Chapter 304: with translation of the chapter title

In the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun sat cross-legged on the mat, slowly opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through the obscurity of Chaos and the membrane of heaven and earth, staring straight into the starry sky, a flash of anger crossing his expression as he said:

"What gall! How dare you ruin my grand plan!"

At that moment, countless stellar forces intertwined above the starry sky, all the primordial spiritual energy transformed from the membrane of heaven and earth was completely intercepted in the starry sky, preventing it from reaching the Primordial Land.

But Hongjun fixed his gaze and suddenly exclaimed: "Who else is scheming against me? How dare they ruin my Primordial starry sky like this! Wherever I look, it's a mess of scars! Moreover, there is yet another strange realm that bars my entry."

In the eyes of Di Jun, Taiyi, and others, the stars at this moment were full of holes everywhere, which they could only try to patch as best they could.

But in Hongjun's eyes, the starry sky at this moment, amidst the chaos, held a peculiar wonder, with the stars subtly linking together, their motion reflecting the Great Dao.

The trajectories of the stars seemed to have become distorted due to the actions of Di Jun and the others, faintly forming a formation, yet it appeared extremely crude.

Yet even so, Hongjun sensed from it a terrifying power contained within, a power of the same realm as theirs.

Even given its menace, although Hongjun viewed it from outside Chaos, he also felt his pupils sore and slightly painful.

Hongjun gritted his teeth, knowing full well that this was likely another stratagem left by the ancient gods; deprived of his calm, he could only rise from the mat and angrily said: "You, who initially lacked the power to withstand the great calamity, chose to abandon the Primordial Land and enter the Return to the Void seeking tranquility; as ancestors, why now do you wish to meddle in the affairs of later generations?!"

"We have painstakingly endured, borne the suffering of the great calamity, and with difficulty pushed the Primordial Land to this point, where the future promises a grand expansion; yet you insist on sticking your heads out!"

"If you do not wish to maintain dignity, then the names and positions of the Three Sovereigns are not beyond the reach of today's Primordial beings!"

"Let me see, then, whether it is your ancestors' superior tactics or us later generations that have the edge!"

"Moreover, given the current state of the Primordial Land, even if you were to be resurrected from the Return to the Void, what achievements could you possibly attain?"

"To dream of restoring your former exaltation is but a vain fancy—Luo Tian Zun Shen, heh, Luo Tian Zun Shen!"

"I, your humble Daoist, would like to see whether this Primordial Land can still offer you a foothold!"

As his words fell, Hongjun stepped forward, and in the next instant he appeared at the foot of Mount Buzhou, raising his head to gaze at the lofty Mount Buzhou whose height could not be seen, a cold smile flickering across his face as he said:

"You occupy the advantage of time, having scattered many pieces, but I, your humble Daoist, also have plenty of usable people at my disposal."

"The grand formation revealed within the starry sky is indeed excellent; although I, your humble Daoist, cannot enter it, you had better not think you can use it lightly!"

Hongjun strode forward again, and after just a few breaths he had already reached the celestial realm, heading straight for the Hall of Divine Mist.

Hongjun knew in his heart that the Primordial Land and the starry sky had existed for far too long, and the ancient gods' existence had been even more prolonged; how deep their accumulation was? Unfathomable.

To contend with them in the Primordial Land, the best option at present is a place that never existed before.

The celestial realm, which in Hongjun's eyes is a place of birth, formed by the fiery vapors of the Immortal Volcano meeting abundant water vapors, the clouds thus produced forming a cave-heaven, is undoubtedly the safest refuge.

Moreover, its area is boundlessly vast; even when the nine heavenly layers are combined, they are not inferior to the Primordial Land in the slightest.

Only after the opponent revealed the formation within the starry sky did Hongjun realize that the opponent also mastered the power of the Primordial Chaos Heavenly Venerable God realm.

Precisely for this reason, only by relying on the celestial realm does Hongjun have the confidence to contend with the opponent.

As for the starry sky, Hongjun no longer regards it as part of the Primordial Land; this time he has come to the celestial realm intending to persuade the Heavenly Court to lend him strength, so that the entirety of the primordial starry sky, except for the sun and moon, may be banished.

With Hongjun's arrival, Qi, who had been asleep, suddenly felt a stir, awakening from his dream; seeing the purple clouds drifting at the sky's edge, he sent a message to Fuxi, saying: "Myriad purple vapors come from the east at the horizon; a noble person has arrived."

A slight fluctuation rippled over his person, and Qi instantly appeared in the Hall of Divine Mist; Fuxi also immediately turned his gaze, saying: "Purple vapors come from the east, a noble person approaches; given the current might of the Heavenly Court, only the Dao Ancestor can be called such a noble one—Qi, come with me to welcome the Dao Ancestor."

Qi nodded, immediately following Fuxi to the heavenly gate, while Hongjun had just entered the celestial realm at that moment.

