Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

In the void, Lao Tzu's body swayed slightly.

A mouthful of holy blood, as brilliant as stars yet as dim as dust, slowly spilled from his mouth.

The blood droplets floated in the air, each one reflecting the sacred foundation of his billion-dollar guild, and the Wuwei Dao Fruit that was now crumbling inch by inch.

"laugh......"

The holy blood dripped into the void, but did not dissipate.

Instead, it scorched the surrounding space with black holes, and purple energy swirled around the edges of the holes, which was the dissipation of the sage's essence.

Lao Tzu's originally simple and unassuming face was now aging at a visible rate.

The wrinkles on his forehead deepened, his beard and hair grew increasingly dry and white, and even his half-open eyes, which seemed to reflect the ancient Milky Way, dimmed by a third.

not only that.

The serene and effortless aura surrounding him, which was in harmony with heaven and earth, shattered inch by inch, revealing the constantly weakening and declining... Saint Realm cultivation beneath it!

Peak of the sixth level of Heavenly Dao Saint...

Mid-stage of the Sixth Heaven...

Early stage of the sixth heaven...

The Fifth Heaven...

The Fourth Heaven...

With each fall, Laozi's body hunched over a little more, and the purple aura around him dissipated.

Finally, he came to a steady stop at... the early stage of the first level of the Heavenly Dao Saint!

Moreover, his aura was weak and his realm unstable, like a candle flickering in the wind, which could be extinguished at any moment!

"Brother!"

Yuanshi Tianzun's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out in alarm!

He stepped forward and supported Laozi's swaying figure. The Jade Purity Immortal Light poured into Laozi's body without reservation, trying to stabilize the constantly collapsing foundation of the Holy Path.

But the moment they made contact, Yuanshi shuddered!

He clearly sensed that the foundation of Lao Tzu's sacred path... was already riddled with cracks!

That was the backlash from the foundation of the religion being severed!

"Human Religion...the destiny of the human race..."

Yuanshi's face was ashen, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror:

"How could a mere resonance of human will shake the foundation of a saint's Dao?"

Lao Tzu slowly raised his hand and wiped away the holy blood from the corner of his mouth.

The movements remained slow, yet carried an unprecedented heaviness.

He shook his head slightly, his voice hoarse, no longer displaying his usual calm and indifferent demeanor.

"It is not... the will of humanity."

He paused, raised his eyes to look at the still soaring crimson-gold martial arts light pillar on the shore of the East China Sea, and looked at the formed chaotic rune deep within the light pillar. For the first time, a clear sense of regret appeared in his eyes.

"It is... the Great Dao."

"Xuandu summoned the Great Dao and used the laws of martial arts to completely sever my karmic ties with the human race."

"The People's Education Press... is now defunct in name only."

As soon as he finished speaking, Laozi's body swayed again.

If it weren't for Yuanshi's support, he probably wouldn't be able to maintain his suspended position in mid-air by now.

"The Great Dao..."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable's pupils contracted again, a chill spreading through his heart.

How could he not know what the Great Way means?

That is a supreme being that transcends the Heavenly Dao!

Xuandu was actually able to summon the Great Dao, and even use the power of the Great Dao to forcibly sever the karmic ties of a sage.

What is the origin of this child?

"Cough cough..."

Lao Tzu coughed violently again, and purple-gold holy blood kept spilling from the corners of his mouth.

He slowly closed his eyes and looked inward at himself.

His foundation in the Holy Path was shattered, and his cultivation in the Holy Realm plummeted to the first level, and it continues to slowly decline.

If he hadn't become a saint the earliest, accumulated the most merit, and had the Primordial Purple Qi protecting his primordial spirit, he would probably have completely fallen from the sainthood by now and become a quasi-saint!

Even so...

"Within ten thousand years... I must go into seclusion."

Lao Tzu spoke slowly, his voice hoarse:

"Rebuild the foundation of the Dao and stabilize the sacred realm."

He looked at Yuanshi, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes:

"Second brother, before the great calamity... do not seek trouble with Xuandu and Jiejiao again."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi frowned deeply:

"Elder brother! This boy has ruined your path to enlightenment and destroyed your humanistic teachings. This enmity is irreconcilable!"

"Moreover, he has now condensed the laws of martial arts, and his momentum is already established. If he were to further attain the Great Luo Primordial Dao..."

"At that time, the Intercepting Sect will be blessed with overwhelming fortune. How can our Chan Sect possibly compete in the great calamity?"

Each question was veiled, each word filled with resentment.

Lao Tzu simply shook his head:

"The tide has turned... beyond our control."

He gazed at the shores of the East China Sea, at the billions of humans whose blood and energy surged to the heavens, and a rare... bewilderment flashed in his eyes.

A hundred years ago, the human race was just a pawn in his hands, and he could seize the fate of the human race at will.

