Hongjun: I Am Primordial Era's Only Parent

"Why is the preaching at Zixiao Palace a cage?" the Jade Emperor asked, confused.

After Zixiao Palace came into existence, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother were enlightened by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, becoming the only two Dao boys within it. For them, Zixiao Palace represented a new beginning.

Therefore, the Queen Mother also asked with confusion, "Father. Exactly. The preaching at Zixiao Palace gave all beings in the Primordial Era cultivation methods and something to strive for. Isn't that benefiting all living beings?"

Upon hearing the Queen Mother's words, Saint Nuwa and the others nodded.

"Hahahaha, benefiting all living beings?"

Zhang Yifan burst into laughter. "We just talked about the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation and the conflict between Dao and demons. Do you still think Hongjun is someone who benefits all living beings?"

"My daughter-in-law, you are all still too naive."

Hearing this, the Queen Mother blushed with embarrassment.

That's right!

She had just cursed Hongjun as worse than an animal. How could he be someone who benefited all living beings!

"Before Hongjun preached at Zixiao Palace, didn't all beings in the Primordial Era have cultivation methods? Couldn't they achieve enlightenment on their own?"

Uh...

The Queen Mother, the Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, and others were momentarily speechless.

Suddenly, Sect Master Tongtian, Nuwa, and the others were jolted awake.

That's right!

Before Hongjun preached, weren't they all cultivating just fine!

"Not only did they have cultivation methods, but the Primordial Continent was also a vibrant scene of a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred races contending, reaching its peak of glory."

Zhang Yifan snorted coldly. "And after the preaching at Zixiao Palace, hmph, the hundred flowers withered, leaving only the Xuanmen path! Is this benefiting all living beings? This is the decline of all methods!"

Hiss!

The Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, the Queen Mother, Nuwa, the Three Xiaos, and others gasped.

Upon careful consideration, their scalps tingled involuntarily.

It seems to be true!

The implications were terrifying!

On the current Primordial Continent, wasn't only the orthodox Xuanmen path left!

Where were all the other advanced cultivation methods?!

"Great-Grandfather, but does this mean that the preaching at Zixiao Palace was a cage?"

Yunxiao, after thinking, was still very confused. "Dao Ancestor Hongjun didn't force 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 couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, Yunyun, the Xuanmen methods have already become an invisible cage."

"Yes," Saint Nuwa also nodded.

Yang Jian, Zhao Gongming, the Jade Emperor, and others also nodded in agreement after thinking.

Among the current cultivators in the Primordial Era, besides the Xuanmen methods, did they know any others!

There were none at all!

"Little Tongtong, you're doing great! Your brain has become very flexible! It seems eating that pig brain was very effective!"

Seeing that Sect Master Tongtian had grasped this point, Zhang Yifan's eyes lit up, and he gave him a thumbs-up.

"Hahaha, eating brains helps the brain. Brother Tong ate a lot of brains tonight. Pig brains, cow brains, sheep brains, he ate several large bowls," Yang Jian laughed heartily.

"Get lost!" Sect Master Tongtian glared at Yang Jian irritably.

"Hahahahaha."

The playful banter between Sect Master Tongtian and Yang Jian caused everyone to burst into laughter.

"Grandfather, please stop teasing me," Sect Master Tongtian said to Zhang Yifan, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Please continue telling us about the preaching at Zixiao Palace, this greatest tribulation of the Primordial Era."

Everyone stopped laughing, sat up straight, and listened attentively, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.

"As mentioned before, the reason why the great powers of the Primordial Era went to listen to the teachings was naturally to seek the so-called path to sainthood."

Everyone nodded; it was true.

Zhang Yifan looked at the engrossed crowd and asked rhetorically, "Is there such a thing as a free lunch in this world?"

"No."

After thinking, everyone unanimously agreed.

"That's right. What's 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 Era."

"When the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Donghuang Taiyi, and countless other powerful beings of the Primordial Era arrived at Zixiao Palace and listened to Hongjun's teachings, all of them incurred immeasurable karma and countless favors from Hongjun."

"Who can repay this karma? Can the Three Pure Ones repay it?" Zhang Yifan asked the crowd.

"It seems... they cannot."

After pondering for a moment, Sect Master Tongtian and the others shook their heads.

The immeasurable karma of this preaching, like a net of invisible shackles, firmly ensnared all the powerful individuals.

The Jade Emperor, Saint Nuwa, and others were utterly aghast.

Of the three thousand guests in Zixiao Palace who had the chance to hear Hongjun preach, they all thought they had struck it rich. Little did they know, they were all merely prisoners in Hongjun's cage!

