Saintly Pressure

Primordial Heavenly Venerable's gaze did not last for merely an instant.

That cold will, descending across endless time and space, was like a tangible iceberg, weighing heavily upon the skies above Golden Turtle Island and upon the hearts of every Jiejiao disciple.

At first, it was only a palpitation. The higher one's cultivation, the deeper one felt it.

Duobao Daoist abruptly rose from his meditation cushion, his expression grave. A faint treasure radiance and auspicious cloud emerged above his head, resisting that invisible pressure.

Golden Spirit Holy Mother's phoenix eyes brimmed with Baleful Intent, golden light circulating around her body.

Zhao Gongming, the Three Xiao Sisters, Shiji, and the other Taiyi Golden Immortals all found it difficult to breathe. Their mana circulated poorly, as though mortals had been cast into the depths of a ten-thousand-zhang sea.

The outer disciples and those of even lower cultivation fared worse still. Many turned pale and collapsed limply to the ground, their souls trembling on the verge of collapse, as if they would be crushed to pieces by that supreme will the very next second.

The entire Golden Turtle Island fell deathly silent. Even the sound of waves striking the shore seemed weak and powerless.

The island-protecting grand formation activated on its own, its radiance flowing, yet beneath that invisible pressure, it flickered erratically and let out a groan of unbearable strain.

This was not an attack, nor was it even deliberate pressure. It was merely the "sense of presence" naturally emitted by a Saint's single thought of turning their attention toward this place.

Yet it was enough to make all beings beneath the Daluo Realm tremble, enough to nearly shatter an immortal island blessed land! This was the might of a Saint! One with the Dao in truth, whose words became law and whose thoughts shook heaven and earth!

Xuan Chuan sat cross-legged upon the Jade-Purple Platform in his cave abode. Veins bulged faintly on his forehead, and sweat soaked his temples. He bore the brunt of it, enduring pressure far beyond that suffered by the others.

That cold gaze seemed to pierce through the cave abode's restrictions, through his flesh, and fall directly into the depths of his soul, examining everything about him—

His Dao, his methods, his "The One That Escaped," even... his "foreknowledge," which should not have existed!

The Chaos Pearl Fragment spun madly within his sea of consciousness, purple light flashing violently as it desperately concealed, distorted, and diverted the probing of that gaze.

"The One That Escaped" was also driven to its utmost limit, attempting to "peel" his very existence away from the other party's "lock-on," turning him into a "variable," into an "uncertainty."

But the disparity was too great! It was like an ant desperately trying to hide beneath a dragon's gaze—ridiculous and futile.

He could feel that beneath that gaze, he was nearly left with nowhere to hide. All his secrets were like ice and snow exposed beneath the sun, rapidly melting away.

Had the Chaos Pearl Fragment not possessed such an exalted essence, had "The One That Escaped" not truly been an anomaly of the Great Dao, he would likely already have been seen through completely, perhaps even suffered a collapse of his Dao heart!

"So this is... a Saint..." Xuan Chuan clenched his teeth, every bone in his body creaking, yet an unprecedented defiance and fighting spirit rose within him.

He could not yield! He absolutely could not reveal any flaw beneath such pressure, much less collapse!

Just as everyone on Golden Turtle Island was suffering beyond endurance, and Xuan Chuan himself was about to reach his limit—

"Hmph!"

A cold snort rang out like sudden thunder, like the first thread of sword cry at the dawn of chaos. It erupted from Biyou Palace, that ancient hall atop the highest point of Golden Turtle Island!

The sound was not loud, yet it carried supreme sharpness capable of cleaving through every shackle and seizing a thread of life! In an instant, it tore a gash through the cold Saintly might shrouding the entire island!

Immediately afterward, a gray and misty phantom of Sword Qi, seemingly plain and unremarkable yet containing the majestic will of creation itself, shot skyward from the roof of Biyou Palace!

The Sword Qi phantom possessed no distinct form. It was merely the pure intent of "sword," the manifestation of the Great Dao of "severance"!

It stood above Golden Turtle Island like a divine pillar stabilizing the sea, firmly blocking the Saintly pressure that came crashing down like the sky itself!

"Yuanshi, you have gone too far."

Master Tongtian's indifferent voice followed, likewise crossing endless time and space to collide from afar with the will descending from the direction of the Kunlun Mountains.

His voice was calm, but it bore an unmistakable intent to protect.

"Tongtian, you have failed to teach your disciples properly. Your followers spread heretical talk about the heavenly order, interfere with destiny, and have even shown disrespect toward the Golden Immortals of my Chanjiao. This trend cannot be allowed to grow."

Primordial Heavenly Venerable's voice was distant and lofty, like the voice of the Heavenly Dao. It contained not the slightest emotion, yet every word struck the hearts of all beings like a hammer, steeped in anger.

"My Jiejiao teaches without discrimination and has its own opportunities and rules. Everything Xuan Chuan has done falls within my sect's regulations. How has he recklessly discussed the heavenly order?

"On the contrary, your Chanjiao disciples first indulged in murder and violence, then plotted against fellow disciples. Now that their skills have proven inferior, they have come running to their elders to complain?"

Master Tongtian's voice turned cold, carrying undisguised mockery. "Could it be that Yuxu Palace's dignity must be upheld by Saintly pressure?"

