Investiture of the Gods: I am Bigan, the Master of Conspiracy

Chapter 239 The Power of Proving the Dao Through Force Sweeps Across the Four Saints
Before the waves of time had subsided, Jiufeng's figure descended upon the sky above Chaoge, stepping on a streak of light.

As Jiufeng's form solidified, an unprecedented primordial power erupted from within her, like the first ray of light at the beginning of time, instantly breaking through the shackles of the Three Realms. This power was not bound by the Heavenly Dao, nor did it follow the flow of fate.

Even time seemed to lose its meaning before it. As it spread in all directions, it caused the rules of heaven and earth to begin to be rewoven, and the order of space and time to be rewritten in silence.

To prove the Dao through force is to transcend the Dao of Heaven. Of course, transcending the Dao of Heaven does not mean surpassing the Dao of Heaven, but rather no longer being governed by the Dao of Heaven.

It can be said that all the shackles of fate, cause and effect, etc., controlled by the Heavenly Dao no longer have any constraints on the Hunyuan cultivator.

The dark clouds that had been obscuring the sun and moon over Chaoge were torn open by this force, creating a huge rift. Golden light, like a divine sword, pierced through the clouds, illuminating the war-torn city.

Bathed in golden light, the wounded Di Xin, Cheng Tang, and others on the city wall felt their depleted power slightly revived.

At this moment, the four sages also changed their expressions drastically, clearly sensing that the gathered primordial will contained a transcendent power that could completely break free from the control of the Heavenly Dao.

Unlike the grand occasion when the Six Saints attained sainthood, when heaven and earth celebrated and ten thousand immortals came to pay homage, the appearance of the Nine Phoenixes was eerily quiet, yet the power surrounding them was more unsettling than any other strange phenomenon.

The six saints achieved sainthood within the rules of the Heavenly Dao, naturally resulting in countless extraordinary phenomena, such as golden flowers falling from the sky and golden lotuses emerging from the earth. However, how could the Heavenly Dao celebrate those who broke the shackles of the Heavenly Dao?
Only countless shackles of the Heavenly Dao shattered inch by inch beside Jiu Feng, turning into streams of light and dissipating. Wherever they passed, even the residual pressure of the Heavenly Dao in the air was completely swept away.

"impossible!"

At this moment, Laozi was filled with astonishment. He clearly sensed that the Nine Phoenixes of countless times and spaces had perished under the Heavenly Punishment.

But how did this person who returned after attaining enlightenment manage to do so?
Laozi was so shocked that even the Taiji diagram he was holding trembled slightly: "How could Jiufeng succeed in such a heaven-defying way of proving the Dao? How exactly did she do it? Why can't this humble Daoist deduce it!"

The Primordial Celestial Lord was so shocked that his eyes widened in horror: "The Heavenly Punishment had already destroyed all her avatars, so how could she still attain enlightenment? This is absolutely impossible!"

After all, countless lives were destroyed by the Heavenly Punishment, but the blood of the Nine Phoenixes, empowered by Pangu's will, broke through the river of time and entered the world before creation. This was something even saints were deceived about.

Now that Jiufeng has returned after attaining enlightenment, she has already surpassed the top level in terms of power.

Now that Jiufeng has attained enlightenment, she can settle the karma with the Wu Clan, regardless of the fact that Jiufeng and Yin Ziyu are Daoist partners.

The tragedy of the extermination of the Wu tribe was due to the machinations of these four sages, and had little to do with Nuwa and Tongtian.

Because of the destruction of Mount Buzhou, the Wu tribe and the Yao tribe both bore the karma. Nuwa was also a victim, while Tongtian gained nothing after the Wu-Yao war. The order after the Wu tribe was returned to Laozi Yuanshi.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the Xia Dynasty did not gain any benefit from each other. The only advantage they gained was by supporting the Shang Dynasty. However, they ended up falling into the Shang Dynasty's trap, which led to the near destruction of the Shang Dynasty.

