Hongjun Accepts Disciples, Three Thousand Guests Divide Treasures

After bidding farewell to his two close friends Wang Shu and Yang Mei, Li Cha cultivated quietly within Cloud Flower Cave, instructing his disciples, occasionally sipping tea and preaching the Dao. He appeared carefree and at ease, but in truth, he constantly sensed the subtle changes in the Primordial World. Thus passed over seven hundred years, until one day, a feeling stirred in his heart—Hongjun's preaching had concluded.

Li Cha stood at the highest point of his cave heaven, hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes as he murmured, "The time is near. I should set out."

At the same time, within the Purple Firmament Palace on Jade Capital Mountain beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, the third preaching session had reached its end. Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat high upon the cloud bed, his aura growing increasingly indifferent and distant, as if merging completely with the Purple Firmament Palace and even the boundless chaos. His gaze swept over the three thousand guests below, finally settling on the Three Pure Ones. His expression was devoid of joy or sorrow as he spoke calmly, yet his voice reached every great being with perfect clarity:

"Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Lord of Tongtian. You three are incarnations of Pangu's Primordial Spirit, bearing the World Creation Merit, endowed with great fortune and destiny, with origins and blessings among the finest. Are you willing to enter my sect and become my personal disciples?"

Laozi's expression was solemn, a trace of understanding flashing in his eyes. He was the first to bow in response: "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Teacher!" Primordial Lord of Heaven followed closely, also kowtowing with reverence: "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Teacher!" Only Lord of Tongtian frowned slightly, as if pondering something. His nature was straightforward and unskilled in pretense, but seeing his two elder brothers already taking the Teacher's oath, he quickly reacted and prostrated himself: "This disciple, Lord of Tongtian, is willing. Greetings, Teacher!"

"Good." Hongjun nodded slightly, his emotions unreadable. "Since you have entered my sect, you shall inherit my Dao lineage. You possess the World Creation Merit to protect you and enduring fortune. I now grant you spiritual treasures. I hope you will cultivate diligently and attain the Saintly Throne soon." With that, he waved his sleeve, and three streams of spiritual light flew toward the Three Pure Ones.

A beam of golden light fell into Laozi's hand, transforming into a scroll suffused with the Dao rhythm of Yin and Yang. It was the Taiji Diagram, one of the Three Treasures of World Creation, capable of stabilizing Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind and possessing the supreme power to pacify the chaotic currents of the Primordial World. A strand of Chaos Sword Qi landed in Primordial Lord of Heaven's palm, manifesting as a banner—also one of the Three Treasures of World Creation. The Pangu Banner could tear apart chaos and create worlds. Finally, four fiercely sharp Sword Intents and a formation diagram flew toward Lord of Tongtian—the Zhu Xian Sword Formation, unbreakable except by four Saints! (During the intervals of his preaching, Hongjun had already exchanged with Wang Shu and Yang Mei to retrieve the four swords.)

"Thank you, Teacher, for bestowing these treasures!" The Three Pure Ones accepted the heavy treasures, bowed again in thanks, then withdrew to the side, each immersing themselves in the supreme Dao rhythms contained within their spiritual treasures.

Hongjun's form shifted slightly, and in the next moment, he stood before Nuwa. "Nuwa, you too bear great fortune and destiny. A great merit awaits you in the future. Are you willing to enter my sect and become my personal disciple?"

Nuwa's thoughts raced. Her nature disliked restraint, but Hongjun's power was overwhelming, and the Heavenly Dao had decreed it—she could not refuse at this moment. Her face betrayed nothing as she knelt respectfully: "This disciple is willing. Greetings, Teacher!"

"Good. I grant you the Mountain and River Diagram, which contains vast universes within, evolving creation and destruction. I also grant you the Red Embroidered Ball, which governs the three marriages of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, maintaining karmic bonds—it too is a treasure of merit. I hope you cultivate well, never forget your original intention, and achieve great things in the future." Hongjun bestowed the two spiritual treasures upon her.

"Thank you for your grace, Teacher." Nuwa accepted the treasures and withdrew to Fuxi's side. Though a trace of reluctance lingered in her heart, receiving such heavy treasures was some consolation.

Next, Hongjun walked to Jieyin and Zhunti, who stood before him with faces full of anticipation and nervousness. He gently shook his head, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh.

