Styx clutched the Primordial Violet Qi, turning it over and even holding it up against the sun to inspect it.
Something felt off. He was certain this strand of Violet Qi was shorter than it should be. It wasn't an illusion; the image of this treasure was seared into his mind. He had studied it so deeply that he would recognize even the slightest discrepancy if it were ground to ash.
"Bastard! Did that Beast (East King Duke) actually manage to refine a portion of it?"
Styx's face turned ashen. Since the Duke had been pulverized, any missing portion of the Qi had likely vanished with his soul. It was inconceivable that such a thing could happen. Could half a strand of Violet Qi still help him Achieve Sainthood?
"If the Qi is insufficient, I shall supplement it with my own talent! I refuse to believe that missing a small fragment will stop me from becoming a Saint!" Styx growled through gritted teeth. At this point, it was his only option. Given his talent and background, he believed there was still hope.
Knowing he couldn't linger, Styx clutched his prize and swore he would not set foot outside the Sea of Blood again until he had achieved his goal.
The news of the East King Duke's fall at the hands of Styx spread rapidly. Throughout the Honghuang World, living beings celebrated the news, finding the demise of the "Head of Male Immortals" to be a satisfying conclusion.
As for Styx possessing the Violet Qi, few dared to plot against him. They knew exactly how ruthless and treacherous he was; among all experts who weren't the six disciples of the Dao Ancestor, Styx was the most dangerous. If he dared to kill a man personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
Sun Star
Beneath the Fusang Tree, Tai Yi sat with the Chaos Bell hovering above his head, its radiance illuminating the Nine Heavens. He kept his eyes closed, completely immersed in the bell's internal world.
"Truly! What Third Brother said was true—there is an Innate Array within the Chaos Bell!"
Tai Yi's heart hammered. Inside the bell, he saw the sun, moon, and stars revolving in intricate patterns, their combinations evolving into the most profound Laws (Laws).
"Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array!" (Starry Sky Array).
After a long time, he finally grasped the fundamental information of the formation. Though Tai Yi wasn't an expert in arrays, his current vision allowed him to see that this was a power of staggering proportions.
Tai Yi opened his eyes to share the discovery with Di Jun, who was seated at the other end of the tree, busy with his own mysterious gesticulations.
"What? You also sensed a great array? Tell me quickly!" Di Jun was instantly energized, appearing before Tai Yi with eyes shining with excitement. Tai Yi did not hide anything, relaying every detail of the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array.
"Hmm... excellent!" Di Jun nodded like a senior listening to a report, looking as if he understood it all perfectly. "This Starry Sky Array is likely not inferior to my Hun Yuan He Luo Great Array."
"I think so, too," Tai Yi agreed. "The Starry Sky Array comes from the Chaos Bell (Innate Supreme Treasure), while the He Luo Array comes from the River Chart and Luo Scroll (Innate Spirit Treasure). There's no reason for yours to be weaker."
"I was just speaking casually, why are you getting all serious?" Di Jun said, speechless, but his mind was already racing back to the arrays. "If we could merge these two great arrays into one... we might even be able to trade blows with a Saint."
A startling light flashed in his eyes as this sudden inspiration took root. He had successfully merged the Sun and Taiyin Great Arrays in the past; surely he could do the same for these two. It was a preliminary hypothesis, but it wasn't impossible.
"That would be incredible. If that's the case, we could use it to..." Tai Yi sneered, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he looked toward a specific, unnamed direction. He didn't finish the sentence, but Di Jun understood. In all of heaven and earth, the only place they couldn't speak of was Zixiao Palace.
"I wonder how Third Brother is doing," Di Jun's expression suddenly turned somber. "He's been gone from the Sun Star for so long. I truly miss him."
"Don't worry. No matter what happens to us, nothing will happen to him. The being capable of making him suffer a loss hasn't even been born yet. Have you not learned that by now?" Tai Yi laughed, fully confident in his assessment. "He might have already taken that final step."
"I hope so," Di Jun said, his heart feeling significantly lighter.
Infinite Chaos
The winds, fires, earth, and water were in a state of disorder, and the essence of Yin and Yang was unclear. Suddenly, a section of the Chaos erupted with golden light, illuminating millions of miles and causing the chaotic gales to surge violently.
Within this golden light, a single figure sat in quiet meditation. The space around him was a void where all things were annihilated. In his hand, he held a bead that flickered with a haunting, soul-stirring light.
"Grand Unity Golden Immortal (Saint)... it is truly inconceivable."
"Any realm beneath it, even if called 'infinitely close,' is still as different as cloud and mud."
Ling Xiao stowed away the Chaos Pearl, sighing with genuine emotion. At his current level, even recreating the entire world was not impossible. No wonder during the Great War of the Gods, a defeated Tongtian sought to "remake the world" in a fit of rage—it wasn't madness or a hollow boast; he truly had the power to do it.
Strength! This is the power that controls all.
Ling Xiao's eyes burned with divine light, but he did not allow himself to be lost in the feeling. His goal was the absolute peak, beyond the reach of any power. Above him, there was still Hongjun. Based on their prior clash, even if Hongjun hadn't fully merged with the Dao, his power far exceeded Ling Xiao's own.
In the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, levels weren't simply divided into Early or Late stages. Instead, they were categorized into the Nine Heavens (Nine Heavens). Every "Heaven" was a qualitative leap.
Currently, Ling Xiao was at the First Heaven. Hongjun's cultivation was far beyond this.
With that thought, Ling Xiao's eyes shifted, and Karma threads (Karma) appeared within his vision once more.
"As the saying goes, 'wealth is found in danger.' That holds true even in the Great Desolation."
He whispered to himself with a profound air. Previously, at the precipice of his breakthrough, he had caught a fleeting glimpse of the future. It was brief, but it allowed him to comprehend much.
He had used the Chaos Pearl to mask a portion of the Heavenly Secret and deduced a viable path. Ultimately, he decided to face Hongjun head-on. Otherwise, he could have simply broken through in the Chaos without ever "parading" himself across the Great Desolation.
Doing so was a deliberate act of baiting and testing Hongjun.