Chapter 226

As the lecture on the Dao ended, the people in the field gradually awoke from their stillness.

When Qi opened his eyes, Hongjun's silhouette had already vanished, leaving only Haotian and Yao Chi, two young attendants, continually seeing guests out.

Taiyi had already awakened; he realized that listening to the Dao was not about gaining insight, so he was among the first to awaken. After Qi awoke, among the five still immersed in Dao contemplation, only Di Jun remained.

What Lord Hongjun said, although it pertains to the principles of the Immortal Dao, yet many parts can connect with the Divine Dao; its subtlety is not inferior to the Divine Dao.

Seeing Hongjun absent, Qi compared his own insights and offered a few opinions; initially he did not think the Immortal Dao could be compared to the Divine Dao, but upon further reflection, he realized his view was narrow.

Nüwa also largely agreed; although she had awakened from listening to the Dao, she continued to savor the wonder of the Immortal Dao, feeling it embodied great freedom and great fearlessness.

Compared to the Divine Dao, the Immortal Dao has existed for a short time, but I feel the gap between them is not great; after hearing this Dao, I even sense that it surpasses it in some respects.

Nüwa laughed and said, although Fuxi found it somewhat unbelievable, upon reflection it seemed somewhat reasonable.

Seeing no one refute, Qi felt somewhat strange, for everyone present were innate deities, and since birth they have cultivated the Divine Dao.

After this lecture, even they felt that the Immortal Dao possessed its own subtlety, not inferior to the gods; the impact of this event on the Primordial Wilds could be described as earth-shattering.

Qi faintly sensed that the cultivation speed of the Immortal Dao was too fast, as if a sudden acceleration switch had been flipped; compared to the first time hearing the Dao, the Immortal Dao still had many shortcomings, but now it nearly rivals the Divine Dao.

Although there remains some gap between them, it is no longer as vastly different as before; if previously, at the same realm, only the peak of the Immortal Dao could touch the edge of the Divine Dao, now it can match the middle tier.

While Qi pondered, the exchange between Fuxi and Nüwa continued without cease; only Fuxi's words were heard: "When the Immortal Dao did not yet exist, there were in fact few cultivators of the Divine Dao; after the Immortal Dao appeared, many in the Primordial Wilds cultivated it, among whom talents were countless—such development is quite normal."

Nüwa nodded; although she did not think she would turn to follow the Immortal Dao, she was nonetheless shocked by its current development and expressed approval, saying:

The elder brother's words are sound: divine path cultivators are all innate deities, with excellent foundations and abundant fortune; though they become outstanding individuals, compared to the whole wilderness they are but a grain of sand in the vast sea.

From ancient times to the present, divine path cultivators number less than a hundred thousand; though they have the power to suppress the world, their numbers remain ultimately few.

Moreover, their birth times differ vastly; even now, nine-tenths of them have not yet reached the rank of Luo Tianzun God, let alone Taiyi Upper Deity.

As for the immortal path, the number of Great Luo Golden Immortals is likely several times that of divine path cultivators.

The Great One, though he does not believe the immortal path can surpass the divine path, finds that what Fuxi and Nüwa said is indeed reasonable; seeing the two speaking enthusiastically, he cannot help but interject: "Take the Heavenly Court as an example; nowadays it gathers the vast majority of heavenly gods and earthly deities of the wilderness, the number of innate deities is only about twenty thousand, while the number of Great Luo Golden Immortals under its jurisdiction over the various tribes is probably more than a hundred thousand."

It's a pity that it cannot be used by the Heavenly Court; otherwise there would never be a sigh of insufficient strength. Qi, how do you view this matter?

Seeing their heated discussion, Qi laughed and said:

"What you and I say is still premature; even if all the tribes combined, there are certainly not few Great Luo Golden Immortals, but who could possibly control them?"

"Given the current state of the Heavenly Court, it still cannot force them to join; even on the wilderness land, there are still many places that need cooperation with them to ensure peace and prosperity."

