Accept the Gifts, Refuse the Job!

The spirit treasures bestowed by the old Sage—

Accepted.

The Primordial Purple Qi bestowed by the old Sage—

Taken.

The request the old Sage had yet to mention—

Talk about it later!

Though he still did not know what the old Sage wanted him to do in exchange for these gifts, Dan Jing was neither worried nor bothered.

Same old line—

He, Dan Jing, was damn awesome!

To make it in the Primordial World, you needed backing and strength!

As it happened—

Dan Jing lacked neither!

Even if the old Sage truly had something he wanted Dan Jing to do, it would still depend on Dan Jing's mood.

So long as Dan Jing did not want to do it, even the old Sage could do nothing about him.

For now, he would take the treasures and enjoy himself first!

As for everything else—

You had to believe in your future self!

"One cycle begins anew; all things are renewed."

The old Sage looked at Dan Jing and spoke with calm composure:

"Within the Primordial World, another age of chaos is about to arrive!"

"You are the lord of the Sun Star, the Sun God of the starry skies. Your status is sufficient, your foundation surpasses that of all the sacred beings, you were born with the destiny of the supreme Nine-Nine Sovereign, and you possess immense merit."

"Of that supreme Nine-Nine Sovereign throne, from which one unifies Heaven and Earth and commands all living beings, you are the closest to it—and the most qualified to sit upon it."

Upon hearing the old Sage's words—

Dan Jing understood—

This old bastard was planning to use the benefits he had just bestowed to make him willingly take that damned Nine-Nine Sovereign position.

He smiled.

Then he spoke bluntly:

"Old man—"

"I don't have any grand ambitions. And I'm not interested in that damned Nine-Nine Sovereign position."

"You should seek someone more capable! In any case, I definitely won't do it."

"Even if you beat me to death right now, old man, Dan Jing has only one answer—"

"Not going!"

Heavenly Emperor?

It was a thankless, exhausting position. Even if you gave it to a dog, the dog would not take it!

Watching Dan Jing accept every last benefit he had offered, yet act so brazenly and show no intention of entering the game at all—

This little bastard—

Was fucking arrogant!

Even the corners of the old Sage's mouth rose slightly as he sat upon the high platform.

Very good—

Very spirited!

Shaking his head, the old Sage spoke again:

"Whether you go or not is your own choice."

"This old Daoist has merely given you all the opportunities that should have been yours, and told you everything you ought to know."

Dan Jing, seated upon the Solar Meditation Mat, froze for a moment.

Then he said:

"Fine!"

"Though you put it that way, old man, I, Dan Jing, am not someone who takes advantage of others for nothing."

"How about this—"

"From this day forth, so long as those few disciples of yours do not provoke me first, I will not take the initiative to trouble them!"

"I'll consider it giving you face, old man, and repaying the favor of your bestowed treasures by sparing them."

The gifts were accepted.

The job—

Dan Jing would not do it!!!

Hearing Dan Jing's words—

Even a trace of speechlessness flashed through the old Sage's eyes, which had been still as an ancient well.

No—

Was the face of him, Patriarch Hongjun, the Primordial World's first Sage, only worth exchanging for the safety of a few disciples under Dan Jing's hand?

He had lost all prestige!

If he had not given these things to him—

Would this little punk have planned to rob the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa as well?

Well!

Given Dan Jing's brazen conduct as a madman—

He really would dare do that!

Forget it.

Let this bastard think whatever he wanted!

"Fine."

The old Sage answered, then said no more and closed his eyes.

All right—

If he could use things this old man had no use for to buy his few disciples, the future six Sages, the chance to cultivate peacefully and securely in the future—

Then he would treat it as paying protection money for his disciples!

It counted as putting things to their proper use. It was worth it.

The old Sage ignored him.

Dan Jing did not continue bothering this elderly man who was about to merge with the Dao.

Bullying old men carried risks!

Drawing in his thoughts—

Dan Jing turned his inner sight toward the Primordial Measure Ruler and God-Slaying Spear within his spiritual platform.

"Can I think of some way to repair the God-Slaying Spear?"

Looking at the battle-damaged God-Slaying Spear, a thought arose in Dan Jing's heart.

