Within Pangu Hall, thirteen people were immersed in cultivating Dao Refining.
The Ancestral Witches slowly merged their respective Manifestations and laws into their bodies, while Pan Xuan used the Righteous Vitality Formula to harmonize the merit and yellow qi power within him, contemplating the fusion of his own Dao with his body.
His cultivation had already reached the Daluo Golden Immortal Peak, only one step away from Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, but he was in no hurry to break through.
On the path of the Martial Dao, the foundation mattered most. He intended to make every step steady and solid.
The years drifted by, and they knew nothing of the changes outside.
One day, as Pan Xuan sat with his eyes closed in concentration, the entire Pangu Hall suddenly began to shake violently.
This trembling was unlike any before it. It was neither an earthquake nor an impact from an outside force, but a vibration from deep within the very source of heaven and earth.
That vibration held an indescribable power, as though the entire Primordial World were undergoing some fundamental change.
Pan Xuan's eyes snapped open.
At the same time, the Twelve Ancestral Witches were startled out of their cultivation. They exchanged looks, their eyes filled with shock.
"What is this...?" Zhu Rong's eyes widened, flames leaping up around him involuntarily.
Di Jiang's expression was grave. "Heaven and earth have changed. A new power has replaced the old order."
Zhu Jiuyin opened his cloudy old eyes, the power of time surging wildly as he tried to see what had happened.
A moment later, his expression turned exceedingly grim. "The Great Dao... has withdrawn. What has replaced it is the Heavenly Dao."
"The Heavenly Dao?" the Ancestral Witches asked in unison.
Zhu Jiuyin said slowly, "The rules between heaven and earth have changed.
"Before, the Great Dao governed everything. Now the Great Dao has withdrawn, and the Heavenly Dao has emerged to become the new ruler of heaven and earth.
"This power... is more concrete than the Great Dao, clearer, but also more... tightly ordered."
Pan Xuan's heart jolted. The Heavenly Dao had emerged.
He walked to the entrance of Pangu Hall and looked up at the sky.
High above the nine heavens, a stream of purple qi rose from the east, stretching across the sky for thirty thousand li.
Within that purple qi lay supreme majesty and mystery, as though a being who stood above heaven and earth were announcing his arrival to the entire Primordial World.
Purple qi came from the east, spanning thirty thousand li.
Heavenly flowers rained down, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.
Countless golden petals fluttered down from the sky, each containing pure spiritual energy.
Golden lotuses emerged from the earth, each radiating a mysterious Dao resonance.
The entire Primordial World was enveloped by this Manifestation.
Those petals and lotuses were not physical objects, but manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth-the Great Dao's recognition and celebration of that being.
A voice came from above the nine heavens. Calm and profound, yet carrying unquestionable majesty, it resounded through every corner of the Primordial World:
"Reclining high upon nine layers of cloud, upon a cushion I realized the truth of the Dao.
"Beyond heaven and earth's mystery and yellow, I shall reign supreme over the teachings.
"Pangu brought forth the Supreme Ultimate; the Two Forms and Four Symbols followed.
"One Dao passed to the Three Friends; two teachings divided into Chan and Jie.
"Leader of all Xuanmen, one qi transformed into Hong Jun."
As that voice fell silent, the entire Primordial World trembled.
Countless living beings raised their heads to the sky, their eyes filled with reverence and shock.
Hong Jun had become a Sage.
Sage-a realm that had never appeared in the Primordial World before.
Surpassing Primordial Origin Golden Immortals, surpassing all mighty beings, living as long as heaven and earth, shining alongside the sun and moon.
The aura coming from the east far exceeded the limits of what the Ancestral Witches could perceive.
Though Di Jiang and the others were already Primordial Origin Golden Immortals, they still felt a profound sense of oppression before that aura.
It was an overwhelming disparity in realms, an insurmountable gap in levels.
The voice rang out again, this time announcing to the entire Primordial World:
"Three thousand years from now, I shall expound the Great Dao in Zixiao Palace beyond Chaos. All who share this destined affinity may come and listen."
As the voice fell silent, the purple qi slowly dispersed, and the heavenly flowers and golden lotuses gradually faded.
But that shock lingered in the heart of every living being.
Within Pangu Hall, the thirteen remained silent for a long while.
Zhu Rong was the first to speak, scratching his head. "Hong Jun has become a Sage? He's going to teach the Dao? This... this is far too grand a spectacle.
