A Show of Force, Willing to Try
The old man spoke calmly, his tone completely unwavering. "I've already said it, the Origin Dao Guardians."
"The Dao Fruit await their Return to the Origin; they are not something you can covet."
"Retreat now, and you may save your life."
"If you insist on doing this recklessly, then stay here forever."
The words were plain, yet they carried the most direct threat.
Even the arrogant Yan Tianjin gritted his teeth and dared not make another move.
He knew he was no match for the old man.
If a real fight breaks out, he might actually die here.
But he was unwilling to just give up like that.
Could a hundred thousand years of waiting be wasted because of a few inexplicable Dao Guardian of the Dao?
"You bastard! You're just playing tricks!"
Seeing the Demon Emperor humiliated, the Devil General Blood Baleful Intent was both shocked and enraged. He roared, "Brothers, attack together! I refuse to believe they are truly an impregnable fortress!"
He charged forward first, carrying the Blood Baleful Intent Saber.
A dozen or so demon generals and hundreds of elite Devil Cultivator followed suit and rushed forward.
Various Devil Cultivation Method were unleashed, and the demonic energy surged towards the seven Dao Guardian.
"Act recklessly."
One of the Dao Guardian beside the old man stepped forward.
He simply raised his hand and pressed down.
The invisible power of the Dao spread out.
Bang bang bang bang!
The dozen or so Devil Cultivator at the forefront didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly reduced to ashes, their souls and spirits annihilated.
The Devil General Blood Baleful Intent was the first to be hit. It was as if an invisible giant hammer had struck his chest. With a "poof," he spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into a stone pillar. His life or death was unknown.
It was just a brief encounter.
More than a dozen Dao Union Devil Cultivator perished, and the Devil General Blood Baleful Intent was critically injured and on the verge of death.
The remaining Devil Cultivator were so terrified that they stopped in their tracks, daring not to take another step forward.
That's incredible.
That's ridiculously strong.
They are forces from completely different dimensions.
"Step back." Yan Tianjin ordered the remaining people in a deep voice.
His face was extremely grim, yet he had to admit that these Dao Guardian were not someone they could contend with.
On the righteous side, everyone held their breath.
Zhang Jianchen exchanged glances with the two Loose Immortal, both seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes.
Xuanjizi stepped forward, bowed slightly to the old man, and said respectfully, "Fellow Daoist, we do not intend to Dao Fruit for ourselves. However, the Dao Fruit is related to the fate of the world. If it falls into the hands of the demonic path, I fear that countless lives will be lost. I hope you will be lenient."
"The rise and fall of good and evil are all predetermined," the old man said calmly. "The Dao Fruit will have their own destination; it is none of your business to interfere."
"But..."
"No need for further words," the old man interrupted him, "Retreat, or die."
In short, it shut down all room for negotiation.
The situation inside the hall reached a stalemate once again.
Neither the righteous nor the demonic dared to move, and the Dao Guardian did not launch an attack. They simply stood quietly in front of the coffin, like seven stone statues, protecting the Dao Fruit behind them.
Time passed slowly, and the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive.
In the crowd, Li Yunjing stood still, outwardly calm, but inwardly he was rapidly communicating with Five Spirits Lord.
"Five Spirits Lord, just who are these Dao Guardian the Dao?"
"Guardians born from the will of the Dao Realm," the Five Spirits Lord said slowly. "Heaven and earth possess spirits, and naturally give birth to such beings, dedicated to protecting the core of origin and maintaining the balance of heaven and earth. They have no selfishness, no emotions, and act solely according to the rules of heaven and earth."
"They Dao Fruit awaits Return to the Origin, does that mean they know the method to Return to the Origin?" Li Yunjing's eyes lit up.
"Of course I know." Five Spirits Lord nodded. "They are guarding this place, waiting for someone who can perform the Return to the Origin Technique. The one who steals the fruit is their enemy, while the one who Return to the Origin is the one they are waiting for."
Li Yunjing felt much more at ease.
They weren't enemies, they were comrades.
