Protecting the Dao, Hongjun, Obtaining the Taiji Diagram

Randeng stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple Randeng greets Master, and congratulates Master on Proving the Dao. May your Dao fruit be eternal!"

Randeng understood that besides Old Ancestor Yang Mei, who might be hiding in the Chaos, Hongjun was the only other person in the Great Desolation who had achieved sainthood. He was undoubtedly the foremost figure in the Great Desolation. However, he was unsure why Hongjun had summoned him now. Could it be that, in his joy, he was going to bestow more Spiritual Treasures?

Hongjun sat cross-legged on a Cushion, clad in a Hunyuan Daoist robe embroidered with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers at its hem. Billions of streams of Purple Qi swirled around him, his eyes shimmering with infinite Dao rhythm, as profound as the ancient starry sky, as if capable of reflecting all illusions in the world.

He gazed at Randeng, his sight piercing through layers of appearance to the very Origin of his Primordial Spirit, as if intending to see through him completely.

He recalled that before achieving sainthood, Randeng's Karma was shrouded in mist, impossible to discern clearly. Now that he had become a saint and initially merged with the Primordial Heavenly Dao, he should be able to see the Karma, Destiny, past lives, and present lives of all beings born after the Heavenly Dao came into existence.

Yet, Randeng's Karma remained a tangled mess, convoluted and shrouded in mist, making it difficult even for him, a saint, to grasp its entirety. This gave Hongjun a sense of unease.

After a long while, he withdrew his gaze and sighed softly.

"It is merely achieving sainthood, not Proving the Dao. I am still far from Pangu's realm, and furthermore, I am bound by the Great Desolation and cannot achieve true freedom."

Hearing this, Randeng was slightly stunned, his body trembling almost imperceptibly, waves of emotion surging within him.

The path to sainthood indeed had limitations, and even Master Hongjun could not escape them. When he eventually merged with the Heavenly Dao in the future, would he choose complete integration or seize the opportunity to break free?

Seeing Randeng below lost in thought because of his words, Hongjun spoke to interrupt him.

"Do not worry. You are still far from that realm, and it is not yet time to consider such matters. When I perfect the method of severing the three corpses, perhaps there will be an opportunity to directly Prove the Dao as a Hunyuan Grand Unity."

Hongjun paused, his divine eyes piercing through the surface and landing on the three flowers above Randeng's head. One was enveloped in the aura of annihilation, chilling to the bone, as if capable of extinguishing all life in the world. The other was heavy and steady, containing the boundless foundation of the Law of Earth, as stable as a mountain.

'The Annihilation Law and the Law of Earth. What kind of Great Dao is this kid pursuing, requiring such a combination of laws? However, his cultivation has progressed quite rapidly.'

Hongjun spoke again, "I have summoned you here because I need to prepare for my integration with the Dao in the 30,000 years before the Purple Cloud Palace sermon. I will be unable to oversee the Great Desolation, and I require your assistance."

"May I ask what Master needs me to do?" Randeng felt puzzled. Could there still be something in the Great Desolation that could affect a saint?

"The Purple Cloud Palace sermon is crucial to my successful integration with the Dao; it is no trivial matter."

Hongjun said slowly, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable majesty.

"I will preach the Dao to all beings, guiding them to glimpse the path to the Great Dao. Simultaneously, I can use the Destiny of those who listen to my teachings to aid my cultivation, accumulating the Merit and opportunities needed for my integration with the Dao. And as beings embark on the righteous path because of my words, I can also repay a portion of the Great Desolation's Karma. This action benefits both myself and all beings."

Hongjun did not directly state what he needed Randeng to do, but instead explained the purpose of his Purple Cloud Palace sermon.

Randeng instantly understood his Master's intentions. To reveal such a crucial matter as integrating with the Dao without reservation clearly showed that his Master regarded him as a true personal disciple. This trust and regard filled him with a surge of warmth.

"Does Master mean that during these 30,000 years, someone might try to prevent other Innate Divine Saints from coming to listen to the sermon? And you want me to ensure the stability of the Great Desolation during this period?"

