Today, Gu Xechen had achieved the unification of his original spirit and body, returning to his root. He reforged the Pangu True Body by concentrating the complete essence, spirit, and vigor of several great Sages.

With his only son snatched away, Gu Xechen was like a maddened bull whose tail had been set ablaze, his eyes blazing red as he took a step forward. His divine sense spread out like a vast net covering all directions, and in the blink of an eye, he located the trace of Gu Daoyuan. Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti Daoist held his hands, one on each side, rapidly traversing the void, tens of thousands of star domains flashing past in an instant.

With a cold snort, Gu Xechen shattered the void with a single punch, arriving before the two Sages in one stride. He casually snatched Gu Daoyuan, and in the same motion, tossed a Pangu Heaven-Opening Divine Thunder to each of the two Sages.

The fist-sized, gray, hazy Pangu Heaven-Opening Divine Thunder, imbued with immeasurable Chaotic Saint Power, was nothing like its previous iterations. Now that Gu Xechen had achieved the Pangu True Body, this was the most authentic and purest form of the Heaven-Opening Divine Thunder, possessing the power to tear open Chaos, carve out the void, and recreate a world.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti Daoist felt the lightness in their hands; the Gu Daoyuan they had seized had vanished without a trace. Then, pain struck their faces, darkness filled their vision, and they heard a deafening roar beside their ears before their forms were involuntarily flung backward.

Where the divine thunders struck, the two Sages were blasted into mangled wrecks, their flesh charred and their blood flowing indistinctly. If Gu Xechen had not temporarily refrained from taking their lives, just a mere twenty percent increase in the thunders' power would have caused the two Sages to perish outright. Even with Gu Xechen holding back, the dignified two Sages were struck senseless, utterly confused about whether they lived or died. They were flung hundreds of millions of li away before they finally managed to stabilize their forms.

Trembling, Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti Daoist swallowed several Golden Elixirs refined by Taishang Laojun, followed by lotus seeds formed from the golden lotuses of the Eight Treasures Merit Pool. Only then did they manage to draw a breath and gaze dazedly into the surroundings. It had been countless years since they had encountered a situation where they had no power to resist and were struck down to a point where life or death was uncertain. Gu Xechen’s two divine thunders had thoroughly bewildered them.

After a long while, the two finally spotted Gu Xechen’s figure. Their expressions shifted, and after exchanging a glance, they flashed before him.

Staring at the two great Sages, Gu Xechen sneered, "You two are becoming increasingly adept at handling matters. How did my young son offend you?"

Yuanshi Tianzun coughed dryly and glanced at Zhunti. Zhunti performed a salute and smiled amiably, "Fellow Daoist Gu must understand, if Hongjun were allowed to seize control of the Heavenly Dao here, neither you nor we would ever have a chance to rise again. To be Sages, yet controlled by others, deprived of freedom, and possibly wiped out at will—how could we tolerate such a thing?"

Sighing deeply, Zhunti gazed at Gu Xechen with composure and said, "The Teacher of yesteryear—we could have stood against him together. But the Hongjun of today can easily surpass us on his own. Having no alternative, we could only request Fellow Daoist Gu to join forces with us."

Caressing Gu Daoyuan’s cheek, Gu Xechen scoffed, "So you kidnapped my son to force my compliance?"

Yuanshi Tianzun’s face flushed, and he turned away without a word. Zhunti, however, laughed cheerfully and carelessly stated, "It wasn't kidnapping, not kidnapping at all. We merely invited Young Friend Gu to be our guest at the Jade Void Palace. We are currently holding a gathering there, discussing how to deal with Hongjun."

Glancing between Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti, Gu Xechen couldn't help but raise a thumb, "Zhunti, your face truly is a peerless treasure!"

Zhunti Daoist smiled calmly and naturally performed a salute, laughing, "The boundless Dharma of Buddhism!"

Yuanshi Tianzun coughed lightly and bowed to Gu Xechen, "Fellow Daoist Gu, we are ashamed of this matter, truly ashamed. But Hongjun is controlled by that malevolent blade, and he has become a grave threat to all of us. If Hongjun is not sealed, I fear you and everyone else will fall victim to that blade's malice."

Gu Xechen frowned. Yuanshi Tianzun only spoke of sealing Hongjun, implying that they still held some remnants of master-disciple sentiment toward him, or perhaps these Sages were too reluctant to engage Hongjun in a fight to the death. But Gu Xechen knew that Hongjun had completely transformed into the incarnation of that Outer Realm Pangu; while the Sages sought only to seal Hongjun, Hongjun intended to destroy everything.

