Chaos Demon Ape's Scrutiny, Hongjun's Sermon Begins!

The Purple Cloud Palace was tense, with divine abilities flying everywhere.

Three mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal powerhouses were locked in battle, their magical power surging as the shockwaves of their fight swept outward.

Yet none of the three struck with lethal intent, still exercising some restraint.

After all, staining a saint's dojo with blood would be an offense against heavenly majesty.

Seated on the second cattail mat, Jade Pure Yuanshi watched Old Ancestor Kunpeng's figure, an involuntary disgust rising in his heart.

Born of dampness and hatched from eggs, clad in fur and crowned with horns!

As a staunch racial supremacist, he too wished to assert his presence at this moment.

Moreover, Zhunti and Jieyin had deep roots and profound origins, and Jade Pure Yuanshi wanted to forge a good connection with this pair of senior brothers. As for Old Ancestor Kunpeng, he was merely a demonic aberration, unworthy of comparison.

"Wretched beast, roll off that cattail mat at once!"

"This Seat believes you are truly unworthy to sit with my Three Pure Ones and Listen to the Dao. I advise you to know your place and not force my Three Pure Ones to take action!"

Cold and merciless, domineering and imposing!

Jade Pure Yuanshi spoke to Old Ancestor Kunpeng, murderous intent hidden in his eyes as a vast, icy magical power surged like a gale, striking toward him.

In an instant!

Old Ancestor Kunpeng teetered on the brink of collapse, endless dark waters dissipating like mist!

With his cultivation, he was no match for Jade Pure Yuanshi's strength alone. If not for the protection of the North Sea Divine Mansion, Old Ancestor Kunpeng would have been sent flying outright!

"Yuanshi, you brat, what are you saying?"

"Born of dampness and hatched from eggs, clad in fur and crowned with horns—are you talking about me?"

"Whoever insults the Demon Race is an enemy of mine, Taiyi. Old Ancestor Kunpeng belongs to the feathered avian clan, and it is only right that I extend my protection. Zhunti and Jieyin, cease your attacks at once!"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi was enraged!

Ever since they had gathered at the Purple Cloud Palace, Jade Pure Yuanshi's gaze toward the great powerhouses of the Demon Race had been hostile.

And now, to classify Old Ancestor Kunpeng as a demonic aberration—wasn't that saying the Demon Race was a race defying the Heavenly Dao and bringing chaos to the Primordial World?

As the sovereign of the Demon Race, Eastern Emperor Taiyi possessed heaven-defying strength and held the Three Pure Ones in contempt. Now, he could no longer tolerate Jade Pure Yuanshi's sneering insults!

So, he struck!

The scorching True Sun Fire coalesced into the phantom of a Golden Crow. With a long cry, it blasted Zhunti and Jieyin away with the force of thunder, their chests caved in, blood spurting, and flames consuming their bodies!

At the same time.

The Chaos Bell suppressed the cosmos, annihilating time and space, and surged toward Jade Pure Yuanshi with the might of chaos—its power far exceeding Eastern Emperor Taiyi's mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation.

In that moment, the Purple Cloud Palace descended into even greater chaos.

The saint's dojo had become a battleground for the great powerhouses, as if Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the saint himself, was being disregarded entirely.

"This poor Daoist offers an apology to Daoist Taiyi on behalf of Yuanshi!"

"But to recklessly strike at my Three Pure Ones—even if you rely on the might of the Chaos Bell, you will not gain the upper hand against this poor Daoist. Let this end here!"

Old Master Taiqing shot Jade Pure Yuanshi a harsh glare.

Then, forming hand seals, his profound magical power blocked the Chaos Bell, without even deploying the acquired supreme treasure, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Exquisite Pagoda.

Compared to Old Master Taiqing, Eastern Emperor Taiyi was still no match!

With a light flick of his jade sleeve, Taiqing's Dao techniques transformed into a mist, obscuring the divine senses of the Three Thousand Innate Gods.

Moments later!

Eastern Emperor Taiyi, his expression dark, retreated resentfully to Dijun's side.

As for Old Ancestor Kunpeng, he had somehow been displaced and, in his bewilderment, swept into a corner of the Purple Cloud Palace, while Zhunti sat firmly on the last cattail mat!

"Old Master Taiqing—doesn't act unless he must, but when he does, his move stuns the world!"

"It seems This Emperor has underestimated him!"

East King Duke's gaze was sharp, seeing through everything.

Just now, Old Master Taiqing had single-handedly fought both Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Dijun, forcing them back several steps before quelling the great battle.

Shrouding everyone's divine senses in mist was merely a way to save face for the two Golden Crow brothers.

After all, the Three Pure Ones and the Demon Race were not mortal enemies!

Old Master Taiqing's intervention was meant to intimidate Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi, to prevent them from moving against the Three Pure Ones of Kunlun Mountain again.

No matter how venomous Yuanshi's tongue was, only Old Master Taiqing had the right to reprimand him.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi had no authority to meddle!

As for Old Ancestor Kunpeng, he had become cannon fodder in the struggle between various factions. With nothing but resentment toward Old Ancestor Hongyun, he could only curl up in a corner, nursing his injuries!

A solitary man—pitiable and lamentable!

Upon the cloud platform.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun finally opened his eyes, gazing directly at Old Master Taiqing and giving him a slight nod.

