Outside Senluo City, two figures, one grey and one red, approached.
They passed through Senluo City and entered Dudong.
The two cupped their fists and bowed, saying, "Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, we have come to pay respects to senior."
A woman in white emerged from a sea of pure white flowers. She smiled and said, "I am Bei Xu, the Guardian of Dudong. Esteemed Daoist friends have come from afar, please come in!"
Hong Yun's expression shifted slightly. He quickly replied with a smile, "Thank you, Daoist friend. We have come uninvited, and I fear we may have disturbed senior's peaceful cultivation."
"You jest, Daoist friend. Dudong is open to those with predestined affinity. Our Dao Master says that all who can walk out of Senluo City and enter Dudong are people of predestined affinity."
Bei Xu led the way, with Hong Yun and Zhen Yuan following behind.
Zhen Yuanzi remained silent for a long time. His Great Dao of Earth began to tremble as soon as he entered this place, stirring his heart and mind.
The three seemed to shrink the ground beneath their feet, and in just a moment, they arrived beneath the Jianmu tree.
Qing Ling descended from Jianmu and looked at the newcomers.
Zhen Yuan and Hong Yun both bowed, saying, "We pay respects to senior."
Qing Ling's eyes held a smile. He raised his hand to gently support them, saying, "You two young friends are both innate deities. Why should there be a distinction of seniority between you?"
Hong Yun smiled upon hearing this and was about to speak.
Zhen Yuanzi, however, spoke before him, "While that is true, in the Dao, there is a precedence of arrival and a precedence of attainment. Senior has already surpassed us, so naturally, your seniority is different."
Qing Ling smiled, not engaging with that statement, and asked, "Why have you two come?"
Hong Yun, with his free-spirited nature, eagerly chimed in, "We were merely traveling through the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, and we heard that you have a Jianmu tree here that can support the heavens. That is why we have come to witness it!"
Qing Ling smiled and asked, "Now that you have seen it, what do you think?"
Hong Yun scratched his head and said, "Big, it is truly big!
Tall, it is truly tall!
Vast, it is truly vast!"
Upon hearing this, even Bei Xu, standing beside them, couldn't help but let out a laugh.
Qing Ling's laughter continued, "Young friend Hong Yun has a good eye."
He then looked at Zhen Yuanzi and smiled, saying, "Young friend Zhen Yuan, you have come for the opportunity of the Great Dao, haven't you?"
Zhen Yuanzi quickly nodded in agreement, "Senior sees clearly. This junior indeed has guidance from the Great Dao and humbly requests senior's guidance."
Qing Ling pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "It is not that I will not help you, but the time is not yet right!
However, I must also tell you one thing: the Dao must be sought both upwards and downwards!"
"The Dao is sought from above, the Dao is sought from below," Zhen Yuanzi murmured to himself.
Although Hong Yun was curious, he said nothing more, only observing the various things in Dudong.
Unexpectedly, Qing Ling suddenly spoke, "Young friend Hong Yun, are you willing to join my Earth Dao?"
Hong Yun was startled, "Is senior joking?"
Qing Ling shook his head, "This is no jest."
Hong Yun's brow furrowed, and a look of struggle crossed his face. He then said, "Thank you for your kind offer, senior, but unfortunately, Hong Yun is naturally unrestrained, drifting with the clouds, and cannot bear loneliness or silent contemplation. I fear I would waste your good intentions."
Qing Ling was not angered, and smiled, "So be it, it is all destiny.
I am about to go out. Would you two young friends be interested in accompanying me to see the sights of the Underworld?"
Hong Yun's interest was immediately piqued, and he said, "This junior is willing. I have long heard tales of the Underworld, but have never seen it. Today, thanks to senior's grace, I shall have the chance to glimpse it!"
Zhen Yuan's heart stirred, and he also nodded, "This junior is also willing to observe. The Earth and the Underworld must be connected; perhaps there is a Dao affinity to be found."
At the same time, in the Underworld's sea of blood, winds and clouds surged, and the sky was oppressively dark.
Tens of thousands of Asura troops stood upon the sea of blood, its eerie red waters churning incessantly.
Ming He was already standing in the sky, with Consort Wu Mo by his side.
Various powerful beings were hidden in the void of the sea of blood, awaiting the birth of a supreme treasure of the sea of blood!
