Upon Hong Yun's arrival, the mighty figures of the Great Desolation in Purple Cloud Palace sensed his aura. He was still only at the peak of Grand Unity, and everyone began discussing him.
Nuwa, who was seated on one of the six Purple Cushions at the front, also frowned slightly.
"During Dao Ancestor Hongjun's second lecture, Hong Yun was the first to break through to the peak of Grand Unity. I thought he was an extraordinary immortal cultivator genius in the Great Desolation, but I never expected him to stop here as well!"
Nuwa thought to herself.
By now, she had cultivated the Three Corpses and severed one of them, becoming a mid-stage quasi-saint.
The gap between the peak of Grand Unity and the mid-stage quasi-saint realm was simply too vast.
"Big Brother, Hong Yun has fallen far behind us now!"
Yuanshi looked toward Taishang Laojun, his tone filled with pride.
"That is why we are the orthodox descendants of Pangu! Hong Yun's being the first to break through to the peak of Grand Unity back then was entirely because he was born earlier. How could his foundation compare to ours?"
Tongtian's words were likewise full of arrogance.
"Second Brother, Third Brother, you are absolutely right!"
Taishang Laojun nodded. He glanced at Hong Yun, then paid him no further attention.
Among the three, Taishang Laojun had the highest cultivation, having already severed two corpses and reached the late-stage quasi-saint realm.
A mere Hong Yun at the peak of Grand Unity was no longer worthy of his notice.
Only Jieyin and Zhunti were in excellent moods at this moment.
"Senior Brother, Hong Yun is only at the peak of Grand Unity too! Hahaha, I feel much more balanced now!"
Zhunti said to Jieyin.
All these years, they had remained at the peak of Grand Unity, while the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, who had also sat on the six Purple Cushions, had already reached the quasi-saint realm.
The pressure had been indescribable.
But now...
Hong Yun, who had been the first to break through to the peak of Grand Unity, was still only at the peak of Grand Unity.
That made things much better.
"No matter what, once Dao Ancestor Hongjun finishes lecturing, we will soon be able to break through to the quasi-saint realm! Hong Yun is no longer worth mentioning!"
Jieyin said indifferently.
The reason the two of them had not broken through to the quasi-saint realm was not that their talent or foundations were lacking, but that they had not cultivated Buddhist Dharma.
As soon as Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished lecturing, they would immediately return to Spirit Mountain, cultivate Buddhist Dharma, and strive for the quasi-saint realm.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, your cultivation has fallen behind somewhat. If you have encountered a bottleneck or lack cultivation resources, I have nothing else, but I have plenty of Ginseng Fruits."
Zhenyuanzi came before Hong Yun, concern showing on his face.
He and Hong Yun were a rare pair of close friends in the Great Desolation.
"Hahaha, thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist! But I have my own plans!"
Hong Yun laughed awkwardly, unwilling to reveal that he was cultivating the Mythical Grand Unity Method.
Still, he felt warmed by his close friend's concern.
"By the way, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, you have already cultivated the Three Corpses and advanced to the quasi-saint realm. Let me tell you something..."
Hong Yun then used telepathy to reveal the secret of attaining sainthood through Severing the Three Corpses.
Upon learning that one had to use a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure to bear the Three Corpses in order to attain sainthood through Severing the Three Corpses, Zhenyuanzi was shocked.
He knew that his friend would not deceive him.
Yet no one had told him this before.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun in particular had not mentioned it during his lecture.
If he had foolishly used an ordinary spiritual treasure to bear the Three Corpses, would that not have cut off his path to sainthood?
"Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun!"
Zhenyuanzi hurriedly bowed in thanks.
Hong Yun waved his hand.
It was rare for him to have a close friend in the Great Desolation. Since he could help with such a small matter, why would he care about it?
As everyone was chatting, a vast saintly aura suddenly enveloped Purple Cloud Palace.
It was Dao Ancestor Hongjun's arrival.
In an instant, everyone stopped talking and quietly looked toward Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
"Has it finally begun? This time, we'll see who schemes against whom!"
