This... was a Quasi-Sage!

At the first sermon in the Purple Cloud Palace, the teachings had concerned the Dao of Great Luo.

Thus, Laozi had gained a thorough understanding of the Dao of Great Luo.

The phenomenon before them, which shook heaven and earth, was absolutely beyond anything a Daluo Golden Immortal could produce!

The only explanation was a Quasi-Sage!

"A Quasi-Sage?"

Yuanshi was even more astonished. "When we left, wasn't Third Brother only an early-stage Daluo Golden Immortal? Only a little over three thousand years have passed, yet he's crossed three realms in succession and become a Quasi-Sage?"

"Congratulations on your advancement, Third Brother!"

Laozi glanced at Yuanshi, and the two cupped their hands together, addressing the cave abode.

With a rumbling boom, the doors of the cave abode opened. Xu Tong sat inside and nodded at the sight of the two.

With his current cultivation, he could tell at a glance that both men before him were mid-stage Daluo Golden Immortals.

This gave him even greater confidence in the path he would walk.

After all, a little over three thousand years ago, when Laozi and Yuanshi had left for the sermons at the Purple Cloud Palace, all three of them had been early-stage Daluo Golden Immortals.

In just over three thousand years, he had already pulled so far ahead!

Sagehood was within sight!

"You're too kind, brothers. How did your journey go?"

Xu Tong asked, and Laozi and Yuanshi immediately looked abashed. "We're ashamed to say that, after listening to the teachings for three thousand years, we've only reached the middle stage of the Daluo Golden Immortal realm."

At this point, Yuanshi asked in bewilderment, "Third Brother, you didn't attend the sermons. How did you learn of the subsequent cultivation realms? Judging by your cultivation, you've probably already surpassed the Great Luo realm, haven't you?"

"Indeed."

Xu Tong nodded. With a flick of his finger, a vast, overwhelming pressure surged forth, bearing straight down on Laozi and Yuanshi!

"I have now reached the Quasi-Sage realm!"

At those calmly spoken words, Laozi and Yuanshi's breathing grew even more hurried!

The Quasi-Sage realm!

"We must also seize every moment to cultivate, or we won't be able to keep up with Third Brother!"

Time flowed on.

In the blink of an eye, five thousand years passed.

Over those five thousand years, the entire Primordial World underwent changes that overturned heaven and earth!

The Witch-Demon Tribes expanded rapidly, while the King Father of the East, whom Hongjun had personally appointed leader of the male immortals, thrust himself into the struggle.

All three sought supremacy over the Primordial World!

Dijiang commanded the Witch Clan, occupied the Pangu Temple on Buzhou Mountain, and formally established the Witch Clan. He gained a vast amount of merit, greatly increasing the entire clan's strength.

Di Jun of the Demon Tribe refused to be outdone. He founded the Demon Tribe and vied with the Witch Clan!

The Heavenly Dao even brought down the Heavenly Court, which the Demon Tribe occupied.

For a time, the entire Primordial World was engulfed in the wars of the Witch-Demon Tribes!

Amid all this, the King Father of the East found himself in an exceedingly awkward position.

He was, after all, the leader of the male immortals personally appointed by Hongjun. Yet neither of the Witch-Demon Tribes submitted to his authority; instead, they had each established their own tribe.

Where did that leave his dignity as leader of the male immortals?

Filled with resentment, the King Father of the East gathered the immortals who had pledged allegiance to him and began a campaign against the Witch-Demon Tribes!

Naturally, the Witch-Demon Tribes were not about to let that slide!

Di Jun was fiercely ambitious, intent on ruling the Primordial World. Provoked by the King Father of the East, he immediately brought the Demon Tribe's Ten Great Demon Saints with him and surrounded the Three Immortal Islands of Penglai!

The Three Immortal Islands were the foundation of the King Father of the East's power, and he could not afford to lose them. But now that Di Jun was taking this seriously, he truly could not withstand him. Left with no alternative, he could only seek reinforcements!

Throughout the Primordial World, only the Three Pure Ones had both the influence and the strength to intervene!

