Chapter 225

As soon as Qi and the others entered Chaos, they sensed the location of the the the Zixiao Palace in their hearts, casually brushed aside the Chaos storm, opened a path, and the five went straight there.

By the time they arrived at the palace, the Three Pure Ones had already come, and many gods had arrived as well; three of the six futons were taken, leaving the rest empty, with no one occupying them.

In Chaos, time cannot be measured; upon entering the great hall, Qi's lecture platform was still empty and Hongjun had not yet returned, so they began to count the time, seeing that a thousand years remained until the lecture, and thus casually found a quiet spot to sit and wait.

Not long after, a pure wind blew through the hall and landed beside Nüwa; the comer was Kunpeng, who looked left and right, saw that Qi, Di Jun, and the others were all present, and immediately bowed, saying: "Subject Kunpeng pays respects to the five sovereigns; may your Great Dao endure forever, and may you enjoy myriad blessings and health!"

This act undoubtedly attracted the attention of everyone present, causing them all to look toward this spot.

Di Jun opened his eyes, without rising, and said: "No need for much ceremony; this is not the Heavenly Court, but a place for listening to the Dao and studying. We have come alike to seek the Dao, with no difference in status or rank, so please take your seats quickly."

Kunpeng immediately replied:

"Yes! Your Majesty's devotion to the Dao leaves this subject in awe; Kunpeng has been instructed."

"But you sovereigns are the masters of heaven and earth, while I am a person of the Heavenly Court; although this is a place for listening and learning, the hierarchy has its basis and must not be forgotten."

Speaking, Kunpeng took out four futons, woven from spiritual roots' branches and leaves and adorned with pearls and jade; seeing the incense aura spreading upon them, he knew they were daily offered with devotion, and placed them before Qi, Di Jun, Taiyi, and Fuxi, saying: "Your Majesty Nüwa now has a seat, so Kunpeng did not prepare one; please forgive me, Your Majesty."

He then turned to Qi and the others and said: "Gentlemen, Your Majesty is the supreme of heaven and earth; having come to listen to the lecture, how could you be without a seat? Your Majesty's exalted position is above, I am below; if Your Majesty has no seat, how could Kunpeng dare to take one before Your Majesty?"

Everyone was stunned by Kunpeng's words and actions; though they were all innate divinities, they never imagined Kunpeng would be so shameless as to place himself in such a lowly position.

Qi and Di Jun, among others, were equally astonished; seeing the futons' appearance, they knew how much effort Kunpeng had put in over these years, apparently having prepared them long ago; although they did not know his purpose, everyone found them extremely beneficial, Qi included.

Di Jun could not hide the smile on his face; Kunpeng's actions undoubtedly greatly satisfied everyone's wishes, and after happily taking his seat, he began to praise:

"To disregard oneself and cast aside one's dignity—such as you, I would deem you the mainstay of the Heavenly Court."

Even Qi, who rarely interacted with Kunpeng, could not help but praise, saying: "You have the heart."

If they were merely plain futons, Qi and the others would naturally not care; the main point is the incense aura emanating from the futons Kunpeng gave, which directly points to Kunpeng himself.

This shows that since the last lecture, Kunpeng has already begun preparing these futons, offering them himself each day, revealing his sincerity and perseverance.

The Three Pure Ones were also greatly shocked by Kunpeng's actions; seeing him thus, they felt ashamed to sit alongside him.

Even the others present wore extremely strange expressions; some of the star gods who had come to listen inwardly cursed him for being shameless.

Kunpeng's actions undoubtedly put them on the spot; though we all serve in the Heavenly Court and are ministers of the same palace, his display of loyalty makes them appear lacking in respect for their superiors.

Know that when Qi and the others first arrived, they likewise stepped forward to pay respects, yet none could match Kunpeng in preparing early and disregarding face.

Now Kunpeng can calmly sit beside Empress Nüwa, while the remaining Heavenly Court folk feel as if sitting on a carpet of needles, unable to sit or stand comfortably.

Only when Jieyin and Zhunti, just as last time, were stuck before the lecture began, barely arriving and making apologies all around, did the awkward atmosphere ease.

Qi, Di Jun, and Fuxi naturally understood their attitude, yet also had a mind to let it be; after all, if Kunpeng had not done this, it would be fine, but given his filial devotion, compared to them there is undoubtedly a difference.

Although Qi and the others did not mind, it gave them a sense of inner crisis, knowing that showing respect is also good.

After Jieyin expressed his apology, he took a seat between Kunpeng and the Shangqing Lingbao Daoist; Zhunti then took out a futon behind Jieyin and sat down cross-legged with delight.

The Three Pure Ones and the gods viewed them, feeling that these two Westerners were no different from Kunpeng—all shameless, unaware of shame.

Furthermore, because of Kunpeng, the Shangqing Lingbao Daoist added a bit of aversion; after a brief hesitation, he rose from the futon and moved his seat to stand between the Taqing Daode Daoist and the Yuqing Yuan Shi Daoist.

