At this moment, Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang stood outside the celestial barrier.
With Guiyu Heaven backing her, she possessed ample confidence.
According to her plan, someone would soon emerge from Ziyuan Heaven—a Heavenly Position Realm Yang God with whom she could haggle. How much profit she could extract would come down entirely to her silver tongue.
Meanwhile, within Ziyuan Heaven, numerous cultivators were alarmed, buzzing with chatter.
"Senior Brother Blood Robe killed... Mona?"
"Mona of Guiyu Heaven?"
"It seems Senior Brother Blood Robe truly possesses immense capability!"
"Mona was one of the finest prodigies in Guiyu Heaven, having clashed with Senior Brother Bing Jian with wins and losses on both sides!"
"For Senior Brother Blood Robe to kill Mona means his strength surpasses Senior Brother Bing Jian's. Looks like the rumors are true—the Ancestor intends to use Senior Brother Blood Robe against..."
As certain thoughts crossed their minds, several cultivators took on grave expressions.
They did not know whether this was a blessing or a curse.
Naturally, they hoped a peerless prodigy would arise in Ziyuan Heaven and crush Hei Jian.
All the cultivators craned their necks toward the celestial barrier, paying close attention to how events unfolded.
After all, it was exceedingly rare for a Yang God Heavenly Venerable to come knocking at their door.
Perhaps only once or twice in ten thousand years did such a thing occur.
And even then, it usually happened in other regions of the Black Demon Abyss, never in Ziyuan Heaven.
Just then, a furious roar suddenly thundered across the sky.
"What manner of stray dog dares to bark before this old man's gate?!"
Along with that voice, a colossal golden hand materialized beyond the celestial barrier.
The gigantic palm resembled the sky itself, brimming with awe-inspiring majesty!
The instant the giant palm appeared, Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang was seized by terror.
"A... a Great Ultimate Principle?"
Horror flooded her face.
She had only come to extort some compensation; how had she provoked an old monster of the Great Ultimate Principle to act in person?
"Senior... by attacking me, do you wish to ignite an all-out war between Guiyu Heaven and the Black Demon Abyss?" Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang cried out in fright.
That terrifying giant hand instilled within her a sense of utter helplessness.
She felt that even fleeing was an impossibility.
Most horrifying of all, she sensed a dense, suffocating murderous intent.
She was truly terrified now.
"This old man is in a foul mood with nowhere to vent it, and you just happen to present yourself at my doorstep!"
Ancestor Ziyuan's voice boomed like that of a god.
Ever since his share of the Blood Shaping and Comprehension Elevation Pill had been stripped away, he had been stewing in foul temper.
Now that a clown had come strutting to his gate, it gave him the perfect outlet to vent his anger.
Even though the opponent was a Yang God of Guiyu Heaven, whom had Ancestor Ziyuan ever feared?
As the words fell, the colossal golden hand clamped down toward Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang.
"No!" Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang sensed a lethal crisis.
Her dharma idol body manifested in that instant, and her star within the Astral Realm blazed with brilliance.
She tried to flee.
However...
Her dharma idol body could not unfold at all, imprisoned entirely within her physical frame.
She looked out to see the golden hand locking her firmly in place.
Furthermore, deep within the boundless expanse of the Astral Realm, an enormous golden hand abruptly manifested as well, grasping the star that projected her existence across the heavens.
"You cannot..."
Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang was filled with agony and despair. She had never imagined she would encounter such a madman.
She was merely at the Lesser Heavenly Position; the gap between her and a Yang God of the Great Ultimate Principle Realm was wider than the heavens themselves!
"This old man can't stand the screeching of women. It grates on my nerves!"
With those words, Ancestor Ziyuan clenched his fist domineeringly.
Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang's indestructible Yang God physique shattered instantly within that colossal hand.
Within the Astral Realm, the golden hand squeezed with power, and the star belonging to Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang shattered in an instant, scattering into flecks of starlight.
The fall of a Yang God happened so suddenly that no one had time to react.
All the cultivators and Yang Gods of Ziyuan Heaven watched the scene in utter shock and disbelief.
Qi Yuan looked toward the firmament, squinting slightly as ripples stirred within his heart.
*Indeed, the stronger one becomes, the more terrifying the Great Ultimate Principle feels.*
Even when merging four thousand Divine Infants, Qi Yuan could not achieve what Ancestor Ziyuan had just demonstrated.
Not to mention, the Ancestor had struck from within Ziyuan Heaven, yet his hand had simultaneously manifested in the Astral Realm to crush Heavenly Venerable Mo Tang's stellar projection.
