After tearfully inheriting his teammate's legacy, Hongjun returned to his dojo at Yujing Mountain, Zixiao Palace.
After experiencing the Dao-Devil War and witnessing the true might of the Primordial Realm, his understanding of the Primordial Realm Dao had improved tremendously.
It was time to break through to the next realm.
His true form was the first wisp of Immortal Qi in the Prehistoric World.
Naturally, the innate inheritance he had received was also the Immortal Dao.
His current realm was Great Perfection of Quasi-Saint. As long as he merged his Three Corpses, he could break through to Sainthood. Then he would be qualified to speak with the Heavenly Dao.
His method of breaking through could be considered an unorthodox path.
The Prehistoric World was different from Chaos. If he cultivated the Hun Yuan Golden Immortal realm the way he had before, it would be no easier than Pangu's creation of the world.
After all, the Great Dao was gradually receding, and the chances of comprehending the Hun Yuan Great Dao would only grow slimmer.
Moreover... the method of beheading the Three Corpses suited the masses of the Prehistoric World.
For innate beings with poor foundations, this method was the best choice.
He, Hongjun, was truly devoted to the welfare of all beings in the Prehistoric World!
Hongjun took out the Jade Disc of Creation Fragment and began comprehending the Three Thousand Great Daos within it.
Then, three figures identical to him emerged from his body.
The Good Corpse, the Evil Corpse, and the Obsession Corpse.
Once the Three Corpses merged, he could attain Sainthood—that is, become a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Hongjun continued comprehending the Great Daos within the Jade Disc of Creation. Strange inscriptions appeared all around him, one after another.
Zhang Hao had also been keeping a close eye on Hongjun.
Once Hongjun became a Saint, Zhang Hao could tell him about the Transmigrators. That way, he would have an ally in the Prehistoric World.
Hongjun continued to comprehend the Hun Yuan Great Dao, with Zhang Hao secretly helping him along the way.
Finally, after one yuanhui, the Three Corpses merged with him.
He, too, broke through to Sainthood.
Saintly Dao Rhyme surrounded him, and his understanding of this world became clearer.
At the very instant Hongjun broke through to Sainthood, a blurry figure appeared inside Zixiao Palace.
"Heavenly Dao?"
Hongjun looked at the Heavenly Dao's incarnation before him. Though puzzled, he still asked softly.
"It's me. Now that you've become a Saint, you should know some things about the Prehistoric World."
Zhang Hao's incarnation had no distinct form, only the shape of a hazy figure, but the pressure it exerted on Hongjun was unmistakable.
Even an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao possessed the strength of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal?!
Hongjun had thought that after becoming a Saint, he might be able to negotiate with the Heavenly Dao. Now he realized he'd been overthinking it.
But perhaps that was for the best. With the Heavenly Dao so powerful, he wouldn't need to worry about the Prehistoric World at every turn.
As a being of the Prehistoric World, he sincerely hoped it would grow stronger and stronger.
"May I ask what the Heavenly Dao wishes to tell me?"
Hongjun asked earnestly.
Zhang Hao got straight to the point. First, he told Hongjun about the arrangements for the three sermons.
Then he handed over the seven clusters of Primordial Violet Qi in his possession.
A flicker of surprise passed through Hongjun's eyes as he took the Primordial Violet Qi, but he quickly concealed it.
If he had possessed a cluster of Primordial Violet Qi when he broke through to Sainthood, he wouldn't have needed to waste so much time. He could have broken through right away.
Still, he could tell that this item only helped stabilize one's Dao Foundation.
And the Saints who broke through with its help would surely be among the weakest.
For someone at his level, it was of little use.
After arranging the sermons, Zhang Hao told Hongjun about the Transmigrators.
"Transmigrators?" Hongjun first froze, then suddenly understood. "Does the Heavenly Dao mean Outer Realm Demons?"
Zhang Hao gave a quiet affirmative.
