Chapter 524
Head-on Confrontation with the Dao Ancestor
Above the North Sea, the earth-shattering roar finally ceased completely.
The raging energy turbulence gradually subsided, and the rampant storm of laws slowly dissipated.
However, the entire Beihai Sea area was still shrouded in a thick, stagnant, dark yellow halo that seemed to have accumulated over countless ages.
This halo is not a barrier, but rather a primordial imprint left between heaven and earth after Zhen Yuanzi forcibly merged with the origin of the earth and unleashed the power of Xuanhuang. It is like a wound on the earth that bleeds and lingers for a long time.
On the edge of this desolate Xuanhuang Sea, Kunpeng's broken body, sustained only by its true spirit, floated in the icy water like a dilapidated doll.
The fear of being dragged by that mysterious force, combined with the impact of the Xuanhuang power, had already caused him to completely faint, and his life or death was unknown.
In the primordial world, after the deathly silence, came a clamor and discussion that roared like mountains and the sea!
"Zhen Yuanzi... he... he actually almost injured the Dao Ancestor?!"
"From the second level of Quasi-Saint to directly confronting the Dao Ancestor... this 'World Dao'... is it really this terrifying?!"
"To merge with the world, to become one with one's own body... This path may be perilous, but it is a grand road to heaven!"
"What a pity... what a pity for Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan... seeking revenge for a friend, yet ending up like this..."
Countless cultivators were deeply moved, both awestruck by the heaven-defying power displayed by the "Way of the World" and saddened by Zhen Yuanzi's tragic end.
I witnessed firsthand how a powerful being at the second level of Quasi-Saint level, through the method of creation and fusion, rapidly ascended to the peak of the ninth level of Quasi-Saint level, even unleashing power approaching that of a Saint, and directly confronting Dao Ancestor Hongjun…
This revolutionary scene ignited the fervor and desire of all living beings for the "Way of the World"!
In the Demon Court camp, Di Jun and Tai Yi stood side by side, gazing at the dark yellow expanse of the North Sea, their eyes gleaming with intense light.
"Brother! This 'Way of the World'... should be the foundation for the rise of our Demon Court!"
Taiyi's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"If I can find a suitable method to create a demon realm and merge it into myself... how could I not overpower the witch clan and rule the primordial world?!"
Di Jun's gaze was deep as he slowly nodded.
"Indeed. This path, though perilous, holds boundless potential. Tongtian and Zhenyuanzi have both proven its feasibility. Issue the order to all demon tribes to gather the jade slips containing the 'Way of the World' and comprehend its profound mysteries!"
At the same time, search all corners of the primordial world for suitable spiritual sites to cultivate an inner world!
"This path, our Demon Court is determined to obtain!"
At the summit of Kunlun Mountain, the Primordial Celestial Venerable's face was ashen as he gazed toward the North Sea, his fist clenched tightly in his sleeve.
Zhen Yuanzi's almost saintly aura struck his heart like a heavy hammer.
"The Way of the World... the proof of the Way through the Laws... can it really be achieved so quickly?"
For the first time, he felt a strong sense of unease and doubt about his choice.
Although the Primordial Purple Qi is good, the path to sainthood is far away and one is subject to others... But Zhen Yuanzi, with the body of a quasi-saint, directly confronted the Dao Ancestor!
This is such a huge shock!
Lao Tzu, standing to the side, kept his eyes down, his expression calm and undisturbed, as if all the disturbances of the outside world were irrelevant to him.
However, the slight movement of his fingers as he twirled the whisk revealed a subtle undercurrent of emotion.
In the Wu Clan camp, several Ancestral Witches looked at the dark yellow expanse of the North Sea with extremely solemn expressions.
"This Zhen Yuanzi... is truly formidable! He actually managed to force the Dao Ancestor to personally take action!"
"The Way of the World... the fusion of worlds... such power is also a great threat to the true form of my Witch Clan!"
