Houtu taught the way of a ruler; Zhunti explained the Demon Buddha's Kalpa (two-in-one...

Although the Saints were not in the Primordial World, they certainly knew most of what happened there, even if they could not claim to know every last detail.

That was only because the mystery-hidden Buddha's rise kalpa was underway and the heavenly secrets were in turmoil. Otherwise, they would have known absolutely everything.

Gungun had come here today because Yuanshi might know that he had seized the Karmic Fire Red Lotus. Now that Ran Deng had met his end because of it, playing dumb and saying nothing might leave Yuanshi with a bad impression of him, which could harm his future life as Heavenly Emperor. After thinking it over again and again, he had decided to come clean.

In any case, Yuanshi probably would not ask him to hand over the Karmic Fire Red Lotus. Even if he had that intention, with so many Saints here, they would surely stop him from getting his way. Gungun would ultimately lose nothing.

With that thought, Gungun raised his head and said to Laozi, "Thank you, Saint."

Then he stood up and bowed with his paws clasped toward Yuanshi. "Saint, this little bear seized the Karmic Fire Red Lotus from Lingguang. It seems that this indirectly caused Fellow Daoist Ran Deng's death. My conscience is troubled. Please punish me, Saint."

Hearing Gungun voluntarily ask for punishment, Yuanshi's smile deepened. "You seized the red lotus from Lingguang, not Ran Deng. Besides, the Karmic Fire Red Lotus never belonged to Ran Deng to begin with. What wrong have you committed? Gungun, you need not dwell on this."

"But Fellow Daoist Ran Deng died..." Unease still showed on Gungun's face.

"That was Ran Deng trying to be clever, borrowing the Heavenly Court's strength to seize River Styx's treasure. Instead of stealing the chicken, he lost his