Elder Tai of Xuantian was not surprised that Demon Emperor Blood River did not support him.
Changfeng Great Emperor's refusal, however, completely exceeded Elder Tai of Xuantian's expectations.
Before this, he had always believed that Changfeng Great Emperor would definitely support his choice.
Although Elder Tai of Xuantian harbored his own private motives in choosing to suppress the divine consciousness and demonic thoughts on You Di at this moment, he believed that for the sake of the Great Dao, his choice was still the most correct one. He was also convinced that anyone who bore the Heavenly Mandate, anyone who bore the True Mandate, would support him—especially Changfeng Great Emperor, who also bore the Azure Heaven's Justice.
Only by safeguarding the Great Dao could Changfeng Great Emperor's Heavenly Mandate be preserved. Only by safeguarding the Great Dao would he have the chance to become the Master of Azure Heaven who presided over justice.
Elder Tai of Xuantian felt that Changfeng Great Emperor, more than anyone else, would want to safeguard the Great Dao, and to protect it, he believed Changfeng Great Emperor would definitely spare no cost.
What he never expected was that Changfeng Great Emperor not only publicly refused him but nearly made him lose face entirely.
Apart from testing their attitudes, Elder Tai of Xuantian also genuinely wanted to gain their support.
After all, behind existences like Changfeng Great Emperor and Demon Emperor Blood River were connections to various factions. The Great Dao Patriarchs from the various Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands present were hesitating precisely because they were observing their stances.
Elder Tai of Xuantian had originally thought that even if they did not support him internally, he would try every means to morally coerce them into support. That way, he could at least win over those observing Patriarchs to support him.
He never imagined that Demon Emperor Blood River would not leave him any face at all, not even giving him a chance for moral coercion.
Changfeng Great Emperor would rather bear the title of Great Dao Sinner than step forward to support him.
This made Elder Tai of Xuantian extremely angry!
He no longer paid attention to Demon Emperor Blood River, instead turning his gaze to Fusheng Dijun and Peacock Great Emperor.
After a glance at Fusheng Dijun, Elder Tai of Xuantian did not inquire of him first, instead opening his mouth to ask Peacock Great Emperor.
Perhaps having been rejected successively by Changfeng Great Emperor and Demon Emperor Blood River had dealt a blow to Elder Tai, as this inquiry lacked excessive pleasantries. He asked directly, "May I ask what Peacock Great Emperor's intention is?"
Peacock Great Emperor appeared like a youth of fourteen or fifteen, dressed in a robe of jade-green, with exceptionally handsome features, bright eyes and white teeth, like a dragon or phoenix among men, born with a noble bearing.
He stood in the void.
Like a favored son of heaven, he gave off an especially dignified feeling.
"As Elder Tai says, in this unknown Calamity, watching from the sidelines is akin to waiting for death. Only by taking the initiative and making a choice is the true path. Now, You Di is letting go of himself, and the various Original Sin Patriarchs wish to stop it. All of you must join forces to resist, suppress the divine consciousness and demonic thoughts on You Di, and help him let go. If You Di fails in letting go, you must spare no cost to erase him. That way, even if You Di awakens, he will be like a toothless tiger, posing little threat."
"For the Great Dao, Elder Tai has made the most correct choice. I very much agree and admire Elder Tai's courage in making this choice!"
Peacock Great Emperor's words reached Elder Tai of Xuantian's ears, filling him with considerable comfort. Stroking his long white beard, he couldn't help but clasp his hands in delight, saying, "Excellent! Excellent! Thank you, Peacock Great Emperor, for your powerful assistance at this critical moment. With Peacock Great Emperor's aid, we are sure to achieve victory from the outset and safeguard the Great Dao. This old man first thanks you on behalf of all fellow Daoists..."
This time, before Elder Tai of Xuantian could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Peacock Great Emperor.
"Elder Tai, you have misunderstood my meaning."
Peacock's light, casual words struck Elder Tai of Xuantian's ears like a thunderbolt. He looked at Peacock with disbelief and considerable confusion, asking, "What does Peacock Great Emperor mean?"
"Just now, I already said that for the Great Dao, Elder Tai has made the most correct choice. I very much agree and admire Elder Tai's courage in making this choice!"
