Hongjun had kept nothing to himself. He imparted to everyone present all his understanding of the path to becoming a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
He had not singled out the Transmigrators, either.
Since they had crossed Chaos to reach Zixiao Palace, they were naturally among those he considered fated to be here.
As a Sage of the Prehistoric World, he saw no distinction between high and low among the myriad beings.
The Sage was impartial, treating all things as straw dogs.
The Heavenly Dao was just, treating even Sages as straw dogs.
Zhang Hao's thinking was much like Hongjun's. As long as the Transmigrators didn't bring trouble upon themselves, he didn't mind letting them stay in the Prehistoric World.
But that seemed unlikely.
Behind every Transmigrator was a system. They had come to the Prehistoric World to disrupt fate and seize its origin.
Li Shou, who had lost his system right at the start, was the only case they had found so far.
As the lecture continued, everyone present felt as though their minds had been enlightened. Many even broke through on the spot.
The Three Pure Ones, Minghe, Nuwa, and a host of other Great Powers broke through directly to Grand Unity Perfection.
Even the least perceptive among them reached the middle stage of Great Luo.
A thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
When Hongjun stopped lecturing, everyone felt that they had not heard enough and gazed at him expectantly.
"May I ask, Sage, what realm comes after Great Luo?" Laozi had reached Grand Unity Perfection, but did not know how to break through to the next realm.
The others were just as puzzled.
"The realm beyond Great Luo is Quasi-Saint, known in ancient times as the Hun Yuan Golden Immortal," Hongjun said slowly.
"May I ask, Sage, what is the difference between a Quasi-Saint and a Hun Yuan Golden Immortal, and how does one break through?" asked Jieyin, who had moved back into the crowd.
After this lecture, he and Zhunti had both reached the late stage of Great Luo.
Given a little more time to digest what they had learned, they would soon reach Grand Unity Perfection. Then they would need to prepare to break through to Quasi-Saint.
Jieyin had asked what everyone present wanted to know.
Even among the Transmigrators, quite a few had chosen to follow Hongjun's method of slaying the Three Corpses to attain Sagehood.
Attaining the Dao through strength depended on one's own power. Since their cultivation had been granted by their systems, naturally they would struggle to use that method.
But few Transmigrators had come to that realization. Most still scoffed at Hongjun's Three Corpses method.
I'm a Transmigrator. Of course I'm going to attain the Dao through strength!
Hongjun explained:
"Hun Yuan Golden Immortals comprehend the laws of the Great Dao. Quasi-Saints have no need to do so. After one cosmic cycle, when I give my second lecture, I will explain this in detail."
The decision to hold the second lecture after one cosmic cycle had been Zhang Hao's.
Normally, the three lectures were separated by only three thousand years.
But this Prehistoric World was anything but normal.
If the native beings of the Prehistoric World weren't given time to grow,
then by the time Hongjun finished lecturing on the Quasi-Saint path three thousand years later, the Transmigrators probably wouldn't even bother keeping up appearances. They would all break through to Quasi-Saint at once.
After hearing Hongjun's words, everyone present understood.
"If you have any other questions, ask them. I will answer them one by one." Hongjun's gaze swept over the crowd, calm and steady.
Everyone was taken aback, then began to ponder.
A Sage who answered every question—this was an immense opportunity.
"Chen Tian of the Witch Clan pays his respects to the Sage. The Witch Clan does not cultivate the Primordial Spirit. We refine only our flesh and blood, and revere strength above all."
"May I ask, Sage, can this path lead to the Primordial Realm? Does it conflict with the Heavenly Dao?"
Chen Tian spoke first. Although his system occasionally rewarded him with treasures and cultivation, he still hoped to attain the Primordial Realm through his own strength.
Besides, he didn't believe the system had brought him to the Prehistoric World without a purpose.
The others turned to look at Chen Tian, their gazes unfriendly.
He had asked only about the Witch Clan's path. If the Sage offered them a few pointers, wouldn't the future of the Prehistoric World belong to the Ancestral Witches?
Hongjun looked at Chen Tian. He did not conceal anything because Chen Tian was a Transmigrator, but answered evenly:
"Great God Pangu opened the Prehistoric World with his physical body. At the utmost limit of strength, one can indeed break through the Dao."
"All things exist within the Dao. How could there be any conflict?"
"However, those who cultivate only the flesh, without understanding the seasons or discerning cause and effect, easily incur calamity through the weight of their killings."
"That you can ask this question is itself a matter of fate."
His answer gave the Witch Clan hope, while also carrying a warning.
Chen Tian's heart tightened. He withdrew respectfully.
So the Witch Clan's future downfall really was due to the Heavenly Dao's schemes. But why had Hongjun told him this?
Could it be...
Hongjun had already been controlled by the Heavenly Dao, and was asking him for help?
That had to be it. After all, as a variable in the Prehistoric World, only Chen Tian could help Hongjun escape the Heavenly Dao's control.
He silently decided to regard Hongjun as an ally in his fight against the Heavenly Dao.
Just then, Qin Yuan, who had been quiet until now, rolled his eyes and suddenly raised his hand. In a childish voice, he asked loudly, "Sage Lord! Is the Heavenly Dao Lord a man or a woman? Are you close with the Heavenly Dao Lord?"
"Pfft—"
"Ahem!"
