Chen Xuan's First Battle with Hongjun

Chen Xuan's sudden appearance immediately eased the pressure on the Three Pure Ones and the others, and smiles of survival after calamity appeared on their faces.

Tongtian spoke up directly. "Master, you finally came back. If you had returned any later, this disciple would have been bullied to death by Hongjun."

At that moment, Tongtian was like an elementary school child who had been bullied and had finally seen his parent, his face full of grievance.

Chen Xuan was left speechless. You were shouting about fighting and killing just moments ago. How had you become the weak party in the blink of an eye?

Just then, tears had already streamed down Houtu's face. She came straight to Chen Xuan's side and said,

"Master, Hongjun is bullying this disciple just because his cultivation is high. Master, you must stand up for me—catch Hongjun and let me kick him twice."

Where was the valiant bearing the Three Pure Ones and the others had shown when they faced Hongjun head-on just now? Each of them was like an aggrieved darling, pouring out every complaint to Chen Xuan.

Even Hongjun could no longer bear to watch. He snorted coldly and said, "Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus, you are one who knows the Mandate of Heaven. You should understand the destinies of the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa."

"They are Saints ordained by the Heavenly Dao, destined to govern the Primordial World in place of this Daoist and the Heavenly Dao. Yet you took them as disciples without authorization. Are you not afraid that the Heavenly Dao will send down punishment?"

Seeing Hongjun's lofty, superior manner, Chen Xuan could not help but sneer. "Saints ordained by the Heavenly Dao? Why have I never heard of that?"

"All I know is that the Three Pure Ones were transformed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit. The moment they took form, they bore the merit of creation. Their future attainments would certainly begin at the level of Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals."

"Since they are fated to become Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals in the future, why must they sell themselves to the Heavenly Dao and cultivate your Three-Corpse Saint path?"

The moment Chen Xuan said this, Hongjun truly did not know how to respond. After all, to put it plainly, his purpose in taking the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa as disciples was for fortune.

The Three Pure Ones bore the merit of creation. So long as they entered his sect, it would be equivalent to strengthening his Mystic Sect.

As for Nuwa, she would mold earth to create humans in the future, creating the true masters of the Primordial World. The fortune this brought was no less than the Three Pure Ones' merit of creation.

Only by taking Nuwa into his sect could the Human Race she created in the future provide him with an endless stream of fortune.

That was why Hongjun had so utterly disregarded his dignity. Even after they had made it clear that they did not wish to acknowledge him as master, he still resorted to forcibly taking them as disciples.

But facts were facts; whether Hongjun admitted them was another matter altogether. Even if Chen Xuan had left him speechless, he could never admit to his own sordid motives.

He immediately snorted coldly. "Since Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus wishes to defy the heavens, this Daoist has no choice but to deliver punishment in place of the Heavenly Dao."

As he spoke, Hongjun pointed into the void. The previously clear sky was instantly shrouded in dark clouds, and a gigantic Eye of Heavenly Punishment appeared in midair.

At the sight of the blood-red Eye of Heavenly Punishment, Chen Xuan sneered. "When I took form in the past, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment was violet."

"Even a violet Eye of Heavenly Punishment failed to stop me from successfully taking form. What can your mere red Eye of Heavenly Punishment possibly do to me?"

As he spoke, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda appeared above Chen Xuan's head. He also raised the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler in his hand.

In an instant, Mysterious Yellow Qi surged into the heavens. Accompanied by two portions of creation merit, it formed a massive golden wheel of merit behind Chen Xuan.

Now, Chen Xuan stood upon the thirty-sixth-grade Fortune Green Lotus, held a thirty-six-section Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler, and bore the thirty-six-story Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda above his head.

The golden wheel of merit formed from creation merit behind him released wave after wave of golden merit light, protecting Chen Xuan within.

When Hongjun saw the golden wheel of merit behind Chen Xuan, even he could not help feeling envious. Compared to the All-Heavens Auspicious Cloud above his own head, it was several tiers higher.

Hongjun immediately took out the Heavenly Dao Horsetail Whisk and swept it directly toward Chen Xuan.

The Heavenly Dao Horsetail Whisk contained the laws of the Heavenly Dao. Even Saints had no power to resist before it.

With the Heavenly Punishment Divine Lightning assisting him as well, Chen Xuan could not possibly block this strike. By then, Chen Xuan would surely perish, body and Dao alike.

At that time, not only could he take away the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, he could even obtain Chen Xuan's many spiritual treasures—especially the thirty-sixth-grade Fortune Green Lotus and the golden wheel of merit.

Holding the Heavenly Dao Horsetail Whisk, Hongjun sent it sweeping out. Every strand of its whisk contained endless power of laws, and with a light wave, it made the void tremble.

At that moment, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment slowly opened in the sky. Heavenly Punishment Divine Lightning roared down like enormous dragons, every bolt gleaming with destructive light as it tore the surrounding space into fragments and released an aura of destruction that made hearts quail.

Yet Chen Xuan stood beneath the lightning of Heavenly Punishment without the slightest fear. Above his head floated the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, its body flowing with an ancient and mysterious radiance, as though it could withstand every attack in the world.

He gripped the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler tightly in his hand. The power of merit flowed over its length, emitting a faint golden glow, and every strike contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

Beneath his feet, the thirty-sixth-grade Fortune Green Lotus swayed its petals gently, seeming capable of crushing the void beneath it and stepping into eternity. The golden wheel of merit behind him slowly revolved, each turn releasing endless sacred aura and guarding him without the slightest gap.

The two launched a battle of life and death between heaven and earth, every move and every stance enough to shake the heavens and move the earth.

Hongjun's Heavenly Dao Horsetail Whisk collided with Chen Xuan's Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler in the air, erupting in dazzling light that dyed the surrounding space in interwoven gold and black.

Heavenly Punishment Divine Lightning fell without cease, yet the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda blocked every bolt one by one, releasing deafening roars.

The battle grew ever fiercer. Their figures darted through lightning and golden radiance, like two undying flames burning brightly.

In the end, the battle reached the chaos, where there was no heaven or earth, no laws—only endless emptiness and darkness.

Hongjun's All-Heavens Auspicious Cloud appeared particularly brilliant within the chaos, yet amid that boundless darkness, it also seemed tiny and helpless.

At that moment, Chen Xuan suddenly exerted his strength. The Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda burst forth with unprecedented radiance, like a rising sun illuminating the entire chaos.

The pagoda rapidly expanded and pressed down upon Hongjun like a towering mountain. Hongjun's face changed drastically. He wanted to evade, but there was no turning the tide.

With a thunderous boom, the All-Heavens Auspicious Cloud was instantly shattered, leaving Hongjun fully exposed. Immediately afterward, Chen Xuan wielded the Grand Primordial Measuring Ruler like a sacred judge and smashed it viciously into Hongjun's back.

The power of merit on the ruler condensed into a pillar of golden light that instantly pierced through Hongjun's body. Hongjun felt a searing pain, and a mouthful of golden Saint's blood sprayed forth.

That golden Saint's blood turned into specks of golden light in the chaos, only to be swallowed by the chaotic astral winds in the blink of an eye, becoming nothingness.