Within Zixiao Palace, anomalies surged in Hongjun's eyes. Traces of Karma threads (Karma) manifested before him. Just moments ago, he had lost all sense of Ling Xiao's aura, and more importantly, the Karma threads had snapped.
This meant Ling Xiao had perished, completely vanishing from heaven and earth; otherwise, the threads of Karma would never be severed.
At this moment, the aura surrounding Hongjun grew increasingly ethereal, mysterious, and boundless. The "variable" had been removed. The sensation of Merging with the Dao returned with full force. The final barrier was gradually dissolving, and the progress that had been stalled for countless years began to trend toward Perfection.
"Everything returns to normal."
Hongjun's face was expressionless, carrying the grand Aura of one who dominates heaven and earth. He raised a finger and pointed, sending a wisp of Clear Qi through Zixiao Palace into the vast, deep void.
There, drifting through the boundless firmament, was a divine hall of immeasurable size, wandering aimlessly into the unknown depths. The hall was stained with blood, encased in swirling, endless Evil Qi—it was the Pangu Temple that Ling Xiao had swatted away. As the wisp of Clear Qi entered, the temple jerked, changed direction, and began to fly back toward the infinite Primordial Great Earth.
Deep within the infinite Chaos, the boundaries were blurred. The Five Elements were unsettled, and Yin and Yang remained undivided. Amidst a roiling sea of Chaos Qi, where earth, fire, water, and wind raged violently, a single bead drifted. It radiated a subtle Chaos Qi, appearing unnervingly calm amidst the storm.
"Hehe... the Law of Karma..."
Faintly, a voice echoed from within the bead—a sound that felt strangely out of place in the vacuum of the Chaos.
The living beings of the Honghuang World had witnessed it all: Ling Xiao, dragging his decaying body, entering the Chaos in a state of desolate retreat, seemingly unwilling to let the world witness his decline.
Countless beings sighed, feeling a profound sense of loss. Ling Xiao had risen like a scorching sun; every appearance had been earth-shaking, bringing infinite shock to the world. He had repelled the Two Sages of the West at Mount Buzhou, defeated the Sanqing at the Three Immortals Island, and finally, single-handedly tore through the supremacy of the Wu Clan.
Each feat was more staggering than the last, yet he had ultimately walked toward his end, making a lonely exit.
"The Great Trend of the world is irreversible. Since ancient times, how many peerless giants have failed to escape this step?" some great powers lamented. Since Pangu created the world, many powerful beings and races had appeared, only to fade away—either destroyed or phased out. Among them all, Ling Xiao was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant.
On Mount Sumeru, Jieyin and Zhunti sat with divine light behind their heads. Their joy was beyond words; Zhunti even let out a laugh he couldn't suppress, startling the living beings at the foot of the mountain.
"It must be Teacher! Teacher has emerged to uphold justice!" Zhunti cried out, the words tumbling from his mouth. From despair to ecstasy in such a short time—the contrast was so great it nearly split his face with a grin. This feeling of survival after certain doom was more intoxicating than finding a supreme treasure.
"Junior Brother, calm yourself. In the path of the Dao, the most important thing is to maintain a peaceful heart at all times."
Jieyin spoke, reminding Zhunti to watch his expression. In reality, he was just as thrilled, the corners of his mouth twitching upward uncontrollably. Ling Xiao had been like Mount Buzhou pressing down on their heads; now that the mountain had fallen, the pressure was gone. Now, the sky was high enough for a bird to fly, and the sea wide enough for a fish to leap.
From now on, he feared no rival. Even against the Sanqing, he could compete to see who would Achieve Sainthood first.
"By the way, Senior Brother, Di Jun and Tai Yi are still on the Sun Star," Zhunti said, straightening his posture and regaining his composure.
"Hehe... it matters not. It won't be too late to find a way to deal with them in the future," Jieyin said, looking toward the Sun Star with a smile. Ling Xiao's overwhelming power had made him lose the will to resist, but Di Jun and Tai Yi were different. They were strong, but not so strong that they made the thought of resistance impossible.
"As Senior Brother says." Zhunti nodded, a peaceful smile returning to his face. He had found that "Minor Invincibility" feeling again.
A world without Ling Xiao is truly too easy.
Yujing Mountain.
The Sanqing had witnessed everything, yet it felt somewhat surreal. It had happened far too fast.
"A pity! What exactly happened? Why did Ling Xiao end up like this?" Tongtian asked solemnly, his gaze shifting as the shock in his heart refused to settle. Ling Xiao was almost at the point of Sainthood; at his most critical, peak moment, a catastrophe had suddenly struck. Who in this world possessed such means? He had some suspicions, but he didn't dare delve too deep. If it was what he thought, the situation was far more complex.
"Third Brother, that question is not important. Do not overthink it," Laozi said, giving Tongtian a meaningful look.
"Hehe, indeed. Regardless, Ling Xiao is gone. The Great Dao is balanced; when Yang reaches its peak, it must decline. He was too rigid; ending up like this is simply the result of his own choices," Yuanshi said with a smile. None of them were fools; they could guess what had happened. Ling Xiao's actions must have enraged the Dao Ancestor, leading to this punishment.
This meant the Dao Ancestor had finished merging with the Dao and had returned. To them, this was a blessing. The pressure Ling Xiao exerted was too great; had he truly become a Saint, it would have been their doomsday. Forget about catching up—survival would have been the issue. Being marked by a rival Saint who calculated against you from the shadows would not be safe even with the Dao Ancestor's protection.
"We, the Sanqing, shall ultimately be the first to achieve Sainthood," Yuanshi laughed, feeling an inexplicable sense of comfort. They hadn't even done anything, yet they had emerged as the biggest winners. Their two greatest rivals—Ling Xiao and the Wu Clan—were both gone.
Who else has such great Luck? The legacy of the Orthodox Lineage of Pangu remains with us. There is no argument!
"Big Brother, you have slain the three corpses. As soon as you merge them, you will become a Saint. Reclaiming the reputation of the Sanqing depends on you," Yuanshi said, looking at Laozi with expectation. They were of the same source; if one flourished, all flourished. If his Big Brother became a Saint, he would share in the infinite glory.
"Naturally," Laozi nodded, not declining the responsibility. As the eldest, it was his role to set the example. He would be the first to become a Saint to show his brothers the way.
Meanwhile, Nuwa had walked to the base of Mount Buzhou, accompanied by Fuxi, who had not appeared for a long time. He had been in hiding to slay his second corpse; upon emerging, he found the world completely changed.
They wandered openly through the Ancestral Land of the Witches. Not a single Witch dared to show their face. In the past, this was unthinkable. Mount Buzhou was the ultimate Forbidden Land; any outsider who stepped foot here would face violent retaliation.
"Sister, you said the Primordial Violet Qi gave you guidance. Do you have a lead now?"