Ascending Buzhou Mountain

Among the Demon Race, led by Di Jun and Tai Yi, the Ten Great Demon Marshals guided the multitudes of demons into position. Starlight cascaded down from the heavens, and the entire formation fused into a seamless whole. All those watching this battle were shaken by the sight.

Atop Kunlun Mountain, Laozi exclaimed in awe, "I never imagined the Witch and Monster Races possessed such a powerful formation!"

"Even more formidable than the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation!" A glint of light flashed through Tongtian's eyes; he was deeply intrigued by such a formation.

"Hmph, one is a beast born from wetness and eggs, the other a brute who does not cultivate the Primordial Spirit. What virtue or ability do they have to possess such a formation!" Primordial Heavenly Venerate said sourly. They, the Three Pure Ones, were the true orthodox heirs of Pangu, yet they had no such formation.

"Second Brother, there is no need for this. When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits. No one knows who will win until the very end!" Laozi said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Primordial Heavenly Venerate's expression eased. In terms of foundation and fortune, who in the Primordial Wilderness could compare to the Three Pure Ones?

On Western Spirit Mountain.

Jie Yin and Zhunti were also watching this great battle.

Zhunti's eyes were filled with greed. "Elder Brother, if only these two formations belonged to the West."

"Junior Brother, do not let external things sway your mind. Though these two formations are powerful, one can only be used by the Wu Clan, and the other requires the full strength of the entire Demon Race. What use are they to us?" Jie Yin, worthy of being Zhunti's senior brother, saw the flaws of both formations at a glance.

Zhunti let out a light sigh. "I was overthinking it!"

The Pangu Phantom raised the Giant Axe in its hand and swung it downward.

"Heaven and Earth Split, Slash!"

"Zhou Tian Xing Dou, Block!"

Di Jun controlled the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation, and endless starlight converged, forming a curtain of light that stood before them all.

Boom!

The Axe Light struck that curtain of light, and a deafening sound rang out between heaven and earth.

Di Jun, Tai Yi, and all the others spat out a mouthful of blood. Countless demons under the Ten Great Demon Marshals suddenly dropped dead.

Fortunately, they had blocked the Pangu Phantom's strike. But just as Di Jun and the others thought they could breathe a sigh of relief, the Pangu Phantom raised the Giant Axe once more.

"What!"

"How is this possible!"

Di Jun and the others cried out in shock, never expecting the Pangu Phantom had not yet dissipated and was even preparing another axe strike.

"Three-legged Bird, let's see if you can block this one!"

"Heaven and Earth Split! Slash!"

"Demons, hear my command! Unleash the formation with all your strength!"

Di Jun roared, then manipulated the formation.

"Zhou Tian Xing Dou, Block Again!"

Boom! Crack!

The Giant Axe struck the starlight curtain. The curtain resisted for a moment, then shattered. The Giant Axe continued its descent toward the formation.

Boom!

The Giant Axe slammed into the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation. The formation shattered instantly. Di Jun, Tai Yi, and the others bled from their five orifices and were sent flying backward. Hundreds of millions of demons died under that single axe strike.

The Demon Race was a miserable sight. The only good news was that the Pangu Phantom dissipated, and the Twelve Ancestral Witches appeared in their original positions, their faces pale.

"It's about to end," Qing Xuan murmured.

"Retreat!"

Enduring the pain wracking his body, Di Jun issued the order to the Demon Race. The original purpose of this great battle was to test the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation and see if it could withstand the Wu Clan's Twelve Capital Celestial Evil Formation.

Now, it seemed the result was acceptable. Though countless demons had died, these low-level demons were everywhere in the Primordial Wilderness. After the next sermon, the Demon Race would surely rise again.

"Big Brother, we cannot let the Demon Race leave!" Zhujiuyin said, his eyes icy cold.

"But we have no strength left to fight, and the Demon Race still has many great demons alive," Gonggong said, unwilling to accept it.