"With you and me, the Heavenly Court still cannot achieve this; who else in the wilderness could surpass us?"

"You should know, those Great Luo Golden Immortals, aside from loose cultivators, are each the chieftain of a major tribe; to take in one is to subdue an entire major tribe."

"As for those loose cultivators, that's fine enough; the others have clan ties, so how could they dare to stake a tribe's fate on a single person? Do they truly regard the Heavenly Court as nothing?"

Kunpeng stood aside, with no intention to interject; the gap in status between the two is naturally an insurmountable barrier; he had long since made up his mind that, unless someone asked him a question, he would simply act as if he did not exist.

Since joining the Heavenly Court, his goals have almost all been completed; the Bei Fang continent has returned to the right track, being the earliest among the four continents; now only time is needed for recovery, and the scene of prosperity and flourishing is near at hand.

As for the place of his birth, he has no regrets; as for himself personally, Kunpeng is even more so.

Controlling a portion of the Heavenly Court, his power and influence are tremendous; only below the five Majesties, far surpassing his peers, there is no one in the wilderness who can match him.

Kunpeng knows that while the Three Pure Ones have a good reputation, others dare not offend the Three Pure Ones, yet they would never dare to offend him, for offending Kunpeng gives him plenty of ways to retaliate.

As for offending the Three Pure Ones, at worst one would just hide far away; given the vastness of the wilderness, if one wishes to hide, the three of them would surely not be able to find them, and with their reputations intact, they would not carry out a clan extermination.

It is precisely for this reason that Kunpeng looks down on the Three Pure Ones, dares to disregard them, feeling that they are caught up in petty concerns, letting the present opportunities and fortunes go to waste, thus cheaply benefiting him.

From this perspective, Kunpeng is immensely grateful for the spirit of the Bei Fang continent; if he had not grown up in such an environment, he feels he might have been like the Three Pure Ones, single-mindedly pursuing the Dao, relying on nothing external, and would not have attained his current power and status.

Not long ago, Kunpeng returned once to the Bei Fang continent; Yu Qiang personally led a team to welcome him, bowing low before him and refusing to speak of the past siege.

Kunpeng wanted to return the Xuan Yin Arrow, but Yu Qiang repeatedly refused; the feeling of that time, Kunpeng feels he will never forget.

Seeing Kunpeng seemingly immersed in his own world, faintly still carrying a bit of excitement, Qi stopped his conversation with Nüwa and Fuxi, and asked Kunpeng:

"Vast Sea Majesty, Boundless Heavenly Lord, so deep in thought, do you have any different opinion on what we have said?"

The title Vast Sea Majesty, Boundless Heavenly Lord is the honorific bestowed upon Kunpeng by the Heavenly Court after he took charge of the Department of Three Mountains and Five Peaks; it is similar to the heavenly king titles of the Three Pure Ones, merely an appellation unrelated to power, yet it also highlights his distinction.

Kunpeng was a bit distracted, and he rarely heard anyone address him by that title; for a moment he didn't realize they were calling him, then after a brief pause he immediately said: "Several Majesties, your thoughts are profound and your vision far-reaching; your words are naturally reasonable, and how could a subordinate dare to comment rashly?"

Seeing his sincere attitude, as if genuine, Qi could not tell whether Kunpeng truly felt that way, or whether he had just been distracted and not heard, merely echoing.

Seeing that Di Jun was about to awaken, Qi also didn't bother to discern the truth of Kunpeng's words; seeing his breath solid, he knew his gains were substantial, and thought that leading the Heavenly Court's personnel back to the wilderness under his command would surely be fine, so he spoke up:

"We still have some matters to attend to, needing to remain in Chaos for a period of time, after which you will lead the Heavenly Court's gods back to the heavenly realm."

"This stay will last at most one cycle; during this period, the affairs of the Heavenly Court shall be under your charge, continuing to implement the previous plan, with few complications."

