Tongtian frowned in deep thought!
"I have two strategies. First, divide the Eastern and Western Saints into two camps, allowing favoritism!"
"Be strict with the Mystic Gate and lenient with the West!"
"The Western Teachings are merely a side path. Even if they commit minor errors, they are still matters of a side path!"
"As for the second strategy..."
Tongtian suddenly awoke, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes!
Lin Dong's words echoed in his ears: "The greatest Karma in the Primordial Era is the destruction of the Primordial Era itself!"
A chill rose in Tongtian's heart!
"Given my understanding of Yuanshi, he will certainly act personally!"
"When Saints act, it can be called world-destroying!"
"Even if they restrain themselves, they will still damage the Primordial Era..."
"When that time comes..."
Tongtian remained outwardly calm as he swept his gaze across the Saints!
"They will fall into Hongjun's trap!"
Tongtian found his own deduction hard to believe!
Hongjun, the dignified Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, Dao Ancestor of the Mystic Gate, and teacher of all Saints, actually intended to harm the Saints?
Wasn't this method far too crude?
Yet upon further thought, Tongtian gave a bitter smile!
Hongjun's strategy was not crude—it was exceedingly brilliant!
True nonaction that accomplished everything!
Had Hongjun ever set up any obstacle?
Never!
On the contrary, he had even delegated his authority!
The Investiture of the Gods List should originally have been written by him personally!
As the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, writing the list on behalf of Heavenly Dao would prove the ordained fate!
Even if the Saints were dissatisfied, they would not dare say much!
Within the Primordial Era, Heavenly Dao was supreme. Who would dare disobey?
Yet Hongjun did not make such a "unilateral decision," instead allowing the Saints to participate!
What would the Saints think?
They believed they truly held the great momentum of Heavenly Dao—this was the greatest error!
The act of writing the Investiture of the Gods List gave the Saints the satisfaction of shaping destiny!
They would never imagine that this was Hongjun's scheme!
Hongjun had laid down the framework and merely waited for the Saints to enact it!
He sat securely upon his lofty platform, waiting for the Saints to walk into his net!
A sentence flashed through Tongtian's mind: Heaven and earth were the chessboard, creation the paths of play, all living beings the chess pieces. Seated quietly within Zixiao Palace, he controlled the rise and fall of eras!
This was Dao Ancestor Hongjun, worthy of the name!
A chill rose in Tongtian's heart!
If not for his fortunate entry into Penglai Immortal Island, and if not for Senior Lin Dong's analysis of the Primordial Era's mysteries!
He would likely have long become Hongjun's chess piece!
With Lin Dong's help, Tongtian could temporarily rise above the chessboard and observe the situation as a player!
Yet he felt no joy at all!
The Investiture of the Gods Calamity was to be jointly discussed by the Saints!
It originally had nothing to do with him, a Hunyuan!
Yet Hongjun refused to leave him alone!
At both discussions in Zixiao Palace, he had been summoned to attend!
This meant he too was within Hongjun's calculations!
Hongjun was the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao and would always hold the initiative!
How difficult would it be to escape his chessboard!
If he could not break free, Hongjun's follow-up moves would come one after another, bringing even more trouble!
Within Tongtian's Primordial Spirit Sea of Consciousness, Thought-forms surged like tides!
Countless Thought-forms arose, like a tornado sweeping through his Sea of Consciousness!
Any incompatible thoughts were discarded!
Gradually, only several star-like Thought-forms remained within the Sea of Consciousness, illuminating everything!
This was Tongtian's strategy for breaking the deadlock!
See through the principles of heaven and seize a chance at life!
Tongtian abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze calm!
He would break the deadlock!
Hongjun also opened his eyes and said calmly, "The Investiture of the Gods Calamity is the great momentum of Heavenly Dao. It cannot be delayed!"
"You have little time remaining!"
"The Investiture of the Gods List must ultimately be signed!"
"Saints, what have you decided?"
