Arriving at Purple Firmament Palace

Hongjun had become a Sage!

The news was like hundreds of millions of thunderclaps, exploding across every corner of the Primordial Wilderness in an instant!

Countless Innate Great Gods cultivating in Seclusion, no matter what Blessed Land they resided in, were jolted awake by that vast, boundless pressure. Their minds trembled, and they could scarcely believe it!

A Sage?

What realm was that?

Could it be above the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm?!

For a time, discussions erupted throughout the Primordial Wilderness, as everyone sought to discover just who this suddenly emerged "Hongjun" was.

Wuzhuang Temple.

A gentle breeze stirred beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree.

Zhen Yuanzi held a whisk in hand, his brow slightly furrowed as he gazed deeply into the Chaos beyond the heavens.

Beside him, Daoist Hong Yun wore an equally astonished expression. "Hongjun? I have never heard this name before. Yet the moment he appeared, he was already honored as a Sage. It truly is inconceivable!"

"A Sage..." Zhen Yuanzi murmured. "That pressure was vast and boundless, far surpassing Grand Unity. I fear... it is the supreme realm that we must spend our entire lives looking up to..."

Wu Ming, Zhou Ming's avatar, sat nearby with a calm expression. He merely lifted his teacup and took a light sip.

Who Hongjun was, and what becoming a Sage meant—he naturally knew perfectly well.

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun both lost in curiosity and speculation over the realm of "Sage," Wu Ming spoke at the right moment, his tone gentle.

"Fellow Daoists, since Sage Hongjun has declared that he will expound the Dao at Purple Cloud Palace in three thousand years, imparting the Great Dao..."

"Rather than speculate here, why not personally travel to Purple Cloud Palace within Chaos when the time comes, and see for ourselves?"

"Perhaps this is precisely the opportunity for us to break through our current realms."

At this, a bright gleam flashed through Zhen Yuanzi's eyes. "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming's words are exactly what I had in mind!"

Hong Yun clapped his hands. "Good! Excellent! A Sage expounding the Dao—such a heaven-sent opportunity must not be missed! We can also take this chance to witness a Sage's bearing!"

Wu Ming set down his teacup and rose. "Since that is the case, I shall first return to the clan and inform my younger brothers and sisters, inviting them to go along. After all, such an opportunity is equally rare for our Wu Clan."

He looked to the two of them. "In three thousand years, let us meet at Purple Cloud Palace. How does that sound?"

"Good! It's a deal!" Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun nodded together.

Wu Ming cupped his hands in salute to them. His figure then transformed into a streak of light and swiftly vanished beyond the horizon, shooting straight toward Buzhou Mountain.

Pangu Hall.

Wu Ming's figure silently passed through layer upon layer of restrictions and arrived at the deepest part of the hall.

Because of Pangu Hall's unique nature, even the will of the Heavenly Dao found it difficult to fully penetrate it. Thus, the earth-shaking news of Hongjun becoming a Sage had not reached Zhou Ming's true body or the Twelve Ancestral Witches, who were in Seclusion.

Wu Ming did not hesitate. He directly connected with Zhou Ming and transmitted the information within.

Zhou Ming was the first to awaken from Seclusion.

Immediately after, twelve powerful auras rose from the place of Seclusion almost at the same time!

Compared to before their Seclusion, their auras were even more condensed and profound!

After this period of Seclusion, each Ancestral Witch had not only initially digested and absorbed Pangu's inheritance, but their cultivation had also steadily entered the late Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage. Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin, whose foundations were the deepest, had even reached the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!

"Hongjun has become a Sage... Purple Cloud Palace will expound the Dao..." Zhou Ming's voice rang out within the place of Seclusion, carrying a trace of contemplation.

By then, the Twelve Ancestral Witches had fully awakened as well. Their gazes turned toward Zhou Ming, and they saw Wu Ming outside.

"Big Brother!" Di Jiang was the first to speak, his voice carrying surprise and uncertainty. "What happened...?"

Zhou Ming said calmly, "Hongjun has attained Hunyuan through the Dao and achieved the position of Sage. He will expound the Dao at Purple Cloud Palace."

"A Sage? Hongjun?" Zhu Rong's eyes widened. "How come I've never heard of him? Is he stronger than Father God?"

"Do not speak nonsense!" Zhou Ming's true body spoke in a calm tone, yet it carried its own authority. "Beneath a Sage, all are ants. Those words are no empty claim."

He paused and looked toward the Twelve Ancestral Witches. "My current realm is unsuitable for going to Purple Cloud Palace. Your cultivation has improved, and listening to the Dao this time will offer some benefit in verifying your own paths. Fellow Daoist Wu Ming shall lead you there."

"What? Go listen to that Hongjun fellow expound the Dao?" Gonggong craned his neck, clearly unconvinced. "We have Big Brother's guidance and Father God's inheritance. Do we still need to listen to him?"

"Exactly!" Zhu Rong joined in with a shout. "Our Wu Clan stands tall beneath heaven and upon earth. We honor only Father God and listen only to Big Brother! Who does Hongjun think he is?!"

