Re-entering Zixiao Palace, the struggle for the futon.

At the foot of Mount Sumeru, killing intent erupted from all sides.

Lu Chen's furious roar exploded like thunder, and Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions changed drastically—they hadn't expected Lu Chen to appear here, at this time!

"Little friend Lu Chen, why must you press us so hard?" Jieyin suppressed his shock and clasped his hands in salute. "This essence blood was obtained when I settled karma with the Witch Clan. What does it have to do with you?"

"Bullshit!" Lu Chen couldn't be bothered with nonsense. The Chaos Sky-Opening Brick became a streak of black light and smashed straight at Jieyin's face. "How could Houtu Ancestral Witch's natal essence blood possibly be obtained by your 'settling karma'? You clearly ambushed her amid the chaos and stole it!"

The brick's wind howled as Axe Blade Sharpness tore through space.

Jieyin didn't dare take it head-on. The Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus of Merit (imitation) beneath his feet blazed with golden light, its layers of petals blooming to shield him. Zhunti also brought out the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree (imitation), sweeping its seven-colored divine light toward Lu Chen.

Clang—!

The brick struck the golden lotus, shattering thirty percent of its golden light and leaving a deep crack across the lotus platform's surface. Jieyin grunted and staggered back, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth—his injuries hadn't healed, and he simply couldn't withstand Lu Chen, now at the Grand Unity Peak and wielding a supreme treasure!

Zhunti's seven-colored divine light swept over Lu Chen, only to be scattered by the Sky-Opening Imprint inherent to the Chaos Brick. The backlash tore open the old wound at his severed arm, leaving him drenched in blood.

"Only a few months have passed, and you've become this strong?!" Zhunti cried in horror.

"Thanks to you two." Lu Chen sneered as the second brick arrived. "If you hadn't been smearing my name everywhere, I wouldn't have had to hide in the Demon Abyss and cultivate desperately."

This brick aimed directly at the jade bottle in Zhunti's arms!

"Senior Brother, save me!" Zhunti screamed.

Jieyin gritted his teeth and pushed the Merit Golden Lotus to its limit while throwing out a golden talisman—one bestowed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, capable of blocking an attack from a Quasi-Saint Peak expert!

Boom!

The talisman and the brick shadow collided, both vanishing into nothingness. But the aftershock sent Zhunti flying, and the jade bottle slipped from his grasp!

"My essence blood!" Zhunti's eyes nearly split apart.

Lu Chen reacted swiftly. With a sweep of the Qiankun Diagram, he collected the jade bottle into his possession. A scan with his Divine Sense revealed that the drop of earthy-yellow essence blood inside exuded a dense aura of earth. It was indeed Houtu's natal essence blood.

I've got it! He finally relaxed.

Seeing this, Jieyin knew there was no hope left. He grabbed Zhunti and prepared to flee.

"Trying to run?" Lu Chen would never let them go. The brick shadow split into nine, sealing every route of retreat.

Just as the two were about to be suppressed and killed—

Clang—!!!

The sound of the Chaos Bell rang out from the Nine Heavens!

Time and space froze, and the brick shadows came to a halt.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi tore through space and arrived, followed by Di Jun, Kunpeng, Fuxi, and other great Demon Clan experts. Farther away, the Witch Clan pursuers also arrived, led by Houtu Ancestral Witch herself. Sensing the aura of her natal essence blood, her face was full of fury.

The three factions collided at the foot of Mount Sumeru!

"Lu Chen! Hand over the essence blood, and I'll spare your life!" Taiyi locked onto Lu Chen with the Chaos Bell, his killing intent piercingly cold.

Houtu, meanwhile, looked toward Jieyin and Zhunti, her voice icy. "You stole my essence blood. This hatred will end only in death!"

Jieyin and Zhunti turned deathly pale. Lu Chen stood before them, while the Witches and Demons surrounded them from behind. They were trapped in a desperate situation!

Yet Lu Chen smiled.

He shook the jade bottle in his hand, then made a move no one expected—

He tossed the jade bottle to Houtu!

"Houtu Ancestral Witch, I return this to its rightful owner." Lu Chen's voice rang out clearly. "These two thieves ambushed the Witch Clan during the Witch-Demon War and stole this blood. This junior happened upon the scene and was fortunate enough to seize it. I now return it intact, asking only that the Witch Clan not forget our prior agreement."

Houtu caught the jade bottle. Sensing that the essence blood was completely unharmed, her expression eased somewhat. "Little friend Lu Chen, the Witch Clan owes you a favor."

She looked toward Jieyin and Zhunti, the killing intent in her eyes growing even stronger. "As for you two..."

"Fellow Daoist Houtu, this is a misunderstanding!" Jieyin hurriedly said. "I am willing to compensate you with a hundred years of Western Teachings fortune..."

"Compensate us? Pay with your lives!" The other Ancestral Witches who had arrived behind Houtu roared. Zhu Rong directly spewed Heaven-Burning Divine Fire toward Jieyin and Zhunti.

On the Demon Clan's side, Di Jun suddenly spoke. "Hold on."

