Kong Xuan: If You're Bad, Practice More. Zhunti: Senior Brother, the One Fated with Me Has Appeared.

Li Er hurried over and saw Egg Kong on the ground. A sharp beak had pierced the eggshell, yet it seemed unable to break through any further.

Li Er carefully examined the structure of the eggshell with his primordial spirit, and a helpless look crossed his face. Fat Zhao had really been right about this eggshell.

Egg Kong had spent every day tempering his Innate Five Elements divine ability with top-grade flames and Purple Firmament Divine Lightning. This eggshell had already become something akin to an Innate Spiritual Treasure and even possessed the ability to repair itself.

It had directly trapped his beak there. If he pulled his beak back inside, the shell would return to its original state in less than a second.

They had given him a ninety-nine percent chance of getting out, but now it was only ninety-eight percent. Wasn't that where the problem came from?

"Little Master, I think we can help him smash the shell. This is the magic treasure I recently forged, the Sky-Piercing Hammer—" Duobao directly produced his Sky-Piercing Hammer as he recommended it, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Forget it. Senior Brother, your Sky-Piercing Hammer can only strike twice at most."

"It probably isn't even as hard as his eggshell." Wudang could not help mocking him, a trace of amusement flashing through her eyes.

She had seen more than ten of Duobao's hammer-shaped magic treasures. The crucial part was that these magic treasures always exploded in the end.

Senior Brother Duobao kept calling these magic treasures his children every day. So all the children in his family chose to explode in the end, huh?

Right, even the fishing rod he forged himself would snap after more than ten uses. Whenever it snapped, he would yell that there was some huge catch or giant fish.

Hadn't he ever suspected that the magic treasure he forged was the problem?

What kind of giant fish could pull hard enough to make your magic treasure explode—

"My small world can definitely smash it open." Zhao Gongming spoke seriously, his eyes filled with eagerness.

If he really managed to rescue him, Egg Kong would definitely owe him karma. That would be a huge profit.

After all, Egg Kong would absolutely become an incredible figure in the future.

"Use my mutated Samadhi True Fire to strengthen Egg Kong a little. He hasn't tasted flames like mine before. Burn him a little to replenish him."

"Otherwise, he'll suffocate inside." Sixth Crow seriously suggested, a trace of confidence appearing in his eyes.

His flames had been formed by fusing Little Master's Chaos Divine Fire, Nirvana Fire, Red Lotus Karmic Fire, Samadhi True Fire, and Little Master's newest Soul Fire into his own natal holy fire.

"I said, the three of you should stop causing trouble. Let Little Master handle it." Wudang said helplessly. Why did her three senior brothers feel so unreliable? Every one of them wanted to take this chance to give Senior Brother Kong a beating.

Wasn't it just because Senior Brother Kong cultivated harder than them and occasionally received Little Master's praise and commendation? Did they really need to strike now?

"I think it would be good to let you try."

"It can also test your strength." Li Er said seriously, peculiar divine runes flashing in his eyes.

He had also seen it clearly. Egg Kong needed a massive amount of spiritual energy or different kinds of energy right now. He needed to seek life through death.

Egg Kong had overestimated his strength and overlooked his shell. He had accidentally refined it into an Innate Spiritual Treasure.

"Then let me go first—ugh~ Little Master, what's wrong?" Black Dog looked at his tail, which Li Er had grabbed, then turned toward Li Er in confusion.

"If you go up there and slap him, he'll shatter completely. His current self can't withstand your spatial power. His Innate Five Elements hasn't yet been cultivated into a unified whole."

"You all go together and crack Egg Kong's shell." Li Er grabbed Black Dog and pulled him far away, then casually set up an array for them.

He walked over to a distant pavilion and calmly drank tea, looking as though he were watching a show.

"Little Master, why aren't you making a move?" Black Dog asked curiously, only now realizing that something was off.

"Egg Kong did make a careless mistake, but that doesn't mean he can't come out later."

"He is simply too proud. He wants to conquer these people and become the senior brother of our Daoism. Who do you think can become Daoism's senior brother?" Li Er asked blandly after taking a sip of tea, a glint flashing in his eyes.

"Hard to say. Each of them has obvious flaws, so none of them are suitable to be Daoism's senior brother."