A century later, the human race established its own martial arts, their will as firm as iron, even able to shake the foundation of a saint's Dao.

This primordial world... has truly changed.

"Xuan Du..."

Lao Tzu murmured softly, which eventually turned into a long sigh:

"Never mind..."

"Go back to the mountain."

He said no more, flicked his sleeves slightly, and purple mist enveloped his mangled body as he slowly drifted towards Shouyang Mountain.

His back was hunched, his steps were unsteady, and he no longer possessed the detached and aloof demeanor of the sage he once was.

Yuanshi Tianzun gazed silently in the direction Laozi had left, his expression shifting unpredictably.

There was anger, resentment, disbelief, and a sense of powerlessness.

The head of the Three Pure Ones, the eldest disciple of the Xuanmen sect, the Taiqing Sage who has been in charge of the Human Religion and has enjoyed the fortune of the human race for countless eons...

Xuandu, a group of humans whom he considered ants, actually severed the foundation of his sect and destroyed the Human Sect by resonating with the martial will and borrowing the power of the Great Dao, even causing the Saint Realm to fall to the first level!

This completely overturned his understanding of sages, the Way of Heaven, and the primordial order!

"Human race... martial arts..."

Yuan Shi murmured these two words in a low voice.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on the shores of the East China Sea.

There, the crimson-gold martial arts pillar still soared into the sky, piercing through the clouds and shaking the eight wastelands.

Deep within the pillar of light, the chaotic-colored martial arts law rune slowly rotated, emanating an unprecedented, vibrant yet sharp and domineering Daoist aura.

Beneath the runes, billions of humans sat cross-legged, their blood and qi resonating like the roar of ten thousand dragons, their will converging like a celestial sword hanging overhead.

Even though they were separated by endless void, Yuan Shi could clearly feel the vast, boundless, and indomitable will of humanity!

This will, a hundred years ago, was as weak and feeble as a candle flickering in the wind.

A century later, it has turned into a raging fire, burning the sky and boiling the sea!

And the source of all this...

"Xuan Du..."

As Yuanshi slowly uttered the name, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his sleeve hummed and trembled uncontrollably, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light flickered erratically, clearly indicating that his emotions had reached their peak.

hatred!

An overwhelming hatred!

If it weren't for this child, Randeng wouldn't have perished, the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect wouldn't have become a laughing stock, and Yuanshi wouldn't have been forced to retreat in the North Sea, losing all his dignity!

If it weren't for this child, Tongtian wouldn't be so powerful, the Jie Sect wouldn't have experienced such a surge in fortune, and the Three Pure Ones wouldn't have reached the point of near rupture today!

If it weren't for this child... Laozi's foundation wouldn't have collapsed, the Human Sect wouldn't have been abolished, and he wouldn't have almost fallen from the Saint Realm!

All of this is because of Xuandu!

"This child... must not be allowed to live."

The last trace of hesitation in Yuanshi's eyes vanished completely, replaced by a chilling and resolute determination.

He slowly raised his right hand, and in his palm, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi shone with light, and the Jade Purity Dao Patterns intertwined and rotated, evolving into images of mountains and rivers, the sun, moon and stars.

However, within that light and shadow, there was a faint hint of blood, and the aura of calamity was brewing.

"The Lich Wars are a predetermined fate."

Yuanshi's thoughts raced, and countless calculations collided and were deduced rapidly in his mind.

Xuandu established the martial arts path, gathered the human race, gained the approval of the Great Dao, and the laws of martial arts have been formed. Its momentum seems unstoppable.

But... is it really unstoppable?

"Martial arts are based on humanity, cultivating oneself, without relying on external things or the ways of heaven..."

A cold smile slowly curved the corners of Yuan Shi's lips:

"This path seems pure, but in reality... its weakness lies here!"

Not relying on external resources means a lack of resources and slow growth.

To not rely on the will of Heaven means to be unable to gain the approval of Heaven and Earth, and to face numerous calamities.

More importantly... martial arts cultivation requires a massive amount of vital energy and blood to sustain it, and endless tempering of willpower.

Although the human race is numerous, how many can truly reach the pinnacle of martial arts?

"What if the path of cultivation for humans is severed?"

The path of cultivation for the human race has been severed!

The moment this thought arose, even Yuanshi himself felt a slight tremor in his mind.

It's not impossible.

Although humans do not rely on the Dao of Heaven to cultivate martial arts, they still need to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to temper their blood and temper their will.

And who controls the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?

The celestial sphere, mountains and rivers, the earth's veins and spiritual energy... all are under the order of the Heavenly Dao!

He, Yuanshi, is a sage of the Jade Purity Realm, wielding a portion of the Heavenly Dao's authority. Although he cannot directly interfere with the human realm, he can... influence the environment of heaven and earth!