Chapter 17

The Immortal Apricot froze slightly, then quietly sent out her divine sense to observe Lin Fan's build. This tiny little person before her eyes did not seem to match the word "elder brother" no matter how she looked at him.

Could Master be tricking me?

Perceiving the Immortal Apricot's hesitation, Lin Fan pointed at the Star Fruit Tree in the distance. "See that Star Fruit Tree? She chases after me every day calling me brother. I can't stop her even if I want to."

Sensing that the Star Fruit Tree was older than herself, the simple-minded Immortal Apricot immediately believed him. After hesitating for a moment, she called out timidly, "Bro... ther."

Lin Fan stroked the Immortal Apricot's leaves in satisfaction. "Be good from now on. Your brother will protect you."

The Immortal Apricot nodded in muddled understanding, yet always felt that something was not quite right.

Lin Fan felt secretly delighted—after being used to playing the younger brother, he had finally gotten to enjoy being the older brother for once. He wasted no more words and raised his hand to pluck seven Chaos Immortal Apricots.

After taking out the Hongmeng Purple Qi, Lin Fan sat cross-legged and entered meditation. Wisps of clear radiance rose from his Spiritual Platform. The Heavenly Dao laws contained within the purple qi were swiftly analyzed, transforming into source essence and revealing themselves.

Wrapped in hazy violet light, the Youth's entire body flowed with Dao charm. Under the baptism of Heavenly Dao Power, his comprehension and root bones transformed at a flying pace, and the evolution of his Fate Wheel suddenly accelerated.

Deep within the purple qi, the familiar chaotic mist appeared once more. This wisp of Hongmeng Purple Qi was likewise wrapped layer upon layer by a Heavenly Dao Imprint. Lin Fan grabbed the Primordial Pearl and smashed it over, and the seal shattered at the sound.

As his divine sense drew it in, the Hongmeng Purple Qi transformed into thousands upon thousands of strands of Dao charm and merged into every limb and bone. Law patterns surfaced on his bones, his Primordial Spirit continued to expand, and his Fate Wheel seemed to be nudged by an invisible hand, turning rapidly forward.

The Primordial Great Dao True Explanation and Primordial Creation Scripture began circulating on their own. His body bloomed with dazzling precious light, and countless phenomena surged out across the sky.

Lin Fan's body seemed to transform into a vast universe, with countless Rules imprints roiling violently within.

Three thousand strands of Dao charm manifested in the void.

Every ray of Profound Light secretly contained the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

Nourished by the source of chaos, these laws accelerated in their evolution, Finally erupting with mighty power that swept heaven and earth, as rosy light bright as a heavenly river shone through the universe.

The firmament suddenly darkened, wind and clouds surging wildly.

Countless illusory strange trees bearing nine leaves flickered in and out of existence, Enveloping the entire curtain of the sky.

Among them, a profound fruit condensed from the true essence of ten thousand Daos appeared as if the Great Dao itself had manifested, causing the time and space of the heavens to Violently vibrated.

This Earth-shattering scene swept across the Primordial World, And ancient gods from every path felt something stir in their hearts.

The magnificent spectacle beyond the Thirty-three Heavens left all living beings dumbstruck.

Deep within Huoyun Cave.

Old Ancestor Hongyun, who was healing his injuries, abruptly raised his head. The phenomena Above the Nine Heavens made his pupils shake violently.

Just what sacred being could trigger such an omen of Great Tribulation?

As an innate demon god who had passed through calamities for tens of thousands of years, he naturally knew this was a sign of source essence manifesting.

Back when he had taken form, he too had once stirred resonance from the Three Realms.

But compared to the scene before him, it was simply fireflies set against the blazing sun.

At the Peak of Kunlun.

Sensing the tremor of the Heavenly Dao, Venerable Yuanshi suddenly woke with a start, only to see endless illusory divine trees appearing upon the dome of heaven.

Each divine tree had only nine leaves, Yet held aloft a profound fruit containing Great Dao True Meaning.

