Chapter 3

He nervously asked the system, "If I choose one but fail to complete the mission, will there be some kind of obliteration punishment?"

"The system exists only to assist the host in becoming stronger and will not impose any punishment. If a mission is not completed, you simply will not receive its reward. Furthermore, missions have no time limit. No matter how long it takes to complete one, the reward will still be issued as usual," the system explained.

Only then did Li Peng relax.

But he fell into another dilemma. He wanted both the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique and the Yin Yang Orb.

The Nine Revolutions Profound Technique was a body-refining ** that led directly to the Primordial Origin;

The Yin Yang Orb could directly raise his strength and help him comprehend the Yin-Yang Law.

After hesitating again and again, Li Peng finally gritted his teeth and chose the third option!

Although Li Peng was most likely still no match for Daoist Randeng at present, with his current talent and the system's assistance, he believed that he would surpass Randeng before long.

When Li Peng looked at Randeng again after making his choice, his eyes held not only fury and killing intent, but also a trace of greed.

Randeng noticed the complexity in his gaze and could not help feeling puzzled. He had just launched a sneak attack on him, so the other party's anger and killing intent were perfectly normal—but where had that greed come from? Could it be that he had set his sights on the Spirit Coffin Lamp?

At that thought, killing intent appeared in Randeng's eyes as well. The Spirit Coffin Lamp was the only Magic Treasure in his possession that combined offense and defense. How dare someone covet it? What was more, since Randeng began walking the prehistoric world, he had always been the one to seize others' Magic Treasures and spiritual roots. Yet now, he was being eyed by a junior at the Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal who had not even reached the Grand Unity realm?

The fury in Randeng's eyes deepened, mixed with a few traces of contempt. Standing in midair, he looked down at Li Peng and spoke arrogantly, "Boy, I can overlook your trespassing into my cave abode. As long as you return my Magic Treasure, I can still spare your life today. If you remain stubborn and refuse to see reason, do not blame me for showing no mercy!"

Hearing this, Li Peng's rage surged to the heavens. He did not expect Randeng to still want to throw mud over his head even now. He could no longer endure such hypocritical posturing!

His magic power poured forth like a raging tide, and Li Peng roared, "Hypocrite, die!" Before his words had even faded, countless streams of black-and-white qi had already coiled around his body. Clearly, he was preparing to unleash his ultimate move.

Seeing Li Peng charge at him in fury, Randeng merely smiled disdainfully, not taking him seriously at all. After all, Li Peng was only at the Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal, with no spiritual treasure protecting his body. The one item he had obtained had yet to be refined, so he could not bring out its power. To Randeng, who was already a Mid Grand Unity Golden Immortal, dealing with such an opponent would be as easy as turning over his hand.

Seeing the contempt in Randeng's eyes, Li Peng was delighted rather than angered. He knew full well the gap between himself and Randeng. Now that his opponent was underestimating him, it was the perfect chance to use his ** trump card and decide victory with a single strike!

With a thought, Li Peng immediately activated his innate divine ability—the Innate Yin Yang Destruction Divine Light!

Black-and-white radiance swirled around him as the Innate Yin-Yang Two Qi between heaven and earth crazily converged upon him.

In but a moment, his momentum had built to its peak.

Without hesitation, he condensed all his magic power into a beam of divine light interwoven with black and white, shooting it straight at Randeng.

The strike was as swift as lightning, taking only an instant from gathering power to release.

Daoist Randeng still wore a look of contempt, treating Li Peng like a clown leaping about on a stage.

Only when the divine light neared him did he casually raise a hand and inject a stream of magic power into the Spirit Coffin Lamp.

In an instant, an invisible barrier appeared before him.

The barrier looked frail, but its defenses were exceedingly sturdy.

Randeng was confident that even a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal would find it difficult to break, while even an Early Grand Unity Golden Immortal would need to spend some effort.

He sat steadily upon his immortal deer, smiling without a word, every inch the demeanor of an exalted master.

Yet the next moment, the divine light struck the barrier—

"Boom! Crack! Crack!"

After the tremendous blast, the barrier shattered like Glazed Ware, cracks spreading rapidly across it.

The smile on Randeng's face vanished in an instant, replaced by shock and disbelief.

"Crack—!"

Another crisp sound jolted him awake.

Seeing that the barrier was about to collapse completely, Randeng was seized by fear and hurriedly poured magic power into the Spirit Coffin Lamp in a frenzy, trying to repair it.

Unfortunately, it was already too late. More than half the barrier had been destroyed; the situation could no longer be salvaged.

"Rumble!"

The barrier exploded completely, turning into specks of light that scattered through the sky.

