Primordial Era: Starting by overwhelming the Sages, Hongjun was stunned!

Kong Xuan's figure appeared silently outside the Thirty-Three Heavens.

This place is more desolate and vast than in later generations.

The chaotic energy flowed slowly like a galaxy, with countless fragments of broken stars suspended within it, exuding an ancient aura remnant from the beginning of creation.

And at the deepest part of the chaotic airflow.

A magnificent, ancient palace, shrouded in purple mist, floats silently in the air.

Zixiao Palace.

The palace gates were tightly closed, and the Taoist atmosphere was subdued.

It lacks the suffocatingly solemn aura of later generations, instead exuding the aura of a nascent, not yet fully formed "Tao".

The square in front of the palace was deserted, with only endless chaotic energy flowing slowly, like a primitive temple that had never been set foot in.

Kong Xuan hung a hundred feet away from the palace gate, his black robe remaining motionless amidst the chaotic air currents.

He did not knock on the door, nor did he reveal his presence.

He simply closed his eyes slowly, like an ancient well sinking into the abyss, as if he had completely merged with this chaos.

He is waiting.

Waiting for those three thousand worldly travelers.

Waiting for those three who are destined to inherit the Xuanmen lineage and usher in the era of sages... Pangu's primordial spirit.

Time lost its meaning in the chaos.

I don't know how much time passed.

It may be a moment, or it may be a century.

Before Kong Xuan's closed eyes, the chaotic energy suddenly paused slightly.

Followed by.

Three streams of pure energy burst forth from the direction of the primordial land, piercing through the barrier of the thirty-three heavens and disappearing into the chaos.

The air was pure and vast, with a faint sense of the Daoist spirit that had created the world.

They are the Three Pure Ones, transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu!

Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian.

At this moment, the three of them did not yet possess the saintly majesty of later generations.

Lao Tzu had white hair and beard, a gaunt face, wore a simple Taoist robe, held a pine-patterned wooden staff, and had a deep and calm gaze. His whole being exuded the Taoist charm of non-action and governance.

Yuanshi had a dignified face and cold eyes. He wore a black and yellow Taoist robe and a purple and gold crown. His body was surrounded by a pure and immortal light, exuding an innate nobility and aloofness.

Tongtian was the youngest, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. His black robe fluttered in the wind, and an ancient longsword, still unsheathed, hung at his waist. His eyes were sharp and piercing, and a murderous and annihilating sword intent emanated from his body.

All three were at the late stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

In the primordial world of this time, they were already top-tier beings.

But when they pierced through the chaotic currents and saw the figure in black robes standing silently with eyes closed before the Purple Cloud Palace...

The pupils of all three contracted simultaneously!

"Who...is this person?"

Lao Tzu's gaze narrowed slightly, and he gently paused with his pine-patterned wooden staff.

With his late-stage Great Luo cultivation, when his divine sense touched that figure in black robes, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea; he couldn't sense even the slightest aura!

It was as if what stood there was not a person, but a void, a bottomless black hole!

"His cultivation level...I can't see through it."

Yuanshi frowned slightly, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light subconsciously flowed around him, protecting his entire body.

He was arrogant by nature, claiming to be the true descendant of Pangu. Apart from his elder brother Laozi and his younger brother Tongtian, no one in the primordial world could catch his eye.

But the figure in black robes before him gave him an unprecedented sense of oppression.

It wasn't intimidation, nor was it murderous intent.

Rather, it is an absolute gap that originates from the level of life and from the origin of the Great Dao!

Like ants gazing at the sky, or mayflies peering at the vast ocean!

"Such powerful sword intent..."

Tongtian, however, stared intently at Kong Xuan with burning eyes.

Although his cultivation level was not as high as his two elder brothers, his perception of swordsmanship was the most acute.

He could vaguely sense that within that figure in the black robe was a supreme sword intent that transcended everything, seemingly capable of annihilating chaos and opening up the primordial world!

The sword intent was so strong, so pure, so vast that it far surpassed his current understanding of the Four Swords of Zhuxian!

"When did such a being appear in the primordial world?"

Lao Tzu spoke slowly, his voice deep and resonant.

Since the birth of Pangu's primordial spirit, the three of them have been cultivating in seclusion in Kunlun. Although they have not set foot in the prehistoric world, they have all been able to sense the aura of the top powerful beings in the world.

Demon Ancestor, Demon Lord, Ancestral Dragon, Primordial Phoenix, Primordial Qilin...

These beings are powerful, but none are as unfathomable as the figure in black robes before us!

