The Bottom Scorer in Zixiao Palace

As Hongjun's sermon gradually lengthened, the cultivators listening to the Dao in Zixiao Palace began to break through in succession.

By the time Hongjun had spoken for a thousand years, nearly all cultivators had completed the blooming of the Human Flower, reaching Mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

By the two-thousand-year mark, several had finished blooming the Earth Flower, breaking through to Late-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

In the blink of an eye, three thousand years passed, and Hongjun's voice finally ceased. In an instant, the visions within Zixiao Palace dissipated as well.

Yet the listeners did not awaken at once, still immersed in the lingering echoes of Hongjun's Dao discourse.

At this moment, Hongjun swept his gaze across the hall and saw that most cultivators had already reached Late-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

This made Hongjun nod in satisfaction, but when his eyes fell on Nuwa, he noticed that her Heaven Flower had also bloomed, her cultivation reaching Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal peak.

Although the Sanqing and the Two Sages of the West were also on the verge of breakthrough, they had ultimately fallen behind Nuwa. Hongjun's brow furrowed slightly.

Compared to Nuwa's sudden rise, Qing Xuan was a clear bottom scorer. At this moment, atop Qing Xuan's Qing Yun, there were still three flower buds, showing no sign of blooming.

Aside from Qing Xuan, the bottom scorers were the Twelve Ancestral Witches. They had listened drowsily, not even manifesting Qing Yun above their heads.

After all, the Twelve Ancestral Witches cultivated only the physical body, not the Nascent Soul. The Dao methods Hongjun taught were no different from a Heavenly Book to them.

Even though Houtu had obtained the Pangu Marrow, the Witch Clan lacked techniques for Nascent Soul cultivation, leaving her Nascent Soul cultivation at only Primordial Unity Golden Immortal.

This made Hongjun shake his head, and he spoke directly: "This sermon has ended. In ten thousand years, Zixiao Palace will open again, and I will teach the Quasi-Saint's Dao."

"When you return to Zixiao Palace next time, sit according to your current seats. Do not contend for them again."

With that, Hongjun's figure vanished from Zixiao Palace. Haotian and Yaochi opened the great doors of Zixiao Palace.

The cultivators awoke from their enlightenment, bowed toward the seat where Hongjun had sat, and then left Zixiao Palace in twos and threes.

As Qing Xuan and two others stepped outside Zixiao Palace, they saw the Twelve Ancestral Witches waiting for them. They quickly went forward to greet them.

Zhu Rong spoke with a smile, saying to Qing Xuan: "Daoist Qing Xuan, everyone else's cultivation improved from listening to the Dao. Why is yours the same as when you came?"

"Could it be that you, like us, simply couldn't understand the Dao Ancestor's teachings?"

Qing Xuan did not explain, only sighed with a smile: "The Dao the Dao Ancestor teaches is truly profound. In such a short time, it's hard to grasp its true essence."

Gonggong said indifferently: "Since you can't understand, there's no need to come next time. Coming is just a waste of time."

In truth, the Twelve Ancestral Witches had already decided not to attend the next sermon. As Gonggong said, since they couldn't understand, why waste time?

After a few more casual exchanges, they stepped together into the Chaos and headed back toward the Primordial World.

Returning to the Primordial World, Di Jiang and the other Ancestral Witches took their leave of Qing Xuan and went straight back to the Ancestral Witch Hall. However, Houtu chose to stay.

Nuwa was delighted by this. She felt she got along very well with Houtu, and with Houtu around, she wouldn't be lonely.

Fu Xi directly said to Qing Xuan: "Daoist Qing Xuan, should we return to Phoenix Perch Mountain first, or go directly to the East Sea?"

After a moment's thought, Qing Xuan decided to head straight for the East Sea. After all, there was nothing to worry about at Phoenix Perch Mountain.

"Let's go directly to the East Sea. First, we'll find a suitable place for Fangzhang Island to settle. Then we can stabilize our cultivation on the island and wait for the Dao Ancestor's next sermon."

Fu Xi and the others nodded and followed Qing Xuan toward the East Sea.

Arriving above the East Sea, the Dragon Pearl in Qing Xuan's hand shone brightly. Fangzhang Island, which had been sunk at the seabed, responded to the Dragon Pearl's call and began rising toward the sea surface.

Entering Fangzhang Island, Fu Xi was utterly stunned by the sight before him. Especially the Innate Spiritual Qi, which had already condensed into liquid, left him in awe.

"This Fangzhang Island is truly a Top-grade Blessed Land. The Innate Spiritual Qi has actually liquefied into flowing streams."

As he spoke, Fu Xi waved his hand and drew a stream of it into his body. This was far more effective than absorbing the scattered Innate Spiritual Qi in the air.

Qing Xuan smiled and said: "Daoist Fu Xi, the Witch Clan lacks techniques for Nascent Soul cultivation, so Houtu's Nascent Soul cultivation hasn't broken through to Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal."

"I'd like to trouble you to help Daoist Houtu clarify the parts she didn't understand from this sermon, so she can raise her Nascent Soul cultivation to Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal as soon as possible."

Fu Xi naturally did not refuse and said directly to Houtu: "Daoist Houtu, if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask."

Houtu didn't decline either and immediately began asking Fu Xi about the parts she hadn't grasped.

Meanwhile, Qing Xuan had already taken Nuwa and left Fangzhang Island, searching the East Sea for an ideal location.

After roaming the East Sea for three hundred years, Qing Xuan finally found a perfect spot. He pointed ahead and said to Nuwa:

"What do you think of the area a hundred miles ahead? I sense a surge of dragon qi there. It should be suitable for placing Fangzhang Island."

Nuwa looked and then said: "Little Gourd Vine, have you thought carefully? Where on the East Sea has the densest dragon qi?"

Qing Xuan was stunned for a moment, then understood what Nuwa meant. He said directly: "You're not going to tell me that below is the East Sea Dragon King's palace, are you?"

Nuwa nodded. "That's right. Beneath this sea region is the East Sea Dragon King's Crystal Palace. If you set Fangzhang Island here, the East Sea Dragon King will surely fight you tooth and nail."

Qing Xuan had thought he'd found an excellent spot, only to realize it was the East Sea Dragon Palace. Knowing this, he abandoned the idea of placing Fangzhang Island there.

It wasn't that he feared angering the East Sea Dragon Clan, but rather that the dragon qi here wasn't Earth Vein Dragon Qi. It came from the East Sea Dragon Clan themselves, which wasn't what Qing Xuan needed.

Traveling another ten thousand miles, Qing Xuan finally found another excellent location. Though the dragon qi here wasn't as dense as before, it felt heavier and more profound.

Qing Xuan pointed ahead again. "This shouldn't be the East Sea Dragon Palace, should it? Let's place Fangzhang Island here."

This time, Nuwa nodded as well. Qing Xuan took out the Dragon Pearl and summoned Fangzhang Island to this spot. Then he tossed the Dragon Pearl toward the island.

The next moment, the Dragon Pearl transformed into a giant dragon, diving straight down from above Fangzhang Island. It pierced through the island and reached the seabed, connecting with the Seabed Spiritual Vein.