Chapter 244: with translation of chapter title

title: Hongjun (person name)

Hongjun (person name). Three Pure Ones (group). the Great Dao (glossary). the Heavenly Dao (glossary)

The three have different Great Daos: one is like water, following Heaven and answering fate, strong yet unshowy; together they wish to block and seek, and if there is an obstruction, its overwhelming momentum can be seen.

The terms 'Great Dao' and 'Heavenly Dao' are not present? Actually line 4 contains 'Heavenly Dao', so it belongs to the glossary.

One is like a sword, and also like moving pure qi, coming and going straight, unstoppable, relying on its sharpness, its edge cannot be concealed.

Not subject to external changes, whether clouds or mud, letting it pass and arrange, it ultimately pierces the heavens, leaving a trace after passing, allowing people to travel.

Hongjun looked at the sight of the edge fully revealed, his eyes holding a hint of appreciation, and after observing it closely for a moment, he then shifted his gaze.

Kunpeng (beast). Possibly 'giant Kun' (part of Kunpeng); but 'giant Kun' is descriptive, not a name.

The two chase each other, revealing their overwhelming ambition; in the midst of the Kun-peng spreading its wings, wind, clouds, and water change unpredictably, the Great Dao is not shown outwardly, yet it appears in the minutest details.

Hongjun felt neither fondness nor aversion toward it, merely indifferent; he sensed it had a bit of ingenuity, and thus it was not without its merit.

Nüwa's vision differed from that of others; within it, life flourished and myriad things burst forth, yet Nüwa herself was nowhere to be seen.

Hongjun watched with great interest, his eyes growing happier the more he looked, and he softly said a sentence.

'Poor Dao' (humble self-reference by Daoists). Not a name. 'Profound Gate' (sect).

Hongjun began to pace back and forth in the hall; each time he walked beside someone, he would stop to observe them, until he reached the place where Houtu was.

Houtu could not immerse herself in the Great Dao; seeing Hongjun walk past her side, she hastily rose to salute, but his wave interrupted her motion.

"Please sit down and relax; the Wu Clan does not cultivate the primordial spirit Great Dao, yet you are able to attend every time without distraction, which shows your resolve toward the Dao is extremely firm."

"But do you know that your present efforts are in vain? If you are merely worried that this humble Daoist will grow angry, you can set your mind at ease."

"This humble Daoist is not a petty person; I merely expound the Dao, so whether you come or not makes no difference."

Houtu thought for a moment, then finally decided to answer honestly:

'Dao Ancestor' (title for Hongjun? Could be a title, but it's a role, not a name).

"Just so the Dao Ancestor is unaware, I have come here to listen to the lecture, and my reasons are three."

"First, because of myself, I think having already listened twice, missing the last would also be a pity; it would be better to come listen to the lecture, perhaps this time I will understand."

Having spoken to this point, Houtu gave a simple smile, seeing Hongjun make no move, and spoke again:

"Second, because of the Wu Clan, although the Wu Clan is now powerful, in the face of the wilderness it is ultimately no more than a drop in the ocean."

"Occupying Xifang Dalu has indeed strengthened our influence considerably, but this is ultimately just rootless wood and sourceless water."

"Although the Heavenly Court appears to trust us, this matter makes me feel it is full of scheming; although I do not know why they act thus, there must be some plan."

"My going to Chaos to listen to the lecture also serves to steady their minds a little; after all, I am currently a hostage in the Heavenly Court, and this can somewhat reassure them."

"Moreover, it is only a span of three yuan meetings; I can wait, and I only hope that my elder brothers can seize the opportunity of the wilderness experts' gap to develop properly."

Immortal Dao, Divine Dao, and Primordial Spirit Great Dao.

"Those who follow this path accumulate life and destiny cultivation, then comprehend the Great Dao; this is completely different from the Wu Clan's way."

"The primordial spirit Great Dao already has a method to attain the Grand Unity; this is something our Wu Clan's cultivation has never had, so I also wish to come listen to the lecture, hoping to find a future within it."

Hongjun was quite satisfied with this, and asked:

"Since you have given this some thought, consider: according to the Wu Clan's cultivation method, what is currently the most similar path in the wilderness?"

"Compared to the Wu Clan, what are the differences between them? Where has the strongest reached? Have they ever broken through the limits of both?"

Houtu heard Hongjun's question, hesitated a moment, then finally made up her mind to reply: "Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, I now serve in the Heavenly Court and have also examined its collected texts; the one most similar to the Wu Clan is……"

Having spoken to this point, Houtu paused briefly, but still gritted her teeth and said: "Ferocious beasts! They, like the Wu Clan, do not cultivate the primordial spirit, specializing in blood and flesh, relying on devouring heaven and earth to advance."

Shen Ni (name of a beast king)

Seeing that Houtu could have such understanding, Hongjun felt even more pleased with her, and explained to dispel her doubts:

"What you said is not false, merely the information you obtained is too fragmented and also too little."

