Tongtian spared a glance backward upon feeling the familiar, intimate sensation. There, near the back, were Houtu and Jiuyin. Even with them there, there were still only three thousand guests in Violet Heaven Palace. 'Two gods must have fallen.'
She focused her attention back on the front once Haotian rang the bell. Once Hongjun summarized what he would be teaching, a million questions ran through her head. But he wasn't taking any questions, so she suppressed them and listened.
"Originally, the stage after the Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament is the Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin. However, I created a method and a stage between these two, known as Quasi-Saint. To become a Quasi-Saint, you must sever the Three Corpses."
Ignoring the confusion below him, Hongjun continued. "The so-called Three Corpses are the poison that exists in the body."
"The Upper Corpse is the Green Self. The Green Self causes blindness, creates bags under the eyes, forms wrinkles, and causes teeth to drop out. The Middle Corpse is the White Self. The White Self causes the body to never feel full, the bones to become brittle, and the flesh to wither. The Lower Corpse Corpse is called the Black Self. The Black Self causes concentration to dissipate, thoughts to diverge, and to seek the company of others."
"The Upper Corpse resides in the upper third of the body known as the Jade Pillow Gate. The Middle Corpse resides in the middle third of the body and is known as the Narrow Ridge Gate. The Lower Corpse resides in the lower third of the body, known as the Hind Burden Gate."
"In addition to the Three Corpses, there are the Nine Worms. They block the three gates and nine orifices, absorbing misfortune and preventing ascension."
"The Nine Worms are the Crouching Worm, Dragon Worm, White Worm, Flesh Worm, Red Worm, Splitting Worm, Lung Worm, Stomach Worm, and Intestine Worm. The Nine Worms will distract you and burden your thoughts with material desires."
"To sever the Three Corpses, you must purge your body of the Nine Worms first. Then, the so-called severance of the Three Corpses is to cut off your good thoughts, evil thoughts, and obsessions using a spiritual artifact."
"Every time a corpse is severed, your Daoheart will rise a level. Your qi doubles and your comprehension of the law will become smoother. When all three corpses are cut, you will achieve the Awakened Mind State, unaffected by unnecessary thoughts."
"From there, you will merge all Three Corpses back into yourself and achieve the peak of the Quasi-Saint Realm. You will only be a step away from the Saint of Heaven. From there, you only need a chance to enter Sainthood."
Once Hongjun finished, it was near the end of the three thousand years, but he didn't leave or force others to leave. Then, someone in the crowd asked, "Does the grade of the spiritual artifact affect the Corpse?"
"Any innate spiritual artifact can be used to cut the Corpses, but the grade of the spiritual artifact affects the strength of the Corpse. The stronger the spiritual artifact, the stronger the Corpse," Hongjun said.
When they heard this, most of the gods present wailed in despair. Ignoring cardinal spiritual artifacts, only ten percent of them had innate spiritual artifacts. Does that mean they cannot become Quasi-Saints?
No, that wasn't right. They turned their heads to look at the Three Purities, Jieyin, and Taiyi. Didn't those five enter the Quasi-Saint Realm?
"Is there any other way to enter the Quasi-Saint Realm?"
After a moment of silence, Hongjun answered. "Yes."
But before the three thousand gods could be happy, Hongjun elaborated. "The path is much harder than the method of Three Corpses. Without cutting any Corpse, you must comprehend a portion of the law and use that law to temper your qi. Using the tempered qi, refine yourself and enter the Quasi-Saint Realm."
While everyone was wallowing in the difficulty, Kong Xuan spoke up. "Is there a difference between entering the Quasi-Saint Realm using the law and the method of Three Corpses?"
"Yes," Hongjun answered. "To enter the Quasi-Saint Realm using the law increases your foundation and chance of merging the Three Corpses."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, what is a Saint of Heaven, what is a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin?" Laozi asked.
"A Saint of Heaven is a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin, but a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin might not necessarily be a Saint. A Saint of Heaven can utilize the power of heaven and earth while a Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin cannot."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, is the method of Three Corpses the only way to become a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin?" Yuanshi asked.
"I know three methods to enter the Primordial Origin Realm. The first method is Pangu's method. Use power to break the limits and become a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin."
Upon hearing this, most of the gods dismissed the idea. Pangu fell. Didn't this mean he failed to enter the Primordial Origin Realm?
Unfortunately, they all got the wrong idea. Tongtian, who had the final memories of the Chaos Fiendgod of Time, knew that Pangu's strength exceeded that of a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin. Even now, she couldn't discern his realm, so entering the Primordial Origin Realm with power was completely possible.
