The Sermon Wasn't Over? Hongjun Bestows a Treasure, a Creation Green Lotus Seed?

At the same time, Hongjun narrowed his eyes slightly and studied Qin Mu, a strange glint flashing through his gaze.

He had noticed Qin Mu during the sermon earlier.

There was always something peculiar about Qin Mu, yet he could not see through him.

"This boy is rather interesting."

Now, seeing that Qin Mu had not fought over the spiritual treasures within Treasure Distribution Cliff, but had instead carried the entire cliff back at the very end—

Hongjun regarded him in a new light.

After observing him briefly, Hongjun withdrew his gaze and swept it over everyone present.

"This sermon has concluded. You may return!"

Hearing Hongjun's words, no one dared disobey. They all saluted and took their leave.

Led by the Three Pure Ones, Qin Mu bowed to Hongjun before heading out of Zixiao Palace as well.

But the moment he stepped out of Zixiao Palace, Qin Mu suddenly stopped.

"Hmm?"

Tongtian frowned slightly at the sight and asked in mild puzzlement,

"Disciple, what is it?"

Qin Mu looked straight at Tongtian and asked,

"Master."

"May I ask how long the Dao Ancestor's sermons last in total?"

Tongtian was taken aback, then replied,

"Three thousand years each time, three times in total—nine thousand years altogether."

A sharp glint flashed through Qin Mu's eyes upon hearing this, and he asked doubtfully,

"But this sermon only lasted two thousand five hundred years!"

At Qin Mu's words, the Three Pure Ones were all stunned.

After thinking it over, they realized it truly was as Qin Mu had said.

"Come, let us go back!"

After a brief hesitation, Laozi spoke urgently and turned back toward Zixiao Palace.

Seeing this, Qin Mu and the other two did not delay and hurried after Laozi.

Before long, the four of them had returned to the dojo within Zixiao Palace.

At the entrance to the dojo, the two attendants, Haotian and Yaochi, could not help but frown slightly at the sight.

Seeing the Three Pure Ones return with Qin Mu after leaving, Haotian looked surprised and was the first to ask,

"Senior Brothers Three Pure Ones, why have you returned?"

Tongtian cast the two a detached glance and replied,

"Teacher's sermon has not yet ended."

Hearing Tongtian's words, Haotian and Yaochi exchanged a look. Though they were filled with doubt, they did not dare stop them and could only move aside.

Then Qin Mu and the other three returned to the dojo.

Sure enough, Hongjun Dao Ancestor was still seated upon the Dao Platform, endless Dao Resonance swirling around him.

Seeing that Hongjun had not yet departed, joy flashed through the Three Pure Ones' eyes. They hurriedly saluted him respectfully.

"Greetings, Master!"

Seeing this, Qin Mu also gave a deep bow.

"Greetings, Grandmaster!"

At this, Hongjun slowly opened his eyes. His gaze swept over the Three Pure Ones and Qin Mu, a faint, inscrutable smile resting upon his lips.

After a brief silence, he asked,

"Who among you knew that I had not yet finished?"

Hearing Hongjun's question, the Three Pure Ones paused, then looked toward Qin Mu in unison.

Tongtian immediately stepped forward and bowed as he replied,

"In answer to Master, it was this disciple's disciple, Qin Mu."

As he spoke, Tongtian gave Qin Mu a meaningful look.

Seeing this, Qin Mu saluted Hongjun once more and said,

"Disciple Qin Mu greets Grandmaster."

"Oh?"

Hongjun narrowed his eyes, his gaze deep and unreadable as he looked at Qin Mu with a smile that was not quite a smile.

He had noticed Qin Mu during the sermon earlier.

A mere Golden Immortal had somehow arrived at Zixiao Palace.

And during the distribution of treasures just now, Qin Mu's actions had been even more startling—he had actually carried back Treasure Distribution Cliff, which bore so many spiritual treasures.

"This child's cultivation is still shallow, but his conduct is quite unlike others."

