Chapter 68: Hongjun Preaches the Dao

In the realm of Huaxia, within the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace on Mount Taiyue.

Mu Changge had brought the black rabbit here, waiting alongside the powerful beings of all races from the Huaxia realm inside the hall for the manifestation of Ancestor Daoist Hongjun.

Mu Changge glanced over the myriad powerful beings in the palace, spotting Nüwa, the saint of the human race, as well as the future Primeval Lord of Heaven, Lord Laozi, the Master of Heaven, Daoist Jieyin, Daoist Zhunti, the Great Immortal Zhenyuan, Emperor Gouchen, Emperor Ziwei, the True King of Jade Clarity, and the Heavenly Venerate Who Relieves Sufferings from Taiyi.

Mu Changge thought to himself, the Three Pure Ones, the Two Saints, the Ancestor of Earth, and the Four Emperors are all present. The Three Pure Ones, the Ancestor of Earth, and the Four Emperors, along with the Jade Emperor who was not in attendance, constituted the heavyweights of the Taoist pantheon.

As for Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti, they were the Western Two Saints who founded the Western Teaching, and would later merge the Western Teaching with the Mahayana Buddhism of the Indian realm, transforming it into a Buddhism rooted in the Huaxia realm.

Daoist Jieyin later became Amitabha Buddha, and Daoist Zhunti later became the Cundi Mother of Buddhas.

When Mu Changge saw the speaker of the classic quote, "You and I are fated with the West," he found it uninteresting and looked away.

If someone were to wipe out everyone present right here, it would undoubtedly alter the course of the Huaxia realm.

Mindful that this was the Daoist sanctuary of Ancestor Daoist Hongjun, the attendees inside the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace did not make a loud commotion, instead murmuring softly among themselves, curiously discussing how wondrous the arts of immortal cultivation must be.

Unlike some web novels Mu Changge had read, prayer mats were provided right in front of the Purple Firmament Palace, with one assigned to everyone who entered, eliminating any so-called scramble for the mats.

Yet for Mu Changge himself, this was simply too boring. How could it do without any amusement? Was he really supposed to listen to Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's tedious, lengthy discourse?

Mu Changge figured that if he had chosen the path of immortal cultivation, he might have listened attentively, but since he had chosen the path of ancient gods and even become a Heavenly Emperor, this path of immortal cultivation was naturally useless to him.

Yet if he had not come, he could not have backed up his own black rabbit; what if some pig had taken a fancy to his black rabbit?

Mu Changge kept the black rabbit close by his side, while radiating a "keep strangers away" aura that caused anyone who approached to converse due to the rabbit's beauty to consciously withdraw.

Mu Changge's aura even deterred some who wished to step forward and forge connections.

Yet Mu Changge did not care; most of the people here would become Taoist immortals in the future, and there was no need for him to get too close to the immortals of Taoism.

After the attendees in the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace had waited for some time, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun finally appeared in the hall accompanied by a man.

"That old man is Hongjun? And the man beside him is Zhang Baining?" Mu Changge thought to himself.

Zhang Baining was the mortal name of the future Lord of Heaven, the Jade Emperor.

Once Ancestor Daoist Hongjun appeared, the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace instantly grew quiet.

At Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's gesture, Zhang Baining walked toward the front rows and took a seat.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun sat upon the high seat, gently sweeping his gaze across all the attendees within the Purple Firmament Palace.

"This old ancestor is the Dao Ancestor, Dao Ancestor Hongjun!"

"Those of you who have come here share a fate with this old ancestor, and it is also your great fortune."

"This old ancestor shall first discourse upon the supreme principles of the Heavenly Dao, and thereafter explain how to cultivate immortality, along with the classification of the realms of immortal cultivation."

"Everyone, please take your seats."

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's voice carried the rhythm of the Great Dao, possessing a natural, binding force.

The attendees in the palace sat down one after another, attentively listening to the Dao.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun immediately began to elucidate the supreme principles of the Heavenly Dao to all present, enabling them to comprehend what it means to conform to favorable timing, geographic advantages, and human harmony, what the Dao is, what principles are, and what truth is.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun further spoke of the Mysterious Yellow of Heaven and Earth, the evolution of Taiji, the arts of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend, and the essential meaning and truth of the Dao.

The Dao generates One, One generates Two, Two generates Three, and Three generates all things.

Man models himself on Earth, Earth models itself on Heaven, Heaven models itself on the Dao, and the Dao models itself on nature.

