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

Kong Xuan stared at the dark figure without moving.

The shadowy figure moved forward an inch.

The white light dimmed a little more.

"Give me back the seal. I'm going back to where I belong."

"If you don't return it, I'll come over."

Kong Xuandao said, "You can't get here."

The shadowy figure paused. "You think you can stop them?"

Kong Xuan did not answer.

But golden light was already overflowing from his body.

The golden light slowly spread out, weaving a thin layer in front of the crack.

Like gauze, like a curtain.

The shadowy figure stared at the golden curtain in silence for a long while.

"Quasi-Sainthood perfected. Not bad. But not enough."

Kong Xuandao said, "Whether it's enough or not, we'll only know after we try."

The shadowy figure remained silent for a long time.

Suddenly, he took half a step back.

The white light brightened a bit again.

"I'm not in a hurry."

"I'll wait until the day you let go."

The dark figure slowly retreated, disappearing into the depths of the white light.

The oppressive feeling receded like the tide, and the sky returned to normal.

Kong Xuan slowly withdrew the golden light.

The golden-winged roc flew back from the cloud on its shoulder and landed back in its original spot.

The bird's beak rubbed against his earlobe, as if to confirm that he was still alright.

Kong Xuan glanced at it sideways: "It's nothing."

The little bird chirped softly.

Kong Xuan looked toward the white light.

The shadowy figure said he was looking for something.

The mark left by Pangu.

That glimmer of light, the path deep within the Ruins, the path beneath Mount Buzhou.

Now they are all integrated into the sea of ​​light, becoming one with him.

That seal wasn't for him. It was for suppressing that dark shadow.

But when he took the seal, the shadowy figure was freed.

Kong Xuan was silent for a moment, then said softly, "So what?"

Once it's accepted, it's accepted.

Since he accepted it, it belongs to him.

The shadowy figure can only take it back if he agrees.

The wind was strong at a high place, blowing the robes up and down.

Kong Xuan straightened up a bit.

The Golden-Winged Roc shifted its feet on his shoulder and settled steadily.

Several more days passed.

A delicate fragrance wafted from the crack.

It's not the scent of flowers, but more like the smell of grass after the rain.

A leaf is wrapped in a delicate fragrance.

The leaves are tender green, with morning dew still clinging to their edges.

It passed through the white light and floated to Kong Xuan's side.

Kong Xuan raised his hand and caught it.

The leaves feel cool to the touch, and the veins are clearly visible.

Like it was just picked from the branch.

He looked at it for a moment, then tucked the leaf into his sleeve.

That leaf came from the other side of the crack.

It carries the scent of grass, trees, and soil from that place.

Kong Xuan withdrew his gaze and continued standing.

White clouds drifted past my feet, and the sunlight moved slowly.

Day after day.

Ten days later, a clear whistle echoed from the sky.

A figure rose from the sea of ​​clouds and ascended into the air.

Bare-chested, wielding a giant axe, his fighting spirit blazing like the sun.

Xingtian.

He landed beside Kong Xuan and immediately asked, "I heard something came by?"

Kong Xuandao: "I've been here."

Xingtian gripped his axe and shield tightly: "Did you fight?"

"I didn't hit him."

"That thing has retreated."

Xing Tian frowned, his nostrils flaring slightly, as if he had caught a lingering scent.

Then he turned to look at Kong Xuan, his gaze darkening for a moment: "Your complexion is off."

Kong Xuan did not deny it.

Although the shadowy figure did not make a move that day, they stared at each other through the crack.

That oppressive feeling had seeped into my bones.

In the following days, the flow of Dao power occasionally became sluggish, as if some invisible thing had appeared in his body.

"It's nothing."

"The shadowy figure left a wisp of its aura inside me. It's nothing to worry about."

Xing Tian slung the handle of his axe over his shoulder: "No problem? Then something's wrong."

Kong Xuan glanced at him but didn't explain further.

Xing Tian scratched the back of his head and said in a muffled voice, "It's my turn to stand guard for a few days. You go and rest."

"I'm at the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint. I can hold on."

Kong Xuan looked into his eyes and finally nodded.

He stepped back a few paces and sat down in the void.

