Chapter 493
Pangu's Will Manifests! 2 All Ancestral Witches Advance to Quasi-Sainthood
The clear light flowing around Lao Tzu grew increasingly intense, and the faint, ethereal image of the Tai Chi diagram became more and more solid.
As the yin-yang symbol shifted, a mysterious and unpredictable aura, seemingly transcending the mundane world, permeated the air.
He did not open his eyes, but slowly raised his right hand, and in his hand he had grasped a simple, ancient-looking flat cane that resembled a coiled dragon—his most treasured possession, the Coiled Dragon Flat Cane!
"Good intentions, sever them!"
Lao Tzu uttered three words softly, his voice not loud, yet they were like the divine pronouncements of the Great Dao, resounding in the hearts of every Zixiao Guest!
The Panlong Flat Strike suddenly burst forth with a dazzling, clear light!
A phantom figure, identical in appearance to Lao Tzu but with a compassionate expression and an incomparably peaceful aura, slowly rose from above Lao Tzu's head!
The phantom was surrounded by pure, benevolent Daoist energy. Holding a phantom flat cane, it nodded slightly to Laozi's true form before transforming into a stream of light and disappearing into the coiled dragon flat cane!
A vast and powerful aura, far surpassing anything before, erupted from Laozi's body!
He remained seated on the prayer mat, yet he seemed to be one with the entire Zixiao Palace and with the mysterious Heavenly Dao!
A pressure that surpassed even that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal and belonged to the "Quasi-Saint" level spread out. Although it was not domineering, it made all the Zixiao guests feel a sense of awe originating from the level of life itself!
Lao Tzu slowly opened his eyes, his eyes devoid of sorrow or joy, revealing only a clear and profound understanding of the ultimate truth.
He rose and bowed deeply to Hongjun on the high platform.
"Disciple Laozi thanks Master for imparting the Dao! Fortunately, with Master's guidance, I have comprehended the method of severing the corpse and finally entered the Quasi-Saint realm!"
The entire Zixiao Palace fell into a deathly silence in an instant!
Immediately, an uncontrollable gasp and shock erupted!
"The corpse has been severed! The sage Lao Tzu has severed the benevolent corpse!"
"Quasi-Saint!"
This is the Quasi-Saint realm! What terrifying pressure!
"The leader of the Three Pure Ones truly lives up to his name! He was the first to break through!"
"The Dao Ancestor's methods are truly profound and boundless!"
The three thousand Zixiao guests looked at Laozi with awe and envy, while their gazes toward Hongjun were even more fervent!
The method of severing the three corpses is truly feasible!
Lao Tzu is a living example!
Hongjun looked down at Laozi, who was bowing respectfully, with an almost imperceptible joy in his eyes.
Lao Tzu's successful dismemberment of his body not only verified the correctness of the Taoist teachings he transmitted, but also meant that a crucial piece in his plan had already embarked on its predetermined path!
This is of extraordinary significance for him to control the primordial world!
"good."
Hongjun nodded slightly, his voice calm yet approving.
"The Tao follows nature, progressing through non-action; this is excellent."
However, Hongjun's joy did not last long.
Just as the aftershocks of Laozi's breakthrough had not yet subsided, another completely different aura suddenly erupted from Yuanshi!
The Jade Purity Immortal Light around Yuanshi surged, and a stubborn, domineering, and unquestionable will soared into the sky!
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light, carrying a resolute determination to cut through all obstacles!
A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a jade ruyi, its surface warm and smooth, shimmering with three-colored radiance, emerged—it was his supreme treasure for attaining enlightenment, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi!
"Sever your obsession!"
The voice of the Primordial One was like the clang of metal, filled with an unwavering will!
The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi shines brightly!
A phantom with the same appearance as Yuanshi, but with eyes as sharp as swords and an aura of obsessive determination to cut down everything and be the only one who is supreme, rose from above Yuanshi's head!
The phantom holding the jade ruyi phantom nodded slightly to the real body, then transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi!
A quasi-saintly aura, even more powerful and domineering than Lao Tzu's, suddenly spread out!
The primordial aura surged instantly, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light condensed into a tangible substance, seemingly capable of suppressing all the heavens and myriad realms!
He also rose and bowed to Hongjun.
"Disciple Yuanshi thanks Master for imparting the Way! By severing my attachments, I have been able to glimpse the path to sainthood!"
