Although the Taixu Grotto had declined, it was not a place that just anyone could bully.
As the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though the Taixu Grotto had not produced a Great Dao Overlord who shook the heavens and earth, at least it still had a group of old-timers holding the fort.
Those old seniors of the Taixu Grotto, relying on their formidable cultivation and powerful Great Dao treasures, were more than capable of handling all manner of affairs in this world.
More importantly, although the Demon Emperor Xuehe had destroyed his own cultivation back then, severed ties with the Taixu Grotto, and fallen into the demonic path, he still held feelings for the grotto in his heart. Others might not know, but Da Xing the Mad Monk knew that over the years, the Demon Emperor Xuehe had been secretly aiding the Taixu Grotto.
Perhaps he did not regret his descent into demonhood back then, but deep down, the Demon Emperor Xuehe harbored some measure of apology toward the Taixu Grotto. After all, he had come from there. After all, the Taixu Grotto had teachers who had instructed him. And after all, it was because he had slaughtered many disciples from the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands back then that they had joined forces to ostracize the Taixu Grotto, leading to its gradual decline.
Thinking of this, Da Xing the Mad Monk said, "Warrior Emperor Wuzang!
This old monk advises you to rein in that blood brother of yours. Do not forget that the Demon Emperor Xuehe is also within the Primordial Nine Palaces. Do not think that just because he long ago severed ties with the Taixu Grotto, he holds no remorse for it in his heart. If he learns that your blood brother has injured the seniors of the Taixu Grotto, that brother of yours can certainly forget about leaving this place alive."
"Many thanks, Holy Monk."
Warrior Emperor Wuzang merely nodded and said, "I will discipline him properly."
Da Xing could see that Warrior Emperor Wuzang was just paying him lip service. He was not truly concerned about the matter in his heart and seemed too lazy to bother with it.
Either Warrior Emperor Wuzang did not take the Taixu Grotto seriously—perhaps he did not even take the Demon Emperor Xuehe seriously—or perhaps he simply was not worried about the safety of that blood brother of his.
Regarding this, Da Xing the Mad Monk also could not be bothered to say more. He had offered the well-intentioned reminder out of respect for the old seniors of the Xuanmiao Grotto-Heaven. As for whether Warrior Emperor Wuzang listened or not, that was not his concern.
"Take care then. This old monk has matters to attend to and will take his leave."
Having said that, Da Xing the Mad Monk shook his head, sighed, glanced once more at Suo Sha and the Great Sun Thirteen Sons in the distance, and then departed.
* * *
The mysterious and vast Li Palace was like the void of the Great Wasteland.
Ancient ruins floated within the Li Palace like brilliant stars in the night sky, akin to the myriad realms of the Great Wasteland.
The difference was that the myriad realms of the Great Wasteland were all teeming with life, while the ancient ruins floating in the Li Palace were filled with deathly stillness, looking like scenes frozen in a painting.
Such was the Li Palace.
The Kan Palace, also one of the Primordial Nine Palaces, was the same.
At this very moment, a fierce battle was taking place on an ancient ruin within the Kan Palace.
A group of over twenty individuals, each clad in precious armor or immortal robes and wielding magical treasures, were unleashing divine abilities and marvelous techniques, attempting to destroy a formation.
The cultivation of these twenty-plus individuals was not low. Neither the precious armor and immortal robes they wore nor the magical treasures they wielded were ordinary items. Most importantly, each of these twenty-plus individuals possessed significant fortunes of varying degrees.
Some possessed powerful treasure bodies, others extraordinary bloodlines. Most terrifying of all, these twenty-plus individuals were uniformly all Original Sin persons.
And they were all Original Sin Avatars!
As was well known, Original Sin Avatars had no original self and could not possibly possess self-awareness. Once one became an Original Sin Avatar, they were like puppets of Original Sin. In contrast, although these twenty-plus individuals each appeared fierce and savage, their individual consciousnesses were all clear.
