Taichu slowly extended his hand, attempting to touch the flowing "river water."
Just as his fingertips were about to make contact, a powerful and mysterious force surged towards him, seemingly intent on drawing his consciousness into endless Chaos.
Taichu was startled, and quickly circulated his Spiritual Qi to stabilize his body, but that force continued to follow him like a shadow, pulling at his Soul.
In a daze, vivid and bizarre images flashed before his eyes; Taichu even saw the scene of the world's creation, though he could only glimpse a corner of those images, unable to see the whole picture.
"What is this situation? Elder Brother didn't mention that touching the water of the River of Time would have such an effect." Taichu recalled the images he had just seen with surprise.
In fact, if Minghe knew of Taichu's current experience in the River of Time, he would probably be even more surprised than Taichu. The last time Minghe entered, he hadn't even clearly seen the appearance of the River of Time before his Soul imprint was branded within it, and then his Soul returned to his body.
"But how do I brand my Soul imprint into this River of Time?"
Taichu took a deep breath, composed himself, and decided to walk along the bank of the River of Time, attempting to find a method to brand his Soul imprint onto the River of Time.
As he walked, he carefully observed the flow patterns of the river water, discovering that the seemingly chaotic light and shadows actually had a subtle connection.
Just as he was walking, a person at the source of the River of Time seemed to sense Taichu's presence and casually flexed a finger, saying, "Little fellow, it's not yet time for you to explore the River of Time. You should go back for now."
And at the instant this person flexed a finger, Taichu felt his vision go dark, and then his Soul left the River of Time. He also felt that he now had a faint connection with the River of Time.
"I've branded my Soul imprint into the River of Time, but how did I do it?"
However, Taichu had no time to ponder these things now. After his Soul returned to his body, his Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm entered its final stage.
A hundred years passed like this, and Taichu's Three Flowers above his head finally fully solidified and bloomed, his entire body surrounded by dense Spiritual Qi.
After Taichu's Three Flowers fully solidified, they bloomed into twelve grades. As Taichu's Three Flowers bloomed, his aura finally completely stabilized at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm.
"I've finally broken through." Taichu sensed the aura on his body and sighed with emotion, then stood up and bowed to Minghe and Daoist Hongjun: "Thank you, Elder Brother, and Fellow Daoist Hongjun, for protecting my Dao."
He was still on the battlefield of the Three Clans, and if it weren't for their protection, he wouldn't dare to break through here.
Minghe nodded upon hearing Taichu's thanks.
"No problem, it's good that Fellow Daoist has broken through," Hongjun also nodded indifferently.
"Now that Fellow Daoist has broken through, we don't need to stay here anymore."
Taichu and the other two nodded after hearing Hongjun's words, and then the three of them disappeared from the battlefield together.
The three of them arrived at a secluded valley shortly after.
"Now that Fellow Daoist has broken through, are you willing to come with me to meet a few of my Fellow Daoists?" Hongjun asked Taichu.
"It seems Hongjun is going to find Yang Mei and the others to discuss dealing with Luo Hou. I, a mere Grand Unity Golden Immortal, should not participate in such matters." Taichu guessed after hearing Hongjun's invitation.
"No, I have just broken through and still need to consolidate my Cultivation here, so I won't go with Fellow Daoist." Taichu waved his hand and refused Hongjun's invitation.
"Very well, I will introduce you to my Fellow Daoists when we have another chance." Hongjun, upon hearing Taichu's refusal, did not try to persuade him further, merely nodding.
Taichu, upon hearing Hongjun's words, inwardly grumbled: "Please no, those Fellow Daoists of yours, except Yang Mei who escaped a calamity due to Cultivating the Great Dao Laws of Space, the rest of them all perished in the Zhuxian Sword Formation. If you introduce me to them next time, it can only be in the Dao Ruins. That is truly unnecessary."
"In that case, Two Fellow Daoists, we shall meet again if fated." After Hongjun finished speaking, his figure vanished.
And after Hongjun disappeared, Taichu and the other person also began their closed-door Cultivation.
…
"Zu Long, I never thought the three of us would come to this point." Ancestral Qilin, in the Chaos, stomped his hoof as he looked at Zu Long in the distance.
"What's there not to think about? Everything we do is for Demonstration. Now, you two are my enemies in Demonstration. This time, only one of us three can leave this place." Zu Long merely raised an eyebrow upon hearing Ancestral Qilin's words.
Yuan Feng looked at the two without speaking.
The three of them confronted each other in the Chaos for a long time. Finally, Yuan Feng and Ancestral Qilin exchanged glances and simultaneously attacked Zu Long.
Zu Long was not surprised to see the two of them team up.
Among the three, Zu Long's strength had always been higher than theirs. Yuan Feng and Ancestral Qilin could only defeat Zu Long by joining forces.
Zu Long looked at Yuan Feng and Ancestral Qilin, who were approaching him, and spat out a Dragon Pearl. This Dragon Pearl was not an Innate Spirit Treasure, but a Luck Spirit Treasure that Zu Long had nurtured with the Dragon Clan's Luck over the years.
As soon as the Dragon Pearl appeared, it transformed into a phantom of Zu Long. The strength of this phantom was identical to Zu Long's, and it instantly pinned down Ancestral Qilin. No matter how hard Ancestral Qilin tried, he could not shake off this phantom.
"Damn it, when did Zu Long conjure up such a peculiar Spirit Treasure?" Seeing this situation, Ancestral Qilin could only fight a fierce battle with Zu Long's phantom.
And Yuan Feng, not expecting her ally to be pinned down before even joining the battle, immediately fell into a disadvantage in her fight with Zu Long.
"Ancestral Qilin, quickly deal with that phantom! I can't hold on much longer by myself. If I fall, you won't have an easy time either." Yuan Feng cursed at Ancestral Qilin, who was still slacking off not far away.
"Got it, you hold on for a bit longer, I'll be there soon." Ancestral Qilin, however, remained unhurried upon hearing Zu Long's words.
