Hongjun's Helpless Move

"It could even be said that the path of severing the three corpses is the cultivation method truly suited to the Primordial World. After all, not everyone possesses comprehension as heaven-defying as yours."

"Although the path of severing the three corpses is a path of shortcuts, for those unable to walk the path of proving the Dao through laws, is it not also a sliver of hope?"

"Innate beings may choose the path of proving the Dao through laws. But have you ever considered what choice acquired beings should make?"

"In the future, once you establish great teachings, most of the disciples who enter your sects will naturally be acquired beings. Yet how many among them will be able to walk the path of laws?"

"At that time, the path most suitable for them will be the path of severing the three corpses. If you do not go to Purple Cloud Palace to hear Hongjun's teachings, how will you understand the path of severing the three corpses?"

"If you want Master to teach you, Master is not proficient in that path. But if you learn the path of severing the three corpses, Master can help you improve it."

The moment Chen Xuan said this, Tongtian instantly lost his temper. He immediately nodded to Chen Xuan and said, "Thank you for Master's guidance. This disciple will certainly master the path of severing the three corpses."

In truth, Chen Xuan had not sent the Three Pure Ones to Purple Cloud Palace merely to learn the path of severing the three corpses. The key purpose was the main event after Purple Cloud Palace's third lecture: the distribution of treasures at Treasure-Distribution Cliff.

Of course, Chen Xuan truly was not proficient in the path of severing the three corpses. After all, that shortcut method of proving the Dao was not among the three thousand Great Dao laws he had mastered.

Seeing that no one had any further objections, Chen Xuan prepared to send them off to Purple Cloud Palace. At that moment, Nuwa and Fuxi both knelt on the ground.

With utmost respect, they performed the ceremony of taking a master before Chen Xuan. Only after completing the formal rites did Fuxi speak.

"Although Master has not formally accepted my sister and me into the sect, this rite between master and disciple is one my sister and I ought to perform for Master."

Originally, Chen Xuan truly had not planned to accept Fuxi as his disciple yet. He had even decided to personally accept him as a disciple only after Fuxi reincarnated as a human, then guide him in developing the Human Race.

But now he had no choice but to change his mind. After all, without Chen Xuan's protection, Hongjun would have no reservations about making a move against them.

Thus, Chen Xuan could only sigh, then reach out to help the two of them up as he said,

"Originally, I should not have accepted you two as disciples at this time. But in order to prevent you from being plotted against by Hongjun, Master has no choice but to take you into the sect now."

"But if that happens, the two of you may suffer certain trials. You may even lose some crucial opportunities."

Fuxi and Nuwa nodded together. "So long as Master is willing to accept my sister and me into the sect, no matter what trials we face, we do not care."

After saying this, they prepared to bow to Chen Xuan again, but he stopped them. He then said to them,

"You have already performed the rite of taking a master. There is no need to bow again. Master does not care about such empty formalities. What Master cares about is whether you hold the sect in your hearts."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately assured Chen Xuan that alive, they would be people of Azure Lotus Island; dead, they would be ghosts of Azure Lotus Island. They would absolutely never do anything to betray their sect.

They even wished to swear a Great Dao oath, but Chen Xuan ultimately stopped them. "There is no need to swear an oath. Since Master has accepted you as disciples, Master naturally trusts you."

"Originally, upon your taking a master, Master should give you some gifts to mark our first meeting. But with Hongjun's lecture imminent, I can only give you your gifts after you return."

Chen Xuan then gave the six of them further instructions before sending them to Purple Cloud Palace. Under no circumstances could they miss the final lecture at Purple Cloud Palace.

After sending off the Three Pure Ones and the other three, Chen Xuan's appearance changed as well. Then, following closely behind them, he headed toward Purple Cloud Palace.

Within Purple Cloud Palace, the gathered cultivators could not help whispering among themselves. Of the eight meditation cushions before Dao Ancestor Hongjun, six were now completely vacant.

Had Hongjun not given instructions beforehand, people would probably have already rushed forward to fight over those six cushions.

Meanwhile, the hidden Hongjun had been watching everything within Purple Cloud Palace. It could even be said that the focus of his attention was precisely the Three Pure Ones and the others.

But Hongjun was not waiting for the Three Pure Ones to come hear his teachings. He truly hoped they would not enter Purple Cloud Palace.

He was even somewhat worried that Chen Xuan would bring the Three Pure Ones to cause him trouble. If that happened, he would lose face beyond all measure.

Seeing that the time to close Purple Cloud Palace's doors was nearly at hand, Hongjun could not help letting out a long breath. At the same time, he appeared atop the central meditation cushion.

Just as Hongjun was about to close the gates of Purple Cloud Palace, six figures flew in from outside and directly took their seats on the six meditation cushions before him.

Although Hongjun did not wish for the Three Pure Ones and the others to return for his teachings, since they had come, he could not drive them out.

He could only close the gates of Purple Cloud Palace and begin expounding the Dao of the Saints. From beginning to end, he did not glance at the Three Pure Ones even once.

Chen Xuan, who had arrived long ago, could not help shaking his head. "That rotten scheme was definitely thought up by Tongtian and Houtu."

Chen Xuan knew that the Three Pure Ones and the others had arrived long ago. As for why they had waited until the very instant before Purple Cloud Palace's gates closed before entering—

It was likely so Hongjun would arrive at Purple Cloud Palace first, and they could come afterward, making it seem as though Hongjun had been waiting for them.

Chen Xuan could only shake his head helplessly at this. Whenever Tongtian and Houtu got together, there was no rotten scheme the two of them could not devise.

Hongjun, however, did not take this to heart and simply began expounding the Dao. For a time, the sounds of the Great Dao rang without end, leaving the gathered cultivators utterly entranced.

In the blink of an eye, three thousand years passed. During those three thousand years, the two sages of the West had already broken through to the early quasi-Saint realm.

Even Dijun and Taiyi had reached the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, able to break through into the quasi-Saint realm at any moment.

Even Dongwanggong, Queen Mother of the West, Kunpeng, Minghe Patriarch, Ancestor Hong Yun, Zhen Yuanzi, and Daoist Randeng, those with exceptional foundations, had likewise reached the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.

However, compared to Dijun and Taiyi, they had broken through several hundred years later. Thus, they still fell slightly short of the two.

As for the other fated ones who had come to hear the teachings, although their cultivation had not broken through to the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, they had all reached its late stage.

In short, at this time, there was not a single person in Purple Cloud Palace at the early stage of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. They could absolutely be considered the top combat power of the Primordial World.

Seeing everyone's cultivation, Hongjun could not help nodding in satisfaction. He then said directly, "Before I proved the Dao, I traveled throughout the Primordial World and gathered quite a number of innate spiritual treasures."

"I have placed them outside Purple Cloud Palace, atop Treasure-Distribution Cliff, thirty thousand li to the southeast. What innate spiritual treasures each of you can obtain will depend on your respective opportunities."

"Besides innate spiritual treasures, there are also five strands of Primordial Violet Qi upon Treasure-Distribution Cliff. Whether you can gain the recognition of the Primordial Violet Qi will likewise depend on your opportunities."