Primordial Era: Starting by overwhelming the Sages, Hongjun was stunned!

The old man nodded: "I've come to see you."

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Let's see if you've changed after you become a saint."

Kong Xuan asked, "Has it changed?"

The old man looked him up and down and nodded.

"It's changed."

"What has changed?"

It's heavier now.

"Like a mountain, like the sea, like the earth."

"It's not as sharp as it used to be."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

The old man took out a teapot and teacups from his sleeve and poured two cups of tea.

He handed a cup to Kong Xuan.

"Have some tea."

Kong Xuan took it and drank a sip.

The tea is bitter, but the aftertaste is sweet.

The old man also took a sip and put down his teacup.

"Kong Xuan, do you know why I came to find you?"

Kong Xuan shook his head.

The old man said, "Because I want to ask you to do something."

"What is it?"

"Watch over something for me."

Kong Xuan asked, "What is it?"

The old man took something out of his sleeve.

It is a stone.

It is about the size of a fist and is completely black.

The surface of the stone was covered with runes.

The runes are very fine and dense.

Like the tracks left by ants.

Kong Xuan took the stone; it felt heavy in his hand.

Within the stone, a power lies dormant.

It is ancient and powerful.

It was so powerful that even he, a mid-stage Saint, felt a chill run down his spine.

"What is this?"

The old man said, "The Chaos Stone."

"Formed from the condensation of the primordial chaos."

"Left behind when Pangu separated heaven and earth."

Kong Xuan's expression changed slightly.

What Pangu left behind?

What does that mean?

The old man said, "A power is sealed within the Chaos Stone."

"The power of Pangu".

"The power of creation."

Kong Xuan asked, "Why do you want me to guard it?"

The old man said, "Because someone wants to steal it."

"Who?"

"have no idea."

"It could be one person, or it could be a group of people."

"It could be from the Chan sect, or it could be from the Jie sect."

"It could be human, or it could be demon."

"It might be from the primordial era, or it might be from chaos."

"I don't know who they are, but I know they're coming."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

The old man continued, "I'm too old to keep this up."

"You are a newly ascended saint, and your combat power is no less than that of the Primordial Celestial Venerable."

"You are qualified to guard it."

Kong Xuan asked, "How long will you hold out?"

The old man said, "Wait until it recognizes its master."

"Once it has chosen a master, it no longer needs to guard it."

Kong Xuan asked, "When did it recognize its master?"

The old man shook his head: "I don't know."

"Maybe tomorrow, maybe ten thousand years."

"They may never admit it."

Kong Xuan stared at the Chaos Stone in his hand and remained silent for a long time.

"Okay, I'll guard it."

The old man nodded and turned around.

After walking a few steps, I stopped.

"Kong Xuan, be careful."

"Those who steal stones will not do so openly and honestly."

"They will use tricks, conspiracies, and schemes."

"Be careful."

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man disappeared.

Kong Xuan stood still, gazing at the Chaos Stone in his hand.

The stone was heavy and cold.

The power within is dormant.

Like an ancient behemoth, panting in a dream.

Kong Xuan put the stone into his sleeve, turned around and flew back to the mountain peak.

Nezha woke up and rubbed his eyes.

"Kong Xuan, that old man is here again?"

"Um."

"What did you say?"

"Let me see something."

"What is it?"

"Chaos Stone".

Nezha asked, "What is the Chaos Stone?"

Kong Xuandao said, "It was left behind by Pangu."

Nezha's eyes widened: "Pangu? Pangu who created the world?"

Kong Xuan nodded.

Nezha gasped.

"How many people would have to fight over that?"

Kong Xuandao: "I don't know."

"I'll definitely come."

Nezha gripped his Universe Ring tightly: "Bring it on, what's there to be afraid of?"

Kong Xuan looked at him without saying a word.

Yunxiao opened his eyes and looked at Kong Xuan.

"Senior brother, I'll guard it for you."

Kong Xuan nodded: "Okay."

The three sat atop the mountain, each in their own place.

Kong Xuan placed the Chaos Stone in front of him and closed his eyes.

Holy light enveloped the stone, sealing its aura.

Outsiders wouldn't notice.

But he knew he couldn't keep it a secret for long.

