The Heavenly Dragon was above, the Earthly Phoenix below, the Great Sun to the left, and the Nether Moon to the right.
It was both the chase of dragon and phoenix, and the mutual illumination of sun and moon; it was the reflection of Yin and Yang, the separation of light and darkness, the opposition of good and evil, the confrontation of Heaven and Earth.
This was the imposing might of Taiji Boundless, vast and endless, profoundly mysterious to the extreme. As its name suggested, it was like the Supreme Ultimate, and even more like the Boundless.
It enveloped Changfeng Great Emperor who was present.
Changfeng Great Emperor stood in the void, one hand behind his back, the other blocking the Taiji Boundless above him.
Azure light shimmered around his body, like burning flames, like a Cyan Dragon coiling up around his form.
No matter how profound, how vast, or how powerful the imposing might of Taiji Boundless was, it could not shake Changfeng Great Emperor in the slightest.
Yes.
Not even a fraction.
If the imposing might of Taiji Boundless was the might of dragon and phoenix, then Changfeng Great Emperor here separated the Heavenly Dragon and the Earthly Phoenix.
If the imposing might of Taiji Boundless was the might of sun and moon, then Changfeng Great Emperor here separated the Great Sun and the Nether Moon.
Changfeng Great Emperor stood at the center, with the Heavenly Dragon above his head, the Earthly Phoenix beneath his feet, the Great Sun to his left, and the Nether Moon to his right.
He was like the Azure Heaven's Justice itself, standing between Heaven and Earth, unmoved by Yin and Yang, unilluminated by sun and moon, unstained by good and evil, belonging neither to light nor to darkness.
He belonged only to this Azure Heaven, only to this Justice.
Witnessing this scene.
The crowd marveled at Taiji Boundless being like Heaven, Earth, sun, and moon, but they marveled even more at the Azure Heaven's Justice borne by Changfeng Great Emperor.
"Boundless!
Just give him a small lesson and be done with it!
It's truly not worth wasting everyone's precious time on such a selfish person!
Do not forget we have more important matters to attend to!"
Elder Tai of Xuantian spoke up to dissuade.
Although he said verbally that letting Taiji Boundless give Changfeng Great Emperor a small lesson was enough.
However, all the patriarchs present could see that from this single clash between Taiji Boundless and Changfeng Great Emperor, the two were evenly matched. Even if Taiji Boundless's strength was unfathomable, he could not defeat Changfeng Great Emperor in a short time. He couldn't even suppress him, so how could one speak of giving a lesson?
Perhaps realizing he couldn't do anything to Changfeng Great Emperor for the time being, or perhaps truly not wanting to waste time on Changfeng Great Emperor, Taiji Boundless snorted coldly and shouted, "After this calamity is ended, I will settle accounts with you!"
With that.
Taiji Boundless directly withdrew and left.
Elder Tai of Xuantian indeed did not continue wasting time on Changfeng Great Emperor. Instead, he turned his gaze towards Peacock Great Emperor and Fusheng Dijun. He hesitated for a moment, then did not inquire of Peacock Great Emperor nor Fusheng Dijun, but instead looked towards another man in the distance.
That man wore black robes, had long flowing hair, a tall and straight physique, a cold and stern countenance like a statue carved by a knife, with particularly sharp features, a majestic complexion, and eyes like abyssal depths.
He stood in the void, with neither radiance blooming around him nor power fluctuations flowing, yet he gave off an extremely terrifying feeling. A single glance at him was like falling into endless darkness. He simply stood there quietly, yet the entire Heaven and Earth seemed to sink into infinite, boundless darkness.
The man was like a monarch of the dark night, looking down upon all living beings, intimidating Heaven and Earth.
In this endless darkness, no Buddha dared to cross, and light would never exist!
This was the legendary Demon Emperor Blood River.
To be honest.
If possible, Elder Tai of Xuantian absolutely did not want to speak with Demon Emperor Blood River, nor did he want to ask for his opinion.
The reason was simple.
