Azure Lotus Takes Form, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment Appears

As the power of creation surged ever more violently, the flower bud of the Fortune Green Lotus began to bloom slowly.

Each petal that unfurled released a powerful force of creation, bestowing immense benefits upon the living beings within a radius of ten thousand miles.

This inevitably made the gazes of the Three Pure Ones grow even more fervent; they wished they could claim this Fortune Green Lotus for themselves immediately.

Before the flower reached its twelfth rank, the divine lightning gathering in the sky never descended, merely watching coldly from the sidelines.

As the Fortune Green Lotus bloomed to its thirteenth rank, the dark clouds parted from the center toward both sides.

A large, blood-red eye appeared in the firmament.

This startled Tongtian, who exclaimed, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, is that the Eye of Heavenly Punishment?"

"Just how much karma has this Fortune Green Lotus incurred to actually summon the Eye of Heavenly Punishment?"

At this moment, not only was Tongtian worried, but even the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and Laozi were sweating for the Fortune Green Lotus.

When the Fortune Green Lotus reached its eighteenth rank, a bolt of blood-red divine lightning finally descended from the sky.

Yet, this blood-colored lightning failed to shake it in the slightest. It was dispersed by the power of creation while still about thirty feet away from the lotus.

This was equivalent to enraging the Eye of Heavenly Punishment above. Another bolt of blood-red lightning, more than twice the size of the previous one, surged toward the Fortune Green Lotus.

By now, the Fortune Green Lotus had bloomed to its twenty-fourth rank and began to radiate an even denser power of creation.

Thus, the Fortune Green Lotus continued to bloom, and the blood-colored lightning continued to fall, attempting to interrupt its growth.

By this time, there was not a single living being left within ten thousand miles of the Fortune Green Lotus. Even the Three Pure Ones had retreated beyond that distance.

Even from ten thousand miles away, the Three Pure Ones could still feel the raging gale blowing against their faces.

Had they not possessed the cultivation of Great Luo Golden Immortals upon their own transformation, they would have had to retreat another ten thousand miles.

As the ninth bolt of blood-red lightning fell, the Fortune Green Lotus finally reached its thirty-sixth rank.

With the flower fully bloomed at thirty-six ranks, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a ten-thousand-mile radius began to converge upon it.

Meanwhile, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the sky did not retreat, though its color had shifted from blood-red to purple.

A blood-red Eye of Heavenly Punishment was already beyond what a Great Luo Golden Immortal could withstand. Now that it had turned into the most powerful purple, even a Primordial Golden Immortal would likely be stripped of a layer of skin.

Just as the purple Eye of Heavenly Punishment formed, Chen Xuan's primordial spirit finally completed its initial transformation, relying on the massive influx of spiritual energy.

Chen Xuan sat upright upon the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

As he slowly opened his eyes, the lotus root floated up from the mud, transforming into a Ruyi before him.

Immediately after, the stem of the Fortune Green Lotus transformed into a Flat Staff, and even the leaves turned into a Cyan Sword at that very moment.

As these three innate spiritual treasures appeared before Chen Xuan, the first bolt of purple lightning descended from the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.

Chen Xuan slowly opened his eyes, and two beams of cyan light shot forth, shattering the first bolt of purple lightning by sheer force.

"A mere heavenly punishment dares to stop my transformation?"

As he spoke, Chen Xuan raised the Cyan Sword and slashed toward the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the sky.

As a beam of clear light soared into the heavens, two bolts of purple lightning fell from the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.

The two bolts of lightning met the cyan sword light and barely managed to neutralize it, causing the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in mid-air to fade slightly in color.

However, this lasted only for a moment. The next instant, the purple Eye of Heavenly Punishment turned black-purple, radiating a vast aura of destruction.

Seeing this, a cold sneer appeared on the corner of Chen Xuan's mouth. "I wish to bloom; who dares to stop me?"

The next moment, Chen Xuan merged directly with the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus and charged toward the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.

Simultaneously, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment evolved into a bolt of black-purple lightning and struck directly at the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

It all happened in the blink of an eye; the black-purple lightning struck the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus head-on.

With the descent of that black-purple lightning, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the firmament, along with the clouds covering the sky, vanished completely.

Yet, no one cared about the state of the sky; all eyes were fixed upon the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

The lotus had turned from its original cyan to a black-purple color and was falling rapidly from mid-air toward the ground.

This earth-shattering transformation tribulation had long since attracted the attention of many great powers in the Primordial World.

Hongjun, who had not yet attained sainthood, was secretly observing everything.

When he saw the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus turn black-purple, he prepared to rush out and claim it for himself.

Alas, Hongjun's speed was ultimately too slow. Before him, a black light had already surged toward the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

This made Hongjun exclaim inwardly, "No, under no circumstances can I let Rahu obtain the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus."

As he spoke, Hongjun transformed into a streak of golden light, following closely behind Rahu toward the lotus.

But before Hongjun could catch up, Rahu had already arrived before the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

Just as Rahu reached out to take it, the lotus, which had turned black-purple, suddenly reverted to its original cyan color.

A cold voice rang out, "I do not even fear the purple heavenly punishment; you actually dare to covet what is mine?"

As he spoke, Chen Xuan's figure appeared once more atop the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.

Above Chen Xuan's head floated the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, and in his hand, he held the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler.

Without a moment's hesitation, he swung down directly toward the hand Rahu had extended.

The Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler was a supreme treasure of innate merit, condensed from the Mysterious Yellow Qi at the dawn of creation, possessing the ability to kill without incurring karmic retribution.

Furthermore, every strike landed upon an enemy would inflict severe damage to both their physical body and soul simultaneously.

Thus, from this single strike alone, Rahu was left screaming in agony by Chen Xuan. Yet, Chen Xuan had no intention of letting it end there.

Instead, he swung the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler again and again, raining fierce blows down upon Rahu's backside.

Seeing this scene, Hongjun, who had already been nearing the vicinity, turned around and fled without the slightest hesitation.