After the pressure of Lao Zi's Becoming a Saint dissipated, Jieyin said to Di Jun, "Your Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, may the people of Mount Sumeru return today?"
Jieyin knew full well: with Fu Xi, Tai Yi, Di Jun, and the host of demon sages from the Heavenly Court present, even though Kunpeng had wandered off somewhere, they still had more than enough power to keep them all here.
Di Jun nodded and said, "You may. Leave on your own."
Seeing Di Jun agree, Jieyin hurriedly led his disciples away. Not long after they left, Di Jun asked Bo Huang, "Why did you send me a voice transmission telling me to let them go? Given the situation just now, wouldn't it have been better to kill Jieyin outright and seize the Primordial Violet Qi from Zhunti?"
Bo Huang said, "Dad, think carefully. Those two from the west are registered disciples of the Dao Ancestor. The Dao Ancestor might be too lazy to interfere if we merely beat them up, but if we kill them, he'll truly fly into a rage."
Di Jun nodded. "Then once they become Saints in the future, won't they retaliate against our Heavenly Court?"
Bo Huang chuckled. "No matter, no matter. Who knows what they'll encounter on their way back to Mount Sumeru? Becoming Saints? They should take their time nursing their wounds first."
Why was Bo Huang so certain? It was simple. The matter of the cultivation technique left in Kunpeng's mind had been done by the system, and Kunpeng was not the only one it had left something for. Minghe had been given something as well.
Before Jieyin and Zhunti could lead their disciples back to Mount Sumeru, they encountered an ambush on the road. The first wave was neither Kunpeng and his group nor Minghe, but a Daoist named Xuan Qing.
This Daoist Xuan Qing also had an extraordinary origin. Back when Pangu opened Heaven, clear qi rose to become the heavens, while turbid qi sank to become the earth. Xuan Qing was the first wisp of clear qi between heaven and earth to take form, and he had now reached the quasi-saint realm.
Jieyin said, "If you want to touch my junior brother, you'll have to get past me first. Are you ready?"
Xuan Qing laughed heartily. "Good. Take a sword strike from me. Where there is Xuan Qing, there is heaven." With that, he drew a green treasure sword and thrust it forward.
Jieyin laughed. "For that one sentence alone, the Heavenly Dao will not tolerate you." As he spoke, he took out the Staff of Blessing to meet the attack.
Xuan Qing's swordsmanship was swift and carried an eerie power. With a flick of his wrist, the longsword in his hand transformed into countless sword shadows that descended upon Jieyin.
Jieyin was greatly startled by the sight, but he did not retreat. Instead, he roared, "Break!"
After saying that, he raised the Staff of Blessing high above his head while chanting an incantation. The space around him suddenly began to ripple violently, as though a stone had been dropped into water.
Immediately afterward, the void twisted, forming an irresistible force of attraction that swept up every incoming strand of sword qi. Once it had absorbed all the sword qi, the force abruptly vanished, and the entire space returned to calm.
At the same time, the two wielded their weapons against each other. Jieyin used the Staff of Blessing, while Xuan Qing wielded a slender sword that was even sharper than an ordinary blade.
"Clang! Clang!" Their weapons collided, producing the ringing sound of metal striking metal.
This clash left both sides secretly shocked. Jieyin had believed that he had already suppressed Xuan Qing, yet he never expected his opponent to be evenly matched with him.
Xuan Qing was even more astonished. After all, he had taken form far earlier than Jieyin, yet he had only managed to fight him to a draw.
Seeing an unknown figure able to fight Jieyin to a standstill, Minghe, who was observing in secret, was overjoyed. Hurry up. Fight more fiercely. It'd be best if you went into Chaos and had a huge battle.
Perhaps Minghe's prayer had truly worked, for Xuan Qing said, "Continuing to fight here would be harmful to the living beings of this place. How about a battle in Chaos?"
Jieyin nodded. "Then we shall battle in Chaos." After speaking, he turned to his disciples and said, "Return to Mount Sumeru first. Your master will go and return soon. Do not worry."
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