Laozi and Tongtian both looked curious upon hearing this,
and waited for him to continue.
Primordial Heavenly Lord smiled faintly and continued:
"By coincidence, I wonder if Senior Brother and Junior Brother still remember
that living being in the Demon Race Heavenly Court, blessed by the Heavenly Dao?"
Although Primordial Heavenly Lord could have directly explained that the opportunity came from opening the Great Thousand World for Lu Changsheng,
he was unwilling to spread the matter everywhere.
Even though many powerful figures in the Great Desolation had already learned of it,
he still did not want to mention it himself. He simply felt that it would cost him some dignity.
An opportunity was one thing, but face was another.
Tongtian, Laozi, and Primordial Heavenly Lord had all come from the same source,
so they naturally understood his prideful temperament.
Thus, when Primordial mentioned "the living being blessed by the Heavenly Dao,"
the Two Sages immediately understood--
Primordial Heavenly Lord's great opportunity had come from Wuji Heaven.
At this thought, they immediately recalled the commotion that had recently shaken the Great Desolation from within Wuji Heaven.
Laozi suddenly understood and said:
"So that was it. Fellow Daoist Changsheng is where this opportunity lies."
When Primordial helped Lu Changsheng open the Great Thousand World,
the Sages had already sensed that Lu Changsheng was extraordinary,
but they had not thought deeply about it at the time.
Later, when exchanging treasures for merit became popular throughout the Great Desolation,
the Sages had been concerned about their dignity,
and they had not expected Lu Changsheng to obtain such an enormous amount of merit,
so they had not paid much attention.
Only today,
when Primordial Heavenly Lord attained a breakthrough, did they finally awaken to the truth.
Lu Changsheng's merit was actually abundant enough to help a Sage break through his realm.
With such a heaven-defying opportunity before them, who still had time to care about dignity?
They had to hurry to Wuji Heaven and exchange for merit.
Upon hearing this, Tongtian suddenly understood as well.
He could not help exclaiming:
"Just what is Fellow Daoist Changsheng's background?
How can he possess such an enormous amount of merit?"
Primordial Heavenly Lord shook his head and replied:
"Fellow Daoist Changsheng's origins cannot be investigated, but he is certainly no ordinary person."
Amid his emotion, Primordial Heavenly Lord also recalled the scene of Lu Changsheng casually spending tens of millions of merit.
He then remembered what he had heard after emerging from seclusion--that Lu Changsheng had been exchanging for merit. He could not help sighing:
"All I know is that Fellow Daoist Changsheng is absolutely the biggest spendthrift among the billions of living beings in the Great Desolation!"
After hearing Primordial's explanation,
the gathered Sages all sighed in amazement.
Just as Laozi and Tongtian were expressing their feelings,
the Two Sages of the West and Nuwa suddenly descended upon the summit of Kunlun Mountain.
After all, this was a great opportunity that could allow even Sages to break through,
so they had to come and investigate it.
After hearing Primordial Heavenly Lord finish speaking, the several Sages sighed one after another:
"I truly never expected that Fellow Daoist Changsheng of Wuji Heaven would possess such fortune!"
At the same time, they all recalled the matter of Lu Changsheng exchanging for merit.
At that moment, all the Sages developed the desire to go to Wuji Heaven.
However, the Two Sages of the West remembered that they had already gone once before,
and had more or less exchanged away all the treasures they could offer.
Moreover, they did not want to let the other Sages easily obtain such a great opportunity,
so they exchanged a glance, and Zhunti spoke first:
"Fellow Daoists, you are truly overestimating Wuji Heaven and Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
After Zhunti finished speaking, Jieyin immediately echoed him:
"That's right. Although Fellow Daoist Changsheng possesses some merit,
and is blessed by the Heavenly Dao with profound fortune,
if you think about it carefully, he is ultimately only at the quasi-Sage realm.
When all is said and done, how much merit could he possibly have?"
