Di Jun was taken aback for a moment, then hesitantly called out, " Mr. Ye?"
Ye Chuanze nodded, a smile on his lips as he said, "Have you recognized me, Dao Friend Di Jun?"
Di Jun quickly regained his composure and replied, "Congratulations on your transformation, Dao Friend. Your appearance has changed greatly after your transformation; I almost didn't recognize you."
Ye Chuanze laughed and said, "I am quite satisfied with my current appearance."
At that moment, someone else walked in through the door.
Ye Chuanze looked ahead and saw that it was Fuxi and Nuwa. He couldn't help but feel delighted and called out before they could approach, "Fuxi, Nuwa!"
Fuxi and Nuwa turned to look, surprised to see a stranger in black attire calling them. Fuxi spoke first, "Are you Ye Chuanze?"
Ye Chuanze smiled and nodded, his tone cheerful as he said, "You recognized me; this truly makes me happy. It was worth our friendship!"
Fuxi smiled at this, but Nuwa spoke up with dissatisfaction, "You've been gone for three hundred years without informing us. You've made us worry for nothing."
Ye Chuanze replied, "What is there to worry about? I have the ability to protect myself and I'm not one to cause trouble. You can rest assured that I won't run into any issues."
Nuwa was not pleased with his response. "Your words are rather cold. My brother often speaks of you; it's a shame to see such genuine feelings go unappreciated!"
"Alright! Alright! Don't be upset. You and Fuxi care for me and think about my safety; I am indeed touched," Ye Chuanze said gently to calm her down when he noticed her irritation. "I just don't want you to worry too much; I truly feel guilty about that."
"That's good to hear. Just behave yourself in the future; your personality really makes people uneasy," Nuwa finally softened her expression.
Ye Chuanze became displeased at this remark. "What’s wrong with my personality? How am I not behaving? Nuwa, your words are unfounded."
Seeing the two of them on the verge of an argument, Fuxi quickly intervened, saying, "Alright, now is not the time for this discussion. Both of you should say less. We can talk more after the lecture when we return to Buzhou Mountain."
Ye Chuanze and Nuwa fell silent, exchanging dissatisfied glances before turning away from each other in a manner that suggested they did not want to engage further.
Di Jun watched with interest, finding the three people from Buzhou Mountain quite amusing. Fuxi was caught between his sister and a friend, feeling awkward and unable to offend either side. Di Jun walked over and placed a hand on Fuxi's shoulder, sighing, "You're not having an easy time, are you?"
Fuxi looked up at him, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and replied politely, "Likewise."
At that moment, Di Jun's hand on Fuxi's shoulder froze. He turned to see Taiyi in plain robes smiling slightly at him. This made Di Jun even more uneasy as he imagined a future where Taiyi and Xi He shared a room—what a disaster that would be!
Xi He's temperament truly gave Di Jun a headache.
Looking up, he noticed Fuxi's ambiguous smile, which made him wary; Fuxi did not seem as gentle and amiable as he appeared. Di Jun withdrew his hand, his expression growing cold.
Fuxi noticed but did not mind; he was usually indifferent towards unrelated individuals.
The group exchanged pleasantries for a while before settling down, as Fuxi had mentioned that it was not the right time for reminiscing. After some time, other immortals began to arrive one after another. A few immortals familiar with Ye Chuanze reacted predictably upon seeing him—initial surprise followed by realization as they clearly recognized him.
This final sermon attracted more attendees than the previous two combined. The reason was simply the publicity from the earlier sermons; Hongjun's reputation had spread throughout the Primordial realm, drawing many eager listeners. The Purple Cloud Palace was filled to capacity, with many later arrivals forced to stand outside.
To Ye Chuanze's surprise, he spotted Fox King Kitsunetsu among the crowd. Kitsunetsu had not attended the previous sermons, so his sudden appearance this time astonished Ye Chuanze. Since Kitsunetsu had missed the first two sermons, he too had to stand outside to listen. However, even among the crowd of immortals outside, Kitsunetsu's presence was striking; he exuded an air of regal dignity that set him apart from others. This was why Ye Chuanze recognized him at a glance.
After being momentarily surprised, Ye Chuanze shifted his gaze back because Hongjun had already emerged.
Hongjun sat atop the Lotus Platform at the front of the hall and scanned the audience briefly, causing an immediate silence to fall over the crowd.
"The Great Dao has fifty aspects; Heaven transforms into forty-nine; one must evade one..." Hongjun began speaking softly, his voice cool like pearls falling onto jade plates as he gradually unfolded the profound Dao Law. The audience listened raptly, some appearing enlightened while others looked confused or joyful or sorrowful. Without exception, everyone was immersed in the mysteries of Dao Law.
