Once the vast spiritual aura dissipated, extraordinary spiritual treasures could be seen floating in the void.
Tongtian took a careful look and was immediately overjoyed.
Even the lowest-ranked among them were Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures!
There were even two Innate Supreme Treasures!
He had contributed quite a bit this time. Surely Hongjun would not keep every single spiritual treasure for himself, would he?
If Hongjun could give him a few, then this journey would truly not have been in vain!
With that thought in mind, Tongtian turned his gaze toward Hongjun.
As Hongjun looked at the spiritual treasures floating in the void, there was not much joy on his face.
Instead, a trace of sorrow appeared in his expression.
He sighed softly. "I had thought that, with the aid of three fellow Daoists, we would surely be able to slay Rahou with ease."
"Who could have expected Fellow Daoist Qiankun and Fellow Daoist Yinyang to both die at Rahou's hands?"
"In the end, we simply underestimated that scoundrel Rahou."
"Who could have imagined that the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation would possess such terrifying power? If the two fellow Daoists could have held on a little longer, I might have had a way to break the deadlock."
"One can only say that the ways of the world are unpredictable!"
Tongtian could tell that Hongjun was not putting on an act.
Hongjun's feelings must have been quite complicated at this moment.
After all, he certainly had not expected things to end this way from the beginning.
Of course, the deaths of Yinyang, Qiankun, and the other Demon Gods were also beneficial to him.
If those fellows had survived, their circumstances would likely have been quite awkward once Hongjun attained sainthood.
It was also a good thing for Tongtian.
If they had not fallen, he likely would not have had any opportunity to contribute in this battle.
If that happened, how could so many spiritual treasures have appeared for him to choose from?
Hongjun composed his complicated emotions and looked at Tongtian. "The successful slaying of Rahou this time—"
"Little friend, your contribution was in no way less than that of the two fallen fellow Daoists."
"Since you have rendered such great merit, you may choose freely from the spiritual treasures here."
"You may rest assured. I keep my word, so there is no need for you to hold back."
Though Hongjun said so, Tongtian still understood the situation.
Some spiritual treasures had likely already caught Hongjun's eye.
For example, the Innate Supreme Treasure Taiji Diagram, the Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Qiankun Cauldron, and naturally the Four Swords of Zhuxian!
However, Tongtian had his own thoughts. Once Hongjun attained sainthood—
Because he owed Pangu karma, Hongjun would give Laozi and Yuanshi each an extraordinary spiritual treasure. He certainly would not leave Tongtian out.
Therefore, the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the Zhuxian Formation Diagram would sooner or later end up in his possession.
With that in mind, he had plenty more treasures to choose from!
Without further thought, Tongtian directly chose the God-Slaying Spear and the 12th Grade Black Lotus of Destruction.
As for the other spiritual treasures, he left them all to Hongjun.
Hongjun said nothing as he silently watched Tongtian put away the God-Slaying Spear and the 12th Grade Black Lotus of Destruction. He had expected Tongtian to continue collecting treasures, but Tongtian unexpectedly stopped.
This surprised him. He had not expected Tongtian to be so tactful.
This meant that Hongjun's gains were still the greatest. Not only had he obtained the Innate Supreme Treasure Taiji Diagram, but he had also obtained the Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Qiankun Cauldron, along with the infinitely powerful Four Swords of Zhuxian.
"Both the God-Slaying Spear and the 12th Grade Black Lotus of Destruction are immensely powerful treasures."
"The God-Slaying Spear in particular possesses such fierce might that it ranks among the foremost even among Innate Supreme Treasures. I have no objection to you taking it, little friend, but I must still offer you a reminder."
"I hope you will exercise caution when using this supreme treasure of slaughter."
Hongjun spoke with a somewhat solemn expression.
There was no need to elaborate on the God-Slaying Spear's might. Ancestor Qiankun and Ancestor Yinyang had both fallen beneath its spearpoint.
This alone showed just how terrifying this treasure of slaughter was.
Tongtian also understood the power contained within the God-Slaying Spear, and he was overjoyed.
This gave him a supreme treasure of slaughter and a merit-based defensive treasure.
Against ordinary Primordial Golden Immortals, he now had the ability to contend with them!