The Dao Ancestor's voice broke the silence, and the Saints could no longer pretend not to hear!
They exchanged glances but said nothing!
Hongjun was not in a hurry!
He had not expected a decision to be made this time!
Once, twice—each was an invisible pressure!
This pressure lingered in their hearts!
The Saints vaguely sensed it!
His words this time pushed things a step further!
Like boiling a frog in warm water, slowly raising the temperature. By the time the frog realized the water was hot, it was already half-cooked. How could it leap from his palm?
The Saints' expressions changed dramatically!
They truly felt boundless pressure!
Though Hongjun had not spoken harshly, his status stood there!
He was the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, speaking on Heavenly Dao's behalf!
Who would dare take him lightly?
Saints did not defy heaven; one who defied heaven was no Saint!
A Saint was merely a rank beneath Heavenly Dao!
Everything they did was constrained by Heavenly Dao!
Thus, the Saints were uneasy!
Just as they were about to speak, they suddenly heard a voice say, "Dao Ancestor, this disciple has a question and has come to seek your guidance!"
Hmm?
The Saints followed the voice and looked over. It was actually Tongtian!
Hongjun stared at Tongtian, his gaze unfathomable. In the end, he nodded. "Speak!"
Tongtian did not fear Hongjun's gaze!
Though Hongjun was the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, he too had to abide by Heavenly Dao's rules!
So long as the rules remained unchanged, Hongjun had no grounds to act against him!
This was Tongtian's reliance!
"The Investiture of the Gods Calamity is the great momentum of Heavenly Dao, yet the paths of the Saints differ!"
"Even if we compromise and sign the Investiture of the Gods List!"
"If disciples are listed, resentment will inevitably arise among the Saints!"
He respectfully bowed. "May I ask, Dao Ancestor, may Saints personally enter the conflict?"
What?
All five Saints looked at Tongtian!
Astonishment flashed through their eyes!
There was no other reason—Tongtian had struck directly at the heart of the matter!
Taishang, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti indeed had such intentions!
Yet they were also confused!
The Investiture of the Gods Calamity was an Immeasurable Calamity. What could be improper about Saints entering the conflict?
All five Saints turned to look at Hongjun, only to see his expression drastically change!
That eternally unchanged impassive face had actually turned gloomy!
The five Saints were horrified!
They were all people of great wisdom!
They immediately realized that Tongtian's words concealed crucial information!
They simply could not understand it at the moment!
Hongjun's expression grew solemn. After pondering for a long time, he finally nodded gravely. "Permitted!"
A smile appeared on Tongtian's face. He slowly rose from his meditation cushion and spoke loudly:
"Cultivators command the mysterious powers of heaven and earth. How earth-shaking is their might?"
"A mere True Immortal can overturn mountains and seas, burn the heavens, and boil the earth!"
"Let alone Saints!"
"The Investiture of the Gods Calamity is known as an immeasurable catastrophe. The disciples of the three teachings are all outstanding figures of the Primordial Era—how could their strength compare to that of ordinary people?"
"May I ask, Master..."
Tongtian solemnly bowed and respectfully asked:
"If cultivators of the three teachings clash and bring disaster upon the lands of the Primordial Era... would that be permissible?"
The five Saints had originally seemed to understand somewhat,
but upon hearing Tongtian's question, they were completely baffled!
What kind of question was that?
When great experts fought, how could they possibly avoid affecting the Primordial Era? Otherwise, how could they be called great experts?
This question seemed utterly devoid of deeper meaning!
The corner of Zhunti's mouth lifted, revealing a trace of mockery. Just as he was about to speak in ridicule,
a cold voice, icy as frost, suddenly resounded:
"Those who destroy the Primordial Era commit the greatest of sins!"
"Those whose sins are grave shall have their souls scattered, leaving no place for them to remain!"
"Even Saints cannot escape punishment!"
Hiss!
The five Saints were stunned speechless!
Zhunti's smile instantly froze!