"If a major event occurs and you cannot decide, you may go to Yunmze Marsh to seek the Lord of the Clouds; he has his own way to contact us, and simultaneously send word to the Three Pure Ones, asking them to take charge in the Heavenly Court, so as to prevent troublemakers from causing disorder." "Bai Ze shall act as head of the Department of Good and Evil Gods; the Department of Stars and Constellations shall be headed by Xihe and Changxi; the Thunder Department and the Dipper Department must not be moved lightly; the Department of Step Rain and Rising Cloud must not be halted; you must give importance to the Plague Department and the Fire Department, and must not make any mistakes."

"Migrating the various tribes, balancing the three categories—this is of utmost importance; nowadays the East continent and the Nan Fang continent are still unstable, you must handle this matter and must not rush."

"Anti-corruption efforts are to be set aside for now; we will take them up after we return. During this period, this must not be leaked, lest it stir unrest."

"Upon our departure, the Heavenly Court will lack military strength; now it so happens that heaven and earth undergo a rare great change, and with the current power it is still insufficient to suppress the wilderness; if anyone truly dares to challenge the Heavenly Court's dignity, we can organize the Primordial Yunmze Stellar Grand Formation."

"However, remember, this formation is extraordinary; if it is to be manifested, there must be some gain, otherwise it will only waste the people's resources and cause great loss."

Qi gave his earnest instructions, carefully dividing each matter to ensure that the Heavenly Court would encounter no problems in their absence.

Kunpeng, meanwhile, was overjoyed, while likewise feeling his pressure double; Qi's appointment before the assembled gods of the Heavenly Court undoubtedly confirmed him as the foremost under the Heavenly Emperor.

During this one cycle, how the Heavenly Court performs will be his test; if any mistake occurs, not to mention Qi and Di Jun, even Kunpeng will not let himself off the hook.

"Kunpeng will surely not fail the Majesty's trust; in the Majesty's absence, the Heavenly Court will certainly be at peace."

"If any mistake occurs, Kunpeng willingly accepts the penalty of self-annihilation!"

Kunpeng did not even ask what Qi and the others intended to do or where they were going; he simply agreed immediately, fearing that Qi might withdraw his order.

Not far away, Bai Ze's eyes revealed boundless envy; he speculated in his heart whether Emperor Qi had chosen Kunpeng this time because of Kunpeng's actions prior to giving the lecture, secretly disparaging Kunpeng's shamelessness and lucky fortune.

At this moment, Di Jun had just awakened from his meditative contemplation; he did not know why Qi would act thus, nor did he recall any other matter requiring the five of them to remain, but out of the trust accumulated over time, he did not voice any question.

Only after waiting for Kunpeng to lead the Heavenly Court's personnel away did he turn to Qi, awaiting his explanation.

Fuxi, Nüwa, and the Great One were likewise; just now they had the same doubts in their hearts, yet they did not speak, merely out of trust, knowing that Qi's decision must have its reason.

Qi looked around and saw Yinglong in the distance; earlier they had wished to summon Yinglong, but because the time for the lecture was approaching, they could only temporarily set it aside, prioritizing listening to the lecture.

Ying Long also merely came to deliver a message, informing that the Dao lecture was imminent; although he also wished to go to the Heavenly Court, he feared delaying the Emperors' Dao lecture journey, hoping to meet in the the the Zixiao Palace and then again follow the Emperors' teachings.

Qi and the others were somewhat dissatisfied, but had nothing to say in response; after all, the time for the Dao lecture was approaching, and they also couldn't well obstruct the Dao lecture.

Moreover, his words placed himself in a lower position, his speech was quite respectful; considering his former prestige, Di Jun and Qi also had no choice but to agree to Ying Long's request.

But unexpectedly, after Qi and the others arrived at the the the Zixiao Palace, Ying Long had not yet arrived; only just before the Dao lecture was about to begin did Ying Long rush over.

