Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

The Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld slowly closed its five fingers, grasping the five streams of Primordial Purple Qi that seemed to possess sentience and were constantly struggling and twisting in its palm.

"roar--!"

Upon acquiring the purple energy, a sudden change occurred! The originally pure purple color, which was flowing and swirling, was instantly eroded and stained by the tangled gray-black patterns within! The five streams of primordial purple energy, like venomous snakes awakened, emitted a silent yet soul-piercing shriek. In the clone's palm, they resembled five enraged chaotic dragons, their purple-black energy expanding, twisting, and struggling wildly!

"Boom—!"

The Sanqing Hall, a hall blessed by the five great sages and capable of withstanding a full-force attack from an ordinary sage without damage, trembled violently at this moment! Fine cracks appeared on the surfaces of the ground, walls, and dome, materials that had been repeatedly tempered by the sages' Daoist principles! This was not a physical impact, but a collision of the most fundamental laws and a contamination of Daoist principles!

The Primordial Purple Qi was originally a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao's authority. At this moment, the resentment of the demon gods that had been ignited within it carried the most extreme hatred and destructive desire for all order and for the primordial world of Pangu! Wherever the purple-black Qi flowed, the void was corroded with holes emitting black smoke. The Daoist principles were polluted and distorted. Even the sealing barrier set up by the five great sages was as if it had been splashed with strong acid, making a "hissing" sound and its light flickering!

"You wretched creature!" Tongtian roared, and the illusory images of the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords behind him shone brightly, unleashing even more fierce sword energy to reinforce the blockade and cut through the chaotic Daoist auras attempting to seep outward. Even so, wisps of extremely chaotic and malicious auras, like living poisonous insects, still darted and scurried within the barrier, emitting shrill "squeaks," attempting to corrupt the Daoist auras of the saints and even burrow into their primordial spirits!

"Suppress!" Yuanshi's face was ashen, his jade ruyi hanging high, scattering an even more vast and pure Jade Purity Immortal Light, like the Milky Way descending from the heavens, washing away and purifying the scattered chaotic energy. Laozi's Yin-Yang Dao Diagram spun faster, confining the pollution to a minimum. Nuwa's Mountain and River Map phantom gently rolled, taking some of the most active chaotic energy into the world within the map, slowly dissolving it with the power of creation. Houtu's Wheel of Reincarnation behind her also spun faster, emitting a heavy Daoist aura of reincarnation, crushing the malice like a millstone.

However, all of this was merely the aftermath. The true eye of the storm lay within the grasp of the Heavenly Dao avatar in the Underworld!

"Buzz—!"

For the first time, a trace of solemnity appeared on the calm and indifferent face of the Underworld Heavenly Dao Avatar. His right hand was now completely enveloped by a dense purplish-black aura, which constantly changed shape, sometimes like a ferocious demonic dragon tearing and biting, sometimes like billions of poisonous insects burrowing and devouring, and sometimes transforming into twisted and resentful demonic faces, emitting silent curses and roars, frantically attacking and eroding the defenses that the Avatar had built with the essence of the Underworld Heavenly Dao.

A hazy, chaotic light flowed in his palm, fiercely clashing, annihilating, and regenerating with the purplish-black energy. Each collision caused the "Heavenly Dao of the Underworld" law structure within the clone to tremble violently, its Dao rhythm flickering uncertainly. The demon god's resentment was extremely vicious in its follow-up attack; it was not merely a simple energy impact, but also contained a strange power that distorted the Great Dao, polluted the origin, and triggered demonic obstacles in the Dao heart! If this clone were not the Heavenly Dao of a world itself, possessing an exceptionally high essence and extremely strong resistance to "pollution" and "distortion," any saint would likely have already lost their Dao heart by now, and might even have been exploited by this resentment, causing unimaginable consequences.

"As expected of the remnant will of the Chaos Demon God... indeed troublesome." The Heavenly Dao avatar of the Underworld understood this clearly, yet felt no fear whatsoever. A gray light flashed in its eyes, and it was no longer merely defending.

"The cycle of hell continues, and the heavens suppress all!"

The clone gave a low shout, its voice no longer indifferent, but carrying the majestic majesty of the Heavenly Dao of a world! It also raised its left hand, and its two hands formed an ancient and simple Dao seal in front of its chest, which was extremely complex and seemed to contain the secret of the birth, death and rebirth of all the heavens and myriad worlds.

"boom!"

Centered on the clone, a Heavenly Dao pressure, countless times more powerful, profound, and ancient than before, erupted with a thunderous roar! This time, it was no longer the "gray haze" of the Heavenly Dao of the Underworld, but a Heavenly Dao radiance of a chaotic color that was more profound, more inclusive, and seemed to be able to bear and define everything!

This is an avatar of the Heavenly Dao in the Underworld, a method inherent to the Heavenly Dao itself!

