Outside the Purple Heavens Palace, many mighty cultivators of the Primordial World had already arrived. The fastest and most unhurried among them were Daochen and his two brothers!
As time passed, more and more mighty cultivators gathered outside the Purple Heavens Palace, including many who would become famous in the Primordial World in later ages. Those who knew one another gathered together to exchange insights and discuss the Dao.
The Primordial World was boundless. Though these mighty cultivators seemed numerous gathered here today, scattered across the entire world, they were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
Now that Hongjun was preaching the Dao, fate had brought them together. Naturally, they would discuss the Dao with one another and deepen their understanding of the Great Dao!
The Three Pure Ones formed their own little circle and never spoke to anyone else, but whenever their gazes swept over Daochen, something strange flickered in their eyes.
It could not be helped. From the day they had taken form until now, Daochen was the only one who had ever made all three of them suffer a setback!
Seeing that no one else was coming through the endless Chaos beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, the two little Daoist attendants who had been dozing finally woke. They opened the gates and announced in clear voices:
"Fellow Daoists, all who have come here are bound by fate. Once the palace gates open, find your own seats and sit down. Do not make a racket and disturb our teacher's quiet cultivation!"
Hum!
The gates of the Purple Heavens Palace opened. The three thousand visitors from the mortal world, who had waited so long, could hardly contain themselves.
"Out of my way!"
Eastern Emperor Taiyi, normally a man of few words, did not hesitate with an opportunity to pursue the Great Dao before him. Wielding the Eastern Emperor Bell, he sent a mighty cultivator flying with a single blow, then flashed into the Purple Heavens Palace.
Compared with Eastern Emperor Taiyi's brute force, Dijun was much gentler. The River Map above his head blazed with light, like a celestial river pouring down from the ninth heaven and winding around him. Every mighty cultivator who approached was pushed aside by an invisible force.
By the time they reacted, Dijun had already left them behind.
The other mighty cultivators unleashed their own methods, scrambling for favorable positions!
Compared with the eager mighty cultivators of the Primordial World, Daochen seemed far more relaxed and at ease.
He took a step, and a streak of golden light flashed beneath his feet. He showed no intention of fighting for a place, moving as though strolling through a quiet courtyard.
Indeed, Daochen had no interest in those six seats of sagehood.
He had come here mainly to help Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi!
After all, he had a system. Seizing a Great Dao Meditation Cushion was not his only path to becoming a sage.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Dijun, however, were not so fortunate.
If they wished to become sages, this was their only path.
Hum!
A Seven-Treasure Glazed Platform came crashing down toward Eastern Emperor Taiyi's head.
The attacker was a mighty cultivator whom Eastern Emperor Taiyi had knocked out of the Purple Heavens Palace earlier.
Seeing no hope of claiming a Great Dao Meditation Cushion, he had decided to smash the already broken pot. He attacked to hold Eastern Emperor Taiyi back and let someone else take the seat.
"You're courting death!"
Daochen frowned. The Heaven Measuring Ruler flew out at once, and amid surging, boundless primordial purple qi, the Seven-Treasure Glazed Platform was sent hurtling backward.
An incomparably powerful force erupted. Before that mighty cultivator could even scream, he was blasted out of the Purple Heavens Palace and plunged into the endless currents of Chaos!
"What?"
Everyone present was startled to see that mighty cultivator hurled outside, his fate unknown.
Daochen had never acted before. They had merely assumed his strength was mediocre and that he had come to the Purple Heavens Palace just to join the excitement.
They had never imagined he possessed such terrifying strength.
At that thought, everyone instinctively avoided Daochen and his two brothers, turning to fight over the other cushions instead.
Daochen's intervention greatly eased the pressure on Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Dijun, but it made things miserable for the Three Pure Ones, who were also competing for seats of sagehood.
Damn it!
Seeing the number of mighty cultivators opposing them suddenly almost double, Yuanshi cursed inwardly.
