Jieyin and Zhunti obtained Hong Yun's location, then turned their gazes toward Kunpeng.
Everyone else on the meditation cushions had come in groups. Only Kunpeng stood alone, managing to snatch a cushion solely by relying on his extreme speed.
"You insolent fool, how dare you be so rude? Hurry up and give up your seat."
Unlike their attitude toward Ancestor Hong Yun, Zhunti was not nearly so obsequious toward Kunpeng.
After all, Kunpeng had neither siblings nor close friends.
Kunpeng's expression immediately turned cold, killing intent surging in his gloomy eyes.
Although he knew these two Daoists were not easy to provoke, they had mocked him to his face. If he did nothing, then Ancestor Kunpeng might as well stop trying to make a name for himself in the Primordial World.
At this point, Kunpeng was not yet the later Kunpeng who would flee at the first sign of trouble. He still had some backbone.
He gave a cold snort. "You want this cushion? Do you think you're worthy?"
As he spoke, his aura surged. The manifestation of Kunpeng's true form flickered into view, and when his wings spread, the winds and clouds changed color.
Zhunti had not expected Kunpeng to be so unyielding. He immediately stopped wasting words, formed seals with both hands, and blasted a beam of Buddhist light toward Kunpeng.
Kunpeng's figure flashed, his speed as swift as lightning. In an instant, he appeared behind Zhunti and viciously raked at him with his claws. Zhunti hurriedly turned to block, and for a time, the two fought to a standstill.
Just as Jieyin was about to help, Primordial, who was seated in front, suddenly swept out his sleeve, sending a surge of magical power toward Kunpeng.
Kunpeng had been focused entirely on guarding against a sudden attack from Jieyin. He had never expected Primordial to make the first move.
He immediately staggered from the blow, and Zhunti seized the opportunity to sit on Kunpeng's cushion.
Kunpeng was furious and glared viciously at Primordial.
"What do you mean by this, fellow Daoist?"
Primordial wore a haughty expression and replied coldly,
"You are a creature born from the damp, hatched from an egg, and covered in scales and armor. What qualifications do you have to sit among us?"
As soon as these words were spoken, most of the Great Powers in Zixiao Palace turned their gazes toward Primordial.
More than half of those listening to the Dao in Zixiao Palace were precisely the creatures born from the damp, hatched from eggs, and covered in scales and armor that Primordial had mentioned.
When Lao Tzu and Tongtian saw that Primordial had provoked the wrath of the masses, they immediately began complaining inwardly.
What did Jieyin and Zhunti have to do with Primordial? Why had he meddled for no reason? And even if he had meddled, he had still offended most of the people with a single sentence.
But there was nothing they could do. Who told the Three Pure Ones to be one entity? Since Primordial had caused the trouble, the three of them naturally had to bear it together.
Lao Tzu and Tongtian also released their auras. Both were at the consummate Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, while Lao Tzu faintly surpassed it by a hair.
The Three Pure Ones' reputation and strength still carried some weight. At the very least, at this critical moment of listening to the Dao, no one wanted to argue with them.
Even Tai Yi, who wore an indignant expression and had already brought out the Chaos Bell, was stopped by Di Jun.
Kunpeng was furious, but faced with the pressure from the Three Pure Ones and the covetous stares of Jieyin and Zhunti, he could only endure because he was weaker.
After retreating to the back, Kunpeng once again turned a murderous gaze toward Hong Yun.
If Hong Yun had not insisted on meddling, how could he have been dragged into this?
He could not afford to provoke the Three Pure Ones, nor could he afford to provoke Jieyin and Zhunti. But Hong Yun—surely he could afford to provoke him?
Hong Yun, who noticed Kunpeng's gaze, was also unable to express his suffering.
He himself did not know how he had ended up giving his seat to those two people from the West.
Only after the farce over the seats in Zixiao Palace ended did Hongjun slowly reveal his figure on the cloud bed atop the high platform.
Hongjun had appeared abruptly on the cloud bed, yet not a single Great Power in Zixiao Palace had noticed.
Having realized this, the Great Powers immediately put away their petty schemes.
Sages were invincible!
Hongjun's eyes swept indifferently over the situation inside Zixiao Palace, pausing for a second on the people seated on the six cushions in front.
"The seats shall remain arranged this way from now on."
"We respectfully obey the Sage's decree."
The Great Powers all cupped their hands and bowed.
"The preaching in Zixiao Palace will take place three times, each lasting thirty thousand years."
After Hongjun finished speaking, he did not wait for their response and began preaching the Dao on his own.
"Before the Supreme Pure Violet Cloud Void Emperor, the Grand Supreme Dao Jade Morning Lord.