The Daode Daoist slightly frowned, but said nothing; the Yuan Shi Daoist showed displeasure, feeling that Lingbao had been somewhat discourteous, yet likewise remained silent.

Seeing this, Zhunti's face instantly darkened; Jieyin's sorrowful expression became even more evident. Nüwa slightly covered her face, and these two of Kunpeng, who had previously offended several sovereigns and meant to perform, actually burst out laughing.

The gods erupted in commotion, each guessing in their hearts: previously Kunpeng was so shameless, yet the Three Pure Ones took no action; why did Jieyin and Zhunti taking their seats provoke Lingbao to behave thus?

Know that the Three Pure Ones have long borne a pure reputation; Kunpeng and they could still tolerate it, but singling out Jieyin and Zhunti in this way made the gods feel a bit more wary of the pair.

Yuan Shi simply closed his eyes and said nothing; the Daode Daoist let out a soft sigh, knowing the people misunderstood, but as he was not the party involved, it was also inappropriate to speak.

Lingbao did not care; dislike is dislike. Kunpeng still retains some dignity, being a subordinate of Taiyi; although he is shameless, he can also loyally explain.

Jieyin and Zhunti behaving thus—Western drifters who have long wandered the East, gaining a few spiritual treasures before happily returning west, leaving nothing behind, their reputation long ruined; now with this attitude again, how could they share a seat? Although Jieyin and Zhunti feel aggrieved, the Three Pure Ones have always been united, and they still need to operate in the East, so they dare not speak further, only helplessly endure, remembering this humiliation in their hearts.

While everyone awaited what came next, purple qi came from the east, and Hongjun the Old Ancestor took his seat on the lecture platform; his gaze swept over, somewhat strange, yet he spoke no word, merely lightly tapping the Heaven-Measuring Ruler in his hand, and the six seats returned to their original arrangement.

Only then did Jieyin and Zhunti's expressions relax, but upon looking closely, they discovered that the seating change had left the person beside them still the Yuan Shi Daoist.

The Three Pure Ones' faces showed surprise; they had not yet noticed, yet the position had already been moved, and they could not help but sigh at Hongjun the Old Ancestor's ability.

"The seats are set; no further changes allowed; the lecture begins."

The Heaven-Measuring Ruler lightly struck; as soon as the invisible sound wave spread, encompassing everyone, all felt their minds clear and their spirits pure, and immediately the Dao's voice resonated throughout the the the Zixiao Palace.

Countless golden lotuses surged up from the ground; the the the Zixiao Palace was filled with miraculous phenomena, heavenly flowers scattered, and the Great Dao revealed its traces.

Only his words were heard: "No Dao can be seen; to forcefully open the Great Luo Heaven, where to take the immortal Dao—this is the mystery within the Dao."

Countless secrets of the immortal Dao, accompanying Hongjun's speech, combined with the Three Thousand Great Daos, came one by one; their content encompassed everything, covering both cultivation of life and essence of Great Luo cultivation, causing all present to become immersed.

Even Qi, whose divine Dao cultivation far surpassed that of his peers and had entered the Mixed Yuan Dao, found his words exceedingly exquisite, and the immortal Dao was not as easy as he had previously thought; everyone in the hall fell silent, yet only one person remained awake.

Houtu surveyed the surrounding crowd, seeing everyone immersed therein, and upon careful observation realized that of those who had previously listened to the Dao together, now less than half were present.

In this lecture, only she of the Twelve Ancestral Witches had arrived; seeing the great change, her heart relaxed unconsciously, and she silently thought:

"Now observing the great transformation among those in the palace, future listeners will be many; my brothers are absent, so I suppose no one will pay attention—I had worried before, but now I am finally at ease."

Hongjun stood on the high platform, silently observing everyone's demeanor, his lecture never ceasing, and the people's expressions varied.

Qi constantly measured his own Dao against the speaker's words, mutually arguing to seek any shortcomings, while Taiyi's divine power flowed, wholly treating this listening as a reference for arcane study.

Di Jun became immersed, his Dao rhythm flowing like the rising sun, yet blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to affect others.

Nüwa's Grand Dao of Creation manifested, the vital breath surging forth abundantly; Hongjun nodded with satisfaction, a smile on his face.

Fuxi seemed to drift within the Dao, neither here nor there, yet he captured every change in the lecture, following goodness like water; Hongjun saw this and gave a faint smile.

The Three Pure Ones' Dao rhythms intertwined as one, manifestations appearing, depicting the scene of the heavens opening and the clear qi rising; Hongjun observed this, stroked his beard, and his eyes showed considerable satisfaction.

Jieyin and Zhunti also had their Dao fortunes flowing; Jieyin's aspect revealed golden light and a sense of clarity, containing wisdom within compassion and suffering, and the intention of universal salvation manifested outwardly.

Zhunti's aspect displayed a Bodhi phenomenon, with eight treasures hanging above, like dream and illusion, like intoxication and sleep, entwined with cause and effect, yet exceedingly clear.

Hongjun seeing them thus furrowed his brows, as if beholding something filthy, yet he forced himself to endure and carefully observed their changes.

