Kunpeng's sudden appearance startled everyone.
Especially Hong Yun.
The great peng bird was incredibly fast.
In mere moments, he arrived before them.
Although Zhen Yuanzi had been keeping a wary eye on Zhunti and Jieyin all along,
he had never expected anyone else to appear, and Kunpeng caught him completely off guard.
The peng bird's sharp talons were like metal and stone. Hong Yun hastily tried to block them, but he was a step too slow and suffered a nasty blow.
He immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
It was already too late to return to Wuzhuang Temple.
"Kunpeng, there's no grudge between us. Why are you attacking me?"
"You should know that I'm a Heaven-Appointed Sage! Aren't you afraid the Heavenly Dao will punish you?"
Even now, Hong Yun was still lost in his beautiful dream of becoming a Sage.
Kunpeng sneered at his words.
"Ha! Become a Sage? Hong Yun, why don't you piss yourself a mirror and take a look? What part of you looks like a Sage?"
"You don't deserve to become a Sage, Hong Yun. Leaving the primordial violet qi in your hands is a waste. You might as well give it to me!"
As he spoke, Kunpeng struck with his talons again.
Kunpeng's cultivation had already been a notch above Hong Yun's, and now he was attacking with all his strength. Already injured by the earlier blow, Hong Yun could barely hold him off.
Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi hurriedly summoned the Earth Book, ready to rescue Hong Yun.
But just then, Zhunti and Jieyin exchanged a glance, stepped forward, and blocked Zhen Yuanzi's path.
Their actions sent a jolt through Zhen Yuanzi's heart. This is bad.
Just as I thought, these two had no good intentions.
Looking at Zhunti and Jieyin, Zhen Yuanzi spoke coldly.
"What? You two intend to stop me? Are you in league with Kunpeng?"
"You still owe Hong Yun a karmic debt! Beware the Heavenly Dao's backlash!"
Zhen Yuanzi threatened them, hoping to make them withdraw.
The two merely chuckled.
"Heh, don't misunderstand us, Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi. We aren't in league with Kunpeng. We simply noticed how much your cultivation has advanced lately and wanted to discuss the Dao with you."
Zhunti and Jieyin could never admit any connection to Kunpeng, even if it killed them.
Besides, even if Kunpeng failed this time, they could not personally intervene to stop Hong Yun. At most, they could hold Zhen Yuanzi back.
Even so, once disaster befell Hong Yun, they would still have to suffer somewhat. The Heavenly Dao was no fool.
But compared to that enormous karmic debt, it was all worth it.
Hearing their words, Zhen Yuanzi understood.
"Fine, fine, fine! Now I see you two for the wolf-hearted, dog-lunged creatures you are! The Dao Ancestor must have been muddleheaded to let two scoundrels like you become Sages!"
Grief and fury filled Zhen Yuanzi's heart.
He and Hong Yun were the closest of friends. They had spent all these years discussing the Dao and cultivating together, but today, Hong Yun would probably not escape this calamity.
Zhunti and Jieyin stood before Zhen Yuanzi without the slightest intention of giving way.
Risking his life, Zhen Yuanzi brought the Earth Book to bear and attacked them.
Their cultivation levels were all much of a muchness. Zhunti and Jieyin were far from weak themselves, and joining forces to stop Zhen Yuanzi alone was effortless.
For several hours, Zhen Yuanzi could not advance even half a step.
It was not that he did not want to move. He simply could not break free.
As for Hong Yun and Kunpeng, they had long since vanished from sight.
Hong Yun was a bedraggled mess.
His earlier relaxed expression was completely gone, replaced by sheer terror.
Damn it! How is Kunpeng so fast?
Hong Yun bitterly regretted his decision. Why had he not listened to Zhen Yuanzi? If he had obediently stayed in Wuzhuang Temple, how could any of this have happened?
But it was too late for regrets now.
Seeing that Hong Yun had nearly exhausted his magical power, Kunpeng finally made another move.
"Ha! Hong Yun, don't blame anyone else. Blame yourself! If you hadn't insisted on sitting in front of me, that primordial violet qi should have belonged to me, Kunpeng! You stole my opportunity. You deserve to die!"
As he spoke, Kunpeng unleashed the Water Law. A ripple spread through the air, and a wave of water shot toward Hong Yun like a razor-sharp blade, cleaving at him with incredible speed.
Unable to dodge in time, Hong Yun suffered another grievous blow.
After this strike, Hong Yun no longer had the strength to keep fighting Kunpeng. He crashed to the ground with a bang, spewing a mouthful of blood.
Before Hong Yun could get up, Kunpeng's true form planted a talon on his body, piling injury upon injury.
Looking down at Hong Yun, Kunpeng revealed a savage grin.
"Hong Yun, hand over the primordial violet qi, and I can spare your true spirit."
Kunpeng's words were half true and half false.
After all, the primordial violet qi had been bestowed by the Dao Ancestor. Kunpeng could not be certain whether pushing things too far would anger him.
So he had devised an excuse: as long as Hong Yun willingly surrendered the primordial violet qi, he could spare Hong Yun's true essence rather than cutting out the grass by its roots.
Of course, even if he spared Hong Yun's true spirit, Kunpeng would imprison him forever, keeping him suppressed for the rest of his existence. He would never let him enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Hong Yun guessed what Kunpeng was thinking. Knowing that he could not escape this calamity, he gave a miserable smile and snorted coldly.
"Kunpeng, you want my primordial violet qi? Ha! Dream on! It seems you planned all of this carefully. Zhunti and Jieyin are probably in league with you, aren't they?"
Kunpeng smiled coldly without answering.
"I, Hong Yun, must have been blind to help those two ungrateful wolves! Hmph! You want my primordial violet qi? Even if I die, I won't give it to you!"
"That's not up to-"
Kunpeng was about to threaten Hong Yun when he suddenly sensed danger. His expression changed, and he hurriedly retreated.
Almost at the same instant, a tremendous explosion rang out.
With a bang, everything within a radius of several million li was reduced to nothingness, drawing the attention of the entire Three Realms.
"What happened?"
"It's Hong Yun! Hong Yun detonated himself!"
"How could this happen? Why would Hong Yun suddenly detonate himself?"
"I don't know."
The mighty figures of every race turned their gazes toward the blast.
Knowing that he had now been exposed, Kunpeng swept his gaze around. Finding no primordial violet qi, he immediately withdrew.
After all, if everyone in the Three Realms learned that he had killed Hong Yun, he would eventually become a target even if he did not have the primordial violet qi.
Dragging his wounded body back to the North Sea, Kunpeng was filled with bitter resentment.
At Wuzhuang Temple, Zhen Yuanzi's heart turned cold as he sensed the force of the explosion.
He knew that Hong Yun had fallen.
Joy appeared on Zhunti's and Jieyin's faces.
Their efforts had finally paid off.
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, let us end today's discussion of the Dao here. We have been away for some time, so we won't trouble you any further. Farewell!"
As they spoke, Zhunti and Jieyin drove Zhen Yuanzi back with a palm strike and withdrew straight toward the west.
Zhen Yuanzi wanted to pursue them, but he lacked the strength and could only give up.
"Zhunti! Jieyin! You shameless scoundrels!"
Unfortunately, his words accomplished nothing.
With Hong Yun's self-detonation, the other holders of primordial violet qi felt their hearts tighten as well, and they awoke from their secluded cultivation.
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