Their alliance was only temporary. Since Yuan Feng hadn't sustained any injuries yet, Ancestral Qilin still wanted to wait for the two of them to fight a bit longer.
"Damn Ancestral Qilin." Yuan Feng cursed inwardly as she looked at Ancestral Qilin in the distance.
"These two fellows are still not united at this moment, yet they still want to defeat me? What wishful thinking." Zu Long's cold Dragon eyes were filled with disdain as he glanced at the two.
Zu Long seized the moment Yuan Feng was distracted and opened his maw, biting towards Yuan Feng's wing. However, Yuan Feng was not to be trifled with; upon noticing Zu Long's movement, she quickly disengaged, narrowly avoiding Zu Long's bite.
"Zu Long, you are a person who is about to achieve Demonstration, yet you still resort to biting? Isn't that a bit too shameless?"
"In battle, one must utilize every available factor. If biting can severely injure you, then why not?"
"Then come! Let me see to what extent you have Cultivated the Great Dao Laws of the Dragon." Yuan Feng cursed angrily and then spat out a Phoenix True Fire towards Zu Long.
Zu Long did not dare to be careless upon seeing the Phoenix True Fire from Yuan Feng's mouth. Yuan Feng's Phoenix True Fire was a top-tier True Fire in the Great Desolation, and even Zu Long's Dragon body could not withstand it directly.
Zu Long quickly spat out Tianyi Divine Water from his mouth. This Tianyi Divine Water was also a top-tier Divine Water in the Great Desolation.
The Phoenix True Fire and Tianyi Divine Water continuously collided in the Chaos, then disappeared.
And Ancestral Qilin, seeing that the two had entered a fierce battle, knew that he could no longer hold back. Otherwise, if Yuan Feng fell, he would also suffer.
He circulated the power of Five Virtues to force back the phantom transformed from the Dragon Pearl. Then, a large seal appeared above his head—this was his Innate Spirit Treasure, the top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure, Qilin Seal.
The power of Five Virtues flowed over the Qilin Seal, and then it swiftly pressed down on the phantom.
The phantom, after all, was not as powerful as Zu Long himself, and was directly suppressed by the Qilin Seal.
Seeing that the obstacle had disappeared, Ancestral Qilin quickly joined the battlefield.
However, Zu Long had long been wary of Ancestral Qilin and gave him no opportunity for a sneak attack.
Seeing that a sneak attack was not possible, Ancestral Qilin could only choose to attack head-on. The three instantly engaged in a fierce battle in the Chaos.
"Time's up," Taichu suddenly awoke from his meditative state of seclusion, raising his gaze towards the Void Realm, and let out a soft sigh.
At that time, the Primordial Land was filled with wails of sorrow.
As the three clans' fierce battle raged, the waters of the Four Seas poured back, surging like an angry tide towards the heartland of the Primordial Land.
Countless landmasses were instantly submerged, and living beings suffered terribly.
Deep within the earth, the Spiritual Veins also began to violently riot. The Undying Volcano of the Southern Phoenix Clan, like a doomsday beacon ignited, continuously spewed out scorching magma. Its temperature was comparable to Phoenix True Fire, incinerating everything around it into ashes.
Rolling Karma, like a thick haze, heavily shrouded the heads of the three clans.
Countless members of the three clans, unable to bear the heavy pressure of Karma, exploded, their Souls dissipating along with their bodies.
It was precisely this tragic scene that finally allowed the three clans to break free from the control of the tribulations, as if waking from a dream.
Looking at the scarred Primordial Land before them, their faces instantly turned as pale as paper.
Such earth-shattering commotion in the Primordial Land naturally could not escape the perception of Ancestral Dragon, Yuanfeng, and Ancestral Qilin in Chaos.
"Our three clans' struggle has actually damaged the Primordial Land to this extent!" At this moment, the three of them no longer had any desire to continue fighting. They hastily used their Divine Abilities and rushed back to the Primordial Land.
Upon entering the Primordial Land, they saw Spiritual Qi running rampant, clearly mixed with the unique Qi of the three clans.
After a careful sensing, they were shocked to realize that their clansmen had lost their sanity under the erosion of the tribulations.
Initially, only clansmen of the True Immortal Realm were affected, but as the tribulations spread, Golden Immortals, Taiyi Golden Immortals, and even Grand Unity Golden Immortals were also swayed by them.
The current desperate situation in the Primordial Land was caused by the continuous self-destruction of Grand Unity Golden Immortals, which triggered a complete upheaval in the Primordial Land.
However, if this were the only cause, it would not have been enough to severely damage the Primordial Land. After all, the Primordial Land is vast and boundless, far from something that a group of Grand Unity Golden Immortals self-destructing could shake.
But unfortunately, misfortunes never come singly. The Four Sea Eyes, the Primordial Ancestral Veins, and the magma of the Undying Volcano erupted simultaneously, which led to the current uncontrollable situation.
In fact, even at this point, the three clans still had a glimmer of hope.
As long as one victor could be decided among Ancestral Dragon, Yuanfeng, and Ancestral Qilin, and successfully Demonstate to the Hunyuan Golden Immortal Realm, it would not be difficult to suppress the current chaotic Primordial Land.
But the three of them knew in their hearts how difficult it would be to determine a victor among themselves, and besides, time was already running out.
Originally, the three clans initiated this war in an attempt to consume each other's Luck, thereby gaining an advantage on the path to Demonstration.
But now, the three clans had no Luck left to speak of. The dense Karma surrounding them had long since scattered their meager Luck into disarray.
Before long, the three clans would inevitably suffer the backlash of Luck. This backlash force, even Ancestral Dragon and the other two, would never dare to claim they could withstand it unscathed.
"We were wrong from the very beginning. It truly is: success by Luck, failure by Luck," Ancestral Dragon looked down at the few surviving members of the Dragon Clan, his heart filled with bitterness, and he murmured with a wry smile.