Seeing this, Jieyin and Zhunti's hearts sank. They knew well the Dao Ancestor's intent and immediately fell to their knees with a thud, weeping as they pleaded: "Dao Ancestor! The Western lands are barren and desolate, its living beings suffer bitterly, yet our hearts set on the Dao are as firm as rock, bright as the sun and moon! If we are permitted to enter your sect, we will work diligently, glorify the Dao, and never dare to tarnish your reputation in the slightest! We beg the Dao Ancestor for mercy, to give the living beings of the West a chance!" Their voices were tearful and moved all who heard.

Hongjun was silent for a moment before replying, "Enough. Since your hearts set on the Dao are firm, and it is also Heaven's decree, I shall accept you as nominal disciples." At these words, though Jieyin and Zhunti felt a slight regret, they were overjoyed. Hongjun then bestowed upon them the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit, a treasure of unparalleled defense capable of suppressing fortune, and the Demon Subduing Pestle, a sharp weapon for vanquishing demons and evil. "Since you have received these treasures, remember today's words. Conduct yourselves well in the future, and do not forget your promise to revitalize the West."

"Yes! Thank you, Teacher! This disciple will firmly remember your teachings and will never forget them even unto death!" Jieyin and Zhunti kowtowed in excitement before withdrawing.

Hongjun returned to the cloud bed, his gaze sweeping over the three thousand guests of the Purple Firmament Palace, who stared at him with eager eyes. Seeing the Dao Ancestor accept six disciples and bestow upon them treasures of the highest grade, the crowd felt both envy and anxiety.

Finally, someone could no longer hold back and asked, "May we ask the Dao Ancestor, is it true, as the rumors say, that by merging the Three Corpses into one, one can attain the eternal, indestructible Saintly Throne?"

Hongjun replied calmly, "Not so. Heaven has its predetermined fate, and the Saintly Thrones also have their fixed number. Nine is the ultimate number, but the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, with one having withdrawn itself. Thus, under the Heavenly Dao, there are eight Saintly Thrones." His words were plain, yet they struck the hearts of all like thunder. He raised his hand, and seven wisps of violet qi, dense with the infinite mysteries of the Great Dao—Primordial Violet Qi—appeared in his palm, indescribably profound.

"This is the foundation of the Great Dao, the Primordial Violet Qi. Obtain it, comprehend it thoroughly, and you may hope to entrust your Primordial Spirit to the Heavenly Dao and attain the Saintly Throne." The Primordial Violet Qi possessed its own sentience. Six of the wisps transformed into streams of light, sinking into the Primordial Spirits of the six newly accepted disciples: Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, Lord of Tongtian, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti. The final wisp of violet qi danced and spiraled within the Purple Firmament Palace. Under the gazes of the crowd—filled with longing, tension, and envy—it shot forth with a whoosh and plunged into the bewildered Hong Yun's body!

In an instant, the atmosphere within the hall shifted dramatically. Kunpeng, in particular, who had lost his Saintly Throne cushion because Hong Yun had given up his seat, erupted with a gaze of venomous, murderous malice. He fixed his eyes on the still-confused Hong Yun, his killing intent nearly solidifying into form.

Hongjun acted as if he had seen nothing and continued, "The Primordial World is vast, and its living beings are numerous. Order must be established for governance." His gaze turned to the crowd. "East King Duke, Queen Mother of the West, step forward."

As his words fell, a male immortal clad in a robe of nine-colored cloud patterns, with a handsome face and an innate aura of masculine nobility, stepped out from the crowd. He was East King Duke, incarnated from the Primordial Pure Yang Qi. Following him, a woman in a plain white palace dress, with a dignified and graceful bearing and a face of serene beauty, walked forward gracefully. She was Queen Mother of the West, incarnated from the Primordial Pure Yin Qi.

"East King Duke, you are incarnated from the Primordial Pure Yang Qi, with a noble destiny. You are fit to oversee the affairs of male immortals in the Primordial World and shall be the Head of Male Immortals. I grant you the Dragon Head Staff to govern the order of male immortals. I hope you act well and do not betray Heaven's mandate."

East King Duke was overjoyed. He accepted the Dragon Head Staff, which radiated a majestic dragon's might, and bowed: "East King Duke receives the decree. Thank you for your grace, Dao Ancestor!" His satisfaction was evident in every word.

