Just then, Qing Xuan pulled Fu Xi forward. While Daoist Zhun Ti was arguing with Kunpeng, he promptly sat down on the two cushions to the right.
The sudden move stunned everyone. Then a wave of protests broke out, one after another.
Yuanshi Tianzun was about to speak, but when he saw that it was Qing Xuan sitting on the cushion, he immediately chose to keep quiet. Still, he couldn't hide the fury in his eyes.
Daoist Zhun Ti and Kunpeng were both left dumbfounded. They forgot all about their fight and simply stared at Fu Xi and Qing Xuan.
Fu Xi couldn't help feeling rather ill at ease. He leaned toward Qing Xuan and asked in a low voice, "Daoist Qing Xuan, is it really all right for us to do this?"
Qing Xuan gave Fu Xi a reassuring look, then spoke directly to Kunpeng. "Daoist Kunpeng, since you're giving up your seat, why not give it to me?"
"After all, if you give it to me, I'll owe you a favor. But if you give it to these Two Sages of the West, you might not even get a thank-you."
Kunpeng knew there was no way he could reclaim the cushion in this situation. Daoist Jie Yin was still watching him like a hawk.
He'd already been struggling to deal with one of them. If they both attacked at once, he would undoubtedly lose.
Hearing Qing Xuan's words, Kunpeng seized the opportunity and said, "You make a good point, Daoist. You can have the cushion."
After saying that, Kunpeng headed straight for the second row. He kicked away a cultivator who had mocked him earlier, then sat down in the vacant spot.
Unlike Kunpeng's domineering behavior, Hong Yun retreated obediently to the last row. After all, he was the First Good Person of the Primordial, so he naturally wouldn't take someone else's seat.
But Daoist Zhun Ti couldn't accept this outcome, no matter what. He glared at Qing Xuan and said,
"Fellow Daoists, this cushion belongs to my senior brother and me. Please give up your seat at once, before you bring trouble upon yourself."
Looking at the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree in Daoist Zhun Ti's hand, Qing Xuan spread open his Folding Fan and replied with scorn, "Daoist Kunpeng gave this to me. How did it suddenly become your senior brother's seat?"
Daoist Zhun Ti was momentarily at a loss for words. Then he turned to Fu Xi. "Daoist, surely you'll give your cushion to me?"
Fu Xi felt that he was in the wrong and was about to stand up, but Qing Xuan pressed him back down. Then he looked at Daoist Zhun Ti with an amused expression.
"So you're saying that you can take other people's seats, but they can't take yours? If you're capable, take the cushion from Daoist Fu Xi. Otherwise, get out of my sight."
As soon as Qing Xuan finished speaking, Nuwa's voice rang out as well. "I'd like to see who dares take my brother's seat."
The Seven Star Moon Pulling Whip had already appeared in Nuwa's hand. A trace of killing intent showed in her beautiful eyes as she stared straight at Daoist Zhun Ti.
At the same time, Nuwa revealed her Late-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation, forcing Daoist Zhun Ti to stumble backward several steps.
With no other choice, Daoist Zhun Ti turned his attention back to Qing Xuan. He immediately called to Daoist Jie Yin, "Senior brother, let's take this cushion back together."
Before Daoist Jie Yin could respond, the Twelve Ancestral Witches seated in the second row all stood up at once.
Zhu Rong shouted at the top of his lungs, "Anyone who dares touch my brother Qing Xuan is an enemy of the Twelve Ancestral Witches!"
Now, even if the Two Sages of the West wanted to attack, they didn't dare. But they didn't give up. Instead, they went straight to the Sanqing and said,
"Fellow Daoists, we need you three to step forward and judge this fairly. You can't let my junior brother and me be bullied for nothing."
If Kunpeng had been sitting on the cushion, Yuanshi Tianzun would indeed have backed the Two Sages of the West. But now that Qing Xuan was sitting there, Yuanshi Tianzun had no intention of speaking up.
As for Laozi, he was even less willing to invite trouble. He simply ignored Daoist Zhun Ti's words. Tongtian followed his two elder brothers' lead, so naturally, he wouldn't step forward either.
Seeing that no one would stand up for them, Daoist Zhun Ti sat on the ground and began to wail again. But this time, no one felt sorry for them.
Just then, golden light shone throughout Zixiao Palace. Countless strands of laws and Daoist insight gathered above the central dais, and Hong Jun appeared among them.
He glanced at the people seated on the cushions. A flicker passed through Hong Jun's eyes, so faint it was almost imperceptible, but he quickly returned to his usual calm.
He waved a hand, and two more cushions appeared out of thin air. The original cushions shifted as well, moving Nuwa to the fourth place on the left.
Fu Xi and Qing Xuan were moved to the third and fourth places on the right. The two new cushions occupied the first and second places.
At the same time, Hong Jun spoke. "Back then, when I destroyed Luo Hou, I shattered the Western Spirit Vein and incurred a debt of Karma to the West. Today, I'll add two cushions for you, to repay the Karma I owe the West."
The Two Sages of the West thanked him in unison, then sat down on the cushions with smiles on their faces. They also shot Qing Xuan a boastful look.
At the same time, Hong Jun began expounding the Great Dao. "The Great Luo is subtle and vast, with no roots of form above, clouds rising in lofty layers..."
For a time, lotus blossoms flowed from Hong Jun's lips. Heavenly Flowers Falling and Golden Lotuses Springing from Earth filled Zixiao Palace. In a mere moment, the cultivators listening to the Dao all saw Qing Yun appear above their heads, with Three Flowers swaying within it.
Bathed in the laws and Daoist insight, the Three Flowers were on the verge of blooming. Hong Jun's voice, meanwhile, nourished them like a source of sustenance, speeding their bloom.
But the three blue lotus blossoms above Qing Xuan's Qing Yun caught Hong Jun's attention. His gaze shifted unconsciously toward Qing Xuan.
Nuwa's Human Flower and Earth Flower had already bloomed as well, which also surprised Hong Jun. After all, apart from those two, everyone else in Zixiao Palace had three golden flower buds.
This prompted Hong Jun to divine the Karma between Qing Xuan and Nuwa. A moment later, he understood. He put the matter aside and continued expounding the Dao.
Unknown to Hong Jun, as he divined the Karma between Qing Xuan and Nuwa, the Folding Fan in Qing Xuan's hand emitted a faint, almost imperceptible blue light.
Qing Xuan himself remained completely unaware, just as immersed in the Great Dao Hong Jun was expounding.
People in later generations all said that listening to Hong Jun preach meant incurring a debt of Karma to him. So one must never go to Zixiao Palace, and must never listen to the Dao Hong Jun expounded.
But Qing Xuan didn't think so. Hong Jun had promised the Heavenly Dao that he would preach to the Primordial Beings for ten thousand years. That was a promise he had made to the Heavenly Dao, and he was the one who owed Karma to the Primordial Beings.
If Hong Jun passed down a false Dao, he would never withstand the Heavenly Dao's punishment. So the Dao he taught in Zixiao Palace was certainly a true cultivation path that benefited the Primordial Wilderness.
Qing Xuan naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. He listened to Hong Jun's teachings with complete focus. After all, Hong Jun owed this to the Primordial Beings. Why shouldn't he listen?
Before you continue