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

Shao Hao's expression remained unchanged.

He looked up at the two figures.

Looking at the blue Taoist robe, looking at the white Taoist robe.

Looking at the Heavenly Seal, looking at the Immortal-Slaying Sword.

A moment of silence.

Then, he slowly began to speak:

"What is it?"

The two words fell like the sound of a morning bell and an evening drum.

Guang Chengzi and Yu Ding Zhenren exchanged a glance.

Guang Chengzi stepped forward, his voice calm:

"The great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods has begun, and the destiny ordained by Heaven has arrived."

"Fellow Daoist Shaohao has profound merits, abundant fortune, and a solid foundation."

"I humbly request that you join my Chan Sect."

"To protect the Dharma for my religion, to spread the word for my religion, to serve my religion...

The sound fell like an ancient, frozen ice.

Within the tribe, the people's faces were deathly pale.

Join the Chan Sect?

To expound the teachings and protect the Dharma?

To expound and spread the teachings?

To serve the teachings?

That's not salvation.

That was plunder.

To plunder his human virtues.

To plunder the fortune of his human race.

To plunder his holy foundation.

Turn him into a puppet of the Chan Sect, a pawn of the Primordial Heavenly Lord, and a victim of the Investiture of the Gods.

Shao Hao looked at Guang Chengzi, at that thin face that revealed a calculating nature.

A slow smile crept onto his lips.

That smile was cold, like ancient ice.

"What if I don't want to?"

The four characters fell with a resounding clang, like metal striking stone.

Guang Chengzi's expression remained unchanged.

"If you are unwilling, I will not force you."

He paused, his voice slightly lower:

"It's just the Daoist tribe, with hundreds of millions of members."

"Fellow Daoist's painstaking efforts are all contained here."

"If you do not agree, my fellow Daoist and I will have no choice but to... stay here permanently."

"Preaching the sermon daily, transmitting the Dharma daily, and educating daily."

"Teach until the fellow practitioner changes their mind."

"I will teach until everyone in the tribe believes in my teachings."

"Teaching fellow practitioners until their merits, little by little, vanish into nothingness."

Shao Hao remained silent.

This would ruin his good deeds.

This is destroying his foundation.

This caused everything he had painstakingly accumulated to vanish into thin air.

This is the Chan School.

This is the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

This is the Heavenly Sage.

To achieve one's goals, one will stop at nothing.

For the sake of attaining enlightenment, one will spare no effort.

Anyone can be sacrificed in order to suppress the Jie Sect.

Shao Hao slowly closed his eyes.

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

"You are all doing very well."

The five words fell like the sound of a morning bell and an evening drum.

Guang Chengzi's expression remained unchanged.

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me."

"In the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, each relies on their own abilities."

"I have only done my best."

Shao Hao gazed at the two figures.

Looking at the Heaven-Turning Seal hanging above his head, and the Immortal-Slaying Sword hanging beside him.

His complexion remained unchanged.

Yet, deep within those clear eyes lay a faint hint of coldness.

"Do you really think that our human race is without anyone?"

Guang Chengzi frowned slightly upon hearing this.

He looked at Shao Hao, at that handsome yet stubborn face.

A sense of unease welled up inside me.

The unease was very faint.

So faint as to be almost imperceptible.

But he was the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect.

He was a disciple personally taught by Yuanshi Tianzun.

I have lived through countless years and witnessed countless storms.

His intuition has never been wrong.

"Fellow Daoist Shaohao."

Guang Chengzi spoke, his voice still calm:

"I have come here on my master's orders, and I have no ill intentions."

"I simply request that you join my Chan Sect and become its protector."

"This is a win-win situation."

"Why be so stubborn, fellow Daoist?"

Shao Hao sneered.

That smile was cold, like ancient ice.

"A win-win situation?"

"Your Chan Sect won twice, while my human race was wiped out?"

"Is this what you call a win-win situation?"

Guang Chengzi's expression darkened slightly.

Jade Cauldron Immortal stood beside him, the Immortal-Slaying Sword trembling slightly.

The sword light was as sharp as water, and its chill was palpable.

"Shaohao".

Master Yu Ding spoke, his voice icy cold:

"I respect you as the common ruler of humanity, which is why I am offering you these kind words of advice."

"Don't refuse a toast only to suffer the consequences."

As the sound faded, the Immortal-Slaying Sword was drawn three-tenths of its length.

The sword light was as white as snow, illuminating the entire sky.

Within the tribe, the people's faces were deathly pale.

