Chapter 22

It was not that the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao were weak, but that Li Er was strong.

Therefore, after reprimanding them, Hongjun did not punish them.

He ordered the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao to withdraw, leaving the void as the place for his confrontation with Li Er.

His gaze falling on Li Er, Hongjun showed him respect.

Unlike Heavenly Dao Saints such as Yuanshi and Tongtian, Li Er had attained Dao by Slaying Three Corpses to Attain Dao, free from the restraints of the Heavenly Dao and Primordial Violet Qi.

Even without Primordial Violet Qi, he had nothing to fear.

He had already stopped the Heavenly Dao Will twice before. Now, facing Hongjun, his expression remained calm.

Hongjun questioned Li Er, asking whether he intended to stop the Heavenly Dao for a third time.

Li Er merely shook his head and smiled. Though he felt no regret, under the influence of the Pangu Imprint and burdened with preventing Buzhou Mountain from collapsing, he still stood firmly against the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun's expression turned stern at Li Er's attitude. "It seems that after our last battle, you have lost all reverence."

He reminded Li Er that, in the end, the prehistoric world was still ruled by the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun's words were like heavenly law. The moment he spoke, a storm arose in the void.

Yet Li Er answered resolutely, "I know!"

Li Er did not retreat before the challenge. His reply was unwavering. "If I retreat today from the Dao I seek, then my path will be severed!"

His voice was filled with determination.

If he chose to yield today, the Great Dao Li Er pursued would lose all hope of a future.

It might have sounded exaggerated to others, but to him, it was not an exaggeration in the slightest.

As a transmigrator, Li Er had vowed to pursue the supreme realm and step directly into the Great Dao.

After becoming a Saint, he had set his sights on invincibility, pressing ever onward.

If he gave up resisting the Heavenly Dao out of fear today and allowed Buzhou Mountain to collapse, his momentum would instantly crumble, the Pangu Imprint would dissipate, and his path to invincibility would break.

To him, whether he continued as Laozi or became the invincible Taishang, there was no doubt in his choice.

Before his words had even faded, Li Er's domineering aura had already revealed itself.

At this moment, he was as unyielding as he had been during the battle between Eight Sceneries Palace and the Heavenly Dao.

He took the initiative and shouted, "Taiji Diagram, come!"

The Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram, immediately appeared in his hand.

Facing Hongjun, Li Er showed no fear, displaying both his resolve and strength.

The Taiji Diagram emitted a hazy glow. Dao patterns surfaced across it, transforming into a white jade golden bridge that connected to the sacred might of Heaven-Opening.

At the same time, the Mysterious Yellow Pagoda appeared above Li Er's head, pouring down endless Mysterious Yellow merit energy and mysterious Dao patterns to provide him with formidable protection.

Faced with such defenses, Hongjun finally could not hold back any longer and made his move.

The Jade Plate of Creation appeared, radiating a powerful aura that enveloped the surrounding space.

Countless Heavenly Dao patterns condensed in the void, displaying the boundless momentum of the Heavenly Dao.

At that moment, Li Er, wielding his pagoda and diagram, collided with Hongjun's Jade Plate of Creation, unleashing a deafening crash.

Buzhou Mountain trembled, and the resounding might lingered without end.

At this moment, Hongjun had made up his mind about Li Er. He was no longer holding back as he had in the battle at Eight Sceneries Palace.

After several fierce collisions, Li Er was clearly no match for Hongjun, who controlled the momentum of the Heavenly Dao. Blood quietly seeped from the corner of his mouth, yet he seemed entirely unaware of it.

Immediately afterward, he directly activated the Pangu Imprint. Three streams of clear qi drifted above his head and gathered into the form of the Pangu Imprint.

The instant Li Er unleashed the Pangu Imprint, Buzhou Mountain burst forth with endless chaotic light.

An ancient, hoarse voice rose from the depths of Buzhou Mountain, as though questioning, "Who is using my imprint?"

The voice seemed to have traveled through countless epochs. It sounded somewhat strained, yet its owner was unmistakable.

It was the Pangu Will that had remained within Pangu's spine for eternity.

The Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao, watching the scene, were all moved.

Though they did not know the exact details of Pangu's spine, they all knew it was the source of Pangu's power to hold up Heaven and stand upon Earth, carrying Pangu's will within it.