The several Sages heard the Two Sages of the West singing the same tune,
and easily saw through their intentions.
After chuckling, they casually agreed:
"You make a fair point. Besides, taking shortcuts is ultimately not the righteous path."
Seeing the other Sages respond, the Two Sages of the West revealed satisfied smiles,
while they began calculating what decent treasures they could still produce.
After the several Sages chatted idly for a few more moments,
they each departed.
With their own calculations in mind, the Sages returned to their respective abodes.
After seeing everyone off, the first thing Primordial did was summon Guangchengzi, who had been serving nearby.
"Guangchengzi, hurry to the treasure vault and bring out every treasure I have refined!"
Primordial Heavenly Lord had personally refined hundreds of Acquired Supreme Treasures. Since he had no use for them in his daily life, he had stored them in the Chanjiao treasure vault, originally intending to bestow them upon his disciples in the future.
Now that such an opportunity had arisen, these treasures were perfect for exchanging for merit.
As for rewards for his disciples, he could refine them at his leisure after breaking through his realm.
Guangchengzi had been serving beside the Sages the entire time. Upon hearing his master's order, he immediately thought of the merit exchange in Wuji Heaven and could not help asking in confusion:
"Master, didn't you say before that this was a shortcut rather than the proper path?"
Upon hearing this, Primordial's expression turned solemn as he said seriously:
"Would I, your master, be the sort of person to covet shortcuts? I am taking these treasures for another purpose."
After saying this, Primordial secretly found it amusing.
What righteous paths and shortcuts? They were nothing more than words spoken aloud.
In the Great Desolation, when an opportunity appeared before one, improving one's cultivation was the fundamental matter.
Who would see a shortcut and refuse to take it, insisting on taking the long way around?
Seeing his master's solemn expression, Guangchengzi believed him for the most part and went to retrieve the treasures as instructed.
At the same time, Taiqing Laozi returned to Eight Views Palace on Shouyang Mountain and immediately gathered all the pills he had refined over the years.
Xuandu saw his usually detached master suddenly acting in such a hurry and could not help asking:
"Master, did something happen?"
Laozi did not explain further. He merely put away the pills before instructing him:
"Nothing happened.
You will remain at Eight Views Palace. I must make a trip to Wuji Heaven."
Xuandu had always paid little attention to worldly affairs. Although he had heard a little about Wuji Heaven, he had not investigated it closely. He respectfully replied:
"Yes, Master."
Laozi immediately left the cave dwelling.
They did not make a grand entrance into Wuji Heaven.
After all, the Six Sages still cared about their dignity.
If the living beings of the Great Desolation learned that Sages had also come to exchange for merit,
where would the Sages' dignity go?
Thus, they quietly descended upon Wuji Heaven this time,
and Laozi did not cause much commotion.
However, just as he arrived outside Wuji Heaven,
he encountered Primordial Heavenly Lord, who had likewise concealed himself without leaving the slightest trace.
When the two senior and junior brothers met, they could not help freezing,
and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.
However, they did not expose one another.
After exchanging smiles,
they tacitly stopped mentioning their earlier claims about "shortcuts"
and "not being the proper path."
Primordial Heavenly Lord smiled and said:
"What a coincidence. Elder Brother, you came to Wuji Heaven as well?"
Taiqing Laozi likewise smiled and nodded:
"Yes, Second Brother, it truly is a coincidence.
Since we have met, let us enter together."
After a brief exchange, the Two Sages entered Wuji Heaven together.
As soon as they entered, they transmitted their voices throughout the place:
"Taiqing Laozi of Shouyang Mountain has come to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
"Primordial Heavenly Lord of Kunlun Mountain has come to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
Their voice transmissions echoed throughout Wuji Heaven.
East King Duke and Kunpeng were both stunned,
and shock filled their hearts:
"Could it be that even Sages have come to exchange for merit?"
