As Di Jiang comprehended the Dao, the lecture at the Palace of Purple Heaven came to an end. The Primordial World's mighty figures had all gained much and advanced in their cultivation, and one by one they rode beams of light back to the Primordial World.
With their cultivation improved, the mighty figures' spiritual senses had naturally grown more acute. Almost as if by unspoken agreement, Taiqing, Yuqing, Shangqing, Di Jun and Taiyi, Nuwa and Fuxi, Hong Yun and Zhenyuanzi—all the top-tier figures—faintly sensed an indistinct pull of fate from the direction of Mount Buzhou, one that resonated with their own paths!
The sensation was profoundly mysterious. It didn't clearly point to any particular spiritual treasure; it was more like the resonance of Daoist rhythms, or a thread of causality tied to some important future event in that place.
So, curious and harboring a trace of anticipation, several groups gathered from all directions at the foot of Mount Buzhou. But the sight before them soon brought their curiosity up against the hard wall of reality.
The legendary Five Elements Five Directions Grand Formation stood before them in all its glory! Green, red, yellow, white, and black divine light formed a vast bowl-like dome turned upside down over Mount Buzhou. The Five Elements Power flowed without end, transforming into earth, water, fire, and wind, and radiating a defense so formidable it made their hearts tremble.
The mighty figures tried to probe inside with their divine senses, only to discover that although the formation didn't completely block them, and their senses could barely pierce the layer of five-colored light, everything within remained blurry. They could only vaguely sense Mount Buzhou's abundant spiritual energy and several striking, unusual Daoist rhythms!
They couldn't pinpoint what any of them were, let alone see what lay inside. It was precisely this state—sensing that an opportunity awaited them, yet not knowing what it was or being able to reach it—that left them so unsettled.
"This formation is truly profound. But as expected, it's a tough nut to crack!" Yuqing's face was full of astonishment. He had always thought highly of himself, but even he was helpless now. He couldn't even get inside!
Shangqing couldn't help but summon his palm and give the light barrier an experimental slap. It only gave a faint hum. His palm strike sank into it like a stone into the sea, without even raising a ripple. Instead, the formation's unfathomable counterforce made his heart quiver.
"What a formidable formation!" Shangqing withdrew his hand, his look of shock still lingering.
Nearby, Di Jun stopped Taiyi, whose aura had begun to stir, and said gravely, "Brother, this formation is mysterious and unfathomable. We mustn't act rashly."
Taiyi nodded. Without the Chaos Bell, he had lost some of his arrogance, and he could see that this formation was no ordinary one!
His companion spiritual treasure had vanished while his mind was muddled. His elder brother Di Jun had given him the Sun Gold Wheel instead. Although it was a fine treasure, Taiyi was all the more eager to possess a spiritual treasure of his own!
Looking at the hazy outline of the mountain, Nuwa recalled how she had been inexplicably transported out before. Her feelings were complicated: she yearned for the opportunity within, but also harbored a trace of an old grievance.
Beside her, Fuxi kept making calculations, his brows drawing tighter and tighter. "The heavenly secrets are in chaos, and the heart of this formation is even harder to calculate. This mountain lord didn't even go to the Palace of Purple Heaven to listen to the Dao. Truly unfathomable."
Hong Yun and his friend Zhenyuanzi circled the edge of the formation, sighing. "Oh, what are we to do? I can clearly feel there's something good inside, but we can't get in!"
Zhenyuanzi consoled him. "Don't be anxious, fellow Daoist. An opportunity cannot be forced before its time."
The various groups lingered outside the formation for a long time, trying every method to no avail. In the end, they gathered together by pure coincidence. Seeing the same helpless, disgruntled expressions on one another's faces, they found themselves in an awkward situation.
None of them had any idea how to enter Mount Buzhou. Forcing their way in clearly wouldn't work; Shangqing's attempt had already proved that.
Taiqing pondered for a moment, stroking his beard. "Since force won't help, why not approach with courtesy and state our purpose? Perhaps the mountain lord isn't unreasonable."
The others thought he had a point. After all, anyone capable of setting up such a formidable formation—and who hadn't gone to the Palace of Purple Heaven to hear the Dao—was no ordinary figure. But they were also mighty beings whose names resounded across the Primordial World, with profound cultivation. Surely the other party would show them some respect!
So, with Taiqing taking the lead, they cupped their hands toward the five-colored light barrier and announced their origins and backgrounds. They expressed their admiration for the mountain lord, explained that they sensed something inside the mountain that might be fated to them, and humbly asked the lord to make an exception and let them enter for a look, promising to abide by the rules and so on.
