Stay in Zixiao Palace

Inside Zixiao Palace, brilliant light blazed, and countless golden rays filled the air, dazzling everyone!

Beichen's breakthrough into the Quasi-Sage Realm created a tremendous stir. Seated in the second row, he had interrupted Old Ancestor Hongjun's lecture just as it was beginning.

At that moment, the "three thousand guests" in the palace were all drawn to the Quasi-Sage radiance shining from Beichen's colossal shadow.

Watching the glittering Dao power revolve and the blazing immortal light flash, they were unsettled and utterly shocked. How could they possibly focus on Hongjun's lecture?

Naturally, the commotion made Dao Ancestor Hongjun stop as well. He watched Beichen condense his Quasi-Sage might, his face dark with anger.

In truth, he was cursing furiously inside. This is absurd! Just as I was about to lecture, this North Sea Black Tortoise suddenly broke through into the Quasi-Sage Realm. Where does that leave my dignity? I should kick this scoundrel out of Zixiao Palace and uphold my authority!

Since Beichen was cultivating, Hongjun couldn't interrupt him. He said nothing and waited impatiently. As soon as Beichen finished, he would kick him out at once and see if he dared defy him then!

At that moment, Old Ancestor Hongjun was seething with resentment. He had made up his mind: Beichen had to be driven out!

Beichen's three flowers gathered above his head and merged into one, while the five qi in his chest converged into ninefold layers!

The Twelve-Petal Three Flowers overlapped, three layers upon three, forming the number of the nine extremes. They merged into one, turning slowly, incomparably pure and solid as iron.

This was unlike when he had first entered the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm. Back then, although his three flowers held divine might, they were scattered in three places, and his Dao could not coalesce!

With the three flowers united, he gained the might of a Quasi-Saint, able to disregard the Dao of any Grand Unity Golden Immortal. The moment he appeared, he would completely overwhelm them.

Moreover, the five qi in his chest surged outward, as if connecting with the nine heavens and uniting with the natural world and all living beings in chaos. His cultivation and authority seemed terrifying.

The Grand Unity Golden Immortals couldn't help lowering their heads when they saw this, looking on in shame!

"So this is the might of a Quasi-Saint! Amazing—truly amazing!"

"This Dao cultivator Beichen really is worthy of being the overlord of the North Sea, a demon god with deep roots in the prehistoric world! He actually entered the Quasi-Sage Realm before anyone else!"

Countless cultivators in the middle and late stages of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm began to comprehend Beichen's "three flowers uniting above his head." Even the four disciples of Old Ancestor Hongjun—Sanqing and Nuwa—were secretly learning from his breakthrough.

Beichen's display of his cultivation was like giving an advance lecture on the "Dao of the Quasi-Saint."

Though this higher level of Dao was beyond the grasp of the many mighty figures in Zixiao Palace, leaving those who had only recently entered the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm—or were still in the Great Unity Realm—confused, it was immensely beneficial to cultivators in the late stages of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, such as Sanqing!

It was even of great benefit to Mo Yuan, Yan Lie, Ling Cair, and Dijun.

Dijun couldn't help muttering, "Master is showing us how to gather the divine might of a Quasi-Saint. Quickly, memorize it in secret!"

At once, the seven people Beichen had brought with him began to study intently.

Nearby, the big shots Hong Yun, Zhen Yuanzi, and Ancestor Minghe were only a step away from entering the Quasi-Sage Realm, so they watched even more closely.

Zhen Yuanzi, in particular, kept nodding as he watched, as if he might enter the Quasi-Sage Realm at any moment!

Hongjun secretly studied their expressions and nearly ground his teeth in frustration. Damn it, damn it! Did I gather three thousand guests in Zixiao Palace to lecture on the Dao of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal, or did you, Beichen, come to lecture on how to enter the Quasi-Sage Realm?

Beichen cultivated intently for nearly a hundred years before finally letting out a long breath. His cultivation had now firmly settled in the Quasi-Sage Realm!

