This scene left countless living beings wide-eyed and speechless with shock.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Boom—!
Thunderclap-like explosions erupted in succession around the four Saints.
Blazing energy storms swept in every direction, shaking Heaven and Earth and making countless experts' eyelids twitch as their hearts trembled.
Vast residual shockwaves spread from the four of them toward the four poles, lingering without end.
Wherever they passed, the void shattered, while mountains, rivers, vegetation, and Spirit Stones alike were reduced to dust.
When the smoke and dust settled, Heaven and Earth returned to silence.
The four Saints' robes were torn, their hair disheveled, and they looked utterly bedraggled.
But how could they spare any thought for their appearances now?
Their aged faces were filled with horror and disbelief.
The power of a single strike had forced them to go all out merely to preserve their lives.
Such strength was simply unprecedentedly terrifying!
Hiss—
The myriad races of the Primordial Wilderness all gasped at the sight.
Fear filled Heaven and Earth. No words were needed; it had already seeped into their bones.
Only now did everyone finally understand that Tongtian's strength had long surpassed all imagination.
Impossible! How could he be so terrifying?
It must be because we have only just attained the Saintly Position and have yet to fully master the power of the Saintly Dao!
That's right, it must be so! The four of them roared inwardly, their Dao hearts nearly collapsing.
Fortunately, they found an excuse in time to steady themselves. Otherwise, this battle would surely have left an indelible shadow in their hearts.
Above the Heavenly Court, Taiyi and Kunpeng sensed that Heaven-Tearing-and-Earth-Rending fluctuation, and their expressions changed drastically.
The same thought surfaced in their hearts: Saints had appeared in the world, and the great struggle had begun!
At the summit of Buzhou Mountain, the Twelve Ancestral Witches within the Ancestral Witch Hall sensed it as well.
They exchanged glances, their expressions more solemn than ever before.
Zhurong, the most hot-tempered among them, abruptly rose to his feet, his voice booming like thunder.
"Now that Saints are rising, will our Witch Race's path to unifying the Primordial Wilderness be obstructed?"
As soon as he spoke, the hall fell deathly silent. Even their breathing could be heard clearly.
After a moment of silence, Dijiang slowly said, "We'll take things one step at a time."
"Our Witch Race has never feared anything. If anyone truly dares block our path, then we fight!"
Though his words were forceful, he could not conceal the worry in his heart.
They had long heard of the abilities of Saints. Their might was unfathomable, and their momentum unstoppable.
Yet from what he could see now, Yuanshi and the other four Saints, though powerful, were still nowhere near Hongjun the Dao Ancestor of old.
Thinking of this, he felt somewhat reassured.
Even so, he was not without support.
He still held a trump card in his hand, one originally prepared for Dijun and Taiyi.
If they were truly driven into a desperate situation, the other Saints could have a taste of it first.
Deep within the Netherworld Blood Sea, Ancestor Minghe suddenly had a thought.
He sensed a hidden connection between attaining sainthood and founding a sect. Immediately, he rose into the air, stood above the Blood Sea, and declared to the heavens:
"Heavenly Dao bear witness! I—Minghe of the Blood Sea—today establish the Asura Cult in the Netherworld!"
"With the Twelve-Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus suppressing its fortune, the Asura Cult is established today!"
Rumble—
The Heavenly Dao responded, descending with heavenly phenomena.
Minghe's voice spread throughout the Primordial Wilderness through the power of the Heavenly Dao, drawing the attention of all races.
Unfortunately, the familiar scene played out once again.
Merit slowly gathered in the void. The instant it appeared, Minghe's face darkened.
Then mocking laughter and jeers rose from all directions.
The expression on his face changed several times in an instant, from shame to anger, from anger to hatred, until it finally turned ashen.
"Pfft!" He spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with grievance.
The last time he had imitated Nuwa in creating humans, he had received only a few scraps of merit.
This time, he had imitated the four Saints in founding a sect, yet he was still rewarded with only this much!
Could it be that I, Minghe, am truly so unwelcome in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao?
