The Ninth Chapter

As the Magic Power surged in, Li Peng's physical body was also continuously strengthened.

In just a short moment, his Nine Revolutions Profound Technique broke through again, directly ascending to the peak of the seventh revolution.

However, after the breakthrough, most of this Magic Power was consumed, with a portion still tempering his physique.

Li Peng did not stop it. He knew that the remaining Magic Power was not enough to advance the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique to the eighth revolution.

Just as he relaxed slightly, a map suddenly appeared in his mind.

The map clearly marked the specific location of the Three Immortal Islands Overseas, as well as the arrangement of the island-guarding Formation and the method to enter it.

Li Peng was overjoyed.

He glanced at the unconscious Di Jiang, Zhu Jiuyin, and the heavily wounded Zhu Rong, and sighed helplessly:

"These Ancestor Witches are impossible to kill and impossible to let go. They are truly troublesome.

Forget it, I'll go to the Three Immortal Islands Overseas to find treasures first!"

With his mind made up, Li Peng waved his hand and retracted the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda and the Yin Yang Twin Swords into his body.

He turned to Zhu Rong and said coldly:

"As descendants of Pangu, I will spare you this time. If you dare to offend again, do not blame me for showing no mercy."

After speaking, Li Peng rode a auspicious cloud and floated away.

Zhu Rong wanted to argue upon hearing this, but seeing that he was covered in injuries and looking at Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin, whose lives were uncertain in the abyss, all his words were swallowed back.

He struggled to get up and slowly flew towards the abyss, dragging his wounded body.

Just as Zhu Rong reached halfway, several sounds of breaking through the air sounded one after another.

His heart was startled—now that he, Di Jiang, and Zhu Jiuyin were all unable to fight, if the newcomers were enemies, they would likely be in grave danger today.

Before Zhu Rong could react, a teasing voice had already arrived:

"Isn't this Zhu Rong? How did you end up in such a sorry state?"

Zhu Rong's face immediately turned ugly.

He was all too familiar with this voice—it was Gonggong.

The two had always been at odds, constantly bickering. To be seen in such a state by him now, ridicule was inevitable.

But Zhu Rong had no intention of arguing with him. Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin were still in the abyss, their lives unknown.

At this moment, Gonggong, Ju Mang, Houtu, Xuan Ming, and the other nine Ancestor Witches landed in front of Zhu Rong.

Gonggong laughed, "Zhu Rong, you were beaten so badly that you can't even speak?"

The other Ancestor Witches ignored Gonggong's teasing, having long grown accustomed to the verbal sparring between him and Zhu Rong.

"Gonggong, I'm not in the mood to argue with you," Zhu Rong said impatiently, "Big Brother Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin have both fallen into this abyss, and their lives are unknown!"

As soon as he said this, the Ancestor Witches' expressions changed drastically, and they all flew down into the abyss.

In a blink of an eye, the nine of them had reached the bottom of the abyss.

They saw the unconscious Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin and rushed forward to check on them.

A moment later, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—the two had only suffered minor injuries.

The nine Ancestor Witches then brought Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin back to the surface.

Zhu Rong asked anxiously, "How are they?"

Houtu replied, "They're fine, just minor injuries."

Only then did Zhu Rong feel relieved.

"What exactly happened? Why did you suddenly start fighting with someone?" Houtu asked Zhu Rong, confused.

Zhu Rong scratched his head and said somewhat awkwardly, "I came here to hunt today and encountered a very powerful expert passing by, so..."

His face turned red, and he couldn't continue.

"So what? Hurry up and say it!" Xuan Ming said angrily.

"So I wanted to spar with him and test his strength, and the result was..." Zhu Rong said in a low voice.

"I'm afraid your 'sparring' didn't even ask for his permission, did it? And now you're beaten like this, you've truly disgraced the Ancestor Witches!" Gonggong mocked.

As expected of brothers who had argued for years, Gonggong saw through it at a glance.

Zhu Rong wanted to retort but had nothing to say.

"Then why did Big Brother Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin step in?" Houtu continued to ask.

"They saw I was injured and rushed in," Zhu Rong explained.

In an instant, all nine Ancestor Witches understood—this conflict was entirely caused by themselves.

Even though they knew they were in the wrong, they couldn't help but feel angry. After all, their brothers had been beaten like this; it was only natural to be furious.

"It seems the opponent is very strong, otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to defeat the three of you alone."

