The Method of Proving the Dao, Bodies of Ants (Please Follow, Please Vote!)

Lu Yuan exhaled a breath of turbid air. A glint of sharpness flashed through his eyes as he muttered inwardly, "Even if I missed the three sermons at Purple Cloud Palace, with my talent, foundation, and fate, I will sooner or later step onto the path of transcendence and Hunyuan."

After all, Pangu Sanqing proving the Dao and becoming Saints is the Heavenly Dao Trend. Once Eldest Martial Uncle, Second Martial Uncle, and Master obtain the Primordial Dao Fruit, this vast Primordial World will fall under the Three Teachings.

As a personal disciple of the Three Pure Ones, backed by Hunyuan Sages and bestowed with so many supreme treasures and secret arts, it would be hard for me not to rise!"

Thinking of the White Jade Plate, Profound Yellow World-Generating Bead, Profound Yellow Pure Turgid Diagram, fragment of the Jade Disk of Creation, the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root—the Tree of Life—and the secret art for condensing Primordial Violet Qi in his possession, Lu Yuan felt utterly confident, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

As his thoughts turned, Lu Yuan shifted his attention to his cultivation. After condensing two strands of the Five Qi in his chest, his magical power cultivation had advanced greatly within the mid-stage Golden Immortal realm. Perhaps once he activated the Innate Water Element Qi within the Kidney Aperture Divine Treasury and condensed the Water Qi in his chest, he would be able to break through to the late-stage Golden Immortal realm.

Lu Yuan nodded to himself, exceedingly satisfied with this rate of cultivation!

After taking a deep breath, Lu Yuan, seated cross-legged upon the meditation cushion, shut his eyes and circulated a secret art. He began using the Three Lights Divine Water to nourish his kidney aperture, attempting to illuminate the Kidney Aperture Divine Treasury and refine Innate Water Element Qi.

In the blink of an eye, a thousand years passed. Within Purple Cloud Palace, Dao Ancestor Hongjun stopped reciting the Saintly aphorisms and no longer explained the path of Quasi-Sages. His gaze swept over the Great Divine Ability Users and Great Luo Dao Lords as he said, "Thirty thousand years have passed. This second sermon has ended. One Kalpa from now, I shall expound the Dao of Hunyuan Sages at Purple Cloud Palace—and it will also be the last sermon!"

In the past, this Poor Daoist obtained the Heavenly Dao artifact, the Jade Disk of Creation. I comprehended the Three Thousand Great Daos and obtained the Hunyuan Sage's Dao Fruit. After preaching to all beings three times, I shall merge with the Heavenly Dao and use this Saint's body to mend the Heavenly Dao's deficiencies.

If you have any questions now, ask swiftly. This Poor Daoist will resolve your doubts..."

Once these words were spoken, the Great Divine Ability Users and Great Luo Dao Lords within Purple Cloud Palace were beside themselves with excitement. After the Three Pure Daoists exchanged glances, the Grand Pure Daoist rose and asked, "May I ask Teacher, what is a Saint?"

"A Saint entrusts their Primordial Spirit to the void and merges with the Heavenly Dao. They grasp the boundless profundities of the Great Dao, transcend the River of Time, and achieve the Primordial Dao Fruit. Through ten thousand tribulations, they are never worn away; stained by karma, they remain unstained. They exist alongside the Heavenly Dao and rule over the universe, Heaven and Earth.

With but a thought, a Saint knows all and can do all. Their eyes survey the past, present, and future. They command the Heavenly Dao Trend, towering and supreme, eternal and indestructible.

All beneath Saints are ants!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's chilly voice rang out through Purple Cloud Palace. The Great Divine Ability Users all sucked in a cold breath, shocked by the Saints' immeasurable Divine Might.

The words, "All beneath Saints are ants," filled the Great Divine Ability Users with bitterness. They had cultivated painstakingly for countless years, only to still possess bodies of ants. How could their defenses not shatter?

Just as the Great Divine Ability Users were lost in thought, Yuqing Yuanshi Daoist rose and asked, "Teacher, is there a method for proving the Dao?"

After his voice fell, the Three Thousand Dustworld Guests of Purple Cloud Palace could no longer remain distracted. Their spirits immediately rose, and they gazed at Hongjun with undisguised longing in their eyes.

"There are Three Thousand Great Daos, and every one may prove the Dao of Hunyuan. There are three paths to becoming a Saint.

The highest method is the path of becoming a Saint through Great Dao Rules. Since the Primordial World was opened, there have been Three Thousand Great Dao Rules. One need only cultivate a Great Dao to the Hunyuan level, then use the power of Great Dao Rules to break through the Heavenly Dao, endure the Hunyuan Dao Tribulation, and obtain the Hunyuan Sage's Dao Fruit.