It could be said that his combat power had once again risen tremendously.
Whoosh!
After warning Tongtian, Hongjun waved his hand and immediately collected all the remaining spiritual treasures.
Such gains naturally delighted him as well.
Moreover, Yang Mei had directly chosen to flee far away. That was for the best; otherwise, Hongjun might have had to share some spiritual treasures with Yang Mei.
The great battle had ended. Looking at the Western World, now reduced to utter chaos, Tongtian sighed inwardly.
Jieyin and Zhunti were probably secretly crying somewhere.
This ordeal had inflicted tremendous losses upon the Western World. Rahou's self-destruction, combined with his earlier extraction of power from the Western World's spiritual veins—
Had reduced the Western World's spiritual energy to less than one-tenth of what it had been.
Though the Western World would not become an era devoid of Dharma in the future, it would certainly no longer be suitable for cultivators to practice there.
After pondering for a moment, Tongtian summoned the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda.
With the battle over and no other danger remaining between heaven and earth, it was time to release Laozi and Yuanshi.
Buzz!
Light flowed across the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda, and in the next instant, Laozi and Yuanshi appeared where they stood, both wearing bewildered expressions.
"Has... has the battle already ended?"
Laozi and Yuanshi looked around. Not even the slightest trace of demonic qi remained between heaven and earth.
That meant Rahou had certainly been completely dealt with.
As they surveyed their surroundings, they saw that the mountains throughout the area looked as though they had been relentlessly bombarded, ruined beyond recognition. Both of them were utterly shocked.
This battle had actually spread on such a massive scale?
It had even turned the Western World into this state?
This was truly terrifying!
Fortunately, the two of them had hidden inside the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda and had faced no danger at all.
"Master, has that scoundrel Rahou already been executed?"
Yuanshi looked at Hongjun and asked in disbelief.
Seeing his two utterly clueless disciples, Hongjun was filled with dissatisfaction.
Thinking about it, if the two had not insisted on coming along this time, perhaps they would not have ended up in such an embarrassing state.
But what had happened had already happened, and it was not appropriate for him to say anything more.
He could only reply expressionlessly, "Correct!"
"Rahou is dead."
"The battle has ended."
Laozi and Yuanshi exchanged a look. Though they found it difficult to believe, what they felt even more was regret.
Had they not insisted on following Hongjun and Tongtian here in order to gain some benefits from this battle?
Yet they had gained nothing at all!
They had even suffered rather serious injuries!
Now that the battle was over, they had not even felt involved in it.
This left both of them feeling quite bitter.
"Third brother, did you gain anything?"
Yuanshi looked at Tongtian sourly.
Tongtian had been different from them. He had continuously battled the Demon Clan, so there was no need to say that he had surely earned quite a bit of Heavenly Dao Merit on this journey.
But what Yuanshi cared about more was whether Tongtian had made any other gains.
Tongtian said calmly, "Just a small gain."
"It is nothing worth mentioning."
Hearing such shamelessly modest words, Laozi and Yuanshi felt even worse.
They had traveled so far, suffered so much, and nearly failed to preserve their lives.
Yet when the battle ended, they had not even gained a single hair.
Naturally, they did not believe Tongtian's words.
If nothing else, the powerful members of the Demon Clan surely possessed many spiritual treasures.
With their master's and the other great experts' discerning eyes, they would certainly not care for those.
That meant their third brother had at least acquired quite a few Innate Spiritual Treasures. He might even have obtained Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures!
"By the way, where are the other seniors?"
"Why is only Master here?"
Laozi asked with a puzzled expression.
Tongtian sighed softly. "Two seniors died at Rahou's hands, while another suffered severe injuries and fled."
Hiss!
The expressions of both Laozi and Yuanshi changed. Four great Primordial Golden Immortal experts had joined forces to besiege Rahou.
Yet it had ended like this?
Rahou was actually this terrifying?!
Thinking of that, they instead felt fortunate. It was a good thing they had hidden away, or they might not even have known how they died.
The behavior of these two disciples truly left Hongjun speechless.
However, he also understood that they simply had not matured yet.
Otherwise, given their origins, they would not have been so pathetic.
