper meaning behind his former self Laozi's choice of this place as his Daoist field.

Every scene here was a cultivation of the mind.

Li Er did not immerse himself deeply in such enlightenment, but his ** Xuandu cultivated beside him. Though his cultivation seemed not to have increased, his aura had become extremely solid.

While comprehending the Classic of Morality, an indescribable Dao aura even coiled around Xuandu's body.

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

Xuandu was focused on cultivation when, as he comprehended the Classic of Morality under Li Er's guidance, he suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation of aura.

He looked up and saw a stern divine light erupt from Li Er's eyes, as though something major had occurred.

Upon asking, he learned that old acquaintances Li Er had met while listening to the Dao at the Purple Cloud Palace had come to visit.

Although Xuandu did not know the identities of those old acquaintances, he still obeyed and went to receive them.

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

The pair possessed exceptional bearing and eminent status.

As rulers of the Immortal Court, they governed the fates of all men and women in heaven and earth who had attained the Dao and become immortals. They had been personally appointed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun to jointly govern the yin and yang energies.

After learning that Di Jun and Taiyi were preparing to unify the Demon Race and sweep through the Immortal Court, they decided to come personally to the Eight Sceneries Palace to discuss countermeasures with Li Er.

Many independent cultivators in the Immortal Court had originally come from the Demon Race, so they had to prepare in advance for the approaching **.

East King Duke and West Queen Mother knew well how powerful the Demon Race and Witch Clan were. Although the Immortal Court was the third-largest force in the primordial world, it still fell short in influence.

Therefore, they could not stand idly by. They decided to act personally to confront this crisis.

Facing the harsh challenge of the calamity, East King Duke and West Queen Mother entered the Eight Sceneries Palace, seeking the Grand Pure Saint's protection and guidance.

They had two purposes in coming: first, to bring the Immortal Court under the Daoist Sect as an affiliated force; second, to persuade Li Er to intervene and help the Immortal Court survive the present calamity.

This was their only path to survival amid disaster.

Reality was cruel. Although East King Duke harbored ambitions of turning the Immortal Court into a vast power, Demon Emperor Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi possessed even greater ambitions, and the Demon Race's momentum had already taken shape.

He, East King Duke, was merely one force among many.

Therefore, joining the Daoist Sect was a decision they had reached after careful consideration.

Among All Saints, the Grand Pure Saint possessed the greatest reputation.

Under the Witch-Demon Calamity, the tragic fate of the Dragon-Phoenix Great Tribulation and the three ancient races remained vivid in their minds.

As the weakest of the three sides, the Immortal Court possessed neither the lineup of the Twelve Ancestral Witches nor the Demon Race's influence across the primordial world.

In particular, the Witch Clan had Houtu's transformation into reincarnation and Empress Pingxin's merit, while the Demon Race had the protection of Nuwa, the Wa Sovereign. The Immortal Court had no such backing.

If they wished to survive in the cracks between them, they had to make a choice.

Though the three sects were good, each ultimately possessed its own Daoist Lineage. Only Li Er was the Daoist Sect Leader, and only by joining him could they retain sufficient freedom.

Moreover, the Chan, Jie, and Western Three Sects all belonged to the Daoist Sect's branch. Since they sought a Saint's protection, why settle for second best? Would it not be better to join the Daoist Sect directly?

After joining the Daoist Sect this time, all male and female immortals in the primordial world who cultivated the Dao and entered the immortal registry in the future would need to show respect to East King Duke and West Queen Mother.

Afterward, they would have to enter the Xuandu Purple Mansion and show respect to the Daoist Sect Leader.

However, compared to the fate of annihilation, their present situation was still acceptable.

Thus, East King Duke and West Queen Mother gathered their countless thoughts and paid their respects to the mountain. "East King Duke pays respects to the Grand Pure Saint!"

"West Queen Mother pays respects to the Grand Pure Saint!"

After entering the Eight Sceneries Palace and seeing Li Er once more, the two could not help but feel a slight stirring in their hearts.

They had once been guests listening to the Dao at the Purple Cloud Palace, yet now they had to kneel before Li Er.

Li Er calmly helped them up and said, "I already understand why you have come.

"One of you is yang, while the other is yin. You are fated with the Grand Pure lineage.

"Your arrival today proves that you are fated with the Daoist Sect.

"I permit you to join the Daoist Sect."

Upon hearing this, East King Duke and West Queen Mother, though they had cultivated steady states of mind, could not help revealing expressions of wild joy.

Li Er's answer was no different from granting them protection.

From this moment onward, they had the support of a Saint behind them.