"Actually, I think I'm quite suited to be Daoism's senior brother." Black Dog said confidently, pride glittering in his eyes.

Li Er: ...

Inside the array.

Duobao, Wudang, Lu Ya, and Zhao Gongming, the four great experts, gathered together. At this moment, all their gazes were fixed on Egg Kong before them.

After all, they had heard Little Master's and Black Dog's conversation outside the array, especially Black Dog's claim that he was more qualified to be Daoism's senior brother.

They were furious, but they also knew how terrifying this guardian divine beast was. They could not sense where his limits lay at all.

Those limits did not refer merely to the limits of his cultivation.

They also referred to the limits of his morality.

If Black Dog really became their senior brother—

Just then,

Kong Xuan slowly rose into the air, radiating faint five-colored light that contained endless profundity.

Without making a sound, he revealed his attitude.

Seeing this, the four of them no longer hesitated and each snorted coldly.

With a wave of his hand, Duobao summoned the Sky-Piercing Hammer he had painstakingly forged. Purple Firmament Divine Lightning flickered across the hammer.

Clearly, this was his most treasured magic treasure child.

It was not one of those cheap imitations from before.

He swung the hammer down with force like the splitting of heaven and earth, no longer caring whether Egg Kong could withstand the blow.

Yet when the hammer struck the eggshell, the Innate Five Elements divine ability gently neutralized it, as though a clay ox had entered the sea, leaving no trace behind.

At the side, Wudang wielded an Innate Spiritual Treasure sword. Sword light arced like a rainbow, peerlessly sharp as it slashed toward the eggshell.

But when the sword edge reached it, it too was absorbed by the Five Elements divine ability, leaving behind not the slightest mark.

Sixth Crow brought forth his natal holy fire. The flames blazed fiercely, but the moment the holy fire touched the eggshell, it was swallowed by the power of the Five Elements and turned into nourishment for its birth.

Zhao Gongming mobilized the power of twenty-four small worlds. Mountains, rivers, suns, moons, and stars all moved within those small worlds, forming a might capable of destroying heaven and earth.

However, when that power crashed into the eggshell, it was likewise absorbed one by one by the Innate Five Elements divine ability, unable to shake the shell in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Egg Kong became increasingly dazzling with five-colored light as he was struck again and again.

The little beak that had broken through the eggshell seemed to be mocking them.

And he spoke his first sentence since arriving here.

"If you're bad, practice more!"

The five-colored glow on the eggshell then seemed to grow even more brilliant, continuing to ridicule their weakness.

The four exchanged looks and saw the anger in one another's eyes.

Outside the array, Li Er instantly set up several more layers of arrays around them, because he could clearly sense that these fellows were angry.

Two peculiar divine runes flashed in his eyes as he recorded their methods of battle, using them to deduce the Dao techniques he cultivated.

After all, practice was the true truth. His arrays and pills had consumed who knew how many resources before he successfully cultivated them.

As for combat training, he had never had a chance to personally fight, so watching others fight was also a form of reference.

"Fight!!"

Zhao Gongming shouted and was the first to charge at Egg Kong with the power of his small worlds.

Kunlun Mountain—Yuxu Palace.

After Yuanshi Tianzun returned, he went straight to his private treasury. After being tricked by his third brother so many times, he felt that some resources should not be kept on his person, so he had set up a private treasury.

He wanted to find the best materials to forge the rule stele for the Trading Market, as well as the materials needed to set up its arrays.

According to the plan Li Er had given him, the Trading Market was best made into a small world that could travel throughout the Primordial World. Once it became famous, they could open branches.

Li Er had told him that, no matter what, he had to get Yuanshi Tianzun to endorse it.

Such a Trading Market would definitely promote the development of the Primordial World. He did not even dare imagine the immense merit it would bring.

"Who would be best suited to guard this Trading Market?" Yuanshi Tianzun pondered the question while processing the materials in his hands.

Surely he could not guard it himself?

Among his twelve disciples, he had to select one to take charge of the overall situation.

"I previously spoke with Li Er indirectly about my twelve disciples. He does not seem to think highly of them."

