Chapter 398: The Dao Ancestor invites discussion of the Dao, the Three Pure Ones are indignant!

Hongjun's gaze fell on Chen Ku, that appreciation undisguised.

This thread of gaze pierced the endless void, and also stabbed the Three Pure Ones sages.

At this moment, they stood side by side, their Daoist robes rustling in the fierce wind, their faces calm as an ancient well, yet the divine sense hidden deep within their sages' bodies had already been overturning rivers and seas.

Jealousy.

Envy.

And there was a trace they themselves refused to admit... hatred.

Once, they were the orthodox mystic gate, the Dao Ancestor's most outstanding disciples, the most exalted beings between heaven and earth.

But even they, before Hongjun, were forever disciples, juniors.

The Dao Ancestor's teachings are the Heavenly Dao's edicts, solemn and distant.

The Dao Ancestor's gaze is the Heavenly Dao's eye, cold and impartial.

When had there ever been such a day, like basking in spring breeze, with the appearance of pure appreciation?

Hongjun taking them as disciples seemed more like fulfilling a duty, to transmit the Dao, to educate, to complete the heavenly numbers.

Yet Hongjun's attitude toward Chen Ku was an acknowledgment originating from the source.

Such honor, not to mention their Three Pure Ones' disciples, even the Three Pure Ones themselves had never received it.

A thread of icy, repressed divine sense flowed silently among the Three Pure Ones, breaking the silence.

"This child, truly proud as the spring breeze."

The source of that divine sense was actually Grand Pure Laozi.

His eyes slightly closed, his whole body surrounded by the Dao rhythm of tranquil non-action, as if nothing troubled his mind.

Yet this divine sense leaked the truest emotion deep in his Dao heart.

"Truly hateful!"

Laozi's seemingly desireless Dao heart actually gave rise to waves at this moment.

Another, sharper and more arrogant divine sense followed closely, bringing uncontainable anger and unwillingness.

"From now on, I will seize all creation of heaven and earth for the disciples of the Orthodox Sect!"

Primordial Beginning stood at the center, his face stern, the illusory shadow of the Great Dao Golden Lotus trembling slightly beneath his feet, revealing his inner unrest.

"Hmph, I refuse to believe that everyone under my Orthodox Sect, all being great opportunities and great fortune, could be inferior to a Chen Ku!"

His divine sense was filled with the sound of metal halberds, decisive and unequivocal.

"This kid... is just lucky."

Even to this day, Primordial Beginning stubbornly attributes Chen Ku's strength to illusory luck.

To acknowledge Chen Ku's talent and strength is to deny the superiority of his Orthodox Sect's golden rules, which he cannot accept.

However, a third divine sense arose, carrying a heavy and desolate feeling.

"Still want to surpass Chen Ku?!"

Reaching Heaven's figure stood on the far right, the sword intent of the Four Slay-Immortal Swords twining around him, not fierce but exuding a deep sentiment.

"This... will probably be extremely difficult."

This divine sense was both a reply to Primordial Beginning and like a sigh from the depths of the heart.

As soon as these words were spoken, Primordial Beginning's divine sense instantly became violent.

"Third Brother!"

Primordial Beginning suddenly glanced sideways, his eyebrows shooting up, his pupils bursting forth with terrifying golden light, warping the void.

"You are boosting others' morale and destroying your own prestige!"

Primordial Beginning's chest heaved violently, but he ultimately forcibly suppressed that anger rushing to the celestial spirit, turning his gaze away.

The Three Pure Ones fell into a deathlike silence.

And just at this moment.

On the other side, Hongjun had already made a move.

He had no shocking opening move, simply raising his hand calmly.

With the movement of his fingers, profound and ultimate seals arose from nowhere, merging into heaven and earth.

That was neither mana nor supernatural ability.

That was the Dao itself.

It was the manifestation of the universe's supreme rule at the Dao Ancestor's fingertips.

Boom!

Infinite power poured down from the nine heavens, sweeping across the entire Primordial World.

This was not destructive power, but a creative force, streams of auspicious and pure immortal energy, like sweet rain falling universally, nourishing this land that had just undergone catastrophe.

All surviving beings lifted their heads in shock.

They personally witnessed divine traces.

The land shattered by the witch–monster war, deep terrifying abysses without bottom, were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The immortal mountains flattened to plain, under the pull of the Dao rhythm, rose from the ground, reshaping their forms, more majestic than before.

One after another, the collapsed cave heavens and blessed lands recondensed in the void, spiritual energy pouring in like a waterfall, the fractured law order rewoven, flowing within.

Stalk after stalk of spiritual root immortal herbs, withered in malevolent qi, now bathed in pure immortal energy, renewed with vigorous vitality.

Withered branches sent forth new shoots, swaying in the wind, flowing light and brilliant hues, profound and yet more profound.

Even the vast swaths of heaven-and-earth law shattered by the self-detonation of primordial ancestors and falling stars turned into dazzling light bands, under Hongjun's will re spliced, repaired, made whole.

The entire Primordial World seemed as if a rewind button had been pressed.