Though it was only a fragment of will, it was enough to inspire reverence.

Although they had been forced by the Heavenly Dao's command to destroy Buzhou Mountain, Pangu was worthy of respect in the eyes of any supreme expert.

At this moment, an unparalleled aura instantly awakened within Pangu's spine on Buzhou Mountain. It was as though Pangu's Primordial Spirit had awoken, and its voice revealed doubt over the identities of the Three Pure Ones.

From the depths of Buzhou Mountain, Pangu's majestic voice echoed once more.

Clearly, the Pangu Will emanating from Li Er had triggered a true resonance.

Through that resonance, the newly awakened Pangu Will had already gained a complete understanding of the prehistoric world's current situation.

Then, his tone gradually became steady and powerful.

"Who dares shake the spirit with which I held up Heaven and stood upon Earth?"

"Facing the Heavenly Dao... you weakling who once fled at the mere sight of me, who only dared scheme behind the Great Dao—do you now dare act so arrogantly?"

The Pangu Will remained as domineering as ever, convinced that he could shatter every obstacle between Heaven and Earth.

In response to the Pangu Will's words, Hongjun answered calmly, just as the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao had expected. "Pangu, this is no longer your era."

Though that was the truth, the Pangu Will did not refute it.

"Indeed, the prehistoric world is no longer my era, but..."

"Even if only a fragment of my will remains today, do not dream of easily destroying me, Heavenly Dao."

The moment those words fell, the place where Buzhou Mountain had slumbered erupted with an aura powerful enough to shake Heaven and Earth.

Under that aura, all living beings in the prehistoric world felt reverence and involuntarily bowed in worship.

Pangu—those two words represented a being who had truly stood at the peak of Heaven and Earth.

Therefore, Pangu's will was eternal and indestructible within the river of the prehistoric world.

Pangu turned toward Li Er, his voice filled with praise. "Not bad. What you have done truly befits one formed from my Primordial Spirit."

"Next, I shall let you witness the true power of Pangu. Watch carefully!"

In an instant, the Pangu Will poured into Li Er's ultimate divine ability, granting it incomparable power.

Like a wandering child finally hearing the call home, the Pangu Imprint circled around Li Er's body.

The Pangu Imprint form Li Er displayed at this moment carried a force that shook hearts and souls.

The surrounding Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao were left speechless by this sudden change.

Heavenly Dao Hongjun's face turned ashen. His originally indifferent eyes were shrouded in intense hatred and fear.

The Heavenly Dao Will surged within him, as though it were about to devour him.

Li Er spoke three words in a low voice: "Three axe strikes!"

As his words fell, the Pangu Axe within the Pangu Imprint instantly awakened.

The utterly extraordinary first axe strike swept out. The Heavenly Dao Will changed color at once, and an unprecedented confrontation was about to unfold.

Axe light flashed, covering the void before Buzhou Mountain. Boundless divine radiance descended like the end of the world.

Li Er swung his axe, and countless cracks appeared across the Jade Plate of Creation above Hongjun's head.

The first axe strike fell, splashing blood, yet Li Er seemed entirely unaware of it.

"Second axe strike!"

Li Er's voice was calm.

The axe strike in the void displayed the astonishing Law of Strength, yet in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao Will, it was terrifying.

Crack!

Under the second axe strike, the Jade Plate of Creation completely shattered.

After two strikes, even a fool could understand Li Er's intention.

This was a declaration of war against the Heavenly Dao Will. Three axe strikes would decide victory and defeat.

"Third axe strike!"

Li Er's voice held no emotion, sounding almost at the same instant as the shattering of the Jade Plate of Creation.

The Heavenly Dao Will cried out in alarm. This was absolutely not Li Er's power; it was clearly the Pangu Will taking command.

Li Er used Pangu's Primordial Spirit as the core, manifesting the Pangu Imprint in perfect accord with it.

If his strength were restored to Pangu's peak, a single axe strike could slay the Three Thousand Chaos Demon Gods, incarnations of the Great Dao, and heavily wound the Great Dao itself.

These three axe strikes merely told the Heavenly Dao Will that even now, he was still enough to shake its foundation.

No matter how powerful the Heavenly Dao Will was, it could not conceal the shock and unease in its heart.

At that moment, a streak of axe light tore through the void and descended.

