Purple qi enveloped the auspicious clouds, and waves of the Great Dao's resonance continuously streamed from Zixiao Palace.
For a moment, radiant light blazed. Wherever the auspicious clouds passed, lotuses bloomed, and even Ye Jun's pupils contracted.
To be fair, the old geezer Hongjun's cultivation really was formidable.
Only after the purple mist dispersed and the rosy glow faded did a figure slowly appear on the cloud bed.
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and the two old baldies, Jieyin and Zhunti, immediately knelt and respectfully called out, "This disciple pays respects to Master!"
The remaining three thousand guests of the Red Dust also knelt and respectfully called out, "Greetings, Dao Ancestor!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun, seated on the cloud bed, nodded faintly. A gentle stream of Spiritual Energy flowed from his fingertip, settling beneath the Three Pure Ones and the others before slowly lifting the three thousand guests of the Red Dust to their feet.
"Rise," Hongjun said coolly.
Naturally, Ye Jun was not among them. He sat cross-legged on his cushion, perfectly at ease, while everyone around him paid their respects. He didn't move a muscle.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun saw it all. He gave a cold snort inwardly and sent another stream of Spiritual Energy surging straight toward Ye Jun.
Holy crap!
The old geezer was fighting dirty!
The Yin-Yang Two Energies within Ye Jun surged to their limit. A beam of Yin-Yang energy shot out to meet the attack, and the two streams of Spiritual Energy collided.
The impact made Ye Jun lean back slightly, but otherwise he remained as steady as a mountain.
With his first attempt foiled, Dao Ancestor Hongjun made no further move and quietly waited for the three thousand guests of the Red Dust to rise.
Ye Jun had already cursed every one of Dao Ancestor Hongjun's ancestors. That old geezer had no shame!
He'd actually tried to trip Ye Jun up while the three thousand guests of the Red Dust weren't paying attention. That stream of Spiritual Energy had been infused with Hongjun's understanding of the Great Dao.
The other listeners couldn't sense the murderous intent within it at all.
If Ye Jun's cultivation hadn't improved so much, that attack would have left him in a bad way.
Damn it!
Ye Jun had made up his mind. If the old geezer ever gave him an opening, he'd make him pay. A gentleman never let a grudge go unanswered!
Dao Ancestor Hongjun hadn't expected that the monkey he'd once looked down on would have reached such a level of cultivation!
With cultivation like that, he was already among the very strongest in the Primordial World!
The thought left Dao Ancestor Hongjun deeply displeased.
The Primordial Violet Qi inside the Dragon Head Staff was in that fellow's hands, too!
The three thousand guests of the Red Dust below had all taken their seats, ready to listen to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's sermon.
"Everyone, today's sermon begins!" Hongjun said slowly.
As soon as his words fell, Jieyin and Zhunti were already prepared.
The Three Pure Ones had reached the Quasi-Saint realm. The two of them needed to hurry up, too!
"The Great Dao has myriad paths..." Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice rang through the grand hall of Zixiao Palace. Its lingering echoes drifted through the air, captivating everyone who heard them.
Ye Jun propped his chin on one hand and began to zone out. He really wasn't interested in Dao Ancestor Hongjun's sermon.
Before long, the only sounds in all of Zixiao Palace were Dao Ancestor Hongjun's sermon and Ye Jun's snores.
Tongtian Jiaozhu, eyes still closed, frowned when he heard the sound. The fellow behind him was far too casual!
If Tongtian hadn't suffered at Ye Jun's hands time and again, he really would have taken him for a fool.
As a Sage who could see in all directions and hear everything, Dao Ancestor Hongjun naturally sensed what Ye Jun was doing.
He was even more furious!
One day, that monkey would learn his place!
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, several hundred years passed. By the time Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished his sermon, most of the three thousand guests of the Red Dust had broken through to higher realms.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun slowly opened his eyes. As his sermon had progressed, the Great Dao Laws had filled Zixiao Palace.
When Dao Ancestor Hongjun opened his eyes, the surrounding purple mist and Dao Rhyme slowly dissipated.
"Everyone, that concludes today's sermon," Dao Ancestor Hongjun said slowly.
Ye Jun slowly opened his eyes as well. Seeing everyone staring at him, he said helplessly, "What's with all of you? Why are you staring at me?"
He'd only just taken a nap.
Surely that wasn't enough reason for everyone to stare at him.
"Ye Jun, this is a place where a Sage preaches the Dao, and you actually fell asleep!" Di Jun rebuked him angrily.
The three thousand guests of the Red Dust all stared at Ye Jun, that lawless troublemaker, with righteous indignation.
"So what? What's it to you?" Ye Jun crossed his arms and replied coldly.
Di Jun narrowed his eyes at Ye Jun. Eastern Emperor Taiyi was standing beside him as well.
Ye Jun's lips curled. So that was it. Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi had both broken through to the Quasi-Saint realm.
No wonder those two dared to openly oppose him. Did they think they were strong enough now?
"Fellow Daoist Ye Jun, I actually think Fellow Daoist Di Jun is right," Jieyin said slowly, palms pressed together.
Ye Jun raised an eyebrow. That old bald Jieyin had reached the Quasi-Saint realm, too.
Were they all planning to gang up on him and pressure him in front of Hongjun?
"Brother, what do we do now?" Nuwa asked anxiously, glancing at Fuxi beside her.
It was obvious that Ye Jun had been singled out. Nuwa's first thought was whether she could help.
Fuxi slowly shook his head. Ever since the first sermon ended, the entire Primordial World had known that Dao Ancestor Hongjun and that monkey Ye Jun seemed to be at odds.
Now that Dao Ancestor Hongjun hadn't said a word, Fuxi had no way to help.
They couldn't exactly start a fight in Zixiao Palace!
That would be far too disrespectful to its master!
But before Fuxi's words had even faded, the God-Slaying Spear suddenly appeared in Ye Jun's hand, and he lunged straight at Di Jun.
The God-Slaying Spear transformed into a colossal black-and-red dragon and shot forward!
Holy crap!
Fuxi was completely dumbfounded. Ye Jun really didn't give a damn about Dao Ancestor Hongjun!
This was ridiculous!
Di Jun frowned and formed a hand seal. The River Diagram and Luo Book transformed into two streams of light and shielded him.
The God-Slaying Spear was about to collide with the River Diagram and Luo Book!
"Stop!" Dao Ancestor Hongjun roared, his voice ringing through Zixiao Palace. The minds of the three thousand guests of the Red Dust trembled. Those with insufficient cultivation even toppled from their cushions.
At Dao Ancestor Hongjun's roar, the God-Slaying Spear vanished from Ye Jun's hand. Di Jun's River Diagram and Luo Book disappeared as well.
"Private combat is forbidden in Zixiao Palace," Dao Ancestor Hongjun said slowly. He swept his sleeve, and the three thousand guests of the Red Dust suddenly felt the stars shifting around them, the river of stars flowing backward!
A moment later, they found themselves in the chaos, with no sign of Zixiao Palace anywhere.
Before you continue