"Now that we have become disciples of the Dao Ancestor, it truly is a pity for Daochen."
Behind Hongjun, a trace of regret appeared on Nüwa's breathtakingly beautiful face.
Daochen's flower had bloomed with ten petals, an unprecedented feat.
With his strength, he certainly qualified to occupy one of the Great Dao Meditation Cushions and become a sage's disciple.
Yet he had let the opportunity slip away.
"Little sister, are you worried about Fellow Daoist Daochen?"
Seeing Nüwa's expression, Fuxi naturally understood what she was thinking.
He teased her through a voice transmission.
"Of course not..."
At Fuxi's question, Nüwa's lovely face flushed like a ripe peach, and she immediately turned her gaze elsewhere.
It seems my little sister really has awakened to mortal affection.
Seeing how bashful Nüwa looked, Fuxi murmured inwardly.
He was proficient in divination and could naturally see that all three brothers, Daochen and the others, possessed the bearing of emperors.
Daochen, in particular, had the most outstanding talent of the three.
If someone of such extraordinary talent could be drawn into the Demon Race's camp, he would undoubtedly be a tremendous help in easing their current predicament.
After the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation, the Three Primordial Clans had withdrawn from the world.
The strongest races in the Primordial World were now the Witch Clan and the Demon Race.
The Witch Clan possessed the Pangu Bloodline and astonishing combat prowess. A single member could fight several demons of the same cultivation realm without losing.
With the Twelve Ancestral Witches presiding over them, they were unquestionably one of the foremost powers in the Primordial World.
The Demon Race, meanwhile, was a host of dragons without a head, its many great demons each fighting their own battles.
If this continued, they would inevitably become food for the Witch Clan.
"I am Fuxi of Mount Buzhou. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Daochen. Since we both belong to the Demon Race, I hope we can keep in closer contact in the future."
With that thought, Fuxi immediately greeted Daochen.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
Daochen merely gave Fuxi a cool reply before closing his eyes again, waiting for the first lecture at the Purple Heavens Palace to end.
He naturally understood Fuxi's intentions. This show of goodwill was nothing more than an attempt to build a relationship and draw him into the Demon Race's camp later.
But how could Daochen possibly agree?
You have good fortune, Fuxi, with Nüwa, a future sage, as your little sister.
Even if you fall during the War of the Liches, you can still reincarnate as the human race's Heavenly Sovereign and attain the Dao fruit of a lesser sage.
But we three brothers won't have such good fortune.
If we die, we'll truly be dead!
So you want to trick me into joining the Demon Race?
Not a chance!
Whoever enters the War of the Liches dies!
"Uh..."
Fuxi's face stiffened awkwardly at Daochen's cold response.
For a moment, he had absolutely no idea what to say.
Daochen simply refused to take the bait!
"Pfft!"
Watching Fuxi's attempt fall flat, Nüwa could not help covering her mouth with a laugh.
She had not expected Daochen to be even more interesting than she had imagined.
"Daochen, your flower bloomed with ten petals, a rarity throughout the ages. Though you did not claim a Great Dao Meditation Cushion, your talent is extraordinary. You may enter my tutelage as my Personal Disciple. Are you willing?"
Just then, Hongjun, who had said nothing since taking his disciples, suddenly looked at Daochen and spoke.
The Dao Ancestor was offering to take a disciple himself?
A Personal Disciple?
At those words, the entire Purple Heavens Palace erupted!
One mighty figure of the Primordial World after another stared with bloodshot eyes at the somewhat bewildered Daochen.
Registered Disciple!
Entry Disciple!
Personal Disciple!
Although these three titles differed by only a couple of characters, their meanings were as far apart as heaven and earth.
Jieyin, Zhunti, Dijun, and Eastern Emperor Taiyi were all Registered Disciples. They could claim to be under a sage's tutelage, but that was all.
Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Nüwa were Entry Disciples. They held the title of a sage's disciple and would receive a share when treasures were distributed at the Treasure-Splitting Cliff, but they could not enter the Purple Heavens Palace unless Hongjun summoned them.
A Personal Disciple, however, was different.
He could enter the Purple Heavens Palace without being summoned, remain at Hongjun's side, listen to the profound mysteries of the Great Dao, and receive the finest resources and magical treasures.
He could be considered the inheritor of Hongjun's mantle.
For a moment, every mighty figure of the Primordial World stared at Daochen, their breathing growing heavy.
They simply could not understand what Hongjun intended by this!
Even the proud Three Pure Ones were breathing heavily now.
A Personal Disciple!
They had been born from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, yet even they had not received that status!
"Impossible! How is this possible?"
Yuanshi's jealousy reached its peak.
He had thought that, now that he had latched onto Hongjun's powerful backing, he could torment Daochen after attaining sagehood.
Yet in the blink of an eye, Daochen was about to become Hongjun's Personal Disciple.
In the future, he might even have to respectfully address Daochen as his eldest senior brother.
That was worse than death.
Hongjun naturally paid no attention to what Yuanshi was thinking, nor did he care.
What concerned him was that he had just examined Daochen's fate.
Like Eastern Emperor Taiyi's and Dijun's, it was impossible to see through.
When he tried to probe further, he had even come close to suffering a backlash from karma.
That meant that even he, Hongjun, was not qualified to examine Daochen's fate.
The implications ran very deep indeed...
"Are you willing to enter my tutelage and become my Personal Disciple?"
Hongjun spoke again.
Just as Daochen hesitated, the system's voice sounded in his mind once more.
"Ding! Hongjun wishes to take the host as his disciple. The host has two choices." "Option one: accept Hongjun's offer and become his Personal Disciple. Reward: one strand of primordial purple qi." "Option two: refuse Hongjun and cultivate alone. Reward: one Creation Jade Butterfly Fragment."
Having already made up his mind, Daochen chose without a second thought.
Option two!
The Creation Jade Butterfly Fragment!
The Jade Butterfly of Creation was a supreme treasure of Chaos, even more powerful than a Xiantian Supreme Treasure such as the Eastern Emperor Bell.
It contained three thousand Great Daos and thirty-six thousand lesser Daos.
Though it had shattered during the great tribulation of the opening of heaven, the profound mysteries of the Great Dao within it had not dissipated.
Had Hongjun not relied on the Creation Jade Butterfly Fragment in his possession to sever his three corpses and attain the Dao?
"Eldest brother!"
Seeing that Daochen had not spoken, Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi both showed anxiety in their eyes.
Rather than feeling even the slightest jealousy at Daochen becoming Hongjun's Personal Disciple, they were excited for him.
After all, they understood the benefits of becoming Hongjun's Personal Disciple better than anyone else.
Those benefits were simply beyond description!
With a sage-level teacher personally guiding him at his side, how could he worry that the Great Dao lay beyond his reach?
What exactly is Daochen thinking?
A trace of anxiety appeared in Nüwa's eyes as well.
Even she had not been offered the position of Personal Disciple!
"Master wishes to take you, Daochen, as his Personal Disciple. Surely you would not refuse?"
Yuanshi stared coldly at Daochen.
Sorry, but Daochen really did refuse.
"Master, I appreciate your kindness, but I am accustomed to living freely. I truly do not wish to become a disciple under your tutelage."
Daochen suddenly spoke.
"What? Daochen refused?"
"A sage offered to take him as a Personal Disciple, and he actually refused?"
"He simply doesn't know a favor when he sees one!"
For a moment, the many mighty figures throughout the Purple Heavens Palace seethed with righteous indignation.
Their gazes upon Daochen could practically spew fire.
An opportunity they yearned for but could never obtain.
And someone had actually refused it!
Before you continue