Although he also came to meet Qi, Di Jun, and Taiyi, but at that time the Dao lecture was about to begin, and it was also not appropriate to say much more; Ying Long again repeatedly apologized, and the matter was left unresolved.

As one of the most famous deities of the primordial era, yet he played this little trick, even leading Qi and the others into it; now that the Dao lecture has ended, Qi naturally wants to have a word with Ying Long.

Ying Long saw Qi's gaze lingering on himself, he sighed inwardly, knowing he could not avoid it; he therefore proactively walked up before Qi, Di Jun, and the others, and bowed, saying:

"Ying Long, I pay my respects to all the Heavenly Emperors; I hope the Heavenly Emperors will pardon my offense."

Some of the primordial deities who had not yet left, seeing this scene, knowing Ying Long's fame, could not help but feel deep emotion; feeling somewhat sorrowful, they only sensed that times have changed and the world has become thus.

Qi handed over the stage to Di Jun; after all, although the five of them have equal status, he is the one who takes charge in the Heavenly Court, this has long been settled, and Di Jun is fully capable of handling it.

Di Jun looked at Ying Long with interest; during the initial great calamity of the ferocious beasts, the difference in their status was still evident before their eyes, but now it has become thus; Di Jun also felt a sense of emotion in his heart, and laughed, saying:

"Ying Long, fellow Daoist, why say such words? What fault do you have?"

"Ying Long foolishly belittles himself, actually because the Heavenly Emperor is lenient, and uses some underhanded tactics before the Heavenly Emperor; this is Ying Long's sin—please, Heavenly Emperor, reduce the punishment; Ying Long willingly accepts the penalty."

Qi directed his gaze toward the people around who were watching the spectacle; the warning in his eyes was obvious, intending to preserve some dignity for Ying Long.

Seeing Qi thus, they knew in their hearts that this was not the time to watch the spectacle; they therefore apologized and left, all departing, leaving only Qi, Di Jun, Taiyi, Nüwa, Fuxi, and Ying Long in the the the Zixiao Palace.

"Since you know this, why then still employ this method, knowing that we will not forcibly prohibit the Dragon Transformation Method—could it be that you fear we will persecute you?"

Di Jun laughed and said, but Ying Long dared not relax in the slightest; now the situation of heaven and earth has changed, and the five people before us are no longer as they once were—moreover, the dragon clan cannot withstand any risk.

"Your Majesty is a person of high virtue; Ying Long naturally does not believe that Your Majesty would persecute him."

"Oh? Then why are you unwilling to see me?"

Di Jun raised his interest, wanting to see how Ying Long would explain.

"Merely, the dragon clan's current situation is too severe; it has hardly managed to have a glimmer of hope—although knowing that Your Majesty will not forcibly prohibit, Ying Long dares not gamble, employing this tactic, at least can delay a moment, allowing the dragon clan to catch a breath."

Ying Long's words were cautious, but the painstaking effort they contained was undoubtedly evident; Qi, looking at them, felt somewhat softened.

The dragon clan's sudden predicament fell upon Ying Long alone—its heavy responsibility and perilous situation; Qi himself thought it could not be changed, but Ying Long took it upon himself, inevitably causing Qi to feel a degree of affection for talent.

"Although what you say is reasonable, I also understand, but that does not mean I can accept it—the dragon clan's predicament should not be imposed upon the myriad clans of the primordial world."

"The Dragon Transformation Method you devised—how are its drawbacks and consequences? I do not believe you are unaware; it concerns the future of the primordial world, yet you are so procrastinating—I thus ask you: how will you answer?"

Ying Long instantly felt an immense pressure descend upon him; at that moment, he seemed to see the shadow of the Ancestral Dragon on Di Jun's person—its majesty, even surpassing.

I've been writing this book for several months; I have never received 1000 monthly tickets in a month before—I ask everyone to let me witness it.

(End of Chapter)