The Shameless Zhunti

Hearing Tongtian's question, Laozi and Yuanshi both fell silent.

It was a good question. Though they were Pangu Orthodox, born of legitimate lineage, the other party was a Sage.

If his sermon truly had nothing to do with them, then would this trip... not have been for nothing?

Master was truly adorable. Hongjun made such a grand spectacle because he wanted to become the teacher of all living beings, gather providence, and merge with the Heavenly Dao. How could he possibly leave you Pangu Orthodox out? A teacher of all beings unrecognized by Pangu Orthodox would never gain the Heavenly Dao's recognition.

How did Lu Chen know so much? Even we do not know these things—where did he learn them? Could it be that he and Daoist Hongjun had known each other long ago?

Listening to Lu Chen's inner voice, Tongtian was filled with incomprehension and confusion. His first thought, of having Duobao use the lightning tribulation to temper his body, had still been within Tongtian's understanding. But now, he was becoming increasingly unable to make heads or tails of this subject.

Could Lu Chen be the reincarnation of the Devouring Demon God?

A bold conjecture suddenly surfaced in Tongtian's mind. And the more he considered it, the more convinced he became that this was the truth.

His own disciple had existed longer than he himself had...

Tongtian gave Lu Chen a complicated look. He was no longer sure how he ought to face this disciple of his.

Lu Chen had no idea that his master was putting on such a grand drama in his heart.

He was considering whether to risk being discovered by the Three Pure Ones and take out the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase to absorb some chaos qi.

After thinking it over, Lu Chen dismissed the idea. This Land of Chaos was not going anywhere, and chaos qi was inexhaustible. He could return after his cultivation had grown stronger. There was no need to walk the edge of a blade and risk exposing such a precious treasure for a momentary gain.

Forget it. I'll just pretend I don't know.

Tongtian shook his head. These were all Lu Chen's inner thoughts, and Tongtian had yet to discover why he could hear them. Besides, they were merely Lu Chen's thoughts—whether they were true or not remained unknown. Perhaps they were false.

Tongtian consoled himself inwardly. At this moment, he even hoped that their journey through Chaos would yield nothing, so that he could find a reason to convince himself that all of this was merely Lu Chen's wild fancy and could not be taken seriously.

No one knew how much more time passed.

"Big Brother, look over there!"

Following the direction of Yuanshi's finger, everyone saw a grand hall standing amid Chaos, untouched by the chaotic qi.

Upon the plaque above the hall's entrance were three characters carved with great divine power.

Zixiao Palace!

Looking at the tightly shut palace gates, Laozi stroked his beard. "It seems the three-thousand-year period has not yet arrived."

Tongtian, meanwhile, frowned and gave Lu Chen a complicated glance. They had actually found Zixiao Palace.

Could it truly be as Lu Chen had said?

No, no, no. They, the Three Pure Ones, were Pangu Orthodox, blessed with profound fortune. This should have been an opportunity that already belonged to them. It did not prove anything.

Because the Three Pure Ones had brought Duobao and Lu Chen along, they had traveled much more slowly. By the time they found Zixiao Palace, many men and women with profound auras and flashing treasure light were already waiting before its gates.

Nuwa truly deserves to have a snake's body. That waist is so pale and slender. If it started twisting... tsk, tsk, tsk.

Dijun and Taiyi, the Demon Race's future Heavenly Emperors. Though they are only Great Luo now, they have already gathered many great demons around them.

Lu Chen looked at the siblings Fuxi and Nuwa before Zixiao Palace, at Dijun and Taiyi in crimson-gold immortal robes surrounded by great demons such as Nine Infants and White Marsh, and at the kind-faced Daoist in a cloud-patterned red robe who looked like an honest old fellow...

Dijun and Taiyi are future Heavenly Emperors?

Could these two accomplish what the three races failed to do in the future and unite the Primordial World?

As Tongtian listened to Lu Chen's inner voice, he calculated in secret and could not help paying a little more attention to Dijun and Taiyi.

Judging by their cultivation, they were still a notch below him. Tongtian secretly shook his head.

This disciple of his was spouting nonsense again.

As time passed, more and more great powers arrived at Zixiao Palace.

"Two thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight..."

Creak.

The gates of Zixiao Palace opened.

Yuanshi grabbed Duobao by the back of his collar, while Laozi tucked Lu Chen into his sleeve.

The many innate sacred beings charged toward Zixiao Palace.

Among all the great powers, Laozi's strength stood at the very pinnacle. He had already reached the peak of Great Luo.

Though Yuanshi and Tongtian were weaker than Laozi, they were still in the late stage of Great Luo.

They rushed toward the front at full speed.

The great powers behind them were slightly inferior in cultivation and were left behind by the Three Pure Ones.

"Second Brother, Third Brother."

Laozi took the lead. Looking at the three meditation cushions at the very front of the Dao field, he turned and gave Tongtian and Yuanshi a look.

