Outer Chaos Heavens, Void Bixi Wind

If the greatest miracle in the world was the existence of life,

then the most eternal thing among lives was emotion.

A life without emotion was no different from rotten wood.

Therefore, the only thing capable of transcending bloodline, favors, pride, and everything else was affection.

In Taiyi's view, no desire—whether for wealth, status, love, fame, profit, or anything else—could compare to affection.

In this world, only emotion could move one most deeply.

This "one" did not refer merely to humans, but to all intelligent lifeforms.

Emotion might temporarily be obscured by material desires, but once the dust settled, only affection remained true.

For everything could decay, but only emotion was imperishable.

Emotion was the sole ultimate existence capable of transcending time, crossing space, ignoring boundaries, and running through eternity, the future, the past, and the present.

Yet emotion was also a double-edged sword.

Used well, it was one's anchor in this world. One's true spirit would not lose its way, and the Great Dao would be within reach.

Used poorly, it was the fiercest poison in the world. No catalyst was needed; it would take effect at once and kill instantly.

Taiyi hoped that the affection between himself and his Elder Brother Dijun would remain as fresh as ever through the ages.

Even after they Proved Dao and became Sages, transcending the myriad worlds, they would still remain the closest of brothers.

This brotherly bond could transcend the ultimate end of all ages.

Otherwise, if one person attained the supreme pinnacle and stood beyond all things, with no peers at his side, such supremacy would be far too lonely.

It was lonely at the top, and this was not limited to emperors. Cultivators were no different.

"Second Brother, I believe you. If you do not wish to speak of it, there is no need to say more."

Dijun gazed deeply into Taiyi's golden eyes, his own rims slightly reddened. He gently patted Taiyi's hand and spoke in a rich voice.

"Thank you for understanding, Elder Brother."

"In that case, I can finally act without restraint from now on. When the time comes, I'll need Elder Brother's help."

Taiyi let out a quiet breath in his heart, then spoke with a serious expression.

He had not expected Dijun's feelings for his younger brother, as recorded in history, to be even deeper and more trusting than he had imagined.

Although he had not fully revealed the later history of the Primordial Wilderness, Dijun had already believed it all.

Taiyi felt somewhat ashamed, as though he had measured a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind.

Perhaps Dijun loved him even more than he loved himself.

Such concern was sincere affection that surpassed everything else.

Still, caution was the parent of safety. Given another chance, Taiyi would make the same choice.

This was not merely for his own sake, but also to protect his Elder Brother Dijun.

A common man was innocent, but possessing a treasure made him guilty.

For the weak, carrying secrets was a calamity that invited death.

No one knew what the brothers Taiyi and Dijun discussed within the world opened up by the World Tree—the Jianmu Divine Tree.

In any case, after this heartfelt and candid exchange, the bond between the two brothers had clearly grown closer, and their fates became more tightly intertwined.

The two brothers remained within the World Tree realm for several hundred years. Only after Dijun was fully satisfied did Taiyi bring him back to the Primordial World.

It was still the same secret chamber, still the space suppressed and concealed by the Chaos Bell.

Streams of Yellow Profound Chaos Energy descended, enough to block even a Sage's scrutiny.

Unless a Sage employed a Sage Dao divine ability, they could not easily peer into the space within the bell.

At that moment, a point of light flashed from a spatial rift within the Chaos Bell.

A streak of escaping light leapt out and transformed into the figures of Dijun and Taiyi.

Taiyi withdrew the Chaos Clock's Supreme Divine Ability, and the Yellow Profound Chaos Energy receded into the bell.

The Chaos Bell also turned into a small chime tied around Taiyi's wrist.

"Elder Brother, let us proceed according to the plan."

Taiyi gave Dijun, beside him, a meaningful smile.

"Very well, Second Brother. Just watch. Elder Brother will not embarrass you."

Dijun replied with a hearty smile, looking utterly confident of victory.

Time flowed like water, rushing ever onward.

Mayflies died billions of times while immortals merely dozed.

Three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the twinkling of an eye, the time for Sage Hongjun's lecture at the Purple Cloud Palace was drawing near.

On this day, the layer of heavenly astral winds between the Primordial World Membrane and the Outer Chaos Heavens was exceptionally lively.

Countless beings from all parts of the Primordial Continent had come to the Outer Chaos Heavens' Purple Cloud Palace to hear the Sage's teachings.

