Zhenyuanzi, seated in the back, watched Hong Yun rise and offer his seat, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant. He was deeply puzzled, but seeing that Hong Yun had already stood and spoken, he could only let out a deep sigh and shake his head helplessly.
As Hong Yun's close friend, he had already intervened once. Since Hong Yun was determined to do this, his mind must have been made up, so there was no need for him to stop him again.
After all, the one sitting on the meditation cushion was Hong Yun, not him. For now, he could only close his eyes and pretend to sleep. What he couldn't see wouldn't bother him.
When Zhunti and Jieyin saw Hong Yun rise, they quickly halted their movements. Jiang Yun stopped as well. The three of them walked over to Hong Yun, tidied their appearances, and cupped their hands in thanks.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, your Great Virtue is admirable. We thank you!"
Zhunti continued, "Fellow Daoist, we three will remember this kindness of yielding your seat. On behalf of the Mount Sumeru lineage, I owe you a favor. Should you ever need anything in the future, we will do everything in our power to assist you."
"It was only a small matter; there's no need to be so serious. I greatly admire all of you for doing this for the living beings of the West. Being able to meet in the Purple Cloud Palace is fate as well. Sit down first, and we can talk afterward. Don't miss the chance to hear the Dao."
With that, Hong Yun moved aside. Zhunti nodded in response but did not sit down himself. Instead, he pulled Jieyin in front of him and firmly pressed him onto the seat.
"Elder Brother, you sit first."
Jieyin froze for a moment, then understood Zhunti's good intentions. He nodded and said nothing more.
Seeing the two brothers displaying such affection and respect for each other, Hong Yun felt gratified as well. He then squeezed himself down beside Zhenyuanzi. Zhenyuanzi opened his eyes and glanced at him, full of helplessness, but still shifted aside to make room.
The other great powers watched this scene with differing thoughts. Some praised Hong Yun for his generosity and compassion, while others mocked the people from the West for harboring impure motives and being shameless. Others, such as Kunpeng, had no attention to spare for the matter.
At this moment, Kunpeng was also doing his utmost to suppress the resistance coming from the meditation cushion beneath him, just as Hong Yun had done. However, he had never entertained the thought of giving up his seat.
Regardless of whether he was fated to this cushion, once he sensed the hidden mystery within the seat, he would not give it up easily. If he had no fate with it, he would create that fate through strength. A forcibly plucked melon might not be sweet, but it could quench one's thirst.
Kunpeng was a great power as well, yet he had obtained no great opportunities despite making it this far. He did not even possess a single Innate Spiritual Treasure. Now that he had seized a front-row cushion, it was impossible for him to give it up willingly.
As the cushion's resistance grew stronger, Kunpeng finally leaked a trace of his aura while resisting it. This immediately alerted several people around him.
With a slight turn of their thoughts, they understood what had happened.
That fellow Kunpeng clearly was not the person destined for this cushion. Otherwise, he would not be struggling against it.
At this thought, Zhunti said to Kunpeng, "Since you are not the one chosen by the Heavenly Mandate, why not follow Fellow Daoist Hong Yun's example and yield your seat to me? I will remember your kindness and form a good karmic connection with you. What do you think?"
Kunpeng gave Zhunti a contemptuous glance. He was not some fool like Hong Yun. He said arrogantly, "Since I was able to win this seat among all the fellow Daoists, doesn't that mean the Heavenly Mandate is on my side? You needn't fob me off with such empty words. If you truly have the ability, then make your move. That will save me from underestimating you."
Before Zhunti could respond, Yuanshi unexpectedly spoke up from the other side, adding support: "You are a beast covered in fur and bearing horns, born from moisture and hatched from eggs. What face do you have to sit on these meditation cushions with us? Yield your seat at once."
It turned out that Yuanshi's interpretation of the Dao placed the greatest importance on following Heaven's will and obeying the Heavenly Dao. Since Kunpeng was not the one chosen by the Heavenly Mandate for this cushion, how could he forcibly occupy it? He had merely relied on his speed to seize the seat by luck. His virtue did not match his position, so naturally he could not keep it for long.