"That's true. Next time we encounter him, we must bring more Ancestor Witches to attack together."

"Exactly! To dare injure someone from our Witch Clan, this debt must be repaid!"

The Ancestor Witches discussed how to deal with Li Peng in a flurry of words.

At this moment, Houtu suddenly spoke, "Stop thinking about revenge all the time. The other party showed mercy this time."

"Showed mercy? They're already this injured, and you call it mercy?" Gonggong was indignant.

"Look carefully. Di Jiang and Zhu Jiuyin are still unconscious, and Zhu Rong is also severely injured and can barely move. If he had truly been ruthless, we would likely be seeing three corpses," Houtu said with a grave tone.

The Ancestor Witches fell silent upon hearing this, gradually understanding the gravity of the situation.

"But why did he show us mercy?" Xuan Ming asked, confused.

All eyes turned to Zhu Rong, who could still speak.

Zhu Rong sighed helplessly and said in a low voice, "That person said... he spared our lives because of Pangu the Father God."

The Ancestor Witches nodded one after another, realizing the other party was acknowledging Pangu's merit in creating heaven and earth and transforming himself into the Primordial Era.

"Since the other party had no ill intentions and even showed mercy, they have shown us kindness," Houtu said.

Although the other Ancestor Witches were unwilling, they had to admit this fact.

"Kindness should be repaid. I hope you will not bother him again. Our Witch Clan has never been a group that repays kindness with enmity," Houtu continued.

Upon hearing this, all the Ancestor Witches nodded in agreement.

Although the Ancestor Witches had fiery tempers, they were also discerning and understood the difference between kindness and enmity.

Seeing that everyone had agreed, Houtu finally breathed a sigh of relief—she was truly afraid they would impulsively go looking for that person again.

"By the way, what was the name of the person who injured you?" Houtu suddenly remembered.

"Li Peng," Zhu Rong replied after a moment of recollection.

After leaving Buzhou Mountain, Li Peng flew directly towards the East Sea.

Since he already had the map of the Three Immortal Islands Overseas and the method to enter the formation, it would be unreasonable not to go treasure hunting.

Time flowed by, and three hundred years passed in a flash.

On this day, Li Peng was flying on his cloud near the East Sea.

Suddenly, a vast pressure descended from the highest heavens. Birds flying in the air fell in panic, and all living things bowed their heads.

Li Peng was also stunned by this sudden pressure. The Magic Power within his body suddenly stagnated, and his cloud-riding and fog-dispelling techniques were almost out of control.

He quickly activated the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda to barely resist the pressure.

At this moment, a solemn voice came from the heavens:

"High in the nine layers of clouds, I have attained the true Dao. Beyond heaven and earth, yin and yang, I shall be the master. Pangu gave birth to Taiji, The two forms and four images follow. One Dao passed to the three friends, Two sects, Chan and Jie, divided. The leader of the Xuanmen, One breath transformed into Hongjun. I am Hongjun, I have now become a Saint. In three thousand years, I will lecture on the Great Dao in the Chaos Purple Cloud Palace. All those with fate may come."

The voice spread throughout the Primordial Era, accompanied by heavenly music, falling flowers, and golden lotuses emerging from the ground, filling the world with auspicious energy.

Countless wild beasts and plants were enlightened by the heavenly flowers and golden lotuses, gaining sentience, and some even transformed into human form and appeared in the world.

"Hongjun became a Saint this quickly?" Li Peng couldn't help but murmur.

Hongjun's sudden sainthood disrupted his plans—he had already mastered the map and formation-breaking method for the Three Immortal Islands Overseas, but this change prevented him from taking the treasure immediately, leaving him somewhat dejected.

However, Li Peng had no choice but to attend such a major event as Hongjun becoming a Saint.

Not only was it to compete for the six seats that might grant Primordial Violet Qi, but also to listen to the Dao and supplement his own cultivation deficiencies.

Li Peng had always cultivated alone. Although he had inherited many profound techniques, there were still many areas he had not fully understood.

This opportunity to listen to the Dao in the Purple Cloud Palace was a perfect chance to solidify his foundation and seek a breakthrough.

With this thought, Li Peng no longer hesitated and flew towards the outer heavens.

A hundred years passed quickly. He traversed layers of obstacles and finally reached the edge of the Primordial Era's world membrane.

As soon as he took this step, he would enter the Chaos.

Li Peng stepped through the membrane without hesitation.

Instantly, endless Chaos Qi enveloped him, causing a slight stinging sensation.