He nearly questioned the heavens, but when he recalled the miserable sight of being struck by lightning last time, he forcibly held back.
Amid the ridicule of countless onlookers, he gritted his teeth and accepted that pitiful bit of merit before plunging headfirst into the depths of the Blood Sea, refusing to show himself again.
From that day onward, he swore that he would cultivate in peace and never easily step forward again!
At this moment, within a secret chamber of the Heavenly Court.
Dijun, whose injuries had finally healed after years of Closed Door Meditation, slowly emerged and ascended to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
"Greetings, Heavenly Emperor!"
Whether it was Taiyi, Kunpeng, or the various subordinates, all revealed ecstatic expressions upon seeing him.
If Tongtian was the backbone of the Interception Sect, the faith in the hearts of its countless disciples—
Then Dijun was the undying soul of the Heavenly Court and the pillar in the hearts of all its subjects.
"Rise." Dijun raised a hand with a smile. "While I was in Closed Door Meditation, did anything significant happen outside?"
Before his words had even faded, the surroundings abruptly fell silent.
An inexplicable chill quietly crept into his heart.
Dijun's brow twitched, and he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
"Big Brother, the situation in the Primordial Wilderness is far from peaceful now."
Seeing everyone staring at him, Taiyi could not help rolling his eyes, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness.
He then lowered his voice and gradually laid out the present chaos—
From the Interception Sect disciples recklessly harvesting fortune among the Human Race, to Nuwa being shocked during her lecture to discover that those disciples were absurdly powerful;
Then to the appearance of four Saints in rapid succession within such a short time, along with Tongtian's unfathomable strength...
With every sentence, Dijun's expression darkened further.
By the time Taiyi finished, his face was black as ink.
I only went into Closed Door Meditation to recover from my injuries.
How had the Demon Race's ancestral foundation nearly vanished the moment I opened my eyes?
Was that really necessary? Was it really this outrageous?
Or was it... that I had picked the wrong time to come out?
After cursing inwardly a few times, he cast all his pent-up frustration aside.
Dijun took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and asked in a grave voice:
"How is the progress on the Grand Formation of the Stars?"
"It is ninety-five percent complete. If nothing unexpected happens, it will soon be fully perfected."
Taiyi answered respectfully, then carefully explained the formation's entire arrangement—
"The three hundred and sixty-five formation banners must all be properly refined, paired with three hundred and sixty-five Grand Unity Golden Immortals, allowing them to merge with the power of the stars."
"In addition, one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred elite Grand Unity Golden Immortals are needed to form the formation at designated positions and echo the Daluo from afar."
"In this way, everyone can borrow momentum to enhance their combat strength, while the formation itself will become increasingly stable."
"Finally, the River Diagram and Luo Book will serve as the formation's core, commanding the entire array."
"Once it takes shape, it will possess the power to contend even against Saints!"
At last hearing a sliver of good news, Dijun's tightly furrowed brows eased slightly.
After a moment of silence, he gave an unequivocal order:
"Accelerate the process. The grand formation must be completed within a thousand years."
"Saints now rule the age. If our Demon Race lacks a means to rely upon, sooner or later we will be treated like soft persimmons for others to squeeze."
He was not being overly suspicious.
In truth, a Heavenly Court without any trump cards was even more contemptible than ants in the eyes of Saints.
It could be reduced to ashes at any moment, its race exterminated.
He would never allow such an outcome.
At this moment, Kunpeng, who had remained silent all along, slowly stepped forward and reported in a low voice:
"Heavenly Emperor, your injuries have fully healed. The matter of the heavenly marriage should also be put on the agenda."
Had he not been injured earlier by Tongtian's finger strike, this matter would have been settled long ago.
But it was precisely because of that strike that he had witnessed the power of a Saint firsthand.
That was why he had chosen Closed Door Meditation, solely to restore himself to his peak condition.
When the heavenly marriage took place, he could use that immense merit to make an attempt at the Primordial Chaos Realm.
The chances were slim, but what if he succeeded?