Hongjun raised his head to gaze at the purple vapors at the sky's edge, and involuntarily sighed, saying:

"I never expected the Heavenly Court to possess such fortune, actually in harmony with the celestial realm; though I, your humble Daoist, came concealing my form, I was nevertheless detected."

Having said that, he turned his head toward an empty space; after only a few breaths, the silhouettes of Qi and his Fuxi appeared in Hongjun's view, speaking in unison: "Qi (Fuxi), respectfully welcome the Dao Ancestor."

Hongjun merely smiled in response, saying: "This place is not for talk; let us go to your hall."

Upon entering the Hall of Divine Mist, Qi and Fuxi immediately spoke: "The Dao Ancestor holds the highest status and should take the chief seat."

Hongjun, however, shook his head, rejecting their proposal, and explained:

"This seat is not ordinary, and the Heavenly Court is no mundane place; I, your humble Daoist, being one who transcends the world, cannot sit upon the position of sovereign of heaven and earth."

Qi and Fuxi, hearing this, both flashed a hint of surprise in their eyes; Qi, doubtful, directly asked:

"The Dao Ancestor, in union with the Heavenly Dao, is a Primordial Chaos Grand Luo Golden Immortal, the venerable of the Heavenly Dao sages, the teacher of all gods of the Primordial; how can there be a seat he cannot sit upon?"

Hongjun, however, laughed and said:

"Although my status is high, I, your humble Daoist, now bear no karma of the Primordial nor enjoy any of its fortune; this seat is a manifestation of the Heavenly Court's fortune, and cannot be taken by one who does not embody the union of heaven, earth, and humanity—the Three Powers."

"Furthermore, what do I, your humble Daoist, have to be revered for? Even the title 'teacher of all gods' is mere empty talk; yet this throne must be occupied by a substantive person."

"Those lacking foundation and destiny, if they sit, will only invite calamity. I, your humble Daoist, am not the lord of the Three Powers, so where would I find such fate?"

Qi and Fuxi then suddenly realized: in the past, when Di Jun was absent, whoever was in charge would take this seat, so they felt nothing amiss; in truth, they had merely erred by relying on experience.

Nevertheless, the humble words spoken by Hongjun did not settle in their hearts; regardless, Hongjun's cultivation was now the highest, and his status naturally the most exalted.

Since Hongjun would not take the seat, neither Qi nor Fuxi would voluntarily sit there to make themselves uncomfortable; they simply placed a few mats casually in the hall and sat opposite each other.

Qi then spoke up, asking:

"The Heavenly Court has long been established, yet the Dao Ancestor has never visited; I do not know what commands you bring today? Whatever we can be of use, we will surely devote our utmost effort." Fuxi sat silently beside him, not speaking; now that Qi is present, the discussion falls to him, and should anything prove unsuitable, the two will later consider it.

Hongjun, however, shook his head and said: "I, your humble Daoist, have indeed come this time to discuss matters with the Heavenly Court. Yet this matter is of great importance and requires the five emperors to be assembled together before we can proceed further."

"This concerns the starry sky, being the convergence of the Three Powers' Heavenly Dao fortune; without Di Jun and Taiyi present, speaking of it would be useless."

Qi and Fuxi's faces immediately grew solemn, both inwardly guessing that Hongjun had come because the Heavenly Court had sealed off the starry sky, intercepting the primordial spiritual energy transformed from the membrane of heaven and earth.

After all, with the sun, moon, and stars no longer shining down, the Primordial Land's day and night become distinct, east and west differ; the impact of this is indeed too great, so it is natural for Hongjun to wish to intervene.

Yet upon considering this, Qi and Fuxi's faces involuntarily darkened a bit; the starry sky is of utmost importance, and if left to continue generating anomalies, it would inevitably affect the Heavenly Court's subsequent development.

Yet to have Qi and Fuxi refuse Hongjun, they themselves felt deeply hesitant, for the other party was no ordinary person, but a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun seemed to perceive their difficulty, and again spoke: "I, your humble Daoist, did not come for the primordial spiritual energy; the starry sky has produced anomalies, and this is indeed due to my oversight; the Heavenly Court is doing its best to make up for it, so how could I blame them?"

"Nevertheless, this matter indeed pertains to the starry sky and is of great weight; without the presence of the other few, you two would find it hard to reach a decision."

Having said that, Hongjun slowly closed his eyes, but then suddenly thought of something and spoke again: "Waiting left and right, it's no more than a thousand years; surely it will not delay anything, and you two need not entertain me—just carry on as you are."

Qi and Fuxi looked at each other, unsure how to respond; seeing Hongjun before them, eyes closed, seated in meditation, they both felt quite a bit of difficulty.

After hesitating repeatedly, Qi still rose and said: "What the Dao Ancestor says is reasonable; a thousand years is not a long time, we can still wait, but Fuxi still needs to attend to Primordial affairs—perhaps let him depart first?"

