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

Tongtian nodded: "But things are different now."

"You used to be a quasi-saint, a saint."

"Killing you is still a possibility."

"Now you are a Heavenly Saint, wielding the Heaven-Opening Axe."

Killing you is harder than climbing to heaven.

"So they won't come directly."

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

Kong Xuandao: "I know."

Tongtian looked at him with a complicated expression.

"You know that, but you're not afraid."

Kong Xuandao said, "Fear is useless."

"It's better not to be afraid."

Tongtian remained silent.

After a long pause, he nodded.

"you're right."

He got up and left.

Leave the wine jug behind, leave the cup behind.

Kong Xuan stared at the pot of wine but did not touch it.

Yuanfeng brought over a bowl of soup and placed it in his hands.

"Child, drink the soup."

Kong Xuan took it, lowered his head, and took a sip.

It's very hot and smells delicious.

"It tastes good."

Life goes on.

Another three months passed.

This day.

A person came from the direction of Jinji Ridge.

It didn't fly in; it walked up.

Step by step, we emerged from the ruins.

He was covered in wounds and dressed in rags.

He was a young man, probably in his early twenties.

Cultivation level: Golden Immortal.

He walked to the foot of the volcano and looked up at the summit.

Then, we started climbing the mountain.

After climbing for three days and three nights, we finally reached the front of Fengqi Palace.

Kneel at the entrance of the hall and kowtow.

"Sage Kong Xuan, please save my master."

Kong Xuan opened his eyes: "Who is your master?"

The young man said, "My master was an unknown rogue cultivator who was kidnapped by bad guys."

"The bad guys want him to reveal the secret of the Chaos Stone."

"If the master doesn't speak, they beat him and torture him."

"I escaped, I beg the saint to save my life."

Kong Xuan asked, "Who is the bad guy?"

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

"They were wearing black robes and their faces were covered."

"Their cultivation levels are very high; even the lowest among them are quasi-saints."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

The man in black robes.

It was another man in black robes.

Last time, it was the person who stole the Heaven-Opening Axe.

This time, who is it?

Kong Xuan got up and walked out of Fengqi Palace.

He stood before the young man, looking down at him.

"lead the way."

The young man stood up, turned around, and walked down the mountain.

Kong Xuan followed behind.

Nezha suddenly appeared from the side, holding the Universe Ring.

"Kong Xuan, I'll go with you."

Kong Xuan nodded.

Yunxiao drew his sword: "I'm going too."

The three followed the young man and walked into the distance.

Yuan Feng stood at the entrance of the palace, watching their backs as they walked away.

They didn't say anything.

He simply took a bowl from his sleeve.

The bowl contains soup.

It was still steaming.

She looked at the bowl of soup and said softly.

"Child, we'll wait for you to come back and drink."

Then, he turned and walked back into the hall.

The wind blew by, and the soup grew cold.

Yuan Feng did not fall.

It was placed on the table, to await Kong Xuan's return.

Kong Xuan followed the young man for three days and three nights.

We arrived at the foot of a mountain.

The mountain isn't high, but it's very dangerous.

The mountain was pitch black and barren.

At the foot of the mountain, there is a cave entrance.

It was pitch black and bottomless.

The young man said, "My master is locked up inside."

Kong Xuan nodded and stepped into the cave.

Nezha followed behind, while Yunxiao walked at the very back.

The cave was deep and dark.

It was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Kong Xuan raised his hand, and the power of the Heavenly Dao gathered in his palm.

The light illuminated the cave walls.

The cave walls were slippery and covered with moss.

The moss was black and smelled putrid.

The three held their breath and continued deeper.

They walked for half an hour.

There is light ahead.

It wasn't sunlight, it was firelight.

Torches were stuck in the cave wall, illuminating a huge space.

In the center of the space, a person was tied up.

His hair was white and his body was covered in wounds.

Head bowed, motionless.

The young man rushed over: "Master!"

