Inside Zixiao Palace.
Haotian had been listening to Hongjun expound the Dao when a dazzling golden light suddenly burst from his body. His aura surged, and his cultivation recovered from one-corpse quasi-saint to his original two-corpse quasi-saint realm.
From the main seat, Hongjun noticed Haotian's transformation and stopped his discourse at just the right moment. He watched him, waiting for him to come back to himself. That wait lasted three whole years.
During those three years, Kong Xuan had long since left the Heavenly Court with his Spirit Fruit, and Gungun was still bored, unable to find anything new or entertaining to play with. Haotian, however, gradually emerged from bewilderment into clarity through his perception of the Dao. Finally, his expression grew solemn. He rose from his meditation cushion, bowed with clasped hands, then prostrated himself before Hongjun. "Thank you, Master!"
"Hum..." Hongjun swept his hand, and saintly light fell upon Haotian. His body underwent a heaven-and-earth-shaking transformation, changing from a human body back into his former innate body. From that moment on, he was Zhang Bairen, yet no longer Zhang Bairen. In essence, he had returned to being the Innate Deity he once was-Haotian!
"Child, you have understood your true heart and returned to your peak. Now it is time you moved on from what happened to Yao Ji and took a serious look at this Primordial World," Hongjun told Haotian.
Feeling the changes in his body, Haotian grew even more grateful to Hongjun. "Yes, Master. Your disciple understands."
"Since you understand, tell me: what is the Primordial World like today?"
Haotian used the power of his primordial spirit to sense the current state of the Primordial World. Then he straightened his upper body and cupped his hands toward Hongjun. "The sacred is not sacred, and the mortal is