The moment he finished speaking.
Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, everything fell into dead silence.
Kunpeng froze, as if he had not heard Hong Yun clearly.
Di Jun and Taiyi froze as well, their expressions strange.
Then Kunpeng asked incredulously, "You're going to give me the Hongmeng Purple Qi?"
Hong Yun nodded. "That's right."
Upon hearing this, Kunpeng instantly flew into a rage. "Hong Yun, you're playing me!"
His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Hong Yun. His gaze seemed capable of swallowing him alive.
"Whoever obtained the Hongmeng Purple Qi would be willing to give it to someone else?!"
"Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!"
Di Jun and Taiyi also came to their senses.
That was right. The Hongmeng Purple Qi was the foundation for becoming a Saint. Who would be willing to give it to someone else?
This Hong Yun usually put on the appearance of a good-natured man, yet after obtaining the Hongmeng Purple Qi, he had actually come to flaunt it in front of Kunpeng!
Flaunting it would have been one thing, but he was even toying with Kunpeng in this manner!
He was treating everyone like fools!
Di Jun and Taiyi's expressions darkened, and their gazes toward Hong Yun turned cold.
Hong Yun looked at Kunpeng and said seriously, "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, I truly do intend to give you the Hongmeng Purple Qi, thereby settling the grudge between us. I'm not playing with you."
He tried to explain, but to Kunpeng, who was burning with rage, these words were no different from pouring oil on the flames.
"Hahaha! Good! What a way to 'settle the grudge'!" Kunpeng laughed in his fury.
"You're going to give me the Hongmeng Purple Qi? Then take it out!"
"Now! Immediately! Right this instant! Take it out and let me see!"
Hong Yun said, "All right."
He steadied himself, immediately sank his mind, and circulated the power of his Primordial Spirit, attempting to communicate with the Hongmeng Purple Qi inside his body and force it out.
However...
One breath, two breaths, three breaths...
Time passed bit by bit.
Fine beads of sweat began to form on Hong Yun's forehead.
The Hongmeng Purple Qi within his body was as immovable as a boulder. It did not budge at all and completely ignored his attempts to control it!
How could this be?
Hong Yun grew frantic.
Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, the atmosphere became increasingly oppressive.
The ridicule on Kunpeng's face grew more pronounced, and the killing intent in his eyes burned ever more fiercely.
Di Jun and Taiyi's patience was nearly exhausted as well.
"Hong Yun! You really are playing me!" Kunpeng waited for a long while. Seeing that Hong Yun could only stand there anxiously without making any progress, he finally erupted completely.
"You never intended to give it to me!"
"You came here just to humiliate me!"
He abruptly turned toward Di Jun and Taiyi. "Your Majesty! His Highness Taiyi!"
"Hong Yun has gone too far!"
"I, Kunpeng, am now the Demon Master of the Heavenly Court, yet he dares come to the Southern Heavenly Gate and toy with me like this!"
"This clearly means he does not take my Demon Clan seriously! He does not take Your Majesty and His Highness seriously!"
"Please lend me your aid and capture this scoundrel!"
"I want to tear him limb from limb, grind his bones to dust, and annihilate his True Spirit! Only then can I vent the hatred in my heart!"
Kunpeng's words were both an outlet for his fury and a form of coercion.
He had tied his humiliation to the dignity of the Demon Clan.
Di Jun and Taiyi exchanged a glance.
They could naturally see that Kunpeng wanted to borrow their strength to kill someone.
But Kunpeng was not wrong, either.
Kunpeng was now the Demon Master, representing the dignity of the Heavenly Court.
Hong Yun had "toyed with" the Demon Master at the Southern Heavenly Gate. He had not merely slapped Kunpeng in the face, but also the Heavenly Court's face—and the face of the two brothers!
If they remained indifferent and word spread, what would others think of the Demon Clan? What would they think of the two of them?
Wouldn't everyone conclude that the Demon Clan was weak and easy to bully?
Who would sincerely pledge allegiance to the Heavenly Court in the future?
Once people's hearts scattered, the team would be impossible to lead.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, you've gone too far." Di Jun's voice turned cold as imperial might spread outward.
Taiyi was even more direct. Solar True Fire surged around his body. "Hand over the Hongmeng Purple Qi, or die!"
Seeing that a battle was about to erupt.
"Fellow Daoists Di Jun and Taiyi, Fellow Daoist Kunpeng! Hold your hands!"
Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi hurried forward.
Zhen Yuanzi quickly said, "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, Fellow Daoists, there really is a misunderstanding!"
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun truly came to return the Hongmeng Purple Qi in good faith. He wasn't playing with you. Fellow Daoist Wu Ming and I can testify!"
The two quickly arrived beside Hong Yun.
Zhen Yuanzi lowered his voice and asked urgently, "Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, what happened? Hurry and take out the Hongmeng Purple Qi. If this continues, there'll be no way to explain yourself!"