The white-haired man looked up and saw the young man.

"Child, why are you back?"

"Run!"

The young man shook his head: "I'm not running, I brought reinforcements."

The white-haired man looked towards the cave entrance and saw Kong Xuan.

His expression changed drastically.

"Sage Kong Xuan? What brings you here?"

Kong Xuan said, "I've come to save you."

He raised his hand, and the power of the Heavenly Dao transformed into a blade of light.

Cut the rope.

The white-haired man fell to the ground, and the young man helped him up.

Kong Xuan asked, "Where are the people who arrested you?"

The white-haired man said in a trembling voice, "I'm leaving."

"They left after getting nothing out of them."

"They said they'd look elsewhere."

Kong Xuan asked, "What are you looking for?"

The white-haired man said, "Find the Chaos Stone."

"But the Chaos Stone is already shattered, and the Heaven-Opening Axe has already recognized its master."

"They won't find it."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

He knew these people wouldn't give up.

Although the Heaven-Opening Axe has recognized its master, human desires are not enough.

There will always be someone who wants to steal, someone who wants to take.

Kong Xuan turned around and walked towards the cave entrance.

"Let's go, let's get out of here."

The young man helped the white-haired man and followed behind.

The four people walked out of the cave.

The sunlight streamed down, so bright that the white-haired man couldn't open his eyes.

Kong Xuan stood at the foot of the mountain, his hands behind his back.

He gazed into the distance, his expression calm.

He knew this was just the beginning.

The man in black robes will not give up.

They will come.

They will come to seize the Heaven-Opening Axe.

They will come to kill him.

It will come and destroy everything.

But he wasn't afraid.

Because he is a sage of the Heavenly Way.

Because the Heaven-Opening Axe was in his hands.

Because he is there, no one can succeed.

Kong Xuan turned around and walked towards the Undying Volcano.

Nezha followed behind, while Yunxiao walked at the very back.

The young man helped the white-haired man and followed behind.

The five people walked along the mountain path in silence.

The wind blew up from the foot of the mountain, carrying the scent of earth.

Kong Xuan walked very slowly.

Every step was taken firmly.

he was thinking.

Thinking about the future.

I want to protect what I should protect.

Those who deserve to be killed.

Then, he stopped thinking about it.

Because thinking too much is not as good as taking a step.

Every step you take is one step closer to the end.

Every step you take brings you closer to your goal.

When I got home, I had some soup.

After finishing the soup, they continued walking.

This is his way.

Simple and straightforward.

No detours, no turning back.

Kong Xuan smiled slightly.

They quickened their pace.

Heading towards the immortal volcano.

He walked toward his mother.

He walked toward the bowl of soup.

......

Kong Xuan was walking back to the Undying Volcano.

The pace was slow, but each step was firm and deliberate.

The young man supported his white-haired master and followed behind, not daring to utter a sound.

Nezha rode on his Wind Fire Wheels, circling above his head, while the Universe Ring spun endlessly in his hands.

Yunxiao walked at the back, sword in hand, his eyes wary.

The five people walked for three days and three nights.

They did not encounter any men in black robes or any danger on the way.

Everything was peaceful.

But Kong Xuan knew that the calm was only on the surface.

Undercurrents are surging.

On the morning of the fourth day, they returned to the immortal volcano.

Yuan Feng stood at the entrance of Fengqi Palace, gazing into the distance.

He smiled when he saw Kong Xuan return.

"Child, the soup is getting cold."

Kong Xuan entered the hall and sat on a prayer mat.

Yuanfeng brought over the bowl of cold soup and placed it in his hands.

Kong Xuan took it, lowered his head, and took a sip.

It's cold, but it still smells delicious.

"It tastes good."

Yuan Feng smiled, turned around and went to get another bowl of hot food.

The white-haired man was helped by the young man and knelt at the entrance of the palace.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving my life."

Kong Xuan waved his hand: "No need to thank me."

"Get up and sit down."

