Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

Strange yet familiar memories came flooding in, passing by like a swift glance at a landscape from horseback, as the memories unfolded.

Dawn broke abruptly, dispersing the darkness of the night, as the slow outlines of mountains in the distance became visible.

Chirp~

An early-rising bird flapped its wings, diving toward the distant mountains and landing on an old jujube tree in front of a Taoist hermitage.

With its sharp beak, it picked up an even earlier-rising caterpillar, swallowed it whole, yet its lively eyes looked towards the human-shaped light shining from the window of the hermitage.

"Eh, another day of fruitless sitting in meditation, the day has brightened, yet my True Technique remains as elusive as ever, my path has reached its end."

With a creak, the window was pushed open by the Taoist, who sighed deeply, startling the bird on the tree in search of food.

Daylight invaded the room and illuminated a Golden Tome on the Taoist's table.

The words "Heavenly-Swallowing Demon God Qi" were starkly visible.

At that moment, a white-haired Taoist with an aura of immortal grace descended from a fully white floating city above the Nine Heavens.

In contrast to the floating white jade city in the sky, deep within the abyss of the earth stood a nine-leveled Black Tower.

Both structures, one black and one white, clearly demarcated and dominated the entire continent.

"Pure Yang Taoist, I am a servant of the Heavenly Palace, we met once three years ago, and now the three-year period has come to an end, how have you considered joining our Heavenly Palace?"

The white-haired Taoist asked, his expression one of envy mixed with a tinge of concealed jealousy, as he continued, "I've heard recently that you, Taoist, have slain the True Demon Night Owl of the Hell Mansion, seizing the Heavenly Scriptures, which is indeed cause for celebration."

Seeing the white-haired Taoist arrive, the robust Taoist had already discreetly put away the Golden Tome into the storage ring, saying coldly,

"Tai Hong, has the beating you received three years ago not conveyed my answer to you?"

"At that time I said, if you dare disturb my quiet cultivation again, you shall bear the consequences."

"You should count yourself lucky that over these years, I have been cultivating my temper, giving myself two slaps. Now scram!"

"You! Arrogant! If it hadn't been for the grand master of the palace sending me, I wouldn't come to your wretched place even if invited; having killed the Ninth Hell King, refusing our protection in the Heavenly Palace, just wait for the endless pursuit from the Hell Mansion!" The white-haired Taoist couldn't help but jump up in anger at these words.

"Are you done talking? If so, give yourself ten slaps. Will you do it yourself, or shall I assist you?" The Taoist's voice was calm, the corners of his mouth curved upwards with a mysterious smile; his eyes were fixed steadily on the white-haired Taoist across from him.

"You....."

"Say half a word more, and I'll kill you right now!"

The sound of slaps followed in succession, and the white-haired Taoist, without a word, left in a rage.

"Waste of space."

"Demon Sparrow Fellow Taoist, is the worm tasty? It's rare for you to go to such lengths to visit my hermitage."

The Taoist's gaze shifted to a large tree in the distance, where the previously startled sparrow was looking intently back at the hermitage with clear eyes.

"It seems there's nothing that can be hidden from Pure Yang Taoist. Demon Sparrow merely saw the people from the Heavenly Palace coming and feared they would misunderstand the Taoist to be in secret talks with me, the Hell Mansion, so I intentionally stayed away."

A tall girl, draped in light silk clothes, appeared amidst swirls of dark air, Caiyi floated before the Taoist.

The silk cloth on Caiyi's body was so thin that her skin was almost visible, and though vital areas were covered with embroidered sparrow patterns, they were more suggestive than protective.

Her attire was bold, her demeanor instead shy and filled with charm.

"I've seen more feet washed in my life than you've seen men, Demon Sparrow Fellow Taoist, so spare me your efforts, and retract your Divine Skills."

"Do you and the Hell Mansion intend to trouble me over the death of the Ninth Hell King Night Owl?" The Taoist quirked his mouth, but his eyes had not strayed, and he took a chair with a grand gesture that suggested he preferred to sit comfortably.

"You…"

Seemingly unwilling to be admired without gain, Caiyi flicked her sleeves, a green dress enveloped her, covering her properly, and then she offered a smile, "Night Owl didn't know the prophecies and fought the Taoist for treasures. He deserved his death."

"The Hell Mansion has always revered the strong. Since the Taoist has repeatedly offended the Heavenly Palace, why not join our Hell Mansion and shatter the pretentious Heavenly Palace completely, how about that?"

"It is indeed an honor to have the Third Hell King invite me personally, your Hell Mansion is quite sincere."

"You return and tell the First Hell King, whether it's the Heavenly Palace or Hell Mansion, I will not join. He should keep his thoughts to himself."

"Demon Sparrow Fellow Taoist, please leave as well."

With a light chuckle, the Taoist forthrightly expressed his decision to the lady clad in colorful silk.

After sending Caiyi away, the Golden Tome was taken out again, and as the sun was three poles high, a sigh once again emerged from within the hermitage.

"The Way of Heaven favors the left, the sun and the moon move west; the Way of Earth favors the right, the rivers flow east; the Way of Man is central, with ears and eyes serving the heart. The Heavenly-Swallowing Demon God Qi, however, seeks to reverse these ways,

Swimming against the current, moon rising in the west; such theories are indeed refreshing."

"The 'Heavenly-Swallowing Demon God Qi,' this remarkable book from beyond the heavens, seems slightly inclined towards the techniques of the Demon Sect. However, to swallow the heavens by man, to go against the current, to see the moon rise in the west, is tremendously difficult."

"How can I integrate it with my True Technique to enhance my cultivation another step further?"

Pondering without a solution, the Taoist stood up, opened the door, and set off to roam the world.

The Infernal Continent was in chaos, with cultivating forces thriving while dynasties faded like fleeting bubbles.

The Heavenly Palace and the Hell Mansion were the true masters of this land.

"As World-Shaking Pure Yang, having not walked the dusty world for a long time and focusing on comprehending the True Technique to the extreme, I look to advance the Pure Yang Refining Extreme True Method to the twenty-first level. I wonder what the state of the Infernal Continent is now."