Another Christmas baby!
Moreover, it is Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones!
The Purple Cloud Palace erupted in uproar once again! The cultivators looked at Yuanshi with even greater awe, and at Hongjun with almost fanatical fervor!
However, the joy on Hongjun's face faded somewhat.
His gaze swept down, and the futon that should have reached the heavens remained suspended in mid-air.
Since one has not yet reached the Heavenly Realm, it is naturally impossible to sever the corpse.
The Three Pure Ones are an integral whole, and none of them can be missing.
Tongtian's move failed to go as planned, casting a shadow over his heart.
After Yuanshi finished his bow of thanks, he looked up at Hongjun with anticipation in his eyes.
He successfully severed his corpse, becoming the second quasi-sage after Laozi, and should rightfully be rewarded.
However, Hongjun merely glanced at him indifferently, nodded slightly, and then looked away without saying anything more.
Yuan Shi's expression froze instantly, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment and dissatisfaction.
He had a very high opinion of himself, and this breakthrough was even more impressive than that of all others (except Lao Tzu), yet he did not receive a single word of praise from his teacher.
This made him feel extremely frustrated.
Below, however, the face of the Eastern King Duke turned deathly pale the moment Yuanshi broke through!
He felt the fierce pressure emanating from Yuanshi, and his heart was filled with unprecedented fear!
He just publicly contradicted and humiliated Yuanshi in Zixiao Palace!
Now, Yuanshi has actually become a quasi-sage!
The gap in strength widened instantly to an unimaginable degree!
What... what should we do? How could Yuanshi let him go?
Just as the Eastern King was in a state of utter confusion, another unexpected event occurred within the Purple Cloud Palace!
Nuwa's body surged with the power of creation, and the phantom of the Mountain and River Map unfolded. A compassionate and benevolent goddess phantom slashed out and disappeared into the map, her aura surging, stepping into the Quasi-Saint realm!
The Fuxi Bagua diagram circulates, deducing the secrets of heaven. A wise and profound phantom slashes out, merging into the Bagua diagram, and also breaks through!
Auspicious clouds swirled around Ancestor Hongyun, and the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd flashed red light, unleashing a carefree phantom. Its aura was perfectly harmonious, and it achieved the status of a Quasi-Saint!
Zhen Yuanzi flipped through the Earth Book, the Earth Qi as thick as a mountain, and a phantom that could bear all things and rule the world slashed out and disappeared into the Earth Book, its power overwhelming!
The phantom of the Kunpeng Demon Master Beiming appeared, and the Demon Master Palace shimmered with light. A sinister and domineering phantom that devoured heaven and earth slashed out and merged into the Demon Master Palace, its aura becoming unfathomable!
In the Western Lands, the Guide Daoist appeared to be suffering, and the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus of Merit radiated boundless golden light. A compassionate and boundless phantom image of salvation and great vows slashed out and merged into the Golden Lotus, thus becoming a Quasi-Saint!
The Seven Treasures Tree of the Daoist Zhunti emitted a seven-colored divine light that soared into the sky. A phantom image, full of ambition and perseverance, slashed out and disappeared into the tree, also stepping into the realm of Quasi-Saint!
Nuwa! Fuxi! Hongyun! Zhenyuanzi! Kunpeng! Jieyin! Zhunti!
Seven quasi-saintly pressures erupted one after another!
Like seven divine mountains rising from the ground, shaking the entire Zixiao Palace!
Including Laozi and Yuanshi, a total of nine powerful beings successfully severed their corpses and entered the early stage of Quasi-Saint at the end of the second lecture at Zixiao Palace!
Nine Quasi-Saints! A spectacle never before seen in the primordial world!
The three thousand Purple Cloud Guests were completely in an uproar!
Witnessing nine top-tier experts successfully sever their corpses and step into a completely new realm had an unparalleled impact on them!
The method of severing the three corpses is no longer an ethereal theory, but a tangible path to enlightenment! "Sever the corpses! I want to sever my corpses too!"
"The Quasi-Saint realm! It's right before my eyes!"
"The virtue of the Dao Ancestor! His grace in transmitting the Dao will never be forgotten!"
Under the immense stimulation, countless Zixiao guests could no longer restrain themselves and sat cross-legged, fully activating the Corpse-Severing Technique passed down by Hongjun!