Those who are meant to come will come.

And so another three months passed.

This day.

A figure flew in from the horizon.

White robes, white hair, and a cool, aloof expression.

Holding a whisk, he exudes an air of otherworldly grace.

Yuanshi Tianzun.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and stood up.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at that figure.

"What are you doing here?"

Yuanshi Tianzun landed on the mountaintop and looked at Kong Xuan.

"I came to see you."

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Let's see what you do after you become a saint."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

The gaze of the Primordial Celestial Venerable fell upon the Chaos Stone in front of him.

His expression changed slightly.

"Chaos Stone?"

Kong Xuan nodded.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable asked, "How did it get here with you?"

Kong Xuandao said, "Someone entrusted me with keeping it safe."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable remained silent.

After a long silence, he spoke: "Kong Xuan, do you know what this is?"

Kong Xuandao: "I know."

"Left behind by Pangu."

"The power of creation."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable nodded: "Then do you know how many people want it?"

Kong Xuandao: "I know."

"But it's with me, and nobody can take it away."

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at him with a complex expression.

You've changed.

"What has changed?"

"They've gotten even crazier."

"Before, you just wouldn't back down; now you're not giving an inch."

Kong Xuandao said, "Because there are more things to guard than before."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable remained silent.

After a long silence, he spoke: "I didn't come here to steal it."

"Just came to take a look."

"I'm done watching, time to go."

He turned and flew away.

Kong Xuan watched his retreating figure with a calm expression.

He knew that Yuanshi Tianzun was telling the truth.

But he also knew that not everyone was like Yuanshi Tianzun.

Someone will come and steal it.

They will use tactics, conspiracies, and tricks.

Kong Xuan sat back on the mountaintop and continued his guard duty.

This vigil lasted for three years.

For three years, no one came to steal it.

But Kong Xuan knew that the calm before the storm was the calmest.

This day.

Another figure flew in from the horizon.

He wore a blue Taoist robe and had a stern face.

Holding the Immortal Execution Sword, his killing intent surged like a tide.

The Master of Heaven.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and stood up.

"Master, what brings you here?"

Tongtian landed atop the mountain, gazing at Kong Xuan.

"I came to see you."

"Let's also take a look at the Chaos Stone."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

Tongtian gazed at the Chaos Stone with profound eyes.

"The power of Pangu, the power to create the world."

"It really is here."

Kong Xuan asked, "Does the leader want it?"

Tongtian shook his head: "I don't want it."

"That belongs to Pangu, not mine."

"I just came to take a look."

He turned his head and looked at Kong Xuan.

"Kong Xuan, be careful."

"This thing will bring about your death."

Kong Xuan nodded: "I know."

Tongtian asked, "Then why are you still guarding it?"

Kong Xuan said, "What you promise, you must keep."

Tongtian gazed at him for a long time.

"You haven't changed at all."

"Still that madman."

He turned and flew away.

Kong Xuan sat back on the mountaintop and continued his guard duty.

This vigil lasted for another three years.

Six years.

The Chaos Stone did not recognize a master.

The people who wanted to steal the stones didn't come either.

But Kong Xuan was not in a hurry.

He can wait.

This day.

Nezha suddenly stood up and looked into the distance.

"Kong Xuan, someone's here."

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and followed his gaze.

In the distance, a figure flew in.

He is neither a saint nor an immortal.

He was just an ordinary person.

He looked middle-aged, with an ordinary face.

Dressed in cloth and holding a bamboo cane.

Cultivation level, for mortals.

He has no cultivation level.

Kong Xuan frowned.

What are you doing at Jinji Ridge, mortal?

The person flew very slowly; not flying, but drifting.

It's like it was blown over by the wind.

He landed on the mountaintop and stood before Kong Xuan.

Looking at him, her gaze was calm.

"You're Kong Xuan?"

Kong Xuan nodded.

The man said, "My name is Wuming, and I am a rogue cultivator."

"My cultivation level isn't high, but I know one thing."

Kong Xuan asked, "What is it?"

The man said, "The Chaos Stone is with you."

Kong Xuan's expression remained unchanged: "Yes."

The man said, "I'm not here to rob you."

