Han Xuanji remained calm and composed, replying via voice transmission as well:
"What do you mean by this, Fellow Daoist? We have already begun our battle. Are you planning to surrender?"
Juntian Merchant Venerable did not respond to Han Xuanji's sarcastic remark, instead getting straight to the point:
"Fellow Daoist Han, let's not beat around the bush."
"If you are willing to share the secret of transcendence left behind by the Dao Ancestor, I can take a step back and no longer participate in this battle."
"I can even persuade Fellow Daoist Dragon Ancestor to withdraw as well. At that time, you will only have to face the Demon Ancestor and the Star Ancestor, greatly increasing your chances of victory."
Pausing for a moment, he added:
"It's not that I fear you; it's just that I've always believed in the principle of 'harmony brings wealth' when doing business."
"If a matter can be resolved without fighting, it is for the best."
"What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"
Hearing this, Han Xuanji couldn't help but chuckle.
This Juntian Merchant Venerable was quite an interesting character.
He was clearly here to besiege him, yet he still wanted to negotiate and have him hand over the secret of transcendence?
"I appreciate your kind intentions, Merchant Venerable."
Han Xuanji replied indifferently via voice transmission:
"However, I have never liked being threatened. The secret of transcendence is right here on me. If you want it, Merchant Venerable, you are more than welcome to come and take it yourself."
He also laid his cards on the table; since everyone thought he had the secret of transcendence, then he might as well have it.
In fact, he really did have it.
One could only say that these people had stumbled upon the truth by sheer luck, like a blind cat running into a dead mouse.
Juntian Merchant Venerable's expression darkened slightly.
He hadn't expected Han Xuanji to refuse so bluntly.
"Fellow Daoist Han, have you thought this through?"
Juntian Merchant Venerable said in a deep voice:
"Once I take action, it will be four experts at Limitless Primordial Perfection joining forces. Even if your talent is peerless and your combat power is heaven-defying, you will have absolutely no chance of winning!"
Han Xuanji merely smiled:
"Merchant Venerable, you are welcome to try."
Juntian Merchant Venerable fell silent.
He truly didn't want to fight a battle he wasn't sure of winning, but Han Xuanji's attitude left him with no other choice.
The secret of transcendence was something he was determined to obtain.
It's impossible to go through life without taking risks. The fact that he could grow to his current level wasn't just due to constant caution; sometimes one had to take risks. To not advance is to retreat, and if he retreated now, who knew how many years it would be before the next opportunity arose...
After a moment, Juntian Merchant Venerable sighed softly, a look of determination flashing in his eyes:
"In that case... let there be war!"
Han Xuanji didn't mind; fighting one against three didn't actually put much pressure on him.
After all, the great dao pagoda already placed him in an invincible position.
If he were to defeat them one by one, although these people were stronger than the Time-Space Dao Ancestor, their superiority was limited.
Just as he was about to take on all four and pull off a grand display—even having a poem ready in his mind—
"Haha, for three Fellow Daoists to join forces against a Junior of my Immortal Realm, you're looking down on us far too much!"
A long cry rang out, shaking the Chaos.
Immediately after, two figures stepped through the Void Realm and stood before Han Xuanji.
It was none other than Taishang Dao Venerable and Yuanshi Dao Venerable!
Taishang Dao Venerable raised his hand with a wave, and the taiji diagram unfurled across the sky.
The Yin and Yang fish within the diagram rotated ceaselessly, gradually wearing away the Soul Ancestor's attack until nothing remained.
Yuanshi Dao Venerable held a Jade Ruyi in his hand; with a gentle shake, ten thousand rays of auspicious light cascaded down, blocking the Dragon Ancestor's momentum of ten thousand stampeding dragons. Simultaneously, he pointed the Jade Ruyi at the Star Ancestor, and the thirty-six Chaos Prime Stars actually showed signs of spiraling out of control!
The arrival of the two great experts from the Immortal Realm instantly reversed the situation once again.
The Star Ancestor and the others had originally felt that their attacks were effective—hadn't they seen that Han Xuanji hadn't even fought back?
But the arrival of Grand Supreme and Primal Beginning undoubtedly shattered that notion completely.
In truth, Han Xuanji was somewhat helpless; it was actually quite difficult to pull off a perfect show of dominance.
Of course, he couldn't very well tell the two Seniors of the Immortal Realm to step aside so he could show off alone.
[Taishang Dao Venerable: Limitless Primordial Perfection, a natural-born Saint, inheritor of the Immortal Ancestor's Legacy, founder of the Taiqing Great Dao, possesses peerless Comprehension Ability and formidable strength. He is the teacher of all immortals in the Immortal Realm and holds you in high regard.]
[Yuanshi Dao Venerable: Ninth level of the Limitless Primordial realm, a natural-born Saint, inheritor of the Immortal Ancestor's Legacy, founder of the Yuanshi Great Dao, possesses peerless Comprehension Ability and holds you in high regard.]
These two Dao Venerables were the key to the Immortal Realm's continued survival and were the figures who contended with the Demon Ancestor. It was largely because of them that the Immortal Realm could still develop in peace today.
Taishang Dao Venerable looked back at Han Xuanji, his eyes filled with appreciation and relief. He gently waved the whisk in his hand, his voice gentle yet tinged with emotion:
"Fellow Daoist Xuantian, we have arrived late. During these years when the Immortal Realm was in turmoil, it was entirely thanks to you holding things together that the Immortal Domain could remain stable and countless living beings could be preserved."
He paused, looking into the depths of the Chaos, his expression becoming a bit more melancholic, and a hint of self-reflection in his tone:
"Come to think of it, the two of us have done too little."
Han Xuanji looked at the two standing before him, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
This was actually their first formal meeting. Previously, these two were elusive, seemingly unwilling to interfere too much in the development of the Immortal Realm, only acting in secret to restore balance during major crises.
This aligned with their philosophy, as they mostly controlled everything through a posture of "governing by doing nothing."
This was also because Taishang Dao Venerable felt that if they interfered too much, it might instead hinder the rise of true Geniuses, which would not be a good thing.
Hearing this, Han Xuanji shook his head slightly, his smile deepening as he said clearly:
"Seniors, you overstate the matter. That I am where I am today is also inseparable from your subtle guidance and protection. I have kept it all in my heart."
In secret, Han Xuanji had actually received great benefits from the two of them.
Aside from the sign-in rewards, it was precisely because of their existence that the Immortal Realm could develop safely, allowing him to lay low and grow; otherwise, the Demon Ancestor would have destroyed the Immortal Realm long ago.
It must be said that the participation of the two great Dao Venerables gave Han Xuanji more leeway to deal with the Dragon Ancestor.
The situation on the battlefield shifted again in an instant, clearly becoming a one-sided affair.
The pressure on the Dragon Ancestor grew increasingly heavy. Why did this three-on-three feel much more stressful than when it was one-on-one?
He felt that if he continued to fight, he really wouldn't be able to hold on.
The roles of attacker and defender had swapped; now, with every one of Han Xuanji's attacks, he felt immense pressure...
"Demon Ancestor, why haven't you acted yet!"
The Dragon Ancestor hastily sent a voice transmission to the Demon Ancestor, his voice already laced with fury.
He clearly didn't want to see the Demon Ancestor continue to slack off.
If the slacking continued, he really might defect on the spot.