In an instant, the entire Zixiao Palace was filled with the surging of Daoist energy and the churning of vital energy! Some people showed joy on their faces, as if they had gained something.
Some people had furrowed brows and were struggling.
Some people's breathing became unstable, and they almost went into qi deviation!
Dongwanggong and Dijun are also fully activating the magic!
The pure Yang energy around Dong Wanggong surged, the Pure Yang Mirror shone brightly, his eyes were bloodshot, and he desperately tried to sense his three corpses and gather the will to sever them!
However, no matter how hard he tried, those good thoughts, evil thoughts, and obsessions were like slippery eels, impossible to clearly capture, let alone cut out!
His forehead veins bulged, and his breathing was erratic, yet he was still unable to take that crucial step!
Di Jun's brows were also furrowed. The Hetu and Luoshu floated above his head, with stars shifting and endless calculations being made.
He attempted to use the Hetu and Luoshu diagrams as a basis to deduce the location of his three corpses.
However, his path to enlightenment is too deeply intertwined with the imperial destiny and the fate of the demon race, and the thoughts of the three corpses are even more mixed and difficult to separate.
He tried several times, but all attempts ended in failure, and his breathing became somewhat unsteady.
"Why?! Why can they do it, but I can't?!"
Looking at the nine Quasi-Saints who had successfully broken through, especially the cold gaze that Yuanshi was giving him, Dongwanggong felt a surge of resentment, jealousy, and fear!
As the head of the male immortals and the ruler of the celestial court, he was blessed with good fortune and countless resources, yet he was unable to break through in the first place.
How can he save face?
What's even more terrifying is that Yuanshi has already become a quasi-saint. If one wants to take revenge on him... the consequences would be unimaginable!
Immense pressure and fear gnawed at the heart of the Eastern King Duke.
He suddenly looked up at the supreme figure on the high platform, his eyes filled with madness!
He can't just sit here and wait to die!
He had to grasp at this last straw!
"Teacher! Teacher, save me!"
The Eastern King suddenly stood up from the prayer mat, ignoring the countless astonished gazes around him, right before everyone's eyes.
With a "plop," he knelt down in the direction of Hongjun!
His voice was shrill and tearful, filled with fear and pleading:
"Master! Your disciple is dull-witted. Although I have received your true teachings, I am still unable to grasp the key to the Corpse-Slaying Technique! I beg you to have mercy and lend me a hand!"
He kowtowed heavily, his forehead striking the cold floor of the Taoist palace with a dull thud.
"As the head of the male immortals personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, I rule over all male immortals in the primordial world! If I fail to break through for a long time, I fear I will be ridiculed by petty villains, which would damage my teacher's reputation!"
I fear I will be powerless to oversee the primordial wilderness and fail my teacher's trust! I implore you, teacher, in consideration of my unwavering loyalty and tireless dedication to the peace of the primordial wilderness, grant me an opportunity to break through my limitations! I will repay your great kindness with my life!
By kneeling and pleading, Dongwanggong forcibly linked his cultivation bottleneck with Hongjun's face and the stability of the prehistoric order!
He was telling Hongjun: I, the Eastern King Duke, am your man. If I cannot break through, I will disgrace your Dao Ancestor!
If I fail to supervise properly, it will disrupt the order of your Dao Ancestor! If you don't help me, you'll face the consequences!
This almost shameless coercion plunged the entire Zixiao Palace into an eerie silence!
All the cultivators who were attempting to sever the corpse stopped, staring dumbfounded at the Eastern King Duke kneeling on the ground in a humble posture.
Yuanshi's eyes held a mixture of disdain and pleasure, Laozi remained expressionless, Dijun's brows furrowed even more, and the other quasi-saints displayed varying expressions.
The three thousand guests of the Purple Cloud Pavilion were so shocked by this sudden turn of events that they were speechless.
Hongjun sat on the high platform, his gaze fixed on the kneeling Dongwanggong, his eyes deep and unreadable.
The atmosphere in the entire Zixiao Palace was extremely heavy.
The Eastern King Duke knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold Dao Palace floor. His voice was shrill and mournful as he forcibly bound his cultivation bottleneck to Hongjun's face and the order of the primordial world. Every word was filled with tears and every sentence was like a knife to the heart!
The entire Zixiao Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and all eyes were focused on the ancient figure on the high platform.