"The second method is my Way of Three Corpses. Sever the Three Corpses and merge the three. When the chance comes, you will become a Saint of Heaven. The third method is to use merit to become a Saint of Heaven. You also need a chance like the second method."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, what is the chance?" Yuanshi asked.
"It will be revealed in the third sermon."
Yuanshi finished his questions, and now it was Tongtian's turn. "Asking the Dao Ancestor, does severing the Three Corpses affect our emotions?"
"You will still have your emotions, but they will no longer dictate your actions."
Tongtian nodded, but unlike her brothers, she asked a second question. "Asking the Dao Ancestor, I can sense the Three Gates but not the Nine Worms. Is there a problem?"
Hearing this, the people originally envious of the Three Purities couldn't help but gloat. Perhaps this was because they tempered their qi with the law and entered the Quasi-Saint Realm?
"The Three Purities are transformed from Pangu's spirit and thus, do not possess the Nine Worms. You just need to discover your three thoughts to sever the Three Corpses."
The gods that had been gloating all choked on their spit. They initially thought it was a bane, but it turned out to be a boon. How can the world be so unfair?
"Dao Ancestor, we titans do not possess spirit and cannot comprehend the law. Are we not able to become Quasi-Saints?" Houtu suddenly asked.
All the other guests turned toward Hongjun. They had long heard of the Titan Tribe's ferocity. At the same level, they will dominate if the other side does not possess spiritual artifacts.
"You can," Hongjun said. "Enter the Primordial Origin Realm with power. You are not of the Immortal Path; the Titan Tribe cultivates the Strength Path. Strengthen your flesh, and you will enter the Quasi-Saint Realm."
Houtu and Jiuyin inwardly sighed in relief. If they really couldn't become Quasi-Saints, they could only wait to be exterminated even with the Pangu Genesis Formation.
"I seek the consent of the Dao Ancestor. I, Di Jun, see that the Great Desolation is disorderly and full of hardship. I am willing to bear the burden to bring order and prosperity to the Great Desolation and unite all beings within."
Upon hearing Di Jun's words, Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian's expressions darkened. Unite all beings. Didn't that include them? How could they be willing to submit to Di Jun? Not just them, even the kindest titan, Houtu, was emitting killing intent at Di Jun, but he acted as if he felt nothing.
Hongjun stayed silent, making Di Jun nervous. He didn't need the Dao Ancestor's consent, but having it would legitimize his rule and increase the orthodoxy of the Demon Clan. Finally, Hongjun nodded. "You can."
Di Jun smiled as he and Taiyi kneeled and thanked Hongjun.
Hongjun's eyes revealed nothing as he focused his gaze on Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu.
"Di Jun will bring order and prosperity to the flood, but there must be leaders for the immortals. Dong Wanggong, You have great luck on your body and are transformed from the first strand of Yang Qi. You will be the leader of the male immortals. Xi Wangmu, you also have great luck on your body and are transformed from the first strand of Yin Qi. you will be the leader of the female immortals."
When Hongjun finished speaking, Di Jun couldn't maintain his poker face. The joy and elation on his face instantly evaporated. What did the Hongjun mean by this?
Jiuyin and Houtu didn't care. They were titans, not immortals. However, the Three Purities didn’t feel the same. They were gods and immortals. Since they couldn't accept Di Jun's rule, why would they accept another's?
Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu were oblivious to their anger. They were shocked by the Dao Ancestor's edict, and before they could react, the Dao Ancestor waved his sleeve. Two artifacts flew out and stopped in front of them..
In front of Dong Wanggong was a golden staff with nine dragons on it. "This is my former personal spiritual artifact, the Nine-Dragon Cane. Although it is only a top-grade innate treasure, it can rival a top-grade cardinal treasure and anchor your Karmic Luck."
In front of Xi Wangmu was a silver mirror that instantly drew Tongtian's attention. She could discern temporal and spatial fluctuations from the artifact. "This is the Kunlun Mirror. It can travel through space, trap your foes, and reveal the past, present, and future. Like the Nine-Dragon Cane, it is also a top-grade innate spiritual artifact."
Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu were stunned dizzy by Hongjun's actions. They thought they had already reached the peak of their moods, but Hongjun had more to give. He flipped his hand, and a book flew towards them.
"This is the Ten Thousand Immortals Book. By itself, it is not an artifact, but it contains the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. With it, you can repel all foes unless they have a similar formation or are a Saint."
