Chapter 103: Hongjun’s Stratagem

In the ancient primordial era, all the mountains, rivers, and ley lines of the wilds revered Mount Buzhou as their ancestral origin, abiding by its divine mandate. Mount Buzhou stood undisputed as the progenitor of all mountains and the pillar of heaven and earth in the vast wilderness.

During this epoch, the primordial wilds were divided into five great regions: East, South, West, North, and Central. Each of these regions possessed countless mountain ranges, each with its own ancestral mountain and divine ley line.

The ancestral mountain and ley line of the Eastern Wilds was none other than the Kunlun Mountain Range—stretching endlessly for billions of miles, lush and verdant, its spiritual energy condensed into liquid essence.

At the heart of the Kunlun Range stood Mount Kunlun itself, anchoring the spiritual veins of the Eastern Wilds. Countless lifeforms thrived there, making it the main vein of the eastern lands.

A well-known saying vividly illustrated the immense importance of the Kunlun Mountains to the Eastern Wilds: Whoever controls the Kunlun Mountain Range controls the Eastern Wilds; should the Kunlun Range be disturbed, the Eastern Wilds would be turned upside down, with all living beings plunged into catastrophe.

Upon Mount Kunlun's peak, the Dao Immortal Hongjun stood alone, clad in a flowing purple robe. Purple aura swirled about him as he floated serenely, transcending the mundane world like a celestial sage descended, ethereal as a dream, intangible as a vision.

“Five Elements Dao Venerable?! Hah! This little fellow has some nerve, daring to directly confront the Divine Emperor! I’m curious to see whose pawn he is among the Daoist brethren!” Hongjun’s deep black eyes pierced through endless space and time, silently observing the Five Elements Dao Venerable standing aloof at the Grand Dao Discourse.

Within the mind of the holy immortal, celestial secrets naturally revealed themselves.

Yet, exceptions existed everywhere—even the sacred transcendents were not exempt.

With a thought, Hongjun’s all-knowing holy consciousness began to calculate the origins of the Five Elements Dao Venerable.

Moments later, a hint of perplexity appeared in Hongjun’s profound black eyes as he gazed at the solitary figure of the Five Elements Dao Venerable at the discourse. Quietly, he murmured, “Unknown?! The origins of the Five Elements Dao Venerable have been erased and cannot be traced!”

“Hah! Just whose pawn is this Five Elements Dao Venerable?” Hongjun’s face furrowed as he began analyzing all the divine immortals he knew, searching for any patron backing the Five Elements Dao Venerable.

Alas, no matter how thoroughly he searched his mind’s archives, Hongjun could not identify which sacred being was behind the Five Elements Dao Venerable.

“Five Elements, Five Elements... Could it be that old Fiend of the Five Elements has been resurrected?!” Hongjun thought of the Five Elements principles cultivated by the Dao Venerable, suddenly recalling an old friend long vanished.

“No, that old Fiend of the Five Elements died long ago. He cannot still be alive. But the Five Elements… could it be that the Five Elements Dao Venerable has inherited the legacy of the Five Elements Fiend?” Hongjun’s gaze deepened, feeling he had nearly deduced the origins of the Five Elements Dao Venerable.

However, Hongjun did not indulge in pride upon this revelation. Instead, his brow furrowed deeper.

Though he had made some inferences about the Dao Venerable’s origins, an important and easily overlooked question suddenly struck him: Who exactly was backing the Five Elements Dao Venerable?

“Whether the Five Elements Dao Venerable is that old Fiend himself or a successor of his legacy, one crucial matter remains: he currently lacks the power of the Divine Saint realm. By what right does he openly defy the Divine Emperor and the authority of the Divine Court?!”

“The Five Elements Dao Venerable must have a patron behind him. Perhaps, he has already allied with those fellows!”

“If they truly have joined forces, it would be detrimental to my own plans.”

At this thought, Hongjun’s eyes grew stern, and a faint trace of his divine sovereign pressure inadvertently leaked forth.

Though subtle, the sacred pressure emanating from Hongjun was an overwhelming aura of sanctity that towered above all beings—irresistible and absolute.

With this sacred pressure unleashed, every living being atop Mount Kunlun felt an immense will of heaven and earth pressing down upon them, powerless to resist or refuse, forced to await their inevitable doom beneath this celestial suppression.

Unsurprisingly, thousands of lives on Kunlun’s peak were about to be crushed by Hongjun’s divine sovereign pressure.

Yet, the world is full of surprises—even holy immortals cannot control everything.

Within an unknown cave on Mount Kunlun’s summit, three clusters of azure spiritual energy floated quietly in the air, seemingly nurturing mighty lifeforms.

The sacred pressure, like the will of heaven and earth, descended to suppress the myriad lifeforms on Mount Kunlun’s peak.

These three clusters were naturally within the range of this divine pressure.

However, unlike the helpless creatures around them, these three clusters of pure energy were immensely powerful—bold enough to contest the sacred pressure itself.

As the divine sovereign pressure slowly approached the cave of the Three Purities, the three clusters of spiritual energy simultaneously burst forth with brilliant azure light, illuminating the entire cave.

Under the azure glow, the invisible sacred pressure seemed to collide with a formidable barrier, unable to penetrate the cave.

But merely resisting the sacred pressure was not enough to display the might of the Three Purities. Suddenly, the boundless azure light coalesced into a single azure axe beam, which swung fiercely toward the divine pressure.

The azure axe beam resembled a legendary divine weapon, cleaving the heavens and earth with unparalleled force, carrying the might of the cosmos itself, striking the sacred pressure above.

“Boom!”

The intangible, formless sacred pressure shattered with a sound like breaking crystal under the fierce blow of the azure divine axe, vanishing without a trace.

With the sacred pressure broken, the three clusters of spiritual energy inside the cave immediately radiated joyous ripples, suffused with the invigorating power of the laws, as if celebrating the defeat of a great adversary.

The shattering of the sacred pressure within the cave also disrupted the entire divine pressure atop Mount Kunlun, instantly rousing the meditating Hongjun Dao Immortal.

“Truly, like finding a needle in a haystack without even searching! So, you were here all along!” Hongjun cried out in delight, his earlier sternness fading, his usually somber face flushing with excitement.

Moments later, Hongjun’s expression settled into calm composure as he steadied his mind.

Not due to lack of cultivation, but because this discovery was of paramount importance to him.

This revelation not only shaped Hongjun’s forthcoming strategies but would directly influence his future achievements.

Such a significant finding naturally stirred great excitement within him.

Now composed, Hongjun gazed down upon the Grand Dao Discourse of the Divine Court, overlooking the Divine Emperor Nanluo, the Five Elements Dao Venerable, and the myriad others below, a commanding aura of complete control etched upon his majestic face.

“No matter what happens now, the future is already firmly in my hands!”

...

At the Divine Court’s Grand Dao Platform, Divine Emperor Nanluo sat upon the clouds, his expression cold and devoid of the earlier gentleness, calmly regarding the Five Elements Dao Venerable below. His golden eyes shone with an icy brilliance.

The Five Elements Dao Venerable floated gracefully at the center of the platform, seemingly oblivious to the Divine Emperor’s piercing golden gaze, the fierce and iron-blooded pressure of the Martial Soldier Heavenly Venerable, and the thousands of divine beings watching and whispering in the stands, displaying an air of indifference and fearless composure.