But people feared comparison. They were all Three Pure Ones, yet look at Tongtian's performance. Alone, he had slain all the Demon Clan's powerful experts, and at the crucial moment, he had turned the tide, creating an opportunity for Hongjun to launch a sneak attack on Rahou.
Then look at Laozi and Yuanshi. They were simply foolish beyond measure!
They clearly knew they lacked the ability, yet refused to admit it, nearly dragging down the entire group by themselves.
Had Tongtian not stopped the remaining Demon Clan members, all four of them might have died at Rahou's hands in this battle.
Just as Hongjun was about to speak, he suddenly sensed an immense power of merit. He immediately raised his head and looked toward the sky.
Tongtian sensed it as well. Looking into the distance, he saw boundless golden radiance spread across the heavens. The power of merit surged forth like a vast tidal wave.
A cursory glance showed that its scale stretched for hundreds of millions of zhang!
Even Tongtian was stunned by such boundless merit.
Good heavens!
As expected of the Dao-Devil War!
Only a Great Tribulation of the Worlds could produce so much Heavenly Dao Merit!
Even if he received only a portion of it, this would still be an enormous harvest!
Rumble!
Under the gazes of the group, cracks appeared in the vast clouds of merit. Seventy percent of the merit, as boundless as an ocean, flew toward Hongjun.
The remaining thirty percent gathered around Tongtian like a great river.
"There is actually thirty percent?"
Tongtian was ecstatic, though he had also invested quite a bit of Heavenly Dao Merit this time.
He had even used much of his Heaven-Opening Merit in order to help Hongjun turn the situation around.
Now, it seemed that his investment had truly been worthwhile.
Not only could he fully recover all his losses, but he could even directly double the amount of Heavenly Dao Merit he had originally possessed!
Buzz!
As an endless torrent of Heavenly Dao Merit gathered, Tongtian's Golden Wheel of Merit, which had originally shattered beyond recognition, solidified once more.
But it did not end there. Golden Wheels of Merit could stack, with nine being the ultimate number!
Tongtian's Golden Wheel of Merit had previously possessed only a single layer.
Yet beneath the immense Heavenly Dao Merit, a second halo was swiftly born!
It still did not end there. Immediately afterward, a third layer rapidly appeared as well.
Golden Light of Merit gathered behind him, causing golden radiance to flicker all over Tongtian's body as immense pressure continuously spread outward.
The sight made Laozi's and Yuanshi's eyes turn red.
Too much! There was simply too much Heavenly Dao Merit!
What great meritorious deed had their third brother done to receive so much Heavenly Dao Merit?
Or could slaying Demon Clan members truly bring such enormous benefits?
Had they known this earlier, they would have risked their lives to continue fighting the Demon Clan!
Now, they could only watch with silent tears in their hearts, unable to gain even the slightest harvest.
"With so much Heavenly Dao Merit, third brother will likely attain the Primordial Golden Immortal realm before long!"
Yuanshi spoke with an extremely complicated expression as he looked at Laozi.
Laozi sighed softly and patted Yuanshi on the shoulder. "We have missed such a great opportunity!"
"If we wish to encounter another in the future, it will likely be extraordinarily difficult."
Tongtian calmed his mind, and the three Golden Wheels of Merit behind him immediately withdrew. If he used all this immense Heavenly Dao Merit for cultivation, his cultivation would certainly advance by leaps and bounds.
But using Heavenly Dao Merit purely to raise his cultivation was simply too extravagant and wasteful.
Moreover, forcibly using merit was nothing more than pulling up seedlings to help them grow!
Even if his realm rose, his combat power would be unable to rise alongside it.
That would be nothing more than a flower in the water, a moon in the mirror.
Tongtian certainly disdained doing such a thing. He had complete confidence that he could rely on himself to break through to the realm of the Primordial Golden Immortal.
At that moment, an overwhelming aura erupted from Hongjun.
Tongtian immediately turned his gaze toward him.
He had only absorbed thirty percent, yet his gains had already been tremendous!
Hongjun had obtained a full seventy percent!
It was easy to imagine that Hongjun's gains had to be even greater than his own. Tongtian was merely curious whether Hongjun would use such an immense amount of Heavenly Dao Merit to achieve sainthood in a single step!
