Chapter 36

In the Alchemy Room, Laozi waited. When Tai Cang entered, he said calmly, "You gained quite a bit on this journey. I have concealed the heavenly secrets regarding your alchemy for the Witch Clan and your acquisition of the Heaven and Earth Cang Huang Ruler. Now tell me—did you sense Pangu's aura within Pangu Hall?"

Tai Cang's heart jolted.

A storm surged within Tai Cang's heart. Laozi knew everything he had done among the Witch Clan; even the secret of obtaining the Heaven and Earth Cang Huang Ruler had failed to remain hidden.

Laozi's words sounded mild, yet they carried an implicit warning. Without his protection, those secrets would surely be exposed, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Thank you, Grand Uncle-Master!"

Tai Cang bowed respectfully and replied evenly, "There was indeed Pangu's aura within Pangu Hall. Cihang and Wudang were present at the time. The purity of that streak of blood-red light far surpassed the pressure brought by the Ancestral Witches' bloodline.

"But I could not determine its true nature. As a Saint, could even you not peer into it, Grand Uncle-Master?"

Laozi shook his head. "Pangu Hall is protected by Pangu's will. Even Saints find it difficult to investigate. Your confirmation has only made me more certain that something is afoot within."

Tai Cang secretly sighed in relief. Fortunately, Pangu Hall could isolate everything. Otherwise, if his remarks about the great calamity had been discovered, they would certainly have aroused suspicion. After all, he had only recently taken form and should not have known such secrets.

"Tai Cang!" Laozi's call pulled him back to reality.

"Yes." Tai Cang immediately composed himself.

Laozi took out a jade talisman. "This is the Supreme Three Flowers Method. You must comprehend it as soon as possible. Once your cultivation reaches the great perfection of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, begin condensing the Three Flowers.

"I did not allow you to enter the Time-Space Roulette because I feared external aid would force your growth prematurely. Though you are not my direct disciple, since you have entered the Cang Sect, so long as you do not cross the line, I will protect you."

Tai Cang's heart trembled. Taking the jade talisman, he said solemnly, "I will remember your teachings. For this life, I shall remain loyal to the Cang Sect."

With that, he bowed and took his leave. Laozi's stance was already perfectly clear; there was no need for further words.

In such circumstances, as long as Tai Cang did not betray the Cang Sect—or, more precisely, as long as he did not defy Laozi's will—he could continue receiving protection.

Though Laozi had said only a few words, they were already enough for Tai Cang. After all, Laozi had not demanded that he swear loyalty to the Jie Sect. One had to know that the Human Sect and the Chan Sect both belonged to the Cang Sect; even Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti were still considered members of the Cang Sect for now.

Watching Tai Cang's receding figure, the seated Laozi suddenly let out a soft sigh.

Then, as though sensing something, he turned his gaze toward the Upper Clarity Palace and murmured, "Junior Brother, the road ahead will depend on your own fortune."

This child held the key to reversing the Jie Sect's fate. It would naturally be best if old ties could be restored, but if their relationship could not be repaired, the Jie Sect's fortune would be difficult to preserve. With Laozi's discerning eyes, how could he fail to see the hidden crisis within the Jie Sect?

The Heaven and Earth Cang Huang Ruler in Tai Cang's hands was precisely the key to changing the Jie Sect's fate. Unfortunately, Tongtian had repeatedly favored Duobao, thoroughly chilling Tai Cang's heart.

In a valley outside the Grand Clarity Palace, Tai Cang drifted down gracefully.

He did not return to Yuding's residence, choosing instead to settle here. After setting up a barrier to ensure no one disturbed him, Tai Cang immediately took out the Bloodline Pills and Ancestral Witch essence blood.

Staring at the two treasures, he hesitated briefly before picking up the Bloodline Pills. Let's see whether these can improve my foundation and help me comprehend the mysteries of the laws.

With that, he swallowed several Bloodline Pills refined from Dijiang's Ancestral Witch essence blood without hesitation.

Gulp—

As the pills slid down his throat, Tai Cang immediately felt an unbearable heat spread through his entire body.

The Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body began circulating at a sudden, accelerated pace, and the blood-refining process of its third stage rapidly advanced. As the medicinal power was continuously absorbed, the Pangu bloodline within him grew increasingly pure.

Throughout the process, he could clearly feel the changes brought about by the bloodline's improvement. Both his mana and physical body strengthened in tandem.

But before long, the fluctuations gradually subsided. The several Bloodline Pills had been completely refined, while the impurities were expelled from his body by the Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body.

The effect was remarkable.

Still, it ultimately could not compare to the enormous improvement a Great Witch could bring to one's physical realm.

