Seeing that Xu Tong already had him firmly in his grasp, Hongjun seethed inwardly, but sat back down nonetheless.
Hongjun gave Xu Tong a long, searching look.
"You really are bold."
Xu Tong smiled.
"You flatter me, Dao Ancestor."
"I merely wish to cultivate in peace. I have no taste for meddling in these affairs."
Xu Tong's words hinted that he was laying his cards on the table.
Yet he had not made his meaning entirely clear.
Hongjun stared at Xu Tong, saying nothing for a long while.
He was pondering what Xu Tong actually meant.
The man said he disliked meddling in these affairs. Could he already know his destined fate?
At that thought, Hongjun's heart tightened.
No! There is absolutely no way he could know about this. It is a fate ordained by the Heavenly Dao, unless his cultivation has reached the level of the Great Dao.
Hongjun dismissed his own conjecture.
If the man truly possessed Great Dao-level cultivation, he would have already torn away all pretense of civility. Why bother maneuvering around him here?
Tongtian must have somehow acquired a Spiritual Treasure capable of divining certain secrets of the Heavenly Dao. That must be how he learned what the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil does.
It must all be coincidence.
Hongjun thought this to himself.
"Tongtian, I can agree to what you proposed earlier."
"But beyond that, let me ask you this: do you wish to become a Sage? If you are willing to emerge from seclusion today, I can guarantee you a place in Sagehood."
"And not merely these Innate Five Directions Banners."
"I can give you other Spiritual Treasures, even supreme treasures, as well."
"As you know, the Witch-Demon Tribulation will end sooner or later. I might as well tell you that when the time comes, Taiyi's Chaos Bell will be without an owner. If you are willing, I can promise it to you."
"All you need to do is agree to emerge from seclusion and take me as your master."
Hongjun decided to probe him, and he was staking a fortune on it.
After all, Tongtian had already caused him far too much trouble.
Hearing Hongjun's words, Xu Tong was inwardly startled.
Good grief, he really is staking a fortune on this.
He is even willing to offer the Chaos Bell. That is the foremost supreme treasure in the Primordial World.
Unfortunately, even a supreme treasure cannot overcome the Heavenly Dao's schemes. What use would it be to possess such a treasure if you imprisoned me in the Purple Cloud Palace?
Xu Tong sneered inwardly.
"Your favor overwhelms me, Dao Ancestor. But I have grown accustomed to an unrestrained life and do not wish to involve myself in other affairs. I can only disappoint your kind intentions."
With that, Xu Tong turned his hand over, produced the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, and held it out before Hongjun.
"Dao Ancestor, you may take this now."
Hongjun did not reach for it immediately. Instead, he watched Xu Tong, a sharp light flickering in his eyes.
Deep within them, there even seemed to be a trace of killing intent.
Xu Tong showed no fear and simply met Hongjun's gaze.
Only after a long while did Hongjun rein in his gaze, its edge no longer as sharp as before.
Xu Tong smiled, knowing that Hongjun would not attack this time.
Taking the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, Hongjun turned and left the Dao Field without a word.
Just before leaving, however, he gave Xu Tong a meaningful look.
Watching Hongjun's retreating figure, Xu Tong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
That old fellow really is difficult to deal with.
He definitely wanted to kill me just now. He only held back because he feared the merit I possess and worried that his Dao Integration would fail.
Once he successfully completes his Dao Integration, I will definitely be the first person he eliminates.
Xu Tong thought this to himself.
Time is growing even tighter. Before Hongjun completes his Dao Integration, I must gain some means of defending myself. Only then will I be able to maneuver against him.
I will continue cultivating in seclusion. I refuse to believe that if I stay out of everything, Hongjun can still disregard the Heavenly Dao's backlash and kill me by force.
At that thought, Xu Tong grew even more resolute. He recalled his three avatars and resumed cultivating in seclusion.
Xu Tong's guess was correct.
If Hongjun had previously considered Xu Tong merely troublesome, he had now placed him on his list of those who must die.
Though he was only an ant, this ant kept scurrying before his eyes and ruining important matters. Naturally, Hongjun could not allow him to run rampant.
After leaving Xu Tong's Dao Field, Hongjun looked back toward its gates.
"You want to ignore worldly affairs and cultivate in peace? Hmph, nothing comes that easily."
With that, Hongjun's figure flickered.
When he reappeared, he had already returned to the Purple Cloud Palace.
Laozi and the others were sitting cross-legged on their prayer cushions, meditating as they waited for Hongjun to return.
Sensing Hongjun's presence, they hurriedly opened their eyes.
"Master, you have returned."
Hongjun nodded. Before anyone could say anything else, he spoke.
"The matter of Nuwa attaining the Dao has been resolved. You will soon comprehend your own opportunities to attain the Dao."
"Since you are all here, Yuanshi, Laozi, bring out the Innate Five Directions Banners in your possession. I have a use for them."
Hearing that the matter had been resolved, they immediately looked delighted.
But when Hongjun actually asked them for their Spiritual Treasures, the two men hesitated.
Seeing that no one spoke, Hongjun frowned.
"What do you mean by this? If you do not wish to hand them over, I will not force you."
Though his words sounded gracious, they already carried a hint of a threat.
Laozi immediately came to his senses.
The man before him was the strongest expert in the Primordial World, as well as his master.
Never mind asking for an Innate Spiritual Treasure of little use.
Even if Hongjun demanded his Taiji Diagram, would he not still have to hand it over?
Why leave a poor impression over this?
At that thought, Laozi hesitated no further and took out the Innate Five Directions Banner in his possession.
Seeing Laozi act, Yuanshi followed suit and handed his own banner to Hongjun, though his heart ached at the loss.
Only after the two handed over their treasures did Hongjun refrain from saying anything more.
Counting the two Innate Five Directions Banners in my possession, the remaining one is in Minghe's hands.
Xu Tong and Hongjun had not established any formal agreement, but Xu Tong was not worried that Hongjun would renege.
As long as he still intended to continue his Dao Integration, he could not do anything as foolish as refusing to honor his debt.
Having obtained the Innate Five Directions Banners, Hongjun turned his gaze toward Nuwa.
Nuwa thought she, too, would have to hand something over.
She was feeling troubled. Unlike Laozi and Yuanshi, she was not wealthy, and she truly possessed very few Spiritual Treasures.
With the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords now guarding the Treasure Distribution Cliff, none of the future Sages had received a share of anything.
Coupled with Nuwa's dislike of competition, she had gained little in the Primordial World over the years. She was an utterly laid-back player.
Even now, Hongjun did not know that by throwing the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords onto the Treasure Distribution Cliff in a fit of anger at Tongtian, he had prevented everyone from obtaining the treasures they should have received.
Just as Nuwa was wondering how to tell Hongjun that she truly had no Spiritual Treasures to spare, Hongjun turned his hand over and produced a lump of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil.
It was precisely what he had obtained from Xu Tong.
The Nine Heavens Breathing Soil appeared before Nuwa.
Everyone's gaze gathered upon it.
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