Who else?
Three words echoed beneath the shattered sky.
Great Void Hall, dozens of True Lord looked up at the deep blue figure in the center of the formation, and behind him, in the slowly rotating blue sky world, the vast scene of the sun and moon Lunzhuan and the Milky Way hanging upside down.
This junior, who had only been practicing Daoism for a few hundred years, single-handedly shouldered the responsibility of the entire Xuanhuang.
Above the sky, the six rifts remained silent for a moment.
Then, one of them moved.
A figure emerged from nothingness.
It wasn't the real body, but a projection.
Even as a projection, the oppressive aura emanating from it far surpasses that of any True Lord.
The figure was shrouded in thick darkness, its face obscured, except for a pair of scarlet eyes, like two blood moons, hanging in the depths of darkness.
"Interesting." The voice was hoarse and deep, like two pieces of rusty iron rubbing together. "In all my years, this is the first time I've ever seen a junior dare to so provoke Dao King."
Qi Yun did not answer, but simply watched the dark figure silently.
"However—" the voice paused, its crimson eyes narrowing slightly, "You do indeed deserve it."
Before the words were finished, the dark figure raised a hand.
The hand was as pale as a dead person's, with long, slender fingers, black nails, and tiny black arcs of electricity flickering at the fingertips.
It flicked gently in Qi Yun's direction.
"Sigh" 6
A thin black line flew from the fingertip, as fine as a hair, yet faster than thought.
Wherever the black line passed, the void was not cut apart, but "swallowed," as if that small section of space, along with all the Principle within it, was completely erased by the black line and returned to nothingness.
Qi Yun raised his hand, and the blue sky behind him brightened slightly.
A shield formed from pure chaotic color appeared out of thin air in front of the black lines.
On the shield, the phantoms of the sun, moon, and stars flowed, and the outlines of mountains and rivers appeared and disappeared, exuding the supreme Daoist charm that suppressed all laws.
The black line collided with the shield.
A creaking sound, as if two worlds were crushing each other.
Ultimately, both vanished simultaneously, returning to nothingness.
The crimson eyes of the dark figure flickered slightly. "What a Dao of Primordial Unity."
He didn't make another move, but just gave Qi Yun a deep look before his figure slowly faded away and disappeared back into the dark crack.
The crack closed, and the darkness dissipated.
Qi Yun's expression remained unchanged, as if the attack just now was merely a gentle Fresh Breeze.
But behind him, a few stars in the blue sky dimmed slightly for a moment.
"Second place," he counted silently in his mind.
Above the sky, of the remaining five rifts, another one began to move.
A figure emerged from the pale white light. The figure was not the real body either, but it was more solid than the previous dark projection.
He was dressed in a moon-white robe, with a lean face and three long strands of beard hanging down to his chest. He held a jade ruyi in his hand and exuded an otherworldly aura that was untouched by worldly affairs.
His gaze fell on Qi Yun, lingered for a moment, and then he nodded slightly.
" The Dao of Primordial Unity Chaos—truly profound." His voice was clear and melodious, like the striking of jade chimes. "Unfortunately, he was born at the wrong time."
Qi Yun frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that, senior?"
The figure in moonlight did not answer. He simply raised the jade ruyi in his hand and gently tapped it in Qi Yun's direction.
"Clang"
A clear, resonant sound, like the tolling of an ancient temple bell.
The voice wasn't loud, yet it pierced through the restrictions of the Great Void Hall, through the barrier of the [ Hunyuan Great Luo Golden Heaven ] formation, and through the Azure Heaven World behind Qi Yun, falling directly into the depths of everyone's mind.
That wasn't an attack, but rather—an inquiry.
Inquire about the essence of the Tao, the meaning of cultivation, and the value of existence.
True Lord Qingyuan let out a muffled groan, his face pale, and the ancient sword in his hand trembled violently.
The dragon might of the Dragon Crown Prince of the Four Seas Princes was briefly disrupted.
All the True Lord were shaken by this clear sound.
But Qi Yun remained completely still.
The blue sky behind him brightened slightly, and the clear sound was like a pebble thrown into the sea, creating only a tiny ripple before disappearing without a trace.
"If you wish to discuss the Dao, senior, I am happy to oblige," Qi Yun said calmly, "But using this method is rather unseemly."
The moon-white figure looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then smiled slightly.
The smile was faint, yet it carried an indescribable meaning.
"Okay." He said only one word, then turned and disappeared into the pale, gaping wound.
The crack closed, and the pale color disappeared.
The blue sky behind Qi Yun has dimmed even further.
The third is the deep blue. Within the deep blue rift, there are no figures, no sounds, only an endless, boundless ocean.
The vast ocean possessed an extreme, profound blue, like an ancient sea frozen solid, radiating a chilling aura.
A terrifying chill that freezes time and space.
A blurry figure could be vaguely seen in the vast ocean.
It sits cross-legged in the deepest part of the ocean, its body wrapped in countless chains of ice crystals, the other end of which disappears into the void, its destination unknown.
The figure neither made a move, nor spoke, nor even looked at Qi Yun.
It simply sat there quietly, like an unchanging iceberg, indifferently watching this world that was about to be divided up.
Qi Yun glanced at it, then looked away.
Such Dao King is the most difficult to deal with.
It's not that it doesn't want to act, it's that it's waiting—waiting for the best opportunity.
"Third place," Qi Yun murmured to himself.
Fourth place goes to Zijin.
