Hong Yun: Kunpeng, come out quickly, I've come to give you Hongmeng Purple Qi

Buzhou Mountain, Pangu Hall.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun appeared outside the hall.

Standing side by side, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun said, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, I am Zhen Yuanzi, and this is Hong Yun. We have come to pay a visit."

Before long, the hall doors opened, and Wu Ming appeared.

His gaze lingered on Hong Yun for a moment before he gave a slight nod.

"Please, come in, Fellow Daoists."

Wu Ming ushered Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun into the hall.

After a few simple pleasantries, Hong Yun was the first to break the silence. Looking at Wu Ming, he spoke solemnly.

"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming."

"I have thought it through."

"I have decided to give the Hongmeng Purple Qi to Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, thus settling the karma between us."

The moment these words were spoken, even Wu Ming, steady as he was, could not help lifting his eyes to look at Hong Yun.

He had originally thought that Hong Yun would at least struggle and agonize over it for a long time. After all, that was Hongmeng Purple Qi—the foundation of sainthood, a temptation without equal in the Primordial Wilderness.

He had never expected him to reach a decision so quickly.

This decisiveness made Wu Ming regard him a little more highly.

Though he regretted that Hong Yun was giving up his chance at a Saint Position, being able to let go of his obsession and settle his karma might not be a bad thing for Hong Yun.

He looked at Hong Yun and confirmed, "Fellow Daoist, have you decided?"

"Yes, I have." Hong Yun nodded, without the slightest hesitation in his voice.

Though his heart had felt as if it were being cut by knives when he made the decision, now that he voiced it, he instead felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

Wu Ming set down his teacup and rose to his feet. "Good. Since Fellow Daoist has made his decision, the sooner the better."

"Let us set out at once and seek Fellow Daoist Kunpeng."

Wu Ming nodded slowly. "Good."

"Since Fellow Daoist has made his decision, there is no time to lose."

"Let us go find Fellow Daoist Kunpeng now."

Naturally, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun had no objections.

The three immediately set out, leaving Pangu Hall.

However, after flying for a while, Zhen Yuanzi noticed that they were headed in the wrong direction.

He asked, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, are we not going to the North Sea to find Fellow Daoist Kunpeng?"

"Why are we heading toward the Heavenly Court?"

Wu Ming turned back to glance at them, surprised. "Hm? Do you two Fellow Daoists not know that Kunpeng has already joined the Demon Race's Heavenly Court?"

"What?!" Zhen Yuanzi cried out.

Hong Yun's expression changed drastically. "Kunpeng... joined the Heavenly Court? When did that happen?"

To them, this news was no different from a bolt from the blue.

"Not long after the Purple Cloud Palace lectures ended, Di Jun and Taiyi personally bestowed the title upon him, honoring him as Demon Master. His status is second only to the two brothers, Nuwa, and Fuxi."

"This matter has long since spread throughout the Primordial Wilderness."

"I imagine the Demon Race did it deliberately, to deter petty schemers and bolster their prestige."

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun looked at each other, each seeing complex emotions in the other's eyes.

Shock, disbelief, and a trace of lingering fear and relief.

"Who would have thought... that Kunpeng would choose to throw in his lot with the Demon Race just to deal with me!" Hong Yun muttered, his heart turning cold.

"Demon Master... what a grand gesture! Di Jun and Taiyi truly spared no expense in recruiting Kunpeng." Zhen Yuanzi muttered, his brows tightly furrowed.

Hong Yun's heart sank.

Kunpeng had already been immensely powerful, and now he had the Demon Race's Heavenly Court to lean on. He had even been named Demon Master, holding an exalted position.

If he had truly been blinded by the Hongmeng Purple Qi before and chosen to stand firm against him...

The consequences would have been unimaginable!

Not only would he likely have perished, body and Dao extinguished, but he would have implicated his good friend Zhen Yuanzi and perhaps even dragged the Wu Clan into it.

That was absolutely not an outcome any of them wished to see.

Zhen Yuanzi gave a bitter laugh. "After Fellow Daoist Hong Yun and I returned from the Purple Cloud Palace, we went straight back to Five Village Temple."

"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun had been troubled by the matter of the Hongmeng Purple Qi all along. Once he made his decision, he immediately came to seek you out, Fellow Daoist."

"During that time, we truly paid no attention to the affairs of the Primordial Wilderness."

"I see." Wu Ming nodded.

The three said no more. They transformed into three streaks of light and sped toward the Demon Race's Heavenly Court in the Nine Heavens Above.

Southern Heavenly Gate.

