The establishment of the Yao Race and the emergence of the Demon Clan Heavenly Court were like giant stones thrown into a calm lake, stirring up layers of ripples across the Primordial World.
Not long after, a major event also occurred over the East Sea.
Eastern King Duke, the head of male Immortals personally appointed by Hongjun, ultimately could not suppress his restless heart.
He felt that, as the head of all male Immortals personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, he could not fall behind others, could he?
If Dijun and Taiyi could establish a Heavenly Court, why couldn't he establish an Immortal Court?
Thus, Eastern King Duke gathered a group of Loose Immortals and powerful beings who followed him and also embarked on the significant task of establishing a sect and a court.
Eastern King Duke widely invited guests, imitating the Wu and Yao Races, and also established a force—the Immortal Court.
As soon as this news came out, the Primordial World was shaken again.
"Another one establishing a force?"
"This Eastern King Duke, the head of male Immortals personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, his title is indeed resounding, but I wonder how much of a stir he can create."
"Did he invite Queen Mother of the West? If the head of female Immortals doesn't come, his Immortal Court will be somewhat lacking."
Soon, news spread.
It was said that Eastern King Duke personally went to West Kunlun to invite Queen Mother of the West, hoping she would join him.
However, somewhat awkwardly, Queen Mother of the West, the head of female Immortals also appointed by the Dao Ancestor, didn't give him any Face and flatly refused.
Queen Mother of the West remained in her West Kunlun, diligently Cultivating, completely ignoring this so-called Immortal Court.
Eastern King Duke, having been rebuffed, felt a bit embarrassed, but the Immortal Court still had to be established.
He also emulated Dijun and Taiyi, sending out numerous invitations to various powerful beings in the Primordial World to attend the ceremony.
On Penglai Immortal Island, Immortal Qi swirled, adding a touch of ethereal transcendence compared to the grandiosity of the Heavenly Court.
Eastern King Duke, dressed in a magnificent Daoist robe symbolizing the head of male Immortals, holding a Dragon-headed staff, stood on a high platform, full of vigor.
He also followed the previous procedure, proclaiming an oath to Heaven and Earth.
"Great Dao above!"
"Great God Pangu above!"
"Heavenly Dao above!"
These three consecutive shouts have now become the standard opening for establishing forces in the Primordial World.
"Today, I, Eastern King Duke, by the Dao Ancestor's decree, as the head of male Immortals, establish the Immortal Court here in Penglai of the East Sea!"
"May I command all Immortals and gods in the world, maintain order in the Primordial World, guide all living beings toward the Dao, and fulfill the will of Heaven!"
"All Immortals who have attained the Dao in the Primordial World may join my Immortal Court and jointly comprehend the Great Dao!"
"Immortal Court — established!"
However, as the oath fell, the Karma descending from the sky was pitifully meager.
The golden light was dim, far less vast than when the Wu Race was established, and even more incomparable to the Karma golden pillar that almost covered half the sky when the Yao Race was established.
Eastern King Duke was stunned on the spot.
What's going on?
The procedure was correct, wasn't it?
The slogans were also shouted, weren't they?
Why?
...
"Pfft!"
Among the onlookers, someone couldn't help but let out a snicker.
Immediately, whispers rose.
"Is that it? How is this meager Karma supposed to fill anyone's teeth?"
"Tsk, tsk, he's still the head of male Immortals, putting on such a grand show, but Heavenly Dao isn't giving him Face."
"Compared to the Wu Race and the Yao Race, this Immortal Court… is simply a joke!"
Eastern King Duke stood on the high platform, his Face alternating between green and pale, his hands tightly clenched.
He had anticipated that the Karma might not be as much as the Yao Race, after all, the Yao Race integrated all living beings, and their momentum was immense.
But he never expected it to be even less than the Wu Race!
The Karma golden pillar when the Wu Race was established, although a bit thinner than the Yao Race's, was still quite thick.
The amount of Karma directly reflected the Heavenly Dao's degree of recognition.
The meager Karma obtained by the Immortal Court was undoubtedly proclaiming to the entire Primordial World: Eastern King Duke's standing as the head of male Immortals was insufficient.
"Ahem!" Eastern King Duke forcibly composed himself, forcing a smile, "Thank you, Fellow Daoists, for attending the ceremony! The Immortal Court is newly established, and much needs to be done. I hope all Fellow Daoists will continue to support us in the future!"
The atmosphere was extremely awkward for a while.
After the ceremony, various powerful beings bid farewell and left, many with playful smiles on their Faces.
For a time, Eastern King Duke and his newly established "Immortal Court" became a complete laughingstock in the Primordial World.
This incident also sounded an alarm for all powerful beings in the Primordial World.
It wasn't that Heavenly Dao would buy into anyone who established a sect and shouted a few slogans.
Without the Foundation, without the Luck, without the strength, forcing oneself forward would only lead to self-humiliation.
But at the same time, the immense Karma obtained by the Yao Race upon their establishment, and the benefits gained by the Wu Race upon theirs, genuinely stimulated everyone.
"Even Eastern King Duke dares to establish an Immortal Court, although the Karma is a bit less, he is still the master of a force!"
"Yes, the Wu Race, the Yao Race, and now another Immortal Court… This Primordial World is becoming more and more competitive!"
"If we don't Breakthrough soon, I'm afraid we won't even get a share!"
