Chapter 1021: Chapter 1040: Three Conditions of the Law
"I knew you, Hong Jun, wouldn’t dare gamble."
Ye Xuan tightly held the Heavenly Spirits of Yuanshi Tianzun and Laozi, letting out an extreme, manic laughter.
"Ye Xuan, you’ve won. Release the two of them." Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor spoke in a deep voice.
"Daoist Ye, let them go." the Heavenly Sect Master transmitted secretly.
It’s often said that leave a line open in life for the sake of meeting again.
Though Ye Xuan disdained this saying, believing more in eliminating all threats, in this situation, he couldn’t push Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor too far, lest it turned into a lose-lose scenario.
Bang!
Ye Xuan casually tossed the two Saints away, allowing Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun to narrowly escape a deadly tribulation and quickly come to Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s side, looking at Ye Xuan with eyes filled with extreme fear.
At this moment, neither side could do anything to the other. Hong Jun couldn’t kill Ye Xuan, and Ye Xuan couldn’t possibly kill Hong Jun, because he simply wasn’t a match for Hong Jun.
Although Ye Xuan could madly kill Yuanshi Tianzun and Daode Tianzun, it would only infuriate Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor. The Heavenly Court would surely be destroyed by Hong Jun, which would be of no benefit to Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan never engaged in unprofitable matters, and he had also promised the Heavenly Sect Master to spare the lives of Yuanshi Tianzun and Laozi, and he couldn’t break his word to the Heavenly Sect Master.
"Ye Xuan, although I, in truth, cannot kill you, you should not act too excessively. How about you and I make a three-clause pact today?" Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor, after three moments of silence, finally spoke slowly.
"Three-clause pact?" Ye Xuan furrowed his brows.
"First, hand over Zhunti and Jieyin’s Hongmeng Purple Qi."
"Second, after today, you shall not involve yourself in the disputes of the Three Realms, and what they call the Saints shall not be arbitrarily killed."
"Third, I want you to cultivate the Power of Space-Time cultivation technique, and I will exchange with you using the Creation Jade Disk."
"Of course, if you agree to these three conditions, I will cease to manifest in the world, and the entire Three Realms will recognize you as superior."
"Otherwise, even if it means the collapse of Heaven and Earth today, I don’t need the lives of these two disciples, and I will definitely suppress you here." Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor spoke coldly.
"Do you take me for a three-year-old child?" Ye Xuan sneered repeatedly, looking at Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor with a gaze filled with mockery.
"Ye Xuan, though you control the Power of Space-Time, I cannot do anything to you. But don’t forget, I preside over the Heavenly Dao, and the operation of space-time in this Heaven and Earth of the Three Realms is a matter of my thought alone." Hong Jun spoke coldly.
"Hmm?"
Ye Xuan’s brows furrowed slightly, a hint of gravity crossing his eyes as if he recalled something at that moment.
"I may not understand the Power of Space-Time, but the order of the Three Realms is under my control. If I reverse the order of space-time in the Three Realms, I might also be able to suppress you." Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor explained slowly.
"Unfortunately, if you reverse the order of space-time of the Three Realms, the entire Three Realms will turn into a vacuum, and all the mountains, rivers, and Spirits will cease to exist. Such a price you cannot bear either." Ye Xuan sneered repeatedly.
Ye Xuan knew Hong Jun wasn’t lying. Hong Jun presided over the Heavenly Dao. If he reversed the order of the Three Realms, he indeed could suppress him here, but the price would be the extinction of all Spirits and the end of Heaven and Earth, a lose-lose outcome.
"Indeed, I cannot bear it, and neither can you, young friend Ye. Hence, I sought a three-clause pact with you." Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor spoke deeply.
"Alright, I can agree to you, but these three conditions need some alteration." Ye Xuan pondered briefly, then spoke gloomily.
"How would you like to alter them?"
"First, I can only give you one of Jieyin and Zhunti’s Hongmeng Purple Qi; the remaining one I will keep."
"Second, I can stay out of the turmoil of the Three Realms, and avoid killing the so-called Saints, but if someone provokes me, don’t blame me for breaking our agreement, and I will certainly strike them down."
"As for the third condition, wanting me to cultivate the Power of Space-Time techniques is impossible."
Ye Xuan spoke coldly, indicating his final bottom line.
He must keep one Hongmeng Purple Qi himself, never fully returning them to Hong Jun.
Regarding the turmoil of the Three Realms, with his current cultivation, Ye Xuan disdains getting involved, and as for Heavenly Dao Saints, only Laozi and Yuanshi remain, and he could temporarily spare their lives.
As for the final clause concerning the Power of Space-Time, it is his lifeline, and even in destruction, he could never consent to Hong Jun.
At this moment.
Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor pondered, his eyes occasionally flashing with murderous intent, but ultimately subsided, as he weighed advantages and disadvantages, recognizing this was Ye Xuan’s utmost limit.
"Alright, Daoist friend Ye, it’s settled then."
"Here is the Hongmeng Purple Qi."
Ye Xuan directly struck out with the Hongmeng Purple Qi, which Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor caught in his hand. He took a deep look at Ye Xuan, then abruptly turned to leave.
"Wait."
Before Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor could leave, Ye Xuan suddenly called out to him.
"Hong Jun, I know you are contemplating how to break my Power of Space-Time, and more so, thinking of suppressing me at your hand. But I assure you, when I reach the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations, I will definitely ascend to Zixiao Palace to seek you out." Ye Xuan spoke with hands behind his back.
"Very well, I shall await you."
Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s expression shifted, then vanished into a wisp of blue smoke, nonetheless accepting Ye Xuan’s challenge as he departed.
In plain terms, today’s so-called three-clause pact was merely a move for each to stabilize the other, with latent killing intent germinating in both their hearts, and the wait begins to see who will master a way to balance the other first.
If Ye Xuan attains the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations, he will surely ascend to Zixiao Palace to annihilate Hong Jun.
Should Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor find a way to break the Power of Space-Time, he will make a move to suppress Ye Xuan at the first opportunity, and thus their contest begins.
With the departure of Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor, Yuanshi Tianzun and Laozi gave Ye Xuan a deep look, then left without a word, presumably after this confrontation, they would sequester themselves, never daring to oppose Ye Xuan again.
"Daoist friend Ye, I am ashamed."
The Heavenly Sect Master cupped his hands in a salute. Although he redeemed his past shame today, he also set Ye Xuan against Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor, for which he would feel immensely guilty if Ye Xuan were to fall by Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s hand.
"Daoist friend Tongtian, there’s no need for this. This is what I, Ye Xuan, owed you, and it’s only right to return it." Ye Xuan smiled slightly, though a hint of gravity flickered in his eyes.
Time, Ye Xuan needed time.
Today’s appearance of Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor put great pressure on him. Although he temporarily steadied Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor, should the other find a way to break his Power of Space-Time, he would face a life-and-death tribulation.
Thus, Ye Xuan must advance to the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations as swiftly as possible, as only by doing so could he possess power comparable to Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor.
The Nine Tribulations of the Heavenly Dao, where every tribulation spells almost certain death, with the Third, Sixth, and Ninth tribulations being major thresholds. Should Ye Xuan transcend the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations, his cultivation would undergo an earth-shattering transformation.
A pressing sense loomed over Ye Xuan, as not only was he striving towards the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations, but also Demon Ancestor Luo Hou was cultivating in the shadows.
Bear in mind that the Myriad Feet Red Dust Technique didn’t pale compared to his Undying Immortal Scripture, besides Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor, Luo Hou was also his life-and-death adversary.