Yet the black-and-white entwined Innate Yin Yang Destruction Divine Light did not stop. It continued hurtling straight toward Randeng!

Randeng's expression changed drastically. He had never expected that this attack, which had seemed like an ant's feeble blow, would be so terrifying.

It was already too late to use the lamp to defend himself.

Thus, Randeng revealed his true form, intending to meet this fierce attack head-on.

His form shifted, changing from an immortal figure with transcendent bearing into a coffin suffused with boundless aura of extinction!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Innate Yin Yang Destruction Divine Light slammed heavily into the coffin, erupting with earth-shaking blasts.

The coffin was blasted backward for hundreds of thousands of li, finally crashing into a great mountain before barely coming to a stop.

Li Peng had no intention of stopping there. To obtain the reward for his choice, he had to defeat Randeng completely.

Randeng had already been severely injured. This was the perfect time to pursue him.

A sharp gleam flashed through Li Peng's eyes. His true form suddenly unfolded, transforming into a Golden Winged Great Peng ninety thousand zhang long. He shot into the sky and raced toward where Randeng had fallen.

Looking down at the enormous crater smashed out by the coffin, his divine sense flashed like lightning and locked onto Randeng's location in an instant.

Li Peng gave a cold smile. Arcane power surged through his body as black-and-white Yin-Yang Qi gathered in his mouth—

The next instant, he opened his mouth and spat. The Yin-Yang Qi shot forth like a dragon, blasting straight toward the bottom of the pit!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions rang out endlessly through the cavern. Randeng, who had yet to recover from the previous strike, suffered another heavy blow!

Deep within the pit, Randeng changed from his coffin form back into human shape.

"Pfft!"

The moment he restored his body, he spat out several mouthfuls of blood in succession. His injuries were severe, and he looked utterly bedraggled.

Hatred surged in Randeng's eyes. He had actually been driven into such a state by a mere Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

He bitterly regretted his earlier actions. Had he not underestimated his opponent and instead struck with all his strength, Li Peng would have long since been reduced to ashes.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs in this world, nor could time flow backward.

Just as Randeng was gnashing his teeth in frustration, his divine sense detected two more incoming attacks in succession.

He felt stifled beyond measure, yet he knew that in his grievously injured state, he could no longer contend against them.

If he continued fighting, he would surely perish, body and Dao alike.

Randeng gritted his teeth and decisively burned his blood essence...

In an instant, a terrifying pressure erupted from within Randeng's body.

At the same time, empowered by Randeng's arcane power, the Spirit Coffin Lamp immediately bloomed with dazzling brilliance.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Several attacks crashed fiercely against the protective barrier raised by the Spirit Coffin Lamp, erupting with deafening loud noises!

Suddenly, a figure shot out of the cavern and lunged straight at Li Peng.

Seeing Randeng rapidly close in and sensing the vast aura emanating from him, Li Peng could not help but feel startled.

In his view, Randeng should have been severely wounded after taking a blast of his Innate Yin Yang Destruction Divine Light.

Yet the might Randeng emitted at this moment was even stronger than at the beginning!

"Could he have already reached the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm? Did my divine light fail to severely injure him?" Li Peng muttered in a low voice, his expression dark.

Just then, an enormous ball of Nirvana Divine Fire dozens of kilometers across came crashing down toward Li Peng!

Li Peng's face changed drastically at the sight of that terrifying fireball.

"With Nirvana Divine Fire on such a scale, if it hits me, I fear my soul and spirit will be utterly annihilated!"

His thoughts raced. Li Peng beat his wings and fled swiftly into the distance!

Yet the massive Nirvana Divine Fireball pursued him relentlessly, clinging tightly behind him.

Seeing this, Li Peng accelerated his escape without even looking back.

A moment later, Li Peng suddenly glanced back.

To his astonishment, he discovered that the Nirvana fireball was moving exceedingly slowly, while the flames on its surface were gradually dissipating.

Suddenly, he seemed to understand something. He hurriedly changed direction and flew toward the fireball.

Only upon nearing it did Li Peng see clearly that this enormous Nirvana Divine Fireball was fierce in appearance but empty within, its interior completely hollow.

"Not good!"

Li Peng exclaimed, then immediately sped at full speed toward where Randeng had originally been.

A moment later, he arrived above the pit.

But there was no trace of Randeng anywhere, only a patch of ravaged ground.

Li Peng immediately realized that Randeng had played him!

That seemingly boundless attack just now had merely been a feint meant to cover Randeng's escape!

"It seems my combat experience is still too shallow. I was actually frightened into retreat by such a bluff! Next time, I must thoroughly finish off that treacherous wretch!" Li Peng said through gritted teeth, fury blazing within him.

