Houtu's Unanimous Opinion Resolves the Crisis

As he had walked here, Zhenyuanzi had been repeatedly mulling over Haotian's cryptic warning outside the palace gates: "The arising and passing of karmic ties, flowers blooming and flowers fading, Fortune and Misfortune leaning upon each other, things reversing when pushed to the extreme..."

Could the Saint Child's words be referring precisely to this? Zhenyuanzi wondered.

"This Golden Cloud is clearly an opportunity, the very place where 'fortune' lies..."

"'Fortune and Misfortune lean upon each other'... Could this seat conceal deadly danger?"

His thoughts raced. At once, he sent a low transmission to Hongyun beside him. "Worthy Brother, in this elder brother's opinion, this Golden Cloud may not be a favorable seat. Why not choose two White Clouds nearby and sit there instead? That would be safer."

Hongyun was taken aback, his face full of confusion. "Why does Elder Brother say this?"

"This is a Saint's Dao Field, where auspiciousness gathers. How could it harbor calamity?"

Zhenyuanzi briefly explained his thoughts, then cautioned him at the end, "Since the Saint Child spoke those words, they cannot have been without cause. Worthy Brother, you must remain cautious."

After hearing him out, Hongyun merely laughed freely, unconcerned. "Elder Brother is overthinking it."

"The Purple Firmament Palace is a sacred place where the Saint cultivates in peace, the place where all laws return to their source. How could there truly be disaster here?"

"The Saint Child's words surely referred to something else."

"Opportunity lies before us. How can we let it slip away over baseless fears?"

"Elder Brother should take a seat quickly."

Seeing him like this, Zhenyuanzi felt helpless. Just as he was about to persuade him again—"Worthy Brother, the Great Dao is profound and subtle. One must not fail to examine it. Do not forget—"

Before he could finish, the void suddenly boomed. A scorching, tyrannical aura surged violently in from beyond this realm!

Two resplendent, blazing "suns," their radiance illuminating the greater cosmos, brutally tore through this world's barrier and crashed inside!

Solar True Fire ran rampant, dyeing half the heavens gold and crimson as Dao rhythms roiled and boiled beneath its heat.

They were none other than the Innate sovereigns nurtured by the Solar Star... Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi!

Seeing more Great Powers arrive—and with such overwhelming momentum—Hongyun grew even more anxious. "Elder Brother, there is no time! Do not hesitate any longer; sit down quickly!"

Zhenyuanzi frowned tightly, still intending to stop him. "Worthy Brother, wait—"

Before he could finish, the two blazing suns were already racing toward the center of the world.

When Hongyun saw that persuasion was useless, he anxiously reached out to drag Zhenyuanzi down by force. Yet Zhenyuanzi's body was like a tree rooted in the earth, standing immovable.

Left with no choice, Hongyun let out a soft sigh. His figure flashed, and he took a seat atop the last Golden Cloud himself.

The instant the final Golden Cloud was claimed, the two speeding "suns" abruptly froze in midair. Blazing flames churned wildly around them, revealing the violent turmoil in their masters' hearts.

Then the golden flames filling the sky slowly drew inward, revealing two young men in Golden Crow imperial robes. Their features were handsome and imposing, but their expressions were now dark as water.

When Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi had first entered this realm, they had seen that one Golden Cloud seat remained.

That was why the Two People had not immediately taken human form. Braving the risk of incurring a Saint's displeasure, they had rushed here at full speed in their True Form and True Body—forms capable of stirring heaven and earth.

Their sole purpose had been to seize this obvious opportunity as swiftly as possible.

Yet despite taking the risk, they received no reward. The final seat had been snatched away right before their eyes.

The Two People had seen it clearly.

A moment ago, although Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi had both stood beside the Golden Clouds, neither had shown any intention of taking a seat.

Thus, Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi had both assumed that Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi had no interest in sitting upon the Golden Clouds.

But just as the Two People were about to reach them, Hongyun had suddenly sat down.

In Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi's eyes, this was plainly a deliberate attempt to toy with them.

