At the roar of Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, a formation map rose from beneath his feet in the blink of an eye, instantly pulling Hongjun and the other three into the formation.
Demon Ancestor Luo Hou burst into loud laughter, crying, "Hongjun, Yang Mei, Yinyang, Qiankun! Today, this seat shall use the primordial spirits of you four to consecrate the formation and take the first step toward my enlightenment as a Saint!"
As he spoke, lightning surged in the palm of Luo Hou's hand. The four swords suspended above the Immortal-Slaying Formation map—the Immortal-Slaying Sword, the Slaughter-Immortal Sword, the Trap-Immortal Sword, and the Ending-Immortal Sword—instantly vibrated violently. Countless Xiantian sword qi crisscrossed within the Immortal-Slaying Formation map, fusing into an even more powerful Chaotic Sword Qi that enveloped Hongjun and the others.
Seeing the formation operating at full power, Hongjun and the others all changed expression. No longer holding back, they each produced their ultimate trump-card treasures for self-protection.
At the same time, Hongjun transmitted his voice to the other three, saying, "Fellow Daoists, this formation is easy to break. We only need the four of us to enter each of the four formation gates respectively and pluck the treasured swords suspended upon the formation map. Then this Immortal-Slaying Formation map will be considered broken."
In the east, Ancestor Yinyang had a golden bridge rise from beneath his feet—none other than the Xiantian Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram. Wielding a Xiantian Spirit Treasure, the Taiji Yinyang Sword, he temporarily blocked the Chaotic Sword Qi outside, though he could not advance an inch.
Ancestor Qiankun of the west also let out a cold snort. In an instant, within a radius of several zhang around his body, the two qi of Qiankun surged. Shrouded in the Qiankun Diagram and wielding the upper-grade Xiantian Spirit Treasure, the Qiankun Ruler, Ancestor Qiankun lashed out with a single stroke, shattering the attacking Chaotic Sword Qi instantly.
Ancestor Yang Mei of the south was the most wondrous of all. Without any discernible movement on his part, the Chaotic Sword Qi passed straight through his body without harming him in the slightest.
Hongjun, standing in the northern position, was remarkably well-resourced. Shrouded in four top-grade Xiantian Spirit Treasures—the Eastern Qinglian Treasure Flag, the Southern Earth-Off Flame Flag, the WesternPlain Cloud Boundary Flag, and the Central Wuji Apricot-Yellow Flag—with the top-grade Xiantian Spirit Treasure, the 12th-Grade Merit Golden Lotus, beneath his feet, the Xiantian Supreme Treasure, the Creation Jade Disk, floating above his head, and the Xiantian Supreme Treasure, the Pangu Banner, in his hand, he could be described as fully armed.
The Chaotic Sword Qi within the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation could not even approach within three zhang of his body before dissolving into the void.
The sheer abundance of spirit treasures turned Demon Ancestor Luo Hou's eyes red with envy and made his mouth water; he desperately wished he could seize them all and make them his own.
The Chaotic Sword Qi within the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation was inexhaustible, and baleful qi permeated the air. While the four could still maintain a stalemate for a short time, as time dragged on, figures like Ancestor Yinyang and Ancestor Qiankun either had surplus defense but insufficient offense, or surplus offense but insufficient defense.
They could only passively take the blows while guarding against the baleful qi clouding their minds to prevent deviation and obsession, let alone go and pluck the swords from the formation gates.
This was because Hongjun had attracted the majority of Luo Hou's attention, drawing the brunt of the Chaotic Sword Qi toward himself.
However, Luo Hou quickly reacted, realizing that one should always pick the softest persimmons. Seeing Ancestor Yinyang and Ancestor Qiankun struggling to move a single step within the formation, Luo Hou chuckled wickedly.
Triggering his palm lightning repeatedly, he caused the four swords to vibrate frequently, and the Chaotic Sword Qi within the formation suddenly surged, assaulting the four of them.
Taking a step forward, Luo Hou arrived inside the western formation gate. Looking at the disheveled Ancestor Qiankun, Luo Hou burst into loud laughter, gloating, "You old immortal! Weren't you quite arrogant and haughty just now?"
"Standing before this seat acting like an otherworldly expert, you thought you had this seat in the palm of your hand just because there were more of you."
"Well? How is it?"
"Aren't you in this thoroughly wretched state right now?"
"Today, this seat shall use you first to consecrate the formation."
As he spoke, stepping upon the 12th-Grade Profound Water Black Lotus and wielding the top-grade Xiantian Spirit Treasure, the God-Slaying Spear, Luo Hou charged toward Ancestor Qiankun.
Ancestor Qiankun was already struggling to cope with the Chaotic Sword Qi, and hearing Luo Hou's taunts drove him into an absolute fury—the three corpse spirits leaped wildly behind his head, and the five-flavored fire burned fiercely in his chest. Seeing Luo Hou bearing down menacingly, he knew in his heart that he was facing certain doom.
Hardening his heart, he pointed at Luo Hou and cursed fiercely, "Luo Hou! Even if I die, this poor daoist will not let you off easily!"
With that, a loud bang echoed out as Ancestor Qiankun detonated himself.
A Quasi-Sage self-detonation possessed a world-destroying, terrifying might. Even the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation paused its operation momentarily, and the Ending-Immortal Sword hanging at the western gate wailed endlessly, trembling as if it might collapse at any moment, clearly having suffered heavy damage.
The most miserable of all was Demon Ancestor Luo Hou. Although he had the 12th-Grade Profound Water Black Lotus protecting him at the very first moment, how could a Quasi-Sage self-detonation be taken lightly? He was nonetheless blasted into heavy injuries, collapsing onto the 12th-Grade Profound Water Black Lotus and coughing up blood unceasingly.