Demon Emperor Blood River was an enemy of the Xuantian Immortal Path, not only an enemy of the Xuantian Immortal Path but also an enemy of the various Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands.
All because, back in the day, Demon Emperor Blood River alone had slaughtered his way through the Great Desolate until rivers of blood flowed.
Yet even so.
Elder Tai of Xuantian still wanted to gain Demon Emperor Blood River's support.
Although Demon Emperor Blood River had never stated his stance, nor said whether he intended to protect the Great Dao or to covet Original Sin.
However.
Many believed Demon Emperor Blood River should lean towards protecting the Great Dao, after all, he had never been tainted by Original Sin, not even a tiny bit. If he truly coveted the True Lord of Original Sin, with Demon Emperor Blood River's strength, seizing a drop of True Original Sin Blood would be more than sufficient.
Furthermore.
Although Demon Emperor Blood River was not a Destiny Variable Facing the Calamity, he was a Demon Emperor who bore the Heavenly Mandate, and his involvement in the Dark Great Dao was extremely deep, so deep that he was hailed as the Lord of the Dark Night. His strength was absolutely unfathomable. If his support could be obtained, the chance of success would naturally be higher.
The world knew that Demon Emperor Blood River had entered demonhood in a single thought for Cang Yan.
If Demon Emperor Blood River's support was gained, it would also mean gaining Cang Yan's support. And Cang Yan was the only empress in all of history to have ascended to the dual Heavenly Mandate of Immortal and Demon, her strength even more unimaginable.
More importantly, under Demon Emperor Blood River's command were also numerous experts; many Destiny Sovereigns of the Demonic Path followed him. Moreover, Cang Yan was also the master of Langya Grotto-Heaven. Although Langya Grotto-Heaven did not have many people, each was a rare genius among ten thousand. Not to mention others, just the Holy Maiden Lady Su Hua alone was enough for Elder Tai of Xuantian to lower his stature and beg Demon Emperor Blood River.
Drawing a deep breath, Elder Tai of Xuantian cupped his hands and said, "Demon Emperor Blood River, this old man clearly understands..." He had just begun speaking, his words only half out, when he was directly interrupted by Demon Emperor Blood River: "I have no interest."
Demon Emperor Blood River's voice was just like the man himself—cold, ruthless, domineering, like a blade in the darkness, slapping Elder Tai of Xuantian's face fiercely.
Elder Tai of Xuantian did not become angry. He still spoke: "I hope Demon Emperor Blood River can set aside personal grievances, set aside prejudices against my Immortal Path..." This time, Elder Tai of Xuantian's words were again left unfinished, once more cut off by Demon Emperor Blood River's Great Dao: "I said, I have no interest in this Great Dao."
"So you say!
Today, you are here for Original Sin?"
"Correct."
Demon Emperor Blood River's eyes, like dark abysses, stared at Elder Tai of Xuantian, saying, "And what of it?"
"If you truly covet Original Sin, why have you never been tainted by it?"
"That is my business. What concern is it of yours?"
"You!"
Elder Tai of Xuantian glared angrily at Demon Emperor Blood River, extremely furious, his heart even more filled with regret and resentment.
He regretted asking Demon Emperor Blood River in public.
His regret was not because he had offered a warm face to Demon Emperor Blood River's cold rear, nor was it because he had lost face over this. Rather, it was because being rejected successively by Changfeng Great Emperor and Demon Emperor Blood River had created a negative impact on the overall situation.
The reason Elder Tai of Xuantian inquired one by one was firstly to probe their stances and attitudes.
Whether it was Changfeng Great Emperor or Demon Emperor Blood River, both were highly influential existences who could, to a greater or lesser extent, affect the overall situation.
Unfortunately, the stances and attitudes of these existences had always been a mystery. Elder Tai of Xuantian had wanted to take this opportunity to probe their attitudes.
Only by confirming their stances and attitudes could Elder Tai of Xuantian have a clear plan in mind to better lay out each subsequent step.
And only by confirming their stances and attitudes could the overall situation be better grasped, thereby protecting the Great Dao.