The atmosphere in the clearing instantly dropped to freezing point.
This was no longer a matter of reasoning. It was naked intimidation by force!
The implication was clear: whatever Guangchengzi said was the rule! Duobao, would he submit or not?
Duobao Daoist's expression darkened. The harmonious aura around him, forged through searching for treasures, appraising treasures, and refining treasures, instantly turned sharp.
He snorted coldly, stepped forward, and stared straight at Guangchengzi's arrogant face.
"Senior Brother Guangchengzi? I cannot bear such a title. I recognize only my master, Tongtian. When did I ever have a senior brother?"
"Second Martial Uncle's rules do not govern us!"
"This Magic Treasure was discovered first by my junior sister Jin Ling, so it is hers. If you want it, take it by your own ability. Why spout such empty nonsense?"
Duobao Daoist's voice was not loud, but every word struck to the heart. Without the slightest courtesy, he ruthlessly tore away Guangchengzi's flimsy veil of "fate."
"You!"
Guangchengzi flew into a rage. His mana surged, and the phantom of an ancient great seal flickered above his head. It was none other than his famed Magic Treasure, the Kunlun Seal.
"Presumptuous! Duobao, how dare you disrespect me!"
"Disrespectful? Compared to your banditry, I have been exceedingly polite!" Duobao Daoist refused to yield an inch. The disciples behind him shared his fury and raised their own Magic Treasures, treasure light shooting into the sky.
Daoist Cihang, True Person Puxian, and the others immediately took their places behind Guangchengzi. Two streams of treasure light faced off fiercely within the valley. The air itself seemed to freeze as a great battle threatened to erupt at any moment.
Hidden behind a huge boulder, Niu Ben watched with surging excitement.
Good heavens, this was far more exciting than movies from his previous life!
If they really started fighting and caused too much of a commotion, alerting Primordial Heavenly Lord and Tongtian Cult Master, there would be a tremendous show to watch.
Just as he was preparing to continue enjoying the spectacle, a cold mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
[Ding! God-Tier Choice System activated!] [The host is currently present at the first large-scale conflict between the two sects of Chan and Jie. Please make one of the following choices.] [Option One: Step forward to mediate this dispute on the grounds that the Three Pure Ones share the same origin, displaying the bearing of Taishang's lineage. Reward: one hundred thousand units of Power of Merit!] [Option Two: Continue standing by and allow the conflict between the disciples of the Three Pure Ones to intensify, planting the seeds of calamity for the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods in advance. Reward: one hundred thousand years of cultivation!]
Niu Ben's breath caught instantly.
One hundred thousand years of cultivation!
For any seeker of the Dao, that was an irresistible temptation, enough to save countless years of arduous cultivation.
But the other option offered one hundred thousand units of Power of Merit!
Niu Ben's thoughts raced.
Cultivation could be accumulated slowly.
But Merit was the true hard currency of the Primordial Wilderness!
With Merit protecting the body, one was Invulnerable to All Laws and untouched by karma.
Especially at this critical moment, with the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods about to begin, the Power of Merit was more important than any Magic Treasure or cultivation. It was practically a life-saving talisman!
"Option One! It had to be Option One!"
Niu Ben made his decision without the slightest hesitation.
He took a deep breath and stopped concealing his aura.
He revealed himself.
He had seen it clearly. Although Primordial Heavenly Lord's disciples all possessed extraordinary origins and pure auras, their numbers were far inferior to Tongtian's disciples.
Tongtian's disciples, on the other hand, had varying origins and qualities, but they held the advantage in numbers. Moreover, every one of them carried a fierce, fearless air.
This conflict had been buried for a long time.
Primordial Heavenly Lord was particular when accepting disciples, valuing origins, fortune, and comprehension. He accepted no one below the rank of superior Innate Beings and followed an elite path.
Tongtian, however, practiced Teaching Without Discrimination. All things could seek the Dao, and his disciples came from every walk of life, a mixed crowd of all kinds of origins.
These two utterly different teachings had destined their disciples to dislike one another.
Primordial Heavenly Lord's disciples thought highly of themselves. They believed Tongtian's disciples were merely creatures born damp or from eggs, beasts with fur and horns, lowering the standards of Kunlun Immortal Mountain.
Tongtian's disciples, meanwhile, believed Primordial Heavenly Lord's disciples were hypocritical and arrogant, feigning benevolence and righteousness while looking down on others because of their superior origins.
Both sides had been holding in this resentment for a long time.
Today's Houtian Spiritual Treasure was merely the fuse.
As the tension in the valley reached its peak, three supreme beings within three Dao Fields deep in Kunlun Mountain also turned their gazes toward the scene.
Within the Jade Purity Palace, Primordial Heavenly Lord sat upon a cloud bed. Watching his disciples poised for battle in the light screen, his expression remained calm, though a trace of barely perceptible displeasure passed through the depths of his still eyes.
He tacitly approved of his disciples' actions.
In his view, those disciples under Tongtian were unfit for the grand stage to begin with. Such a spiritual treasure of Heaven and Earth should naturally be held by those under him who possessed deep fortune.
Within the Upper Purity Palace, Tongtian reclined against his throne. Seeing his Senior Disciple Duobao refusing to yield even a step, a smile instead curled across his lips.
That was what it meant to be my disciple, Tongtian's disciple!
Under the Heavenly Dao, all things had the right to fight for a chance at survival. Struggle was the Great Dao!
If Duobao had retreated today simply because someone intimidated him, Tongtian would instead have been disappointed. As for fighting? Fight first, then talk! Would he, as their master, fear anyone?
Within the Taiqing Realm, Taishang Daoist still sat with his eyes closed, as though everything outside had nothing to do with him.
Nonaction. Tranquility.
To him, disputes among disciples were merely tiny ripples in the evolution of the Great Dao, not worth stirring his emotions.
What interested him more was that mount hiding behind a rock, watching with great relish as though it were enjoying a play.
What was this ox trying to do now?
Within the valley, Guangchengzi had reached the limit of his patience.
"Fine! Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, today I will show you what destiny is and what superiority and inferiority are!"
The phantom of the Kunlun Seal above his head instantly solidified, and a terrifying pressure capable of suppressing mountains and rivers erupted outward!
Duobao Daoist sneered as well. Phantoms of countless Magic Treasures circled around him, his momentum not the least bit weaker!
A large-scale clash was about to break out.
"Senior brothers, do not fight."
A clear voice containing supreme majesty descended from Nine Heavens Above like an evening drum and morning bell, echoing throughout the entire valley.
The voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable Dao resonance that instantly suppressed the battle-ready momentum of both sides.
"Who?!"
Guangchengzi and Duobao were both startled. They raised their heads toward the sky at the same time.
Everyone on both sides looked toward the empty air.
The next moment.
An Azure Ox appeared.
They naturally recognized it as Great Martial Uncle's mount.
Before you continue