Chapter 716

Mysterious energy threads extended from the surface of the primordial chaos egg, intertwining with the newly born chaos qi cluster.

At that moment, a thunderous rebuke filled with authority split the sky: "How dare mere rats covet the chance to attain sainthood? You're simply courting death!"

Rahu stood arrogantly beneath the Daoist mat, corpses piled like mountains beneath his feet, bloody aura spreading everywhere, as if a chaos demon lord had walked out of the Nine Nether Hells.

Rahu had mastered three strands of Hongmeng Purple Qi, endured a century of bitter cultivation, and his strength far surpassed that of other Patriarchs.

Now he had set his sights on this Daoist mat, naturally provoking the other Patriarchs to join forces in resistance.

Patriarch Yangmei, Patriarch Kunwu, and Patriarch Qiankun almost simultaneously unleashed their techniques: "Hand of Space!"

"Kunwu Suppression!"

"Qiankun Displacement!" Three utterly different forces intertwined, forcibly shifting the mat beyond Rahu's control.

Suddenly, a golden Buddha's hand reached out from the depths of the void and instantly snatched away the Daoist mat.

Rahu flew into a rage, immediately activating his heavenly demon avatar, wielding the God-Slaying Spear as it merged into the void, charging straight at Patriarch Hundun, who had constructed a mysterious world with Buddhist power.

This world could be called a "world within a world": at its center was the Saha World, where Shakyamuni Buddha presided; to the east lay the Pure Glazed World, guarded by the Medicine Buddha; to the west, the Pure Land was led by Amitabha Buddha. Dipankara Buddha and Maitreya Buddha also sat cross-legged beside Shakyamuni, the Buddhist teachings solemn and majestic.

The instant the heavenly demon entered the Buddhist realm, his demonic aura was scorched by boundless golden light, actually beginning to transform into Buddhist aura.

Amitabha Buddha pressed his palms together and proclaimed in a loud voice: "Amitabha! Fellow cultivator of the heavenly demon path, the sea of suffering is boundless; turn back and you reach the shore."

That voice contained the compassionate power to save all beings, as if seeking to draw people into the Pure Land.

"Absurd! Buddha and demon are originally one—why not follow me into the demon path?" The heavenly demon roared, unleashing tyrannical demonic arts, engaging in a melee with Patriarch Hundun's five manifestations.

Outside the battlefield, Rahu's true body and two avatars separately faced Yangmei and the others, the fierce combat causing heaven and earth to violently tremble.

Mount Buzhou shook incessantly in the energy aftermath, the primordial qi of the Honghuang world drained in large quantities, space becoming increasingly fragile. These chaos demon gods, single-mindedly pursuing transcendence of the heavenly Dao to attain innate sainthood, cared nothing for the survival of the Honghuang world.

Rahu's true body battled Patriarch Yangmei, who excelled in the spatial Dao; the destructive power of the demon path collided with the profound mysteries of spatial power. Though Yangmei was temporarily at a disadvantage, he continually relied on his exquisite mastery of spatial laws to turn danger into safety.

The earth demon confronted Patriarch Kunwu with the path of suppression, four killing swords propping up the heavens, killing formations and murderous aura emerging together, forcing Patriarch Kunwu into perilous straits.

The human demon, relying on the power of all beings' heart demons, suppressed Patriarch Qiankun, who cultivated the Qiankun Dao; twelve demon banners firmly suppressed the Qiankun diagram, making it difficult for him to unleash his power.

Just as Rahu and his avatars joined forces to unleash tyrannical divine abilities, attempting to completely suppress their opponents, an earth-shattering dragon roar suddenly erupted from underground.

The earth, which had transformed into King Yang, surged like waves; a chaos heavenly dragon burst from the ground, its massive jaws opening—and it swallowed Patriarch Kunwu whole!

The situation changed abruptly; Yangmei's mind was greatly shaken, and Rahu seized the opportunity to unleash the Soul-Devouring Demon Finger, severely damaging his soul.

At the critical moment, Yangmei transformed into a hollow willow, using the primordial power of the spatial Dao to tear through the suppression and escape into chaos.

