Seats at the Dao Sermon, the Puppet Master's Bait

The vision of Zixiao Palace gradually faded from the void. The towering Daoist temple and the image of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, which had held the chaos in check, vanished once more into the raging chaos beyond the nine heavens.

Yet the fervor sweeping the worlds did not cool. It burned hotter than ever.

Three Great Star Domains. Thirty-Seven Great Thousand Worlds.

That night, every great power, immortal clan, and hidden sect sent out everyone they had!

They no longer cared about worldly supremacy or the struggle for land and resources. Nearly every old monster at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage and every Primordial Sect Master was scouring the worlds for the legendary "Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edict."

Ziwei Star Domain, Supreme Mystery Immortal Sect.

Inside the council hall, dozens of rarely seen ancestors at the Mahayana and Tribulation Transcendence stages had gathered, arguing until their faces were red.

"Sect Master! The Canglan Realm must be where Zixiao Palace's destined opportunity will appear!"

A white-haired ancestor slammed the table and shouted urgently:

"The Dao Ancestor manifested last night, and the vision was clearest in the Canglan Realm! Besides, Lin Qiye of the Primeval Holy Land is True Lord Erlang's successor. He must have a clue about the edicts!"

"Exactly!" another ancestor said, rising to his feet. "Look what happened to the Heavenly Frost Immortal Sect. Trying to seize one by force is a death sentence! We should take mountains of immortal gold and divine herbs to the Primeval Holy Land! Make a pilgrimage! Beg for a Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edict!"

"Yes! To the Canglan Realm! On pilgrimage!"

Similar scenes played out across the Primordial Demon Realm, the Heavenly Demon Great Realm, and the surrounding Great Thousand Worlds.

The Canglan Realm, once dismissed by the powers of the worlds as a "lower-realm ruin," had become the most sacred and inviolable place in the universe overnight!

Countless ancient warships laden with treasures from across the worlds set sail for the Canglan Realm. They came not with murderous intent, but with boundless devotion and awe!

Canglan Realm, Primeval Holy Land.

Atop Primeval Main Peak, Ji Changkong beamed as jade slips requesting audiences flew in from every corner of the worlds.

"Holy Lord! The Supreme Mystery Immortal Sect of the Ziwei Star Domain has sent thirty ten-thousand-year divine herbs and a thousand pounds of primordial immortal gold! They request an audience with the Holy Son and beg for a clue to a Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edict!"

"Holy Lord! The Nine-Tailed Celestial Foxes of the Primordial Demon Realm have sent their clan treasure, the Celestial Fox Bead! They're willing to ally with the Primeval Holy Land for all time, and they request an audience with Guest Elder Su Chen!"

"Holy Lord! Several Demon Emperors of the Heavenly Demon Great Realm have jointly sent the Devil Dao Sacred Scripture. They're even willing to become vassals of the Primeval Holy Land..."

Hearing the elders' excited reports, Ji Changkong took a deep breath, forced down his astonishment, and turned to Lin Qiye beside him.

"Qiye, the treasures these great clans have sent could fill several mountains."

With a mixture of wonder and reverence, Ji Changkong looked toward Falling Geese Peak.

"They're all desperate for a Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edict... How do you think the edicts will appear?"

Lin Qiye stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze cold and fathomless.

"When the Dao Ancestor preaches, destiny decides who receives the opportunity. How could mere worldly wealth sway it?"

"Holy Lord, accept every gift, but refuse every request for an audience. Tell them... to wait quietly for the heavenly voice."

"Very well! We'll do as you say, Holy Son!" Ji Changkong agreed without hesitation.

With Lin Qiye and Su Chen's unspoken backing, the Primeval Holy Land now stood above all the worlds. Ji Changkong spoke with confidence he had never known before.

At the edge of the Primeval Holy Land stood the Library Pavilion.

Compared with the frenzy outside, it remained a haven of peace.

A green lamp flickered, and the scent of books filled the air.