The radiance of the Chaos Heavenly Dao, like the first ray of light at the beginning of creation, emanated from the Dao seals on the clone's hands, instantly enveloping the five frantically struggling purple-black streams of energy in its palms!

"Hiss hiss hiss—!"

Like a scorching hot iron falling into ice, or like snow piled up under the sun, under the illumination and cleansing of the chaotic heavenly light, the demonic resentment contained within the purplish-black aura emitted a piercing howl that pierced straight to the very soul's origin! The distorted phantom faces of those demonic gods blurred and faded at a visible speed, and the chaos, malice, and cursed Dao essence contained within them were ruthlessly decomposed, stripped away, and purified by the chaotic heavenly light!

The primordial purple energy itself, its pure purple origin, began to slowly separate from the gray and black impurities that had been stripped away, under the guidance and protection of the radiance of the chaotic heavenly Dao. Like a pearl that had been washed clean, it once again exuded a warm and sublime Dao charm.

"It really works!" Xuanbao's eyes flashed with a sharp light; he could clearly sense the changes in his clone's palm. The radiance of the Chaotic Heavenly Dao had an extremely strong restraining and purifying effect on the resentment of the demon god! This confirmed his previous guess—the resentment of the demon god parasitized and polluted the Primordial Heavenly Dao, but for another Heavenly Dao, this pollution was not insurmountable!

However, the demon god's resentment had reached its most frenzied level! Seemingly realizing that it was about to be completely purified and stripped away, the gray-black patterns in the five strands of primordial purple energy suddenly contracted and condensed, transforming into five extremely tiny "seeds of the demon god" that emitted destructive waves that even saints would feel terrified! The next moment, these five "seeds of the demon god" exploded simultaneously!

There was no sound, no light, only the purest power of erosion and assimilation targeting the origin of "Heavenly Dao". Like five invisible venomous snakes, they instantly burrowed into the palm of the Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld, and along the trajectory of its Heavenly Dao origin, they frantically eroded the core of the clone - the Chaos Nebula-shaped Yuan Divine Mark that represents the Dao Fruit of "Heavenly Dao of the Underworld"!

This is the ultimate counterattack of the Chaos Demon Gods' resentment! They no longer attempt to corrupt, but instead forcibly "seize" and "replace" the original Dao Fruit of the Underworld Heavenly Dao avatar! If successful, the Underworld Heavenly Dao will instantly change hands, becoming a terrifying puppet with the strength of a seventh-level Saint, completely controlled by the Chaos Demon Gods' resentment! At that time, with the combined efforts of inside and outside, the Primordial World will instantly fall!

"Not good!" The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Houtu all changed color at the same time! They all felt that terrifying corrosive power! This had exceeded the scope of ordinary supernatural power competition; it was a life-or-death struggle at the source level!

"Xuanbao!" Nuwa exclaimed, about to lend a helping hand.

"Wait!" Laozi shouted in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on the Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld. He saw that, facing this ultimate erosion, the clone's face remained calm, showing only extreme composure and... a sharpness as if a plan had succeeded.

"This is the moment I've been waiting for," the Heavenly Dao avatar of the Underworld murmured to itself. Faced with those five corrosive forces capable of polluting and assimilating the origins of ordinary Heavenly Daos, it not only did not defend itself with all its might, but instead took the initiative to open the core of its own Heavenly Dao origin—that slowly rotating chaotic nebula!

"boom--!"

The corrosive power of the five demonic resentments, like sharks smelling blood, rushed into the chaotic nebula with ecstatic joy and vanished instantly, without a trace.

However, just as they touched the very core of the nebula, that point meant they were only one step away from success.

But often this last step can be fatal.

"Buzz...!!"

An indescribable power, the might of the Heavenly Dao, suddenly erupted.

In Xuanbao's plan, the Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld refining the Primordial Purple Qi was both a high-stakes gamble and a meticulously designed trap. He had long anticipated that the resentment of the demon god would erode his very essence, and this was precisely the best opportunity for him to use his unique Daoist aura to completely purify it and nourish his clone!

"No--!!!"

A silent roar, filled with endless fear and despair, echoed through the chaotic nebula. The five rampant corrosive forces, upon touching the power of the Heavenly Dao, sizzled and evaporated like ghosts under the blazing sun! All the chaos, malice, and curses they contained were forcibly decomposed and purified by the supreme power of the Heavenly Dao, transforming into the purest, attribute-free fragments of the Heavenly Dao's essence. These fragments were then greedily absorbed and fused by the chaotic nebula, the Heavenly Dao's avatar in the Underworld!

Having lost the support of the demon god's resentment, the five strands of primordial purple energy finally regained their purity. They no longer struggled, but instead floated obediently in the palm of the clone, radiating a gentle and sublime purple Dao aura, blending seamlessly with the chaotic heavenly Dao radiance of the underworld heavenly Dao clone, slowly permeating and merging into its palm.

