Unable to Enjoy Such Fortune

The disciple could not help but freeze. He had already prepared himself to die, never expecting there to be a turn for the better.

Chen Xuan did not beat around the bush and said directly, "First, let me cripple your Supreme Purity Immortal Technique. From this day forward, you will have nothing more to do with the Three Pure Ones."

After thinking it over, the disciple made up his mind.

"Please tell me the second choice, Eldest Senior Brother. This junior brother chooses to forgo the first."

Making such a decision was a gamble, for the second choice might mean death. But it might also mean hope.

The Great Desolate Land was now plagued by endless strife. Trying to survive there on one's own was by no means easy.

Seeing the resolute expression on the disciple's face, Chen Xuan nodded again.

"You cannot go unpunished for the mistakes of this life. In your next life, you may enter the Three Pure Ones Sect again."

Chen Xuan's words left everyone utterly confused. Even Daoist Duobao did not understand what he meant by a next life.

After all, Houtu had not yet transformed herself into the Six Paths of Reincarnation, so the concept of reincarnation had yet to emerge.

Chen Xuan offered no explanation and simply continued, "Are you willing?"

After a fierce internal struggle, the disciple flew toward the Door Rules Stone Tablet behind Chen Xuan and rammed into it.

With a dull thud, the disciple lost his breath. His body reverted to its original form—a black panther.

It gave Chen Xuan an oddly familiar feeling. With a wave of his hand, he collected its True Spirit.

"Today, I will seal your True Spirit. When the opportunity arises, I will grant you new life. That will be the day I fulfill today's promise and allow you to return to the Three Pure Ones Sect."

With that, Chen Xuan stored the black panther's True Spirit within the Profound Origin Water Control Banner.

Meanwhile, Dao Ancestor Hongjun began expounding the Dao for the final three hundred years within the Purple Cloud Palace.

About a hundred years into the lecture, Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti stumbled back into the Purple Cloud Palace.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun said nothing and simply allowed them to sit and listen.

It would have been better if they had not listened. Once they did, they were filled with even deeper regret, because Dao Ancestor Hongjun's teachings were far more detailed than before.

Two hundred years passed in the blink of an eye, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice finally fell silent.

"In one thousand years, I will merge myself with the Dao. At that time, all of you may come and witness the ceremony."

After speaking, Dao Ancestor Hongjun vanished from the Purple Cloud Palace. Everyone hurriedly rose and respectfully saw him off.

They then left the Purple Cloud Palace one after another, each returning to their Dao Field to comprehend the great Dao they had heard there.

Just as everyone departed, Dao Ancestor Hongjun appeared once more within the Purple Cloud Palace.

Looking in the direction Fuxi and Goddess Nvwa had gone, he shook his head. "Even a junior like Chen Xuan knows what it means to be unable to enjoy such fortune. Yet you, Fuxi, do not understand."

Naturally, Fuxi could not hear Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words. Otherwise, they would have made him question his entire existence.

When the Three Pure Ones returned to Kunlun Mountain, they happened to see Chen Xuan expounding the Dao to his junior brothers and sisters.

Taishang Laozi raised a hand and stopped Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian.

"Do you not want to hear what Dao Chen Xuan is teaching?"

The two, who had been eager to return to Kunlun Mountain, halted and nodded to Taishang Laozi.

They then remained in midair and secretly listened to Chen Xuan's lecture.

The Dao Chen Xuan taught was not profound or mysterious. It could even be described as plain and unadorned.

Yet for those junior brothers and sisters, it was likely more useful than Dao Ancestor Hongjun's exposition of the Saint's Path.

This was because Chen Xuan was teaching the orthodox Daoist path, and the Golden Immortal Dao best suited to them.

At last, Chen Xuan's voice fell silent. He rose to his feet and asked, "I have expounded the Dao to you for three hundred years. Have you gained anything during this time?"

Daoist Duobao was the first to step forward. "Eldest Senior Brother, although Duo Bao's cultivation had long since reached the Grand Golden Immortal realm,

before reaching the Grand Golden Immortal realm, Duo Bao had cultivated solely according to his own heart. His foundation could hardly be called stable.

Now that Duo Bao has heard Eldest Senior Brother's exposition of the Golden Immortal Dao, his foundation has been reinforced once again.

Duo Bao has now reached the peak of the Grand Golden Immortal realm. Once the right opportunity arrives, he may attain Da Luo."

Chen Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then looked toward the others.

Everyone spoke in turn, saying they had gained greatly. They also offered Chen Xuan a Half-Teacher's Salute, thanking their Eldest Senior Brother for the grace of his teachings.

The Three Pure Ones in the air nodded to one another, while Tongtian's face was filled with an even brighter smile.

With a flash, he appeared before the disciples.

This caused everyone to hurriedly kneel and bow to Tongtian.

Chen Xuan was just about to kneel as well when Tongtian stopped him.

Tongtian then said to the disciples, "What your Eldest Senior Brother taught is the orthodox Daoist path. You must study it carefully and not disappoint your Eldest Senior Brother's expectations."

After saying this, he grabbed Chen Xuan and headed toward Shangqing Palace.

Seeing Chen Xuan carried directly into Shangqing Palace like a chick,

the disciples immediately chose to ignore it, desperately pretending that they had seen nothing.

Taishang Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun also shook their heads helplessly before returning to their respective Dao palaces to enter seclusion.

Inside Shangqing Palace, Chen Xuan said with a wounded expression, "Master, could you not leave this senior brother of theirs a little dignity in front of my junior brothers and sisters?"

"Quit your nonsense. Speak."

"Speak about what? If Master thinks this disciple should not have expounded the Dao to them, then this disciple will never do so again."

"Stop pretending to be confused. Why did you not take any treasures at Treasure Distribution Cliff, instead sitting there like a fool?

You knew Grandmaster would continue teaching the Dao for another three hundred years, so why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

Chen Xuan had not expected Tongtian to ask about those two matters.

He immediately chuckled and sat down beside Tongtian.

As he massaged Tongtian's legs, he said, "This disciple had already gone to Treasure Distribution Cliff once before, and had taken nearly all the treasures worth taking.

When Grandmaster sent this disciple to Treasure Distribution Cliff again, it was not for this disciple to obtain any treasures. He was testing this disciple's character.

Had this disciple taken even one treasure from it, Treasure Distribution Cliff likely would not have belonged to this disciple.

As for why this disciple did not listen to Grandmaster's final three hundred years of teachings—Master, do you think this disciple was qualified to?"

After Chen Xuan finished speaking, Tongtian could not help but fall into thought. "Yes. Even Jieyin and Zhunti from the West missed a hundred years.

Given your status, you truly were not qualified to hear those three hundred years of great Dao."

Seeing that Tongtian understood, Chen Xuan's smile grew even brighter.

"I knew Master would understand the moment he thought it through. So, does Master now think this disciple did the right thing?

Oh, right, Master has just returned. From now on, Master will have to teach your own disciples yourself. This disciple has matters to attend to and must travel through the Great Desolate Land."

After speaking, he rose and bowed to Tongtian. Then he transformed into a mist of water and vanished.

Seeing Chen Xuan flee faster than a rabbit, Tongtian was so furious that his beard bristled and his eyes widened.

"You brat, just wait. Sooner or later, I'll make you understand the consequences of slacking off."