You Say Your Master Can't Count

Hongjun stared at Chen Xuan in utter disbelief. In his heart, he had already attained the Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, while Chen Xuan was merely a Primordial Golden Immortal.

The gap in cultivation between them was an unbridgeable chasm, which meant Chen Xuan could not possibly be Hongjun's opponent.

Now Hongjun could wield the power of the Heavenly Dao, and with the Heavenly Dao Horsetail Whisk in hand—a supreme treasure of the Heavenly Dao—it would not have been an exaggeration to say Chen Xuan had no power to fight back.

Yet the result was that he had been beaten until he spat blood. Chen Xuan, on the other hand, had not suffered the slightest injury and seemingly had not even used his full strength.

At last, fear rose in Hongjun's heart. He feared that if he continued tangling with Chen Xuan, Chen Xuan would smash his physical body to pieces.

Although Hongjun could reshape his body with the help of the Heavenly Dao, the impact on him would be anything but minor.

Leaving aside the drop in cultivation, merely owing karmic debt to the Heavenly Dao would be enough to make Hongjun suffer. It might even cause him to be controlled by the Heavenly Dao.

After weighing the pros and cons, Hongjun did not hesitate in the slightest. He tore open the chaos and hid directly within the Heavenly Dao.

At this moment, Chen Xuan had not expected that he could truly do anything to Hongjun either. After all, so long as the Heavenly Dao remained, no one could kill Hongjun.

Seeing Hongjun flee beneath the Heavenly Dao's protection, a cold sneer appeared at the corner of Chen Xuan's mouth.

Immediately, he raised the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler in his hand and smashed it toward the Eye of Heavenly Punishment within the chaos.

At the same time, he did not forget to say, "Remember this. Wherever I am in the future, you had better not show your face."

As Chen Xuan's words fell, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment within the chaos was directly shattered by the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler.

After retrieving the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler, Chen Xuan was about to return to Azure Lotus Island when he suddenly noticed Hongjun's All-Heavens Auspicious Cloud had fallen into the chaos.

A smile immediately appeared at the corner of Chen Xuan's mouth. With a wave toward the All-Heavens Auspicious Cloud, he drew it into his hand.

Then he tore through the void and vanished from where he stood, heading straight back to Azure Lotus Island.

Just after Chen Xuan disappeared into the chaos, Hongjun emerged from the Heavenly Dao. Looking in the direction Chen Xuan had departed, his eyes were filled with unwillingness and helplessness.

"He is clearly only at the peak of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm. How could he beat me, a sixth-grade Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, until I fled in such a sorry state?"

"Could he truly be Pangu? After all, only Pangu possessed such strength. Otherwise, not even any surviving Chaos God or Devil could accomplish this."

At this moment, Hongjun became even more convinced that Chen Xuan was Pangu. This made him even more terrified, to the point that he no longer dared face Chen Xuan.

"It seems the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa will never take me as their master. Since that is the case, I can only make other plans."

"Once the Heavenly Dao devours the Earthly Dao and the Human Dao, I can use that chance to attain the Great Dao realm. By then, even if that Green Lotus Daoist is Pangu, I will not fear him."

Having made up his mind, Hongjun tore through the chaos and returned to Purple Cloud Palace.

Meanwhile, Chen Xuan had already returned to Azure Lotus Island. He sat cross-legged upon the lotus platform within Azure Lotus Palace.

Looking at the cushions beneath the Three Pure Ones and the others, which were nothing more than ordinary cushions, Chen Xuan could not help but sigh.

"The six cushions in Purple Cloud Palace are all good things. When you return from listening to the Dao next time, remember to bring those six cushions back for your master."

Hearing Chen Xuan's words, Tongtian immediately said, "Master, are we still going to Purple Cloud Palace to listen to Hongjun preach the Dao?"

"He dreams of taking us as his disciples. Aren't you afraid that once we go to Purple Cloud Palace, he will directly detain us there?"

Chen Xuan glared fiercely at Tongtian. "Do you think Hongjun, after being taught a lesson by your master, would still dare entertain such thoughts?"

"Just go without worry. If anything happens, your master will cover for you. At worst, I'll beat him up again."

Hearing Chen Xuan say this, Houtu beamed. As she kneaded Chen Xuan's shoulders, she said, "Master is right. If he refuses to behave, Master can beat him up again. But when Master beats him up again, remember to call this disciple along so I can kick him twice too."

Chen Xuan gave Houtu a flick on the forehead, then spoke as if angered, "Can't you settle down for once?"

"I'm telling you, if you cannot cultivate a complete Primordial Spirit within ten thousand years, I will seal you beneath the Three Lights Divine Water Pool for ten epochs."

A pitiful expression instantly appeared on Houtu's face, as though she would burst into tears the next moment.

Chen Xuan had long become immune to this, so he gave her another flick on the forehead.

Rubbing her head, Houtu returned to her seat, still muttering something under her breath.

Chen Xuan paid her no mind and instead turned his gaze to Nuwa. "You actually refused to take Hongjun as your master."

"Do you know what your refusal will cost you? That is a saintly seat countless people dream of obtaining."

Nuwa said to Chen Xuan, "Even if Teacher were unwilling to accept Nuwa as a disciple, Nuwa would never take Hongjun as her master."

"Because Nuwa feels that his preaching in Purple Cloud Palace was not to guide the myriad races of living beings in the Primordial World. Rather, he was plotting against the living beings of the myriad races."

"Otherwise, he would not have mutilated things so thoroughly, concealing the crucial points of every Dao art. Nor would he have cast aside all shame and forcibly tried to take us as disciples."

"If I were to take him as my master, then even if I became the saint he spoke of, I would ultimately become a chess piece in his hand, manipulated by him and unable to control myself."

"Compared to becoming a puppet, I would rather remain in Teacher's Azure Lotus Palace. Even being a Dao attendant would be better than losing my freedom."

Chen Xuan sighed after hearing this, then said, "Since that is the case, you shall be my sixth disciple."

"Go out later and find a place to build a cave dwelling as your Daoist field on Azure Lotus Island."

Nuwa could not help but smile. She immediately knelt before Chen Xuan, preparing to perform the rites of taking a master.

At that moment, Tongtian spoke up. "Master, you counted wrong. Nuwa should be Master's fifth disciple. How could she be the sixth?"

Chen Xuan glared fiercely at Tongtian. "Are you saying your master cannot count? That I cannot even count how many disciples I have?"

What Chen Xuan did not expect was for Tongtian to actually nod. He was so angry that he nearly pulled out Seven Wolves and let Tongtian experience the mountain-like love of a father.

But Chen Xuan did not make a move, which did not mean Tongtian could escape this calamity. For at this moment, Primordial Heavenly Venerable had already raised the Three Treasures Ruyi.

As he struck Tongtian on the head, he said, "Are you stupid? Does Junior Brother Fuxi not count as one?"