Zhang Yifan nodded and said, "Not only can they not repay it, but more importantly, all the powerful beings in the three realms of the Primordial Era have become disciples of the Dao Ancestor, forming the Xuanmen. Everyone must respectfully call Hongjun 'Teacher' and 'Dao Ancestor'."

"All powerful beings defer to Hongjun!"

"From this moment on, Hongjun becomes the sole patriarch of the Primordial Continent!"

Boom!

His words struck like thunder, making Sect Master Tongtian, the Jade Emperor, Saint Nuwa, and the others' scalps tingle and their faces change dramatically.

With this single move, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had forever placed himself above all beings in the Primordial Era!

"Do you know what this means?" Zhang Yifan asked everyone.

The Jade Emperor, Sect Master Tongtian, the Queen Mother, and others felt their minds racing, their expressions shifting uncertainly. They already knew what it meant.

Zhang Yifan sighed, "It means that in the future, when conflicts arise between various races, major sects, or powerful beings, Hongjun can completely stay out of it. And he, Hongjun, can secretly scheme and instigate."

"Not only can he use the Primordial Tribulation as an excuse to suppress emerging races, sects, and powerful individuals without restraint, but he can also eliminate his rivals!"

"The Witch-Demon Calamity, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the Journey to the West Tribulation – none are exempt!"

"Most crucially, no one will suspect him!"

"Because with a single sentence, 'This is the Heavenly Dao Tribulation!', it's enough!"

Everyone's chests heaved, their breaths ragged, too shocked to speak.

"This is Hongjun. After preaching at Zixiao Palace, he became the sole supreme being of the Primordial Continent! A righteous, fair supreme being!"

"But is he righteous? Is he fair?!"

Zhang Yifan's voice boomed like thunder, exploding in everyone's ears, causing them to tremble.

Zhang Yifan sneered, "In Zixiao Palace, Hongjun also established six Saint positions. He made it so that all beings in this life would only pursue these Saint positions. And these Saint positions can only be granted by Hongjun, which means Hongjun has forever held the beings of the Primordial Era in his grasp. He controls life and death, and everything is decided by Hongjun."

"Scheming, this is the ultimate scheming! This is the ultimate emperor!" The Jade Emperor said with a dark face, filled with emotion.

What imperial scheming could compare to Dao Ancestor Hongjun? It was simply not worth mentioning!

He had schemed for an entire world, the Primordial Continent, and become the eternal supreme!

Hongjun's image was tall, mighty, domineering, and yet impossibly distant.

A sense of defeat and powerlessness seemed to well up in the Jade Emperor's heart.

No!

With Dad's support, with Dad as my backing, I will definitely surpass Hongjun and achieve the supreme Heavenly Emperor!

The Jade Emperor roared inwardly, also feeling grateful to Zhang Yifan, his father.

That sense of defeat was instantly crushed in its cradle, and the Jade Emperor's aura became incredibly sharp.

This drew the surprised glances of everyone present.

Sect Master Tongtian also nodded heavily, "That's right. On the chessboard of the Primordial Era, Hongjun is the only player, and everyone else is a pawn. Yet the pawns don't realize it, thinking they are also players. How laughable, how laughable."

Sect Master Tongtian recalled the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the conflicts, the battles, how the leaders of each sect thought they were the players, but Hongjun was the true player.

The moment the Investiture of the Gods List was signed, fate was sealed. Why didn't they realize it sooner?!

Sect Master Tongtian lamented, filled with regret.

The Queen Mother also gave a wry smile, "The preaching at Zixiao Palace was indeed the greatest and most terrifying tribulation of the Primordial Era. Hongjun has murdered the future of the entire Primordial Continent!"

Saint Nuwa was too shocked to speak.

Her thoughts were more numerous, her contemplations deeper! The more she thought, the more her heart pounded! The more she thought, the more she admired Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's figure in her eyes grew infinitely taller!

"With Hongjun like this, he has no more rivals, right?" Yang Jian also sighed.

"Hahaha, look at you all looking so dejected. How could Hongjun be invincible at this point?"

Seeing everyone's somewhat dispirited appearance, Zhang Yifan laughed heartily, "After the preaching at Zixiao Palace, there are at least two swords hanging over Hongjun's head on the Primordial Continent, making him restless day and night!"

"Ah!"

Everyone exclaimed in surprise!

Hongjun had achieved so much, and he still wasn't invincible?

There were still two swords hanging over Dao Ancestor Hongjun's head?

And they were from the Primordial Continent?

What kind of swords were they?! How incredibly powerful!