Chapter 257: Five Grand Luos, the Purple Xiao Palace Opens!

His strength is too weak; sometimes he can't even manage to join in the fun.

Being a spectator isn't that easy.

Do you really think that, at the crucial moment when the big shots are fiercely battling above, they still have the mood to worry about those other onlookers, deliberately letting the aftermath swirl past so they can be shocked one after another?

Impossible!

Watching the show carries risks; spectators must be cautious.

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer too.

Xin Yin clearly pointed out——on that day, if you want to enjoy the show, you'd better be a great adept.

If we use the Wu Clan's standards, that would be a top‑notch, first‑class great shaman, the first rank beneath the ancestral shamans.

As for the ancestral shamans?

That means they're just someone who grabs a weapon and goes to fight.

«A great expert…… a great adept…… is that it? »

Fengxi fell into thought, then seemed to be cheering himself on: «There are still a dozen or so aeons until the Purple Xiao Palace Grand Assembly…… I will surely strive toward this goal! »

Xin Yin listened, then looked at Fengxi's barely adequate cultivation—having just stepped into senior Grand Luo, still an immeasurably distant distance from the true great‑expert level—and was at a loss whether to laugh or cry——

That's it?

But it's a good thing for young people to have ambition.

So she didn't utter any discouraging mockery; instead she encouraged, «Good! »

«I'll be waiting for your good news. »

After saying that, she hesitated a moment before speaking: «You…… also don't put too much pressure on yourself. »

«After all, you're not going to speak up and propose a major direction concerning the myriad heavens of all ages, which would harm others' interests. »

«Put simply, we go there just to wave flags and shout for Sister Nüwa, to bolster the momentum. »

«By then…… hey, we just need to be clever and stand behind Nüwa. »

«Raise the flag, shout loudly…… well, that's about enough; no need to worry too much about safety. »

Xin Yin said, «Actually, I reckon many ordinary Grand Luos think this way. »

«It's good to enjoy the shade under a big tree…… Have you forgotten when you attained the Dao as a Grand Luo? Cutting the three corpses, cutting the three corpses, is actually hinting——at crucial moments you rely on a backer! »

Xin Yin reminded.

Fengxi's expression at this moment was hard to put into words——what you said makes perfect sense; I don't even know how to refute it.

He slightly turned his thoughts——

In a vast, towering palace, Grand Luos formed factions and stood, each guarding their own big shot.

The strongest batch of great experts widened their eyes, tiger‑eyed and staring at their political rivals.

Behind them were loyal underlings desperately waving flags and shouting loudly.

For example, the troops under Nüwa and Houtu were shouting——

«Humanity is invincible, victorious in every battle; Nüwa Houtu, civil and martial virtue; for thousands of ages, unify the Honghuang! »

Fengxi thought, feeling his whole self intoxicated.

«Damn! »

«But please don't really let it develop like this! »

«After mingling in the Honghuang for so many years, I finally managed to leave in my mind an extraordinarily deep and clear impression of a great system, a great collective cultivation civilization……»

«But don't let it turn, in the blink of an eye, into gangster cultivation…… forming cliques, brandishing controlled knives, arguing over turf until faces flush red, all rolling up sleeves ready to fight……»

«We need style! We need depth! »

«Asking for protection money and such—saying it out loud is too uncouth! »

«It would be more fitting to harvest leeks…… after all, we're all civilized people! »

Fengxi muttered to himself.

However, these thoughts merely flashed in his mind for a brief moment before sinking again.

After all, the spirit of the age is like this; he can't change much.

Rather than worrying about trifles, it's better to focus his mind on cultivation.

«A great expert, right…… a dozen or so aeons? That's enough! »

«If I just strive a bit more……»

«Usually, the Houtu Mother Goddess, in building reincarnation, throws out money lavishly, often in the tens of millions of Houtu big heads. Once they come into my hands, I take advantage of occasional idle moments during construction to invest them…… like diverting a million Houtu big heads, exchanging glances with the Lesser Yang Emperor, using the immortal clan's channel platform…… Moreover, some demon gods, having reached a tacit understanding through benefit transfers, occasionally, through mutual understanding, open up to sell contraband…… uh, I mean local specialties……»

«One million Houtu big heads go in, and two and a half million come out…… that's after deducting various networking expenses. »

«The two and a half million Houtu big heads will return the principal that was created out of nowhere, and then actively put back another three hundred sixty thousand…… this is so that if one day the Houtu Great Adult audits the accounts, I can excuse myself by treating it as a loan——although the interest is a bit high. »

