The Foremost of All Immortals

That was an old Daoist with a weathered face, devoid of joy or sorrow.

His eyes seemed to contain the Three Thousand Great Daos, the birth and destruction of universes.

"I am Hongjun."

Four simple words, yet they rang through the entire Purple Cloud Palace like the sound of the Great Dao itself.

"Having now attained Sagehood, mindful of Pangu's merit in splitting Heaven and Earth, and the hardships of all beings in Honghuang seeking the Dao, I shall specially expound the Great Dao for three thousand years."

Hongjun's gaze swept across the crowd below, finally settling on two Attendants standing by his side.

"These are my disciples, Haotian and Yaochi."

They were a golden boy and jade girl, appearing no more than seven or eight years old, yet their brows carried a spiritual aura, and their cultivation had already reached Golden Immortal.

Hongjun continued: "My Dao will be taught in three sessions, each lasting three thousand years. How much you comprehend depends on your own affinity with fate. Today marks the first session."

With these words, he spoke no further, closed his eyes slightly, and began to utter true words from his mouth.

"...&...%#%...%￥&*(Due to the profound depth of the lecture, it has been replaced with gibberish.)

In an instant, extraordinary phenomena filled the entire Purple Cloud Palace!

Heavenly flowers rained down, golden lotuses surged from the earth. Dao Runes manifested out of thin air, performing Earth Water Fire Wind, Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Profound Dao tones seemed to transcend time and space, pointing directly to the origin of the Great Dao.

The Three Pure Ones and others seated at the very front listened as if drunk or dreaming, with celebratory clouds churning above their heads, Three Flowers gathering at the crown, and five energies returning to the source.

Those behind them had furrowed brows, some showed joy, others wore blank expressions—clearly unable to understand.

But Xuanqing's experience was different.

The three sessions of the Great Dao that Hongjun taught covered all cultivation methods before Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, the Quasi-Saint method of Slaying Three Corpses to attain the Dao, and the opportunity to become a Sage.

These profound and arcane laws, which others found obscure and difficult, were exceptionally clear to Xuanqing.

His original form was the Purifying Mystic Bamboo, a darling of heaven and earth's spiritual energy and merit, naturally intimate with the Great Dao.

Those laws of the Great Dao did not seem to be heard by him, but rather actively surged into his body, merging with him.

In the midst of comprehending the Great Dao, Xuanqing's cultivation unknowingly began to climb continuously!

The bottleneck of Xuan Immortal Peak was broken five hundred years into the lecture!

After a thousand years of lecture, early Great Yi Mysterious Immortal peak!

After two thousand years of lecture, mid Great Yi Mysterious Immortal!

After three thousand years of lecture, he stopped at late Great Yi Mysterious Immortal!

Vast mana surged within Xuanqing's body, but he was completely immersed in the Great Dao, forgetting both self and world, utterly unaware.

After who knew how long, the profound Dao tones abruptly ceased.

The voice of Hongjun Dao Ancestor rang out again: "The first lecture is concluded. In three thousand years, the platform will open again."

The sound awakened those immersed in Dao comprehension.

Xuanqing also slowly came to, feeling refreshed, his Primordial Spirit exceptionally clear, his understanding of the Great Dao elevated by more than one level.

He subconsciously looked inward at himself, and was instantly stunned.

"I... I've broken through to late Great Yi Mysterious Immortal?"

Xuanqing's inward inspection left him somewhat dazed.

He could clearly feel that the mana within his body was no longer comparable to the Xuan Immortal level, his Primordial Spirit was several times more condensed, and his perception of the laws of heaven and earth had become unprecedentedly clear.

This was a leap of an entire major realm!

One must know that the path of cultivation grows harder the further one goes.

Don't be fooled by the fact that everyone seated in the Purple Cloud Palace was a great power starting from Golden Immortal—each of them had cultivated for countless eons to achieve their current accomplishments!

Take Kunpeng, for example. He had been stuck at the peak of Primordial Unity Golden Immortal for who knows how many tens of thousands of years, always separated from the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm by a single layer of paper that he could never pierce through.

"Is this... is this the power of a Sage's lecture?"

