Hearing Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words, Di Jun could not help laughing aloud.
"Laozi, you still refuse to give up, don't you? Didn't you say your third brother's cultivation had already surpassed ours? Now that the Dao Ancestor has exposed you, I doubt you can talk your way out of that."
Di Jun laughed smugly.
In the great hall, everyone present wore mocking smiles at Di Jun's words.
Yuanshi found himself losing face.
He inwardly blamed Tongtian for making him suffer such humiliation.
Laozi, however, paid Di Jun no heed. Something else occupied his mind.
Strange. The Dao Ancestor said there were no other ways to attain the Dao besides the Method of Severing the Three Corpses and the Merit-Based Sainthood Method, yet Third Brother's cultivation really was greater than ours.
Could Third Brother have comprehended another cultivation method?
Laozi pondered this to himself.
Seated on the Cloud Bed, Hongjun heard Di Jun's words, and a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.
Tongtian has already become a Quasi-Sage ahead of time? How is that possible?
Hongjun found it hard to believe.
But those words had come from Laozi.
Given Laozi's temperament, he would not have idly boasted to Di Jun just to save face.
Hongjun thought, Could Tongtian have inherited the teachings of some Chaos Demon God and found a viable way to Prove Dao by Force?
If so, that would explain why that wretch refused to come hear my teachings.
Still, it hardly matters. Once I finish merging with the Dao and the Heavenly Dao Laws become complete, the path to Prove Dao by Force will close entirely. Comprehending the Great Dao within the Heavenly Dao will then become impossible, unless he has some Chaos Supreme Treasure to assist him.
If that is truly the case, I need not trouble myself over him too much.
Hongjun did not believe Tongtian would remain so obediently secluded in his Dao Field once he discovered that the path to Prove Dao by Force led nowhere.
That would actually be a good thing for Hongjun.
Seeing that Laozi did not reply, Di Jun found it rather dull and dropped the matter.
He was convinced, however, that Laozi's earlier words had been lies. Exposed before everyone, Laozi was too embarrassed to answer back.
Now that he knew the "truth," Di Jun held the Three Pure Ones in even less regard.
Seeing that no one had any further questions, Hongjun continued, "The seating order within the Purple Cloud Palace is now fixed. Henceforth, none of you may change it without permission."
Then Hongjun turned his gaze toward the Prayer Cushions at the very front.
"Laozi and Yuanshi bear Pangu's Legacy and may become my disciples."
Seeing that Hongjun intended to formally accept them as disciples, Laozi and Yuanshi hurriedly kowtowed.
Although they belonged to the Pangu Orthodox Lineage, that was ultimately only a title. How could it compare to tangible power?
In the Primordial World today, Hongjun stood above all others. Becoming his formal disciples would hardly disgrace their lineage.
Besides, the benefits of becoming a Sage's disciples needed no explanation.
"We thank you, Master."
Pleased with Yuanshi and Laozi's ready acceptance, Hongjun nodded, then turned to Nuwa.
"Nuwa will possess great merit in the future. She, too, may become my disciple."
Nuwa froze at those words.
She had only taken this seat because her elder brother Fuxi had pushed her into it.
She had never expected such a fortuitous opportunity to fall into her lap.
Before she could recover, Fuxi reacted and hurriedly sent her a voice transmission. "Little Sister, hurry and thank the Dao Ancestor!"
Hearing Fuxi's voice, Nuwa finally came to her senses. She hurriedly kowtowed as well, thanking him. "Thank you, Master."
Hongjun nodded and said nothing more.
There were seven Prayer Cushions in total.
Now that the occupants of the first three had all been accepted as Hongjun's disciples, even a fool could see that these Prayer Cushions held special significance.
Seeing all three people ahead of them accepted as disciples, Zhunti and Jieyin could no longer sit still.
"Dao Ancestor! We have traveled all the way from the West, enduring great hardship. We beg you to take pity on us."
As they spoke, the two made a show of wiping away their tears, sending a wave of revulsion through everyone present.
The Two from the West were truly shameless, putting on such a pitiful act even before the Dao Ancestor.
