Primordial Era: Me, starting with the Primordial Enlightenment Tree

Hongjun's teachings were not to be passed on to more than six people; each word carried the supreme holy pressure that suppressed the primordial world, and his words sealed the fate of the world.

He continued, "Those who would seize the world and rule it, I see they will not succeed. The world is a sacred vessel, not something to be taken for granted. Those who try to take it will fail, those who grasp it will lose it. Things may move or follow, may make a sound or blow, may be strong or weak, may be cultivated or fall. Therefore, the sage avoids excess, excess, and extravagance."

One by one, the Daoist mantras carrying the ultimate truths of quasi-sages were slowly uttered from Hongjun's mouth. In the entire boundless void, countless golden and dazzling Daoist scriptures appeared out of thin air. Each character was wrapped in a vast and boundless Daoist aura, flowing with the spiritual light of innate origin. Finally, these scriptures bloomed in the void, transforming into fragrant Daoist flowers. As the petals trembled, they scattered Daoist radiance across the sky, slowly descending upon the heads of every immortal god sitting in the Zixiao Palace listening to the Dao.

Hongjun continued to preach on the high platform, and the thousands of gods below listened with rapt attention, their minds completely immersed in the profound truths of the Great Dao. Their expressions changed constantly, sometimes showing wild joy, sometimes sorrow, sometimes weeping loudly, and sometimes laughing heartily.

In short, within this grand hall of the Zixiao Palace, opened by a sage, countless immortals and gods display their myriad forms, presenting every kind of expression and posture.

Immediately afterwards, Hongjun slowly revealed the method of severing the three corpses to attain enlightenment, a method that could drive all living beings in the primordial world mad.

"What is meant by severing the three corpses? It means to completely sever one's evil corpse, good corpse, and the corpse of one's ego and attachments in order to break through the profound barrier and attain the quasi-sainthood. In this path, the superior way is to prove the Dao with strength, relying on one's own supreme power to sever the three corpses within the body; the middle way is to sever the three corpses with innate spiritual treasures; and the least superior way is to sever the three corpses with immeasurable merit..."

"However, to practice the path of severing the three corpses, one must possess extraordinary wisdom, unwavering perseverance, immense magical power, profound understanding of the origin, and boundless merit in order to truly sever the three corpses, break through the barriers of the Great Dao, and attain quasi-sainthood..."

This sermon, which has been going on for three thousand years, is but a fleeting moment for cultivators who are immersed in the enlightenment of the Great Dao and have long since seen through the passage of time.

The myriad gods, whose minds were completely immersed in the true words of Taoism, were completely unaware that three thousand years had quietly passed.

On this very day, Hongjun, atop the high platform, suddenly stopped speaking, abruptly ending his three-thousand-year-long sermon.

The gods below the platform were listening to the key points of the great truth, their minds completely absorbed in it. Suddenly, when they heard the sermon stop, they felt as if something was blocking their chests, an indescribable feeling of suffocation and discomfort. Even though they were extremely reluctant and full of regret, the gods dared not utter a single complaint, let alone say a word.

Then, Hongjun slowly spoke, "I have been preaching for over three thousand years. This second sermon at Zixiao Palace will now come to an end. I have fully imparted to you the methods of attaining sainthood. If you still have any questions, please feel free to ask, and I will answer them for you one by one."

Upon hearing this, the gods below the stage, whose faces were originally full of regret, immediately revealed undisguised smiles of joy.

The next moment...

Taiqing Laozi, who was sitting in the front row, was the first to bow and speak: "Master Hongjun, you just mentioned the way to sever the three corpses. The first is to sever the corpse with force, then with spiritual treasures, and finally with merit. However, there is still one thing I don't understand about this method of severing the three corpses. Is there a difference in the grades of severing the corpse with spiritual treasures?"

Upon hearing the question posed by Taiqing Laozi, all the mortal beings in the main hall involuntarily held their breath, focused their minds, and dared not utter a single sound.

The answer to this question is precisely what they most urgently want to know at this moment.

