Chapter 1050: Chapter 1069: Unworthy of Being an Enemy
Heaven and Earth are Limitless, the stars vast and boundless.
Where the Zixiao Palace is located, no one knows, and only three people can find the Zixiao Palace, those three being the Saints of the Three Pure Ones.
To Harmonize with Heaven, to wield the Heavenly Dao!
These eight words are as weighty as the eternal Heavenly Vault, further declaring the terrifying might of Hongjun Daozu. He can indeed be called the strongest in Heaven and Earth.
Inside the Zixiao Palace.
Daozu Hongjun sat cross-legged atop a cloud cluster, the ethereal sound of the Great Dao faintly emanating, various profound meanings of the Heavenly Dao issuing from his mouth. It is the sound of myriad Laws and mysterious ultimate truths, allowing one to comprehend the ultimate Profound Meaning of existence.
Three figures sat cross-legged below Hongjun, namely, Daode Tianzun, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad. They listened devoutly to Hongjun Daozu’s teachings, though a trace of worry occasionally flickered in their eyes.
Ye Xuan’s reappearance in the mortal world signifies a great tribulation for the three of them. Should Ye Xuan find them, it will surely mean certain death.
Evidently, the three hid within the Zixiao Palace to evade Ye Xuan, as only beside Hongjun Daozu could they avoid catastrophe.
"The three of you are unsettled and unable to comprehend the sound of the Heavenly Dao." Hongjun Daozu slowly opened his eyes, his voice indifferent and calm.
"Teacher, Ye Xuan has reappeared in the mortal world. He will certainly not spare us, and we cannot calm our minds to listen to your teachings, for which we feel deeply ashamed," Yuanshi Tianzun said solemnly.
"Alas."
Hongjun Daozu shook his head and sighed, "Ye Xuan is the greatest anomaly in Heaven and Earth. When that phantom buried him in the Bronze Ancient Coffin, I had surmised that he might reappear in the world one day."
"Teacher, can even you not restrain this Ye Xuan?" Lao Zi asked with a hint of discontent.
"Difficult, difficult, difficult!"
Hongjun Daozu repeatedly shook his head, uttering the word ’difficult’ thrice before sighing longly, "I control the operations of the Heavenly Dao, dealing with aberrations on behalf of Heaven. But Ye Xuan’s momentum has already formed; his Cultivation has reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Dao Seven Tribulations, and he has also cultivated the Power of Space-Time. At this moment, I have no means to deal with him."
"Then... doesn’t that mean he is invincible in Heaven and Earth?" Lord Lao Zi spoke with a tremble, already feeling regretful. If he had stayed in the Heavenly Court back then, why would he need to hide in the Zixiao Palace today?
"Beneath the Heavenly Dao, all beings submit. As long as he does not become the Saint of all Saints, he must still remain under the Heavenly Dao. If he wishes to transcend the control of the Heavenly Dao, he is merely daydreaming," Hongjun Daozu said coldly.
"But, Teacher, now even you cannot restrain him. What of the so-called Heavenly Dao...?" Yuanshi Tianzun wanted to speak but stopped, a great worry in his eyes.
"Presumptuous!"
Hongjun’s expression changed, coldly reprimanding Yuanshi Tianzun, which made Yuanshi Tianzun tremble, realizing he had misspoken.
"Disciple knows his mistake. Please punish me, Teacher." Yuanshi Tianzun hastily kowtowed.
"The Heavenly Dao is supreme, not to be taken lightly. This shall be the first and only time, let it not happen again," Hongjun Daozu said sternly.
"Disciple solemnly remembers Teacher’s teachings." Yuanshi Tianzun quickly kowtowed and agreed.
Watching Yuanshi Tianzun exhibit an apologetic demeanor, Hongjun Daozu’s expression finally softened, saying, "I am not able to restrain Ye Xuan now because he has not yet overcome the Heavenly Dao Eight Tribulations. Once he overcomes the Heavenly Dao Eight Tribulations, the will of the Heavenly Dao will descend again, and I can bury him in Heaven and Earth."
