Time held no count in the Primordial World. Ever since the Dao-Devil War ended, Demon Ancestor Luohu had been defeated and slain, forcibly opening the Heavenly Demon Realm with a wisp of his remnant soul and the origin of Chaos Fiendgods. Luo Hou had then uttered a curse: "As the Dao rises one foot, demons rise ten." From then on, cultivators had to endure heart-demon tribulations and heavenly-demon tribulations. At the same time, a force of order had begun to reshape heaven and earth, and the Dao resonance heralding the emergence of Saints grew increasingly clear. Xuan Wazi emerged from his secluded cultivation within the Chaos Bead. His cultivation had stabilized at the peak of the mid-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm; his essence and qi were full, and he needed only an opportunity to break through.
He stood atop Mount Buzhou, gazing toward the churning chaos beyond the Thirty-three Heavens, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"The time has come," he murmured. Almost the instant his words fell, an incomparably vast pressure, standing above all living beings, swept across the entire Primordial World like spilled mercury! All spirits bowed their heads, and every living being trembled!
A calm yet majestic Dao voice rang clearly within the primordial spirits of every cultivator who had reached a certain realm:
"High upon the ninefold clouds I rest, upon a prayer mat I realize the true Dao. Beyond heaven and earth, dark and yellow, I shall preside as honored teacher. Pangu gave birth to Taiji; the Two Principles and Four Images followed. One Dao passes to three friends; two teachings divide into Exposition and Interception. I lead the excellence of the Mystic Gate; one breath transforms into Hongjun."
"I am Hongjun. I have now attained the Dao and become a Saint. Within the chaos beyond the Thirty-three Heavens, I have established Zixiao Palace to expound the Dao of Grand Unity Golden Immortals and Quasi-Saints. All those fated may come and listen."
The Dao voice lingered in the air. The era of Saints had arrived!
In an instant, the entire Primordial World erupted! Countless reclusive great powers and experts from every race transformed into dazzling streaks of light, surging toward the chaos beyond the Thirty-three Heavens like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea!
At Kunlun Mountain, three streams of clear light shot into the sky, their auras vast and mighty. They were the Three Pure Ones.
At Longevity Mountain, an earthen-yellow streak of light traveled alongside crimson clouds. They were Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun.
At the Solar Star, two tyrannical golden rainbows tore through the heavens as Di Jun and Taiyi set out together.
At the Lunar Star, cold moonlight flickered as Xi He and Chang Xi broke through the air.
From the Netherworld Blood Sea, a blood-colored streak of light silently rose...
In the western lands, two hurried, sorrowful streaks of light struggled forward. They were Jieyin and Zhunti.
Nearly all the foremost great powers of the Primordial World had mobilized!
As for Xuan Wazi, he had moved the instant Hongjun's Dao voice sounded!
System Bro, it's up to you! Xuan Wazi thought, activating the Chaos Bead and the Fragment of the Great Dao of Strength with all his might!
Boom!
The space before him was forcibly torn open by a tyrannical force, creating a passage! This was no ordinary escape technique, but a "Power Leap" created by combining the Great Dao of Strength Fragment with the spatial authority of the Chaos Bead! Simple, brutal, effective!
His figure blurred and vanished from where he stood. The next moment, he had appeared at the edge of chaos, billions of miles away! His speed far surpassed cloud-riding and rainbow flight, and was even a shade faster than the Golden Crow Rainbow Transformation Technique!
Whoosh—!
Another ripple of power spread out. Xuan Wazi tore through space once more, and after several flickers through the Chaos Qi, he had thrown the vast majority of his competitors far behind him! With the Chaos Bead protecting him, the Chaos Qi posed no more difficulty to him than walking on level ground.
His goal was clear—Zixiao Palace, and the first prayer mat!
Passing through layer after layer of chaotic mist, he saw an ancient, majestic purple palace floating silently in the chaos. The platform before its gates was already within sight!
He had reached Zixiao Palace!
The platform was empty! He was the first to arrive!
Xuan Wazi was overjoyed. His figure flashed like lightning as he shot toward the palace gates.
However, just as he was about to step onto the platform, a mysterious radiance descended from behind him. Serene and detached, yet seemingly containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, it had set off later but arrived first. Though it appeared slow, it was in fact unimaginably swift, landing steadily upon the platform. As the light faded, it revealed the calm figure of Supreme Purity Laozi.
"Fellow Daoist Supreme Purity, what speed!" Xuan Wazi's gaze sharpened as he praised him aloud, but his feet did not slow. Still half a step ahead, he rushed through the gates of Zixiao Palace! He was still first!
A flicker of surprise passed through Laozi's eyes. He had apparently not expected anyone to be faster than him, much less by such a direct and overbearing method. He gave a slight nod without saying anything, following close behind as the second to enter the main hall.
The hall was vast and ancient, overflowing with Dao resonance. At the very front, a cloud bed hung high in the air, and beneath it sat six purple prayer mats radiating a mysterious aura.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xuan Wazi charged straight for the first prayer mat and calmly took his seat!
Laozi entered second, his expression as still as an ancient well. After glancing at Xuan Wazi in the foremost seat, he silently walked to the second prayer mat and sat down.
