Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the Primordial Wilderness's Ultimate Backer

Hong Yun swore that if the Great Dao gave him another chance, he would take the path of playing it safe to the absolute extreme!

Screw great opportunities. Whoever wants it can take it.

"Calm down. I have to stay calm. They even called me 'little friend,' so it's not necessarily a life-or-death situation!"

Hong Yun took a deep breath, put away the Void-Escaping Shuttle, and replaced the stiffness on his face with an elegant, kind, and sincere smile.

"This poor Daoist is Hong Yun. Greetings, Senior!"

After turning around, Hong Yun couldn't help but freeze.

The old Daoist before him, who had called him "little friend," looked far too impressive!

His Daoist robe was as pure white as snow, and his bearing was utterly transcendent.

He possessed an immortal's air and the bones of a Daoist, with white hair and a youthful face. A gentle smile rested on his face, while his entire being radiated a naturally formed, mysterious, and timeless aura.

More importantly, endless Dao charm wound around the old Daoist, making it impossible not to become enthralled.

In his daze, Hong Yun seemed to glimpse the embodiment of the Great Dao.

This was also because the old Daoist had just taken the Dao-Enlightenment Treasure, and the aura of the Three Thousand Great Daos still lingered on him, not yet fully restrained.

Strangely, despite being an early-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal, Hong Yun couldn't sense the slightest trace of cultivation from the old Daoist.

That left only two possibilities!

Either the old Daoist before him was an ordinary mortal, or his cultivation far surpassed Hong Yun's by an unfathomable margin.

Since Hong Yun's primordial spirit was frantically warning him, the answer was naturally the latter!

Although someone had barged into his Daoist sanctuary, the old Daoist wasn't angry. Instead, he replied gently, "This old Daoist is Hongjun. Greetings, little friend!"

"What? You... you're Senior Hongjun?"

Hong Yun's eyes lit up. After his initial surprise, boundless joy instantly welled up inside him!

As if he couldn't believe he had encountered such incredible luck, he asked again in a trembling voice, "May I ask if you are Senior Hongjun, who slew Demon Ancestor Rahu, who wreaked havoc upon the Primordial Wilderness, resolved the calamity of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes, saved all living beings, and is unmatched in benevolence and righteousness and revered for your virtue and prestige?"

[ Ding! The host has praised Hongjun. Congratulations, the host has randomly received a reward: 3 Hongjun Great Dao Comprehension Shards ]

Hongjun said nothing, but the system's notification immediately confirmed the identity of the person before Hong Yun.

It really is Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

Hong Yun's elation was no wonder. With his system's function, looking across the entire Primordial Wilderness, aside from Great God Pangu's fall, if one ranked the best targets to praise, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would definitely be first.

Oh, no!

This was a shining, supreme backer!

"Little friend, you've heard of this old Daoist's reputation?"

The old Daoist—Dao Ancestor Hongjun himself—revealed a trace of astonishment.

"Senior Hongjun's great name is as loud as thunder. How could this poor Daoist not know of you?"

Hong Yun revealed an excited expression.

His gaze toward Hongjun grew increasingly fervent, as if he were one of the crazed star-chasers from his previous life!

"Oh?"

Hongjun grew even more puzzled upon hearing this.

When did my reputation spread?

Hong Yun continued to stare fervently at Hongjun. Only after staring until Hongjun began to feel uncomfortable did he say, "Senior, do you know why this poor Daoist came from the East Sea, enduring countless hardships along the way?"

Hongjun shook his head. "If you have something to say, little friend, don't hesitate to speak plainly!"

"It was all for you, Senior Hongjun!"

"For this old Daoist?"

Hongjun slightly furrowed his brows. If he remembered correctly, he and the red-haired young man before him should have never met.

Hong Yun nodded heavily. "Since transforming into human form, Hong Yun has had the good fortune to hear your story and learned that the Primordial Wilderness once faced a calamity capable of destroying heaven and earth."

"Yet when all living beings were in despair and countless life forms faced annihilation, you alone stepped forward to turn the tide. Relying on your great love for the Primordial Beings, you defeated Demon Ancestor Rahu's scheme by yourself, resolved the calamity of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes, and rescued the myriad life forms of the Primordial Wilderness from suffering."