Such a method was far beyond Qi Yuan's current grasp.
*If even an ordinary Great Ultimate Principle is this formidable, just how strong is that figure from Taihuang Palace?*
Qi Yuan mused internally, a fresh sense of urgency rising within him.
Hearing his murmured words, An Xunlu felt a trace of disdain in her heart.
"You should worry about breaking through to the Yang God realm before trying to fathom the might of a Great Ultimate Principle!" An Xunlu had quite a sharp, gossipy tongue, just as Horned Sis had said.
Qi Yuan could not be bothered to argue with An Xunlu.
This person did not even possess the basic concept that all people were born equal.
Talking to her was like casting pearls before swine.
Qi Yuan turned to Ziyuan Xiaolu; conversing with the pink-horned girl was far more pleasant.
"The Ancestor killed this Yang God—won't that cause trouble?" Qi Yuan asked.
After all, a Yang God of Guiyu Heaven had just perished.
In terms of overall strength, Guiyu Heaven was hardly inferior to the Black Demon Abyss.
"It should be fine. Even if there is trouble... it probably won't affect us," Ziyuan Xiaolu pondered aloud. "The Old Ancestor must have had his own plans when taking action. Perhaps our Black Demon Abyss is playing a grand game of chess and preparing to strike at Guiyu Heaven."
Ziyuan Xiaolu speculated.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan found it quite reasonable.
When a powerhouse of the Great Ultimate Principle Realm made a move, there was bound to be profound intent behind it.
Just then, Qi Yuan suddenly sensed the surrounding space lock up.
Time itself seemed to freeze around An Xunlu and Ziyuan Xiaolu.
He knew Ancestor Ziyuan had arrived.
Sure enough, that familiar voice echoed once more.
"Profound intent, my foot! This old man has just been in a foul mood lately, and she happened to be chattering non-stop outside my door, grating on my nerves," Ancestor Ziyuan said nonchalantly.
Having just slain a Yang God, much of his pent-up frustration seemed to have dissipated.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan was left somewhat speechless.
Was this... a spur-of-the-moment killing?
He wanted nothing more than to ask whether millions or even tens of millions of years of cultivation had all gone down the drain. Did the man truly lack even this tiny shred of mental composure?
"Do you believe a Yang God of the Great Ultimate Principle Realm ought to be above mortal concerns, showing neither joy nor anger?" Ancestor Ziyuan raised his voice slightly. "We cultivators embark on the immortal path to contend against the heavens, all so we may live freely and unconstrained, doing as we please! If one cultivates oneself into something cold and rigid like the Heavenly Dao, wouldn't that be dreadfully dull?"
Hearing this, Qi Yuan found some merit in it.
What was the purpose of cultivating immortality?
Was it not supreme freedom and unfettered ease?
If one dared not even express one's own emotions and had to constantly suppress them, life would be far too stifling.
"I've killed her, which is merely a trifling matter for the Black Demon Abyss. However, as for you, you'd best stay indoors for a while.
"Cultivators of Guiyu Heaven are all a bit touched in the head—utterly unhinged. Someone might try to intercept and slaughter you in retaliation!"
"Thank you for the warning, Senior." Qi Yuan made a mental note of it.
He listened to the advice, but whether he actually followed it would depend on his mood.
The spatial suppression dissolved, Ancestor Ziyuan's figure vanished, and the surroundings returned to normal.
An Xunlu looked at Qi Yuan with a reluctant expression. "Do you have time?"
"What is it?" Qi Yuan asked, mildly curious.
"Big Brother Hei Jian wants to meet with you," An Xunlu said grudgingly.
"Oh? Then tell him to come here. I'm very busy right now, rushing to cultivate the Ancestral Blood Art. Sigh, now that I've offended Guiyu Heaven, I need to raise my strength to protect myself," Qi Yuan replied earnestly.
Hearing this, An Xunlu was utterly speechless.
No matter how much you cultivated, could you possibly beat a Yang God of Guiyu Heaven in the short term?
However, Qi Yuan gave her no chance to respond, turning and departing directly with Ziyuan Xiaolu.
An Xunlu was left standing in place, gnashing her teeth.
"Confound him! To actually refuse Big Brother Hei Jian... That is Big Brother Hei Jian! Other people would find it difficult to catch even a glimpse of him!"
Seeing this, An Xunlu had no choice but to head to Black Demon Heaven to inform Big Brother Hei Jian of the matter.
...
Black Demon Heaven.