He knew that the three clans had lost completely, or rather, from the moment they chose to embark on this path of war, their destined failure was sealed.
Ancestral Dragon's figure flickered, appearing on the battlefield, where he found the remaining twenty or so Grand Unity Golden Immortals.
These were the Dragon Clan's last top-tier combatants.
Even so, they were now all entangled by Karma, which clung to them like a persistent disease.
Needless to say, after the tribulation passed, the Dao fruits of most of them would be tarnished, and their cultivation would regress to the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.
"Our clan is now deeply sinful. We ought to suppress the Four Sea Eyes. The future of the Dragon Clan rests entirely on you," Ancestral Dragon looked at them with firm eyes and said in a deep voice.
The surviving members of the Dragon Clan remained silent upon hearing these words. They understood that what Ancestral Dragon said was the best solution at present.
"Heavenly Dao above, I am Ancestral Dragon, the leader of the Scaled Clan of the Primordial Land, and the patriarch of the Dragon Clan.
The Dragon Clan inherits the Pangu Bloodline and should have protected the peace of the Primordial Land. However, I was blinded by the desire for Demonstration and foolishly instigated conflict.
This led to countless lives being ruined and the Four Seas pouring back, a grave sin. I deeply acknowledge my mistake and vow to forever suppress the Four Sea Eyes.
As long as the Dragon Clan's Karma is not purged, we shall never again interfere with the mortal affairs of the Primordial Land."
As Ancestral Dragon's words fell, his body and Soul instantly split into four, transforming into four streams of light that merged into the Four Sea Eyes.
From then on, as long as the Dragon Clan's Karma remained unpurged, Ancestral Dragon would never awaken again.
Yuanfeng and Ancestral Qilin exchanged glances, both letting out a long sigh: "To think that after all our fighting, this would be the outcome."
The two of them eventually, like Ancestral Dragon, found the surviving members of their respective clans, gave them detailed instructions, and then returned to the Void Realm.
"Dao above, I am Yuanfeng, the leader of the Avian Clan of the Primordial Land, and the matriarch of the Phoenix Clan.
The Phoenix Clan inherits the Pangu Bloodline. Yet, I failed to take protecting the Primordial Land as my duty. Instead, I was driven by the desire for Demonstration and instigated war.
This led to countless lives being ruined and the Undying Volcano erupting. I deeply acknowledge my grave sin and vow to forever suppress the Undying Volcano.
As long as the Phoenix Clan's Karma is not purged, we shall never again step foot into the Primordial Land."
After speaking, Yuanfeng's body uncontrollably flew towards the Undying Volcano. In an instant, she transformed into a towering statue, firmly suppressing the continuously erupting magma.
"Heavenly Dao above, I am Ancestral Qilin, the head of the Beast Clan of the Primordial Land, and the patriarch of the Qilin Clan.
The Qilin Clan inherits the Pangu Bloodline. Yet, I forgot my responsibility to protect the Primordial Land and, for the sake of Demonstration, instigated conflict, leading to countless lives being ruined and the Spiritual Veins rioting.
I deeply acknowledge my grave sin and vow to transform into an auspicious omen of the Primordial Land, entering the Primordial Ancestral Veins to sort out the Spiritual Veins.
As long as the Qilin Clan's Karma is not purged, we shall never again appear in the Primordial Land."
After speaking, Ancestral Qilin's body transformed into a brilliant spiritual light, merging into the depths of the earth and disappearing.
"To think that the three clans would end up like this," Minghe looked in the direction where Ancestral Dragon and the other two disappeared, filled with emotion.
"Brother, this is not the time for sentimentality. The time for the plan we prepared earlier is near. It's time to make a trip to the Primordial Land's Spiritual Veins," At this moment, Taichu's cultivation was already stable.
He knew in his heart that since the struggle of the three clans had ended, the crucial moment of the Dao-Demon conflict was next.
"Good, then let's go," Minghe nodded slightly upon hearing Taichu's words.
Taichu took out the Earth Book he borrowed from Zhenyuanzi. With the power of the Earth Book, the two of them once again entered the Spiritual Veins, heading west...
West, Mount Sumeru.
"Since you're here, show yourself openly. Hongjun, have you only learned to hide your head and show your tail all these years?" Rahu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze like lightning, directly piercing the Void Realm.
"Fellow Daoist Rahu, your calculations against all living beings in the Primordial Land have caused countless lives to perish. Is this action not too ruthless?" Hongjun's figure appeared out of thin air.
Behind him stood Yang Mei, who was at the Perfection of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal Realm, and Qiankun and Yin and Yang, who were at the Late Stage of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal Realm.
"Hmph, hypocrite! What I despise most is your sanctimonious appearance. As for these few behind you, are they still fantasizing about being accepted by the Heavenly Dao?" Rahu snorted coldly upon hearing this.
The Demon Race indeed played a crucial role in fanning the flames during the war of the three clans. However, to say that they could completely control the three clans would be an exaggeration.
"Stop talking nonsense with him. Are the four of us afraid we can't deal with just him?" Qiankun Daoist frowned upon hearing Rahu's words and couldn't help but speak.
"Qiankun, do you even deserve to speak here? Among us, your strength is the weakest," Rahu said with disdain, glancing at Qiankun Daoist.
"You..." Qiankun Daoist was furious and was about to make a move, but Hongjun raised his hand to stop him: "Fellow Daoist Qiankun, be careful. This Mount Sumeru has been set up with a great formation by Fellow Daoist Rahu. He was merely trying to provoke you just now."
"Hongjun still understands me. However, I never intended to hide it. Today, I will let you witness the Zhuxian Sword Formation I have meticulously prepared all these years!" Rahu saw that Hongjun had seen through his intention, but he was not annoyed. He burst into laughter and said.
"Zhuxian Sword Formation, rise!" Luo Hou roared, his voice like a great bell, instantly changing the color of the wind and clouds above Mount Sumeru.
