Before the Palace Gates Open, Undercurrents Surge; Before Karma Is Settled, New Resentments Arise

Moments later, the two blazing suns descended before Purple Cloud Palace and revealed two figures.

They were none other than Di Jun and Taiyi. Both were strikingly heroic, clad in gilded robes embroidered with Golden Crows, with Solar True Fire flickering around them.

Di Jun's face was calm, his brow carrying the imperial bearing of one who ruled the heavens; Taiyi's gaze, meanwhile, was razor-sharp. Above his head, the phantom of the Chaos Bell rose and fell, its imposing aura bearing down on all around him.

The instant he landed, Taiyi's gaze became like two tangible flames of golden sunlight, piercing through layer upon layer of the crowd, ignoring every obstruction, and locking onto Donghua with cold killing intent that had been suppressed for far too long!

"Clang!"

Without any need for Taiyi to activate it, the Chaos Bell above his head rang out with a clear, stirring chime.

Where its soundwaves passed, the mighty power of that supreme treasure—which stabilized primordial chaos and suppressed the myriad heavens—spread outward, and even the churning, rampaging currents of chaos around them seemed to freeze for an instant!

Taiyi's eyes blazed, his killing intent like an arrow drawn to its fullest. Clear light flowed over the Chaos Bell as it looked ready to descend and suppress Donghua!

Just as the clear light of the Chaos Bell flowed, at the critical instant before it came down upon Donghua—

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

A succession of heavy footsteps, like ancient divine mountains pounding the earth, rudely shattered the frozen killing intent.

The chaotic currents were forcibly driven aside by an overwhelmingly savage tide of blood energy. Twelve towering figures strode through the void, and the burly man at their head spoke in a voice like a great bell:

"Before Purple Cloud Palace, how dare you two feathered beasts behave so outrageously!"

Before his words had faded, Ancestor Witch Jumang stepped forward at an unhurried pace. Green light swirled around him, and boundless vitality strangely coexisted with the desolation of withering decay.

Jumang's gaze fell upon Di Jun and Taiyi, and a chilling sneer curled across his lips.

"Fellow Daoist Donghua, these two Golden Crows have been squawking far too much. We've found them an eyesore for ages! For the sake of friendship, we Ancestor Witches will tear apart their bird bones for you!"

Zhurong threw back his head and laughed, battle intent blazing. "Perfect. My hands have been itching—I'll use them to loosen up!"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere became even more delicate. Seeing that both sides were about to come to blows, many Innate Divine Beings with weaker cultivation retreated under the immense pressure, afraid of being swept into the conflict.

Taiyi and Di Jun had aided the Witch Clan many times in their campaigns against the Myriad Races of the Primordial Wilderness. The resentment between both sides had long accumulated and stretched on without end.

The Ancestor Witches stepping forward now appeared to be speaking up out of righteousness, but they harbored sinister intentions beneath the surface. In an instant, they had escalated Donghua and Taiyi's personal grudge into a perilous standoff between two sides.

The Twelve Ancestor Witches clearly intended to seize this opportunity to bind him completely to the Witch Clan's camp.

Throughout the Primordial Wilderness, it was often said that the Twelve Ancestor Witches possessed strength unrivaled in the age, while their schemes were somewhat lacking. Yet seeing them now, how could the saying "well-developed limbs, simple-minded brains" not be a disguise worn by the Witch Clan?

Donghua's expression remained as gentle as ever. He calmly cupped his hands toward the Ancestor Witches, his tone mild yet distant.

"I appreciate the goodwill of the Ancestor Witches. However, this is an old karmic entanglement between Fellow Daoist Taiyi and this poor Daoist. It should be settled by us ourselves; I would not dare trouble you, Ancestor Witches."

Having already seen through the stakes involved, Donghua's Dao Heart was clear as a mirror. Naturally, he would not fall for Dijiang's scheme.

On the other side, the moment Di Jun heard the Ancestor Witches' voices, his gaze sharpened abruptly as thoughts raced through his mind.

With all Twelve Ancestor Witches gathered here, their strength unknown, and Donghua—whose strength was likewise unknown—at their side, fighting them here would be anything but wise.

He immediately stepped forward and firmly pressed his right hand over Taiyi's arm just as it was about to rise, transmitting in a deep voice:

"Taiyi, quell your anger for now. The Witch Clan is restless, intending to force us into action. We must not fall into their trap. Purple Cloud Palace lies before us, and the days ahead are long."

