The Appointed Immortal Chief, Killing Intent on the Journey Home

Before the watching crowd, Dao Ancestor Hongjun slowly spoke, delivering the decree of the Heavenly Dao:

"Dong Wang Gong."

Dong Wang Gong, suddenly called out, shuddered violently and raised his head in utter disbelief.

"You were transformed from the first wisp of Innate Pure Yang qi after Heaven and Earth opened, blessed with profound fortune."

"Now, in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, I appoint you Chief of the Male Immortals of the Primordial World, commanding all male immortals beneath Heaven."

Before his words had faded, Hongjun lightly swept his whisk, and golden light blazed brilliantly throughout the void.

A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, wholly carved from Nine Heavens Divine Jade, tore through the air.

Bearing supreme might capable of suppressing heaven and earth, it landed steadily before Dong Wang Gong.

It was the supreme treasure that carried out Heaven's punishments—the Dragon-Headed Cane!

"Queen Mother of the West."

Hongjun turned his gaze toward the equally stunned peerless beauty beside him.

"You were transformed from Innate Pure Yin qi, dignified and kind by nature. I now appoint you Chief of the Female Immortals of the Primordial World, commanding all female immortals beneath Heaven."

As he spoke, another dazzling stream of five-colored immortal light descended.

It transformed into a precious banner radiating endless purity, peace, and auspiciousness, floating before the Queen Mother of the West.

A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, one of the Five Banners—the Plain Cloud Realm Banner!

Boom!

At that moment, the entire Purple Heaven Palace fell into an eerie silence before erupting with violent surges of magical power.

Di Jun and Taiyi, who had still been dreaming of commanding the immortals, had the smiles on their faces freeze instantly.

Then their expressions darkened completely, their eyes filled with uncontrollable rage and humiliation.

Their Yao were immensely powerful, yet the Dao Ancestor had utterly ignored them.

Instead, he had appointed the obscure independent cultivator Dong Wang Gong as Chief of the Male Immortals!

It was no different from publicly slapping the Yao across the face!

Meanwhile, after his initial daze, Dong Wang Gong was instantly consumed by overwhelming ecstasy and ambition.

"Chief of the Male Immortals... I am the Chief of the Male Immortals! Personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor!"

His entire body trembled as Dong Wang Gong accepted the Dragon-Headed Cane. It felt as though he were holding not merely a spirit treasure.

But the supreme throne of the entire Primordial World!

Before the temptation of such immense authority, he was completely swept away.

He immediately straightened his robes and crown, then kowtowed heavily toward the high platform with wild excitement and arrogance.

"This humble immortal, Dong Wang Gong, shall obey the Dao Ancestor's decree! I shall not disappoint the Dao Ancestor's great expectations and shall govern the immortals of the Primordial World on Heaven's behalf!"

His words already carried an arrogance and imperiousness that placed him above all other immortals.

In contrast, after accepting the Plain Cloud Realm Banner, the Queen Mother of the West was delighted as well.

Yet a trace of clarity and solemnity appeared deep in her beautiful eyes.

She keenly sensed the murderous and hostile gazes of the great powers filling the hall.

She merely bowed cautiously in thanks before quietly stepping back, not daring to show the slightest ostentation.

Seated farther back, Li Qingxiao silently watched Dong Wang Gong accept the decree in wild delight, a cold, mocking curve appearing at the corner of his lips.

"Idiot."

Li Qingxiao sneered inwardly.

As someone familiar with the history of the Primordial World, he understood all too well what this so-called "Immortal Chief" truly meant.

In the Primordial World, strength reigned supreme.

Dong Wang Gong had neither sect nor faction. He possessed neither the Wu's formidable bodies nor the Yao's vast power.

Nor did he possess the Three Pure Ones' fortune of Pangu. Yet with nothing but an empty title and a Dragon-Headed Cane—

He actually dreamed of lording it over Di Jun, Taiyi, the Three Pure Ones, and other peerless monsters?

How could this be some supreme honor?

It was clearly a... death warrant Dao Ancestor Hongjun had personally hung around Dong Wang Gong's neck!