After swallowing Patriarch Kunwu, the ancestral dragon soared into the sky, his body swelling from 120,000 zhang to 150,000 zhang, his aura growing ever more terrifying. He opened his mouth and spat out a mat, laughing loudly: "This is the true Daoist mat! Kunwu, you cultivated for a hundred years and still failed to comprehend it—your death is utterly just!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished, even Rahu couldn't help but feel doubtful.

At that very moment, another mat drifted out from the void—precisely the one the ancestral dragon had previously lost.

"Excellent technique, Fellow Daoist Ancestral Dragon truly hides his depth!" Patriarch Hundun stepped on a twelfth-rank golden lotus, a phantom world appearing behind him. He casually threw out a mat, a Buddhist finger lightly touching it, and the mat instantly transformed into chaos qi and dissipated. This scene left the watching powerhouses stunned, unable to believe it.

Rahu fell into deep thought, layers of doubt rising in his heart: Had they calculated against the heavenly Dao, or had the heavenly Dao laid a greater scheme behind the scenes?

Among the nine Daoist mats, how many actually contained Hongmeng Purple Qi?

How many were counterfeits?

Why did the shattered heavenly Dao transform into mats?

Not only Rahu, but also the ancestral dragon, Patriarch Hundun, and Ye Qin, who observed from the shadows, fell into confusion. Only Patriarch Hongjun of Mount Lingxiao in the north, his expression profound and unfathomable, seemed to have seen through everything.

On the other side of the battlefield, the human demon employed the technique of void heart demons, dragging Patriarch Qiankun into the hell of mental refinement.

This terrifying force, condensed from the negative emotions of countless beings, like the ancestor of all demons, voraciously gnawed at Patriarch Qiankun's will.

Although Qiankun's power overflowed, it struggled to condense the tripartite formation, and the Qiankun diagram also shattered under the assault of the demon banners and demon heads.

Just as Qiankun's power was about to dissipate, a mysterious hand suddenly appeared, drawing this profound power into the void. Patriarch Qiankun's aura surged, his Daoist robe billowing, his sleeves transforming into spatial black holes—a new storm was about to rise.

"Kunwu Suppression!"……

"Chaos Dragon Pearl, transform into the heavenly dragon furnace, refine all things!" As the ancestral dragon's words fell, his 120,000-zhang-long dragon body rapidly twisted, transforming into a 100,000-zhang-high furnace.

The heavenly dragon's fire blazed fiercely; within the furnace, a great mountain was being refined.

This was precisely the form of Patriarch Kunwu after merging with the innate treasure Kunwu Mountain.

Originally, when Patriarch Kunwu was suppressed by the earth demon, the ancestral dragon seized the opportunity, swallowing him into his belly, attempting to refine him and seize the Daoist mat.

The ancestral dragon relied on the strength of the Chaos Dragon Pearl, believing he could certainly refine Kunwu. However, he did not know that Patriarch Kunwu had contemplated the Daoist mat for a hundred years; though he had not comprehended Hongmeng Purple Qi, his cultivation had greatly increased, and he had established a connection with the Daoist mat. Thus, Patriarch Kunwu merged with Kunwu Mountain, surging left and right within the ancestral dragon's belly, causing the ancestral dragon unbearable pain.

"It seems I still have not truly grasped the mysteries of the Daoist mat—there are still many hidden mechanisms. When I collect all the Daoist mats, perhaps I can unveil the true secret of Hongmeng Purple Qi. Hehe, Ancestral Dragon, do not blame me for being ruthless..." Rahu murmured to himself.

At the same time, Patriarch Hundun also fixed his gaze unblinkingly on the Kunwu Mountain within the heavenly dragon furnace, eyeing the Daoist mat within it.

Rahu fused the three demons of heaven, earth, and man into his true body, his aura surging, his palm transforming into a demon claw infused with the aura of the three demons, reaching into the heavenly dragon furnace, intending to crush Kunwu Mountain with supreme demonic aura and seize the Daoist mat within.

"One flower, one world; one leaf, one bodhi. I am the Buddha of Three Ages, master of the true meaning of time and space!"