Tongtian's eyes were glued onto the Ten Thousand Immortals Book. Aside from swordplay, she was most skilled in formations, so the Ten Thousand Immortals Book was extremely attractive to her. She couldn't help but think that Hongjun was baiting her to attack Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu, but she quickly suppressed her rampant desires, and her eyes returned to their previous rippleless appearance.
Dong Wanggong accepted the Ten Thousand Immortals Book and kowtowed to Hongjun with Xi Wangmu. "We thank the Dao Ancestor for your trust. We will fulfill our duty and lead all immortals."
Hongjun nodded. "Alright, the sermon is over. The last sermon will be in thirty thousand years."
All the guests left after the obvious dismissal. While Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu departed, many immortals, including Tongtian, eyed their newly-gained treasures. But they didn't dare rob them since it was a direct bestowment from the Dao Ancestor, but it would be hard to say in the future.
Tongtian averted her eyes. She had a different target. She searched around and found a god covered in a bloody aura. He was Minghe, the lord of the Blood Sea.
The Blood Sea was formed from the turbid blood from Pangu's belly. As long as the Blood Sea existed, Minghe would never perish. This powerful god was so lowkey that only a few noticed his terrifying power.
"Fellow Daoist, please hold on a minute," Tongtian said as she walked up towards Minghe. Behind her, Laozi and Yuanshi followed, wondering what Tongtian's intentions were.
Unlike what Tongtian expected, Minghe wasn't ugly at all and, in fact, appeared rather otherworldly in his blood-red robes. He appeared in his mid-twenties, with pale-white skin and bone-white hair.
"So it's fellow Daoist Tongtian, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Minghe said rather pleasantly if you could ignore his baleful aura.
"I have a transaction that you will be interested in," Tongtian said.
Minghe paused for a moment and nodded. "I'll hear you out."
The four flew back into the Great Desolation and only stopped when they were only a little bit away from the Blood Sea. Minghe wanted to escape if things went awry, but Tongtian pretended not to see his little actions.
She flipped her hand, and the high-grade Sixth-Ranked White Lotus of Purification appeared in her hand. "I want to trade this for three lotus seeds from your Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma."
Tongtian spared a glance backward upon feeling the familiar, intimate sensation. There, near the back, were Houtu and Jiuyin. Even with them there, there were still only three thousand guests in Violet Heaven Palace. 'Two gods must have fallen.'
She focused her attention back on the front once Haotian rang the bell. Once Hongjun summarized what he would be teaching, a million questions ran through her head. But he wasn't taking any questions, so she suppressed them and listened.
"Originally, the stage after the Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament is the Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin. However, I created a method and a stage between these two, known as Quasi-Saint. To become a Quasi-Saint, you must sever the Three Corpses."
Ignoring the confusion below him, Hongjun continued. "The so-called Three Corpses are the poison that exists in the body."
"The Upper Corpse is the Green Self. The Green Self causes blindness, creates bags under the eyes, forms wrinkles, and causes teeth to drop out. The Middle Corpse is the White Self. The White Self causes the body to never feel full, the bones to become brittle, and the flesh to wither. The Lower Corpse Corpse is called the Black Self. The Black Self causes concentration to dissipate, thoughts to diverge, and to seek the company of others."
"The Upper Corpse resides in the upper third of the body known as the Jade Pillow Gate. The Middle Corpse resides in the middle third of the body and is known as the Narrow Ridge Gate. The Lower Corpse resides in the lower third of the body, known as the Hind Burden Gate."
"In addition to the Three Corpses, there are the Nine Worms. They block the three gates and nine orifices, absorbing misfortune and preventing ascension."
"The Nine Worms are the Crouching Worm, Dragon Worm, White Worm, Flesh Worm, Red Worm, Splitting Worm, Lung Worm, Stomach Worm, and Intestine Worm. The Nine Worms will distract you and burden your thoughts with material desires."
"To sever the Three Corpses, you must purge your body of the Nine Worms first. Then, the so-called severance of the Three Corpses is to cut off your good thoughts, evil thoughts, and obsessions using a spiritual artifact."
"Every time a corpse is severed, your Daoheart will rise a level. Your qi doubles and your comprehension of the law will become smoother. When all three corpses are cut, you will achieve the Awakened Mind State, unaffected by unnecessary thoughts."
