With a sweep of Hongjun's hand, Qing Xuanzi felt the scene before him shift, and he arrived in a gray, hazy space.
Within the Heavenly Dao Space, a giant eyeball glared at Hongjun's primordial spirit. "Hongjun, what are you doing?"
"Heavenly Dao, aren't you meddling a little too much? I'm merely having a heart-to-heart with my own disciple. Is that your business too?"
"Hmph. That disciple of yours is full of schemes. I hope you do not do anything you will regret."
"Regret? I already regret it. I should never have listened to you and merged with this damned Dao in the first place."
"You have no choice now. You should know that cooperating with the Heavenly Dao promises limitless prospects. Do not entertain any other thoughts."
Hongjun's primordial spirit closed his eyes and remained silent, clearly tired of hearing such words from the Heavenly Dao.
In another space, Hongjun conjured a set of seats and brewed two cups of Enlightenment Tea.
"It smells wonderful, Master. Could this be the legendary Enlightenment Tea?"
"Quit pretending, brat. What have you not seen in the chaos?"
Qing Xuanzi awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Damn it, I overdid the act.
"Drink it first. We can talk afterward. I do not have much of this either, so don't bother setting your sights on it."
Clearly, Hongjun had seen through Qing Xuanzi's little scheme again.
"Um, Master, there really isn't any more?"
"No. Are you drinking it or not? If not, I'll put it away. This is Taisu Space, completely safe. Say whatever you need to say."
At Hongjun's words, Qing Xuanzi froze. Taisu Space could only be wielded by a Mixed Origin Taiji Great Luo Golden Immortal. Could it be...
"Don't overthink it. I have not reached the Heavenly Dao Realm. I merely borrowed the Heavenly Dao's power within the Heavenly Dao Space."
Upon hearing this, Qing Xuanzi sighed and took a sip of tea. A cool sensation flowed through his entire body.
The Great Dao laws around him seemed to become clearly visible.
Qing Xuanzi knew that he had entered the rare state of enlightenment.
He immediately focused his mind, spreading the power of his primordial spirit into the surroundings as he carefully comprehended everything.
No one knew how much time passed before white vapor began to rise from Qing Xuanzi's body.
The white mist coiled around Qing Xuanzi, billowing endlessly with his long, steady breaths.
Hongjun smiled broadly. He was extremely satisfied with Qing Xuanzi, his Closed-Door Disciple.
The Three Pure Ones had also drunk Enlightenment Tea, yet none of them had entered a state of enlightenment.
It seemed he had not misjudged him. Qing Xuanzi, his Closed-Door Disciple, would surely attain the greatest achievements in the future.
As for how far he would ultimately go, Hongjun did not know.
After all, Qing Xuanzi had entered the sect with his own cultivation already established, and Hongjun did not know what cultivation technique he practiced.
He only knew that Qing Xuanzi's cultivation technique was likely inseparable from the great god Pangu.
Then it was certainly a top-tier cultivation technique.
Suddenly, Qing Xuanzi's entire body trembled as a savage, ancient aura erupted from within him.
Like a burst dam, it instantly flooded the entire space.
Hongjun hurriedly formed a sealing incantation, reinforcing the whole space.
Then he watched Qing Xuanzi with a beaming smile that he could not hide.
After a long while, Qing Xuanzi opened his eyes and saw Hongjun smiling at him.
"Well? How does being a Mixed Origin Great Luo Golden Immortal feel?"
Qing Xuanzi did not answer. Instead, he solemnly bowed deeply to Hongjun. "This disciple thanks Master for this gift."
"No need. This was all your own destiny. The Three Pure Ones and Nüwa also drank Enlightenment Tea at the Quasi-Saint Peak, just as you did. Unfortunately, they lacked the fortune to enter the Mixed Origin Great Luo Golden Immortal realm."
Qing Xuanzi understood this point well. Mixed Origin Great Luo Golden Immortal was a realm, while a Saint was merely a status.
A Mixed Origin Great Luo Golden Immortal possessed Saint Battle Power while remaining free from the control of the Primordial Era Heavenly Dao.
Though they did not possess a Saint's guarantee of undying immortality.
