After all, the Limitless Primordial Realm, in a sense, already stands at the pinnacle of Chaos beings. Every step forward, even a small one, is incredibly difficult. It requires countless years of accumulation, not something achieved overnight.
At the same time.
In the Nine Heavens, Lingxiao Palace.
Numerous Immortals and gods gathered here, sensing an impending crisis.
This was a warning from the Heavenly Dao.
"This is bad, it seems the Lord of Greed is about to reach the Immortal Realm..."
"It's the Chaos rift where Jade Pool Golden Mother is stationed. Quickly tell the Golden Mother to leave; the Lord of Greed is not someone she can resist."
Even the Heavenly Emperor's heart stirred; he hadn't expected the Lord of Greed to act so quickly.
Soon, the entire Immortal Realm learned of the great crisis descending: an existence equivalent to the Heavenly Emperor and Xuantian Dao Venerable was an enemy to the Immortal Realm.
For a time, the Immortal Realm was in turmoil; some were panicked, some were nervous, and some were even excited.
Those who panicked knew the Origin of the Lord of Greed, a mighty existence that countless Immortals and gods in the Heavenly Court could not resist.
Those who were nervous were unsure if the Heavenly Emperor and Xuantian Dao Venerable could save the Immortal Realm from peril.
And there were also those who feared nothing, several young Prodigies.
Heroes emerge in troubled times; to truly reach the Peak, one must experience such a supreme tribulation.
"It's finally here!"
"Born for the Immortal Realm, I will not regret even death. If I can display my Aura before the Heavenly Emperor and Great Heavenly Venerable, perhaps I will be favored."
"We have cultivated for tens of thousands of years; how can we retreat?"
The various beings in the Immortal Realm had different thoughts... And Han Xuanji also sensed the Heavenly Dao's warning, opening his eyes to see the figure of the Lord of Greed already appearing outside the Immortal Realm.
Its figure was immensely colossal, stars appearing as mere small balls in its hands.
[Lord of Greed (Taotie): Limitless Primordial fourth layer, Chaos Demon God, a supreme evil existence in Chaos, spirit born from the Great Dao of Greed, controls the Greedy Treasure Gourd, allied with the Demon Ancestor, attempting to devour the Immortal Realm.]
"That's all..."
Han Xuanji breathed a sigh of relief. As his strength increased, the detection function could provide him with more detailed information.
He had thought this guy was incredibly powerful, making him nervous.
Turns out they were at the same cultivation Realm.
"But what is this Greedy Treasure Gourd?"
Han Xuanji kept his guard up; he couldn't be careless.
While he was pondering, at the edge of the Immortal Realm, a darkness that seemed to strip away and devour the meaning of all existence swept in. The Immortal Realm's barrier seemed to be torn by an invisible sharp blade.
In a dim space, Jade Pool Golden Mother spat out a mouthful of blood, her figure vanishing as darkness enveloped her.
"Thank you."
Jade Pool Golden Mother thanked the Heavenly Emperor. If he hadn't acted in time, she feared she wouldn't have escaped the demonic clutches.
At the same time.
"Woo—"
A low, eerie hum resonated, deafening, as if rising from the depths of everyone's hearts.
"I am the Lord of Greed, invited by the Demon Ancestor to share half of the Immortal Realm's Origin."
As soon as these words were spoken, the beings of the Immortal Realm were instantly enraged.
"By what right does the Demon Ancestor dictate the fate of the Immortal Realm?"
"With the Heavenly Emperor and Great Heavenly Venerable here, does a mere Lord of Greed think he can take half just because he wants to?"
...The myriad beings of the Immortal Realm were furious.
But immediately after, even before the Lord of Greed entered the Immortal Realm, merely opening the rift, countless twisted, desire-exuding demons surged wildly from the Chaos like a bursting dam.
They roared and shrieked. Wherever they passed, Spiritual Qi was drained, Spiritual Plants withered instantly into dust, the essence of mountains and earth veins was forcibly plundered, leaving behind barren desolation.
