Chapter 3

Therefore, Li Er understood the profound importance of the Classic of Morality.

Though he might not be able to immediately comprehend the contents of this scripture now, if he chose to accept and study it, it would save him a vast amount of time on his future path of cultivation.

In this Great Tribulation Era, time was the most precious and critical resource.

Thus, for him, the value of the Classic of Morality was immeasurable—it was a reward he absolutely had to obtain.

So he chose to agree to Zhunti's request and spread the Dao across the Primordial World in exchange for the Classic of Morality.

The Classic of Morality was truly a monumental classic, directly pointing toward the state of perfection.

Therefore, without further ado, Li Er decided to let the radiance of morality fall upon Jieyin and Zhunti.

He understood clearly that even if he explained his insights on Slaying the Three Corpses to them, they might not grasp it, let alone succeed in slaying the third corpse.

Nevertheless, Li Er resolved to use this as an opportunity to make them owe him a karmic debt, thereby obtaining the Classic of Morality.

His scheme was already clear, and his subsequent actions proceeded methodically.

In response to Jieyin and Zhunti's inquiry, he replied calmly, "If you wish to hear my insights on Slaying the Three Corpses, you must owe me a karmic debt."

At these words, the joy on their faces instantly froze.

Though many thoughts churned in their minds, Li Er did not rush them, quietly waiting for their decision.

As beings personally sanctified by Hongjun, Jieyin and Zhunti possessed great wisdom.

They naturally understood Li Er's intent and were weighing the pros and cons.

Whether the rumor of Hongyun yielding his seat was true or false, Jieyin and Zhunti were qualified to attain sainthood.

They were considering whether to incur this karmic debt for the sake of this teaching.

After all, whether they could successfully slay the three corpses was still unknown to them.

But in the end, they realized this was a crucial opportunity. Though hesitant, they would ultimately choose to accept this karmic debt to gain a chance at enlightenment.

Faced with Jieyin and Zhunti's hesitation, Li Er remained composed.

He deeply understood the difficulty and uniqueness of attaining sainthood, as well as their concerns.

Yet he also knew the importance behind his own decision.

"A karmic exchange may be worth weighing, but its significance is extraordinary!"

It was his clear and confident decision-making strategy that focused the radiance of morality upon them, thus illuminating the path ahead. For this, he had already planned meticulously, silently awaiting their choice.

Without a doubt, a tremendous opportunity had descended before them.

After all, the chance to become a saint was not something anyone could easily resist.

Even knowing they would have to pay a great price, they could not resist such temptation.

Li Er was convinced that Jieyin and Zhunti would grit their teeth and accept this challenge.

Thus, he was not impatient, trusting that these two companions would ultimately seize this opportunity.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Zhunti's voice broke the stillness: "We are willing to bear this karmic debt."

Li Er replied, "Very well."

What followed proceeded as smoothly as expected.

After Yuanshi and Tongtian, Li Er once again shared his insights on Slaying the Three Corpses with Jieyin and Zhunti.

However, compared to Yuanshi and Tongtian, Jieyin and Zhunti's reaction was far more intense. They felt lost during Li Er's discourse and could not even grasp its deeper meaning.

The reason was that, although Tongtian and Yuanshi had different obsessions and paths from Li Er, their cultivation still intersected with the Dao of Laozi.

But the path cultivated by Jieyin and Zhunti differed from the orthodox Mystic Gate; they cultivated a side path, vastly different from the Dao of Laozi.

Thus, they found it extremely difficult to understand Laozi's insights on Slaying the Three Corpses and the Yin-Yang Taiji.

Faced with this situation, Li Er chose to stop his discourse and asked Jieyin and Zhunti if they still had questions.

Though their hearts were filled with confusion and doubt, they understood that having already heard the Dao, they could not retreat.

Jieyin and Zhunti could only reluctantly accept this reality.

Observing from the side, Yuanshi and Tongtian noticed the shift in atmosphere, subtle smiles appearing on their faces.

They had already experienced the method of slaying the three corpses and knew how difficult it was to comprehend or borrow from.

