The Third Lecture Begins!

"Nephew Yunji, you really do bring us surprises every time! With things as they are, never mind how shocked they are..." Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi lifted his chin and glanced around at the mighty figures watching them.

"Even old fellows like us have never seen anything like it. And you're closest to us..."

While Cult Master Tongtian was beside himself with excitement, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi could not help marveling as well.

Even Laozi, who was always absorbed in cultivation and steady in his conduct, beamed with delight. Stroking his beard, he said cheerfully, "In the span of just three thousand years, not only has your cultivation leaped to the mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, but your physical strength has become this terrifying! It's as though a fierce beast of High Antiquity has been sealed inside your body..."

"Nephew Yunji, it seems you must have had a remarkable encounter during these thousand years!" Laozi said.

They had been overjoyed to see Lin Yunji!

Although Lin Yunji was Cult Master Tongtian's junior disciple, after he entered their school, they too had done their utmost to guide him as though he were their own disciple.

Naturally, seeing Lin Yunji's realm advance by leaps and bounds, his progress astonishingly swift, while his cultivation remained solid and steady without the slightest trace of being inflated, they were overjoyed!

"My heart is greatly comforted! Disciple, if you can, why not tell us old fellows what remarkable encounters you've had over these thousand years?" Cult Master Tongtian said excitedly. He was also immensely curious.

After all, someone like Lin Yunji was truly unheard of and unseen!

How could Cult Master Tongtian pass up a chance to broaden his horizons?

Besides, it was Lin Yunji, so he had no intention of standing on ceremony!

"No."

Cult Master Tongtian had been waiting to hear a story, but who would have thought Lin Yunji would refuse him outright?

Seeing the brat's flippant, unserious smile, Cult Master Tongtian realized he had been played.

He glared fiercely at Lin Yunji and waved his hand. "Forget it, forget it! You'd better hold it in, because we don't want to hear it anymore!"

"You really don't want to hear it? Then why were you so eager to ask just now?" Lin Yunji muttered. "If you want to hear it, speak for yourself. Why drag my two senior uncles into it? How awkward!"

"What?"

With Cult Master Tongtian's keen hearing, he naturally caught every word of Lin Yunji's grumbling.

Anger rushed to his head. The brat's cultivation was only so-so, but his sharp tongue was his greatest skill!

"Hahahahaha!"

"Hehehe..."

Seeing Cult Master Tongtian's face flush red, his beard bristling and eyes glaring, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi and Laozi were the first to burst out laughing. Even Lady Nüwa could not help covering her mouth as she laughed.

Unlike the relaxed atmosphere on their side, the scene over by the Purple Treasure Firmament Hall was quite different!

Dijun and Taiyi sat cross-legged on the ground, facing each other. Both wore gloomy expressions, their eyes frosty and their gazes filled with dense Sha Qi.

"Elder brother, how did that brat Lin Yunji break through to the mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm?" Taiyi transmitted, gritting his teeth. "If this goes on, he'll become a grave threat!"

"Indeed!" Dijun also had to admit that he could not see through Lin Yunji. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind racing, but he could not make sense of it no matter how hard he thought.

"Only a short time has passed. The last time I watched him through the bronze mirror, he was only an early-stage Daluo Golden Immortal! I was already astonished by how fast he cultivated!"

"But, second brother, he is still a disciple of those old fellows, the Three Pure Ones. If we act rashly without absolute confidence, the losses would outweigh the gains!"

During the great battle with the Witch Clan, he had originally intended to eliminate the Witch Clan first, then, after the Demon Race had conquered the Primordial Wilderness, find a suitable opportunity to kill Lin Yunji, avenge Demon God Qijing, who had died unjustly, and restore the Demon Race's reputation!

But he had not expected the Witch Clan's foundations to run so deep that they were evenly matched with the Demon Race.

In the clash between the two races, they had gained no advantage. Not only had things failed to go as expected, but in the end, both they and the Witch Clan had suffered heavy losses.

Now, if he attacked Lin Yunji rashly without thinking it through, he would anger the Three Pure Ones for one thing. If he also dragged other matters into it, would his losses not outweigh his gains?

Thus, although Dijun was angry and could hardly wait to dispose of Ling Yunzhi at once, he did not act rashly.

Just then, the sound of doors slowly opening came from the Purple Treasure Firmament Hall.

Everyone looked up and saw that the hall's doors had already opened wide at some unknown point.

At the sight, the mighty figures stopped gathering to talk and filed into the Purple Treasure Firmament Hall.

They could hardly wait to hear Daoist Hongjun preach!

Lin Yunji followed Cult Master Tongtian and the others into the hall, found the seats they had been assigned earlier, and sat down.

Lin Yunji again sat behind Cult Master Tongtian, his head tilted and his posture lazy and casual.

The mighty figures caught sight of him like this, and he once again became the focus of discussion.

"Look, he's acting like that again!"

"That's the very expression. Last time he was like this too, sleeping for thirty thousand years without his cultivation advancing an inch!"

"Could it be that he doesn't intend to listen to Teacher's lecture this time either?"

"I really don't know why Teacher Hongjun doesn't expel him from the hall. He's far too rude and arrogant!"

"What kind of joke is that? Given Teacher's status, why would he bother taking offense at an ill-mannered brat like him?"

"You can't quite say that. Last time the doors of the Purple Treasure Firmament Hall opened and Teacher preached, he listened attentively for thirty thousand years, but unfortunately, he gained nothing from it..."

"Then why did he come back? The first time, he didn't listen seriously and would rather sleep soundly; the second time, he listened but gained nothing. This third time..."

"Yes, nobody can see why he does it."

"Then why don't we make a bet this time? Let's guess whether he'll gain anything from his third time listening to the Dao!"

"..."

The mighty figures were still discussing him when Daoist Hongjun's figure slowly appeared on the towering Dao platform.

Compared with before, seeing him again this time, he seemed to have become one with heaven and earth, impossible to see clearly or even sense!

The presence around him had grown increasingly ethereal!

Everyone seemed to have the same impression-

Sage Hongjun was this world, and the world was Sage Hongjun!

He seemed to exist in this world, yet also seemed never to have existed!

This profoundly mysterious feeling sounded complicated, yet was so simple.

But Lin Yunji understood that this was a sign that Sage Hongjun's cultivation had risen greatly and that he was about to merge with the Dao!

"Since Pangu split heaven and earth apart, all living beings have evolved, and the Jade Butterfly of Creation appeared, allowing me to attain the Dao and become a sage. Alas, the Heavenly Dao is incomplete. To make it whole, I must preach the Dao to all living beings three times. Then I may merge my body with the Dao, completing the great Dao of heaven and the great principles of earth." Before anyone could react, Dao Ancestor Hongjun slowly spoke, his expression serene and devoid of emotion.

"This time, I will preach the great Dao for the last time. When this lecture is over, I shall merge with the Dao!" For once, Sage Hongjun spoke of something else. Rather than beginning his lecture as soon as he opened his mouth, he slowly said these words.

"What?"

"What does that mean?"

"Could it be that Teacher is going to abandon us?"

"Please have mercy on us, Teacher!"

"..."

Upon hearing that this would be the last lecture, everyone wailed. Their faces were full of sorrow, and they were deeply reluctant to part.

But how much of it was genuine feeling?

They merely coveted this immense fortuitous opportunity and could not bear to lose the chance to greatly increase their cultivation by listening to the Dao for thirty thousand years each time!