"Moreover, the path of Proving Dao with Power is the path once walked by Pangu, and even Pangu fell. Even if he overcomes the Heavenly Dao Eight Tribulations, he will surely die under the Heavenly Dao Nine Tribulations. This is his fate, and no one can change it."
"You should focus on cultivating here. I reckon Ye Xuan would not dare to come to the Zixiao Palace to trouble you." Hongjun Daozu said sternly.
Rumble!
Suddenly, just as Hongjun Daozu’s words fell, the entire Zixiao Palace was shaking violently, an indescribable pressure weighing down on the Zixiao Palace. This changed Hongjun Daozu’s expression and made Lao Zi and the others’ hearts quiver.
"He... he has come... he actually came?" Lord Lao Zi trembled and spoke. He was too familiar with Ye Xuan’s aura and immediately sensed Ye Xuan approaching the Zixiao Palace.
"How could this be? How dare he come to the Zixiao Palace?" Yuanshi Tianzun exclaimed in shock.
At this moment.
Hongjun Daozu’s face flushed. He had just claimed that Ye Xuan dared not come here to trouble them, yet the next moment Ye Xuan actually arrived, which was a direct slap to his dignity.
"Utterly brazen!" Hongjun Daozu spoke coldly, stepping out of the Zixiao Palace.
Lao Zi and the others exchanged a glance, not daring to linger in the Zixiao Palace. They hurriedly followed Hongjun Daozu out, though a great worry flashed in their eyes.
Outside the Zixiao Palace.
Rumble!
The eight directions shook, the Star Sea churned, and two rays of rainbow light shot forth, instantly appearing above the Zixiao Palace. It was Ye Xuan and the Heavenly Sect Master.
"Daoist Ye, we meet again."
Hongjun Daozu suddenly manifested, with Daode Tianzun and the other two following closely behind. Yet when the three saw Ye Xuan, fear flickered in their eyes.
"Meeting or not does not matter, because you are not worthy as my opponent," Ye Xuan stood proud in the starry sky, gazing at Hongjun with indifferent eyes.
"Presumptuous," Yuanshi Tianzun angrily rebuked, though his voice was lacking in conviction.
"Ye Xuan, have you forgotten how you were suppressed back in the day, or do you wish to endure the same fate again today?" Daode Tianzun loudly scolded.
"Daoist Ye, don’t you think you’re a bit too arrogant?" Hongjun Daozu furrowed his brow.
Since the opening of the heavens and the earth, no one has ever dared to speak to Hong Jun Daozu in such a manner, which immediately made Hong Jun Daozu’s face a bit hard to maintain.
"Cutting Three Corpses to achieve Dao is a minor path. In my view, your power comes from the Heavenly Dao. Without the support of the Heavenly Dao’s will, you are no match for me. Did I say anything incorrect?" Ye Xuan spoke calmly.
"You...?"
Hongjun Daozu’s face turned livid. He wanted to refute Ye Xuan, but the words stuck in his throat because what Ye Xuan said was indeed true.
Hongjun Daozu knows his own strengths; his might is entirely based on the support of the Heavenly Dao’s will. Without this support, he would at best have the Cultivation comparable to the Heavenly Dao Six Tribulations.
"Heavenly Sect Master, you, a member of the Three Pure Ones, have associated with Ye Xuan, bringing him to the teacher’s Zixiao Palace," Yuanshi Tianzun loudly rebuked the Heavenly Sect Master.
"Yuanshi, this is not your concern. Ye Xuan is my close friend, and you have no right to dictate my actions."
The Heavenly Sect Master retorted sharply, then bowed respectfully to Hongjun and said, "Teacher, it’s not that this disciple is disloyal, but Ye Xuan is a close friend, and you, as my teacher, have helped me achieve Sainthood. The Heavenly Sect Master only hopes you can reconcile with Daoist Ye."
"Heavenly Sect Master, you greatly disappoint this teacher," Hongjun Daozu frowned slightly. If not for considering the Heavenly Sect Master as one of the Three Pure Ones, he would wish to strip him of his Saint Position as a Heavenly Dao Saint.