Some Immortal commoners and Spirit Beasts with weaker cultivation didn't even have time to react before being tainted by the greedy demonic Qi. Their physical essence, along with their Souls, was ripped out, turning into streams of twisted light, which were swallowed by the demons.
Screams, roars, and the booming of Magic Treasures instantly echoed throughout many corners of the Immortal Realm.
Although Sects, Immortal cities, and Heavenly Court garrisons everywhere had already heightened their vigilance, when this greedy army from Chaos truly descended, its bizarre Divine Abilities and fearless, frenzied assaults still caused countless defensive lines to crumble, and Cultivators suffered heavy casualties.
Even the Thirty-Three Heavens where Han Xuanji resided came under attack, with countless Immortal Continents invaded by demons.
Xuantian Continent was no exception.
Star Radiance City, once bathed in the gentle starlight and pure Spiritual Qi drawn in by Xuantian Dao Palace, was orderly and vibrant.
In the city's central 'Dao Origin Square,' stood a hazy dao-rhythm statue of Han Xuanji, worshipped devoutly day and night by his clansmen, with incense burning continuously.
However, at this moment, a doomsday-like scene was gathering outside the city.
The sky was covered by a heart-palpitating, eerie glow, and a terrifying figure was drooling outside the firmament.
A Soul-shaking hum ignored the initial obstruction of the city's protective Formation, penetrating directly and exploding in the hearts of every Xuanling Clan member, stirring up their deepest fears and various greedy thoughts.
"W-what is that?"
"How did the sky become like this?"
"Help! Where are the guards? Where are the Elders?"
Panic spread through the city like a plague.
Ordinary Xuanling Clan members, mostly below the Immortal Realm, had never seen such terrifying celestial phenomena and demonic Qi.
Children cried, and the faces of the Xuanling Clan guards, though trying to appear calm, were still pale.
At this moment, many Xuanling Clan members rushed to the Dao Origin Square, kneeling before Han Xuanji's statue, praying for protection.
Inside Xuantian Dao Palace, Li Taiqing's gaze was like lightning, sweeping across the dense demonic tide in the sky, instantly understanding everything.
However, he did not panic.
"Mere foreign demons dare to invade my Xuantian Dao Domain! Master has already made arrangements, why panic! Disciples, follow me to activate the great Formation!"
Before his voice faded, Li Taiqing was the first to point two fingers like a sword. A clear and pure Sword Qi shot up into the sky, straight into the clouds, resonating with a certain array core deep within Xuantian Dao Palace.
Buzz—!
The next moment, for millions of miles across the sky, countless intricate and profound star dao-rhythms suddenly lit up. These dao-rhythms interconnected, instantly forming a magnificent illusory image of a great Formation.
Within the Formation, three hundred and sixty-five main star positions, as well as countless auxiliary star positions, lit up simultaneously, drawing down the power of the true Circum-Heavenly Stars!
Although the firmament was polluted by the supreme evil Qi, this great Formation personally set up by Han Xuanji was no ordinary Formation. It forcefully broke through the evil Qi's obstruction, drawing in pure and vast starlight.
"Starlight like rain, cleanse and subdue demons!"
Li Taiqing shouted sternly.
Rumble—!
The great Formation operated at full power. Countless dazzling stellar light pillars, like the Milky Way pouring down from the Nine Heavens, accurately struck into the demonic tide. These stellar light pillars not only contained immense destructive energy but also carried a Law of purification.
"Hiss ah—!"
In an instant, the demons let out extremely miserable screams, being cleared away in large swaths at a visible speed.
Inside and outside the city, there was deathly silence, followed by deafening cheers of relief!
"We're alive! We're alive!"
"It's Immortal Elder Taiqing! It's the Immortal Elders of the Dao Palace!"
"Praise the Supreme Dao Venerable!"
Throughout the Xuantian Dao Domain, among the Xuanling Clan, regardless of cultivation level, male or female, old or young, all knelt and kowtowed, proclaiming Xuantian Dao Venerable as supreme.