"What did you say?"
When Hongjun heard the words "take on Old Ancestor Hongjun head-on," his face darkened even further!
The hundreds of thousands of cultivators inside Zixiao Palace had all heard those words too. Their hearts pounded as they sweated for Beichen.
"He actually dared say he'd take on Dao Ancestor Hongjun head-on, right in front of him? He's practically asking to die!"
"Dao Ancestor will probably fly into a rage this time and make the Mysterious Turtle spill blood on the spot. The Dao hasn't even been taught yet, and he'll already have committed a killing!"
The guests in Zixiao Palace murmured among themselves, trembling with apprehension.
Some were simply relishing the thought of a good show.
"Do you think Dao Ancestor will kill the Mysterious Turtle?"
"The Mysterious Turtle has only just entered the Quasi-Sage Realm, yet he's already so arrogant. Dao Ancestor will never tolerate him. He'll surely kill him."
"Exactly. The North Sea Black Tortoise is the ruler of the North Sea, and the only one there to have entered the Quasi-Sage Realm. He's even surpassed the four disciples under Dao Ancestor Hongjun. How could that not displease Dao Ancestor?"
"Once Dao Ancestor gets angry, he's dead!"
"That Mysterious Turtle really is impressive. He actually entered the Quasi-Sage Realm at a time like this. In the Primordial World, he's now the most powerful person in the open besides Dao Ancestor Hongjun! Dao Ancestor might not be able to tolerate him!"
"Indeed. Dao Ancestor Hongjun won't tolerate him. He'll kill him to eliminate any future trouble."
These cultivators all guessed that Old Ancestor Hongjun would kill Beichen.
Some, however, voiced their doubts. "It wouldn't look good for Dao Ancestor to start a killing for no reason. I doubt he'll kill the Mysterious Turtle!"
"Mm, the Mysterious Turtle won't die. Otherwise, Dao Ancestor Hongjun might be suspected of being petty and unable to tolerate others."
"Shh, keep your voice down! Don't let Dao Ancestor Hongjun hear you, or he might throw you out too—or kill you!"
Nearby, someone lowered his voice and continued, "Dao Ancestor Hongjun is magnanimous. Not only will he spare the Mysterious Turtle, he'll let him stay in the palace and listen to the lecture. Even if the Mysterious Turtle no longer needs to hear the Dao, the Daoist aura in Zixiao Palace will greatly benefit his cultivation!"
As soon as those words fell, Beichen began waving his hands at Hongjun. "No, no! I, Mysterious Turtle Beichen, didn't say anything."
"You all heard nothing!"
Everyone: "..."
Hongjun had no intention of letting him off. "Is that so? Do you think I'm deaf?"
"I clearly heard you say you'd take me on head-on. What exactly were you going to take on?"
"Oh, no, Dao Ancestor Hongjun really is deaf... No, I mean, Beichen was saying that you must have misheard!"
"Ding! The host has directly challenged a Saint's authority. Reward: a wisp of Heaven and Earth Great Dao divine light!"
The voice rang in Beichen's mind. Outside Zixiao Palace, a radiant beam imbued with the laws of the Heaven and Earth Great Dao appeared out of nowhere and crashed into the palace.
This beam of Heaven and Earth Great Dao divine light passed straight through Zixiao Palace's barriers without causing any damage, then suddenly entered Beichen's body.
Buzz!
Divine light shimmered around Beichen. With the Heaven and Earth Great Dao upon him, he stood firm at the front of Zixiao Palace like a divine iron pillar.
"What magnificent divine light! This is..."
Seeing this, everyone felt it was impossibly high and unfathomably deep. The divine light seemed to come from beyond the heavens, compelling them to bow in reverence.
"This is the divine light of the Heaven and Earth Great Dao's favor. It can withstand a Saint's authority!"
Among the "Three Thousand Guests," there were many capable figures. Some of them had recognized its nature.
"How strange. This is so strange! How did the North Sea Black Tortoise suddenly receive such a great blessing?"
"No wonder he said he'd take on Dao Ancestor Hongjun head-on. So he had this trick up his sleeve!"
