Immortals Slay Their Corpses, the Dao Ancestor Hesitates

The years of the Primordial World drifted by. Since the Demon Race established the Heavenly Court and Xuan Wazi secretly "sponsored" them, several thousand more years had passed. During this time, aside from stabilizing his Late-stage Grand Unity cultivation and refining his newly acquired spiritual treasures, Xuan Wazi comprehended the Great Dao of Strength Fragment and the Chaos Gourd. Occasionally, his divine sense wandered the void as he watched the development of the Witch Tribe's settlements and the expansion of the Demon Race's Heavenly Court. Friction between the two races steadily increased, and the Sha Qi of the calamity quietly began to gather.

Finally, at a certain mystical moment, that calm yet majestic Dao voice once more resounded within the minds of all beings in the Primordial World:

"Three thousand years have elapsed. The Purple Cloud Palace shall hold its second lecture. All those fated may come and listen."

It was still that familiar voice, yet it seemed to carry a deeper Dao rhythm, more closely aligned with the Heavenly Dao.

In an instant, countless streaks of escaping light rose again, shooting toward the chaos beyond the Thirty-three Heavens.

Xuan Wazi had long been prepared. Once again, he combined the Great Dao of Strength with the Chaos Bead's spatial leap. His speed surpassed all others, and he was the first to arrive at the Purple Cloud Palace, firmly taking his seat on the foremost cushion. Close behind came Laozi of the Supreme Purity, Yuqing Yuanshi, Sect Master Tongtian of the Upper Purity, Nuwa, and Red Cloud. The seating order of the six remained unchanged, as though it had already become a predestined number.

Jieyin and Zhunti arrived late as always. Looking at the six cushions that stood as steady as Mount Tai—and especially seeing that Red Cloud did not even spare them a glance this time, merely closing his eyes to rest—the misery on their faces nearly solidified into substance. Yet they could only stand dejectedly in the second row.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun silently manifested upon the Cloud Bed. His gaze swept over those below, lingering for but an instant upon Xuan Wazi. His expression remained as indifferent as ever.

"This time, I will speak of the Dao of Quasi-Saints." Hongjun wasted no words and began directly.

The Dao voice rose again. What he spoke of this time was even more profound and mysterious than the Dao of Grand Unity. He explained in detail the Three Corpses—the Good Corpse, Evil Corpse, and Obsession Corpse—and how one could use Innate Spiritual Treasures to slay the Three Corpses and enter the realm of Quasi-Saints. From how to perceive one's true nature and identify one's Three Corpses, to selecting a suitable spiritual treasure in which to place them, to the dangers and barriers encountered when slaying them, he analyzed every point one by one.

Within the great hall, Dao rhythm grew ever denser. Flowers fell from heaven, and golden lotuses surged from the earth. Many great powers trapped at the peak of Grand Unity listened with rapt attention, as if they had glimpsed the dawn upon the road ahead.

As the lecture deepened, Hongjun's words came ever closer to the Great Dao Origin, pointing directly at the crucial secrets of corpse-slaying. Phenomena appeared frequently throughout the hall, until at last, someone began to break through!

The first to gain insight was Laozi of the Supreme Purity. Above his head, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda poured down ten thousand streams of Mysterious Yellow Qi. The Taiji Diagram in his hand slowly unfurled, Yin-Yang Qi circulating as it evolved life and death. Suddenly, the aura of tranquil inaction around him fluctuated. A phantom of an elderly man in a white Daoist robe, bearing a seventy-percent resemblance to Laozi yet appearing gentler and more benevolent, slowly stepped out from above his head and gave Laozi a Daoist salute.

"Congratulations, Daoist friend. You have perceived your true nature and severed your good thoughts."

Laozi nodded slightly, a faint, serene smile appearing on his face. "You and I are one. Why distinguish between self and other?" The white-robed elder transformed into a stream of clear qi and entered Laozi's body. Laozi's aura suddenly surged, breaking through that threshold and officially entering the Quasi-Saint realm! A wave of astonished exclamations arose all around.

Immediately afterward, Yuqing Yuanshi also stirred. The Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud above his head churned, while the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand bloomed with boundless radiance. An aura of majestic authority, of following Heaven's will and answering Heaven's mandate, condensed around him. Moments later, a Daoist phantom in a dark black robe separated from him. Its face was identical to Yuanshi's, but its brows carried a trace of sharp, murderous severity. It cast Yuanshi a cold glance as a greeting, then immediately merged back into his body.

"My evil thoughts have been severed; the Dao path is clearer!" Primordial Heavenly Venerate's aura likewise soared as he entered the Quasi-Saint realm, his face filled with satisfaction and pride.