In response to readers' requests, a VIP Member ad-free feature is now available.

Click to view.

Xuanqing was shaken to his core, and a surge of ecstasy welled up within him.

Double merit and luck, combined with a Sage's lecture—this effect was an absolute grand slam!

He stealthily glanced at his Master in front of him. Yuanshi Tianzun still sat with eyes closed, as if nothing had happened.

But Xuanqing could sense that the intangible Dao Rhyme emanating from his Master could not be faked.

Just as everyone was still savoring the lingering echoes of the Great Dao and checking their own gains, the emotionless voice of Hongjun Dao Ancestor rang out again from the high platform.

"All of you are Innate Godly Beings of Honghuang. Having listened to this lecture, each has made progress. Good."

The Dao Ancestor's voice reached everyone's ears, lifting their spirits, and they all bowed in salute.

"Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for the grace of your lecture!"

Hongjun nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three thousand beings below, and continued: "Now, in Honghuang, there are cultivators of the Immortal Dao everywhere, yet they are like scattered sand, without a leader, often engaging in conflict, adding to slaughter, and violating the harmony of heaven."

Everyone's hearts stirred, and they pricked up their ears.

Was something major about to happen?

"Under the Heavenly Dao, a Chief of Immortals shall be established to govern the male and female immortals of the Honghuang, regulate yin and yang, set down rules, and reduce conflict."

As these words fell, the Main Hall erupted into an uproar.

Govern the immortals of the Honghuang?

This was an immense authority!

In an instant, countless great beings' minds raced, especially Dijun and Taiyi. The two brothers exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with sharp light.

They were just about to establish the Demon Race's Heavenly Court to rule over the Myriad Races—if they could seize this position of Chief of Immortals, wouldn't that make their claim perfectly legitimate?

On the high platform, Hongjun Dao Ancestor paid no heed to the commotion below.

He raised a finger, and two beams of profound light shot from his fingertip, landing on a man and a woman among the crowd.

The man wore an imperial robe, his face dignified, his aura pure yang to the extreme—he was the Rogue Cultivator great power Dongwanggong.

The woman was graceful and noble, her bearing elegant, with the energy of Taiyin Star flowing around her—she was Xi Wangmu, one of the masters of Taiyin Star.

Shrouded in the beams of profound light, the two were startled at first, then their faces lit up with wild joy.

"Dongwanggong, I grant you the Dragon Head Cane and appoint you Head of Male Immortals. May you henceforth govern the male immortals of the Honghuang well and guide them toward goodness."

"Xi Wangmu, I grant you the Pure Water Bowl and appoint you Head of Female Immortals. May you henceforth diligently teach the female immortals of the Honghuang and accumulate merit."

Hongjun's voice was like a decree of the Heavenly Dao, brooking no doubt.

An ancient wooden staff and a crystalline bowl materialized out of thin air, falling into the hands of Dongwanggong and Xi Wangmu, radiating a dense aura of Innate Spiritual Treasures.

"Disciple Dongwanggong (Xi Wangmu) kowtows in thanks to the Dao Ancestor!"

Overjoyed, the two hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, their voices trembling slightly with excitement.

Among the surrounding great beings, some were envious, some jealous, but most were unconvinced.

Why them?

In terms of cultivation, Dongwanggong and Xi Wangmu were indeed top-tier great powers, but there were those stronger than them.

In terms of influence, they couldn't compare to the Demon Race or the Witch Clan.

"Dao Ancestor!"

A voice broke the silence. Dijun stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Hongjun.

"Disciple believes that the position of Chief of Immortals is of great importance and should be held by one of both virtue and talent, with formidable strength. To decide it so hastily may fail to win the crowd's submission!"

Though his words were polite, the intent to challenge was clear.

How was he, Dijun, inferior to Dongwanggong?

Hongjun Dao Ancestor's gaze fell lightly upon him, utterly devoid of emotion.

"This is the decree of Heaven, not my own decision."

Eight simple words, yet they carried an irresistible authority.

The meaning was clear: This is the will of the Heavenly Dao, not my personal will. If you have objections, take them up with the Heavenly Dao.