From beginning to end, Hongjun's complexion showed not the slightest change.

Calm.

Indifferent.

Without ripple or wave.

Regarding the two demonic races that perished together and completely withdrew from the historical stage, he showed no emotion.

No pity, let alone sympathy.

It seemed that the fall of countless billions of beings was merely, under the trend of the Heavenly Dao, an inevitable, insignificant footnote.

All of this was originally an ending predetermined by fate.

His intervention was not out of pity, but merely to repair this stage so that the next great drama…… could proceed smoothly.

The beings between heaven and earth naturally did not understand this deeper meaning; they only saw the Dao Ancestor intervene and save the world, and thus mountain‑shouting, sea‑like cries of kowtow and gratitude rang through the heavens, merit‑golden light gathered, yet Hongjun waved his hand and dispersed it, taking not a shred.

Having done all this, heaven and earth returned to clarity.

Hongjun looked at Chen Ku again, as if the mighty feat of repairing an entire thousand‑world cosmos just moments ago was merely a casual flick of dust.

"All matters are concluded!"

He spoke, his voice flat, yet it contained an irrevocable final decision.

The next moment, he extended to Chen Ku an invitation so tempting that all the mighty beings of the Three Realms and Six Paths would go mad for it.

"Chen Ku, would you be willing to follow this seat to the Purple Azure Palace to discuss the Dao awhile?!"

Upon these words being spoken,

The entire Three Realms and Six Paths seemed as if an invisible giant hand had choked their throats, plunging them into a strange silence.

Time, space, and even the laws flowing between heaven and earth all congealed at this moment.

All sounds ceased.

Immediately, a silent yet violent roar erupted from the deepest depths of every being's soul and spirit!

It exploded!

This heaven and earth, this universe, all beings who heard these words had their souls and consciousness seas utterly shattered!

"Discuss the Dao while seated?!"

"The Dao Ancestor, to sit and discuss the Dao with Chen Ku?!"

These two words, each understood separately, are clear.

But when these words come from the mouth of Hongjun, the sole Dao Ancestor of all ages, and are directed at Chen Ku, the meaning they contain has already surpassed the limits of sentient imagination.

Numb!

In every being's mind, only these two words remain.

An extreme numbness from having one's cognition completely overturned and worldview forcibly torn apart and reassembled!

If it were Nüwa, the Three Pure Ones, or any holy one saying this, they would at most feel surprise and praise Chen Ku's status as now being able to stand equal with sages.

But who is Hongjun?!

He is the embodiment of the Dao!

He is the teacher of sages!

He is an exalted existence that towers above all sages, overlooking the turning of ages and viewing heaven and earth as a chessboard.

The Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, and Zhunti—these sages who awe the ages—are, before him, merely disciples listening to his teachings.

Between Chen Ku and Hongjun lies not a gap of realms, but an entire chasm in the status of the Heavenly Dao!

Today, this supreme existence, yet actively lowering its posture, proposes a request to discuss the Dao?!

This is beyond what can be described as shocking the world.

This is the Heavenly Dao tilting for one person!

On the other side.

Jieyin and Zhunti's bodies trembled imperceptibly.

They locked eyes, and in the depths of their gazes, an uncontainable golden divine light surged wildly.

This was not ordinary joy.

It was the extreme exhilaration of having bet correctly on fate and hit the future!

The hands hidden within their wide Daoist robes had knuckles clenched white.

Prestige!

What is true prestige?!

This is it!

The Dao Ancestor personally acknowledged Chen Ku as 'a mighty helper guarding heaven and earth,' which is already a great honor.

And now, he even proactively wishes to discuss the Dao with him!

This signal could not be clearer.

This is not mere acknowledgment; it is to treat Chen Ku as a true fellow Daoist, to personally step forth and aid him to advance further, letting his already brilliant radiance thoroughly shine through the ages, becoming a truly unique forbidden existence!

Their hearts pounded wildly in their chests.

The future of their Western Sect, their great aspiration, now appears so bright, so within reach!

Their scorching gazes instantly focused on Chen Ku.

Those gazes brimmed with urging and expectation, as if silently shouting.

Answer quickly!

Hurry up and answer!

Yet Chen Ku, the focus of myriad eyes, was like the eye of a storm—calm to a terrifying degree.

He had not lifted his head.

He never showed even a trace of being startled by favor.

He merely lowered his eyelids, his thick lashes casting a fine shadow beneath them, shutting out all external clamor and speculation.

Jieyin and Zhunti's hearts leapt up suddenly.

Urgent!

The two instantly became extremely anxious!

What the hell?!

This kid, facing such a heaven‑sent opportunity, what is there to hesitate about?!

This is an invitation from the Dao Ancestor, Hongjun!

It is a supreme fortune that no being can seek and obtain!

Could it be……

Could it be that he intends to refuse?!

As this crazy thought arose, Jieyin and Zhunti only felt a wave of dizziness and vertigo.

To refuse the Dao Ancestor is to, before all heaven and earth, smash the cup he offered hard onto the ground!

