Chapter 443: The Three Realms Stir with Wind and Clouds; the Demon Master

On the fragmented continent of Honghuang, Kunpeng was lost in ecstatic joy at having found the Hongmeng Purple Qi, while Su Chen waited outside, ready to strike.

At this moment, above Hengyun Ridge on the Northern Julu Continent, a dark demonic light suddenly tore through the clouds, and Kunpeng stepped out from the rift.

The instant he appeared, starlight poured down from all directions.

The voice of Doumu Yuanjun came from the highest heavens.

“Bind!”

Three hundred and sixty-five starlight chains pierced through space, sealing off a ten-thousand-li radius around Hengyun Ridge.

The star chains struck the ground, shaking mountains and rivers; at the same time, earth-colored divine light rose from deep within the earth.

Zhenyuanzi’s Earth Book manifested remotely, an ancient scroll unfurling, its shadows of mountains, rivers, and valleys pressing down from all sides.

Zhenwu Dadi arrived riding divine light, his Danmo Sword already drawn.

The three great beings took their positions almost simultaneously—this time, the Heavenly Court gave Kunpeng not the slightest chance.

Doumu Yuanjun raised her hand, pressing the Star-Dipper Divine Seal downward.

“Kunpeng, dare you show yourself again?”

Kunpeng stood at the center of the star chains, his black robe flaring, yet his face showed not a trace of panic.

He glanced at Zhenwu, then at Zhenyuanzi.

“You’re quick to arrive.”

Zhenyuanzi’s gaze turned cold.

“Did you lure us here on purpose?”

Kunpeng laughed.

“So what if I did?”

As his words faded, the starlight chains tightened sharply.

Zhenwu Dadi slashed downward, his frost-white swordlight piercing through demonic energy.

Zhenyuanzi flicked his dust whisk, transforming earth veins into a mountainous prison; Kunpeng’s form was struck simultaneously by all three forces.

But in the next instant, his body grew faint, dissolving into afterimages.

Doumu Yuanjun’s expression darkened.

“Another illusion!”

Kunpeng’s cold laugh echoed from deep within the void: “Gentlemen, you’re still a step too slow.”

The laughter reverberated above the Northern Julu Continent, turning the faces of those present ashen.

Zhenwu Dadi gripped his Danmo Sword, knuckles tightening—this was not the first time.

In recent months, Kunpeng had repeatedly revealed his aura across the Three Realms—sometimes on the Northern Julu Continent, sometimes over the Eastern Sea, sometimes along the borders of the Southern Jambudvīpa.

Each time, he revealed only a fleeting trace; the moment the Heavenly Court moved, he retreated, never giving the Dou Department time to form arrays and seal space.

With Kunpeng’s extreme speed and mastery of space laws, combined with his peak Peerless Saint insight, he had turned the entire Heavenly Court into a chasing circus.

Worse still, the Heavenly Court could not afford to stop chasing him—Kunpeng had shattered earth veins, wounded Zhenwu, and broken star arrays; if they swallowed this insult, every corner of the Three Realms would watch the Heavenly Court laugh.

Zhenwu Dadi stared at the direction where Kunpeng had vanished, then spoke.

“He’s deliberately holding us back.”

Zhenyuanzi’s face was grim; his Earth Book hovered above his head, its shadows of mountains and rivers slowly shifting.

After a moment, he spoke: “I’ve dealt with him for countless eons—I’ve never seen him act so brazenly.”

Doumu Yuanjun retracted the Star-Dipper Divine Seal.

“We all know Kunpeng is deliberately drawing our attention; the more brazen he is, the more important what he’s hiding must be.”

“But during this time, every branch of the Heavenly Court has searched for Kunpeng’s true purpose—and found nothing. To learn his true intent, we must capture him. Whatever his goal, once we trap him, everything will be revealed.”

After Doumu Yuanjun finished, all three fell silent.

They all knew it was true—Kunpeng’s move was an open strategy; as long as he showed himself in the Three Realms, the Heavenly Court could not ignore him.

In Lingxiao Palace, the Haotian Mirror hung in the hall, its surface showing the battle at Hengyun Ridge.

The Jade Emperor sat upon his imperial throne, his expression unchanged.

No immortal in the hall dared speak.

At this moment, Taibai Jinxing stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, Kunpeng has appeared seven times in as many months, each time escaping in advance. The Dou, Lei, and Shui Departments are all tied down; patrols across the Four Seas cannot hold long.”

Li Jing took up the thread, speaking gravely: “If this continues, the divine generals of all departments will be exhausted chasing shadows—Kunpeng will find an opening.”

The Jade Emperor gazed at the scene in the Haotian Mirror.

“I know.”

