Opening the Door! We're So Miserable!

"Master, all the meditation cushions have been handed out. Why are they still fighting over there?"

"What grudge do they have against each other?"

Shi Yu scratched his head as he watched the battle in the far distance. Every move was truly aimed at killing.

The sound of bells rang out without end. Amid the clashes of metal, the stars of the heavens occasionally manifested across the battlefield...

The reason Tai Yi and Di Jun had not appeared during the recent battle over the meditation cushions was that the Twelve Ancestral Witches had locked onto their positions the moment they entered Zixiao Palace...

The Witch Clan believed that every grudge had to be avenged—and preferably on the spot!

The Twelve Ancestral Witches were as close as siblings. Together, they surrounded Di Jun and Tai Yi. Sometimes, having more people really was an advantage.

"Third Martial Uncle, the Twelve Ancestral Witches are ganging up on them too. Aren't you going to do anything?" Shi Yu poked Tongtian in the back.

"Ah, the Dao Rhyme here is so rich. Little Yu Zi, don't disturb me while I comprehend the Dao!"

"Your Second Martial Uncle feels the same! I feel like my cultivation is about to advance again!"

The two of them closed their eyes and rested, looking completely uninterested in worldly disputes.

At the very center of Zixiao Palace, a high platform had appeared at some point. Daoist Hongjun sat upright upon it.

Endless majesty radiated from his entire body, as though he had merged with Zixiao Palace itself.

"Will you not stop?"

"Do you intend to disregard my dignity?"

With a wave of his loose sleeve, gentle Dao Rhyme pulled the two sides apart just as they were about to beat each other senseless.

One had to bow one's head beneath another's roof—especially when that other party was an almighty expert with heaven-defying cultivation. Although the Twelve Ancestral Witches, Di Jun, and Tai Yi feared neither Heaven nor Earth, their opponent was Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who had come from beyond the heavens...

"Please forgive us, senior~"

The two sides each shot the other a glance before turning away and heading to separate corners.

"Big Brother, if that old man hadn't interfered, those two feathered birds might already have been in our bowl..." Zhu Rong, the Fire Ancestral Witch, had the most explosive temper of them all.

"That's right. That white-bearded old man really thinks he's something special. We're direct descendants of Pangu!!!" Gonggong, the Water Ancestral Witch, chimed in.

"Brothers, shh!"

"We're still in his domain..."

"We can't beat him!"

Houtu gently raised a finger to her lips, signaling the two of them to be quiet. Although Zhu Rong and Gonggong were still filled with displeasure, they could only shut their mouths after hearing Houtu.

They had witnessed Hongjun's methods just now. After all, he was a Saint...

Hongjun, still seated, spoke again. "Since you have entered my Zixiao Palace, you are all people destined to meet. Do not cause any more trouble. Focus on listening to the Dao."

As his words fell, a ray of auspicious light enveloped everyone. They felt the distracting thoughts in their hearts gradually fade, and their minds become somewhat clearer.

However, just as Old Ancestor Hongjun was about to begin lecturing on the Dao, two beings from the Western World—Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti—hurriedly arrived...

"Senior Brother, it seems we're late..."

Looking at the tightly shut gates of Zixiao Palace, Zhunti and Jieyin wore bitter expressions.

"Junior Brother, you can actually remove the 'seems,' you know!" Jieyin looked just as despondent.

"Senior Brother, how about we do that?"

"Junior Brother, you mean...?"

"That's right, exactly that!!!"

"Good! For the great prosperity of the West! Two horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke—just do it! One force and two dots—get it done!"

"Bang, bang, bang~~"

Clanging sounds came from the gates of Zixiao Palace, accompanied by heart-wrenching sobs...

"Open the door~"

"Our lives are so miserable~"

The anguished wails pierced through the gates of Zixiao Palace and reached the ears of the various mighty experts.

Laozi and the others seated on the six foremost meditation cushions immediately looked toward Old Ancestor Hongjun when they heard the ghostly wailing.

Yet Old Ancestor Hongjun acted as though he had heard nothing. He remained calmly seated, while the tightly shut gates of Zixiao Palace did not move in the slightest, no matter how Jieyin and Zhunti outside battered them and wailed.

