Mu Chen blinked.
An assessment?
What assessment?
Daoist Duobao said nothing. He merely waved his sleeve gently, and all three vanished from the spot at once.
When Mu Chen opened his eyes again,
he found himself in a seat at the very front of the island's great altar.
Zhao Gongming was behind him.
Behind them stood a dense, countless throng of bewildered beings who had come to hear the Dao.
They seemed to have been moved here directly as well.
A few had seats, but most were standing.
When they saw Mu Chen and Zhao Gongming up front, they immediately grew displeased.
"Wait, why do they get to sit so far up front?"
"Hmph, two Heavenly Immortal cultivators-what right do they have to sit so close when Sage Tongtian expounds the Dao?"
"Get down here! These seats belong to whoever has the fortune to claim them. Mere Heavenly Immortals aren't worthy!"
Everyone was beside themselves with fury.
After all, seating at a Dao lecture truly was a matter of paramount importance in the Primordial World.
Back when the Dao Ancestor expounded the Dao, Ancestor Hong Yun had lost his chance to become a Sage precisely because he gave up his seat.
He had even been ambushed by Kunpeng, who had also lost his seat, because of it.
Though no one knew the final outcome, he had, in any case, lost his chance to become a Sage.
Thus, all beings now placed great importance on seating order.
After all, the farther forward one sat, the more recognition one could receive from the Sage.
Listening to the clamor,
Daoist Duobao frowned with some impatience.
In an instant, an immense pressure spread across the gathering.
Everyone fell silent like cicadas in the cold, not daring to speak another word.
Only then did Daoist Duobao slowly explain.
"The meaning of 'Jie' in the Jie Sect is to seize a thread of heaven's secrets. It also embodies the principle of contention."
"This is an island for expounding the Dao. In principle, opportunities abound here, yet after entering the island, you either secluded yourselves in meditation or cleared your minds of desire, turning a blind eye to everything. This does not accord with the teachings of the Jie Sect."
"In fact, the fruit borne by the island's sole fruit tree was the assessment upon entering the island. Claim it, and your seat would be assigned. Of all of you, only Fellow Daoist Wang Zha and Fellow Daoist Zhao Gongming acted from hearts aligned with the teachings of the Jie Sect, contending for that fruit. Thus, the two of them passed the assessment and were seated up front."
Upon hearing Daoist Duobao's explanation,
everyone understood at once, then revealed expressions of regret too late to remedy.
Especially those who had watched Mu Chen and Zhao Gongming fight from a distance.
Had they known earlier, how could they possibly have let two Heavenly Immortals reap such a benefit?
Mu Chen was falling apart at that moment too.
What the fuck?
Had I known this, I wouldn't have eaten that fruit even if you beat me to death!
I only wanted to keep a low profile and stand far away to listen to the Sage expound the Dao...
Daoist Duobao left.
Silence returned, and everyone waited for Sage Tongtian to appear.
At that moment,
Mu Chen knew what he had to do.
If he ended up this close to the Sage, Mu Chen doubted whether the Heaven-Deceiving Cloak could conceal heaven's secrets!
"Ahem, everyone."
Mu Chen stood and turned to look behind him, his face full of regret.
"This junior is merely a Heavenly Immortal. To have obtained such an opportunity through a chance coincidence leaves me filled with trepidation."
"I am certainly unqualified for this foremost seat. Naturally, it should belong to someone strong. Might anyone be willing to exchange seats with me?"
The moment he finished speaking,
everyone was dumbfounded.
No one had expected this fellow to actually be willing to give up his seat.
For a moment, countless people clamored to speak first.
"I'll trade! I'll trade!"
"Me! I am a Primordial Unity True Immortal!"
"A mere True Immortal isn't worth a damn! I'm only one step away from Daluo!"
"Cultivation realm isn't important. I'm willing to offer five Acquired Spirit Treasures!"
"What are Acquired Spirit Treasures worth? I offer three slightly damaged Acquired Supreme Treasures!"
"Me! Me! One intact Innate Spirit Treasure!"
"A flat offer: three Innate Spirit Treasures!"
Mu Chen's eyes lit up.
He had never expected seats could be sold like this.
He immediately roared,
"Three Innate Spirit Treasures! That's three! Any higher bids? Once you've placed your bet, hands off!"
"Three Innate Spirit Treasures plus five Acquired Spirit Treasures! If no one else bids, I'll settle on that!"
"Eight! Eight Acquired Spirit Treasures! Any more bids?"
Beside him,
Zhao Gongming watched this scene,
utterly stunned.
This Sage's Dao lecture... how had it turned into an auction?