This action earned Dao Ancestor Hongjun's full approval.

"From now on, seats shall not be changed!"

"I shall preach the Dao three times, once every ten thousand years. This session expounds the path of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!"

"Listen attentively, all of you. How much you comprehend depends entirely on your own insight."

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's eyelids drooped slightly. The Immortal Dao enveloped the crowd, and the Jade Disk of Creation surged with the Three Thousand Laws, brimming with Heavenly Dao Principles—vast and profound.

The Immortal Dao stretched boundless; Dao Sounds echoed in waves.

Purple mist filled the air, heavenly flowers scattered, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.

Sacred visions manifested; the rules of the Great Dao shone clear.

As Dao Ancestor Hongjun spoke the Dao principles, all the Three Thousand Innate Gods sank into enlightenment.

Time flowed on.

Suddenly!

The Dao Sounds ceased. The Heavenly Dao withdrew its presence.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's face darkened with anger. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he gazed toward the Primordial Continent.

What had happened?

Panic seized the Three Thousand Innate Gods. The sermon had only just begun—why had it ended so soon?

Had Dao Ancestor Hongjun decided not to teach the Dao anymore?

Watching the fury on his face, none could guess who had provoked him.

"Chaos Demon Ape, you sought to spy on me through the Six-Eared Macaque. Truly, your lingering soul refuses to fade!"

"The Dao is not transmitted through six ears. Heavenly Dao, manifest! Banish the evil!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun struck out a stream of divine power, descending upon a certain immortal mountain in the Primordial World.

In an instant, a Six-Eared Ape Monkey felt a sharp pain in its head, foamed at the mouth, and fell into a coma. Even its early-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation was utterly erased.

Blood gushed like a spring from the ape's ears.

Then!

From within its Primordial Spirit, a wisp of black energy was forced out, drifting into the air and coalescing into a divine ape several zhang tall—muscles bulging, fur pitch-black.

The Six-Eared Macaque was nothing but a weakling before this divine ape.

"So the Dao truly is not transmitted through six ears. But the hand behind this is the Chaos Demon Ape himself—he didn't fall in the World-Opening Tribulation after all."

East King Duke frowned slightly as he watched the Chaos Demon Ape.

The waters of the Primordial World were growing murkier by the day.

During the Chaos Era, the Chaos Demon Ape had wielded the War Dao, withstanding a single blow from Great God Pangu's axe. His combat prowess was unmatched—he was a top-tier Chaos Demon God.

Though he only managed to endure one strike of the Pangu Axe head-on, the Chaos Demon Ape was the sole being among the Three Thousand Chaos Demon Gods to have taken a blow from Pangu.

One could only say—utterly formidable!

After his fall, his residual origin split into four parts, descending into the Primordial World, from which four apes were born.

The Six-Eared Macaque excelled at listening, could discern principles, knew past and future, and understood all things.

The Spiritual Clarity Stone Monkey mastered transformations, recognized celestial timing, understood earthly geography, and could shift stars and move constellations.

The Red-Tailed Horse Monkey knew yin and yang, understood human affairs, excelled at movement, avoided death, and extended life.

The Vast-Arm Ape Monkey could grasp the sun and moon, shrink a thousand mountains, distinguish good and ill omens, and manipulate heaven and earth.

Among these, the most famous born after the chaos was the Spiritual Clarity Stone Monkey, Sun Wukong—though he would only emerge in response to Heavenly Dao Destiny during the Journey to the West Tribulation.

The Six-Eared Macaque was one of the Three Thousand Innate Gods.

Its cultivation was at the early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage. Now, with its cultivation crippled by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, it would have to start cultivating anew.

It seemed that both its failure to attend the sermon at Purple Cloud Palace and its current eavesdropping on Hongjun's teachings were the Chaos Demon Ape's machinations. Still, the Six-Eared Macaque had suffered an undeserved calamity.

"Hongjun, you little trickster!"

"I hid deep within the Six-Eared Macaque's bloodline, and you still found me. But your origin as the Primordial One Qi and the weakness of the Immortal Dao you control—I have learned them all!"

"One day, I and the other Chaos Demon Gods will shatter the barriers of this Primordial World, devour the Heavenly Dao completely, and attain the Primordial Great Dao Realm!"

With a long roar, the Chaos Demon Ape self-destructed!

Only a peculiar Chaos Aura flew from Outside the Chaos into the myriad realms.

Even with the cultivation of a Heavenly Dao Saint, Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not intercept the Chaos Demon Ape—the latter had merely been a wisp of Primordial Spirit remnant hidden in the Primordial World.

"Hmph!"

"By the decree of Heavenly Dao Rules, in my name, erase the evil of the Chaos Demon Gods!"

At once!

The Jade Disk of Creation above Dao Ancestor Hongjun's head erupted with immortal light, sweeping across the entire Primordial World. The Chaos Demon Ape's aura lingering in the origins of the yet-unborn Spiritual Clarity Stone Monkey, Red-Tailed Horse Monkey, and Vast-Arm Ape Monkey was completely wiped away.

His divine sense swept over the crowd in Purple Cloud Palace, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun resumed his sermon.

Within the Heavenly Dao Origin, boundless black Chaos Qi gnawed at the rules of the Primordial World—a corruption that even Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not stop.