As for intercepting the opportunity from Taiqing Laozi ahead of time, Qing Huan felt no guilt whatsoever.
It's said that Sage are without desires or wants, transcend worldly concerns, view all living beings as ants, and are untouched by Karma... That's pure nonsense!
At least in Qing Huan's view, it was merely a facade before fundamental interests were touched.
The Innate Deities, from the very beginning of its existence, has its greed and obsession deeply rooted in the fundamental Great Dao, including itself; it is an endless pursuit of "Dao," "existence," and "eternity."
Although he has now attained the Primordial Chaos Realm through the Luck, achieving the indestructible status of Sage, the Hunyuan Limitless Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm is like the only Dao Fruit suspended above the boundless chaos, radiating a light that captivates the heart and soul.
Who wouldn't want to take another step forward? What Taiqing Laozi lost was merely an opportunity, while Qing Huan gained a sliver of possibility leading to a higher level.
This Primordial Wilderness world is inherently a sea of struggle; what's wrong with being the first to cross it?
Having made up his mind, Qing Huan stopped worrying. With a slight movement, he traversed the endless void and returned to his Dao Field — Yingzhou Immortal Island.
This island was formed from Chaos Fragment, concealed by innate formations, forming its own world. The spiritual energy is so dense that it is almost liquefied, with exotic flowers and rare herbs everywhere, and immortal herbs and precious plants growing in abundance. Furthermore, there are Innate Spiritual Root that exude Daoist charm, making it a true holy land for cultivation.
In the center of the island, an ancient and simple hall stands, with the three Daoist patterns "Chuyuan Palace" inscribed on the plaque, containing his own sacred Daoist laws.
Upon returning to the palace, Qing Huan did not immediately enter a deep state of seclusion.
Seated upright on the cloud bed, his Spiritual Sense had already quietly covered the Primordial Wilderness world, silently deducing the workings of the heavens.
The overwhelming Calamity Qi from the Witch and Demon and Demon races was as clearly visible as beacon fires in the night, already on the verge of erupting.
"The Tribulation is approaching, and the secrets of heaven are obscure; even Sage cannot fully comprehend its entirety."
Qing Huan thought to himself.
"Di Jun, Tai Yi... it has finally come to this. Whether you can preserve a wisp of your primordial spirit amidst the machinations of Heavenly Dao and the Sages depends on the Creation of Will of Heaven."
Although he is Sage, transcending worldly affairs, he once relied on the immense Luck of the demon race to cultivate and was even honored with the title of "Celestial Venerable" by the demon race. This Karma connection is very deep.
If the demon race were to completely vanish and the two emperors were to perish, it would ultimately be a flaw in his Dao heart.
On the path to pursuing higher levels, even the smallest flaw can be magnified infinitely.
Therefore, his willingness to try within his capabilities was not entirely for the sake of Di Jun and Tai Yi, but more for the sake of perfecting his own path.
"We'll see then..."
A faint sigh echoed in the hall. Qing Huan slowly closed his eyes, his body swirling with Daoist energy, as he began to adjust his state, awaiting the outbreak of the Primordial Wilderness -shattering war destined to sweep across the prehistoric world.
Meanwhile, beyond the Thirty-three Heavens, lies the majestic and magnificent Heavenly Court.
Inside the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if water could drip from it.
Di Jun sat high on the Heavenly Emperor's Throne, his imperial aura still intact, but a layer of gloom shrouded his brows.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi stood beside him, the Chaos Bell floating above his head, cascading down streams of Chaos Qi. His aura was immense, yet deep within his eyes, there was also a hint of weariness and determination that was difficult to detect.
"Eldest Brother, the core array diagram of the Great Formation of the Stars has been entrusted to a trusted confidant for safekeeping and is hidden deep within the endless Sea of Stars."
This formation concerns the operation of the Primordial Wilderness stars and is of paramount importance. The Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan has said that it must not be moved lightly, and certainly not used in the war Witch and Demon. We can only rely on ourselves."
Tai Yi voice, which echoed in the magnificent hall.
Di Jun nodded slightly, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.
