Yuanshi's "Famous Quotes," Preaching the Dao Begins

The atmosphere within Zixiao Palace grew subtle.

Zhunti sat down on the cushion Hongyun had yielded, his conscience clear.

The mournful expression on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a smug glee at his successful scheme.

Many great beings in the hall frowned deeply, silently cursing this Daoist from the West for his brazen shamelessness.

Others secretly envied him—these cushions were clearly no ordinary items; sitting on one surely brought great benefits.

But Zhunti paid no mind. As long as he gained the advantage, what did a few stares matter?

These Innate Great Gods were all born in the East, with deep roots and privileged origins, never having known hardship. How could they understand the struggles he and his senior brother endured seeking the Dao in the West?

One cushion was secured, but his senior brother Jieyin was still standing!

How could that be?

His senior brother must have a seat too!

The two of them, master and disciple, had always stood together, advancing and retreating as one!

Zhunti's eyes darted, sweeping over the remaining cushions.

The Three Pure Ones?

No, no—those three were incarnations of Pangu's Primordial Spirit, with profound roots and enduring Destiny. A head-on clash would yield nothing good. Besides, they were a solid bloc, untouchable.

Nuwa?

Though a woman, she had Fuxi watching her back like a hawk. The sibling pair was equally troublesome to provoke.

Hmm?

Zhunti's gaze finally landed on the lone figure sitting on the fifth cushion—Kunpeng!

Yes, you'll do!

This one looked weak, solitary, easy to bully!

In terms of roots, he couldn't match the Three Pure Ones; in backing, he lacked Nuwa's brotherly protection; in connections... with that aloof demeanor of his, he probably had no life-or-death allies either!

Zhunti made up his mind, fixed his eyes on Kunpeng, and began brewing his emotions again, ready to repeat his trick.

"Fellow Daoist!" Zhunti's face instantly resumed its mournful cast as he addressed Kunpeng. "Look at my senior brother—he traveled from the barren lands of the distant West, enduring countless hardships, just to hear the Sage's Great Dao!"

"Now he doesn't even have a seat. Would you not show some compassion and grant a convenience?"

Jieyin immediately caught on, stepping forward with palms pressed together: "Fellow Daoist, please grant this convenience."

Kunpeng had been sitting with eyes closed, savoring the cushion's mysteries. This sudden interruption shattered his focus, and his face darkened.

These two shameless bastards!

Just moments ago, they'd used that same pitiful act to wheedle the cushion out of that fool Hongyun!

And now they were setting their sights on him?

Did they really take This Seat for a soft persimmon to be squeezed?!

"Scram!" Kunpeng's eyes flashed with icy killing intent as he spat out a single, merciless word.

"Why such harsh words, Fellow Daoist?" Zhunti's thick skin showed no offense. "In a Sage's Dojo, all is about fate. My senior brother has a karmic connection with this cushion. Why not complete this good affinity?"

"Affinity? I think you mean robbery!" Kunpeng sneered coldly.

At that moment, Yuanshi, seated on the second cushion, slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze swept over Kunpeng with undisguised disgust and contempt.

Then, he spoke slowly, uttering the words that would shake Zixiao Palace and echo through countless ages: "Hmph! A feathered, fur-bearing creature, born of dampness and hatched from an egg—how dare you sit alongside us?"

At these words, the entire Zixiao Palace fell into abrupt silence!

Everyone stared at Yuanshi in shock!

Even Grand Pure One Laozi beside him frowned slightly, clearly finding the remark inappropriate.

Tongtian's eyes went wide, staring at his second brother in disbelief.

He never expected his own brother to utter something so cutting and merciless!

This was an indiscriminate attack!

With one sentence, he had swept in many of the great beings present!

Di Jun and Taiyi's faces turned ashen, their eyes blazing with cold fury.

Fuxi's brow furrowed deeply, and Nuwa's delicate brows knitted as well.

Behind them, the Twelve Ancestor Witches—all save Wu Ming, who remained calm—frowned heavily.

This was, in front of all the great powers of the Primordial Wilderness, pointing at Kunpeng's nose and cursing his ancestry, grinding his origins into the dirt!

Kunpeng felt a surge of blood rush to his head, his face flushing a deep purple!