The isomorphism of heaven and man, the coordination of yin and yang, the simultaneous nurturing of form and spirit, and comprehensive coordination.

Within the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace, aside from Ancestor Daoist Hongjun who expounded the Dao and Mu Changge, every listener entered a state of sudden enlightenment, feeling, pondering, and comprehending their own unique Dao.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun finally began to explain how to cultivate immortality.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun expounded upon Mahayana Daoist methods such as the ten-stage transformation and penetration, the ten great divine powers, the unity of heaven and man, the burden and retribution of the Heavenly Dao, returning to one's true and natural simplicity, supreme goodness being like water, pure and effortless tranquility, and "my fate is determined by myself and not by the heavens."

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun also pointed out the trials and tribulations along the path of immortal cultivation, proposing the solution that one must promptly repay karmic debts in order to attain the Dao.

Regarding the avenues of immortal cultivation, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun discussed alchemical self-realization, taking elixirs and refining qi, accumulating virtue and doing good deeds, guiding and comprehending the law, exhaling and abstaining from grains, and embryonic breathing and internal contemplation.

Again, not knowing how much time had passed, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun finally touched upon the classification of the realms of immortal cultivation.

Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Elixir, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refining, Mahayana, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Heaven Immortal, True Immortal, Mysterious Immortal, Golden Immortal, Taiyi Golden Immortal, Daluo Golden Immortal, Primordial Golden Immortal, and Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun also mentioned the heavenly lightning tribulations that one would experience upon reaching a certain realm of immortal cultivation, explaining the origin of these tribulations and the difficult barriers of defying the heavens to change one's destiny.

Finally, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun spoke of the three disasters, nine calamities, and ten trials, proclaiming them to be the final step toward becoming a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal.

The three disasters referred to the disaster of wind, the disaster of fire, and the disaster of thunder. The nine calamities and ten trials involved deeper levels of spiritual practice and transcendence, with the nine calamities referring to the nine kinds of difficulties or challenges encountered by cultivators during their journey, while the ten trials were the ten stages or tests a cultivator must experience to attain a higher spiritual realm.

...

The attendees inside the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace listened to Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's discourse as if intoxicated and entranced.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun opened a new door for them, revealing an entirely fresh world and painting a future full of possibilities.

Only Mu Changge found himself uninspired by Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's discourse and meditated in isolation.

Sunrises and sunsets followed one another, time flew like an arrow, and no one knew how long had passed.

"Everyone, this old ancestor's discourse ends here. You may deeply contemplate and perceive these matters yourselves, or discuss them amongst one another."

At last, Ancestor Daoist Hongjun concluded his discourse, bidding the attendees to review and reflect on their own.

The attendees within the Grand Mystery Purple Firmament Palace still felt unsatisfied, yet they chorused their gratitude for Ancestor Daoist Hongjun's discourse.

"We thank the Dao Ancestor! The grace of the Dao Ancestor, we shall forever keep engraved in our hearts!"

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun nodded and decided to announce the selection of a few among the attendees to be his disciples.

"Finally, this old ancestor shall select those among you of keen intelligence to become my personal disciples."

The entire hall erupted!

The attendees present instantly perged up their spirits a hundredfold, gazing together at Ancestor Daoist Hongjun seated in the high position, hoping that the Dao Ancestor would choose them as disciples.

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun swept his gaze around before speaking: "Primeval, Lingbao, and Moral, your natural intelligence is exceptional; you shall be my direct personal disciples."

"Nüwa, you bear the merit of saving the world; you shall be a disciple of my lineage."

"Jieyin and Zhunti, you are fated with my Dao in the future; you may become my nominal disciples."

The Primeval Lord of Heaven, Lord Laozi, the Master of Heaven, the Saint Nüwa, Daoist Jieyin, and Daoist Zhunti—these six were chosen, thereby becoming the disciples of Ancestor Daoist Hongjun.

"We pay our respects to our master!" (x6)

Ancestor Daoist Hongjun nodded, then vanished directly, leaving the sound of the Dao lingering and echoing throughout the palace.

"You may all depart now; do not disturb this old ancestor's quiet cultivation."

The attendees who had not been chosen by Ancestor Daoist Hongjun all felt a sense of regret, and with no other choice, they departed one after another.

The Primeval Lord of Heaven, Lord Laozi, the Master of Heaven, the Saint Nüwa, Daoist Jieyin, and Daoist Zhunti exchanged parting pleasantries before also leaving the Purple Firmament Palace.