After bidding farewell to his two close friends, Wang Shu and Yang Mei, Li Cha cultivated in seclusion within Cloud Flower Cave, trained his disciples, and occasionally sipped tea while preaching the Dao. He appeared carefree and at ease, but in truth, he constantly sensed the subtle changes within the Primordial World. More than seven hundred years passed like this before, one day, he suddenly felt it in his heart: Hongjun's preaching had ended.
Li Cha stood at the highest point of the cave realm, his hands behind his back as he gazed into the distance. A sharp gleam flashed through his eyes and vanished as he murmured, "The time has come. I should set out."
Meanwhile, within Purple Cloud Palace atop Jade Capital Mountain beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, the third preaching had reached its end. Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat high upon his cloud bed, his aura growing ever more detached and lofty, as though he had merged with the entire Purple Cloud Palace and even the boundless Chaos. His gaze swept across the three thousand guests below before finally settling upon the Three Pure Ones. His expression remained neither sorrowful nor joyful as he spoke leisurely, yet his voice rang clearly in every great power's ears:
"Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian. You were transformed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, bear World Creation Merit, and possess immense fate and fortune. Your foundations and blessings are among the finest. Are you willing to enter my sect and become my Personal Disciples?"
Laozi looked solemn, a trace of understanding flashing through his eyes. He was the first to bow and reply, "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Master!" Primordial Lord of Heaven followed immediately, bowing respectfully as well. "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Master!" Only Lord of Tongtian slightly furrowed his brow, seeming to ponder something. Straightforward by nature and poor at concealing his thoughts, he saw that his two elder brothers had already taken a master and immediately understood. He bowed down. "This disciple, Tongtian, is willing. Greetings, Master!"
"Good." Hongjun nodded faintly, his expression unchanged. "Since you have entered my sect, you must inherit my Dao Lineage. You possess the protection of World Creation Merit and enduring fortune. Today, I shall grant you spiritual treasures. Cultivate diligently and attain the Saint Realm as soon as possible." With a sweep of his sleeve, three streams of spiritual light flew toward the Three Pure Ones.
One golden light fell into Laozi's hands and transformed into a scroll wreathed in the Dao charm of Yin and Yang. It was the Taiji Diagram, one of the Three Treasures of World Creation. It could stabilize Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind and possessed the supreme power to pacify the turbulent currents of the Primordial Wilderness. A strand of Chaos Sword Qi fell into Yuanshi's palm and manifested as a banner, likewise one of the Three Treasures of World Creation. The Pangu Banner possessed the ability to tear apart Chaos and create the world. Finally, four incomparably fierce Sword Intents and an array diagram flew toward Tongtian. They were the Zhu Xian Sword Formation, which could not be broken without four Saints! (Hongjun had already traded the four swords back from Wang Shu and Yang Mei during a break in his preaching.)
"Thank you, Master, for granting us these treasures!" The Three Pure Ones accepted the precious treasures, bowed in thanks once more, then stepped aside to contemplate the supreme Dao charms contained within them.
Hongjun shifted slightly, and in the next instant, he was standing before Nuwa. "Nuwa, you too possess great fortune and destiny. In the future, a great merit awaits your completion. Are you willing to enter my sect and become my Personal Disciple?"
Nuwa's thoughts raced. She disliked restraints by nature, but Hongjun was overwhelmingly powerful and appointed by the Heavenly Dao. At this moment, she had no room to refuse. She revealed nothing on her face and respectfully knelt. "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Master!"
"Good. I grant you the Mountain and River Diagram, which contains a vast universe and can evolve creation and destruction. I also grant you the Red Embroidered Ball, which governs the three marriages of Heaven, Earth, and humanity, maintains matrimonial bonds, and is also a treasure of merit. Cultivate well, do not forget your original heart, and you will surely achieve great things in the future." Hongjun bestowed the two spiritual treasures upon her.
"Thank you for your grace, Master." Nuwa accepted the treasures and retreated to Fuxi's side. Though she felt a little unwilling, obtaining such precious treasures was some consolation.