Su Chen sat quietly behind a wooden desk. His long, well-proportioned fingers brushed through the air as he watched the figures on the system panel surge once more. A calm smile touched his lips. It was just as he had expected.

[Ding!] The vision [Zixiao Palace: Hongjun Preaches the Dao] has completed its preliminary manifestation! The concepts of the "Primordial World," "Dao Ancestor Hongjun," "Zixiao Palace," the "Three Thousand Great Daos," and the "Ascension Path" have overturned the understanding of all the worlds on an explosive scale!

[Myth acceptance has reached an all-time high!] Acceptance of the "Primordial World/Zixiao Palace" system in the Canglan Realm: 100% (permanently established as the sole true ancient history)! In the Ziwei Star Domain: 85%! In the Heavenly Demon Great Realm: 80%! In the Primordial Demon Realm: 82%!

[Karma Points are surging!] Feedback from the worship and faith of powerful beings across the worlds: +500,000 points! Karma feedback from old monsters across the worlds desperately seeking Dao-Hearing Seats: +800,000 points! Feedback from the assimilation of the universe's heavenly rules: +300,000 points!

[Congratulations, Host. Total available Karma Points: 1,650,000!]

"Over 1.6 million Karma Points!"

Looking at that seven-figure balance, Su Chen could not keep a gleam of satisfaction from his eyes.

His investment of 480,000 had brought back more than 1.6 million in an instant!

He had not only recouped his costs; he now had the means to toy with the fate of all the worlds from behind the scenes!

More importantly, acceptance had passed 80% in the major star domains and reached 100% in the Canglan Realm. His invented myth of the "Primordial World and Zixiao Palace" had completely replaced the lost history and become this universe's one unquestionable truth!

I have the funds and the reputation. Every fish in the universe has taken the bait.

Su Chen lifted the spirit tea from his desk with his left hand and took a sip, his gaze cold and deep.

Now... it's time to cast out the first Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edicts.

With a thought, Su Chen brought up the third-tier Divine Soul Projection Distribution Mechanism.

In his plans, entry to the first sermon at Zixiao Palace could never be commonplace.

Scarcity made a thing precious.

The fewer the seats and the higher the threshold, the more frantically those lofty Tribulation Transcendence old monsters and Primordial Sect Masters would chase this peerless opportunity!

Seven seats for the first sermon—for now!

Su Chen tapped the virtual panel with his long fingers, setting the rules for each seat:

"First seat: Lin Qiye, the foremost Holy Son of the Canglan Realm and Heavenly Court War God Successor. (Guaranteed seat; establish an example.)"

"Second seat: Ji Changkong, Primeval Holy Lord of the Canglan Realm. (Reward a useful pawn; strengthen the Primeval Holy Land's legitimacy.)"

"Third seat: Supreme Mystery True Lord, the strongest ruler of the Ziwei Star Domain and sect master of the Supreme Mystery Immortal Sect. (Appease a great sect; secure its strength.)"

"Fourth seat: Tu Shanye, supreme ruler of the Primordial Demon Realm and ancestor of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Foxes."

"Fifth seat: Netherworld Blood Emperor, foremost Demon Emperor of the Heavenly Demon Great Realm."

"The sixth and seventh seats... will be left for wandering old monsters and children of fortune across the worlds to fight over!"

Su Chen narrowed his eyes and used the system to complete the formation of seven Zixiao Dao-Hearing Edicts imbued with the Laws of the Supreme Great Dao!

They were not physical tokens, but seven mysterious seals radiating purple-gold immortal light tinged with chaos.

"Go."

Su Chen swept his sleeve.

Boom!

Seven streaks of purple-gold immortal light pierced the Library Pavilion's wards and tore through the sky of the Canglan Realm. They became seven rainbows spanning billions of miles across the stars, hurtling toward different corners of the worlds!

With that, Su Chen drove the frenzy and struggle over the Zixiao Dao-Hearing Seats to its peak!