Everyone inside the palace erupted again!
"This... this works too?"
"Just crying and making a fuss can get you Hongmeng Purple Qi?"
"If I'd known, I would've cried too!"
"Why them? What have those two Western barbarians done to deserve it?"
The emotions of envy, jealousy, and hatred almost solidified into something tangible.
With Jieyin and Zhunti's "successful example" right before them, how could the others possibly sit still?
Whoosh!
A large crowd fell to their knees.
"Please, Teacher, show mercy and take me as your disciple!"
"Teacher, your disciple is willing to serve at your side!"
"Teacher, look at me! I have exceptional roots!"
For a time, Zixiao Palace became like a marketplace, filled with waves of pleading and declarations of loyalty.
Hongjun's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly before he quickly returned to his indifferent expression.
"You and I have no master-disciple affinity."
His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached every ear, like cold water poured over their heads.
Everyone instantly fell silent, their faces filled with disappointment and unwillingness.
Hongjun continued, "Beneath the Heaven Dao, there are nine Saint positions."
"The ninth Saint will not appear until the Immeasurable Tribulation."
"I possess the Jade Disc of Creation, so I am destined to control seven strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi."
"Now, six strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi have already been bestowed."
Everyone's hearts rose to their throats.
Six strands?
Didn't that mean there was still one left?
In an instant, everyone's gazes grew feverishly hot as they stared fixedly at Hongjun.
"Teacher! There is still one strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi. Please bestow it upon us!"
"Teacher, please show mercy and give us a chance!"
"Please, Teacher, fulfill our wish!"
Hongjun looked at the many expressions below and remained silent for a long while.
In the end, he seemed to let out a faint sigh.
"Very well."
"As for this final strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi, it will depend on each of your own fates."
As his voice fell, he raised his hand and waved.
Whoosh!
The final strand of purple light flew out. Like a swimming fish, it began circling through Zixiao Palace.
Everyone's hearts rose and fell along with that purple light, their tension reaching its peak.
"Give it to me!"
"It's mine!"
"Come here!"
Countless people shouted and prayed inwardly.
The strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi seemed to hesitate as it circled through the air several times.
Finally, beneath everyone's astonished gazes, it suddenly accelerated and flew straight toward a certain direction.
Its target—the Ancestor Hong Yun!
Pfft!
The Hongmeng Purple Qi instantly sank into Hong Yun's body.
The entire Zixiao Palace fell into dead silence.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
How could it be him?
Hong Yun himself was stunned. He stood there blankly, sensing the profound and vast aura within his body, unable to react for a moment.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Am I... about to become a Saint?
After a brief moment of confusion, immense joy surged into his heart!
Hongmeng Purple Qi!
The foundation for becoming a Saint!
I, Hong Yun, will have a day when I become a Saint too?
Hahaha!
However, his joy did not last long.
He suddenly remembered what Wu Ming had said to him in Pangu Hall.
The smile on Hong Yun's face froze.
He subconsciously looked toward a corner of the palace.
There, Kunpeng was glaring fixedly at him with a gaze that seemed capable of devouring him alive.
The venom, fury, and killing intent in that gaze were completely undisguised and bone-chilling.
Hong Yun's heart sank.
He understood.
This strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi was the key to resolving his Karma with Kunpeng.
Hong Yun's face shifted from green to white, and his mind became a tangled mess.
In the end, all his emotions turned into a heavy sigh.
"Ah—! Hong Yun!"
Kunpeng roared furiously in his heart. Damnable Hong Yun, it's you again.
If you hadn't given up your seat, that Cushion should have been mine!
Now the Cushion is gone, and even the final strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi has been taken by you!
You've severed my path to the Dao and ruined my future!
This enmity is irreconcilable!
Hong Yun, just you wait!
From this day onward, I, Kunpeng, will fight you to the death!
Anyone could sense the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Kunpeng, an intent so immense it seemed capable of incinerating everything.
The atmosphere inside Zixiao Palace became incomparably oppressive and strange because of who had obtained the final strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi.
Some were envious, some jealous, some resentful, and some were gloating.