When Randeng heard the voice transmissions, his heart began to pound and he wanted to flee immediately,
but Primordial Heavenly Lord stopped him with a mental transmission:
"There is no need to hide. I already know about this."
Hearing no reproach in Primordial's tone,
Randeng could not help freezing. He looked somewhat surprised at Primordial Heavenly Lord, who had arrived with Laozi in the distance.
Based on his understanding of Primordial--
he was stern on the outside and proud within,
and when faced with such a matter, he would most likely punish him severely.
But what was happening now?
Before Randeng could continue thinking, Primordial Heavenly Lord transmitted again:
"Continue staying here and doing your work properly.
However, if you discover anything about Fellow Daoist Changsheng's origins and background,
you must report it to me immediately.
Do you understand?"
Randeng immediately understood and hurriedly replied:
"I understand, Leader!"
Upon hearing Primordial Heavenly Lord's words, Randeng's suspended heart finally settled.
This was in keeping with Primordial Heavenly Lord's usual temperament.
If he truly forgave him without reason, it would instead arouse suspicion.
Just then, two more voice transmissions echoed throughout Wuji Heaven.
"Tongtian of Jin'ao Island has come especially to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
Tongtian's voice suddenly rang out, and all three of them, Kunpeng included, revealed shocked expressions.
The Three Clarities had actually gathered in Wuji Heaven. It was truly a rare sight in the Great Desolation.
Before they could regain their composure, another voice transmission rang out there.
"Jieyin (Zhunti) of Mount Sumeru has come to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
The Two Sages of the West had also arrived, leaving the three of them completely stunned.
Five Sages had arrived together? Such a formation could probably only be seen during a Great Desolation calamity.
Before they could recover, Nuwa's voice transmission rang out as well.
"Nuwa of Wa Huang Palace has come to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Changsheng!"
All Six Sages had arrived!
Kunpeng and the other two were all shaken to their cores.
Even if the Primordial World shattered and billions upon billions of living beings perished, they might never have witnessed the magnificent sight of all Six Sages appearing together.
Yet Great Master had brought about such a scene all by himself!
"Such a grand spectacle truly is something only Great Master could enjoy."
The Six Sages of the Primordial World gathered in Wuji Heaven, and the atmosphere in the area immediately grew subtle.
After all, the sages had just been discussing how shortcuts were not the proper path, claiming they would never come here.
Yet in the blink of an eye, all six had appeared.
The slap to their faces had come far too quickly.
"Ahem—Fellow Daoists, what a coincidence."
Among the Six Sages, Tongtian had the most forthright personality and was the first to grow unable to endure the awkwardness.
After giving two light coughs, he was the first to break the silence.
The Six Sages then exchanged greetings, but they all understood each other tacitly and made no mention of what had happened earlier.
While the sages were feeling awkward, Lu Changsheng had already been roused by the continuous incoming voice transmissions.
"Oh? All Six Sages have arrived?"
Although Lu Changsheng did not fear sages, the simultaneous arrival of all six still surprised him somewhat.
After all, there were truly few matters in the Primordial World capable of bringing all Six Sages together.
The future Investiture of the Gods battle could be considered the only war in which the sages personally entered the fray.
Even then, only five sages had appeared.
Lu Changsheng muttered softly to himself before walking out of Changsheng Palace.
With a smile on his face, he swept his gaze over the Six Sages and asked:
"All the sages have gathered in my Wuji Heaven. This is truly a grand occasion.
"May I ask what brings you here today?"
After hearing Lu Changsheng's question, all the sages wore smiles, yet none immediately explained their purpose.
After all, bringing up the matter of exchanging for merit directly in front of the other sages would be somewhat embarrassing.
After a brief silence, the Western Two Sages, who had dealt with him before and had the thickest skins, were the first to ask:
"Fellow Daoist Changsheng, may I ask whether the matter of exchanging for merit is still proceeding as before?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng immediately understood. So all Six Sages had gathered here for merit.
Once he understood, he immediately responded with a hearty smile:
Before you continue