The might of the true form of Pangu shocked the entire Primordial World.
Dijun and Taiyi, leading countless members of the Demon Clan, had set up the Zhou Tian Star Dou Array. Relying on the power of the Chaos Bell, the River Diagram, and the Luo Book, they were utterly defeated after just a few attacks from the true form of Pangu.
Both Dijun and Taiyi suffered severe injuries, hanging on by a thread.
"Prepare to die, you feathered beasts!"
The true form of Pangu raised both hands, holding the phantom of the Heaven-Splitting Axe, and brought it down fiercely toward the two fallen emperors of the Demon Clan.
The defeat of the Wu Clan was a foregone conclusion, and countless Wu Clan warriors charged toward the shattered array and the heavily injured members of the Demon Clan.
The powerful figures of the Primordial World who were watching could not help but sigh: after this battle, the Demon Clan, which had dominated the world with its overwhelming might, would likely fade from the stage of the Primordial World!
A long river of purple Qi came from the east, traversing the entire sky.
Above the purple river, celestial birds danced and divine dragons soared!
The sounds of the Dao resounded through heaven and earth, golden lotuses fell from the sky, and exotic fragrances permeated the air.
An old man in a gray Daoist robe appeared and said coldly, "The Wu and Yao shall cease fighting for one hundred thousand years. Henceforth, the Yao shall rule the heavens and the Wu shall govern the earth. There shall be no more conflict!"
At this moment, the outcome of the battle between the Wu and Yao had already been decided. If they were to stop fighting now, how could the Wu Clan possibly let it go?
"Old Man Hongjun, our Wu Clan has no intention of making an enemy of you. Withdraw quickly, lest you meet with disaster!"
Summoned by the Twelve Ancestor Wuxian's blood through the true form of Pangu, they were capable of fighting a Sage!
Although Hongjun was a Sage, how could the Twelve Ancestor Witches feel cowardly and retreat just like that?
"Arrogant!"
Hongjun struck down with a single palm, his cyan palm print appearing as if the sun, moon, and stars were rising and setting within it, seeming to encompass the four seas and the eight desolate regions.
The true form of Pangu held the axe in both hands and met Hongjun's palm print.
"Boom!"
Following a loud crash, the true form of Pangu shattered into pieces, and the Twelve Ancestor Witches collapsed to the ground one after another, vomiting blood incessantly.
Zhurong, the Ancestor Witch of fiery temperament, stiffened his neck and blurted out, "Hongjun, what business is it of yours that our two clans, the Wu and Yao, are fighting? Why are you, an old man, favoring the Demon Clan?"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun said nothing, merely casting a cold glance at Zhurong, which frightened Zhurong into shrinking his neck and daring not utter another word.
After Dao Ancestor Hongjun departed, the Wu and Yao successively left Buzhou Mountain, and this earth-shattering battle finally came to an end.
In the span of a mere few hours, countless members of the Wu and Yao perished, and the entire Buzhou Mountain was stained red with blood.
Blood flowed down the mountain, converging into rivers!
The people of the Wu Clan possessed no primordial spirits, so once they died, that was the end of it.
However, after countless members of the Demon Clan perished, their grievances drifted through the Primordial World, wailing unceasingly, causing chilling winds to blow endlessly across the land and malevolent Qi to proliferate.
The tribulation Qi between heaven and earth grew increasingly dense, and the Great Tribulation was not far off!
Although the war between the Wu and Yao was short, whether it was the Zhou Tian Star Dou Array of the Demon Clan or the Twelve Heavenly Godsfiend Great Array of the Wu Clan, both struck deep fear into the hearts of the experts across the Primordial World.
In particular, that Twelve Heavenly Godsfiend Great Array was actually capable of summoning the true form of Pangu; even Taiyi, holding an Innate Supreme Treasure, was no match for the true form of Pangu in a single blow!
"All are mere ants beneath the Sage; proving the Dao of Primordial is the true path!"
For a time, the Primordial World entered a period of truce.
The two clans, Wu and Yao, rested and recuperated, not daring to spark further conflicts out of apprehension toward Dao Ancestor Hongjun; meanwhile, other powerful figures in the Primordial World took proving the Dao as their goal and plunged wholeheartedly into cultivation.
Thousands of years passed in the blink of an eye. Xiaoxuan had already reached the realm of Peak Daluo Golden Immortal, merely a step away from severing his corpses.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's third lecture was imminent, and the Three Pure Ones of Pangu had already emerged from seclusion, quietly awaiting Hongjun's third lecture.
Others might not know, but Xiaoxuan was acutely aware that after this lecture, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would distribute Sage positions and bestow treasures upon various individuals.
Merging his body with the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun would henceforth become the Heavenly Dao, yet the Heavenly Dao was not Hongjun.