Changing the subject, Gu Xechen looked at Yuanshi Tianzun and asked, "I have discerned the true form of that Single Thread Star Abyss. But what exactly is it?"

Zhunti, standing nearby, quickly chimed in with a smile, "This humble Daoist knows."

Gu Xechen glared at him and sneered, "I do not trust your words."

Yuanshi Tianzun smiled serenely, glanced at Zhunti, and then said, "The Single Thread Star Abyss is the axis of Heaven and Earth. The Heavenly Dao Celestial Pagoda is the tangible manifestation of this universe's Heavenly Dao. And the Axis of Heaven and Earth is the core object supporting the Celestial Pagoda. It connects all the Wheels of Heavenly Dao within the Pagoda and is the very core of all Heavenly Dao operations."

Zhunti added from the side, "This universe hadn't fully evolved when we shattered it with our chaotic battles. The yet-to-be-formed Pagoda was also shattered along with it. If the Axis of Heaven and Earth had already taken form at that time, and the Pagoda was stable, no matter how high the cultivation of us outsiders, it would have been impossible to destroy the supreme manifestation of this universe's Heavenly Dao."

Glancing coldly at Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti, Gu Xechen sneered, "So that's how it is, the core mechanism of the Celestial Pagoda, the Axis of Heaven and Earth? I can help you seal Hongjun. But I require all the Celestial Pagoda fragments in your possession!"

Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti paused, exchanging glances. Yuanshi Tianzun formed a hand seal and spoke a few words into the void.

Before long, the void before them shimmered, and over a dozen fist-sized, pitch-black fragments, devoid of any light but faintly showing countless wheel-like patterns within, appeared out of thin air. Yuanshi Tianzun pulled three more fragments from his sleeve, then pushed all the fragments toward Gu Xechen.

"These Celestial Pagoda fragments can be used to comprehend the myriad Heavenly Daos of this universe. Over the years, our disciples searched day and night, and this is the total we managed to gather," Yuanshi Tianzun stated calmly. "We have thoroughly comprehended the mysteries within them; they are useless in our hands now. But under no circumstances can Hongjun obtain these fragments, or the more completely he comprehends the Heavenly Dao, the more invincible he will become."

Zhunti’s eyes reddened upon seeing so many Pagoda fragments. He and Jieyin had painstakingly acquired only one fragment over many years, which was later snatched by Tongtian Jiaozhu when they were vulnerable. The Three Pure Ones were truly the Three Pure Ones—they had numerous disciples and good luck, managing to find over a dozen pieces in one haul.

Sighing deeply, Zhunti shook his head.

Gu Xechen smiled, looking at the Pagoda fragments. He suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed all the fragments into his stomach. The Chaotic Saint Power surged forth, swiftly enveloping the fragments, rapidly decomposing them and restoring them to the most primordial laws of the Heavenly Dao.

Aside from Gu Xechen, who possessed the Pangu True Body, any other immortal attempting such a feat would be inviting death. Even a Sage's body could not contain the Pagoda fragments, which held the origin power equivalent to an entire world. Only Gu Xechen, possessing the Pangu True Body with world-creating power, could manage it.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhunti’s faces turned pale, then suddenly brightened, followed by a wave of horror. They were shocked that Gu Xechen dared to devour the Pagoda fragments. Then they suddenly realized what Gu Xechen’s action implied. Pangu True Body—Gu Xechen possessed the Pangu True Body, which is why he dared to swallow the fragments. With the Pangu True Body, their chances of winning increased severalfold. But then they remembered: if Gu Xechen possessed the Pangu True Body, what would happen after Hongjun was sealed...?

Zhunti took a deep breath, silently performed a salute to Gu Xechen, and his form vanished abruptly.

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Gu Xechen with a complicated expression, sighing softly, "It's hard to comprehend. The Pangu True Blood is one thing, but where did you obtain the essence required to sustain your transformation into Pangu? The power we accumulated over countless Kalpas of cultivation is still insufficient to reach that level."

Gu Xechen generously squeezed out a drop of Pangu True Blood from his fingertip and handed it to Yuanshi Tianzun: "Individually, your strengths are insufficient to evolve into Pangu. But given your seniority as Sages, if you concentrate the essence, spirit, and vigor of all of you onto one person, it might just be enough. Here, take this drop of Pangu True Blood. If you hasten your efforts, you might be able to forge another Pangu."

Leaving the drop of Pangu True Blood floating before Yuanshi Tianzun, Gu Xechen laughed heartily, holding Gu Daoyuan’s hand as he departed.

Yuanshi Tianzun stared blankly at the drop of Pangu True Blood, then suddenly struck it, shattering it into countless misty particles that scattered away. He laughed towards the heavens, "Gathering the powers of the Three Pure Ones and Jieyin and Zhunti, we could indeed recreate the Pangu True Body... but is it possible? Is it possible? What a joke, an absolute joke!"