Seeing that two of the Three Pure Ones had already successfully slain their corpses, Di Jun and Taiyi, seated in the rear, grew anxious. Although establishing the Heavenly Court had earned them merit, their cultivation had been stuck at the perfected Grand Unity realm for a long time. Di Jun drove the River Diagram and Luo Script with all his strength, deducing the heavenly secrets and gaining understanding of himself. Taiyi immersed his mind within the Chaos Bell, using the Dao rhythm of that supreme treasure of the world's opening to temper himself.

Finally, as the lecture neared its end, the imperial aura around Di Jun flourished. A phantom clad in imperial robes and wearing a crown with hanging beads stepped forth. Its face resembled Di Jun's, yet it was even more majestic and domineering. It gave Di Jun a slight bow before merging into him. With the aid of the River Diagram and Luo Script, Di Jun successfully slew his Good Corpse and entered the Quasi-Saint realm! The Heavenly Court's fortune resonated with him, adding even greater might to his presence.

Though Taiyi failed to slay a corpse immediately, his cultivation still advanced greatly through the Dao rhythm of the Chaos Bell. He was only a step away from becoming a Quasi-Saint, and the sharpness around him grew even fiercer.

It was not only those on the front cushions and the foremost great powers. Among the three thousand red dust guests, several hundred with deep fortune, sufficient accumulation, and suitable spiritual treasures also came to understand themselves under the guidance of Hongjun's Great Dao voice. They activated the spiritual treasures they carried and attempted to slay their corpses!

Within the hall, treasure light shot into the heavens and Dao rhythm crisscrossed in every direction, creating a spectacle beyond compare!

At times, the phantom of a deity flew forth from above someone's head, its aura peaceful and harmonious—the Good Corpse.

At times, a savage incarnation condensed beside someone, Sha Qi bearing down upon all around—the Evil Corpse.

Others wore expressions of struggle, until finally a persistent phantom separated from them—the Obsession Corpse.

Those who succeeded saw their auras surge and their faces fill with wild joy. The pressure of Quasi-Saints spread from their bodies as they respectfully kowtowed to the Dao Ancestor upon the Cloud Bed. Those who failed became listless and regretful, yet their Dao hearts only grew firmer.

For a time, the Purple Cloud Palace brimmed with wondrous phenomena. No fewer than several hundred great powers successfully slew one corpse during this lecture and entered the initial Quasi-Saint realm! The entire hall was shrouded in the vast aura of newly ascended Quasi-Saints. The Dao rhythm was so dense that it nearly formed a tangible ocean. Every one of those who had succeeded in slaying a corpse wore pride and joy on their faces, as though they had already set foot upon the broad road leading to sainthood.

Seated in the foremost position, Xuan Wazi calmly observed it all. Though he did not walk this path, he had to admit that Hongjun's method of slaying the Three Corpses was indeed a "shortcut" for cultivators with enough accumulation and suitable spiritual treasures, allowing them to rapidly increase their strength. But he understood even more clearly the hidden dangers behind that shortcut. Seeing the joy on the faces of those newly advanced Quasi-Saints stirred few ripples in his heart. Instead, it further strengthened his determination to prove the Dao through strength and reach Primordial Unity directly.

Just as the lecture delved deeper and everyone was immersed in the frenzied atmosphere of this "corpse-slaying feast," the system prompt in Xuan Wazi's mind rang out on cue:

[Ding! Main quest issued: The Dao Ancestor's Hesitation. Quest: After the lecture ends, incite Tongtian to ask Hongjun which is stronger, the path of the Primordial Golden Immortal or the path of the Quasi-Saint. Cause Hongjun to hesitate, and make more listeners understand that the path of Primordial Unity is the true path. Quest reward: Innate Spiritual Treasure ×1, Pangu's Essence Blood ×1, cultivation increased to perfected Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!]

Xuan Wazi's spirits rose. It was here!

Without showing anything, he secretly transmitted his voice to Sect Master Tongtian, who sat not far away. Tongtian was watching Laozi, Yuanshi, and even hundreds of great powers successively slay their corpses. The tide of breakthroughs sweeping through the entire hall only intensified his unwillingness to lose. He had always harbored doubts toward this corpse-slaying method, which relied on external objects and seemed to take shortcuts.

"Daoist Tongtian," Xuan Wazi's voice rang within his Primordial Spirit, "seeing our fellow Daoists successively slay their corpses, their cultivation advancing greatly with such magnificent momentum, is truly cause for celebration. But have you considered what path the Chaos Demon Gods—and even Father God Pangu—walked? Is there a path that seeks nothing outside oneself, slays nothing of oneself, remaining singular and pure, using one's own strength to reach Primordial Unity directly? Between this path of the Primordial Golden Immortal and the Quasi-Saint path, which appears convenient and has drawn the pursuit of all immortals, which is stronger and which is weaker?"

