Jieyin and Zhunti, covered in wounds, faced Tongtian and Yuanshi, who radiated killing intent.
Tongtian sneered, addressing Jieyin and Zhunti, "Jieyin, Zhunti, it seems your doom has arrived today!"
Zhunti let out a bitter laugh and said to Jieyin, "Senior Brother, your junior brother departs first!"
With that, Zhunti charged at Tongtian and Yuanshi. As he neared them, golden light erupted from his body, followed by a tremendous explosion. Tongtian, Yuanshi, and Jieyin were all blasted away by the shockwave of Zhunti's self-detonation!
Taishang's expression changed, and he quickly moved towards the flying Tongtian and Yuanshi.
After catching the two, Taishang asked, "Second Brother, Third Brother, are you alright?"
Tongtian and Yuanshi wiped the blood from their lips and shook their heads, "Big Brother, worry not, we are fine!"
Jieyin, blasted far away, could have escaped then. However, his eyes went blank as he looked towards the direction of Zhunti's self-detonation, and he suddenly let out a scream!
"Junior Brother! Junior Brother!"
Jieyin called out for Zhunti while charging into the billowing dust.
Amidst the dust, Jieyin found Zhunti's soul, with only his divine soul remaining, and he was overcome with grief.
"Junior Brother, Junior Brother! Why? Why!"
Hearing Jieyin's heartbroken cries, the Three Pure Ones watched as the dust settled. Jieyin, with a ferocious glare, fixed his gaze on the Three Pure Ones and then charged at them with fierce intent.
Taishang's brow furrowed. He glanced at the injured Tongtian and Yuanshi, pushed them both far away, and then met Jieyin's attack.
"Fellow Daoist Jieyin, I advise you to calm down!"
Taishang said while fighting Jieyin.
Jieyin, appearing deranged, laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Calm down? My Junior Brother is gone, and none of you will fare any better!"
Tongtian, hearing this, snorted, "Big Brother, why waste words? We need not hold back. Send him to reunite with his brother!"
Upon hearing Tongtian's words, Jieyin immediately tried to break away from Taishang and charge towards Tongtian.
Taishang's brow furrowed. He used the "One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones" technique, and the four of them jointly attacked Jieyin. Seeing that he couldn't escape Taishang, Jieyin glanced at Zhunti's soul, a fierce light flashed in his eyes, and his body also began to emit golden light.
Taishang was shocked and quickly covered the distant Tongtian and Yuanshi with the Xuanhuang Pagoda. The Tai Chi Diagram immediately appeared before him.
"Boom!"
A thunderous boom echoed, and the entire Primordial World began to shake. The Blue Star, having endured the self-detonation of Jieyin and Zhunti, could no longer hold on and showed signs of disintegration.
Taishang was shocked. Forgetting himself, he unleashed the Tai Chi Diagram into the void, stabilizing the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind between heaven and earth.
The Heavenly Dao, which had been absent for a long time, suddenly appeared. It looked at the devastated land and sighed.
"Everyone, the entire world can no longer bear your saintly bodies. Depart, or the world will collapse and return to chaos. If that happens, all living beings, except for you Saints, will likely be annihilated in the chaos!"
As the Heavenly Dao spoke, all the Saints gathered before it.
Taishang's expression darkened, and he asked, "Is there a way to save them?"
Hearing this, everyone looked at the Heavenly Dao with hope. After all, this was the place where their avatars resided, and none wished to leave.
The Heavenly Dao sighed and slowly said, "The origin of heaven and earth has been damaged. My embodiment as the Great Earth Dragon Vein can protect all beings, but the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will gradually deplete, leading to an era without spiritual energy. Unless the Heart of Chaos can provide remedy, this world can only slowly absorb chaotic power to recover, and I cannot say how long that will take!"
Taishang nodded and glanced at everyone. "This land can no longer bear us. Why don't we enter the chaos and search for the Heart of Chaos?"
After speaking, Taishang looked at the slumbering souls of Jieyin and Zhunti nearby, then at Houtu.
"Fellow Daoist Houtu, although these two are not dead, they are severely injured. Why not imprison them in your eighteenth level of hell in the Underworld? My brothers and I will join forces to seal them, and then dispatch avatars to guard them."
Houtu looked at Jieyin and Zhunti. Given their severe injuries, she didn't know when they would wake. Taishang's proposal was not unreasonable, so she nodded slightly. "Since Daoist has a plan, Houtu will naturally support it."
Taishang nodded and, taking the souls of Jieyin and Zhunti, entered the eighteenth level of hell.
Fusang, the Lord of the eighteenth hell, was shocked to see the Three Pure Ones arrive.
"Greetings, three masters!"
Taishang nodded and said to Fusang, "Fusang, the three of us will seal Jieyin and Zhunti in this eighteenth level of hell today. You must guard them well! We will send our respective avatars to assist you."
Fusang was surprised, not expecting his eighteenth level of hell to be able to imprison two Saints!
"Masters, rest assured, Fusang will not fail this trust!"
Taishang nodded, glanced at Tongtian and Yuanshi, and nodded slightly. The three of them joined forces to cast a Three Pure Ones Sealing Technique, sealing Jieyin and Zhunti deep within the eighteenth hell.
As soon as the three finished, avatars of the Three Pure Ones arrived from the Heavenly Court to the Underworld. Without needing instructions, the three avatars understood their duties.
Taishang looked at Tongtian and Yuanshi and said, "Second Brother, Third Brother, I have matters to attend to back in Kunlun. You two go and bring all the Kunlun disciples back to Kunlun to discuss their future."
