As the power of creation surged ever more fiercely, the bud of the Fortune Green Lotus slowly began to bloom.
Each petal that unfolded released powerful creative energy, greatly benefiting every living creature within a radius of ten thousand li.
This made the Three Pure Ones' gazes burn even hotter. They could hardly wait to claim the Fortune Green Lotus for themselves.
Before the flower had bloomed to twelve petals, the divine lightning that had gathered in the sky never struck. It merely watched coldly from the sidelines.
But when the Fortune Green Lotus reached its thirteenth petal, the dark clouds split apart down the middle.
A huge blood-red eye appeared in the firmament.
Tongtian couldn't help exclaiming in shock, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, is that the Eye of Heavenly Punishment?"
"How much karma has this Fortune Green Lotus incurred to draw the Eye of Heavenly Punishment here?"
Tongtian wasn't the only one worried. Primordial Heavenly Venerable and Laozi were also holding their breath for the Fortune Green Lotus.
When the Fortune Green Lotus finally reached its eighteenth petal, a blood-red bolt of divine lightning at last descended from the heavens.
But the blood-red lightning couldn't shake it in the slightest. Three zhang or so from the Fortune Green Lotus, the power of creation simply dispersed it.
This was tantamount to provoking the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the firmament. Another blood-red bolt, more than twice as large as the last, hurtled toward the Fortune Green Lotus.
By now, the Fortune Green Lotus had bloomed to twenty-four petals and begun releasing an even richer tide of creative energy.
And so the Fortune Green Lotus continued to bloom as blood-red lightning rained down without pause, trying to stop it from opening any further.
By then, there were no living creatures left within ten thousand li of the Fortune Green Lotus. Even the Three Pure Ones had retreated beyond that distance.
Though they were already ten thousand li away, the Three Pure Ones could still feel the raging gales of astral energy rushing toward them.
If they hadn't possessed the cultivation of Daluo Golden Immortals upon taking form, they would have had to retreat another ten thousand li.
When the ninth bolt of blood-red lightning fell, the Fortune Green Lotus finally reached its thirty-sixth petal.
As it bloomed to thirty-six petals, the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth within ten thousand li began flowing toward the Fortune Green Lotus.
At the same time, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the sky still hadn't retreated. It had merely changed from blood-red to purple.
The blood-red Eye of Heavenly Punishment was already beyond what a Daluo Golden Immortal could withstand. Now that it had turned the most powerful shade of purple, even a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal would likely be stripped of a layer of skin.
Just as the purple Eye of Heavenly Punishment took shape, Chen Xuan's primordial spirit finally completed its initial transformation, relying on the boundless spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth.
Chen Xuan sat cross-legged atop the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
As Chen Xuan slowly opened his eyes, the lotus root of the Fortune Green Lotus rose from the earth and transformed into a Ruyi before him.
Immediately afterward, its stem transformed into a Flat Staff. Even its leaves became a Cyan Sword.
As these three Innate Spiritual Treasures appeared before Chen Xuan, the first purple bolt of heavenly lightning had already fallen from the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.
Chen Xuan slowly opened his eyes. Two beams of azure light shot from them and shattered the first bolt of purple lightning outright.
"A mere heavenly punishment dares to stop this venerable one from taking form?"
As he spoke, Chen Xuan raised the Cyan Sword before him and slashed toward the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the sky.
A streak of clear light shot into the heavens, and two bolts of purple lightning fell from the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.
The two bolts only barely managed to cancel out the sword light when they met. The Eye of Heavenly Punishment hanging in midair dimmed somewhat.
But that lasted only an instant. In the next moment, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment, which had been purple, turned blackish purple, radiating a vast aura of destruction.
At the sight of this, a cold smile appeared at the corner of Chen Xuan's mouth. "I'm going to bloom. Who dares stop me?"
In the next instant, Chen Xuan merged directly with the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus and charged toward the Eye of Heavenly Punishment.
At the same time, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment transformed into a blackish-purple bolt of lightning and struck directly toward the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
It all happened in a flash. The blackish-purple bolt struck the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
As the blackish-purple lightning fell, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment in the firmament vanished completely, along with the dark clouds that blanketed the sky.
But at that moment, no one cared what had become of the sky. Every gaze was fixed on the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
The Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus, once azure, had turned blackish purple. It was plummeting rapidly from midair toward the ground.
This earth-shaking tribulation of transformation had already drawn the attention of many powerful beings in the Primordial World.
Among them was Hongjun, who had yet to attain sainthood and was secretly watching everything unfold.
When he saw the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus turn blackish purple, he prepared to rush out at once and claim it for himself.
Unfortunately, Hongjun was too slow. Before he could act, a streak of black light had already shot toward the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
Hongjun couldn't help crying out inwardly, "This won't do. No matter what, I can't let Rahu get the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus."
As he spoke, Hongjun transformed into a streak of golden light and chased after Rahu toward the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
But before Hongjun could catch up, Rahu had already reached the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
Yet just as Rahu reached out to seize the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus, the lotus, which had turned blackish purple, suddenly returned to its original azure color.
Then a cold voice rang out. "I didn't fear even the purple heavenly punishment, and you still dare covet me?"
As he spoke, Chen Xuan's figure reappeared atop the Thirty-Six-Rank Fortune Green Lotus.
The Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda floated above Chen Xuan's head, while the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler rested in his hand.
Without the slightest hesitation, he brought it down on Rahu's outstretched hand.
The Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler was an Innate Merit Supreme Treasure, condensed from Mysterious Yellow Qi at the dawn of creation. It could kill without incurring karma.
Moreover, every time it struck an enemy, it grievously damaged both their flesh and their soul.
So with just that one blow, Rahu was already shrieking in agony. But Chen Xuan had no intention of letting him off.
Instead, he swung the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler again and again, raining a fierce beating down on Rahu's backside.
At the sight of this, Hongjun, who had nearly reached them, turned and ran without the slightest hesitation.
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