Hong Jun's gaze passed over the Sanqing, and he nodded in satisfaction. He couldn't help thinking, As expected of beings formed from Pangu's Three Souls. They're already on the verge of cutting out their Evil Corpses.
But when Hong Jun's gaze swept over Nuwa, his brow furrowed. He knew how important Nuwa was to the Primordial Wilderness, and had already chosen her as one of the Heavenly Dao Saints.
Yet Nuwa had failed to cut out her Good Corpse. This puzzled Hong Jun somewhat.
He then looked toward the Two Sages of the West, and nodded in satisfaction once more. As for Fu Xi and Qing Xuan, Hong Jun didn't even spare them a glance.
He immediately announced, "The Second Lecture at Zixiao Palace is over. The palace will open again in ten thousand years. Then I will lecture on the Path of the Sages."
Everyone awoke from their state of enlightenment, each wearing an excited expression. Though they hadn't cut out their Good Corpses either, they could already sense their opportunity.
Just as everyone was preparing to leave, Hong Jun's voice rang out again. "There are countless beings of the Ten Thousand Races in the Primordial Wilderness. Someone must manage them on my behalf."
"I intend to appoint a Head of Male Immortals and a Head of Female Immortals. They will manage the male and female immortals of the Primordial Wilderness on my behalf."
At his words, the ambitious cultivators all grew eager, hoping Hong Jun would entrust the task to them.
But after sweeping his gaze over the crowd, Hong Jun's eyes settled on East Prince and Queen Mother of the West, who sat in the front row.
He announced, "East Prince was formed from the Pure Yang Qi present at the beginning of creation. He may serve as the Head of Male Immortals of the Primordial Wilderness."
"Queen Mother of the West was formed from the Pure Yin Qi present at the beginning of creation. She may serve as the Head of Female Immortals of the Primordial Wilderness. From now on, you two will manage the male and female cultivators of the Primordial Wilderness on my behalf."
East Prince was overjoyed. He hurriedly bowed respectfully to Hong Jun and promised, "Dao Ancestor, rest assured. This disciple will not disappoint Dao Master's high expectations."
Queen Mother of the West wasn't as excited as East Prince, but she didn't forget to bow and thank Hong Jun. She accepted the position of Head of Female Immortals.
Hong Jun waved his hand, and a Dragon Head Crutch flew toward East Prince. "This is the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Dragon Head Crutch. Use it to command the immortals of the Primordial Wilderness."
He then gave a Golden Hairpin to Queen Mother of the West. It was also a token of authority over the female immortals of the Primordial Wilderness, and a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.
Seeing East Prince and Queen Mother of the West not only become the heads of the male and female immortals of the Primordial Wilderness, but also receive Hong Jun's favor, countless envious and resentful gazes fell upon them.
Di Jun and Tai Yi were already gritting their teeth. They were in the midst of uniting the Demon Clan. Having the Witch Clan make trouble was bad enough, and now there were heads of the male and female immortals too. Wouldn't this make things even harder for them?
Unfortunately, Hong Jun had appointed the heads of the male and female immortals. Even though Di Jun and Tai Yi were deeply unwilling, they didn't dare question his decision.
Hong Jun didn't even look at Di Jun and Tai Yi's discontent. Instead, he turned his gaze to Nuwa and asked her, "Nuwa, is there anything you don't understand about the Hun Yuan Dao Method I lectured on?"
At Hong Jun's words, Qing Xuan had already guessed what was going on. Hong Jun must have noticed that Nuwa's cultivation hadn't advanced, which was why he'd asked.
Fortunately, Qing Xuan had already given Nuwa instructions before they came, so she answered without hesitation.
"Dao Ancestor, this disciple has committed your teachings to memory. Some parts are obscure and difficult to understand, but I can slowly work through them. For now, I have no questions."
Hearing Nuwa's answer, Hong Jun furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "If you understood the Dao of the Origin I taught, why haven't you cut out your Good Corpse Incarnation?"
Nuwa replied with an awkward expression, "Dao Ancestor, this disciple is already capable of cutting out a corpse. Unfortunately, I don't have a suitable Spiritual Treasure to house my Good Corpse Incarnation."
Hearing Nuwa's answer, Hong Jun finally understood. Qing Xuan had the Qing Lian Three Treasures, each a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. The Two Sages of the West also had their Companion Spiritual Treasures.
Nuwa, on the other hand, truly had no Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure worthy of mention. To make her use an ordinary Innate Spiritual Treasure to cut out her corpse would be a waste of her innate potential.
He immediately waved his hand toward Nuwa, and a scroll and a Red Embroidered Ball flew toward her.
"These are the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, the Mountain River Society Map and the Red Embroidered Ball. I bestow these two treasures upon you today to house your Three Corpses Incarnation."
Nuwa hadn't expected that following Qing Xuan's advice would bring her such a reward. She immediately put away the Mountain River Society Map and the Red Embroidered Ball.
She also remembered to bow and thank Hong Jun, then said, "Thank you for bestowing these treasures, Dao Ancestor. Once I return to my seat, I will cut out my corpse as soon as possible."
Hong Jun nodded in satisfaction, preparing to end the Second Lecture. But Daoist Zhun Ti spoke up with a sorrowful expression.
"Dao Ancestor, the West is barren and has no Spiritual Treasures. My senior brother and I have only these two Companion Spiritual Treasures, which can be used to house our Three Corpses."
"If we cut out our corpses again, we won't have any Spiritual Treasures left to house them. We beg you to take pity on the barren West and bestow Innate Spiritual Treasures upon us, so my brother and I can use them to house our Three Corpses."
Hong Jun frowned at this. In his original plan, the treasures weren't supposed to be distributed until after the Third Lecture.
But before he could refuse, the cultivators in Zixiao Palace all bowed to Hong Jun, hoping he would take pity on them and bestow Innate Spiritual Treasures to house their Three Corpses Incarnation.
Qing Xuan secretly laughed to himself. Everything's gone off the rails. Let's see how you handle this.
If you open the Treasure Distribution Cliff now, how will you manage to leave yourself a thousand years to lecture after the Third Lecture?
Qing Xuan remembered clearly that Hong Jun had promised to lecture to the Primordial Beings for ten thousand years, but the three lectures in Zixiao Palace had lasted only nine thousand years.
Hong Jun naturally couldn't lecture for a thousand years less. Otherwise, it would be as if he'd failed to fulfill his promise to the Heavenly Dao.
So Hong Jun had to give that thousand years of lectures, but didn't want anyone else to hear them. He would have to find a way to use some trickery.
That was why he distributed treasures from the Treasure Distribution Cliff. Anyone who obtained a Magic Treasure from the cliff and returned to thank him would have the opportunity to hear those thousand years of lectures.
Unfortunately, the Three Thousand Purple Cloud Palace Guests who obtained Innate Spiritual Treasures were in a hurry to return and refine them. They soon forgot all about Hong Jun, and not one of them came back to thank him.
As a result, only Haotian and Yaochi heard the full ten thousand years of lectures. Even the Sanqing, the Two Sages of the West, and Nuwa had heard only nine thousand years.
But the outcome greatly surprised Qing Xuan. Hong Jun spoke with an expressionless face. "Innate Spiritual Treasures are obtained through fate. When your fate arrives, you will naturally encounter them."
"The Second Lecture at Zixiao Palace is now over. Countless Innate Spiritual Treasures will soon appear in the Primordial Wilderness. Once you return, you may each seek them according to your own fate."
With that, Hong Jun vanished from Zixiao Palace. He hadn't opened the Treasure Distribution Cliff early, as Qing Xuan had expected.
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