Chapter 541

Even the Supreme One, who had always been serene and non-interfering, nearly oblivious to the Three Realms, could not help but cast his gaze downward.

"The celestial patterns are so chaotic—the Great Calamity has shattered them; the Three Realms will now know endless turmoil."

As soon as he attempted to calculate, the Supreme One felt the celestial patterns of the Three Realms had already become a chaotic mess—nothing could be discerned.

"The Dao is without feeling; the Heavenly Dao is unfathomable... The noble seek no contention; the base delight in strife. The noble possess virtue without clinging to it; the base cling to virtue. Those who cling cannot be called virtuous. Beings fail to attain the True Dao because they harbor false minds..."

With a faint sigh in his heart, the Supreme One closed his eyes once more, and the Daoic tones around him began to swirl.

To the Supreme One, whether the Xuan Sect thrived or the Daolefu Sect flourished, whether the Three Realms prospered or decayed—none of it mattered; all he sought was the Dao.

The Supreme One was the most devoted among the Six Sages in his pursuit of the Dao.

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Jade Void Palace.

"Duobao was suppressed so easily? Clearly, he learned little of value in the Daolefu Sect. Hmph—those who betray the Xuan Sect deserve this calamity."

Yuanshi's icy voice echoed through Jade Void Palace, carrying an unmistakable note of satisfaction.

Yuanshi's resentment toward the Daolefu Sect ran deep.

Indeed, it surpassed even that toward Tongtian.

During the Divine Investiture, the Jie Sect suffered catastrophic defeat and heavy casualties, becoming the greatest loser.

But the Chan Sect was also a loser.

In terms of casualties, the Chan Sect certainly paled beside the Jie Sect.

Yuanshi valued lineage in his disciples, and the Chan Sect never had many.

Of the few disciples, aside from the first-generation ones—the so-called Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect—all other second- and third-generation disciples had perished.

The only advantage the Chan Sect had over the Jie Sect was that many of its disciples were inscribed on the Divine Investiture Scroll in their physical bodies.

Those inscribed in their physical bodies, though bound by the Divine Investiture Scroll, could still advance their cultivation base.

What truly grieved Yuanshi was the loss of his first-generation disciples.

Because his disciples were few, Yuanshi cherished them deeply, especially his twelve direct disciples.

Had it not been for these twelve direct disciples, Yuanshi would never have exerted such effort against the Jie Sect.

It ultimately drove him and Tongtian to the point of fratricidal enmity.

Before the Divine Investiture Calamity, although Yuanshi and Tongtian often disagreed, their relationship had never reached the point of open warfare.

Through his efforts, all twelve direct disciples had indeed survived the Divine Investiture Calamity.

Yet four of them were swayed by Zhunti and Jieyin and defected to the Daolefu Sect.

For the sake of his disciples, Yuanshi disregarded even the bond among the Three Pure Ones.

And yet he received this result—how could he not grieve, how could he not hate the Daolefu Sect?

During the Divine Investiture War, the Chan Sect and the Daolefu Sect were allies.

As allies, they ultimately betrayed him, delivering the most brutal blow possible.

Thus, Yuanshi now hated the Daolefu Sect most of all—especially Zhunti and Jieyin.

Beyond them, those from the Xuan Sect who had defected to the Daolefu Sect were also objects of Yuanshi's hatred.

Had it not been for Hongjun's prohibition, and had Zhunti and Jieyin not been so shameless, Yuanshi would have already personally cleansed his own sect.

Seeing the Buddha subdued by Luo Fu, how could Yuanshi not feel vindicated?

"Who is this Luo Fu Daoist? Such profound Daoic insight—why have I never heard of him before!"

Yuanshi also attempted to calculate the celestial patterns, but under the chaos, he gained nothing.

"Zhunti remains as shameless as ever. Let them fight—Buddhism's arrogance has already been crushed."

Cold mutterings echoed through Jade Void Palace.

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Nuwa Palace.

"That bald Buddha has been suppressed?"

Nuwa lifted her languid form, slightly astonished.

She had never imagined Luo Fu possessed such power and audacity—to suppress the Buddha right before Zhunti's eyes, and succeed.

"The palm-world, Mount Wuzhi—what an exquisite Daoic technique!"

A murmur of admiration escaped Nuwa's lips.

Nuwa's signature treasure was the Shanhe Shèjì Map.

The core Daoic principles of the Shanhe Shèjì Map were Space and Earth.

Beyond that, Nuwa's greatest mastery lay in the Dao of Creation.

Precisely because of this, she understood better than anyone how exquisite Luo Fu's technique had been.

"Even at my peak as a Pre-Sage, I doubt I could have achieved such a feat. Who is this Luo Fu Daoist? Why do I feel a sense of kinship toward him?"

Watching Luo Fu's retreating figure, Nuwa felt a flicker of curiosity.

Luo Fu's origin, traced to its root, was the Primordial Human Race.

The Primordial Human Race was created by Nuwa herself in the Primordial Chaos.

Though Luo Fu had absorbed and refined the blood essence of countless divine demons, ferocious beasts, and alien races, his Primordial Human essence remained unchanged.

The Nuwa of this world had also created humanity—and naturally, she felt kinship toward Luo Fu.

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Purple Cloud Palace.

"He lost fairly. Such profound Daoic insight—even Duobao's true form, wielding all his powers, could not stand against him."

Saint Tongtian, seated cross-legged on the mat, remarked coolly.

"A Buddha realm in the palm, forcibly converting mortals—looks like Duobao has done quite well in Buddhism these years!"

Clang!

With Tongtian's words, the ringing of swords echoed all around him.

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Mount Sumeru Heaven.

"Brother, have you figured out Luo Fu Daoist's origins? In my memory, there's no such figure in the Three Realms."

Zhunti raised his hand and recalled the Seven Treasures Marvelous Tree hurtling through the air, his face still bearing the sorrowful expression of a questioner.

"I've never heard of him either. Could he be some ancient relic from the Ancient Era?"

Jieyin had no clue about Luo Fu's origins either.

"We are both among the three thousand guests of Purple Cloud Palace. If Luo Fu were a figure from the Ancient Era, we could not have failed to hear of him. Such terrifying insight into the Dao could not belong to an obscure one."

Zhunti did not accept Jieyin's speculation.

Both were born at the dawn of heaven and earth, with extraordinary origins, and even in the Ancient Era, they were notable figures.

If Luo Fu truly came from the Ancient Era, they could not have remained unaware of him.

"Brother, are you suggesting Luo Fu's origins are even older?"

Jieyin voiced the hidden implication in Zhunti's words.

"Yes. Such profound Daoic insight means Luo Fu's origins must be astonishing. If not from the Ancient Era, then only from the Ancient Era."

Zhunti nodded, affirming Jieyin's words.

Hearing Zhunti's speculation, Jieyin's brow furrowed.

The "Ancient Era" they referred to was the time before the Dao Ancestor merged with the Dao.

Back then, Honghuang was in utter chaos, ferocious beasts roamed everywhere, and even the two of them could barely protect themselves.

Thus, for many matters of the Ancient Era, even they, as Saints, were not fully aware.