On the high platform, Hongjun seemed not to care about the undercurrents surging below.
After the final strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi had settled, his gaze swept over his six disciples.
"Taiqing."
"You are the first disciple of my Mystic Gate. You should bear the responsibility of enlightening all living beings and control the Destiny/Fortune of the Mystic Gate. Today, I bestow upon you the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram. It can suppress Destiny/Fortune."
"This disciple thanks Master!" Taiqing bowed.
"Yuanshi."
"The Pangu Banner was transformed from the blade of the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe. It contains boundless Heaven-Opening Fiendish Energy and can shatter Chaos, recreating the earth, water, wind, and fire. It is also an Innate Supreme Treasure, so I bestow it upon you."
"This disciple thanks Master!" Yuanshi accepted the Pangu Banner, and a rare trace of excitement appeared on his face.
"Tongtian."
"I bestow upon you the Four Swords of Zhu Xian, along with the Zhu Xian Formation Diagram."
"Once this sword formation is set up, it cannot be broken unless four Saints join forces. Its killing power is unmatched. I hope you will use it wisely."
"This disciple thanks Master!" Tongtian was overjoyed and hurriedly put them away.
Hongjun looked toward Nuwa.
"Nuwa, you bear great merit. I bestow upon you the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the Red Embroidered Ball, and the Creation Cauldron. I hope you will make good use of them."
"This disciple thanks Master!" Nuwa happily accepted them.
After distributing treasures to his four personal disciples, Hongjun's movements came to a stop.
Beside them, Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance. Their faces immediately filled with "grievance" and "eagerness" as they gazed imploringly at Hongjun.
Their meaning was obvious: Teacher, what about ours?
Everyone in the palace twitched at the corners of their mouths.
These two men from the West had truly cultivated their shamelessness to perfection.
Hongjun seemed somewhat helpless, but he said nothing. With a wave of his hand, three more treasures flew out.
He casually waved again.
"This is the Twelve-grade Golden Lotus of Merit, whose defensive power is unmatched. This is the Green Lotus Precious Banner, one of the Innate Five Directional Flags. This is the Blessing Divine Pestle, which can subdue demons and vanquish fiends. I bestow them upon you."
"Thank you, Teacher! Thank you, Teacher!"
Jieyin and Zhunti were overjoyed. They hurriedly kowtowed in thanks and put away the treasures, their faces blooming with delight.
Now, the other mighty figures in the palace who had received nothing could no longer sit still.
Why?
The personal disciples had treasures, and even the Nominal Disciples had treasures!
What about those of us who had listened to the Dao three times and trudged all the way through Chaos? We got nothing?
"Please, Teacher, show mercy and bestow one or two protective treasures upon us!"
"Teacher, cultivation is so difficult for your disciple!"
"Teacher..."
Another wave of pleading filled the palace.
Hongjun waved his hand, interrupting their pleas.
"I have placed all the many spiritual treasures I obtained in the past upon the Treasure Distribution Rock Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens."
"After the lecture, you may go there yourselves and take whatever treasures your fate allows."
Hearing this, everyone finally quieted down, anticipation appearing on their faces.
The Treasure Distribution Rock! That was where the Dao Ancestor stored his treasures!
Although they could not compare to Innate Supreme Treasures, there were surely plenty of good things there!
Hongjun looked at everyone below and spoke at last.
"The three lectures are complete."
"I will now Unify with Dao."
"The Heaven Dao is incomplete, so I shall supplement it with my own body, operate Creation, and organize the Primordial Wilderness."
"From now on, the operation of the Primordial Wilderness will have its own fixed destiny."
"Unless the Heaven and Earth Tribulation descends, Hongjun will not appear."
"You may leave."
"From now on, unless the Heaven and Earth Tribulation arrives, Hongjun will not appear."
"You may leave."
On the high platform, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's figure gradually grew illusory and transparent before finally disappearing completely, as though he had never appeared at all.
Only the empty high platform remained, along with a group of Primordial Wilderness mighty figures who had yet to fully digest this earth-shattering news.
Rumble—
The ancient, heavy doors of Zixiao Palace slowly opened.