The Primordial Wilderness was a world of fierce competition. On the path of cultivation, one had to row upstream; fail to advance, and one fell behind. This was an ironclad rule.
Now that the Cultivation Method had been laid out before them, if you chose not to practice it while others devoted themselves to cultivation, then once their power surpassed yours, all the spiritual treasures, blessed abodes, and opportunities you possessed would become the prelude to your death.
This was an open scheme. None of the Three Thousand Guests of Zixiao Palace could escape it.
That was because the path of Severing Three Corpses had a clear way forward, with every step laid out. By contrast, the Law Proving Dao offered only a hazy path, one that could be explored only on one's own—no different from a fool's dream.
Yet for Donghua, the two paths were not mutually exclusive.
In the past, Hongjun had first walked the path of laws before creating the Method of Severing the Three Corpses.
Donghua could follow his example: first cultivate Severing Three Corpses as a supplement, then pursue the path of laws as his main focus. The two could advance side by side without conflict, allowing him to forge his own path to the heavens.
The Dao's resonance had yet to fade from Purple Cloud Palace.
Though Dao Ancestor Hongjun had finished expounding on the Method of Severing the Three Corpses, the three-thousand-year sermon had not yet ended. The profound sounds of the Great Dao still echoed through the halls.
Donghua sat in focused meditation, his aura perfectly balanced. Even before the Dao Ancestor began his sermon, he had already reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
Now, with his thoughts clear, a spark of insight suddenly appeared, and pure benevolence surged in his sea of consciousness.
There was no set order for Severing the Three Corpses. It all depended on a cultivator's nature and fortune.
Donghua's thoughts stirred. His Pure Yang Daoist Robe lifted as if stirred by an unseen wind, billowing fiercely. Dao patterns flowed across it, shining with boundless, profound radiance.
Following the method Hongjun had taught, he calmed his mind and breath, then slowly separated the pure benevolent thought that had surfaced in his heart, entrusting it to his accompanying spiritual treasure.
Then, as though speaking a decree of Heaven, he softly uttered a single word:
"Sever."
The moment his voice fell, a strange phenomenon erupted inside Purple Cloud Palace! Boundless Spiritual Mechanism surged like the tides, and endless spiritual light shot skyward from Donghua. A pure yet solemn aura spread from within the Pure Yang Daoist Robe.
Amid the radiance, a figure gradually took shape, becoming a Daoist whose face resembled Donghua's in every way but one: his features were nine-tenths the same, yet his brows held less sharpness and more kindness and warmth.
The Daoist appeared and first saluted Donghua's true body with a formal bow. His clear Dao Sound rang out around them:
"This poor Daoist is Pure Yang. Greetings, fellow Daoist."
After finishing his greeting, he turned to face the Dao Ancestor on the high platform and bowed respectfully.
"Your disciple Pure Yang pays his respects to Sage Hongjun."
Hongjun sat upon the Cloud Bed, his expression as still as an ancient well. He merely gave a slight nod at Donghua's act of Severing Three Corpses, showing neither pleasure nor displeasure.
The Pure Yang Daoist transformed into a stream of spiritual light, Dao resonance swirling around him, and returned to Donghua's true body.
Donghua closed his eyes and focused, carefully sensing the changes within himself. With his Good Corpse severed, his aura had indeed grown considerably stronger, and his mana surged like rivers flowing into the sea.
However, just as he had expected, although Donghua could wield laws through the Pure Yang Daoist Robe, his own comprehension of the laws had not advanced.
Time passed unnoticed in Purple Cloud Palace, and the three-thousand-year sermon came to an abrupt end.
Just as the Dao resonance was about to fade, Laozi of Taiqing, seated on the first of the six meditation cushions, also found Dao resonance surging around him, spiritual light blooming above his head.
In an instant, an elderly man with kind eyes and a long white beard stepped out of the Mysterious Light. His aura was peaceful, his Dao resonance perfectly rounded.
He first bowed to Laozi, then turned to Hongjun and bowed solemnly.
Though the other Innate Divine Beings had not managed to sever their Three Corpses during this sermon, many had still seen their auras surge and their Dao Realms rise, breaking through to the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
It was easy to imagine that by the time the Third Sermon began, several more Quasi-Saints would have joined the gathering in Purple Cloud Palace.
The balance of power in the Primordial Wilderness was about to change dramatically. An era belonging to the Quasi-Saints was quietly drawing near, accompanied by the fading resonance of the Dao.
For an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal, advancing even a single step through cultivation could take several Yuanhui of effort.
