Within the chaotic space, the three thousand disciples also entered that otherworld. In the boundless expanse, only Confucius and Guiguzi, the two wise men, remained. They nodded slightly and looked towards the end of the chaos.
"Damn it!"
"You've ruined my eternal plans!"
In the midst of the chaos, the rapidly moving Desolate Origin Ancestor suddenly lost the otherworld he had forged and refined. He roared with unwillingness, then sensed several beams of light sweeping towards him. Greatly alarmed, he quickly took out a nine-layered pagoda from his chest and threw it towards a corner of the chaos.
He had already stepped into transcendence and obtained the energy of the Origin Pagoda. Although the Origin Pagoda was still fundamental to the Immortal Realm and the Ancient Star Road, it was now of little use to him.
After discarding the Origin Pagoda, his figure instantly vanished.
Rumble!
The Origin Pagoda, like a stream of light, traversed the vast chaotic space and fell into a corner, embedding itself diagonally into the void.
Misting over, a figure emerged, scanning the endless galaxy. The figure bore a strong resemblance to the Desolate Origin Ancestor, yet upon closer inspection, it was different, strangely so.
"Desolate Origin Ancestor..."
The appearing figure looked towards the end of the chaos with a profound gaze. He raised the Origin Pagoda and was about to step forward when he suddenly looked up. At this moment, a trace of Dao intent emanated from the end of his line of sight.
That Dao intent was purer than his own energy, more in harmony with the changes of heaven and earth. This effortless and vast Dao intent caused the being holding the Origin Pagoda to change his expression. The Origin Pagoda in his hand vibrated, and strands of law began to peel away!
"The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name..."
As if the heavens and earth, the universe and the primordial ages were speaking, the voice carried a gentle yet powerful force. At this moment, a figure in a gray robe emerged. With a single step, he appeared ten thousand miles away from the being holding the Origin Pagoda, locking onto this chaotic space from afar.
"Who are you? You do not belong to this world!" the being exclaimed in shock, his arm holding the Origin Pagoda trembling slightly. He was afraid. Although he was the spiritual consciousness born from the Origin Pagoda, having endured the Desolate Origin Ancestor's millennia of refinement, he was terrified. After finally escaping from the Desolate Origin Ancestor's grasp, he encountered an elder who appeared even more formidable than the Desolate Origin Ancestor.
"The consciousness of the Origin Pagoda?"
Laozi looked at the being before him and smiled faintly. "You should not have appeared!"
"Insolent! Everything depends on me. Without me, how could all things in this world exist!" the being roared.
"Everything here originates from the Origin Pagoda, but not from you. You should not have appeared! Therefore, vanish!"
Laozi opened his mouth and let out a cry. Behind him, immense light surged, illuminating the boundless chaotic space. Five thousand ancient characters appeared, shimmering with boundless purple qi.
"Who can destroy me!"
"Who can destroy me!"
"Even the Desolate Origin Ancestor would be unable to do anything to me!"
Gray mist-like light burst forth from the being's mouth, like an immortal's stroke, striking downwards!
Laozi took a step forward, his eyes sharp. He extended a finger, directly locking onto the being!
The boundless purple qi, flowing and shimmering from the five thousand ancient characters behind him, condensed into a purple sword light. Upon this sword light, all things were born and all things fell, harmonizing with the laws of nature and the Great Dao. The sword light surged, a single cold sword strike pushing back the boundless chaos!
Boom!
In one clash, the being's expression changed drastically. Having fought the Desolate Origin Ancestor for millennia, his foundation was long gone. He urged the Origin Pagoda in his hand, desperately suppressing forward. However, the Origin Pagoda was no longer what it once was; its core energy had long been transformed by the Desolate Origin Ancestor!
Despite the earth-shattering power, it could not shake the peerless purple sword energy.
Boom!
The being let out a long roar, transforming into a giant of ten thousand feet. Holding the Origin Pagoda, he suppressed downwards. Light swept out, an immeasurable and terrifying suppression that shook the entire chaotic space. The Origin Pagoda sealed, myriad laws entwined around it, its offensive techniques, the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm!
Ten thousand miles away, Laozi stood with his hands behind his back. The five thousand ancient characters behind him continued to flow with purple light. Laozi's expression was calm. He extended his right hand, stroking his beard, and quietly watched the terrifying changes unfolding before him. He opened his right hand and casually waved it forward. The five thousand ancient characters flowed madly, as if the heavens and earth were chanting those five thousand characters. Light surged like the waters of the sea. Suddenly, Laozi gently pointed, and the character "慈" (Ci, meaning benevolence) flashed out from the five thousand ancient characters.
With that single character, heaven and earth churned, Yin and Yang inverted!
Rumble!
The power of a single character surged upwards, countering the being's endless onslaught. At this moment, the character "慈" shimmered with radiance and transformed into a mirror. The mirror reflected myriad attacks, and the river of time stood still. All the attacks froze in space. The being, raising the Origin Pagoda to smash downwards, was struck by a golden beam of light from the mirror. Then, the river of time roared, and the attacks moved forward. The being roared, but for every hundred feet the attacks and the boundless light advanced, their power diminished by a third!
By the time they reached a hundred feet before Laozi, Laozi waved his hand gently, and they vanished into nothingness.
The purple sword energy moved forward, striking the Origin Pagoda. The immense energy made the being's lips bleed.
Laozi looked at everything before him. He stroked his beard with his right hand and extended his left, gently waving it between heaven and earth. The five thousand ancient characters shimmered, and boundless light soared, suppressing the being.
"Ah!!"
As the light swept past, the being was covered in bloody wounds, not an inch of intact skin. His hair disheveled, like a bloodied person clinging to the Origin Pagoda, he wailed in the endless darkness.
What he did not know was that it was not he who had escaped the Desolate Origin Ancestor, but rather the Desolate Origin Ancestor, deeming him worthless, had abandoned him. Most importantly, the Desolate Origin Ancestor, while fleeing, had sensed Laozi's proximity and thrown the Origin Pagoda to lure him away.
"You should not have appeared. Your appearance doomed you to a life of sorrow. Return to where you came from!"
Laozi sighed softly. He extended his palm and pushed forward slightly. Boundless ancient characters erupted with divine purple light, beams of light showering down. But the being remained unwilling. Having finally gained consciousness and his own meaning, why should he let others decide his fate? He was unwilling! He roared, and with all his might, he raised the Origin Pagoda to block forward!
Boom!
The Origin Pagoda was covered in cracks. At this moment, the Ancient Star Road itself was filled with cracks, irreparable. The Ancient Star Road trembled because the Immortal Realm and the newly merged otherworld were beyond control, suppressed by the Nine Cauldrons, and were thus unharmed. However, the Ancient Star Road, almost shattered by this blow!
The being lost control, the Origin Pagoda flew from his grasp and was caught by Laozi. He stroked the Origin Pagoda with his right hand, which shimmered with boundless purple qi. At this moment, the being's head exploded with a roar, and his entire body ignited with purple flames. The space trembled as the purple flames intensified, penetrating his flesh, bones, and blood, igniting his vital energy.