"My physical body has reached the peak of Grand Unity Golden Immortal, yet I still feel pain? If a cultivator with a weaker body entered this place, wouldn't they be torn to shreds?" he muttered to himself.

Before he finished speaking, the Primordial Era's world membrane in the distance rippled, and another figure appeared in the Chaos.

The moment the person appeared, they let out a shrill scream.

This phenomenon immediately caught Li Peng's attention, and he turned his head to look.

He instantly felt a sense of helplessness.

It turned out the humanoid creature that had appeared in the chaos just now only had the cultivation of the early stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

To dare to go to the Purple Cloud Palace in the chaos to listen to the Dao at such a realm was truly overestimating oneself!

Not long after, the screams stopped.

The humanoid creature had been completely torn apart by the chaotic currents, not even its Primordial Spirit left behind.

Li Peng shook his head and sighed, "Dao Ancestor Hongjun's methods are indeed powerful! This kind of test, I'm afraid only Grand Unity Golden Immortals with a solid foundation can pass!

Alas, who knows how many Primordial Era beings will die in this chaos."

After speaking, Li Peng immediately summoned the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda and held it above his head.

The moment the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda appeared, Li Peng sensed it trembling excitedly.

Immediately after, the pagoda began to frantically absorb the surrounding chaotic energy, as if a starving person had suddenly found a feast.

Li Peng was stunned at first, then he understood.

The Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda was born in the chaos and nurtured by chaotic energy.

It couldn't absorb chaotic energy in the Primordial Era before, Now that it had returned to the chaos, it naturally wanted to devour it to its heart's content.

After figuring this out, Li Peng, holding the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda, flew towards the direction of the Purple Cloud Palace that he sensed in the distance.

Time is meaningless in the chaos, and a thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Peng had been drifting in the chaos for a thousand years, yet he still hadn't found the location of the Purple Cloud Palace, and he couldn't help but feel a little impatient.

Just then, a hurried and helpless cry came from afar:

"Help! Can anyone help us?"

Li Peng was startled by the sound, but he didn't intend to intervene.

After all, many powerful beings from the Primordial Era had entered the chaos, and people were being swallowed by the chaotic currents every moment.

He had encountered this a few times before and had never paid attention.

The only difference this time was that the person asking for help had changed from a male cultivator to a female cultivator.

Having made up his mind, Li Peng prepared to continue searching for the Purple Cloud Palace.

But just as he was about to move, the System's voice suddenly rang out:

"Ding! Detected the host's current situation, please make a choice!"

"Choice One: Ignore Xihe's plea for help and continue searching for the Purple Cloud Palace!

Reward: 'Steel Straight Man' title!"

"Choice Two: Go and rescue Xihe and Changxi.

Reward: High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure Taiyin Jade Hairpin!"

"Choice Three: Rescue Xihe and Changxi, and escort them to the Purple Cloud Palace.

Reward: High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure Taiyin Jade Hairpin, a 10% increase in understanding of the Law of Yin."

Li Peng was slightly surprised by the System's prompt.

In the original timeline, Xihe and Changxi should have safely reached the Purple Cloud Palace. How did something go wrong now?

He temporarily suppressed his doubts and turned his attention to the System's options.

Upon seeing the reward for Choice One, Li Peng's expression instantly stiffened.

"If I don't save the girls, I get the 'Steel Straight Man' title? Is the System mocking straight men?"

He immediately and dissatisfiedly shouted at the System, "System! Why give the 'Steel Straight Man' title as a reward? Do you look down on straight men? Hurry up and change it!"

"Ding! Detected that the host already possesses the traits of a 'Steel Straight Man'. The reward will now be changed to a pair of indelible 'forgiveness green' hats!" the System replied.

Li Peng's face darkened upon hearing this, and he angrily said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How am I a straight man? I..."

Before he could finish speaking, the System prompt sounded again:

"Ding! The host's request has been met. We wish you a happy choice!"

Afterward, no matter how Li Peng called out, the System did not respond again.

Li Peng complained resentfully for a moment before noticing the updated reward, and was so angry he almost spat blood.

"System, you're tricking me! Giving me a pair of 'forgiveness green' hats that can't be taken off? What do you want to do? You..."

After venting, Li Peng turned his gaze to Choices Two and Three.

Neither of these options was difficult to complete.

Especially Choice Three, whose reward could even increase his comprehension of the Law of Yin by 10%.