Hong Yun was sweating profusely from anxiety, and even his voice sounded frantic. "Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi! I want to take it out too! But... but when I communicate with it using my Primordial Spirit, I simply can't get the Hongmeng Purple Qi out!"
Zhen Yuanzi was shocked upon hearing this. "What? How could this happen?"
Beside him, Wu Ming merely furrowed his brows slightly, deep in thought.
Although the three of them kept their voices low, which person present was not a top expert of the Primordial Wilderness?
Every word fell clearly into the ears of Kunpeng, Di Jun, and Taiyi.
Kunpeng heard their conversation perfectly clearly and instantly flew into a rage. "Good! Hong Yun! You're still playing me at a time like this!"
"Do you take all of us for fools?!"
"The Hongmeng Purple Qi is inside your body. How could you be unable to take it out?!"
"Who are you trying to fool?!"
"Speak! Have you already secretly comprehended it? Have you already refined it?" Kunpeng demanded sternly.
Upon hearing Kunpeng's words, Hong Yun hurriedly defended himself. "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng! I truly am not playing with you!"
"After returning from Zixiao Palace, I went straight to Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi's Wuzhuang Temple. I struggled there the entire time, my heart locked in a battle, unable to decide whether I should give you the Hongmeng Purple Qi and settle the Karma between us."
"I struggled for a long time, but in the end, I decided to give you the Hongmeng Purple Qi."
"After making that decision, I immediately went to find Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, then hurried to the Heavenly Court to find you without stopping."
"During that entire time, I truly didn't even touch the Hongmeng Purple Qi, much less comprehend or communicate with it!"
Hong Yun spoke with such sincerity, but how could Kunpeng possibly believe him?
"Do you think I'll believe you?" Kunpeng sneered as Magic Power surged around him once more, his killing intent boiling.
"Enough nonsense! Today, either you die, or I perish!"
With that, he was about to attack.
"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, calm yourself." Wu Ming stepped forward and positioned himself in front of Hong Yun.
Kunpeng glared viciously at Wu Ming. "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming! This matter has nothing to do with your Witch Clan! Are you going to interfere as well?"
Kunpeng looked toward Wu Ming, his gaze cold.
Wu Ming said calmly, "I have a way to take out the Hongmeng Purple Qi."
As soon as he said this, Hong Yun seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw. His eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming! What method? How do we take it out?"
Wu Ming looked at him and slowly uttered two words. "Swear an oath."
Hong Yun: "???"
Zhen Yuanzi instantly understood. He slapped his thigh. "That's right! The Hongmeng Purple Qi was bestowed by the Dao Ancestor and is a product of the Heavenly Dao, containing the principles of Heaven and Earth. How could it be an ordinary treasure?"
"Although Fellow Daoist Hong Yun obtained it, his Primordial Spirit has yet to fully harmonize with it. It's normal that he cannot control it freely!"
"Now, I'm afraid the only way to take out the Hongmeng Purple Qi is to swear an oath to the Great Dao, inform Heaven's Will, and have the power of the Heavenly Dao assist you!"
Wu Ming confirmed Zhen Yuanzi's idea and explained to Hong Yun, "That's right! Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, you must swear a solemn oath to the Great Dao, Father God Pangu, and the Heavenly Dao, stating that you are willing to use the Hongmeng Purple Qi to settle the Karma between you and Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, and requesting that the Great Dao bear witness and the Heavenly Dao provide assistance."
After saying this, Wu Ming turned toward Kunpeng. "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, what do you think of this method? Have Fellow Daoist Hong Yun swear such a solemn oath. If he truly is playing with you, the Heavenly Dao will punish him. If he is sincere, it will also prove his innocence and allow him to take out the Hongmeng Purple Qi."
Kunpeng's eyes flickered as his thoughts raced.
Swear an oath?
Swear to the Great Dao, Great God Pangu, and the Heavenly Dao?
This was no joke!
Once he made the oath, the consequences of violating it would be unimaginable!
He stared fixedly at Hong Yun, trying to find even a trace of hypocrisy or hesitation on his face.
But all he saw was anxiety and a hint of... anticipation?
Kunpeng sneered inwardly.
He did not believe Hong Yun was truly willing to swear such a solemn oath and hand the Saint position he could easily obtain over to someone else.
He was certain that Hong Yun was still acting and merely stalling for time!
But...
What if?
What if they were telling the truth?
What if Hong Yun had really lost his mind and was willing to swear the oath?
Although the possibility was minuscule, it was still a glimmer of hope.
In any case, he had already lost all the face he could lose at Zixiao Palace. Losing a little more would not matter.
With that thought, Kunpeng let out a cold laugh. "Heh... All right! Since Fellow Daoist Wu Ming has put it that way, I'll trust you one more time!"
"Hong Yun! Swear the oath!"
"I want to hear what you'll say to the Great Dao, Great God Pangu, and the Heavenly Dao!"
"If you dare utter even half a falsehood, there's no need to wait for Heaven's punishment. I, Kunpeng, will make sure your body and spirit are annihilated today!"