Next, Hongjun walked before Jieyin and Zhunti, whose faces showed expectation and nervousness. He gently shook his head and let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
Jieyin and Zhunti's hearts sank at the sight. How could they fail to understand the Dao Ancestor's meaning? They immediately dropped to their knees and pleaded mournfully, "Dao Ancestor! The land of the West is barren beyond compare, and its living beings suffer bitterly. Yet the two of us possess hearts steadfast in the Dao, as firm as stone and as clear as the sun and moon! If we may enter the Dao Ancestor's sect, we will certainly work tirelessly to spread the great Dao teachings and never dare tarnish the Dao Ancestor's prestige in the slightest! We beg the Dao Ancestor for mercy—give the living beings of the West a chance!" Tears streamed down their faces, moving all who heard them.
Hongjun remained silent for a moment before saying, "Very well. Seeing that your hearts toward the Dao are firm, and that this is also ordained by fate, I shall accept you as Nominal Disciples." At these words, though Jieyin and Zhunti felt somewhat regretful, they were still overjoyed. Hongjun then bestowed the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit, a treasure with peerless defensive power that could also suppress fortune. He also granted them the Demon Subduing Pestle, a formidable weapon for suppressing demons and exterminating evil. "Since you have received these treasures, remember your words today. Conduct yourselves well in the future, and do not forget your promise to revive the West."
"Yes! Thank you, Master! This disciple will certainly remember Master's teachings and would not dare forget them even in death!" Jieyin and Zhunti kowtowed excitedly before finally withdrawing.
Hongjun returned to his cloud bed, his gaze sweeping over the three thousand Purple Cloud guests below who were staring at him eagerly. Seeing the Dao Ancestor accept six disciples and bestow treasures of the highest grade upon them, everyone felt both envious and anxious.
At last, someone could no longer hold back and asked, "May I ask, Dao Ancestor, is it as the rumors say? If one unifies the Three Corpses, can one attain the indestructible Saint Realm?"
Hongjun replied calmly, "No. Heaven has Predetermined Fate, and Saint positions also have Predetermined Fate. Nine is the ultimate number, yet the Heavenly Dao is incomplete and conceals one for itself. Thus, beneath the Heavenly Dao, there are eight Saint positions." His words were calm, yet they exploded in everyone's hearts like thunder. With a lift of his hand, seven strands of violet qi filled the air. Primordial Violet Qi, containing the endless mysteries of the Great Dao, appeared in his palm, its profundity beyond description.
"This is the foundation of the Great Dao, Primordial Violet Qi. Only by obtaining it and comprehending it fully may one hope to entrust one's primordial spirit to the Heavenly Dao and attain the Saint position." The Primordial Violet Qi possessed spirituality of its own. Six strands transformed into streams of light and entered the primordial spirits of Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti, the six disciples Hongjun had just accepted. The final strand of violet qi circled and danced within Purple Cloud Palace before, under everyone's longing and nervous gazes, shooting into the body of the bewildered Hong Yun!
In an instant, the atmosphere within the hall changed dramatically. Kunpeng in particular, who had lost his Saint-position cushion because Hong Yun had yielded his seat, erupted with incomparably venomous and vicious light in his eyes. He stared fixedly at the still-confused Hong Yun, his killing intent nearly solidifying into substance.
Hongjun seemed not to notice and continued, "The Primordial Wilderness is vast, and its living beings are countless and diverse. Order should also be established to facilitate governance." His gaze turned toward the crowd. "East King Duke, Queen Mother of the West, step forward."
As his words fell, a male immortal in a nine-colored cloud robe stepped out from the crowd. His features were handsome, and a noble, masculine bearing naturally filled his brows. He was East King Duke, transformed from innate pure Yang qi. Immediately after, a woman in plain white court robes walked forward with graceful steps. Her bearing was dignified and noble, her appearance stately and beautiful. She was Queen Mother of the West, transformed from innate pure Yin qi.
"East King Duke, you were transformed from innate pure Yang qi. Your destiny is noble, and you are suited to oversee the affairs of the male immortals of the Primordial Wilderness as the Head of Male Immortals. I grant you the Dragon Head Staff. Use it to govern the order of the male immortals. Conduct yourself well, and do not betray Heaven's mandate."
East King Duke was overjoyed. Taking the Dragon Head Staff, which radiated an awe-inspiring dragon's might, he bowed and said, "East King Duke accepts the decree. Thank you for your grace, Dao Ancestor!" His delight and satisfaction were written all over his face.