"From there, you will merge all Three Corpses back into yourself and achieve the peak of the Quasi-Saint Realm. You will only be a step away from the Saint of Heaven. From there, you only need a chance to enter Sainthood."
Once Hongjun finished, it was near the end of the three thousand years, but he didn't leave or force others to leave. Then, someone in the crowd asked, "Does the grade of the spiritual artifact affect the Corpse?"
"Any innate spiritual artifact can be used to cut the Corpses, but the grade of the spiritual artifact affects the strength of the Corpse. The stronger the spiritual artifact, the stronger the Corpse," Hongjun said.
When they heard this, most of the gods present wailed in despair. Ignoring cardinal spiritual artifacts, only ten percent of them had innate spiritual artifacts. Does that mean they cannot become Quasi-Saints?
No, that wasn't right. They turned their heads to look at the Three Purities, Jieyin, and Taiyi. Didn't those five enter the Quasi-Saint Realm?
"Is there any other way to enter the Quasi-Saint Realm?"
After a moment of silence, Hongjun answered. "Yes."
But before the three thousand gods could be happy, Hongjun elaborated. "The path is much harder than the method of Three Corpses. Without cutting any Corpse, you must comprehend a portion of the law and use that law to temper your qi. Using the tempered qi, refine yourself and enter the Quasi-Saint Realm."
While everyone was wallowing in the difficulty, Kong Xuan spoke up. "Is there a difference between entering the Quasi-Saint Realm using the law and the method of Three Corpses?"
"Yes," Hongjun answered. "To enter the Quasi-Saint Realm using the law increases your foundation and chance of merging the Three Corpses."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, what is a Saint of Heaven, what is a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin?" Laozi asked.
"A Saint of Heaven is a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin, but a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin might not necessarily be a Saint. A Saint of Heaven can utilize the power of heaven and earth while a Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin cannot."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, is the method of Three Corpses the only way to become a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin?" Yuanshi asked.
"I know three methods to enter the Primordial Origin Realm. The first method is Pangu's method. Use power to break the limits and become a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin."
Upon hearing this, most of the gods dismissed the idea. Pangu fell. Didn't this mean he failed to enter the Primordial Origin Realm?
Unfortunately, they all got the wrong idea. Tongtian, who had the final memories of the Chaos Fiendgod of Time, knew that Pangu's strength exceeded that of a Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin. Even now, she couldn't discern his realm, so entering the Primordial Origin Realm with power was completely possible.
"The second method is my Way of Three Corpses. Sever the Three Corpses and merge the three. When the chance comes, you will become a Saint of Heaven. The third method is to use merit to become a Saint of Heaven. You also need a chance like the second method."
"Asking the Dao Ancestor, what is the chance?" Yuanshi asked.
"It will be revealed in the third sermon."
Yuanshi finished his questions, and now it was Tongtian's turn. "Asking the Dao Ancestor, does severing the Three Corpses affect our emotions?"
"You will still have your emotions, but they will no longer dictate your actions."
Tongtian nodded, but unlike her brothers, she asked a second question. "Asking the Dao Ancestor, I can sense the Three Gates but not the Nine Worms. Is there a problem?"
Hearing this, the people originally envious of the Three Purities couldn't help but gloat. Perhaps this was because they tempered their qi with the law and entered the Quasi-Saint Realm?
"The Three Purities are transformed from Pangu's spirit and thus, do not possess the Nine Worms. You just need to discover your three thoughts to sever the Three Corpses."
The gods that had been gloating all choked on their spit. They initially thought it was a bane, but it turned out to be a boon. How can the world be so unfair?
"Dao Ancestor, we titans do not possess spirit and cannot comprehend the law. Are we not able to become Quasi-Saints?" Houtu suddenly asked.
All the other guests turned toward Hongjun. They had long heard of the Titan Tribe's ferocity. At the same level, they will dominate if the other side does not possess spiritual artifacts.
"You can," Hongjun said. "Enter the Primordial Origin Realm with power. You are not of the Immortal Path; the Titan Tribe cultivates the Strength Path. Strengthen your flesh, and you will enter the Quasi-Saint Realm."
Houtu and Jiuyin inwardly sighed in relief. If they really couldn't become Quasi-Saints, they could only wait to be exterminated even with the Pangu Genesis Formation.
"I seek the consent of the Dao Ancestor. I, Di Jun, see that the Great Desolation is disorderly and full of hardship. I am willing to bear the burden to bring order and prosperity to the Great Desolation and unite all beings within."