"Luo Hou! You killed my fellow daoist; I will certainly not let you off easy!"
*Bang!*
Another self-detonation rang out.
It was Ancestor Yinyang. Seeing no way to survive, his internal dharma power on the verge of exhaustion, and affected by the fallout of Ancestor Qiankun's self-detonation, baleful qi had briefly invaded his body and clouded his mind, leading him to detonate himself in succession.
The consecutive self-detonations of two Quasi-Sages caused the entire Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation to teeter on the verge of collapse.
Seizing this opportunity, Hongjun repeatedly shook the Pangu Banner in his hand. Chaotic Sword Qi shot forth, locking down the Immortal-Slaying Sword at the northern gate, and he then stepped forward to pluck it down.
Immediately afterward, two figures emerged from Hongjun's heavenly spirit, heading toward the formation gates of Ancestor Yinyang and Ancestor Qiankun respectively, and shortly brought back the Slaughter-Immortal Sword and the Ending-Immortal Sword.
At the same time, they also retrieved Ancestor Yinyang's Taiji Diagram along with Ancestor Qiankun's Qiankun Diagram and Qiankun Ruler.
On the other side, the Trap-Immortal Sword had long since been plucked by Ancestor Yang Mei.
From this moment on, the baleful qi of the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation leaked away, and the formation was broken.
Disregarding Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, who was severely injured nearby, Ancestor Yang Mei walked up to Hongjun, handed the Trap-Immortal Sword to him, and said, "Fellow Daoist Hongjun, the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation is broken. I give this sword to you, and our karma is settled. How about it?"
Hongjun accepted the Trap-Immortal Sword, pondered for a moment, and said, "Very well."
Having received Hongjun's reply, Ancestor Yang Mei smiled nonchalantly, paid no further heed to the battlefield, and turned to plunge into the void, departing.
Hongjun gazed long and deep in the direction where Ancestor Yang Mei had vanished.
Then, he turned his gaze to the heavily injured Demon Ancestor Luo Hou.
At this moment, although Luo Hou's face was pale, meeting Hongjun's gaze, he wore an expression of intense resentment.
He roared furiously, "Hongjun, don't think that just because you've defeated this seat, you've won! Even if I die, I will not let you live in peace!"
With that, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Explode!"
In an instant, every single Lingshan mountain and spiritual vein across the entire Western Continent was detonated by Luo Hou.
From then on, the spiritual energy of the Western Continent withered away, reduced to a barren land.
In a split second, heaven and earth darkened, wind and clouds changed color, and a massive karmic burden descended upon the two of them. Even with Hongjun's peak Quasi-Sage cultivation—just a single step away from being a Saint—he could not help but change color.
Seeing Hongjun's expression shift, Demon Ancestor Luo Hou felt a surge of exhilaration. His eyes turning vicious once more, he raged, "Old man Hongjun! This seat will not lose to you!"
Following that, Demon Ancestor Luo Hou staggered to his feet, stood upon the 12th-Grade Profound Water Black Lotus, and roared toward the heavens, "O Great Dao, listen! Today, the Heavenly Dao is unjust and blocks my dao path!"
"Today, I, Luo Hou, swear before the Great Dao to establish the Demonic Dao and destroy the Heavenly Dao!"
"From this day forth, as demons wane the dao waxes, and as demons wax the dao wanes; the Demonic Dao and the Xuanmen shall not coexist!"
"Demonic Dao, be established!"
Instantly, a beam of golden light shot out from the chaos, illuminating Luo Hou—it was the Great Dao acknowledging Luo Hou's Demonic Dao.
Watching Hongjun's unsightly expression, Luo Hou's figure gradually faded away amidst loud laughter.
From then on, the Demonic Dao was established, standing in irreconcilable opposition to the Heavenly Dao.
Luo Hou was defeated and perished, and the tribulation came to an end.
Suddenly, heaven and earth cleared up, and boundless Merit descended. Eight tenths of it was obtained by Hongjun. Upon absorbing the Merit, Hongjun's figure grew even more ethereal, seeming to merge with the Dao.
The remaining two tenths of the Merit were obtained by the living beings of the Primordial World, enabling them to recover their vitality from the great tribulation and recuperate.
After absorbing the Merit, Hongjun opened his eyes once more, looked at the scarred and devastated Western Continent before him, let out a long sigh, and turned to leave.
With the tribulation over, the Primordial World ushered in a period of peaceful development.
During this time, many Xiantian living beings also transformed into human-like form, adding vitality to the Primordial World.
Ten thousand years later, in the direction of Mount Yujing in the eastern Primordial World, a majestic pressure suddenly overwhelmed the Primordial World, causing heaven and earth to tremble. Boundless purple Qi surged from the east, rolling continuously for three hundred thousand li, auspicious clouds billowed across the horizon, and celestial music rang clear and resonant throughout the Primordial World.
A chant was heard: "Reclining high on the ninefold heavens, upon the cattail mat I attained the true Dao. Beyond the Xuanhuang of heaven and earth, I shall be the preeminent teacher of doctrine. Pangu gave birth to Taiji, and the Two Modes and Four Images circulate. One Dao passed to three friends, and two teachings divide into Chan and Jie. As the supreme leader of Xuanmen, a single breath transformed Hongjun."
"I am Hongjun, and I have now attained Sainthood. Three thousand years from now, I shall lecture on the Great Dao in the Zixiao Palace within the chaos. Any predestined beings of the Primordial World may come to listen."
In an instant, the Primordial World, which had been peaceful for ten thousand years, was shaken. Streaks of light flew forth from every corner of the Primordial World—from famous mountains, great rivers, stars, and the vast earth.
All headed toward the chaos, hoping to listen to the Saint's Great Dao.