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

Lao Tzu took a deep breath, suppressing the humiliation surging in his heart.

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and piercing like a vengeful ghost:

"I......"

He uttered just one word, then could not say anything more.

The four words "cowardly and afraid of death" weighed heavily on his tongue, and he couldn't utter them no matter what.

He is the Sage of Taiqing.

It is the authentic Pangu lineage.

He is a sage of the Heavenly Way.

How could he possibly admit to being afraid of death?

How could we bow down before Xuandu?

How could we admit defeat in front of the Jie Sect?

But did he have any other choice?

Lao Tzu slowly closed his eyes.

The last trace of color drained from that withered face.

a long time.

a long time.

When he opened his eyes again, there was a bottomless grayness in them.

"I......"

He spoke again, his voice trembling:

"I......"

But he still couldn't bring himself to utter the words "cowardly and afraid of death".

Yuan Shi looked at him, at that pale, paper-white face.

An indescribable sense of sorrow welled up in my heart.

Elder brother, you must also bow your head.

They had to admit defeat before Xuandu.

They also have to admit to themselves that they are afraid of death.

Then what face do they, the Chan sect, have left?

Then what dignity do they, the true descendants of Pangu, have left?

Yuan Shi gritted his teeth.

He suddenly looked up and stared intently at Xuan Du.

"Xuandu!"

He growled, his voice hoarse:

"You win!"

"We surrender!"

"We...are afraid of death!"

"I dare not go!"

The last eight words exploded like a thunderclap!

The void is trembling!

The edge of the primordial chaos is shaken!

The five figures standing in the void trembled!

Lao Tzu was jolted!

Jieyin and Zhunti were deathly pale!

Tongtian's eyes flickered slightly!

The smile on Xuan Du's lips deepened even further.

I admit it.

Yuanshi accepted it.

He personally admitted that he was afraid of death and wanted to live.

He admitted defeat in person.

He bowed his head in humility.

From this day forward, Yuanshi will have no dignity whatsoever before him.

From this day forward, the Chan Sect will have no confidence whatsoever in the face of the Jie Sect.

From this day forward, even the true Pangu lineage is nothing more than this.

Xuandu looked at Yuanshi, at that ashen face filled with despair.

He spoke slowly, his voice calm:

"Fellow Daoist Yuanshi is indeed straightforward."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Why make your disciple go through all this trouble?"

He raised his hand and waved it gently.

The chaotic light wall that had blocked any escape route vanished with a roar.

It transformed into a boundless shower of chaotic light, falling into the void.

The four of them felt a sense of relief.

The huge weight that had been pressing on my heart finally lifted.

But after landing, there was an even deeper despair.

They bowed their heads.

I admit defeat.

He admitted in person that he was afraid of dying.

From this day forward, will they still be able to hold their heads high in front of Xuandu?

Can't.

It can never be done again.

Lao Tzu turned pale and walked away.

Yuan Shi gritted his teeth and followed closely behind.

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, then turned and left.

The four figures transformed into four streaks of light and vanished in an instant at the edge of the primordial wilderness.

The departing figure was flustered and disheveled, devoid of any semblance of saintly dignity.

Tongtian watched the four disappearing figures, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

The smile was faint, yet it carried an undisguised joy.

"Good lad."

He spoke, his voice full of approval:

"Well done."

Xuan Du smiled slightly and bowed slightly:

"Master, you flatter me."

"I was merely using their strength against them."

"They tried to scheme against Master, so I'll let them reap what they sow."

Tongtian looked at him, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

With such a disciple, what worries do I, as a teacher, have?

He raised his eyes and gazed into the depths of chaos.

The sounds of fighting remained intense.

The aftershocks continued to surge.

But all of that had nothing to do with the Jie Sect.

It has nothing to do with his connections to the heavens.

It has nothing to do with Xuandu.

"Let's go."

The heavens opened their mouths, their voices calm:

"Let them fight."

"I'll wait to go back to Jin'ao Island."

