Intercepting Zhunti, the Dao Ancestor's Voice Transmission

"Who dares steal an opportunity from the West?! Get out here!"

Zhunti flew into a rage, and the terrifying pressure of a Mid Great Encompassment Golden Immortal erupted with a thunderous roar, making the surrounding mountains rumble.

"Buzz—"

In the nearby void, the phantom of a sacred, flawless twelve-petaled white lotus slowly emerged.

Li Qingxiao stood calmly atop the White Lotus, his moon-white Daoist robe fluttering in the wind.

He casually toyed with the Bodhi Branch he had just intercepted.

He looked down imperiously at the two below.

"Heavenly treasures belong to the virtuous."

"Mount Buzhou was formed from Great God Pangu's spine. Why should the treasures it nurtures belong to your West?"

Li Qingxiao did not yield an inch, openly mocking him.

"You're courting death!"

Zhunti had always been hot-tempered, and the West was desperately poor. Having finally found a supreme-grade material only to see it snatched away, how could he possibly restrain himself?

"A mere early Daluo Golden Immortal dares act so recklessly before me? Take this!"

Zhunti shouted, forming a hand seal before directly bringing forth his not-yet-complete natal treasure:

the embryonic form of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree.

With a sudden wave of his hand, a stream of Seven Treasures Divine Light containing the phenomenon of sweeping away all things

swept viciously toward Li Qingxiao's head like an inverted galaxy!

Zhunti attacked in fury, and the force of the strike was earth-shattering.

Even a Daluo Golden Immortal of the same realm would suffer badly without a defensive spirit treasure.

Yet in the face of the unstoppable Seven Treasures Divine Light, Li Qingxiao merely clasped his hands behind his back, neither dodging nor evading.

He did not even raise an eyelid.

"Arrogant!"

A flash of cruelty passed through Zhunti's eyes.

Just as the Seven Treasures Divine Light was about to touch Li Qingxiao's body, the phantom of the Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus beneath his feet abruptly solidified!

"Splash—"

Its twelve crystal-clear petals slowly bloomed, and a luminous white pillar of light that seemed capable of cleansing all filth and techniques in the world shot into the heavens.

When the incomparably ferocious Seven Treasures Divine Light struck the Purifying White Light,

it vanished like a clay ox sinking into the sea, unable to stir even a ripple.

The power of Ten Thousand Laws Immunity contained within the Purifying White Light forcibly broke down and purified the divine light of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree,

ultimately turning it into a wisp of breeze that brushed past Li Qingxiao's robes.

He was completely unscathed!

"H-How is this possible?!"

Zhunti's eyes widened as he cried out in shock, as though he had seen a ghost.

Though his Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree was only in its embryonic form, it possessed the sharpness of Bodhi Geng Metal. It had always been capable of breaking anything and sweeping away all manner of techniques. How could it be dispelled without the other party even using a defensive treasure?

"No... that is..."

Daoist Jieyin, who had remained in the rear without acting, finally underwent a drastic change in expression.

He stared fixedly at the White Lotus beneath Li Qingxiao's feet, his eyes filled with extreme shock and apprehension.

"A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure?!"

Jieyin took a deep breath, his heart pounding wildly.

There were only a few Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures in the entire Primordial World, and every one possessed the power to destroy heaven and earth!

This young man, who appeared to be only an early Daluo Golden Immortal, actually had such terrifying foundations!

If they truly fought, even if the two martial brothers joined forces, they likely would not be able to break through the White Lotus's defenses. Instead, they might needlessly make a terrifying enemy.

"Junior Brother, stop!"

Seeing that Zhunti refused to accept this and was about to continue attacking, Jieyin hurried forward and seized Zhunti's wrist.

"Senior Brother, he stole our opportunity!"

Zhunti said anxiously.

"Shut up!"

Jieyin rebuked him through voice transmission, then forcibly squeezed out a smile uglier than crying. He pressed his palms together and gave Li Qingxiao a slight bow.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a misunderstanding. It is all a misunderstanding."

"I am Jieyin, and this is my junior brother, Zhunti."

"My junior brother is rash by nature and offended you. I hope Fellow Daoist will be magnanimous."

