Hong Yun did not hesitate in the slightest when he heard this.
He took a deep breath, straightened his Daoist robe, and solemnly faced the Nine Heavens above, speaking in a clear voice:
"Great Dao above!"
"Great God Pangu above!"
"Heavenly Dao above!"
"I, your disciple Hong Yun, formed a Karma with fellow Daoist Kunpeng in Zixiao Palace over the matter of giving up a seat."
"Today, feeling the suffering of being bound by Karma, I am willing to give the Hongmeng Purple Qi bestowed by the Dao Ancestor to fellow Daoist Kunpeng, thereby settling the grudge over the seat and resolving the Dao-Blocking Grudge!"
"Hong Yun's sincerity is witnessed by Heaven and Earth! The sun and moon may testify to it!"
"If I speak falsely, I willingly accept the Great Dao's rejection, Heaven's punishment, the destruction of body and spirit, and eternal damnation!"
As the oath was uttered, some indescribable rule seemed to be stirred between Heaven and Earth.
Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, the wind stopped and the clouds froze.
An invisible pressure descended, enveloping everyone's hearts.
This was an oath witnessed jointly by the Great Dao, Pangu's Will, and the Heavenly Dao!
The instant the oath fell.
Buzzz—!
A dazzling purple radiance suddenly burst from Hong Yun's body, hovering in midair.
That was the Hongmeng Purple Qi!
Profound, vast, and filled with endless temptation!
The entire area outside the Southern Heavenly Gate instantly became terrifyingly silent.
Every gaze, including Di Jun's and Taiyi's, was fixed on that strand of purple Qi. Even their breathing grew heavy.
It was actually... real!
Hong Yun had really sworn a solemn oath and taken out the Hongmeng Purple Qi!
Hong Yun looked at the Hongmeng Purple Qi floating before him, his heart filled with complicated emotions. He reached out, gently supported the strand of purple Qi, and walked toward Kunpeng.
"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng."
"This is for you."
"The Karma between us is, from this moment onward... settled."
Kunpeng dumbly accepted the Hongmeng Purple Qi, his entire body stiffening in shock.
He had... really given it to him?
Hong Yun had... really given him the Hongmeng Purple Qi?
An indescribable ecstasy instantly swept through Kunpeng's entire body and mind, drowning out every thought.
Hahaha! The Hongmeng Purple Qi was finally his!
Kunpeng laughed wildly in his heart, nearly throwing back his head and roaring to vent the excitement of regaining what he had lost.
He greedily sensed the Great Dao principles contained within the Hongmeng Purple Qi, as though he could already see the day he would Attain Sainthood and look down upon the Primordial Wilderness!
However, this ecstasy did not last long. A bone-chilling cold suddenly surged from the soles of his feet, instantly extinguishing the flames in his heart.
Kunpeng's movements froze.
He instinctively raised his head and looked at Di Jun and Taiyi not far away.
Di Jun and Taiyi were quietly watching him.
More precisely, they were watching him—and the Hongmeng Purple Qi in his hand.
Their expressions were calm, without the slightest ripple.
Kunpeng's heart lurched and sank.
This was bad!
Almost instinctively, he put away the Hongmeng Purple Qi and hid it deep within his Primordial Spirit, as though it would be snatched away if he were even a moment too slow.
When Hong Yun saw him accept the Hongmeng Purple Qi, an expression of relief appeared on his face. He spoke again, his voice carrying the lightness of liberation:
"Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, the Karma between us is settled from this moment onward."
Kunpeng's thoughts were in complete disarray. How could he still have the mind to dwell on their previous grudge?
He only wanted to leave this place of trouble as quickly as possible!
He instinctively nodded. "Good. The Karma between us is settled from this moment onward."
Hong Yun gave him a deep look and said nothing more.
He turned and nodded at Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi.
"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, let's go."
Wu Ming and Zhen Yuanzi glanced at Kunpeng, whose expression kept changing, then at the expressionless Di Jun and Taiyi in the distance. Without saying anything, they nodded.
The three no longer lingered. They transformed into three streaks of light and left the Southern Heavenly Gate, flying toward Buzhou Mountain.
Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, only Di Jun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng remained.
Watching the three of them disappear into the distance, Kunpeng felt no relief at settling the Karma. Instead, his heart grew even heavier.
He knew that the real trouble had only just begun!
Sure enough, the moment Hong Yun and the others left, Di Jun and Taiyi walked over.
The two unhurriedly arrived before Kunpeng.
Di Jun still wore that trademark gentle smile, but Kunpeng could not feel the slightest warmth from it.
"Demon Master, what a great opportunity."
"Congratulations, Demon Master, on obtaining the foundation for becoming a Saint."
"In the future, our Demon Clan Heavenly Court may well gain another Saint."
"When that day comes, the unification of the Primordial Wilderness by our Demon Clan will be just around the corner!"
Every word Di Jun spoke struck Kunpeng's heart like a hammer.
Taiyi stood to the side without speaking. Only the aura of Solar True Fire faintly circulated around him, carrying an invisible intimidation.
Kunpeng's scalp went numb, and he screamed wildly in his heart: Damn it! That was rash!
This was really fucking rash!
Why did I have to join the Demon Clan Heavenly Court so hastily back then?!
Was my brain flooded or something?!
How had he lost his head and joined the Demon Clan Heavenly Court back then?
To deal with Hong Yun?
Now Hong Yun had been dealt with, and he had obtained the Hongmeng Purple Qi as well.
But he had sent himself straight into another, even greater whirlpool!
If he were even a little careless, both he and the Hongmeng Purple Qi might be devoured until not even dregs remained!
Another Saint for the Demon Clan?
It sounded nice!
But before he could become a Saint, they would probably find every possible way to "borrow" the Hongmeng Purple Qi first!
The alarm bells in Kunpeng's heart rang loudly. Countless thoughts raced through his mind as he searched for a way to escape.
Run!
He had to run immediately!
He had to leave this place of trouble at once, and the farther away, the better!
He forced a smile onto his face that looked worse than crying. Facing Di Jun and Taiyi, he bowed deeply, lowering his posture as much as possible. "Your Majesty, you flatter me."
"This... this is all thanks to Your Majesty's blessings."
"Um... Your Majesty, Your Highness Taiyi..."
"I suddenly remembered that I still have some... well, some important matters in North Nether that I haven't dealt with."
"They are of great importance and cannot be delayed."
"So... I would like to return to North Nether first. Once I have dealt with my personal affairs, I will return to the Heavenly Court to serve Your Majesty and await your orders!"
Before Di Jun and Taiyi could reply, Magic Power surged around Kunpeng. His entire body shot away like an arrow released from a bow, instantly transforming into a streak of light and speeding toward North Nether!
His speed was more than ten times faster than when he had come to the Heavenly Court!
He was practically fleeing for his life!
Watching Kunpeng's disheveled fleeing figure, Taiyi furrowed his brows, and Solar True Fire faintly leaped around him.
Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, only the still-smiling Di Jun and the visibly displeased Taiyi remained.
Looking in the direction Kunpeng had vanished, Taiyi finally could not hold back.
"Big Brother!"
He called out in a low voice, his tone carrying obvious dissatisfaction and urgency.
"You're just letting him leave? That's the Hongmeng Purple Qi!"
Di Jun raised a hand, stopping Taiyi from saying anything more.
His gaze remained fixed on the horizon where Kunpeng had disappeared. His eyes were deep, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
After a moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze, his tone flat and emotionless.
"No rush."
"Let him go first."
"We'll discuss it after we return."
"The Hongmeng Purple Qi isn't so easy to take."
"He entered the Heavenly Court's gates and became tainted by our Demon Clan's Destiny. He thinks he can run?"
"Heh."
After saying this, Di Jun turned and walked toward the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
Taiyi looked toward the direction Kunpeng had disappeared, then at Di Jun's back. A trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes, but in the end, he suppressed the impulse to act, snorted coldly, and followed Di Jun.
The Southern Heavenly Gate returned to its usual calm, but everything that had happened just now was like a stone thrown into a lake, stirring up enormous waves throughout the Primordial Wilderness.