The Styx was silent for a long time. Which of the primordial deities did not possess their own pride, let alone be an elite among them?
However, he had indeed not realized that this era was no longer his.
Some matters, he had thought too simply, and had underestimated the three tribes too much.
The Styx gathered his thoughts inward. Though resentment lingered, he knew the person before him was acting for his own good.
A powerful being with only the tenth heaven of Great Luo, no background, possessing two supreme-grade primordial spirit treasures, and the Karma Fire Red Lotus, was truly a tempting morsel for the myriad supreme beings and great powers of the world.
Fortunately, he had not used the spiritual treasure that had yet to emerge, or he would have invited even greater trouble.
The Styx knew he had been too ostentatious. It was Qing Ling who had saved him.
Moreover, hiding here was the safest place, freeing him from the avarice of the great powers of the heavens and earth.
Thus, the Styx remained peacefully within the Luo Sheng Flower, enduring the agony of his physical body being corroded by the Yellow Springs water once every thousand years, and suffering the torment of his soul being gnawed by the River of Oblivion water once every ten thousand years.
The Yellow Springs water could strengthen his physique and forge his Dao foundation, while the River of Oblivion water could temper his primordial spirit, preventing it from being clouded by murderous intent.
As for the Yuan Tu and Abi twin swords, they were suppressed by Qing Ling beneath the Jianmu tree.
Ten thousand years thus passed, and by the Three Lives Stone in the Underworld, an uninvited guest arrived.
Daoist Qing Xuan narrowed his eyes, looking at the newcomer.
One was a great power of the Qilin tribe who had once fought the Styx in the Sea of Blood. Though he held an advantage in cultivation, he could not defeat the Styx with the Sea of Blood as his support.
The other was a newly risen great power of the Qilin tribe who had been making waves in recent eons, Mo Yu the Qilin.
Mo Yu stood by the Sea of Blood, gazing at the Three Lives Stone amidst the彼岸花 (Bi An Hua - Shore Flower), looking at the equally young Daoist.
Of the three tribes, these two had gained the most attention in the past hundred eons. However, this Daoist was far more radiant, being the master of Jianmu, the master of the Earthly Dao, and having control over the four seasons, presiding over the grand weather of the Primordial World, greatly enhancing the prestige of the Dragon tribe.
Just as Mo Yu was about to speak, the elder of the Sang Tu tribe beside him chuckled and said, "Are you perhaps Dao Master Qing Xuan? Those who hold multiple divine authorities are indeed extraordinary. I am Sang Tu of the Qilin tribe, and this is Mo Yu beside me. We have come uninvited today, I hope we are not intruding."
Since the other party had shown considerable sincerity, he could not possibly reject them with a cold shoulder.
"You are too kind, fellow Daoists. To us, you are guests, and it is I who should have welcomed you more warmly." Despite his words, he made no move to rise.
Sang Tu paid no mind to this, and continued with a smile, "I heard that a few years ago, you single-handedly suppressed this malevolent being of the Sea of Blood, stabilizing its peace. Your divine abilities truly put me to shame."
Qing Xuan Daoist's eyes were calm. "Are you two here to find fellow Daoist Styx? Unfortunately, fellow Daoist Styx is in seclusion cultivating and cannot receive guests."
Mo Yu scoffed inwardly, but his voice, gentle and refined, boomed, "Dao Master is correct. Since fellow Daoist Styx is in seclusion, it is the same to discuss certain matters with you."
Daoist Qing Xuan's brows slightly lifted. "Please do not address us so casually. I am not a friend of your path. This term 'fellow Daoist' does not apply to me. I call Styx 'fellow Daoist' because he has entered my Underworld Dao, becoming a successor of my Dao, and also entered my Dragon tribe's Dao, thus becoming a friend of my Dao."
The Styx within the flower only wished to curse. When had he become a subordinate of the Earthly Dao? And when had he become a subordinate of the Dragon tribe?
Qing Xuan Daoist had spoken casually, and the Qilin tribe had already taken it to mean he was truly allied with Qing Ling and the Dragon tribe. Even if he jumped into the Sea of Blood, he would not be able to clear his name or explain the situation.
A cold glint flashed in Sang Tu's eyes. "This child, Styx, has an extremely high origin. If not removed, he will surely become a great enemy in the future. So, you intend to protect the Styx definitively?"
Daoist Qing Xuan alluded, "Does Sang Tu Qilin speak of the Styx, or his two spiritual treasures?"
Upon seeing that the two sides had already revealed their hostility, Mo Yu's smile vanished, and he sneered, "Even if you are a great power of the heavens and earth, do you truly believe you can block my Qilin tribe?"
Daoist Qing Xuan laughed. "Do you believe the Dragon tribe cannot block the Qilin tribe? Back then, when the Ancestral Dragon Qing Long was enraged, he swept across billions of miles of Qilin territory. I don't recall any Qilin figures being able to resist him."
"Presumptuous!"
"How dare you!"
