Sect Master Tongtian did not know. Primordial Lord of Heaven did not know. Daoist Jieyin and Zhunti did not know either. Heaven's will toyed with men—nothing could be more so. If Tongtian had truly glimpsed the fire churning within Laozi's heart, perhaps this confrontation might have taken another turn. Alas, there were no ifs. The rift among the Three Pure Ones had long since silently spread, beyond repair. The brotherly bond they had once shared, joined branch to branch and hand to hand, was now no more than a candle in the wind, its extinction due at any moment.
Seeing Laozi seated with his eyes closed, Primordial Lord of Heaven and the other two likewise took their seats upon meditation cushions, lowering their eyes and reining in their breaths as they quietly contemplated the Heavenly Dao.
At noon the next day, the four Sages opened their eyes at once and raised their heads to the sky, knowing the time had come. Primordial Lord of Heaven turned a glance toward Laozi and sighed soundlessly—was this battle right or wrong? He dared not say. But matters had come to this; misunderstandings lay layer upon layer, leaving no room to turn back. They could only fight to the bitter end. Raising a hand, he lightly tapped the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi. With a clear "ding" that pierced the clouds, its Dharma sound rang like a bell and instantly spread in every direction. Hearing it, the disciples sprang into motion, each mounting clouds and hurrying toward the reed awning.
"Greetings, master! Greetings, martial uncle! Greetings, Sages!" Their voices rose in perfect unison, resounding through the clouds.
Primordial Lord of Heaven declared, "Today, your master and three fellow cultivators shall personally lead you into the 'Myriad Immortals and Myriad Demons Formation.' This formation is incomparably