Jie Yin and Zhunti Fight for Seats

Several times on their way to Purple Cloud Palace, they had already exchanged blows.

After receiving Xiao Teng's voice transmission, the Calabash Kids had rushed anxiously to Purple Cloud Palace and had not gone all out.

Zhunti and Jie Yin, however, refused to let the matter rest and pursued them relentlessly all the way.

Seeing this, Jie Yin hurried forward, pulled Zhunti back, and said, "This is Purple Cloud Palace. If we start a major fight here, we may incur the Sage's displeasure. The Azure Lotus Treasure-Colored Banner is our treasure. Please return it."

Jie Yin claimed he did not want to fight, but in truth, he wanted to use the Sage to pressure Xiao Teng. Yet how could Xiao Teng possibly comply with their wishes?

Xiao Teng smiled. "You stole this Azure Lotus Treasure-Colored Banner from elsewhere as well. Now that several children have taken it from you, it naturally belongs to them."

Si Wa followed up, "That's right! Whoever gets their hands on a treasure owns it. If you have the ability, come take it!"

Seeing Xiao Teng's attitude, Zhunti could not help frowning, his face filled with fury.

"Jie Yin, stop wasting words. Let's fight them directly!"

Zhunti snorted coldly and raised his hand, about to bring forth a magic treasure. A flash of light flickered in his hand, and the Seven-Treasure Wondrous Tree emerged.

This treasure was said to brush down anything. Any magic treasure in the world, once enveloped by its radiance, could easily be swept away.

Xiao Teng had warned the Calabash Kids to beware of the Seven-Treasure Wondrous Tree, so they had not used magic treasures during their earlier battle. They had relied solely on their own divine abilities to contend against Zhunti and Jie Yin.

Seeing the situation, Jie Yin silently weighed matters in his heart.

All eight of Xiao Teng's side were Great Luo. If they fought by force, his side might not gain any advantage.

Besides, the Heavenly Dao had its own karma. What they lost today might not be impossible to reclaim another day.

Thus, he sighed helplessly. "Forget it. This item has no affinity with us. Let us give it to Fellow Daoist Xiao Teng."

Zhunti looked utterly confused. "Why?"

Jie Yin pulled Zhunti aside and lowered his voice. "All eight of them are Great Luo. We will gain nothing by fighting them. In the future, there will naturally be an opportunity to take it back."

Seeing Jie Yin and Zhunti whispering together off to one side, Xiao Teng became secretly vigilant.

He silently thought that once they became Sages, they would surely come looking to make trouble for him.

The gap between a Sage and a Quasi-Saint was like the distance between heaven and abyss. Once they acted, even if the Calabash Kids joined forces to set up an array, they would likely struggle to withstand them.

Therefore, Xiao Teng secretly made up his mind. No matter what, he could not allow them to become Sages this time.

The two sides faced off for a while before tacitly choosing to let the matter rest. They each stood silently to the side, their gazes fixed on Purple Cloud Palace as they waited for it to open.

As time passed, more and more living beings hurried over from every corner of the Primordial World. Many were too far away or simply too slow. No matter how desperately they raced, they could not make it to this grand event in time.

And many who had barely managed to arrive were mercilessly stopped outside by the Primal Chaos Qi of Heaven Beyond Heaven.

It was said that only those with affinity could hear it, and the foremost requirement for such affinity was sufficient strength.

Suddenly, the sound of the Dao rumbled, as though it were shaking the entire heaven and earth.

Before the blazing, expectant eyes of the crowd, the gates of Purple Cloud Palace slowly opened.

"White Lotus, once we enter Purple Cloud Palace, do not hesitate. Go all out to seize a prayer cushion," Xiao Teng transmitted to White Lotus.

White Lotus was slightly stunned upon hearing this, her heart filled with confusion.

Why seize a prayer cushion? Still, she figured Xiao Teng would not trick her.

Once the gates of Purple Cloud Palace opened, everyone surged inside like a tidal wave.

In an instant, they were all awed by the sacred and boundless aura within the palace, and reverence rose in every heart.

Yet at that moment, two figures shot forward. Before the crowd could clearly see the palace's full layout, those two figures had already swept toward the front.

When everyone looked closely, they saw six prayer cushions quietly arranged at the very front of the hall.

At first glance, the six prayer cushions seemed utterly ordinary. Yet their abrupt appearance within the vast and empty Purple Cloud Palace made everyone understand that they must hold extraordinary significance and were by no means common objects.

The others were no fools either. In an instant, they charged toward the prayer cushions like arrows released from the bowstring.

Just as Jie Yin and Zhunti were about to rush forward, a group of Er Wa and Third Baby, laughing and playing, blocked their path.

"Third Brother, look! There's an immortal crane over there! It's so pretty!"

Er Wa and Third Baby only stared at the lifelike patterns on the palace walls, seemingly completely unaware that they were blocking the way.

"Get out of my way!" Jie Yin and Zhunti's eyes flew wide with rage. Burning with impatience, they struck without hesitation.

The Calabash Kids were exceedingly clever and had no intention of meeting them head-on. They merely used a little of their power to obstruct them briefly, then laughingly moved aside.

But that brief obstruction had already caused Zhunti and Jie Yin to miss the perfect chance to seize seats.

