Taiyi's Recklessness, Fuxi's Dignity

Styx cast an appreciative glance at Laozi.

"As expected of the foremost of the Three Pure Ones—truly sharp-eyed."

This was, in effect, an admission of what Laozi had said.

The expressions on everyone's faces grew complicated.

They all considered themselves among the most supreme great powers of the Primordial Wilderness.

The Three Pure Ones and their ilk held themselves in especially high regard, believing that aside from Hongjun, no one else could compare to their brotherhood.

But now Styx had already become a Quasi-Sage, while they remained stuck at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

How could they possibly accept this?

Laozi asked coldly.

"The Sage has not yet lectured on the realms beyond Great Luo Golden Immortal. How did you break through?"

Although Hongjun had not yet begun his second sermon, everyone had already grasped the subsequent realms after his first.

Yet Laozi never imagined that someone would break through to Quasi-Sage before Hongjun's second sermon, beating him to it.

This filled him with an immense sense of crisis.

Styx merely gave a cold smile and did not answer.

Each person present harbored their own thoughts.

All except one—Taiyi.

Di Jun and Taiyi, the two brothers, could not have been more different in temperament.

Di Jun was a man of deep schemes. Though his strength fell slightly short of his younger brother Taiyi's, when it came to cunning, ten Taiyis would be no match for Di Jun.

Taiyi, on the other hand, had always believed in the principle that might makes right, and disdained playing roundabout games.

So, upon hearing that Styx had broken through to Quasi-Sage, Taiyi's first reaction was disdain.

Whatever Quasi-Sage he might be, I, Taiyi, couldn't care less!

Di Jun was briefly lost in thought, not paying attention to his brother, when he saw Taiyi raise the Eastern Emperor Bell and hurl it at Styx!

With the Eastern Emperor Bell in hand, Taiyi's combat prowess was in no way inferior to that of the Three Pure Ones.

Thus, when he made his move, everyone was caught off guard, allowing Taiyi to charge straight at Styx.

Of course, it was also possible that no one wanted to react in time.

Take Laozi, for instance.

He watched Taiyi act but remained motionless, calm and composed.

He, too, wanted to see just how much stronger Styx, now a Quasi-Sage, was compared to them at the peak of Great Luo Golden Immortal.

"Taiyi!"

After Taiyi struck, Di Jun finally snapped out of it, but it was too late!

"Fool!"

Styx didn't even bother to defend against Taiyi's attack, merely spitting out two cold words.

He didn't even realize he was being used as a pawn by Laozi.

In every Primordial Wilderness novel, Laozi was a master of schemes.

The Witch-Demon Calamity, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the Journey to the West Calamity...

He had his hand in no small number of them.

Styx didn't believe for a second that Laozi had just exposed his breakthrough to Quasi-Sage by accident.

It was nothing more than using Taiyi's recklessness to probe him!

But Taiyi was oblivious to this.

Hearing Styx call him a "fool" only enraged him further, and he poured even more power into the Eastern Emperor Bell.

In Taiyi's eyes, he was at the peak of Great Luo Golden Immortal, wielding the top-tier supreme treasure of the Primordial Wilderness, the Eastern Emperor Bell.

And Styx was merely a newly ascended Quasi-Sage—his strength couldn't be that impressive.

With his full-force strike, even if Styx didn't die, he'd at least be skinned alive!

The moment the Eastern Emperor Bell came crashing down, Styx finally moved!

He extended a single palm, and Destruction Power materialized within it, blasting straight toward the bell!

Taiyi was horrified!

Because the Destruction Power not only effortlessly blocked his attack but also sent him flying!

"Boom!"

Taiyi was slammed into a cliff face on Buzhou Mountain. Instantly, rocks flew in all directions, dust billowed, and Taiyi was buried beneath the rubble.

Di Jun immediately wanted to go pull Taiyi up, but sensed a surge of Destruction Power heading straight for him.

He hurriedly raised the Hetu Luoshu to defend himself.

Yet even under the protection of the Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Hetu Luoshu, he was still shaken so badly that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

This wasn't because Styx was deliberately targeting him.

Styx spoke with a smile on his face.

"My apologies, fellow daoists. I've only just broken through, and I'm not yet adept at wielding Quasi-Sage power. When I blocked Taiyi's attack, I lost control, and the residual force injured you all."

Everyone's hearts sank upon hearing this.

So this was Quasi-Sage power?

Even just the residual force was this formidable?

Under the aftershocks of Styx's Destruction Power, the Three Pure Ones were the least injured.

Although Styx had directed the most residual force toward the Three Pure Ones in retaliation for Laozi's earlier provocation that made Taiyi attack him.

But Laozi had the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda.

That thing was a Postnatal Merit Supreme Treasure; once raised, it placed one in an invincible position from the start.

Its defensive power rivaled that of a Connate Supreme Treasure.

The Three Pure Ones naturally paid no heed to Styx's words, which sounded like an apology but were actually a humblebrag.

Without even a farewell, they simply flicked their sleeves and left Buzhou Mountain, returning to Kunlun.

They were going into seclusion!

As for where the original treasure of this place had gone?

The Three Pure Ones had no mood to care about that now.

At most, it couldn't really have been taken by Styx.

When the first lecture ended, they had clearly seen Styx heading back toward the Blood Sea.

Even if he had changed direction midway and come to Buzhou Mountain, he couldn't have arrived here before them to take the treasure.

Moreover, Styx had broken through from Great Luo Golden Immortal Peak to Quasi-Sage.

It was obvious he had first returned to the Blood Sea to break through, then come to Buzhou Mountain—when would he have had time to claim the treasure?

Fuxi, however, was a man of decorum. Though injured by Styx's residual force, he still maintained the air of a refined gentleman, cupping his hands toward Styx.

"Fuxi here first congratulates you, fellow daoist, on your great advancement in cultivation. My sister and I came here sensing an opportunity. Now that the opportunity is gone, we will take our leave."

Nüwa said nothing, perhaps also provoked by Styx's breakthrough.

Styx nodded and did not stop them.

Now, only Styx, Hong Yun, and the two brothers Di Jun remained.

Di Jun went to dig Taiyi out first.

Just as Hong Yun was about to speak, Styx waved his hand and directly sent Hong Yun flying toward the direction of Five Villages Temple.

Five Villages Temple was where Hong Yun's close friend Zhen Yuanzi resided.

Now that Hong Yun was injured, sending him to Five Villages Temple was the best choice—at least he would have someone to protect him.

How could Hong Yun not understand the meaning behind Styx's gesture? Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Fellow daoist Styx is truly a good man!"

"Cough... big brother..."

Taiyi was finally dug out, but he seemed gravely injured, no longer bearing the proud and spirited demeanor from before.

Di Jun's expression was complicated.

There was both heartache and a hint of reproach.

He ached to see his younger brother severely wounded, yet he also blamed him for starting the whole affair.

After all, who told his brother to fly into a rage and attack the moment he heard Styx had broken through?

He let out a sigh.

"Taiyi, don't speak for now. Let your big brother heal your injuries first."

Though he resented his brother's recklessness, Di Jun couldn't just abandon him.

Styx, however, paid no attention to the two. While they were distracted, he picked up the Eastern Emperor Bell that Taiyi had dropped.

When Taiyi had barely recovered from his injuries and saw Styx playing with the Eastern Emperor Bell, he nearly went mad.

"Don't touch the Eastern Emperor Bell!"