Seeing Di Jiang take his seat calmly and composedly, Hongjun didn't waste time beating around the bush. After exchanging a few pleasantries and asking about Mount Buzhou, he changed the subject and said mildly:
"Little friend Di Jiang, when the Purple Heaven Palace lectures again, if you have some free time, why not come and listen? You may gain something from it."
Hearing this, Di Jiang instinctively wanted to refuse. He had his own path and wasn't very interested in the Heavenly Dao Saint cultivation method Hongjun taught. But as the saying went, you didn't slap a smiling face. Hongjun had invited him so courteously; rejecting him outright would be far too disrespectful to the Primordial World's first saint.
After a brief pause, Di Jiang cupped his hands and said, "I'll remember your kind invitation, Saint. If nothing keeps me occupied then, I'll certainly come and listen to the Great Dao."
It was a vague promise. Whether he went was another matter, but he hadn't outright refused.
Hongjun gave a slight nod, seeming reasonably satisfied with the answer. Then he moved on to the real reason he had invited Di Jiang.
Looking at Di Jiang as if he could see straight through his thoughts, Hongjun said slowly, "Little friend, it seems you've recently been searching all over the Primordial World for Innate Spiritual Treasures?"
Di Jiang's heart gave a jolt. I knew it! He must have seen what I was up to at Mount Kunlun. He kept his expression neutral, neither admitting nor denying it, and simply listened.
Hongjun continued, "I see that you have a strong affinity with Spiritual Treasures. I also have a few items sitting unused that I could give you, to form a good connection."
Even Di Jiang, steadfast as he was, couldn't help getting excited at those words. Hongjun was going to give him Spiritual Treasures? What a windfall! Di Jiang knew full well just how deep this Saint's pockets were.
In truth, Hongjun had a more far-reaching plan. If he could take Di Jiang as a disciple and bring this Pangu bloodline, endowed with immense Heaven-Opening Merit, fully into the Profound Sect, then he could settle his karma with Pangu once and for all.
But as soon as the thought crossed Hongjun's mind, he sensed a faint rejection from the Heavenly Dao, along with the unmistakable absence of any bond between him and Di Jiang that might make them master and disciple.
What puzzled him even more was that the Heavenly Dao seemed to have an inexplicable dislike of Di Jiang. The boy wasn't one of the saints the Heavenly Dao had chosen. With no bond between them and no heavenly mandate, forcing the matter would only spoil it. Regretfully, Hongjun abandoned what would have been the simplest plan.
If he couldn't take Di Jiang as a disciple, he would settle for the next best thing and use Spiritual Treasures to resolve their karma. In Hongjun's view, giving away a few treasures in exchange for easing the karma Di Jiang carried from Pangu was a very good deal.
Having said his piece, Hongjun fell silent and calmly watched Di Jiang, waiting for his answer. His expression seemed to say, "I have plenty of Spiritual Treasures. Just say yes and you can take them. Then we'll be even. What do you say?"
The atmosphere in the Purple Heaven Palace was delicate. Haotian and Yaochi stood to one side, gazing down at their noses and watching their hearts, though they were also quite curious. Would this mysterious fellow accept their master's gift?
Di Jiang's thoughts raced. What's Hongjun's real motive? Is he simply trying to make a good connection, or is there something more to it? But no matter what, there was no reason to turn down free Spiritual Treasures! And even if Hongjun's scheming, if he's scheming against me with an Innate Supreme Treasure, I'll take it!
Di Jiang suppressed his excitement and tried to keep his voice calm and respectful. "I'm deeply grateful for your kindness, Saint. Since it's a gift from you, I won't stand on ceremony!"
Di Jiang immediately seized the opportunity. With a smile he thought looked modest, though it was really full of anticipation, he cupped his hands toward Hongjun and said sincerely:
"Your generosity means a great deal to me, Saint! Since you've offered, I'll be bold enough to ask. I've heard you have a Taiji Diagram, a Pangu Banner, and the Immortal Slaying Four Swords."
