The Primordial Battle, Before the Sermon

Deep within the Chaos, amidst dense Chaos Qi, a Dao-field palace floated suspended, its entire body a mysterious purple-black, shimmering with brilliance, light and dark interweaving with a mysterious and profound spiritual essence coiling and spiraling around it.

This palace was none other than the Purple Firmament Palace, Hongjun's Dao-field. The hall stood majestic and grand, surrounded by nine-colored auspicious clouds, radiating a supreme, solemn, and awe-inspiring presence.

Innate Dao rhymes flowed over the glazed tiles, and the Heavenly Dao Divine Fire leaping within the bronze lampstands illuminated the billions of miles of space and time in all directions.

The purple radiance of the outer walls was condensed from 840 million Innate Restrictions, the Dao patterns upon them interpreting different Heavenly Dao Laws;

In the boundless space-time outside the palace, 129,600 Chaos Sword Qi hung suspended, and whenever the violent Chaos Gales touched the Purple Firmament Palace, they transformed into a fine rain of Innate Spiritual Qi that nourished all things.

"Hum!"

At that moment, the Chaos Qi outside the Purple Firmament Palace scattered in all directions, and then a Daoist with white hair, white eyebrows, and a white beard pierced through space-time and descended upon this place.

This figure stood tall and straight, clad in a flowing, shimmering Daoist robe, his eyes deep as the sea, with a pair of long, slender eyebrows that drooped like willow branches.

He was:

Two brows like hanging willows, drooping straight down to adorn an immortal face. His entire body was pure white, with plain white hair draping neatly over his shoulders.

The newcomer was none other than Yang Mei.

"Daoist friend Hongjun, an old friend pays a visit, I hope you will come out and see me."

Yang Mei's silver hair was like snow, and the half-length willow branch at his waist gleamed with a warm, greenish light. With every step he took, a green willow phantom bloomed beneath his feet.

It was a Space Escape Technique similar to "Shrink the Ground to Inch."

"Daoist friend Yang Mei, it has been a long time. It's been a while."

Hongjun wore a white Daoist robe, also with white hair and a white beard, his countenance kind, his eyes seeming to see through the ages. He made a bow of greeting to Yang Mei.

"Haha, I have yet to congratulate you, Daoist friend, on proving the Dao and attaining Hunyuan." Yang Mei returned the bow with a light laugh.

"Yet I never expected that you, Daoist friend, had already proven Hunyuan long ago." Hongjun's expression was calm, but he gave Yang Mei a deep look.

He had thought himself the first in the Primordial World to prove the Dao, already invincible, but he never imagined that Yang Mei had quietly attained the Hunyuan Dao Fruit at some unknown time.

"Daoist friend, since you have already proven the Dao, how about a sparring match?"

At this time, Hongjun had not yet merged with the Dao, so in front of his old friend, a bit of competitive spirit arose within him.

Countless Dao patterns flickered faintly within his sleeve. As he raised his hand, the Jade Disc of Creation, which had fallen to the level of a Chaos Spiritual Treasure, floated above his head.

The surface of the Jade Disc of Creation shimmered with the radiance of the cosmos and starry rivers. On the disc were carved three thousand mysterious and unfathomable runes. These runes appeared and disappeared, as if narrating the true essence of the Laws. The golden runes that hung down dyed the surrounding Chaos into a brilliant starry river.

Then, Hongjun, still somewhat familiar with Yang Mei's methods, prepared himself for battle and continued to summon his treasures.

The Innate Supreme Treasures, the Pangu Banner and the Taiji Diagram, The Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, the Mountain River Society Diagram, the Dragon Head Crutch, the Pure Water Alms Bowl, the Twelve Petaled Merit Golden Lotus...

One by one, treasures that would cause the Great Divine Powers of the Primordial World to fight tooth and nail over appeared in a cluster in Hongjun's hands.

"Daoist friend's wealth is becoming more and more abundant."

Yang Mei stroked his beard and smiled lightly. He stretched out his right hand, his fingertip tracing across the void, and a rift was suddenly torn open.

Hongjun's expression shifted slightly. The Pangu Banner cleaved out a Heaven Opening Blade, the Taiji Diagram rolled up Black and White Qi like crashing waves, and the Mountain River Society Diagram unfurled to form its own small world, attempting to trap Yang Mei within.

"Daoist friend Hongjun, by sparring with me in the Space Great Dao, you have somewhat underestimated me."

Yang Mei raised an eyebrow, and suddenly, thousands of willow branch phantoms rose all over his body, each willow leaf flowing with profound Space Laws.

And so, the two Great Divine Powers who had proven the Hunyuan Dao Fruit engaged in a great battle within the Chaos.

Hongjun had many treasures to protect himself, while Yang Mei had proven the Dao for a longer time.