Hongjun did not open his eyes, merely speaking back: "Just go on your own."

As his words fell, Fuxi rose from the mat, clasped his hands in salute, then turned and left the Hall of Ascending Heavens.

In the primordial wilderness there are too many trivial affairs, yet some matters are rather important; Fuxi cannot easily depart, he still needs to send messages outward, temporarily seal the Hall of Ascending Heavens, and find another place for a meeting.

After seeing Fuxi leave, Qi also began sitting cross-legged on the mat, entering tranquil cultivation; the Dao Ancestor was right before his eyes, equivalent to coming face to face with the Heavenly Dao—such an opportunity for cultivation, how could Qi miss it?

Meanwhile, in the Red Maple Mountain of the primordial wilderness, Pingyi sat by a small stream, facing a woman.

The woman was washing clothes in the stream, while Pingyi lay on his side on a blue stone on the other bank, his eyes full of her likeness.

The woman, perhaps feeling shy from being watched, picked up a stone from the stream while washing her clothes and threw it into the water near Pingyi.

The splashing water soaked the hem of Pingyi's robe, and all that could be heard was the woman's shy words:

"You philanderer, what's there to see in my washing clothes? It's not edible, yet you stare without blinking."

Pingyi laughed loudly: "Xiao Ye'er, how would you know it's not edible? Haven't you heard that beauty is a feast? In my eyes, Xiao Ye'er, you warm my heart more than any delicacy."

"If you don't believe me, smell the wind—what other food could be this fragrant and sweet? It makes me reluctant to walk away."

Xiao Ye'er is none other than the Red Maple Fox tribe woman whom Pingyi met before; her name is Hongye, and the nickname Xiao Ye'er that Pingyi uses is merely a teasing epithet.

Hongye heard Pingyi's address and those words that made one blush, and involuntarily gave a light spit, coyly saying: "You philanderer, what nonsense are you spouting? You only know how to win girls' favor—you even dare call me Xiao Ye'er, truly shameless!"

"Someone like you, with such an amorous appearance, who knows how many good women you've harmed? Now you've even deceived my grandmother!"

Pingyi did not take offense at Hongye's affront; on the contrary, he was pleased, feeling it was merely flirtatious banter between them.

Pingyi did not retort with words; he simply reached his hand into the stream, flicked some water, which splashed onto Hongye's sleeves.

Seeing this, Hongye immediately put down the clothes she was holding and retaliated, splashing back while laughing: "You philanderer, just watch my grandmother's prowess—I'm not so easy to bully!"

The serene sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, shining on the stream and reflecting specks of light that fell upon the two, making them seem like a celestial couple for a moment.

No one knew how long they had played; both were panting, and Pingyi circled behind Hongye, gently embracing her from behind as their hands clasped tightly.

Hongye's face flushed with a rosy hue, yet she did not struggle against Pingyi's embrace; instead she leaned back slightly and said: "It's all your fault—if it weren't for you, by this time of day I would have washed several pieces of clothing."

Pingyi laughed in response:

"When you're with me, how can you still be distracted by those clothes? Could it be that in your heart I am not as important as a few garments?"

Upon hearing this, Hongye instantly grew anxious, breaking free from Pingyi's embrace, her brows slightly raised, a flash of urgency in her eyes as she said: "You pedant, you can't even tolerate a few clothes—if those garments weren't important to you, how could I have stayed playing with you until this hour?"

Pingyi was not anxious about Hongye breaking free from his embrace; on the contrary, his eyes were full of admiration as he continually scanned her figure.

Seeing Pingyi say nothing, Hongye felt a bit strange; as his gaze fell upon her, she suddenly realized her clothes were already soaked through.

The thin garments clung tightly to her lovely form, revealing an enviable figure; her snow‑white skin was faintly visible, faintly showing through the wet fabric.

Seeing Pingyi still gazing admiringly, Hongye, while shy, felt a secret delight, yet she scolded: "You philanderer, why won't you turn away? Stop staring at me here—my grandmother insists, insists…"

Seeing Hongye truly embarrassed, Pingyi also turned away, but teased: "What do you insist on? What does my little Ye'er want to do?"

Hongye's heart was in turmoil; she wanted to say she'd gouge out Pingyi's eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to utter such cruel words, yet if she were to let him go lightly, she couldn't swallow this resentment.

After a moment, Pingyi still heard nothing from Hongye, feeling a bit curious; just as he was about to turn, he heard the sound of crossing water slowly coming from behind.

Hongye stood barefoot in the water, her garments still damp, and from behind Pingyi she gently embraced him, her cheek pressed tightly against his back.

Pingyi's body instantly stiffened, feeling the soft jade‑like sensation from behind, while at the same time he heard Hongye's murmuring whisper.

"You philanderer, don't provoke me and then let me down, or I'll bite you to death." (End of chapter)