Volume One: The Calamity of the Lich Chapter 170: The Three Pure Ones Sever Their Corpses Again, Hongjun Observes in Secret

Afterward, under the witness of the assembled mighty beings, the two sides engaged in lengthy discussions, making several revisions before finally reaching an alliance agreement. According to the pact, should either party suffer an attack from the Witch Tribe, the other must come unconditionally to their aid. This agreement would remain in effect until the Dao Ancestor achieved union with the Dao. Both sides pointedly avoided addressing any issues that might arise thereafter, clearly harboring their own plans.

The Eastern King also perceived that Di Jun would never allow his continued existence, especially given Di Jun’s current momentum. Although an alliance had been brokered, it was, in the Eastern King’s eyes, nothing more than a verbal agreement. He believed that, were it not for the Dao Ancestor’s decree, Di Jun would not have kept him around at all. Unbeknownst to him, the talisman he regarded as his safeguard held no weight in Di Jun’s eyes. Di Jun merely sought to buy the Heavenly Court and the Demon Clan a respite.

At this moment, atop Mount Kunlun in the Hall of Supreme Polarity, the Three Purities sat cross-legged upon meditation cushions, their bodies flickering with dark, inky light. Now that their essences and fortunes had merged, their cultivation was much smoother than before. Before each of them appeared a magical treasure: before the Grand Supreme stood a Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram radiating black and white patterns; before the Primordial Origin, a banner pulsed with a sharp and formidable aura—none other than the Pangu Banner, one of the Three Treasures of Creation; before the Lord of All Things, the Chaos Bell gifted by Qingxuan.

As these treasures manifested, in the Purple Cloud Palace beyond the heavens, Hongjun opened his eyes upon his meditation mat. Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of unease flooded his heart.

"Strange—what is it that unsettles me so?"

The Creation Jade Disc materialized in his hand. Using it, Hongjun connected with the very source of the Heavenly Dao and began his divinations. At last, he cast his gaze toward Mount Kunlun, but his sight was immediately blocked by a barrier impossible to break. As Hongjun prepared to forcibly breach it, his primordial spirit emitted a shattering crack. He cried out in agony.

"What is this? What could possibly block even the Heavenly Dao's investigation?"

Hongjun now appeared utterly diminished, as though his very Dao heart were close to collapse. He struggled desperately to steady himself. Across the land, innumerable beings felt a tremendous pressure bearing down upon their hearts. Yet, for all this, Mount Kunlun itself remained entirely untouched.

In the Purple Cloud Palace, streams of seven-colored essence poured forth from the Heavenly Dao’s domain, quickly enveloping Hongjun. As the rainbow-hued source of Dao permeated him, his injuries greatly improved. Recovering, Hongjun looked toward Mount Kunlun with an inscrutable expression.

"Why has the world changed so much? Everything is utterly different from the information the Heavenly Dao once gave me!"

His face darkened with regret. According to the Heavenly Dao, he was meant to be the greatest power in existence, but reality had unfolded quite otherwise. Hongjun did not realize that, as he used the Dao’s essence to divine, Qingxuan atop Mount Buzhou had already discerned his intent and invoked the authority of heaven and earth to shield Mount Kunlun completely. Hongjun, not yet perfected, could draw on the Dao’s power, but not as easily as the Dao itself.

On Mount Buzhou, Qingxuan sighed softly, "It seems I must find an opportunity to speak with Fellow Daoist Hongjun. Left unchecked, this could become a disaster for the world beyond any reckoning." With that, he closed himself off in seclusion once more.

Meanwhile, the Three Purities had become as one, their auras seamlessly intertwined. At a critical moment, the three suddenly opened their eyes and called out in unison, "Sever!"

Instantly, black radiance peeled away from their bodies and was absorbed into the Three Treasures of Creation before them. As the last wisp of darkness faded, three figures appeared before them, each bowing with cupped hands.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists!"

The three laughed heartily and, with a light tap to their primordial spirits, the figures merged once more, vanishing as streams of light into their souls. Feeling the tremendous surge of power, the Three Purities laughed aloud.

"Fortunate that we chose this path back then—cultivation has become so much clearer and smoother!"

Yet they were unaware that this was merely their beginning. Created as one, this return to origin made their cultivation feel perfectly natural. Delighted, they spoke in turn, "Let us continue!"

Once again, they drew upon the treasures of Dao-realization—the Three Treasures of Creation—guiding their essences to blend and flow through one another. As their combined essence circulated, their auras strengthened further. Only when their essence was nearly two-thirds spent did they finally reach their limit and halt.

"The middle stage of quasi-sainthood," one remarked, "but it seems our situation differs somewhat from what Master once described."

"Still, we have broken through, and the road ahead is clearer than ever," said the Lord of All Things with a smile. Others who had severed two aspects of themselves found no clue as to the third, but for the Three Purities, clarity came as soon as they broke through.

"Taiji!" the Grand Supreme said with a smile.

"Order!" the Jade Purity declared, astonishing the others.

The Lord of All Things spoke of the Way of the Sword—the Severing Heaven Sword Path. By severing the secret of heaven with the sword, one could attain great fortune, though the secrets of heaven are not so easily severed. All three knew the final leg of the path would be the hardest.

Meanwhile, in the Pangu Hall atop Mount Buzhou, a figure’s aura grew ever stronger. Di Jiang and the others glanced toward a corner of the hall, sensing the formidable presence.

"Who would have thought, among us all, that aside from Sister Houtu, it would be Jumang who advanced ahead," Di Jiang said bitterly, fixing his gaze on Jumang. "Let’s just hope he doesn’t follow Houtu’s path."

Zhu Rong, however, spoke without thinking, "What nonsense!"

Di Jiang rapped him on the head, his mood improving slightly. "That’s not something you should say lightly!" Xuanming glared at Zhu Rong, who realized his mistake and quickly apologized to his brothers.

Just as Jumang’s aura reached its peak, a figure suddenly appeared before the assembled Ancestral Witches.

"Uncle!" they cried in amazement.

"Do not worry—just tend to your own affairs. Leave him to me," said Qingxuan, as he approached Jumang. Unleashing his power, he swept Jumang up—and in the next instant, both vanished from the hall.