"Why was Preaching at Zixiao Palace a cage?" the Jade Emperor asked in confusion.
After Zixiao Palace came into existence, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother were enlightened by Dao Ancestor Hongjun and became the only two Dao children in Zixiao Palace. To them, Zixiao Palace had been their rebirth.
Thus, Queen Mother also asked in confusion, "Dad, exactly. Preaching at Zixiao Palace gave all living beings in the Primordial Continent methods of cultivation and goals to pursue. Wasn't that a blessing for all living beings?"
At her words, Saint Nuwa and the others all nodded.
"Ha ha ha ha, a blessing for all living beings?"
Zhang Yifan laughed heartily. "We just discussed the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation and the Dao-Demon Conflict. Do you still think Hongjun was someone who blessed all living beings?"
"Daughter-in-law, you're all still far too naïve."
Hearing that, Queen Mother flushed with embarrassment.
That was right!
They had just called Hongjun worse than a beast. How could he possibly have been someone who blessed all living beings?
"Before Hongjun preached at Zixiao Palace, did the beings of the Primordial Continent lack methods of cultivation? Couldn't they comprehend the Dao on their own?"
Uh...
Queen Mother, the Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, and the others were momentarily speechless.
Then, Sect Master Tongtian, Nuwa, and the others suddenly came to their senses.
That was right!
Before Hongjun preached, hadn't everyone been cultivating perfectly well?
"Not only did they have cultivation methods, but the Primordial Continent had flourished with countless schools and races, reaching the height of its glory."
Zhang Yifan snorted. "But after Preaching at Zixiao Palace, hmph, all flowers withered, leaving only the path of the Mysterious Sect! Is that a blessing for all living beings? That is the decline of all methods!"
Hiss!
The Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, Queen Mother, Nuwa, the Three Xiaos, and the others sucked in a cold breath.
The more they thought about it, the more their scalps tingled.
It really did seem to be that way!
The deeper they thought, the more terrifying it became!
In today's Primordial Continent, wasn't the Mysterious Sect the only remaining orthodox path?
Where were there any other advanced cultivation methods?!
"Great-Grandpa, but does that prove Preaching at Zixiao Palace was a cage?"
After thinking it over, Yunxiao remained deeply puzzled. "Dao Ancestor Hongjun never forced anyone to go, nor did he force anyone to stay. It doesn't seem like a cage at all."
Before Zhang Yifan could speak, Sect Master Tongtian could not help sighing. "Sigh, Yunyun, the methods of the Mysterious Sect themselves had already become an invisible cage."
"Yes," Saint Nuwa said with a nod.
After considering it, Yang Jian, Zhao Gongming, the Jade Emperor, and the others also nodded in agreement.
Among cultivators in the Primordial Continent today, aside from the methods of the Mysterious Sect, did anyone know anything else?
There simply was nothing else!
"Little Tongtong, not bad! Your mind has become much sharper! Looks like eating pig brains was really effective!"
Seeing that Sect Master Tongtian had grasped this point, Zhang Yifan's eyes lit up. He even gave him a thumbs-up in praise.
"Ha ha ha ha, eating brains to nourish the brain! Brother Tong ate so many brains tonight—pig brains, cow brains, sheep brains. He ate several huge bowls of them!" Yang Jian laughed.
"Get lost!" Sect Master Tongtian glared at Yang Jian irritably.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The banter between Sect Master Tongtian and Yang Jian made everyone laugh.
"Grandpa, stop making fun of me." Sect Master Tongtian blushed awkwardly as he said to Zhang Yifan, "Please continue telling us about Preaching at Zixiao Palace, the greatest tribulation in the Primordial Continent."
Everyone also stopped laughing and sat upright, listening once more, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
"I mentioned earlier why the great powers of the Primordial Continent went to hear the lecture. Naturally, they all sought the so-called path to sainthood."
Everyone nodded. That was indeed the case.
Looking at everyone listening with rapt attention, Zhang Yifan asked, "Is there such a thing as a free lunch?"
"No."
After thinking it over, everyone reached the same conclusion.
"That's right. What is free is always the most expensive." Zhang Yifan nodded. "Hongjun's preaching at Zixiao Palace was naturally the most expensive preaching in the history of the Primordial Continent."
"When the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Eastern Emperor Taiyi, and countless other powerful figures of the Primordial Continent arrived at Zixiao Palace and heard Hongjun preach, every one of them owed Hongjun immeasurable karma and countless favors."
"Who could ever repay that karma? Could the Three Pure Ones repay it?" Zhang Yifan asked the crowd.
"It seems... they couldn't."
After pondering for a moment, Sect Master Tongtian and the others all shook their heads.
The immeasurable karma from that preaching was like an invisible net of a cage, tightly trapping all those powerful figures.