Seeing the peaceful aura around Beichen and his brilliant Quasi-Sage might, his four disciples hurried to congratulate him. "Congratulations, Master, on entering the Quasi-Sage Realm before Dao Ancestor's lecture!"

Dijun burst out laughing. "Haha, Master, your foundation is profound and your cultivation is far ahead of everyone else. Now that you're a Quasi-Saint, there was no need for you to come listen to Dao Ancestor Hongjun lecture on the Dao of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal!"

Taiyi was delighted too. "Master, after listening to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's lecture, our cultivation will surely improve tremendously. We should be able to enter the Quasi-Sage Realm. There were some parts I didn't understand just now, so I'll still need Master to guide me later!"

"You didn't understand? Taiyi, were you trying to comprehend my entry into the Dao?" Beichen smiled. "It's all right. I wasn't teaching you anything just now, so I didn't explain it deliberately. I'll teach you slowly once we're back!"

"Master, Xihe will need your guidance too. Ever since I became your disciple, you haven't had much time to instruct me!"

"Master, Changxi wants you to teach me how to enter the Quasi-Sage Realm, step by step!"

Changxi coyly pleaded with him.

"Sure, no problem! It's easy!"

Having just entered the Quasi-Sage Realm, Beichen was overjoyed and laughed heartily.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. "Huh? Why aren't you listening carefully to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's lecture? Why are you all talking to me?"

Only then did he notice Old Ancestor Hongjun glaring at him furiously.

He seemed to hear the anger in Hongjun's heart. Is it I, Old Ancestor Hongjun, lecturing on the Dao of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal in Zixiao Palace, or is it you, Beichen, teaching your disciples about the Quasi-Sage Realm?

And now you've brought along dragons, phoenixes, and qilins, beings burdened with deep karmic debts who shouldn't be allowed to hear my lecture in Zixiao Palace. I never expected you to take Dijun, Taiyi, and the others as your disciples and bring them all here, too!

Old Ancestor Hongjun realized that something was amiss. Unable to hold back, he blurted out what was on his mind. "North Sea Black Tortoise Beichen, are you trying to stand against me and divide the prehistoric world between us?"

"Oh, Dao Ancestor, you flatter me, you flatter me!" Beichen put on an alarmed expression.

"North Sea Black Tortoise Beichen, you broke through just as I was about to lecture on the Dao of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal, disrupting order in Zixiao Palace. Now leave at once, and do not remain here!"

Hongjun's Saintly might descended upon Beichen, and at the same time, a threatening aura of murderous intent spread through the hall.

Hongjun was truly enraged. The rolling fury frightened everyone present, leaving them trembling with unease.

He had assumed that this wave of pressure would force Beichen to leave the palace, allowing him to resume his lecture in peace.

But Beichen stubbornly refused to leave.

As fate would have it, the system's voice rang out just then.

"Ding! The system has detected Old Ancestor Hongjun's anger. Host, please choose."

"1. Evade the Saint's might and leave Zixiao Palace. Reward: thirty-six Sea-Calming Pearls, a supreme-grade innate treasure!"

"2. Face the Saint's might head-on and remain in Zixiao Palace. Reward: a wisp of divine light imbued with the Heaven and Earth Great Dao!"

"Two. I choose two!"

Beichen realized that the system seemed increasingly fond of digging pits for him to jump into. He had never planned to choose option one in the first place; he truly couldn't choose it.

If his guess was right, Hongjun currently had the Twenty-Four Dinghai Pearls, while the other twelve were scattered elsewhere.

If he chose option one and gathered all the Sea-Calming Pearls, Hongjun would certainly notice.

Hongjun was a true Saint now. Though Beichen had entered the Quasi-Sage Realm, he was no match for him. If Hongjun caught him and accused him of stealing, he would not only lose the twelve Sea-Calming Pearls; he would also give Hongjun the chance to kill him.

"Option one is absolutely out of the question. I choose to face Old Ancestor Hongjun head-on and stay!"

Caught up in his excitement, Beichen shouted it aloud.