Still, in the Primordial Era, only the Heavenly Dao could now erase Qing Xuanzi.
Perhaps Hongjun had a way as well.
But with Qing Xuanzi possessing a Blessing Seed, the Heavenly Dao could not possibly act against him.
Hongjun was even less likely to do so. Otherwise, he would not have produced Enlightenment Tea and given Qing Xuanzi such an opportunity.
Throughout the entire Primordial Era, Qing Xuanzi could now roam freely. No one could destroy him.
That was also the main reason Qing Xuanzi was grateful to Hongjun.
"No matter what, this disciple owes all of his achievements to Master's gift."
"Enough. Let us get to the point. What matter required you to be so cautious?"
"Master, when Pangu's True Body dispersed, this disciple received Pangu's Last Words: this Heavenly Dao is not that Heavenly Dao."
"What?" The teacup in Hongjun's hand slipped free and fell.
His snow-white brows trembled without stop. That single brief sentence had shaken Hongjun so badly that he lost his composure.
Only after a long while did he slowly come back to himself.
"Did the great god Pangu leave behind any plan?"
"Yes. Pangu's Last Words explained what must be done. It must be completed within one hundred thousand years. Master, do you know what one hundred thousand signifies? This disciple feels something is amiss."
Hongjun slowly nodded. He believed Qing Xuanzi's words more and more.
"In one hundred thousand years, I will enter the Dao Harmonization Nirvana Stage. Anyone who harmonizes with the Dao must pass through three stages: fusion, nirvana, and Dao. Of them, the Nirvana Stage is the most dangerous. One misstep, and everything will be lost."
"Nirvana... nirvana..." Qing Xuanzi repeatedly murmured the word.
He thought of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors after the Witch-Demon Tribulation, the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, and the Journey to the West Tribulation.
Hongjun's actions then were worlds apart from those of the present Hongjun.
The Hongjun of today still thought to bestow Enlightenment Tea upon his disciple.
After the Witch-Demon Tribulation, however, Hongjun bestowed Saintfall Pills. Even Tongtian, his disciple, was completely imprisoned within Purple Cloud Palace.
During the Journey to the West, there was even less to say. Hongjun's shadow was nowhere to be seen.
There was another suspicious point: after the Witch-Demon Tribulation, Hongjun completely imprisoned the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
On the surface, the Saints believed it was to prevent the revival of the Human Dao.
In truth, it was entirely to prepare for the Heavenly Dao to devour the Human Dao.
If the Saints learned of this, they would certainly stop it.
The three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity were the foundation of existence for Primordial Era cultivators. Not one could be missing.
If even one path was lost, the Era of Dharma Decline would arrive.
At that time, even Saints would inevitably fall into slumber—a permanent slumber from which they would never awaken.
What difference was there between that and death?
"Must you definitely enter nirvana?"
"Without question. That is why the great god Pangu was completely right. Our plan must be completed before the one hundred thousand years are up—before the Witch-Demon War begins."
Hongjun paused before continuing, "There are six Saints in the Primordial Era besides me."
"Even if Laozi knew, he would not contribute. At most, he would remain neutral."
"Yuanshi would never help you. Even if he knew the Heavenly Dao had changed, he would still follow Heaven."
"It would be best not to drag Tongtian in. Otherwise, it would become a life-and-death tribulation for him."
"All of this is determined by the natures of the Three Pure Ones. It cannot be changed. Otherwise, they would not be Pangu's primordial spirit."
Hongjun was Hongjun after all; he understood the Three Pure Ones' every move perfectly.
Based on what Qing Xuanzi knew from his previous life, it was more or less exactly as Hongjun said.
Hongjun continued, "Jie Yin and Zhunti cannot be trusted. It would already be good enough if they did not hold us back."
"Only one remains: Nüwa. She is also the only Saint from whom you can obtain help, the Saint who will give you her full support."
With a fierce round of analysis, Hongjun immediately excluded five of the six Saints, leaving only Nüwa.
"Do you understand? In the Qing Tian Plan, the only Saint who can help you is Nüwa," Hongjun said at last.
Before you continue