Shaking his head and sighing deeply, Yuanshi Tianzun also vanished without a trace.

Gu Xechen returned Gu Daoyuan to Three-Linked City and immediately sent him into his Sea of Consciousness space. He took a portion of the true spirit from all his disciples and subordinates he had subdued over the years, copying all their memories and experiential insights, securing them within his Sea of Consciousness space as well.

He promised these disciples that when they competed for the Axis of the Single Thread Star Abyss, even if they perished, he would ensure their rebirth. Countless immortals rejoiced and cheered, pledging their utmost loyalty and willingness to fight to the death for Gu Xechen.

Gu Xechen then released the various exotic beasts and Yin Immortals that originally grew within the Source Yin Profound Pearl and the Source Yang Profound Pearl from the Sea of Consciousness space, allowing them to join his army of disciples. With the Grandmasters of Formations, such as the Ten Heavenly Lords, overseeing things, they drilled these disciples day and night, practicing grand formations in preparation for battle.

After completing all these arrangements, there were still several years until the Single Thread Star Abyss was predicted to mature as calculated by Hongjun. Gu Xechen pondered for a moment, summoned Ducate and Xiao Xiao, and left the Single Thread Star Abyss with them.

In the Pure Land of Bliss, the dojo of Jieyin and Zhunti, the Roman people and the myriad guardian heavens formed from countless servant races patrolled the void, weaving boundless illusions to adorn the pure land with ever-increasing divine wonder.

Among these countless guardian heavens, Gu Xechen easily located Ducate’s main body, sitting cross-legged beneath a Bodhi tree, reciting scriptures. Since Jieyin and Zhunti were in the Jade Void Palace discussing how to deal with Hongjun, Gu Xechen did not alert anyone, piercing through the countless layers of prohibitions outside the Pure Land and silently arriving behind Ducate.

Ducate and Xiao Xiao, following closely behind Gu Xechen, stiffened, staring intently at the Ducate figure reciting scriptures and meditating beneath the tree.

That slight shock instinctively alerted Ducate to the presence of an outsider behind him. He jumped up abruptly and sharply demanded, "Who is it?"

Gu Xechen clamped a hand around Ducate’s neck, forcefully pressing him down to kneel on a branch several zhang in diameter. He said calmly, "It's me... and your clone, and Xiao Xiao's clone."

With a cold smile, Gu Xechen stated plainly, "Or perhaps, not clones, but replicas created from the residual spiritual imprints of you and Xiao Xiao. You should know of their existence, and you should know that one day, I would come for you!"

Staring blankly at Gu Xechen, then at the 'self' and Xiao Xiao standing behind him, Ducate’s face changed drastically, and he suddenly burst into manic laughter: "Are you here to kill me? For these... inferior replicas? No, they aren't even replicas; they can only be considered projections of me and Xiao Xiao?"

Gu Xechen merely shook his head gently as he watched the nearly hysterical Ducate.

With a mere pinch, Gu Xechen snapped Ducate’s neck, extracted his soul, and casually erased a wisp of consciousness within it. He grabbed the body of Ducate standing behind him, withdrew a wisp of that being’s consciousness, and merged it into Ducate’s soul.

"I said, if you completed Three-Linked City for me, I would let you truly become human."

Gu Xechen stated calmly, "Now, you have a complete soul, and it is the original, genuine soul. Shall I fabricate a new body for you, or shall you enter the cycle of reincarnation and naturally acquire a human form?"

The newly formed Ducate joyfully sensed his soul and cried out happily, "I finally... I finally am a real person!"

Looking up at the sky, Ducate laughed, "Let me enter reincarnation. I am very frightened being among you Sages and Immortals."

Looking deeply at Ducate, Gu Xechen slowly nodded, "Very well. I will remember you in the future. My former enemy, my former companion, who betrayed me, yet became my subordinate. I will remember you, deep within my soul; I will not erase the memory of you."

After a moment of contemplation, Gu Xechen whispered softly, "I have left a guidance within your soul. After you complete ten thousand cycles of reincarnation, I will seek you out. By then, perhaps you will find it interesting to continue dwelling among us Sages and Immortals."

Gu Xechen casually tossed Ducate's soul into the void. The reincarnation power of this universe naturally activated, drawing Ducate in.

Following the same procedure, Xiao Xiao also chose to enter reincarnation. For this peculiar electronic life form, becoming a true human held immense attraction.

