Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane, East and West Kunlun Joined Forces

This Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane was different from Zhen Yuanzi's Earth Book, which had transformed from the Earth Fetal Membrane. It was not a defensive treasure, but an intangible, formless force field—a special, mist-like barrier.

And because of its misty nature, powerful Great Divine Powers could freely traverse it, coming and going as they pleased, yet they could not completely pierce through or tear it apart.

This way, it could also prevent some deranged Great Divine Powers who had gone into qi deviation from ripping open the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane, causing Chaos Qi to pour in and destroy the Primordial World.

After all, the importance of this Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane was beyond doubt.

Besides protecting the Primordial World Earth from erosion by Chaos Qi, it could also continuously convert Chaos Qi into pure Innate Spiritual Qi, benefiting all beings of the Primordial World.

"Swish, swish, swish—"

At the edge of the sky outside the Primordial World, one Great Divine Power after another arrived, their gazes fixed straight on the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane. Though they hesitated for a moment, in the end, none could resist the temptation of Hongjun's Dao lecture.

Immediately, each of these Great Divine Powers employed their own methods, drawing close to the hazy Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane.

As mentioned before, this Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane was not a solid barrier but a force field like clouds and mist, of unknown thickness.

The deeper one went, the greater the pressure pressing in from all directions.

Even the pressure at the outermost layer was more than any below the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm could withstand.

Some Primordial Unity Golden Immortals, blinded by ambition and lacking a clear understanding of their own strength, were crushed into bloody mist the moment they entered the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane. Their Primordial Spirits were then ground away by the force field, meeting death and Dao annihilation.

For a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal to go listen to the Dao in Purple Firmament Palace was nothing short of seeking death.

Not to mention whether they could even pass through the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane's obstruction—even if they did, without the strength of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, they would be unable to take a single step in the Chaos.

The environment of Chaos was far less peaceful than the Primordial World.

Chaos Currents, Chaos Storms, Space-Time Turbulence, Chaos Gales, Demon God Evil Thoughts...

If one was a bit unlucky, even a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal swept up in them, without a powerful treasure to protect themselves, would fall!

Before they had even entered the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane, Primordial Unity Golden Immortals were falling one after another. The rest who had yet to enter hesitated repeatedly, and in a short period of time, dared not rashly go in.

Among that group of Primordial Unity Golden Immortals, however, there was one rather special one.

It was a scrawny monkey, only four feet tall, covered in yellow fur. This monkey had three ears on each side, six in total—it was none other than the Six-Eared Macaque, one of the Four Monkeys of Chaos.

This Six-Eared Macaque was skilled at hearing sounds, could discern principles, knew past and future, and understood all things. Though his strength was insufficient to enter Chaos and listen to the Dao, his eyes rolled around in a sly turn, and he soon had an idea, not losing heart.

Still, the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane could block Primordial Unity Golden Immortals and some Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals, but it could not stop those Great Divine Powers with extraordinary origins and deep foundations.

"Boom!"

A dazzling golden light tore through the void within the Primordial World, coming from afar like a golden dragon, its momentum vast, drawing the sidelong glances of many Great Divine Powers.

When the golden light converged, it turned out to be Laozi and Yuanshi, the two brothers, who had arrived using the divine ability "Vertical Ground Golden Light."

Laozi wore a black-and-white Daoist robe, his expression calm; Yuanshi wore a lotus crown, his demeanor majestic.

The two brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, stopping before the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane. The membrane was like a layer of hazy amber, separating the Primordial World from Chaos. Great Dao Runes flickered unsteadily upon it, reflecting the two men's varied expressions.

Laozi stroked his beard, gazing long at the hazy membrane, and could not help but let out a long sigh.

Yuanshi frowned slightly, breaking the silence first: "Eldest Brother, we two hold the Pangu Orthodox Lineage and have obtained the Essence of Heaven Opening. Naturally, we should seize this opportunity. Tongtian refused to heed our teachings, and Xuanyuan descended the mountain on his own—both are shallow in fortune. There is no need to mind them."

Laozi's gaze flickered. He shook his head, a trace of melancholy in his eyes. "Enough. This opportunity to listen to the Dao in Purple Firmament Palace is ultimately not meant for them."

Yuanshi said no more, only remarking that cultivation depended on one's personal opportunity and destiny, and could not be forced. Since Tongtian and Xuanyuan had not come, so be it.

"Two Dao Brothers, please wait a moment."