"However, he has a good impression of Yu Ding, Taiyi, and Yellow Dragon." Yuanshi Tianzun said somewhat gloomily. After staying in Daoism for so long, he had seen Zhao Gongming, Duobao, and the still-unhatched Kong Xuan.

He understood that these people would definitely become Quasi-Sages capable of guarding an entire region in the future.

By comparison, his own disciples seemed somewhat lacking.

"Still, I can bring them to Daoism for some training. As long as they can pass Daoism's introductory course, their futures will be promising."

"But whom should I bring? Yu Ding? Taiyi? Yellow Dragon?"

Golden Turtle Island—Biyou Palace.

When Taiyi saw Grand Pure Saint, shock flashed in his eyes. Rumors said that the Interception Sect's grand elder was Grand Pure Saint. It seemed those rumors were true.

"Greetings, Grand Pure Saint." Taiyi respectfully bowed.

"What do you need these pills for?" Grand Pure Saint asked blandly, his eyes profound.

Once these pills spread, the karma they produced would be no joke. Furthermore, Taiyi required a very large quantity of them.

The Passion Surge Pills had lost their later surging medicinal force and retained only passion. If someone could not resolve that medicinal force, they would definitely burn to death with desire.

Moreover, his second brother Yuanshi Tianzun was about to establish a Trading Market. In the future, that market could provide them with more resources, so they did not necessarily need to remain tied to the Demon Race.

After completing Daoism's introductory course, Grand Pure Saint had already developed many ideas regarding future plans. His way of thinking was no longer on the same level as before.

Previously, he had believed that, having become a Saint, he was invincible beneath the Heavenly Dao.

As long as the Heavenly Dao became complete and controlled the entire Primordial World in the future, he would be invincible.

Furthermore, the Heavenly Dao Saint position's control over him was extremely weak.

But now, his thoughts had completely changed.

First, he had seen realms beyond that of a Saint.

Second, if he made no preparations for the future, then should a great upheaval occur, he would have no ability to resist at all.

This resistance did not merely concern himself personally. The same was true for his sect, and the Human Race would likewise have no way to help them.

He also did not want to abandon the Demon Race's current power. He needed the Demon Race to search for more resources for him.

There was also the fact that Golden Crow Sixth was a disciple of Daoism.

He wanted to cultivate this disciple into the future emperor of the Demon Race.

Taiyi did not hesitate and directly explained the problem they had encountered. After all, a Saint only needed to make a slight deduction to obtain the answer.

Before someone powerful, there was no need to play schemes. Honesty and sincerity were enough, because every action and thought could be seen through.

After listening, Lingbao Tianzun unconsciously tapped his index finger and said blandly, "What is so difficult about this? Find an excuse and kill the disobedient demons."

"Also, doesn't Kunpeng like jumping around so much?"

"Give him an extremely high position in the Demon Court, such as Demon Master."

"Then invite Zhen Yuanzi out and make him the military strategist of your Demon Court."

"Additionally, many Interception Sect disciples here came from the Demon Race. Find positions for them in the Demon Court."

Grand Pure Saint looked at Lingbao Tianzun with a strange expression, inwardly exclaiming, Good heavens, when did this fellow become so devious?

Why did he want to get involved in the Demon Race's affairs?

Then he thought of something.

His third brother Tongtian was together with Nüwa, so it seemed they had a reason to interfere in the Demon Race's affairs.

The Demon Race was one of the dominant powers of this era.

Hearing this, Taiyi's eyes flashed as he seriously asked, "What price do we need to pay?"

Although he and his brother had ten great demon kings under their command, some of those demon kings had already developed other intentions.

"A large amount of cultivation resources. When necessary, Lingbao Tianzun will make a move to help you," Grand Pure Saint said blandly, his gaze profound.

Hearing this, Lingbao Tianzun's eyes widened in shock. He inwardly shouted, Why me?! Your good corpse, Lord Lao, is even stronger than I am. Why not send him?

Taiyi frowned tightly. He felt that this price was too light and seriously said, "That price is not enough."

"Golden Crow Sixth is my disciple. I think you are incapable of governing the Primordial World," Lingbao Tianzun said blandly, a trace of disdain in his eyes.

It was as though Taiyi would not even be qualified to remain here if not for Golden Crow Sixth.

"The Primordial World needs to continue evolving in stability."

