Just as the atmosphere grew unbearably tense...
"Hum!"
Another sudden change swept across the sky!
Boundless auspicious light surged from the west, filling the heavens with rosy clouds as Dao Rhyme poured down like a waterfall.
A golden cloud shrouded in boundless Auspicious Qi appeared out of thin air, illuminating the myriad heavens, Immune to All Laws!
The Heavenly Celebration Cloud!
Primordial Heavenly Venerate stood atop the Auspicious Cloud, dressed in a Yuqing Dao Robe. His face was imposing, and the Stars seemed to shine in his eyes.
The moment he appeared, his icy gaze fell on Xuandu, his anger utterly undisguised.
"Xuandu!"
Primordial Heavenly Venerate spoke, his voice carrying an authority that towered over all living beings and made the void hum.
"As a junior, you dare speak so insolently to your Senior Uncle-Master? You are rude and have no respect for your elders!"
Looking down at him, he rebuked:
"Is this how Tongtian teaches you? Do you not even understand the most basic etiquette?"
His voice rolled forth, imbued with the Sage's Pressure, pressing down on Xuandu.
An ordinary Daluo Golden Immortal would likely have crumbled under this pressure and these accusations, dropping to his knees to beg forgiveness.
However...
Xuandu stood atop Altar Peak, Hunyuan Dao Rhyme naturally flowing around him and quietly dissolving the Sage's Pressure into nothing.
His expression remained calm, but he sneered inwardly.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate!
The man had indeed popped up again!
Wherever there was a commotion, there he was.
And he had started by accusing Xuandu of disrespect, using etiquette and seniority to try to suppress him morally.
Out of regard for Master Tongtian, Xuandu hadn't wanted to make things too ugly.
After all, the Three Pure Ones were one body. Though their ideals differed, they were still fellow disciples of the same origin.
But Primordial Heavenly Venerate had relentlessly targeted him time and again, even openly questioning Master Tongtian's teachings...
Then Xuandu would show him no more courtesy!
Whether the Human Race could cultivate affected the future of the Myriad Human Race, and was even more closely tied to Xuandu's own Great Dao!
If he could successfully pass down cultivation techniques and guide these countless disciples onto the path of cultivation...
With the feedback from the Total Sum System, his cultivation would surely surge terrifyingly!
That would let him break through to the Golden Immortal of the Origin Peak in the shortest possible time, and perhaps even reach the Primordial Great Golden Immortal.
For this opportunity, and for the survival of the Human Race...
Today, he would dare to fight for it even if the Dao Ancestor himself came in person—let alone Primordial Heavenly Venerate!
Just as Xuandu steeled himself to throw caution to the wind and face the Two Sages head-on...
A calm yet unmistakably clear thought quietly sounded deep within his mind.
"Do not forget my Interception Sect's teachings."
It was Master Tongtian's voice!
His tone was indifferent, revealing no joy or anger!
Xuandu was first taken aback, then flooded with indescribable joy and reassurance!
His master had sent him a message at this moment. His position was clear!
"Seize a Thread of Life"!
This was the Jie Sect's Teachings, and it was also what Xuandu was fighting to secure for the Human Race—and for himself.
His master was telling him to act freely; the Interception Sect would stand behind him!
With Sect Leader Tongtian's tacit approval, even support, Xuandu's last reservation vanished completely.
He had never felt more emboldened!
Meanwhile, high in the sky...
Seeing Xuandu remain silent under Primordial Heavenly Venerate's rebuke and pressure, standing motionless, Laozi and Primordial Heavenly Venerate assumed he had grown timid before the combined might of the Sages and chosen to back down.
Laozi's gaze was indifferent, and the faint ripple deep within him slowly settled.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate's lips curled into an unmistakably mocking smile.
In the end, he was just an insignificant junior, showing his true colors at the slightest pressure.
In the surrounding void, the Spiritual Senses of the Great Wilderness Mighty Ones covertly observing the scene also conveyed similar thoughts.
"What a shame. I thought Xuandu would stand his ground to the end..."
"Two Sages came in person. He was lucky just to drive back the Demon Emperor. How could he truly challenge the Sages?"
"Seems he's nothing special after all. Everything he did before was just relying on Sage Tongtian's influence."
"Let's go, there's nothing more to see."
One by one, the Spiritual Senses withdrew, carrying disappointment and disdain.
Everyone thought that this sudden confrontation between Sages would end with Xuandu backing down in disgrace.
However...
Just as every being thought the outcome was settled and Xuandu was about to yield...
The Green Clad Figure who had stood silent atop Altar Peak suddenly moved.
He slowly raised his head, no longer looking toward Laozi or Primordial Heavenly Venerate.
Instead, he gazed toward the lofty Purple Heaven Palace!
As Laozi furrowed his brow and Primordial Heavenly Venerate's eyes flashed with renewed fury...
As the Myriad Human Race looked on in anxious confusion...
As the Spiritual Senses that had been about to withdraw abruptly halted, watching in uncertainty...
Xuandu turned toward the Purple Heaven Palace and slowly, solemnly cupped his hands.
His expression was calm, his gaze clear, yet his resolve could shake the heavens.
His voice rang out distinctly, each word echoing across the silent East Sea Coast and deep within the minds of every mighty being:
"Your disciple Xuandu dares to ask his two senior uncles..."
He paused slightly, then turned his gaze back, sweeping it over Primordial Heavenly Venerate and then Laozi, whose expression had darkened.
He asked a question that could silence the Great Wilderness and change the faces of all the Saints:
"If what Second Senior Uncle says is true, and Master cannot teach his own disciples cultivation techniques..."
"Then, back in the Purple Heaven Palace, when the Dao Ancestor taught the method of Severing Three Corpses to become a Sage..."
"Why did you two senior uncles listen so intently, and even... eventually cultivate it yourselves?"
"!!!"
Boom!!!
His words struck the Dao Hearts of all who heard them like a Chaos Divine Thunder crashing down!
Time seemed to freeze completely in that instant!
Space itself froze!
All things fell silent!
Everything—the sounds, the colors, the flowing spiritual energy, the swirling Dao Rhyme...
Every last thing fell into absolute stillness beneath Xuandu's question!
The eternally impassive face of Laozi stiffened at once, disbelief filling the depths of his eyes!
The authority and mockery on Primordial Heavenly Venerate's face shattered completely, replaced by shock and fury.
The Jade Purity Immortal Light around him shuddered wildly out of control, and the auspicious radiance of the Heavenly Celebration Cloud fell into disarray!
The Spiritual Senses of the mighty beings who had been preparing to withdraw froze in midair, sending out waves of utter shock!
Below, Suiren Shi, Youchao Shi, and Ziyi Shi—the Three Ancestors—stood with mouths agape, trembling so badly they could scarcely think.
The Myriad Human Race looked up in confusion. Though they didn't understand what had happened, they could sense that their master had... pierced something open with a single sentence!
Xuandu stood alone atop the altar, his green robes fluttering.
After asking his question, he said nothing more, simply watching the two senior uncles as their expressions changed dramatically.
He knew that the question he had posed was an impossible knot, one no one could solve and no one dared answer!
Just like when he had asked Primordial Heavenly Venerate about Dao Ancestor Hongjun's origins.
Using your own spear to pierce your own shield!
You won't let me teach my disciples?
Then why did you go learn from the Dao Ancestor when he lectured?
Laozi, Primordial Heavenly Venerate, Tongtian, Nuwa, Zhunti, Jieyin.
All six of them were members of the Mystic Gate, disciples of Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author. It might have just been renamed!
Before you continue