Just as Zhunti extinguished the flames and saved Dizang, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of Bo Huang's mouth. Seeing this, Tai Yi hurriedly said, "Big Brother, look—Bo Huang is injured. Zhunti may well have struck him in secret."
Di Jun immediately swept Bo Huang's body with his divine sense and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhunti, it was one thing for you to save your disciple during a spar between juniors, but how could you secretly injure my son's primordial spirit?"
Tai Yi had always been hot-tempered. He immediately said, "Big Brother, Zhunti has already injured Huang'er's primordial spirit. Why are you still calling this old thief a fellow Daoist? Let's join forces and beat him up." With that, he produced the Chaos Bell and smashed it down with a DUANG.
Seeing Tai Yi make his move, Di Jun hurriedly followed. He took out the River Diagram and Luo Book, brought forth the Heavenly Emperor Sword, and charged in as well.
Though Zhunti was a Heaven-Ordained Saint at the Quasi-Saint Peak, the Di Jun and Tai Yi brothers were no easy opponents either. With the Heavenly Court long established, they enjoyed the blessing of the Heavenly Emperor's fortune, and their cultivation was a notch higher than Zhunti's.
Thus, although Zhunti held the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree and unleashed its Seven-colored Precious Light, he was still suppressed by Tai Yi wielding the Chaos Bell.
Seeing Tai Yi suppress the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, Di Jun charged forward with the Heavenly Emperor Sword and slashed down. With a single strike, he shattered Zhunti's protective precious light.
Unable to withstand them, Zhunti shouted, "Senior Brother, help me!"
Hearing this, Jieyin summoned the Twelve-grade Golden Lotus to protect himself and Zhunti. "You two, my junior brother was somewhat impulsive just now. However, damage to the primordial spirit does not necessarily mean a severe injury. We are willing to offer compensation. Would that be acceptable?"
Lao Zi stepped forward and said, "The Three Pure Ones are one. This child Bo Huang has always shown me filial respect, and I have pills that can treat his primordial spirit injury. Di Jun, if you refuse to stand up for your son today, then we Three Pure Ones will do it ourselves." With that, he called over Yuanshi and Tongtian.
Yuanshi and Tongtian had already thought highly of Bo Huang, and both owed him a debt for guiding them toward Becoming a Saint. How could they ignore this? One took out the Pangu Banner, while the other drew the Qingping Sword, and both glared at Jieyin and Zhunti with unfriendly expressions.
When Di Jun heard Lao Zi say that if he and his brother did not act, the Three Pure Ones would step in to seek justice for Bo Huang, how could he possibly let Jieyin and Zhunti go? He immediately said, "Bo Huang is my own son. How could I not avenge him? Second Brother, does our Heavenly Court lack the little bit of stuff on Mount Sumeru?"
Tai Yi laughed heartily. "What kind of joke is that... What good things could Mount Sumeru possibly have? Could he perhaps hand over the Primordial Violet Qi?" As he spoke, he raised the Chaos Bell, preparing to forcibly break through the Twelve-grade Lotus Platform.
At that moment, Bo Huang slowly woke up and said, "Senior Zhunti, you really struck viciously... Father, Second Uncle, Master, Martial Uncle, don't let them off today."
Zhunti's face darkened. "Is there truly no room for negotiation?"
Bo Huang said, "Of course there is. If you don't defend yourself and let me hit you once, we'll settle this karma. How about it?"
Zhunti said, "Fine. I refuse to believe that a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal like you can be that strong." With that, he stood where he was, prepared to take Bo Huang's attack head-on.
Bo Huang began gathering power. The Chaos Spirit Fire fused with the Golden Crow Divine Flame, forming a great divine ability from the Chaos Golden Crow's inherited cultivation art: the Golden Crow Burning Heaven Flame. A spark flickered at Bo Huang's fingertip, radiating such heat that even Di Jun and Tai Yi could feel it.
Tai Yi said, "Big Brother, that wisp of flame in my nephew's hand is no ordinary thing."
Di Jun nodded. "Let's keep watching." Then Bo Huang struck Zhunti's chest with one move, and raging flames engulfed Zhunti.
After a long while, Zhunti used the Seven-colored Precious Light to extinguish the flames. "Is our karma settled now?"
Yet Bo Huang did not respond. Looking closely, they saw that Bo Huang was sitting cross-legged, making a breakthrough. The Three Flowers above his head bloomed open, reaching the seventh rank. (In truth, the flowers had bloomed to the ninth rank, but the system hid it for fear that the protagonist would be targeted.)
Before long, Bo Huang successfully broke through. "Some time ago, I dreamed that I heard beating up a living being transformed from Senior Zhunti's Bodhi Tree could bring sudden enlightenment and a breakthrough. It really was true."
Little did they know that the momentum of the Three Pure Ones and Two Emperors confronting the two saints of Mount Sumeru had drawn many mighty beings to observe with their divine senses, causing Zhunti to be marked as a target.
When Lao Zi saw Bo Huang break through after striking Zhunti, he thought, That boy deliberately warned me to be wary of Zhunti. Was he trying to tell me that if I beat Zhunti first, then undergo Mortal Transformation, I can break through and become a saint? As for why he didn't say it directly, was he afraid of forming karma with Zhunti? Hmm, that seems very likely.
With that thought, Lao Zi said, "Fellow Daoist Zhunti, why not spar with me?"
Looking at Lao Zi's expression, Zhunti thought, Even if I say no today, you'll still make a move. Do I have any chance to refuse? With that, Zhunti helplessly agreed.
Before you continue