The karmic killing trap that would one day destroy Zifu Continent and cause Dong Wang Gong's death had, at this moment—

Been thoroughly buried by the Heavenly Dao.

At the front, Di Jun took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword and kill Dong Wang Gong on the spot.

He turned and sent a voice transmission to Taiyi.

"Second Brother, let's go! The Dao Ancestor favors independent cultivators and suppresses our Yao!"

"We must return to the Solar Star immediately, unite the Myriad Races, establish the Yao, and gather hundreds of millions of Yao!"

"Only absolute strength can break this so-called destiny!"

Taiyi nodded heavily, gripping the Chaos Bell as killing intent surged in his eyes.

The two brothers had already lost all interest in remaining here for even another moment.

On the high platform, Dao Ancestor Hongjun watched the countless reactions of the crowd with an indifferent expression before slowly closing his eyes.

"The first lecture has concluded successfully. Ten thousand years from now, Purple Heaven Palace will open for the second lecture, which shall expound the path of the Quasi-Saint. All those with affinity may return."

"Leave."

As his words fell, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's figure became like a wisp of smoke.

He transformed into countless strands of purple auspicious light and vanished from the high platform without a trace.

Rumble—!

Immediately afterward, the purple-gold gates of Purple Heaven Palace, which had remained shut for three thousand years, opened slowly to either side amid a deep rumble.

Beyond them lay the endless, churning gray chaos outside.

The lecture was over, and the opportunities had been decided!

The three thousand great powers rose one after another, each harboring their own thoughts as they streamed out of the hall.

Ancestor Kunpeng's eyes glinted with venomous coldness. He had no desire to linger even an instant longer.

He was the first to transform into a shrieking blue-black sinister gale, tearing through the void at the palace gates.

He plunged headlong into the depths of chaos and vanished without a trace.

Behind the crowd, Ancestor Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi walked over side by side.

Ancestor Hong Yun's kind, round face was covered in a sincere smile as he hurried to Li Qingxiao and cupped his hands.

"Fellow Daoist Qingxiao, the chaos outside Purple Heaven Palace is perilous. Why don't the three of us travel together again, cross the chaos, and return to the Primordial World? We can look after one another. What do you say?"

Li Qingxiao gave a slight nod, his expression as calm as water.

"That is precisely my wish."

The three left Purple Heaven Palace together and reentered the violent, disorderly chaos Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The moment they stepped into the chaos, Zhen Yuanzi's originally lean and composed face sank slightly.

With a sweep of his sleeve, the Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, the Earth Book, was instantly summoned.

An ochre light curtain rippled with endless phantom images of mountains and rivers.

It formed an indestructible glow of earth, firmly protecting the three of them at its center.

"Be careful, Fellow Daoists."

Zhen Yuanzi frowned tightly. His spiritual senses at the Mid Great Encompassment Golden Immortal realm were frantically warning him as he lowered his voice and spoke gravely.

"When the gates of Purple Heaven Palace opened earlier, I noticed Ancestor Kunpeng leaving first."

"The chilling killing intent in his eyes when he departed was practically enough to skin and dismember the two of us..."

"I fear he will not let this matter rest during our return journey."

At the mention of "Kunpeng," a trace of guilt and helplessness flashed across Ancestor Hong Yun's face. He sighed.

"That seat was originally mine, yet it caused Fellow Daoist Kunpeng to suffer such an undeserved calamity. It is only natural for him to bear resentment."

Listening to Hong Yun's almost naive words, Li Qingxiao shook his head inwardly, though his expression remained unchanged.

In the Primordial World, where the strong devoured the weak, cutting off someone's opportunity to attain the Dao—

Was a blood feud that would not end until one side died. How could it be brushed aside with a mere "only natural"?

Yet Li Qingxiao was not the slightest bit flustered. Instead, a concealed fighting spirit flashed deep in his eyes.

Within Purple Heaven Palace, he had borrowed the boundless Dao aura to successfully break through to the Mid Great Encompassment Golden Immortal realm. His foundation was already far beyond others of the same realm.

He had been worrying that he lacked a suitable whetstone to test his own combat strength.

If Kunpeng dared to come, then this would be the perfect battle to establish his might and completely eliminate this hidden danger!