Setting a trap to assassinate a benefactor?

Just as Taiyi was supporting Dijun to leave, Zhenyuanzi suddenly stepped forward and stopped them with a deep voice:

"Wait! Why are you ganging up on my old friend?"

Dijun's footsteps paused slightly, and he replied without looking back, "To help Zhunti and Jieyin settle a karmic debt."

As his words fell, he turned and left.

Zhunti? Jieyin?

Whether it was Zhenyuanzi, Hongyun, or the powerful beings watching from afar, they all froze upon hearing this.

While the matter of Hongyun yielding his Saintly Position wasn't known to everyone in the world, it was no longer a secret among top-tier experts.

And now, these two had colluded with the Demon Race to set a trap and assassinate their benefactor?

Was this their way of not being able to repay their karma, so they decided to tear off their masks and repay kindness with enmity?

Tsk tsk, this drama was truly spectacular!

"Zhunti! Jieyin! Hongyun and you are irreconcilable!"

The moment he learned the truth, Hongyun's anger surged, and he spewed out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with boundless hatred.

As his close friend, Zhenyuanzi naturally shared his outrage and glared at them.

Zhunti, who was watching silently from the West, heard this furious roar and cursed the fool in his heart for shifting all the blame onto Dijun!

He would remember this debt.

Tongtian watched the emotionally turbulent Hongyun, a meaningful smile flashing across his lips. Then, his figure flickered, and he disappeared into the clouds on the horizon.

He wanted to see if Hongyun would truly step through the gates of the Intercepting Sect this time.

As Sect Master Tongtian departed, Zhenyuanzi supported Hongyun and slowly walked towards the Three Immortal Islands.

This time, Hongyun did not refuse. Though his steps were slow, they were incredibly firm.

The rage burning in his eyes was almost palpable, making it unbearable to look directly at him.

If Zhunti were standing before him now, Zhenyuanzi had no doubt that Hongyun would pounce on him and tear him to shreds with his own hands.

Seeing that there was no more drama to watch, the onlookers, who were powerful beings, withdrew their gazes and quietly dispersed.

Kunlun Mountain was shrouded in swirling clouds.

Yuanshi said in a low voice, "Big Brother, Tongtian is currently on a roll, and we haven't even figured out our path to enlightenment yet... Perhaps..." His words trailed off.

But Laozi already understood his meaning—he wanted to go to the Three Immortal Islands and humbly ask for guidance.

His heart stirred slightly.

However, upon thinking of the already strained relationship between the three of them, his brows furrowed unconsciously.

His expression was hesitant, filled with worry.

"What if he not only refuses to tell us but also mocks us with cold words?"

"He wouldn't dare!" Yuanshi suddenly looked up and snorted coldly, "In terms of seniority, we are his elder brothers; in terms of status, he is the junior. If he truly goes too far, we'll ask Master to step in and decide!"

His demeanor, that arrogance, seemed to be still living in the old dream of brothers united, with clear hierarchies.

Laozi's eyes flickered, and he felt a sense of unease.

How had his second brother suddenly become so unfamiliar?

Even though things had reached this point, now that the other party had the upper hand, he wanted to go back and seek favor.

Even more absurdly, he was putting on an air of superiority, as if he weren't the one who had been humiliated, but someone else.

Was this not akin to willingly walking into a beating?

An indescribable annoyance surged in his heart. Laozi gently shook his head and decisively refused.

He then got up and turned to walk out of the Jade Void Palace.

"I'm going to wander the Primordial World; perhaps I'll encounter some opportunities."

Before his voice even faded, his figure had already vanished into the mountain wind, leaving Yuanshi standing alone, his expression shifting between anger and gloom.

Deep within the Heavenly Court, Dijun leaned back on his dragon throne, bloodstains still visible at the corner of his lips.

He looked up at Taiyi, his voice weak but still carrying authority, "I need to go into seclusion to heal. The Grand Formation of the Stars and the affairs of the Heavenly Court will be temporarily managed by you."