The two immediately flew into a rage. The battle in the Eastern Mountain forest was a great humiliation for the Qilin tribe, not only losing face but also their eastern ancestral land spanning billions of miles. This was a topic that could not be mentioned among the Qilin tribe.
They attacked in anger, and a phantom of a towering mountain descended, its immense weight crashing towards the 彼岸花 (Bi An Hua - Shore Flower).
A jade brush of shimmering jade floated into the air, held by Mo Yu. He raised his brush to draw restrictions, and a Dao pattern of "鎮" (zhen - suppress) appeared, merging into the divine mountain.
Immediately, winds and clouds churned, the void was sealed, and escape was impossible for ten thousand miles.
Daoist Qing Xuan shook his head and laughed. Aside from the supreme powers, who in the Earthly Dao or the path of earth could surpass him, the master of the Earthly Dao?
He extended a palm to support the sky, the imprint of the Earthly Dao in his palm manipulating the authority of the earth. He actually lifted a colossal mountain, millions of miles high, with his bare hand.
Sang Tu's expression changed, and he transmitted, "This person is the master of the Earthly Dao. My path primarily cultivates the Great Dao of Earth, so he has no suppression over me. You will have to be the main attacker."
Mo Yu nodded, a cold light flashing in his eyes. He held his jade brush, painting mountains and rivers, and with a light flick, created splendor.
The phenomenon of a great world appeared, resembling a vast universe, revolving around Qing Xuan.
Qing Xuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled, "Interesting."
He stood up and stepped into the great world. Space intertwined and meandered, time and space were chaotic and disordered, the universe was fixed, and the heavens and earth were strange. Here, his Dao seemed to cease to exist; he was like an ordinary mortal.
Outside the great world, Mo Yu's brush moved swiftly, flying dragons and snakes, winding and stretching, but simultaneously, his primordial spirit suffered immense drain.
Seeing this, Sang Tu leaped forward, intending to fly to the side of the Three Lives Stone and seize the opportunity to find the Styx.
But the moment he flew over, surging Yellow Springs water gushed forth, and the River of Oblivion waves raged, like two giant pythons, one yellow and one red, coiling around Sang Tu.
Sang Tu extended his hand and summoned a treasured cauldron. It was a top-grade spirit treasure with twenty-four layers of Dao禁 (jin - prohibition), the Xuanshan Divine Cauldron, a relic of a Chaos God-Demon, possessing both offense and defense.
The lid of the divine cauldron opened and closed, emitting a powerful suction force, attempting to absorb the two rivers into the cauldron.
However, the twin rivers were supreme treasures of the Earthly Dao, how could they be easily suppressed?
The divine rivers, like twin pythons, wove through, gathering more and more water from the River of Oblivion and the Yellow Springs. The twin rivers transformed into pythons, one on the left and one on the right, opening their giant mouths simultaneously and biting the divine cauldron, each taking half.
Seeing this, Sang Tu poured his boundless magic power, the treasured cauldron enlarged, and strained against the divine rivers. But the twin rivers also enlarged, swallowing the divine cauldron again. This repeated.
He then quickly took a step, landing on the small island where the Three Lives Stone stood.
But at that very moment, the Three Lives Stone shone with divine light. Sang Tu's mind was captured, and he fell into three lifetimes, becoming motionless.
Concurrently, Daoist Qing Xuan stepped out of the great world created by the brush. Three thousand pure white derivative light chains, like three thousand divine swords, pierced this illusory pen-made great world, freeing Qing Xuan from his restraints.
Mo Yu's expression changed, and he quickly took out a bag, intending to capture Qing Xuan within it.
But Qing Xuan was faster. He stepped back, and a Luo Sheng Flower swallowed the motionless Sang Tu. The twin rivers flung away the Xuanshan Divine Cauldron, blocking the devouring power of the black leather bag.
The two pythons descended and transformed back into rivers.
Qing Ling sat smiling beside the Three Lives Stone and said, "Sang Tu is now in my hands. If you do not wish him harm, why not send your tribe's supreme powers to make promises and negotiate his release?"
Mo Yu's expression was startled. "You did this intentionally?"
Daoist Qing Xuan smiled. "Otherwise? If I hadn't intentionally allowed myself to be drawn into your divine ability, how could Sang Tu have reached the vicinity of the Three Lives Stone? Aside from the Three Lives Stone, I have no other means to instantly subdue a great power of the heavens and earth. I want to see whether the spiritual treasures are more important, or the weight of a great power of the heavens and earth."
The Styx within the Luo Sheng Flower saw this and understood. So, scheming was also a form of strength. Capturing a great power of the heavens and earth in exchange for a promise. A promise not to seize treasures again.
Mo Yu also understood. The other party had likely begun plotting from the moment they stepped into the Underworld, perhaps even thinking of this opportunity when suppressing the Styx.
The enemy knew himself and his foe, while he was merely a brute, a reckless fool. He did not lose unjustly; his defeat was understandable.