"The Wu Clan and ferocious beasts indeed have some similarities, but there are still some differences."

"Ferocious beasts do not fail to cultivate the primordial spirit; rather, their true spirits are dim, most lacking spiritual intelligence, making cultivation impossible."

"Nevertheless, they still possess a primordial spirit, so they can deploy divine abilities against foes; in this regard, they differ from the Wu Clan."

"The strongest among them is indeed the King of Ferocious Beasts, God-Reverse, but his strength, compared to Dijiang, is considerably greater."

Fallen God (name)

"Yet in the end he cannot escape fate, stirring a great calamity, ultimately perishing in the catastrophe and failing to attain the Dao."

Mixed Yuan Ultimate Great Luo Golden Immortal (cultivation realm)

Primordial Spirit (term)

Houtu, hearing this, felt somewhat lost, but eventually forced a smile and asked:

"Dao Ancestor, does the Wu Clan truly have no chance?"

No.

"No, the Great Dao is fifty, the heavenly evolution forty-nine, leaving a sliver of hope; this holds for all beings, and for the Wu Clan as well."

"But is this sliver of hope truly what you seek? To achieve the Grand Unity, one must first replenish the primordial spirit."

"The primordial spirit is the light of life and destiny, the bell of spiritual nature; for you who are born without a primordial spirit, if you cultivate life and destiny to nurture it, and use merit to forge it, there is also a chance of success."

"However, I ask you: is the primordial spirit forcibly engendered in this way truly you as you are now?"

"Perhaps one could say that she is more suited to your body than you are; your everything would be her, but you need not be her."

Houtu felt dazed by Hongjun's words, finding it utterly strange: why would the primordial spirit be herself? She herself is not the primordial spirit.

Hongjun, however, gave no further explanation, merely smiling as he walked toward the next person; having arrived here by fate, it was natural for him to depart.

To linger longer would be counterproductive; Houtu's fate to listen to the lecture three times has been fulfilled, and what comes next depends on her own efforts.

Hongjun returned to the high platform, looking down at the myriad seekers of the Dao; his expression was a half-smile, but after merely sighing, he remained motionless.

For those who comprehend the Dao, the time of the Three Yuan Assembly passes in a flash; in the great hall, the three thousand worldly guests, at the moment the lecture on the Dao ended, were completely awake.

It is not that everyone lacks the patience to continue contemplating the Great Dao, but rather that everyone is accustomed to having every question answered, and suddenly they find they must think for themselves.

The gap is too great, making it hard for everyone to adapt in the short term, so they all drifted away from it. This situation is like everyone being used to a clear and smooth environment, only to suddenly find themselves in a blurry pixel world.

Wanting to see anything at all is like being blocked by myriad obstacles, and then only able to obtain a faint glimmer of light and shadow.

The gap is too huge, making it hard for people to adapt, so they naturally cannot enter deep meditation.

Seeing everyone awake, Hongjun then spoke:

"The discourse on the Dao is concluded; if anyone has any questions, you may raise them later. I will soon undertake the act of uniting with the Dao, to sort out the Heavenly Dao—not a repetition of earth, water, fire, and wind—and thereafter I will not emerge into the world again."

"Before the questions, please allow me to say a few words, to explain one or two matters concerning the Mystic Gate."

Everyone immediately replied in unison, "Of course there is no objection; all matters should prioritize the affairs of the Dao Ancestor, and since we are all now members of the Mystic Gate, we naturally have no dissent."

Seeing everyone clamoring, Hongjun did not stop them, but waited until everyone quieted down before speaking: "Morality, Primordial Beginning, Numinous Treasure—you three are incarnations of the primordial pure qi, having inherited the legacy of the great god Pangu; you are the purest and most exalted, and can be inner disciples of my Mystic Gate."

"Regarding this, are you three willing to enter my gate and become my disciples?"

The Three Pure Ones looked at each other, then after a glance nodded and replied, "We are willing to be your disciples."

Hongjun nodded slightly, a smile appearing on his face, and said:

"Good."

Then Hongjun turned to Nüwa and said, "You possess great merit; your Dao is noble and valuable, most similar to mine, and you have even greater compassion than I, making you fit to be a true transmission of my Mystic Gate."

"When the time comes, upon receiving the Dao lineage of the Mystic Gate, I wonder if you can enter my gate?"

Nüwa glanced at Qi, then looked at Fuxi, Di Jun, and Taiyi, ignoring everyone's expressions, and turned to Hongjun and said:

"Disciple pays respects to teacher."

Hongjun then revealed a smile, and looked toward Kunpeng and Jieyin; facing Kunpeng he hesitated slightly, but eventually spoke:

"Your affinity with me is slight, yet there remains some teacher–student bond; would you be willing to enter my gate as an outer disciple?"

Kunpeng, although feeling a bit disappointed, still firmly bowed and said, "Disciple pays respects to teacher."

Hongjun also nodded, indicating his approval, and then said to Jieyin, "Are you willing to enter my gate as an outer disciple?"