During the Ancient Era, the three generations of Divine Demon Heavenly Emperors—Cang Li Shi, Yue Jianshi, and Jiutou Shi—became Saints through the path of Great Dao Rules. This Poor Daoist also attempted this method, but unfortunately, I did not succeed!

The middle method is the path of the Three Corpses. Sever the Three Corpses of good, evil, and obsession, then unite the Three Corpses as one, and you may naturally obtain the Hunyuan Sage's Dao Fruit.

This Poor Daoist created the method of 'Severing the Three Corpses' and proved the Dao through this secret method. Yet while good and evil are easy to sever, obsession is difficult to eliminate!

The lowest method is the method of proving the Dao through merit. Of the three paths, this method is both the simplest and, one could say, the most difficult. One must walk the path of great merit and gain the Heavenly Dao's recognition through immeasurable merit. The Heavenly Dao will then bestow the Primordial Dao Fruit!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Divine Ability Users in Purple Cloud Palace automatically ruled out the highest method of proving the Dao through Great Dao Rules and the lowest method of attaining the Dao through merit.

As for the highest method of proving the Dao through Great Dao Rules, even the Three Sovereigns Heavenly Emperors of the Divine Demon Dao Era and the Saint of Purple Cloud Palace had failed to walk that path through. None of the Great Divine Ability Users present dared believe that they could succeed.

Before the Saint of Purple Cloud Palace had preached the secret art of 'Severing the Three Corpses' and the path of Quasi-Sages, the Great Divine Ability Users of the Primordial World had all followed the path of comprehending Great Dao Rules to attain the Dao.

They understood only too well how difficult the highest method of proving the Dao was!

As for the method of proving the Dao through merit, even the Saint of Purple Cloud Palace had said that it required immeasurable merit. The amount of merit needed was surely beyond imagination.

Some of the Great Divine Ability Users present had never even seen Heavenly Dao Merit. How could they obtain immeasurable Heavenly Dao Merit?

When they considered it carefully, the path of Severing the Three Corpses was instead the most reliable. After all, the Saint before them in Purple Cloud Palace had become a Hunyuan Sage through this very method.

Shangqing Tongtian Daoist rose to his feet and asked, "May I ask Teacher, is there a distinction of superiority among these three methods of proving the Dao to become a Hunyuan Sage?"

"Comprehend Great Dao Rules, create one's own method of proving the Dao, and attain the Dao. One obtains the Dao Ancestor Saint's Dao Fruit and proves oneself a Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. This path possesses the greatest combat power and potential.

Prove the Dao through the method of Severing the Three Corpses, obtain the Innate Saint's Dao Fruit, and prove oneself a Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. This path ranks second in combat power and potential.

Those who prove the Dao through merit obtain the Heavenly Dao Saint's Dao Fruit. Their Dao Fruit is entrusted to the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World; they are undying and indestructible, existing alongside Heaven and Earth!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's chilly voice rang out within Purple Cloud Palace.

"May I ask Teacher, what is the difference between these three kinds of Dao Fruits? And what is the difference between a Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal and a Saint?" Eastern Emperor Taiyi rose and asked.

"The Dao Ancestor Saint has the highest status. They are towering beings who follow the path of comprehending Great Dao Rules and open up methods of proving the Dao. They may be called the ancestor of a Dao!

The Innate Saint's Dao Fruit ranks next. Within the Primordial World, one is a Saint; within Chaos, one is a Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, unfettered by the Heavenly Dao.

As for the Heavenly Dao Saint's Dao Fruit, it is bound to the Heavenly Dao. Its fruit is entrusted to the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World, making one undying and indestructible, existing alongside Heaven and Earth!

A Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal is a Saint, but a Saint is not necessarily a Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun glanced at Taiyi and spoke blandly.

"May I ask Teacher, among all of us, who can prove the Dao and become a Hunyuan Sage?"

Thinking of the immeasurable divine abilities of Hunyuan Sages, Dijun's heart itched unbearably. He rose and asked.

Hongjun glanced over the gods of Purple Cloud Palace and said coldly, "Among you, not one will be able to prove the Dao of Hunyuan within ten thousand tribulations. As for the Saint's Dao Fruit, only those destined for it may prove the Dao and become Saints!"

Hearing the Saint of Purple Cloud Palace's words, the Great Divine Ability Users were instantly dumbfounded. The Dao Ancestor had said that not one of them would be able to prove the Dao of Hunyuan within ten thousand tribulations?

In other words, even if they followed the path of Quasi-Sages and cultivated the art of 'Severing the Three Corpses,' they could only remain in bodies of ants.

How could they accept that?

Ten thousand tribulations—what an unimaginably long stretch of time was that?