What Good Is Preaching? In Cultivation, Strength Is Everything!

Hongjun stared at the Heavenly Dao Authority resting upon him, his face turning pale, then livid. He nearly coughed up blood!

Before the Dao Discussion, taking four future Heavenly Dao Sages as disciples had given him control of sixty percent of the Heavenly Dao Authority.

He had thought the Dao Discussion would raise that to at least seventy percent. Then he could draw on Heavenly Dao Power, achieve Three Corpses Unity, and become a Sage on the spot!

Instead, after all that teaching, his Heavenly Dao Authority had not grown stronger. The Heavenly Dao had taken twenty percent back!?

Then what the hell had he taught them for!?

To suppress Li Yi in their contest of Daos, Hongjun had made this Dao Discussion exceptionally thorough.

He had shared everything he had deduced from the Creation Jade Disc about the Three Corpses Severing Method.

Of course, he had his own little scheme. The Three Corpses Severing Method required Innate Spiritual Treasures to serve as vessels.

In this age, anyone who possessed an Innate Spiritual Treasure either had extraordinary talent or was blessed with great fortune.

If such people used his method to attain Primordial Unity, the absence of a way to achieve Three Corpses Unity afterward would leave them trapped as Quasi-Saints, unable to advance!

That would cut off the Cultivators of this world from any chance of surpassing Sages. When he took control of the Primordial World, there would be far fewer uncertainties.

It had seemed like a fine plan. Yet after all his hard work teaching, the Heavenly Dao Authority had not fully sided with him. The Heavenly Dao had even taken back at least twenty percent?

Grinding his teeth, Hongjun immediately began tracing the Karma behind it.

When he deduced what had happened recently through the beings of the Primordial World, he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Qiankun had also taught the Quasi-Saint Dao—and he had taught the Law Dao instead of Hongjun's Three Corpses Severing Method. Tongtian's comprehension had been so exceptional that he had broken through to Quasi-Saint on the spot?

Even many Great Firmament Cultivators who had left the Purple Cloud Palace had gone to Yingzhou Island. After hearing Qiankun explain the Great Firmament Dao, nearly all of them had made progress!

How was that possible? Could the Heaven-Earth Daoist's teaching really surpass mine?

Plagued by doubt, Hongjun used the beings of the Primordial World to deduce the Great Firmament Dao Li Yi had taught.

The result left him dumbfounded.

Li Yi's explanation had hardly been detailed, but from Hongjun's perspective, did it truly need to be?

It was like explaining a math problem. When he reached one plus two equals three, he assumed everyone understood. After all, he had known that truth instinctively since his birth in chaos.

So he never explained why one plus two equaled three. To him, there was no why. He had always known it.

But some Daoists were genuinely so dim that they did not understand even something that simple? They needed someone to spell out the reason?

Once Hongjun realized this, anger clouded his mind!

So my teaching wasn't unclear. Those idiots really were that untalented!?

Seated high upon the Jade Platform, Hongjun was so furious he nearly coughed up blood, but he managed to keep his expression calm. No one below noticed.

Laozi sat cross-legged on his Prayer Mat, turning Hongjun's teachings over in his mind. Understanding dawned on him, and a kindly smile appeared on his face.

Boom!

The Three Flowers suddenly appeared above his head. A rosy, jade-like streak of light flew from his sleeve and became a whisk: the High-grade Innate Spirit Treasure in his possession, the Supreme Unity Whisk!

Deep within Laozi's Primordial Spirit, he separated out a gentle yet immense current of kind intent.

"Sever!"

At his soft command, the kind intent broke free of his Primordial Spirit and streamed into the Supreme Unity Whisk.

Immortal light swirled. Before everyone's eyes, the Supreme Unity Whisk slowly transformed into a red-robed Daoist!

The Daoist looked exactly like Laozi, but wore a warm smile and had a somewhat kinder expression than his original self.

At the same time, both Laozi's and the newly severed Kind Corpse's auras surged, revealing Early Primordial Unity Supreme Immortal cultivation.