Ten thousand laws intertwined, and Dao charm hung down like tassels.

This Saint understood with a single glance: this was the sign of a Dao fruit manifesting.

In Yuanshi's eyes, stormy waves rose, What origins could such an unprecedented existence possibly have?

Thinking back to when the Sanqing had taken form, they too had once stirred auspicious clouds throughout the heavens and received the blessing of the Heavenly Dao.

Yet compared to what he saw today, it was actually like a grain-sized pearl trying to rival the bright moon.

In the flash of a thought, he had already stepped through the void.

This phenomenon that shook the Primordial World likewise alarmed Taiqing and Shangqing.

Two startling rainbows tore through the cloud haze and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yuanshi.

"Dao brothers, were you also startled by this phenomenon?"

Sect Master Tongtian said in a deep voice.

Laozi's expression was distant as he said, "This race defies the Heavenly Dao too greatly. I fear it may trigger drastic changes in the Primordial World."

"Such an existence naturally belongs within the gate of my Chan Sect." Venerable Yuanshi lifted his head proudly, a sharp gleam suddenly flashing In his eyes.

"The true meaning of the Chan Sect lies in expounding the heavenly secrets."

His disciples all possessed heaven-surging fortune and world-shocking gifts. Were such anomalies not bestowed by the heavens upon the Chan Sect?

Sect Master Tongtian heard this and laughed with contempt. "They ought to enter my Jie Sect lineage."

The purpose of the Jie Sect was precisely to seize that thread of vitality from the Heavenly Dao. Cultivation was an act of defying heaven to begin with; if such world-shocking existences were allowed to grow, they would surely incur heavenly condemnation, and all the more need to fight for that sliver of life.

Thus, they were the most compatible with the Jie Sect's orthodoxy.

Faced with the two men's dispute, Laozi remained silent, his gaze deep and dark, as though comprehending some hidden mystery.

All at once, the laws of the Heavenly Dao violently vibrated. Thunderclouds churned across the dome of heaven, and an endless Thunder Prison manifested in the void. Law Chains danced wildly through the sea of thunder, and an aura of world-destruction swept across the eight wastes.

This was World-Destroying Divine Thunder condensed from the origin of the Heavenly Dao, its might enough to annihilate all things.

Yuanshi and Tongtian's expressions changed in an instant as they recalled the tribulation of the twenty-fourth-grade Creation Green Lotus in former years—because its origin was too heaven-defying, it had been dismembered by the Heavenly Dao the moment it descended into the world, becoming the three treasures: the Flat Crutch, the Ruyi, and Qingping.

"What a pity," Yuanshi sighed wistfully.

Tongtian also showed regret.

In the western realm of Mount Sumeru, In the void, countless thunderclouds surged and gathered.

Zhunti suddenly jolted awake, a trace of fright flashing through his eyes. "What exactly is the reason that such a terrifying heavenly punishment has been stirred?"

Jieyin gazed at the strange phenomenon in the firmament and slowly said, "The origin aura beneath our feet is Earth-shattering. Naturally, it cannot escape the Heavenly Dao's scrutiny."

Zhunti stared blankly for a long while, then gave a bitter smile. "What a true pity..."

The majesty of the Heavenly Dao was supreme and unmatched. He knew full well that such a living being would find it almost impossible to escape heavenly punishment.

Jieyin also sighed. "If only we could bring this living being into our West..."

Since the great war between Dao and Demonic, the West's spiritual veins had been utterly destroyed, its lands barren, and its myriad spirits scarce.

Those with deep fortune were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, so its providence was naturally weak.

Thinking of this, the two Saints grew gloomy once more.

Above the Heavenly Court, tribulation clouds blotted out the sun.

Even the radiance of the great sun was completely obscured, as though the end of the world had descended.

Many demon generals trembled in terror. Even as Demon Gods and demon saints looked up to observe the heavenly phenomenon, horror appeared on their faces.

The sea of thunder had not yet taken shape and was already so terrifying. If the heavenly punishment truly descended...