Close your eyes and regulate your breathing.

The Daoist energy flowed through the meridians, and when it reached the Tanzhong point, it encountered stagnation again.

That wisp of energy was like a fine needle, embedded in the track of the Dao power.

It doesn't hurt, but it's in the way.

Kong Xuan condensed his Dao power into fine threads and slowly wrapped them around that wisp of aura.

Little by little, peel it away from the meridians.

That aura was stubborn, like a carbuncle clinging to the bone.

It took an hour to force it out of the body.

A wisp of black smoke seeped from his fingertips and dissipated in the wind.

Kong Xuan opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

Xing Tian stood with his back to him, holding his giant axe horizontally, his figure as imposing as a mountain.

"All done?"

"Um."

Will that dark figure return?

Kong Xuan paused for a moment, then said, "Yes."

Xing Tian didn't turn around: "Call me next time you come."

"One block."

Kong Xuan watched his retreating figure and said softly, "Okay."

After resting for another half day, Kong Xuan got up and changed back.

Xing Tian, ​​carrying his axe, descended from the sky and returned to the Great Swamp.

Kong Xuan stood before the crack, his robes fluttering in the wind.

The golden-winged roc on its shoulder had long since broken free from its egg.

At this moment, it flapped its wings, circled the edge of the crack once, and then landed back on his shoulder.

The claws hooked onto the fabric, steadily and smoothly.

Kong Xuan glanced at it sideways but didn't say anything.

The wind blew through the dark robe and stirred the wings.

He looked up into the distance, where the vast, ancient land stretched out beneath his feet like a scroll.

Three more days passed.

A feather drifted in through the crack.

Pure white, soft, with a faint silver sheen at the edges.

The feather pierced through the white light and landed in front of Kong Xuan, gently twirling as it fell.

Kong Xuan reached out, and the feather landed in his palm.

It feels cool to the touch, like the frost that hasn't melted in early spring.

He looked down for a moment, then tucked the feather into his sleeve.

He didn't look back, and he didn't say another word.

The crack is still there.

That dark figure will come again.

But he wasn't in a hurry, nor was he afraid.

He stands here, guarding this door.

No matter what comes, he will stop it.

The golden-winged roc shook its wings on his shoulder, then buried its head in its wings as if it were asleep.

The wind pierced through the clouds, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees beyond the crack.

A boy emerged halfway out of the white light and waved at him.

Her smile was bright.

"You've come again?"

The boy shook his head and pointed to the bird sleeping on Kong Xuan's shoulder.

"That bird...it smelled like my place. Had it been there?"

Kong Xuan turned his head to look at the golden-winged roc on his shoulder.

The little bird was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly.

"No. It just hatched recently."

The boy tilted his head and suddenly smiled.

"That means they haven't gone yet, but they will go sooner or later."

"It flew away in my dream."

Kong Xuan remained silent for a moment, without replying.

The boy smiled again: "Okay, I won't bother you any longer. I'll come again another day."

He shrank back to the side of the white light, his figure dissipating like mist.

The cracks returned to normal, and the white light flowed as before.

Kong Xuan stood on a high place, and the wind surged in from all directions.

His black robe fluttered in the wind, yet he remained perfectly still.

He gazed at the white light.

There are leaves and feathers in the light, there is wind and birds.

There was that boy's smiling face as he waved goodbye.

He took a deep breath and then exhaled.

In his dream, the golden-winged roc on his shoulder gently kicked its claws, as if chasing something that had flown by.

The wind is still blowing.

The clouds are still moving.

He's still here.

When he looked up again, a crimson-gold arc of light appeared above the distant clouds, its edges outlined like flames.

It was the silhouette of a bird, flying towards him through the sea of ​​clouds.

With its wings spread wide, it blotted out the sky.

Its entire body is pure gold, and its feathers are like those cast from molten iron.

Its tail feathers trailed like flowing fire.

As it flew over the sea of ​​clouds, it scalded the clouds, leaving a groove.

Kong Xuan watched it fly over.

Not far away, at the edge of the crack, the golden bird suddenly flapped its wings and flew towards the large bird.

Two birds met in mid-air.