"Let's go. Return to Pangu Hall. It's time to initiate the Wu Clan's second awakening!" Dijiang said to his younger brothers and sisters. Only he knew that in the Blood Pool, Father God Pangu had left them treasures.

After this great battle, the Witch and Monster Races both fell into silence simultaneously. By tacit agreement, Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals did not appear, and their respective clans suffered mutual casualties.

At this moment, Qing Xuan and his two companions were wandering near Buzhou Mountain. The three of them looked up at the peak that seemed to have no end, sighing in succession.

"Buzhou Mountain, formed from the spine of Great God Pangu. Truly majestic and magnificent!" Zhen Yuanzi said.

"Fellow Daoist, have you ever climbed it?"

"I have not. What, Fellow Daoist Qing Xuan, have you been?"

"Indeed. When I was still a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, I once ascended Buzhou Mountain. Unfortunately, the residual pressure of Great God Pangu remained on the mountain. That time, I only made it halfway up before I could go no further!"

Qing Xuan sighed. The little cultivator of those days was now a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, sharing the same lifespan as heaven.

Zhen Yuanzi shot Qing Xuan a surprised glance. He hadn't expected Qing Xuan to dare travel the Primordial Wilderness at the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm—truly admirable.

Then the two began discussing the precautions for climbing Buzhou Mountain. But as they talked, they realized something was off. Logically, there was one person who should have been most interested in this topic, yet that person was completely silent. They both turned to look at Hong Yun.

There stood Hong Yun, head tilted back, staring absentmindedly at Buzhou Mountain.

"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun?"

"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun!"

Qing Xuan called out in confusion. Seeing that Hong Yun wasn't responding, he shouted.

Hong Yun jolted awake, snapped back to reality, and let out an awkward chuckle.

"Heh heh, nothing, nothing. I just suddenly felt like something on Buzhou Mountain was calling to me."

Hong Yun spoke with a puzzled tone, quite baffled by the matter.

Qing Xuan's heart tightened upon hearing this. Hong Yun didn't know, but how could he not? On Buzhou Mountain, a great opportunity awaited Hong Yun.

[Could it be about to emerge?]

Qing Xuan recalled that the Primordial Gourd would appear after Hongjun's first sermon, though he didn't know the exact timing. Now that Hong Yun had sensed it, its emergence couldn't be far off.

[Seven Gourds—even if I can't take them all, one per person is still doable.] Qing Xuan thought happily, then spoke to Hong Yun.

"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, with our current cultivation, such a feeling can't come from nowhere. Perhaps there's a destined opportunity for you on Buzhou Mountain."

"Oh! Then let's hurry up the mountain—don't keep the opportunity waiting!" Hong Yun said impatiently, and immediately rushed up Buzhou Mountain.

"Wait for us! Hey!" Zhen Yuanzi quickly waved and called out, but Hong Yun acted as if he hadn't heard. Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi let out a helpless, wry sigh, as if wondering how he could have such a friend.

"Hahaha, don't bother calling. Let's go too—maybe we can hitch a ride on this opportunity!" Qing Xuan finished speaking and hurried after Hong Yun. Zhen Yuanzi quickly followed.

The three then roamed around Buzhou Mountain. Perhaps the timing wasn't right—over a hundred years, Hong Yun's sense came and went. They scoured the entire mountain but still couldn't find the Primordial Gourd.

Only Qing Xuan, at the peak of Buzhou Mountain, broke through an Illusion Array and found a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the 'Flowing Light Zither.' To Qing Xuan, this treasure wasn't of much use.

Though Zhen Yuanzi and the others also gained something, it paled in comparison to this treasure, so the two couldn't help but envy Qing Xuan's fortune.

Just as the three decided to leave Buzhou Mountain and return to Wuzhuang Temple, a seven-colored light shot straight into the sky. Hong Yun shouted excitedly.

"I've sensed it—this treasure is fated for me!"