Primordial Desolation: I, Emperor Jun, Only Want to Build the Primordial Desolation — Section 14

After all, whether it was Luo Hou or ancestors like Hongjun, it was impossible for them to let other living beings hear their conversation.

Luo Hou looked at Hongjun and the other four, then spoke to them again in a normal voice. "I'll be waiting for you all atop Mount Sumeru."

"Ha ha ha..."

With that, Luo Hou left amid loud laughter.

At this moment, Hongjun and the other four wore solemn expressions. They exchanged glances and realized that this matter was far from simple.

Their thoughts raced, and in an instant, they identified the difficulties involved.

First, since Luo Hou had issued the challenge, he must have made thorough preparations. If they went rashly, they feared victory would be difficult to obtain.

Second, most living beings in the Primordial Desolation had heard Luo Hou's challenge. If they did not go, how would those beings view them?

Moreover, Luo Hou truly lived up to his title as the Devil Ancestor—he had planted a seed in the hearts of the four.

The Dao-Devil Conflict had lasted for so long. Now that Luo Hou had stirred things up like this, did they still have the patience to keep waiting?

Just as Hongjun felt a surge of irritation rise in his heart, streams of cool aura swept through his mind and drove away his agitation.

Seeing the expressions of his other three fellow Daoists, Hongjun immediately realized that he might have fallen prey to Luo Hou's bewitchment.

He could not help but feel fortunate that he possessed the Jade Plate of Creation.

"Fellow Daoists, this matter requires careful consideration. How about we return first?"

Hongjun said solemnly.

The other three exchanged glances, then spoke in unison. "Good!"

Soon afterward, all four departed. Emperor Jun had not even noticed how the Four Ancestors had left.

Having witnessed Luo Hou's arrival and departure, and heard his challenge, Emperor Jun could not help but sigh inwardly.

Would the Dao-Devil Conflict finally reach its decisive battle three thousand years from now?

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation could not be broken unless four beings of equal cultivation joined forces, and it would be on Mount Sumeru besides. Wasn't this the final battle from the Primordial Desolation legends of his previous life?

Once this battle ended, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would become the sole victor of the Dao-Devil Conflict.

Still, this battle was a war between the four ancestors, including Hongjun, and Luo Hou. It had little to do with himself or most other living beings.

Without anyone realizing it, the ownership of their destiny had already been decided.

At this point, neither side of the Dao-Devil Conflict had any desire to continue fighting. They each returned to their own strongholds.

Within a palace, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, Ancestor Diandao, Ancestor Yinyang, and Ancestor Qiankun sat around on prayer mats.

"Fellow Daoists, what do you think of Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's challenge?"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun spoke first.

Ancestor Qiankun, Ancestor Diandao, and Ancestor Yinyang exchanged glances, but none spoke.

Seeing that no one said anything, Dao Ancestor Hongjun spoke again. "How about this old Daoist first shares his thoughts, to cast a brick and draw out jade?"

"Please speak, Fellow Daoist Hongjun."

"Please, Fellow Daoist."

"Fellow Daoist Hongjun, what do you think?"

Seeing this, Hongjun immediately explained his view on Luo Hou's challenge.

"My view regarding Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's challenge is that we should refuse it."

"Fellow Daoist Luo Hou comes with ill intent. Since he dared to issue this challenge, he must have made thorough preparations. If we go, the odds of victory are uncertain."

After hearing Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words, the other three ancestors remained silent.

Hongjun could see that they were dissatisfied with his view.

"Fellow Daoist Hongjun is truly being overly cautious. We are at the same realm as Luo Hou, all Primordial Golden Immortals, just one step away from entering the realm of Primordial Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals."

"The four of us against him alone—could we possibly lose?"

Ancestor Diandao said directly.

"Exactly, Hongjun. And if we refuse the challenge, how will the beings of the Eastern Primordial Desolation see us? They may very well say that the four of us fear Luo Hou."

"At that time, who knows how many beings will throw themselves into the embrace of the Demon Path."

Ancestor Qiankun added from the side.

"Fellow Daoist Hongjun, we have waited far too long for this final step."

"We attained the Dao in the era when ferocious beasts ran rampant. We slew Shenni together and witnessed the fall of the three clans. Now that we have finally reached this point, do we still have room to retreat?"

Ancestor Yinyang looked at Hongjun as he spoke.