After opening his eyes and examining himself, Tai Cang continued cultivating.

One Bloodline Pill after another entered his stomach, continuously strengthening his bloodline through the transformation of the Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body.

By the time all the Bloodline Pills had been exhausted, Tai Cang's qi and blood had boiled to their utmost limit. The blood within his body quietly turned golden, giving off a peculiar ripple.

The constant elevation of his bloodline caused the Pangu bloodline within him to evolve into Pangu pure blood.

At that instant, Tai Cang's innate foundation broke through once more, directly placing him among the top-tier innate deities. His aura surged, and his cultivation reached the great perfection of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Five hundred years later, the Nine Tribulations would descend!

At the moment of his breakthrough, the will of the Heavenly Dao sent him a warning.

Tai Cang's expression immediately turned grave.

This meant he had only five hundred years to prepare.

Still, five hundred years was more than enough.

He quickly regained his composure. With his current foundation, combined with the True Martial Black Eagle Banner and the Innate Yin Yang Sword, he had enough to face the Nine Tribulations, not to mention the many trump cards he still possessed.

The corner of Tai Cang's lips rose as he began examining the changes within himself.

His bloodline had undergone a complete transformation. The blood of Pangu within him had become Pangu pure blood, elevating his foundation to that of a top-tier innate deity. Though it remained slightly inferior to the innate fiendgod foundations of the Three Pure Ones and the Twelve Ancestral Witches, it was already comparable to the greatest powers of the primordial world. More importantly, this transformation allowed him to glimpse an opportunity to attain the Dao and become a Saint. Advancing to the quasi-Saint realm was now practically certain.

Tai Cang gazed toward the distant Upper Clarity Palace and sneered. "I wonder what expression you will wear when we meet again." Back then, the outcome of his dispute with Duobao had been obvious, yet Tongtian had repeatedly favored the latter and even suppressed Tai Cang many times, all because Duobao possessed the foundation of a top-tier innate deity. At that time, Tai Cang had merely been a low-grade innate deity, and the gap between him and Duobao had been as vast as heaven and earth.

Times had changed. Through his own efforts, he had elevated his bloodline to that of a top-tier innate deity. Moreover, due to the special nature of Pangu pure blood, he now surpassed Duobao and even the vast majority of the primordial world's top-tier innate deities. Most astonishingly, Tai Cang's bloodline evolution had not yet stopped. So long as he kept the Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body at its third stage, his bloodline could continuously strengthen. In the future, he might even rival—or surpass—the Three Pure Ones.

Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed through Tai Cang's eyes. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the essence blood of space and the essence blood of time, then lightly licked his lips. "Now it depends on you two. Laws of space, laws of time—do not disappoint me." If he could grasp these two supreme laws, his strength would undergo a qualitative leap. Even among Grand Unity Golden Immortals, those who could comprehend laws were few and far between, much less supreme laws such as time and space.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the two drops of essence blood. The Nine Revolutions Cang Skill and the Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body began circulating simultaneously. Relying on his formidable physical body and Supreme Five Qi, the innate turbid qi within the essence blood was swiftly expelled from his body. In an instant, turbid qi churned throughout the valley, and all life in the surrounding area withered away. Even the nearby mountains were affected.

"Remarkable!" Laozi was the first to sense the disturbance. After making calculations, he could not conceal his shock. "He has already reached the level of a top-tier innate deity, and now he is refining Ancestral Witch essence blood. This child is truly extraordinary. If Third Brother saw this, he would surely regret abandoning him for Duobao." With that, he took out a gourd and handed it to Gold Horn. "When he emerges from seclusion, give him this Nine Revolutions Golden Pill."

At the same time, Primeval Lord of Heaven had just finished lecturing on the Dao and returned to the Primordial Clarity Palace. Upon sensing the disturbance in the turbid qi, he calculated with his fingers, and an amused expression appeared on his face. Tai Cang's breakthrough surprised him, but what amused him even more was Tongtian's choice back then—this man had not only repeatedly broken through to become a top-tier innate deity, but had also displayed potential exceeding Duobao's.

Looking across the three sects of the Cang Sect, no one could compare with Tai Cang in innate foundation and reserves.

Yet what was most astonishing about Tai Cang was not his origins, but his extraordinary comprehension. Thinking of how such a heaven-defying talent had been abandoned by Tongtian and had now parted ways with the Jie Sect, the smile on Yuan Shi's face deepened.

"Master!"

"Master!"