That is refusing a toast and insisting on drinking the penalty!

They could not imagine such consequences.

Little did they know, Chen Ku's silence was not hesitation, but rapid contemplation.

In the depths of his mind‑sea, thoughts collided like lightning and flint.

Discuss the Dao?

These two words turned in his mind‑sea, each stroke seeming to contain endless profundity.

Is this truly an equal exchange?

Or perhaps it is an investigation cloaked in the guise of discussing the Dao?

Is it to investigate his foundation?

Is it to probe his hidden cards?

Or…… to measure his ambition?

Chen Ku's perception is far sharper than that of Jieyin and Zhunti and their ilk.

From Hongjun's seemingly plain invitation, he caught a trace extremely faint yet exceedingly clear of scrutiny.

That is a scrutiny from a higher dimension.

However, as Jieyin and Zhunti thought, he had no room to refuse.

The Dao Ancestor's invitation bestows too great a face, too full.

So great that if he does not accept, he would be opposed to the entire heavenly Dao order.

Moreover……

Chen Ku's thought turned slightly, and his mind became clear.

He is no longer the weakling who once had to be cautious everywhere and fortify every step.

He has his Dao.

He has his confidence.

Even if it is Hongjun, what can he do?

Want to test?

Then let you test to your heart's content.

Want to investigate?

Then let you see clearly.

His Chen Ku's Dao fears no one's scrutiny!

Upon this thought, all his thoughts gathered in an instant.

Chen Ku slowly raised his head.

His downcast gaze finally met Hongjun's eyes, ancient as a still well, seeming to contain the birth and death of the entire universe.

The outside world is but a fleeting moment.

Yet Jieyin and Zhunti felt as if an eon had passed.

Just as they were about to suffocate, Chen Ku smiled.

That smile was light and faint, yet bore a composed ease that comprehended all.

"Hehe, to be invited by the Dao Ancestor is naturally an honor for the junior."

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every being in the Three Realms and Six Paths.

"How could a junior dare to refuse?!"

Chen Ku thus agreed.

Upon hearing this, Hongjun's eyes, which had embraced myriad ages, finally showed a trace of genuine approval.

He swept his wide sleeve.

Without earth‑shaking might, nor any disturbance of time‑space.

An ineffable, inconceivable mysterious power welled forth from beneath his plain Dao robe, gently enveloping Chen Ku.

That power was warm and moist, yet contained the supreme will.

Like the first thread of Dao rhythm when heaven and earth first opened, and like the final stillness when all things return to ruin.

Chen Ku's form trembled slightly in that power, then relaxed completely, yielding to its guidance.

The next instant.

Their bodies had already pierced the void, disappearing without a trace.

Only countless strands of profoundly mysterious immortal light remained at the spot, like living spirit fish, chasing, spiraling, and flowing atop Mount Sumeru's golden summit, lingering long without dispersing.

Each strand of immortal light contained a thread of the Great Dao's supreme truth, causing the space to emit resonant hums.

Dead silence.

The entirety of Mount Sumeru fell into absolute dead silence.

Immediately, a roar like mountains collapsing and seas surging exploded!

"Dao Ancestor… Dao Ancestor personally took Chen Ku!"

"Heavens! That is Dao Ancestor Hongjun! Was Dao Ancestor just… inviting Chen Ku?"

"It's more than an invitation! Didn't you see the satisfaction in Dao Ancestor's eyes? That is clearly an elder's favor toward a junior!"

Countless beings' gazes gathered upon that flowing immortal light, their eyes filled not only with shock but also a bone-deep reverence and fervor.

Hongjun Dao Ancestor.

That name itself represents the heavens of the Primordial Chaos and the supreme Dao.

To receive even a single comment from him would be enough to bring glory to one's sect for countless eons.

Now, Chen Ku has not only received it, but was personally taken away by Dao Ancestor, who rolled up his sleeves and led him off.

What does this mean?

It means that Chen Ku, already strong enough to rival a sage, now has the entire Primordial Chaos's most exalted will standing behind him from this day forward!

From now on, in this world, he can truly walk sideways.

In a corner of the crowd, Jieyin and Zhunti gazed at the dissipating immortal light, remaining silent for a long time.

In the end, Jieyin was the first to speak; his usual weary face now relaxed as if blooming like a chrysanthemum.

"Hehe…"

A soft laugh broke the silence between them.

In the past, you and I, as sworn brothers seeking the Great Dao, knelt and kowtowed three times and nine times outside the the the Zixiao Palace, hoping merely to hear a whisper of the Dao within, fearing to miss that rare opportunity spanning ages.

His voice carried a hint of reminiscence and a hint of emotion.

Zhunti, hearing this, also nodded, his gaze complex.

"I never expected this, truly never expected."

Jieyin shook his head, his gaze seeming to pierce the void and land upon that nameless place of Dao discussion.

"Now, this brat actually managed to have the Dao Ancestor, his master, personally descend upon Mount Sumeru and, before the heavens filled with gods and buddhas, extend an invitation."

He paused, then spoke each word clearly, his voice low yet audible to several nearby sages.

