Xuanhuang Wuwei

In the chaos, Pangu sat cross-legged in the void, using his Spiritual Sense to communicate with the Sky-Opening Axe, seeking to better wield it and enhance its spiritual nature. After a period of communion, Pangu was quite satisfied.

At that moment, a benevolent Spiritual Sense rapidly approached. Pangu, in high spirits, asked, "Daoist friend, are you well?" His voice boomed like thunder, rumbling across the horizon.

Pangu was startled by the sound of his own voice, realizing that in his cultivation he had unknowingly grown so massive, nearly matching the size of Cang Dui. This Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art was truly the supreme technique for body refiners. He had now reached the seventh revolution. He couldn't help but stroke his muscles, which rivaled metal and stone, feeling even more pleased.

The figure finally appeared—a man in a yellow Daoist robe with a kind countenance. He bowed to Pangu and said, "This poor Daoist is Xuanhuang. Greetings, Daoist friend."

Pangu studied the newcomer with great interest, and this was not due to discourtesy. After all, in the countless eons since his birth, this was the first time he had encountered a living being with whom he could converse.

Xuanhuang seemed a bit embarrassed by Pangu's scrutiny and said, "Just now, I sensed an aura of the Dao, so I came to investigate. I did not expect to meet a Daoist friend."

A thought stirred in Pangu's mind: "Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang, Universe Primordial Era, sun and moon wax and wane, stars spread across the sky." This Xuanhuang and I share no small fate. The Dao's mission requires me to split the heavens and divide the earth. I wonder if Xuanhuang has any Karma in this.

"What is the Dao?"

"Man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, the Dao follows nature."

Xuanhuang glanced at the pondering Pangu and said slowly, "The Dao I pursue is non-action. The law of the Dao is nature."

Pangu suddenly fell into confusion, his face twisted in pain. Xuanhuang was startled and understood—each person's Dao is different, yet all paths lead to the same destination. One must follow the Dao, advancing along its trajectory. But the Pangu before him had become trapped in seeking to understand Xuanhuang's Dao. With a thought, a stream of Xuanhuang Qi drifted toward Pangu. This Xuanhuang Qi was the pure energy that would support heaven and earth after their creation, capable of dispelling all afflictions. Strangely, most of the Xuanhuang Qi was absorbed by the Chaos Green Lotus, for reasons unknown.

After coming to his senses, Pangu pondered for a moment, then shook his head. What is my Dao? Who knows! He bowed and said, "Thank you, Daoist friend. This poor Daoist is Pangu."

Though their pursued Daos differed, they still had much to discuss. This exchange of Dao lasted for one Yuanhui.

Xuanhuang seemed to have gained much, achieving a great breakthrough in his cultivation, stepping into the realm of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin. Pangu, however, appeared to have gained nothing. After all, Pangu's Dao of Strength required constant combat to improve. Such seated discussion naturally yielded little effect. Moreover, Pangu had already reached the perfection of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin realm; he only needed to fully comprehend the Law of Strength to become a Saint without needing to entrust his Primordial Spirit.

Pangu looked at Xuanhuang with a mischievous glint and said, "This sitting and discussing the Dao is rather dull. How about we change the method?"

Xuanhuang's heart stirred, and he understood—the other needed constant tempering. He was suddenly filled with boldness and declared, "Fine, let us have a bout and see how much my magical power has grown."

He raised his hand, and a delicate pagoda flew into the air, a mysterious smile on his face.

Pangu summoned the Sky-Opening Axe with a gesture and swung it at Xuanhuang with a whoosh. But to his frustration, this strike, carrying nearly three-tenths of his strength, was held back by the ripples emitted by the Exquisite Pagoda.

Xuanhuang laughed heartily and said, "My Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda is no ordinary treasure. It was conceived by the Great Dao, possessing no offensive power, only defensive capabilities. You may go all out."

Pangu sneered inwardly, "I was just afraid of hurting you. Watch me strike again."

With five-tenths and then full strength, he only managed to make the Exquisite Pagoda tremble slightly. Now reassured, Pangu began to temper his Law of Strength.

The axe slowly swung forward. Though slow, it followed the trajectory of the Dao, emitting an aura of the Dao. Different trajectories, different strengths. He attacked again and again, comprehending again and again, forming the Three Sky-Opening Axes.

"Sky Opening"

"Earth Splitting"

"Sky Rend"

A spacetime different from the chaos took shape, only to vanish under the pressure of the boundless chaotic energy.

The endless chaos remained as calm as it had been for eons. Pangu and Xuanhuang sat cross-legged in the void, each comprehending their own Dao. The Chaos Green Lotus swirled beneath them, streams of black and white energy flowing into it, transforming into even purer Spiritual Qi to nourish the two upon the lotus. The Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda hung above their heads, shedding ten thousand strands of Xuanhuang Qi like a canopy.

In the distant chaos, a surge of chaotic energy churned, and two towering auras spread outward.