Smiling, the Kind Corpse bowed slightly to Laozi.

"This humble Daoist is the Jade Clarity Daoist. Greetings, original self!"

Laozi gave a slight nod, his expression composed.

"We are one and the same. There is no need for ceremony!"

As soon as he spoke, the Kind Corpse turned into a streak of clear light and returned to Laozi's body.

Everyone below watched with envy.

"He actually succeeded?"

"So this is the Three Corpses Severing path to Primordial Unity? He broke through himself and gained a Quasi-Saint-level avatar!"

Yuanshi showed nothing as he watched Laozi succeed, though a flicker of urgency rose in his heart. But he had only reached Peak Great Firmament Golden Immortal during this Dao Discussion, less than five hundred years ago. It was natural for him to be a little slower.

Once he returned and spent some time absorbing what he had learned, he should also be able to sever his Kind Corpse and become a Quasi-Saint!

He was only slightly behind his eldest brother. Compared with his third brother, he was surely far ahead!

At that thought, Yuanshi's urgency gradually faded, and his expression returned to its usual impassive calm.

After his breakthrough, Laozi also turned toward Hongjun on the Jade Platform and bowed respectfully.

"I, your disciple Laozi, humbly ask Dao Ancestor Hongjun to accept me as his disciple!"

With Laozi taking the lead, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti all bowed as well.

"I, your disciple Yuanshi, humbly ask Dao Ancestor Hongjun to accept me as his disciple!"

"I, your disciple Jieyin, humbly ask Dao Ancestor Hongjun to accept me as his disciple!"

"I, your disciple Zhunti, humbly ask Dao Ancestor Hongjun to accept me as his disciple!"

Seeing Laozi's successful breakthrough, Hongjun finally felt a measure of comfort and nodded slightly.

So be it. Everyone in the Primordial World thinks my teaching falls short of the Heaven-Earth Daoist's. Let them think so!

I have four Heavenly Dao Sage Positions for my followers. Qiankun has only two!

Once all four become Quasi-Saints through the Three Corpses Severing Method, the Heavenly Dao Authority I lost will return—and I'll gain even more!

After I become a Sage, I'll go and kill the Heaven-Earth Daoist myself!

Then the beings of the Primordial World who revere him as Dao Ancestor can see for themselves.

Qiankun is good at teaching? What the hell does that matter? In cultivation, strength and realm decide everything!

His mind made up, Hongjun nodded to the four below.

"Good!"

"From this day forth, all four of you are my direct disciples!"

Delight appeared on all four faces.

"Thank you, Master!"

Hongjun swept his gaze over the envious crowd below and spoke.

"This Dao Discussion is over. After the Three Yuan Assembly, I shall resume my teachings in the Purple Cloud Palace!"

"Then I shall explain the Dao of Sanctification to you all!"

With that, Hongjun paid no heed to the stir his words caused below. His figure vanished from the Jade Platform.

At Hongjun's words, fervor lit the eyes of those below.

Laozi and Yuanshi exchanged a glance, both smiling with joy.

"Today, we became disciples of the Dao Ancestor. The Sage Dao is within our reach!"

Yuanshi nodded slightly. Remembering Tongtian, who had not come, he looked smug.

I fell behind in cultivation before, but look how quickly I caught up!

Not only have I caught up with Tongtian, but I've also grasped the Three Corpses Severing Method. Once I return and cultivate in seclusion, I'll surely take that step and become a Quasi-Saint!

When Third Brother learns that we heard the Sage Dao and even became the Dao Ancestor's disciples, he'll regret not listening to me.

With that thought, Yuanshi turned into a streak of light and headed back to his Daoist Abode.

Laozi's thoughts were no calmer.

When Tongtian had caught up to him in cultivation last time, Laozi had appeared unconcerned. Inwardly, he had been desperate to pull ahead.

Now that he had severed his Kind Corpse and reached the Early Primordial Unity Supreme Immortal realm, he could hardly wait to show his third brother that he was still first among the Three Pure Ones!