"Dwelling leisurely in the Numinous Pearl, composing seven-word verses; dispersing and transforming into five forms, changing into ten thousand gods.
"This is called the Yellow Court Inner Scripture: the heart of the zither in three layers, dancing with the embryonic immortal.
"Nine qi reflect brightly beyond the firmament, while divine-capped youths emerge amid violet smoke.
"This is the Jade Book, worthy of diligent study. Recite it ten thousand times, and ascend to the Three Heavens.
"A thousand calamities will vanish, all illnesses will be cured, and old age will be repelled, extending life forever..."
When a Sage preached the Dao, heavenly flowers rained down.
Zixiao Palace was enveloped in Dao Charm. Strange phenomena descended from heaven, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.
Hongjun's voice seemed to cross through time and space, piercing the souls of everyone present.
For a time, everyone sank into that wondrous Dao sound, comprehending the principles of Heaven and Earth.
Spiritual energy surged within Zixiao Palace, and lights flickered over everyone's bodies, as though they had advanced under the baptism of the Dao sound.
No one knew how much time had passed when Hongjun, still preaching, suddenly furrowed his brow slightly.
Then, with the authority of Heaven in his mouth, he said,
"The Dharma is not transmitted to six ears."
In the Primordial World, in an unknown mountain forest,
a monkey with six ears suddenly let out a shriek.
Blood flowed from his ears, and his eyes became muddled, losing their clarity.
This minor interlude did not affect the others' listening to the Dao.
As the preaching continued, everyone's insights grew increasingly profound.
When they heard something wondrous, some laughed toward the heavens while others were overcome with sorrow. All manner of living beings' emotions appeared one after another within Zixiao Palace.
Some loose cultivators whose aptitude had originally been ordinary actually broke through their bottlenecks amid the Dao sound, provoking a burst of envy from those around them.
The six Great Powers seated in the front row were even more immersed in it wholeheartedly. Strange lights occasionally flickered above their heads, as though they had received Hongjun's special favor.
Time quietly passed amid the wondrous preaching, and the first preaching was about to end...
Soon, thirty thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
Hongjun stopped the Dao sound.
Everyone gradually awakened. Their expressions varied, but all had gained something from the Sage's preaching.
"The first preaching ends here."
After Hongjun finished speaking, he fell silent, as though waiting for everyone to respond.
Among them, a quick-witted living being immediately bowed and performed a grand salute.
"Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for imparting the Dao."
The people in Zixiao Palace immediately reacted and all bowed deeply toward Hongjun in a grand salute.
"Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for imparting the Dao."
Hongjun seemed satisfied. He nodded slightly before speaking again.
"Because of the calamity, the order of the Primordial World is in chaos, and all living beings are fearful. As a Heavenly Dao Sage, I shall choose two people to govern the Primordial World."
Everyone became excited, especially those with ambition.
Hongjun did not wait for anyone to recommend themselves.
"Dong Wang Gong, Queen Mother of the West."
Dong Wang Gong and Queen Mother of the West, who had been called out by the Sage, immediately rose and bowed.
"You two were respectively transformed from Innate Yang Qi and Innate Yin Qi. I hereby appoint Dong Wang Gong as the Head of Male Immortals. All male immortals who ascend shall enter the Violet Palace and pay respects to Mugong. I appoint Queen Mother of the West as the Head of Female Immortals. All female immortals who ascend shall enter the Jade Pool and pay respects to Golden Mother."
Dong Wang Gong and Queen Mother of the West were filled with delight and respectfully bowed to Hongjun.
"We respectfully obey the Sage's decree."
Hongjun nodded, then waved his hand and bestowed two Supreme Innate Spiritual Treasures: the Dragon Head Staff and the Western Plain Colored Cloud Banner.
The two were once again overjoyed.
The others in Zixiao Palace looked at them with envy and jealousy. Some cultivators with ordinary origins even prepared to pledge allegiance to Dong Wang Gong and Queen Mother of the West.
But most remained disdainful.
The female immortals were one thing. There were only a few renowned and highly powerful female cultivators in the Primordial World. Queen Mother of the West knew her own limits and naturally would not provoke them.
But the male immortals were an entirely different matter.
There were simply too many powerful and unruly male immortals in the Primordial World: the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun and Tai Yi, Minghe, Jieyin and Zhunti, Zhenyuanzi, the Twelve Ancestral Witches...
None of them would submit to Dong Wang Gong's control. At most, they would show the Sage some respect. Anything more would simply be Dong Wang Gong imagining things.
Seeing that everything had been arranged, Hongjun left one sentence behind before disappearing.
"Disperse. The next preaching will begin in one hundred thousand years."
Before you continue