«That's how it is; a single deal can earn over a hundred thousand…… but looking at it now, I need to take bigger steps, divert more when starting up, compress the cycle…… and when paying interest, also pay a little less…… cut the three hundred sixty thousand down to three hundred thousand! »

«Um, there's also the Wu Clan bonds…… to build the Wu Clan, to show sincerity, to help the Wu Clan develop, I sank a big sum, buying the Houtu Great Adult's promoted clan bonds, and got fleeced of quite a bit……»

«Now I need to find a suitable buyer to turn over, so the sunk funds can resurface and become liquid. »

«……»

Fengxi's thoughts were turning; in the blink of an eye, he didn't know how many strategies he had come up with.

All this is for the effort toward the Purple Xiao Palace Grand Assembly!

……

Time and years drifted by leisurely.

That vast Honghuang seemed to be constantly changing, yet also seemed unchanged.

The Wu Clan and the Demon Race continued to rub against each other, yet still had not fully gone to war.

Fengxi still ran between Phoenix Perch Mountain and the Wu Clan…… on one side he worked hard for the Wu Clan, contributing wisdom and effort; on the other side he made friends with the senior strongmen on Phoenix Perch Mountain, thoroughly integrating into this batch of underlings under Nüwa.

That result is also pleasing.

Within the Wu Clan, the great shamans Fengxi knows are more numerous than before—especially those named by Houtu, such as Mu and You, etc., this batch of strong warriors who can fight and battle; he has now become thoroughly acquainted with them, relying on the policy of making money together and guided by the idea of leading them to prosperity, establishing a solid money‑based friendship, and gradually rounding out Nüwa's network among the Wu Clan.

Among humanity, the future Feng lineage—Fengxi can almost be said to sit firmly and unshakably as the Wind Lord... After all, not only does Nüwa's entourage approve of him, even those from the Great Sage Fuxi's faction that Nüwa poached also praise his methods and wisdom, and they are pleased to see the returns on their investment in him. They say he is a rising new star, perhaps one day he will not be much inferior to Fuxi, and the two may end up evenly matched.

That is a high evaluation.

And it is interesting.

This evaluation reached Fuxi's ears; the great sage merely smiled faintly, gave little response, and remained noncommittal.

—No tragic incident of being praised to death occurred.

This also serves as side‑proof of Xihuang's broad mind, not blocking the path of later generations; he is truly a great sage and virtuous person, without doubt.

In the end.

Fengxi can proudly say to the outside world—he is truly Nüwa's most trusted minister!

No one is closer to Nüwa than he!

Not even Fuxi.

After all, Fuxi is guarded by Nüwa as if against a thief; many defensive measures have been set up on his personal treasury, each with its own password… When it falls into Fuxi's hands, he cannot open it for a while—because he doesn't know the password, he can only resort to brute force.

But Fengxi knows them all!

For example, the password for the innermost first lock is "Fuxi is forever Nüwa's younger brother."

The password for the second lock is "Nüwa is forever Fuxi's elder sister."

The password for the third lock has been changed; it no longer dwells on sibling issues but instead reflects her aspiration—"Nüwa is invincibly strong, mother of all gods!"

The fourth lock…

After occasionally learning from Nüwa, Fengxi feels altogether unwell.

He has many things he wants to say, but feels he cannot utter them no matter what.

Because either the embarrassment is too great—flattery also requires decorum—or he might easily suffer a sudden death—this is the price of speaking blunt truths.

Finally, he can only remain silent and carry out his work.

He adds bricks and tiles to Nüwa's great undertaking, and incidentally increases his own cultivation resources.

Finally…

Under the nourishment of a series of supports such as the Wu shamans' wages, reincarnation dividends, blessings and welfare, Buddhist monastery shares, etc… On the eve of the second Zixiao Palace assembly, Fengxi underwent elevation and transformation!

Crossing that threshold, he leapt from the level of senior Great Luo to become a newly promoted great ability!

Among the Wu Clan, this is a top‑tier great shaman.

Among the Demon Race, this is also a top‑tier demon god.

Of course, although said to be top‑tier, there are distinctions within the top tier.

Fengxi is merely a newly promoted great ability; he surpasses those below, but compared to those above… he still lags far behind.

Some of the most terrifying great shamans and demon gods can still pose a mortal threat to him.

For example, existences like Yi and You.

Moreover, there are the ancestral shamans! The demon sovereign!

But Fengxi is also quite satisfied.

How long has he actually been roaming the Honghuang?

