Sagehood, Pixiu Would Not Trade

At present.

Hongjun looked at the golden lotus before him, a trace of pride flashing through his eyes as he stroked his beard.

"Young friend, take a look at this treasure."

"This is the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit. It was transformed from a lotus seed of the Thirty-Six Petal Chaos Green Lotus that once nurtured Great God Pangu during the Chaos era!"

"Seated upon it, one would be immune to all techniques, and all evils would retreat."

"More importantly, carrying this treasure would surround one with endless phenomena of golden merit light upon appearing. It is one of the finest defensive Numinous Treasures in heaven and earth."

"With the protection of this merit, one would remain indestructible through countless tribulations. Even when a Tribulation descended, it could keep you safe and sound."

Hongjun went on and on about the origins of the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit and its various unimaginable powers, hoping to move Tianlu with this treasure.

In his view, although this Pixiu was greedy for wealth, the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit was also an exceedingly rare treasure in the Primordial World, enough to tempt anyone.

Yet Tianlu merely glanced indifferently at the glittering golden lotus. His expression did not change in the slightest; he even looked somewhat disdainful.

"That's it?"

Tianlu asked casually.

"Immortal Ancestor, after blowing your own horn for so long, let me ask you one thing. What grade is this lousy lotus?"

The smile on Hongjun's face stiffened slightly, but he still answered truthfully.

"It is a Supreme-Grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure. It contains forty-eight Xiantian restrictions and is only one step away from a Xiantian Supreme Treasure."

"Pfft!"

Tianlu sneered without mercy, his face full of mockery.

"A Supreme-Grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure? You think it's worthy of comparison to my Xiantian Supreme Treasure?"

"Immortal Ancestor, do you think I'm ignorant and easy to fool?"

"No matter how powerful a Supreme-Grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure is, it is still merely a Spiritual Treasure. My Creation Green Lotus is a genuine Xiantian Supreme Treasure, containing forty-nine complete Xiantian restrictions and the origin of the Great Dao of Creation!"

"One step away? That step is a chasm beyond all crossing!"

"Immortal Ancestor, if you truly wish to trade treasure for treasure, then show some sincerity. Bring out something of the same grade, all right?"

"You want to trade a defective product for my supreme treasure? Your calculations are so loud I could hear them from beyond Chaos!"

Tianlu held the Creation Green Lotus in extremely high regard.

This was one of the rare Xiantian Supreme Treasures in the Primordial World. Because it contained the Law of Creation, even the Four Swords of Immortal Execution, Pangu Banner, and the Taiji Diagram, such peak Xiantian Supreme Treasures, might not necessarily compare to the Creation Green Lotus in certain respects.

Creation represented vitality and endless possibilities.

Trade it for a Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit that only had defensive capabilities?

What a pipe dream!

Hearing Tianlu's ridicule, Hongjun felt bitter inside as well.

How could he not know the enormous gap between a Supreme-Grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure and a Xiantian Supreme Treasure?

But the problem was that he truly did not possess any Xiantian Supreme Treasure that he could use for an exchange.

Of the three great Xiantian Supreme Treasures transformed from the Heaven-Opening Axe, the Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner were fated to belong to the Three Pure Ones. They involved the immense Law of Fortune of Pangu Orthodox Lineage, so he could not touch them at all.

The Chaos Bell was in the hands of Taiyi, the Golden Crow of the Sun Star.

Although the Four Swords of Immortal Execution were with him, they were treasures of slaughter and were also destined to be bestowed upon Tongtian.

As for the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation, his most precious possession, it was the foundation of his path to enlightenment, the supreme treasure he used to deduce the workings of heaven and comprehend the Great Dao Laws. How could he possibly take it out for a trade?

Hongjun stood where he was, his brows furrowed as he sank into deep hesitation.

Seeing Hongjun in this state, Tianlu knew the fellow had nothing good left to offer.

"Poor bastard, and you still want to play merchant."

Tianlu muttered, feeling that his time was extremely precious and that he truly did not want to waste any more of it with Hongjun.