The towering heavenly gate stood amid the clouds, bathed in countless rays of Golden Light and thousands of streams of auspicious qi.

Wu Ming, Zhen Yuanzi, and Hong Yun landed before the gate.

Hong Yun stepped forward and called out loudly, "Daoist Friend Kunpeng, I am Hong Yun, here to pay you a visit. I hope you will come out and meet me!"

His voice carried far into the distance, piercing through the clouds and reaching the depths of the Heavenly Court.

Inside Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Kunpeng was discussing matters with Di Jun and Taiyi. Upon hearing Hong Yun's voice, his face instantly turned livid, and a chill burst from his body.

"Hong—Yun—!" He shot to his feet, gritting his teeth. "He still dares to come? What is he here for? To mock me?"

"Good, good, good! There is a road to heaven, yet you refuse to take it; there is no gate to hell, yet you charge right in!"

Murderous intent filled Kunpeng's eyes as he turned to Di Jun and Taiyi. "Your Majesty! Eastern Emperor!"

"I ask you both to lend me a hand. Today, we must capture Hong Yun! Tear him into ten thousand pieces, so I may vent the hatred in my heart!"

Di Jun lightly tapped the armrest with his fingers. His expression did not change, but his gaze grew deeper.

He glanced at the furious Kunpeng and said blandly, "Demon Master, calm yourself."

"Capturing Hong Yun? I'm afraid it won't be so easy."

"Capturing Hong Yun? I'm afraid it won't be so easy."

Di Jun's gaze seemed to pierce through Lingxiao Treasure Hall and see the scene beyond the Southern Heavenly Gate.

"This time, he did not come alone."

"Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi came with him."

"What?!" Kunpeng's fury flared even hotter. "Good! That despicable wretch! Stealing my opportunity wasn't enough—he even brought helpers to humiliate me!"

"This is too much! This is too much!"

"I will tear him into ten thousand pieces, grind his bones to ash, and erase his true spirit!"

Taiyi frowned slightly at the side, also sensing that Hong Yun had come with ill intent.

But Di Jun shook his head. "Demon Master, calm down."

"Though Hong Yun can be somewhat rigid, he is no schemer. He likely did not bring Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi here to mock you."

"Let us go out and see. Then we will know what medicine he is selling from his gourd."

Kunpeng forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart, but his face remained so dark it seemed ready to drip water.

He snorted coldly. "Hmph! Fine, let's go out and see!"

"I'd like to see what tricks he can possibly play!"

"Could it be... he came to deliver Hongmeng Purple Qi to me? Hahaha!"

By the end, even Kunpeng found it absurd, and he could not help letting out a dry laugh full of self-mockery.

Di Jun and Taiyi exchanged a glance.

Deliver Hongmeng Purple Qi?

Heh.

Kunpeng had truly been angered out of his mind. What kind of spring-and-autumn dream was he having?

In this Primordial Wilderness, besides the Dao Ancestor, who possessed such boldness?

Hong Yun? That old softhearted fool?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"Let's go. We'll know once we see him." Di Jun rose to his feet and headed out of the hall first.

The three spoke no further. They rose and left Lingxiao Treasure Hall, making for the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Di Jun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng appeared.

The moment Kunpeng appeared and saw Hong Yun, the fury he had kept bottled up could no longer be contained. He shouted harshly, "Hong Yun! You still dare show your face before me!"

Facing Kunpeng's towering rage, Hong Yun showed a trace of guilt. He clasped his hands in salute and said, "Daoist Friend Kunpeng."

"Regarding the matter of the cushion in Purple Cloud Palace, it was indeed I who failed to think it through and implicated you, Daoist Friend."

"I have always felt guilty over it."

"I came this time to settle this karmic cause and effect with you."

Kunpeng laughed in extreme anger. "Settle this karmic cause and effect?"

"Hahaha! You make it sound so easy!"

"That was a Saint Position! Hongmeng Purple Qi! An opportunity to become a Saint!"

"You ruined my Dao Path! Cut off my future!"

"For a blood feud that can end only with one of us dead, how do you think this should be settled?!"

"With your life?!"

The killing intent around Kunpeng's body had almost solidified into substance. Clearly, if Hong Yun said a single wrong word, he would strike at once!

Di Jun and Taiyi stood to the side, watching coldly.

They too were curious how Hong Yun intended to settle this cause and effect that could end only in death.

Hong Yun raised his head and met Kunpeng's venom-filled eyes. Word by word, he said clearly:

"I am willing to give the Hongmeng Purple Qi to Daoist Friend."

"Thus settling the cause and effect between us."