"Such prestige… truly, it gives even more face than we, sages who are masters, possess."

In his words lay teasing and jest.

Yet the deep satisfaction and pride shining from his eyes could not be concealed.

It is a joy from the heart, the dawn of the Western Sect's rise, the exhilaration after countless aeons of suppression, finally able to raise one's brows and breathe freely!

Beside him, Zhunti's smile grew ever brighter; though he said nothing, his gleaming eyes said it all.

Standing at their side, Hongyun's expression grew even stranger.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, yet could not utter a word, finally only able to let out a long sigh.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

Think of Hongyun, a good old fellow—he too had once been a guest at the the the Zixiao Palace, but his affinity with the Dao Ancestor ends here.

Now look at Chen Ku…

Sometimes the gap between people is greater than that between a person and a dog.

As for where the Three Pure Ones reside, the atmosphere has already plummeted to freezing point.

Yuanshi's face turned iron‑blue; the wick of the glazed jade lamp in his hand, under his unconscious surge of mana, burst forth a strand of destructive fire capable of burning a Golden Immortal of the Lofty Luo, which he then forcibly suppressed.

Tongtian's body seethed with sword intent, slicing the surrounding space into countless fine black cracks.

Even the usually tranquil and unconcerned Taìqīng Laozi, his ancient‑well‑still eyes now surged with terrifying divine light.

The green ox beneath him was even more frightened by this invisible pressure, its legs going weak as it crouched on the ground, trembling.

Stunned speechless!

Eyes burning with envy!

These eight characters are not even enough to describe one‑ten‑thousandth of the Three Pure Ones' current feelings.

It is a mixture of shock, jealousy, humiliation, and deep dread.

Ni ma!

This roar, erupting from Yuanshi's innermost heart, nearly breaks the shackles of a sage's Dao heart, roaring across the entire Primordial Chaos.

Chen Ku!

Just a junior of the Western Sect!

What gives him the right?!

How dare he?!

To discuss the Dao with the Dao Ancestor?

What an honor this is!

In the past, the Three Pure Ones, transformed from Pangu's primordial spirit, bore the merit of opening heaven and were the ordained orthodox of the Dao sect; yet even they, in the the the Zixiao Palace, could only sit on mats, gazing up at the high platform where the Dao Ancestor sat, respectfully listening to his teachings.

When had they ever been qualified to discuss the Dao as equals with the Dao Ancestor?

They dare not even imagine it!

But now, this scene is unfolding vividly before their very eyes.

Moreover, the protagonist is still a member of the Western Sect, whom they have always looked down upon and even regarded as a grave threat!

Looking from another angle, a thought even less acceptable to them, like a poisonous snake, burrowed into the minds of the Three Pure Ones.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun represents the Heavenly Dao.

Chen Ku being able to discuss the Dao with the Dao Ancestor—does this mean that, in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, Chen Ku's "Dao" already possesses the value to stand equal with the Dao Ancestor and mutually verify each other?

Does this not mean……

In some sense, Chen Ku's status has already surpassed theirs, these Heavenly Dao sages!

The moment this thought arose, it was like the loudest slap, fiercely striking the faces of the Three Pure Ones.

Burning pain!

They are the Pangu Orthodoxy!

They are Dao Sect sages!

They are the true protagonists of this primordial heaven and earth!

But now, a junior upstart, a Western barbarian, steps on their heads and attains the glory they could only dream of but never reach!

Suffocating!

Resentful!

Three massive, oppressive sage auras intertwined and collided at this moment, causing the winds and clouds of Kunlun Mountain to shift and the golden light to dim.

Their pride, their dignity, were crushed to powder at this moment.

……

In the Purple Azure Palace.

Here there is no sun or moon, no stars, no up, down, or four directions.

Only eternal stillness and a transcendent Dao rhythm.

Strand after strand, cluster after cluster of mysterious qi is born from nothingness and returns to nothingness; each circulation seems to expound the supreme truth of the initial opening of heaven and earth and the transformation of all things.

Hongjun and Chen Ku sit facing each other, their forms enveloped in this boundless Dao rhythm.

Time loses its meaning here.

Perhaps an instant, perhaps thousands of years.

This absolute silence is broken by a calm, waveless voice.

"Chen Ku."

Hongjun spoke.

His voice is not loud, yet it instantly overwhelms all the Dao rhythms flowing around, as if he himself is the source of the "Dao."

"You really have surprised me greatly, yet also made me look at you anew."

In his words, no joy or anger can be heard, yet they contain a majesty that towers over all things.

This majesty is not deliberately released; it is innate, a natural manifestation of being the Dao Ancestor, one with the Heavenly Dao.

Yet even so, deep in his words lies a trace of praise that can hardly be concealed.

Chen Ku's body did not move, his eyelids slightly lifted.

The Dao rhythm pressure surrounding, enough to make any half-sage lose heart and spirit, felt to him like a mere breeze brushing his face.

His own Primordial Dao rhythm, condensed and undispersed, like a rock, guards his own corner of heaven and earth within Hongjun's boundless ocean of the Great Dao.

