Primordial Era: Starting by overwhelming the Sages, Hongjun was stunned!

"senior."

Tongtian opened his mouth, his voice hoarse:

"I've figured it out."

Kong Xuan's eyes flickered slightly:

"What have you figured out?"

Tongtian took a deep breath:

"I've come to understand why the shackles of Heaven's will can only be broken by disciples."

"Having figured out why, when all the people on the summit of Mount Buzhou questioned his disciples, the senior remained silent."

"I've come to understand why the seniors pass on their teachings to their disciples, rather than to others."

He paused, his gaze hardening.

"Because the senior wants his disciple to see clearly."

"See through their true colors."

"See through the true intentions of your two elder brothers."

"Seeing through this primordial world, it never shows mercy, only interests."

Kong Xuan did not answer.

He listened quietly, his gaze remaining calm.

Tongtian continued:

"At the summit of Mount Buzhou, I received the teachings from my senior, and my cultivation level soared, allowing me to step into the peak of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm."

"At that time, I thought this was an incredible opportunity, a sign of the senior's favor towards me."

"But when the masses questioned me, when my two elder brothers interrogated me, when I said that breaking the shackles would require sacrificing my own cultivation."

"This disciple saw the look in their eyes."

"In those eyes, there was greed, desire, and calculation."

"The only thing that's missing is trust."

Even my two older brothers are hesitating.

"Everything is being weighed."

"They're all wondering if they'll suffer if they let their disciples take action."

Tongtian spoke, his voice growing increasingly hoarse:

"Only then did I understand."

"When a senior imparts the Dharma to a disciple, it is not out of favoritism."

"It's to let the disciple see all of this clearly."

"See clearly how much so-called kinship, morality, and camaraderie are truly worth in the face of self-interest."

Kong Xuan finally spoke:

"You hate them?"

Tongtian shook his head:

"I don't hate."

"It's just disheartening."

Kong Xuan nodded slightly:

"Feeling disheartened is a good thing."

Tongtian was taken aback.

Kong Xuan's gaze remained calm:

"Without feeling disheartened, one cannot become truly awake."

"If you're not clear-headed, you can't see the road ahead."

"If you can't see the road ahead, you won't go far."

Upon hearing this, Tongtian was startled.

He looked at Kong Xuan, at those calm, unfathomable eyes.

Suddenly I realized something.

The senior made him see these things clearly, not to make him hate.

It's to wake him up.

This awakened him from his blind trust in his two elder brothers that had lasted for countless years.

Let him awaken from his naive fantasy about the primordial beings.

Let him wake up from his identity as the third brother who always needed to be protected, taught, and corrected.

then.

Go your own way.

"senior."

Tongtian spoke, his voice trembling slightly:

"Disciple understands."

Kong Xuan nodded slightly:

"Good that you understand."

He paused, then looked up towards the outside of the hall:

Now that you understand, do you know what to do next?

Tongtian remained silent.

Of course he knew.

His sole mission is to sever the shackles of the Heavenly Dao.

But are the beings on the summit of Mount Buzhou, those two elder brothers, really worth saving?

Kong Xuan seemed to have seen through his thoughts:

"Still hesitating?"

Tongtian nodded:

"This disciple does not know whether those people are worth saving."

"Especially my two older brothers."

"If they treat their disciples like that, wouldn't it be too despicable for the disciples to still try to save them?"

Kong Xuan looked at Tongtian's struggling face and a helpless smile appeared on his lips.

The smile was so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

But Tongtian saw it.

He saw a faint trace of helplessness flash in those calm, unfathomable eyes.

It's like a schoolteacher looking at a dull-witted student who never learns from his mistakes.

"This disciple is dull-witted, please enlighten me, senior."

Tongtian bowed his head, his voice hoarse.

Kong Xuan sighed softly.

This sigh, like an eternal wind, swept across Tongtian's heart.

"Reaching the Heavens".

Kong Xuan spoke, his voice still calm:

"You just said that it would be despicable to help them."

Tongtian nodded:

"Yes."

Kong Xuan looked at him:

"If that's the case, why insist on helping them break free from the shackles of Heaven's will?"

Tongtian was taken aback.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Why should we help them?

He had never thought about this question.

At the summit of Mount Buzhou, all living beings knelt and pleaded repeatedly.

The two elder brothers were filled with guilt and remorse.

He felt that he should help them.

We should step in and break their shackles.

We should forgive past grievances and repay evil with kindness.

should......

What should it be?

Tongtian was stunned.

Yes, what should it be?

They questioned him, pressured him, and hurt him deeply.

They chose to weigh the pros and cons when he needed trust the most.

When faced with personal gain, their true colors were revealed.

Why would he insist on saving someone like that?

Kong Xuan looked at him, her gaze calm:

"Do you know why those three thousand worldly travelers all sought you atop Mount Buzhou?"

Tongtian pondered:

"Because they want to be free."

"Liberate from what?"

"The shackles of Heaven's Way".

"Who put these shackles on us?"

"Hongjun... Daozu."

Kong Xuan nodded slightly:

"Hongjun preached for three thousand years, passing down the shackles of the Heavenly Way."

"Those people come to hear the sermon, seeking the opportunity to become saints."

"Opportunity has been gained, and so have shackles."

"This is their choice."

"Once you've made a choice, you have to bear the consequences."

Kong Xuan paused, his gaze hardening.

Why are you taking their place?

Tongtian shuddered.

Kong Xuan continued:

"You just said that breaking the shackles requires expending one's mental energy, and that one's cultivation level decreases by one point for each person one cuts."

"That's absolutely true."

"If you were to actually save those three thousand people, how much of your current peak Golden Immortal level would be left?"

Tongtian remained silent.

He dared not think.

Three thousand men, three thousand cuts.

With each strike, he suffered a loss of mental energy and a depletion of his very essence.

After the three thousand cuts are finished, will he still be able to stand here?

It's likely that it has already fallen into the Primordial Chaos realm, and perhaps even...

The foundation of one's Dao collapses, and one dies and one's Dao vanishes.

Kong Xuan looked at him:

Is it worth it for those who question you and pressure you?

Tongtian shook his head.

Without hesitation.

Kong Xuan smiled:

"And what about your two older brothers?"

"Are they worth it?"

Tongtian fell silent again.

Is it worth it?

If you were to rescue them, you would need to slash them twice.

With those two strikes, his cultivation was damaged and his foundation was destroyed.

and then?

When the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods arrives, will they show mercy?

That vision of the future still vividly appeared in his mind.

Lao Tzu held the Tai Chi diagram and sealed his sword gate.

Yuanshi held the Pangu Banner and slashed at the sword light.

Show no mercy.

Show no mercy.

Is such a person worth sacrificing his cultivation to save?

Tongtian closed his eyes.

a long time.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear:

"It's not worth it."

The three words were uttered with a sense of relief.

Kong Xuan nodded slightly:

"Have you figured it out?"

Tongtian nodded:

"I've figured it out."

"I saved them out of kindness."

"Not rescuing is our right."

"But they have never shown any kindness to their disciples, so why should the disciples show them any kindness?"

Kong Xuan smiled.

This time, the smile was more genuine:

"If you can understand this, then it wasn't in vain that I transmitted that wisp of chaotic light to you."

Tongtian rose and bowed deeply:

"Thank you for your guidance, senior!"

"This disciple almost fell into delusion again."