Above the Underworld.
The Heavenly Dao's will now sensed that the black lightning had no effect on Houtu. Thus, all the black lightning began fusing together, turning into an incomparably massive dark-purple bolt of lightning!
This was the Zixiao Divine Thunder—the Heavenly Dao's strongest form of punishment!
This enormous bolt of lightning was actually a thousand zhang wide, and it wound across an unknown distance, with no end in sight.
The purple lightning flashed and writhed continuously, annihilating the void. It was hard to imagine that such a huge body could be so agile.
Looking at the purple lightning, Houtu remained calm and slowly spoke. "Reincarnation Mystic Light!"
Then, her hands continuously changed through various incantation seals, mobilizing the power of the Earthly Dao.
Even in the face of such terrifying purple lightning, Houtu did not feel the slightest fear.
Boom!
In an instant, a dark, deep-yellow radiance erupted from the earth and shot into the sky, colliding with the purple lightning diving downward.
At first, the collision was completely silent. Then, a sound that shook heaven and earth spread outward like a vast flood.
The tremendous crash continued for a long time. When it finally faded, the purple lightning was gone, but the dark-yellow power of the Earthly Dao remained, transforming into a shield that protected the earth and kept it from suffering the impact.
After Houtu resisted the Heavenly Dao's power of punishment, she continued circulating her cultivation technique and strengthening the Earthly Dao.
The elevation of the Underworld's Heaven and Earth Karma Position was still continuing!
At this moment, the Heavenly Dao saw that the Earthly Dao was still constantly growing and had already lost its composure.
If it allowed the Earthly Dao to continue like this, it would lose part of its own power.
Seeing this, Hongjun's expression turned so grim that it seemed capable of dripping water.
The Heavenly Dao was actually losing to the Earthly Dao!
If this continued, we would have to act ourselves to stop her!
Thinking this, Hongjun immediately sent a message to Taishang. "Go stop Houtu from strengthening the Earthly Dao at once!"
Before long, Taishang received his master's message. He did not dare delay and immediately set off for the Underworld.
Houtu was actually strengthening the Earthly Dao!
He had to stop Houtu. Otherwise, once she succeeded, who could stand against her?
Above the Underworld, a spatial passage of the Heavenly Dao opened, and Taishang walked out directly.
The moment he arrived, he directly summoned the Taiji Diagram and pressed it down toward Houtu.
The Taiji Diagram was a supreme defensive treasure. Golden Eight Trigrams Diagrams erupted from it.
The Eight Trigrams Diagram blasted downward. Anyone below the Saint realm would be unable to withstand even a single strike.
Rumble!
The enormous Eight Trigrams Diagram directly attempted to shatter Houtu in one blow.
"Heh! With this little ability, you think you can stop me?"
Houtu let out a cold snort.
Although she had yet to raise the power of the Earthly Dao to its peak, it was already beyond what Taishang could contend with.
Her power was now extremely terrifying. Moreover, she could already manipulate the power of the Earthly Dao just as Hongjun, who had merged with the Dao, could.
Boom!
The power of the earth gathered together and instantly blocked the Eight Trigrams Diagram released by Taishang.
Taishang noticed that his attack had been broken so easily, and his face filled with astonishment.
Although the Taiji Diagram was a defensive supreme treasure, its offensive power was not the slightest bit weaker than that of other offensive supreme treasures!
Yet the Taiji Diagram could not move Houtu even a fraction!
"Again!"
Taishang's hands shifted through incantation seals as he continuously poured power into the Taiji Diagram. In an instant, another Eight Trigrams Diagram took shape.
The Eight Trigrams Diagram once again pressed down fiercely toward Houtu.
"Looks like you won't stop unless I teach you a lesson."
Houtu looked coldly at Taishang as she spoke.
Houtu directly mobilized the power of the Earthly Dao and sent it crashing toward the Eight Trigrams Diagram unleashed by the Taiji Diagram, dissolving its attack in an instant.
Houtu did not stop. She mobilized her power once more, and a dark-yellow beam of light suddenly shot from the earth straight toward Taishang.
Seeing the beam of light rushing toward him, Taishang felt his heart pound with fear. He immediately no longer dared hold back.
He shouted, "Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, appear!"
This was Taishang's strongest defensive treasure—the acquired merit supreme treasure.
Boom!
The Linglong Pagoda appeared directly and transformed into a golden radiance that enveloped Taishang.
The tower trembled lightly for quite some time before finally neutralizing Houtu's attack.
The might of the Earthly Dao was evident from this alone. Houtu's eyes were filled with icy frost as she looked at Taishang, who was like a turtle hiding in its shell and had already used two defensive treasures.
Her hands instantly shifted through countless incantation seals. In an instant, a dark-yellow radiance transformed into a gigantic fist and shot toward Taishang.
Rumble!
The might of a single punch was astonishing. The power of the Earthly Dao mixed with Houtu's Saint power, and the two combined to release an even more powerful energy.
Taishang panicked and directly increased his spiritual power output. The golden radiance on the Linglong Pagoda grew even brighter.
The Taiji Diagram simultaneously layered itself over the Linglong Pagoda, forming two defenses together.
Boom!
Although Taishang's defenses were not broken, Taishang himself was sent flying, sailing 108,000 li away and vanishing from sight!
Within the purple-light-filled Zixiao Palace.
At this moment, Hongjun's expression was extremely unpleasant. He truly had not expected Taishang to be unable to defeat Houtu either!
Within the Mystic Gate, Taishang had the highest cultivation. Thus, Hongjun had no choice but to act personally.
Whoosh!
The burly Hongjun directly tore through space. Before long, he had arrived at the Underworld.
"Stop!"
Hongjun let out a thunderous roar, and pressure surpassing that of the Heavenly Dao immediately bore down on Houtu.
Although he had reached the realm of merging with the Dao, he could not completely control the Heavenly Dao's power.
After all, the Heavenly Dao had its own consciousness. Not only that, but its will was constantly attempting to assimilate his own consciousness.
If he were assimilated, he would no longer be Hongjun, but an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao.
Even so, Hongjun's cultivation made up for this shortcoming. Combined with the power of the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun was far stronger than Taishang!
Seeing Hongjun's overwhelming might, Houtu also began treating him seriously.
Even so, she felt not the slightest fear.
Hongjun could not completely control the power of the Heavenly Dao, but she could control the power of the Earthly Dao. Moreover, the Earthly Dao had already risen to around sixty percent.
That was already enough for her to battle Hongjun.
Boom!
Houtu directly flew to the same height as Hongjun. A pale-yellow radiance spread from her body, resembling armor formed from the earth.
Seeing Houtu fuse with the power of the Earthly Dao so quickly, Hongjun felt extremely displeased.
He had spent countless years before he could control half of the Heavenly Dao's power, and even then he had to remain constantly on guard.
Yet in such a short time, Houtu had already fused with more than sixty percent of the Earthly Dao's power, giving her the strength to fight him!
All the Saints were extremely shocked. Hongjun had actually acted personally!
Because of this, not a single Saint dared come over and join in the excitement.