Uncontrollable Chaos Demon Gods

"Ancestor Dragon did not intend to use his race's Fate Aura to step beyond."

The young Daoist lowered his head to look at the spirit leaf slowly unfurling in his teacup. After a moment, he spoke.

"You mean?" Qing Xuan's gaze shifted slightly.

Hongjun looked up at him and slowly nodded.

"Once one reaches the Thirty-Six Heavens of Great Luo and their Dao Fruit has reached perfection, their own Great Dao can no longer advance by even a fraction. To continue forward, they can only shatter that perfection and make their Dao truly transcend the heavens and earth of the Primordial World."

"But nearly all innate beings of the Primordial World were nurtured by its heavens and earth. Their origins, True Spirits, and Great Daos all came from heaven and earth. The farther they traveled, the deeper their ties to heaven and earth became."

"At the end of the thirty-six levels, breaking free of the Primordial World would be like asking a river to leave the mountains and land that carried it."

Hearing this, Qing Xuan could not help glancing at Qing Yi.

Hongjun's words applied to the vast majority of beings in the Primordial World, but perhaps not entirely to the two of them.

One had originated from the Origin of the Chaos Pearl, while the other had been nurtured by a lotus seed left behind by the Chaos Green Lotus.

Though they had taken form in the Primordial World, the deepest roots of both could be traced back to before the world was opened.

"Since Ancestor Dragon cannot sever his Dao from the Primordial World, he intends to do the opposite and make the entire Primordial World a part of his Great Dao."

Qing Xuan took over.

"If the Dragon Race can become the sole ruler of the Primordial World, its racial Fate Aura will spread with its territory across the Four Seas and endless mountains and rivers. Once Ancestor Dragon merges his Dao Fruit into the Dragon Race's Fate Aura, his Great Dao will likewise enter every corner of the Primordial World."

A hint of approval appeared in Hongjun's eyes. "Precisely."

"In the end, he will not break free from the Primordial World. Instead, he will use his own Great Dao to replace a portion of the Primordial World's original order."

Qing Yi looked toward the other two auras. "Yuanfeng and Primordial Qilin are taking the same path."

"They have reached the same point. Naturally, the choices they can see will not differ much," Hongjun said.

"What about you?"

Qing Xuan looked at Hongjun and asked, "Ancestor Dragon and the others have chosen to use racial providence to bear their Great Daos. Which path do you intend to take?"

The Dao Ancestor of the myths from his previous life had always seemed to be someone seated high in Zixiao Palace, overlooking all beings of the Primordial World.

But the Hongjun before him had not yet reached that point.

He would hesitate over the road ahead, travel the Primordial World alone in search of answers, and personally come to Purple Star to discuss matters with them after discovering Luohou's arrangements.

It was precisely because of this that Qing Xuan wanted even more to hear Hongjun say it himself.

"This poor Daoist is still searching for another path. Not only that, Luohou is searching as well." Hongjun's gaze turned westward.

Qing Xuan said, "I imagine you have already been to Mount Sumeru."

"I only reached its outskirts. If I took another step forward, Luohou would likely fight this poor Daoist."

The young Daoist looked at the two of them, and a faint smile returned to his face.

"Though I only reached the outskirts, I still gained something. Not only did I uncover Luohou's plans, I also saw traces of life hidden among several mountain branches along the western fringe."

Qing Xuan did not deny it. "We left those behind with Zhen Yuanzi."

"If Luohou truly triggers the Earth Veins in the future, those arrangements should at least preserve part of the western outskirts' mountains and rivers." Qing Xuan said, "You came this time because you want us to continue watching over that place?"

"Correct."

Hongjun's expression turned serious again.

"Luohou is nurturing a sword formation through Mount Sumeru. This formation possesses immense killing power. This poor Daoist has already invited fellow Daoists such as Yang Mei, Qiankun, and Yin-Yang, but if the final battle takes place at Mount Sumeru, this poor Daoist may not have the spare strength to attend to the western Earth Veins as well."

Qing Xuan and Qing Yi exchanged a glance.

They had naturally discovered the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation during their investigation, so Qing Xuan was not surprised by it.

What truly caught Qing Xuan's attention were people like Yang Mei and Qiankun.

It seemed Hongjun, that old schemer, really would take the opportunity to dispose of those uncontrollable Chaos Demon Gods as well.

Qing Xuan said, "Very well. We will do our utmost."

That had been the purpose of the contingencies they had left behind in advance. There was naturally no need to refuse.

With everything that needed to be said now said, the three of them did not continue discussing the great calamity.

Since Hongjun had rarely come to Purple Star, Qing Xuan accompanied him on a walk through the Daoist grounds.

Compared to the Daoist grounds on Buzhou Mountain, which had been established more for avoiding calamities and cultivation, Purple Star clearly bore far more signs of being a place meant for long-term residence.

The Five-Needle Pine had taken root deep in the valley. A red lotus throne and a white lotus throne faced each other across the Lotus Pond. Several innate spiritual roots transplanted from the Three Immortal Islands grew along the mountain wall, while in the distance stood the Purple Emperor Palace, built only a few Epoch Cycles ago.

Hongjun walked along the mountain stone path for a while, occasionally stopping to observe the ever-changing star paths overhead.

The young Daoist nodded faintly. "This place truly suits you both."

Following his gaze toward the Cosmic Star Sea, Qing Xuan joked, "At least we do not have to worry about a great calamity reaching our doorstep one day."

Hongjun smiled at that. "Not necessarily."

Qing Xuan considered it, then did not argue.

When the later great calamities of the Primordial World truly arrived, where in heaven or earth would be absolutely safe?

But that was a matter for the future.

When the two saw Hongjun off beyond Purple Star, the stars were still quietly moving along their original paths.

Standing outside the formation, the young Daoist turned back and cupped his hands to the two of them.

"After I depart for Mount Sumeru, our next meeting may have to wait until this great calamity truly comes to an end."

Qing Xuan and Qing Yi returned the salute together. "Take care, fellow Daoist."

Hongjun gave a slight nod, and his figure soon transformed into a streak of clear light that vanished into the distant sea of stars.

Qing Xuan stood where he was for a while. Only after that familiar aura had completely disappeared did he return to Purple Star with Qing Yi.

The two did not delay any further.

They reinforced the great formation around the Daoist grounds once more. After settling everything, they left the Cosmic Star Sea directly and headed toward Longevity Mountain.

Several hundred years later, Longevity Mountain finally appeared at the edge of their vision.

Compared with Qing Xuan's last visit, this immortal mountain in the center of the Primordial World had not changed much.

The mountains remained lush and green, while the canopy of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, stretching across untold tens of thousands of miles, covered more than half the sky.

The rich aura of Yi Wood intertwined with the spiritual vitality of the Earth Veins, keeping the increasingly heavy Calamity Aura outside the mountain.

Yet the closer Qing Xuan came to Longevity Mountain, the more he sensed a stillness unlike before.

There were already very few other living beings in the vicinity.

Most of the smaller races and wandering cultivators who had once depended on the area around Longevity Mountain had left this region thousands of years ago.

Only some plants and tree spirits that had yet to gain sentience remained in the forests. They would occasionally poke their heads out from between ancient trees and mountain streams, only to swiftly hide again.

Before the two had truly descended, the great formation guarding the mountain opened a passage on its own.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun had already emerged from Wuzhuang Temple.

"You finally came." At the sight of the two, Hong Yun visibly let out a breath of relief.