At this moment, Hong Yun sat on his cushion and looked toward Dao Ancestor Hongjun, thinking to himself.
"Fellow Daoists..."
Hongjun's voice rang out inside Purple Cloud Palace, echoing beside everyone's ears.
The mighty figures of the Great Desolation listened intently, not daring to relax in the slightest.
"This lecture is the third lecture, and I will speak of the path to sainthood!"
"Before this lecture, I will accept six disciples!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun continued.
"He's finally going to accept disciples!"
"Indeed... Could it be that what Hong Yun said was true?"
Upon hearing Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words, the three thousand guests in Purple Cloud Palace all looked toward the six Purple Cushions at the very front.
They had previously heard Hong Yun's words and knew that the people sitting on those six cushions might have a chance to become Dao Ancestor Hongjun's disciples.
Now, they would see whether that was true.
Kunpeng in particular stared fixedly at the cushions beneath Jieyin and Zhunti. From time to time, he even turned around and glared fiercely at Hong Yun.
Hong Yun now only emitted the aura of the peak of Grand Unity, while Kunpeng had already reached the early-stage quasi-saint realm.
Kunpeng had long wanted to cause trouble for Hong Yun, but he had been busy with the great undertaking of unifying the Great Desolation under the Demon Clan and had not found the time.
Besides, he knew that even if he went to trouble Hong Yun now, he would not be able to get the Purple Cushion back.
"My first disciple..."
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's gaze swept over everyone before finally landing on Taishang Laojun.
"Will be Taishang! Taishang, are you willing to become my disciple?"
Hongjun asked.
"I am willing! This disciple pays respects to Master!"
Taishang Laojun was overjoyed upon hearing Hongjun's words and hurriedly kowtowed to him.
"My second disciple... will be Yuanshi!"
"Yuanshi, are you willing to become my disciple?"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice rang out again.
"I am willing! Yuanshi pays respects to Master!"
Yuanshi kowtowed.
"My third disciple... will be Tongtian!"
"I am willing, Master! I am willing!"
Before Dao Ancestor Hongjun could finish speaking, Tongtian hurriedly kowtowed to him.
Toward everyone else, Tongtian always wore an arrogant expression and had a terrible temper. Yet before the saint Hongjun, he completely lost his temper.
"My fourth disciple... will be Nuwa!"
"Nuwa, are you willing to become my disciple?"
After accepting the Three Pure Ones, Hongjun spoke again.
"Nuwa is willing! Nuwa pays respects to Master!"
Nuwa rose and gracefully saluted Hongjun.
At that moment, the entire Purple Cloud Palace fell silent.
Judging from the progress so far, everything was exactly as Hong Yun had said.
The Three Pure Ones and Nuwa were all people who had sat on the Purple Cushions.
"Next should be Jieyin and Zhunti! If that is really the case, then Hong Yun's words will have come true!"
Everyone was thinking this.
They waited to see the result.
Even Jieyin and Zhunti were somewhat excited.
"Could it really be the two of us?"
"If we truly become a saint's disciples, then even if we learn nothing from Hongjun, this title alone will allow us to convert many races in the Western Lands!"
The two of them thought to themselves.
"My fifth disciple... will be Jieyin!"
Boom!
The moment Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished speaking, everyone's heads buzzed. They widened their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.
"Sure enough! Sure enough, it's Jieyin and Zhunti!"
"Hong Yun was right!"
"Th-this... sitting on the Purple Cushions really can make one Dao Ancestor Hongjun's disciple!"
"My heavens!"
Everyone's thoughts churned, and regret filled their hearts.
If they had sat on the Purple Cushions a little earlier back then, would not the position of saint's disciple have been theirs?
If they had struck ruthlessly during the struggle for the Purple Cushions, perhaps they would have become saint's disciples by now!
The unwillingness and regret in everyone's hearts were written across their faces.
It was all because they had not fought with everything they had for the Purple Cushions back then.
Kunpeng's expression in particular became rather ferocious.
