Styx also held No Sword, while the Twelfth Grade Red Lotus of Karma Fire and the Profound Origin Water Control Flag firmly protected him.
In terms of spiritual treasures, the gap between Laozi and Styx was not great.
In attack, Laozi possessed the Connate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram, while No Sword in Styx's hand could barely reach the rank of a Connate Supreme Treasure.
In defense, Laozi's Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda was impervious to all techniques, while Styx's Profound Origin Water Control Flag and Karma Fire Red Lotus could likewise drive away all evils!
Under such circumstances, what they could compare was the depth of their cultivation and their state in battle.
Styx was no fool.
Jie Yin and Zhun Ti's secret technique at the side was nearly complete, and their auras were continuously rising.
If those two joined the battle as well, the pressure on him would become immense.
Styx decided to end this quickly. The Destruction Law emerged over his right hand and empowered No Sword.
Very soon, No Sword's pressure reached the same level as the Taiji Diagram.
Of course, that was mainly because Laozi was not yet the Taiji Diagram's owner.
If Laozi had refined the Taiji Diagram, then with Styx possessing only a tenth of the Destruction Law, no amount of empowerment could make No Sword rival the Taiji Diagram.
But after all, the Taiji Diagram had only been lent to Laozi by Hongjun. Laozi did not dare to presumptuously refine it directly.
Seeing the change in the Killing Sword in Styx's hand, Laozi understood how troublesome Styx was and stopped wasting time.
With a sweep of the Taiji Diagram, it transformed into a White Jade Golden Bridge, linking together the mighty power of Heaven and Earth! In an instant, Heaven and Earth changed color, and the sun and moon lost their light.
Styx merely smiled.
Of the three great treasures that opened Heaven, the Taiji Diagram, Pangu Banner, and Chaos Bell each had their own focus.
The Chaos Bell combined offense and defense, both of which stood at the very peak.
The Taiji Diagram specialized in suppression. Not only could it settle Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, it could also link Heaven and Earth and create without end.
Pangu Banner, meanwhile, was a supreme treasure of attack and punishment. It could even split open Chaos, and its offensive power surpassed even the Chaos Bell.
Therefore, Laozi's Taiji Diagram could at most suppress him.
Unfortunately, Laozi was too weak to suppress him even if he wanted to.
To truly wield the power of a Connate Supreme Treasure, one had to at least step into the Grand Dao Golden Immortal realm.
No Sword in Styx's hand split into ten thousand Killing Swords, all floating in the air. From afar, they looked like a wall of swords.
"Ten Thousand Swords One Origin, Red Lotus Ten Thousand Laws! Go!"
Styx stepped on the Karma Fire Red Lotus beneath his feet, and crimson flames ignited the ten thousand Killing Swords in the air like fire dragons.
Then, all the flaming Killing Swords shot toward the immortal bridge formed by the Taiji Diagram.
Laozi's expression turned solemn, as though he too sensed the might of Styx's strike.
Likewise, Laozi's Daoist robe fluttered. Supreme Purity Power surrounded him as protection as he rushed onto the golden bridge formed by the Taiji Diagram.
Standing high above on the golden bridge, Laozi looked down. "Styx, do you dare come up here?"
Styx glanced at him.
What an idiot.
He would have to be sick to willingly make things difficult for himself.
"Boom!"
Countless Killing Swords struck the golden bridge together, and the bridge immediately showed signs of collapse.
Laozi pressed both hands against the ground, pouring his mana into the golden bridge and barely keeping it intact.
Then, with a shift of his mana, the upright golden bridge transformed into a Golden Formation.
Laozi stood at the center of the formation.
All of Styx's Killing Swords fell the moment they entered the Golden Formation's range, turning into Spiritual Light and vanishing.
Styx knew well that unless he dealt with the Taiji Diagram, he would be unable to defeat Laozi.
To break through the Taiji Diagram, he needed an overwhelming force.
This time, Styx held No Sword with both hands. Creation Power and Destruction Power emerged simultaneously, winding around the blade.