"Silver-tongued sophistry!" Primordial Heavenly Venerable's voice sank slightly. "The Investiture of the Gods Tribulation has already begun. Destiny belongs to Zhou; this is the overarching course of the Heavenly Dao.

"Your Jiejiao disciples cultivate neither virtue nor understanding of the heavenly order. They ought to answer the tribulation and have their names entered upon the list, thus completing the Heavenly Dao.

"That Xuan Chuan has repeatedly acted against the tide, forcibly changing minor currents and disrupting the workings of destiny. This is not reckless talk—it is defiance of heaven! If this continues, he will surely become a great calamity! As a Saint, how can you stand by and watch?"

"Hahahaha!" Master Tongtian actually burst into laughter. Sword Qi surged within his laughter, forcing Primordial Heavenly Venerable's pressure back several degrees.

"What a grand course of the Heavenly Dao! What a fine 'ought to answer the tribulation'! Yuanshi, you speak endlessly of the Heavenly Dao and dwell constantly upon the Investiture of the Gods. Are you truly doing this only to 'complete the Heavenly Dao'?

"Or do you seek to borrow the name of the Heavenly Dao to suppress dissidents and strengthen your Chanjiao? My Jiejiao has ten thousand immortals paying court, our fortune flourishing. We are simply the thorn in your eye, the splinter in your flesh!"

His laughter abruptly ceased, and his tone became decisive. "My disciples shall be disciplined by me alone!

"Whether it is tribulation or fortune, life or death, each shall rely on their own abilities and fight for that single thread! Yuanshi, if you think to bully my disciples through Saintly pressure, you have miscalculated!

"Today, you used power to oppress others. If you dare act in such a manner again someday, do not blame my Immortal-Slaying Sword for personally ascending Kunlun to settle superiority and inferiority with you!"

The Immortal-Slaying Sword! The core of the Primordial World's foremost killing formation, the formation that could not be broken unless all four swords emerged together!

The moment those words were spoken, heaven and earth fell silent! Even that cold Saintly pressure faltered!

Clearly, to protect his disciples, Master Tongtian had not hesitated to adopt the most unyielding stance, even threatening with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation!

This was no longer merely a clash of words. It was a collision of will and trump cards between Saints!

Silence.

A suffocating silence.

The wills of two Saints clashed and pressed against each other fiercely in the unseen realm, and the celestial phenomena above Golden Turtle Island shifted violently.

At times, leaden clouds blanketed the sky; at times, Sword Qi crisscrossed the heavens; at times, auspicious omens filled the air; at times, murderous intent turned bone-chilling.

The Jiejiao disciples below had long since prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring even to lift their heads. Only a few, such as Duobao and Jin Ling, had reached the Daluo Realm.

They could barely maintain their footing, their faces pale as they felt that collision of intent capable of destroying heaven and earth.

Within his cave abode, Xuan Chuan's pressure lessened drastically, but his mind remained taut. He clearly "heard" the conversation between the two Saints, every word striking his heart like a heavy hammer.

His master's protection was forceful and resolute; Primordial Heavenly Venerable's killing intent was cold and naked. He himself had already become a focal point in the game between the Saints of the two sects!

After a long while, Primordial Heavenly Venerable's voice came again. It remained distant and lofty, but seemed to have lost some of its former oppressive pressure, gaining a touch more indifference and detachment:

"Tongtian, since you insist on shielding your own, I have nothing further to say.

"Yet destiny cannot be defied, and the greater tide cannot be reversed. The names upon the Investiture of the Gods List have long been decided. Let your Jiejiao disciples seek their own blessings."

As his words fell, the cold Saintly might enveloping Golden Turtle Island rapidly receded like a tide. In the blink of an eye, it vanished without a trace, as though it had never appeared at all.

The sky returned to clarity, clouds dispersing and mist clearing.

The phantom Sword Qi above Biyou Palace slowly withdrew as well, sinking back into the palace.

The ten-thousand-jun boulder weighing upon the disciples' hearts suddenly vanished. Many collapsed directly to the ground, gasping for breath, as though they had been reborn into another world.

Some whose wills were weak had even suffered damage to their Dao hearts and would need a long period of recuperation before they could recover.

Xuan Chuan also let out a long breath. His entire body had been soaked through with cold sweat, as though he had just walked through the gates of hell.

He slowly unclenched his tightly balled fists. His fingernails had dug deep, bloody marks into his palms.

So this was a Saint... With a single thought, they could determine the life and death of all beings; with a single word, they could decide the rise and fall of a sect! Before them, what difference was there between so-called Taiyi Golden Immortals, Daluo Realm cultivators, and ants?

Had Master Tongtian not forcefully shielded him today, he likely would have been completely exposed beneath Primordial Heavenly Venerable's gaze, perhaps even erased outright!

The relief of surviving a calamity, reverence for absolute power, and a sober awareness of the even harsher circumstances to come intertwined within Xuan Chuan's heart.

He knew that from this day onward, he had truly stepped into the Primordial World's highest-tier chess game—the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation. And the players moving the pieces were at least two Heavenly Dao Saints!

The road ahead was still long. And perilous.

Yet the light in his eyes grew ever more resolute.