"We must find a way to counter this as soon as possible! Otherwise, we may suffer a great loss when we face those who follow this path in the future!"
Only Houtu, the Ancestral Witch, gazed at the North Sea, her beautiful eyes filled with a strange light.
She felt the lingering, profound, and majestic aura of the earth's origin, and her heart was subtly moved.
"To transform oneself into a world... to bear all things... this path... perhaps... has something in common with my path..."
Just as everyone was discussing it, the space above the North Sea Eye rippled slightly.
The figure of Hongjun Daozu appeared silently.
He remained as indifferent and detached as ever, as if he were not the one who had just rushed into the sea eye and gone through a thrilling battle.
His gaze swept across the dark yellow sea below, his voice calm and still, yet clearly reaching the ears of every living being.
"Zhen Yuanzi defied the heavens and committed excessive killings. He has been suppressed by me in the depths of the North Sea Eye as a warning to others. You should take this as a warning, devote yourselves to cultivation, and refrain from having any delusions."
After saying that, he didn't linger. His figure flickered and disappeared from the spot, as if he had never appeared at all.
Upon hearing this, the crowd looked at each other, their hearts filled with doubt.
"Just suppression? Why didn't the Dao Ancestor just kill Zhen Yuanzi directly?"
"Yes, Zhen Yuanzi is so crazy that he even dares to attack the Dao Ancestor. Wouldn't keeping him around be a disaster?"
"Could it be... that even the Dao Ancestor is wary of the backlash from the origin of that realm?"
They were naturally unaware that Hongjun was also feeling frustrated at that moment.
How could he not want to completely annihilate Zhen Yuanzi?
However, just as he rushed into the sea eye, about to completely obliterate Zhen Yuanzi's remnant soul and the core of the earth with the power of the Heavenly Dao, an unquestionable decree originating from the primordial will descended directly into the depths of his primordial spirit.
Protect Zhen Yuanzi's life! Protect the core of the realm from destruction!
This decree represents the recognition of Zhen Yuanzi's creation of the territory and his contribution to the primordial world!
This signifies that the land has become an indispensable part of the primordial wilderness!
If he forcibly kills Zhen Yuanzi and destroys the core of the land, he will suffer the most severe backlash and accountability from the primordial will!
It might even shake the foundation of his being in harmony with the Heavenly Dao!
Left with no other choice, Hongjun had to expend enormous resources to forcibly stabilize Zhen Yuanzi's crumbling remnant soul and the core of the earth with the power of the Heavenly Dao, resealing him deep within the North Sea Eye and setting up numerous Heavenly Dao restrictions to ensure that he could no longer cause trouble.
This outcome was far from his initial expectation of complete annihilation, leaving him deeply frustrated.
In the Demon Realm, atop Mount Sumeru, deep within the Dojo of Emperor Jun.
On the warm bed constructed of pure chaotic primordial energy, the mini embryo that was originally quietly suspended, emitting a faint red glow and dark gold halo, suddenly began to fluctuate violently!
In the depths of his previously chaotic consciousness, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded!
"Old Yuan—!!!"
A thought filled with endless terror, worry, and sorrow suddenly burst forth from the embryo!
This thought is innocent and pure, carrying a kind of throbbing from the depths of the soul!
Immediately afterwards, countless fragments of broken and chaotic memories pierced into this nascent consciousness!
Kunpeng's ferocious and greedy face!
The icy cliffs of Fallen Soul Abyss!
A billion attacks tearing apart the soul! The extreme pain of the body shattering and the primordial spirit disintegrating!
And... in those final moments, there was endless worry and reluctance towards his dear friend Zhen Yuanzi!
"Kunpeng! It was Kunpeng who killed me!!"
"Old Yuan! How is Old Yuan?!"
Will he avenge me?!
"Danger! Old Yuan is definitely in danger!!"
The intense emotional fluctuations caused the miniature embryo to tremble violently, its surface glowing with crimson and dark gold light that flickered wildly, as if it were about to collapse at any moment!