In Patriarch Hundun's Buddhist world, the central Saha World, the Eastern Pure Glazed World, and the Western Pure Land were unified as one.

Dipankara Buddha seemed to walk from the past, while Maitreya Buddha appeared to stand in the future.

The profound causal Dao emanated from Patriarch Hundun's Buddhist palm, magnificent Buddha light containing the meaning of great salvation.

The Buddhist palm followed Rahu's demon claw.

Boom! Kunwu Mountain violently trembled, a resentful wail emanating from within—Patriarch Kunwu's soul was shaken out of Kunwu Mountain by Rahu.

"Give it my all! Even if body and spirit are destroyed, I cannot let you obtain the Daoist mat..." Kunwu harbored endless hatred toward Rahu, while also feeling helplessness and regret welling up in his heart.

Like Patriarch Qiankun, he only realized at this moment that they, these chaos demon gods, were merely pawns on the heavenly Dao's chessboard.

Boom!

Patriarch Kunwu's natal true spirit controlled the innate treasure Kunwu Mountain, self-destructing into fragments; the heavenly dragon furnace, transformed from the ancestral dragon's body, was blasted open by the tremendous explosive force, returning to the ancestral dragon's body, the heavenly dragon's fire turning into fiery clouds filling the sky.

The ancestral dragon's dragon body was bloody and mangled, scales falling off, he hid within the fire clouds, in a miserable state.

"Roar!" The ancestral dragon let out an angry shout, his body faintly visible. He stared at Rahu and Patriarch Hundun, brows locked, head unturned as he fled toward the Donghai.

The reason the ancestral dragon could live so long, and as a calamity-response body attain Patriarch-level status, able to contend with Rahu and other chaos demon gods, was precisely because of his unique vision.

Unlike other beings who were greedy, he had already seen that this Daoist mat was certainly not destined for him.

If he stayed, he might repeat the fate of the Primordial Ancestor of Heaven and Earth, ending in the utter destruction of both body and spirit.

Therefore, he decided to flee to the vast Donghai, preserving the green mountains so he would never lack firewood.

After Kunwu Mountain shattered, its force repelled Rahu's demonic claws, preventing the Ancestor of Hun Dun from advancing his Buddha palm.

Yet that great Dao futon flew out from the explosion's center, unscathed, drifting toward the Ancestor of Hun Dun.

The Ancestor of Hun Dun rejoiced exceedingly, withdrawing his Buddha palm to enshrine the great Dao futon within his Buddha-Dao realm. Rahu could only sigh helplessly.

"Amitabha, fellow Daoist Rahu, until we meet again! Hahaha, the world vast, the Buddha-Dao flourishing! Begone!" Having obtained Kunwu's great Dao futon, the Ancestor of Hun Dun unleashed his Divine Ability and fled westward.

Rahu's cultivation level slightly surpassed that of the Ancestor of Hun Dun, but the difference was negligible.

The Ancestor of Hun Dun wished to depart, yet none could stop him. Rahu could only vent his fury upon the Ancestral Dragon and Kunwu.

"Since you cannot obtain the great Dao futon, then perish in body and spirit!" Rahu roared.

In the sky, though the primordial true spirit and innate supreme treasure Kunwu Mountain of Kunwu's ancestor had shattered, Kunwu's primordial true spirit contained an indestructible nature; all fragments instantly reaggregated, remaining unharmed.

This is precisely the power of the indestructible true spirit—only a destructive blow can annihilate it.

For instance, during the Heaven-Opening Great Tribulation, the blade of Pangu's axe contained immense destructive power, capable of cleaving chaos itself, so few of the three thousand demon gods survived.

Likewise, Rahu's innate slaughter supreme treasure, the God-Slaying Spear, contains destructive force. Forged from the stem of the Chaos Qinglian, it absorbed the slaughter qi of Heaven's Opening, embodies the God-Slaying Dao, and can devour souls and destroy true spirits.

Hiss! A great spear bristling with slaughter qi thrust toward Kunwu's ancestor, bearing unstoppable might.

Though Kunwu's ancestor's primordial true spirit still held his suppressive Dao, his body destroyed and his innate supreme treasure Kunwu Mountain shattered into fragments, he could no longer unleash Divine Ability, only watch helplessly as the God-Slaying Spear approached.