Laozi slightly furrowed his brows, secretly thinking that these two were certainly persistent.

Yuanshi, sitting nearby, revealed a trace of disdain. He thought, There are actually people in this world shameless enough to behave like this. I must stay far away from them in the future!

Lord of the Heavens, however, watched the direction of the palace gates with great interest. People this shameless were truly unheard-of.

"Disciple, what do you think of this sort of behavior?" Laozi suddenly noticed Shi Yu standing nearby, idly picking at his fingers, and asked him softly.

"Ah~"

"People without shame are invincible beneath the heavens. Compared with these two, my Dao attainment is like the glow of a firefly before the bright moon~"

Shi Yu sincerely admired the two of them. How could two mighty experts lower themselves so shamelessly? He would have to learn well from these two future, nominal Martial Uncles!

"Senior Nephew, you are the founding senior disciple of our Sanqing. You must conduct yourself uprightly and absolutely must not imitate these two!" Yuanshi was greatly alarmed. What would happen if Shi Yu really learned from them?

"Second Martial Uncle is right. Then I'll do it uprightly."

At that moment, Nuwa gently parted her lips. "Teacher, since these two desire to hear the Dao so badly, could you give them a chance?"

Old Ancestor Hongjun was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Established rules cannot be changed lightly."

Outside the gates, Jieyin and Zhunti, who had received no response, made an even greater commotion, their voices nearly hoarse.

"If you won't let me in to hear the Dao, I-I-I... I'll smash my head and die right here at the gates of Zixiao Palace!"

Zhunti shouted loudly. A strange radiance radiated from his entire body, and he seemed ready to force his way through the palace gates. Seeing this, Jieyin also exerted his full strength.

Just then, a force surged out from Zixiao Palace and firmly held the two of them back. Old Ancestor Hongjun's majestic voice rang out. "If you offend me again, I will show no mercy."

The two immediately collapsed to the ground. Their hearts secretly rejoiced, knowing that they would be able to listen to the Dao in Zixiao Palace today!

As the two entered the main hall of Zixiao Palace, they saw that all the meditation cushions, large and small, had been occupied.

The Western Duo immediately saw that the six meditation cushions in the center were extraordinary. They quickly sized up the six people.

They couldn't afford to provoke Sanqing. The old man who had once trodden on seven-colored clouds was still vivid in their memories.

And Fuxi, seated beside Nuwa, looked like he could fight as well, so he was also not to be provoked.

Thus, the two set their sights on good-natured Hong Yun... They had heard of Hong Yun's reputation for kindness long ago, when they traveled through the primordial wilderness soliciting offerings.

The two exchanged a glance, then began wailing loudly again, beating their chests and stamping their feet in great misery.

"Life was hard—so hard!"

"We suffer in the West! The earth veins were blown apart by Demon Ancestor Rahu. My senior brother and I have spent every day repairing the earth veins and planting trees. We have never stopped dreaming of making the West great again..."

"We had intended to repair another mountain range with our senior brother... Who could have known that we would miss the lecture because of it~~" The two wore sorrowful expressions, their words making the West's poverty sound utterly tragic.

Ancestor Hong Yun was broad-minded by nature. Hearing this, he felt pity for them. Although they had been born in a barren land, they possessed compassionate hearts and lofty aspirations. They were truly rare.

Thinking of himself, although he had obtained the honored position of a meditation cushion, he had no great desire for it. Thus, he stood and offered his seat.

"Fellow Daoists, you have traveled a long road and endured great hardships. I shall give this meditation cushion to you. May you attain the Great Dao and save all living beings. It will count as one more good deed!"

Zhen Yuanzi was seated among the various mighty experts, stroking his beard. Suddenly, Ancestor Hong Yun's words exploded beside his ears like a thunderbolt.

"Wait, brother!"

"You..."

In his shock, he accidentally pulled out several strands of his beard and hissed sharply from the pain...

"Fellow Daoist, thank you!"

"You have a part in the great prosperity of the West! We brothers owe you a great Karmic Connection!"

Ancestor Hong Yun smiled faintly. His heart remained calm. He then rose and flew to the side of his good friend, Zhen Yuanzi.

"Hong Yun, that might be a great opportunity. You don't regret it?" Zhen Yuanzi looked at the few strands of beard he had honorably lost and shook his head repeatedly.

