Taiyi left quickly and returned just as quickly. This time, Dijun came with him.
Besides that, to Dao Xuan's surprise, a streak of light also flew over from the Lunar Star.
A female immortal arrived at the scene, holding a tree branch.
"..."
Upon seeing this female immortal, Dao Xuan felt even more certain that his decision had been right. He had already asked favors of two parties.
He did not want to ask anyone else.
Now, Dijun and Taiyi had brought him a branch from the Starfruit Tree, while Immortal Xihe had brought him a branch from the Moon Laurel Tree.
He did not even need to make the trip himself!
Naturally, Dao Xuan was pleased, but Dijun, Taiyi, and even Immortal Xihe did not look very happy.
Dijun first bowed to Dao Xuan. "Fellow Daoist, I knew nothing of this matter. I hope you will not take it to heart."
As he spoke, Dijun tossed the Starfruit Tree branch in his hand toward Dao Xuan.
Then Dijun said to Immortal Xihe, "Sister!"
Immortal Xihe nodded and tossed the Moon Laurel Tree branch in her hand to Dao Xuan as well. Without saying another word, she turned and left, becoming a streak of light as she returned to the Lunar Star.
Dao Xuan blinked and paid the woman no mind. He was not the sort whose mind was ruled by lust.
Besides, he had long known that Dijun and Taiyi had originated from the starry sky. How could the two female immortals of the Lunar Star, which stood opposite their Solar Star, have no ties with them?
Now, it seemed this went far beyond mere acquaintance. It was fortunate that he had not truly followed his original plan and visited them one by one.
Otherwise, his few gourds might truly have been left with none at all.
With a sweep of his sleeve, Dao Xuan put away the branches of the Starfruit Tree and Moon Laurel Tree.
Seeing this, Taiyi immediately said, "Fellow Daoist, now that you have taken the branches, should you not release the Demon Master?"
Dao Xuan smiled and nodded. "Of course, of course. I'll return him to you now!"
Though he said so, before releasing Kunpeng from the Four-Colored Divine Light, Dao Xuan suddenly activated it and ruthlessly wrung Kunpeng dry.
Kunpeng immediately let out an incomparably miserable scream.
Whoosh!
Kunpeng, whose blood essence had nearly been drained dry, was tossed by Dao Xuan toward Dijun and Taiyi.
At the same time, Dao Xuan laughed loudly. "Thank you all for your generous gifts, fellow Daoists. Dao Xuan will take his leave!"
"How dare you!" Dijun roared.
Taiyi slammed down the Chaos Bell, which swept toward the fleeing Dao Xuan at an inconceivable speed.
"Trying to leave? Dao Xuan, leave your life behind!"
Taiyi was utterly furious.
When had he ever suffered such a great loss? It filled him with an intense sense of humiliation! He had completely torn off all pretense today and was determined to make Dao Xuan pay the price.
With a dull clang, the Chaos Bell shook heaven and earth. Its terrifying power seemed to twist the entire world.
No matter how Dao Xuan fled, he seemed to be firmly locked onto. The distance between them kept shrinking as the bell sought to draw him inside and suppress him within.
It could only be said that the Chaos Bell truly deserved its reputation as an Innate Supreme Treasure! Even Dao Xuan was seeing such power for the first time.
It was truly terrifying!
Yet Dao Xuan was not flustered. He used Near and Far Apart, his figure flashing again and again, causing the Chaos Bell to miss repeatedly.
Each time it seemed as though Dao Xuan would be taken into the bell in the next instant, he would suddenly escape even farther away.
It was as though Dao Xuan had found a flaw in the Chaos Bell.
Taiyi could hardly believe his eyes.
Yet this was not actually a flaw in the Chaos Bell. Rather, Taiyi's control over this supreme treasure was insufficient.
Taiyi's comprehension of the Space-Time Dao was far inferior to Dao Xuan's!
When the Chaos Bell failed to strike Dao Xuan for so long, Taiyi grew even more furious and was about to rise and pursue Dao Xuan himself.
At this moment, Dijun, supporting Kunpeng with one hand as he hung there like a dead dog, hurriedly shouted, "Enough, Taiyi! Don't chase him!"
As an observer, Dijun saw the situation more clearly. At this moment, he had noticed something.
As the distance increased, Taiyi's control over the Chaos Bell began to weaken, while Dao Xuan clearly possessed an extremely profound understanding of the Space-Time Dao.
If this continued, Taiyi would surely suffer a major loss. Dijun even suspected that Dao Xuan might be planning to seize Taiyi's Chaos Bell as well.
Of course, Dijun did not think that possibility was very likely.
Although Taiyi had not completely refined the Chaos Bell, it was still an Innate Supreme Treasure.
Taiyi had expended untold effort to refine it. How could it be so easily taken by someone else?
But no matter what, having sensed some scheme from Dao Xuan, Dijun immediately stopped Taiyi.
Though Taiyi was unwilling, he immediately withdrew. With a thought, he recalled the Chaos Bell.
Seeing this, Dao Xuan could not help feeling somewhat regretful.
To be honest, he really had entertained the idea of seizing the Chaos Bell. After all, it was an Innate Supreme Treasure.
In Taiyi's hands, it was simply being wasted.
How wonderful would it be if it were given to him?
But unfortunately, an Innate Supreme Treasure was not so easily seized. Dao Xuan's plan had been to widen the distance between the Chaos Bell and Taiyi, causing Taiyi to make even greater mistakes in controlling it.
Then he could take advantage of the opportunity and use his methods to directly draw the Chaos Bell into his Inner World.
His Inner World completely severed all connection with the Primordial World.
At that point, once the Chaos Bell fell into his Inner World, it would be entirely at his mercy.
But Dijun had seen through his scheme and made Taiyi take back the Chaos Bell.
Although Dao Xuan felt some regret, he knew when to stop. His gains this time were already sufficient: branches from three great spiritual roots, along with all of Kunpeng's blood essence.
If he also demanded the Chaos Bell, that would be excessively greedy.
Thus, after pausing for a moment, Dao Xuan could not even be bothered to say another word. With a flash, he vanished.
"Who exactly is this Dao Xuan?" Dijun asked in a low voice as he watched Dao Xuan disappear.
They had suffered far too great a loss today.
Not only Taiyi and Kunpeng—even he wanted to recover their dignity!
But Dao Xuan was simply too unfathomable!
His endlessly emerging methods made Dijun deeply wary!
"He only knows how to run!" Taiyi said angrily.
But Dijun merely gave him a faint glance. His brother was good in every way, except that he was far too hot-headed.
And he did not like using his brain much.
Did Dao Xuan truly only know how to flee? He clearly possessed an exceptionally profound command of the Space-Time Dao!
Moreover, what was that divine ability he had used to capture Kunpeng?
Dijun knew Kunpeng's strength very well. Even he and Taiyi had needed to employ quite a few schemes when they first subdued him.
Yet now, although Dao Xuan had also launched a sneak attack, Kunpeng had been left utterly unable to resist by a single move and had obediently allowed himself to be suppressed. This showed just how unfathomably powerful Dao Xuan was.
For someone like him, even if we cannot become friends, we should not become enemies, Dijun thought, glancing at Taiyi with some frustration.
He had already said that they only needed to exchange a Fusang Tree branch for the gourd, but Taiyi had hidden things from him and caused another incident.
"Alas!"
Dijun sighed inwardly and said, "Fortunately, the Karma between us is not too great yet. When we meet again, we should find a way to resolve it!"
Having thought this through, Dijun could only bring Kunpeng along with Taiyi and return to the Thirty-Three Heavens.
Before you continue