Li Qingxiao looked at Jieyin with a faintly amused smile, deliberately releasing all the mana of his Daluo Golden Immortal realm without reservation.

Together with the pressure of the World-Cleansing White Lotus, it firmly locked onto the two of them.

A trace of cold sweat seeped from Jieyin's forehead, and he secretly groaned.

He knew they had struck an iron plate today. The most urgent matter was to quickly search Mount Buzhou for opportunities to restore the Western Ley Lines.

They absolutely could not waste time and mana on an unknown top-tier great expert over a mere low-grade spirit root.

"Since this Bodhi Branch is fated with Fellow Daoist, my junior brother and I will not take what you love."

"The Western Ley Lines still need tending, and we have important matters to attend to. Farewell!"

With that, Jieyin practically dragged the unwilling Zhunti away, turning into two streaks of golden light.

Somewhat bedraggled, they flew toward the summit of Mount Buzhou without even daring to look back.

Li Qingxiao did not pursue as he watched their dejected figures depart.

He knew these two were fated Saints, protected by the fortune of the Heavenly Dao. They could not be killed yet.

He slowly closed his eyes and carefully sensed the threads of karma around himself.

A moment later, Li Qingxiao abruptly opened his eyes, a brilliant gleam flashing within them.

"None! Not a trace of karmic sin has touched me!"

Had anyone else stolen the future opportunities of the Western Two Sages, they would have long been entangled in karma and would surely face tribulation in the future.

But he was completely clean. The World-Cleansing White Lotus had invisibly purified that karma completely!

"Golden Finger verification successful!"

Li Qingxiao stored the Bodhi Branch within his Universe in the Sleeve, his mood greatly improved.

"Having secured my first windfall, I can now continue exploring the depths of Pangu's spine and see whether there are any other overlooked opportunities..."

"Rumble—!"

Just as Li Qingxiao prepared to continue deeper into Mount Buzhou in search of treasures, a vast and boundless terrifying pressure

suddenly swept forth from the chaos Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens!

It instantly enveloped the entire Primordial World!

Countless celestial chants echoed between heaven and earth.

At that moment, whether it was the Ancient Dragon Tribe lurking in the deep sea, the great sages of the Yao newly born upon the land, or the great shamans of the Wu,

all found their knees buckling involuntarily beneath that pressure as they knelt upon the ground.

An irrepressible awe rose within their hearts.

This was... a Saint's pressure!

Had the World-Cleansing White Lotus not protected him, Li Qingxiao would likely have suffered a hidden loss as well.

Immediately afterward, purple qi stretched thirty thousand miles from the east, heavenly flowers rained down, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth!

Then, a vast voice, indifferent yet majestic, exploded simultaneously within the minds of the countless living beings of the Primordial World:

"High upon the Ninefold Clouds I rest, upon a cattail mat I attain the true Dao. Beyond Heaven and Earth's dark and yellow, I shall hold the honored seat of teaching. Pangu gave birth to Taiji, and the Two Principles and Four Images followed."

"One Dao passed to Three Friends; the two teachings divided into Chan and Jie. Leader of the Daoist Sect, one breath transformed into Hongjun."

"I am Hongjun. I have now attained the Dao and become a Saint! Seeing that the cultivation of all beings in the Primordial World is not easy, in three thousand years, I shall expound the Dao at the Chaos Zixiao Palace Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens."

"All those with affinity may come and listen!"

As the voice faded, the Saint's pressure receded like the tide.

The entire Primordial World fell into brief silence before erupting into a heaven-shaking frenzy!

Countless great experts hidden in famous mountains and great rivers emerged from seclusion, their eyes reddening as they looked toward Heaven Beyond Heaven.

Li Qingxiao suddenly raised his head toward the endless void, unprecedented ambition and fervor bursting from his eyes.

"It has finally come... the great era has officially begun!"

"Jieyin, Zhunti, we'll meet at the Purple Heaven Palace!"

As his voice fell, Li Qingxiao no longer lingered over the other mundane things of Mount Buzhou. His body transformed into a dazzling rainbow that pierced heaven and earth.

He shot straight toward Heaven Beyond Heaven, racing into the depths of chaos!