His gaze fell upon Lu Chen, carrying a meaningful glint. "Little friend Lu Chen, you stole my Demon Clan's treasures—the matter of Treasure Distribution Cliff—and repeatedly opposed the Demon Clan. You should have been executed. But if you're willing to hand over the Chaos Brick and swear loyalty to the Demon Clan today, I can let all past matters go."

Everyone was stunned by his words.

Taiyi urgently said, "Big Brother, this boy..."

Di Jun waved a hand, staring at Lu Chen. "What do you say? The Demon Clan's Heavenly Court is soon to be established, and this is precisely when we need talent. With your abilities, becoming a Demon Saint would be more than fitting."

Lu Chen sneered inwardly.

Di Jun had seen his strength soar and learned that he had earned the Witch Clan's favor, so he wanted to recruit him. Unfortunately...

"Fellow Daoist Di Jun, I appreciate your goodwill." Lu Chen cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing. "But this junior has grown accustomed to freedom and can't endure restraints. As for the theft of treasure... Dao Ancestor has yet to reach a conclusion, so Fellow Daoist should speak with caution."

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Taiyi roared, and the Chaos Bell rang again.

Clang—!

This time, the bell's sound didn't attack Lu Chen. Instead, it shattered a spatial node at the foot of Mount Sumeru—the entrance to the Demon Abyss appeared!

The demonic qi of Luohu's remnant soul surged out, his voice hoarse. "Di Jun, Taiyi, you're fighting at the entrance of my Demon Abyss. Do you take me for nonexistent?"

The Demon Ancestor had appeared, making the situation even more complicated.

Di Jun's expression shifted slightly. He cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Luohu, this is an internal matter of the Primordial World. The demonic path shouldn't interfere."

"An internal matter of the Primordial World?" Luohu scoffed. "Jieyin and Zhunti carry my Demonic Seeds, so they count as half members of the demonic path. That Lu Chen boy just left the Demon Abyss, so he also has ties to the demonic path. Tell me, should I interfere or not?"

The three sides faced off, the atmosphere taut as drawn swords.

Just then, violet qi came from the east across thirty thousand li above the Nine Heavens, and a vast Dao voice echoed throughout the Primordial World:

"The Purple Sky Palace's third sermon begins at once. Those with destiny, come swiftly."

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's decree!

Everyone froze.

The third sermon had come early?!

Di Jun pondered for a moment, then decisively said, "Retreat! Hear the Dao first—the Saint Positions are what matter!"

The Demon Clan army withdrew like a receding tide.

The Twelve Ancestral Witches exchanged glances. Houtu nodded to Lu Chen. "Little friend, we'll meet again at Purple Sky Palace." With that, she led her people away as well—the Witch Clan didn't cultivate Primordial Spirits, but there was no harm in listening to Dao Ancestor's sermon.

Jieyin and Zhunti tried to slip away amid the confusion, but Luohu's demonic qi wrapped around them. "You two will return to the Demon Abyss with me to 'heal.'"

"No! Dao Ancestor, save us—!" Jieyin shouted in terror.

But Hongjun gave no response.

Luohu sneered and vanished into the depths of the Demon Abyss with the two of them.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Chen was the only one left at the foot of Mount Sumeru.

He looked up at the sky, his eyes flickering.

The third sermon coming early meant the Primordial Violet Qi was about to be distributed and the Saint Positions decided! This was the greatest opportunity in the Primordial World. He absolutely couldn't miss it!

"Time to go to Purple Sky Palace... but this time, I need a different identity."

With a thought, his battle incarnation Yan Chen flew in from afar and transformed into a streak of fire that merged into his body—Yan Chen had been lurking in secret the entire time, guarding against any mishap.

Then Lu Chen activated the Ancestor Dragon Nine Transformations. His form shifted, becoming an ordinary-looking Daoist in green robes with only the aura of an early Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

"From now on, I'm called Qingyunzi."

He concealed the aura of the Chaos Brick, displaying only an ordinary Houtian Spiritual Treasure—one he had swiped from Treasure Distribution Cliff—as he flew toward the chaos.

Three days later, outside Purple Sky Palace.

More than half of the Three Thousand Red Dust Guests had arrived. The palace gates remained closed, and people gathered in groups of three or five across the plaza outside.

Lu Chen, now Qingyunzi, stood quietly in a corner, observing the entire scene.

At the front, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti—who had actually escaped from the Demon Abyss? It seemed Luohu hadn't dealt a fatal blow—and Hongyun were already standing beside the cushions. Jieyin and Zhunti were pale and weak, clearly having suffered greatly.

Hongyun noticed Lu Chen, now Qingyunzi. His gaze paused on him for a moment, as if he sensed something, but he didn't expose it. He merely nodded slightly.

Led by Di Jun and Taiyi, the Demon Clan occupied the left side of the plaza. The Twelve Ancestral Witches gathered on the right—each side clearly distinct, faintly confronting the other.

Kunpeng hid at the rear of the Demon Clan camp, his sinister gaze sweeping over the crowd as though searching for someone.

Minghe had not arrived, presumably recovering from his injuries in the Sea of Blood.

Clang—!

The palace gates opened.

The crowd surged inside.