Rolling ink clouds seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand, gathering wildly from all directions, instantly obscuring the entire sky so densely that no light could penetrate.
As the Zhuxian Sword Formation was activated, the four peerless fierce swords instantly burst forth with dazzling light, runes flickering on their blades, frantically drawing in malevolent Qi from heaven and earth.
For a time, the entire Mount Sumeru was enveloped in a strong aura of slaughter.
Hongjun's expression was solemn, his eyes fixed on the sword formation, revealing unprecedented focus and vigilance.
At this moment, he deeply knew that the power of this sword formation was by no means ordinary; a slight misstep would lead him to a point of no return.
"Everyone, do you dare to enter the formation?" Luo Hou stood at the peak of Mount Sumeru, looking down at Hongjun and the others, a mocking smile playing on his lips, and asked loudly.
Hongjun, Yang Mei, Qiankun, and Yin Yang exchanged glances, understanding each other implicitly.
They clearly knew that although Luo Hou had not forced them, he was now hidden behind the Zhuxian Sword Formation; if they did not enter the formation, they would not be able to harm him in the slightest.
"This formation requires simultaneously removing the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, the Immortal Slaying Sword, the Xianxian Sword, and the Immortal Extinguishing Sword from within the formation to break it. It seems we must enter the formation together." Hongjun, after carefully studying the intricacies of the sword formation, turned and said to Yang Mei and the others.
"Good! Then let us see if Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's Zhuxian Sword Formation can do anything to us." Yang Mei's gaze was firm, with a hint of fearlessness in his expression.
With that, the four instantly transformed into four streaks of rainbow light, speeding towards the four directions of the Zhuxian Sword Formation.
"Today, I will use your blood to refine my Zhuxian Sword Formation!" Luo Hou watched the four enter the sword formation, raising his head and laughing loudly, his laughter filled with arrogance and triumph, as if he had already foreseen the victorious outcome.
As soon as Hongjun entered the formation, his brows furrowed tightly.
Only then did he realize that he had severely underestimated the power of the sword formation before.
If they could not find a countermeasure quickly, all of them might perish here today.
Hongjun took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and fully mobilized his magic power, attempting to use his keen perception to find the weakness of the sword formation.
For a time, Dao rhyme flowed around him, his peaceful aura completely at odds with the strong killing intent within the sword formation, yet secretly resisting it.
Within the sword formation, Luo Hou laughed wildly, his laughter echoing between heaven and earth, making people's eardrums ache.
He swiftly formed hand seals, controlling the sword formation; the four fierce swords trembled violently, and streaks of sharp Sword Qi poured down like a torrential storm towards Hongjun and the others.
Wherever the Sword Qi passed, space shattered like broken glass, emitting piercing roars, as if the entire world was on the verge of collapse under this terrifying Sword Qi.
The four people in the formation, seeing the Sword Qi appear out of thin air like sharp blades before their eyes, all had their expressions turn serious and successively unleashed their respective Spirit Treasures to block.
When they felt the power contained in the Sword Qi, expressions of surprise appeared on their faces in unison.
"How is this possible? These Sword Qi actually have the power of a High Grade Spirit Treasure!"
The four looked at the dense, overwhelming Sword Qi in the Void Realm, feeling their scalps tingle.
Such a quantity of Sword Qi, even for them as Hunyuan Golden Immortal, would be difficult to withstand.
Moreover, the Sword Qi above the sword formation would continuously combine and transform based on the characteristics of the Zhu Xian Four Swords, forming even more troublesome small sword formations.
Hongjun was in the midst of it, with Dao rhyme flowing endlessly around him.
Under the impact of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Qi that could sever Souls, he quickly formed hand seals, and the power of creation within him surged out like a turbulent tide, instantly condensing into an invisible yet resilient barrier, firmly resisting the attacks of the Sword Qi.
Every Immortal Slaughtering Sword Qi that struck the barrier was accompanied by a Soul impact, attempting to penetrate the defense and disrupt Hongjun's Divine Soul.
Hongjun's expression was solemn, and a slight sweat beaded on his forehead as he fully maintained the stability of the barrier.
However, the power of the sword formation far exceeded imagination; realizing that individual Sword Qi could not break through Hongjun's defense, countless Sword Qi instantly converged, forming an enormous Sword Qi.
The pressure emanating from this Sword Qi made even someone of Hongjun's strength feel a sense of dread.
At this critical moment, a flash of light appeared behind Hongjun, and countless Spirit Treasures instantly emerged.
These Spirit Treasures were interconnected by their Qi, echoing each other, collectively forming a huge net of light.
In the center of the many Spirit Treasures, a broken jade disc emitted a mysterious light. Under the jade disc's mobilization, no matter how the giant Sword Qi attacked, it could not break through the defense.
But Hongjun dared not relax in the slightest; he knew in his heart that the Sword Qi before him was merely condensed by the grand formation. If he could not find a way to break the formation, these Sword Qi would regenerate endlessly.
On the other side, Yang Mei was fully dealing with the highly corrosive Immortal Slaying Sword Qi.
He flickered, and the surrounding space Law instantly became chaotic; those Sword Qi, like black lightning, lost their direction in the chaotic space, colliding with each other and emitting a series of dull thuds.
Yang Mei seized the opportunity to unleash a great Divine Ability, forming a huge spatial vortex centered on himself, continuously drawing in the corrosive Sword Qi.
However, the Sword Qi was infinite; as soon as one batch was absorbed, new Sword Qi surged in, like a surging tide, wave after wave, overwhelming Yang Mei.
Looking at the endless Sword Qi before him, he couldn't help but feel a hint of frustration.
He excelled in the Great Dao Laws of space, so avoiding Sword Qi was not difficult, but when it came to breaking formations, it was not his strong suit, and he was temporarily stuck in a stalemate.