Next, Yuqing Yuanshi entered the hall third. Seeing the foremost seat occupied by an unfamiliar Daoist while his eldest brother had been relegated to second, his brows immediately furrowed and displeasure flashed across his face. Yet he ultimately said nothing. With a cold snort, he walked toward the third prayer mat.
After that, a sharp sword light burst into the hall. It was Shangqing Tongtian. When he saw the seating order ahead, especially Yuanshi seated third and himself ranked fourth, his brows rose slightly, as though he was somewhat unwilling to accept it. But seeing that Laozi and Yuanshi had already taken their seats, he could only suppress his temper and head for the fourth prayer mat.
Nuwa entered fifth. Her aura was ethereal as she glanced at the people seated upon the prayer mats. Her beautiful eyes filled with even greater curiosity when they fell upon Xuan Wazi in the foremost seat, and she walked toward the fifth prayer mat.
Ancestor Hong Yun entered sixth, still looking like the same easygoing good fellow. He smiled as he looked around. Seeing that the five before him all possessed extraordinary bearing, he headed for the final, sixth prayer mat.
Thus, the six prayer mats instantly each gained an owner! The order had been decided: Xuan Wazi in the foremost seat, Supreme Purity Laozi second, Yuqing Yuanshi third, Shangqing Tongtian fourth, Nuwa fifth, and Hong Yun sixth!
The great powers who entered afterward, such as Zhen Yuanzi and Fuxi, were overjoyed that their friend and younger sister had obtained prayer mats. Di Jun, Taiyi, Minghe, and the others saw that the six prayer mats in front were already occupied. Though unwilling, they could only find seats at the back of the hall. In a Saint's Dao arena, no one dared act recklessly.
Jieyin and Zhunti of the west arrived late. Upon entering the hall, they immediately saw that all six prayer mats were occupied. When they noticed Hong Yun seated in the last position, their faces instantly filled with sorrow and misery.
Jieyin's eyes reddened, while Zhunti beat his chest and stomped his feet, crying out in a tearful voice, "Senior Brother! We have come all this way from the barren western lands solely to hear the Saint's wondrous teachings and bring glory to our Western Teachings. Yet... yet fate has denied us even this meeting, and we do not even have a place to sit and hear the Dao! How tragic! How painful!"
Their voices were mournful, clearly attempting to stir sympathy. Ancestor Hong Yun sat upon the sixth prayer mat, and a look of pity indeed appeared on his face. His lips moved slightly, as though he were about to rise.
Seated in the foremost position, Xuan Wazi took in everything. Sneering inwardly, he immediately sent a secret transmission to Hong Yun, his voice carrying a trace of solemnity:
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, do not soften your heart! This prayer mat is an opportunity to become a Saint. It concerns your future upon the Great Dao and is no ordinary seat! You cannot yield it—absolutely cannot! Look at the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa. Does any one of them intend to give theirs up? This is an opportunity ordained by heaven. To force the matter would only be unsightly. Just sit at ease!"
Upon receiving the transmission, Hong Yun's body shook. He looked toward Xuan Wazi in the foremost seat, then at the expressionless Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, who had closed her eyes to rest, before turning back to the wailing pair from the west. A struggle flashed across his face. In the end, he gritted his teeth, silently remembered his gratitude toward Xuan Wazi, and sat firmly upon his prayer mat, no longer paying them any heed.
Jieyin and Zhunti wailed for a long while, but seeing no response—especially seeing Hong Yun remain firmly seated—they grew both anxious and furious. Yet they did not dare act within a Saint's Dao arena, and could only stand unwillingly in the second row, their gloomy gazes sweeping over the six people in front.
[Ding! Main quest "First Guest of Zixiao Palace" completed! Successfully claimed the first prayer mat! Rewards distributed: Innate Spiritual Treasure "Boundless Bracelet" ×1, Jade Disk of Fortune fragment ×1, cultivation raised to the late stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal!]
A vast surge of pure energy instantly poured into Xuan Wazi's body, pushing his cultivation, already near its bottleneck, into a natural breakthrough! Late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal! His mana became even more boundless, his divine sense increasingly lucid, and his comprehension of the Great Dao of Strength seemed to have deepened another layer!
Feeling his newfound strength, as well as the faint, mysterious connection formed between himself, Zixiao Palace, and the Saint's Great Dao from sitting upon the foremost prayer mat, Xuan Wazi felt completely reassured and immensely pleased with himself.
He lounged leisurely in the foremost seat, his gaze sweeping across the three thousand worldly guests in the hall, all wearing different expressions. In particular, he looked at Di Jun and Taiyi in the back rows, their faces livid, and at the two from the west, whose sorrowful eyes concealed venomous resentment. The roguish smile at the corner of his lips grew even more obvious.
"Old Man Hongjun, this humble Daoist has arrived—and even taken your top seat. This lecture should start soon."
Just as his thoughts drifted, mist swirled above the cloud bed at the front of the hall, and golden lotuses bloomed from the earth. A hazy figure silently condensed into form, as though he had merged with the palace, the chaos, and the Heavenly Dao itself.
Hongjun had appeared upon the cloud bed!
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