Di Jun spread out his vast divine sense, yet found nothing at all. He could not help frowning tightly. "Where is the Demon Master?"

Having reached his realm, he should have understood all things, yet at this moment he could not detect the slightest clue.

Fuxi stepped forward and saluted. "Your Majesty."

"Cast a divination," Di Jun commanded.

"As decreed."

Fuxi was also rather curious about the source of the heavenly punishment.

When the Bagua Diagram unfurled, dragons soared and phoenixes danced, and auspicious cries rang out together.

As the divinatory signs rotated, they deduced myriad changes...

Di Jun and Donghuang Taiyi exchanged a glance, shock impossible to conceal in both their eyes.

As the Demon Master, Fuxi's abilities were second only to All Saints; he was a supreme powerhouse of deduction in the Primordial World. For such a figure to be unable to calculate even the slightest clue showed just how terrifying that mysterious existence was.

Yet Fuxi's brows furrowed slightly. Though the divinatory signs were chaotic, he inexplicably felt that the strange omen in the heavens was somewhat familiar.

Atop Shouyang Mountain, Nuwa suddenly woke from meditation. When she looked up to observe the nine heavens, her expression abruptly froze—the faintly visible tree shadow was clearly exactly like the Nine-Leaf Immortal Fate Fruit Tree.

Back then, Lin Fan had been nurtured and born from this very tree.

Thinking of this, Nuwa could not help her heart and mind violently trembling. That little tree spirit had actually ushered in another transformation of his origin? One had to know that not long had passed since his last evolution. Such a terrifying growth speed was enough to drive all beings in the Primordial World mad with envy.

What worried her even more was that this disturbance had actually drawn out the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao. The Thunder Dragon churning above the nine heavens was precisely the precursor to World-Destroying Tribulation Punishment.

A cold gleam suddenly flashed in Nuwa's eyes. Even if it was the Heavenly Dao, if it dared harm her Lin Fan, she would point her sword at the firmament.

Yet something strange suddenly occurred. The lightning tribulation, having brewed to its peak, hung suspended and did not fall. In the end, the clouds scattered and the thunder vanished, as though it had never existed.

Such an odd scene left even the Saints astonished—since time immemorial in the Primordial World, when had there ever been a heavenly punishment that dispersed on its own?

Nuwa thought for a moment, then immediately understood.

Back then, when she discovered that Immortal Island in the South Sea, the workings of heaven there had been nothing but chaos.

The source of all this was precisely that Nine-Leaf Immortal Fate Fruit Tree.

It was also precisely because of this that Lin Fan had been able to be born smoothly.

One had to know, even when the twenty-fourth-grade Creation Green Lotus appeared, the Heavenly Dao had been unable to tolerate it, let alone an existence like Lin Fan.

Without means to conceal the workings of heaven, the Nine-Leaf Immortal Fate Fruit tree could never have survived until now.

It seemed Lin Fan still had many secrets even she did not know.

Seeing that terrifying heavenly tribulation finish gathering, only to not descend and instead gradually disperse, all living beings were utterly baffled.

The many mighty beings of the Primordial World were even more shocked.

Inside Wuzhuang Temple.

Zhenyuanzi witnessed this scene, and amid his astonishment, a strange feeling rose in his heart.

There was actually an existence in this world that even the Heavenly Dao could not capture?

But since it could not detect anything, why had it caused such a commotion?

Could it be toying with all living beings?

Even if it wanted to overawe hearts and minds, there was no need to go to such great lengths.

That terrifying divine lightning of the Heavenly Dao had nowhere to fall, and in the end, it plunged into the Heavenly Dao void.

The Heavenly Dao trembled with it, as if it had suffered a heavy blow.

Clearly, the Heavenly Dao had taken a silent loss this time.

Who could have expected that at the critical moment, the heavenly secrets would suddenly vanish without a trace?

It had drawn the blade from its sheath, only to wound itself instead.