"Grandmaster... you overpraise me!"

His response was equally calm, without the slightest excitement of being startled by favor, nor any false humility.

Just a statement.

As if speaking of something unrelated to himself.

Seeing Chen Ku's composure, unmoved by favor or disgrace, his mind steadfast to this degree, Hongjun's ancient-well eyes grew richer in appreciation.

Hongjun is not being merely polite.

He knows better than any being in the primordial wilderness how defiant of heaven it is to cultivate the Primordial Dao.

It is a path that attempts to transcend everything, turning oneself into an eternal, sole hegemonic way.

Hongjun himself once was a seeker on this path.

In the Chaos, he, as an immortal demon god, walked this path.

But in the end, he failed.

The end of that road is a despair even he cannot see.

Helpless, he then cut off his demon god's body, reincarnated as an primordial being of the wilderness, forged another path, and ultimately chose to merge his body with the Dao, becoming the present Dao Ancestor.

It can be said that Chen Ku's present achievement is a road he himself could never traverse back then.

It is a scenery he never saw on that road.

With such accomplishments, such temperament, how could Hongjun not praise?

"Good, very good."

Hongjun slightly nodded, the appreciation in his tone no longer concealed.

"Your Dao is pure and strong; you have already walked your own path."

However, just as the atmosphere eased slightly, Hongjun's words took a sharp turn; that transcendent Dao Ancestor majesty instantly turned into an all‑penetrating scrutiny.

The Dao rhythms flowing within the Purple Azure Palace seemed to grow sharp as well.

"I merely... am a little curious!"

Hongjun's gaze seemed to pierce the river of time, see through Chen Ku's flesh and primordial spirit, and strike straight at the deepest secret of his origin.

"Chen Ku, can you tell me how you are able to foresee the unknown and perceive the future?!"

As his words fell, the Dao rhythms of the entire Purple Azure Palace paused for a moment.

That is no longer an inquiry.

But a form of questioning.

A questioning that comes from the Heavenly Dao, from the Dao Ancestor, and cannot be disputed.

"Since you rose to prominence, everything in the world seems to have been arranged by you!!"

Hongjun's voice remained calm, but each word struck like a heavy hammer, slamming hard onto Chen Ku's mind and spirit.

He slowly raised his hand and lightly tapped in the void.

One after another, images flowed between the two.

That was the scene of Hou Tu transforming into reincarnation.

In the images, Chen Ku's figure appeared prominently; though not the main character, he guided everything at the crucial moment, and even the prototype of the eighteen levels of hell bore traces of his guidance.

Everything was just right, perfect to the point of not seeming like coincidence, but rather like a precise project carried out according to blueprints.

"You assisted Hou Tu, established the Underworld's reincarnation, completed the order of heaven and earth—this is great merit."

The scene shifted.

That was the most tragic moment of the Wu-Yao Great Calamity, when Mount Buzhou collapsed, the Heavenly River flowed backward, and the annihilating deluge swept across the Wilderness.

Chen Ku's figure appeared again; he protected humanity, allowing them to catch their breath within the Great Calamity, and even before Nüwa, he acted to refine stones to mend heaven and set up the cauldron at the four poles.

"You protected humanity, mended heaven and set the poles, saved all beings—this too is great merit."

Hongjun's tone was without ripple, as if merely stating a series of settled facts.

Yet his gaze grew ever deeper.

The scene changed again.

That was the final battle of the Wu and Yao tribes, where Di Jun, Taiyi, the Twelve Ancestral Witches—each a supreme powerhouse—perished together in blood and fire.

This time, Chen Ku's figure merely watched silently from the distant heavens.

He clearly possessed the power to change the course of battle, yet from beginning to end, he did not intervene in the slightest.

He simply watched as the two supreme clans that once ruled heaven and earth turned completely into historical dust.

"But you merely sat by and watched the Wu and Yao tribes utterly perish, cutting off their last spark of life."

Hongjun's gaze withdrew from the images and fell once more upon Chen Ku's face.

"Each of your moves is precisely exact, just right."

"Each of your refusals to act is also coldly just right."

"Assisting Hou Tu is in accordance with the trend of the Heavenly Dao."

"Protecting humanity is to select a new protagonist for heaven and earth."

"Watching the Wu and Yao perish is to put a period on the end of the old era."

Hongjun, word by word, analyzed Chen Ku's every action in thorough detail.

Throughout endless ages, though he single-mindedly merged with the Dao and remained unseen, the entire Wilderness and heaven and earth lay under the cover of his will.

Nothing could escape his notice.

Every anomaly of Chen Ku was clearly seen by him.

Once was coincidence.

Twice was luck.

But if it happens every time, there is only one possibility.

These things piled together point to a conclusion that even the Dao Ancestor cannot ignore.

Chen Ku is absolutely not as simple as he appears on the surface.

His origin, his roots, everything he commands are shrouded in layers of mist.

Today, in this the the Zixiao Palace, in this absolutely sealed place, Hongjun finally dropped all pretense and placed this sharpest question directly on the table.