Hongjun's gaze was deep, like two bottomless ancient wells, silently watching the humble and pleading Dongwanggong below.
Silence, like an invisible boulder, weighed heavily on the hearts of every Zixiao Guest.
After a long while, Hongjun finally spoke slowly, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable power of rules.
"The path of cultivation is about doing it personally and understanding one's true nature. Severing the three corpses is about cutting off one's own obstacles, which cannot be forced by external forces. If one relies on external assistance, one's foundation will be unstable, and one's path will be difficult to continue."
Upon hearing this, Dongwanggong was struck dumb, his face turning deathly pale, and the last glimmer of hope in his eyes dimmed.
It's over! The Dao Ancestor refused!
He's finished! Yuanshi's icy gaze was gnawing at his soul!
However, just as Dongwanggong was in despair, Hongjun's voice rang out again, carrying an imperceptible fluctuation.
"However... as the head of the male immortals, you bear the responsibility of overseeing the primordial world. If your cultivation is insufficient, it is easy for chaos to arise, which would damage the majesty of the Heavenly Dao."
The Eastern King suddenly looked up, his eyes bursting with unbelievable ecstasy!
Hongjun slowly raised his right hand, and with a flick of his fingertip, chaotic light flowed, drawing upon the immense power of the Heavenly Dao!
A vast and boundless invisible force, seemingly representing the will of the primordial world, suddenly descended and instantly enveloped Dongwanggong!
"Congeal!"
Hongjun uttered a single word.
The pure Yang energy surrounding the Eastern King Duke surged wildly!
Above his head, a blurry, struggling, and twisted phantom was forcibly condensed and manifested!
The phantom's face resembled that of the Eastern King Duke, yet it carried a deliberately feigned compassion and serenity. It was the prototype of the "corpse of benevolence" that he forcibly condensed but could never truly sever!
"melt!"
Hongjun's fingertips flashed with light once more!
The dragon-headed cane that the Eastern King Duke held tightly in his hand suddenly burst forth with dazzling golden light!
The dragon head on the staff seemed to come alive, letting out a silent roar!
The power of Heaven, like an invisible giant hand, forcefully pressed the struggling and distorted phantom of good intentions toward the dragon-headed cane!
"what--!"
The Eastern King Duke let out a roar that was a mixture of pain and ecstasy!
He could feel his own mixed and impure good intentions being forcibly stripped away and compressed, frantically merging with the essence of the dragon-headed cane!
Intense pain tore at his soul, but what followed was an unprecedented sense of ease, as if he had broken free of some kind of shackles, and a surge of power that was raging wildly!
A vast and powerful quasi-saintly aura erupted from the Eastern King Duke!
Although it lacked the naturalness and smoothness of Lao Tzu and Yuan Shi, and was more rigid and superficial, its aura, which surpassed that of the Great Luo Golden Immortal, was a genuine Quasi-Saint realm!
Above his head, the dragon-headed cane shimmered with light, and in the dragon's mouth at the top of the cane, a benevolent incarnation with a similar appearance to the Eastern King Duke, but with a stiff expression and weak aura, sat cross-legged, radiating the pressure of a quasi-saint!
The tenth Quasi-Saint has been born!
"Disciple...disciple thanks Master for his life-saving grace!"
The Eastern King trembled with excitement, and kowtowed heavily once more, his voice trembling with sobs, filled with the ecstatic joy of surviving a calamity and boundless gratitude towards Hongjun! It's done!
He succeeded!
He, the Eastern King Duke, is already a quasi-sage! What can Yuanshi do to him?!
As Di Jun watched Dong Wanggong successfully break through, feeling the quasi-saintly pressure that, though seemingly weak, was nonetheless real, his eyes instantly burst forth with an incomparably blazing light!
If the Eastern King Duke could succeed, why couldn't he?
The demon race is now in grave danger, with the ten thousand-year lifespan hanging like a sword of Damocles! If they can become Quasi-Saints, their strength will increase dramatically, and the demon race will have a better chance of survival!
As the Demon Emperor, Di Jun bears the fate of his entire race on his shoulders. How could he sit idly by?
"teacher!"
Di Jun suddenly stood up from the futon and knelt down in the direction of Hong Jun without hesitation!
His voice was filled with an unprecedented earnestness and urgency. (End of Chapter)