Chapter 412: The Great Yi Duel: Xiang Xiang Xuanqing Battles Fu Xi

After the secret meeting on the construction of the core leadership of the “Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors” of the Divine Clan within the Taiwei Taiwei Yuan concluded.

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing, entrusted with the crucial task of inviting the [Xi Huang] Fu Xi to emerge from seclusion, and Tai Shang, who volunteered to accompany him and “assess the strength of the Eastern Recluse Alliance” along the way, wasted no time and quietly departed from the Taiwei Heavenly Court.

They transformed into two unremarkable streaks of light, racing swiftly toward the headquarters of the Ten Directions Divine Palace—Jin Jin Tingshan.

Jin Jin Tingshan.

It is the sacred heart of the Eastern Recluse Alliance and the cultivation ground where Lord Tai Hao Fu Xi regularly delivers sermons, cultivates, and handles the alliance’s affairs.

The mountain towers majestically, piercing the clouds; its very body is saturated to the extreme with primordial spiritual energy, nearly solidified into a perpetual mist of spiritual vapor.

Countless rare flowers and exotic herbs cover the hills and fields, while precious birds and auspicious beasts play among them.

Numerous palaces and pavilions, ancient in design yet subtly aligned with the profound mysteries of the Dao, are built along the slopes in orderly arrangement, revealing the extraordinary bearing and deep foundation of a supreme faction.

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang arrived calmly before the Shanmen of Jin Jin Tingshan.

The mountain gate disciples, sensing their extraordinary aura, dared not delay and hurried inside to report.

Not long after, high-ranking officials of the Ten Directions Divine Palace personally came out to greet them and respectfully escorted the two into the main hall of Jin Jin Tingshan—the Wanxiang Divine Palace.

Within the Wanxiang Divine Palace, the gods awaited in silence.

Upon the throne symbolizing the supreme authority of the Eastern Recluse Alliance, Tai Hao Fu Xi sat upright, his face handsome and refined, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

To his left, in the foremost seat, sat the Deputy Lord, Yu Chendaojun.

He wore a green Daoist robe, a classical sword hung at his waist, his brow radiating heroic vigor, his entire aura sharp and piercing.

To his right, in the foremost seat, [Meng Zhang Yunlu Shenjun] Qinglong sat, clad in blue armor, wearing a golden hairpin crown, his face stern, his whole being enveloped in an ancient, primordial aura.

He was one of the most powerful and venerable titans within the Ten Directions Divine Palace, second only to Fu Xi and Yu Chen.

Along the sides of the hall stood other core high-ranking officials of the Ten Directions Divine Palace: Yunyang Zhenren, He Shen Seeing Bingyi, Linghai Feimoyanqing Zhenjun, Puzhao Zhenren.

All were Great Luo Sovereigns of immense power and profound cultivation.

“Two honored friends, please!” From the main seat, Fu Xi gestured, and two divine seats rose.

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang smiled in return, exchanged formal greetings, and exchanged pleasantries with Fu Xi and the other high-ranking officials of the Ten Directions Divine Palace.

After they were seated, the attendants brought forth fragrant tea and spiritual fruits.

Tai Hao Fu Xi asked curiously, “What brings Daoist Ji Du and Daoist Jing Yao to Jin Jin Tingshan today?”

Tai Shang said, “We come under the Heavenly Emperor’s decree, seeking your alliance in a great undertaking.”

He cut straight to the point, laying out the entire purpose of their visit in meticulous detail to Fu Xi and the palace’s high-ranking officials.

Upon finishing, Tai Shang added with a smile, “If you agree, the throne of the [Xi Huang], one of the Three Divine Sovereigns, is yours.”

“What is your decision?”

After Tai Shang spoke, the entire Wanxiang Divine Palace fell into a brief silence.

Fu Xi casually lifted his teacup, took a small sip, and did not immediately respond.

Beside him, Yu Chen and Meng Zhang Yunlu Shenjun Qinglong exchanged a glance, both their eyes betraying a hint of amusement.

The other Sovereigns appeared to be deep in thought.

In truth, their attention was entirely fixed on the Lord, Fu Xi.

After a long while, Tai Hao Fu Xi finally broke the silence. He set down his teacup, a perfectly measured look of “difficulty” appearing on his face.

