In truth, as early as several thousand years ago—when the Innate Gourd Vine appeared and Haotian returned from the lower realm empty-handed—Hongjun had already known of Xuanjian’s existence.
As the sole Saint of the present era and wielding part of the Heavenly Dao’s authority, Hongjun saw through Xuanjian’s origins at a single glance.
The transformation of a Heavenly Dao anomalous treasure—the Luobao Gold Coin.
His foundation was quite good, yet it bore an innate deficiency that would eventually become a hidden danger to his Great Dao in the future.
Yet that was not the most critical point.
Most critically, Hongjun recalled that the Luobao Gold Coin was not supposed to take form and enter the world at all—it was not even supposed to appear in this era.
And yet, appear it did.
What was more, it had appeared having already assumed physical form.
As for Xuanjian forcefully clashing against an Innate Treasure with the strength of his physical body?
In Hongjun’s eyes, that was hardly surprising.
Xuanjian was originally born from the transformation of a spiritual treasure.
A Heavenly Dao anomalous treasure was infinitely close to an Innate Treasure.
When a spiritual treasure took form, it did not shed an “old shell” to condense a new body. Rather, it combined its treasure form with Great Dao source energy to mold itself into the likeness of an Innate Dao Body. Essentially, the physical body of a being transformed from a spiritual treasure remained a spiritual treasure at its core.
Though an anomalous treasure was not quite equal to an Innate Treasure, it could still withstand a clash or two against one.
Back when Haotian had returned empty-handed, Hongjun hadn’t taken it to heart. It was merely an Innate Treasure gourd; if this little fellow wanted it, so be it.
But now, Hongjun could not help but direct his attention back toward Xuanjian.
“Could the brief revival of Great God Pangu’s will have been caused by that little fellow?”
Hongjun murmured in his heart.
His thoughts simply would not settle.
Right at that moment, an abrupt, cold, and emotionless voice—almost like pure rules themselves—echoed within Hongjun’s sea of consciousness.
“Anomaly... Eliminate...”
“Erase Essence Soul... Trace back to origin... Return to Mount Wuyi... Let all return to the proper track.”
It was the voice of the Heavenly Dao.
“Heavenly Dao, you are not being honest.”
“Since this little fellow has already taken form, it is the working of destiny. How can he be erased on a whim?”
“Anomaly... Erase...”
“Anomaly... Erase...”
The Heavenly Dao did not answer, merely chanting those same few words repeatedly.
Hongjun shook his head and paid it no further heed.
Yet without anyone noticing, the wariness and solemnity in his eyes deepened by several degrees.
Something was wrong with the Heavenly Dao.
It seemed... sick.
...
In Honghuang, endless years passed without leaving a trace; time was the cheapest thing in the primordial world during this era.
After Xuanjian entered seclusion, many major events unfolded across Honghuang.
First and foremost was Duke of the East, appointed by the Dao Ancestor as the Head of Male Immortals. He aggressively recruited Innate Sacred Beings and established a faction on Yingzhou Immortal Island, a top-tier blessed realm in the Eastern Sea: the Immortal Court.
Relying on his status as the Head of Male Immortals, Duke of the East had been basking in unmatched glory during this period, carrying himself with immense arrogance and swagger.
Top-tier Innate Sacred Beings such as the Three Purities, the two Golden Crow brothers, Nuwa and Fuxi, Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, and others naturally disdained joining the Immortal Court to serve beneath Duke of the East.
However, many Innate Sacred Beings knew their own foundations and cultivation were lacking and feared dying if they acted alone, so they flocked to the Immortal Court’s banner to huddle together for warmth.
Not only could they obtain spiritual treasures and spiritual roots, but they could also borrow the Immortal Court’s influence to throw their weight around, acting quite pompous.
In a short time, Duke of the East gathered thirty to forty Daluo Golden Immortals beneath his command.
Although most were second-rate figures in the early or mid stage of Daluo, quantity was a quality of its own when it came to Daluo Golden Immortals.
Throughout this single yuanhui, Duke of the East was overwhelmingly domineering, rising rapidly and aggressively expanding the Immortal Court’s sphere of influence.
He coerced numerous races into submitting to the rule of the Immortal Court.
His overbearing and aggressive posture seemed poised to rule Honghuang and issue commands to the entire cosmos.
As the Immortal Court’s neighbor...
The Eastern Sea Dragon Clan was the first to suffer.
Three Daluo Golden Immortals arrived together in menacing fashion. Though they claimed to offer persuasion, Ao Yin knew full well it was an overt threat.