It was as though Pangu's figure within chaos had reappeared, its supreme killing power reaching a height of nine thousand three hundred feet.

This axe strike appeared plain and unremarkable, yet it contained astonishing might.

The Heavenly Dao Will saw through its terror and peerless killing force, sensing the domineering power within it to destroy all things.

The Heavenly Dao Will felt no unfamiliarity toward this axe strike.

For when Pangu had opened Heaven and Earth, the Heavenly Dao had been grievously wounded by this very axe. The Dao injury left behind had still not healed.

As the spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun had merged himself with the Dao and restored the Heavenly Dao's incompleteness. Yet before it could experience a perfect, complete state, it encountered this axe strike once more.

At this moment, the Heavenly Dao Will seemed to recall the time when Heaven and Earth had first opened, feeling that primordial shock once again.

A trace of deathly shadow flashed through Hongjun's eyes. He knew this axe strike was called Heaven-Opening.

Amid the roar of the Heavenly Dao Will, Li Er's Pangu Imprint form swung the axe. In an instant, the attack struck Heavenly Dao Hongjun, ignoring all defenses.

The ultimate killing force of strength erupted in an instant, as though it sought to strike down Heaven itself and even destroy the Heavenly Dao Will.

Utter motion suddenly turned into utter stillness.

The battle between Li Er and Hongjun froze in an instant. In the unseen depths, it seemed that the chains of order imposed by the Heavenly Dao upon the prehistoric world had suddenly shattered.

The sound of that shattering was mysterious and elusive, yet the Saints present could all sense its true existence.

The Heavenly Dao shattered once more, returning to its incomplete state.

Yuanshi, Tongtian, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and the other Saints were all astonished by what they saw.

The might of the three axe strikes had shaken the Heavenly Dao!

The originally complete Heavenly Dao had actually been shaken by Li Er's three axe strikes.

Strictly speaking, this was not Li Er's own strength, but power enhanced by the Pangu Will.

At the appearance of the Pangu Will, the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao felt an unprecedented shock.

In their eyes, Li Er now emanated an aura of invincibility beneath Heaven, dominating both ancient and modern times.

They finally understood the terror behind the name Pangu.

Even a mere wisp of will left behind after Pangu's death still displayed invincible strength.

At this moment, Heavenly Dao Hongjun's heart was greatly shaken.

Facing Li Er before him, he could only express the shock in his heart with one word: "Pangu!"

As those two syllables left his mouth, they carried the weight of a chaotic divine mountain.

Hongjun's will coldly declared, "Today, if you seek to break my spine and destroy the proud bones of my existence, then I shall destroy the completeness of your Heavenly Dao..."

Though the Heavenly Dao Will tried to conceal its furious frustration, it could no longer hide its emotions.

The Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao, who had been watching the battle, all fell into dead silence.

The result of this battle was already clear: the Heavenly Dao Will had lost.

That result made the minds of the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao buzz.

Before the vast Buzhou Mountain, everyone's eyes were fixed on Li Er. They could not imagine that he had truly dared to contend against the Heavenly Dao to the end.

This battle seemed to have dealt the Heavenly Dao a severe loss. Li Er had even severed it, causing it to fall back into an incomplete state.

The corners of the Saints' mouths twitched at the sight. Li Er had actually accomplished such a feat with only three axe strikes.

After the Five Saints of the Heavenly Dao recovered their senses, they could only smile bitterly.

Recalling the previous confrontation between Li Er and the will of the Human Sect in Eight Sceneries Palace, their expressions became particularly strange.

Previously, the Heavenly Dao had been unwilling to completely fall out with Li Er and had tried to alter the heavenly course. This time, it had gone all out yet still failed, instead being drawn in by Li Er's Pangu Will and suffering heavy damage.

The Heavenly Dao Will realized that it had lost this time. Not only had it failed to destroy Buzhou Mountain and erase the Pangu Imprint, but it had also been injured in return by the Pangu Will, while even the Heavenly Dao Origin had been cut apart.

Though the Heavenly Dao could slowly repair its deficiencies with Hongjun merged into the Dao, the Dao injury caused by Pangu's axe would require time to heal.

In the short term, the Heavenly Dao could not descend again.

The Heavenly Dao Will realized that its scheme had failed and instead harmed itself, leaving it restless and irritated.