The Great Formation of the Stars, a masterpiece created by him and countless demons, is a peerless array capable of rivaling the Twelve Divine Fiend Array of the Witch Clan. However, it cannot be used now due to his responsibility to stabilize the Primordial Wilderness, as if he had cut off his own arm.
"How unjust is the Heavenly Dao! The barbarians of the Witch Clan, ignorant of the will of Heaven, slaughter indiscriminately, never once thinking of maintaining the balance of Heaven and Earth. Yet we, the Demon Clan, are bound by this!"
"Fortunately, the Witch-Slaying Sword is complete."
Di Jun opened his palm, and the phantom of a long sword with an ancient style appeared, exuding an aura of extreme restraint against the bloodline of human witches. The sword was dark red, as if it was soaked in the essence and resentment of countless human souls, and its baleful aura soared to the sky, even slightly distorting the surrounding space.
"With the sharpness of this sword, we can surely break through the Ancestral Witch True Body!"
Tai Yi, but his brow remained furrowed.
"The Witch-Slaying Sword is indeed our clan's trump card. In addition, the Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan has generously lent us his Innate Supreme Treasure, the Seven Symbols Treasure Umbrella, making us both offensive and defensive, which greatly increases our strength."
But... Eldest Brother, I still feel uneasy."
He paused, then lowered his voice:
"Behind the Witch Clan stands Houtu, whose body is a reincarnation and Merit. Although she is currently trapped in the Underworld and cannot be released, her status is already comparable to that of the Dao Ancestor!"
No one can guarantee that she won't, in some way, provide assistance to the Witch Clan.
Houtu is a woman of deep thoughts and is not someone to be trifled with.
Moreover, although Houtu has undergone reincarnation and two of the Twelve Ancestral Witches have passed away, making it impossible to fully deploy the Twelve Divine Fiend Array, who can guarantee that the remaining ten Ancestral Witch don't have other trump cards?
Di Jun remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the endless sea of clouds outside the palace, as if he could see the distant Tanggu Valley, where his beloved children resided.
"Yes, Houtu... Although she cannot directly intervene, her power of reincarnation is mysterious and unpredictable."
Moreover, Zhu Jiuyin's Time Law and Di Jiang's Space Law are both unpredictable and difficult to defend against.
The outcome of this battle is uncertain, but it concerns the very survival of my demon race.
When Tanggu Valley was mentioned, Tai Yi's eyes softened, but were then replaced by worry.
"Eldest Brother, we must prepare for the worst. Our ten nephews are still young and their cultivation is shallow. If we..."
They certainly cannot escape the pursuit of the Witch Clan. Should we... send them to a trustworthy person for refuge?
Di Jun's body trembled slightly, clearly indicating that this was a question he had been pondering.
After a long silence, he took a deep breath and made a decision:
"We cannot send them all away; they would be too conspicuous, potentially causing unforeseen circumstances and making us appear cowardly before the battle even begins, thus undermining morale."
How about this, let's send our eldest brother to the Saint Nuwa. Although the Saint Nuwa Holy Mother of the Human Race, she is ultimately Sage of our demon race. Considering our past relationship, she will surely protect our eldest brother.
The youngest, the Old Ten, is the kindest and most innocent, so let's entrust him to the Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan!
The Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan has the deepest karmic connection with my demon Karma, and his divine cultivation is the most profound, enough to protect the Old Ten.
As for the other eight children... let them remain in Tanggu Valley for now, protected by the array.
If we are victorious, we will naturally be brought back; if something unforeseen happens... Tanggu Valley is a place nourished by the power of the Solar Star, so there may be Thread of Life."
This decision was incredibly difficult. As a father, he wished he could send all his children to the safest place, but as the Heavenly Emperor, he had to weigh the pros and cons, and even have to sacrifice the safety of some of his offspring to maintain the appearance that "the Heavenly Emperor still has confidence."
Upon hearing Tai Yi felt reluctant to leave behind his eight nephews, but he also understood that this was the safest arrangement at present.
"Very well! In that case, I will set off immediately to send the Old Ten to Yingzhou Island to seek the help of the Heavenly Venerate Qing Huan."
"Eldest Brother, you should take the eldest son to the Wa Huang Palace to meet the Saint Nuwa."