The young man helped the white-haired man to his feet and sat him down.

Yuanfeng brought over two bowls of soup and handed them to them.

The two took it and bowed their heads to take a sip.

The white-haired man's eyes reddened.

"I've lived this long and never tasted such delicious soup."

Yuan Feng laughed and said, "If it tastes good, drink more."

She served two more bowls.

The white-haired man drank three bowls, put down the bowls, and let out a long sigh.

"Sage Kong Xuan, those people will not give up."

Kong Xuan nodded: "I know."

The white-haired man said, "They are looking for the Axe that split the heavens, and for the power of Pangu."

"They've been searching for many years, and now that the Heaven-Opening Axe has recognized its master, they will never give up."

"They will come, they will come to rob, they will come to kill."

Kong Xuan said, "Come on, I'll come."

"I'll wait for them here."

The white-haired man looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Aren't saints afraid?"

Kong Xuandao: "I'm afraid."

"Even if it's scary, we have to wait."

"Because there's no escaping it."

"If they run away, they will chase after them."

"Chase him to the ends of the earth, chase him to the immortal volcano, chase him to his mother's side."

"I can't let my mother be in danger."

"So instead of running away, we'll wait here."

"Wait for them to come, then kill them."

The white-haired man remained silent.

After a long pause, he nodded.

"A sage is a wise person."

He stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"I will depart once my injuries have healed."

"Not to burden the sage."

Kong Xuan nodded: "Okay."

The white-haired man helped the young man to sit outside the hall to regulate his breathing.

Phoenix Palace fell silent once more.

Kong Xuan closed his eyes, and the power of the Heavenly Dao flowed within his body.

The Heaven-Opening Axe hung beside him, its golden light subdued.

He is waiting.

Wait for the man in black robes to arrive.

Waiting for that battle.

The days passed by.

Day three.

The white-haired man's injuries had mostly healed, and he got up to take his leave.

"My sage, I am departing."

Take care.

Kong Xuan nodded: "Take care."

The young man helped the white-haired man walk down the mountain.

After taking a few steps, the white-haired man turned back.

"Among those people, there was one who was very special."

Kong Xuan asked, "How special is it?"

The white-haired man said, "He has no cultivation, yet everyone listens to him."

"He was wearing a gray robe and a straw hat, so his face was not visible."

"He speaks very softly, but every word he says is like a knife."

"It pierces people's hearts."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

Despite having no cultivation, he could command a group of quasi-saints.

Such people are more terrifying than those with spiritual cultivation.

The white-haired man said, "If a sage encounters him, he should be careful."

"He didn't kill with force, he killed with his heart."

Kong Xuan nodded: "Understood."

The white-haired man turned and left.

Disappeared into the morning mist.

Kong Xuan sat in the hall with his eyes closed.

He was thinking about the gray-robed man.

Despite lacking cultivation, he could command a quasi-saint.

What is it made of?

Is it the Way? Is it the Technique? Or something else entirely?

Kong Xuan didn't know.

But he knew that such a person would be difficult to deal with.

Because we can't see his hand.

Because we don't know what he wants.

Because we can't figure out what he's thinking.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and looked at the flames outside the hall.

If you can't see through it, then don't look at it.

If you can't figure it out, then don't guess.

"When he comes, I will take action."

"He makes a move, and I respond."

"When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it."

He closed his eyes and continued sitting.

Three more days passed.

This day.

A figure flew in from the horizon.

Dressed in white as snow, with a cool and aloof expression.

Yang Jian.

He landed outside Phoenix Palace and stepped inside.

"Confucius, the Sage."

Kong Xuan opened his eyes: "Yang Jian, what brings you here?"

Yang Jian said, "My master sent me to deliver a message."

"What did you say?"

"The Chan Sect has discovered the origins of those men in black robes."

Kong Xuan raised an eyebrow: "What's your background?"

Yang Jian said, "They come from the depths of chaos."