Urgent cries came from outside the hall as Cihang, Samantabhadra, and the other Chan Sect direct disciples hurried into the Primordial Clarity Palace. Upon seeing Yuan Shi, they immediately bowed and said indignantly, "Master, please uphold justice for us! Members of the Jie Sect have been wantonly looting throughout the Kunlun Mountains and have even encroached upon the territory of our Primordial Clarity Palace lineage!"

"Master, we only managed to drive those madmen away because we returned in time, but the cave abodes of Senior Brother Guangchengzi and the others may already have fallen victim to the Jie Sect!"

"Master, the Jie Sect has gone too far! It would have been one thing for them to run wild in North Kunlun, but now they dare set their hands on the territory of our Primordial Clarity lineage!"

At those words, the smile on Yuan Shi's face instantly froze. He calculated with his fingers, fury surging in his eyes, then slammed his palm upon the table and shouted, "Cihang, Samantabhadra, Manjushri, go to the Jie Sect at once and seize those brazen offenders! If anyone dares resist, kill them without mercy! I would like to see who gave them the audacity to run wild on my Primordial Clarity territory and even plunder the cave abodes of my disciples!"

"Yes, Master!"

Manjushri and the others were overjoyed. Though they had driven back the Jie Sect cultivators earlier, they had not struck too harshly, as the two sects had not yet completely turned against one another. Now that they had Yuan Shi's decree, they had no more reservations and swore to settle accounts with every offender.

The group cupped their fists and accepted the order, then turned and rushed out of the Primordial Clarity Palace, heading straight for where the Jie Sect cultivators had gathered.

Watching their departing backs, Yuan Shi sighed softly. His gaze shifted toward Tai Cang's place of seclusion as he murmured, "It seems my Chan Sect needs someone capable of holding the field. Randeng sought to join my sect some time ago, and I had not wished to agree. But now that a conflict between the Chan and Jie Sects is unavoidable, it is time to accept him into the sect."

At the same time, Manjushri and the other Chan Sect direct disciples had already burst into the territory of the Upper Clarity Palace. Without mercy, they directly captured every Jie Sect cultivator who had previously caused trouble within the Primordial Clarity Palace's domain. In an instant, the Upper Clarity Palace lineage was thrown into chaos. Countless registered disciples and inner disciples were either captured or severely wounded, yet none could stand against Manjushri and the others.

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, the Jie Sect cultivators hurriedly called for aid. Wudang, Jinling, Guiling, Zhao Gongming, and the other direct disciples flew into a rage upon hearing the news. Without even investigating the cause, they led their people against Manjushri and the others.

The direct disciples of both sides fought fiercely, and the conflict dragged on for several months before Zhao Gongming and the others were ultimately forced back in defeat. Although, after the previous discussion of the Dao among the three sects, all the direct disciples had received innate spiritual treasures from the Saints, the treasures varied in power. In addition, the Chan Sect Golden Immortals wielded acquired spiritual treasures refined by Tai Cang in his early years, making them even stronger. Zhao Gongming and the others were no match for them. Injured, they could only retreat.

After venting their anger, Manjushri and the others did not continue the fight. They directly captured all the Jie Sect cultivators who had once gone to the Primordial Clarity Palace, forcing them to kneel densely upon the plaza before the Primordial Clarity Palace.

"Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, what should we do now?"

Inside a cave abode, Zhao Gongming's face was pale. His gaze swept over Wudang, Jinling, and the other Jie Sect direct disciples beside him, his mind in complete turmoil.

Sect Master Tongtian had gone to lecture on the Dao for the three sects and could not return anytime soon. The Jie Sect's affairs were currently being managed by them in his stead, yet a large number of their fellow disciples had been taken to the Primordial Clarity Palace by Manjushri and the others, while those who remained were panic-stricken. Their own injuries had not healed, leaving them utterly unable to rescue anyone.

"Senior Brother Zhao!"

After pondering for a moment, Wudang said, "Why not seek Junior Brother Tai Cang's help?"

"With his strength, Manjushri and the others are certainly no match for him. Moreover, as a member of the Cang Sect, if he is willing to plead for our Jie Sect fellow disciples, perhaps Second Grand Uncle-Master will show mercy."

As soon as those words were spoken, the room fell silent.

Aside from Jinling and Guiling, Zhao Gongming and the other direct disciples all showed reluctance in their eyes. Back then, they had not only kicked Tai Cang while he was down, but had also been countered by him. The two sides had long become irreconcilable enemies. Asking them to lower their heads and seek his help was impossible.

"No!"

Zhao Gongming said decisively, "That Tai Cang bastard has betrayed us from within! The acquired spiritual treasures in Manjushri's hands were refined by him specifically to deal with us! If we ask him now, why would he agree? He would only mock us. I will never agree to this!"