Divine lightning of the Heavenly Dao was completely different from ordinary lightning. Once formed, it could not be easily dissolved, yet it also could not be poured out upon the lands of the Primordial World.

Left with no choice, the Heavenly Dao could only devour itself.

This self-inflicted strike pained the Heavenly Dao to the depths of its soul.

It was like a mortal forcing down a bowl of stinking-foot pickled-cabbage noodles, then still having no choice but to lick the soup bucket clean.

As the spokesman of the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun

sensed the abnormality at the first moment.

His expression instantly became extremely colorful.

His heart was full of things to roast—why did this Heavenly Dao seem to carry a trace of foolish stupidity?

However, a living being capable of making the Heavenly Dao wary was definitely no ordinary existence.

Hongjun naturally did not dare look down on it.

He immediately activated the Heavenly Dao Power and performed a Full deduction.

Yet after calculating for a while, there was not the slightest trace to be found in the River of Time.

It was as if a thorn had taken root in Hongjun's heart, making him deeply uncomfortable.

In the Primordial World, variables had always existed...

If this continued, it would surely shake the Foundation of the Heavenly Dao.

Time passed.

Lin Fan looked at the lightning radiance gradually scattering, and the heart that had been hanging in his chest finally settled.

When he had refined the Hongmeng Purple Qi just now, the sudden transformation of his origin had triggered a disturbance of heaven and earth beyond imagination, and had even drawn the attention of the Heavenly Dao, bringing down divine punishment.

That might, capable of destroying ** earth, had almost made people think the end of the world had arrived.

This Heavenly Dao was far too harsh, not the least bit inferior to that Saint.

It could not tolerate even the slightest variable.

Fortunately, he had activated the supreme treasure in time to conceal the heavenly secrets, or the consequences would have been hard to predict.

The gains from this trip had exceeded expectations.

After fusing with the Hongmeng Purple Qi.

His Chaos foundation had already reached a perfect, flawless peak.

One step further, and it would be an entirely new world.

His cultivation had also reached the perfection of Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, only one final breakthrough away from Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

"You advanced again?"

Nuwa hurried in, surprise shining in her eyes.

Lin Fan stood ** like a pine, his whole body like jade, Dao rhythm formed by nature.

Spiritual light flowed around him, and a sacred aura lingered.

It made him seem even more profound and unfathomable, his origin deep beyond measure.

His appearance had also matured somewhat compared to before.

Lin Fan answered softly.

Nuwa was secretly startled.

As a Hunyuan Sage, she was actually unable to see through her younger brother's depths.

This child was truly becoming more and more inconceivable.

Nuwa quickly stepped forward and drew her younger brother into her arms.

"Quick, let Sister take a good look at you!"

At once, she smelled a refreshing chaos fragrance that seeped into the heart and spleen, enough to leave one intoxicated and spellbound.

Nuwa unconsciously swallowed.

This little fellow was growing more and more tempting.

She really wanted to take a bite.

"Sister, I wish to go into the chaos and prove the Dao of Great Luo."

Lin Fan said solemnly.

Nuwa's eyes held a smile as she nodded lightly and said:

"Good. Sister will protect you."

If an ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal encountered the Chaos Gale, they would be reduced to flying ash and scattered smoke in an instant.

But Lin Fan was different.

Her younger brother's talent was outstanding, and as his sister, she felt deeply gratified.

After summoning the Three Ancestors of the Human Race and giving them a few instructions, Nuwa took Lin Fan with her, shattered the void, and arrived straight in the depths of chaos.

Only after they were countless billions of miles away from the Primordial World did they stop.

Lin Fan closed his eyes and focused his spirit. All the treasures needed to prove the Dao surfaced within his Spiritual Platform—

Chaos Origin Marrow, the Seven Chaos Immortal Apricots, and many Innate Spirit Fruits.

The mighty power they contained was as vast as an abyss.

Even if an ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal obtained a single Chaos Immortal Apricot, it would be enough for them to break through to the Great Luo realm a thousand times.

Yet to Lin Fan, these divine objects were only barely sufficient.