"Why! Why!"
Kunpeng roared inwardly.
He had already reached the early-stage quasi-saint realm, while Jieyin and Zhunti were only at the peak of Grand Unity!
Compared to him, Jieyin and Zhunti were utterly insignificant.
Yet now, merely because they had sat on the Purple Cushions, they had become saint's disciples!
Saint's disciples—what an honor that was!
The crucial point was that those Purple Cushions had originally been his!
The fury in Kunpeng's heart was almost burning through his entire body, and his blood churned within him.
"Hatred! Hatred! Hatred!"
Kunpeng was consumed by rage. Such a great opportunity had slipped away just like that.
"It's all Hong Yun's fault!"
Kunpeng once again thought of Hong Yun giving up his seat. If not for Hong Yun, his seat would not have been taken.
Amid Kunpeng's hatred, Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished accepting his disciples.
The final two positions indeed went to Jieyin and Zhunti.
However, because Jieyin and Zhunti's cultivation was too low—they were only at the peak of Grand Unity and could not even compare with some of the other mighty figures of the Great Desolation—Dao Ancestor Hongjun accepted them only as nominal disciples.
They would have to wait until they broke through to the quasi-saint realm before becoming formal disciples.
At this moment, the three thousand guests of Purple Cloud Palace all looked toward Hong Yun.
Their eyes were filled with ridicule.
This had once been Hong Yun's position. If Hong Yun had not given up his seat, he would now have become a saint's disciple whom everyone envied.
"Can this damn thing really be blamed on me?"
Feeling everyone's gazes, Hong Yun immediately curled his lips, utterly speechless.
When he had given up his seat, he had not yet transmigrated!
By the time he arrived in the Great Desolation, his former self, Hong Yun, had already finished giving up the seat.
Fortunately, he had awakened the Calamity System. Otherwise, he would probably be filled with regret just like everyone else by now!
But...
He was now cultivating the Mythical Grand Unity Method.
What did a saint's disciple amount to? Even if one were offered to him for free, Hong Yun would not want it.
By cultivating the Mythical Grand Unity Method, even merely reaching the Foundation Building Fifth Layer would place him on par with the saints of the Great Desolation.
If he cultivated to the Foundation Building Tenth Layer, or even broke through to the Mythical realm and became a true Mythical Grand Unity...
What did a saint's disciple amount to? What did a saint amount to?
Even the Heavenly Dao and the Great Dao would be trampled beneath his feet.
Hong Yun ignored everyone's gazes. He sat on his cushion and closed his eyes to rest.
In truth, Hong Yun was still using the Great Dao Cushion transformed into an ordinary cushion.
Cultivating while sitting on the Great Dao Cushion could increase his speed a hundredfold.
Moreover, his comprehension of the laws of the Great Dao would also be much stronger.
Hong Yun planned to cultivate on the Great Dao Cushion while listening to the lecture.
Three thousand years, accelerated a hundredfold, would be equivalent to three hundred thousand years of cultivation for the other mighty figures of the Great Desolation.
By the time Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished lecturing, Hong Yun estimated that his improvement in the laws should be substantial.
"Very well. I will now begin lecturing!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice rang out again.
Everyone focused their minds.
This time, he was explaining the path to becoming a Saint—and it would also be the final sermon.
No one wanted to miss it.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun began preaching the Dao from above, his mouth uttering immortal melodies.
Immortal music immediately filled Purple Cloud Palace. Heavenly flowers rained down, golden lotuses surged from the ground, and an atmosphere of peace and harmony spread everywhere.
The three thousand guests of Purple Cloud Palace below were all concentrating intently as well. They shook their heads and swayed their bodies, occasionally nodding as if they had realized something.
The grudges between the great powers from before seemed to turn into nothingness at this moment.
Every person was striving with all his might to pursue the path of cultivation.
Hong Yun sat on the Great Dao Cushion and began comprehending his Devouring, Reincarnation, Light and Darkness, and Law of Chaos.
Before you continue