The appearance of the Demon Race, led by none other than Dijun and Taiyi, filled East Prince Gong with rage.
But he was no match for two opponents at once. Worse still, the other great powers merely watched from the sidelines, laughing at him.
East Prince Gong found this unbearable. On one hand, he tried to contact Queen Mother of the West, who was also a Leader of the Immortals, hoping she would join forces with him.
On the other hand, he resolved to accuse Dijun and Taiyi before Hongjun during the second sermon.
However, not only did East Prince Gong fail to win over Queen Mother of the West, but in the second millennium, Dijun and Taiyi suddenly led the Demon Race in a massive assault on the Immortal Court.
This battle clearly showed that the two intended to wipe out the Immortal Court completely, leaving East Prince Gong no choice but to fight to the death.
In this battle, Dijun and Taiyi no longer concealed their strength. Dijun brought out the River Diagram and Magic Square of Lo Shu, forming a grand array that trapped East Prince Gong within.
Taiyi, meanwhile, produced the Chaos Bell. The moment this bell appeared, countless people were shocked.
After all, it was an Innate Supreme Treasure, one of the three Innate Supreme Treasures formed when Pangu's Sky-Opening Axe split apart.
The Chaos Bell, formed from the handle of the Sky-Opening Axe, possessed the power to suppress the "Primordial World," reverse the "Heavens and Spacetime," unravel the "mysteries of the Heavenly Dao," and refine "earth, water, fire, and wind."
Its profundities were limitless, its creations inexhaustible. It could imprison time and suppress space.
It could repel the attacks of any treasure or divine weapon and ignore the damage of all Divine Abilities and Sorceries. It combined attack and defense; worn above one's head, it first established invincibility.
Although Taiyi had not fully refined this supreme treasure, once the bell appeared and its chime rang out, East Prince Gong's defeat and death became inevitable.
At that moment, deep within the Netherworld Blood Sea, the system's notification sounded in Minghe's mind.
"Ding, it has been detected that East Prince Gong is about to be killed by Dijun and Taiyi. The host may make one of the following choices."
"Choice One: Save East Prince Gong. Reward: Southern Ground-Leaving Flame Light Banner."
"Choice Two: Watch East Prince Gong perish. Reward: Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls."
After hearing the system's prompt, Minghe could not help shaking his head. Save East Prince Gong? How was he supposed to save him?
Although Minghe very much wanted the Southern Ground-Leaving Flame Light Banner, the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls were undoubtedly far more appealing to him.
After all, even if he obtained the Earth-Leaving Flame Light Banner, he would still be more than halfway from gathering all Five Directional Flags!
The Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, however, were different. This was a complete set of divine equipment!
"System, I choose Two." Minghe silently spoke to the system in his heart.
As Minghe made his choice, the reward was immediately issued.
Within the system space floated twenty-four pearls radiating five-colored divine light.
With a thought, Minghe took out the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls. A stream of magic power emerged and wrapped around the twenty-four pearls.
In an instant, Minghe sensed the immense weight of the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
It was as though twenty-four vast oceans were truly hidden within these twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
These Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls possessed boundless power.
Individually, they were merely twenty-four pearls equivalent to High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.
But gathered together, the twenty-four pearls formed a set whose power was enough to rival a top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasure.
And sure enough, after Minghe sent his magic power into them and slightly refined the restrictions within the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls—
Minghe received the information that these twenty-four pearls had indeed been formed from fragments of the Chaos Pearl.
The Chaos Pearl had truly shattered.
"Alas!"
Minghe sighed, feeling some regret for this supreme treasure. After all, if even the Chaos Pearl had shattered—
Then none of the legendary four great supreme treasures had survived. They were all gone.
Furthermore, from the information he received, Minghe learned that there had originally been thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls could rival a top-tier Innate Spiritual Treasure.
Thirty-Six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, however, could rival an Innate Supreme Treasure.
"I wonder where the final twelve Sea-Calming Divine Pearls ended up." Minghe shook his head.
He did not place much hope on obtaining the last twelve Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.
If he truly had to hope for something, he could only hope for the system.
What Minghe was curious about now was that the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls had come to him.
What would the future God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming, do now?
But clearly, Minghe's sympathy extended only that far.
Very quickly, his concern for Zhao Gongming was completely cast aside.
Wouldn't it have been a waste for the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls to fall into Zhao Gongming's hands?
Only in his own hands could they serve a greater purpose.
Minghe sat cross-legged atop the Karma Red Lotus and formed a hand seal. Immediately, stirred by his magic power—
The Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls began revolving continuously around Minghe while being refined by his magic power.
Though the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls together could rival an Innate Supreme Treasure, each of them was, in essence, still only a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.
With Minghe's profound cultivation at the middle stage of Great Luo Golden Immortal, he could completely refine them one by one.
While Minghe refined the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, the battle between Dijun, Taiyi, and East Prince Gong above the East Sea gradually reached its final stage.
Knowing he was doomed to die, East Prince Gong fought desperately while screaming for Hongjun to save him.
But why would Hongjun care whether he lived or died?
In East Prince Gong's despair, Dijun and Taiyi both revealed their true forms, crossing above the East Sea like two blazing suns.
In an instant, the sea was roasted into a boil, as though it had been set upon a stove.
"Clang!"
Another exceptionally loud bell chime rang out, and East Prince Gong's miserable scream could faintly be heard within it.
Under this strike, East Prince Gong was finally killed.
Yet at that very instant, the Dragon Head Crutch in East Prince Gong's hand suddenly burst forth with light.
That light protected the final trace of East Prince Gong's remnant soul.
At the same time, a figure appeared within the light.
It was Hongjun. Or rather, merely one of Hongjun's incarnations.
As Hongjun's incarnation appeared, the might of a Saint spread outward.
Dijun and Taiyi had just killed East Prince Gong and had not even had time to rejoice before they saw this scene and were struck with terror.
Under the pressure of Hongjun's aura, the two involuntarily returned to human form.
They knelt before Hongjun, their faces pale, unable for a time to figure out what they should say.
But Hongjun ignored them. He merely looked down at the East Sea below, then looked at East Prince Gong's remnant soul.
Hongjun shook his head and waved his sleeve. In the next moment, East Prince Gong's remnant soul appeared before Laozi on Kunlun Mountain.
Hongjun's voice sounded beside Laozi's ear. "This child has some affinity with you."
Laozi was taken aback. Looking at East Prince Gong's remnant soul, he frowned slightly, then waved his sleeve and put away the remnant soul.
After Hongjun sent East Prince Gong's remnant soul to Laozi, his incarnation still did not acknowledge Dijun and Taiyi.
Instead, it directly dispersed. As Hongjun's incarnation scattered, the Dragon Head Crutch tore through space and vanished into it.
Only Dijun and Taiyi remained in the air, still kneeling there.
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