Xuan Du nodded.

The master and apprentice turned around and took a step forward.

The void rippled silently.

Two figures in green robes vanished in an instant at the edge of the primordial wilderness.

Only the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation remained, still shrouding the void.

Protect the primordial wilderness.

Protect all sentient beings.

Laozi and his companions stood on the edge of the primordial wilderness, gazing at the two disappearing figures in green robes.

Their faces were all ashen.

The departing figure was calm and composed, as if the confrontation just now was nothing more than a speck of dust being brushed away.

But what about the four of them?

Embarrassed.

In a panic.

Lost face.

Yuanshi slowly clenched his hands in his sleeves, his knuckles cracking. Deep within his eyes, which shone with a pure, ethereal light, lay an overwhelming sense of humiliation and rage.

"Xuandu!"

He spoke in a low voice, as cold as ice, yet with a tremor he himself was unaware of.

Lao Tzu did not speak.

He simply stared at the empty void, at the long-vanished wall of chaotic light, and at the destructive light still raging deep within the chaos.

The ashen look on that withered face deepened.

The guide chanted the Buddha's name in a low, sorrowful voice:

"Amitabha... I will remember this humiliation I have suffered today."

Zhunti didn't speak. He just kept his head down, but a hint of undisguised hatred flashed deep in his eyes.

The four stood in the void, silent for a long time.

Deep within the chaos, the sounds of battle still raged fiercely.

The aftershocks of the collision between the Jade Disc of Creation and the Hollow Willow surged forth like a tidal wave, but were completely blocked by the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation.

The sword formation stood firm and unmoved.

That sword formation was left behind by Tongtian.

They protected the wilderness, and they also protected them.

But at this moment, the sword formation was like a thorn stuck in their hearts, impossible to pull out.

Yuanshi suddenly looked up, gazing into the depths of chaos. His gaze pierced through layers of void, landing on the two figures locked in a frenzied battle.

"The battle between Dao Ancestor and Yang Mei will not be resolved in a short time."

He spoke, his voice hoarse:

"When the Dao Ancestor returns, we will certainly report to him the truth about what Xuandu and Tongtian did today."

Upon hearing this, Laozi's eyes flickered slightly.

He turned his head and looked at Yuanshi:

"Report truthfully?"

Yuan Shi gritted his teeth:

"Xuan Du has blocked our escape route, forcing us to admit defeat. Such a grave act of disrespect is something even the Dao Ancestor cannot tolerate!"

"Tongtian allowed his disciples to commit crimes, yet he stood idly by, even offering sarcastic remarks. Is such behavior befitting a sage?"

He grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light surrounding him flickered uncertainly.

"When the Dao Ancestor returns, he will make those two, master and disciple, pay the price!"

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, both seeing the rekindled hope in each other's eyes.

Yes.

The Dao Ancestor is still alive.

The Dao Ancestor is the supreme being who rules over the primordial world.

No matter how strong Xuandu is, he is only at the third level of the Hunyuan Daluo realm.

Even the most powerful being is still just a sage of the Heavenly Dao.

What are they compared to the Dao Ancestor?

The guide nodded slowly:

"What Fellow Daoist Yuanshi said is absolutely right."

"Xuan Du is far too arrogant in his actions."

"If you dare to block our retreat today, you will dare to challenge the Dao Ancestor tomorrow."

"If this person is not punished, he will surely become a great scourge in the future."

Zhunti finally raised his head, his thin face filled with a sinister look:

"When the Dao Ancestor returns, we will jointly petition him to severely punish Xuandu and the Jie Sect!"

The three of them talked and talked, becoming more and more excited, as if they could already see Xuandu kneeling in the Zixiao Palace and Tongtian bowing his head to admit his mistakes.

But Lao Tzu didn't say anything.

He simply listened quietly, gazing at the three faces filled with hatred, a faint trace of bitterness flashing in his eyes.

That's enough.

Lao Tzu spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.