Their voices passed through the formation, somewhat weakened but still clear as they reached Pangu Divine Hall. But at that moment, Di Jiang was completely immersed in the mysteries of the trace of the Yin-Yang Law he had just comprehended! And with his origin somewhat depleted, he naturally needed to recover and cultivate, leaving him no time for anything else!
The transformations between the birth and extinction of Yin Yang Two Qi, and their interaction with the Five Elements Law, had him utterly enthralled. How could he spare time to deal with that bunch of "noise-makers" outside?
Di Jiang simply ignored their message. Time passed, and the people outside maintained their cupped-hand salute for a full hundred years, yet received no response. The five-colored light barrier continued to flow, its silence growing more and more awkward.
Yuqing was the first to lose his patience. He had always considered himself part of Pangu's True Lineage, and now he had lowered himself to ask politely, yet the other party hadn't even bothered to reply. It was nothing short of blatant contempt!
"How outrageous! This person is so arrogant!"
Yuqing, also known as Primal, couldn't help but say angrily!
"We are the orthodox successors of Father God's Primordial Spirit, and returning to Mount Buzhou is like returning home! This scoundrel has occupied Father God's spine and set up a formation to bar the way. Now he treats us as if we don't exist—utterly disrespectful!"
Shangqing was growing angry too. He had been waiting impatiently for a long time, and Yuqing's words only made his temper flare. "Second Brother is right! Eldest Brother spoke to him courteously, yet he turned a deaf ear! I say this person is deliberately humiliating us, Pangu's True Lineage! Does he think that having a powerful formation means he can do whatever he wants?"
Even the usually composed Taiqing furrowed his brows slightly, feeling that the other party was indeed being far too discourteous.
Although Di Jun, Taiyi, and the others didn't feel that their return home had been blocked as the Three Pure Ones did, they too felt slighted and displeased. Nuwa was reminded of her old grievance and became convinced that the mountain lord was no good.
The more Yuqing and Shangqing thought about it, the angrier they became. They began shouting into the formation, their tone shifting from polite to accusatory!
"Whoever's inside, listen up! We Three Pure Ones are Pangu's True Lineage, formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit. This land was formed from Father God's spine. Open the formation at once, or you'll be showing disrespect to Father God!"
"Hiding your face and behaving like this is no way for a virtuous person to act! If you've got the nerve, come out and face us!"
Their angry transmissions were like demonic noise drilling into his ears. He could have blocked them out entirely, but since he had already heard them, Di Jiang was beginning to lose patience.
"Annoying!"
Di Jiang suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of harshness flashing in them. The most important thing in cultivation was a clear and untroubled mind. He decided to teach these people a lesson!
"Honestly, they don't know when to quit. They just have to come looking for a beating!"
Di Jiang couldn't be bothered to show himself. With a mere thought, he connected directly to the innate Five Elements Five Directions Grand Formation surrounding Mount Buzhou!
The five-colored light barrier, which had been flowing quietly, suddenly blazed with light! Five colossal beams of divine light—gold, green, blue, red, and yellow—carrying an aura of terrifying destruction, separated from the formation like five roaring dragons. They locked precisely onto the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun and Taiyi, Nuwa and Fuxi, Hong Yun and Zhenyuanzi, and the others outside the formation, then crashed down at a speed beyond their ability to react!
"Not good!"
"Get back!"
Taiqing and Di Jun cried out at the same time. The others' expressions changed drastically, and they all brought out their strongest defenses! The Heaven and Earth Exquisite Pagoda appeared above Taiqing's head, shielding Yuqing and Shangqing. Di Jun and Taiyi brought out He Tu Luo Shu and the Sun Gold Wheel, Solar True Fire roaring around them, while Fuxi plucked his strings and Zhenyuanzi unfurled the Book of Earth to defend himself...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Five successive crashes rang out, accompanied by muffled groans and cries of alarm!
The Five-Colored Divine Light smashed into their spiritual treasures with overwhelming force! Although the treasures blocked most of the terrifying power, the impact still sent their Primordial Spirits reeling and their blood and qi surging backward!
The next moment, nine figures were flung away like kites with their strings cut, spitting blood as the irresistible force blasted them off. They turned into streaks of light and vanished in an instant beyond the horizon, no one knowing which corner of the world they had been hurled billions of miles away to!
Inside Pangu Divine Hall, the world was finally quiet.
Di Jiang clapped his hands, dusting off nonexistent dirt, then closed his eyes again and sank back into his Yin-Yang Dao.
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