"Fellow Daoist, watch out!"
Wangshu cried out anxiously from within the Lunar Star!
Ancestor Qiankun could not perceive any fluctuations of spiritual power from Taichu, and naturally, neither could Wangshu!
Before the thought could even form, a palm strike from Ancestor Qiankun was already upon Taichu!
With a swift dodge, Taichu moved aside, the rushing wind of the palm grazing precisely past his body!
"Old scoundrel Qiankun, you missed by just a hair! Try harder!"
Taichu laughed aloud!
"Impudent brat!" "Fellow Daoist, watch out!"
Without missing a beat, Ancestor Qiankun unleashed a second palm strike!
Goddess Wangshu was frantic with worry inside the star, assuming that Taichu had only narrowly escaped the first blow by pure luck!
How could Taichu possibly dodge a second strike from Ancestor Qiankun, a Peak Mid-Stage Da Luo Golden Immortal?
Just as the palm wind brushed past Taichu's body once more, Wangshu had already materialized beside him!
Yet, regrettably, it was still just a fraction too late!
Ancestor Qiankun was utterly bewildered, though he assumed it was Wangshu's sudden appearance that had somehow deflected his attack off course.
Wangshu likewise believed that because she had rushed out in desperation, Ancestor Qiankun had missed his mark.
"Fellow Daoist, hurry and leave! I will hold him off!"
Wangshu cried out anxiously!
"Hahahaha! Wangshu, oh Wangshu, you've finally decided to show yourself!"
"This ancestor has been calling upon you for a millennia and you wouldn't come out, but now that some pretty boy arrives, you finally deign to appear!"
"Ancestor Qiankun, spare us your insolence! Even if I must burn to ash with you, I will never let you succeed!"
Wangshu's face was flushed with anger, her teeth biting hard against her lower lip!
Catching a glimpse of Wangshu's cultivation level, Ancestor Qiankun laughed even more brightly!
"Kid, this ancestor truly doesn't know whether I should thank you, or whether I should thank you!"
"If you hadn't shown up, this ancestor truly couldn't have broken into this Lunar Star, hahahaha!"
"Be on your way. Seeing that you managed to lure Goddess Wangshu out for me, this ancestor will show mercy and spare your life!"
Ancestor Qiankun's laughter grew even more frantic!
"Fellow Daoist, run! You are no match for him. This matter has nothing to do with you—leave immediately before you lose your life!"
Taichu looked at Wangshu with amusement. "Oh? Can you beat him?"
"Naturally I cannot beat him, but I cannot let you be implicated either. I shall stay behind to cover your retreat!"
"Are you certain you have what it takes to cover me?"
Wangshu hesitated for a moment. "Even if I have to detonate my core, I will buy you some time! Rest assured, fellow Daoist! Flee for your life immediately!"
Hearing Wangshu's words, a pang of bitter sorrow swept through Taichu's heart!
Countless ages ago, his eldest brother had protected him in the exact same manner as Wangshu was doing today!
Watching this scene unfold felt like looking across lifetimes.
*This Goddess Wangshu, I am determined to protect her!* Taichu thought to himself!
"Have the two of you finished talking yet? Earlier I had half a mind to let you off, but now even if you want to leave, it's too late. I've changed my mind!"
Before the words had even faded, Wangshu raised her hand and flicked it, sending a flurry of laurel petals transforming into arrows as they flew toward Ancestor Qiankun!
At the same time, Wangshu grabbed hold of Taichu, preparing to flee back into the depths of the Lunar Star!
With a flash, Ancestor Qiankun blocked their path ahead!
"Thinking of leaving? It won't be that easy. Now that you've come out, don't even think about going back. Both of you are staying here!"
With that, he hurled yet another palm strike toward Wangshu and Taichu!
"Boom!"
With a deafening crash, Ancestor Qiankun was blasted tens of thousands of miles away!
In a shift of stars and movement, Taichu had already stepped in front of Wangshu, meeting Ancestor Qiankun's blow palm-to-palm!
Wangshu stood behind him, staring dazedly at Taichu in utter disbelief.
"How is this possible?"
Coughing up blood, Ancestor Qiankun came flying back.
He could not believe it, nor could he reconcile himself to it!
Clearly lacking any cultivation, how could someone be this powerful?
Even worse, he could not accept how a duck cooked and ready on his plate was slipping away right before his eyes!