"Queen Mother of the West, you are incarnated from the Primordial Pure Yin Qi and also bear the duty of governance. You shall manage the female immortals of the Primordial World, mediate disputes, and be the Head of Female Immortals. I grant you the Kunlun Mirror, which can traverse time and space and perceive all things, to help you discern right from wrong and govern the way of Yin and Yang harmony."

Queen Mother of the West, with a more composed demeanor, respectfully accepted the Kunlun Mirror, which shimmered with treasure light and was densely inscribed with Dao patterns. She curtsied: "Queen Mother of the West receives the decree. Thank you for your grace, Dao Ancestor."

With the appointments complete, Hongjun cast a final glance around the assembly and declared, "This preaching session has now reached its perfect conclusion. Ten thousand miles east of the Purple Firmament Palace lies the Treasure Distribution Cliff, upon which I have placed many spiritual treasures I gathered during my early travels through the Primordial World. Today, I leave them for you to obtain according to your own opportunities. I am about to unify with the Heavenly Dao to supplement its deficiencies. From now on, the Heavenly Dao is Hongjun, but Hongjun is not the Heaven. Unless a great calamity befalls the world, the Purple Firmament Palace will not open again."

With these words, Hongjun's figure began to blur and gradually fade away.

Upon hearing of the Treasure Distribution Cliff and seeing the Dao Ancestor about to unify with the Dao, with the Purple Firmament Palace possibly sealed forever, who dared to linger? In an instant, they transformed into streams of light, rushing out of the Purple Firmament Palace and racing eastward for ten thousand miles.

But no matter how fast they were, could they outpace the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi, who were well-prepared and of higher cultivation? These five had already secretly gathered their strength just as Hongjun's words were about to end. The moment the palace gates opened, they shot out like arrows from a bow, leaving the other three thousand guests—still stunned or just starting to move—far behind. By the time most of the great beings had barely flown out of the Purple Firmament Palace, their vision still a blur of chaos, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi had already glimpsed the outline of the Treasure Distribution Cliff, suspended amidst the Chaos Qi and blazing with treasure light!

Laozi, with the Taiji Diagram above his head, was the first to ascend the cliff. A sweep of Taiqing Immortal Light gathered over a dozen precious spiritual treasures, including the Eight Trigrams Furnace, the Plantain Fan, and the Vajra Bracelet. Among them, the most eye-catching was the Heaven and Earth Mystic Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, the foremost acquired treasure of merit.

Primordial Lord of Heaven stepped onto auspicious clouds. As his Yuqing Immortal Light swept past, treasures like the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud, the Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage, and the Eight Treasures Glazed Vase, all gleaming with treasure light, flew into his sleeves. Each was extraordinary, matching his preference for origin and rank.

Lord of Tongtian, the most unrestrained of the three, sent his Shangqing Immortal Light out like a flowing ribbon, sweeping over a vast area. He collected the greatest number of spiritual treasures, such as the Purple Lightning Hammer, the Heart Piercing Lock, the Fishing Drum, and various precious swords—a dazzling array. Though the overall quality might have been slightly inferior to what his two elder brothers obtained, the sheer variety and the abundance of offensive capabilities suited his philosophy of teaching without discrimination and walking unconventional paths.

Empress Nuwa and Great God Fuxi joined forces and also reaped a rich harvest. Nuwa obtained the Spirit Pearl, the Green Luan Colorful Phoenix Carriage, the Demon Binding Rope, and the Precious Lotus Lantern, which radiated a warm treasure light and contained the vitality of creation. Fuxi acquired spiritual treasures aligned with his Dao, such as the Phoenix Qin, the Bagua Disk, and the Sky Stopping Halberd.

By the time these five "early birds" had stripped the Treasure Distribution Cliff of its most essential spiritual treasures and were thoroughly satisfied, Di Jun, Taiyi, Kunpeng, Minghe, Zhen Yuanzi, and the other great beings arrived, panting and hurried. They immediately scrambled to seize the remaining treasures. When those who came later finally arrived, what greeted their eyes was the Treasure Distribution Cliff, its spiritual light dimmed by more than half, with only scraps left. Instantly, a wave of regret, remorse, envy, and even resentment spread through the crowd.

In the chaos, the gates of the Purple Firmament Palace slowly closed after everyone had left. Hongjun's aura completely merged with the Heavenly Dao. A new era, that of the Saints, had officially begun.