The seven cushions were occupied in an instant.

The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Hongyun—just as before.

But this time, the moment Jieyin and Zhunti took their seats, they suddenly bowed deeply to Hongyun and burst into bitter tears.

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun! The West is barren, and its living beings suffer terribly. We beg Fellow Daoist for mercy—please give this cushion to us brothers! We swear upon ten thousand years of Western Teachings fortune that we will forever remember this great kindness!"

The entire hall erupted in uproar.

Again?! They had tried this trick during the second sermon, only for Lu Chen to knock them unconscious with two bricks. And now they dared bring it up again in public?!

Hongyun frowned tightly and was about to refuse—

Zhunti suddenly sprang up, sweeping the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree—the genuine article!—at Hongyun's face! At the same time, Jieyin's Merit Golden Lotus—the genuine article!—came crashing down to suppress him!

They were actually trying to seize it by force!

"Despicable!" Zhen Yuanzi roared, unfolding the Earth Book.

But he was too late.

Just as Hongyun was about to be severely wounded—

Bang! Bang!

Two dull impacts rang out almost simultaneously.

They weren't brick strikes.

They were two bolts of violet lightning that appeared from nowhere, striking the backs of Jieyin and Zhunti's heads with perfect precision!

The two screamed, their bodies freezing in place as black smoke poured from their seven orifices.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun appeared soundlessly atop the platform, his expression indifferent.

"No fighting is permitted within Purple Sky Palace. Jieyin, Zhunti, you disrupted the order of the sermon. Your punishment is three thousand years of wall-facing meditation. You will miss this sermon."

What?!

Jieyin and Zhunti were struck as if by lightning. Three thousand years of wall-facing meditation, missing the crucial third sermon for becoming Saints?! What Saint Positions could possibly remain for them?!

"Dao Ancestor, have mercy—!" The two fell to their knees and pleaded.

Hongjun remained unmoved. With a sweep of his sleeve, the two had already been moved out of Purple Sky Palace and suppressed somewhere within the chaos.

The entire hall fell silent.

No one had expected Dao Ancestor to impose such a severe punishment!

But Lu Chen, as Qingyunzi, felt a chill in his heart—was Hongjun using this as an excuse to suppress the Western Teachings? Or... was there some deeper meaning?

"The sermon begins."

Hongjun said no more. The moment he opened his mouth, he spoke of the Quasi-Saint Dao and the method of Slaying the Three Corpses.

This sermon was even more profound, directly addressing the core of becoming a Saint.

Lu Chen listened intently while secretly observing everyone.

He discovered that the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa were utterly absorbed, their auras faintly resonating with the Heavenly Dao. Hongyun also seemed to gain some insight, the Three Flowers above his head swaying gently.

Di Jun and Taiyi, however, had tightly furrowed brows, apparently not fully agreeing with the method of Slaying the Three Corpses—they followed the path of becoming Saints through fortune.

On the Witch Clan's side, the Twelve Ancestral Witches simply closed their eyes and rested—they didn't cultivate Primordial Spirits, so listening was pointless.

Three hundred years of sermons passed in the blink of an eye.

When it ended, Dao Ancestor Hongjun suddenly said:

"The three sermons have concluded. Saints shall arise in the Primordial World to govern the Heavenly Dao and enlighten all living beings."

The entire hall stopped breathing.

The Saint Positions were about to be decided!

Hongjun raised his hand, and seven streams of violet qi emerged from the void, radiating an eternal, indestructible aura. His gaze swept across the people below as he slowly spoke. "The Three Pure Ones were formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit and may receive three streams. Nuwa will achieve great merit in the future and may receive one. Hongyun bears the fortune of the Primordial World's first wisp of cloud and may receive one. Though Jieyin and Zhunti have been punished, the West is destined to rise, and they may also receive two."

The seven streams of violet qi flew toward the seven and merged into their foreheads.

But the instant Hongyun's stream entered his body—an abrupt change occurred! The violet qi suddenly shook violently, strange black-red patterns appearing across its surface as a violent surge of demonic qi erupted!

Hongyun screamed and fell backward, his aura rapidly weakening!

The entire hall was shocked!

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's eyes turned cold. He reached out and drew the violet qi from Hongyun's body. It struggled in his palm, its black-red patterns writhing like living creatures—that was the aura of Luohu's Demonic Seed!

"Jieyin, Zhunti!" Dao Ancestor's voice was ice-cold. "You dared to fuse Demonic Seeds into the Primordial Violet Qi and harm Hongyun?!"

From the depths of chaos, the suppressed Jieyin and Zhunti shouted in terror, "Dao Ancestor, see clearly! It wasn't us! It was Luohu! The Demon Ancestor forced us..."

Before they could finish, two bolts of violet lightning struck them, destroying their bodies and souls—leaving behind only their True Spirits, which were sent into reincarnation.

The Two Sages of the West had fallen!

Hongjun looked at the contaminated violet qi in his hand and sighed. "This violet qi is ruined. One Saint Position is vacant. So be it. I will choose another from among those who attended this sermon."

His gaze slowly swept across the hall.

At last, it fell upon Qingyunzi in the corner.

"You. Step forward."