"Who—who are you?"
"How can you be so strong? No... you concealed your cultivation!"
Ancestor Qiankun muttered to himself!
Taichu looked at Ancestor Qiankun with a calm gaze. "Are you done talking? If you're finished, it's my turn!"
"You hit me with two palms just now, so it's only fair I return two palms to you, old scoundrel!"
"Hmph, you really think this ancestor fears you?!"
With a cold snort, Ancestor Qiankun summoned the Heaven-Measuring Ruler—no, the Qiankun Cauldron to hover above his head!
The Qiankun Sword also abruptly appeared in his hand.
Without even blinking, Taichu unleashed a single palm strike that turned the heavens and earth upside down!
The Qiankun Cauldron was sent hurtling hundreds of millions of miles away, and Ancestor Qiankun himself was sent flying like a bloody pulp!
Taichu closed the distance instantly, following up with another palm strike!
This blow was overwhelmingly heavy and fierce, changing the winds and clouds; a bloody hole was punched straight through Ancestor Qiankun's body as he was blasted hundreds of millions of miles away!
Taichu turned his palm into a claw, snatched Ancestor Qiankun right back, and tossed him onto the ground like a ragdoll!
All of this sounds long in the telling, but in reality, it happened in the blink of an eye!
Watching Taichu's smooth, fluid movements, Wangshu stood frozen in place, utterly dumbfounded!
"Fellow Daoist Wangshu? Fellow Daoist Wangshu?"
Taichu called out gently twice before Wangshu finally snapped back to her senses!
"It's over, Fellow Daoist Wangshu. How would you like to deal with this old scoundrel?"
"Impudent brat, how dare you bully me!"
Coughing up blood, Ancestor Qiankun roared in fury!
"Your mouth is certainly harder than your cauldron!"
"In my opinion, we should just strike him down so he can no longer plague the female immortals of Honghuang!"
"You cannot kill me! My cauldron carries Primordial Merit of Creation, and having accompanied me for countless years, we have long since become one. If you kill me, the Qiankun Cauldron will also self-detonate, and by then, karmic retribution will bind you, preventing your cultivation from advancing another inch!"
Ancestor Qiankun stared coldly at Taichu as he spoke!
"Oh? Is that so? What you're saying is so terrifying! Why don't you take a look at what this is?"
With that, Taichu produced a ruler radiating a purple-gold divine light, waving it back and forth in front of Ancestor Qiankun!
"The Hongmeng Heaven-Measuring Ruler!"
Ancestor Qiankun cried out in sheer terror!
"Since you recognize it, I suppose I don't need to introduce it!"
"The Hongmeng Heaven-Measuring Ruler takes lives without incurring karmic debt. Now tell me, can I kill you or not?"
With those words, Taichu looked coldly down at Ancestor Qiankun!
At that moment, utter despair gripped Ancestor Qiankun's heart, leaving it as dead as still water!
Yet Taichu paid him no further mind. "Fellow Daoist Wangshu, this is your Lunar Star. I defer to your judgment. Tell me how this old scoundrel should be punished!"
After a long silence, Wangshu slowly spoke: "Forget it, let him go."
Hearing Wangshu's decision, Taichu turned his gaze back to Qiankun and said:
"Since Fellow Daoist Wangshu has granted you your life, I shall spare you today. But if I ever catch you engaging in such despicable acts again, I will ensure your body and soul are utterly annihilated!"
Ancestor Qiankun scrambled up from the ground. "This old daoist thanks both fellow daoists for sparing my life. I dare not do it again!"
With those words, he turned and made to flee.
"Hold on. Leave the Qiankun Cauldron behind!"
Taichu said coldly!
Circumstances dictate one's actions; no matter how precious a spiritual treasure was, preserving one's life mattered more!
Without further ado, Ancestor Qiankun relinquished the Qiankun Cauldron and bolted toward the distant horizon.
Watching Ancestor Qiankun flee in such a wretched state, Goddess Wangshu offered Taichu a gentle, beaming smile.
"I have yet to ask how the fellow daoist is called?"
"This poor priest is Taichu, greetings, Fellow Daoist Wangshu."
Wangshu returned the courtesy. "Might I ask if the fellow daoist would do me the honor of sharing a modest cup of wine here on my Lunar Star?"
Taichu paused slightly in surprise. "Wine? What manner of thing is wine?"