Qiankun Daoist had fallen into the illusion created by the Trapping Immortal Sword Qi.
The scene before him constantly changed, various illusions appearing alternately like a revolving lantern, continuously eroding his mind.
Qiankun Daoist inwardly cried out in alarm; he deeply knew the power of this illusion. If he could not break free quickly, he would surely be silently strangled by the Sword Qi.
At a critical juncture, he decisively unleashed the Universe Cauldron.
In an instant, countless Qiankun power surged from the cauldron, like an invisible colossal force, shattering the Sword Qi in the Void Realm.
Under the crushing force of Qiankun power, many Sword Qi shattered and dissipated.
But some Sword Qi were extremely tricky, breaking through the Universe Cauldron's defense and rushing towards Qiankun Daoist.
Seeing the Sword Qi approaching, Qiankun Daoist had no time to think and hastily unleashed the Qiankun Sword to block.
However, he was still a step too slow, and a streak of Sword Qi had already entered his body. The moment the Sword Qi entered, Qiankun Daoist's eyes began to glaze over, clearly affected by the Trapping Immortal Sword Qi.
Fortunately, Qiankun Daoist was a Hunyuan Golden Immortal after all, with profound strength, and coupled with the limited number of Trapping Immortal Sword Qi, he quickly regained consciousness after a short while.
"Damn it, why is this sword formation so troublesome!" Qiankun Daoist roared after regaining consciousness, his heart filled with unwillingness.
He deeply knew the terror of this Trapping Immortal Sword Qi; once he fell into the illusion again, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Thus, holding the Qiankun Sword, he swung it with all his might, and streaks of Sword Qi surged from the sword, colliding with the Sword Qi that had broken through the Universe Cauldron.
Despite this, some Sword Qi still managed to slip through, causing countless wounds on Qiankun Daoist's body.
Though the wounds were not fatal, frequently falling into illusions made his Soul increasingly weak, and his overall condition deteriorated.
Yin Yang Daoist, facing the Immortal Extinguishing Sword Qi that could sever the life force of living beings, felt a bone-chilling coldness all over his body, as if enveloped by an invisible aura of death.
He dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately unleashed the Yin and Yang Qi, using Yang Qi to resist the cold Qi and Yin Qi to bind the Sword Qi.
The Yin and Yang Qi rapidly flowed around him, forming a huge Taiji Diagram, firmly blocking the white Immortal Extinguishing Sword Qi outside the diagram.
However, the Immortal Extinguishing Sword Qi was overwhelmingly powerful; under the continuous impact of the Sword Qi, the light of the Taiji Diagram gradually dimmed, and Yin Yang Daoist's aura also became weak.
His face was pale, and his forehead was covered in sweat as he desperately maintained his defense.
Just as Yin Yang Daoist felt his strength failing, he suddenly unleashed the Taiji Diagram. With the Taiji Diagram's enhancement, the originally dim Yin and Yang Qi instantly regained vitality, re-emitting powerful energy, completely blocking the Immortal Extinguishing Sword Qi from outside.
"Hahahaha, my Zhuxian Sword Formation was set up by drawing upon the power of the entire Western Earth Meridian; you can never break it!" Luo Hou watched the four struggling in the formation, a satisfied expression on his face, and laughed loudly. "However, I don't have that much time to waste with you all."
Luo Hou's meticulously planned scheme had now gone awry.
He had first used the Demon Race to provoke the Three Races War, and then secretly laid traps at the Four Seas' Eye, the Undying Volcano, and the Great Desolate Ancestral Vein.
When the struggle between the Three Races reached its climax, and the Great Desolate was at its most vulnerable, he activated these traps, attempting to shatter the Great Desolate.
He knew that as long as the Great Desolate shattered, the Heavenly Dao would inevitably be affected and fall into slumber.
During this period, he only needed the Demon Race to replace the Three Races to achieve Demonstration in one fell swoop, and he could also seize the Pangu Dao Fruit.
However, plans couldn't keep up with changes; after the Great Desolate shattered, Ancestral Dragon, Primordial Phoenix, and Ancestral Qilin surprisingly chose to abandon their own Dao paths to protect their respective races, willingly being suppressed by the Heavenly Dao to mend the Great Desolate's wounds.
This unexpected turn of events caused the Heavenly Dao, though it fell into slumber, to have an extremely short slumber period.
Luo Hou predicted that the Heavenly Dao would awaken after a hundred years, and by then, his actions would certainly be settled by the Heavenly Dao.
Within the Zhuxian Sword Formation, Luo Hou's hands danced like specters.
Driven by Luo Hou, the Zhuxian Sword Formation violently trembled as if infused with a furious power, rapidly operating according to his commands.
The power of the four directions' Earth Veins, like a surging undercurrent, continuously converged towards the Xianxian Sword.
For a moment, the Xianxian Sword shone brightly, its sword body's runes flickering and leaping, as if trying to break free from the sword formation's restraints.
As the massive amount of Earth Vein power surged in, the power of the Trapping Immortal Sword Qi increased exponentially.
The already astonishingly powerful Sword Qi now resembled an unbridled wild horse, unstoppable.
Countless Sword Qi, like sharp blades, crisscrossed, instantly piercing through the Universe Cauldron that Universe Daoist had conjured. Immediately after, the Universe Sword also let out a mournful cry under the fierce impact of the Sword Qi, becoming controlled by the Sword Qi and unable to move.
"Not good!" Universe Daoist cried out inwardly, seeing the situation, unable to help but shout loudly.
He widened his eyes, watching the dense Sword Qi descend like a torrential rain, instinctively wanting to evade.
However, there was simply too much Sword Qi, covering the sky and earth, almost blocking all his escape routes.
In an instant, countless Sword Qi plunged into his body.
Universe Daoist's eyes began to lose focus the moment the Sword Qi entered his body. Unlike before, this time the Sword Qi was like an endless tide, continuously eroding his body and Soul, causing his life force to rapidly drain away.