With that, he turned and flew into the distance without the slightest hesitation.

A great battle had just taken place here. If it drew the attention of some great supernatural expert, the consequences would be unthinkable.

With that thought, Li Peng sped away without hesitation.

Li Peng was injured, and he also needed to refine the Universe Ruler in his hand. He urgently needed to find a place to enter secluded cultivation. He flew continuously for five days, casually found a mountain cave, set up warning and defensive formations, and began cultivating in seclusion to heal his injuries.

Looking at his arm, a mangled mass of flesh and blood, Li Peng let out a soft sigh. Then he closed his eyes, circulated the Ancestral Phoenix Art, and slowly repaired his injuries.

Five hundred years passed in a flash, and Li Peng's injuries finally healed completely. He moved his fully restored arm, took out the Universe Ruler, poured arcane power into it, and began refining this Magic Treasure.

Only then did he discover that the Universe Ruler contained thirty-two innate restrictions. It needed only one more to enter the ranks of a Top-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure. Li Peng was quite satisfied, and he promptly closed his eyes, focused his mind, and began refining it with all his strength.

Three thousand years flowed by. Li Peng had already refined twenty-three of the restrictions within the Universe Ruler. But as for the remaining nine, if he forcibly refined them with his current cultivation, it would likely still take tens of thousands of years.

Li Peng had no wish to linger here for long. After the War of the Three Clans would come Hongjun's ascension to sainthood and his preaching at Purple Cloud Palace. Though Li Peng did not know how much time lay in between, he understood that he had to race against time to increase his strength—only by growing stronger could he seek opportunities at Purple Cloud Palace; if his cultivation was insufficient, he might not even be qualified to cross the chaos and arrive at the palace gates.

At that thought, he nearly wanted to break through to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm at once. Yet when he thought of the Yin Yang Twin Swords, whose power rivaled an Innate Supreme Treasure, and those two drops of Pangu's Essence Blood, he suppressed the impulse.

Li Peng rose, withdrew the formation, mounted an auspicious cloud, and flew straight toward Buzhou Mountain.

More than three hundred years passed before he finally caught sight of Buzhou Mountain's outline. Its form was majestic and mighty, holding up heaven and standing upon earth like a colossal pillar supporting the firmament, radiating an incomparable, vast aura.

Faced with such a magnificent Buzhou Mountain, deep reverence for the great god Pangu welled up in Li Peng's heart—it was admiration for the strongest of the strong, and sincere respect for the creator of the world.

Of course, over these three hundred years, Li Peng had done more than travel; he had also tempered his state of mind.

Along the way, he witnessed all manner of slaughter among the myriad races of the Primordial World.

Death was everywhere in the Primordial World, but what was it all for?

Spiritual roots, spiritual fruits, spiritual herbs, Blessed Lands... any of them could become a reason for conflict.

The weak were prey to the strong, and only the fit survived—this was the most fundamental law of the Primordial World.

During his journey, Li Peng had also encountered some fools who tried to make a move against him. Unfortunately for them, they had all underestimated his cultivation.

In the end, every one of them was dealt with effortlessly.

This did not mean Li Peng's cultivation was enough for him to run rampant through the Primordial World without restraint. Rather, the truly powerful were either in seclusion, striving for higher realms, or seeking opportunities to build their foundations. They would absolutely not engage in roadside robbery like these petty lackeys.

Tempering one's heart amid the mortal world, seeing all the countless faces of life, and experiencing death, life, joy, anger, sorrow, and delight—many of these were things Li Peng had never experienced in his previous life as an ordinary office worker.

What he saw along the way accustomed him to slaughter and death, made him understand the fragility of life and the cruelty of the Primordial World, and further strengthened his resolve to become stronger.

At the same time, these experiences elevated Li Peng's state of mind. At times, the Spiritual Energy within his body even gathered toward his Three Flowers of its own accord, nearly helping him break through to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.

But every time, Li Peng forcibly suppressed it.

If not for the system's selection rewards, he would likely have entered the Great Luo realm long ago.

Moreover, Li Peng had roughly grasped the current situation in the Primordial World.

The Primordial World now seemed to have returned to the era before the Three Clans, with the myriad races contending against one another. Though no great war had erupted, minor conflicts had never ceased.

As for the Wu Clan, Li Peng had not managed to learn anything about them. Evidently, these future overlords had yet to emerge.

And the Demon Race?

Di Jun and Tai Yi were still nowhere to be found, so how could there be any talk of a Demon Race?

Li Peng shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. He immediately increased his speed and flew straight toward Buzhou Mountain.

A mountain may look near, yet run a horse to death before reaching it—the saying was indeed true.