"Now, Hong'er doesn't know where that power went either..." Qin Hong blinked his big eyes and said pitifully, "Master Ancestor, did Hong'er cause a huge disaster? Master Ancestor, you mustn't get angry! It wouldn't be good if you harmed your health from anger."
Damn...
Kid, at least you know what you've done?
The Saints could not help but fall into disarray again under Qin Hong's verbal assault.
That little thief—Hongjun had just said he would not blame him, yet he was bringing it up again now. Clearly, he was forcing Hongjun to state his position once more!
Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning, Zhunti, and Jieyin had experienced what it felt like to be roasted over the fire by Qin Hong. At this moment, they could not help but admire his expertise.
"So it was Chaos Power!" After hearing Qin Hong's account, Hongjun wore an expression of sudden realization, as though everything had indeed fallen into place.
Qin Hong had been afflicted by a killing tribulation and sealed within chaos by Tongtian. None of this had been hidden from Hongjun; besides, it could not have been hidden even if they had tried.
After being sealed in chaos for countless years, it was not impossible that some Chaos Power had entered his body.
Furthermore, the boundless chaos was simply too mysterious and vast. Even Hongjun only knew a fraction of it, and with that, everything made sense.
Back then, Pangu had fought the Three Thousand Demon Gods head-on against immense resistance. What he had used was Chaos Power. In the end, he had died from exhaustion, and only then did this prehistoric world come to be.
Thus, Hongjun could only estimate how powerful Chaos Power truly was. After all, he had never truly come into contact with it, so he did not dare claim that he fully understood it...
Under the present circumstances, he could only rely on Qin Hong's account and his own judgment.
As for Qin Hong's system, naturally, he knew nothing about it.
"This Chaos Power is mysterious and incomparably powerful. Hong'er must have absorbed some of it but been unable to control it, which was why it suddenly erupted and destroyed the Investiture of the Gods Scroll!"
"All things and events have their own karmic destinies within the Heavenly Book. It seems the Investiture of the Gods Scroll was destined to suffer this tribulation upon its emergence. Hong'er is not to blame!"
"Hong'er, do not blame yourself!"
At Hongjun's level, things were either black or white. Since he had said it had nothing to do with Qin Hong, he washed his hands of the matter completely.
"So that was it. Thank you, Master Ancestor, for clearing Hong'er's name!"
Having received Hongjun's confirmation, Qin Hong gave a bow, then turned his little head toward the three Saints—Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning, Zhunti, and Jieyin.
"Master Ancestor already said it had nothing to do with me!"
"Yet you wanted to force a punishment on me. Hmph!"
"You decided it was me before even getting to the bottom of things!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became. Qin Hong simply planted his little hands on his hips and pointed at the three Saints' noses.
"Do you people deserve to be Saints?"
"You've brought shame upon my father, Eldest Uncle, and Aunt Nuwa!"
"You have no shame, but I, a junior, still do!"
"No wonder all the disciples you take in, Second Uncle, are nothing but useless drunkards and good-for-nothings. Your judgment is terrible!"
"Call me along next time you take disciples. I'll help you screen them. I don't need much in return—just give me a few Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, and that'll do!"
Within Zixiao Palace, Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning, Zhunti, and Jieyin—three of the seven great Saints—were being insulted by a junior like Qin Hong, who found fault with everything about them. Yet they did not dare make any major move. No matter how one looked at it, the scene was bizarre.
"And you two! No wonder the West is so poor. Turns out you've done so many bad things that you've incurred heavenly punishment. Hmph!"
Pfft...
"You..."
Qin Hong had pushed Zhunti and Jieyin around again and again. No matter how good their temperaments or acting skills were, they finally could not hold back and spat blood.
A dense Dao aura flowed from their mouths in liquid form. It was the essence they had accumulated through countless years of cultivation.
"Fellow Daoist Tongtian... your son... pfft... has gone too far in bullying others!"
"Gone too far..."
Zhunti and Jieyin were completely enraged now. They could not even be bothered to pretend anymore, directly revealing fierce killing intent.
