The Snipe and the Clam Wrestle, the Fisherman Profits

Just then, Qing Xuan directly pulled Fu Xi forward. While Daoist Zhun Ti was arguing with Kunpeng, he sat straight down on the two prayer mats on the right side.

This sudden move shocked everyone. Immediately, waves of condemnation followed one after another.

Yuanshi Tianzun was about to speak, but when he saw that it was Qing Xuan sitting on the prayer mat, he directly chose to shut his mouth. Yet the fury in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

Daoist Zhun Ti and Kunpeng were both frozen in place, forgetting their quarrel as they stared dumbfounded at Fu Xi and Qing Xuan.

This made Fu Xi feel rather uneasy, and he whispered to Qing Xuan, "Daoist Qing Xuan, is it really alright for us to do this?"

Qing Xuan gave Fu Xi a reassuring look, then directly spoke to Kunpeng, "Daoist Kunpeng, since you're giving up your seat, why not give it to This Daoist?"

"After all, if you give it to This Daoist, This Daoist will remember your kindness. But if you give it to these Two Sages of the West, you might not even get a word of thanks."

Kunpeng knew that under these circumstances, there was no way he could snatch the prayer mat back. After all, Daoist Jie Yin was still eyeing him menacingly from the side.

Fighting one of them alone was already exhausting enough; if the two struck together, he would be utterly defeated.

Hearing Qing Xuan's words, Kunpeng took the opportunity to back down gracefully and said to Qing Xuan, "What you say makes sense, Daoist. Then I'll yield this prayer mat to you."

Having said that, Kunpeng walked straight to the second row, kicked a cultivator who had been mocking him earlier, and sat down directly.

Compared to Kunpeng's domineering manner, Hong Yun very politely retreated to the very last row. After all, he was the First Good Person of the Primordial and naturally wouldn't steal someone else's seat.

But Daoist Zhun Ti simply could not accept this outcome. He glared at Qing Xuan and said, "Fellow Daoists, this prayer mat belongs to my senior brother and me. Please vacate the seat immediately, lest you bring disaster upon yourself."

Looking at the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree in Daoist Zhun Ti's hand, Qing Xuan unfurled his folding fan and said with undisguised disdain, "Daoist Kunpeng yielded this to This Daoist. Since when did it become your senior brother's seat?"

Daoist Zhun Ti was momentarily speechless, then turned his gaze to Fu Xi. "Fellow Daoist, surely you can yield this prayer mat to This Daoist?"

Fu Xi felt he was in the wrong and was about to stand up, but Qing Xuan pressed him back down. Then, with a playful look, Qing Xuan said to Daoist Zhun Ti, "You mean to say that only you can take from others, but others can't take from you? If you have the skill, take the prayer mat from Daoist Fu Xi's hands. Otherwise, get as far away from me as possible."

The moment Qing Xuan finished speaking, Nuwa's voice rang out as well. "I'd like to see who dares to take my elder brother's seat."

The Seven Star Moon Pulling Whip had already appeared in Nuwa's hand. Her beautiful eyes flashed with killing intent as she stared straight at Daoist Zhun Ti before her.

At the same time, Nuwa revealed her Late-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation, forcing Daoist Zhun Ti to stumble back several steps.

This left Daoist Zhun Ti with no choice but to set his sights on Qing Xuan again. He immediately spoke to Daoist Jie Yin, "Elder Brother, let us seize this prayer mat together."

Before Daoist Jie Yin could respond, the Twelve Ancestral Witches sitting in the second row all stood up at once.

Zhu Rong bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Anyone who dares to touch my brother Qing Xuan is an enemy of the Twelve Ancestral Witches."

At this, even the Two Sages of the West dared not make a move. Yet they did not give up. Instead, they went directly before the Sanqing and said, "Three Daoist Friends, we ask you to step forward and act as impartial witnesses. Our brothers cannot be bullied for no reason."

If Kunpeng had been sitting on the prayer mat, Yuanshi Tianzun might have backed the Two Sages of the West. But since Qing Xuan was sitting there, Yuanshi Tianzun would not speak a word.

As for Laozi, he had no intention of drawing fire to himself. He simply ignored Daoist Zhun Ti's words. Tongtian, following his two elder brothers' lead, naturally would not step forward either.

Seeing that no one would help them, Daoist Zhun Ti sat down on the ground and wept again. But this time, no one pitied them.

Just then, golden light blazed within Zixiao Palace. Countless laws and Dao principles converged upon the central Dao platform, and Hong Jun appeared amidst them.

Glancing at those seated on the prayer mats, Hong Jun's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly. But soon, he regained his composure.

He waved his hand before him, and two more prayer mats appeared out of thin air. The original prayer mats also shifted: Nuwa was moved to the fourth seat on the left.

As for Fu Xi and Qing Xuan, they were moved directly to the third and fourth seats on the right. The two newly added prayer mats occupied the first and second positions.

At the same time, Hong Jun spoke, "In the past, when This Daoist slew Luo Hou, I shattered the Western Spirit Vein, incurring a karmic debt to the West. Today, I add two prayer mats for you two, to repay the karma I owe the West."

The Two Sages of the West thanked him in unison, then sat down on the prayer mats with smiles on their faces. They even shot Qing Xuan a triumphant glance.

Meanwhile, Hong Jun had already begun to expound the Great Dao: "Vast and boundless the Great Luo, above the rootless realm, clouds layered and towering..."

In an instant, lotuses flowed from Hong Jun's mouth. Within Zixiao Palace, heavenly flowers fell and golden lotuses sprang from the earth. In just a brief moment, all the cultivators listening to the Dao manifested Qing Yun above their heads, with three flowers swaying.

Under the baptism of laws and Dao principles, the three flowers were already showing signs of blooming. And the Dao tones of Hong Jun's lecture were like nourishment, accelerating the speed of their blossoming.

But the three green lotus flowers atop Qing Xuan's Qing Yun caught Hong Jun's attention. His gaze unconsciously drifted toward Qing Xuan.

Also, the Human Flower and Earth Flower that had already bloomed above Nuwa's head surprised Hong Jun. After all, throughout the entire Zixiao Palace, apart from these two special cases, everyone else had three golden flower buds.

This led Hong Jun to begin deducing the karma of Qing Xuan and Nuwa. In a moment, Hong Jun understood, withdrew his thoughts, and continued his lecture.

Little did he know that while Hong Jun was deducing the karma of Qing Xuan and Nuwa, the folding fan in Qing Xuan's hand emitted a faint, barely perceptible green light.

And at that moment, Qing Xuan was completely unaware, equally immersed in the Great Dao that Hong Jun was expounding.

In later generations, it was said that listening to Hong Jun's lecture meant incurring a karmic debt to him. Therefore, one must never go to Zixiao Palace, nor listen to the Dao that Hong Jun taught.

But Qing Xuan did not think so. Because Hong Jun's ten-thousand-year lecture for the Primordial beings was a promise he had made to the Heavenly Dao—it was his karmic debt to the Primordial beings.

If Hong Jun were to teach false Dao, the punishment from the Heavenly Dao would be something even he could not bear. Thus, the Dao that Hong Jun transmitted in Zixiao Palace was undoubtedly true Dao that benefited the Primordial.

Qing Xuan naturally would not miss this opportunity. He listened to Hong Jun's lecture with great seriousness. After all, this was Hong Jun's debt to the Primordial beings—why shouldn't he listen?