Lady Wuyue and the others guarding Gu Qingfeng were already firmly pinned down by the attacks filling the sky, with no capacity to divide their attention further.
The ancestral patriarchs who had been waiting for their chance all made their move. Just as Green Robe and Xuanming acted, the ancestral patriarchs of the Xuantian Immortal Dao, led by Elder Tai and the other Xuanmiao Nine Immortals, also prepared to strike.
However.
The two Original Sin Ancestral Patriarchs, Green Robe and Xuanming, met their end before their mission even began. Before they could act, they were intercepted by Demon Emperor Blood River.
At the same time.
Elder Tai and the other Xuanmiao Nine Immortals encountered the same situation. Just as they were about to act, a figure appeared before them.
It was a man.
A man in white robes, holding a three-foot-long sword.
This white-robed man was like a blazing sun, profound and mysterious, noble as an emperor.
It was none other than Xuanyang Imperial King.
When Demon Emperor Blood River appeared before Green Robe and Ancestor Xuanming, they couldn't believe their eyes. They had thought Demon Emperor Blood River, like them, yearned for the Era of No Dao and belonged to the same faction. Even if Demon Emperor Blood River were to act, he should be stopping those Great Dao ancestral patriarchs.
When Xuanyang Imperial King appeared before the Xuanmiao Nine Immortals, the members of the Xuantian Immortal Dao were even more incredulous.
Because they too had believed Xuanyang Imperial King was on their side.
No!
It wasn't just a belief.
The ancestral patriarchs of the Xuantian Immortal Dao clearly remembered that not long ago, Elder Tai himself had asked Xuanyang Imperial King for his stance. And Xuanyang Imperial King had explicitly stated he would support Elder Tai. Not only would he support him, but he also said he would definitely act when the time came, without any hesitation whatsoever.
If that was the case, what was the meaning of Xuanyang Imperial King appearing before them now?
Not only did the Immortal Dao patriarchs fail to understand, Elder Tai understood even less. He angrily rebuked, "Xuanyang, what is the meaning of this?"
Xuanyang Imperial King responded with a solemn expression, "Doing what I wish to do, what I ought to do, what I must do!"
Elder Tai seemed to vaguely realize something, but deep down he still couldn't believe it—or more accurately, he couldn't accept it. He shouted, "What you wish to do... could it be to stop my Xuantian Immortal Dao from acting?"
"I said, when the time comes to act, I will definitely act, without any hesitation whatsoever!"
Hearing this.
The Immortal Dao ancestral patriarchs finally understood. Xuanyang Imperial King's earlier statement about acting was never about supporting Elder Tai, but about stopping him.
"What a fine Xuanyang Imperial King you are!"
Elder Tai finally realized he had been played by Xuanyang Imperial King. Instantly, shame turned to rage. Glaring furiously at Xuanyang Imperial King, he spat out each word through gritted teeth, his aged face pale with fury, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. Pointing at Xuanyang Imperial King, he nearly roared, "Do you think you alone can stop my Xuantian Immortal Dao?"
Perhaps Xuanyang Imperial King's sudden appearance had enraged Elder Tai too much. With a sweep of his large hand, he bellowed, "All Immortals of Xuantian, heed my command! Attack!"
Elder Tai did not fear Xuanyang Imperial King in the slightest.
In a one-on-one fight, he might not be Xuanyang Imperial King's match.
However.
Elder Tai was not alone. He had eight fellow disciples.
The Xuantian Nine Immortals were taught by the two Immortal Elders, Tai Xuan and Tai Miao. They had cultivated within the Xuanmiao Flower from the Primordial Era until now, constantly contemplating the origin of the Immortal Dao. Not only were their cultivation profound, but their minds were also in perfect harmony. With the nine of them joining forces, they feared no one.
Moreover, the Xuantian Immortal Dao was not comprised solely of their Xuanmiao Nine Immortals. Besides the various Immortal Dao ancestral patriarchs, there were also many Star Lords, Throne Kings, and even Imperial Seal holders who bore the Heavenly Mandate.