However, whether it was because the foundation of the earthworm was inferior to the Hollow Willow, or because Hongjun himself had just proven the Dao, When Yang Mei manifested the true form of the Hollow Willow, the willow branch gently swept, and Hongjun's treasures were all collected cleanly.

Only the Jade Disc of Creation, favored by the Heavenly Dao, was not taken; the rest of the treasures all fell into Yang Mei's hands.

"Hunyuan is only the beginning, Daoist friend. You still need to strive."

Yang Mei withdrew his hand and returned these treasures to Hongjun, showing no reluctance at all.

To him, unless they were Chaos Treasures, some Innate Treasures were not as convenient as his own true body, so he naturally looked down on such external objects.

"There are heavens beyond heavens." Hongjun nodded with a wry smile.

"The Primordial World is too small. I intend to go to the Chaos. Old friend, have you noticed any Great Divine Powers on the Primordial World Earth who are skilled in the Space Great Dao?"

Yang Mei stroked his beard, then suddenly recalled an event from several eons ago, and couldn't help but frown.

He had proven Hunyuan early, and was a bit stronger than Hongjun when they sparred.

Yet, as a Great Unbound, Great Unfettered Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin, he could not, like Hongjun the Heavenly Dao Saint, use the convenience of the Heavenly Dao to observe the entire Primordial World as clearly as the lines on his palm.

He had divined the Heavenly secrets several times, but could deduce no result; the destined opponent in the Dao Struggle was still unknown in identity.

This was the only obsession in his heart.

"Allow me to perform a deduction."

Hearing this, Hongjun did not refuse. He merged his Primordial Spirit and Spiritual Sense into the Jade Disc of Creation, closed his eyes slightly, and opened them again after a short while.

"How strange. Among those who have mastered the Time Great Dao, there is Candle Dragon of the Dragon Race; but for Space, not a single one—only Zhen Yuanzi and Kunpeng can barely be said to have dabbled in it."

A look of confusion appeared on Hongjun's face.

From what he knew of Yang Mei, the latter never spoke without reason. Since he had asked, there must indeed be a Great Divine Power within the Primordial World who commanded the Space Great Dao and whom Yang Mei valued.

Yet, even with his Heavenly Dao Saint status and the deduction of the Jade Disc of Creation, not a single trace or clue had revealed itself?!

This stirred a flicker of curiosity in Hongjun's heart.

"Daoist friend, in three thousand years, I shall preach here inside the Purple Firmament Palace. At that time, the Great Divine Powers of the Primordial World will gather, and perhaps we may encounter that person."

After a moment's thought, Hongjun offered this suggestion.

"Very well. I am merely a bit curious, but nothing more. There is no need to search deliberately. Farewell, old friend—I take my leave."

Yang Mei shook his head. His gaze deepened as he looked toward the Primordial World, as if it could pierce the endless chaos and the barriers of time and space. At last, he gave a faint smile, and with a flicker of his form, prepared to depart.

But Hongjun stopped him, telling him once more about how Old Ancestor Five Elements had been schemed against before, and warned Yang Mei to be cautious.

Yang Mei left with a furrowed brow.

Meanwhile, far away in Pangu Hall, Xuanyuan seemed to sense something. His gaze turned toward that direction.

"Fourth Brother, what's wrong?" Tongtian noticed Xuanyuan's unusual behavior.

"Nothing. Brother, continue your secluded cultivation." Xuanyuan shook his head.

Tongtian did not press further. He focused on his cultivation, striving to advance from Grand Unity Golden Immortal Perfection and step into the realm of Golden Immortal of the Origin.

Peace returned to Pangu Hall. All fourteen Great Divine Powers were in seclusion, while the impact of Hongjun's attainment of sainthood and his preaching at the Purple Firmament Palace continued to brew across the Primordial World.

One by one, the Great Divine Powers began to stir.

Three thousand years was not a long time. The chaos was boundless and without end. To find the Purple Firmament Palace within three thousand years was itself a tremendous challenge—one that required great fortune and immense destiny.

They had no idea that Hongjun's preaching concealed a trap. All they knew was that the realm of Heavenly Dao Saint surpassed that of Golden Immortal of the Origin.

That Hongjun could transmit the Dao within the Purple Firmament Palace was surely a great opportunity, a great creation—not to be missed!

And so, from every immortal mountain and blessed land, Great Divine Powers emerged from seclusion. Those who deemed themselves strong enough and harbored ambitions of greater power rushed toward the chaos beyond the heavens.

Yet, opportunity walked hand in hand with danger. How could the chaos be so easily entered?

Leaving aside the various obstacles within the chaos itself, the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane at the boundary between the Primordial World and the chaos alone blocked more than seventy percent of the Great Divine Powers!