He demanded an answer.

As Hongjun's words completely faded, Chen Ku's tranquil heart, like an ancient well, finally stirred with a ripple.

No.

That was not a ripple.

But a tremendous shock that stirred up towering waves!

Although his visage remained solemn and his body steadfast as a rock, deep in the source of his soul and spirit, an uncontrollable chill spread.

He had always thought he hid himself well.

He had always thought each of his steps landed on the nodes of the Heavenly Dao's trend, thus would not invite genuine suspicion.

But he ultimately underestimated this Dao Ancestor who embodies the Heavenly Dao.

Before Hongjun, any so-called layout, any so-called going with the flow, were like a child's trick, seen through at a glance.

As it turned out, from beginning to end, he had been exposed under Hongjun's gaze.

As it turned out, today's discussion of the Dao was, from the start, nothing like praise or approval.

Indeed!

Nominally a discussion of the Dao, but actually still carrying an intent to probe?!

Thoughts turned like lightning; Chen Ku's mind flowed like a deep-sea undercurrent, the surface showing no disturbance.

The transmigrator's identity is the foundation, and heaven-defying comprehension is the greatest reliance.

These two trump cards, once exposed before an existence like Hongjun, would bring consequences he could not bear.

Even death would be a luxury.

So, act—must continue acting.

Therefore, Chen Ku feigned a bewildered expression, full of doubt as he looked at Hongjun before him.

Ah? Grandmaster, what does this mean?!

Disciple, when did I ever possess the power to foresee and know the future, such supreme divine ability?!

Ah... suffering, suffering!

As for that method, I am extremely eager; Grandmaster, are you going to teach me such a dharma today?!

Chen Ku denied without changing his expression or heartbeat.

This series of reactions—from surprise at being questioned, to yearning for divine abilities upon hearing about them, to urgency in requesting the teachings—shifted emotions smoothly like flowing clouds and water, without any hesitation.

A few words not only completely denied Hongjun's probing, but also turned the ball back, turning the tables on Hongjun.

You say I will? Then teach me!

Within the Purple Dawn Palace, that eternal Dao resonance seemed to show a barely perceptible stagnation because of Chen Ku's words.

Hongjun had no expression.

Those eyes, ancient wells without ripples, seemingly reflecting the birth and death of myriad heavens and the cosmic cycles, were now a deep silence.

You brat……

You really know nothing?

Saying this to a three-year-old, even a child would give you a white eye.

Hongjun almost instantly made a judgment in his heart.

But yet, this face, this demeanor, this tone were perfect to an extreme.

That is a sincerity from the bone, a purity without any impurity, a demeanor such that even if one scanned him inside and out with divine sense a hundred million times, no trace of guilt could be found.

This acting is no longer acting.

This is simply the Dao!

Hongjun's gaze became unprecedentedly sharp.

That is no longer mere observation, but a kind of inspection, a kind of seeing through.

The gaze seemed to turn into two invisible divine chains of Heavenly Dao order, to thoroughly penetrate and analyze Chen Ku's primordial spirit, true spirit, and all traces of past and future.

In an instant, Chen Ku felt as if stripped of his clothes, placed in the heavenly-earth furnace, to be refined into the origin.

But he knew that at this moment, even the slightest wavering would render all prior efforts wasted, leading to eternal ruin.

His heart was unprecedentedly calm.

Within the sea of consciousness, the primordial spirit was like an ancient well without waves; letting that terrifying pressure wash over, I remain unmoving.

He didn't even change the frequency of his breath or the rhythm of his heartbeat in the slightest.

One breath.

Ten breaths.

One hundred breaths.

At this moment, time lost its meaning.

Within the Purple Dawn Palace, a deathly silence.

This silent confrontation's danger far surpasses any clash of divine abilities and techniques.

Finally.

That terrifying pressure capable of crushing the ancient heavens retreated like a tide.

Hongjun's gaze, profound to the extreme, finally eased slightly, restoring its indifference and loftiness.

Hehe……

A soft laugh broke the frozen atmosphere.

That laugh was very soft, one could not tell joy or anger, yet it carried an indescribable meaning.

Also fine.

Perhaps, I overthought it.

Hongjun said lightly, counting this as putting a period on this probing.

Did he believe it?

Naturally, he did not believe.

The doubt in his heart did not lessen in the slightest; rather, because of Chen Ku's perfect performance, it became even stronger.

A junior who, under the scrutiny of his own Heavenly Dao pressure, can achieve a heart like still water, no leaks, this itself is the greatest flaw.

However, Hongjun also knows that continuing to ask would be meaningless.

This brat is slippery, his disposition even more stubborn to the point of unbelievable; using words and pressure, it's already impossible to make him reveal even a bit.

If so, then simply go along with his words and leave it at that.

Hongjun's stature naturally makes it impossible to repeatedly haggle over a single question, losing the dignity of the Dao Ancestor.

Since he has already spoken of discussing the Dao, he cannot go back on his word.

This is the cause and effect of the Heavenly Dao Sage, and also the bearing of his status as Dao Ancestor.