This was Hongjun's third and final sermon; the Dao Law presented this time was even more intricate and obscure than in the previous two sessions. Even those like the Three Pure Ones, Fuxi, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhun Ti—who attended every sermon—struggled to comprehend it. Not to mention those who arrived midway through; they were utterly lost and found it difficult to articulate their confusion.
Ye Chuanze also felt bewildered by what he heard. However, he had a good habit of quietly noting down what he couldn't understand instead of getting stuck like other immortals who would ponder endlessly without making progress. He decided not to dwell on grasping every detail of Hongjun's Dao Law but instead focused on memorizing what he could for later reflection.
The profundity of Dao Law made everyone lose track of time; two thousand years passed in a haze.
Suddenly, Hongjun stopped speaking, bringing the Dao Law to an abrupt halt. Only then did everyone slowly awaken from their immersion in its mysteries.
Di Jun eagerly asked, "What does the teacher mean by Sage?"
Hongjun looked at him with a calm expression and said, "The Primordial Spirit is entrusted to the Dao of Heaven, immortal and indestructible; that is what a Sage is."
Di Jun had already asked this question during Hongjun's previous lecture. He was merely trying to lead into the next question, "May I ask, how does one become a Sage?"
"There are three methods to become a Sage. The first is to prove the Dao through strength, breaking through the Dao of Heaven with one's boundless power to achieve Sagehood. The second is to sever the Three Corpses to prove the Dao, eliminating good, evil, and attachment; when the Three Corpses are unified, one can become a Sage. The third is to achieve Sagehood through Merit, attaining the position of Sage with supreme Merit," Hongjun replied.
In the Great Hall of Purple Cloud Palace, the immortals listened, each with different expressions and thoughts.
Ye Chuanze speculated that everyone was likely thinking along similar lines, primarily about wanting to become a Sage. In fact, many immortals had already begun contemplating this since Hongjun mentioned that Sages are immortal and indestructible during his last lecture at Purple Cloud Palace. Although the lifespan of an immortal is long, it is still finite. Death is the ultimate destination for all beings; even immortals cannot escape it. Since ancient times, the pursuit of immortality has not only been a human endeavor; all Sentient Beings that have awakened intelligence hope that the day of death will come later, making immortality their aspiration.
Moreover, the powers of a Sage are known as Sky-Connecting, which is currently recognized as the highest realm. Hongjun also stated that he has achieved Sagehood. In the Primordial realm, strength is revered; if one becomes a Sage, they would be the strongest among the Primordials, stirring desire among all Primordial immortals.
While Hongjun spoke of three methods to achieve Sagehood, the immortals discerned that these three different paths would lead to varying levels of power. Undoubtedly, a Sage who proves their Dao through strength would be the most powerful, capable of breaking through the Dao of Heaven alone—such strength could rival that of Heaven itself. This stirred excitement among the immortals; what kind of courage and glory it would take to battle against Heaven!
Hongjun glanced at the expressions of the immortals and added, "Pangu the Great achieved his Dao through strength."
Well… just moments ago filled with fervor and passion, the immortals suddenly fell silent; after all, Pangu the Great ultimately fell as well. They decided not to seek death.
As for the remaining two methods to achieve Sagehood—severing the Three Corpses and achieving Sagehood through Merit—it was evident that a Sage who severed their Three Corpses would possess greater power than one who achieved Sagehood through Merit. The former ascends based on their own cultivation level while the latter… could be seen as having an advantage in becoming a Sage.
Hongjun's expression remained calm as he spoke: "Nine is an extreme number; there are nine Sages."
Upon hearing this, the immortals changed their expressions; it seemed that becoming a Sage was not something everyone could achieve.
Hongjun continued: "There should be seven Sages among my disciples. The Three Pure Ones are transformed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit and inherently possess great Merit; they can become Sages. Would you Three Pure Ones be willing to join my sect as my direct disciples?"
The Three Pure Ones bowed deeply and replied in unison, "We are willing."
Hongjun nodded and flicked his finger; three strands of Primordial Purple Qi fell into the hands of the Three Pure Ones as he said, "This is Primordial Purple Qi, foundational for achieving Sagehood."
At that moment, the immortals present, such as Di Jun, Kunpeng, and Jieyin, looked at the Three Pure Ones with envy, wishing they could take their place.
Ye Chuanze remained calm and indifferent, unconcerned about who became a Sage since he believed he could never achieve that status. He thought Hongjun was quite deceptive; initially, he spoke of the path to becoming a Sage, stirring the hearts of the immortals who all aspired to attain that status. Then he mentioned that there were only nine Sages, instantly dimming the hopes of many immortals. Some even began calculating in their minds how to remove any obstacles that might hinder their chances of becoming Sages. Ye Chuanze believed there were certainly many immortals with such thoughts! These immortals were not as detached and desireless as later legends portrayed; they had their own aspirations. In the Primordial World, it was survival of the fittest, and many immortals lost their lives daily.
