Di Jun looked excitedly at the heavenly palaces not far away.
"The Mandate of Heaven is mine. I shall become the Heavenly Emperor."
With that, he transformed into a streak of rainbow light and flew toward the Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces at extreme speed.
The Thirty-three Heavens possessed their own origin.
Only by refining that origin could one truly control the Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces and rightfully assume the position of Heavenly Emperor of the Primordial World.
The Golden Crow Transformation Technique was a Greater Divine Ability of the Sun God lineage. Once unleashed, it could shatter spatial barriers and move with incomparable speed.
Just as Di Jun was about to approach the Heavenly Gate,
a crimson light suddenly appeared in the distant sky.
In but a moment, the heavens suffused by that scarlet radiance grew broader and broader. Before long, an endless sea of red clouds covered the sky.
Amid the crimson light filling the heavens, a colossal Dharma form shrouded in flames roared:
"Our Witch Clan is the true orthodox lineage of Pangu. This world was opened by Father God Pangu."
"You are merely a mongrel bird from the Sun Star. How dare you steal the position of Heavenly Emperor?"
Upon seeing this, a Dao Lord's eyes narrowed as he said thoughtfully:
"It is that fellow Zhu Rong."
"It seems the Witch Clan has entered the fray."
Yet this was only to be expected. The twelve members of the Witch God Palace always claimed to be Pangu's orthodox lineage, and they clearly harbored ambitions for the position of Heavenly Emperor.
Now that the Thirty-three Heavens had only just manifested and remained masterless, the Witch Clan naturally could not resist stepping in if they held such grand ambitions.
"Let us watch a good show."
The Dao Lord chuckled. To him, neither the Witch Clan nor the Demon Clan was easy to deal with.
It would be best if they started fighting.
Better still if they shattered the Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces and cast down the position of Heavenly Emperor.
It was one thing for old Dao Ancestor Hongjun to merge with the Dao at the Purple Cloud Palace, but what were you? One was a mongrel bird from the Sun Star, the other an uncouth brute who knew nothing of Heaven's workings. What ability or merit did you possess to become the heavens above this poor Daoist's head?!
Zhu Rong wore red scales and stood atop a fire dragon, while Zhu Rong Divine Fire transformed into a crimson python coiled around his arm.
He watched Di Jun charge toward the Heavenly Gate without looking back, and terrifying killing intent flashed through his eyes.
The giant python formed from Zhu Rong Divine Fire instantly became a scarlet streak and rushed toward Di Jun at tremendous speed.
This divine fire was a manifestation of the Great Dao of Fire. Its power was immense, enough to burn the heavens and boil the seas.
Beneath the firelight, layer upon layer of heaven seemed incomparably scorching, as though they might shatter at any moment.
"Hahaha."
"Zhu Rong, with my Golden Crow Transformation Technique, how could you possibly catch up to me?"
Di Jun looked at the giant divine-fire python chasing him from behind, contempt flashing through his eyes.
But suddenly, his eyelids twitched violently.
Not good.
With a thought from Di Jun, the True Sun Fire around his body instantly boiled, then transformed into a suit of golden armor.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Space shattered and the heavens collapsed. Extreme destructive energy raged as countless spatial wind blades collided with the Golden Sun Armor.
Ripples spread through the shattered space, and an Ancestor Witch appeared beside Di Jun, crimson as cinnabar fire, with six legs, four wings, and a faceless, chaotic visage. The Great Dao of Space faintly surrounded him.
"Di Jiang!"
Di Jun halted and looked at the unexpected visitor before him, gloom flashing through his heart.
He had expected the Twelve Ancestor Witches to act.
But he had not expected Di Jiang's comprehension of the Great Dao of Space to have reached such a level.
Di Jiang had already gotten ahead of him, yet he had not sensed him in the slightest.
"Daoist Di Jun, the Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces lie right ahead."
"Why the rush?"
Di Jiang laughed heartily, and the entire sky began to tremble.
Layer upon layer of space shattered and reformed. Extreme destructive energy condensed into a Spear of Space that shot toward Di Jun.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Just then,
a series of bell chimes rang across the Primordial Great Land.
Heaven and earth fell silent.
The shattered space returned to normal one after another.
And the Spear of Space that had just condensed turned to ash.
Di Jiang gazed at the handsome deity in the distance, a giant bell suspended above his head, and sighed softly.
"Daoist Tai Yi."
"The Chaos Bell..."
Though his voice was soft, Tai Yi heard boundless killing intent within it.
The Chaos Bell was an Innate Supreme Treasure, capable of suppressing Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. Once its chime rang out, the Three Thousand Worlds fell silent.
It was the nemesis of those who cultivated the Great Dao of Space.
The Chaos Bell and Tai Yi had long been thorns in Di Jiang's flesh.