Hongjun, Yang Mei, and Yin and Yang Daoist, in the other three directions of the Zhuxian Sword Formation, instantly sensed Universe Daoist's critical situation, their hearts tightening with extreme anxiety.
However, they were each tightly trapped by the boundless Sword Qi, with every strand of Sword Qi containing world-destroying power. They were preoccupied with their own safety and could not spare any effort to rescue Universe Daoist.
"Soon, I'm close to comprehending the flaw in this great formation. As long as I find the key to the Zhu Xian Four Swords, I will surely break this formation!" Hongjun murmured, his gaze fixed on the endless torrent of Sword Qi ahead.
Hongjun's idea was good, but unfortunately, Universe Daoist was already on the verge of death and could not wait for him to find the formation's core.
Universe Daoist's Soul, under the continuous impact of the Sword Qi, grew increasingly weak, almost dissipating.
Finally, with a muffled "thud," Universe Daoist's eyes completely lost their vitality, and he stood frozen in place like a lifeless statue.
At the same time, the Soul imprints on Universe Daoist's Universe Cauldron and Universe Sword quietly dissipated. A Hunyuan Golden Immortal had fallen.
After Universe Daoist's demise, the Zhuxian Sword Formation's assault on the remaining three became even more ferocious.
Yin and Yang Daoist, caught in the Absolute Immortal Sword Formation, finally succumbed to exhaustion under the continuous assault of the overwhelming Absolute Immortal Sword Qi. A sharp Sword Qi slashed across, mercilessly severing his life force.
Yin and Yang Daoist let out an unwilling shriek, and his body slowly fell, dissipating within this terrifying sword formation.
Yang Mei sensed the successive deaths of Universe Daoist and Yin and Yang Daoist, his heart filled with sorrow and helplessness, and he sighed deeply.
He knew well that continuing to stay in the sword formation at this moment would only add to the casualties.
Thus, he activated the Spatial Great Dao Laws, and his figure flickered, instantly vanishing from the sword formation.
"Yang Mei, that guy, as expected, had a backup plan. However, this is no longer important. As long as Hongjun dies, the entire Great Desolation will be mine!" Luo Hou noticed Yang Mei's departure, merely glancing dismissively, a triumphant smile still on his face.
In his view, Yang Mei's escape was just a minor interlude; as long as he could eliminate Hongjun, his dominion would be within reach.
With Yang Mei's departure, all the power of the Zhuxian Sword Formation instantly concentrated on Hongjun alone. Countless Sword Qi, like a surging tide, surged madly towards Hongjun.
Even though Hongjun possessed extraordinary strength and was protected by a vast array of Spirit Treasures, he gradually felt overwhelmed. His wounds accumulated, and blood stained his robes.
However, despite being in a desperate situation, Hongjun showed no trace of panic on his face.
His gaze was firm as he continuously searched amidst the boundless Sword Qi. As time passed, a subtle, almost imperceptible smile suddenly flashed in his eyes: "Found it!"
No sooner had he spoken than Hongjun gently waved his right hand in the air, and three figures identical to his aura instantly appeared beside him.
These three figures were precisely Hongjun's Three Corpses.
It turned out that during this fierce battle, Hongjun had been secretly comprehending the mysteries of the sword formation, finally discovering the location of the Zhu Xian Four Swords, which served as the Zhuxian Sword Formation's core.
Luo Hou saw Hongjun conjure his Three Corpses and instantly understood that Hongjun had found the core.
His expression changed drastically, and he hastily adjusted the Zhuxian Sword Formation with all his might, attempting to salvage the situation.
However, Hongjun had been waiting for this moment for a long time and was fully prepared.
Hongjun and his Three Corpses flickered, instantly appearing at the location of the Zhu Xian Four Swords. All four simultaneously reached out and firmly grasped the four peerless ominous swords.
"Damn it, I was careless!" Luo Hou's face turned incredibly grim as he watched the four swords held by Hongjun and his Three Corpses.
He knew in his heart that he had lost this round.
But how could Luo Hou easily admit defeat? A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and the Twelve-Grade Black Lotus of Destruction instantly appeared beneath his feet. He held the God-Slaying Spear and looked coldly at Hongjun, who had already broken the formation, sneering, "Hongjun, you truly are capable. My Zhuxian Sword Formation, which I painstakingly researched, was actually broken by you so easily."
"Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, you have already been defeated. Are you still so stubbornly misguided at this moment? Your Dao is contrary to the development of the Great Desolation and is destined not to last long." Hongjun stepped out of the sword formation, looking calmly at Luo Hou above the Void Realm, speaking earnestly.
"Whether it is suitable or not is for me to decide, not for you to judge!" Luo Hou was enraged by Hongjun's words and shouted loudly at Hongjun.
Just then, a gigantic eye suddenly appeared in the sky, emitting a cold and majestic aura, indifferently observing Luo Hou and Hongjun.
This eye was precisely the Incarnation of the Heavenly Dao.
"Damn it, how could the Heavenly Dao awaken at this moment? There are still more than ten years left!" Luo Hou exclaimed in alarm, seeing the appearance of the Heavenly Dao, unable to help but blurt out.
He had originally thought his plan was flawless, and even the Heavenly Dao was within his control.
Yet, he never expected the Heavenly Dao to appear early.
Hongjun looked at the Heavenly Dao appearing in the Void Realm, his expression calm, as if he had long anticipated it.
"No, I was wrong. From the very beginning, I was wrong. The Heavenly Dao never slept; all my previous deductions were within the Heavenly Dao's calculations. Now that the victor between Hongjun and me has been decided, I, the loser, have no place left in the Great Desolation." Luo Hou instantly understood everything, his heart filled with remorse and unwillingness.
He threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with self-mockery and madness: "Hahaha, how ridiculous! I thought I had schemed against the three clans and controlled the entire situation, only to find out in the end that I was also one of the schemed-against."