You should know, some innate divinities began their struggles in the Dragon‑Phoenix era, yet now they are still far inferior to him.

Once again, the facts prove.

Connections… no, it's talent… talent and vision are how important!

Earning a death‑wage, you'll never rise in a lifetime… even if you do rise, you'll only be eating dust behind others' backs.

"Great Luo, standing before heaven and earth."

"Hence the appellation 'innate'—meaning prior to heaven and earth!"

"In spiritual light, it is the imperishable innate spiritual light; in spiritual treasure, it is the innate spiritual treasure."

"And innate… also has some subtle distinctions."

"Before heaven and earth, there are the five Grand Ultimates of the innate—Grand Simplicity, Grand Beginning, Grand Commencement, Grand Purity, Grand Ultimate—these five stages from non‑being to being actually embody the profundities of Great Luo."

Fengxi grasped his own cultivation, and for a moment his thoughts drifted.

"Great Luo, a trace of spiritual light originates from Grand Simplicity…… this is a boon in Honghuang for eternal beings seeking the Dao."

"But although all are Great Luo, though their essence is one, their manifestations differ greatly."

"Grand Ultimate is before heaven and earth, Grand Simplicity is as well…… but these two cannot be placed side by side for comparison."

It's like people…… all people have wisdom, thought, and the ability to learn and think, yet different people's ability to mobilize resources to transform the world is completely different.

Fortunately, that wisdom and ability can be improved…… by studying, reflecting, and enhancing, they hold potential and can reach the peak.

And as for below Great Luo?

That is not even human.

Being able to serve as productive materials and tools is already something to be grateful for.

"Upon initially attaining Great Luo, it is the level of Grand Ultimate…… also called ordinary Great Luo."

"And senior Great Luo is Grand Purity."

"Grand Ultimate and Grand Purity, these two kinds of Great Luo…… actually still mean working for others."

"Only beginning from the Grand Commencement level…… in Honghuang does this count as entering the leadership echelon."

"Those bearing the titles of great ability and great divine‑ability wielder gain the right to point and comment on the trends of Honghuang."

"Of course, different departments mean different actual authority for great abilities…… the Clear Water Office, how could it compare to those departments handling personnel promotions and Honghuang finances?"

"This department…… is instead determined by an individual's inclination toward achieving the Great Dao."

The Clear Water Office, of course, has its own advantages—competition isn't fierce.

But compared to those lucrative departments, the road ahead would be tough… Fortunately, my Five Virtues Great Dao heads straight for the real power and profit.

Even the competition is overly fierce.

But no matter what, I've managed to reach the Grand Beginning Great Luo… I can't compare to the terrifying Great Luo of those Demon Emperor Ancestral Witches at the Grand Beginning or even Grand Vast level, yet against ordinary Great Luo I can stiffen my backbone and speak with confidence.

This reflects in actual combat power.

Fengxi endured bitterly for many years, and ultimately rose from those who were once managed to become a small leader who can manage others.

This already counts as a qualitative change.

However, because Honghuang and Pangu do not advocate the concept of 'superior persons,' he remains a Great Luo… Even though he can casually slay ordinary Great Luo, he cannot deny their existence in his person.

This is an iron rule!

"What a pity…

"The strength gap is just a gap… Like in the Zixiao Palace, without a great power, even watching the show carries risk."

"Fortunately, I have successfully developed… and calculating the time, the Zixiao Palace assembly should be starting soon, right?"

Fengxi counted on his fingers.

Then he raised his head and gazed into the depths of the River of Time.

He waited silently.

After a thousand cycles of sunrise and sunset——

Finally!

"Boom!"

A tremendous roar shook the entire Honghuang cosmos and the endless Myriad Heavens and Myriad Elements!

That was an astonishing Dao resonance, echoing through immeasurable ages of history, making the River of Time surge and churn!

At that moment, whether among past or future beings, whether alive or dead… they all felt an immense pressure, and in a daze beheld a supreme palace manifesting in Chaos, a colossal deity seated within, overlooking past, present, and future!

This is a spiritual resonance and reflection that transcends the limits of time and space, directly manifesting one's own existence.

Zixiao Palace!

All sentient beings, according to the Human Dao, at this moment clearly comprehended the three Dao characters on the palace's plaque, knowing this is the dojo of an unsurpassed great power.

It is the Heavenly Dao's mansion, the hall of myriad gods, the pivotal point where the Heavenly Dao governs Honghuang!

"This day… has finally arrived…"

Countless Great Luo sigh in unison at this moment.

(End of chapter)