Upon hearing Di Jun's words, Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian's expressions darkened. Unite all beings. Didn't that include them? How could they be willing to submit to Di Jun? Not just them, even the kindest titan, Houtu, was emitting killing intent at Di Jun, but he acted as if he felt nothing.
Hongjun stayed silent, making Di Jun nervous. He didn't need the Dao Ancestor's consent, but having it would legitimize his rule and increase the orthodoxy of the Demon Clan. Finally, Hongjun nodded. "You can."
Di Jun smiled as he and Taiyi kneeled and thanked Hongjun.
Hongjun's eyes revealed nothing as he focused his gaze on Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu.
"Di Jun will bring order and prosperity to the flood, but there must be leaders for the immortals. Dong Wanggong, You have great luck on your body and are transformed from the first strand of Yang Qi. You will be the leader of the male immortals. Xi Wangmu, you also have great luck on your body and are transformed from the first strand of Yin Qi. you will be the leader of the female immortals."
When Hongjun finished speaking, Di Jun couldn't maintain his poker face. The joy and elation on his face instantly evaporated. What did the Hongjun mean by this?
Jiuyin and Houtu didn't care. They were titans, not immortals. However, the Three Purities didn’t feel the same. They were gods and immortals. Since they couldn't accept Di Jun's rule, why would they accept another's?
Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu were oblivious to their anger. They were shocked by the Dao Ancestor's edict, and before they could react, the Dao Ancestor waved his sleeve. Two artifacts flew out and stopped in front of them..
In front of Dong Wanggong was a golden staff with nine dragons on it. "This is my former personal spiritual artifact, the Nine-Dragon Cane. Although it is only a top-grade innate treasure, it can rival a top-grade cardinal treasure and anchor your Karmic Luck."
In front of Xi Wangmu was a silver mirror that instantly drew Tongtian's attention. She could discern temporal and spatial fluctuations from the artifact. "This is the Kunlun Mirror. It can travel through space, trap your foes, and reveal the past, present, and future. Like the Nine-Dragon Cane, it is also a top-grade innate spiritual artifact."
Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu were stunned dizzy by Hongjun's actions. They thought they had already reached the peak of their moods, but Hongjun had more to give. He flipped his hand, and a book flew towards them.
"This is the Ten Thousand Immortals Book. By itself, it is not an artifact, but it contains the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. With it, you can repel all foes unless they have a similar formation or are a Saint."
Tongtian's eyes were glued onto the Ten Thousand Immortals Book. Aside from swordplay, she was most skilled in formations, so the Ten Thousand Immortals Book was extremely attractive to her. She couldn't help but think that Hongjun was baiting her to attack Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu, but she quickly suppressed her rampant desires, and her eyes returned to their previous rippleless appearance.
Dong Wanggong accepted the Ten Thousand Immortals Book and kowtowed to Hongjun with Xi Wangmu. "We thank the Dao Ancestor for your trust. We will fulfill our duty and lead all immortals."
Hongjun nodded. "Alright, the sermon is over. The last sermon will be in thirty thousand years."
All the guests left after the obvious dismissal. While Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu departed, many immortals, including Tongtian, eyed their newly-gained treasures. But they didn't dare rob them since it was a direct bestowment from the Dao Ancestor, but it would be hard to say in the future.
Tongtian averted her eyes. She had a different target. She searched around and found a god covered in a bloody aura. He was Minghe, the lord of the Blood Sea.
The Blood Sea was formed from the turbid blood from Pangu's belly. As long as the Blood Sea existed, Minghe would never perish. This powerful god was so lowkey that only a few noticed his terrifying power.
"Fellow Daoist, please hold on a minute," Tongtian said as she walked up towards Minghe. Behind her, Laozi and Yuanshi followed, wondering what Tongtian's intentions were.
Unlike what Tongtian expected, Minghe wasn't ugly at all and, in fact, appeared rather otherworldly in his blood-red robes. He appeared in his mid-twenties, with pale-white skin and bone-white hair.
"So it's fellow Daoist Tongtian, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Minghe said rather pleasantly if you could ignore his baleful aura.
"I have a transaction that you will be interested in," Tongtian said.
Minghe paused for a moment and nodded. "I'll hear you out."
The four flew back into the Great Desolation and only stopped when they were only a little bit away from the Blood Sea. Minghe wanted to escape if things went awry, but Tongtian pretended not to see his little actions.
She flipped her hand, and the high-grade Sixth-Ranked White Lotus of Purification appeared in her hand. "I want to trade this for three lotus seeds from your Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma."