This situation could only arise from one possibility: these twenty-plus Original Sin Avatars had been forcibly seized and fused through the method of nurturing Original Sin clones.
They were a type of pseudo-avatar.
Not far away stood six others.
These five or six had not taken action. They merely watched with smiles on their faces.
Compared to the twenty-plus who were fighting, these five or six were even more remarkable. They similarly possessed powerful treasure bodies and extraordinary bloodlines, but their treasure bodies were no ordinary treasure bodies, and their bloodlines appeared to be no ordinary bloodlines either.
Was that all?
No!
These five or six individuals were actually all those who had received the Mandate of Heaven from above.
Among them were three Great Dao Star Lords, two Great Dao Thrones, and one Great Dao Imperial Seal.
Even more terrifyingly, these five or six were also Original Sin persons. Unlike the twenty-plus Original Sin Avatars who were fighting, they were all Original Sin Dharma Bodies!
Yes!
Original Sin Dharma Bodies!
The Original Sin aura on the three Great Dao Star Lords and the two Great Dao Thrones was not pure. Perhaps they too had been forcibly seized and fused through the method of nurturing Original Sin clones.
However, the Original Sin aura on the one leading them—the one who had received the Mandate of Heaven as a Great Dao Imperial Seal—was extremely pure and exceptionally dense.
This person was clad in black robes, standing with arms crossed. His somewhat handsome face carried a sinister air, bearing some resemblance to Warrior Emperor Wuzang.
The difference was that Warrior Emperor Wuzang's face exuded an aloof pride and confidence, while this person's face exuded an evil and malicious cunning.
This person was precisely the blood brother of Warrior Emperor Wuzang mentioned by Da Xing the Mad Monk, known as the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor.
The fame of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor in the current age was not as great as that of his elder brother, Warrior Emperor Wuzang. In fact, many had never even heard of such a person.
However, those who had heard the name Heavenly Dragon True Emperor knew that although his reputation might not match Warrior Emperor Wuzang's, his innate talent, fortune, and comprehension absolutely surpassed Wuzang's.
It was said that the birth parents of Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were both very ordinary immortals. They were not from noble families nor possessed any great fortune. Yet, this pair of ordinary immortal parents gave birth to a pair of extraordinary twin sons.
As was well known, Warrior Emperor Wuzang possessed the powerful Radiant Bloodline.
The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor did not possess the Radiant Bloodline. Instead, he possessed the Dark Bloodline.
The Radiant Bloodline, Sacred Bloodline, Dark Bloodline, and Evil Bloodline were hailed as the Four Great Bloodlines of Heaven and Earth.
Those who possessed any of the Four Great Bloodlines had limitless potential in both innate talent and fortune.
For example, the Great Sun Radiant Emperor and the Western Heaven Buddha Emperor Miao Rulai both possessed the Radiant Bloodline.
Their peers, the demonic path overlord Black Mountain Old Demon and the ghost path overlong Green Lantern Ghost Emperor, both possessed the Dark Bloodline.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, being blood brothers—one possessing the Radiant Bloodline, the other the Dark Bloodline—why this was so, no one knew. The only thing known was that the future of this pair of brothers was limitless, and they were destined to shake the heavens and earth with their fame.
After all, one possessed the Radiant Bloodline, the other the Dark Bloodline.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang was a Tribulation-Bearer who had received the True Mandate, a destined constant in fate.
While the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was an existence of variable fate.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang possessed the Heavenly Dragon Tyrant Body. The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor possessed the Heavenly Dragon Absolute Body!
One with the Radiant Bloodline, one with the Dark Bloodline.
One a constant, one a variable.
One a Tyrant Body, one an Absolute Body.
It seemed as if from the moment they emerged from their mother's womb, this pair of blood brothers was already destined—like yin and yang, water and fire, hard and soft, mutually opposing and restraining.