Chapter 215: Discussion in the Zixiao Palace!

Chapter 215: Discussion in the Zixiao Palace!

Outside the Zixiao Palace, several figures had already gathered. Each of them radiated light from their bodies—whether it was from their merit or their treasures. Along with their immense power, their collective aura was overwhelming.

As they arrived, the grand doors of the Zixiao Palace were already open, as if anticipating their arrival. It seemed the palace had been waiting for them.

The first to speak was Jieyin.

"It appears that Saint Hongjun is already waiting for us inside. Normally, the doors of the Zixiao Palace wouldn't open like this. The fact that they are open now must mean that Saint Hongjun has foreseen our arrival."

This wasn't their first time visiting the Zixiao Palace, so they were quite familiar with the situation.

The Lord of Tongtian remarked, "Then we should head inside and take a look!"

Upon entering, they found Saint Hongjun already waiting for them. They all respectfully saluted him.

Saint Hongjun then spoke, "Is your visit related to that matter?"

He didn't need to explicitly state it, but all the saints present knew he was referring to the sudden appearance of the Body List.

Nuwa replied, "That's right. Aside from the matter of the Body List, there would be no reason for us to come here to seek your advice."

Zhunti added, "The few of us have already discussed it. None of us knows what's going on. Even in the Three Realms, if we don't know, it's even more impossible for anyone else to know. At this moment, you're the only one we could think of."

Tongtian continued, "Saint Hongjun, what exactly is going on? Why has the Body List suddenly appeared?"

Before coming here, he had already discussed this matter with two others: Yuanshi Tianzun and Laozi. Laozi hadn't come because he wasn't concerned with the issue, but Yuanshi Tianzun, like him, was very interested in it, so they came together.

The three of them speculated that this matter was no small affair. Not only had it affected the strong figures within the Three Realms, but even they, the saints, had been involved. What was even more shocking was that Saint Hongjun himself was ranked second on the Body List, which they hadn't anticipated at all.

At this point, all the saints were considering whether a new great calamity was beginning. Only during such events would anomalies like this occur.

This list bore some resemblance to the previous Investiture of the Gods list, though the Investiture of the Gods had only targeted ordinary people. It never affected saints like them, nor even the stronger figures within the realms.

Although the Tongtian had gained valuable treasures from the Body List, he still harbored great caution, viewing it not as a blessing but as something to be approached with extreme care.

After all, the Body List had already ensnared even them, the saints. If there was truly someone orchestrating events from behind the scenes, they might face grave danger in this impending great calamity.

Coincidentally, the time for the great calamity was approaching fast. In just a few hundred years, the events of Journey to the West would unfold, though only the three saints were unaware of this.

The Buddhist saints and the Tathagata had long known, but they hadn't connected it to the upcoming calamity.

What puzzled them was the timing—just before the great calamity, something of such magnitude occurred, leaving them unable to stay peacefully in the Western Paradise. Initially, they hadn't intended to get involved, but given the circumstances, they had no choice but to join the other saints at the Zixiao Palace to question Saint Hongjun.

They all hoped to get to the bottom of this matter so they could be at ease.

Everyone looked expectantly at Saint Hongjun, awaiting his response.

However, the answer they received was not what they had hoped for. Saint Hongjun slowly shook his head and said solemnly, "I don't know either. You've come in vain. How the Body List came into existence is something even I wish to know. Even the Heavenly Dao has no knowledge of this matter!"

Saint Hongjun's response left them all in shock. He had been their last hope. As a sage who had merged with the Heavenly Dao, nothing within the Three Realms could be hidden from him. Yet now, he had explicitly told them that even he didn't know.

This was the last thing they wanted to hear. If even Saint Hongjun was in the dark, then they had no hope of uncovering the truth. The origin of the Body List remained a profound mystery.

Zhunti, full of doubt, asked, "How can this be? You are a Saint of the Heavenly Dao. Is there anything within the Three Realms that you wouldn't know? Could this be something of such importance that even we saints are not permitted to know?"

Had anyone else said this, Zhunti might have believed it. But hearing it from Saint Hongjun made him question it.

Moreover, when the Body List appeared, Saint Hongjun was also on the ranking. Zhunti found it hard to believe that anyone within the Three Realms could possibly entrap Saint Hongjun. Such a thing was unthinkable.

If the saints had been manipulated, it might have been Saint Hongjun testing them. But if Saint Hongjun himself was caught up in the Body List, how could they ever find the real answer?

To achieve something like this seemed impossible. In their eyes, only Pangu could have had the power to do this, but Pangu had long been dead. Who, then, could have calculated against Saint Hongjun? This question weighed heavily on all the saints.

Saint Hongjun glared at Zhunti and said, "You're overthinking it. Knowing means knowing, and not knowing means not knowing. At this moment, I am also suspicious, but I have no clues."

After merging with the Heavenly Dao, Saint Hongjun's strength had become so immense that ordinary saints couldn't compare. Standing before him, none of them felt they could pressure him in any way. Facing Zhunti's doubts, Saint Hongjun remained completely unbothered.

And the others believed Saint Hongjun's words without question.

Aside from Zhunti, the rest of the saints trusted Saint Hongjun. At this moment, there was no reason for him to hide anything. The first round of rewards from the Body List had already been given out. If there had been any issues, they would have already surfaced by now.

After hearing this, Nuwa asked Zhunti sharply, "Saint Hongjun has no reason to deceive you. If you doubt him, you can leave now. No one will stop you. In fact, it would allow the rest of us to continue the discussion in peace."