Xiao Teng and White Lotus had been prepared and moved first, so they successfully claimed two prayer cushions.

Next, the Three Pure Ones brothers, who had reacted first, claimed prayer cushions. The three of them worked together flawlessly, their hearts in perfect accord, and immediately took three cushions.

That left only one prayer cushion in the entire hall, and the atmosphere instantly became incomparably tense.

Kunpeng's eyes gleamed with blazing light. Relying on his exquisitely brilliant movement technique, he instantly arrived before the final prayer cushion.

His heart brimmed with delight, as though victory were already within his grasp.

Just as he was about to sit down, an overwhelming force like mountains toppling and seas overturning struck him without warning.

"Stinking bird, long time no see. I never expected to meet you here."

The one blocking Kunpeng was Wu Wa.

Seeing Wu Wa before him, rage immediately surged in Kunpeng's heart.

When enemies met, their eyes burned all the redder. Without hesitation, he immediately engaged Wu Wa in fierce battle.

When Third Baby and Si Wa appeared together, Kunpeng's heart gave a jolt.

He immediately admitted defeat and silently retreated to the side.

No one yet knew how useful these prayer cushions were. There was no need to risk his life for an unknown opportunity.

Zhen Yuanzi wanted to help Red Cloud seize a seat. He fully activated the Earth Book, attempting to escort Red Cloud onto the final prayer cushion.

But at that moment, a figure blocked his path.

"Fellow Daoist Red Cloud, Father said this seat does not suit you." Da Wa's voice was loud and clear, his expression solemn.

Red Cloud had always been indifferent by nature. If Zhen Yuanzi had not forcefully urged him forward, he would never have intended to compete in the first place.

Now that he saw himself being blocked, although a trace of disappointment arose in his heart, he accepted it calmly and no longer forced the matter.

And in that fleeting instant, a graceful figure drifted lightly onto the last prayer cushion. It was Nuwa.

How could the others be willing to accept this? They all tried to rush forward and seize it, only to be beaten back.

Once the six had settled firmly into their seats, the other living beings weighed the pros and cons. They all understood that if they recklessly fought within a Sage's Dao field, not only would they likely fail to seize a prayer cushion, but they might also anger the Sage and suffer the miserable fate of being ruthlessly thrown out.

Thus, they all reined in their thoughts, instead scrambling for relatively forward positions and slowly sitting down.

Xiao Teng had sent Da Wa to block Red Cloud purely out of goodwill.

There were truly few people in the Primordial World who harbored kind intentions. Even White Lotus beside him, who sounded like a good person, could hardly be called truly good.

Now that he had finally encountered a good person like Red Cloud, Xiao Teng was determined to protect him once.

As for what fate awaited him in the future, Xiao Teng could no longer manage that.

The other living beings looked at Nuwa, who sat on the final prayer cushion, with some confusion in their hearts.

These Calabash Kids were truly strange. They clearly had the ability to stop others, so why did they not take the last seat themselves?

Naturally, the Calabash Kids acted this way because Xiao Teng had arranged it.

Sitting on a prayer cushion might be an opportunity, but it might also be a trap.

It was already somewhat risky for him to sit on one himself. The Calabash Kids should not charge into it too.

"Move aside. I want these seats." A domineering, overbearing voice full of confidence suddenly rang out.

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw twelve people swaggering inside.

Unlike the others, they did not use speed to snatch seats. With arrogant expressions, they chose to seize them by force.

"Big Brother, this seat is good. Come sit here." A man with fiery red hair, as though flames were burning upon his head, said excitedly.

As he spoke, he rudely reached out to grab a golden-robed man seated on the ground.

The golden-robed man's expression did not change in the slightest. Refusing to yield, he slapped out with one palm.

Their palms collided in an instant, and scorching flames erupted from between them.

"Oh! You play with fire too. My name is Zhurong. What is yours?"

"Di Jun. This is my seat. Do you intend to seize it by force?"

The ones seizing seats were the Twelve Ancestral Witches, while the ones being robbed were the brothers Di Jun and Taiyi.

Xiao Teng watched coldly from the side, finding the matter rather interesting.

The conflict between the Witches and Demons had appeared so quickly. The Primordial World would likely find no peace in the future.

"Stop!" A voice rang out. It was Dijiang, the leader of the group.

"We Twelve Ancestral Witches were formed from the Father God. Our status is incomparably noble, and we should sit in front," Zhurong said bluntly.

"But this is a Sage's Dao field. It is better not to cause trouble. Just choose any seat and sit."

"How can that do?" Zhurong looked utterly unwilling and still wanted to argue.

"Enough. Listen to Big Brother." A woman at the side spoke.

After the woman spoke, Zhurong obediently gave up on seizing Di Jun's seat.

Xiao Teng's gaze fell upon the woman. She should be Houtu.

Afterward, the Twelve Ancestral Witches chose a spot and slowly sat down. Only then did Purple Cloud Palace finally regain some measure of calm.

After everyone had settled into their seats, a figure radiating endless pressure suddenly appeared at the front without warning.

Seated before them was none other than the Sage Hongjun.

The instant Hongjun appeared, the entire Purple Cloud Palace fell silent. Everyone held their breath, their hearts filled with reverence and anticipation, wondering what kind of Dao this Sage would expound.