Shouyang Mountain, Eight Sceneries Palace.
The Taishang Elder sat upright on the futon, with Xuandu bowing his head to listen. Although there were no unusual phenomena around him, the Dao Rhythm flowed continuously.
"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name..."
The Taishang's voice was calm and resonant, each word containing the Great Dao of the Sage.
This is the Dao De Jing, which he comprehended during his travels among humans, witnessing the vicissitudes of life and the changes of things. Now, he is passing it on to his only disciple Xuandu.
Xuandu listened with rapt attention, his aura subtly increasing.
When he was talking about "when everyone in the world knows what is beautiful, then ugliness is already there", Taishang suddenly paused.
Why is he here?
Xuandu was startled and looked up to see his master with a furrowed brow, his gaze fixed on the outside of the palace.
"Master?" Xuandu asked softly.
The Taishang waved his hand, his voice deep and resonant. "Today's preaching the Dao ends here. Go back and contemplate it."
"Yes." Although Xuandu was puzzled, he dared not ask any more questions, stood up, bowed, and left the Eight Sceneries Palace.
Suddenly, he sensed a sword intent, a sword intent he recognized—it was his Martial Uncle Tongtian!
"Why has Martial Uncle Tongtian come at this time?"
Xuandu was puzzled, but dared not ask any more questions, and transformed into a stream of light to return to his cave.
Taishang appeared in the sky above Shouyang Mountain in a flash, standing with his hands behind his back.
In the blink of an eye, a streak of azure sword light pierced through the air and landed ten feet in front of Taishang, transforming into a Tongtian figure.
"Junior Brother Tongtian," Taishang spoke slowly, his voice calm, "What brings you to my Shouyang Mountain? Why are you in such a hurry!"
Only then did he notice Tongtian's gloomy face.
" Tongtian, what's wrong?" Taishang's tone softened. "Is the matter of the Investiture of the Gods troubling you? If you're having any difficulties, you can tell your brother..."
"Speak?" Tongtian finally spoke, his voice icy. "Speak to you? What should I say? Speak about how I was plotted against by my most respected elder brother from the very beginning?"
The Taishang Lord's expression changed slightly. " Tongtian, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"I'm talking nonsense?" Tongtian laughed, his laughter filled with sarcasm and sorrow. " Taishang, I've come here only to verify one thing."
He took a step forward, his body radiating sword energy, which stirred and churned the surrounding clouds.
"I, you, and Yuanshi are all transformed from the Pangu's Primordial Spirit. We should be as close as brothers, of one heart and one mind." Tongtian said each word clearly, "But why... when we had not yet fully taken human form, did you, Taishang, secretly absorb the origins of me and Yuanshi?"
"Boom--!"
These words were like a thunderclap.
The Taishang's pupils contracted sharply, and his expression immediately showed shock, before quickly returning to normal.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't understand!"
Seeing this, Tongtian understood.
"As expected... as expected..." Tongtian murmured, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes completely extinguished. " Taishang, I've always treated you like an elder brother, sincerely cared for you, respected you, and valued you. And this is how you... treated me?"
His voice trembled. "From beginning to end, you've been lying to me. You pretended to be indifferent and aloof, watching me fight with Yuanshi, watching us drift further and further apart... Thinking about it now, it makes me want to vomit!"
" Tongtian!" The Taishang finally came to his senses and shouted sternly, "Stop talking nonsense! Where did you hear such absurd words? I am your elder brother, how could I do such a thing?"
"Brother?" Tongtian sneered, his laughter growing louder and louder. "I'd rather not have a brother like you!"
His eyes were bloodshot. "Since I became conscious, I have truly regarded you as my elder brother. Yuanshi is mean-spirited and always finds fault with me, but I have let it go out of brotherhood."
"You sided with Yuanshi, and I only assumed it was to reconcile the brothers... But you seized our origins from the very beginning?! And you hid it for so long! Why?"
The Taishang opened his mouth, but could not utter a single word.
Pain flashed in Tongtian's eyes. "If I hadn't gone to find Dao Venerable Lin Tian and he hadn't told me that I was missing my source, I still wouldn't have known that my most respected elder brother would do such a thing."
The Taishang's expression changed completely.
"So it was Dao Venerable Lin Tian said it, but I hid it so well, how did he find out?"
" Tongtian, let me explain..." Taishang began.
"An explanation? What's there to explain!" Tongtian roared, interrupting him. "I didn't come here today to hear your explanations! I came here... to settle things with you!"
A radiant light emanated from his body, and four sword intents soared into the sky!
The Immortal Executing Sword, the Immortal Slaying Sword Immortal Trapping Sword, the Immortal- Immortal Destroying Sword!
Four menacing swords hovered beside Tongtian, each radiating a powerful aura of killing intent.
A powerful sword intent swept across the entire Primordial Wilderness!
Countless powerful beings simultaneously looked up, gazing towards the direction of Shouyang Mountain.
That sword intent was terrifying; it made people's hearts tremble even from billions of miles away.
"It's the Saint Tongtian!"
"What is he going to do? That's Shouyang Mountain, the sacred site of the Taishang Sage!"
" The Three Pure Ones... Is this an invitation to war?"
Eight Sceneries Palace, Xuandu sensed the intent of the Immortal Executing Sword. His face darkened, but he dared not step out of his cave. As a quasi-saint, he didn't even have the qualifications to participate in the battle!
Taishang at the four killing swords, feeling their world-destroying power, and his face was extremely ugly. " Tongtian, calm down! The Four Swords of Execution are innate killing treasures, which cannot be broken by anyone but the Four Saints! Don't be impulsive!"
"It cannot be broken without the Four Saints?" Tongtian laughed loudly, his laughter filled with grief and indignation. " Taishang, even at this point, you're still pretending?! Don't you still have the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones Supernatural Power? Why don't you use it?!"
"You!!!"
The Taishang was struck dumb, frozen in place.
One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones!
This is the supreme divine Supernatural Power he comprehended from the origin of the Three Pure Ones, which can create three avatars with the same strength as his original self!
This was his biggest trump card, which he only revealed that one time.
Could it be that time?
" Taishang!" Tongtian roared, "Today, I will use these Four Swords of Execution to sever all ties between us! From this day forward, you go your way, and I will go mine! The bond between the Three Pure Ones... is completely severed today!"
Before the words were even finished, the Four Swords of Execution trembled simultaneously!
" Taishang! Reveal your trump card! Let me see just how powerful you are after you've seized your brother's essence!"
Taishang's expression shifted constantly, but eventually, only calm remained on his face.
"So be it..." Taishang sighed softly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Since..."
Just then, a golden light appeared in front of the two of them.
" Tongtian, what are you trying to do?"
It was Yuanshi who came. He sensed the aura of Tongtian and found him on Shouyang Mountain, so he used his Supernatural Power to come here.
At this moment, Yuanshi was furious. Pointing at Tongtian, his eyes blazing with anger, he shouted, "Is this how you treat your own people? Do you even have eyes for me and my two elder brothers?"
"Haha, brother?"
Tongtian sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. " Yuanshi, you are truly naive. If you knew what Taishang had done to us, you wouldn't think this way."
What do you mean by that?
Yuanshi frowned, not understanding Tongtian's meaning.