“The Heavenly Emperor seeks to establish the Divine Clan and unify all sentient beings—this is an unprecedented achievement since the opening of heaven and earth; Fu Xi deeply admires it.”

“I am profoundly grateful for the Emperor’s gracious invitation.”

“However…” Fu Xi changed his tone.

“The position of [Xi Huang] carries immense responsibility; Fu Xi humbly admits his virtue and fortune are insufficient—I fear I am unfit.”

“Moreover, the Ten Directions Divine Palace is the core of the Eastern Recluse Alliance; daily affairs are numerous and entangled. If I were to leave abruptly, it might destabilize the alliance’s morale, which is not what I wish to see.”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang both laughed: “Daoist, do not modestly downplay yourself. Your blessings extend to all directions; your cultivation is profound, your wisdom exceptional, your abilities outstanding.”

“For countless eons, you have led the Eastern Recluse Alliance, spreading the virtue of the Ten Directions Divine Palace throughout the Three Realms and renowned across the Ten Thousand Worlds.”

“The title of the Three Sovereigns rightfully belongs to you!”

“Please, do not refuse.”

Listening to their flattery, Fu Xi’s eyebrows lifted slightly, his lips curled faintly—he was secretly delighted!

He knew full well this was flattery meant to manipulate him; the next step would be moral coercion.

But who doesn’t enjoy hearing praise?

Occasionally listening to colleagues extol your virtues is a pleasure in itself.

“Alas~~, two honored friends, it is not that Fu Xi is ungrateful—it is that I truly know my virtue does not match the position!”

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang pressed their invitation repeatedly; Fu Xi repeatedly declined.

Soon, the negotiations reached an impasse.

Seeing this, Xiang Xiang Xuanqing sighed softly: “Daoist, we have said all the kind words we could.”

“Yet, the Heavenly Emperor has commanded it—we must bring you to the Heavenly Court for talks.”

“Whether you agree or not, you may discuss it directly with the Heavenly Emperor.”

“Now,” Xiang Xiang Xuanqing paused, then slowly rose to his feet alongside Tai Shang, saying:

“We apologize, but we must act.”

As he spoke, thunder roared, divine light blazed, and both men instantly unleashed overwhelming battle intent!

BOOM!

Fu Xi stared, dumbfounded.

Wait, how did you two turn hostile so suddenly?

“If that’s how it is, then we needn’t be polite!”

Beside him, Yu Chen suddenly laughed aloud and stood up.

His sharp, sword-like eyes blazed with unhidden martial fervor as he addressed Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang:

“Daoist Ji Du, Daoist Jing Yao, the position of [Xi Huang] is of immense consequence—it cannot be decided lightly.”

“Yet, since fate has brought you to Jin Jin Tingshan today and you press us so hard, we would like to test our cultivation against yours.”

Meng Zhang Yunlu Shenjun also rose and said: “If we are fortunate enough to best you even slightly, then we shall no longer refuse the [Xi Huang] throne.”

“Fu Xi will immediately accompany you to the Heavenly Court—how does that sound?”

After a moment of stunned surprise, Fu Xi regained his composure.

He said: “If I am defeated, it proves my cultivation is still shallow and I am truly unfit for this duty. I hope you two will understand and seek a more worthy candidate.”

Huh?

If we win, we still have to listen to you?

Then we came here for nothing!

Tai Shang shook his head gently, his expression apologetic: “We are not forcing you—it is the Emperor’s command we cannot defy.”

“If any of you have grievances, take them up with the Heavenly Court.”

“Right now, our goal is to bring Daoist Fu Xi to Heaven.”

“No matter the method, this objective remains unchanged.”

“Win or lose—it is not your choice to make.”

He emphasized the final words.

Tai Hao Fu Xi’s face still wore his gentle, refined smile.

Even deep within his eyes, a barely contained thrill and anticipation had already risen.

This battle today was unavoidable.

But it was also a perfect chance to see just how far these two colleagues had advanced!

Thus, Tai Hao Fu Xi slowly rose, bowed slightly to Xiang Xiang Xuanqing and Tai Shang, and declared loudly:

“If it must be so, Fu Xi shall risk his life to accompany gentlemen.”