This sudden commotion immediately startled Rahu and the Green Lotus Boy who were nearby.
"Huh? The little thing is awake?"
Luo Hou's figure appeared instantly beside the warm bed, watching the violently fluctuating red light with great interest.
"Tsk tsk, this mental fluctuation is quite strong. It seems that a lot of his memories have been restored."
The Azure Lotus Boy also came over, his big eyes blinking.
"The master said he was the remnant soul of the Red Cloud Ancestor... He seemed very afraid and worried about that person called 'Old Yuan'?"
Just then, the consciousness within the red ball of light seemed to detect the presence of the outside world, especially the unique and powerful aura of the Demon Ancestor Rahu!
A sense of vigilance and fear, originating from the depths of one's soul, surged up instantly!
"Demonic...demonic energy?! It's Rahu!!"
The childish thought screamed in terror.
"Rahu!"
Where am I?! What have you done to me?! Where is Lao Yuan?! How is Zhen Yuanzi?! How long have I been asleep?!
Although the embryo formed from the remnant soul of Hongyun has changed in form and its memories are shattered, its pure heart and concern for its dearest friend remain unchanged!
The first thing he cared about upon waking was not his own situation, but the safety of his close friend Zhen Yuanzi!
At the summit of Mount Sumeru, on the warm bed constructed of primordial chaos, the miniature embryo formed from the remnant soul of the red cloud trembled violently, its tender and terrified thoughts echoing in the void.
"Luo Hou! Where is this?! What have you done to me?! Where is Lao Yuan?! How is Zhen Yuanzi?! How long have I been asleep?!"
Luo Hou looked at the panicked red ball of light, a playful smile on his lips, his voice laced with mockery.
"Little thing, don't get agitated. This is Mount Sumeru in the Demon Realm, my territory. As for you... tsk tsk, your physical body has crumbled, your primordial spirit has dissipated, leaving only this wisp of remnant soul core, which I..."
"Oh no, it was Fellow Daoist Di Jun who casually retrieved it and nurtured it with chaotic primordial energy, which is how it managed to preserve a bit of its true spirit and transform it into this embryonic form."
He paused, watching the ball of light tremble even more violently, and then slowly continued.
"As for your close friend Zhen Yuanzi... he caused quite a stir to avenge you. He hunted down Kunpeng, sealed off the North Sea, and even went so far as to burn his own essence to forcibly open up the primordial realm, merge with the world's origin, and directly confront Hongjun..."
"How...how is Lao Yuan?!"
Hongyun's mind was filled with urgent worry.
"How about it?"
Rahu chuckled.
"Overestimating himself, he's like an ant trying to shake a tree! He's quite tough though, merging with the Earth Realm, his cultivation skyrocketed to the peak of the ninth level of Quasi-Saint, and he even almost injured Hongjun."
"What a pity! In the end, it was just the power of an ant. It was suppressed by the old man Hongjun with a flick of his hand, cast into the depths of the North Sea Eye, never to rise again! Tsk tsk, that scene was truly… tragic!"
"What?! Old Yuan has been suppressed?! He'll never be able to rise again?!"
Hongyun's thoughts instantly erupted into a heart-wrenching wail and boundless hatred!
"No! Impossible! Lao Yuan! It's my fault! It's all my fault!!"
The red ball of light struggled and twisted wildly, as if trying to break free from the shackles of its warm bed and rush towards the unreachable North Sea!
"I have to save him! I have to save Lao Yuan!!"
Hongyun's thoughts were filled with reckless madness, but then a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart.
At this moment, he was nothing more than an embryo formed from a remnant soul, his physical form not yet stable, and his cultivation pitifully weak. How could he possibly save him? How could he possibly contend against the lofty Dao Ancestor Hongjun?!
Despair! Like an icy tide, it instantly overwhelmed Hongyun Chusheng's consciousness!
Pfft!
The suspended red light suddenly "knelt down" in the direction of Rahu!