Who could say for certain when it came to opportunities?
That was why he would rather delay it than act rashly.
"Aren't those two from the Moon Star..."
Taiyi could not help speaking, but he stopped midway.
The moment he recalled being forced back by a muffled snort on the Moon Star years ago, anger welled up in his heart.
That scene had been downright humiliating.
Luckily, he had not brought anyone along then. Otherwise, he would have lost all face.
"Eastern Emperor, there is no need to worry. I was not referring to them."
Kunpeng's expression changed slightly as he hurriedly clarified.
Changxi and Xihe had now joined the Interception Sect. Who would still dare entertain thoughts about them?
Wouldn't that be courting death?
Dijun's gaze flickered as he weighed the matter repeatedly.
The Saints were powerful, but opportunities still remained.
After a moment, he finally made up his mind.
"Leave this matter entirely to the Demon Master."
"The wedding date shall remain undecided for now. First, the Grand Formation of the Stars must be perfected."
"When the ceremony is held, invite the Saints to observe and offer their judgment."
The moment everyone heard this, they immediately understood.
Faint smiles appeared on their faces.
Everyone knew that the so-called "invitation for the Saints to offer their judgment" was merely polite phrasing.
Its true meaning was to announce to the world—
Although the Heavenly Court did not yet have a Saint overseeing it, it was not a weak lord for others to manipulate at will!
The distant clouds stirred slightly as a gaze quietly swept over the Heavenly Court.
"Heh, they certainly have quite the plan."
After punishing the four Saints, Tongtian paid no heed to the nonstop flattery from those disciples and elders.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly gave a soft sound of surprise, his expression shifting.
It turned out that when his Spiritual Sense swept over the Great Desolation Continent, he discovered that the Human Race—a race multiplying rapidly with its population soaring—had unknowingly begun interacting with the Witch Race.
Could it be... that the trend of humans and witches blending together is beginning ahead of time?
The moment this thought arose, Tongtian could not help feeling both amused and helpless.
After all, the union of the Human Race and the Witch Race was originally a major trend in the Heavenly Dao's workings, intended to pave the way for Xuanyuan Shi to attain the path of the Human Emperor and bring about the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
Yet that era was still far away, while the two races had already begun exchanging goods and even showed faint signs of merging.
Could it be... that I had inadvertently disturbed a small tributary of the River of Destiny?
Thinking of this, the corner of his mouth twitched, and his expression became complicated.
After considering it carefully, he understood that the root of the matter lay in the quest board he had established.
It was those bounty notices that had ignited the Human Race's drive to advance, multiplying their speed in reclaiming land and expanding their population several times over.
Thus, the Human Race that had originally crowded the Central Plains had no choice but to spread outward in every direction, using Kongtong Mountain as their center.
As he pondered this, his expression suddenly changed, revealing a trace of strangeness.
For he abruptly realized that he had not actually affected the course of heavenly fate.
The reason was simple: the Witch Race tribe bordering the Human Race was no ordinary tribe!
The Ancestral Witch to whom that land belonged was none other than Houtu!
The Supreme Saint who would one day transform into the Six Paths of Reincarnation and ascend to the position of Pingxin!
Even more coincidentally, there was a renowned Great Witch within that tribe—Hou Yi.
A legendary figure who would leave behind countless tales in later generations.
"Will the story of Chang'e flying to the moon... also unfold?"
Tongtian chuckled softly, a trace of interest flashing through his eyes.
He truly wanted to see just how breathtaking that Chang'e immortal maiden was, that her fame could surpass Changxi and Xihe, the twin gods of sun and moon born upon the Moon Star.
As he was thinking this, Fuxi pushed open the door and entered.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his face exhausted, looking as though his Closed Door Meditation had failed.
Seeing this, Tongtian could not help teasing him.
"What happened to you? Did Closed Door Meditation somehow break you?"
Fuxi rolled his eyes at him and snorted irritably.
"Isn't it all because of that strand of Primordial Violet Qi!"
Before you continue