Thinking of the meaningful expression on Dao Ancestor Hongjun's face when he entrusted the future of the Xuan Sect into his hands, Xiaoxuan could not help but feel a pang of bitterness in his heart: perhaps, at that moment, Hongjun was finally being his true self!
The people of the world all said that Dao Ancestor Hongjun was devoid of emotion, but how could the Dao Ancestor not harbor attachments within his heart as well?
"Clang, clang, clang, clang!"
The sound of bells and chimes resounded through heaven and earth, followed by the voice of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
"I am Hongjun. A thousand years from now, I will hold the third lecture in Zixiao Palace. Those with affinity may all come!"
The Three Pure Ones had all successfully severed their corpses, and with the aid of the Heaven-and-Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, the four of them naturally arrived at Zixiao Palace first.
Seeing the doors of Zixiao Palace open, the Three Pure Ones and Xiaoxuan walked straight inside.
"Creeak!"
The doors of Zixiao Palace closed, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun appeared upon the cloud dais.
After motioning for the Three Pure Ones and Xiaoxuan to take their seats, Hongjun said expressionlessly, "I shall lecture to you for three hundred years, to repay the karmic debt owed by the Heavenly Dao when Pangu split the heavens!"
With that, he began his lecture.
This time, Dao Ancestor Hongjun lectured on the methods of cultivation after proving the Dao. Although the Three Pure Ones and Xiaoxuan had not yet proven the Dao, they were nonetheless captivated and enthralled.
Even amidst the obscure and incomprehensible parts, the sounds of the Dao seemed to be carved deep into the recesses of their memories as if by knife and axe.
No sooner had the three hundred years passed than Dao Ancestor Hongjun ceased transmitting the Dao and imparting the Law, instead speaking meaningfully: "The three of you are transformed from Pangu's primordial spirit; you must not harbor discord amongst yourselves, lest you ruin your fraternal harmony. Remember this, remember this!"
As his voice faded, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's face turned pale, and his entire figure abruptly vanished without a trace.
Xiaoxuan felt a wave of emotion: no wonder in his past life, the cultivation of the Three Pure Ones was the highest among all the Sages—it turned out the Dao Ancestor had given them private tutoring. He only wondered whether his teacher and martial uncle would take the Dao Ancestor's final warning to heart.
When the millennium arrived, the boy Haotian opened palace doors on schedule, welcoming everyone into Zixiao Palace.
Though Nuwa, Fuxi, and the others were surprised to see that the Three Pure Ones and Xiaoxuan had already entered, they did not say much, taking their respective seats according to their previous positions and quietly waiting for the Dao Ancestor to appear and lecture.
The sound of bells and chimes rang out, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat high upon the cloud dais, expounding the Great Dao.
"In this lecture, I shall impart to you what a Sage is, as well as the methods of cultivation beyond the Sage!"
The Great Dao of the Sage involved the secrets of the Heavenly Dao and could not be comprehended by those lacking affinity.
Among the three thousand attendees in Zixiao Palace, only the Three Pure Ones and others seated on the front prayer mats were captivated and enthralled by the lecture. Even the Daoist Jieyin, whose face was perpetually filled with sorrow, wore a look of joy, losing himself so deeply in the sounds of the Dao that he could not extricate himself.
As for the rest, they all listened in utter confusion, understanding nothing at all.
Even if they forcibly memorized the Dao lectured by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, they would forget it moments later.
Each of them was sweating profusely, yet felt utterly helpless!
Although Xiaoxuan possessed supreme aptitude and comprehension, he was likewise unable to perceive even the slightest fraction.
For this third lecture, although it was said that all with affinity could come, the so-called those with affinity were merely the six people upon the prayer mats!
Do not force what is not destined by fate. Knowing he could not comprehend it, Xiaoxuan did not force the matter and closed his eyes to study the Taishang Profound Law.
Seeing this, Hongjun nodded inwardly with gratification, and the golden lotuses formed by spiritual Qi around Xiaoxuan were several percentage points more numerous than those around the others.
As the Dao Ancestor's lecture grew increasingly profound, the Three Pure Ones continued to nod and smile from time to time, while Nuwa, though feeling it slightly arduous, was still barely able to comprehend it.
As for Jieyin and Zhunti sitting at the very back, they scratched their heads and wiped sweat profusely.
"Clang!"
After two thousand six hundred years of lecturing, the bells and chimes suddenly rang out, and the crowd gradually snapped back to awareness.
"This lecture is concluded. If any of you have questions, you may voice them together!"
Throughout the three lectures in Zixiao Palace, the methods of cultivation for every realm had been thoroughly explained, yet not a single mention had been made of how to prove the Dao of Primordial.
Taishang rose, bowed deeply, and asked respectfully, "Dare I ask the Dao Ancestor, how does one prove the Dao of Primordial?"