"It's a religious sect called the 'Return to the Void Sect'."

"Believe in the void, believe in nothingness."

They believe that the story of Pangu creating the world is wrong.

"Heaven and earth should not exist, and all things should not exist."

"Everything should return to nothingness, return to the void."

"The Heaven-Opening Axe is the weapon used by Pangu to create the world, and it is a thorn in their side."

"So they want to steal it, to destroy the Axe of Creation."

"Then, destroy heaven and earth, and return to nothingness."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

Guixu Sect.

They believe in nihilism and destruction.

In the illusion, he saw the Ruins of Return.

That is the end of the Tao, the final destination of all things.

But that's a natural law, not something destroyed by human intervention.

These people want to artificially accelerate the arrival of the Ruins.

He wanted to destroy everything.

Kong Xuan asked, "Who is their leader?"

Yang Jian shook his head: "I don't know."

"Master searched for a long time but couldn't find it."

All we know is that he called himself "Guixuzi".

"He has no cultivation, yet everyone listens to him."

He spoke softly, but every word was like a knife.

Kong Xuan's expression remained unchanged.

It was that gray-robed man again.

The gray-robed man mentioned by the white-haired people.

The Guixuzi mentioned by Yang Jian.

He had no cultivation, yet he was the leader of the Guixu Sect.

Kong Xuan asked, "What are the plans of the Chan Sect?"

Yang Jian said, "Master said that the Chan Sect will take action."

"But the Guixu Cult is hidden deep within the chaos, and their lair cannot be found."

"We can only wait for them to arrive."

"When they arrive, kill them."

Kong Xuan nodded: "Okay."

Yang Jian clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and left.

They stopped at the entrance of the hall.

"Master Kong Xuan, my master asked me to pass on a message to you."

Kong Xuan asked, "What did you say?"

Yang Jian said, "Gui Xuzi might not be human."

Kong Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Not human? What is it then?"

Yang Jian shook his head: "I don't know."

"Master said it might be a will."

"A will that comes from the Ruins of Return."

"It has no physical form and no cultivation level."

"But it can bewitch people and control everything."

Kong Xuan remained silent.

The will that comes from the Ruins.

In the illusion, he saw the Ruins of Return.

It was a void, there was nothing there.

But what if that void possessed a will?

What if that will wants to destroy everything?

Kong Xuan nodded: "Understood."

Yang Jian is gone.

Phoenix Palace fell silent again.

Kong Xuan sat in the hall with his eyes closed.

he was thinking.

I long for the void, I long for that will.

I think about everything in the illusion.

In the illusion, he arrived at the Ruins of Return.

Having obtained the Guixu Pearl, they entered the Guixu Realm.

But that was an illusion, not reality.

What does the real-world Guixu look like?

he does not know.

But he had seen things that came from the Ruins of Return.

Void Beast, Reverser of the Dao, Lord of Nothingness.

Those things all want to destroy everything.

He killed them all.

Now, another one has returned to the void.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes, his gaze calm.

"One comes, one is killed."

"Bring two here, kill them both."

"Come in a group, kill them all."

"Kill them until they dare not come."

"They dared not send anything even after we stormed the Ruins of Guixu."

"Kill until the world is at peace."

He closed his eyes and continued sitting.

The Heaven-Opening Axe hung beside him, its golden light swirling.

The power of Heaven surged within his body.

He is preparing.

Prepare for that battle.

Three more days passed.

This day.

Dark clouds rolled in on the horizon.

It's not dark clouds, it's black mist.

Thick as ink, it blots out the sky and the sun.

Footsteps could be heard within the black mist.

Many, very dense.

Like a vast army, they surged in from afar.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and stood up.

Step out of Fengqi Palace and stand atop the volcano.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his black robe fluttering in the wind.

Nezha followed, holding the Universe Ring.

"You're here?"

Kong Xuan nodded: "They're here."

Yunxiao drew his sword and stood behind him.