"Yuanshi! You..." Kunpeng shot to his feet, demonic aura roiling around him, killing intent blazing in his eyes.

But Yuanshi only cast him a cold glance—a look as if regarding an ant.

The Three Pure Ones were united in spirit; when Yuanshi spoke, Taiqing and Tongtian might not fully agree, but they would not undermine him either.

That invisible pressure weighed heavily on Kunpeng's heart!

And beside him, Jieyin and Zhunti, though silent, emanated the aura of top-tier great powers, firmly locking onto Kunpeng as if ready to strike at any moment.

Kunpeng instinctively looked around.

Di Jun and Taiyi watched coldly from the sidelines, even with a hint of schadenfreude.

Nuwa and Fuxi wore expressionless faces.

Zhen Yuanzi frowned, as if wanting to speak, but after glancing at the Three Pure Ones and then at Jieyin and Zhunti, he ultimately chose silence.

Hongyun seemed about to say something, but in the end only sighed.

As for Wu Ming and the Twelve Ancestor Witches...

"Tch, that Yuanshi fellow sure has a sharp tongue," Zhurong muttered with a curl of his lip.

"But this Kunpeng really is too weak," Gonggong chimed in, a note of disdain in his tone.

"Both of you, shut up," Wu Ming said flatly. "Just watch."

The Ancestor Witches fell silent, disgruntled, but their gazes toward Yuanshi and Zhunti were filled with hostility.

Kunpeng knew that this seat was no longer his to keep.

If he didn't leave now, it would only get more humiliating!

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Kunpeng laughed in fury.

He abruptly stood up and shot a venomous glare at the root of all this—Hongyun!

This debt, This Seat will remember!

Then he glanced at Yuanshi, Zhunti, and Jieyin.

Without another word, he walked to the back of the hall, found an inconspicuous corner, and sat down again.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for your concession!" Jieyin quickly stepped forward, bowed toward the direction Kunpeng had gone, and then unceremoniously sat down on the vacated Cushion.

Then he bowed again to Yuanshi: "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for speaking out!"

Thus, the six Cushions of Zixiao Palace were finally settled.

The farce had come to an end.

But everyone understood that the karmic debts had been incurred.

The hall fell silent once more, though the atmosphere was even more oppressive than before.

Some scorned Jieyin and Zhunti's shamelessness, others disdained Yuanshi's harshness, and still others sympathized with Kunpeng's plight.

Wu Ming took it all in and transmitted a message to the Twelve Ancestor Witches: "See that? This is the law of survival in the Primordial Wilderness. If your strength is insufficient, you don't even qualify to hold a seat."

"Remember Kunpeng's fate today. Our Witch Clan must never repeat this mistake!"

Zhurong, Gonggong, and the others showed thoughtful expressions, their gazes toward Kunpeng now tinged with complexity.

Time flowed slowly.

Finally, the three-thousand-year period had arrived!

Whoosh—

Within Zixiao Palace, the endless Daoist rhymes and laws suddenly became incomparably clear and dense.

Everyone's spirits lifted!

Haotian and Yaochi, two jade-like child attendants, walked to the palace gate and together slowly pushed the heavy doors shut.

"The Master has decreed: the palace gates are closed, and shall not open again for ten thousand years."

As the doors sealed completely, the hall became a world unto itself.

On the high platform, upon the Cushion that had been empty, a figure had silently appeared without anyone noticing when.

It was Hongjun!

Hongjun's gaze swept across the hall, and he spoke calmly, his voice plain yet clear in everyone's ears:

"You have all traveled far to reach my Zixiao Palace. To enter is to share a bond of fate with This Humble One."

"In future preachings of the Dao, you shall listen in the order of the seats you occupy today. No changes shall be made."

At these words!

Kunpeng's face instantly turned ashen, dark enough to drip water!

He fixed his glare on Jieyin, who now sat in the seat that was rightfully his, and on... Hongyun, who had sparked all this!

On the other side, Hongyun shuddered, his face filled with endless regret and remorse!

And Zhunti and Jieyin, seated on the Cushions, exchanged glances, seeing the barely concealed ecstasy in each other's eyes!

They had gambled correctly!

This Cushion was indeed a monumental stroke of fortune!