Now, the gathered cultivators had entered a Saint's Daoist Ground and personally heard the Dao Ancestor expound the Primordial Great Dao. In just three thousand years, they had made breakthroughs and advanced their cultivation. It was an unprecedented opportunity in the Primordial Wilderness—and a prelude to an era of fierce competition.
Hongjun lowered his gaze and slowly swept it across the immortals in the hall. His expression remained as indifferent as still water. His voice was not loud, yet it rang through every corner of Purple Cloud Palace like a decree of the Heavenly Dao, carrying unquestionable authority:
"The Heaven and Earth of the Primordial World are chaotic and without order. Killing and conflict never cease. We must appoint a Head of Male Immortals and a Head of Female Immortals to govern the immortals and bring harmony to the Myriad Races, establishing order and ending strife."
The moment his words fell, murmurs and commotion filled the hall. Many cultivators' expressions shifted as they exchanged uncertain, wary glances.
They had cultivated in pursuit of carefree longevity and unrestrained freedom. Now, a so-called "Immortal Head" would be placed over them out of nowhere. Would that not be another shackle, robbing them of their freedom?
Others quickly weighed the matter and quietly turned their eyes toward Di Jun and Taiyi.
The reason the Primordial Wilderness was beset by constant warfare was that the Witch Clan kept expanding, bringing them into repeated conflicts with the Myriad Races.
If an Immortal Head emerged to unite their strength, they might be able to hold the Witch Clan in check and win themselves a little peace for cultivation.
Di Jun lowered his gaze, but deep within his eyes, a flame quietly kindled.
The Saint's words offered exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for!
The title of "Immortal Head" might seem to invite trouble, but in truth, it was a righteous mandate to unite the Primordial Wilderness.
With a Saint personally conferring the title, he, Di Jun, could rally the Myriad Races under this banner and unite them against the Witch Clan.
Of course, this position would put him in the spotlight, and the mighty beings present might not accept him willingly.
But since the Saint had established this position, could he really leave it unsupported? He would surely provide backing. This was the crucial moment for Di Jun to gather strength and establish himself.
As for the Innate Divine Beings who disliked being controlled and longed for freedom, Di Jun sneered inwardly.
The Primordial Wilderness had always been a place where the strong preyed on the weak. Once he consolidated his forces and held power in his hands, what need was there for everyone to be "willing"? The tide of history would carry those who followed it to prosperity, and those who resisted to ruin.
Just as the cultivators' thoughts churned and whispers spread among them, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice rang out, calm and indisputable:
"East King Duke, Queen Mother of the West, step forward."
Donghua's robe stirred slightly. His aura was perfectly rounded and restrained, like a deep pool whose bottom could not be seen.
"The Head of Male Immortals. It has finally come."
Donghua's gaze remained calm, his thoughts clear as a mirror. Hongjun intended to use this position to bring him to the forefront, set him against Di Jun, and ultimately turn him into a chess piece in the struggle against the Witch Clan.
"Struggle for supremacy? Power? Those are all inferior pursuits." Donghua's thoughts stirred, and his Dao Heart grew ever clearer. "My heart is set on the Dao. Why would I need outside support? The title of Head of Male Immortals is not a foundation for building a faction, but a piece in the game that will move the board of the Primordial Wilderness."
Donghua had no desire to establish a faction and bear its endless karmic burdens.
He would use this exalted position as his "momentum" and himself as an absolute "force," standing above the fray as he forged a Chaotic Path unique to him alone.
Spiritual light surged before Hongjun, and a Dragon-Head Walking Stick wrapped in fierce draconic might flew toward Donghua. Donghua caught it steadily, sensing its fortune faintly harmonize with his own Pure Yang Dao resonance.
Donghua bowed and spoke in a clear, calm voice:
"Donghua accepts the Saint's decree. This junior will fulfill his duties and not fail in his mission."
There was no excitement or unease, only a composure as still as a deep, ancient well.
That calmness, instead, made some of the mighty beings in the hall feel a chill.
On the other side, the Pure Water Alms Bowl landed in Taizhen's hands.
Holding the Dragon-Head Walking Stick, Donghua turned to face the immortals, whose expressions varied. Di Jun's gaze was especially deep, his scrutiny and scheming undisguised.
Donghua merely smiled faintly.
He had no need to build a faction, because he himself was the tide!
He would show all the living beings of the Primordial Wilderness—and the hidden players behind the scenes—that even as a chess piece, Donghua was the greatest variable on the board.
Before you continue