"Queen Mother of the West, you were transformed from innate pure Yin qi and likewise bear the responsibility of governance. You shall manage the female immortals of the Primordial Wilderness, mediate disputes, and serve as the Head of Female Immortals. I grant you the Kunlun Mirror. This mirror can travel through time and space and perceive all things. It will aid you in distinguishing right from wrong and governing the Dao of Yin-Yang harmony."
Queen Mother of the West appeared even more composed. She respectfully accepted the Kunlun Mirror, which gleamed with treasure light and was covered in Dao patterns, then curtsied. "Queen Mother of the West accepts the decree. Thank you for your grace, Dao Ancestor."
With the appointments complete, Hongjun gave everyone one final look and announced, "This preaching has now reached a perfect conclusion. Ten thousand miles east of Purple Cloud Palace lies Treasure Distribution Cliff, where I have placed many spiritual treasures acquired during my early travels through the Primordial Wilderness. Today, I leave them to you. Obtain them according to your own fate. I shall soon unify with the Heavenly Dao to remedy its deficiencies. From this day onward, the Heavenly Dao shall be Hongjun, but Hongjun shall not be the Heavenly Dao. Unless a great calamity of Heaven and Earth arises, Purple Cloud Palace will not open again."
After speaking, Hongjun's figure began to blur and gradually faded away.
Upon hearing of Treasure Distribution Cliff and seeing that the Dao Ancestor was about to unify with the Dao, with Purple Cloud Palace perhaps closing forever, how could anyone dare linger? They immediately transformed into streams of light and rushed out of Purple Cloud Palace, racing desperately toward the east, ten thousand miles away.
No matter how fast they were, how could they compare to the prepared and profoundly cultivated Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi? As Hongjun's words were still fading, these five had already secretly gathered their strength. The instant the palace gates opened, they shot out like arrows loosed from a bow, leaving the other three thousand guests—still stunned or only just setting off—far behind. By the time most great powers had only just flown out of Purple Cloud Palace, with Chaos still filling their vision, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi had already seen the outline of Treasure Distribution Cliff floating within the Chaos, its treasure light piercing the heavens!
With the Taiji Diagram above his head, Laozi was the first to ascend the cliff. A sweep of Taiqing immortal light collected more than a dozen precious spiritual treasures, including the Eight Trigrams Furnace, Plantain Fan, Vajra Bracelet, and others. Most eye-catching among them was the Heaven and Earth Mystic Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, the foremost acquired treasure of merit.
Primordial Lord of Heaven stepped upon auspicious clouds, and Yuqing immortal light swept across the area. Spiritual treasures gleaming brilliantly, such as the All-Heavens Celebratory Clouds, Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage, and Eight Treasures Glazed Vase, flew into his sleeve one after another. Every single one was extraordinary, suiting his temperament of valuing origins and rank.
Lord of Tongtian was the most unrestrained by nature. His Shangqing immortal light swept across a vast area like a long bolt of silk, gathering the greatest number of spiritual treasures: the Purple Lightning Hammer, Heart Piercing Lock, Fishing Drum, treasure swords, and more. The display was dazzling. Though their overall quality might have been slightly inferior to what his two elder brothers had obtained, they made up for it in variety, and many possessed offensive power, perfectly matching his Dao of teaching without distinction and taking unconventional paths with the sword.
Empress Nuwa and Great God Fuxi joined forces and likewise gained much. Nuwa obtained Spirit Pearl, the Green Luan Colorful Phoenix Carriage, Demon Binding Rope, and the Precious Lotus Lantern, whose gentle treasure light contained the vitality of creation. Fuxi, meanwhile, obtained spiritual treasures aligned with his Dao, including the Phoenix Qin, Bagua Disk, and Sky Stopping Halberd.
By the time these five shameless opportunists had swept away the finest batch of spiritual treasures on Treasure Distribution Cliff and were fully satisfied, Di Jun, Taiyi, Kunpeng, Minghe, Zhen Yuanzi, and the other great powers finally arrived, panting and rushed. Facing the remaining spiritual treasures, they hurried to fight over them. When those behind them arrived, all they saw was Treasure Distribution Cliff with most of its spiritual light dimmed, leaving only a few scraps around the edges. Instantly, frustration, regret, jealousy, and even indignation spread throughout the crowd.
Within Chaos, the gates of Purple Cloud Palace slowly closed after everyone departed. Hongjun's aura completely merged with the Heavenly Dao, and a new era belonging to the Saints officially began.
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