Devilish Qi surged from Luo Hou's body.
He frantically absorbed all the demonic seeds within the Great Desolation. For a time, the entire Mount Sumeru was shrouded in thick Devilish Qi, as if it had transformed into a demonic prison.
"Taichu, are you sure your plan is fine?" Deep within the Earth Veins, Ming He looked at the monstrously powerful Luo Hou above, feeling some hesitation, and turned to look at Taichu beside him.
At this moment, Luo Hou, after absorbing countless demonic seeds, had greatly increased his strength, already having one foot in the Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm, even surpassing Hongjun's cultivation, which made Ming He feel an unprecedented pressure.
"It should… be fine." Taichu felt the terrifying aura emanating from Luo Hou, also feeling a bit uncertain, but his memories from his previous life told him that the ultimate victor would be Hongjun.
Taichu and Ming He had quietly arrived beneath Mount Sumeru, within the Earth Veins, long before Hongjun and the others entered the formation, using the protection of the Earth Book.
Because the heavenly secrets were chaotic at this time, and Luo Hou and the others' attention was focused on each other, the two of them were not discovered by the two above.
Hongjun sensed the earth-shattering changes in Luo Hou's body, his expression remaining as calm as still water, as if nothing in the world could stir him.
He looked at the maddened Luo Hou and once again tried to persuade him: "Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, do not continue to make mistakes."
Luo Hou, however, gave a strange smile at this moment, looking at Hongjun and saying, "That's right, I lost, but you, Hongjun, are not necessarily the winner." With that, his expression hardened, he looked up at the sky, and shouted loudly, "Great Dao above, I, Luo Hou, hereby make a Great Dao Vow! I am willing to sacrifice all that I am to transform into the Demon Realm. From this day forth, the Demonic Path shall flourish as the Dao wanes; where the Dao rises by one foot, the Demonic Path shall rise by ten! The Demon Realm is established! The Demonic Path is established!" Luo Hou bypassed the Heavenly Dao and directly made a grand vow to the Great Dao.
The Great Dao rumbled, as if responding to Luo Hou's vow.
The establishment of the Demon Realm, though seemingly contrary to the Great Desolation, in some respects perfected the Great Dao's rules and held its unique significance for the Great Desolation's development. Therefore, the Great Dao did not obstruct it.
As the Great Dao Vow was established, Luo Hou's body instantly disintegrated, transforming into a black torrent that surged towards the outside of the Great Desolation.
However, his Soul had not yet completely dissipated. Luo Hou turned to look at Hongjun, a complex expression flashing in his eyes, and said, "Hongjun, I'm giving you a great gift; I hope you'll like it."
With that, his Soul also slowly merged into the newly born Demon Realm.
Hearing Luo Hou's words, Hongjun's face instantly changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm: "Not good!!!!"
In an instant, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation Chart, nurtured and empowered by the majestic power of the Earth Meridian, burst forth with an extremely dazzling light that stung the eyes.
The massive Earth Meridian power contained within the Chart, like wild horses unbridled, surged furiously towards the Western Earth Meridian.
If left unchecked, the entire Western Earth Meridian would undoubtedly be pulverized by the impact of this violent force.
Such immense Karma and Karma should have been borne jointly by Rahu and Hongjun.
However, at this moment, Rahu had sacrificed everything of himself, transforming into the Demon Realm and vanishing without a trace.
This meant that once the Western Earth Meridian was destroyed, all the Karma and Karma would fall upon Hongjun alone.
Hongjun looked at the Chart, which had already disappeared into the light, knowing in his heart that it was too late to stop anything.
He shook his head slightly, sighing with a bitter smile, "I never thought that Fellow Daoist Rahu would give me such a 'grand gift' in the end."
"Taichu, it's just as you predicted, Rahu truly intended to destroy the Western Earth Meridian in the end!" Minghe stared intently at the terrifying power surging towards the Earth Meridian, then turned to look at Taichu with a face full of surprise.
Previously, he had been half-skeptical of Taichu's predictions, but now that the facts were laid bare, Rahu's actions were exactly as Taichu had described.
"Brother, this is not the time for astonishment. We have prepared for so long; we absolutely cannot make a mistake at this final juncture and let all our efforts go to waste," Taichu said with a solemn expression and a resolute tone.
"Don't worry, there shouldn't be any problems. I just don't know if our Clones can withstand the impact of the Chart's self-destruction," Minghe frowned, his eyes filled with worry.
They were only Grand Unity Golden Immortal Cultivators, and this was a fallback left by Rahu, a half-step Chaotic Primeval Great Luo Golden Immortal; its power was terrifying.
"Do our best and leave the rest to fate. At least, we tried," Taichu, hearing this, could not give a definite answer and could only comfort Minghe in this way.
With that, Taichu and Minghe simultaneously formed hand seals rapidly.
Instantly, countless illusory figures emerged within the Western Earth Meridian.
As soon as these phantoms appeared, they immediately circulated their spiritual power, attempting to resist the impact generated by the Zhuxian Sword Formation Chart's self-destruction.
However, the power of the Chart's self-destruction was too immense; how could it be easily blocked by the Clones of the two of them? Countless Clones were instantly destroyed like bubbles as soon as they came into contact with that violent force.
Although the Clones dissipated one after another, they ultimately succeeded in consuming a portion of the self-destruction's power.
While the Western Earth Meridian suffered some damage, its fundamental core was not harmed.
Given endless years of nourishment, it would gradually recover.
Compared to the catastrophic state of the Western Spiritual Vein being almost completely destroyed in Taichu's memory, the current outcome was far better.
Hongjun naturally sensed the commotion within the Western Earth Meridian.
He perceived the countless illusory figures striving to resist within the Earth Meridian and immediately understood that Taichu and Minghe were secretly assisting him.
"I never thought that it would be Fellow Daoists Taichu who would help me in the end. When I first met Fellow Daoist Taichu, I felt that I had a predestined connection with Fellow Daoist Taichu, and it seems my intuition was correct," Hongjun mused to himself, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.