At this moment, Kunwu's ancestor felt a myriad of emotions—relief intertwined with helplessness, regret, and other complex feelings.

Greed is the original sin!

This is the shared realization of countless beings before their demise.

Yet in this age of the strong devouring the weak, only greed and ruthless means can make one stronger and live longer.

This is also the contradiction within the Honghuang Heaven and Earth.

Hiss! The God-Slaying Spear pierced Kunwu's ancestor's true spirit.

"Ah!" Kunwu's ancestor cried out in anguish, his true spirit shattering into fragments. As befitting a slaughter supreme treasure, the God-Slaying Spear formed lines of slaughter qi that crisscrossed, slicing his true spirit into countless pieces, impossible to reassemble.

One strand of fragment after another was absorbed by the God-Slaying Spear.

"Kunwu's Dao, Kunwu Mountain's spirit, suppress the earth, eternal and unchanging!" Kunwu's ancestor's voice echoed in the air.

Behold, his true spirit fragments successively self-annihilated, turning into nothingness, forming clusters of void qi imbued with the suppressive Dao.

These void qi were strangely extraordinary, tearing through space as they gathered together, forming a mass of gas that astonishingly took the shape of Kunwu Mountain, mysterious and unfathomable.

"Damnable! Again self-annihilation! But you dare not hope to leave an inheritance!" Rahu said helplessly. He too was a Chaos Demon God, naturally knowing how Chaos Demon Gods leave behind legacies.

In the sky, no trace of Kunwu's ancestor's aura remained—only that mass of gas.

At this moment, a thought arose from beneath the earth; within the fragments of the innate supreme treasure Kunwu Mountain, illusory souls emerged, coalescing into a great man.

The great man gazed sorrowfully at the mass of gas in the sky, yet without hesitation fled into it, seeking escape.

"You wish to flee? Then be destroyed!" Rahu said.

Twelve demon banners were cast into the air, forming a magic array that shrouded heaven and earth, enveloping that mass of gas within.

Just now, the Primordial Ancestor's legacy thought had fled, embarrassing Rahu; now the Ancestor of Hun Dun's self-destruction not only denied him the great Dao futon but fueled his fury. How could he let even a breath of the Ancestor of Hun Dun escape? He had resolved to let the Ancestor of Hun Dun vanish completely from the river of fate.

That mass of gas surged left and right, yet unable to break free from the magic array's bonds, it emitted a desperate aura, while simultaneously rising with an unstoppable vigor.

"I, Kunwu Mountain, establish a great vow with Kunwu's spirit: to contribute all strength to heaven and earth, to become a servant of the Honghuang Dadi, to suppress the mountains of the Honghuang Dadi! Kunwu undying, mountains undying; Kunwu undying, mountains spirited; Kunwu undying, all demons annihilated; Kunwu undying, may I become the Mountain God of the Honghuang Dadi!"

Boom—

Accompanying these thunderous roars, the Honghuang Heaven and Earth violently trembled.

This sound seemed to contain endless magic, stirring countless beings' hearts with great sorrow, great admiration, emotion, fearlessness, and the resolve to sacrifice for all living things of heaven and earth.

At this moment, even Rahu halted his steps, his demon heart suppressed by this grand aspiration's aura.

At this moment, heaven and earth were moved, as torrents of Xuan Qin rain poured from the sky, drenching the scarred Honghuang Dadi.

The mountains began to sway, as if welcoming their sovereign.

Just then, a three-legged giant cauldron stood firm within the spatial rift, Ye Qin standing atop it.

This giant cauldron emitted the aura of stabilizing heaven and earth; no matter how space continually shattered, it could not be moved in the slightest.

Ye Qin's eyes held tears, feeling this grand aspiration, his spirit shaken as never before—this was the resonance of spiritual power.

"Good! Excellent! You are the first Honghuang being I admire! For this grand vow, I too will save your life. With you in the Honghuang Heaven and Earth, this is Honghuang's fortune!" Ye Qin murmured to himself. (End of Chapter)