Jieyin and Zhunti smiled bitterly inwardly. Faced with Laozi Li Er's inquiry, they could only steel themselves to respond.

After Senior Brother Laozi resolved their doubts, they prepared to return to Western Mount Sumeru.

But Li Er said there was no rush—since they owed a karmic debt, he naturally had to ask how they would repay it.

Jieyin and Zhunti felt uneasy, for they had not truly understood anything, yet now they owed a Saint Karma.

They tried to renege on the debt, but Li Er had no intention of letting them off easily.

His words carried an inexplicable air of dominance.

Zhunti and Jieyin's expressions changed drastically.

At that moment, Tongtian, who was nearby, also showed his stance, summoning the Immortal-Slaying Four Swords, ready to assist Li Er.

The sword was drawn, signaling that a great battle was about to unfold.

Indeed, Tongtian's style was unique—he favored action over words.

The incident of Jieyin and Zhunti visiting the Eight Sceneries Palace exemplified this approach, where deeds spoke louder than speech.

When Tongtian unleashed the Immortal-Slaying Four Swords, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Jieyin sensed trouble and quickly stepped in to defuse the situation, apologizing to Laozi and acknowledging the karmic debt.

Though inwardly aggrieved, they understood the pressure of the circumstances and could only choose to retreat.

After leaving the Eight Sceneries Palace, Jieyin and Zhunti wore grim expressions, fully aware of the Three Pure Ones' immense power and assertiveness.

Faced with Tongtian's threat, they dared not openly break ties.

In the end, they had no choice but to accept reality, acknowledge the karmic debt, and return to the Western lands in dejection.

Throughout this process, Laozi's unfathomable demeanor left a deep impression, filling Jieyin and Zhunti with a sense of helplessness.

They knew their own status and strength were insufficient to provoke the Three Pure Ones arrogantly, so they could only suppress their thoughts and leave quietly.

This incident once again underscored the Iron Law of the Primordial World: strength reigns supreme.

The future might bring them troubles and difficulties.

Yet at this moment, they did not dwell on such negative thoughts; instead, they realized some more substantial insights.

Their past choices and present circumstances made it clear that the so-called method of Slaying Three Corpses to Attain Dao was not suited to their path of cultivation; they were more inclined toward the method of Attaining the Dao through Merit.

Even if it meant paying a heavy price, they were still willing to accept this choice.

As for the reward they had received today—the inheritance of the Classic of Morality—they deeply treasured it.

At this moment, Li Er was immersed in this inheritance of the Dao, his mind wholly devoted to comprehending the Classic of Morality.

He paid no heed to the thoughts of Jieyin and Zhunti, focusing entirely on extracting the system-rewarded Classic of Morality.

This inheritance was not a physical book but rather a form of information transmitted within the Primordial Spirit.

Thus, Li Er had no need to worry that revealing this act in front of Yuanshi and Tongtian would expose his secret.

Suddenly, he sensed an additional divine thought within his Primordial Spirit—was this some kind of guidance or omen? The next moment, the endless principles contained in the Classic of Morality swiftly merged into his mind, as if real ** were manifesting within his Primordial Spirit.

This inheritance was unlike any script he knew, yet he could clearly understand its meaning.

These ** continuously appeared in his mind, conveying profound insights and enlightenment.

For Li Er, the Classic of Morality felt as if it had always been his own possession, closely tied to his Way of Taishang, so he experienced no shock or conflict.

The Classic of Morality was originally a classic of the Way of Taishang that Laozi himself had synthesized, so he naturally accepted this inheritance with ease.

Soon, Li Er fully comprehended and absorbed this astonishing Daoist Classic, the Classic of Morality.

The moment Li Er completely internalized the Classic of Morality as his own understanding, the entire universe seemed to tremble, and heaven and earth roared in that instant.

The movement of the sun, moon, and stars appeared to halt, and the world plunged into darkness.

Li Er felt this power, and his body radiated extraordinary phenomena, like boundless light illuminating his surroundings.

This scene was immediately noticed by Yuanshi and Tongtian.

They began to speculate whether Li Er had gained new insights, whether he had touched upon the state of merging the Three Corpses after slaying them, on the verge of attaining sainthood.

