Laozi renounced Sainthood to attain Primordial Unity; Sanfeng and the Heavenly Venerable joined the ranks

"You are right, Senior. Back then, Hongjun deceived us into taking this road of no return, turning us into puppets of the Heavenly Dao. Had you not appeared, I fear we would ultimately have perished along with this world," Laozi said.

Scumbag Kakarot said, "Yes. Now that I'm here, you have a path forward."

"Please teach me how to attain Primordial Unity, Senior," Laozi said, bowing respectfully.

"Wait a moment," Scumbag Kakarot said.

He reached into the void and pulled Tongtian, who had been cultivating in the Secret Realm, before them.

Seeing Laozi, Tongtian snorted coldly. "Taiqing, have you agreed to my demands?"

"Yes, Third Brother. Your eldest brother was wrong back then. I apologize," Laozi said.

"Hmph. I think you're only apologizing because you have to if you want to attain Primordial Unity," Tongtian said.

"Third Brother, you're still so impulsive. You still haven't understood the circumstances surrounding the War of the Investiture of the Gods," Laozi said.

"Impulsive? That's right! I was impulsive enough to trust you and Yuanshi, only for you to gang up on me!" Tongtian raged.

"Tongtian, have you never considered the fundamental reason for the destruction of the Jiejiao?" Laozi asked.

"Of course I have. My Jiejiao was too powerful and had too many disciples, with the good mixed in with the bad, damaging our fortune. On top of that, you and Yuanshi shamelessly colluded with the Western Sect. That was why my Jiejiao lost. Otherwise, the outcome would still have been uncertain," Tongtian said.

"Oh, Third Brother, you're still too young and too straightforward. Your Jiejiao taught all without discrimination, seizing a sliver of heaven's secrets for all living beings. Of course that was good for them, but have you ever considered that seizing that sliver meant opposing the Heavenly Dao?

"When the