At this very moment, they had all gathered at the edge of the Beyond the Heavens of the Primordial Wilderness.

Two made a pair, three made a group. The Primordial innate beings gathered here numbered far more than hundreds of millions.

Spiritual lights and Dao arts of every kind flickered throughout the area, their auras varying in strength.

But at this moment, nearly everyone wore worried expressions, their faces grave.

They stared warily at the endlessly howling Void Bixi Wind.

This was the layer of heavenly astral winds separating the Primordial World from the endless chaos.

It was also a restraint and confinement upon all things and living beings of the Primordial Wilderness.

Only after passing through this layer of Void Bixi Wind could one reach the boundless chaos.

Without this layer of Void Bixi Wind, the matter of the Primordial World would have long since drifted away to who knew where.

Thus, this layer of Void Bixi Wind naturally possessed immense power. It could wear away Dao bodies and erode divine souls.

Unless one possessed the cultivation and Dao attainments of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal or higher, entering this astral wind layer would turn them into a pool of pus within moments, before they were dissolved into the origin of nothingness.

Even a Grand Luo immortal, if their cultivation was insufficient, their Dao attainments shallow, and they lacked a powerful Innate Spiritual Treasure for protection, would have their mana exhausted by the Void Bixi Wind. In the end, their Dao body would be ground away, and they would die miserably within it, suffering Death and Dao Annihilation.

Therefore, the Primordial Beings whose cultivation and Dao attainments lay below the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm all wore anxious expressions.

"I never expected such a terrifying layer of heavenly astral winds to exist at the edge of the Primordial World Membrane. How are we supposed to cross over to the Beyond the Heavens and hear the Sage's teachings?"

At the World Membrane, a being at the peak of the Grand Yi Golden Immortal realm could only sigh helplessly as he looked at the raging Void Bixi Wind.

"Heh heh, and you dare head for the Purple Cloud Palace without the necessary ability? A mere Grand Yi ant dreams of hearing a Sage expound the Dao? You truly do not know the difference between life and death."

A Nine Heavens Great Peng as large as a star flew out from within the World Membrane. With a flap of its wings, it crossed tens of millions of li and arrived at the edge of the Beyond the Heavens. It transformed into a hook-nosed middle-aged man, glanced sideways at the group of Grand Yi Golden Immortals, and spoke with contempt.

"Who are you, and why do you insult me like this?"

The being at the peak of the Grand Yi Golden Immortal realm had never suffered such humiliation before. He immediately flew into a rage and shouted.

Besides, with so many fellow cultivators watching, he could not back down. Otherwise, where would his dignity be? Who would still be willing to happily spend time with him in the future?

"Standing before you is the North Sea Kun Sage, the Nine Heavens Peng Ancestor, Yuanfeng's direct son, the omnipotent and carefree Grand Luo immortal, Kunpeng Ancestor!"

"You dare disrespect your Kunpeng Ancestor? Then I shall reward you with a day's excursion through the heavenly astral wind layer!"

"Off you go!"

Kunpeng Ancestor sneered and waved his hand. His arm transformed into a Peng wing, and a violent gale howled forth, sweeping that peak Grand Yi Golden Immortal being into the Void Bixi Wind layer.

"Ah!"

The peak Grand Yi Golden Immortal being, who had been alive and well only moments ago and was merely one step away from Grand Luo, let out a miserable scream the instant he entered the Void Bixi Wind. The astral winds swiftly ground away his fleshly body.

His exposed primordial spirit and true spirit lasted only a moment before completely dispersing between heaven and earth. He was dead beyond any doubt.

At this sight, the Primordial Beings at the edge of the Beyond the Heavens all shuddered.

When they looked at Kunpeng Ancestor, their eyes were filled with fear and wariness.

At the same time, they moved farther away from Kunpeng Ancestor.

Before long, a vast area around Kunpeng Ancestor had been cleared.

Kunpeng Ancestor did not care. He merely cast these people a disdainful glance.

"They are all ant-like creatures, yet they dare stand shoulder to shoulder with me, Kunpeng."

This was why Kunpeng Ancestor had taken action in the first place: to establish his authority.

That way, he could seize an advantageous position for listening at the Purple Cloud Palace later.

But then Kunpeng Ancestor's expression changed as he looked toward another direction along the World Membrane.

There, a vast aura was rapidly approaching.