One large and one small, swirling and intertwining, their crimson-gold light entwined.

Then the large bird folded its wings and landed.

It landed in front of Kong Xuan.

Transform into a young man.

The young man had a handsome face and sharp eyes.

He wore a long, crimson-gold robe with a dark gold belt around his waist.

There is a golden pattern on his forehead, like a phoenix feather.

After he landed, he looked at Kong Xuan.

His gaze paused for a moment, then he knelt on one knee.

"Big brother."

Kong Xuan looked at the young man.

Golden-winged Roc.

It takes only a few months after hatching to take shape.

It was much faster than he had expected.

"stand up."

The Golden-Winged Roc stood up and dusted off his knees.

"I'm awake."

"My bones are itching to get out for a walk."

His gaze swept over the crack, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What is this?"

Kong Xuandao: "A crack."

"To the outside."

The Golden-Winged Roc tilted its head and looked at it for a while.

"What's it like outside?"

"Go see for yourself."

The Golden-Winged Roc grinned but didn't move.

He walked to Kong Xuan's side and stood still.

"There's no rush yet."

"If you stand here, I'll stand here."

Kong Xuan turned his head to look at him.

The Golden-Winged Roc also turned its head to look at him.

The two locked eyes for a moment.

The golden-winged roc shifted its gaze and looked towards the sea of ​​clouds ahead.

"There's something over there?"

"have."

Is it big?

"big."

"Can you fight?"

Kong Xuan paused for a moment, then said, "Yes."

The Golden-Winged Roc rubbed his hands together: "Alright then."

Kong Xuan withdrew his gaze.

The two stood side by side, high above the sky.

The wind surged in from all directions, blowing the black robes and crimson-gold robes.

The Golden-Winged Roc stood there for a while, then suddenly turned its head to look at him.

"You've lost weight."

Kong Xuandao: "He eats very little."

"I'll get you something."

After speaking, the Golden-Winged Roc transformed into its original form and soared into the sky.

With its wings spread wide, it blotted out the sky.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared beneath the sea of ​​clouds.

He flew back in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

He held a deer between his paws; it was pure white and shimmered with spiritual light.

It is a sacred deer from the foot of Kunlun Mountain.

The golden-winged roc landed on the clouds and put the deer down.

"eat."

Kong Xuan looked at the deer, then at the golden-winged roc.

"You dare to arrest things from Kunlun Mountain?"

The Golden-Winged Roc laughed: "We've already caught it."

He tore off a deer leg and handed it to Kong Xuan.

Kong Xuan took it and sat down in the void.

The Golden-Winged Roc also sat down and began to tear at the other deer leg.

The wind was strong, and the meat was very hot.

The two of them squatted on the cloud and ate a meal in peace.

After finishing eating, the Golden-Winged Roc tossed the bones down into the clouds.

"Next time, grab an even bigger head."

Kong Xuan glanced at him but didn't reply.

Several more days passed.

The crack rippled again.

The dark figure appeared again.

Closer and bigger than last time.

The white light was suppressed to a mere sliver.

The Golden-Winged Roc, which had been dozing on a cloud not far away, suddenly opened its eyes upon sensing the disturbance.

He flapped his wings and flew back to Kong Xuan's side.

It transformed into human form and settled down.

"Is this it?"

"Um."

The Golden-Winged Roc stretched out its hand, and a golden feather blade condensed in its palm.

"superior?"

Kong Xuan pressed down on his shoulder: "No rush."

The dark figure stopped at the edge of the crack.

This time, it didn't rush to speak.

He could only look at Kong Xuan through that beam of white light.

Kong Xuan also looked at it.

The two stood silently facing each other, separated by a door.

After a long silence, the shadowy figure spoke.

"You accepted my seal."

Kong Xuandao: "I'll take it."

"Give it back to me."

"I won't pay it back."

The shadowy figure remained silent for a moment.

"Then you will guard this door for me."

"How long will you have to hold out?"

"I'll guard you until you die."

"Then I'll guard you until you die."

The shadowy figure fell silent again.

A moment later, it slowly retreated.

The white light returned.

"I will come again."

The shadowy figure disappeared.

The Golden-Winged Roc still held the golden feather blade in its hand.