"Kun Peng, you vile creature! Why do you hound me so!" A middle-aged man in a red Daoist robe waved his hands, and patches of chaotic energy transformed into clouds, drifting toward a sinister-looking Daoist. The clouds appeared soft and harmless, but they were not to be underestimated—seemingly light, yet weighing more than ten thousand gold. If a person were trapped within, they would dissolve into pus in no time.

Facing the sea of clouds, the Daoist waved his hands, and a blast of chaotic Xun Wind deflected the encroaching gray clouds, causing them to pass him by.

Kun Peng said slyly, "Daoist Jin Yun, we were born together. Clouds follow the wind—this cannot harm me. Besides, that Primordial Violet Qi was obtained by the two of us together. How can you claim it for yourself?"

Jin Yun laughed bitterly. "The Hong Hu body—have you not already refined it and cultivated the Heavenly Gang Earthly Sha Mystic Transformation? We have each taken what we needed."

Kun Peng feigned anger and said, "The Primordial Violet Qi is the foundation of the Great Dao! The Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations and Seventy-Two Earthly Transformations are merely divine abilities. I was deceived by you back then."

Jin Yun's heart turned cold. How could he have befriended such a person? He muttered, "I knew all along that Hong Hu possessed transformative divine abilities. We conspired against him, and you took on that half-fish, half-bird form."

Kun Peng was born with a fish's body and a bird's head, with wings on his back. In water he was a fish, in the air he was a roc. He hated nothing more than being reminded of his strange appearance. Enraged, he shouted, "Jin Yun, you, you... I will have no peace until you are dead!"

"Kun Peng, you brat! We've fought before. Now you want to take the Primordial Violet Qi inside me as well? Fine!"

Jin Yun no longer held back. He unleashed the Law of Clouds he had comprehended, transforming it into one divine ability after another. Clouds are formless by nature, ever-changing and unpredictable, and so were his abilities.

But perhaps it was fate. His opponent was the Xun Wind Essence, an old acquaintance born of the Wind Rule. Once the boundless Xun Wind arose, even his clouds' protective function failed.

Seeing that he was about to fall, Jin Yun grew desperate and shouted, "If heaven wills my death, I will make sure you suffer too, haha!"

"Boom!" A thunderous explosion sounded beside Kun Peng. Jin Yun had self-destructed. The self-destruction of a Chaos Demon God was no small matter. It instantly created a small-scale Primordial Era, with Earth Water Wind Fire surging. Kun Peng was not spared—he was blasted black and blue, nearly sucked into that strange, small spacetime.

Steadying himself, Kun Peng searched everywhere. Not only was Jin Yun's Primordial Violet Qi gone, but Hong Hu's had also vanished. He muttered to himself, "Could it have been destroyed in the explosion? Impossible—this is an object of the Great Dao. No one can destroy it."

He sighed. "This... this!" After all that fighting, he had gained nothing. Disappointed, he had no choice but to leave.

None of this affected Pangu, who remained in meditation billions of miles away. But then the Chaos Green Lotus shuddered, and a patch of red clouds carrying two streams of Primordial Violet Qi appeared out of thin air, merging into the lotus.

Xuanhuang was startled. Primordial Violet Qi! This Chaos Green Lotus was actually absorbing the foundation of the Great Dao. This... this.

Pangu slowly opened his eyelids, which seemed not to have moved for ten thousand years, and said, "Brother Xuanhuang, what's wrong? Your Dao Heart is unstable!"

Xuanhuang shook his head and sank back into meditation.

Perhaps it was the arrangement or execution of the Great Dao. The balance among the Demon Gods was broken by something unknown. Perhaps it was simply fate. The calm within the chaos gradually shattered. In the dark of the moonless night, murder and plunder became frequent. From time to time, Primordial Violet Qi merged into the Chaos Green Lotus. The lotus's twenty-four petals gradually turned a deep red.

Countless years passed. Chaos Demon Gods continued to fall from time to time.

An invisible ripple spread, carrying an intangible pressure that covered the entire chaos. The whole chaos trembled. Chaos had erupted. Because of a decree from the Dao, chaos was thrown into complete disarray.

"Heaven's Chosen Calamity Bearer"—this message appeared simultaneously in the minds of all Chaos Demon Gods, guided by the Great Dao.

"Kill this Calamity Bearer, and you shall control the Great Dao, becoming the one and only Dao Controller in the world." The Chaos Demon Gods' hearts were stirred. At that moment, over two thousand Chaos Demon Gods roamed the chaos, searching for this fated Calamity Bearer.

Voices rang out endlessly in the chaos: "This Old Ancestor will kill him and become the Dao Controller!" "I am about to become the Controller, hahaha!"

The dream of becoming a Dao Controller drove the Chaos Demon Gods mad, their eyes bloodshot as they desperately sought the Calamity Bearer. For this unique opportunity—or perhaps because their minds had been disturbed—Demon Gods who already held grudges against each other once again began a great slaughter.