This thing—

If he could restore that damaged divine restriction and recover its quality as an innate supreme treasure, then Dan Jing would truly strike it rich.

Just think about the supreme treasures in his possession—

The Chaos Bell.

The Heaven-Earth Dark-Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.

The Primordial Measure Ruler.

And the possibly repairable God-Slaying Spear!

Once he had all four great supreme treasures in hand, Dan Jing felt that he would be strong enough to explode the heavens!

Still, to repair the God-Slaying Spear to the level of an innate supreme treasure, it would have to wait until after he attained the Dao.

There was no rush for now!

Once Dan Jing put those thoughts aside, the worldly visitors who had gone to Treasure-Dividing Cliff to claim spirit treasures all returned with smiles on their faces.

Indeed.

Everyone's harvest at Treasure-Dividing Cliff had differed—

Those who gained much, like the Three Pure Ones, had each obtained several hundred spirit treasures, while Nuwa had obtained more than a hundred.

Those who gained little, like Kunpeng, had received only three to five spirit treasures.

But they had gotten these things for free. Who would not like that?

After the worldly visitors returned and took their seats once more—

Upon the high platform—

The old Sage opened his eyes again and glanced over every worldly visitor within Violet Cloud Palace.

Then he said:

"The Great Dao has fifty; Heaven's evolution has forty-nine."

"Thus, Heaven is incomplete, and all living beings cannot attain freedom. Today, I shall sacrifice myself to merge with it, thereby completing the Heavenly Dao!"

"From this day onward—"

"Hongjun is the Heavenly Dao, but the Heavenly Dao is not Hongjun. So long as the great trend remains unchanged, Hongjun shall not emerge!"

"I hope you will conduct yourselves well!"

As his words fell—

The old Sage's figure slowly vanished from atop the high platform.

Immediately afterward—

A resounding voice rang out:

"Heavenly Dao, merge!"

The instant that voice fell, strands of extraordinarily unique Heavenly Dao aura began to flow naturally throughout Violet Cloud Palace!

Clearly—

The old Sage's merger with the Dao—

Had already begun.

Seeing this—

The worldly visitors within Violet Cloud Palace all rose from their seats and respectfully bowed toward the now-empty high platform.

They said in unison:

"We respectfully see off the Sage!"

Even Dan Jing, who had never cared for such formalities, rose to his feet.

He bowed toward the high platform:

"Old man, that's truly generous!"

It really was generous—

So long as the great trend remained unchanged, Hongjun would not emerge.

How was that any different from being locked in Violet Cloud Palace for all eternity?

At any rate, Dan Jing could not stand such treatment.

Of course—

Many great cultivators of the Primordial World did not care much whether they could leave or not.

Every single one of them—

So long as their cultivation could continue advancing, they would all be willing to become shut-ins, staying in their own Dao grounds and cave abodes until the boundless kalpas came to an end!

After everyone had paid their respects—

Most of the worldly visitors turned and headed outside Violet Cloud Palace, chatting and laughing as they went.

Only a small number of worldly visitors at the Quasi-Sage realm did not leave immediately.

Their gazes—

First fell upon the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa and the others, as well as Dan Jing, who casually put away the Solar Meditation Mat!

Following the pattern of the previous two occasions, madman Dan Jing should be about to start picking fights again.

And the targets of his provocation—

If nothing unexpected happened, should be the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa.

Noticing the gazes of the Quasi-Sage worldly visitors upon them, the faces of the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa could not help darkening.

Tch—

Had being targeted by that lunatic Dan Jing become a label they could never shake off?

Damn it!

The Three Pure Ones had barely grown angry when, at the instant they saw Dan Jing's gaze beginning to turn toward them—

Buzz—

Without the slightest hesitation, they transformed into three streams of clear qi, left Violet Cloud Palace at once, and vanished into Chaos.

Likewise—

Nuwa grabbed Fuxi by the back of his neck and, without allowing him any objection, dragged him away as she transformed into a beam of Creation Immortal Light!

The sight—

Carried no small degree of embarrassment!

They feared that if they were even half a step too slow, Dan Jing would deliberately pick a fight and beat them senseless!