Most importantly, behind them stood the even more powerful two Immortal Elders, Tai Xuan and Tai Miao, as well as the Xuanmiao Old Immortal Lord, the Dual Poles of Yin and Yang, the Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix, and the Boundless Tai Chi of Unpredictable Fate.
However.
Elder Tai was not the only one with companions; Xuanyang Imperial King was not alone either.
Just as Elder Tai swept his hand and ordered the ancestral patriarchs of the Xuantian Immortal Dao to attack, two vast, majestic auras swept over like a tidal wave. Accompanying these two majestic auras were two men.
One man wore a cyan robe, one hand behind his back, the other in front. His handsome face bore a dignified and solemn expression.
He stood in the void, draped in a cyan radiance. A cyan light pillar shot straight into the heavens, as if piercing through heaven and earth. Faintly, one could see a massive Azure Dragon slowly coiling around the cyan light pillar.
This man seemed to hold up the azure sky itself, guarded by the Azure Dragon, like impartial justice standing between heaven and earth, unmoved by yin and yang, unilluminated by sun or moon, unstained by good or evil, belonging neither to light nor darkness, but only to the impartial justice of the azure sky!
This man was none other than Changfeng Great Emperor, who bore the mandate of the Azure Sky's Impartial Justice!
The other man stood tall in the void, dressed in pristine white robes, with a handsome face and an elegant, scholarly demeanor.
Brilliant light shimmered around him, radiant and multicolored, ever-changing, profoundly mysterious and wonderfully subtle.
As the light transformed, the man seemed draped in endless stars, with the sun and moon to his left and right. He was like yin and yang, like light and darkness, like sanctity and evil. Yin contained yang, yang contained yin; light contained darkness, darkness contained light. It was as if the Three Thousand Great Daos had fused upon him, forming the Great Dao's return to unity.
His appearance.
Was even more like a celestial god descending from the heavens, ethereal and elusive, inspiring reverence in all who beheld him.
This elegant man was none other than Fusheng Dijun, who founded the Hunyuan Great Dao, hailed as a hero of the present era, the Fourth Pillar of Heaven!
When Changfeng Great Emperor and Fusheng Dijun appeared simultaneously, all the ancestral patriarchs of the Xuantian Immortal Dao who had been preparing to act were stunned. The Heavenly Mandate Throne Kings of the Xuantian Immortal Dao were no exception, and neither were the Xuantian Nine Immortals.
Elder Tai had previously questioned Changfeng Great Emperor and Fusheng Dijun, and both had explicitly stated they would not support him.
Yet none of them had imagined that Fusheng Dijun and Changfeng Great Emperor would not only refuse to support him but now actually step forward to prevent.
First Xuanyang Imperial King, then Fusheng Dijun and Changfeng Great Emperor.
This left the ancestral patriarchs of the Xuantian Immortal Dao utterly unable to believe it, let alone accept it!
Especially Elder Tai. His shocked, devastated gaze seemed to question his very life. Pointing at Changfeng Great Emperor and Fusheng Dijun, he shouted, "You... you... you are simply... simply..." Perhaps it was too unbelievable, perhaps too unacceptable, or perhaps too infuriating, but Elder Tai was so enraged he could barely speak.
Changfeng Great Emperor said expressionlessly, "I said, this calamity has no right or wrong, only different choices. You have your choices, and I, Gu Changfeng, have mine!"
Elder Tai roared furiously, "Your choice is to stop my Xuantian Immortal Dao?"
"Correct!"
Changfeng Great Emperor declared, "This is the choice of I, Gu Changfeng!"
After Changfeng Great Emperor spoke, Fusheng Dijun also said calmly, "I am not stopping you. I am saving you. The consciousness and demonic thoughts upon the Nether Emperor... they cannot be touched. Whoever touches them will die!"