"In Hong Yun's view, a kindhearted and noble person like you, when it comes to contributions to the Primordial Wilderness, is absolutely second only to Great God Pangu. Your merit is boundless!"

Hong Yun spoke with deep emotion, his words seemingly filled with heartfelt admiration.

And that happened to scratch exactly where Hongjun itched.

Thinking back to those days.

Yang Mei, Qiankun, Yinyang, and the other old friends had joined forces with him under the Heavenly Dao's revelation to defeat and suppress Rahu for the sake of the Primordial Wilderness's safety. In the end, only Yang Mei and he had survived their severe injuries.

Although they had acted to follow the Heavenly Dao, resolve the Tribulation of Calamity, and attain the Primordial Dao, they had indeed saved the Primordial Beings.

Hongjun had thought that after returning to Jade Capital Mountain to recover and enter Secluded Cultivation, no one would know of this great deed.

He had never imagined that today, he would hear his own story being passed down from the mouth of the little fellow who had accidentally barged into his Daoist sanctuary.

Though Hongjun had long since regarded everything outside the Great Dao as nothing, he couldn't help feeling a trace of pride.

At least someone still remembered what they had done. It was the feeling of being acknowledged.

"Little friend, you flatter me!"

The smile on Hongjun's face grew even wider, and even the gloom in his heart over being temporarily unable to attain the Dao eased somewhat.

Saints also possessed the seven emotions and six desires. At this point, Hongjun had yet to merge with the Heavenly Dao, so he naturally still experienced joy and anger, sorrow and happiness.

Hong Yun's flattery had truly made him feel good!

However, to maintain the image of a venerable senior expert, Hongjun still offered a modest response.

"They're merely some insignificant events from long ago. I never expected you to have heard of them. The credit for what happened back then belonged entirely to the other Daoist friends. This old Daoist merely did what little he could. It is rather embarrassing to speak of!"

A trace of reminiscence appeared on Hongjun's face.

Yet the corners of his mouth were raised so high that, in Hong Yun's eyes, even if the Innate Supreme Treasure Chaos Bell had arrived, it probably couldn't have pressed them down.

Flattery may pierce armor, but it never fails. Dao Ancestor, Dao Ancestor, you should honestly hand over the rewards already!

After hearing Hongjun's words, Hong Yun grumbled inwardly.

On the surface, however, he rebuked him with some dissatisfaction. "Senior Hongjun, please choose your words carefully. We cultivators are born in the Primordial Wilderness and raised in the Primordial Wilderness. The Primordial Wilderness is the home of all life. Demon Ancestor Rahu actually committed the great offense of attempting to destroy it."

"Such behavior was utterly deranged. Senior Hongjun, you followed the Heavenly Dao and purged the Primordial Wilderness of such a traitor. How could you call that insignificant?"

"Senior, your virtue and prestige are renowned. If you hadn't taken the lead and stepped forward, the other Great Powers would likely still have been scattered like loose sand. Therefore, Hong Yun boldly asks that you not belittle yourself like this. At the very least, Hong Yun absolutely refuses to accept it!"

Hong Yun was filled with righteous indignation, looking every bit like Hongjun's devoted little admirer.

This display immediately improved Hongjun's impression of him even further.

For a moment, he didn't know whether he should refute Hong Yun's words.

Just as he was preparing to continue speaking modestly, he saw Hong Yun reveal another trace of shame.

"Senior, you are a person of such great virtue and have made such contributions to the Primordial Wilderness. You are a role model for all the Primordial Beings. Yet today, Hong Yun barged into your Daoist sanctuary without permission and disturbed your secluded cultivation. It truly should not have happened."

"Afterward, Hong Yun even tried to flee. Such behavior has truly shamed me before you, Senior, and betrayed my own Dao Heart. Today, Hong Yun will submit to whatever punishment Senior Hongjun sees fit, without the slightest complaint!"

As he spoke, Hong Yun bowed deeply to Hongjun again, his tone filled with remorse.

More importantly, Hong Yun voluntarily dispersed the circulation of his Mana.

That posture of leaving himself entirely at his senior's mercy moved Hongjun's expression.