"Could it be... the lingering remnant of a chaotic demon god?"

Yuan Shi's eyes were cold, and he was on high alert.

After the creation of the world, most of the chaotic demons perished, but a few remnants of their spirits escaped into the primordial wilderness and remained dormant.

The person before me has such a strange aura; it's hard to say whether he is some chaotic demon god who has been reborn in another body!

"It doesn't look like it."

Tongtian shook his head, but the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter:

"The aura of the Chaos Demon God is chaotic and violent, but this person... is like the Great Dao itself, serene and true to his nature."

He paused, then slowly pressed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist:

"Just go up and ask."

"Third brother, don't be rash."

Laozi raised his hand to stop him, his gaze sweeping over Kong Xuan, who still had his eyes closed, and slowly said:

"This person arrived before us, but did not knock on the door or reveal his presence; he was clearly also waiting."

"In that case, we shall wait and see."

Yuanshi nodded slightly, and the Jade Purity Immortal Light quietly flowed, protecting the three of them.

Although Tongtian was unwilling, he suppressed his fighting spirit and stood side by side with his two elder brothers, closing his eyes and concentrating, no longer looking at Kong Xuan.

In a short time.

Four figures stood silently in front of the Zixiao Palace.

Kong Xuan closed his eyes as if they were in an ancient well.

The Three Pure Ones stood solemnly like pine and cypress trees.

The chaotic currents flowed silently, and time seemed to stand still at that moment.

I don't know how much time passed.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The sound of something cutting through the air rang out one after another.

Figures of varying strength arrived one after another from all corners of the primordial world.

There were venerable elders with an air of otherworldly wisdom, colossal beasts exuding demonic aura, powerful and vigorous witch clansmen, and spirits shrouded in pure energy...

Three thousand worldly travelers gradually gathered.

When these powerful beings from the primordial era arrived in front of the Purple Cloud Palace and saw the four figures already standing there, they were all taken aback.

Especially when they saw the figure in black robes standing still with eyes closed and no breath, many people's pupils shrank slightly, and their eyes flashed with surprise and doubt.

"Who is that?"

"Completely devoid of life force, like a mortal... But how could a mortal reach beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens?"

"The Three Pure Ones are here too... They are the true descendants of Pangu, yet they have fallen behind?"

"This person... is not simple."

The hushed whispers, like the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies, quietly spread through the crowd.

But no one dared to step forward and ask.

Those who can reach Zixiao Palace are not foolish or dull-witted.

Although the figure in the black robe did not reveal any aura, the fact that he was on par with the Three Pure Ones and arrived before everyone else was itself a silent deterrent!

In a short time.

An eerie atmosphere filled the area in front of the Zixiao Palace.

The three thousand worldly travelers each found their own place to stand quietly, but they all intentionally or unintentionally kept a distance from where Kong Xuan and the Three Pure Ones were.

It was as if that place was an invisible forbidden zone, where no one dared to set foot lightly.

Kong Xuan kept his eyes closed.

He seemed oblivious to everything around him.

His divine sense had already sunk deep into the Hongmeng Surveillance Mirror, using the mirror's spacetime imprint to carefully perceive the most subtle changes in the rules of this world.

The Way of Heaven... is awakening.

Although slow, although subtle.

However, the wisps of power of rules that rose from the depths of the primordial land and resonated slowly with the Zixiao Palace could not escape Kong Xuan's perception.

"As expected... Hongjun's ascension to sainthood was the turning point when the selfish desires of the Heavenly Dao began to grow."

Kong Xuan murmured to himself, but his gaze remained calm.

He is waiting.

Waiting for the palace gates to open.

Waiting for Hongjun to appear.

He wanted to see with his own eyes whether this future Dao Ancestor had been "chosen" by the Heavenly Dao at this moment.

Time continues to flow.

Ninety percent of the three thousand worldly travelers have already gathered.

Above the plaza, the atmosphere was a mixture of demonic energy, celestial light, blood energy, and malevolent energy, all intertwined yet maintaining a delicate balance under the suppression of the Daoist aura of the Purple Cloud Palace.

suddenly.

"Buzz!"

The tightly closed gates of Zixiao Palace trembled slightly.

A vast, majestic, and seemingly coexisting Daoist aura slowly emanated from within the palace gates.

In an instant.

All discussion in the square abruptly ceased.

Three thousand worldly travelers raised their heads in unison, gazing at the palace gate, their eyes blazing with intense light.

The palace gates... are about to open!