These words were like a splash of icy water, instantly extinguishing the slight restlessness that had arisen in Tongtian's heart because of his surroundings. In its place, they ignited the flame deep within him that sought purity and the utmost extremes! That was right! Corpse-slaying might be fast, but it lost its purity! When had Father God Pangu ever slain corpses? He had relied upon nothing but supreme divine strength and his own Great Dao!

Brilliant light burst from Tongtian's eyes, and an unruly, unyielding aura shot into the heavens, wholly unaffected by the auras of the hundreds of Quasi-Saints around him!

The three-thousand-year lecture came to an end once more. Hongjun's Dao voice fell silent, while the hall was filled with the joy and pride of several hundred newly advanced Quasi-Saints, along with the envy and contemplation of many more. The atmosphere was incomparably fervent.

Just as Hongjun's figure was about to vanish—

"Dao Ancestor, wait!" Sect Master Tongtian abruptly rose to his feet. His voice was clear and carried an edge that brooked no doubt, instantly overwhelming the clamor and noise in the hall!

"This disciple, Tongtian, has something he does not understand. I respectfully ask the Dao Ancestor to resolve my confusion!"

Hongjun's nearly vanished figure solidified slightly, and his indifferent gaze descended. "Speak."

Tongtian took a deep breath and asked in a ringing voice, every word carrying clearly to every corner of the hall, "May I ask, Dao Ancestor: the path of the 'Primordial Golden Immortal,' which existed even within chaos, does not slay the Three Corpses, and cultivates only the origin of one's own laws until reaching the realm of Primordial Unity—between that path and the 'Quasi-Saint' path which the Dao Ancestor has just explained, through which several hundred Daoist friends have attained success, which is stronger and which is weaker?"

The instant these words fell, the entire hall went silent!

The atmosphere that had been so fervent moments ago seemed to freeze in an instant! Every listener—whether the several hundred newly advanced Quasi-Saints, or Zhen Yuanzi, Red Cloud, and Nuwa who had failed to slay their corpses, or any of the other three thousand red dust guests—was stunned!

Especially the hundreds of great powers who had just successfully slain their corpses and were immersed in the joy of their soaring strength—the smiles on their faces instantly froze, replaced by an exceedingly strange expression. It was a mixture of astonishment, incomprehension, faint unease, and even a trace of offended anger. They had only just stepped onto this "broad road of light," rejoicing in their success, only for someone to openly question the very foundation of that road? It was like having a basin of cold water thrown over a feast. The delicacies remained, but the appetite was gone.

High upon the Cloud Bed, beneath Hongjun's indifferent expression, a minute trace of stagnation appeared within his Heavenly Dao will!

Xuan Wazi clearly caught that trace of stagnation, and it also sent shockwaves through the hearts of sharp-minded figures such as Laozi and Nuwa! The Dao Ancestor... had hesitated!

After a brief, suffocating silence, Hongjun's indifferent voice sounded. "Primordial Unity and Quasi-Saint are both Great Dao paths. Upon reaching their end, both may become Saints. Neither is superior to the other."

This vague answer instantly cooled the atmosphere that had just boiled over from the hundreds of corpse-slaying breakthroughs. The newly advanced Quasi-Saints looked at one another, the strange expressions on their faces deepening as an inexplicable doubt replaced the joy in their hearts.

"Many thanks to the Dao Ancestor for resolving my confusion!" Tongtian sat down, the fighting spirit in his eyes burning even hotter, utterly ignoring the strange looks around him.

Hongjun's figure vanished, but an eerie silence descended over the Purple Cloud Palace. When everyone looked at the several hundred newly advanced Quasi-Saints, there was less pure envy in their gazes and more complex scrutiny. The joy of successfully slaying their corpses seemed to have been veiled by a layer of shadow.

[Ding! Main Quest 'The Dao Ancestor's Hesitation' complete! Rewards issued: Innate Spiritual Treasure 'Yin Yang Mirror' (imitation), Pangu's Essence Blood ×1, cultivation raised to the Great Perfection of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!]

Vast power surged into him, and Xuan Wazi's cultivation instantly broke through to the Great Perfection of Zenith Heaven! Feeling the strength within his body, he looked toward the varied expressions around him—especially those newly advanced Quasi-Saints whose faces had turned strange and whose joy had vanished—and the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

"Fellow Daoists," Xuan Wazi said with a smile as he rose, "would you be interested in discussing the Dao once more? This time, let us discuss the difference between 'Primordial Unity' and 'Quasi-Saint.' What do you say?"

Tongtian responded at once! Nuwa nodded. Red Cloud naturally had no objection.

The four set out together once more, leaving behind the three thousand worldly guests, each harboring different thoughts amid a stifling atmosphere. Because of Xuan Wazi's question, the second sermon's effect was greatly diminished. Worse still, it planted a seed of doubt in the hearts of the several hundred newly advanced Quasi-Saints.