"Hahahaha, I'm just a carefree wandering crane. What would I need such a great opportunity for? I couldn't handle it. I'd rather eat some Ginseng Fruits or something with you!" Ancestor Hong Yun was truly broad-minded, just as his reputation claimed.

However, there was now only one meditation cushion left. Zhunti and Jieyin turned their gazes toward the gloomy old man—Kunpeng~

"Fellow Daoist, could you give up your seat? I want to sit together with my senior brother~" Zhunti wrinkled his face like a chrysanthemum.

"Get lost! Why should I give up the seat I fought for?"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem~~"

Zhunti's brows furrowed. He thought, This fellow is harder to deal with than Hong Yun. I can only keep stirring things up for him.

"Fellow Daoist!"

"We in the West are suffering!"

Zhunti complained while secretly observing Kunpeng's expression.

Kunpeng snorted coldly. "Don't think you can deceive me with the same trick you used on Hong Yun. What does the West's suffering have to do with me?"

Jieyin clasped his hands and spoke with a solemn, dignified expression. "Fellow Daoist, if you give up this meditation cushion today, then when the West prospers in the future, you will surely receive a great reward. This is a boundless merit."

A trace of mockery flashed through Kunpeng's eyes. "Your West is impoverished. Could it be that my North Sea isn't impoverished as well?"

"You're poor? Do you think I'm rich?"

Most of the opportunities and merit in the North Sea belonged to that old turtle who was always sleeping. Although Kunpeng possessed formidable cultivation and divine abilities, when it came to spirit treasures, he was even worse off than the Western Duo.

"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, listen to me!"

"Where you sit doesn't change the fact that you'll be listening. They're already this pitiful, so what harm is there in giving up your seat?"

That voice Kunpeng hated to the extreme once again rang in his ears.

"Damn you, Hong Yun!"

"Shut up!"

Burning with rage, Kunpeng rose to his feet and summoned his spirit treasure, hurling it at Hong Yun!

"Now's our chance, Junior Brother!"

"I'm on it!"

While Kunpeng was attacking Hong Yun, Zhunti immediately dropped his butt onto Kunpeng's meditation cushion.

"You..."

"I..."

"He..."

Looking at his seat being occupied in such a baffling manner, Kunpeng stood there alone in utter confusion.

"Thank you for giving up your seat, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng. You have a part in the great prosperity of the West! Many thanks!" Zhunti, seated as steadily as Mount Tai, bowed toward Kunpeng.

"Ptooey~~"

The enraged Kunpeng spat out a mouthful of old blood. His face turned pale, his eyes bloodshot, making his already gloomy appearance even more sinister.

"This is all because of you!"

"Hong Yun! Hong Yun! Hong Yun!"

Kunpeng threw his head back and roared, shouting Hong Yun's name three times. He forcibly suppressed his rage, found a meditation cushion farther back, and sat down. Seated beside him were the brothers Tai Yi and Di Jun.

Seeing that everyone had finally quieted down, Old Ancestor Hongjun nodded slightly. Dao Rhyme flowed around his body, as though merging with the spiritual essence of all Zixiao Palace. He then began the lecture on the Dao that would shake the primordial wilderness...

All the mighty experts closed their eyes and listened to the Saint's Great Dao. Of course, a few of them belonged to the category of people who "couldn't understand it."

Shi Yu was one of them. His cultivation was simply too low, so he was not particularly interested in the Saint's Great Dao. It could even be described as obscure and incomprehensible.

"I'm not alone in this!"

"Looks like there are others who can't understand it either!"

After sweeping his gaze around, he found a group of people who, like him, couldn't understand the lecture. Their reactions were even more extreme than Shi Yu's. They were none other than the Ancestral Witches who had fought Di Jun and Tai Yi.

The burly men scratched their heads one after another. Since the Twelve Ancestral Witches had not cultivated primordial spirits, their understanding of the Dao was limited. Most of what they heard was only half-understood, and they could only fret helplessly...

"Ah~"

"Big Brother, look! There's another little chicken-wing who can't understand it either!" Zhu Rong excitedly pointed at Shi Yu, who was sitting beside Taiqing.