Thinking of this, Hongjun no longer speaks further.

He spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to come from the source of the Great Dao, each syllable containing the supreme principle of heaven and earth.

"Since you seek the Dao, I will today explain some mysteries of the Heavenly Dao."

"Sit down, calm your mind."

The moment his words fell, the entire Purple Dawn Palace's aura suddenly changed.

The previous tense, confrontational sharp aura vanished without a trace, replaced by a solemn, sacred, vast, mysterious supreme Dao resonance.

Endless manifestations appeared behind Hongjun.

Golden lotuses surged from the earth, heavenly flowers rained down.

Purple qi came from the east for thirty thousand miles, auspicious clouds enveloped the nine heavens.

A divine chain of the laws of the Three Thousand Great Daos appeared out of thin air, intertwining into a magnificent cosmic panorama.

Hongjun's figure became immeasurably towering at this moment, as if merging with the entire Primordial Wilds and with the supreme Heavenly Dao into one.

He is the Dao!

The Dao is him!

Upon hearing the Primordial Dao Sound, Chen Ku instantly put aside all disguises.

His expression became immensely solemn and reverent.

He sat cross-legged, five hearts facing heaven, his entire essence, energy, and spirit surging to its peak in an instant.

In the dark.

The heaven-defying comprehension hidden deep within his soul unfolded without reserve!

Boom!

Chen Ku's sea of consciousness, at this moment, seemed to become an infinite chaos universe.

His soul power transformed into a giant standing between heaven and earth, seated at the center of Chaos, listening with both ears, contemplating with both eyes, immersing all his mind and spirit in this rare opportunity of myriad ages.

"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao..."

Hongjun opened his mouth, and what he spoke was actually the most fundamental, also the most primal outline of the Mystic Gate.

However, as this Dao Ancestor himself spoke, each word seemed to possess life.

Those characters turned into golden, ancient Dao patterns, flying from Hongjun's mouth, directly imprinted in the void, and finally flew into Chen Ku's glabella, deeply etched upon his primordial spirit.

Chen Ku's current cultivation, looking across the Primordial Wilds, is already a top-tier existence.

Yet before Hongjun, he remains like a firefly beside the bright moon.

The Dao Ancestor's personal exposition of the Dao is, for him, no less than a transformation of body and bone, a great fortune.

Many previously obscure and difficult cultivation barriers, under the cleansing of the Primordial Dao Sound, suddenly became clear.

Some understandings of the laws also instantly rose several levels.

His mind and spirit were completely immersed in the contemplation of the Great Dao.

The heaven-defying comprehension whirred wildly, breaking down, absorbing, and deducing each word and every marvelous meaning spoken by Hongjun, turning them into his deepest understanding and nourishment.

His entire aura was slowly and steadily climbing at a speed barely perceptible yet truly real.

This lecture on the Dao was, for him, a great benefit and an even greater fortune!

Time flew by.

In the boundless expanse of the Primordial Wilds, time is the most worthless measure.

After the cataclysmic war between witches and demons that swept the world ended, the bloody hue and killing aura of the Great Calamity had already dissipated completely.

Between heaven and earth, an era dawned, long enough for countless beings to forget conflict.

No more slaughter.

No more disputes.

This is undoubtedly the best of times.

All beings and spirits now possessed unprecedented peace and tranquility, able to cultivate calmly in the rich spiritual qi of heaven and earth, pursuing their own Great Dao.

And Chen Ku, this name, had long become the deepest imprint of this era.

Having returned from discussing the Dao with the supreme Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor, from the the Zixiao Palace...

He was no longer merely a strong cultivator.

He had become a symbol, a living legend.

Chen Ku, these two characters, are the most blazing, most fervent sun in the Primordial Wilds.

Whether it be newly awakened mountain sprites or famed Great Luo Golden Immortals, when mentioning this name, their voices unconsciously carry a hint of awe.

Admiration, reverence, longing.

Countless emotions converged into a flood of faith, day and night scouring his Daoist sanctuary.

Yet Chen Ku, at the center of it all, had a Dao heart that grew ever clearer and ever more resolute.

In discussing the Dao with Hongjun, he glimpsed a vaster expanse of heaven and earth, and came to a clearer understanding of his own Dao.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Hongjun the Dao Ancestor.

This is no longer a distant, unattainable dream.

But rather the next coordinate of his cultivation, a far shore he must inevitably reach.

Even... to surpass it.

This thought took root in the depths of his mind-sea, proliferating wildly.

Like a seed containing the entirety of Chaos, waiting to break through the earth and overturn the whole universe.

Such a thought, if known to the Three Pure Ones or such sages, would only draw contemptuous scoffs.

Idle talk.

The ravings of a fool.

Below sages, all are ants; and Hongjun the Dao Ancestor is an existence that transcends even the Heavenly Dao.

Surpass him?

How arrogant!

But the greatest difference between Chen Ku and other cultivators lies herein.

Mixed Yuan Great Luo Golden Immortal.