Hongjun had gained enormously, but he was in no hurry to attain sainthood.
Just as Tongtian had thought, that vast amount of Heavenly Dao Merit would certainly have been enough to push one into becoming a Sage.
But Hongjun did not wish to become a Sage through merit!
Moreover, he had another method for attaining sainthood: the Three Corpses Severing Method!
Drawing upon the boundless Heavenly Dao Merit, he directly severed all three of his corpses.
Buzz!
As powerful auras continuously erupted, three elderly Daoists identical to Hongjun suddenly appeared at his side.
These were Hongjun's Three Corpses!
In the next instant, Hongjun abruptly opened his eyes. Divine light flickered within them, and the three Daoists immediately became illusory before all entering Hongjun's body.
This was the unity of the Three Corpses!
This incomparably profound method left Laozi and Yuanshi completely dumbfounded.
They had never seen such a wondrous technique before!
Those three Daoists looked exactly like Hongjun, yet every one of them possessed the same aura as their master.
In other words, all three were Primordial Golden Immortals!
And once the three became one, Hongjun's aura climbed to its peak, giving both Laozi and Yuanshi the urge to kneel before him.
Tongtian looked astonished. He had not expected Hongjun to use all that Heavenly Dao Merit to sever his Three Corpses.
His Three Corpses had already become one, which meant Hongjun would attain sainthood before long!
Hongjun's aura gradually calmed as well. With his Three Corpses united, his strength had increased severalfold!
His aura became even more unfathomable, carrying an overwhelming vastness that simply could not be described in words.
Even Tongtian felt an urge to submit willingly.
He sighed inwardly. Once Hongjun attained sainthood, he would become the Primordial World's sole supreme powerhouse!
This made him somewhat expectant as well. He also wanted to see just how powerful a Sage of the Heavenly Dao truly was.
Of course, no matter how powerful a Sage of the Heavenly Dao might be, he would never walk that path.
He wanted more to strengthen himself, walk the Dao of the Origin, and follow in Father God's footsteps.
"Congratulations, Senior!"
"Senior has obtained such immense Heavenly Dao Merit and gained tremendously. I fear you are not far from attaining the supreme Great Dao!"
Tongtian clasped his hands and offered his congratulations with a serious expression.
Laozi and Yuanshi were still immersed in shock, but upon hearing this, they too hurriedly congratulated their master.
Both were in high spirits.
They were Hongjun's direct disciples. The higher Hongjun's cultivation, the more benefits they would receive!
Now that Rahou had perished in the Primordial World, would their master not be invincible throughout the world?
With such a powerful backer, they would certainly gain no small amount of benefits.
Seeing the three congratulate him, Hongjun was naturally in an excellent mood.
He said directly, "The battle is over. If there is anything else, we shall discuss it after returning."
Tongtian nodded slightly. He could sense many living beings from the Western World hurrying toward Mount Tianmo.
They were likely coming to see the outcome of this battle.
"Elder Brothers, your injuries have yet to fully recover."
"It would likely take quite some time to fly back to Kunlun Mountain. Why not return to the pagoda first?"
After pondering briefly, Tongtian immediately brought out the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda once more.
Laozi and Yuanshi's expressions changed slightly upon hearing this. What did he mean?
The two of them had not gained a single benefit!
Why was he trying to put them away again?
Who exactly was the elder brother here?
"Third Brother, now that the battle is over, there should no longer be any danger in heaven and earth."
"Can't the two of us fly back on our own?"
Laozi asked helplessly.
Tongtian blinked and turned his gaze toward Hongjun.
Given Hongjun's current condition, Tongtian refused to believe he was not eager to attain sainthood. How could he possibly let Laozi and Yuanshi remain burdens like they had been on the journey here?
Sure enough, Hongjun's face darkened upon hearing Laozi's words. He said blandly, "This matter has already delayed us long enough."
"Little Friend Tongtian is right. You two should go inside first."
Having said that, he could not be bothered to waste more words on his two disciples. With a flick of his sleeve—
The two immediately turned into streams of light and flew back into the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda.
Tongtian grinned and followed Hongjun as they flew toward Kunlun Mountain together.