He took a deep breath, parted the crowd, and walked forward.
"Sect Leader Li, what are you doing?" Zhou Ziyang exclaimed in surprise, quickly grabbing him. "It's too dangerous! Those Dao Guardian are even fighting Demon Emperors!"
"Don't worry, they won't hurt me." Li Yunjing smiled slightly, shook off her hand, and continued forward.
"Yunjing!" Fang Hexuan exclaimed anxiously.
Li Yunjing waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.
He walked step by step toward the center of the hall, crossed the open space between the righteous and demonic paths, and went straight toward the seven Dao Guardian.
All eyes were on him.
"Has Li Yunjing gone mad?"
"What does he want to do? Is he looking for death?"
"Even the Demon Emperor is no match for him, so what's the point of him, a mere Early Void Refinement, going up there would be like offering himself up as food."
The crowd was abuzz with discussion, all thinking that Li Yunjing had gone mad.
Yan Tianjin sneered, "That ignorant fool is just fine. Let the Dao Guardian kill him, saving me the trouble."
Zhang Jianchen's expression also changed. "Sect Leader Li, come back quickly! Don't act rashly!"
Li Yunjing didn't turn around, but simply raised one hand to indicate that he was alright.
He walked until he was three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in front of the seven Dao Guardian before stopping.
The white-haired old man at the head of the group turned his head slightly, his face, shrouded in a halo, facing Li Yunjing, as if he were sizing him up.
Li Yunjing bowed respectfully, his tone calm yet firm:
"Junior Li Yunjing greets all the senior Dao Guardian."
"This junior knows that the Dao Fruit cannot be taken away, but can only Return to the Origin."
"This junior possesses a method that can restore the Primordial Dao Fruit to the origin of heaven and earth, breaking the cycle of ten thousand years."
"I humbly request your assistance, senior."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire main hall fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone was stunned.
Return to the Origin?
What Return to the Origin?
What is Li Yunjing saying?
Yan Tianjin frowned and shouted, "Li Yunjing, what nonsense are you spouting now?"
Zhang Jianchen also shouted, "Sect Leader Li, what is meant by ' Return to the Origin '? Explain yourself clearly!"
Li Yunjing did not answer the crowd, but simply looked quietly at the white-haired old man in front of him.
He's waiting.
Waiting for the response from the Dao Guardian.
Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds.
The white-haired old man remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.
This time, there seemed to be a subtle, almost imperceptible change in his tone.
"You... know the method of Return to the Origin?"
Li Yunjing felt relieved and nodded, saying, "That's right. To return to the Return to the Origin, one needs the Origin Dao Physique as a guide and the Ancestral Vein True Spirit as a foundation. I have the Origin Dao Physique, Yuanchu, by my side."
"The Northern Dark True Spirit, one of the Ten Ancestral Vein, has a past relationship with me. I can ask it to invite the other nine Ancestral Vein True Spirit."
The Dao Guardian behind the old man stirred slightly, seemingly somewhat surprised.
The white-haired old man remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Words are no proof."
"Seniors will know once they try." Li Yunjing stepped aside, revealing Yuanchu behind him. "This is Senior Yuan Yuanchu, the Origin Dao Physique. All of you seniors may verify this for yourselves."
Yuanchu stepped forward, raised his head, and looked at the Dao Guardian with clear eyes.
He didn't deliberately exude any aura, yet his innate Daoist charm naturally flowed out, subtly resonating with the Dao Fruit in the air.
The Dao Fruit trembled slightly, emitting a soft halo.
This is a resonance between people of the same origin.
The white-haired old man's gaze fell on Yuanchu, and the aura around him rippled slightly.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and looked at Li Yunjing again.
"The Origin Dao Physique is real," the old man said slowly, "But the Ancestral Vein True Spirit may not obey your commands."
"This junior is willing to give it a try," Li Yunjing said in a deep voice. "Please give me some time, senior. Within ten days, I will definitely invite the ten Ancestral Vein True Spirit to perform the Return to the Origin Method."