Ao Yin assumed a humble posture and met them with a smile: “Please relay to the Immortal Emperor on our behalf that our Dragon Clan needs some time to consider.”
“After all, with a matter of such magnitude, it is not something my Eastern Sea branch alone can decide.”
“Hmph.” One of the mid stage Daluo cultivators lifted his chin arrogantly and snorted, “Then we ask the Dragon King to give us an answer soon so we can report back to the Immortal Emperor. If you drag your feet and anger His Majesty, you will bear the consequences yourself.”
After the three Daluo Golden Immortals of the Immortal Court departed, Ao Yin’s face instantly shifted. The previous humble demeanor vanished, replaced by irrepressible fury. “A tiger in the plains is mocked by dogs, and a dragon in shallow waters is toyed with by shrimp!”
“Damn bastards!”
After cursing, Ao Yin summoned his confidant, a pure-blooded true dragon at the great perfection of Taiyi Golden Immortal, and instructed: “Go to Mount Zhou’s Wu tribe and find a Daoist named Xuanjian. Tell him our Dragon Clan faces disaster and begs for his aid. It is time to fulfill the promise from back then.”
The true dragon at Taiyi great perfection accepted the order and departed.
He quietly made landfall upon the continent of Honghuang.
Over at the Immortal Court, expansion continued unabated.
Numerous weak races, whether voluntarily or under duress, joined the ranks of the Immortal Court.
Duke of the East was high-spirited and ambitious.
He wanted to pull all those top-tier Innate Sacred Beings under his banner.
However, the likes of the Three Purities, Nuwa and Fuxi, and Dijun and Taiyi did not give Duke of the East the time of day.
The Dao Ancestor appointed you Head of Male Immortals, so go play by yourself—did you really think you were someone important?
You actually want to command us?
Keep dreaming!
Look at Fellow Daoist Queen Mother of the West, the Head of Female Immortals—how tactfully she carried herself, and how well she understood the times.
Then look at you.
Jumping up and down like a restless monkey.
The rejections from these top Innate Sacred Beings made Duke of the East feel utterly disgraced.
Though he claimed on the surface that it didn’t matter, he was practically exploding with rage inside.
“Ungrateful fools!”
“Stubborn and obstinate!”
“Since that’s how it is, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
Duke of the East was scheming underhanded tricks.
The Three Purities were transformed from Great God Pangu’s Essence Soul and were three of the six seated closest to the Dao Ancestor; their status was venerated, so Duke of the East did not dare provoke them.
As for Nuwa and Fuxi, though they had no large force and were only brother and sister, Nuwa was also one of the six seated closest to the Dao Ancestor, making her unwise to cross.
Zhunti and Jieyin... even if those two weren’t two of the six in front of the Dao Ancestor, Duke of the East couldn’t be bothered with them.
For no other reason than they were simply too far away.
As for Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi, Hongyun was a well-known nice guy; though seemingly on his own, his connections were vast, making him untouchable.
After mulling it over, Duke of the East realized there weren’t many people he could actually target.
Dijun and Taiyi on the Solar Star were two.
Rare exotic beasts born between heaven and earth, such as Baize, Kunpeng, Shangyang, and Jiuying, were also viable targets.
Naturally, Duke of the East set his sights on those solitary figures who lacked vast clans behind them.
And precisely because of Duke of the East’s ridiculous maneuver, the Demon race—which was originally supposed to be provoked into existence by the Wu tribe—ended up being born from his doing instead.
Dijun and Taiyi possessed formidable strength, backed further by the Innate Treasure Chaos Bell; the rabble of the Immortal Court naturally couldn’t do a thing to the pair.
But the Innate Sacred Beings transformed from exotic beasts—such as Baize, Shangyang, Jiuying, Guiche, Qinyuan, Yingzhao, and Citie—suffered terribly.
They were chased all over Honghuang by the Daluo Golden Immortals of the Immortal Court.
Through a twist of fate, these individuals ended up gathering together.
They felt utterly stifled and aggrieved.
As everyone knows, whenever a group exceeds three people, an idea guy naturally emerges among them.
Baize came up with a brilliant idea and suggested, “Why don’t we go seek refuge with Fellow Daoists Dijun and Taiyi on the Solar Star? I heard the Immortal Court’s people blocked their gates as well, so they must detest the Immortal Court just as much.
“With those two Fellow Daoists at the late stage of Daluo leading the way, we can unite more fellow Daoists bullied by the Immortal Court and establish a faction similar to the Immortal Court to fight against them! That way, we won’t have to fear the Immortal Court anymore!”
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