Seeing the shadowy figure retreat, he then dispersed the feather blade.

"It always comes, says a few words, and then leaves."

"When will the real fight begin?"

Kong Xuan looked at the white light: "It'll be soon."

"It's still testing."

"Test my limits."

The Golden-Winged Roc clenched his fists so tightly they cracked: "Then don't give it any limits."

Kong Xuan did not respond.

Life goes on.

The wind blows as usual, and the clouds drift as usual.

The white light shone through the crack day after day.

The Golden-Winged Roc goes out to hunt from time to time, and always returns carrying something.

Sometimes it's a spiritual fruit, sometimes it's a whole spiritual beast.

He baked some and shared it with Kong Xuan, and also ate some himself.

Kong Xuan ate less, but more than before.

On this day, a flower drifted out from the crack.

It's white, with five petals.

It's exactly the same as the one on the mountaintop.

The flower, passing through the white light, landed precisely in Kong Xuan's palm.

Kong Xuan looked down at the flower.

The petals were still covered in dew, which dampened his palm.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then pin the flower to your lapel.

Tiny white flowers trembled gently on the black robe, like tiny stars.

The golden-winged roc flew back from under the clouds and saw the flower.

Where did it come from?

Kong Xuandao: "Over there."

The Golden-Winged Roc leaned closer for a look: "Beautiful."

He reached out to touch her, but Kong Xuan dodged to the side.

The Golden-Winged Roc withdrew its hand, showing no anger.

"Okay, you can keep it."

He turned around and sat down on the cloud, crossing his legs.

"Big brother."

"Um."

What lies behind the crack?

Kong Xuan thought for a moment: "Another place."

"Similar to here."

"There are mountains, there is water, there are flowers, there is grass."

"It's just different."

The Golden-Winged Roc paused for a moment, then said, "I want to go see."

"Wait until you get even stronger."

The Golden-Winged Roc grinned: "I'll be fast."

Kong Xuan did not refute.

The Golden-Winged Roc is indeed very fast.

The Phoenix Clan's bloodline is inherently powerful, and he is the direct descendant of the Yuan Phoenix.

After transforming into human form, his cultivation level rose daily, and in just a few months he had reached the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

He's just one step away from becoming Ronaldo.

That speed was even faster than Kong Xuan's back then.

But it's still far from the strength that should be behind that crack.

Kong Xuan gazed at the white light: "No rush."

"I'll stand here for one day, and you'll have one day of training."

The Golden-Winged Roc tilted its head and looked at him: "How long do you plan to stand there?"

Kong Xuan thought for a moment: "Stand until you no longer need to stand."

The Golden-Winged Roc paused for a moment, then lowered its legs and sat up straighter.

"Then I'll stand with you."

Kong Xuan glanced at him sideways.

Neither of them spoke.

The wind surged from the depths of the sea of ​​clouds, blowing the black robe and the crimson-gold robe.

The hems of their clothes overlapped, then separated.

Several days later, a figure appeared in the sea of ​​clouds below.

She wore a blue robe, a bamboo hairpin, and had a thin, refined face.

Yuanshi Tianzun.

He ascended on the clouds and stopped a few feet in front of the crack.

His gaze swept over the white light and then landed on Kong Xuan.

"That dark figure is here again?"

Kong Xuan nodded: "He came twice."

Yuanshi Tianzun frowned slightly: "What did it say?"

"It needs to be printed."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable looked at him: 'What was your answer?'

"I won't pay it back."

Yuanshi Tianzun remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly and asked no further questions.

His gaze then fell upon the Golden-Winged Roc, scrutinizing it for a moment.

"Is this your younger brother?"

Kong Xuan nodded.

The Golden-Winged Roc stood up and gave a perfunctory bow.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable did not take offense.

He looked at the white light again.

"That dark shadow was something that was blocked outside the door when Pangu created the world. It's different from those in the Ruins of Return."

It is alive, has its own thoughts, and knows how to wait and choose its own opportunity.

How many times have you stood guard over this door, confronting it directly?

"Three times. It retreated each time."

That's not retreating. It's observing your approach.

Next time I come, it probably won't just be about talking.