Though the primordial world was pitch black, the Eight Sceneries Palace, Li Er's Daoist abode, shone with brilliant light—all emanating from Li Er's body, which was covered in endless Dao patterns, like a mysterious Heavenly Dao.

These Dao patterns interwove, condensed, cascaded, and manifested countless phenomena.

Even a faint wisp of their aura was enough to make the beings of the primordial world bow in worship.

Such was the majesty befitting the supreme principles of the Great Dao.

Then, the radiant Dao patterns around Li Er rose from Mount Daluo, filling the void of the entire primordial world, slowly flowing as if to depict some profound and mysterious scene.

At this moment, Li Er opened his eyes and spoke calmly, his words accompanied by Dao resonance: "I am Taishang, having comprehended the method of Slaying Three Corpses. Now I have obtained a great fortune and realized the Sacred Canon of the Dao, the Classic of Morality. Let all beings bear witness!"

Every word he spoke seemed to embody the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

The aura of the Heavenly Dao descended, enveloping the Eight Sceneries Palace.

With the emergence of Li Er's Classic of Morality, the entire primordial world was shaken, heaven and earth dimmed, and the aura of the Heavenly Dao accompanied it, as if confirming the birth of this scripture.

After a prolonged period of pitch-black night, a divine light burst forth from the direction of the Eight Sceneries Palace, rapidly spreading across the entire primordial land.

At the core of the Eight Sceneries Palace, Li Er was surrounded by endless Dao patterns, which gradually condensed and outlined profound Dao principles, growing clearer and clearer.

Heaven and earth returned to brightness.

Yet the transformation of the Eight Sceneries Palace did not stop there.

Rumbling sounds continued, and Li Er's body naturally emitted the majesty of Purple Qi Comes from the East for thirty thousand miles.

The beings of the primordial world, even the Quasi-Saint titans, all gazed at the Eight Sceneries Palace, unable to forget the endless purple qi that illuminated heaven and earth.

The Eight Sceneries Palace displayed not only supreme authority but also seemed to be a peerless immortal palace and Daoist sanctuary created by Li Er alone.

All beings in the primordial world shared one thought: the Eight Sceneries Palace at Xuandu Cave on Mount Daluo was the true sacred land of the Dao.

Though they could only witness Taishang's creation of the Classic of Morality without comprehending its mysteries, this did not hinder their pursuit of the Dao.

Countless beings in the Primordial World began to consider whether they could become disciples of Taishang and listen to the Classic of Morality.

At this moment, Li Er knew nothing of this; he only felt that his cultivation seemed to have made a breakthrough.

A vast pressure surged from him, and his eyes snapped open, radiating divine light that was deeper and more formidable than before.

But this phenomenon vanished in an instant, and soon Li Er returned to his normal state.

This scene was naturally witnessed by Yuanshi and Tongtian. They exclaimed in surprise whether Li Er had broken through again, but upon sensing that his aura had not attained the status of a Saint, they realized with mixed feelings that Li Er might have reached another realm.

The previous account concerned the cultivation realms of the Primordial Era and the influence of fortune. Now it will be rewritten, preserving the original meaning while emphasizing fluency and conciseness:

Before Dao Ancestor Hongjun transmitted the Dao, the ultimate cultivation limit in the Primordial World was the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

After the Dao Ancestor's preaching, the Purple霄 Palace opened its lectures, and many innate powerhouses comprehended the Dao, breaking through the Corpse-Slaying stage to reach the Quasi-Saint realm.

Generally speaking, slaying one corpse already entered one into the Quasi-Saint realm; further cultivation could reach the early and middle stages of Quasi-Saint.

Slaying two corpses placed one at the late Quasi-Saint stage, and at the limit, one could be called the peak of Quasi-Saint.

As for slaying three corpses, that was the method for attaining Sainthood. After Li Er slew three corpses, he stepped into the Sub-Saint realm.

By normal progression, Li Er should next verify the Dao of the Three Corpses and become a Saint.

In other words, after reaching Li Er's level, cultivation progress became extremely difficult.