Seeing this, Old Ancestor Hongjun grew even angrier.
Yet after probing the divine light, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"The Mysterious Turtle is protected by a beam of Heaven and Earth Great Dao divine light. There's nothing I can do to him now!" Hongjun knitted his brows and thought, "For now, I can only drive him out of Zixiao Palace. If I want to kill him, I'll have to make plans for later!"
This wisp of Heaven and Earth Great Dao divine light made Old Ancestor Hongjun feel threatened. He had now resolved to kill Beichen.
Beichen, meanwhile, was inwardly cheering and praising the system for coming through.
With this Heaven and Earth Great Dao divine light protecting him, no matter how much Hongjun disliked him, he wouldn't dare kill him.
This divine light had brought out the essence of his "variable" nature to the fullest.
Beichen stared at Old Ancestor Hongjun, delighted by the feeling of "you can't stand me, but you can't do anything about me."
"Dao Ancestor Hongjun, I know that I couldn't hold back and suddenly broke through before you began your lecture today. That was my fault!" Beichen howled deliberately, a sly smile on his face. "But you're Dao Ancestor, a magnanimous man. You won't kill me today, and you certainly won't throw me out. You'll let me stay here and listen to the lecture, won't you?"
"Wait. Why does that sound like something I said?"
That fellow had said something like that when he'd been muttering earlier.
Unexpectedly, Hongjun's expression turned cold as he chuckled. "North Sea Black Tortoise, since you've entered the Quasi-Sage Realm, the teachings for Grand Unity Golden Immortals are no longer suitable for you. I'll open the palace gates for you now. You may leave."
"No, wait!" Beichen cleared his throat. "Dao Ancestor Hongjun, my entry into the Quasi-Sage Realm didn't make you jealous or displeased, did it?"
"If you throw Beichen out because of this, people will suspect you of being petty and unable to tolerate others. That would damage your reputation!"
"You!" Hongjun's old face darkened further.
One of the seated cultivators' eyes widened. "That Mysterious Turtle is copying me! Didn't I say that earlier?"
"Dao Ancestor Hongjun, is it because Beichen is now the strongest person in the Primordial World below you, and entered the Quasi-Sage Realm before your four disciples, that you feel slighted and displeased—and want to throw me out of the palace?"
"Hey, I said that! Did you hear what the Mysterious Turtle just said? Those were my words!"
One of the Grand Unity Golden Immortals seated among them seemed rather proud of himself.
"You—you!" Old Ancestor Hongjun let out a long breath. "Mysterious Turtle Beichen, you're talking nonsense!"
"Exactly. Dao Ancestor Hongjun is right. Beichen is talking nonsense! So you would never do such a thing. You're absolutely not a petty, intolerant, jealous Dao Ancestor. You're magnanimous, broad-minded, and open-hearted. You'll let the Mysterious Turtle stay in Zixiao Palace and listen to the lecture!"
"You... You're right!"
Old Ancestor Hongjun couldn't help agreeing.
"Great! That's wonderful!" Beichen smiled.
"Huh?"
Only then did Hongjun realize that Beichen's sharp tongue had somehow tricked him into openly agreeing to let him stay.
"Beichen has delayed Dao Ancestor's lecture and wasted everyone's time. Dao Ancestor, please begin. Everyone, let's give him a round of applause!"
Beichen turned the tables and took it upon himself to act as Zixiao Palace's "host."
"Applause? What does that mean?"
Countless mighty figures of the Primordial World stood there, stunned.
But Beichen had already started clapping. Clap, clap, clap—the palace grew lively in no time.
"Applause? This is awkward. Why are we clapping? What does it mean?"
Changxi and Xihe looked at each other in dismay. Dijun and Taiyi awkwardly joined in too.
"Silence! What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket in my Zixiao Palace?"
Hongjun snorted, and everyone stopped.
"Hmph. We'll begin the teachings of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Dao now!"
Old Ancestor Hongjun glared at the shameless Beichen and had no choice but to give in.
Before you continue