"Eldest Brother, the King Father of the East has sent someone to ask for reinforcements. Should we go?"

On Kunlun Mountain, Yuanshi came before Laozi and asked.

Laozi did not answer directly. Instead, he pondered for a moment before asking, "What do you make of this?"

"This is nothing more than the Witch-Demon Tribes and the King Father of the East trying to control the Primordial World and seize the fortune of heaven and earth."

Yuanshi scoffed. "The King Father of the East is the leader of the male immortals appointed by our teacher. The Witch Clan are brutes who don't cultivate their primordial spirits, while the Demon Tribe are, at best, creatures born of dampness or hatched from eggs. These three factions actually presume to seek supremacy over the Primordial World. In my view, none of them can last."

At this point, Yuanshi could not help asking again, "But now that the King Father of the East has sent someone to request aid, how should we respond?"

Laozi considered for a moment, then waved a hand. "Very well. Whatever else he may be, our teacher personally appointed him. We cannot refuse him this much respect. Let's take Third Brother with us and go have a look at Penglai."

Meanwhile, inside the cave abode where he was cultivating in seclusion, Xu Tong opened his eyes slightly.

"The middle stage of the Quasi-Sage realm!"

Clearly, the further one progressed along the path of cultivation, the more time it required!

It had taken Xu Tong five thousand years just to break through to the middle stage of the Quasi-Sage realm!

Still, compared with Laozi and Yuanshi, his pace of cultivation could hardly be called slow.

"Among everyone in the Primordial World now, aside from old fossils like Hongjun, my cultivation should probably be the highest."

This was still a conservative estimate, for apart from Hongjun, the Primordial World had quite a few mighty figures living in seclusion, such as Patriarch Yang Mei.

"Ding! Progression of the Primordial World's destined course detected. Di Jun has besieged the Three Immortal Islands, and the King Father of the East has requested reinforcements. Host, please make your choice."

"Option one: Follow the Primordial World's destined course and accompany Laozi and Yuanshi to the Three Immortal Islands to resolve the King Father of the East's crisis. Reward: the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords."

"Option two: No one can stop me from cultivating. Stay safely tucked away on Kunlun Mountain and continue cultivating. Reward: the Primordial Golden Dou."

"Option three: Attack the Demon Tribe's Heavenly Court, indirectly resolving the King Father of the East's crisis. Reward: the Chaos Bead."

The system's voice suddenly rang out, making Xu Tong pause before curling his lip.

He knew the Primordial World's destined course well. Naturally, he knew about the disaster that had now befallen the King Father of the East-of course he knew.

But this damned system really wanted to trick him into leaving!

Of the three rewards offered by the three options, two made Xu Tong's eyes burn with desire.

The Four Immortal-Slaying Swords needed no introduction. Used together with the Immortal Slaying Formation Diagram, they could trap several Sages!

The Chaos Bead was even more extraordinary. It had once belonged to Great God Pangu, a supreme treasure formed from the primordial essence of the Grandmist, containing the laws of space!

Together with the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, the Earth-Splitting Chisel, the Chaos Green Lotus, and the Creation Jade Disc, it ranked among the five great chaos supreme treasures!

To say he did not want it would have been a lie!

"Third Brother, please come out of seclusion so we can speak."

Just then, Laozi's voice suddenly sounded outside the cave abode.

Yuanshi spoke as well. "The King Father of the East is in danger and has requested aid. Our teacher personally appointed him, so both sentiment and reason demand that we go and intervene. Third Brother, come out of seclusion at once!"

Their booming voices rang out, but Xu Tong merely sneered.

Nothing good ever came of these two showing up.

But they wanted him to leave seclusion and entangle himself in karma? Not a chance!

"I have gained some insight into the Great Dao during my seclusion and am now at a critical moment in my breakthrough. I will not be taking part in this matter."

Xu Tong made his choice outright. Upon hearing his reply, Laozi and Yuanshi's eyes nearly popped out of their heads!

Another breakthrough?