They were all cultivators, and the Heaven Beyond Heaven was close to no one. The two of you had traveled from the West-did that mean the rest of us lived right on its doorstep?
Still, the others were merely calling the grapes sour because they could not reach them.
Some, like Di Jun and the others, genuinely could not bring themselves to abandon their dignity.
Others simply could not get near enough.
Hearing their pleas, Hongjun considered for a moment, then nodded.
"Zhunti and Jieyin may become my named disciples."
The two were overjoyed.
Though they would only be named disciples, it mattered who their master was. With that title, they could hold their heads higher as they traveled through the Primordial World.
Everyone present immediately erupted into an uproar.
"Damn! Those two shameless bastards actually managed to sway the Dao Ancestor!"
Seeing that playing the victim really worked, the others could no longer remain calm.
"We beg the Dao Ancestor to take pity on us and accept us as disciples!"
Unfortunately, Hongjun had no intention of taking these people as disciples.
Of the seven Prayer Cushions, five occupants had now received places among his disciples. The remaining two were Hong Yun and Kunpeng. [Note: Hong Yun's Prayer Cushion was temporarily added by Hongjun.]
Hong Yun took it well enough. Mild and easygoing by nature, he had always accepted whatever came his way.
Kunpeng, however, was growing impatient.
Becoming a Sage's disciple would elevate his status to an entirely different level.
Kunpeng also wanted to plead his hardships to Hongjun as Zhunti and Jieyin had, but with so many people watching, he simply could not swallow his pride.
Looking at the two remaining occupants of the Prayer Cushions, Hongjun felt a wave of frustration.
That wretch Tongtian failed to come, and Kunpeng ended up taking a Prayer Cushion instead.
I intended to distribute both the Sagehood positions and the Spiritual Treasures this time, but that wretch has thrown everything into disarray.
Hongjun was frustrated, but matters had already reached this point. Dwelling on it would accomplish nothing.
After turning it over in his mind, Hongjun could only postpone distributing the Spiritual Treasures until the next lecture.
With a wave of his hand, Hongjun produced seven strands of primordial violet qi.
"Laozi, Yuanshi, and Nuwa are my disciples and may receive primordial violet qi."
"Zhunti and Jieyin are my named disciples and may likewise receive one strand each."
As he spoke, five strands of primordial violet qi flew into their hands.
Everyone looked puzzled.
Hongjun's lecture this time had concerned the quasi-saint Dao, not the methods of Sages, so no one knew what primordial violet qi actually did.
Yet Hongjun's next words sent everyone present into an uproar.
"This primordial violet qi is the foundation of sainthood."
"Without it, one cannot become a Sage."
Boom!
The crowd erupted.
"What? This thing is actually the foundation of sainthood!"
"Doesn't that mean whoever obtains it has a chance to become a Sage?"
Now no one cared about saving face. They all followed Zhunti and Jieyin's example, bowing toward Hongjun and repeatedly crying out at the tops of their voices.
"We beg the Dao Ancestor to grant us this opportunity!"
Kunpeng shouted most fervently of all.
He truly was anxious.
The occupants of the Prayer Cushions ahead of him had all received such opportunities, yet he and Hong Yun had gained nothing. It looked as though he had already missed his chance to become a disciple. If he also missed out on this foundation of sainthood, would his journey not have been for nothing?
But this was primordial violet qi, not cabbages and radishes sold on the street. Naturally, Hongjun would not bestow it on them just because they shed a few tears.
Glancing at Hong Yun and Kunpeng, Hongjun came up with an idea.
With a casual wave of his hand, Hongjun raised the two strands of primordial violet qi and placed one into Hong Yun's hands, saying nothing at all.
Then, looking at the last strand of primordial violet qi, everyone assumed it would fall into Kunpeng's hands.
Instead, Hongjun gently raised it, and the primordial violet qi transformed into a streak of light that flew toward Kunlun Mountain.
"Of the fifty Heavenly Dao, only forty-nine unfold, leaving one thread of vitality. Let this strand of primordial violet qi remain for one destined to receive it."
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