Upon seeing that familiar figure, Yu Yuan felt both surprised and excited.
Visually speaking, Tongtian in the present differed little from his future self, except for seeming younger and having a sharper, more ambitious gleam in his eyes.
At this time, he had yet to achieve Sainthood, thus his heart brimmed with desire for accomplishment.
Unlike in the future, where he would often engage in casual games of chess with his disciples, resembling a salted fish that had lost its dreams.
Yu Yuan silently scoffed in his mind, but more than that, he felt a sense of reassurance.
Tongtian's presence in the Heavenly Court was certainly not by chance; it was highly likely that he was here for Red Cloud Ancestor, and there was a small chance he was here for Yu Yuan himself.
"Without prior knowledge of Daoist Brother Tongtian's visit, we've failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive us for any inconvenience," he said.
Despite being the Demon Emperor, Emperor Jun took the initiative to greet the uninvited guest with courtesy and respect.
Tongtian looked around at the assembly of experts from the Demon Court, his mouth curving slightly upwards, "Let's skip the pleasantries. I'm not one to beat around the bush. My protege was protected by Daoist Red Cloud, so today I am here to take him away from the Demon Court."
"Please hear me out, Daoist Brother!" Emperor Jun hurriedly said: "I guarantee that Daoist Red Cloud will not be harmed in the slightest. We only request his cooperation to unearth some secrets of the past. Please grant us a few days of leniency... Just three days!
In three days' time, I will personally ensure Daoist Red Cloud's departure from the Heavenly Court. How does that sound, Daoist Brother?"
"Unearth secrets?"
Tongtian shook his head and smiled, "Why bother lying to me with such tall tales? I've been in the Heavenly Court for quite some time now, and I have a rough idea of your intentions. You all wish to seize the Hongmeng Purple Qi, don't you?
However, you're looking in the wrong place. That Hongmeng Purple Qi is not with Daoist Red Cloud."
Before he could finish, a cold, oppressive voice rang out.
"If you're not Red Cloud, how can you be so sure the Hongmeng Purple Qi isn't with him?"
Yu Yuan glanced at the speaker, recognizing Donghuang Taiyi.
He noticed that ever since Tongtian appeared, Donghuang Taiyi seemed a bit off, as if he was silently gathering up energy. A sharpness now emerged, replacing his previous indifference.
"Indeed, I am not Daoist Red Cloud," Tongtian said with a smile: "But do you even know what Hongmeng Purple Qi looks like? You've probably only heard of the name and have no clue about its true nature, right?"
As he spoke, he exhaled a whiff of purple qi which transformed into a thousand-petal purple lotus in the air.
He pointed at the lotus and said with a smile: "Look, this is the Hongmeng Purple Qi."
Immediately, everyone's eyes were drawn to the purple lotus, avarice flickering within.
Had Tongtian not been standing by, someone might have already made a rash move to seize it.
After all, that is the very foundation of Sainthood!
Possessing it means grasping the supreme sacred object that enables one to attain Sainthood!
Yet at that moment, Tongtian nonchalantly waved his hand towards the lotus, adding with a smile: "If you want it, take it."
The lotus scattered instantly, turning into strands of purple qi that dispersed in all directions.
"Hongmeng Purple Qi!"
Someone cried out in shock. Then, several figures, quick as lightning, snatched up the strands of purple qi.
"How can you fall for such a trick?"
Tongtian chuckled as he looked at Red Cloud Ancestor, "See? When they first asked you for the Hongmeng Purple Qi, had you just produced some purple miasma and handed it over, you might have fooled them already, since they can't tell real from fake anyway."
Hearing this, the faces of the several Quasi-Saints who had lunged for the qi turned green.
At this point, how could they not know they had been played!
The purple lotus was clearly not the Hongmeng Purple Qi at all, and here they were, frantically snatching at it.
The expressions of Emperor Jun and Taiyi were not pleasant either.
Although Tongtian appeared to be joking, it was an unmistakable humiliation for them!
As if all their busywork had amounted to a mere jest in Tongtian's view—they didn't even know what the Hongmeng Purple Qi was, unable to recognize it even if it was right in front of them, and yet here they were, scrambling for it.
Seeing all this, Yu Yuan couldn't help but find amusement.
It seems my mentor is not the serious type either!
At this moment, Emperor Jun forcefully suppressed his anger and said: "Daoist Brother has been secluded in Kunlun for many years. Now that you've taken the rare step to visit, why leave in such haste? I've ordered a banquet to be prepared with fine wine and delicacies, please grant our Demon Court this courtesy.
Today we drink and speak joyfully; by this time tomorrow, I will personally see Daoist Brother and Daoist Red Cloud off!
How would you like to proceed, Daoist Brother?"
"Heh heh…" Tongtian chuckled lightly: "I've just said, I intend to take him away from the Demon Court today."
"What if I do not consent!" Donghuang Taiyi said coldly.
Tongtian glanced at him and softly smiled: "What does your consent or lack thereof have to do with me?"
"Daoist Brother, might you be too arrogant? Remember, this is the Heavenly Court!"
Donghuang Taiyi narrowed his eyes, his hands clenched into fists. The Chaos Bell above his head shimmered with multicolored Chaotic Divine Light, while the Xuanhuang Chaotic Qi swirled around him as if brewing something, yet seemingly restraining immense power.
The surrounding Demon Saints all looked severe and filled with rage.
This was going too far!
The Demon Emperor had already been very accommodating, even relaxing the terms from three days to one. But this Upper Qing Tongtian Daoist gave no face at all.
"Is our Demon Court a place you can just come and go as you please?"
