The First Sermon

After everyone in the hall quieted down, Old Ancestor Hongjun, ignoring their speculations and hidden thoughts, began to expound on the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

"The Upper Qi is called Shi, the Middle Qi is called Yuan, and the Lower Qi is called Xuan. Xuan Qi is born from emptiness, Yuan Qi is born from the void, and Shi Qi is born from nothingness. Thus, it can give birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things."

"All things carry the yin and embrace the yang, and tempered by the Qi, they achieve harmony. This is the Taiji."

"The three transform and give rise to the Nine Profound. Returning from nine to one is the True Dao. Yang Purity forms heaven, dregs condense to form earth, and the middle harmonizes to form man. These three are distinguished, and all things are born. The sun and moon shine in succession, the five elements are named, and this is the Saint."

"The Dao is empty, yet its use is inexhaustible. It is profound, like the progenitor of all things. It blunts the sharp, unravels the tangled, harmonizes the light, and mingles with the dust. It is deep, as if it exists. I know not whose child it is, yet it predates the Emperor."

The Saints' preaching was indeed extraordinary, profoundly mysterious.

In the Purple Firmament Palace, auspicious phenomena abounded. Golden flowers of spiritual essence condensed and drifted down, golden lotuses of Spiritual Energy surged from the ground, and countless Innate Spiritual Qi mixed with Dao Rhyme transformed into rare birds and exotic beasts. Among them were spiritual turtles playing, immortal cranes dancing, spiritual deer leaping, and qilin raising their heads, with all sorts of wondrous sights appearing endlessly.

In the early stages of the preaching, the Dao techniques expounded by Old Ancestor Hongjun were not overly profound, merely popularizing the cultivation methods for various sentient beings.

The beings in the Primordial Desolation world were divided into Innate and Acquired. Some top-tier Divine Demons, with their profound origins and stable foundations, were already Grand Luo Golden Immortals upon their Form Transformation and emergence into the world. Ordinary Innate Beings usually achieved Heavenly Immortal or even Golden Immortal realms upon Form Transformation. However, the vast majority of Acquired beings needed to cultivate slowly from below the Immortal realm, finally overcoming the Immortal Tribulation to complete the process of transforming from mortal to immortal and cultivating an Innate Dao Body.

During this first preaching, Old Ancestor Hongjun meticulously organized and imparted the cultivation methods for these Acquired beings. As these methods were subsequently spread by those listening in the Purple Heaven Palace, they would benefit the masses of the Primordial Desolation.

As the preaching continued and the cultivation paths for Acquired beings were concluded, Old Ancestor Hongjun began to expound on the cultivation methods for Innate Beings. This not only explained the profound mysteries of each Immortal Dao realm but also the methods for condensing the Dao Fruit upon reaching the perfection of the Grand Unity and Great Luo realms, truly encompassing everything.

For Spiritual Cultivators, the method of condensing the Nascent Soul's Three Flowers was mentioned in the preaching. Innate Qi-Eating Beings with incomplete inheritances could sufficiently fill the gaps in their Dao techniques with this knowledge. For Demon Cultivators, there was also the path of the Nascent Soul Dharma Idol, by which they could temper their bodies into powerful demonic beasts.

In addition to these contents, there were also various Innate Dao Techniques and Divine Abilities, as well as methods for Dao Forging Artifacts and other Heterodox Methods.

The sheer wealth of information left those below listening in rapturous delight. Even knowledge that did not align with their own cultivation paths could serve as a reference.

Jiang Yun, mixed among them, with the help of the supreme treasure Dao Derivation Disk, understood the content of this preaching quite thoroughly.

The content of this preaching only covered cultivation from the Qi Refining Realm to the Great Luo Realm. With his current cultivation at the Late Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage, it was not too far beyond his grasp. Except for some parts concerning the Great Luo Realm, which were very obscure and difficult to understand, even with the assistance of the supreme treasure, he felt dizzy and on the verge of death. He could only forcibly record it for now, and once he reached the Great Luo Realm, when both his physical body and Nascent Soul could bear the laws, he would revisit and ponder it carefully.