The three brothers seated themselves upon the first three meditation cushions.

Once Laozi sat down, Lu Chen crawled out from Laozi's Daoist sleeve. Duobao stood beside Yuanshi as well.

The great powers who arrived afterward wanted to seize them, but they were intimidated by the Three Pure Ones' cultivation. They also knew that the three were together and were unwilling to offend all of them at once, so they could only compete for the three cushions behind them.

In the end, Nuwa obtained one with Fuxi's help, Hong Yun occupied one with Zhen Yuanzi's assistance, and the last was claimed by Kunpeng, whose speed was unmatched.

The meditation cushions had already been occupied, so the rest could only lament in secret and casually find places to sit.

None of them knew the secret of the meditation cushions, so naturally no one was determined to obtain one at any cost.

Those who could appear in Zixiao Palace were all great powers. Though their cultivation varied, the gap was not especially great. No one wished to offend others over what appeared to be an ordinary seat.

"Senior Brother, we suffer so bitterly!"

"The West is barren, and yet even after coming to Zixiao Palace, we still have nowhere to rest our feet!"

"How bitter!"

A wailing cry came from outside the palace. Many great powers frowned slightly and looked toward the sound, only to see two Daoists in tattered robes and with bitter expressions hurriedly flying in, crying of their hardship and misery as they pressed forward.

"How utterly shameless."

Yuanshi snorted coldly and turned his head away.

The shameless duo has arrived. Hong Yun giving up his seat is an iconic scene not to be missed. Giving another the chance to become a Sage—there is no second case like it in all the Primordial World.

A chance to become a Sage? That ragged Daoist will become a Sage!

"Fellow Daoist, could you let us brothers rest in your seat for a while?"

"Certainly!"

"Brother, you—!"

Zhen Yuanzi stared at Hong Yun in shock. He had not expected that Hong Yun would so easily hand over the meditation cushion they had obtained with such difficulty.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."

Zhunti's eyes shifted. He pulled Jieyin over, dragged Hong Yun up, and pressed Jieyin into Hong Yun's place, as though terrified that Hong Yun might regret it.

"This...!"

Hong Yun was stunned by Zhunti as well. But the words had already left his mouth. He could not possibly go back on them and refuse now, could he?

Zhunti stood beside Jieyin and looked at the remaining five seats.

Nuwa... Seeing the warning look in Fuxi's eyes, Zhunti shifted his gaze to the Three Pure Ones. He found every one of them profound in cultivation, and they were of the same origin and lineage, not people he could provoke.

He could only turn his gaze toward Kunpeng. Seeing that Kunpeng had no fellow Daoist beside him to protect him, Zhunti's face brightened with delight, and his eyes rolled.

He walked up to Kunpeng, his expression darkening as he shouted bluntly.

"You feathered beast, where did you come from? What status do you have, that you dare sit so brazenly alongside all these Daoist brothers? Why do you not quickly surrender your seat!?"

The moment Zhunti said this, though his spearhead was aimed at Kunpeng, he offended all the feathered great powers present.

Dijun, Taiyi, Nine Infants, Ghost Chariot, Merchant Sheep, who stood around them, and even White Marsh all looked at Zhunti with hostility.

What is going on? Didn't they say Yuanshi was the one who most despised these furred, horned, damp-born, egg-laying creatures?

Zhunti did not care. He secretly glanced at Yuanshi and muttered inwardly.

Naturally, he had prepared himself before speaking. He had not done so specifically to offend people.

Yet Yuanshi merely looked at Duobao beside him, then at Lu Chen, and had no intention of saying that classic line: "Furred, horned, damp-born, egg-laying creatures indeed do not deserve to sit with us Three Pure Ones."

When Yuanshi did not respond, Zhunti's expression became even more bitter. His eyes turned slightly as he looked at Kunpeng, pretending to turn away. Then he suddenly spun back around, feigned a slip, and slammed directly into Kunpeng.

Caught off guard by the sudden collision, Kunpeng staggered, his buttocks shifting off the meditation cushion.

Zhunti flopped onto the cushion, securing it first, then planted himself on it. Afterward, he put on a self-reproachful, hypocritical expression and apologized to Kunpeng.

"Fellow Daoist, my deepest apologies. My foot slipped just now; I did not do it intentionally."

"I hope Fellow Daoist can forgive me."

So it truly was all calculated.

Seeing Zhunti occupy the seat that had originally belonged to Kunpeng, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised, but not overly so. Zhunti was a predetermined Sage of the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun's compensation to the West. One of these meditation cushions had originally been his.

Calculated? Could Big Brother, Second Brother, and I also be within this calculation?

Tongtian's heart jolted, and a trace of contemplation flashed through his eyes.

Kunpeng's gloomy eyes stared straight at Zhunti. Just as he was about to demand his seat back...

Hongjun appeared...