Zhunti was delighted upon hearing this. It was just like someone sending him a pillow when he was sleepy.
Yuanshi's words had undoubtedly given Zhunti a hand, but they also offended many of the living beings in the Dao Field. If they had not been inside the Purple Cloud Palace, a fight might have broken out on the spot.
Once Yuanshi said this, Laozi and Tongtian both showed surprise. This matter had originally had nothing to do with them, and they did not know why Yuanshi had suddenly joined in.
The two of them also realized that Yuanshi's words had offended quite a few great powers. However, the Three Pure Ones were bound together. Since Yuanshi had already spoken, there was no way to take it back. The two of them could only tacitly accept his stance and bear the consequences together.
The auras of the Three Pure Ones connected. Yuanshi directly unleashed his pressure upon Kunpeng. At this moment, Kunpeng was still concentrating on resisting the cushion's power, and the sudden pressure nearly knocked him off the cushion.
Yuanshi had intended to knock Kunpeng directly off his seat, but unexpectedly, Kunpeng endured it. He could only give a cold snort and let the matter go.
Kunpeng was rejoicing at having held onto the cushion when Zhunti seized the opportunity and circulated his magic power. He swung the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree in his hand forcefully at Kunpeng. With a single strike, he caught Kunpeng off guard and brushed him off the cushion.
Zhunti immediately turned around and sat down, and in the next moment, Jieyin connected his aura with Zhunti's, making them one in offense and defense.
Seeing Zhunti safely take his seat, Yuanshi nodded secretly, as if he felt that he had followed the Heavenly Mandate. He appeared rather pleased with himself.
By the time Kunpeng reacted, Zhunti and Jieyin were already prepared. It was too late for him to seize the seat back, especially with Yuanshi beside them waiting for an opportunity to act.
Kunpeng was furious. Knowing that he had completely lost his connection with the cushion, he had wanted to attack and start a great battle. However, he feared that this was a Sage's Dao Field, and the other side greatly outnumbered him. Even if they truly fought, he probably would not be their match, so he could only swallow his anger for the time being.
He hated Yuanshi, Zhunti, and the others in his heart. Then he happened to see Hong Yun sitting behind Jieyin. Thinking of how Hong Yun had voluntarily yielded his seat and formed a good karmic connection with the three of them, while he himself had lost his seat after being ambushed and gained nothing at all, Kunpeng began to resent Hong Yun as well.
Kunpeng angrily flung his sleeve, then slunk to the back and found a place to sit.
After Jieyin sat on the cushion, Jiang Yun sat down against its right side. He then watched the events that followed with great interest, not even missing the resentful look Kunpeng cast toward Hong Yun from the back.
Zhenyuanzi was no different. Seeing the hatred in Kunpeng's eyes, he could not help feeling a headache coming on for Hong Yun. The main party involved, Hong Yun, had failed to notice any of this and instead wore a calm, untroubled expression. Even Zhenyuanzi did not know what to say.
After seeing Zhunti and Jieyin's maneuver, some people in the hall began entertaining similar thoughts. They wondered whether seats could actually be requested in such a manner. Before anyone could try it, a grand voice rang out through the hall.
"The three thousand destined listeners have gathered. Close the palace gates."
As soon as the voice fell, the two youths hurriedly closed the gates of the Purple Cloud Palace, then went to stand watch on either side of the high platform at the front.
The next moment, rays of light filled the Purple Cloud Palace, and purple qi rose into the air. A figure appeared from thin air and sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion atop the high platform.
Seeing this, everyone below rose and saluted, calling out, "We pay our respects to the Sage! May the Sage enjoy boundless longevity and everlasting blessings and peace!"
Old Ancestor Hongjun swept his gaze across everyone in the hall, then looked toward the six people seated on the cushions at the front. He nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied, and said, "There is no need for such formalities. The seating has now been decided. From now on, whenever I lecture on the Dao, everyone shall sit according to these positions. They must not be changed again."
With a casual sentence, Old Ancestor Hongjun completely fixed everyone's seating arrangement. Those who had still been considering choosing new seats abandoned the idea, while some clever people detected something unusual within it. Could there be some hidden significance in the positions?
Before you continue