A few stifled laughs and coughs rang out in Zixiao Palace.
Tai Yi stared at his "third brother" with wide eyes, his expression saying, Have you lost your mind?
Quite a few Great Powers looked bewildered, wondering why this Golden Crow had asked such an absurd question.
On the dais, Hongjun's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
In the void of the Heavenly Dao, Zhang Hao nearly choked on his own spit.
Hongjun's face remained impassive, his voice utterly calm. "The Heavenly Dao is impartial, formless and intangible, and has no gender. As a Heavenly Dao Sage, I naturally act on its behalf."
"Oh..." Qin Yuan nodded as though he understood. The Wild History System recorded another entry: "Dao Ancestor personally admits to a close relationship with the Heavenly Dao. Officially confirmed, it seems!"
"Points +20"
Qin Yuan was secretly delighted. Sure enough, the more explosive the question, the more points he got.
He was about to ask something even more "in-depth," but Tai Yi beside him beat him to it. Smiling broadly, he rubbed his hands together and asked:
"Please enlighten me, Sage! This junior is Tai Yi, and I have a question."
"The union of yin and yang is a fundamental principle of Heaven and Earth."
"May I ask whether the Sage knows how to... well, have more children and strengthen one's family? Ideally, one would have many sons and much fortune, each with a deep foundation!"
He asked with apparent "sincerity," though his eyes kept drifting toward Nuwa and Xi He.
Nuwa furrowed her brow slightly. Xi He remained expressionless, while Chang Xi glared at him as if she wanted to kill him.
Silence fell over Zixiao Palace.
The Transmigrators were completely dumbfounded.
What kind of questions were these?!
One asked, with childish innocence, about the Heavenly Dao's gender. The other went straight to asking how to have children more efficiently and ensure they turned out well!
What was wrong with the crowd attending this lecture at Zixiao Palace?
Even the Three Pure Ones glanced his way.
Yuanshi gave a quiet snort. "Those feathered and horned beasts truly don't understand the will of Heaven or the rules of propriety!"
Hongjun's composure was clearly far beyond that of an ordinary person. He merely glanced at Tai Yi and said:
"The Great Dao is natural, and yin and yang have their proper order."
"One's foundation and blessings are determined by Heaven. To force the matter is useless and will only invite disaster. Devoting oneself to the Great Dao is the proper path."
Tai Yi had been gently rebuffed. He withdrew sheepishly, though he still didn't take the words to heart.
The rewards from his system were real!
Watching this farce, Li Shou grew anxious. At last, he stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"This junior, Li Shou, has a question."
"How should a cultivator protect those important to him from the suffering of tribulations? Even knowing that fate is hard to defy, can one resist it through strength?"
He asked with deep sincerity, and his gaze drifted toward the Three Pure Ones. They were all warmed by his words.
Hongjun looked at Li Shou. He knew that this "Fourth Pure One of the Prehistoric World" had been given a false origin by his system.
But judging by his character, he did not seem to have been corrupted by the system. On the contrary, he seemed genuinely attached to the Three Pure Ones.
His tone softened slightly:
"The Great Dao is fifty, and Heaven's derivation is forty-nine, leaving one for escape."
"Nothing in the world is fixed. Though tribulations may be ordained, human action still matters."
"Go with the flow and use force against force. Perhaps you will find a sliver of hope. But remember: reckless bravery is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."
These words were an answer, but they also seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Li Shou pondered them, then bowed in thanks.
Xuan Qing lowered his head, his body trembling slightly as though he were at the end of his restraint.
He suddenly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the Three Pure Ones, his voice hoarse:
"Sage! If someone takes my supreme treasure, destroys my path, and kills the one I love, can I avenge this hatred?! Will the Heavenly Dao concern itself with a personal grudge?!"
He spoke through gritted teeth, his rancor almost tangible. His target was clearly the Three Pure Ones.
The atmosphere in Zixiao Palace suddenly turned taut.
The Three Pure Ones' expressions darkened, while the Transmigrators all looked toward Xuan Qing, this "anomaly."
This unknown Great Power had a grudge against the Three Pure Ones. Could the Heavenly Dao have made plans in advance, intending to take full control of them before the Investiture of the Gods?
Hongjun looked at Xuan Qing calmly. His gaze seemed to pierce through him and see the agitated Devouring System in his sea of consciousness. He spoke slowly:
"In the Prehistoric World, cause and effect go in a cycle, and retribution never fails."
"If someone took your treasure and destroyed your path, there must have been a cause."
"Clinging to hatred clouds the Dao Heart and destroys your own path."
"The Heavenly Dao is just, rewarding good and punishing evil. But it does not interfere in personal grudges. How they are settled is up to you all. However..."
He paused. A hint of Saintly Might emerged, and the Daoist resonance in Zixiao Palace stilled.
"Zixiao Palace is a pure Daoist sanctuary, a sacred place for teaching the Dao."
"Personal grievances must not be settled here."
"Once you leave this palace, you may each act as you see fit. But remember: wanton conduct will bring calamity upon you."
He had drawn a clear line: no fighting inside Zixiao Palace. Once they left, they could fight as they pleased, but they would bear the consequences.
Xuan Qing shuddered. Under that Saintly Might, he felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss. His burning hatred was forcibly suppressed. He could only lower his head and grit his teeth. "...Xuan Qing understands."