Hongyun: Kunpeng, come out quickly, I've come to give you the Hongmeng Purple Qi!

Buzhou Mountain, Pangu Hall.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun appeared outside the hall.

Zhen Yuanzi stood shoulder to shoulder with Hongyun: "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, I am Zhen Yuanzi, and this is Hongyun. We have come to call upon you."

Before long, the hall doors opened, and Wu Ming's figure emerged.

His gaze lingered on Hongyun for a moment, then he gave a slight nod.

"Two Fellow Daoists, please enter."

Wu Ming welcomed Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun into the hall.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Hongyun broke the silence first. He looked at Wu Ming and spoke solemnly.

"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming."

"I have thought it through."

"I have decided to entrust the Hongmeng Purple Qi to Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, to settle the karmic ties between us."

At these words, even Wu Ming, steady as he was, couldn't help but raise his eyes to look at Hongyun.

He had originally thought Hongyun would at least struggle and hesitate for a long time—after all, that was the Hongmeng Purple Qi, the foundation for becoming a Saint, a temptation unique in the Primordial Wilderness.

He hadn't expected a decision so soon.

This decisiveness earned Hongyun a measure of respect in Wu Ming's eyes.

Though he regretted Hongyun losing the Opportunity for a Saint position, being able to let go of his Obsession and settle the karmic ties was not a bad thing for Hongyun.

He looked up at Hongyun and confirmed: "Fellow Daoist, have you decided?"

"Yes, I have decided." Hongyun nodded, his tone without a trace of hesitation.

Though his heart had ached when making the decision, now that it was spoken, it felt like a burden lifted.

He set down his teacup and stood: "Good. Since you have made your decision, it's better to act sooner than later."

"Let us set out now to find Fellow Daoist Kunpeng."

Wu Ming slowly nodded: "Good."

"Since you have made your decision, let us not delay."

"We will go find Fellow Daoist Kunpeng now."

Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun naturally had no objections.

The three set off immediately, leaving Pangu Hall.

However, after flying for a short while, Zhen Yuanzi noticed the direction was wrong.

He asked: "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, aren't we heading to the North Sea to find Fellow Daoist Kunpeng?"

"Why are we going toward the Heavenly Court?"

Wu Ming turned back to look at the two, surprised: "Oh? Do you two not know that Kunpeng has already joined the Demon Race's Heavenly Court?"

"What?!" Zhen Yuanzi exclaimed.

Hongyun's face changed drastically: "Kunpeng... joined the Heavenly Court? When did this happen?"

This news hit them like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

"Shortly after the Dao preaching at Zixiao Palace ended, Di Jun and Taiyi personally appointed him as the Demon Master, with a status second only to themselves, Nuwa, and Fuxi."

"This matter has long spread across the Primordial Wilderness."

"Presumably, the Demon Race did this intentionally to intimidate the petty and bolster their own prestige."

Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun exchanged glances, both seeing complex emotions in each other's eyes.

Shock, disbelief, and a trace of lingering fear and relief.

"To think... Kunpeng would choose to ally with the Demon Race just to deal with me!" Hongyun murmured, a chill settling in his heart.

"Demon Master... what a grand move! Di Jun and Taiyi spared no expense to win Kunpeng over." Zhen Yuanzi muttered, his brow furrowed.

Hongyun's heart sank.

Kunpeng was already formidable in strength, and now he had the backing of the Demon Race's Heavenly Court, a mighty tree, and was honored as the Demon Master, a position of great prestige.

If he had been blinded by the Hongmeng Purple Qi and chosen to resist...

The consequences would be unthinkable!

Not only would he likely perish, body and soul, but he would also drag his good friend Zhen Yuanzi down, and even implicate the Witch Clan.

That was far from the outcome they wanted.

Zhen Yuanzi gave a bitter smile: "After Hongyun and I returned from Zixiao Palace, we went straight back to Wuzhuang Temple."

"Hongyun was troubled by the Hongmeng Purple Qi the whole time, and once he decided, he came straight to find you."

"During that time, we truly paid no attention to the affairs of the Primordial Wilderness."

"I see." Wu Ming nodded.

The three spoke no further, transforming into streaks of light as they shot toward the Demon Race's Heavenly Court above the Nine Heavens.

Southern Heavenly Gate.