The Jade Emperor, Nuwa, and the others were utterly horrified.
The three thousand guests of the mortal world in Zixiao Palace had thought themselves incredibly fortunate to hear Hongjun preach, but they had never expected that they were all prisoners in Hongjun's cage!
Zhang Yifan nodded. "Not only could they not repay it, more importantly, all the powerful figures of the Primordial Three Realms came under the Dao Ancestor's banner and formed the Mysterious Sect. Everyone had to respectfully call Hongjun Teacher and Dao Ancestor."
"All powerful figures revered Hongjun above all!"
"From then on, Hongjun became the only parent of the Primordial Continent!"
Boom!
His words were like thunder, making Sect Master Tongtian, the Jade Emperor, Nuwa, and the others' scalps tingle as their expressions changed drastically.
With this single move, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had forever stood above all living beings of the Primordial Continent!
"Do you know what this meant?" Zhang Yifan asked everyone.
The Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, Queen Mother, and the others' thoughts surged as their expressions shifted. They already knew what it meant.
Zhang Yifan sighed. "It meant that when disputes arose among the races, major sects, and great powers in the future, Hongjun could remain completely detached. Yet he could still scheme and sow discord from the shadows."
"Not only could he use the excuse of tribulations in the Primordial Continent to suppress emerging races, sects, and powerful figures without restraint, he could also eliminate dissidents!"
"The Witch-Demon Calamity, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the Journey to the West Tribulation—were they not all like this?"
"Most crucially, no one would ever suspect him!"
"Because one sentence was enough: this was a Heavenly Dao Tribulation!"
Everyone's chests heaved as they panted heavily, too shocked to speak.
"This was Hongjun. After Preaching at Zixiao Palace, he became the only supreme existence in the Primordial Continent! A righteous and impartial supreme existence!"
"But was he righteous? Was he impartial?!"
Zhang Yifan's voice was like thunder, exploding beside their ears and making everyone shudder.
Zhang Yifan sneered. "In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun also established six Saint positions, making all living beings pursue Saint positions for the rest of their lives. Yet only Hongjun could grant Saint positions. That meant Hongjun held all living beings of the Primordial Continent in his grasp forever. Their lives and deaths were entirely up to him."
"Power and strategy—this was the pinnacle of power and strategy! This was the greatest of emperors!" The Jade Emperor's face darkened as he sighed with deep emotion.
What imperial schemes could possibly compare to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's? They were simply not worth mentioning!
He had plotted to seize an entire world of the Primordial Continent and become its eternal supreme existence!
Hongjun's image was lofty, mighty, domineering, and impossibly distant.
A sense of defeat and helplessness seemed to rise within the Jade Emperor.
No!
With Dad's support, with Dad behind me, I will definitely surpass Hongjun and become the supreme Heavenly Emperor!
The Jade Emperor shouted in his heart, feeling grateful to Zhang Yifan, his father.
That feeling of defeat was instantly smothered in the cradle, and the Jade Emperor's aura became incomparably sharp.
It drew countless sidelong glances from everyone.
Sect Master Tongtian also nodded heavily. "That's right. On the chessboard of the Primordial Continent, Hongjun alone was the player. Everyone else was a chess piece. Yet the chess pieces did not know it and thought they too were players. Ridiculous, truly ridiculous."
Sect Master Tongtian recalled the Investiture of the Gods Calamity. All sides had fought and slaughtered one another, while the leaders of every sect believed they were the ones playing the game, when Hongjun had been the true player.
The moment they signed the Investiture of the Gods List, their fates had already been decided. Why had he never realized it?!
Sect Master Tongtian felt regretful and resentful.
Queen Mother also smiled bitterly. "Preaching at Zixiao Palace truly was the greatest and most terrifying tribulation in the Primordial Continent. Hongjun murdered the future of the entire Primordial Continent!"
Nuwa was so shocked that she could not speak.
She had even more thoughts and more things to consider! The more she thought, the more terrified she became! Yet the more she thought, the more she admired Dao Ancestor Hongjun!
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's figure rose infinitely higher in her eyes!
"By this point, Hongjun had no rivals left, right?" Yang Jian also sighed.
"Ha ha ha, look at you all acting so pathetic. How could Hongjun possibly have become invincible just like that?"
Seeing that everyone seemed somewhat dejected, Zhang Yifan laughed. "After Preaching at Zixiao Palace, there were still at least two swords hanging over Hongjun's head in the Primordial Continent, keeping him restless day and night!"
"Ah!"
Everyone cried out in shock!
Hongjun had gone this far, yet he still was not invincible?
There were still two swords hanging over Dao Ancestor Hongjun's head?
And they were in the Primordial Continent?
What swords were they?!
How incredible!
Before you continue