Within the newly born Demon Realm, Rahu's phantom also sensed everything that was happening in the Primordial Land's west.
He glared with wide, angry eyes, gritting his teeth and saying, "Damn it! Where did these two guys come from? They actually ruined my plan! But it doesn't matter, I have plenty of time. The West has been under my control for many years; the fallback I left behind won't be so easy to eliminate. Primordial Land, I will surely make a comeback!"
As the power of the Zhuxian Sword Formation Chart gradually dissipated, the long-lasting Dragon Han Calamity finally drew to a close.
In an instant, countless Karma power surged into the Void Realm, transforming into soft spiritual lights that drifted down towards the Primordial Land.
"The time for harvest has arrived." Taichu keenly noticed that his Karma Golden Wheel, nourished by this Karma power, had nearly doubled in size, emitting an even more dazzling light.
Minghe, beside him, though not as richly rewarded as Taichu, also gained a considerable amount. The Karma Minghe obtained this time, if used to walk the path of Karma Demonstration, would be enough to push his strength directly to the Quasi-Saint Realm.
However, Taichu had previously earnestly warned Minghe not to Cultivate directly with Karma.
Therefore, Minghe, like Taichu, condensed the acquired Karma into a Karma Golden Wheel and carefully stored it.
The Book of the Earth in Taichu's hand, having contributed significantly during this Calamity, also received a large mass of concentrated Karma.
Zhenyuanzi, cultivating diligently far away in Wuzhuang Temple, as the owner of the Book of the Earth, also benefited greatly.
Driven by the power of Karma, Zhenyuanzi's strength soared, successfully Breaking through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm.
Moreover, there was still a considerable amount of Karma remaining after the Breakthrough.
After some hesitation, Zhenyuanzi did not consume all of this Karma but also transformed it into a Karma Golden Wheel for storage.
However, the Karma they obtained was minuscule compared to Hongjun's.
Hongjun looked at the massive amount of Karma integrating into his body, merely shaking his head slightly, not paying much attention.
He shifted his gaze to the dozen or so Innate Spirit Treasures suspended within Mount Sumeru, and with a wave of his hand, he collected them into his possession.
These Spirit Treasures were all left behind after the demise of Daoist Qiankun and Daoist Yin and Yang, including the Universe Cauldron and the Taiji Diagram, two Innate Supreme Treasures, as well as the top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure, the Universe Sword.
As for Rahu's Twelve-Grade Black Lotus of Destruction and God-Slaying Spear, they had already vanished before Rahu transformed into the Demon Realm, clearly having been hidden away by him in advance.
"Two Fellow Daoists, are you still not planning to show yourselves?"
Hongjun smiled, his gaze directed below Mount Sumeru.
At this moment, the Calamity had passed, and the Heavenly Secret was clear; Hongjun instantly sensed Taichu and Minghe, who were hidden within the Earth Meridian of Mount Sumeru.
Taichu had no intention of deliberately concealing themselves, so upon hearing Hongjun's words, he brought Minghe to Hongjun's side.
"Daoist Hongjun, it seems the day of your Demonstration is not far off, is it?" Taichu looked at Hongjun, his eyes filled with emotion.
"Indeed, my Dao is within reach; I only need to take one step to achieve Demonstration."
Hongjun nodded upon hearing this, his expression calm, as if Demonstration was merely a matter of course for him.
"It's just, I wonder how Hongjun will choose this time," Taichu gazed at Hongjun, pondering to himself.
In his past life's memories, Hongjun ultimately did not choose to achieve Demonstration through the method of the Three Corpses, and there were many speculations in the world regarding the reasons behind it.
One such theory was the Karma theory, which suggested that at that time, the Western Earth Meridian was shattered, and heavy Karma and Karma entangled him, meaning that if Hongjun wanted to achieve Chaotic Primeval Demonstration, he first had to clear these Karma and Karma, which would require an immense amount of time.
In desperation, Hongjun abandoned the Three Corpses Demonstration and instead became the Heavenly Dao's spokesperson, creating the path of the Saint.
But in this life, due to the intervention of Taichu and Minghe, the Western Earth Meridian was only overdrawn; though it needed time to recover, it was not shattered, and this overdrawing had little to do with Hongjun.
Logically speaking, Hongjun could completely choose the Three Corpses Demonstration at this moment.
However, facing the Demonstration opportunity right before him, Hongjun was slow to choose to Breakthrough.
"Daoist Hongjun, could it be that you still have some unresolved doubts?" Taichu looked at Hongjun, unable to resist asking.
"It's fine to tell Fellow Daoist. Currently, there are two paths before me, and I truly find it difficult to choose," Hongjun sighed slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
"Just follow your heart. That's the principle you told me earlier, Daoist. Why are you so hesitant now?" Taichu scrutinized Hongjun with piercing eyes.
This was the first time he had seen hesitation on Hongjun's face. In previous encounters, Hongjun was always full of confidence, as if everything in the world was within his grasp.
"It seems that Hongjun might not become the Dao Ancestor this time. After all, the position of Dao Ancestor only appears during Calamities, and while it's called 'harmonizing with the Dao,' it actually means severing one's own Dao and being bound to the Heavenly Dao for life. If it were me, and I had other options, I wouldn't embark on this path," Taichu mused to himself.
As for the external rumors that Hongjun plotted the shattering of the Primordial Land, intending to control the Heavenly Dao and seize Pangu's Dao Fruit, Taichu felt this was simply impossible.
Rahu was a clear example; Pangu's Dao Fruit was not so easily stripped away.
Moreover, if Hongjun truly had such an idea, he should have chosen the Three Corpses method for Demonstration, rather than harmonizing with the Heavenly Dao.
Once he harmonized with the Dao, Hongjun would inevitably be subject to many restrictions from the Heavenly Dao, making many things impossible to implement.