This identity and this cultivation are his confidence for daring to strike against the shackles of heaven and earth.

It is what grants him the sole qualification to pursue the supreme realm.

……

But Chen Ku did not know.

When his brilliance illuminated the Honghuang, revered by myriad spirits, like the sun at high noon.

The Kunlun Mountain standing in the east of the Honghuang, symbolizing the orthodox lineage of Pangu, had an atmosphere above it so repressed it was nearly solid.

The Three Pure Ones sat upright on their mats.

The Dao rhythms flowing around his body collided with each other, refusing to merge, making this saint's dojo appear extremely unsettled.

Finally, it was Yuanshi Tianzun who broke this deathly silence.

His voice was no longer the usual solemn and aloof tone of the Jie Sect's sect master, but carried a barely suppressible tremor, a vibration born of extreme unwillingness.

"Elder brother!"

He suddenly flung his eyes open, divine light bursting from his pupils, as if two worlds were being born and dying within them.

"Are we… really just going to watch helplessly as Chen Ku rises, unstoppable?!"

As his words fell, the surface of the white jade teacup in his hand silently spread with countless fine cracks.

Yuanshi's gaze pierced through the swirling Chaos qi within the hall, locking firmly onto Laozi, who sat with eyes closed, cultivating his spirit beside them.

He knew that, among the three brothers, none harbored a greater hatred for Chen Ku than the one who usually appeared most non-acting and indifferent—the eldest brother, Taishang.

After all, how flourishing the Ren Sect once was!

Taking humanity as its foundation and solely controlling humanity's fortune, that surging fortune almost pushed the Dao lineage of his Grand Purity to the pinnacle of the Daoist gate.

But it was all because of Chen Ku!

Just because he stuck his foot in, protecting humanity and letting humanity break free from the Saints' control!

The power of faith that should have wholly gone to the Ren Sect, the incense of billions of humanity, ultimately surged westward in full, achieving the Buddhist gate of those two fellows!

This is draining the cauldron!

This is shaking the foundation of his Grand Purity lineage!

After that, the Ren Sect never recovered, gradually declining, and could no longer contend for glory with the Jie, Zhao, and Buddhist sects.

Laozi usually keeps a low profile, presenting a tranquil and non-acting demeanor.

But Yuanshi knows that beneath that calm lies a surging hatred.

That hatred has long seeped into his marrow, engraved upon his Saint's Dao fruit.

Indeed!

Hearing Yuanshi's question full of unwillingness,

and with no outsiders present, only the three brothers,

Laozi simply gave up maintaining the dignity of a Saint.

His half-closed eyes slowly opened.

Without earth-shaking majesty.

Without world-destroying aura.

Only a deathly silence, an unfathomable darkness.

As if even light and Dao would be devoured by those eyes.

The temperature within the Three Pure Hall plummeted in that instant, even the flowing Dao rhythm turning sluggish.

"Hmph."

A soft snort.

Not like thunder, yet it shocks the soul more than thunder.

Yuanshi felt his mind shudder, and even Tongtian, who had sat silently beside him with a faint sword aura, twitched his eyelids slightly.

"This Chen Ku is truly hateful!"

Laozi's voice was flat, without any fluctuation, yet it let Yuan hear every word clearly.

Each word contained enough chill to freeze a thousand worlds.

The whisk in his hand lightly rested on his arm, appearing unchanged.

But Yuanshi could feel that the elder brother's "non-acting" Dao rhythm around his body had, for the first time, shown a crack.

From that crack seeped a killing intent so fierce it would startle even a Saint.

"But……"

Laozi shifted his tone, forcibly pressing back the killing intent that had almost coalesced into substance, and the gloom in his eyes receded, returning to an ancient well's stillness.

"This child's combat prowess is outstanding, his comprehension astonishing; he has long been beyond our ability to oppose."

He openly admitted this.

This is not boosting others' morale; it is a fact.

In the Purple Aurora Palace, being able to discuss the Dao with the Dao Ancestor itself shows the problem.

They are immortals who cannot die, yet if they truly faced the present Chen Ku, defeat would be inevitable, even with the risk of being suppressed.

A Saint's dignity cannot be lost.

Laozi continued speaking, his voice growing ever lower.

"If we wish to suppress his ever-growing prestige and power, perhaps……"

He deliberately paused a moment.

The entire Three Pure Hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Yuanshi's and Tongtian's gazes involuntarily converged on him.

Even their breathing was unconsciously held.

In Laozi's deep eyes flashed an extremely complex gleam—there was apprehension, resolve, and a hint of reckless abandon.

"……Only by relying on the power of the Dao Ancestor Master."

He said those words very slowly, very softly.

Yet it was like a bolt of Chaos Divine Thunder, exploding in Yuanshi's mind with a thunderous boom!

Dao Ancestor Master!

Hongjun!

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi's eyes were instantly filled with a blazing light; all his previous resentment, frustration, and hatred were swept away in this moment by wild joy and excitement!

His body leaned forward slightly, and even the void around him rippled.

Looking at this...

Could it be that our Grand Elder Brother already has some concrete idea?