With that, Taishang vanished. Yuanshi and Tongtian exchanged glances and returned to the former site of Mount Sumeru, bringing all the Kunlun disciples back to Kunlun Mountain.
On the Investiture of the Gods platform in Xiqi, Jiang Shang filled in the remaining divine positions. He then took the Investiture of the Gods and Baiyao and headed towards Kunlun.
Upon returning to Kunlun Mountain, Taishang immediately sealed the gates of the Taiqing Palace and entered seclusion.
After returning to Kunlun, Tongtian and Yuanshi immediately went to find Taishang, only to notice the seal on the Taiqing Palace gates, causing them to panic.
"Second Brother, has Big Brother been injured? Otherwise, why would he go into seclusion immediately upon returning?"
Yuanshi shook his head and said, "Third Brother, do not speak carelessly. Big Brother's strength is still above ours. How could he be injured? Big Brother must have something on his mind."
After speaking, the two sat before the gates of the Taiqing Palace, waiting for Taishang to emerge from seclusion.
Nine years passed in a blink of an eye, and the tightly closed gates of the Taiqing Palace slowly opened.
Tongtian and Yuanshi sensed it and immediately rose to wait at the entrance. Seeing Taishang, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Big Brother!"
"Big Brother!"
Taishang nodded slightly. Yuanshi noticed something new in Taishang's hand and asked curiously, "Big Brother, what is this? Did you go into seclusion for this item?"
Taishang nodded slightly and explained, "The Golden-Maned Hou's soul and body have escaped. In the future, it will transform into an item that transcends the three realms and is outside the five elements. Although it has already rebelled against Third Brother's teachings, it all originated because of Third Brother. After we depart, my Taishang Talisman Codex can be passed down to future generations. Even without spiritual energy, it can be used to deal with it."
With that, Taishang handed the Taishang Talisman Codex and the Xuanhuang Pagoda to Xuandu.
"Xuandu, make a copy of this for Zhenwu. Zhenwu has established a sect at Wudang and can avoid this calamity, but you cannot. I have fused the Xuanhuang Pagoda with the Chaos Bead, elevating it to the rank of a chaotic spiritual treasure. Keep it well; even if the world loses all its spiritual energy, it can help you avoid this tribulation."
Hearing this, Xuandu did not immediately accept the Xuanhuang Pagoda. Instead, he said, "Master, little fellow disciple Baiyao might need the Xuanhuang Pagoda more. Master should give it to little fellow disciple."
Taishang shook his head and explained, "Baiyao is an animal. Keeping him here will only lead to his demise. You need not worry, I will take him with me. Guard Kunlun well!"
Hearing this, Xuandu finally accepted the Xuanhuang Pagoda.
"Xuandu obeys Master's command!"
Taishang looked at Tongtian and Yuanshi and said, "Second Brother, this matter arose because of us. My Third Brother and I will lend you a hand. Forge a spiritual treasure and take the Heavenly Court and the disciples who cannot remain in Kunlun to depart."
Yuanshi nodded, and the Three Pure Ones headed towards the Yuqing Palace together.
Another hundred years passed. Nuwa, Houtu, and the Heavenly Dao suddenly visited Kunlun.
Coincidentally, the Three Pure Ones emerged from the Yuqing Palace. To forge this spiritual treasure, the entire foundation of Yuqing Peak had been depleted, and even the ore veins had been melted by Yuan Qi using a secret technique.
The Heavenly Dao saw the Three Pure Ones and said anxiously, "Three Daoist friends, we can delay no longer. If we drag it out further, I will be powerless!"
Taishang nodded, cast a nostalgic glance at Kunlun, and said, "All Kunlun disciples, those who are not of the human race, immediately await orders before the Three Pure Ones Hall!"
After speaking, Taishang first went to Taiqing Peak to bring Qing Niu and Kui Niu before going to the Three Pure Ones Hall.
When the Three Pure Ones arrived, all the Kunlun disciples were waiting. Taishang glanced at Yuanshi, who waved his hand, and a magnificent palace immediately appeared in the air.
"Human disciples, descend the mountain. You have the protection of human destiny and can seal yourselves until the spiritual energy of heaven and earth recovers. All other disciples, immediately enter the Heavenly Court! We will take you away."
The Heavenly Court was the palace the Three Pure Ones had forged while in seclusion, and they named it the Heavenly Court.
Xuandu, Yao Ji, Nuwa, Zhenwu, Guangchengzi, and others, with reluctance, bid farewell to their fellow disciples. Baiyao clung tightly to Xuandu and the other three, refusing to leave. Taishang's face darkened, he picked up Baiyao, and threw him into the Heavenly Court.
Taishang looked at Houtu and said, "Fellow Daoist Houtu, have the arrangements for the Underworld been made?"
Houtu nodded and said, "I have left the Reincarnation Seal, a spiritual treasure, to ensure the safety of the reincarnation lands. The Underworld and the Yin realms have also been arranged. When the world becomes devoid of spiritual energy, they will seal themselves. Rest assured."
Taishang nodded and looked at everyone. "Since that is the case, let us go to the Heavenly Court and bring Haotian and the others to depart together!"
The Saints nodded. Yuanshi put away the Heavenly Court, and the group headed to the Heavenly Court.
After Taishang and the others left the Heavenly Court and were about to enter the chaos, a one-legged ox blocked their path.
Yuanshi let out a surprised sound, took it as his mount, and then departed from Blue Star with it, entering the chaos.
Seeing everyone depart, the Heavenly Dao sighed and immediately communicated with the Great Dao, transforming into countless Great Earth Dragon Veins and entering the earth.