As he thought this, Hongjun's gaze became sharper, fixing directly upon Qin Mu.

He was clearly probing Qin Mu.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly being stared at in such a manner by Hongjun, Qin Mu's heart trembled, and he grew somewhat nervous.

Back when Hongjun had first begun his sermon, Qin Mu had discovered an Extra Large Red Packet falling.

Just as he had been about to open it, Hongjun had glanced at him.

Even then, Qin Mu had found it strange.

He had always felt that Hongjun seemed to have discovered something.

And now that Hongjun was looking at him this way again, Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat as he muttered inwardly,

Could Hongjun have discovered that I'm a Transmigrator?

That shouldn't be possible!

With the system here, it should be able to conceal the secrets of heaven.

While Qin Mu was secretly speculating, Hongjun was also deeply shaken.

"Strange!"

"Qin Mu's fate is actually not within the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial Wilderness."

One had to know that all living beings of the Primordial Wilderness, whether innate or acquired, were under the control of the Heavenly Dao, their traces all recorded within the River of Fate.

"The Great Dao has fifty; Heaven unfolds forty-nine, while one escapes, thus the Heavenly Dao is incomplete!"

"That sole one which escapes."

"Could it be this child?"

Such a thought suddenly arose in Hongjun's mind.

At that thought, countless considerations surged through his heart.

After all, he intended to merge himself with the Heavenly Dao in order to make whole that one which had escaped.

Seeing Hongjun staring intently at Qin Mu, the Three Pure Ones were all utterly bewildered.

"What is going on?"

"Why is Teacher looking at Qin Mu like that?"

"Could Qin Mu have offended him somehow?"

Tongtian muttered inwardly, his heart filled with unease.

Just then, Hongjun came back to his senses. Though inwardly shocked beyond measure, he remained calm on the surface and said with a smile,

"Qin Mu."

"Since you are the First Disciple of my Mystic Gate."

"This Patriarch naturally will not be stingy."

"I see that your true form is vegetation, an innate divine being. I shall bestow this item upon you!"

With that, Hongjun lightly flicked his broad sleeve.

A stream of light descended before Qin Mu, transforming into a seed that hovered over his palm.

Qin Mu lowered his eyes to inspect it. The seed was crystalline throughout, strands of chaos qi coiling around it.

The instant the seed appeared, it stirred the surrounding Dao Resonance, sending ripples spreading outward.

The moment the Three Pure Ones saw the seed resting in Qin Mu's palm, their hearts all trembled.

For some reason, they sensed a familiar aura from that seed.

It gave the Three Pure Ones the feeling—

that this seed seemed to share a deep connection with them.

"A seed?"

"This is..."

Laozi narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that this item was certainly extraordinary.

Yuanshi and Tongtian felt the same way upon seeing it.

Qin Mu was also deeply puzzled.

"He gave me a seed?"

"What use is it?"

Just as he hesitated, Hongjun explained,

"This item is a lotus seed formed after the Creation Green Lotus that nurtured Great God Pangu was damaged!"

At Hongjun's words, Qin Mu and the other three immediately understood.

"No wonder it feels familiar. It was condensed from the shattered Creation Green Lotus!"

Laozi sighed softly.

The Creation Green Lotus was Great God Pangu's Companion Supreme Treasure. Together with the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe and the Jade Plate of Creation, it was known as one of the three great Creation Treasures.

The Three Pure Ones had been transformed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit.

Now that they had seen this lotus seed, it was only natural that it would feel familiar.

"Formed from the Chaos Green Lotus?"

Qin Mu was secretly astonished.

He knew that the Creation Green Lotus Hongjun spoke of was the Chaos Green Lotus.

After Pangu opened heaven and earth, the Chaos Green Lotus shattered.

In accordance with Heaven's will, it broke apart and transformed into four Twelve-Grade Lotus Platforms, the Innate Five Directions Banners... the River Diagram and Luo Script, the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the Nine Heavens God-Slaying Spear, the Qiankun Cauldron, and numerous other Innate Spiritual Treasures.