"Oh, and a Universe Cauldron, too... If you wouldn't mind, could you give me those? And if you have any other Innate Supreme Treasures or Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, I'm not picky. What do you say? I'll always remember your kindness, Saint, and put them to good use!"
Di Jiang delivered this request without batting an eye, as if he were asking for a few cabbages. But with every name he mentioned, Hongjun, seated on his Cloud Bed, twitched almost imperceptibly.
When Di Jiang had finished, Hongjun felt his chest tighten. He nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, and even his flawless Saintly composure almost crumbled. The purple aura surrounding him wavered for a moment!
How... how does this boy know I have these treasures?! Hongjun was rocked by a storm of astonishment. The Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner were his prized possessions. The Immortal Slaying Four Swords had come from Luohu, and the Universe Cauldron was a secret. How could Di Jiang know about all of them in such detail?
Hongjun almost instinctively began frantically divining the secrets of Heaven to uncover the source of Di Jiang's information. But no matter how he tried, Di Jiang's origins and true nature seemed shrouded in a fog even the Heavenly Dao couldn't pierce. He could see only Di Jiang's Pangu bloodline and Heaven-Opening Merit. Beyond that, there was nothing but Chaos!
Although the system had been erased by the Heavenly Dao, the information-obscuring effect it had brought with it remained. Perhaps only the Great Dao, beyond the Primordial World, could uncover Di Jiang's true origins—but the Great Dao clearly wouldn't concern itself with this matter.
His divination yielded nothing, leaving Hongjun even more unsettled. He looked at Di Jiang with an indescribable scrutiny. This kid is too damn strange!
Seeing Di Jiang still gazing at him expectantly, Hongjun forcibly suppressed his churning blood and turbulent Dao Heart. He managed to squeeze out a rather stiff smile and gave an awkward cough.
"Ahem... Little friend Di Jiang, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. I do have a few things in my collection, but I don't have treasures like the Taiji Diagram or Pangu Banner, those treasures from the creation of Heaven and Earth, nor the Immortal Slaying Four Swords, those deadly weapons. You must have heard some unreliable rumors."
Hongjun paused. Seeing Di Jiang's expression instantly fall, plainly saying You expect me to believe that?, he hurriedly tried to make up for it and salvage some goodwill.
"However, I do indeed have a Universe Cauldron. It's quite useful for crafting treasures and returning things to their original state. If you need it, I don't mind giving it to you."
Hongjun's reasoning was that although the Universe Cauldron was a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure with unique functions, it was still a little less important than the three supreme treasures used for attacking and suppressing foes. Giving it away to settle some of their karma seemed reasonable.
But when Di Jiang heard that—
You crafty old Hongjun, pretending to be poor, are you? You're unwilling to part with the three strongest treasures, so you're trying to fob me off with a mere support tool?
Di Jiang was instantly displeased, feeling that the old man wasn't being generous enough. But he knew there was no point in forcing the issue; that might just leave him empty-handed.
So the eager smile vanished from Di Jiang's face. He replaced it with a listless, almost disdainful look, waved his hand, and said coolly:
"Oh, you don't have them? Then forget it. I thought a Saint like you would have a rich collection and could help me out of a tight spot. If you don't have anything, just pretend I never asked!"
After saying this, Di Jiang even put on a show of disappointment and sighed.
That left Hongjun at a loss! He looked at Di Jiang's expression of utter disappointment and felt a headache coming on. This kid doesn't play by the rules! Wouldn't anyone normally be overjoyed to hear they could get a treasure like the Universe Cauldron? Why is he nitpicking and acting like it's beneath him?
It seemed this karma wouldn't be so easy to settle after all! Hongjun realized he might have underestimated how difficult this descendant of Pangu's True Lineage would be. The atmosphere in the Purple Heaven Palace grew awkward and delicate.
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