The beings of the Prehistoric World were all clever. They didn't need much explanation to understand.
"Luo Hou was one of them."
"I see." Hongjun nodded. No wonder Luo Hou had suddenly broken through to the Primordial Realm.
Zhang Hao then told Hongjun about the systems, explaining that they were the root cause of the Prehistoric World's destruction.
If he discovered one, he must not alert it. He had to report it immediately.
Then Zhang Hao extracted part of Hongjun's True Spirit and stored it in the Heavenly Dao Void, granting him partial authority over the Prehistoric World.
And as long as the Prehistoric World endured, Hongjun would not fall.
Hongjun had no objection. He had already planned to entrust his True Spirit to the Heavenly Dao of the Prehistoric World.
After taking care of all this, Zhang Hao finally left.
After learning all these things beyond his understanding, Hongjun felt his mind open up.
Everything made sense now!
No wonder so many powerful beings had appeared during the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation. They had all been Outer Realm Demons!
For a moment, Hongjun felt that he was still too weak. He probably couldn't deal with those systems, so he continued studying the Jade Disc of Creation inside Zixiao Palace.
There was still some time before the Heavenly Dao's appointed date for his sermons. He could focus on stabilizing his realm.
Just as Hongjun was studying the Jade Disc of Creation,
a streak of light came from beyond the Prehistoric World and flew straight into his sea of consciousness.
"The Great Sage System of the Great Desolation has been bound!"
Hongjun: ?
After Zhang Hao's explanation, Hongjun had gained a general understanding of systems.
No way. Had he really run into one?
"Ahem." Hongjun didn't immediately report it to Zhang Hao. Instead, he started hatching a little scheme of his own.
"System, what can you do?"
"This system can refine anything the host submits and reward the host with points. With enough points, the host can even exchange them for the Hun Yuan Limitless Great Dao."
Hongjun's eyes lit up. What a deal!
He opened the system shop and saw that exchanging for a single Hun Yuan Limitless Great Dao cost one trillion points.
After thinking for a moment, he submitted a Low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure to the system.
"Congratulations, host! You have received 100 points!"
Hongjun: I *%#* you!
Even some Grand Unity Golden Immortals didn't own a Low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and it only got him a hundred points?
He could submit everything in the Prehistoric World and still probably not earn enough to exchange for a single Hun Yuan Limitless Great Dao.
I have to be up at eight!
"Heavenly Dao, I'm reporting you! There's an Outer Realm Demon here!"
Great Sage System: ?
Wait!
I only skimmed a few of your points. You didn't have to report me to the Heavenly Dao! I'll give you another hundred points, all right?
Heavenly Dao Void.
Zhang Hao had just dismantled Luo Hou's system into its source essence and used it to repair the damaged Spiritual Veins in the West when he sensed Hongjun's "report."
He raised an eyebrow, and a strand of consciousness instantly descended upon Zixiao Palace.
Hongjun sat ramrod straight, the Jade Disc of Creation above his head casting a clear glow. He looked utterly righteous, as if he hadn't been the one to say "I'm reporting you" moments earlier.
Meanwhile, in his sea of consciousness, a ball of light flashed frantically, letting out a shrill outburst that only Zhang Hao could hear:
"Hongjun! You can't do this! You're breaking the rules of the trade! I'm filing a complaint—uh?"
The ball of light fell silent mid-sentence. It felt an irresistible will lock it in place, then "pluck" it right out of Hongjun's sea of consciousness.
Hongjun sensed Zhang Hao's arrival and breathed a sigh of relief.
The system wasn't much stronger than a Saint, so Hongjun had been able to restrain it for an instant.
When the system sensed Zhang Hao's gaze, it trembled in fear.
The being before it was far beyond anything it could comprehend.
How was this the incomplete, dull Prehistoric World Heavenly Dao it knew?
This was clearly a sharp-minded, seasoned schemer!