Time passed bit by bit.
The next second, a vast will that transcended all things pierced through time and space. Heavenly Dao Hongjun—the Heavenly Dao itself—had descended in person.
He offered no defense and no concealment. He merely lowered his eyes indifferently, sweeping his gaze over the Heavenly Emperor, Wangshu, Ancestor Dragon, Yuanfeng, and Shi Qilin before finally resting it on the Three Pure Ones.
A Heavenly Dao pressure capable of obliterating all dissent crashed down upon the entire gathering.
The Hun Yuan Golden Immortals turned deathly pale. The Quasi-Saints fell directly to their knees atop the River of Time, even their minds forcibly stripped away.
Only Li Fan, Wangshu, and a handful of others remained unaffected.
Heavenly Dao Hongjun finally spoke. His voice did not sound human; the rules of heaven and earth rumbled of their own accord. It was brief, cold, and utterly domineering:
"This matter has been tacitly permitted by the Heavenly Dao."
"The Three Pure Ones' reduction to seek emptiness accords with the heavenly mandate."
"Parallel alternate bodies are an evolution of the heavenly mandate."
There was no explanation or concealment. He admitted it outright.
The entire place fell silent.
Goddess Wangshu's moonlight erupted, and the might of Hunyuan Taiji forcefully withstood the Heavenly Dao's pressure!
Ancestor Dragon's eyes nearly split apart in fury. This was unfair.
Phoenix Fire burned in Yuanfeng's hand. This would not do!
Heavenly Dao Hongjun's gaze fell upon the Heavenly Emperor once more. A barely perceptible gravity surfaced in his deathly still eyes.
"Heavenly Emperor, do not interfere with the heavenly mandate."
Li Fan chuckled softly, his voice icy as it pierced through the Heavenly Dao's pressure.
"The heavenly mandate?"
"The heavenly mandate cannot be changed?"
"You think you can use the heavenly mandate to suppress me?"
He took a step