Children were crying, women were trembling, and old people were closing their eyes.

That sword intent was too strong.

So powerful that even from miles away, it drove them to the brink of despair.

Shao Hao stared at the Immortal-Slaying Sword, which was three-tenths of the way out of its sheath, his expression unchanged.

"A slap on the wrist?"

"I, Shaohao, have lived for thousands of years. What kind of wine haven't I drunk?"

"If you want to pour it in, then pour it in."

"I'll take it."

Master Yu Ding's eyes turned cold.

The Immortal-Slaying Sword was drawn three times more than before.

The sword light was intense, and the chill was overwhelming.

Do you really think that I, this humble Taoist priest, dare not?

Shao Hao looked at him and said, slowly and deliberately:

"You dare?"

"Of course you dare."

"You are a Golden Immortal of the Chan Sect, a direct disciple of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable."

"I am but a human sovereign, a mere mortal."

"If you want to kill me, it will only take one sword strike."

"But what will you do after you kill me?"

He paused, his voice turning deep:

"What will happen to the six saints of my human race?"

"What will happen if my Jie Sect has more than a dozen Saint-level warriors?"

"What will happen to my master, Xuandu?"

Master Yu Ding's expression changed slightly.

The Immortal-Slaying Sword hovered in mid-air, neither advancing nor retreating.

Shao Hao continued:

"You've come not to kill me."

"They want to ruin my merits and destroy my foundation."

"Because you know that killing me means you will never let humanity die."

"It means we will fight the Jie Sect to the death."

"It means we will fight to the death with our master."

"You can't afford to mess with them."

"We wouldn't dare to provoke them."

"So all you can do is threaten."

"All we can do is scheme."

"They can only do these shady things that can't be brought to the table."

After the sound faded, the tribe fell into a deathly silence.

Guang Chengzi's face turned ashen.

Master Yu Ding's eyes were cold.

But they couldn't refute it.

Because Shao Hao is right.

They dared not kill.

Killing Shao Hao would mean making an enemy of the entire human race.

He was an enemy of more than a dozen saints of the Jie Sect.

That is to be an enemy of Xuandu.

That man in blue dared to confront even the Dao Ancestor head-on.

They are not to be trifled with.

They wouldn't dare provoke them.

Therefore, they had no choice but to resort to such despicable means.

He resides here permanently and preaches daily.

To ruin its merits and destroy its foundation.

This caused Shao Hao to gradually lose the support of the people.

Little by little, their luck is fading away.

It gradually lost its foundation.

This is the scheme of the Chan sect.

This was the plan of the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

This is the method of the Heavenly Sage.

Guang Chengzi took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart.

"Fellow Daoist Shaohao is right."

"This humble Taoist priest dares not kill you."

"They dare not provoke the Jie Sect, nor dare they provoke Xuandu."

"But I dare not remain here permanently."

"I dare to preach every day."

"How dare you ruin your good deeds."

"I dare to destroy your foundation."

"Even if Xuandu himself came, he would have nothing to say."

"Because I did not kill you."

"Because I did not harm you."

"Because I am merely preaching, expounding the Dharma, and teaching."

"Even the Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not find fault with it."

The sound fell like an ancient, frozen ice.

Shao Hao remained silent.

He knew that Guang Chengzi was telling the truth.

Do not kill him, do not harm him, but simply preach the Dharma.

Even if the master himself came, he could not find any fault with it.

Because preaching and teaching are inherently the freedom of cultivators.

Even a saint has no right to interfere.

This is the scheme of the Chan sect.

This is the ruthlessness of the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

To kill someone is to destroy their spirit.

I won't kill you, I won't hurt you, but I'll make you wish you were dead.

Shao Hao slowly closed his eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, there was a deep, unfathomable weariness in them.

He opened his mouth, about to speak.

Just now.

"Buzz".

The void rippled silently.

A beam of azure light burst forth from the void!

Its radiance was like the sky, like the sea, like the endless starry sky.

It instantly enveloped the entire sky!

Enveloped the entire tribe!

Enveloping the Heavenly Seal, enveloping the Immortal-Slaying Sword!

Guang Chengzi's pupils suddenly contracted!

Master Yu Ding's expression changed drastically!

They sensed it.

That aura was incredibly strong.

It was so powerful that even their very souls trembled.

It was so powerful that it caused their magical power to stagnate.

So powerful that even their most prized possessions were groaning in despair.

That was the aura of a saint.

It is the oppressive aura of a saintly being.

It is... Emperor Fuxi!