"Sage... what realm is that? It sounds even higher than Primordial Origin Golden Immortal."
Gong Gong said gravely, "A Sage's aura does indeed far surpass that of a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal. That is already a level beyond our ability to fathom."
Di Jiang's expression was solemn as he said slowly, "There are indeed higher realms above Primordial Origin Golden Immortal.
"That Hong Jun could become a Sage shows he truly has exceptional qualities. But he can teach his Dao. It has nothing to do with us."
Houtu said softly, "He said he would teach the Dao in Zixiao Palace beyond Chaos three thousand years from now, and all who share this destined affinity may come.
"Brothers, should we go?"
At these words, the Ancestral Witches immediately broke into discussion.
Zhu Rong was the first to shake his head. "Why would we go? He belongs to the Daoist school, while we belong to the Witch Clan. Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. His Dao may not suit us."
Gong Gong nodded as well. "I also think we shouldn't go. Hong Jun is deep and unfathomable. He may not have good intentions in teaching the Dao."
Xuan Ming said coldly, "We're not going. We have our own Martial Dao. Why listen to his Dao?"
Qiangliang, Xizi, and the others also shook their heads, expressing their opposition.
They were Ancestral Witches born from Pangu Essence Blood, proud to their very bones, and unwilling to listen to an outsider's Dao.
But Houtu had a different view. She said softly, "Brothers, since Hong Jun has become a Sage, his understanding of the Heavenly Dao must far surpass ours.
"Listening to his Dao may not be a bad thing. Know yourself and your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without peril. Even if we don't cultivate his Dao, there is no harm in learning about it."
Di Jiang did not state his position. Instead, he looked at Pan Xuan. "Brother Pan Xuan, what do you think?"
Pan Xuan had remained silent throughout. His gaze reached through the entrance of Pangu Hall toward the distance, while he pondered inwardly.
In his memories of later ages, Hong Jun's teaching of the Dao was a major event in the Primordial World.
But Pan Xuan knew that the Witch Clan had its own path and did not need to follow someone else's Dao.
He turned to Houtu, his voice steady and sincere. "Sister Houtu, I believe we shouldn't go."
Houtu was slightly taken aback. "Pan Xuan's younger brother, you're not going either?"
Pan Xuan walked into the hall and stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over every Ancestral Witch as he said slowly, "Brothers and sisters, we of the Witch Clan walk our own path of the Martial Dao.
"This is a path we personally deduced, using merit as fuel, will as its foundation, and the Great Dao as our mirror.
"It suits the Witch Clan's constitution, the Witch Clan's origin, and the Witch Clan's future."
He paused, then continued, "Hong Jun's Dao is the Dao of Dao cultivators, the Dao of the Primordial Spirit, the Dao of laws.
"It is entirely different from our Martial Dao.
"Listening to his Dao would not only bring no benefit, but might instead disturb our Dao hearts and make us doubt our own path."
He looked at Houtu, his tone earnest. "Sister Houtu, you possess a Primordial Spirit, so you may feel that Hong Jun's Dao has something in common with your cultivation.
"But I believe that is precisely why you should be even more determined not to go.
"Your path is to unite the Earth Law, your Primordial Spirit, and your body as one. This is a path without precedent.
"Hong Jun's Dao would only distract you and make you stray from your own direction."
Houtu fell silent.
Pan Xuan continued, "Moreover, Hong Jun has set his teaching three thousand years from now, in Zixiao Palace beyond Chaos.
"Why won't he teach in the Primordial World? Why set a time limit?
"There may well be an intention to select people behind this.
"The listeners he wants are those willing to follow him, willing to accept his path.
"We of the Witch Clan have always been independent, never relying on others.
"To go would be to stand a head below him."
Zhu Rong laughed loudly. "Brother Pan Xuan is right!
"When has our Witch Clan ever bowed its head? Wouldn't listening to his Dao be admitting that his Dao is higher than ours?"
Gong Gong nodded too. "We're not going. We haven't even finished walking our own path. Why listen to someone else's?"
Xuan Ming said coldly, "Houtu, Pan Xuan's younger brother has a point.
"Your path is different from our brothers', but it is still your own. Don't listen to someone else's, lest it throw your mind into turmoil."
Houtu looked at Pan Xuan, then at her brothers. After a long while, she nodded gently. "Pan Xuan's younger brother, brothers, you're right. I didn't think it through. I won't go."
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