After sending off Ducate and Xiao Xiao, Gu Xechen looked down upon this land of Buddhism and shook his head forcefully. Jieyin and Zhunti were absent, so bullying their disciples and grandchildren held little meaning. Moreover, with the great enemy Hongjun looming, antagonizing Jieyin and Zhunti seemed unwise. In Gu Xechen’s mind, the ideal outcome was for Hongjun and the assembled Sages to mutually exhaust themselves, allowing him to effortlessly reap all the benefits.

However, which person capable of achieving Sainthood was simple-minded? While he, Gu Xechen, was calculating here, they might already have set up hundreds of traps to flay him and leave him rolling in the eighteen layers of hell for countless eons.

With a faint smile, Gu Xechen began calculating with his fingers.

"The promise to Ducate is fulfilled."

"But, Banruo, Banruo, where are you? You defected from us comrades and brothers without hesitation back then. I just want to find you and ask what the hell you were thinking!"

His fingers danced nimbly, but using the divination techniques originating from his former universe, he could not find any trace of Banruo. Gu Xechen immediately shifted his spell, transforming the divination method into the divine profound essence derived from the Celestial Pagoda fragments. He immediately received some signs: Banruo was still within this universe, still alive, but a very powerful force was shielding him from Gu Xechen's probes, preventing him from locating Banruo’s specific position. No matter how much power Gu Xechen exerted, he could not find where Banruo was.

Stopping the divination with alarm, Gu Xechen gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. It was some aspect of this universe's Heavenly Dao Laws, unknown to Gu Xechen, that was protecting Banruo, thus obscuring him. If Gu Xechen could comprehend even a fraction of the mystery of that Heavenly Dao Law, Banruo’s existence would be as clear as daylight. Unfortunately, this universe’s Heavenly Dao structure was too vast, its system too complex; Gu Xechen knew less than thirty percent of it.

After a period of deep thought, Gu Xechen shook his head and returned to the Single Thread Star Abyss. In Three-Linked City, he spent his days circulating his vital energy and regulating his breathing, waiting quietly.

Time flew by. For these Sages, three to five years was barely enough time to draw a single breath.

Two years and seven months later than Hongjun's prediction, strange changes suddenly occurred within the Single Thread Star Abyss.

The entire universe began to spin rapidly, revolving around the Single Thread Star Abyss. A beam of brilliant light flowed rapidly along the Star Abyss, surging from one end to the other, then quickly returning. All foreign objects within the Star Abyss, including checkpoints established by immortals such as Haoyuan Heavenly Pass and Jiazi Star Fortress, were repelled by this beam of light, totally rejecting any resistance from the immortals above. All foreign structures were instantly displaced millions of li away, far from the Single Thread Star Abyss.

The massive Single Thread Star Abyss began to contract inwards, rapidly compressing itself. Its length remained unchanged, but its diameter was shrinking rapidly. Every day, the diameter of the Star Abyss decreased by a massive ten thousand li. Every day, the Star Abyss spewed out a huge volume of Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, causing this universe to rapidly grow and develop.

Once the Single Thread Star Abyss was fully developed, it would be equivalent to this incomplete universe gaining a heart; the entire universe suddenly felt as if it had come alive. It was like a chick, half-developed inside its shell, suddenly coming to life and beginning to grow and develop further.

The Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi sprayed out from the Single Thread Star Abyss was absorbed by Gu Xechen. The Celestial Pagoda fragments still unassimilated in his abdomen rapidly dissolved, and countless profound meanings of the Heavenly Dao continuously integrated into Gu Xechen’s soul. In the blink of an eye, he completely mastered all the mysteries contained within those fragments.

The other Celestial Pagoda fragments in this universe melted away. Those held by living beings transformed into the profound meanings of the Heavenly Dao and merged into those beings. Those fragments scattered around, undiscovered by anyone, transformed into pure Yuan Qi and returned to this universe, merging into a corner of the Heavenly Dao.

Above the Single Thread Star Abyss, a colossal pyramid made of light slowly materialized. The Axis of Heaven and Earth had matured, and the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, the Celestial Pagoda, was beginning to condense anew. When the entire universe was completely evolved, this Pagoda would integrate into the universe, controlling every move of the cosmos. If one could possess this Pagoda, control the Axis of Heaven and Earth, one could control everything in this universe.

Gu Xechen let out a long cry and charged out from Three-Linked City, leading all his disciples and subordinates toward the Single Thread Star Abyss. In the distance, streaks of brilliant light appeared, and countless immortals surged from all directions. On the outermost edge, even more—boundless, countless, difficult to count—native-born innate beings of this universe also formed a vast, mighty army charging toward this location.

Soon, everyone gathered near the Single Thread Star Abyss. Auspicious light and auspicious energy illuminated Heaven and Earth.