Styx gave Laozi an approving glance.
"As expected of the foremost of the Three Pure Ones. Your insight is truly sharp."
This was an indirect admission that Laozi had been right.
Everyone's expressions became complicated.
They all considered themselves among the foremost great powers of the Primordial Wilderness.
The Three Pure Ones, in particular, held themselves in high regard, believing that aside from Hongjun, no one else could compare to their brothers.
Yet Styx had already become a Quasi-Sage, while they remained at the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
How could they possibly accept that?
Laozi asked coldly,
"The Sage has yet to explain the realms beyond the Great Luo Golden Immortal. How did you break through?"
Although Hongjun had yet to begin the Second Lecture, everyone had already grasped the realms that came afterward following Hongjun's First Lecture.
Still, Laozi had never expected someone to break through into the Quasi-Sage realm ahead of him before Hongjun's Second Lecture.
It gave him an immense sense of crisis.
Styx merely sneered and did not answer.
Everyone present had their own thoughts.
Except for one person—Taiyi.
Di Jun and Taiyi, the two brothers, could be said to have completely opposite temperaments.
Di Jun was deeply calculating. Although his strength was slightly inferior to his younger brother Taiyi's, in terms of scheming, ten Taiyis would not be Di Jun's match.
Taiyi, on the other hand, had always believed that fists ruled supreme and disliked all manner of twists and turns.
Thus, upon hearing that Styx had already broken through to Quasi-Sage, Taiyi's first reaction was disdain.
What Quasi-Sage? I, Taiyi, don't care!
Di Jun had only fallen into thought for a moment and failed to keep an eye on his younger brother when he saw Taiyi raise the Eastern Emperor Bell and smash it toward Styx!
"Styx, stop changing the subject! Did you take the treasure or not?"
With the Eastern Emperor Bell, Taiyi's combat strength was not the least bit inferior to that of the Three Pure Ones.
Thus, when he attacked, everyone failed to react in time, allowing Taiyi to charge straight at Styx.
Of course, it was also possible that they simply did not want to react.
For example, Laozi.
Seeing Taiyi make his move, he remained completely still, calm and composed.
He also wanted to know just how much stronger Styx, now a Quasi-Sage, was compared to Great Luo Golden Immortal Peaks like themselves.
"Taiyi!"
Only after Taiyi attacked did Di Jun finally react, but it was already too late!
"Idiot!"
Styx did not even bother defending against Taiyi's attack. He merely spat out two cold words.
He had been used as Laozi's weapon without even realizing it.
In every Primordial Wilderness novel, Laozi was an existence exceptionally skilled at plotting.
The Witch-Demon Calamity, the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the Journey to the West Calamity...
He had meddled quite a lot behind the scenes.
Styx did not believe that Laozi's revelation of his breakthrough to Quasi-Sage had been unintentional.
Laozi simply wanted to use Taiyi's recklessness to test him!
But Taiyi did not know that.
Hearing Styx call him an "idiot," Taiyi grew even more furious, and the power gathered upon the Eastern Emperor Bell increased severalfold.
In Taiyi's view, he was at the Great Luo Golden Immortal Peak and possessed the Eastern Emperor Bell, one of the top supreme treasures of the Primordial Wilderness.
Styx was merely a newly advanced Quasi-Sage. How much stronger could he possibly be?
Under his full-force strike, even if Styx did not die, he would still be stripped of a layer of skin!
The instant the Eastern Emperor Bell descended, Styx finally moved!
He extended a palm, Destruction Power appearing within it, and blasted it directly toward the Eastern Emperor Bell!
Taiyi was shocked!
The Destruction Power not only effortlessly blocked his attack, but even sent him flying!
Bang!
Taiyi was blasted into a mountainside on Buzhou Mountain. Rocks flew everywhere and dust billowed into the air, burying Taiyi directly beneath the rubble.
Di Jun immediately wanted to go pull Taiyi out, but he sensed a wave of Destruction Power rushing toward him.
He hurriedly summoned the Hetu Luoshu to defend himself.
Yet even under the protection of the Hetu Luoshu, a Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, he was still shaken hard enough to cough up blood.
It was not because Styx had deliberately targeted him.
Styx spoke with a smiling expression.
"My apologies, fellow Daoists. I broke through only recently and have yet to fully master the power of a Quasi-Sage. While blocking Taiyi's attack, I failed to control it properly, and the aftershock injured you all."
Everyone's hearts sank upon hearing this.
Was this the power of a Quasi-Sage?
Could even a mere aftershock be so powerful?
Among those struck by the aftershock of Styx's Destruction Power, the Three Pure Ones suffered the lightest injuries.
Although Styx had released the greatest amount of aftershock in their direction to return Laozi's earlier provocation of Taiyi, Laozi possessed the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda.
That thing was a Postnatal Merit Supreme Treasure. Once summoned, it rendered its wielder invincible against all innate forces.
Its defensive power was comparable to that of a Connate Supreme Treasure.
Naturally, the Three Pure Ones had no interest in Styx's seemingly apologetic yet actually boastful words.
Without even offering a farewell, they directly flicked their sleeves and departed Buzhou Mountain, returning to Kunlun.
They were going into seclusion!
As for where the treasure that had originally been here had gone?
The Three Pure Ones had no mood to care about that now.
In any case, Styx could not truly have taken it.
When the First Lecture ended, they had clearly seen Styx return toward the Blood Sea.
Even if he had changed direction midway and come to Buzhou Mountain, he could not possibly have arrived before them and taken the treasure.
Moreover, Styx had broken through from the Great Luo Golden Immortal Peak to Quasi-Sage.
Clearly, he had first returned to the Blood Sea to break through before coming to Buzhou Mountain. Where would he have found the time to take the treasure?
Fuxi, however, was a graceful man. Though injured by Styx's aftershock, he still carried himself like an elegant young master and cupped his hands toward Styx.
"Fuxi shall first congratulate you, fellow Daoist, on your great advancement in cultivation. My sister and I came here because we sensed a destined opportunity. Now that the opportunity is gone, my sister and I shall take our leave as well."
Nüwa did not say a word. Perhaps she too had been shaken by Styx.
Styx nodded and did not stop them.
At this point, only Styx, Hong Yun, and the two Di Jun brothers remained.
Di Jun first went to dig Taiyi out.
Just as Hong Yun was about to speak, Styx waved his hand and directly sent Hong Yun flying toward Five Villages Temple.
Five Villages Temple was where Hong Yun's close friend Zhen Yuanzi resided.
Hong Yun was injured now, so sending him to Five Villages Temple was the best choice. At the very least, someone would protect him there.
How could Hong Yun fail to understand Styx's intentions? Tears immediately welled up in his eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Styx truly is a good person!"
"Cough, cough... Brother..."
Taiyi was finally dug out, but he looked as though he had suffered grievous injuries, no longer possessing his earlier high-spirited appearance.
Di Jun's expression was somewhat complicated.
There was both heartache and a measure of resentment.
He ached to see his younger brother beaten so badly, yet he also resented that his brother had started this matter himself.
Who told his younger brother to immediately rush into battle the instant he heard that Styx had broken through?
He let out a sigh.
"Taiyi, stop talking for now. Let your elder brother heal you first."
Though he resented Taiyi's recklessness, Di Jun could not simply ignore his younger brother.
Styx paid no attention to the two of them. Taking advantage of their distraction, he picked up the Eastern Emperor Bell that Taiyi had dropped nearby.
When Taiyi had partially recovered from his injuries and saw Styx playing with the Eastern Emperor Bell, he nearly went mad with panic.
"Don't touch the Eastern Emperor Bell!"
Before you continue