SWDnovel Chapter 25: Confrontation with the Sage.
Chapter 25: Confrontation with the Sage.
Yuanshi Tianzun stood in the starry sky, surrounded by surging clouds. His saintly majesty was as deep as a mountain, pressing down on the stars in the sky, causing them to pause slightly.
The atmosphere froze instantly upon hearing this.
Jieyin, Zhunti, Taishang Laojun, Tongtian Jiaozhu, and Nuwa Niangniang were all positioned in different places. The six saints gathered together. Although they did not deliberately release their power, the six supreme auras intertwined, causing even the starry sky to tremble.
Haotian, however, remained calm, standing with his hands behind his back, a slight smile even playing on his lips.
"Senior Brother Yuanshi, you are mistaken." He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it echoed endlessly in the starry sky. "How have I ever despised a sage? I am merely asking my fellow senior brothers and sisters to bear witness that this is a private feud between the Heavenly Court and the remnants of the demon race, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."
His gaze swept over the six sages, neither humble nor arrogant: "The Primordial Starry Sky and the Thirty-Three Heavens are the territories of the Heavenly Court, which I was granted by the Dao Ancestor and crowned by the Heavenly Dao. Here, I am the host, and you are all guests. Guests should follow the host's lead; this is only natural."
"Insolence!" Yuanshi Tianzun frowned. "A mere page dares to discuss host and guest before us?"
Haotian smiled slightly, neither hurried nor annoyed: "If Senior Brother Yuanshi thinks I am wrong, he is free to appeal to the Dao Ancestor. But today, in this Heavenly Court, I have the final say."
These words were spoken neither lightly nor heavily, but they were very forceful.
The Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning's expression grew increasingly grim, and he was about to lash out when he was gently stopped by the Supreme Lord Laozi.
"Second brother, calm down." Laozi stroked his beard, his gaze falling on Haotian. "Haotian, tell me, how do you intend to deal with Lu Ya?"
When Haotian saw that Taishang Laojun had spoken, his attitude softened somewhat. He cupped his hands and said, "Senior Brother Taishang, you are wise. Lu Ya is a remnant of the demon race. He holds the Chaos Bell and intends to escape to Chaos."
"As the ruler of Heaven, I am obligated to capture him and reclaim the Heavenly Treasures. This matter is none of your concern, fellow disciples; you may simply observe from the sidelines."
"What if we don't agree?" Master Zhunti suddenly spoke, his face still smiling, but his eyes gleaming.
Haotian looked at Zhunti and said calmly, "If you don't agree, then please leave the Heavenly Court's territory. The Primordial Starry Sky does not welcome those with ulterior motives."
"You—" Zhunti's face stiffened.
The Guide Daoist tugged at Zhunti's sleeve and whispered, "Junior brother, let's see how he acts. The Chaos Bell is valuable, but it's not so easy to obtain."
As he spoke, he gestured to his surroundings. The meaning was clear: it wasn't just the two of them; the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa were also present.
Instead of arguing with Haotian here, it would be better to let Haotian get his hands on the Chaos Bell, or even just let Haotian have it directly.
Lu Ya held the Chaos Bell in his hand. If he really went into the chaos, no one could find him, and no one could do anything about him.
However, Haotian is different. As the Heavenly Emperor of the Primordial World, it is impossible for him to leave the Primordial World.
Therefore, in this respect, the Chaos Bell is more secure in Haotian's hands than in Lu Ya's.
As for whether they can seize it later, we'll see then. After all, the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa aren't just here to watch the show.
Having been fellow disciples for so many years, Zhunti and Zhunti were already of one mind. He took a deep breath, suppressed his displeasure, snorted coldly, and said nothing more.
The Tongtian Sect Leader, who had remained silent until now, suddenly asked, "Haotian, do you really think you can take the Chaos Bell? That's a supreme innate treasure."
Haotian laughed and said, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Tongtian. Since I dare to take action, I am naturally confident."
The Master of the Heavens nodded and stopped asking questions, but a hint of interest appeared in his eyes.