“Two honored brothers, please!”

As Fu Xi finished speaking, boundless clouds surged up throughout the Wanxiang Divine Palace.

The entire heavenly palace underwent a cataclysmic transformation.

Within mere breaths, the palace vanished.

In its place stood an endless, boundless chaos of spacetime.

“This is the supreme training ground of the Ten Directions Divine Palace. Two honored friends, please!”

Fu Xi stood mid-air, his green robes rippling.

Yu Chen stood behind him, arms crossed over his sword.

Qinglong stood beside him, holding his divine halberd upside down.

“Please!” Tai Shang nodded slightly, his words brief yet radiating an ocean-deep, commanding aura.

“Come!”

Tai Hao Fu Xi, Yu Chen, and Meng Zhang Yunlu Shenjun Qinglong no longer hesitated or exchanged formalities—each unleashed their full battle aura!

Above Tai Hao Fu Xi’s head, the Primordial Bagua Diagram slowly materialized; the yin-yang fish spun endlessly, the sixty-four hexagrams flickered in constant birth and death, as if containing all cosmic changes and the ultimate truths of the Dao. An overwhelming pressure of supreme insight—able to perceive past and future, to govern fate’s trajectory—instantly enveloped the entire training ground!

“Daoist, please!”

Before the words had fully faded, Fu Xi hurled the Primordial Bagua Disc into the air!

WUM—!!!

The two primordial spiritual treasures, brimming with infinite stellar transformations and the mysteries of the Zhou Tian, instantly transformed into two beams of divine light—one black, one white—like two yin-yang fish chasing each other in furious spirals above the Ten Directions Divine Palace!

As they spun, the entire Jin Jin Tingshan and the space spanning hundreds of millions of miles began to violently tremble!

Countless mysterious, dazzlingly luminous array runes, as if drawn by some arcane force, converged from all directions and merged into that black-and-white divine light!

In an instant, a colossal, supremely mysterious array—encompassing the entire Jin Jin Tingshan and still spreading outward—was fully formed!

As soon as this array appeared, the winds and clouds changed color, the sun and moon lost their light!

Within the array, the Milky Way reversed, time and space twisted, earth, fire, water, and wind raged and churned, yin and yang and the five elements overturned and clashed!

Countless lifelike spectral beasts of the starry heavens, primordial divine demons, and even legendary ancient ferocious beasts, all condensed from the laws of the Dao, roared and bellowed within the array, radiating a terrifying aura that made the heart tremble!

This was the [Primordial Ultimate Array]—created by Hearing Fu Xi after eons of painstaking effort, synthesizing his profound insights into the Zhou Tian Stars, He Luo numerology, and the principles of the “Primordial Five Tai”!

“Comrade Ji Du, this array is the crystallization of my lifetime’s wisdom, containing three thousand six hundred and fifty transformations, corresponding to the number of the Zhou Tian Stars; it also secretly aligns with the principles of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, evolving the mysterious interplay of the Five Elements’ generation and overcoming!”

“It further integrates the true essence of reversal inherent in Taiji, Tai Su, Tai Shi, Tai Chu, and Tai Yi—truly encompassing all phenomena, endlessly variable!”

“If you can endure within this array for seven sevens—forty-nine days—and ultimately locate its core and break free, then I declare you the victor!” Hearing Fu Xi’s voice echoed from all sides of the array, filled with confidence—and a trace of anticipation.

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing stood at the center of the array, feeling the terrifying pressure surging around him like crashing waves, and the ever-shifting, lethally treacherous transformations of the array.

On his noble, striking face, there was not a trace of fear—only a smile brimming with excitement and battle lust.

“Excellent array! Truly an excellent array!” Xiang Xiang Xuanqing clapped his hands in admiration.

“Comrade Hearing Fu Xi, you are truly the Ancestor of Wisdom—this array’s profundity and subtlety is unparalleled in my life!”

“To personally experience it today is a fortune of three lifetimes!”

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing was indeed a worthy Hearing Fu Xi fan.

Seeing Hearing Fu Xi reveal even a sliver of his true power, he promptly lavished praise upon him.

This pleased Hearing Fu Xi immensely.

