Dead silence!
An oppressively suffocating silence filled the vast Zixiao Palace!
Under such an atmosphere, everyone felt utterly stifled!
Hongjun remained silent, but vast swathes of energy surged and ebbed around him, rising in hazy waves.
Clearly, the Elder of Chaos's words had left his heart far from calm.
Laozi and Yuanshi exchanged a glance, still unable to respond.
The two could only stand stiffly where they were, awaiting the final judgment.
The madness in the Elder of Chaos's eyes burned ever fiercer. He stared fixedly at the figure on the high platform, like a gambler staking everything on a single hand, awaiting the final reveal.
Time lost all meaning at that moment.
No one knew how long had passed.
Long enough that even the Elder of Chaos began to grow restless.
Yet without any warning, that aura of annihilation, powerful enough to crush the ages, slowly receded.
Everything returned to calm.
It was as though that world-destroying might had been nothing but an illusion.
Then.
A soft chuckle rang out without warning in the deathly silent palace.
"Heh heh..."
The laughter was quiet, yet it reached the ears of everyone present with perfect clarity.
There was no anger in it, no killing intent, nor even the majesty and transcendence befitting the Dao Ancestor.
There was only an indescribable weariness and profound self-mockery.
Taishang Laozi and Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi abruptly raised their heads, their faces filled with bewilderment.
The Elder of Chaos froze as well.
They saw it.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun, seated high upon the cloud platform-the supreme being who governed the Heavenly Dao and looked down upon the passing of epochs-wore a bitter smile they had never seen before.
Yes!
Never before!
After all, the mighty Dao Ancestor had always stood above worldly affairs, carrying himself with the dominance