At last, the Creation Power and Destruction Power transformed into a pair of black-and-white dragons, engraved upon No Sword's blade.
No Sword now gained an even more mysterious aura, impossible to fathom.
Yet it was obvious that the sword's momentum had already surpassed the Taiji Diagram in Laozi's hands.
Laozi tried to use the Taiji Diagram to block No Sword, but Styx's casually swung sword edge struck it head-on.
The Taiji Diagram's golden light dimmed, and it seemed somewhat weakened.
Startled, Laozi could no longer concern himself with anything else. He hurriedly called Yuanshi and Tongtian over to help.
He had a premonition that Styx's attack this time far exceeded what he could endure.
No Sword's might grew stronger and stronger, even reaching the point where it changed the color of Heaven and Earth.
The Taiji Diagram had also caused a celestial phenomenon earlier, but it was far less dramatic than this.
At some unknown time, dark clouds had already filled the skies, with Heavenly Lightning rumbling and flashing through them.
On the earth below, gusts of chilling wind blew, making everyone feel bone-deep cold.
Seeing Styx's sword from afar, Kunpeng and Western Queen Mother turned and fled without looking back.
They had agreed to join Hongjun in killing Styx, but that did not mean they intended to throw away their lives.
As Western Queen Mother fled, she even took Eastern Duke with her.
After all, they had some friendship. It would not do to leave him behind.
As for the Three Pure Ones and Jie Yin and Zhun Ti...
They were all immensely capable, so there was no need for her to interfere further.
At this moment, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti completed their secret technique. Behind each of them appeared the phantom of a massive Golden Buddha Statue.
Styx could not help but sigh.
Though these two did not have a very good reputation in the Primordial Wilderness, their understanding of Buddhism truly ran deep.
They had actually begun comprehending the concept of Buddha so early.
But that could not stop Styx. Just as the two condensed their Golden Buddha Statues, they saw Styx likewise manifest a colossal No Sword and slash it toward them and the Three Pure Ones.
The Buddha phantoms behind the two men simultaneously reached out to block No Sword.
But moments later, Jie Yin and Zhun Ti, along with the Buddha Statues behind them, all revealed pained expressions—
Destruction Power was constantly destroying the power of their Buddha Statues!
At the same time, however, the Destruction Power was also being steadily worn away.
But the Buddha power was being consumed far faster than the Destruction Power.
The Three Pure Ones, meanwhile, hid beneath the enormous Buddha phantoms and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Just as the saying went, when the sky fell, the tall ones held it up.
Zhun Ti grew anxious.
He had thought that once he and his senior brother activated their secret technique and condensed the Buddha Statues, the two of them joining forces would make taking down Styx a certainty.
But who could have expected Styx to possess such a terrifying method?
Styx shouted, "Sever!"
No Sword immediately descended several more inches.
The Golden Buddha Statues faintly showed signs of collapse.
Jie Yin said, "Fellow Daoist Laozi, are you still unwilling to act? If my junior brother and I cannot hold on, you will be the next ones to suffer."
The Three Pure Ones understood that when the lips were gone, the teeth would grow cold. If they failed to kill Styx today, Styx would sooner or later take revenge.
Thus, they also acted. The Taiyi Whisk, Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and Qingping Sword flew forth at once.
Azure light filled the sky as the three treasures merged, forming an azure lotus.
Azure energy dripped from the lotus petals, transforming into a curtain of light that protected the Golden Buddha Statues of Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.
Seeing No Sword being pushed back toward him once more, Styx did not hesitate to replenish it with his Creation Power.
Then an unexpected change occurred!
Styx's comprehension of the Creation Law had always been deeper, while his Destruction Law remained only at the first level.
The Creation Power on No Sword had originally been stronger than the Destruction Power, merely maintaining a fragile balance.
Now that Styx sent in more Creation Power, the balance on No Sword was broken, and it immediately could no longer hold on!
Before you continue