"I'm here to tell you."

"The people who want to steal the stones have arrived."

"You just haven't noticed."

Kong Xuan's expression changed slightly.

The man continued, "He's hiding in the shadows, waiting for his chance."

"Wait until your guard is at its lowest."

"When your strength is at its weakest."

"When you make a mistake."

Kong Xuan asked, "Who is he?"

The man shook his head: "I don't know."

All I know is that he's very strong.

"So powerful that even the Primordial Celestial Lord was wary of it."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Thank you."

The man nodded, turned, and drifted away.

Disappeared into the distance.

Nezha asked, "Kong Xuan, is what he said true?"

Kong Xuan nodded: "Really."

Nezha gripped the Universe Ring tightly: "Then what should we do?"

Kong Xuandao said, "Wait."

"Wait for him to come."

"Wait for him to make a move."

"Then, kill him."

And so another year passed.

The Chaos Stone did not recognize a master.

The people who were stealing the stones did not show up.

But Kong Xuan knew that he was lurking in the shadows.

Like a venomous snake, hiding in the grass.

Waiting for the prey to lower its guard.

Kong Xuan did not give him a chance.

He sits cross-legged on the mountaintop every day, enveloped in holy light.

Neither advancing nor retreating, neither sleeping nor resting.

That person had no chance.

But Kong Xuan knew that this couldn't go on.

He can hold out, and so can that person.

How long will it take?

do not know.

This day.

Kong Xuan suddenly opened his eyes.

He sensed it.

A gaze came from a great distance.

It was very bland and very cold.

Like a snake, like a scorpion.

That gaze fell upon the Chaos Stone.

Kong Xuan raised his hand, and holy light surged.

Protect the Chaos Stone.

The gaze disappeared.

Kong Xuan stopped, his expression calm.

"He's here."

Nezha asked, "Where?"

Kong Xuan shook his head: "I'm leaving."

"Just came to take a look."

"It's not time to make a move yet."

Yunxiao asked, "Senior brother, when will he make his move?"

Kong Xuandao: "I don't know."

"But I knew he would come."

"Because the Chaos Stone is worth the risk."

The three continued to guard.

Another three months passed.

This day.

it's dark.

It wasn't night, it was darkness.

Dark clouds covered the sky, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Jinji Ridge was shrouded in darkness.

Kong Xuan stood up and stood with his hands behind his back.

Holy light flowed within his body, illuminating a space three feet in diameter.

Nezha stood beside him, holding the Universe Ring.

Yunxiao stood behind him, his expression solemn.

Footsteps could be heard in the darkness.

Very light, very slow.

Step by step, we walked towards the summit.

Kong Xuan gazed into the darkness, his expression calm.

"They're here."

A figure emerged from the darkness.

He wore a black robe, had black hair, and a pale face.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a smile on his lips.

Cultivation level: Peak Saint.

He is two minor realms higher than Kong Xuan.

The man in black robes looked at Kong Xuan, his gaze falling on the Chaos Stone.

"Hand it over."

Kong Xuan shook his head: "I won't hand it over."

The man in black robes said, "If you don't hand it over, you die."

He struck out with his palm.

The palm strike was as dark as ink, as black as night.

The power of a saint at the peak is as solid as a mountain.

Kong Xuan did not retreat.

He met it with a palm strike.

Holy light clashed with black light.

boom!

The mountaintop exploded, sending debris flying everywhere.

Kong Xuan staggered back three steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The man in the black robe remained motionless, his expression unchanged.

"A mid-stage Saint, you can survive one of my palm strikes."

"You've got some skills."

Kong Xuan wiped away the blood: "Again."

The man in black shook his head: "No rush."

"Take a look at your friend first."

He raised his hand, and a beam of black light shot towards Nezha.

Nezha's expression changed drastically, and he threw out the Universe Ring.

The black light collided with the Universe Ring, boom!

The Universe Ring flew backward, and Nezha coughed up blood and crashed to the ground.

Yunxiao drew his sword and slashed at the man in black robes.

The man in black robes raised his hand and waved it gently.

The clouds flew backward and crashed onto the mountainside.

Kong Xuan's face turned ashen.

"Your opponent is me."

The man in black robes said, "I know."