Taiyi was initially stunned. Then he cupped his hands in salute and seriously said, "Thank you, Grand Pure Saint, for clearing away my confusion."

Clearly, this answer was more important than Lingbao Tianzun's answer.

They were Heavenly Dao Saints. The Heavenly Dao hoped that the Primordial World would continue evolving peacefully, so their responsibility and duty were to maintain the normal operation of the entire Primordial World.

"Go back and prepare the materials and resources. Come trade for the pills next time."

"Yes."

Taiyi respectfully bowed, turned, and left, his face filled with joy.

A moment later,

Lingbao Tianzun said rather unhappily, "Why should I be the one to solve their problems? Can't Lord Lao handle problems too?"

"Also, what do you think about Tongtian's situation?"

"Hurry up and bring him back. I want to sever karma with him."

"This is utterly humiliating. He actually had to leave through the door."

Grand Pure Saint smiled and said gently, "Lingbao—tell me about the method you use to sever karma between yourselves."

"Stop!! Keep that cold expression on your face. When you smile like that, I'm scared—" Lingbao Tianzun instantly leaped up from his seat and pulled out a Merit Golden Body to shield himself.

"Hand it over obediently. Don't force me to make a move."

"Heh—threatening me, are you?"

"Do you think what you see is the real me? I took Daoism's introductory course earlier than all of you."

"Also, I cleared it in ten years..."

Grand Pure Saint: ...

Mount Buzhou Secret Realm small world.

Black Dog lay on the ground chewing a bone as he watched the four people fighting in the distance. His eyes continuously flickered as he recorded the divine abilities they used in battle.

Using the Core Eight Trigrams, he deduced and analyzed their fighting methods, breaking them down one by one.

In particular, after observing Kong Xuan's Innate Five Elements divine ability, he condensed a divine ability for himself that could silently steal another person's belongings.

Crack—crack—

The besieged eggshell shattered bit by bit. A defensive array formed nearby as a figure slowly walked out from the shell.

He bowed toward the void.

"Greetings, Elder Master. Please protect me while I undergo my tribulation."

Elder Master?

The four stopped their attacks. They understood that Egg Kong's strength had surpassed theirs.

"Not bad. You have Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation the moment you emerge. Your lightning tribulation will not be easy to overcome."

Sect Master Tongtian walked out of the void with steady steps and surging vitality, entirely different from how he had been at the entrance of Nüwa Palace.

"I need this wave of tribulation energy." Kong Xuan said seriously, confidence shining in his eyes.

"How certain are you?" Li Er asked blandly, though his eyes were fixed on Sect Master Tongtian, as though he wanted to detect some different trace.

"Ten out of ten."

"Let's go." Sect Master Tongtian waved his hand and took Kong Xuan away. He had sensed Li Er's gaze, which seemed to know something about his affairs.

Seeing this, Li Er rubbed his chin and muttered, "Third Brother Pan really did lose his virginity. He leaked quite a lot of primordial yang—"

"Ah!!! Little Master, save me!!!" Black Dog suddenly screamed, dodging a streak of sword intent before hurriedly clutching Li Er's leg and trembling.

Western Sect—Mount Sumeru.

After listening to Saint Zhunti's account, Saint Jieyin's expression grew even more bitter. He had been peacefully converting Asura at the Sea of Blood, only to return and hear such distressing news.

"Junior Brother, how about you stay on Mount Sumeru for the time being and do not go out again—" Saint Jieyin patiently advised. He was also extremely helpless about his junior brother running into Sect Master Tongtian.

If he had encountered it himself, he too would have assumed there was an innate supreme treasure inside. Who could have imagined it was an innate formation arranged by Tongtian?

"Yes, Senior Brother, I—" Saint Zhunti suddenly found himself unable to speak. A trace of alarm appeared in his eyes.

The Way of Affinity he cultivated had sensed something again. This time, someone fated to be connected with him had appeared, and the reaction was exceptionally intense.

"Junior Brother? What is it?" Saint Jieyin asked with concern. For his junior brother to reveal such an expression, something major must have happened.

Saint Zhunti revealed an expression even more bitter than his senior brother's and said in a mournful tone, "Senior Brother, I sensed that someone fated to be connected with me has appeared—"

Saint Jieyin: ...