Tai Yi gave him an indifferent glance before raising the bell and stepping forward.
"Brother, go refine the origin of the Thirty-three Heavens."
"As for them, leave them to me."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Chaos Bell rang once more.
Law Divine Chains trembled as boundless killing intent shrouded the heavens.
Di Jun transformed into a rainbow and departed.
He believed in his younger brother.
With the Chaos Bell as his support, Tai Yi was innately invincible.
So what if several Ancestor Witches came to besiege him?
The most important matter now was refining the origin of the Thirty-three Heavens.
Only then could he borrow the power of Worldly Heaven to slowly settle accounts with all those who refused to submit.
"Not good, that mongrel bird is getting away."
"Brothers, strike at once!"
Zhu Rong, who had hurried to the battlefield only to be stopped by Tai Yi, saw this and quickly called for help.
If Di Jun truly refined the origin of the Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces,
then the Demon Clan's great momentum would be established.
Following Zhu Rong's furious roar,
several streams of divine light shot into the sky, stirring the celestial phenomena.
Several terrifying beings shrouded in Chaos Aura appeared, their colossal Dharma forms standing between heaven and earth.
At that moment, all Twelve Ancestor Witches attacked.
At that moment, heaven and earth changed color.
These were twelve beings who had attained Dao Fruits. Born bearing Pangu's legacy, their cultivation could truly be called earth-shattering.
Even Tai Yi, with the Chaos Bell in hand, could not help but be slightly moved by such a sight.
"Please lend me your aid, Your Majesty."
Tai Yi murmured softly.
Di Jiang's expression tightened.
Your Majesty?
Which Majesty?
Before he could figure it out,
the Primordial World's sky suddenly darkened.
The great sun retreated.
The lunar star emerged.
Yet more dazzling than the lunar star were the twinkling stars.
"The Star God Lineage?!"
Di Jiang was both shocked and enraged.
How could this be?
How could it possibly be?
Why would this one interfere in the struggle for the Heavenly Emperor's throne?
The Milky Way surged mightily as the stars across the sky shone brilliantly.
For a time, their radiance even eclipsed the lunar star.
Far away, a colossal Dao Mother giant draped in starlight stood between heaven and earth, her feet upon the Milky Way, as if Pangu had returned. The stars became pearls adorning the hem of her gown.
One eye of the Dao Mother was benevolent, governing the creation of myriad stars; the other was majestic, governing the order of heaven and earth.
She came against the flow of the river of stars, as if countless beings and worlds around her were singing hymns of praise.
"The Innate Dao Empress, Dou Mu Heavenly Venerate."
An ancient relic from primordial times went pale and abruptly rose to his feet before his many disciples and followers.
He was clearly astonished that this being would intervene.
Dou Mu Heavenly Venerate wore a gentle expression. She glanced at the Ancestor Witches in the void, then lightly turned the Golden Pagoda in her hand and sent it down to suppress them.
"Forgive me, fellow Daoists."
Having said that, she paid no heed to the reactions of the Ancestor Witches from the Witch God Palace and merely waved her hand.
All the stars of the heavens immediately released endless starlight.
The stars shifted and transformed, revealing themselves one after another.
The Star Lords of Zi Wei, Gou Chen, the Seven Luminaries, and the other stars slightly cupped their hands as the power of the stars blessed the Golden Pagoda.
Rumble!
The giant pagoda descended and transformed into a barrier, blocking the Ancestor Witches present.
"Doumu Niangniang, does your Star God Lineage truly intend to become enemies with our Witch Clan?"
A goddess stepped out from the Witch God Palace. Her benevolent face now faintly flickered with endless baleful energy.
She looked at the colossal Dao Mother Dharma form in the sky, wariness flashing through her eyes.
One had to know that this being had revealed herself to the world from the very beginning of World Creation, a Great Divine Ability User.
Few could compare to her in the antiquity of her origins or the mystery of her strength.
Not to mention that this Dao Mother was proficient in the Way of Creation.
Within the boundless sea of stars, she had enlightened the myriad stars and was revered as the Mother of Stars.
Even Zi Wei Star Lord, also an Innate Dao Lord, had to address her as Mother.
If she insisted on becoming enemies with the Witch Clan,
then even the Witch Clan, who feared neither heaven nor earth, would find it troublesome.
"Ancestor Witch Houtu, do not take offense."
"This time, I was entrusted by Daoist Di Jun to hold you fellow Daoists back."
Daoist Mother Yuan Jun smiled faintly.
"Having accepted another's request, I must loyally carry out their task."
"It was not my intention to make things difficult for your clan."
Houtu nodded, then transformed into her primordial Dharma form: a human body with a serpent's tail, seven arms behind her back each holding a spiritual treasure. She boldly attacked.
"Since that is the case, then allow this palace to witness Your Majesty's Divine Path Methods."
Before you continue