At the center of the crowd's gaze was a black rainbow light, the pure essence of Kan water, shooting directly from the bottom of the sea of blood.
Waves of the Great Dao of Water rolled and swept in all directions, enticing the greed and desires of more people.
When the black light reached its peak intensity, a vast and boundless light of the Water Dao shot up into the sky. At this moment, even Quasi-Saint powerhouses were forced to retreat.
When a supreme treasure is born, it is accompanied by the might of a supreme treasure. This is why no one dares to act and seize the treasure before it is born.
"Boom~"
The waters of the four seas churned, rivers and lakes boiled, and the sea of blood itself was whipped into colossal waves!
The energy of the Northern Kan water spread across the sky, and a black treasure banner stood in the void, to which all waters in heaven and earth submitted.
"Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner!"
It was unclear which great being spoke, but they revealed the origin of this treasure.
The Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner is the Northern Banner of the Five Banners of Heaven and Earth, controlling the source of all waters in the world, capable of controlling all waters. It is a supreme Water Element treasure, a top-grade Innate Spirit Treasure with thirty-six layers of Dao restrictions!
The hidden powerful beings in the void all coveted it with fervent eyes, wishing they could seize the banner immediately.
Without further ado, a great being made a move.
A gigantic, earth-yellow hand emerged from the void, about to snatch the Xuan Yuan Banner with a single sweep.
Before Ming He could act, a vast blue net descended, covering an area of ten thousand miles, ensnaring even the giant hand!
Ming He let out a cold snort and drew his Tu Sheng sword. A terrifying killing intent flashed like lightning, instantly severing the spirit net and shattering the giant hand.
"Ming He! You have destroyed my Xuantiān Luo Net!" an enraged roar echoed, and a dark treasure pagoda descended from the sky, its black malevolent energy obscuring the heavens, plunging everything into darkness.
In the darkness, the hidden powerful beings who had been waiting for an opportunity began to fight for the Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner.
Treasure light flickered within the black malevolent mist, and various divine abilities bloomed, engaged in unending combat.
Suddenly, a deafening roar repelled the pervading black miasma, and a woman in purple robes emerged. She chuckled lightly, and the purple wolf apparition behind her pressed down, its colossal wolf phantom roaring and driving back all the treasures.
"Quasi-Saint powerhouse!"
"One of the Ten Elders of Penglai Immortal Island!"
"Hiss~"
The hidden powerful beings around them became wary, but none left or revealed themselves.
In matters of seizing treasures, one must remain hidden. For once one's identity is exposed, seizing a spirit treasure would lead to countless enemies coming to hunt them down.
Therefore, if one's strength is insufficient, they can only seize treasures in secret. In times of crisis, it is better to forgo the treasure than to reveal one's identity.
The woman in purple smiled charmingly, "This treasure is destined to belong to my Penglai Immortal Island. Those who oppose me oppose the Immortal King!"
But the Quasi-Saint pressure emanating from her was extremely imposing!
Upon hearing this, the powerful beings present dared not make a move.
They dared to offend this Purple Sky Immortal Elder for a spirit treasure, but they truly dared not offend the Immortal King or Penglai Immortal Island.
After all, Penglai Immortal Island boasted Ten Elders and a Hundred Immortals, and only Xi Kunlun could contend with them in all the world.
Ming He let out a cold laugh, "This treasure is the supreme treasure of my Sea of Blood, how can you claim it so easily?"
The Purple Sky Immortal Elder chuckled, "Mere Da Luo Golden Immortals, daring to contend with me, a Quasi-Saint?"
"Heh, a mere pseudo-Quasi-Saint, daring to speak so boastfully in my Sea of Blood?" Ming He said fearlessly, even with a hint of mockery.
The powerful beings around them were astonished upon hearing this, "What is a pseudo-Quasi-Saint?"
"The Quasi-Saint realm is a boundary personally established by the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, how can it be a pseudo-Quasi-Saint?"
"Could it be that Penglai Immortal Island's method of severing three corpses is false? Therefore, the Quasi-Saint achieved is also a pseudo-Quasi-Saint?"
The Purple Sky Immortal Elder's face turned furious as he shouted, "Presumptuous! Stop your wild ramblings!"