Taibai Jinxing whispered: “Should we temporarily halt pursuit and thoroughly investigate Kunpeng’s true purpose?”

The Jade Emperor lifted his eyes, glancing at Taibai Jinxing.

“Halt?”

At his tone, the hall fell utterly silent.

“Kunpeng has slapped the Heavenly Court’s face—the Three Realms are watching. If I cannot subdue Kunpeng, tomorrow someone will dare storm my Southern Heavenly Gate.”

Taibai Jinxing dared not speak again.

The Jade Emperor raised his hand; the Haotian Mirror’s light shifted, sweeping across the Four Continents, searching for Kunpeng’s whereabouts.

Upon his imperial chair, the Jade Emperor tapped his throne’s armrest, then spoke after a moment:

“Issue orders. The Dou and Lei Departments continue hunting Kunpeng’s trail.”

“Also, dispatch the Youyi Lingguan to secretly investigate the borders of the Three Realms, especially all anomalies near the world’s barrier.”

The immortals bowed in unison and hurried off to carry out the orders.

Meanwhile, in the Western Niuhe Continent, the Buddha Realm of Lingshan.

Inside Daliyinsi, Buddha light illuminated the hall.

Maitreya Buddha sat upon a lotus throne, yet his face held no smile.

A Luo Han hurried into the hall.

“Buddha, three more cities in the Southern Jambudvīpa have appeared with followers of the Great Freedom Demon Dao.”

Another Bodhisattva whispered: “Demon Dao manifestations have appeared along the border of the Western Niuhe Continent; their followers are growing rapidly, already affecting dozens of mortal kingdoms.”

Maitreya Buddha said nothing; his gaze was fixed northward.

There lay the Northern Julu Continent, where Kunpeng’s disturbances had not yet settled—the Heavenly Court had sent envoys requesting the Buddha Realm’s aid, but the Buddha Realm could not spare any strength now.

The Great Journey was nearing; human incense, national fortune, and believers were vital to the Buddha Realm’s grand plan. The Great Freedom Demon Dao was spreading wildly now, as if deliberately striking at the Buddha Realm’s vital points.

One Bodhisattva frowned: “Could Kunpeng’s chaos be connected to the Demon Dao’s expansion?”

Maitreya Buddha fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.

“Not necessarily.”

Maitreya Buddha raised his hand; golden Buddha light sank into the void.

“Issue orders: First, suppress the Demon Dao. Let the Heavenly Court deal with the Northern Julu Continent matter.”

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the hall responded in unison.

Deep within the Star-Shattered Abyss, within the Honghuang fragments, the Three Realms were in turmoil—but here, not a ripple stirred.

At the basin’s center, the strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi still hung suspended in nothingness.

Kunpeng sat cross-legged before it, black Dao patterns radiating outward in concentric rings—each pattern carried the aura of Space Dao, Consumption Dao, and Beiming Dao.

Months, long for mortals, were but a single meditation for a Peerless Saint.

But for Kunpeng, these months had allowed him to preliminarily touch the Dao’s resonance of the Hongmeng Purple Qi.

This strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi did not resist him—gradually, Kunpeng’s caution began to loosen.

The self-corpses he had scattered across the Three Realms were, as planned, tying down the Heavenly Court.

He had placed all his marks—the Demon Master Palace, Beiming Sword, and Chaos Bell—on his avatars, determined to drag down the Heavenly Court at any cost.

As long as he assimilated the Hongmeng Purple Qi, it would all be worth it—what then was the Heavenly Court?

What were Zhenyuanzi’s old grudges?

Kunpeng closed his eyes, a slow smile curling at his lips—he already seemed to see himself attaining Hunyuan, gazing down upon the Three Realms.

Today, Di Jun was dead, Tai Yi was dead.

But he still lived. If he could attain sainthood, who would dare deny him?

If he became a Saint, he would no longer be the Demon Master—he would become the true sovereign of the demonic race.

The Hongmeng Purple Qi gently flowed; a strand of purple light, following the black Dao patterns, slowly neared Kunpeng’s third eye.

Kunpeng’s body trembled; he immediately gathered all his spirit.

“Here it comes.”

At this moment, he had no energy left to spare for the outside world.

In the shadows, Su Chen stood beyond the basin, the Chaos Bell casting down Xuanhuang light, concealing his aura.

He watched the purple light before Kunpeng’s brow, his gaze calm.

For months, he had done nothing.

He knew he could not rush—this ancient monster, even with most of his spirit absorbed in the Hongmeng Purple Qi, was no easy target.

But now it was different—the Hongmeng Purple Qi had entered his Dao; Kunpeng must devote all his strength to receiving it—the moment was nearly here.