Hot Potato

Xi He and Chang Xi stood frozen in place, as if transformed into two perfect jade sculptures. Only the seven docile strands of Primordial Violet Qi in their hands, gently swirling, emitted a dreamlike yet heart-stopping faint glow.

A chilling sensation traveled through their fingertips, not a physical cold, but a profound, boundless pressure of law that pierced straight into their Primordial Spirits, and… a temptation so immense it could drive any living being to madness.

The foundation for becoming a Saint!

These four words exploded like chaotic thunder in their Sea of Consciousness, shaking their Primordial Spirits and nearly shattering their Dao hearts.

Xi He's fingers trembled slightly. She felt as if she were holding not three strands of violet qi, but three scorching sun star cores, capable of igniting the entire Taiyin Star, even the Primordial Era itself! The heavy karma, the unimaginable karmic sin, made her, the mistress of the Taiyin Star, feel a wave of dizziness.

"He… how dare he…" Xi He's voice was incredibly dry, filled with disbelief and terror. "This is a sacred artifact of the Heavenly Dao, related to sainthood, how can… how can he treat it so carelessly?!"

She tried to shove the violet qi back to Xiao Kuang, but that guy had already slipped back to his grill, humming a tuneless little song, as if he had just tossed them a few candied hawthorns.

Chang Xi's small face turned even paler. She held the four strands of violet qi as if they were four Chaos Divine Thunderbolts about to explode, not daring to move. Her voice, laced with tears, trembled, "Sister… what do we do? We can't… we can't take this! If the great powers of the Primordial Era find out, we'll instantly become targets for everyone, doomed for eternity!"

Possessing a treasure brings calamity! They knew this truth all too well. If anyone knew the Primordial Violet Qi was in their hands, even if they were the Lunar Goddesses, they absolutely wouldn't be able to fend off the red-eyed Quasi-Saints!

"Quick! Put it away! We absolutely cannot let its aura leak!" Xi He suppressed the storm in her heart and hurriedly circulated her Taiyin divine power, setting up layer upon layer of restrictions, trying to conceal the fluctuations of the Primordial Violet Qi. Chang Xi quickly followed suit.

However, the Primordial Violet Qi was a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao; how profound was its aura? Even with their cultivation as Grand Unity Golden Immortals, they could only barely conceal it. The faint, heart-stopping violet aura and Dao marks still lingered around them, making them restless.

From then on, Xi He and Chang Xi's days in the Purple Heaven Palace became even more agonizing. They were no longer simple "captives" or "maids," but had become two mobile "Primordial Violet Qi insurance boxes," constantly worried about being robbed. Every time they saw Xiao Kuang's carefree demeanor, they gritted their teeth in anger, yet were utterly helpless. They could only be even more cautious, staying secluded, fearing they might attract prying eyes.

While Xi He and Chang Xi were anxiously worrying about the Primordial Violet Qi, news of the Purple Firmament Palace's second sermon had also stirred up quite a stir across the Primordial Era.

Kunlun Mountain, Three Pure Ones Hall.

"The second sermon, the Quasi-Saint realm…" Grand Pure One Laozi's expression was calm, but his eyes flickered with the light of deduction. "This time, there shouldn't be any more complications, right?" The experience of the last "team-building" exercise was too profound. Primordial Lord of Heaven snorted, "If that fellow dares to cause trouble again, even if it means angering the Heavenly Dao, I will demand an explanation!" He was still deeply bothered by his scorched appearance. Sect Master Tongtian, however, was full of excitement, "The path of a Quasi-Saint! Is it finally time for something real? I wonder if I'll hear something different…" He actually had the highest acceptance of Xiao Kuang's "heretical theories."

Sun Star, Divine Palace.

Di Jun looked at the draft of the "Demon Race Dual Cultivation Trial Regulations" he had just finalized, then glanced at the celestial calendar: "Ten thousand years… just enough time for the Demon Race to rest and implement the new system. Going to listen to the sermon then might yield greater rewards." He seemed to be genuinely considering the practical application of the "slacking management method." Eastern Emperor Taiyi polished the Chaos Bell, its chime clear and resonant, "Brother, this sermon is of great importance. No matter what tricks that Dao Ancestor has up his sleeve, the path of a Quasi-Saint, we must listen and comprehend."

Western Regions, Spirit Mountain (embryonic).

Jieyin's already sorrowful face grew more worried: "The second sermon at Purple Heaven Palace... I wonder if we need to prepare any talents this time?" He still had lingering fear from the last "immortal gathering." Zhunti's eyes flickered, "Senior Brother, this is a golden opportunity! No matter what, we must strive for it! Perhaps... the Dao Ancestor, seeing our piety..." He was still fixated on Merit and opportunities.

Sea of Blood Minghe, Northern Darkness Kunpeng, Wuzhuang Temple Zhen Yuanzi, Fire Cloud Cave Hong Yun… All the great powers, whether expecting, vigilant, or resigned, had to begin preparing for the journey to the Purple Heaven Palace ten thousand years later. After all, the path of a Quasi-Saint was too tempting.

However, a faint shadow loomed over almost all the great powers, an unavoidable question:

This time, will the Dao Ancestor, who never plays by the rules, truly give a "proper" sermon?

Will he come up with absurd things like "Quasi-Saint Script Murder Mystery" or "Severing Three Corpses Speed Dating"?

Or even… will he suddenly pull out Heavenly Dao Merit as a "classroom performance reward"?

The thought of these possibilities made many great powers feel their Dao hearts waver.

On one hand, they yearned for the Great Dao. On the other hand, they were terrified of Xiao Kuang's "teaching style."

This contradictory psychology left many top powers in the Primordial Era feeling uneasy for the next ten thousand years, finding it difficult to fully focus on their cultivation.

The entire Primordial Era seemed to be waiting for the ten-thousand-year mark to arrive in a strange atmosphere of both anticipation and fear of getting hurt.

And the instigator of it all, at this moment, was looking at the again-scorched Chaos Chicken Wings on the grill and letting out a helpless sigh: "Sigh, preparing lessons is so hard… How about… I just read the textbook the Heavenly Dao gave me then? Let them figure it out themselves? Hmm, that's a good idea! I'll do that!"

Heavenly Dao (faint fluctuation): …… (A vague sense of foreboding, yet unable to intervene)