Just as the immortals were lost in their thoughts, Hongjun extinguished all their ambitions. He declared that all Sages must come from his disciples and that one must possess the Primordial Purple Qi to become a Sage; otherwise, it would be impossible.
The Three Pure Ones, having been taken under Hongjun's wing and granted the foundation for becoming Sages, undoubtedly drew the ire of all the immortals present who wished to attain Sagehood.
Hongjun turned to Nuwa and said, "Nuwa has great merit and can become a Sage. Are you willing to join my sect as my named disciple?"
Nuwa was taken aback with joy, clearly not expecting Hongjun to take her as a disciple. She quickly bowed and replied, "I am willing."
Hongjun then bestowed a portion of Primordial Purple Qi upon Nuwa, adding another target for resentment.
Finally, Hongjun addressed Jieyin and Zhun Ti: "You two have great determination and can become Sages. Are you willing to join my sect as my named disciples?"
Both Jieyin and Zhun Ti showed delight on their faces and quickly replied, "We are willing."
Hongjun then gave each of them a portion of Primordial Purple Qi.
At this point, what was there left to misunderstand?
Hongjun stated that there would be seven Sages under his tutelage: the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhun Ti, plus Hongjun himself—exactly seven individuals corresponding perfectly with the seven Lotus Platforms arranged within the Purple Cloud Palace.
Di Jun felt regret for his earlier decisions; it was too late! Had he known earlier, he would have done everything possible to seize one of those Lotus Platforms. Kunpeng shared similar regrets; he recalled how close he had been to attaining the Saint Position but ultimately missed out on it. His heart was filled with remorse.
Fuxi appeared somewhat surprised; he had not anticipated that this mere Lotus Platform held such significance. He felt a slight sense of regret but nothing more than that. He did not have a strong obsession with becoming a Sage; he was already pleased that Nuwa could achieve that status. Remembering how Ye Chuanze had once advised him to seize that Lotus Platform made everything clear to him. At that time, he must have already understood its significance! Fuxi felt touched by Ye Chuanze's choice to remind him rather than claiming the Lotus Platform for himself.
If Ye Chuanze knew what Fuxi was thinking, he might chuckle softly; it truly was a wonderful misunderstanding. He did not wish to claim that Lotus Platform but rather feared doing so. He was targeted by the Heavenly Dao and faced constant suppression; at that time, he couldn't even transform his form—how could he aspire to become a Sage? He believed if he had truly claimed that Lotus Platform symbolizing the Saint Position, he would likely have been killed by the Heavenly Dao before even achieving Sagehood!
However, Fuxi's feelings of gratitude towards Ye Chuanze could only be described as... misunderstandings are beautiful while reality is harsh.
Jieyin felt a slight movement in his heart; his Lotus Platform was given to him by Fuxi, which meant he owed Fuxi a Karma.
Meanwhile, Zhun Ti had a bitter expression on his face. No wonder when Red Cloud ceded his position to him, it stirred his heart and resulted in such a significant Karma; it turned out to be because of this! This Karma would be difficult to repay!
Both Jieyin and Zhun Ti owed a Karma for their positions as Saints, yet their attitudes were completely different, reflecting the contrasting natures of the two brothers.
Red Cloud did not expect that when he kindly ceded his position to Zhun Ti, he would miss out on the title of Sage, leaving him with a lingering sense of regret. After all, he was one of the earliest arrivals at Purple Cloud Palace, aside from the Three Pure Ones. If he had not ceded his position to Zhun Ti back then, he would have been the one to attain sainthood now. Feeling discontent, Red Cloud suddenly spoke up, "May I ask, Master, is there anyone outside of Xuanmen who can become a Saint?"
Hongjun glanced at him and replied, "Then let this last strand of Primordial Purple Qi be given to you!" After saying this, he flicked his finger and bestowed the last strand of foundational Primordial Purple Qi for becoming a Saint upon him.
Instantly, Di Jun, Kunpeng, Minghe Old Ancestor, and others cast unfriendly glances at him.
Red Cloud was overjoyed to receive a strand of Primordial Purple Qi and did not notice their gazes; however, Zhen Yuanzi did.
Zhen Yuanzi felt anxious and wished he could give Red Cloud a good beating. Was Primordial Purple Qi so easy to come by? This was not merely foundational Qi for becoming a Saint; it was clearly a death warrant!
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