Had Tongtian and the other Saints not been present, the two of them would have used thunderous methods to suppress Qin Hong immediately.
"My son, Tongtian's son, is not someone you may criticize as you please!" As he spoke, the Qingping Sword on Tongtian's back began radiating sharp sword energy again, as though saying, Keep talking, and I'll make my move.
Seeing Tongtian like this, Zhunti and Jieyin did not dare truly attack no matter how resentful they were. They could only turn their fury into blazing looks.
"Tongtian, you..."
"Enough!"
Hongjun, seated upon his prayer cushion, spoke softly. In an instant, all the Saints in Zixiao Palace felt their souls tremble and regained their clarity.
The violent aura around Zhunti and Jieyin instantly dissolved into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.
Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning also lost the hostility he had displayed moments ago.
The Qingping Sword on Sect Master Tongtian's back stopped releasing sword light and returned to stillness.
As for Qin Hong, he felt as though something had wrapped around him. He could neither speak nor move, with only his eyes and ears still functional.
"You have all attained sainthood. What kind of spectacle is this squabbling?" Hongjun asked the Saints with displeasure.
The Saints hurriedly bowed.
"Your disciples know their mistakes. Please punish us, Master!"
Heavenly Lord of Morality and Lady Nuwa: (We didn't do anything at all. Great, now we've been dragged into this!)
"Rise!" With a lift of Hongjun's hand, the Saints were raised by an immense force.
"Although the Investiture of the Gods Scroll has gone wrong and been damaged, it is not beyond repair!"
"You may return for now. Wait until I have repaired it!"
"Then come back and sign the Investiture of the Gods Scroll!"
Hearing Hongjun's proposed solution, the Saints wore different expressions, though they still replied, "Yes, Master!"
At this moment, Qin Hong was utterly dumbfounded.
What the hell was this?
It could still be repaired?
Was he kidding?
"System, System, come out quickly!"
Qin Hong was panicking. He had gone through so much trouble to destroy the Investiture of the Gods Scroll and break the Interception Sect's original karmic destiny, yet this old man was saying it could be fixed? Was he messing with him?
"Come out already! Stop playing dead!"
"Host, do not worry. What you fear will not happen!"
Only after quite a while did the system's mechanical voice sound.
"The Investiture of the Gods Scroll has already been destroyed once. The original karmic destiny of the Heavenly Secrets has gone awry. Even if it is repaired, deviations will remain!"
Only after receiving the system's reply did Qin Hong finally relax.
Just then, the silencing restriction Hongjun had placed on Qin Hong was lifted.
With matters in Zixiao Palace concluded, the Saints began to depart as well.
Outside Zixiao Palace, Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning glared furiously at Qin Hong, whose little hand was held by Sect Master Tongtian. He shot him a vicious sidelong glance and left without lingering.
"Father, if someone keeps shooting sidelong glances at people, will he go blind?"
Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning's expression had naturally been seen by all the Saints, and Qin Hong was no exception.
One must return what one receives!
Hearing Qin Hong's words, Sect Master Tongtian smiled fondly.
"Of course. Otherwise, how could he have taken in twelve such fine disciples... Hehe!"
Pfft...
Sect Master Tongtian and Qin Hong played off each other, thoroughly mocking Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning. Since he was no longer there, the Saints reacted naturally and burst out laughing...
Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning, flying away in a streak of light: Qin Hong, you brat! Tongtian, hmph!!!
After Heavenly Lord of Original Beginning left, Zhunti and Jieyin cast wary glances at Qin Hong and Sect Master Tongtian.
The scene of their confrontation with Sect Master Tongtian moments ago was still vivid in their minds. Yet neither was an ordinary figure; as long as it involved shamelessness, nothing could stump them.
The two Saints beamed like two old chrysanthemums.
"Fellow Daoists, we shall take our leave first. Farewell!"
After saying that, they shamelessly made a point of bidding Qin Hong farewell. "Nephew, until we meet again!"
Before you continue