Kunpeng's side was also extraordinary, with fierce winds encircling; Kunpeng's manifestation appeared, moving unhindered within the gale, at times like falling into the abyss, yet the earthly fiends could not affect him.

Hongjun observed, feeling neither joy nor sorrow, neither satisfaction nor aversion, only deeming him a person of the mean, yet sufficient as a disciple.

Hongjun then turned his gaze to Red Cloud, seeing her manifestation filled with myriad red clouds, the heavenly rejoicing unbidden brought a smile to his face, and his gaze continually swept back and forth between Red Cloud and Zhunti, as if hesitating about something.

The Fortune Jade Butterfly appeared in time, purple light flashing, it stood atop Zhunti's head; seeing it, Hongjun's face rarely darkened, he waved his hand and the Fortune Jade Butterfly vanished; his gaze fell on Hongyun, regret evident in his eyes.

All of this fell within Houtu's eyes; she felt astonished in her heart, yet dared not ask; Hongjun did not conceal it, merely a figure emerged from his body and came to Houtu's side, smiling slightly and saying: 'Poor foolish child, your fate is so bitter; such heavenly mandate, I do not know whether it is good or bad.'

Then that person placed his hand on Houtu's head and gently stroked; Houtu only felt countless doubts in her heart, yet she could never ask; she was extremely anxious, yet in the end she could not move at all.

However, with just that stroke, Houtu discovered she could faintly understand the Dao spoken by Hongjun; although somewhat unclear, it was like hearing celestial music, making her feel her ears and eyes clearer than ever before.

The separated figure returned to Hongjun's body; Houtu also cast aside what had happened, immersing herself in listening to the Dao; as the Dao sounds shifted, her emotions surged and fluctuated.

Seeing this, Hongjun smiled satisfied; another figure emerged from his body and approached Qi's side; Qi also opened his eyes and looked at Hongjun, his eyes hinting with a trace of doubt.

The figure sat down beside Qi, helping him sit, and smiled: 'Dao friend, may we have a casual chat?'

Although he did not understand, Qi also restrained his breath and said: 'Since the great god has spoken, what is there that cannot be said?'

Hongjun's avatar then smiled and said:

"There's no need for this, Dao friend; considering only strength, I may not prevail; we are both innate divine sages, so we can speak as equals."

"You are a good person, Dao friend; although your nature is fierce, you are not an evil person; you have great merit in heaven and earth, and I also owe you much karma."

Qi wondered why Hongjun would discuss these matters now, but having no chance to ask, he could only reply humbly:

"My merit is far inferior to that of the great god; the great god existed before the Dao; although we are both innate divine sages, the Dao has high and low, how can we be considered equals?"

"As for these little bits of karma, they are not worth mentioning; great god, please do not take them to heart."

Hongjun paid no heed to Qi's humble words; karma is something that ceases to exist if one does not care about it; back then he nearly let Qi suffer calamity, and now naturally he must repay; listening to Hongjun's words: "The karma I owe shall naturally be repaid; what happened back then was precisely my own scheming, so repaying it now is only right."

"Dao friend, your cultivation is the same as mine; do not speak those humble words; now I will speak frankly, though it may be somewhat improper, it is also the truth."

"Dao friend, you are acquainted with Yangmei; you also know the Dao of the Three Sovereigns from the beginning; I follow the Dao of the Heavenly Emperor, thus my body now embodies the Heavenly Dao; beneath it are the positions of eight holy sages; I wish to grant one of those positions to you, Dao friend, to repay our past karma; I do not know if this is acceptable?"

Hongjun pondered, then added:

"The position of a sage is equivalent to proving the Dao and attaining Primordial Chaos; although there are differences, they have no effect."

"Of the eight holy positions, six already have destined individuals; one is beneath the Heavenly Dao and has fled, which I cannot decide; there remains an opportunity to become one, which I can still determine; if you, Dao friend, are willing, I will grant it to you."

Qi was utterly astonished—there are actually eight holy positions? Before he could speak, Hongjun continued:

"Of course, the position of a sage is not without drawbacks; if one becomes a sage, one must prioritize the Heavenly Dao and regard the Wilderness as good, or propagate the Dao and establish teachings, or have great merit in heaven and earth; both are indispensable."

"If you, Dao friend, are willing, this opportunity will be yours; whether you can achieve the position of a sage depends on how you handle it; sages are equivalent to Primordial Chaos; nothing in the world is certain to succeed; all I can give is a single opportunity."

"Whether willing or not, it is entirely up to your consideration; I know you have a deep acquaintance with Yangmei, your cultivation of the godly Dao is resolute; the details can be inquired about later before deciding."

"If you, Dao friend, are unwilling, if there is another need, it can simply be replaced; however, the opportunity to become a sage exists only before the three discourses on the Dao; if this period is exceeded, thereafter I will also be powerless."

Hongjun's avatar did not wait for Qi's response, but vanished without a trace, leaving only Qi at the original spot, alone pondering the crux of the matter.

(End of chapter)