Hongjun's Summons, Chaos's Peril

The moment the anomaly above the Nine Heavens disappeared, the Innate Divine Saints in the Great Desolation felt as if they had been granted a general amnesty.

But in the next instant, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice appeared in Randeng's mind, "Randeng, my boy, hurry to the depths of Chaos and visit Purple Cloud Palace."

Randeng, located in Pangu Hall, felt his pupils contract sharply. He had originally expected to see Master Randeng again only when he went to Purple Cloud Palace to lecture. He never expected his master to summon him proactively.

"As you command, Master. Your disciple will depart immediately!"

Hongjun's voice vanished in a flash, leaving only the general direction of Purple Cloud Palace in Randeng's mind before disappearing.

Randeng then took his leave from the Ancestor Witches, "Fellow Daoists, I have urgent matters to attend to and must leave now."

Houtu, Dijiang, and the other Ancestor Witches were all straightforward and pure-hearted individuals, so they didn't think much of it. They simply assumed that Randeng, having witnessed the supreme glory of Hongjun's ascension to sainthood, had been moved and wished to travel outside the Great Desolation to meditate and comprehend the Great Dao, thereby breaking through his cultivation.

Houtu nodded gently, her voice deep and warm, "Fellow Daoist Randeng, please go. The Great Dao is paramount, and cultivation is important. Our Witch Clan's Pangu Hall is always open to you; you are welcome to visit anytime."

"Fellow Daoist Randeng, please go. You are welcome to visit our Witch Clan anytime. We are also preparing to go into seclusion, striving to have the remaining brothers ascend to Grand Unity Golden Immortal within these thirty thousand years, and then we shall also go to Purple Cloud Palace to have a look."

The Ancestor Witches chimed in one after another. Their Witch Clan was born with robust physiques but was limited by their comprehension of the Great Dao. Grand Unity Golden Immortal was the lowest threshold for entering Chaos; only by reaching this realm could they withstand the dangers within Chaos.

Now that Hongjun had become a saint and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth was exceptionally clear, it was the perfect time for breakthroughs. Naturally, they did not wish to fall behind the other Innate Divine Saints in the Great Desolation.

Thus, Randeng conjured a beam of light and departed from the Witch Clan, heading towards the ethereal membrane of heaven and earth above the Nine Heavens.

This ethereal membrane was the boundary between the Great Desolation and Chaos. The violent Chaos Qi passed through the membrane and transformed into the Innate Spiritual Qi within the Great Desolation.

All beings in the Great Desolation knew that to step into Chaos, one's cultivation must reach the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.

This was because within Chaos, there was no protection from the rules of heaven and earth. It was filled with world-destroying Chaos Gales, spatial turbulence that tore through the void, and omnipresent Chaos malevolent energy. Only the physique and Spiritual Sense of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, coupled with Innate Spiritual Treasures, could barely resist the dangers within.

Randeng had long since stabilized his Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, his Dao cultivation unfathomable. In his hand, he held the Primordial Chaos Heaven Measuring Ruler, an Innate Supreme Treasure. Naturally, he did not fear mere Chaos Gales.

He did not use the Primordial Chaos Heaven Measuring Ruler. With a mere thought, a faint wisp of ethereal gray Netherflame automatically appeared, covering his body and forming an indestructible shield. This flame contained the Dao charm of purifying all things. No matter how violent the Chaos Qi was, it could not come within half a step of him.

Randeng passed through the ethereal membrane and entered the boundless Chaos.

Only now did Randeng truly understand why Dao Ancestor Hongjun, in his three lectures at Purple Cloud Palace, always said that only those with destiny could attend.

This Chaos was inherently a death trap. Without the personal guidance of a Saint, let alone finding Purple Cloud Palace hidden in the depths of Chaos, even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal could easily get lost in this boundless Chaos if they were not careful. In the end, their bodies would be torn apart by the Chaos Gales, their souls devoured by the spatial turbulence, leading to utter annihilation.