The mocking words he wished to direct at Tongtian had already reached his lips,
yet he had never expected Dao Ancestor Hongjun's answer to be so unexpected.
Tongtian's question had struck directly at the key point, every word hitting the mark!
In contrast, Zhunti had failed to grasp Tongtian's deeper meaning and had even intended to mock him. He was simply like a clown leaping about!
Fortunately, those mocking words had not left his mouth,
or he would have utterly lost face!
Zhunti's dignity could only be discarded when he himself chose to discard it.
People called him the most shameless Saint of the Primordial Era, but that was merely superficial!
All those who attained the Dao possessed supreme wisdom, unfathomable magical power, profound cultivation, and boundless Merit.
Zhunti was no exception!
If abandoning face could bring immense benefits to him or the Western Teachings,
he would certainly cast aside his dignity without hesitation!
But if others wished to humiliate him, that was absolutely unacceptable!
This was the true meaning of Zhunti's "shamelessness"!
Zhunti secretly rejoiced,
for he had nearly humiliated himself!
He understood this distinction perfectly clearly.
Amid his relief, he looked around and immediately froze!
Something seemed wrong!
He sensed an anomaly.
Taishang, Yuanshi, Nuwa, and Jieyin all wore grave expressions.
Zhunti's heart jolted!
Something was wrong!
There had to be an enormous secret behind this!
Otherwise, why would the sages look so solemn?
When he inadvertently glanced at Hongjun, he was even more horrified—the Dao Ancestor's face had already darkened like ink!
Hiss!
Zhunti's heart suddenly began to race!
He had never seen Hongjun like this before!
In his memories, the Dao Ancestor had always remained unperturbed,
pure and detached, transcending worldly affairs, as though nothing in the Primordial Era could shake his heart.
Yet... what was this spectacle today?
Zhunti carefully considered Tongtian's questions, and his face instantly turned ashen!
After all, he was an unparalleled figure who had attained sainthood, with extraordinary wisdom.
As long as he carefully considered the logic behind Tongtian's question,
he could glimpse the mystery within!
Could sages personally enter the fray and fight?
The Dao Ancestor hesitated slightly, but still answered, "They could!"
Yet the question that followed was baffling!
If their battle affected the Primordial Era, would that be allowed?
By all reason, when sages clashed, destroying heaven and earth was commonplace!
If sages could enter the battle, wasn't shaking the Primordial Era only natural?
Why would it not be allowed?
Yet the truth was that it was forbidden!
Not only was it forbidden, the Dao Ancestor's wording had been terrifyingly severe!
"Those who damage the Primordial Era shall be guilty beyond pardon. Even sages must be punished!"
When had the Primordial Era ever possessed such harsh laws?
Sages bore the will of Heavenly Dao and acted in its stead; Karma should not have touched them!
Yet unexpectedly, if they damaged the Primordial Era during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, they would receive heavy punishment!
The deeper meaning behind this sent chills down one's spine upon reflection!
A thought suddenly arose in Zhunti's heart: This time, I truly have to thank Tongtian!
He had revealed a tremendous hidden danger to the sages!
It truly concealed killing intent!
The sages would never have considered such questions!
The Investiture of the Gods List had been decided jointly by them,
and the disciples of the three sects were all treasures in their hearts. Who would be willing to abandon them lightly?
As Tongtian had said, if their disciples' True Spirits were placed on the list, how could the sages possibly restrain themselves?
The answer was obvious!
They definitely would not be able to restrain themselves!
The sages had likely long harbored thoughts of striking first, hoping the others remained completely unaware.
Would they ask whether Hongjun allowed sages to enter the fray?
Absolutely not!
They would not even bring it up!
If they did, would that not openly signal to the other sages that they intended to act during the calamity?
They would not even ask the first question,
let alone the questions that followed!
Having attained the Dao for so many years, sages rarely fought one another.
Who could have expected that damaging the Primordial Era would be such a monstrous crime?