Just then, a Western Sublime Ultimate Qi rose from below, and a voice addressed them as Dao Brothers. It was the Queen Mother of the West, transformed from the first wisp of pure yin qi.

Seeing Laozi and Yuanshi, who also originated from Kunlun Mountain, she was eager to form a good connection.

She then spoke of an event several eons ago at Buzhou Mountain, the heavenly pillar, when treasures had emerged and she had sensed two streams of pure qi that were of the same origin as the two before her.

Hearing this, Laozi remained silent.

"I thank you, Daoist friend, for the reminder. My two unworthy younger brothers lack sufficient fortune. There is no need to wait for them for this lecture. Why not travel with my elder brother and me?"

Yuanshi smiled and followed the trend to extend an invitation.

One was from East Kunlun, the other from West Kunlun—they were practically neighbors. The Queen Mother of the West's origins were not ordinary, and she was worth befriending.

"Then I thank the Dao Brothers for their care."

The Queen Mother of the West glanced at Laozi. Seeing that he did not refuse, she stood together with the Two Pure Ones.

Seeing this, Laozi said no more. He activated his Grand Unity Magic Power, circulating his Grand Pure Qi, and then summoned the Houtian Merit Supreme Treasure, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda.

A small pagoda, one foot tall, emerged from his Primordial Spirit. It had nine layers, its body radiating a halo of Mysterious Yellow light, with countless Innate Dao Patterns drifting across its surface.

"Boom!"

As he poured his magic power into it, twelve streams of Mysterious Yellow Qi condensed into heavenly pillars. Merit light cascaded down like a curtain, shielding the three of them as they charged straight into the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane.

The pressure surged from all directions, but this Houtian Merit Supreme Treasure, famed for its defensive power, did not budge an inch.

"Go!"

Seeing Laozi's group pass through, the other Great Divine Powers, who had grown wary after the successive deaths of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortals, began to move again.

Each summoned their treasures, activated their divine abilities, and plunged into the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane.

Some succeeded; others failed.

Some, knowing the lay of the land and judging their own strength insufficient, gave up of their own accord.

Others, unwilling to accept their lot, felt the Heavenly Dao was unjust—why should their own foundations be so shallow, why should they have no treasures to protect them? Shouting "My fate is mine to command, not Heaven's!" they charged into the Heaven and Earth Fetal Membrane, only to be crushed into scattered remnants.

This brutal scene served as a stark warning to the later arrivals.

In the end, there were always those who feared neither death nor ruin, who would not be stopped unless they were mad enough to succeed. A few of them, relying on sheer desperation, did manage to force their way through.

And this was only the first trial.

When they subsequently entered the Chaos, those without treasures to protect them were still torn to shreds by the Chaos Qi.

Nor could all the Great Divine Powers who possessed treasures find the Purple Firmament Palace.

The Chaos was boundless and infinite, with no distinction between up and down, left or right. It also concealed auras and cut off perception, making it extremely difficult for those who ventured deep to discern direction, and all too easy to become lost within it.

Three thousand years passed like the snap of a finger, gone in an instant.

The Purple Firmament Palace stood firm amidst the Chaos Qi, unmoved no matter how fiercely the Chaos Qi scoured against it.

And before the palace gates, a region shrouded by Heavenly Dao Law completely isolated the Chaos Turbulent Flow, the Chaos Gale, and the temporal storms. Amid the directionless Chaos, it was like a patch of level ground.

After three thousand years, the Great Divine Powers had gradually found their way to the Purple Firmament Palace.

Laozi, Yuanshi, and the Queen Mother of the West, relying on their cultivation and the might of their treasures, stood at the very front, closest to the palace gates.

Nuwa and Fuxi followed closely behind. Not far away, Di Jun, Tai Yi, Dong Wang Gong, and Ziwei Star Lord faced off against one another, swords drawn and bows bent, though no blows had yet been exchanged.

In a more distant corner, Candle Dragon, having transformed into his Innate Dao Body, wore a long red robe, standing aloof and transcendent, utterly alone. The Nine Sons of the Dragon had not followed him, held back by the Calamity Qi that clung to them. After cultivating for Endless Years, they still had not fully healed their injuries.

At the very rear, the towering Kuafu and Da Yi exchanged a glance, then quietly began moving toward Dong Wang Gong.

Beside Nuwa, Fuxi's gaze involuntarily fell upon Di Jun's set of Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures—the River Diagram and Luo Book.