The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation stood over Jiepai Pass.
Four streams of Chaos Sword Qi pierced heaven and earth. The deadly formation shrouding a million miles of mountains and rivers stripped the many mighty figures of the Three Realms of every shred of dignity.
For a time, the Primordial World fell silent.
Birds and beasts among the mountains and rivers pressed themselves into the mud, aquatic creatures sank into the depths of dark currents, and even the immortal birds roaming the clouds folded their wings, not daring to beat them again.
A moment later, stirrings within the Saint Daoist Grounds tore through the silence.
Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, portals that had lain silent for countless ages lit up one after another with Dao light.
Shouyang Mountain, Eight Views Palace.
The palace was tranquil, holding only a rush cushion and an alchemical furnace.
Clad in an Eight Trigrams Daoist robe, Taishang Laojun sat cross-legged before the furnace, his eyes closed, his aura as still and settled as the years within the mountain.
When the Immortal Slaying Sword Qi surged into the heavens, the Samadhi True Fire nurtured for years within the Purple-Gold Eight Trigrams Furnace faltered for a beat.
The furnace lid rattled softly, its metallic echoes traveling along the palace walls.
Taishang Laojun opened his eyes.
There was neither anger nor fear in those eyes, only the weariness of one who had seen through all karma.
The killing intent at Jiepai Pass, Tongtian's resolve, and the bone-deep fissure in the Mystic Gate's fortune all lay before his gaze.
"Alas..."
The sigh circled halfway around Eight Views Palace before finally dissolving into the sound of the furnace fire.
"Junior brother, why must you put yourself through this?"
As he rose, his horsetail whisk fell beside his sleeve.
His mount, Green Ox,