Everything in sight was a hazy gray. There was no sky, no earth, no up, down, left, or right, and no east, west, south, or north. The concept of space was completely nullified here.

Violent Chaos Gales howled past, emitting piercing shrieks like billions of blades cutting through the void. The immense power directly interfered with the release of Spiritual Sense. Even the Spiritual Sense of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal would be shredded if it extended beyond a thousand miles, making it impossible to discern direction.

Without Dao Ancestor Hongjun's guidance, failing to find Purple Cloud Palace was a minor issue; it was more likely that one would become lost in this Chaos forever.

Following the guidance left by his teacher Hongjun in his mind, Randeng identified a direction and flew off.

The originally violent and chaotic Chaos Qi gradually became gentle, and the howling Chaos Gales disappeared without a trace. The surroundings fell into an extreme silence, so quiet that he could hear the sound of his own Great Dao circulating. This area seemed to be a pure land within Chaos, completely out of place with the dangers outside.

Randeng quickly activated his Spiritual Sense to probe. The moment he did, his heart was greatly shaken—this seven-colored light bridge was not formed by any Spiritual Treasure, but was condensed from solidified Heavenly Dao Dao charm. Every strand of light contained a supreme principle of the Great Dao. The bridge flowed with a faint sacred aura, forming an invisible barrier that completely blocked out the external Chaos Gales and spatial rifts, preventing them from penetrating even slightly.

Randeng cautiously stepped onto the light bridge. Instantly, boundless seven-colored light enveloped him. An irresistible Saintly power lifted his body, and he flew rapidly towards the depths of Chaos at a speed beyond his comprehension and far exceeding his own limits.

On this light bridge, he seemed to have lost the concept of speed. He only felt the surrounding Chaos scenery rapidly receding, covering millions of miles in an instant.

"Is this the divine ability of a Saint? Even in this dangerous Chaos, it's like walking on flat ground."

For the first time, Randeng experienced the power of a Saint. What was a perilous place for an ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortal was merely a casual stroll in the park for a Saint.

However, this also solidified Randeng's resolve not to become a Heavenly Dao Sage.

Heavenly Dao Sages, their status tied to the Primordial Heavenly Dao, were bound by the Heavenly Dao in every action. Although they gained eternal life and enjoyed infinite majesty, they were also imprisoned within the Great Desolation and the heavens. The farther they were from the Great Desolation, the weaker their strength would become, completely losing their freedom and becoming executors of the Heavenly Dao.

What Randeng yearned for was the unrestrained Great Dao of transcending heaven and earth and roaming freely in Chaos, not the position of a Saint who depended on others and was constrained by the Heavenly Dao.

As Randeng was contemplating, the light bridge beneath his feet suddenly stopped. When he looked up again, he found himself already outside Purple Cloud Palace.

The entire palace exuded grandeur, with ethereal Purple Qi swirling around. On the plaque in the center of the main hall, the words "Purple Cloud Palace" were inscribed with Dao patterns. A single glance made one immerse themselves, with the Dao charm of the Three Thousand Great Daos contained within like stars scattered across the sky.

"Why aren't you coming in quickly? What are you doing standing at my palace entrance?"

A grand and majestic voice echoed from within the main hall, interrupting Randeng's contemplation.

It was Old Ancestor Hongjun calling Randeng.

Inside the main hall, it was spacious and solemn, with Dao charm circulating. The air was filled with a calming aura. On the nine-grade lotus cushion above, Old Ancestor Hongjun sat with his eyes closed, holding a whisk, surrounded by the charm of the Great Dao, as if he had merged with the entire Chaos and the entire Heavenly Dao.

Randeng mustered all his Spiritual Sense to probe, only to find that the Dao Ancestor before him was like nothingness. His Spiritual Sense passed through, unable to grasp any trace of his aura. It was as if the person before him was the Great Dao, the Chaos, and even the very essence of the Great Desolation and the heavens, unfathomably profound and impossible to fathom.