A tender thought, filled with endless pleading and despair, rang out in a tearful voice:
"Demon Ancestor! I beg you! I beg you to save Lao Yuan! If you can save him, Hongyun is willing to be your slave and servant, and to be loyal to the Demon Clan for eternity! I beg the Demon Ancestor to have mercy!!"
The Azure Lotus Boy, standing to the side, stared with his mouth slightly agape, his eyes filled with reluctance.
Luo Hou's expression remained unchanged; he merely shook his head slightly, his voice carrying an indifference and a cruel sense of reality:
"Save him? Why should I save him? Zhen Yuanzi has no relation to my demon race. Moreover, even if I wanted to save him, I couldn't. He is under the Heavenly Dao seal personally set by Hongjun, located in the core of the primordial sea eye, and is constantly monitored by the power of the Heavenly Dao."
If I were to forcefully intervene, I would be making an enemy of the entire Primordial Heavenly Dao, and the Demon Race is not yet prepared for such a great battle.
He looked at the embryo, its light dimmed by despair, but then changed the subject.
"Furthermore... Hongyun, do you really think that you and Zhen Yuanzi have fallen to such a state today simply because of that fool Kunpeng's greed?"
Hongyun's thoughts suddenly froze.
Rahu's voice carried an all-knowing mockery.
"What kind of person is Hongjun? If he truly wanted to protect you, how could a mere Kunpeng harm you in the slightest? You hold the first position on the meditation cushion in Zixiao Palace—what an incredible opportunity! Yet he refused to accept you as his disciple, and even excluded you at the last moment..."
Do you really think this is just a coincidence? And what about your rumors of primordial purple energy... are they truly just baseless rumors?
"You...you mean..."
Hongyun's thoughts fluctuated violently, as if he had grasped something crucial.
"What I'm saying is that you, Hongyun... or rather, that thing about you that even Hongjun fears and wants to erase... is the root cause of all this calamity!"
Luo Hou's voice boomed deep within Hong Yun's consciousness.
"Legacy of Pangu... Heh, it seems you are not as simple as you appear! Your demise, and Zhen Yuanzi's madness, are probably... all related to this!"
Remnants of Pangu?!
These four words, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred up a monstrous wave in the depths of Hongyun's nascent consciousness!
Countless fragments of memory, like a torrent unleashed, surged wildly into his consciousness!
It's no longer those scenes of pain and death from before, but... something much older!
Even more vast!
Even more...fundamental!
He "saw" it! He saw chaos! He saw a colossal giant! He saw the giant wielding a giant axe, cleaving through the primordial chaos! He saw the giant fall, his body transforming into all things!
And among all things, there was an extremely faint red cloud that contained the very first pure and ethereal energy created at the beginning of time!
That's him!
He was transformed from the last wisp of pure air exhaled by Pangu at the beginning of creation... the Primordial Red Cloud!
He carries the mark of Pangu's creation of the world! ...A mark that even Hongjun fears and wants to erase!
"what--!!!"
Hongyun let out a roar that was a mixture of pain and enlightenment!
The red light suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling brilliance!
Within the light, countless mysterious dark golden runes emerged out of thin air, flowing and intertwining!
A powerful and incomparably profound aura, originating from the creation of the world, suddenly erupted!
True Immortal! Mysterious Immortal! Golden Immortal! Grand Golden Immortal! Great Luo Golden Immortal!
His cultivation level soared at an unbelievable speed, like a rocket that had gone out of control!
The barriers between realms were easily broken through!
In the end, he steadily reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm—the eleventh-grade top-level Great Luo Golden Immortal realm!
Its foundation is so solid and its aura so refined that it far surpasses that of ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortals!
Not only that!
A profound and mysterious cultivation technique that points directly to the origin of the primordial spirit—the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique—clearly appeared deep within his primordial spirit!
This technique is the supreme method by which the Great God Pangu tempers his primordial spirit!
It is an inheritance he was born with as the pure energy of Pangu!
The light gradually faded. (End of Chapter)