As a transmigrator, Li Er naturally knew East King Duke and West Queen Mother's future standing.

In truth, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had long seen through their origins and personally appointed them as great figures of the immortal realm.

Therefore, Li Er naturally would not refuse their submission.

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

That Laozi had only severed his third corpse after the Investiture of the Gods, traveled among the Hundred Schools of Thought, and finally wrote the Classic of Morality, leaving behind that timeless classic.

Li Er had surpassed Laozi and ascended early to the position of Daoist Sect Leader. He no longer needed the Three Pure Ones to bear the Daoist Sect's banner together.

Originally, immortals who attained the Dao had to first worship the King Duke and Queen Mother, then worship the Three Pure Ones. Now, they only needed to worship the Grand Pure One.

Faced with Quasi-Saint-level powerhouses willingly offering themselves as enforcers, Li Er accepted them.

After East King Duke and West Queen Mother's visit, they hurriedly departed. Xuandu asked whether the Witch-Demon Calamity was about to erupt, and Li Er confirmed it, saying that this was the normal course of a calamity.

Xuandu planned to travel to the human race. Li Er was not surprised and supported his decision, bestowing a spiritual treasure upon him as encouragement.

Since entering the Eight Sceneries Palace, Xuandu had never received an Innate Spiritual Treasure from Li Er, but this was a special bestowal.

Li Er did not appear stingy.

What he gave Xuandu more often was instruction in learning and guidance in cultivation, rather than reliance on Innate Spiritual Treasures.

However, as Xuandu's cultivation gradually rose, the role of Innate Spiritual Treasures became increasingly apparent.

When he heard that Li Er intended to grant him a treasure, a faint expectation arose in Xuandu's heart.

Li Er gently waved his hand. Space in his palm twisted slightly, and a small lamp nine inches tall appeared.

Profound Dao patterns coiled around the lamp's body, causing anyone who looked upon it to fall into a daze.

Xuandu's pupils contracted. He had once seen the similar Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern in Daoist Randeng's possession, and this lamp seemed to share some subtle connection with it.

Seeing Xuandu's confusion, Li Er explained, "This lamp is called the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp. It is the Heaven Lamp among the Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

"You find it familiar because you have seen Daoist Randeng's Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern before."

Li Er then slowly revealed the mysteries of the Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

The Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern in Daoist Randeng's hands was the Earth Lamp, which illuminated the Nine Netherworlds and led to the underworld. The Precious Lotus Lamp in Saint Nuwa's possession was the Human Lamp, which could only be activated by one possessing incomparably benevolent power.

Li Er turned his gaze toward Xuandu. "You are now the inheritor of my Eight Sceneries Palace lineage. This Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp shall be bestowed upon you."

With that, he directly handed the lamp to Xuandu.

Although Xuandu knew that any treasure bestowed by his master would be extraordinary, he was still greatly shocked that Li Er had directly granted him a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Xuandu wanted to say something, but Li Er raised his hand to stop him. "You are about to head to the human race. This will be both a trial and an opportunity.

"From this day onward, you will no longer receive my protection."

Xuandu accepted the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp's guidance, beginning a trial of comprehending his own Dao and severing his corpses.

The spiritual treasures bestowed by Uncle-Master Yuanshi and Uncle-Master Tongtian were good, but they did not suit him.

Yet the lamp before him seemed as though it had been made specifically for him.

Xuandu silently accepted it, understanding in his heart.

After receiving the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp, Xuandu sensed the profound intention behind his master Li Er's actions, and the road ahead seemed to gain a trace of light.

The Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man seemed to fit perfectly with severing the three corpses of good, evil, and self.

After sensing his master's painstaking intentions, Xuandu respectfully bowed and accepted this new guidance.

At this time, Xuandu left the Eight Sceneries Palace and headed toward the lands of the human race.

At the same time, the Immortal Court campaign 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 forefront, with West Queen Mother close behind him.

Facing the challenge of Demon Emperor Di Jun and East Emperor Taiyi, East King Duke bluntly invoked the Grand Pure Saint, making the Demon Race somewhat wary.

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

However, even as Saints, they could not directly interfere in the slaughter of the Witch-Demon Calamity.

Nuwa, Houtu, and the Grand Pure Saint himself would not take action.

At most, they could protect the final remnants of one faction's fortune.

At this moment, although East King Duke had invoked a Saint's backing, Di Jun and Taiyi did not alter their decision because of it.

Di Jun smiled at East King Duke and stated that the Demon Race would take the appropriate action to show its respect for the Immortal Court.

Taiyi directly ordered the Demon Race's warriors to attack.