Unable to contain himself, Ji Meng, the Demon Saint, burst out angrily: "Others might fear The Three Pure Ones, but I certainly don't! Flame Spear, break!"
As he spoke, his arms vibrated, and the long spear in his hands turned into a thousand-yard thick Five-clawed Flame Dragon that effortlessly tore through space and roared towards Tongtian, who was standing above the East Heavenly Gate.
Regarding this scene, Emperor Jun and Taiyi did not intervene.
Although they were also reluctant to offend Tongtian, things have come to such a pass; if they continue to show restraint, it might well chill the hearts of the many Demon Gods who depend on the Heavenly Court!
Thus, at this moment, Demon Saint Ji Meng taking the initiative suited their wishes perfectly.
Faced with Demon Saint Ji Meng's strike, Tongtian did not dodge or move, nor did he display any action; a Five-clawed Flame Dragon simply vanished into thin air in front of him, then burst through space from above Ji Meng's head.
Demon Saint Ji Meng reached out to recall it, but the Five-clawed Flame Dragon did not respond.
His own Spiritual Weapon was not heeding his summons?
Demon Saint Ji Meng's complexion turned ashen, and seeing the Five-clawed Flame Dragon bore down on him, he hesitated no longer and immediately tried to flee using Tunneling Light.
But then he found himself as if mired in a swamp, bound by the space around him, and for the moment, he found it difficult to escape.
Easier said than done, as it happens quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the Five-clawed Flame Dragon swallowed him whole, its belly like a burning furnace, ablaze with the exceedingly fierce Taiyang Fire, burning Ji Meng so that he howled in agony.
The onlookers exchanged glances.
Everything had happened too swiftly; they had not yet recovered from their shock.
After a moment, the Five-clawed Flame Dragon dissipated.
All they saw was a scarlet spear that had been thrust through Ji Meng's head from above and protruded from his buttocks, running him clean through, resulting in a sight of extreme misery.
Witnessing this, almost everyone present inhaled a breath of cold air.
Demon Saint Ji Meng was, after all, a formidable Quasi-Saint; yet without so much as lifting a finger, Daoist Tongtian casually defeated him!
The unknown is truly the most terrifying!
Had Tongtian counterattacked and wounded Ji Meng, they might not have been so shocked.
But the technique used by Tongtian was utterly incomprehensible to them.
Yu Yuan glanced around and realized that not everyone was baffled.
At least Emperor Jun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng Ancestor seemed to perceive some nuances.
He surmised this because, unlike the others who looked lost, they showed an incredible, almost incredulous horror in their eyes.
Yu Yuan likewise did not comprehend the mystery involved.
However, this did not stop him from feeling his emotions stirred, and he even felt the urge to shout out "Awesome."
He could see that although his esteemed master was far from reaching Sainthood, compared to the Demon Saints of the Demon Court who had just entered the realm of Quasi-Saints, he was far stronger, by no small measure.
At this moment, Red Cloud Ancestor beside him laughed heartily: "Do you fellows really assume the name of The Three Pure Ones is so illustrious merely because they are direct disciples of the Taoist Ancestor?
Do you not know that during the great conflict between the Dao and the Demons, most of the giants under the Demon Ancestor fell at the hands of The Three Pure Ones?"
"I have slain as many malevolent demons as anyone else!"
Emperor Taiyi snorted coldly, with the Chaos Bell above his head rising up to the Nine Heavens, looking squarely at Tongtian, and asserted firmly: "If you want to take someone away, first ask whether my Chaos Bell would agree!"
With that said, the Chaos Bell above his head trembled violently.
"Dang!"
A visible wave of bell resonance spread in all directions.
Despite the distance, Yu Yuan could see numerous web-like black fissures appearing around his body, like a shattered mirror.
Space was obliterated, the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind ran rampant like a cage that trapped Daoist Tongtian within, then the spatial cracks tightened suddenly, as if heavenly blades descended to cleave.
At this moment, Tongtian acted.
He looked up at the Chaos Bell and produced a verdant-green Immortal Sword in his hand.
The sword was not long, stretching barely over three feet.
Its body was completely verdan-green, seemingly like jade carved and emanated a profoundly pure spirit light, condensing into sheets of azure lotus leaves.
With a flick of Qingping Sword in the wind,
Infinite Immortal Light burst forth.
The essence qi of Jade Star enveloped as mist, the Hongmeng Purple Qi of Qingyun transformed into smoke.
Countless fresh and dripping lotus leaves filled the sky, obscuring the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and the Chaos Bell swirling with Xuanhuang Qi...
No one could see what transpired in the space obscured by lotus leaves, but rapid bell sounds continued incessantly, while colorful, radiant glows blossomed like fireworks.
Moments later, only a "bang" was heard, and a yellowing bell flew outwards.
Following it, a tall and slender figure also staggered backwards.
The next instant, the myriad lotus leaves in the sky vanished as if they had never been.
That young Daoist, with a hint of a smile, still stood majestic and imposing above the East Heavenly Gate, his handsome face revealing a cheerful smile, exuding a carefree and easygoing charm from inside and out.
It was as if he had not moved at all from the very beginning.
But now, the gaze of the many Quasi-Saints of the Demon Court towards him had shifted from astonishment to profound fear.
And Emperor Taiyi, in particular, stared at him intently, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
Emperor Jun cast him a glance and sighed deeply before commanding loudly: "All commanders and soldiers heed my order, open the Heavenly Gate immediately, and restore passage!"
"It looks like we've won."
Yu Yuan relaxed, not surprisingly, as he watched his young master, filled with emotion.
With his own strength, he had subdued the entire Demon Court.
Master is truly awesome!
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