"It's done!" Xuanbao's true form's eyes blazed with astonishing brilliance! He could sense that the aura of his Underworld Heavenly Dao clone was surging wildly at a visible speed! His perception of the Primordial Heavenly Dao Laws had become clearer than ever before! More importantly, a subtle "sense of authority" faintly connected to the origin of the Primordial Heavenly Dao was being generated and solidified within the clone!

"Now! Refine it!"

The Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld changed its hand seals again, the radiance of the Chaotic Heavenly Dao receding inward and concentrating entirely in its palms. The five pure Primordial Purple Qi, like rivers flowing into the sea, followed the clone's Heavenly Dao origin trajectory and rapidly merged into its Chaotic Nebula Dao Fruit.

"Boom—!!!"

Within the Heavenly Dao avatar of the Underworld, it seemed as if the heavens and earth were being created! The chaotic nebula spun and expanded at an unprecedented speed! Within the nebula, new stars, shimmering with purple Dao aura, began to light up and condense! This represented that His comprehension and control over a portion of the laws of the Primordial Heavenly Dao was rapidly materializing!

Mid-stage of the seventh level of Sainthood... Late stage of the seventh level of Sainthood... Peak stage of the seventh level of Sainthood!

"Snap!"

As if breaking through some invisible barrier, the aura of the Underworld Heavenly Dao clone boldly stepped into the realm of the eighth level of Sainthood! Moreover, it continued to improve steadily, eventually stopping at the early stage of the eighth level!

Moreover, a faint purple Dao aura began to flow naturally around the clone, resonating more deeply with the primordial world. With every gesture, the laws of the Heavenly Dao subtly accompanied it, and its power to make its words law surged! More importantly, in its "perception," the vast, complex network of laws of the primordial Heavenly Dao, interwoven with order and chaos, became "closer" and "clearer" than ever before.

Purple-gold Dao patterns manifested from the void, coiling around the Heavenly Dao clone of the Underworld like living things, and finally condensed into an ancient and profound purple Dao seal between his eyebrows! The moment the seal took shape, a majestic heavenly might, far purer and more vast than before, carrying the aura of the primordial origin, suddenly erupted from the clone, sweeping across the entire Sanqing Palace!

The sealing barrier set up by the five sages inside the hall trembled violently, emitting a mournful cry of unbearable strain! This time, it was no longer the contamination and impact of the demon god's resentment, but the true, authoritative pressure belonging to a part of the "Primordial Heavenly Dao"!

The purple-gold Dao seal flickered between his brows, and the Heavenly Dao avatar of the Underworld slowly opened his eyes. Those eyes no longer held mere indifference, but reflected the supreme vision of primordial mountains and rivers, the trajectories of stars, and the flow of cause and effect. He raised his hand, and a touch of purple-gold light swirled around his fingertip. The subtle cracks in the Three Pure Ones Hall caused by the previous impact silently healed under this light, and the flow of Dao energy surpassed even its former glory.

"One is the source of authority..." the clone spoke, its voice carrying a strange resonance, possessing both the weight of the underworld's cycle of reincarnation and the vastness of the Heavenly Dao's origin, "It can control the cycle of the four seasons, regulate the earth's spiritual energy, observe the cause and effect of all living beings, and determine calamities in a region. However, it is also limited by this. The primordial Heavenly Dao's instincts still resist and reject me, this 'divider of authority'."

"Even a single point would be a tremendous success!" Tongtian clapped his hands and laughed. "That demon god's resentment has gnawed at us for millennia; he's probably jumping up and down in frustration now!"

As if to confirm Tongtian's words, the entire Sanqing Hall suddenly trembled slightly without warning. It was not a physical tremor, but rather the angry "scan" of some immense will in the darkness swept over it, like an enraged beast. Its cold, chaotic, and malicious perception instantly penetrated the blockade of the five sages, swept through the hall, and finally "stared" at the Netherworld Heavenly Dao clone whose purple-gold Dao seal flowed between its brows.

The temperature inside the hall plummeted, the Daoist energy stagnated, and even the sage felt a chill emanating from the depths of his soul.

"Hmph!" The Heavenly Dao avatar of the Underworld snorted coldly, and the Dao seal between its brows shone brightly. A majestic and righteous Heavenly Dao pressure, carrying an inviolable will, surged back, silently colliding with and annihilating the malicious perception in the void.

"It has noticed, and it is furious." Laozi said in a deep voice, his flat cane flowing with Daoist energy, deducing the secrets of heaven. "Xuanbao, your avatar's refining of authority is like driving a wedge into the territory it controls. Next, it will definitely launch a full-scale counterattack, either accelerating the erosion of Hongjun, or... creating greater chaos, weakening the primordial world, thereby weakening the Heavenly Dao itself, and also weakening the foundation of your avatar's authority."

"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it." Xuanbao's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "The more anxious it is, the more it proves we're on the right track. The most urgent task is to consolidate this power and, based on this, find a way to help Hongjun break free from the control of the Chaos Demon God."