Amidst the boundless Black Sea, Hei Jian stood tall and straight, draped in white robes and carrying an aura as gentle as jade.
A single sword left its sheath, causing heaven and earth to tremble.
Only after several dozen breaths did the Black Sea finally regain its calm.
A Yang God of the Ultimate Principle Realm watched Hei Jian, surprise and admiration gleaming in his eyes. "Daoist Hei Jian, your strength grows more formidable by the day. If I do not deploy an ultimate principle, it would be difficult for me to defeat you within a hundred breaths."
One had to remember that Hei Jian was only a Yang God of the Lesser Heavenly Position.
Yet, without utilizing an ultimate principle, it would take him a hundred breaths to subdue him.
Moreover, the Yang God faintly sensed that Hei Jian was still holding back.
"It is still not enough," Hei Jian said calmly. "The rift between the various factions of the Black Demon Abyss is growing wider. I must swiftly elevate my strength; otherwise, when the Linya Molt begins, the Black Demon Abyss will plunge into irreversible ruin."
Hearing this, the Ultimate Principle Yang God's expression shifted slightly. "Junior Brother Hei Jian has worked hard."
Regarding the Linya Molt, an Ultimate Principle Yang God like him had no way to intervene; the disparity was simply too vast.
"My bloodline shares the same origin as the Black Demon Ancestral Blood. The Black Demon Abyss is my home; protecting our home and safeguarding our comrades is my responsibility," Hei Jian stated plainly.
Hearing these words, reverence rose in the eyes of the Ultimate Principle Yang God.
As an Ultimate Principle expert, he could discern that everything Hei Jian said came straight from the heart.
Who did not know that the beings of the Black Demon Abyss, owing to their lineage, were mostly selfish, tyrannical, and bloodthirsty?
Yet Hei Jian, who shared the exact origin of the Black Demon Ancestral Blood, was pure and saintly.
One could say that once Hei Jian stepped into the Great Ultimate Principle, he would become the true sovereign of the Black Demon Abyss.
The fractured state of near-estrangement that had plagued the Black Demon Abyss for tens of millions of years would finally come to an end.
At this moment, Hei Jian received a message through his communication jade slip. His expression remained unchanged as he said placidly, "Senior Brother, I have matters to attend to. I shall take my leave."
With that, Hei Jian vanished from the spot.
When he reappeared, he was already in Ziyuan Heaven.
Inside his immortal's cave, Qi Yuan wore a lazy expression. Looking at Hei Jian standing outside, he said softly, "If you wanted to see me, why didn't you just come here in the first place like you did today? That way, An Xunlu wouldn't have had to run back and forth. Carrying around those two massive bombs must be exhausting for her."
Hei Jian remained composed, his face devoid of much emotion. "Junior Brother Blood Robe, this is a Blood Comprehension Pill, refined by the Eight Elders of the Black Demon Abyss.
"A one-fourth share of it was originally meant for you by Third Elder and Sixth Elder, but First Elder intercepted it and gave it to me.
"Now, I return this one-fourth share to you."
Saying so, Hei Jian offered a pill bottle to Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan looked at the pill bottle, somewhat puzzled.
"The situation was like this..." Hei Jian explained the preceding events to Qi Yuan in detail.
"You... are quite generous." Qi Yuan rarely praised others, but this time, he offered Hei Jian a compliment.
He could sense that Hei Jian had given him the Blood Comprehension Pill out of genuine sincerity, rather than as a calculated ploy to win him over—unlike a routine where First Elder played the bad cop while Hei Jian played the good cop just to curry favor.
"First Elder acted for the sake of the Black Demon Abyss as well. Now that your interests have not been compromised, Junior Brother Blood Robe, I hope you will let the matter rest," Hei Jian added. "The Linya Molt will soon arrive. I hope you will break through as early as possible so you have the foundation to secure your own survival."
"I will not attack unless attacked," Qi Yuan replied lazily. "I accept this Blood Comprehension Pill and acknowledge the favor. Once I become powerful in the future, I'll cover for you!"
Hei Jian offered a faint smile but did not respond.
Although he had heard about Qi Yuan slaying Mona, he did not yet regard Qi Yuan as a true rival.
His rivals were neither his peers nor ordinary Great Ultimate Principles, but those Yang God Heavenly Venerables who comprehended Supreme Ultimate Principles!
"Consuming the Blood Comprehension Pill before the Wall of Ultimate Principle may prove of great benefit."
Hei Jian offered this parting reminder before his figure vanished into thin air.
Chapter 437