The towering celestial gate stood amidst the clouds, radiant with ten thousand beams of golden light and a thousand wisps of auspicious energy.

Wu Ming, Zhen Yuanzi, and Hongyun landed before the gate.

Hongyun stepped forward and called out in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, This Humble One is Hongyun, here to pay a visit. I ask that you come out to meet me!"

His voice carried far, piercing through the clouds and reaching deep into the Heavenly Court.

Within the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Kunpeng was in discussion with Di Jun and Taiyi when he heard Hongyun's voice. His face instantly turned ashen, and a chill aura erupted from his body.

"Hong—yun—!" He shot to his feet, grinding his teeth. "He still dares to come? What is he here for? To mock This Humble One?"

"Fine, fine, fine! There's a road to heaven, but you refuse to walk it; there's no gate to hell, yet you come barging in!"

Kunpeng's eyes blazed with killing intent as he turned to Di Jun and Taiyi. "Your Majesty! East Sovereign!"

"I ask both of you to lend me your aid. Today, I will capture this Hongyun! Tear him limb from limb to vent the hatred in my heart!"

Di Jun tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his expression unchanged, but his gaze grew deeper.

He glanced at the furious Kunpeng and said calmly, "Demon Master, calm yourself."

"Capturing Hongyun? I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

"Capturing Hongyun? I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

Di Jun's gaze seemed to pierce through the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, seeing the scene outside the Southern Heavenly Gate.

"He didn't come alone this time."

"Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi are both with him."

"What?!" Kunpeng's rage flared even hotter. "Fine! This despicable wretch! Not only did he steal my Opportunity, but he also brought helpers to humiliate me!"

"This is too much! Too much!"

"I will tear him limb from limb, grind his bones to ash, and extinguish his True Spirit!"

Taiyi furrowed his brow slightly, also feeling that Hongyun's arrival boded ill.

But Di Jun shook his head. "Demon Master, calm down."

"Hongyun, though somewhat rigid, is not a treacherous man. Bringing Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi with him is likely not to mock you."

"Let's go out and see. Then we'll know what he's really up to."

Kunpeng suppressed the fury in his heart, but his face remained dark enough to drip water.

He snorted coldly. "Hmph! Going out to see is fine too!"

"I'll see what tricks he can pull!"

"It can't be... that he's come to deliver the Hongmeng Purple Qi to me, hahaha!"

By the end, Kunpeng himself found the idea absurd and let out a dry, self-mocking laugh.

Di Jun and Taiyi exchanged a glance.

Deliver the Hongmeng Purple Qi?

Heh.

This Kunpeng was truly muddled by rage, dreaming an impossible dream.

In all the Primordial Wilderness, who but the Dao Ancestor had such boldness?

Hongyun? That old goody-two-shoes?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"Let's go. We'll see when we get there." Di Jun rose and led the way out of the hall.

The three spoke no further, leaving the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and heading toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Di Jun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng appeared.

The moment Kunpeng showed himself and saw Hongyun, the pent-up fury could no longer be contained. He barked sharply, "Hongyun! You still dare to face me!"

Hongyun faced Kunpeng's towering rage, a trace of guilt on his face as he bowed. "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng."

"Regarding the matter of the Cushion at Zixiao Palace, This Humble One was indeed thoughtless and implicated you."

"This Humble One feels ashamed."

"I have come today to settle this karmic debt with you."

When Kunpeng heard this, he laughed in fury. "Settle the karmic debt?"

"Hahaha! Easy for you to say!"

"That was a Saint position! That was the Hongmeng Purple Qi! That was the opportunity to become a Saint!"

"You destroyed my path! Cut off my future!"

"A blood feud like this—how do you propose to settle it?!"

"With your life?!"

The killing intent radiating from Kunpeng nearly solidified into substance. Clearly, if Hongyun said one wrong word, he would strike immediately.

Di Jun and Taiyi stood to the side, watching coldly.

They too were curious—just how did Hongyun intend to settle this irreconcilable karmic debt?

Hongyun raised his head, meeting Kunpeng's venom-filled gaze directly, and spoke each word with crystal clarity:

"This humble Daoist is willing to gift the Hongmeng Purple Qi to you, Fellow Daoist."

"With this, the karmic debt between us shall be settled."