"But I'm going to distract you."

"Distraction leads to mistakes."

"If you make a mistake, you will die."

He slapped Kong Xuan with his palm.

Kong Xuan took the hit head-on and staggered back five steps.

The man in black robes struck out with his palm again, which Kong Xuan met once more.

Retreat again.

One palm strike after another, Kong Xuan retreated to the edge of the cliff.

Behind him was a bottomless abyss.

The man in black robes stopped and looked at him.

"Hand over the Chaos Stone, and I'll spare your life."

Kong Xuan shook his head: "I won't hand it over."

The man in black robes' face darkened: "Then die."

He struck out with all his might.

This palm strike is enough to kill a mid-stage Saint.

Kong Xuan did not retreat.

Close your eyes and let your mind sink into your body.

Holy light surged wildly within his body, and his cultivation was breaking through.

The middle and later stages of a sage's life.

boom!

Late stage of sainthood!

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and met the attack with a palm strike.

When their palms collided, the sky and earth shattered.

The man in black robes took three steps back, his expression changing drastically.

"A breakthrough in the heat of battle?"

Kong Xuan remained silent.

Raise your hand, and the light of chaos gathers in your palm.

It's ten times better than before.

He struck out with his palm.

The man in black robes raised his palm to block, and with a loud bang, he was sent flying backward.

He fell into the darkness, spitting blood.

He got up and looked at Kong Xuan.

His eyes were filled with fear.

"You...you are a monster."

Kong Xuan asked, "Do you still want the Chaos Stone?"

The man in black robes turned and disappeared into the darkness.

The darkness dissipated, and the sunlight shone through.

Jinji Ridge has regained its light.

Kong Xuan stopped and stood atop the mountain.

He was covered in blood and swaying unsteadily.

But he stood there.

Nezha got up and helped him up.

"Kong Xuan, are you alright?"

Kong Xuan shook his head: "It's nothing."

Yunxiao also got up and walked to his side.

"Senior brother, you've broken through?"

Kong Xuan nodded: "In the later stages of sagehood."

Yunxiao gasped.

"A breakthrough in the heat of battle, you really are..."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

He looked down at the Chaos Stone.

The stone is still there, lying quietly on the ground.

The runes still flickered, and the power remained dormant.

Kong Xuan picked up the stone and put it into his sleeve.

"Keep defending."

He sat back on the mountaintop and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Nezha and Yunxiao sat on either side, continuing to guard.

The wind at Jinji Ridge blew for three days and three nights.

Kong Xuan's injuries have healed by about 70%.

His cultivation level is stable at the late stage of Sainthood.

The Chaos Stone is still asleep.

The people who want to steal the stones will come again.

But Kong Xuan was not afraid.

Because he has become stronger.

Because he was there.

Because he will definitely protect what he is meant to protect.

......

The wind at Jinji Ridge has blown year after year.

Kong Xuan sat atop the mountain, motionless.

Holy light flowed within his body, and his cultivation as a late-stage saint was as stable as a mountain.

The Chaos Stone slumbered in his sleeve, its runes flickering between light and shadow.

Like breathing, like waiting.

Nezha has grown up.

From a boy to a young man, he had handsome features and sharp eyes.

His cultivation level progressed from Great Luo Golden Immortal to Quasi-Saint.

The Universe Ring spun faster in his hands, and the Wind and Fire Wheels burned even brighter beneath his feet.

He sat down next to Kong Xuan, no longer as restless as he had been as a child.

It has become quiet and composed.

But those eyes remained as bright as stars.

The clouds have changed too.

He changed his blue Taoist robe into white, and his face became even calmer.

His cultivation level has progressed from the early stage of Quasi-Saint to the middle stage.

She stood behind Kong Xuan, like a sword.

When it is not drawn, it is as still as water.

When drawn, it exudes a murderous intent like a tidal wave.

The three people sat, stood, and stood still, each in their own place.

The wild grass on Jinji Ridge grows back again and again.

The wild rabbits gave birth to litter after litter.

The seasons cycle, and the wind and rain alternate.

Kong Xuan remained unmoved.

The Chaos Stone remains unawakened.

The people who wanted to steal the stones didn't come either.