“But…”

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing shifted tone and laughed: “To think you can trap me for forty-nine days with this array alone, Comrade—you vastly underestimate me!”

“Watch me—Black Clouds Cover My Crown!”

Before the words had fully left his lips, a primordial divine star descended from above Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s head, pouring forth boundless black qi to form the Ten Thousand Heavens’ Auspicious Clouds.

Countless beams of jet-black light burst forth, cascading like waterfalls, firmly shielding Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s entire body.

No matter how violently the earth, fire, water, and wind raged within the array, nor how fiercely the starry beasts roared, not a single hair of his was harmed!

“Unassailable by all methods, all evils retreat!”

Xiang Xiang Xuanqing proclaimed loudly: “Comrade, your Ultimate Array cannot touch me!”

Then, with a slight flick of his right hand, the Ji Du Divine Sword transformed into a supreme divine light—cleaving open heaven and earth, severing all karmic bonds—and struck fiercely toward a critical node of the array!

“BOOM—!!!”

A deafening, earth-shattering roar echoed.

The previously flawless, smoothly operating [Primordial Ultimate Array] trembled slightly under Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s seemingly casual strike!

Some of its internal array runes even dimmed and destabilized!

“Huh?!”

Outside the array, Hearing Fu Xi’s heart gave a slight jolt—“Incredible!”

“He directly bypassed all my array’s transformations and struck straight at its core!”

Yet he did not panic—only shifted his intent.

The primordial Eight Trigrams disc above shimmered brightly once more; countless new array runes surged forth, instantly mending the breach and making the entire array’s operation even more profound and unpredictable!

“Comrade Ji Du, don’t get too cocky!”

“My array is not merely defensive!”

Hearing Fu Xi’s voice returned, heavy with gravity.

As his words fell, the array’s atmosphere shifted violently!

The roaring starry beasts and primordial divine demon specters instantly fused together, coalescing into a terrifying giant wielding a star-studded great axe, clad in chaotic battle armor!

The giant roared, and his star-studded axe descended with the power to annihilate heaven and earth, striking straight at Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s head!

Simultaneously, the four elemental forces—earth, fire, water, and wind—within the array surged wildly, transforming into four colossal elemental dragons, each embodying destruction, devouring, freezing, and tearing, attacking Xiang Xiang Xuanqing from the four cardinal directions!

Moreover, under Hearing Fu Xi’s deliberate guidance, the five primordial sources—Taiji, Tai Su, Tai Shi, Tai Chu, and Tai Yi—coalesced into an incomprehensibly mysterious giant grinding wheel, hovering above Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s head, slowly turning and radiating a terrifying pressure that made the soul quake!

“Perfect!” Xiang Xiang Xuanqing, upon seeing this, did not fear—he rejoiced.

He let out a long, thunderous roar, his battle spirit soaring to the heavens!

In his left hand appeared a round, gleaming pearl.

This was the Li Zhu, representing “the origin of all phenomena, the dawn of the universe.”

Yet now, the Li Zhu had disguised itself—jet-black as charcoal, its radiance fully contained, with only endless black qi surging forth.

Within the boundless black qi, a brand-new universe seemed to be born, evolving, and growing!

“BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!”

The “newly born universe” formed by the Li Zhu crashed violently into the giant’s star-studded axe and the four elemental dragons’ attacks!

The entire [Primordial Ultimate Array] shuddered violently, as if on the verge of collapse!

Boundless energy storms swept outward, shredding the surrounding chaotic aether into fragments!

Yet at the very heart of this energy storm, Xiang Xiang Xuanqing’s figure stood tall and unscathed!

The Ten Thousand Heavens’ Auspicious Clouds above his head poured down myriad streams of black qi, blocking every residual shockwave.

The Ji Du Divine Sword in his hand had transformed into an invincible “Heaven-Cleaving Divine Sword.”

Each swing struck with pinpoint precision at the array’s weakest points, causing the entire array’s operation to grow increasingly sluggish and strained!

“Comrade Hearing Fu Xi! Your array is exquisite, but to trap me—you still lack the final touch!” Xiang Xiang Xuanqing declared loudly.

“Today, let me show you the true might of—Heaven-Cleaving, Earth-Splitting Power!”