"Slay the three corpses! We must slay the three corpses as soon as possible and attain the Quasi-Saint Dao!"
An invisible pressure enveloped the hearts of all Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortals.
Before, everyone was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal; although there were stronger and weaker ones, they were still on the same level.
They watched as Dijun, Taiyi, Nuwa, and Fuxi's cultivation soared after obtaining Karma, and that pressure could be felt from afar.
Looking at the Wu Race, although they didn't have as much Karma as the Yao Race, their Luck also visibly surged after their establishment, and the aura of each Ancestral Witch became more condensed.
If they didn't catch up soon, the gap would only widen!
Kunlun Mountain.
The Three Pure Ones almost simultaneously chose to go into seclusion.
Laozi, though advocating non-action, also knew that time waits for no one.
Yuanshi was arrogant and could not tolerate being suppressed by the Yao Race.
Tongtian, being warlike, craved stronger power.
They wanted to follow the path of slaying the three corpses to attain the Dao, as passed down by the Dao Ancestor!
Wuzhuang Temple.
Zhenyuanzi looked at his good friend Hongyun.
Hongyun scratched his head: "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, why are you looking at me? I also need to go into seclusion! If I don't catch up soon, I'll be too embarrassed to greet people when I go out!"
Zhenyuanzi nodded slightly; he also felt that sense of urgency.
Sea of Blood.
Old Ancestor Minghe looked at his two Innate killing swords that killed without incurring Karma, blood-red light flickering in his eyes.
Slaying the three corpses?
Perfect, he had a handy "knife."
Mount Sumeru in the West.
Jieyin's Face grew more bitter, and Zhunti's eyes shone brighter.
"Senior Brother, we also need to slay our corpses as soon as possible to secure a glimmer of hope for our West in the future great tribulation!"
"Good."
Even those powerful beings who were originally carefree, or had lived in seclusion, now felt the pressure and began to go into seclusion for Cultivation, seeking Breakthrough.
The entire Primordial World seemed to suddenly quiet down, but everyone knew that this was merely the calm before the storm.
The Quasi-Saint era was truly about to arrive!
...
Years passed leisurely; a thousand years in the seclusion of the Primordial World's powerful beings was but a flick of a finger.
On this day, from the direction of Kunlun Mountain, a vast and majestic aura shot up into the sky, its pressure permeating half of the Primordial World!
Yuanshi Tianzun, having slain his good corpse, achieved Quasi-Saint status!
Immediately after, two equally powerful auras erupted!
Laozi and Tongtian successively succeeded in slaying their corpses, entering the Quasi-Saint realm!
The Three Pure Ones achieving Quasi-Saint status on the same day shocked the Primordial World!
Subsequently, from Mount Sumeru in the West, two slightly different Quasi-Saint auras ascended; Jieyin and Zhunti also successfully slew their corpses.
In the Demon Clan Heavenly Court, Dijun and Taiyi, with the aid of immense Karma and Luck, almost simultaneously succeeded in slaying their corpses, becoming Quasi-Saints!
Nuwa and Fuxi followed closely, also achieving Perfection in Karma and attaining Quasi-Saint status!
Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple, with the power of the Earth Book, successfully slew his corpse!
Old Ancestor Minghe of the Sea of Blood also successfully took that step!
For a time, in the Primordial World, Quasi-Saint auras rose and fell one after another!
...
And in Buzhou Mountain, deep within Pangu Hall.
"Om—"
A powerful spatial Law fluctuation came from another part of Pangu Hall.
Wu Ming opened his eyes and looked in the direction from which the fluctuation came.
It was Dijiang.
Dijiang, the Ancestral Witch of Space, was surrounded by surging spatial Law power, subtly breaking through the shackles of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal and stepping into the threshold of the Primordial Golden Immortal!
"Good!" Wu Ming's Face revealed a smile.
Not long after, another obscure and profound temporal Law fluctuation permeated the air.
Zhu Jiuyin, the Ancestral Witch of Time, also successfully broke through!
What surprised Wu Ming and the Ancestral Witches the most was Hou Tu.
This seemingly gentle and compassionate Ancestral Witch of Earth actually came from behind, breaking through almost simultaneously with Dijiang and Zhu Jiuyin!
Yellow profound light flowed around her, thick, vast, carrying all things; vaguely, it seemed to also contain a hint of Reincarnation and creation.
"Hou Tu has also broken through?" Zhurong's loud voice rang out, filled with surprise.
"Good heavens! Hou Tu is amazing! She's actually faster than us older brothers!" Gonggong also looked surprised.
The other Ancestral Witches also turned their heads.
Hou Tu smiled slightly, her demeanor becoming even more gentle and peaceful: "I merely gained a slight insight."
Wu Ming looked deeply at Hou Tu; he knew that Hou Tu's path of Law had probably taken a different direction from the other Ancestral Witches.
This might be related to her frequent travels across the Primordial Land, experiencing the suffering of living beings, and pitying those souls who had nowhere to go after death.
Wu Ming did not point it out, merely saying: "Very good. Dijiang, Zhu Jiuyin, Hou Tu, you three have entered the realm of Primordial Golden Immortal; you shall be an example.
"The rest of you brothers and sisters must also step up your Cultivation and strive to Breakthrough as soon as possible."
"Yes, Big Brother!" The other Ancestral Witches boomed in response, their eyes filled with fighting spirit.