Reminding Hongyun, The Two from the West Arrive

Within the Zixiao Palace, a profound silence reigned.

The Three Thousand Great Beings sat in stillness, some closing their eyes to regulate their breath, others quietly sizing up the fellow Daoists around them. Though no one spoke, the atmosphere within the hall churned with undercurrents, far from tranquil.

Especially the six cushions at the front—they drew the gaze of all, an invisible focal point of attention.

Upon those cushions sat the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Kunpeng, and Hongyun, each composed with a steady aura, silently setting themselves apart from the other listeners.

Wu Ming looked toward Daoist Hongyun, seated on the sixth cushion. The man was beaming, whispering with Zhen Yuanzi beside him, clearly pleased to have secured that spot.

Thinking of this good-natured soul's future fate, Wu Ming's heart stirred slightly.

After a brief pause, he spoke to Hongyun: "Fellow Daoist Hongyun."

Hongyun, who had been murmuring something to Zhen Yuanzi, turned his head, his face still wearing that trademark kind smile. "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, what is it?"

"Fellow Daoist, since you've claimed this cushion, it is your opportunity. Do not lightly yield it to another." Wu Ming's gaze was calm, but his tone carried a hint of gravity.

Hongyun blinked, clearly not expecting Wu Ming to say this out of nowhere.

He glanced down at the cushion beneath him, then back at Wu Ming's earnest expression. Though puzzled, he replied, "Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Wu Ming. Rest assured, this is a Sage's Dojo, and this cushion is of great import. How could I easily give it away?"

He assumed Wu Ming was merely concerned that his gentle nature might be taken advantage of, and felt a flicker of gratitude.

Wu Ming nodded, said no more, and closed his eyes to rest again.

He had given the warning. Whether Hongyun heeded it was his own choice.

The currents of the Heavenly Dao and the fate of individuals often hinged on a single thought.

Just then.

At the entrance of the Zixiao Palace, two figures stumbled in, looking haggard and disheveled.

One was gaunt and sallow, his brow furrowed with worry, as if bearing all the world's suffering upon himself.

The other was slightly better off, but still wore a bitter expression, travel-worn and marked by hardship.

These two were none other than Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti, who had journeyed from the distant lands of The West.

They were dusty and weary, their auras unsteady, their faces etched with exhaustion—clearly having expended immense effort to cross the Chaos and reach this place.

The moment they entered the Zixiao Palace, their eyes locked onto the six distinctive cushions at the front!

Those cushions shimmered with flowing Dao Rhythm, exuding an extraordinary mystery—plainly no ordinary seats!

This was a monumental opportunity!

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing desire and resolve in each other's eyes.

Damn! They had arrived too late!

The six cushions were already fully occupied!

Another look passed between them, and years of unspoken understanding let them grasp each other's intent instantly.

Zhunti's eyes darted, and a scheme formed in his mind.

"Wahhh..."

Without warning, Daoist Zhunti burst into mournful wails, his voice choked with tears: "The West is barren, the road so far! My senior brother and I, hearing of the Sage's preaching, yearned for the Great Dao, and so we traveled countless millions of miles, day and night, never daring to slacken!"

Daoist Jieyin, his face steeped in bitterness, chimed in with a sigh: "Indeed! Indeed!"

"How perilous was that Chaos! We nearly lost our way and perished, body and soul!"

"After great hardship, we finally found the Sage's Dojo, yet..."

His voice broke with sorrow: "Yet there is not even a place to listen to the Dao!"

"Are the beings of The West truly so ill-fated, so cut off from the Great Dao?!"

Beside him, Zhunti, a true drama queen, plopped directly onto the ground, beating his chest and stamping his feet, wailing loudly enough to fill the entire Zixiao Palace.

"Heavens above! Earth below!"

"We two brothers crossed mountains and rivers, traversed endless Chaos, endured so much hardship and suffering—was it easy for us?!"

"We thought we could hear the Sage's teachings and gain the true transmission of the Great Dao, but who knew... who knew..."

"There's not even a place to sit!"

"Our hearts yearn for the Dao with such sincerity—why won't you leave us even a single seat?!"

"Wuwuwu... The Heavenly Dao is unjust, the Heavenly Dao is unjust! Better to go back, better to go back!"

The two played off each other, their cries earth-shattering, their pitiful expressions and sorrowful tones enough to move anyone who heard or saw.

The hall's former quiet was shattered.

Many of the Great Beings furrowed their brows, faces twisting with disdain or impatience.

In particular, Di Jun and Taiyi, who had just lost their spot to Hongyun, now stared at the weeping pair with icy contempt.

Venerable Lord Yuanshi, seated on the second cushion, curled his lip in disgust and let out a cold snort.

He felt extreme disgust and disdain for this behavior of crying and making a scene in the Sage's Dojo, utterly disregarding one's status.

"Hey! These two bastards have no shame!" Zhurong had never seen such a spectacle and rolled up his sleeves, ready to start cursing.

"Quiet." Wu Ming gave him a faint glance, signaling with his eyes for him to stay calm.

Wu Ming's expression remained unchanged, but his gaze fell on Hongyun.

He wanted to see if, after his own warning, Hongyun would still give up his seat as in his memory.

At this moment, Hongyun was indeed caught in fierce internal struggle.

He was soft-hearted by nature, and seeing Jieyin and Zhunti weeping so pitifully, he couldn't help but feel a trace of reluctance.

He recalled Fellow Daoist Wu Ming's earlier reminder and warned himself: Don't give in! This is my opportunity!

"But..."

Hongyun's face shifted between colors, uncertain.

"Alas..."

In the end, Hongyun let out a long sigh.

He stood up, his face filled with deep helplessness and bitterness, and spoke to Jieyin and Zhunti, who were still wailing.

"Enough, enough."

"You two Fellow Daoists have come from afar with sincere intent. This humble one... this humble one will yield this seat to you."

The moment he finished speaking, Jieyin and Zhunti's crying stopped abruptly!

Joy instantly burst across their faces, with not a trace of their earlier sorrowful expressions left.

Zhunti reacted with lightning speed, springing up from the ground like a carp, and before anyone else could react, he plopped down onto the Cushion Hongyun had vacated!

Jieyin also hurried forward, repeatedly bowing to Hongyun.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist! Thank you, Fellow Daoist!"

"Fellow Daoist is merciful! Fellow Daoist is righteous!"

"Fellow Daoist's kindness today, we two brothers will never forget. In the future, we will surely repay you handsomely."

With that, ignoring Hongyun's reaction, he quickly sat down on the empty seat beside Zhunti, afraid of any further changes.

Hongyun watched the Cushion snatched away in an instant, opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, it turned into a silent, bitter smile.

The sense of crisis in his heart had vanished, but he felt... as if he had lost something important.

Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi let out a heavy sigh and patted Hongyun's shoulder in consolation.

Wu Ming glanced at Jieyin and Zhunti, whose faces were full of feigned gratitude but whose hearts were brimming with joy, then at Hongyun, who seemed somewhat lost.

Just as expected.

The grand momentum of the Heavenly Dao rolls on.

A mere well-intentioned reminder from me was ultimately hard to overturn.

Oh well, perhaps this is his fate.