Cultivation knew no years.
In the blink of an eye, another hundred years passed.
On this day, Jieyin and Zhunti both successfully severed their corpses and broke through to the Quasi-Saint realm.
What was rather interesting was that, despite their constant talk of compassion, the first corpses they severed were both Evil Corpses—not Good Corpses, as Taiqing Laozi, Yuqing Yuanshi, and Nuwa had severed.
The Three Corpses were the Good Corpse, the Evil Corpse, and the Self Corpse.
There was no prescribed order for severing them; it depended on the individual.
Generally speaking, those who broke through to the Quasi-Saint realm severed their Good Corpse first, followed by the Evil Corpse, and finally the Self Corpse.
Jieyin and Zhunti severing their Evil Corpses first did not mean they were evil people.
Shangqing Tongtian had also severed his Evil Corpse first.
Still, that did seem at odds with their compassionate ideals.
Although the people in Zixiao Palace did not understand the connection, seeing that both men had severed hideous-looking Evil Corpses somewhat changed their impression of them.
They would no longer simply assume that the two were truly good people, wholly devoted to doing good.
Of the seven people seated on the six Dao-enlightenment cushions, Xuanyuan was now the only one who had yet to sever a corpse and advance to the Quasi-Saint realm.
Three hundred years passed after Jieyin and Zhunti severed their corpses and advanced to the Quasi-Saint realm, but no one else succeeded in severing a corpse to prove the Dao.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who sat high above on his cloud bed, gazing down upon the countless beings in Zixiao Palace, had remained silent for hundreds of years since the lecture ended. At last, he spoke for the first time.
"Since its birth, the Primordial World has endured many calamities, including the Fierce Beast Tribulation, the Dragon-Han Tribulation, and the Dao-Devil War. It has known unceasing strife. The root cause is that the Primordial World has never had a unified leader..."
At this, everyone in Zixiao Palace pricked up their ears and grew serious, especially Yuqing Yuanshi, Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and Ancestor Minghe. Their eyes burned with anticipation.
Each of them felt that he had the best chance of becoming the ruler of the Primordial World whom the Dao Ancestor had mentioned.
As everyone waited eagerly, Hongjun continued.
"Today, I appoint East Duke as the leader of the male immortals and Xi Wang Mu as the leader of the female immortals. Xi Wang Mu will assist East Duke in governing the Primordial World."
At these words, everyone was utterly astonished.
After all, neither in talent and origins nor in the power behind them could East Duke and Xi Wang Mu be considered the strongest.
No one had expected Dao Ancestor Hongjun to favor the two of them as rulers of the Primordial World.
Envy, jealousy, contempt...
In that moment, every reaction was on display.
Yuqing Yuanshi, Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and Ancestor Minghe looked at East Duke with undisguised contempt.
As for East Duke, the lucky man of the hour, he felt as if he were floating. It was as though his life had reached its peak.
He would rule over countless cultivators in the Primordial World!
It was an achievement no one had ever attained since Great God Pangu split Heaven and Earth.
Of course, he had already dismissed Dao Ancestor Hongjun from his mind.
Hongjun was a lofty Heavenly Dao Saint. Why would he have time to concern himself with the trivial affairs of the Primordial World?
Besides, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had made it clear during his first lecture that, once his lectures were over, he would merge with the Dao to complete the Heavenly Dao.
By then, wouldn't the entire Primordial World be his to command?
The Sanqing, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, Dijun, and Donghuang Taiyi had always been arrogant, looking down their noses at everyone.
And now?
Wouldn't they all have to submit to his rule?
He had already begun imagining how he would deal with them once he became the ruler of the Primordial World.
It had never even occurred to him to consider what he would do if they refused to obey.
After all, this appointment came from Dao Ancestor Hongjun. As the Primordial World's only Saint and the Heavenly Dao's representative, the Dao Ancestor's words were edicts. Who would dare defy his will?
What East Duke did not know was that Hongjun had appointed him leader of the male immortals to rule the Primordial World not because he valued him or considered him special, but simply to clean up after Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and the other members of the Demon race.
This was the perfect plan Hongjun had devised after more than three thousand years of careful thought.
To put an end to the trouble caused by the Demon race using the remnant spirits of Chaos Demon Gods to slaughter the beings of the Primordial World, he needed an event weighty enough to distract everyone.
The Primordial World's First Ruler had enough spectacle and significance to draw everyone's attention.
But the person chosen could not be too powerful.
If the Sanqing, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, or others became ruler of the Primordial World, their talent, origins, and strength would surely draw a large following of powerful beings in a short time. They would become the greatest force in the Primordial World, with a legitimate claim to power.
At that point, the Wu and Demon races would no longer be the protagonists of Heaven and Earth. Even the Wu-Demon Tribulation he planned to orchestrate would come to nothing.
That was not what Hongjun wanted.
Of course, anyone chosen to rule the Primordial World—even as a ruler in name only, a mere puppet—could not be too weak.
If Hongjun picked just anyone, that person would be incapable of keeping the many powerful beings of the Primordial World in check.
Hongjun had spent three thousand years searching before finally selecting East Duke as the lucky man.
First, East Duke was born from the first wisp of supreme yang energy between Heaven and Earth. His talent and origins were respectable. Though he could not compare with the Sanqing, Dijun, or Donghuang Taiyi, he was still a formidable figure among the many powerful beings of the Primordial World, with enough influence to attract a following.
Second, East Duke was rather foolish.
That was right. In Hongjun's eyes, East Duke was a fool.
People like him were easy to control.
"I bestow upon East Duke the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, Dragon-Headed Crutch, and upon Xi Wang Mu the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Root, Ren Shui Pan Tao. I hope the Primordial World will prosper under your leadership!"
"The second lecture has ended. In three thousand years, the final lecture will begin. Once it is over, I shall merge with the Dao to complete the Heavenly Dao!"
After Hongjun finished speaking, he gave everyone no time to react. With a wave of his hand, he sent them all outside Zixiao Palace.
Boom!
The doors of Zixiao Palace slammed shut, leaving everyone staring in astonishment.
East Duke looked down at them, his face full of authority. "Everyone, in five hundred years, I will establish the Heavenly Court on Donghua Island in the East Sea and appoint its officials. I hope you will all attend on time!"
East Duke stepped into his new role quickly. His words were not exactly an order, but they carried an undeniable force.
"The Heavenly Court?"
Donghuang Taiyi snorted in disdain. "I know only the Demon Court. Since when has the Primordial World had a Heavenly Court?"
Ancestor Minghe gave a humorless smile. "The Minghe where I live is too far from the East Sea. I won't be going."
Yuqing Yuanshi said, "I must meditate on the true meaning of the Dao Ancestor's lecture. I need to go into seclusion for a thousand years!"
They were all among the most powerful beings in the Primordial World and thought nothing of East Duke. Naturally, they had no intention of attending his so-called Heavenly Court.
East Duke's face darkened at once. He knew that, given his status and reputation, he was not powerful enough to keep these people in check.
But he was, after all, the leader of the male immortals appointed by the Dao Ancestor, tasked with governing all the cultivators of the Primordial World.
He had never expected these people to openly defy the Dao Ancestor's edict before they had even left Zixiao Palace.
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