Taiyi's chest heaved violently, the golden flames in his eyes nearly bursting forth. His brother's palm and the sliver of reason remaining within him were like two shackles, locking down the fury ready to pour from him.

He gave Donghua a vicious glare, then glared furiously at the arrogant Ancestor Witches, forcing out a cold snort through clenched teeth.

The clear light above the Chaos Bell slowly withdrew, and the terrifying pressure that had made the heavens and universe tremble finally receded bit by bit.

A world-shaking melee was forcibly suppressed at the very last moment, restrained by the mutual wariness and calculations of all parties.

At that tense and delicate moment, ten thousand rays of auspicious light suddenly burst forth before Purple Cloud Palace's gates, while a thousand strands of blessed radiance descended.

Within the shifting spiritual light, a golden boy and jade maiden appeared.

The boy wore a violet-gold crown and a dark yellow Daoist robe; the girl had her hair gathered into twin ring buns and wore moon-white cloud garments.

Elegant in appearance and composed in bearing, the two cupped their hands and bowed in unison.

"Haotian and Jade Pool, by our master's decree, welcome all those fated to be here."

Their voices were crisp and resonant, like jade striking stone, especially bracing amid the heavy atmosphere.

The great powers present all narrowed their eyes, then promptly returned the salute with solemnity.

Though they were merely two attendants, the one standing behind them was Hongjun, the sole Sage of the present age. This salute was offered to the Sage's majesty, and none felt it beneath their status.

Haotian's expression was grave. His gaze swept over everyone present as he announced loudly:

"Purple Cloud Palace is about to open. Please enter, each seek your own destined opportunity, and quietly await the Sage's arrival."

After speaking, he and Jade Pool retreated side by side to either side of the palace gates, clearing the way.

The two palace doors, which seemed to bear the Dao's essence of countless ages, slowly began to open inward.

Endless violet qi spread out from within the gates. Amid the swirling haze, the interior of the palace could vaguely be seen—vast and profoundly mysterious.

Most eye-catching of all, at the elevated position within the hall stood a Cloud Bed. Before it, six golden prayer mats had been arranged in a neat row.

The prayer mats were of ordinary size, yet they emanated an exceptionally rich and pure Dao essence, faintly resonating with the Great Dao hidden in the unseen, wondrous beyond compare.

Though no one knew their precise purpose, in a place where three thousand divine beings had gathered, only six seats had been set. Their significance needed no explanation.

Almost the instant Purple Cloud Palace's gates swung fully open and the restrictions dispersed, the atmosphere before the gates—which had maintained a surface calm only moments ago—suddenly exploded!

The Innate Divine Beings each displayed their Supernatural Abilities, filing inside in a rushing stream as they surged toward Purple Cloud Palace, all vying for the six prayer mat seats.

Though Donghua felt that he was likely fated to miss out on these prayer mats, how could he casually give up based on his own speculation before learning the truth?

Opportunities were mysterious beyond mystery—better to fight for one by mistake than let one slip away.

"Go!"

He immediately called to Taizhen. Their auras linked, and the clear, profound Stream of Time around them abruptly accelerated into a whirl, spilling down countless Dao Marks of time. Like an endlessly surging river, it shielded them within as they charged toward the prayer mats.

Yet just as the two were about to reach the prayer mats ahead—

"Clang!"

A crisp yet vast bell toll exploded without warning beside their ears—and deep within their Primordial Spirits!

This toll was not aimed at every living being. Rather, it contained exquisitely precise control; its boundless might was like invisible shackles, crashing heavily onto the protective Stream of Time.

Donghua and Taizhen felt the ever-flowing Dao rhythm of time around them abruptly stutter, as though they had sunk into an invisible mire. Their flying speed plummeted at once!

In that instant of delay, several figures seized the opening like specters, wrapped in Supernatural Abilities and escape lights of every hue. They streaked past the pair and claimed the six prayer mats first.

Donghua steadied himself, his brows faintly furrowed. His gaze passed over the crowd and locked precisely onto the source of the bell toll—Taiyi was withdrawing his gaze, a coldly mocking curve on his lips.

The Chaos Bell above his head trembled faintly, its bellwaves not yet fully stilled.