He had already suffered a hidden setback at Daochen's hands in Chaos.
He had never expected that even in the Purple Heavens Palace, he would fail to escape another.
These mighty cultivators did not dare provoke Daochen, yet they kept coming after the three of them.
"Stay behind me and act when the opportunity arises!"
With the Heaven and Earth's Yellow Exquisite Pagoda above his head, Laozi looked exceedingly grave and hurriedly instructed Yuanshi and Tongtian.
"We will follow your instructions, eldest brother!"
Though Yuanshi grumbled inwardly, he did not dare say anything more at such a critical moment.
Though the Heaven and Earth's Yellow Exquisite Pagoda flickered under the blows, it remained steady above Laozi's head, shielding the three of them as they advanced toward the six cushions at the very front of the Purple Heavens Palace.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Two brilliant streaks of golden light flashed. Under Daochen's protection, Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi were the first to settle onto the first two of the six Great Dao Meditation Cushions.
Laozi and the other two of the Three Pure Ones settled onto the next three cushions almost in the same instant.
Seeing five of the six Great Dao Meditation Cushions taken, all the mighty cultivators grew frantic!
They immediately held nothing back, unleashing every method they possessed to fight for the final Great Dao Meditation Cushion.
"Fellow Daoists, this cushion is fated to be mine. Might you yield it to me?"
Just then, an ethereal voice rang out. A stunning woman in palace robes approached on colorful clouds.
With a wave of her delicate hand, endless Dao laws appeared. In the blink of an eye, she had settled onto the final cushion!
"I, Nüwa, thank you, fellow Daoists, for yielding."
Nüwa clasped her hands in greeting and spoke in her ethereal voice.
So she is Nüwa? She truly is an exquisite beauty.
As Daochen looked at Nüwa, she looked at him as well.
Unlike Daochen's simple admiration, there was a distinct trace of puzzlement in Nüwa's eyes.
She could not understand why Daochen, with his cultivation and strength, had not claimed a Great Dao Meditation Cushion when he could have taken one so easily.
Instead, he had simply found a random place to sit.
Does he not understand what these cushions signify?
Nüwa wondered inwardly.
The Purple Heavens Palace was vast beyond measure and held as many as three thousand cushions, but only the six at the very front were wreathed in the aura of the Great Dao's laws.
Everyone knew that these six cushions must hold extraordinary significance.
Yet Daochen seemed not to care in the slightest.
Forget it, forget it. Everyone has their own aspirations; they cannot be forced!
Nüwa shook her head and thought no more of it.
"Ah, old friend, I told you these cushions were not fated for me, yet you insisted I fight for one. See? Now I haven't managed to get one!"
Just after Nüwa sat down, a plump, large-eared Daoist in red robes shook his head and spoke.
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, say no more. Since these fellow Daoists have claimed them today, we can only blame our own lack of strength."
Behind the red-robed Daoist, another Daoist with an unusual, ancient-looking face spoke.
These two were none other than Old Ancestor Hongyun and Zhen Yuanzi.
Seeing that the cushions granting seats of sagehood had already been claimed, the two shook their heads helplessly, then found places to sit.
Only those six cushions were special. All the others were alike, so there was little difference between them.
Everything was ready, and the gates of the Purple Heavens Palace were about to close.
Hongjun appeared upon the raised dais.
"All of you who have come to the Purple Heavens Palace are blessed with great opportunities. Today, I shall preach the Dao. How much you gain will depend on your own fortune and destined opportunities."
With Hongjun's appearance, the entire Purple Heavens Palace fell silent.
Everyone gazed at Hongjun with utmost respect, even the usually arrogant Three Pure Ones.
Boom!
Just as the Purple Heavens Palace was about to close, two stumbling figures suddenly rushed inside.
They saw the Purple Heavens Palace filled with guests, with all the seats of sagehood already claimed.
The two Daoists immediately burst into tears.
"Senior brother, the two of us have suffered so terribly!"
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