Hongjun had become a Sage.
This was the greatest event of the Primordial World's First Dragon-Han Tribulation!
It also marked the birth of the Primordial World's first Heavenly Dao Sage.
Once his decree rang out, every god and demon in the Primordial World bowed in submission.
Just as Mu Chen thought the oppressive might was about to fade away...
Hongjun unexpectedly spoke again.
"Young fellow Daoist who taught me the Method of Gang Fighting through your Body Outside Body divine ability beside a certain cliff all those years ago, you may come take the first seat in Purple Cloud Palace and listen to my Dao. I shall devote myself to teaching you!"
The moment his words fell...
The entire Primordial World erupted.
Someone could actually teach Hongjun to comprehend the Dao?
"Holy crap, no way! There's actually a mighty figure like that?"
"Strange. How come I never knew the Primordial World had someone capable of teaching Hongjun a method?"
"The Method of Gang Fighting? What kind of method is that? How come I've never heard of it?"
"Whatever the method is, the Dao Ancestor is clearly saying he wants to take this person as his disciple! I wonder who's so lucky!"
Hongjun was now the foremost figure in the Primordial World.
For him to single someone out and offer to impart the Dao to them-this was an opportunity as vast as the heavens!
Everyone's hearts brimmed with envy and curiosity.
Mu Chen was dumbfounded atop the sea of clouds as well.
The Method of Gang Fighting...
What the hell was that?
What he did not know was...
The nonsense he had casually spouted back then...
Had already spread through Hongjun's words during his great battle with Luohu.
In the Primordial World's future...
"Gang fighting" would become an extraordinarily novel and fashionable term.
For instance, if some mighty figure in the Primordial World disliked someone but could not beat them...
They would call up their friends and say...
"Come on, let's go gang up on him."
The fellow who got beaten would seethe with anger, then go home and call up his own friends.
"I got bullied. Bring your people. We'll gang up on them in return."
To put it simply...
Gang fighting meant calling in reinforcements, and it would become widespread throughout the Primordial World in the future.
It did not matter if you could not win a fight.
All I needed was more people than you!
Shameful?
Dao Ancestor Hongjun himself had used the Method of Gang Fighting to defeat the Demon Ancestor and attain the Great Dao. Who would still find it shameful?
If Mu Chen learned at this moment that he had thoroughly led the Primordial World's customs astray, who knew how complicated his feelings would be...
At this moment...
Mu Chen faced a choice.
Should he go to Purple Cloud Palace to hear Hongjun preach the Dao, soar through the cultivation realms, and expose himself to the eyes of the innate gods and demons, the Three Pure Ones, and the others?
Or should he continue cultivating at his own pace, without entangling himself in karma with the gods?
"Hongjun's personal invitation detected. Please choose." "One: turn a deaf ear and continue fishing in the sea of clouds for fifty thousand years. After fifty thousand years, receive the Dragon Clan divine ability: True God Lightning Control Method." "Two: go to Purple Cloud Palace to hear him preach the Dao and become Hongjun's eldest disciple. Receive three innate spirit treasures."
Mu Chen looked conflicted.
He was somewhat tempted to go to Purple Cloud Palace.
If he truly became Hongjun's eldest disciple, he could walk sideways through the Primordial World and would no longer need to hide here, lying low.
Even during the future Great Witch-Demon Catastrophe, he would have nothing to worry about. Even the later Investiture of the Gods...
Wait!
The Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation?
Mu Chen furrowed his brow deeply.
The Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation was a war between Sages. None of Hongjun's Sage disciples had had an easy time of it.
And after the Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation, the Sages seemed to have stopped appearing in the mortal world altogether.
If he became Hongjun's disciple now, he would inevitably become the target of every arrow. Everyone would be watching him.
Then, after the future Investiture of the Gods, would he disappear too?
A sheen of cold sweat appeared on Mu Chen's forehead.
He carefully took stock.
There were so many great tribulations between heaven and earth, and not a single one was easy. With his meager abilities, he could not get through them at all!
"Go, my ass! I choose option one!"
Mu Chen made his decision on the spot and stopped considering the matter.
Three thousand years later.
Purple Cloud Palace.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat cross-legged on a raised platform, dressed in Daoist robes. His expression was serene and otherworldly, his presence blending with heaven and earth.
In the seats within the great hall before him...
Yuanshi.
Tongtian.
Laozi.
Nuwa.
Zhunti.
Jieyin.
All had taken their seats.
Behind them stood Hong Yun, Minghe, Kunpeng, Eastern Emperor Taiyi, Di Jun, and the other strongest figures in the Primordial World.
The strangest thing was...
At the very front of the great hall...
There was an empty seat that no one had yet occupied.
Hongjun glanced at the seat, then shook his head slightly and said...
"The hour has come. Today, I shall preach the Dao here."
The moment his words fell...
The Daoist gates of Purple Cloud Palace slowly closed.
Hongjun spoke the profound mysteries of the Great Dao, and five-colored rosy light shone throughout heaven and earth.
All the world fell silent. Not a soul dared stir up wind and waves.
This sermon lasted three thousand years.
Three thousand years later, the sermon ended.
Everyone was utterly enraptured, their strength greatly increased.
In particular, faint golden light appeared around Hongjun's six disciples at the very front. They were only a sliver of opportunity away from becoming Sages.
Hongjun spoke calmly.
"If you have anything to say, you may ask."
Kunpeng was the most unruly and defiant. At this moment, he spoke directly, asking...
"Dao Ancestor, who is qualified to occupy that seat at the front? Why didn't he come to Purple Cloud Palace to hear the Dao?"
Everyone else looked curious as well.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun had personally reserved a seat for this person, yet no one had come. Who had such nerve and confidence?
Hongjun smiled faintly.
"I met him by chance back then. He was merely a little fellow in the True Immortal Realm, but even all of you here combined might still fall a hair short of his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao."
"Such uncarved jade. I had intended to impart the Great Dao to him, but since the time has not yet come, let it be. Simply remove his seat."
The moment his words fell...
The entire hall went silent.
Everyone was dumbstruck.