As for the most superior method of proving the Dao through force and severing the three corpses, it's not that they haven't longed for it, but the talent and power required to prove the Dao through force are too terrifying, and this path is too difficult, almost no one can walk it.

Next comes the lowest level of merit, the method of severing the three corpses. Although they clearly know how to perform this method.

In this vast and primordial world, the merits of Heaven are extremely precious and not so easily obtained. Therefore, they dared not even think about the path of severing the three corpses through merits.

The Lingbao method of severing the three corpses, which lies between these two extremes, is neither superior nor inferior, but rather conventional. It requires neither the heaven-defying talent of proving the Dao through force nor the vast fortune of severing the corpses through merit. It is precisely the path of enlightenment most suitable for these ancient immortals and gods.

So after hearing Laozi's question, all the gods below the stage pricked up their ears, not daring to even breathe loudly, and were fully focused on listening to the answer from the Sage Hongjun.

Hongjun calmly said, "The Spiritual Treasure Corpse Severing Technique is indeed divided into three types: superior, middle, and inferior. Among them, the Innate Supreme Treasure is the most advanced, followed by the Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and then the Upper-Grade, Middle-Grade, and Lower-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. You only need to entrust your evil corpse, good corpse, and ego obsession to the Spiritual Treasure, and then use your great magic power, great perseverance, and great wisdom to see through your obsession and sever the three corpses."

Even if it's not an innate spiritual treasure, but merely a spiritual treasure forged through acquired means, it can still be used to sever the three corpses by channeling one's obsessions. Severing the corpse with an acquired spiritual treasure is the easiest path to success, but the cultivation level and strength gained after severing the corpse are far inferior to the Dao fruit obtained by severing the corpse with an innate spiritual treasure.

The gods below the stage had all assumed that only an incomparably precious innate spiritual treasure could complete the process of severing the corpse. Upon hearing the first part of the sentence, their hearts sank to the bottom, and they felt a chill run through their bodies.

But when they heard what followed...

It turns out that even acquired spiritual treasures can be used to sever the corpse and prove the Dao, instantly rekindling a glimmer of hope in their hearts.

Although the Quasi-Saint Dao Fruit obtained by severing the corpse with a acquired spiritual treasure is far less powerful than that of a cultivator who severs the corpse with an innate spiritual treasure, it can ultimately allow one to truly step into the indestructible Quasi-Saint realm.

Once you reach the Quasi-Saint realm, you will truly live as long as heaven and earth, and be as old as the sun and moon. Even if you want to die, it will be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Even when quasi-saints of the same level fight, if they cannot completely annihilate the other's true spirit, as long as a trace of true spirit remains, they will never truly perish. This supreme mystery of being indestructible through countless eons has an unimaginable and fatal attraction for the gods of the primordial world.

The gods all rose and bowed deeply to Hongjun on the high platform; "Thank you, Sage Hongjun, for your compassionate guidance."

Seeing this, Hongjun continued slowly, "If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask."

"Master Hongjun, there is still one thing I don't understand. If the three corpses are successfully severed, will the severed corpses possess independent emotions and become complete independent individuals?"

Taiqing Laozi then bowed again and asked the question.

The question posed by the Primordial Celestial Venerable was insightful and highly distinctive.

The gods below the stage all trembled violently.

Yup!

Does the corpse that one has severed still belong to oneself, and does it possess independent emotions separate from the original body?

At that very moment, all the gods instantly became alert and began to be extremely concerned about the answer to this question.

Hongjun stroked his long beard and slowly said, "After severing the three corpses, the corpse can have its own consciousness and emotions, or the original body can completely control all the corpses. The degree of control depends entirely on the individual's choice and cultivation. You can also allow the other corpse you sever to fully inherit your own Daoist inheritance and Daoist insights."

The words had barely left his mouth!

The Primordial Celestial Venerable immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Master Hongjun, for your guidance."

"Alright, this sermon at Zixiao Palace has now come to a complete end. You may all disperse!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hongjun's figure transformed into a sky full of Dao radiance and slowly disappeared from everyone's sight.

…………