Changing the subject, Peacock Great Emperor continued, "Unfortunately, my coming here this time is not for the sake of the Great Dao."
Peacock Great Emperor's words were shocking to the extreme!
A single sentence left all the Great Dao Patriarchs present utterly astonished.
Although Changfeng Great Emperor did not support Elder Tai of Xuantian, it was merely that he did not support Elder Tai suppressing the divine consciousness and demonic thoughts on You Di. Everyone could see that Changfeng Great Emperor still supported the Great Dao and would definitely stand on the side of the Great Dao.
But Peacock Great Emperor, also a Great Emperor bearing the Heavenly Mandate, also a destined variable bearing the True Mandate facing the Calamity, actually said he was not here for the Great Dao?
If it were someone else, like Demon Emperor Blood River, not being for the Great Dao, everyone could understand.
Even if it were another Great Dao Heavenly Mandate, or even a destined variable bearing the True Mandate facing the Calamity, if they were not for the Great Dao, while people would be shocked, it would only be shock, absolutely not the kind of shocked disbelief like now.
One must know that Peacock Great Emperor's existence was not simply that of a Great Emperor bearing the Heavenly Mandate, nor simply that of a destined variable bearing the True Mandate facing the Calamity.
He was also a legend revered throughout the ages in the Western Heaven Buddha Dao and the heavens and earth.
Everyone knew that Peacock Great Emperor's previous life was the Peacock Great Wisdom King.
The Peacock Great Wisdom King was hailed in the Western Heaven Buddha Dao as the Buddha Lord who was not a Buddha Lord, the Wisdom King who was not a Wisdom King.
The Peacock Wisdom King originated from the Buddha Dao and was as famous as the other five great Wisdom Kings: the Immovable Wisdom King, the Awesome Virtue Wisdom King, the Diamond Yaksa Wisdom King, and others. It was only later that the Peacock Wisdom King left the Buddha Dao, fell into the demonic path, then transformed into a demon and entered the demonic path...
He also entered the ghost path, the strange path, the witch path, and so on...
Some said the Peacock Wisdom King sacrificed himself to enter the cycle of reincarnation, undergoing endless rebirths, traversing the Three Thousand Great Daos, not seeking the true Buddha, nor seeking the Great Dao, but only to deliver all sentient beings.
Many also firmly believed that this time, the Peacock Great Wisdom King's reincarnation as a destined variable facing the Calamity was precisely to stop this Calamity, safeguard the Great Dao, and universally deliver all sentient beings.
And now Peacock Great Emperor actually said he was not here for the Great Dao?
How was this possible!
If not for seeing it with their own eyes, the various Great Dao Patriarchs simply could not believe it. Even now, witnessing it firsthand, they still found it hard to believe.
Could it be that those legends about the Peacock Wisdom King were false?
No!
They couldn't be false.
The Peacock Great Wisdom King sacrificing himself to enter the cycle of reincarnation, undergoing endless rebirths, leaving footprints in the Three Thousand Great Daos—that couldn't be false.
If the legends of the Peacock Great Wisdom King were true, why did this Peacock Great Emperor before them say he was not here for the Great Dao?
Could it be that this Peacock Great Emperor was not the legendary Peacock Great Wisdom King who sacrificed himself to enter the cycle of reincarnation?
Thinking of this, Elder Tai of Xuantian sternly demanded, "Are you truly the legendary Peacock Great Wisdom King or not?"
"What difference does it make whether I am or am not?"
Peacock Great Emperor said lightly, "If I am, so what? If I am not, so what?"
"The true Peacock Great Wisdom King of that year sacrificed himself to enter the cycle of reincarnation, undergoing endless rebirths, traversing the Three Thousand Great Daos, not seeking the true Buddha, nor seeking the Great Dao, but only to deliver all sentient beings."
Peacock Great Emperor stared at Elder Tai of Xuantian, his words ringing with conviction, "You yourself said it: the Peacock Great Wisdom King sacrificed himself to enter the cycle of reincarnation, undergoing endless rebirths, traversing the Three Thousand Great Daos."
"Not seeking the true Buddha!"
"Nor seeking the Great Dao!"
"Only to deliver all sentient beings!"