Within the purple-gold crack, radiant light shone forth, accompanied by countless auspicious rays.
The light shone with an extremely noble purple-gold hue, like an emperor's crown or a prince's robe, exuding supreme majesty that ruled over all directions and commanded the heavens.
A figure emerged from the purple-gold. The figure wore a flat-topped crown, a black dragon robe, and Son of Heaven Sword at his waist. His face was blurred and indistinct.
But a Qi Yun aura emanated from him.
That was the atmosphere of the Great Tang.
Qi Yun's pupils contracted slightly. "You are—"
"Who I am is unimportant," the figure spoke, his voice deep and resonant, like the clang of metal on metal. "What matters is that you possess something familiar to me."
His gaze lingered on the blue sky behind Qi Yun for a moment, then he shook his head slightly.
"Unfortunately—it wasn't him."
As soon as the words were spoken, the figure turned and disappeared into the purple-gold crack. The crack closed, and the purple-gold dissipated.
Qi Yun remained silent for a moment, then vaguely guessed the identity of the figure.
Fourth place.
The fifth one is that ancient, bluish-gray sword.
It had no incarnation, no words, simply hovering silently in the rift. Yet its Sword Intent was sharper, purer, and more—approaching—than before.
Fifth place.
The last one is Golden. The World-Honored One.
The crack did not close; instead, it slowly widened.
Amidst the golden light of Buddha, a figure sat cross-legged on a twelve-petaled golden lotus, hands forming a mudra, eyes lowered.
His face was blurred and indistinct, but his entire being exuded a compassion and majesty that commanded the submission of all things and the worship of the heavens.
The World-Honored One has manifested.
It wasn't the real body, yet it was more solid than any previous projection.
His own light fell on Qi Yun and lingered for a long time.
"Young friend," he finally spoke, his voice calm, like a loving father calling to his wandering son, "Your path is very strong."
But you've chosen the wrong path.
Qi Yun didn't answer, but just looked at him quietly.
"The path of cultivation lies in transcendence," the World-Honored One said slowly. "Transcending material things, transcending cause and effect, transcending the Xuanhuang."
By binding your own Dao with the Xuanhuang, you are tying your own hands and feet.
Even with extraordinary abilities, one cannot escape constraints.
"I cannot agree with what you say, senior," Qi Yun said calmly. "Transcendence is not abandonment. Is leaving Xuanhuang the same as transcendence? That is nothing but escapism."
The World-Honored One remained silent for a moment.
"Very well." He shook his head slightly. "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his right hand and pointed gently in Qi Yun's direction.
This gesture produced no Buddhist light, no oppressive aura, and no extraordinary phenomena.
But the moment that finger was pointed out, the azure sky behind Qi Yun trembled violently!
Countless stars flickered and faded, and the outlines of mountains and rivers became blurred, as if an invisible hand was kneading, twisting, and tearing at this newly solidified world!
Qi Yun's expression changed slightly, and he formed a hand seal, pushing the [ Primordial Unity ] Dao to its limit.
In the clear blue sky, the sun and moon shone brightly, the stars moved at an accelerated pace, and the mountains and rivers were stabilized once more.
That invisible tearing force was forcibly forced back.
The World-Honored One withdrew his finger.
"Not bad," he said calmly. "Next time, I will come in person."
As the words fell, the golden light slowly faded away.
The crack closed, and the golden color vanished.
Above the sky, the seven cracks all closed up.
The Great Void Hall was deathly silent.
Qi Yun sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, his face pale, and the blue sky behind him was mostly dimmed.
Although that finger strike didn't injure him, it did drain a great deal of his mental energy.
" Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan—" True Lord Qingyuan's voice was somewhat strained, "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing," Qi Yun said calmly, "He just needs time to recover."
He closed his eyes and focused his mind on the blue sky behind him.
Fang Qingtian was severely damaged in the impact just now and needs to be nurtured day and night to recover.
But at least they made it through the first round.
Seven Dao King, seven trials.
He held on.
"Fellow Daoists," Qi Yun's voice rang out again, "In the days to come, the Dao King will not act rashly. They need time to prepare, and we also need time to recover."
This is the calm before the storm.
"But I can assure you all..."
He paused, opened his eyes, and his eyes sparkled with light.
"After the storm, the Xuanhuang remains."
Inside the hall, dozens of True Lord looked up at the deep blue figure. In their eyes, there was awe, trust, and a glimmer of hope.
"I will obey Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan's decree!"
The sound waves were like a tidal wave, echoing for a long time in the Great Void Hall.
Meanwhile, in some unknowable corner of the Xuanhuang Home Realm, deep within the Long River of Time, on that transcendent, Long Ages Immortal Island.
The True Lord Contemplating the One stood with his hands behind his back on the riverbank, gazing at the ever-flowing Long River of Time beneath his feet.
The river reflected the scene inside the Great Void Hall, the deep blue figure, and the damaged blue sky behind him.
"Seven—" he muttered to himself, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, "More than I expected."
Behind him, True Lord Feng Xi sat quietly on the futon, the cyan-gold vine in his hand already woven into a lifelike phoenix. The phoenix's eyes held a faint, almost imperceptible, chaotic color.
"When do you plan to make your move?" she asked, her voice cold and devoid of any emotion.
The True Lord Contemplating the One did not answer.
He simply gazed at the blue sky reflected in the river, at the dim stars in the blue sky, and at the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers that were slowly recovering.
"No rush," he said calmly. "The flower—isn't fully bloomed yet."