Randeng quickly grasped what Hongjun wanted him to do. The unusual phenomena during Hongjun's sainthood had caused the entire Great Desolation to erupt. A saint's sermon would undoubtedly be much faster than fumbling through self-cultivation. However, if a certain faction wanted to monopolize this opportunity, it was not impossible that they would obstruct Innate Divine Saints intending to go to the Purple Cloud Palace.

As far as Randeng knew, both the Demon Clan and the Witch Clan in the Great Desolation now possessed the strength to accomplish such a feat.

Hongjun nodded gently, increasingly satisfied with Randeng. He was indeed the disciple he had personally chosen; he had the right aptitude.

"In addition, when I integrate with the Dao, I will need to devote my full attention to it, and the suppression of Luohu will be at its lowest. That Demon Ancestor is ambitious, insidious, and cunning. To prevent him from taking the opportunity to emerge and sow discord among the beings of the Great Desolation, disrupting the order of heaven and earth, and affecting my integration with the Dao and the Purple Cloud Palace sermon, I wish to entrust him to your custody."

"What?"

Randeng's head shot up, and he looked at Hongjun with disbelief and astonishment.

He wondered if he had misheard and quickly said, "Master, did you perhaps misspoke? You want me to take custody of Luohu? That was the former Demon Ancestor! It is not that your disciple is afraid of death, but rather that my current strength is insufficient, and I fear I will be unable to fulfill this duty and betray Master's trust."

Luohu's greatest strength was not his cultivation level, but his ability to manipulate people's hearts and instigate conflict. He had single-handedly brought the Dragon and Phoenix tribes to the brink of extinction, and the Qilin tribe had also suffered as a result, causing him to be feared by all races in the Great Desolation.

Moreover, Luohu had once been able to fight four old ancestors alone. Even with Hongjun's current sainthood, their strength at their peak was only comparable. Guarding such a figure was like constantly walking on a tightrope.

"Naturally, it is not simply a matter of you guarding him. Luohu was once infinitely close to the Hunyuan Grand Unity realm. His remaining Primordial Spirit cannot be suppressed by anything less than an Innate Supreme Treasure."

Hongjun raised his hand and beckoned. A diagram of black and white hues flew out from the space beside him.

The body of the diagram was neither gold nor jade, neither silk nor brocade, but was formed from the Origin of the Great Dao.

One black and one white, two fish of Yin and Yang, their tails connected to their mouths, slowly revolved, turning the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, and stabilizing the heavens, earth, sun, and moon.

The white fish contained Yang, emitting billions of streams of Taiqing Purple Qi. The black fish hid Yin, absorbing endless streams of Netherworld Profound Light.

The fish eyes, each a single point, were the innate spark of spiritual light from before the primordial chaos, seemingly small but capable of illuminating the eternal Chaos.

"This is one of the three supreme treasures formed from Pangu's Sky-Opening Axe, the Taiji Diagram. It can stabilize the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, and distinguish Yin and Yang, the turbid and the pure. I have sealed Luohu's remaining Primordial Spirit within it. You can refine it slightly to control this treasure, allowing you to both guard Luohu and prevent other forces from intervening with the Taiji Diagram."

Randeng reached out and took the Taiji Diagram.

"Your disciple thanks Master. With this Innate Supreme Treasure, I am confident in guarding Luohu. Master can rest assured and focus on integrating with the Dao."

Hongjun looked at Randeng's determined expression and nodded with satisfaction, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

"Good. 30,000 years will pass in the blink of an eye. You must not be careless. Luohu is cunning and treacherous. Even sealed, he may try to find ways to deceive you, or even enlist the help of other remnants of the Demonic Dao. You must hold fast to your original heart and not be swayed by external influences. You must thoroughly comprehend the power of the Taiji Diagram, as it will greatly benefit your future cultivation."

With that, the heavenly sound of the Great Dao in the Purple Cloud Palace continued to echo, and the Purple Qi permeated the air. However, Hongjun was no longer on the Cushion at the head of the hall. Randeng did not linger and turned to leave the Purple Cloud Palace, heading towards the Chaos.