Jieyin, although somewhat confused and not understanding Hongjun's attitude, still bowed and said:

"Disciple is willing; Jieyin pays respects to teacher."

Hongjun gave no further reaction, but said to the Morality Daoist, "Your conduct qualifies you to be the chief disciple of my gate; this is the primordial supreme treasure, the Taiji Diagram, and it shall be used with you to protect the Dao and suppress the qi fortune."

Amid the envious gazes of everyone, the Taiji Diagram flew out from Hongjun's sleeve and landed in the hand of the Morality Daoist.

The Morality Daoist was also somewhat surprised and delighted, immediately bowing and saying, "Disciple thanks the master for the gift!"

Hongjun then turned to Yuanshi and said, "Your conduct qualifies you to be the second disciple of my gate; this is the primordial supreme treasure, the Pangu Banner, and it shall be used with you to protect the Dao and suppress the qi fortune."

"Yuanshi thanks the master for the gift and will surely not disappoint this treasure."

Hongjun looked toward the Numinous Treasure Daoist, hesitated a bit, but still spoke:

"This treasure is a set, composed of four supreme-grade primordial spiritual swords—Slaughter, Carnage, Trap, and Extinction—along with their formation diagram, and its power is astonishing."

Although it cannot suppress the qi fortune, holding it cannot be broken except by the Four Saints; it can be used by you to protect the Dao. Holding this formation, I hope you will not become immersed in it and create killing karma.

Everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to Hongjun's words; cannot be broken except by the Four Saints? Isn't this establishing an invincible position in the innate?

Lingbao Daoist instantly felt some delight; he already liked formations, and now obtaining this treasure, compared to his two elder brothers, his gain was even greater.

Disciple thanks the master for the gift; Lingbao will surely remember the master's teachings!

Hongjun merely gave an affirmative hum, then turned his gaze to where Nüwa was, revealing a smile as he said:

This is a supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Red Embroidered Ball, containing innate merit within.

This is a supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Western Plain-Colored Cloud Realm Banner; holding it brings wondrous auspicious phenomena, the heavens and earth become bright, all evils retreat, and myriad laws cannot invade.

This is a supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Qiankun Cauldron, possessing the effect of reversing to the innate; later, there will also be a great merit shared with you within it.

This is a set of supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure Five Elements Banners; when combined, they fall only slightly short of an innate supreme treasure, and can be used by you to protect the Dao.

Seeing Hongjun give Nüwa so many treasures, everyone's eyes instantly turned a bit red; even the Three Pure Ones noticed that the master showed some favoritism.

Nüwa was naturally overjoyed; after storing these spiritual treasures, she immediately rose to express her thanks:

Disciple thanks the master for the gift!

Hongjun then turned his gaze to Kunpeng and Jieyin, after thinking he said to Kunpeng: 'You are merely an outer disciple, so it would not be proper to give you too much; these are the silk cords, jeweled pendants, canopy, flower garlands, banners, golden bow, and fish intestines—all are high-grade innate spiritual treasures.'

Although they are only high-grade, their quality is considered excellent, and they are all now yours.

Although Kunpeng envied the Three Pure Ones and Nüwa, he had no dissatisfaction with this; in his view, possessing seven high-grade innate spiritual treasures was already quite good.

Moreover, his seat originally had been protected by several heavenly emperors; to gain this harvest was an unexpected windfall.

Disciple Kunpeng, thanks the master for the gift; henceforth I will take it upon myself to revive the Mystic Gate!

Although Hongjun felt strange that he bore no grudge against Kunpeng—after all, the gap between them was so great—seeing this, he could not help but feel more pleased with him.

After thinking, Hongjun again spoke a comforting sentence:

To have such a heart is already not easy; in your future conduct, you should often help and support your senior sister Nüwa.

Kunpeng instantly rejoiced exceedingly: 'I will surely follow the master's words; henceforth I will certainly take my senior sister as my guide!'

Nüwa nodded beside him and said:

From now on, you and I, as fellow disciples, should draw closer to each other.

Kunpeng naturally assented repeatedly; for him at present, Hongjun's proposal of mutual aid among fellow disciples delighted him more than being given six high-grade innate spiritual treasures.

Furthermore, after Nüwa also acknowledged it, Kunpeng knew that in the Heavenly Court he would henceforth hold an imperial position!

Dong Wanggong fails to recognize the honor; his shallow vision does not know the loftiness of the Heavenly Court, and he looks down upon this imperial position.

But he is different; regarding the various affairs of the Heavenly Court, he has personally experienced them, and the abundance he gained far surpasses what the gods imagined.

As long as he reveals even a little, let alone six innate spiritual treasures—giving him ten would not be exchanged! However, it doesn't matter; Dong Wanggong does not esteem it, but Kunpeng's esteem is enough.

Know this: Kunpeng is not merely one among the stars; although he currently holds no major post, he has long been regarded by all as the next choice for heaven and earth.

PS: A little late, but here I am! Though delayed, I have arrived! (End of chapter)