Kunpeng followed Zhunti and Jieyin straight into their Dao Field on Mount Sumeru.
The three took their seats, and Jieyin carefully laid another barrier around the outside.
Seeing how nervous the two looked, Kunpeng sneered inwardly.
With those guilty expressions, only a ghost would believe they had no ill intentions.
Kunpeng did not care, however, and let them finish their preparations.
Only after everything was done did the two smile at Kunpeng and ask, "Fellow Daoist, you just said you would settle our karmic debt to Ancestor Hong Yun. How exactly do you intend to do that?"
Jieyin asked a question whose answer he already knew. How could they settle such an enormous karmic debt? There was only one way: kill Ancestor Hong Yun.
Yet Jieyin deliberately asked again, as though he knew nothing at all.
Kunpeng rolled his eyes inwardly.
He had to admit that when it came to shamelessness, no one in the Primordial World could rival these two.
In the words of a later age, they wanted to be whores while erecting monuments to their own chastity.
They had been plotting all along, so why pretend to be ignorant now?
But with their Achilles' heel firmly in his grasp, Kunpeng was in no hurry.
Seeing that they wanted to play dumb, Kunpeng joined them in the act.
"Didn't you invite me in for tea? Why haven't I seen any yet?"
The two visibly froze at Kunpeng's words. Then Jieyin waved his hand, setting a pot of clear tea on the table.
But there was only that pot of clear tea, without so much as a few spirit fruits. It showed just how stingy they were.
Kunpeng curled his lip but did not press the matter.
Had they not possessed such temperaments, he would not have come to seek an alliance with them.
Seeing their eager expressions, Kunpeng stopped teasing them and said, "You both surely know that the karmic debt you now owe Ancestor Hong Yun will not be easy to repay. What were your plans before this?"
Zhunti and Jieyin exchanged a glance, then both shook their heads.
"Fellow Daoist, to tell you the truth, neither of us has decided how to repay this karmic debt. Let us speak plainly: a debt involving Sagehood is simply too great. We cannot repay it. We fear we will have to obey Ancestor Hong Yun's commands from now on."
Seeing them admit it, Kunpeng burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Then let me ask you both one thing: do you truly wish to spend your entire lives beneath someone else?"
"Of course not."
Having received the answer he wanted, Kunpeng stopped holding back.
"Hong Yun possesses a strand of primordial violet qi. With his indecisive nature, he is unworthy of becoming a Sage. I intend to obtain that strand of primordial violet qi. All you need to do is cooperate with me. Once I eliminate Hong Yun, your karmic debt will naturally be erased."
Zhunti's and Jieyin's expressions changed at Kunpeng's words.
Although they had already anticipated this answer, actually hearing it was another matter.
The two hesitated.
After conferring, Jieyin looked at Kunpeng and asked, "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, leaving aside whether you can deal with Hong Yun, as far as I know, there is still another strand of primordial violet qi somewhere in the world. Why not seek that one instead of provoking Hong Yun?"
Hearing Zhunti ask this, Kunpeng scoffed.
"Of course I know there is another strand of primordial violet qi. But anyone with eyes can see that Old Ancestor Hongjun bestowed that strand upon Tongtian. It was only because Tongtian did not attend Purple Cloud Palace, and Old Ancestor Hongjun could not bring himself to lose face, that he said it would belong to whoever was fated to obtain it."
Kunpeng had seen through the matter clearly.
"Besides, so much time has passed, and that strand of primordial violet qi still hasn't been found. Who knows where it ended up?"
"Even if someone else finds it, they may ultimately have to return it to Tongtian. I have no desire to labor for nothing."
After considering Kunpeng's explanation, Zhunti and Jieyin nodded. His words were not without reason.
Di Jun could contest that strand of primordial violet qi without fearing the Three Pure Ones.
Kunpeng, however, still had to be somewhat wary of the Three Pure Ones.
By comparison, Ancestor Hong Yun was much easier to handle. Naturally, he would strike there.
Even so, he still failed to persuade Zhunti and Jieyin.
"Kunpeng, we owe Hong Yun a karmic debt. If we attack him, we will surely suffer a backlash from the Heavenly Dao. I'm afraid you have come to the wrong people."
Zhunti was sincere about this. If they could truly attack Hong Yun, they would have done so long ago. Why would they have waited until now to join forces with Kunpeng?
But Kunpeng had already anticipated this. He smiled and said,
"You misunderstand. I never said you needed to attack Hong Yun."
"Oh? Fellow Daoist, what do you mean, then?"
The two were puzzled.
Kunpeng smiled as he spoke.
"Fellow Daoists, you need only help lure Hong Yun out of Wuzhuang Temple. I will deal with him personally. All you two need to do is hold Zhen Yuanzi back for a while."
"That would not count as defying the Heavenly Dao."
At these words, both were immediately tempted.
They could resolve such an enormous problem without personally acting and incurring karmic consequences. It was a blessing as vast as the heavens.
They still seemed somewhat hesitant, but Kunpeng was in no hurry. He simply held his cup, sipping his tea as he watched them.
After a long while, Zhunti and Jieyin finally reached a decision.
"Fellow Daoist, nothing will go wrong with this, will it?"
Hearing their question, Kunpeng smiled, knowing the matter was settled.
Setting down his cup, Kunpeng said, "Rest assured, both of you. There will be no mishaps."
With Kunpeng's assurance, Zhunti and Jieyin said nothing more.
Inside Wuzhuang Temple, beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, Hong Yun was holding a ginseng fruit and devouring it with gusto.
Beside him, Zhen Yuanzi sat cross-legged, seemingly cultivating.
But Hong Yun's noises made him frown. Clearly, the disturbance was trying his patience.
At last, Zhen Yuanzi opened his eyes.
Looking at Hong Yun, Zhen Yuanzi rolled his eyes. "You spend all day freeloading food and drink here. You've eaten more than half my ginseng fruits, yet I haven't seen any progress in your cultivation!"
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun were among the Primordial World's foremost mighty figures, and both had now reached the early quasi-sage realm.
After Hong Yun obtained the primordial violet qi last time, Zhen Yuanzi immediately realized that he might become the target of every arrow. He hurriedly brought Hong Yun back to his own Dao Field, and only then felt at ease.
For all these years, Zhen Yuanzi had urged Hong Yun to stay put and comprehend the primordial violet qi, warning him not to wander outside lest he invite a fatal disaster.
Although Hong Yun felt somewhat stifled, he had obediently refrained from roaming about. Whenever boredom struck, he merely sat beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree and picked a few fruits to eat.
This was not the era of the Journey to the West, when spiritual roots were scarce throughout the world. Though ginseng fruits were excellent, to someone as powerful as Hong Yun, they were little more than something to quench his thirst.
After all, they could not improve his mastery of laws; they merely extended his lifespan. To a mighty quasi-sage, they were effectively useless.
As for their ability to make someone an immortal on the spot...
Go look around the Primordial World. Grab any two people and ask about their cultivation. Which of them was not already an immortal?
At Zhen Yuanzi's words, Hong Yun curled his lip. He was just about to speak when a voice suddenly carried into Wuzhuang Temple.
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, is Fellow Daoist Hongyun here? We have come to pay you a visit."
The voices belonged to Zhunti and Jieyin.