Though the other Ancestral Witches did not speak, their eyes also revealed their disdain.

In their hearts, Pangu Father God stood supreme, while their Big Brother Zhou Ming was unfathomable and more than capable of guiding the Wu Clan.

At that moment, Wu Ming, who had remained silent, stepped forward. His face was stern, carrying an authority identical to Zhou Ming's. "Foolish!"

"A Sage expounding the Dao is the great trend of the Primordial Wilderness! Father God's inheritance is our foundation, and the true body's guidance is our direction, but shutting oneself indoors to build a cart is not the way!

"A Sage is one who has transcended Grand Unity and initially grasped the authority of heaven and earth. The Dao he expounds will surely contain the ultimate principles of heaven and earth! Even if it differs from our own path, listening and verifying it, drawing inferences from one instance to another, can only bring benefit and no harm!"

Hearing this, the Twelve Ancestral Witches looked toward Zhou Ming's true body, who remained seated in meditation with a deep, settled aura. Seeing him nod slightly in agreement, the dissatisfaction in their hearts gradually subsided. After condensing their Primordial Spirits, their ability to think had greatly increased, and they naturally understood the stakes involved.

"I understand." Zhu Jiuyin was the first to nod, wisdom glinting in his eyes. "Only by understanding one's opponent can one remain invincible. I will follow Big Brother's arrangements."

"Elder Brother is right. It would be good to go and have a look." Houtu also spoke gently.

Seeing that Zhu Jiuyin and Houtu had both agreed, the other Ancestral Witches, though still muttering a little, no longer objected.

"Hmph, I'd like to see what's so great about that Sage!" Zhu Rong muttered, tacitly agreeing.

Zhou Ming turned his gaze to Wu Ming.

"Daoist Friend, take this Dao Origin Divine Pearl with you. It can help conceal the Heavenly Secrets."

Wu Ming reached out and accepted the Dao Origin Divine Pearl, then turned to the Twelve Ancestral Wu. "No time to waste!"

"My younger brothers and sisters, we depart at once for Purple Cloud Palace!"

Chaos!

Beyond the Primordial World lay an endless region of chaotic, violent Chaos.

Earth, fire, water, and wind raged without cease. Chaotic currents surged with incomparable violence; even Grand Unity Golden Immortals, without a supreme treasure for protection or some special divine ability, faced the danger of perishing if they remained here too long!

At this moment, thirteen figures were struggling through the violent chaotic currents.

They were Wu Ming and the Twelve Ancestral Wu.

Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin led the way, their mana surging around them as they opened up a relatively stable region and guided the direction.

Wu Ming and the other Ancestral Wu followed close behind, each employing their own divine abilities.

Even so, everyone still felt tremendous pressure.

The qi of Chaos seeped in through every crack, constantly corroding their physical bodies and mana.

"Damn it! This hellhole really isn't fit for people!" Zhu Rong, the most hot-tempered of them all, cursed furiously.

"Quiet, Zhu Rong," Di Jiang said in a low voice.

Just then, several streaks of light tore through Chaos at incredible speed in the distance, heading in the same direction.

"Huh? There are others?" Qiang Liang's sharp eyes spotted those streaks of light immediately.

Wu Ming's gaze narrowed slightly. "Hongjun Sage's Dao lectures are a grand event unseen in the Primordial World for all eternity. There are quite a few Great Powers of the Primordial World who wish to go to Purple Cloud Palace to hear the Dao."

He could sense that one of the streaks possessed an ethereal aura and the bearing of an immortal, a sage-like presence. It was Laozi, one of the Three Pure Ones.

Another streak was domineering and blazing, its Golden Light dazzling. The phantom of a Three-legged Golden Crow could vaguely be seen within it—it had to be those two from the Sun Star.

Sure enough, in this Era of Great Contention, with a Sage lecturing on the Dao, no one was willing to miss such an opportunity.

Wu Ming silently reminded them, "Rein in your auras. We have come only to hear the Dao; avoid conflict as much as possible."

"Got it, Big Brother," the Ancestral Wu replied. Though curious, they remembered Wu Ming's warning.

No one knew how long they traveled through Chaos before the outline of an ancient palace, radiating boundless Dao charm, slowly emerged from the turbulent chaotic currents ahead!

It floated quietly in the Depths of Chaos, suffused with purple qi and faint Daoist Chants, as though it had endured since time immemorial!

Above the palace hung an ancient plaque, upon which three incomparably profound Great Dao runes gleamed brilliantly—Purple Cloud Palace!

"We're here!" Wu Ming's spirits lifted.

"Wow! What a huge palace!"

"So this is the Sage's Dao Field? It really is magnificent!"

As the Twelve Ancestral Wu gazed upon the vast and majestic Purple Cloud Palace before them, their eyes were filled with shock.

Even with their origins and experience, they were awed by the grand spectacle of this Sage's Dao Field.

Wu Ming took a deep breath and steadied his mind. "Let's go over."