Nuwa remained silent, and no one knew what she was thinking.
Seeing that the six saints were no longer speaking, Haotian did not delay any longer and turned to look at Lu Ya in the Zhou Tian Star Array.
Lu Ya was trapped in the great formation, with the Chaos Bell above his head, surrounded by golden light, but he could not break through the cage formed by the power of the stars.
His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with resentment and despair.
"Haotian! You won't be able to capture me!" Lu Ya shouted fiercely, "I am the Crown Prince of the Demon Clan, I would rather die than submit!"
Haotian said calmly, "Prefer to die rather than submit? Then go and die."
He raised his hand and waved it, and the Zhou Tian Star Array suddenly activated. Billions of stars shone brightly at the same time, and stellar power surged towards Lu Ya like a tide, aiming to suppress him in one fell swoop.
Lu Ya bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the Chaos Bell.
clang--
The bell rang again, even more magnificent than before. The Chaos Bell suddenly expanded, transforming into a colossal bell that blotted out the sky, protecting Lu Ya within it. Stellar energy impacted the bell's walls, creating ripples, but it did not break through.
"The Chaos Bell is indeed extraordinary," Haotian praised, then sneered, "Unfortunately, you can't unleash its true power at all."
With a thought, he unleashed the full power of the Heavenly Emperor's authority. The power of the thirty-three heavens crashed down, strengthening the Zhou Tian Star Array. The starlight shone even brighter, and the suppressive power increased several times over.
The Chaos Bell began to tremble, emitting bursts of buzzing sounds, as if it were wailing.
Lu Ya's face was deathly pale, and blood was flowing from his seven orifices, but he gritted his teeth and stubbornly held on.
"Gentlemen, shall we continue watching the show?" Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly spoke, his gaze sweeping over the other sages. "The Chaos Bell is a supreme treasure from the creation of the world. If it falls into the hands of Haotian, I fear the power of the Heavenly Court will be difficult to control."
Daoist Zhunti immediately chimed in, "Brother Yuanshi is right. What virtue or ability does a mere attendant like Haotian possess to wield such a supreme treasure?"
Lao Tzu remained silent.
The Master of the Heavens shook his head and said, "Haotian was appointed by the Dao Ancestor. If we were to intervene, wouldn't that be a disgrace to our master?"
"Junior Brother Tongtian, you are mistaken," said Yuanshi Tianzun. "The Chaos Bell is of paramount importance; how can we sit idly by and do nothing?"
The Tongtian Sect Leader was about to argue when Haotian suddenly spoke up.
"Senior Brother Yuanshi wants the Chaos Bell?" He turned around, his gaze fixed on Yuanshi Tianzun. "Then let's snatch it. But—"
He smiled slightly, a hint of coldness in his smile: "Let me make this clear from the start. The Primordial Starry Sky and the Thirty-Three Heavens are both under my authority. If any of you senior brothers make a move here, I cannot guarantee that I can control the primordial power of the Sun Star, the Moon Star, and all the celestial stars."
If a star is accidentally destroyed, the immense karmic retribution will likely fall upon the lineage of the person who did it.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the six saints all changed slightly.
The Primordial Celestial Venerable's face turned ashen: "You dare threaten us?"
"This is not a threat, it's the truth." Haotian stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm. "I am the master of this land. The master doesn't like people fighting in his own yard. If guests insist on fighting, the master can only accompany them. But fists and feet have no eyes; if things are damaged, don't blame the master for not warning you."
The starry sky was completely silent.
The six sages looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.
After a long while, Laozi sighed softly and turned to leave first.
"This matter has nothing to do with me." His voice came from afar. "You can argue if you want, this old Taoist is going back to refine elixirs."
The Tongtian Sect Leader laughed heartily and turned to leave: "Interesting, very interesting. Haotian, come visit my Golden Turtle Island sometime."
Nuwa glanced at Lu Ya, but ultimately did not make a move. She simply sighed and disappeared in a stream of light.