Tongtian alone had seen through it!
Even though Karma bound him and Tongtian together,
Zhunti could not help but inwardly sigh his thanks!
Too terrifying!
Too subversive!
Before the calamity had even begun, the sages had nearly stepped into an abyss!
No!
Not one abyss, but two!
An absurd thought arose in Zhunti's mind: If Tongtian had not asked that first question...
The Dao Ancestor naturally would not have needed to give an affirmative answer.
If, during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, he gave a negative answer... what would the sages do then?
The more one thought about it, the more terrifying it became!
Zhunti's expression grew increasingly grim!
Hongjun's gaze turned icy as he stared fixedly at Tongtian!
Once again, Tongtian had disrupted his game!
The first time, Tongtian had expelled nine thousand sinful disciples from the Interception Sect, abolished his own saintly position, and disbanded the sect!
The second time, within Zixiao Palace, Tongtian had cut off the Western Teachings' scheme to escape the Investiture of the Gods Calamity!
And the third time was now!
Before all the sages, Tongtian had exposed the killing move he had hidden away!
"A variable!"
Hongjun's emotions surged, impossible to calm!
He had never expected
that Tongtian, who should have been merely a chess piece on the board, would repeatedly break free of his planned moves and even begin to overturn the game!
It was as though Tongtian had become another player competing against him!
How absurd that felt!
Yet it had now become reality!
"Perceive the Heavenly Secret, seize a chance at life!"
Hongjun could not help thinking of Tongtian's doctrine.
This act perfectly aligned with the laws Tongtian wielded!
"From existence to nothingness... once he notices the game is unfair, does he simply overturn the board?"
"Interesting!"
"But this is absolutely not an ability Tongtian should possess!"
No one understood a disciple better than his master.
Hongjun knew Tongtian's temperament well!
When it came to the courage and perseverance to face adversity, no one could match Tongtian!
But Tongtian's strengths lay in courage and martial prowess, not strategy!
Such a broad grasp of the overall situation was not something Tongtian could possess!
From Tongtian, Hongjun vaguely glimpsed a supreme figure!
That figure actually felt somewhat familiar to him!
"Just who is secretly guiding Tongtian?"
"Could he have already seen through my secrets?"
Hongjun, Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, progenitor of the Mystic Gate, and teacher of the sages, faintly began to panic!
Though the Primordial Era was vast, he firmly believed that no one could surpass him in cultivation!
Yet now, such a person had truly appeared!
And yet when he investigated with the Heavenly Dao Origin, he found no trace of that person!
This contradiction left Hongjun unable to settle his mind!
He took a deep breath.
"This discussion ends here. Sages, disperse!"
The five sages all felt greatly relieved and rose to their feet.
Before leaving, they solemnly bowed to Tongtian in thanks!
This was a gesture of sincere gratitude—even Jieyin and Zhunti were no exception!
Seeing this, Hongjun wished he could slap the Two Sages of the West straight down from the clouds!
What two muddleheaded fools!
In the great world of the Primordial Era, beyond the thirty-three heavens, within Zixiao Palace.
Hongjun sat high upon the Heaven and Earth Cushion, his expression dark as water.
He no longer possessed his usual composure of controlling everything from behind the scenes.
Recalling what had just happened, his feelings were impossibly complicated.
The Two Sages of the West, Jieyin and Zhunti, had actually sincerely thanked Tongtian!
Whenever he thought of it, Hongjun wished he could cripple the saintly positions of those two sages with one palm strike!
They were utterly foolish!
Why had he painstakingly arranged the Witch-Demon Calamity and the Investiture of the Gods Calamity?
Was it not to repay the Karma he owed the Primordial Era before attaining the Dao?
How many things against his own wishes had he done for that purpose?
To repay that Karma, he had given two saintly positions under his authority to Jieyin and Zhunti!
Otherwise, how could the West's foundations possibly have nurtured two sages?
