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

Side hall of Yuxu Palace.

There was no glittering decoration here; instead, it appeared somewhat gloomy.

A bronze lamp hangs quietly in the hall, its dim yellow flame illuminating the small space.

Under the lamplight, a gaunt figure sat cross-legged on a futon.

He was dressed in a gray Taoist robe, his face was simple and ancient, with deep wrinkles, as if he had lived through countless years.

His aura was obscure and profound, resonating faintly with the ancient lamp, exuding a strange Daoist charm that intertwined desolation and rebirth.

He was none other than the Vice Leader of the Chan Sect, the Daoist Burning Lamp.

He was currently lost in thought with his eyes closed, trying to comprehend the Dao of Nirvana contained within the coffin lamp and glimpse a chance for transcendence.

suddenly.

"Buzz!"

The void in front of him rippled slightly, and a pure and refined Jade Purity Immortal Light appeared out of thin air, transforming into a rune that hovered in the air.

From within the runes came the majestic yet indifferent voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable:

"Light the lamp."

The Taoist Ran Deng slowly opened his eyes.

Those were extremely deep eyes, with flickering lights in the depths of their pupils, reflecting the vicissitudes of time.

"Master."

He bowed slightly, his voice hoarse yet calm.

"Xuan Du has left Jin'ao Island and is heading to the North Sea alone."

The voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable emanated from the runes, devoid of any emotion:

"This child has no respect for elders, defies the way of Heaven, has repeatedly damaged the prestige of our Chan Sect, and even uttered wild words a hundred years ago, shaking the heart of the sages."

"Now that they have left the nest, it is a good opportunity to give them a small punishment as a warning."

The Taoist Ran Deng's eyes flickered slightly, but his face remained calm and composed.

"What does the cult leader mean?"

"You are the vice leader of my sect, a position of great prestige, and you have the responsibility to guide the future generations of the ancient world."

The voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable turned cold:

"Although Xuandu was Tongtian's direct disciple, he is still a junior and acts without knowing his own limitations."

"Then go to the North Sea and give him some pointers, so that he knows what is respect and what is reverence."

"Remember this..."

Yuanshi Tianzun paused slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable, profound meaning:

"A slight punishment is all that's needed to blunt their brilliance and disrupt their resolve."

"Do not harm its very life or foundation, lest Tongtian use it as an excuse to make trouble."

The Taoist Ran Deng remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded:

"I understand."

He could naturally understand the true meaning behind Yuanshi Tianzun's words.

The so-called guidance and minor punishments are nothing more than empty words.

The real purpose was to take this opportunity to teach Xuandu a lesson, vent their anger, and restore the reputation of the Chan Sect.

As for not harming one's life or foundation... that's just out of consideration for the reaction of the Sage of Heaven.

"Xuan Du..."

The Taoist Ran Deng murmured to himself, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in his deep eyes.

He had long heard of this disciple of the Jie Sect, who had risen to fame and created numerous miracles over the past century.

A century of primordial chaos, a fierce confrontation with the Three Saints, the erection of the Martial Dao Heavenly Stele, drawing upon the merits of the Heavenly Dao...

Each and every one of these incidents is nothing short of miraculous.

This child must be hiding a shocking secret or possessing an unparalleled opportunity.

If we can take this opportunity...

The withered fingers of the Taoist Ran Deng almost imperceptibly rubbed something in his sleeve.

"I will obey the decree of the Master."

He bowed in response, his voice remaining calm.

"good."

As the voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable faded, the Jade Purity Immortal Light rune slowly dissipated.

Silence returned to the hall, with only the dim yellow flame of the coffin lamp flickering quietly.

The Taoist Ran Deng slowly rose to his feet, his gray robe fluttering even without wind.

He looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the palace roof, looking towards the distant and cold void to the north.

"North Sea......"

A hoarse voice echoed in the empty hall.

With a flick of his sleeve, the coffin lamp, which had been floating in the air, transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into his sleeve.

Then, he took a step forward.

His figure seemed to blend into the shadows, disappearing silently from the side hall without attracting the attention of any of the disciples of Jade Void Palace.

The next moment, a dark streak of light streaked across the sky above Kunlun Mountain, speeding northward at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary escape lights!

The direction is right towards Beihai!

The Taoist Ran Deng concealed all his aura, even using the Taoist charm of the coffin lamp to mask his own secrets, and quietly pursued him.

Although he was the vice leader, he always acted cautiously, even... sinister.

Since the sect leader had ordered that Xuandu be taught a lesson, he naturally wouldn't make a big fuss about it.

Sneak attacks, ambushes, surprise attacks... these methods are often most effective when there is an absolute difference in strength.

Moreover, he had his own plans for this trip...

"Xuan Du...a direct disciple of the Jie Sect..."

A ghostly light flickered in the eyes of the Taoist Ran Deng.

"Let me see just how much your century-old primordial miracle really weighs."

"If I can glean even a glimpse of the opportunity for transcendence from you... then this journey of mine will not have been in vain."

......

Just as the Taoist Ran Deng left Kunlun Mountain.

Jin'ao Island, deep within the Biyou Palace.

On the cloud bed, the Tongtian Sect Leader was explaining sect affairs to Duobao Daoist when he suddenly had a premonition.

He raised his sword-like eyebrows slightly, his eyes flashing like lightning, instantly piercing through the endless void and looking towards the direction of Kunlun Mountain.

"Um?"

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the Tongtian Sect Leader.

"Yuanshi... he really couldn't hold back anymore, huh?"

He then clearly sensed a gloomy aura belonging to the Burning Lamp, which quietly departed from the Jade Void Palace, heading north.

Almost simultaneously, he also sensed that Xuandu was heading towards the North Sea.

The timing of both events is so coincidental, and their goals are the same...

The implications are self-evident.

"Master?"

Seeing the strange expression on Tongtian Jiaozhu's face, Duobao Daoren, who was standing to the side, asked in confusion.

The Tongtian Sect Leader withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to calm, but a sharp sword intent flashed briefly in the depths of his eyes.

"It's alright."

He waved his hand, his voice flat:

"A few clowns, nothing to worry about."

Although Daoist Duobao did not understand why, seeing that his master was unwilling to say more, he did not dare to ask further and bowed and withdrew.

After Duobao left, Tongtian Jiaozhu sat alone on the cloud bed, gently tapping his knees with his fingers.

"Light the lamp..."

He muttered to himself, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"When he listened to the teachings in Zixiao Palace, he was a cowardly and scheming person."

"Now you dare to set your sights on my disciple..."

The sword intent in the eyes of the Tongtian Sect Leader gradually intensified.

Under normal circumstances, he might have directly intervened, stopped the lamp-burning creature, or even killed it with a single sword strike.

but......

He looked north, as if he could see the figure in green robes riding a sword at breakneck speed.

"Xuan Du..."

"Since you have chosen to leave the island at this time, you must have your own reasons."

"A mid-stage Primordial Golden Immortal... it's time to experience some trials and tribulations and see some blood."

"Although Burning Lamp is at the peak of Quasi-Saint, he is ultimately practicing unorthodox methods."

"With your abilities, plus the Heaven-Slaying Sword... you might not be without a fighting chance."

The Tongtian Sect Leader slowly closed his eyes, his sword energy receding inward.

"Let me see just how much you've accumulated in this century of breakthrough."

"If it really comes down to a life-or-death situation..."

With a slight thought, the Qingping Sword emitted a clear and melodious sword cry in the void, and a wisp of invisible sword intent quietly merged into the void, spreading northward.

"My sword will surely carve a path to your survival."