Seeing the ugly expressions on Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi's faces, quick-witted Zhenyuanzi immediately realized that the Two People had misunderstood. Inwardly, he cried that things were bad.

He hurriedly warned Hongyun to stay alert.

At the same time, without the slightest hesitation, he summoned a surge of yellow light and placed the ancient, heavy Earth Book above his head. It emanated a vast, solemn Earth Aura, towering like mountains as it faintly shielded both him and Hongyun.

All were in the Primordial Wilderness, and all were Innate Divine Beings. Naturally, they knew at least something of one another.

Thus, although Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi had not entered the Primordial Wilderness often, Zhenyuanzi had still heard a little of their manner of conduct.

They were proud and arrogant, exceedingly domineering.

Now that Hongyun's actions had angered them, the Two People would certainly not let the matter rest.

With Zhenyuanzi's warning, Hongyun too knew he had brought trouble upon himself.

The gentle smile usually on his face faded. Wisps of hazy crimson clouds rose around him, like clouds and mist, flowing and shifting as he secretly gathered his mana.

In an instant, four incomparably powerful auras slammed together at the core of Yan Dao Palace!

The air seemed to congeal into substance. Boundless Dao rhythms were thrown into chaotic turbulence, emitting faint humming sounds.

The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Kunpeng seated upon the Golden Clouds, as well as Fuxi upon a White Cloud, all sensed it. One after another, they circulated their Profound Arts to protect themselves.

When Great Powers contended, even a mere clash of auras possessed enough might to shake an entire greater cosmos. They could not afford to treat it lightly.

Just as the atmosphere became taut as drawn bows, ready to erupt at a touch, another figure quietly stepped into the heart of this realm.

The newcomer wore a goose-yellow palace gown. Her figure was full and dignified, her face compassionate and gentle. Her aura seemed wholly fused with the earth beneath her feet—heavy, warm, and embracing of all things.

She was Houtu, the only one among the Twelve Ancestral Witches to come to Purple Firmament Palace to hear the Dao—the Ancestral Witch of Earth, Mother of the Land.

Houtu's appearance was like an invisible warm current flowing into this icy confrontation.

Her vast yet gentle Ancestral Witch aura, born of the Great Desolation Land, spread outward.

Without a sound, it neutralized the razor-sharp edge and scorching heat in the air, easing the atmosphere that had been stretched to its limit.

Di Jun's gaze flickered. He cast an imperceptible glance at Houtu, then warily looked at the phantom image of the Earth Book above Zhenyuanzi's head, emanating a towering aura, as his thoughts raced.

Though proud, he was not reckless.

In this Saint's Dao Field, clashing with Zhenyuanzi, who possessed the Earth Book and astonishing defenses, was already unwise. To drag an unfathomable Ancestral Witch into it as well would be an even worse course.

Di Jun snorted coldly, transmitted a message to Eastern Emperor Taiyi, then swept his sleeve and took the lead in descending onto two adjacent White Clouds near the purple-jade High Platform.

Though his expression remained gloomy, he had withdrawn his oppressive sovereign's might.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's brows were tightly furrowed. The phantom Chaos Bell in his palm was on the verge of solidifying, golden flames dancing in his eyes—clearly, he was unwilling to let the matter rest.

But seeing that his Elder Brother had already yielded and taken a seat, he could only forcibly suppress his fury, glare viciously at Hongyun, and sit down alongside Di Jun.

A conflict on the verge of erupting was inadvertently defused by Houtu's sudden appearance.

Seeing this, the Great Powers Inside the Hall each harbored different thoughts, yet all secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They reined in their auras, restoring the serene and auspicious air of an immortal gathering as they waited for the Saint's arrival.

Meanwhile, outside the main gates of Purple Firmament Palace.

Haotian and Yaochi had just properly put away their respective Ginseng Fruits when they saw two somewhat dim golden lights struggle out of the Chaos Depths in a wretched state, staggering toward the palace gates.

Yaochi's heart tightened slightly. She hurriedly steadied her mind, concealed her expression, and once more assumed the cool, tranquil bearing of a Dao child, like a clay statue or jade carving.