In order to return to Kunlun Mountain as quickly as possible, Hongjun, whose cultivation had improved, directly used a great divine ability. Before long, he had brought Tongtian back to Kunlun.
At the summit of Kunlun Mountain.
Hongjun pondered for a moment before saying, "I have gained much. For some time to come, I likely will not appear in the Primordial World again."
"I will instead enter seclusion to attain the Dao."
"Little Friend, you rendered me a great service this time. If you have any requests, you may state them now."
His feelings were somewhat complicated as he spoke.
Had Tongtian not stepped in to help this time, he truly might have been forced into a life-and-death battle with Rahou!
Tongtian's intervention had also caused him to owe Tongtian an immense karmic debt.
Until he repaid that debt, he could not feel at ease.
Tongtian understood Hongjun's meaning, but he already possessed quite a few spiritual treasures.
Besides, merely asking for spiritual treasures would not be of much use to him now.
What he lacked most was a method of the Origin!
Only by mastering a method of the Origin could he advance further.
Thus, without much hesitation, Tongtian said directly, "I hope Senior Hongjun can impart to me your insights into the method of the Origin."
"I intend to cultivate the Dao of the Origin, which may be considered following in Father God's footsteps."
"I ask for Senior's guidance."
Hongjun was inwardly shocked upon hearing this. He had not expected Tongtian to want to cultivate a method of the Origin!
This was an exceptionally difficult Great Dao to walk.
After considering it, he decided to offer some advice.
"The method of the Origin is difficult to cultivate. You should have seen earlier that I cultivate another method."
"That method is called the Three Corpses Severing Method, and I deduced and created it myself."
"If you wish to advance your cultivation further, I can teach you the Three Corpses Severing Method."
"As for the method of the Origin, with your aptitude, breaking through to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm will not be difficult. But if you wish to achieve greater heights, I fear it will be exceedingly hard."
Tongtian said solemnly, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Hongjun."
"However, the cultivation techniques I practice are deeply connected to Father God."
"Therefore, Senior's Three Corpses Severing Method likely does not suit me. I still wish to cultivate the method of the Origin."
What a joke. I cultivate not only the Nine Revolutions Profound Skill, but also the Nine Revolutions Primordial Skill.
With the two combined, I naturally have to walk the Dao of the Origin in order to unleash the full power of these techniques.
As for the Three Corpses Severing Method, given my foundation and talent, I am already somewhat disdainful of it.
At its core, the Three Corpses Severing Method is merely a shortcut. It can only lead to becoming a Sage of the Heavenly Dao.
What I truly wish to cultivate is the Dao of the Primordial Golden Immortal!
Hongjun saw through his thoughts as well and sighed softly. "Very well! Everyone has their own aspirations. Since you have chosen to cultivate the method of the Origin, I will say no more."
"I have cultivated the method of the Origin for many years, yet I have still found it difficult to break through that barrier."
"If you regret it in the future, you may cultivate the Three Corpses Severing Method anew."
This could be considered leaving Tongtian a path of retreat.
After speaking, Hongjun formed a hand seal. Countless insights into the Origin transformed into innumerable points of light and poured into Tongtian's mind.
In an instant, Tongtian gained many realizations regarding the method of the Origin and learned how to break through to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm!
"Thank you, Senior!"
Tongtian was delighted. With his cultivation, he had long been capable of becoming a Primordial Golden Immortal; all he lacked was a method of the Origin.
Now that he had obtained the method, he could finally break through his current cultivation realm.
After imparting the method of the Origin, Hongjun said, "Next, I will enter seclusion to attain the Dao."
"You three brothers should cultivate diligently within Kunlun!"
"After I emerge from seclusion, I will bestow upon you a fortuitous opportunity."
Tongtian clasped his hands slightly, knowing that Hongjun was referring to the Purple Cloud Palace's lecture on the Dao.
Hongjun said no more, and his figure vanished directly from atop Kunlun Mountain.
After Hongjun departed, Tongtian released Laozi and Yuanshi from the Heavenly Yellow Linglong Pagoda.
Laozi and Yuanshi looked blankly at the familiar surroundings, only then realizing that they had returned to Kunlun Mountain.
"Where has Master gone?"
"Did he leave behind any cultivation methods for the two of us?"
Before you continue