He once more urged the Cloud Treasure beneath his feet and turned to leave.

"Young friend, wait! Hold on!"

Seeing this, Hongjun immediately panicked. Disregarding his dignity, he rushed forward again and spread his arms to block Tianlu's path.

A bitter smile appeared on his face. He gritted his teeth and spoke.

"Young friend, since you do not fancy Numinous Treasures, then I shall offer a different bargaining chip."

"I will trade one seat of Sagehood for your Creation Green Lotus. What do you say?"

The instant those words were spoken, the surrounding void seemed to freeze.

Sagehood.

In the Primordial World of later generations, those four words would have been enough to make countless mighty beings fight with bloodshot eyes and trigger a bloody storm that swept across the entire Primordial World.

But Hongjun feared that Tianlu, this Pixiu, would not understand the true value of Sagehood, so he hurriedly began to explain it deliberately.

"Young friend, do you know what a Sage is?"

"A Sage is the supreme realm of a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal!"

"Once one proves the Dao and becomes a Sage, one's Primordial Spirit may be entrusted to the Heavenly Dao Void."

"From then on, one will remain unbroken through countless tribulations and untouched by karma."

"Everlasting alongside heaven, enduring alongside the Dao!"

"As long as the Heavenly Dao remains undying, a Sage shall be immortal and indestructible!"

Listening to Hongjun's impassioned description, Tianlu could not help muttering to himself.

Sagehood?

It did sound quite intimidating. One's Primordial Spirit would be entrusted to the Heavenly Dao Void and remain unbroken through countless tribulations.

But the issue was that the Primordial World was now governed by the Heavenly Dao, while the Great Dao Laws had long since retreated into Chaos.

By all reason, beings of the Primordial World could only comprehend the Heavenly Dao Laws. They could not even touch the threshold of the Great Dao, much less the origin of the Great Dao.

But what about him?

Ever since he had transmigrated and taken form, he had always been able to clearly perceive the most fundamental Great Dao Laws between heaven and earth.

Whether it was the Law of Creation he had comprehended not long ago, the Law of Wealth he had possessed from birth, or the Law of Devouring, he could wield them all as easily as his own limbs.

At first, he had found it rather strange. But now that he thought about it, he was the Child of the Great Dao, the Pet of the Great Dao.

Clearly, before the Great Dao retired into seclusion within Chaos, it had specially given him, its own dear son, extra tutoring and left behind this special favor.

With the Great Dao personally watching over him, why would he covet some Sagehood bound by the Heavenly Dao?

Would that not be throwing away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed, lowering his own status and finding himself a Heavenly Dao master?

At that thought, Tianlu rolled his eyes dramatically without the slightest courtesy.

"Immortal Ancestor, save that empty promise for someone else. I have no appetite for it!"

With that, Tianlu did not give Hongjun any chance to speak and stop him again. With a surge of power beneath his feet, the Innate Mid-Grade Spiritual Treasure Cloud Treasure instantly transformed into a streak of light, carrying him leisurely toward Mount Buzhou.

Hongjun stood there dumbly, his outstretched hand still frozen in midair. He was utterly stunned.

He had never imagined that even the supreme temptation of Sagehood, enough to drive the entire Primordial World mad, would be rejected by this Pixiu without even a moment's thought.

He would not trade this, nor would he trade that. Nothing could get through to him!

Take it by force?

Hongjun shook his head bitterly.

He was the reincarnation of the Immortal Dao Demon God who had once roamed Chaos. More than anyone, he understood the terrifying weight carried by the words "Pet of the Great Dao."

Though the Great Dao had retreated, its lingering might remained.

So long as Tianlu did not provoke him first or harbor genuine killing intent toward him, if he dared reveal hostility or make the first move, the backlash of the Great Dao would descend in an instant.

At best, it would cause him to suffer qi deviation and severely damage his foundation. At worst, even the Heavenly Dao would mete out punishment to quell the lingering influence of the Great Dao, directly stripping away the foundation of his path to enlightenment.

The task the Heavenly Dao had given him was simply impossible to complete.