The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

This item was something Hongyun had never used before. No one in the entire Primordial Desolation knew that this "nicest guy" actually possessed such a vicious magical treasure.

Feeling that he had the advantage due to the sneak attack, Kunpeng cursed, "Hongyun, back when the Dao Ancestor was preaching, you caused me to miss out on a Saint position. Our enmity is irreconcilable. Today, you will surely die!"

Kunpeng's body moved, dodging the vicious red sand from Old Ancestor Hongyun. Although he was the Heavenly Court's Demon Master and a renowned figure in the Primordial Desolation, he lacked supreme treasures. His few lower and middle-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures were useless in a battle between Quasi-Saints. For a moment, he was forced back by the red sand, which indeed gave Hongyun a chance to catch his breath.

Seeing this, Hongyun's spirits lifted. Although he had been injured by the sneak attack, he relied on the power of his magical treasure. The red sand from the Soul Scattering Gourd poured out, piece by piece, group by group, surrounding Kunpeng. The tide of battle had turned, and Kunpeng was slowly falling into a disadvantage.

Kunpeng's magical power was extremely strong, ranking among the top of the three thousand Zixiao Guests. Unfortunately, his luck was poor. He didn't obtain any top-tier treasures from the Treasure Distribution Rock, nor did he have many opportunities while traveling the Primordial Desolation or within the Heavenly Court.

This was a lack of destiny, not being favored by the Heavenly Dao. He lost the Saint position and did not obtain supreme treasures. Such a person with shallow fortune, even with invincible divine abilities, could not overcome the will of heaven.

At this moment, without a top-tier spiritual treasure to protect him, Kunpeng saw the power of Hongyun's gourd. A flash of jealousy and hatred flickered in his eyes. He let out a roar and released the good corpse he had severed. A giant body tens of thousands of miles long appeared in the void, with a pair of winged fish on its back, appearing above Kunpeng, its edges impossible to see.

Kunpeng's true form was incredibly powerful. He charged directly at Hongyun. As a top divine beast, neither Hongyun's Dao techniques, divine abilities, nor the red sand from the Soul Scattering Gourd could harm his body in the slightest.

"Hmph! You've severed your corpse, and you think this ancestor hasn't?"

Being attacked by Kunpeng's two forms, Old Ancestor Hongyun snorted coldly and also released the clone he had severed.

Unexpectedly, Hongyun's clone was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree when facing Kunpeng's true form and clone. It couldn't resist Kunpeng's true form at all.

Hongyun's cultivation was inferior to Kunpeng's. If not for the power of the Soul Scattering Gourd and the spiritual treasure that helped him regain the advantage, he would truly not have been Kunpeng's opponent!

Both were Quasi-Saints. One was an old good man of the Primordial Desolation, and the other was the Heavenly Court's Demon Master. Over countless years, he had fought battles for the Heavenly Court, slaying countless experts. The gap between them was too vast.

Regaining the upper hand, Kunpeng beat Hongyun into a sorry state. Kunpeng laughed heartily, "Hongyun, you cannot escape your doom today."

Unable to defeat Kunpeng's true form, and with his injuries worsening, Old Ancestor Hongyun had the thought of leaving. He was unwilling to continue entangled with Kunpeng. With this in mind, Hongyun suddenly unleashed a divine ability, forcing Kunpeng back. He turned, conjured a red cloud, and fled towards the Wuzhuang Temple.

"Hahaha! Hongyun, do you think you can escape from this Demon Master's palm? When it comes to speed, can you be my opponent?"

Although Kunpeng's body was large, his speed was not slow. With a flap of his wings, he instantly caught up.

Kunpeng's true form grew larger and larger, blotting out the sun and moon, covering an area of a hundred thousand miles.

Hongyun felt the sky darken. Suddenly, the sound of wind like thunder roared in his ears. He quickly looked up. Kunpeng's true form descended like a divine mountain, suppressing Hongyun.

"The Primordial Violet Qi is mine!" Kunpeng grinned sinisterly, his magical power surging. Kunpeng's true form descended towards Hongyun below.

With a "crack," Hongyun's immortal body was crushed by the mountain-like force. Hongyun was greatly alarmed. His Nascent Soul escaped and attached itself to the Nine-Nine Red Cloud Soul Scattering Gourd, fleeing for his life. Only by entering the Wuzhuang Temple could he preserve his life.

"Hehehe! Hongyun, hurry and come with this old ancestor. Only this old ancestor can save your life!"

Suddenly, in the void towards the Wuzhuang Temple, boundless killing intent erupted. The entire azure sky was dyed blood-red. Sinister laughter rang out from a patch of blood-red clouds, sweeping towards Old Ancestor Hongyun.

"Nether River! You dare oppose my Heavenly Court?"

As soon as he saw the blood-red clouds, Kunpeng knew something was wrong. He immediately screamed, attempting to use the prestige of the Heavenly Court to drive away Nether River.

This Old Ancestor Nether River also had a profound origin. In the Primordial Desolation, in the Nine Netherlands, there was a boundless Sea of Blood. It was formed from the turbid energy between heaven and earth when Pangu created the world. Anyone, be it human, immortal, ghost, witch, or demon, who fell into it would have their Nascent Soul corrupted. Nether River was a great divine ability user born from the Sea of Blood.

This Quasi-Saint expert was no pauper like Kunpeng. When he was born, he possessed three Innate Spiritual Treasures: one was the Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner, one of the five Innate Banners. When activated, blood lotuses would protect him, making it difficult for even Innate Spiritual Treasures to harm him.

The remaining two were the killing swords, Yuan Tu and A Bi.

This pair of Innate Spiritual Treasures were sharp weapons of slaughter, killing without incurring karma.

At this moment, facing Kunpeng's accusation, Nether River manifested his true form from the blood-red clouds, the Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner above his head, and the Yuan Tu and A Bi swords in his hands. He sneered, "Your demon race is powerful, but this old ancestor is not afraid of you. Today, I saw injustice and could not stand your demon race's acts of murder and robbery. This Hongyun, this old ancestor will protect!"

Nether River was so arrogant because he had the confidence. He had cultivated for many years, refining the Sea of Blood, and was inseparable from it. As long as the Sea of Blood did not dry up, Nether River would not die. Even if a Saint attacked him within the Sea of Blood, they could not kill him!

Unless the Sea of Blood was destroyed, incurring great karma with heaven and earth!

Furthermore, Nether River had many strange methods. He had created the Blood God Great Law and condensed four hundred eighty million Blood God Sons as clones. Any one of them was his true self. Even though he had ventured out of the Sea of Blood at great risk, he had left behind contingencies.

Even if he were killed, the Blood God Sons would remain in the Sea of Blood, safe and sound.

This was why he dared to contend with the Heavenly Court for the Primordial Violet Qi!

To achieve the Saint position, he was willing to offend top great divine ability users like Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Di Jun, let alone a mere Kunpeng.

"Good! Good! Good! Since that's the case! Then let's have a fight!"

Kunpeng's face turned ashen. Hongyun was finished, and he was about to obtain the Primordial Violet Qi. Now, another challenger had appeared. Even knowing how powerful Old Ancestor Nether River was, Kunpeng still had to fight desperately for this sliver of opportunity.

"Kunpeng Sky Breaking Claw!"

The giant Kunpeng true form actually shrank to human size, but its movement speed increased to the extreme. Kunpeng and his good corpse flickered through the void non-stop, their sharp claws filling the sky.

"Chichichichi!"

Each swipe tore through the void like shredded paper, leaving behind claw marks. Even the sky of the Primordial Desolation could not withstand the full power of a Quasi-Saint's outburst.