Chapter 73: Hongjun's Internal and External Struggles

Pangu and the Three Pure Ones each merged a tenth of their Creation Merit into themselves, finally feeling somewhat at ease.

From the perspective of the Three Pure Ones, with the treasures used to open the heavens, the merit from creation, the primal purple qi, and the innate, boundless fortune destined for them—wasn’t everything perfectly secure?

Yet, as Nuwa and Houtu watched this unfold, they shook their heads repeatedly. Though the Three Pure Ones were talented and vigilant, they still failed to grasp the central issue. The crux was not the Creation Merit they possessed, but rather the three among the forty-nine strands of primal purple qi left behind by Pangu.

How could refining some external object like primal purple qi confer the ultimate path? The true Way must be sought from within oneself; how could it possibly be granted by another?

What a pity!

The Three Pure Ones pondered deeply, perhaps because the secrets of destiny had been concealed from them by Hongjun. No matter how they contemplated, they could not fathom the true core of the matter. Yet, they could hardly be blamed. At this moment, everyone in the primordial world was cultivating the power of the Great Way, and no one was pursuing the position of Saint of Heaven. With no reminders, who would consider that even the saintly path might contain crucial differences?

...

Nuwa put away her Map of Mountains and Rivers and her Red Embroidered Ball, left her meditation mat, and blended into the crowd within the Zixiao Palace. Houtu also stowed the Yin-Yang Millstone—a treasure left by the Ancestor of Yin and Yang, containing yin energy that could annihilate all things and yang energy that could give birth to all things. Only those who comprehended both the power of yin and yang and the path of life and death could command it. In the primordial world, Houtu had used the path of earth to comprehend the mysteries of life and death, and from that understanding forged two supreme treasures: the Sword of Yin and the Sword of Yang. These resonated perfectly with the millstone, and she gained its recognition. Now that the Yin-Yang Millstone had emerged, it naturally belonged to Houtu.

The Dao Ancestor Hongjun sighed and looked upon the remaining great beings in the Zixiao Palace.

The two powerful ones from the West, Jieyin and Zhunti, were elated. In their minds, apart from themselves, none in the palace had a chance at sainthood. There were seven meditation mats, and they occupied the last two, a clear sign that the saintly positions were set.

“It must be Jieyin and Zhunti!” was the thought not just in their minds, but in the minds of many onlookers as well.

Kunpeng was nearly driven mad with hatred. Were it not for that fool Hongyun, he and his ally would have kept their places; how could they have lost them to those shameless bastards Jieyin and Zhunti?

Once, Kunpeng and Hongyun had been allies, but now he could not help but seethe with anger!

...

Hongjun spoke: “Di Jun and Taiyi of the Golden Crows, rulers of Heaven, patrol the realm on behalf of Heaven, and through the merit of the Solar Crows illuminating all directions, you are worthy of sainthood!”

With that, Hongjun bestowed upon them each a strand of primal purple qi. “You two are uniquely blessed, accompanied by the Donghuang Bell, the River Diagram, and the Luo Book. You lack for no treasures, and I can find nothing more useful to you in my palace, so I grant you each a strand of primal purple qi.”

“What?”

Every great cultivator in the Zixiao Palace was thrown into uproar. All had thought that Jieyin and Zhunti were certain to be chosen, never expecting this unforeseen twist!

Kunpeng was dumbfounded, and his hatred for Hongyun lessened a little in that shock.

...

Di Jun pondered silently. Though he did not know Hongjun’s true intentions, he was a cunning and ambitious man. He understood clearly that the Dao Ancestor would never wish for Di Jun and Taiyi to stand as his equals.

Moreover, the choices made by Nuwa and Houtu were exceedingly odd!

Di Jun and Taiyi exchanged a glance and made their decision together.

Di Jun said respectfully, “Though you have shown great compassion in spreading the Dao, my brother and I are of limited talent. Despite listening to your teachings, we have gained nothing. It seems we must entrust our future to fate and fortune. Since you possess such treasures as the primal purple qi, it would be better to grant it to other great beings of superior ability and not waste it on the two of us.”

Bowing deeply, the two withdrew into the crowd.

“Master!” Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, then pleaded in unison, “We beg our master to have pity on us, for the spiritual veins of the West have crumbled and our land is barren!”

Everyone in the palace laughed. If one is not destined, how could begging and pleading win a saintly position?

...

Hongjun frowned deeply. He could understand why Nuwa and Houtu refused—both were marked by destiny and, though not yet enlightened, had gained great insight and already found their own paths, which did not align with the Heavenly Way, making them hard to persuade.

But Di Jun and Taiyi—their Heavenly Court was a direct extension of the Heavenly Dao itself! As the Dao Ancestor, Hongjun was meant to unify all authority under Heaven, with the Heavenly Court as one of its pillars. If he could not control the path of men or earth, so be it, but now he could not even manage the Heavenly Dao? Could it be that all these saints of the Heavenly Dao were planning rebellion one by one?

...

Within the Zixiao Palace, the teachings of the Great Dao were under the watch of the supreme principle. Even Hongjun himself could not resort to slaughter, nor could he force anyone.

Helpless, Hongjun sighed, “So be it—let this matter rest.”

Though he appeared unbothered, by his methods of governance it was clear: Di Jun and Taiyi had now become internal threats, while Nuwa and Houtu stood as external ones.

Once again, Jieyin and Zhunti pleaded, “We beg our master to show mercy!”

“Enough!” Hongjun, making a show of reluctance, said, “Once, I shattered the spiritual veins of the West, thus incurring a debt to you both. Today I shall repay it. I accept you as registered disciples and bestow upon you the primal purple qi. If you wish to become saints in the future, you must accumulate vast merit and cultivate diligently for myriad years.”

Jieyin and Zhunti were overjoyed, accepting the purple qi and once more addressing Hongjun as their master.

Hongjun also bestowed upon Jieyin the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus.

Seeing that this method worked for Jieyin and Zhunti, many in the palace became restless, begging for a strand of primal purple qi themselves.

“So be it!” Hongjun, exasperated, said, “Hongyun possesses great merit and karma. Whether he can achieve sainthood even I cannot foresee. I shall grant him a strand of primal purple qi; whether he succeeds or fails depends on fate!”

Thus Hongjun granted Hongyun a strand of primal purple qi as well.

Now, all five disciples of the Heavenly Dao under Hongjun were in place: the Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, and Zhunti.

Nuwa, Houtu, Di Jun, and Taiyi, though possessing great merit and once considered for discipleship, each had their own motives and politely declined.

Hongyun was a free cultivator, part of the divine court; though he received the primal purple qi, he did not become a disciple, not even a registered one.

Thus, those in the primordial world with hope of achieving sainthood were once more divided into two groups.

Zhunti thought secretly, “Back then, in the chaos of the Zixiao Palace, how could I have imagined vengeance possible against the powerful threefold alliance? Yet now, the alliance has only five saints, and, by rejecting Hongjun’s purple qi, they have ruined their own futures. My brother and I, together with the Three Pure Ones and Master Hongjun, count six in total. In future struggles with the threefold alliance, the advantage will surely belong to our Zixiao Palace lineage!”