I Can Negotiate Too, I Can Love the Primordial World Too!
On Penglai Island, beneath a pavilion.
Li Yi raised his cup and sipped his Dao Tea, a mocking smile touching his face.
In truth, he had guessed this day would come even before Hongjun arrived.
After all, from what he knew of events in the Primordial World, Qiankun, Yang Mei, and Yin Yang were all among those who would break this formation.
Of course, only Yang Mei and Hongjun survived in the end. The Heaven-Earth Daoist and the Yin-Yang Daoist both became stepping stones on Hongjun's path to the Dao.
He had considered sealing off the island and never emerging, avoiding this calamity altogether.
But after meeting Hongjun today, he had made up his mind.
No. Dao Ancestor Hongjun was no kindly old man!
The enemy he would face was Demon Ancestor Luohou, a Peak Quasi-Saint wielding the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and the God-Slaying Spear! He would be hard to deal with, certainly, but with Li Yi's current strength, he might still stand a chance!
If he avoided this calamity and waited until Hongjun became a sage, however, he, a Chaos Demon God, would be entirely at Hongjun's mercy.
Yang Mei was such an easygoing man, yet even he had been forced to flee the Primordial World after Hongjun attained the Dao. What chance would Li Yi have?
Chaos Demon Gods were not subject to the Heavenly Dao and even had the potential to surpass it. Once Hongjun became a sage, the Primordial World would practically be his private domain. How could he tolerate a Chaos Demon God like Li Yi living there?
Being driven from the Primordial World would count as mercy from the old Daoist. If Hongjun chose to kill him outright, Li Yi would be powerless to fight back even if he cultivated to Peak Quasi-Saint.
If every path led to death, he might as well enter the fray, risk his life in the Dao-Devil War, and earn Merit under the Heavenly Dao. Following the same path as Hongjun was his only chance of survival!
His Destiny was not yet set. If that old Daoist Hongjun could become the Heavenly Dao Representative, why couldn't he, the Heaven-Earth Daoist? He could negotiate too. He could love the Primordial World too!
That was also why Li Yi sought the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation today: he was planning for what came next.
His decision made, Li Yi recalled the coldness in Hongjun's eyes as he left the island, and a faint smile touched his lips.
The Heavenly Dao Representative? Then there could be two. Let's see which of us wins!
At a Spiritual Vein in the West.
A streak of green light flashed, and Li Yi appeared atop the Mountain Range. Three Daoists were already waiting at the summit.
Li Yi looked them over: Yang Mei in gray robes, Hongjun in white, and the Yin-Yang Daoist in a black-and-white Taiji Robe.
Seeing Li Yi arrive, Yang Mei smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Fellow Daoist Qiankun!"
The two had discussed the Dao for years and were on good terms.
Li Yi smiled and returned Yang Mei's greeting, then cupped his hands to Hongjun. Only then did he turn to the Yin-Yang Daoist.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Yin Yang!"
The Yin-Yang Daoist, dressed in his Taiji Robe, glanced at Li Yi, displeasure showing in his eyes.
"Qiankun's Dao Attainment seems rather low. I hope he doesn't drag us down!"
Demon Ancestor Luohou's demonic might had swept across the Western Land for years. At Peak Quasi-Saint, with the God-Slaying Spear in hand, he was virtually invincible in the Primordial World! And that was without whatever Devil Dao Spirit Treasure he had refined through the Three Clans Calamity Cycle!
Yang Mei was now a Peak Quasi-Saint, while he and Hongjun were both Late-stage Quasi-Saints. Yet the Heaven-Earth Daoist was only a Mid-stage Quasi-Saint?
Mid-stage and Late-stage Quasi-Saint might sound just one level apart, but a Late-stage Quasi-Saint possessed at least twice the Magic Power of someone at Mid-stage!
Li Yi raised an eyebrow. He had barely arrived, and the Yin-Yang Daoist was already looking down on him.
Before he could speak, however, Hongjun stepped in to smooth things over.
"For this Demon Calamity, Fellow Daoist Qiankun is the most suitable of the Four Candidates! That is what this old Daoist found by divining the Heavenly Secrets!"
The Yin-Yang Daoist frowned slightly. He still thought little of Li Yi, but he knew Hongjun's background and suspected Hongjun possessed a supreme treasure for divination. Hongjun would not gamble with his own life.
If Hongjun thought bringing the Heaven-Earth Daoist was acceptable, then it was acceptable!
Besides, the Heaven-Earth Daoist had the weakest Dao Attainment and was the likeliest target for Luohou! If Luohou attacked him first, the Yin-Yang Daoist could watch their fight, learn Luohou's methods, and face him more easily afterward!
Having settled on that, the Yin-Yang Daoist nodded to Hongjun.
"Very well! But once the fighting starts, I won't step in to help him!"
Li Yi watched the Yin-Yang Daoist's arrogant manner and felt strangely calm. His thoughts echoed what he had once thought of Hongjun.
Why bother arguing with a dead man?
Relieved that the Yin-Yang Daoist had agreed, Hongjun wasted no time explaining his plan to the three of them. Then all four turned into streaks of light and sped toward a colossal peak in the Far Western Lands, billions of li high.
Meanwhile, inside an ancient, dark Mountain Hall atop that peak, Demon Ancestor Luohou opened his eyes. A trace of Blood Fiend Qi flickered within them. Something stirred in his heart, and he smiled.
"My chance to attain the Dao has come!"
In the Dao-Devil War, the Heavenly Dao Will currently favored the Righteous Dao. But as the killing continued, the Heavenly Dao would gradually favor the Devil Dao instead! If he attained Primordial Unity Great Firmament, the Primordial World would one day become a land steeped entirely in the blood-soaked Devil Dao!
The Righteous Dao's greatest challenge to him was coming today. If he failed to survive it, he would die and his Devil Dao would perish. But if he endured, he could attain Primordial Unity Great Firmament today!
No sooner had he sensed it than the sounds of battle rose outside the hall! The Cultivators Hongjun had gathered had already stormed Demon Mountain.
At the same time, several thunderous cries rang out from the sky.
"My name is Hongjun! I have come today to vanquish demons and defend the Dao! After this battle, no demons will remain in the Primordial World!"
"My name is Qiankun! I have come today to vanquish demons and defend the Dao! After this battle, no demons will remain in the Primordial World!"
Hearing four voices of Primordial Unity Supreme Immortals in the sky, Luohou broke into a delighted grin. An Array Diagram rose behind him.
Rumble!
Heaven and earth throughout the Primordial World shook. Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire raged across the sky, and the air above the vast Demon Mountain transformed into a Peerless Killing Formation thick with Blood Fiend Qi!
Furious killing intent surged skyward. Both Righteous Dao Cultivators and Demon Sect Cultivators on Demon Mountain were caught in its reach!
Everyone below the Great Firmament realm instantly burst into a rain of blood that merged with the Peerless Killing Formation, deepening its Blood Fiend Qi.
Even the Great Firmament Golden Immortals were badly shaken. They activated their Dharma Treasures and tried to flee, but though the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation was not aimed at them, it had sealed the space completely, cutting off every path of escape!
The moment the killing formation was deployed, Li Yi, Yang Mei, and the other two, who had been standing together, were separated.
The Yin-Yang Daoist looked at the killing formation, unease rising in his heart. Then he remembered Li Yi, and the pressure eased a little.
With the Heaven-Earth Daoist there to take the brunt of it, he would not be the first to face this tribulation!
As if confirming his thoughts, a furious shout rang from the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation the next instant.
"Qiankun, you wretched Daoist! You dare come to my door of your own accord? Today is your Death Tribulation!"