The injury from that finger, though not fatal, had shaken his foundation.

It would take at least several thousand years, or even ten thousand years, to hope for a full recovery. If not treated properly, he might never regain his peak condition.

"Big Brother, rest assured," Taiyi replied in a deep voice, his expression solemn, without a trace of disrespect.

In the Pure Land of Spirit Mountain, Jieyin finally reached the late stage of Quasi-Saint.

He looked at Zhunti, who sat dejectedly, his spirit withered, and sighed softly, patting his shoulder to comfort him.

"Karma and reincarnation are guided by Heaven's will."

"This matter is not your fault, there's no need to blame yourself."

Zhunti's expression softened slightly, but the moment he recalled Dijun's humiliation that day, he gritted his teeth again, hatred surging.

Considering this plan—

Not only did they fail to seize Hongyun's fortune, but they also incurred the deep enmity of Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun;

Their already tarnished reputation suffered further damage;

Mount Sumeru was shattered, their Dao Foundation was damaged, and they even gifted Dijun a grand Heavenly Wedding ceremony for nothing.

Every single item, when tallied, was a losing deal.

He was so stifled he felt like spitting blood, his chest feeling so blocked he couldn't breathe.

Jieyin watched this, silently reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, his voice gentle yet firm:

"Junior Brother, we rose from barrenness, we've weathered all storms.

What is this small setback today to worry about?

It's just one wrong move in a game of chess, why should you be so dejected?

Ultimately, it was Tongtian who seized the initiative.

When you and I attain the Dao and become Saints, the world will turn upside down, and what's to stop us from making a comeback?"

Zhunti's body trembled, tears welling up in his eyes, and he said with a shaky voice:

"Senior Brother..."

"Junior Brother..."

"Senior Brother!"

"Junior Brother!"

The two looked at each other and spoke, their emotions genuine and deep, a tender warmth filling Spirit Mountain for a moment.

Just then—

Zhenyuanzi, with Hongyun in tow, stepped onto the land of the Three Immortal Islands.

The elders on the island saw Hongyun return and rushed forward to greet him.

Most of them, in fact, did so out of pity.

Yes, pity.

Who could have imagined that the Primordial World's foremost benevolent figure would not only lose his chance at becoming a Saint but also nearly lose his life?

Anyone else would not have been able to bear such injustice.

Hongyun felt the sympathetic gazes surrounding him, his chest feeling heavy as if pressed by a giant stone, making him feel panicked.

Unable to suppress the indignation in his heart any longer, he roared up at the sky:

"Heavenly Dao above! I, Hongyun, swear today, from this moment on I shall be renamed Black Cloud! Good people don't live long, but evils last for a thousand years! I ask the Heavenly Dao to bear witness!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, his entire being, from his robes to his hair, turned pitch black.

The usual gentle smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by sternness and ferocity.

Boom—!

The firmament trembled, thunder rumbled faintly, and the Heavenly Dao descended with a sense of awareness.

It tacitly approved of this newborn existence—no longer Hongyun, but Black Cloud.

Strangely, after he changed his name and surname, his originally severe injuries began to recover at an astonishing speed, his vitality surging, like a withered tree meeting spring.

A moment later, he had already returned to his peak.

"Old friend, you actually..."

Zhenyuanzi looked at the person before him, stunned into silence, and simply stood there blankly.

"Just a minor technique." Black Cloud waved his hand dismissively.

Then, led by Zhenyuanzi, the two ascended the stone steps of Biyou Palace.

"Zhenyuanzi pays his respects to the Sect Master."

"Black Cloud pays his respects to the Sect Master."

Sect Master Tongtian, who had already sensed their arrival on the island, his gaze fell upon Black Cloud, examining him with a hint of amusement before smiling:

"Finally opened your eyes? It seems this Primordial World will have another being that strikes fear into all beings."

"However, to enter my Intercepting Sect, you must first pass a trial."