To repay that Karma, from the moment he attained the Dao, he had been planning the Witch-Demon and Investiture of the Gods Calamities!
If he had not interfered, the Witch Clan—Pangu's surviving bloodline, naturally blessed with Luck—
would have long dominated heaven and earth. How could the Demon Clan have survived?
What had all this been for?
Was it not for the Rise of the West?
With countless innate deities around, who would believe the Western Teachings' claims about a future life?
Cultivate this life to seek the next?
Innate deities had only this one life. Asking them to believe that was simply absurd!
As for the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, its purpose was even more obvious!
To speak frankly, after the Witch-Demon Calamity and the teachings of the sages,
where could the Primordial Era still have the hostility and Karma needed to trigger an Immeasurable Calamity?
With sages overseeing everything and cultivators each receiving guidance, how could boundless killing intent possibly arise?
The conditions for an immeasurable calamity had not matured at all!
But Hongjun did not care in the slightest!
He intended to forcibly unleash the calamity, weaken the Mystic Gate's power, bring about the Rise of the West, and thereby repay his Karma to Heavenly Dao!
Even though the Mystic Gate had been founded by him, it still had to be weakened when necessary!
If possible, he would not have wanted to weaken the Mystic Gate either.
But the Two Sages of the West had no way to contend with the Eastern Mystic Gate!
The Three Pure Ones stood as one, their defenses flawless!
Though Nuwa was carefree and unrestrained, her cultivation was the highest!
These four sages had completely cut off the Western Teachings' hope of spreading eastward!
After much consideration, Hongjun realized that weakening the Mystic Gate was the only option. Otherwise, even after another era, the Western Teachings would struggle to spread eastward!
How could he afford to wait an entire era?
Time waited for no one; every moment counted!
Hongjun harbored a mad plan. If it succeeded, he could ascend to the heavens in a single step!
But the prerequisite was that he first had to repay all his Karma to the Primordial Era!
His greatest Karma was that, before attaining the Dao, he had joined forces with Luohu and smashed the West into chaos!
He had to repay that Karma before he could carry out his grand plan of ascending to the heavens!
But Tongtian had forcibly blocked this step!
Hongjun's face was covered in gloom!
He had never expected Tongtian to dare expel his disciples, abolish his own saintly position, and disband the Interception Sect!
The disciples Tongtian had cast out were beneath the Human Sect's notice, unwanted by Chan Jiao, and disdained even more by Nuwa.
All of them had been accepted by the Two Sages of the West!
By rights, Tongtian's actions had actually helped Hongjun greatly!
Now, in terms of disciples, the Western Teachings stood firmly as number one in the Primordial Era!
In terms of strength, they were also number one in the Primordial Era!
But what use was that?
As long as the Western Teachings remained within Mount Sumeru, no one would acknowledge their "number one" status!
What sages fought over was the orthodoxy of Luck, not anything else!
Within the Primordial Era, the Mystic Gate was the true orthodoxy, while the Western Teachings were merely an unorthodox side path!
Hongjun calmed down.
He realized that blaming the Two Sages of the West had indeed been inappropriate.
Only he knew his own plan. How could the other sages possibly see through it?
How could the Two Sages of the West have imagined that he, the Dao Ancestor of the Mystic Gate, had been going to such lengths to weaken his own great sect?
That was the crux of the matter!
It was only natural that the sages had failed to notice his plan!
But Tongtian had actually seen through it!
Hongjun's heart tightened!
Tongtian was now in a unique state. He was no longer a Sage, merely a Hunyuan!
Just as he had said, free of office, free of burdens!
He possessed unparalleled freedom!
Things that Sages could not do, Tongtian might be able to do!
This was a tremendous variable!
"Tongtian definitely does not possess such a grand perspective. An expert must be guiding him!"
"Who is it?"
"Yang Mei?"
Hongjun frowned deeply!
A cold gleam flickered in his eyes. Anyone who obstructed his path must perish!
Before you continue