Hongjun listened to the rebuttals of his three fellow Daoists. A smile still rested on his face as he said, "So, the three of you mean to accept Luo Hou's challenge?"

Diandao, Yinyang, and Qiankun exchanged glances, then answered in one voice, "Yes."

Hongjun nodded. "Then we shall accept Luo Hou's challenge."

Hongjun knew that they truly had waited far too long. Luo Hou had waited far too long as well.

Compared to them, Luo Hou was actually even more impatient. Otherwise, he would not have taken the initiative to sow discord among the three clans and hasten their decline.

Yet this time, some of Luo Hou's words had indeed made it impossible for them to wait any longer. It could not all be attributed to Luo Hou's instigation; their patience itself was nearly exhausted.

After such endless years, they feared that if they kept waiting, they would become numb.

Though danger lay ahead, Hongjun himself would naturally not shrink back. Once he retreated, there would truly be no more chance.

"Surely you Fellow Daoists have all witnessed Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation?"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun said.

Since they had accepted Luo Hou's challenge, they naturally had to analyze him.

Ancestor Diandao, Ancestor Yinyang, and Ancestor Qiankun all nodded.

"During the final battle of the Ferocious Beast Calamity, when Luo Hou faced the Four Beast Kings beneath Beast Emperor Shenni alone, he once used the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation."

"He used the Immortal Slaughtering Formation to trap the Four Beast Kings—Qiongqi, Taowu, Chaos, and Taotie."

Ancestor Yinyang said.

"However, the Four Beast Kings nearly broke through the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation. In the end, Luo Hou had to enter the formation himself, wielding the Primordial Treasure God-Slaying Spear and standing upon the Chaos Black Lotus, before he could slay them."

Ancestor Qiankun added.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun continued, "Have any of you ever entered the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation?"

All three ancestors shook their heads.

"There are no survivors beneath the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation. But rest assured, Fellow Daoist Hongjun—the Four Beast Kings were not as powerful as we are."

Ancestor Diandao said.

After hearing Ancestor Diandao's words, Dao Ancestor Hongjun fell silent for a moment before saying, "Since Fellow Daoist Luo Hou has challenged us with the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation, he must possess a certain chance of victory."

"We must not let down our guard."

Hongjun cautioned them uneasily.

"Fellow Daoist Hongjun is worrying too much. Even the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation could not contain the Four Ferocious Beasts, and Luo Hou still had to enter the formation himself to take action."

Ancestor Yinyang said.

They were all great powers who had existed since the world first opened. Though they acknowledged Luo Hou's formidable strength, they did not believe the four of them would be unable to contend against him.

"Fellow Daoist Yinyang, I believe Fellow Daoist Hongjun's words do make sense. Since Luo Hou dares challenge us, his preparations must be thorough. We do not fear him, but we absolutely must not be careless."

Ancestor Qiankun said.

Diandao beside him also nodded and said, "We truly need to be cautious. After all, Luo Hou's Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation only appeared once during the Ferocious Beast Calamity. We do not know whether Luo Hou has concealed anything else."

Seeing that the other three were all rebutting him, Ancestor Yinyang said nothing further.

Hongjun lowered his gaze at this and did not say anything more either.

For so many years of the Dao-Devil Conflict, Karmic Tribulation Qi had pervaded everything, affecting countless living beings. Even they were no exception.

Hongjun could not help recalling the final battle of the Ferocious Beast Calamity, when Shenni led the multitude of fierce beasts in their last resistance.

In the end, Shenni sacrificed himself to Heaven, completing the Heavenly Dao. From that day onward, Karmic Tribulation Qi would arise within the Primordial World, affecting minds and obscuring the Heavenly Dao.

And this was also the sliver of survival Shenni had fought for on behalf of the Fierce Beast Clan—or rather, for the descendants of the Chaos Demon Gods.

When the Immeasurable Calamity descended upon the Primordial World, the fierce beasts would return, continuing to uphold the legacy of the Chaos Demon Gods and destroy this Primordial World.

As for living beings like them, the moment they abandoned their identities, they ceased to be Chaos Demon Gods and became true living beings of the Primordial World.

Hongjun noticed that something was wrong with Yinyang's state. He seemed to have become even more arrogant.

Yet Hongjun had no way to warn him about such a matter. After all, no one would believe that they themselves could be affected by Karmic Tribulation Qi.

"Since that is the case, let us accept Fellow Daoist Luo Hou's challenge."