Zhenyuanzi's heart tightened, and just as he was about to speak up for his old friend, he saw Black Cloud step forward first.

"I will accept any trial, Black Cloud will not flinch!"

Tongtian nodded slightly, flicked his sleeve, and the void outside the hall twisted, a solemn grand formation appearing out of thin air.

"This formation is called 'Thick Black.' Those who enter will have their memories sealed and experience ten thousand lifetimes of suffering in reincarnation."

"If you don't get the method right, you'll just waste tens of thousands of years. If you do get the way, your cultivation won't increase by even half a point."

As the words fell, Zhenyuanzi was stunned on the spot.

Whether he succeeded or failed, time would be wasted anyway. What was the point of this formation then?

Could it really be just to pass the time?

But when he looked at Black Cloud again, the moment he heard the name of the formation, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he repeatedly muttered the words "Thick Black" under his breath.

In the depths of the void, a strong sense of premonition surged in his heart—this formation was the key opportunity for him to defy fate and change his destiny!

He excitedly bowed and turned to step into the formation.

"Thank you, Sect Master, for fulfilling this destiny. Black Cloud is eternally grateful!"

Watching his old friend's figure disappear into the depths of the formation patterns, Zhenyuanzi couldn't recover for a long time.

What exactly were these two playing at?

One said it was a pure waste of resources, while the other treated it like a treasure.

He was stunned for a long time, and then a flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly understood.

So, this grand formation wasn't a punishment, but a gate of creation specifically set up for Black Cloud!

Having figured this out, Zhenyuanzi let out a long sigh and bowed deeply to Tongtian.

"Thank you, Sect Master, for your guidance."

Tongtian merely raised an eyebrow and offered no explanation.

Indeed, for Black Cloud, this was a fated opportunity.

But for himself, it was merely a layout made on a whim.

Each had their own desires.

After Zhenyuanzi took his leave, the system notification sounded at the opportune moment.

[Congratulations to the host for successfully recruiting a Quasi-Saint level expert. Reward: One fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation.]

[Notification: Your current cultivation can be extracted for a breakthrough. Do you wish to proceed immediately?]

Tongtian, who had initially been indifferent to obtaining another fragment, his expression shifted upon hearing the second sentence.

After a moment of thought, he finally shook his head.

"Not breaking through for now."

The Human Race had just appeared, and it was the time to lay the groundwork for merit and fortune.

If he were to go into seclusion to break through his cultivation now, he didn't know how many years it would take.

It would be better to first roll out the task system. Once everything was in place, it wouldn't be too late to go into seclusion.

With his mind made up, his voice, clear and cold, spread to every inch of the Three Immortal Islands:

"Effective immediately, the Task Board is officially open.

Disciples can accept tasks to exchange for rewards, and they can also use contribution points to exchange for special opportunity tasks."

With that, his mind moved, and the rules took shape.

The content was concise: Disciples could complete tasks alone or in teams. The leaderboard matched difficulty based on strength.

Upon task completion, they would receive contribution points or rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

There were also special opportunity tasks that required contribution points to claim.

These tasks had no direct rewards, but once completed, they would undoubtedly yield immense merit.

After making the arrangements, Tongtian left a wisp of his divine sense to guard the task board, while his main body entered a secret chamber.

Refining his cultivation was a trivial matter; a mere clone could handle it.

More importantly, he wanted to see—who would be the first to touch that opportunity task leading to the path of merit.

"System, begin extracting cultivation from members within the sect."

[Congratulations to the host, cultivation extraction is complete and is being injected...]

The moment the prompt ended, a violent power surged from the depths of the void.

Tongtian sat cross-legged, circulating the Primordial Supreme Merit to its fullest.

That restless energy was tamed like a wild horse, gradually transforming into a gentle spiritual flow that merged into his body.

His aura, consequently, slowly began to rise.

Meanwhile, the Three Immortal Islands were already in an uproar.