Old Ancestor Hongjun's preaching was extremely broad, covering Pills, Artifacts, Formations, and Talismans, and lacking nothing. Especially the Dao techniques and divine abilities expounded this time, which included the 108 Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend Divine Abilities, greatly supplementing his combat methods.

Three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, after Old Ancestor Hongjun finished explaining the content on the Great Luo Dao Fruit, he suddenly fell silent and stopped.

At the same time, all the heavenly flowers and golden lotuses in the hall vanished.

The listeners below felt a discomfort all over their bodies, involuntarily breaking their state of Unity of Heaven and Man, and they all looked up at the figure on the high platform.

Old Ancestor Hongjun's expression was impassive. Looking at the eager eyes of the crowd below, he said faintly, "Three thousand years have passed, and the first lecture is concluded. What has been expounded is merely the furthers reaches of the Dao. You shall comprehend it yourselves upon returning and study it diligently. Do not be negligent."

"Many thanks to the Saint for the grace of imparting the Dao. We shall strictly follow the Saint's teachings," the crowd said in unison.

"Mm, the next lecture will be announced separately. You may come to the Purple Firmament Palace again then," Old Ancestor Hongjun nodded and instructed, setting the date for the next lecture.

With that, his body flashed with light, and he disappeared.

Immediately, with a "boom," the doors of the Purple Heaven Palace opened.

Jiang Yun followed Jieyin and Zhunti, leaving the Purple霄 Palace with the crowd.

After the sermon concluded, the disciples departed the Purple Firmament Palace in small groups, either heading back to their Dao Fields for secluded cultivation and to consolidate their learnings, or seeking out friends to spar and discuss the Dao.

Kunpeng left the Purple Heaven Palace, cast a hateful glance at the few people he had formed an enmity with, and then entered the Chaos alone, heading towards the Primordial Desolation.

Jieyin and Zhunti did not leave immediately. They first took Jiang Yun to find the Three Pure Ones. After introducing themselves and getting acquainted, Zhunti and Jieyin expressed their gratitude to Yuanshi. Jiang Yun also made a good impression on the Three Pure Ones and received a few words of praise.

These individuals had all obtained meditation cushions. While listening to the preaching, each of them felt the peculiarity of the cushion beneath them. It was like a vortex of Fortune, gathering immense Fortune, and then emitting an aura that nourished their souls and physical bodies, accelerating their comprehension of Dao techniques. Furthermore, when listening to Old Ancestor Hongjun's preaching while seated on the cushion, the cushion would generate harmonious fluctuations with the surrounding law forces, guiding them to a deeper understanding of the laws.

After experiencing this, they all had some thoughts about the significance represented by the meditation cushions. With a shared understanding, their relationship became closer compared to others. Now, by colluding against Kunpeng, they had become acquainted.

After a brief conversation, they bid farewell. Jieyin and Zhunti then took Jiang Yun to find Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi, and the acquaintance and thanks continued.

Zhenyuanzi's Dao Field, Wuzhuang Temple, was near the western region. Jieyin and Zhunti agreed to return together.

The two groups traveled through the Chaos to the barrier of the Primordial Desolation. Suddenly, Hongyun's Nascent Soul stirred, and he faintly felt a premonition, as if an opportunity was manifesting in the Primordial Desolation. After passing through the barrier, the sense of opportunity became clearer and stronger. The others understood the situation and decided to accompany him in search of the opportunity.

Following the premonition, they arrived at Buzhou Mountain and stopped outside a valley. From a distance, they saw the Three Pure Ones standing ahead. They stepped forward and greeted them.

"Fellow Daoists, why do you stop here? Have you sensed the manifestation of Heavenly Secrets?" Zhunti asked with a smile.

"Haha, fellow Daoists have also come here," Yuanshi seemed to be in a good mood and answered the question, "My two brothers and I were guided by Heavenly Secrets and just arrived here when we sensed the manifestation of Heavenly Secrets. It seems something is about to be born, and it has a significant destiny with us."

For several great divine abilities to have a simultaneous premonition, it must be the birth of an extraordinary Spiritual Object.

As the time had not yet arrived and the treasure had not yet appeared, the two groups began to converse nearby. Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi also became familiar with the Three Pure Ones and the others.