Now that Jiufeng has attained enlightenment, the karmic debt she seeks to settle is with the Four Saints.

The Sage's clasped hands trembled slightly, and the Buddhist light emanating from his entire body became disordered: "It is truly proving the Dao through force... Jiufeng has actually broken free from the shackles of the Heavenly Dao..."

Zhunti stared at the Nine Phoenixes' true form, the Seven Treasures Tree slowly rotating in his palm, muttering to himself, "This is the power to prove the Dao through force? It can even make the rules of Heaven retreat..."

The Tongtian Sect Leader, however, burst into laughter from afar: "Good! What a fine Nine Phoenix! Now that you have attained enlightenment, Ziyu is probably not far behind!"

Nuwa was also filled with amazement: "This method of attaining enlightenment is beyond my comprehension... What kind of path did Jiufeng take?"

Nine phoenixes hung in the sky above Chaoge, their nine heads gazing down at the army of the three religions below the city, their primordial power pressing down on Zhuanxu like a tidal wave.

The once invincible leader of the Five Emperors trembled like wild grass in a storm before this power, and his arrogance, which had been like a cat playing with a mouse, vanished completely.

"That brat Zhuanxu dares to be so arrogant! It's time to settle the ancient grudges!"

The voices of the Nine Phoenixes emanated simultaneously from the nine heads, carrying the majesty of the Primordial Chaos Realm, and resounded throughout the Three Realms!
Zhuanxu was the grandson of the Yellow Emperor. He was intelligent, resourceful, and skilled in intrigue. When the Jiuli fought against the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu was already a key figure under the Yellow Emperor's command.

The Wu tribe is generally not good at scheming. During the final battle, they laid a poisonous plot that almost killed Jiufeng. The Great Wu died, and Jiufeng fled to the starry sky. This is also a great cause and effect.

As Zhuanxu gazed upon the overwhelming power of the Nine Phoenixes that shook the Three Realms, he felt fear in his heart, yet he still forced himself to roar angrily: "I possess great merit, indestructible through countless eons, what can you do to me?"

Upon hearing this, Jiufeng snorted coldly, her voice filled with endless disdain: "Immortal endurance? That's only true below the Primordial Chaos level. I am the one who broke the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, and this immortality bestowed upon me by the Heavenly Dao is utterly useless to me!"

Before she finished speaking, Jiufeng waved her hand, and a pure force of the Great Dao swept towards Zhuanxu.

Zhuanxu had no time to react. His indestructible body was as fragile as paper before this power, instantly obliterated without leaving a trace.

At such a speed, even a saint could not save them.

"presumptuous!"

Upon seeing this, Yuanshi Tianzun roared in anger, "Nine Phoenixes, how dare you kill someone who has performed great deeds! You are audacious enough to defy Heaven!"

Nine Phoenix snorted coldly, her gaze fixed on Yuanshi Tianzun: "You are a Heavenly Dao Saint, and I am avenging my brothers of the Witch Clan. The cause and effect of this have long existed. What is wrong with killing him! The defeat and destruction of the Witch Clan was all due to your schemes as Saints. This too is cause and effect!"

"Insanity!"

Enraged, Yuanshi Tianzun instantly summoned the Pangu Banner. As the banner fluttered, countless world-destroying primordial blades shot towards Jiufeng.

Jiufeng glanced at the Heaven-Opening Blades and said indifferently, "The so-called Heavenly Dao Saints are nothing more than those who have received opportunities bestowed by the Heavenly Dao. Have you ever experienced the near-death experience of breaking the shackles of the Heavenly Dao? You have never experienced such hardships, so how can you talk about Hunyuan? Such power may be invincible against those below the Saint level, but for me, the one who broke the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, it is nothing but child's play!"

It's no wonder that Jiufeng looked down on them. The six saints were originally quasi-saints when they attained enlightenment. After obtaining the Primordial Purple Qi, they were merely creating people and establishing religions. In the blink of an eye, they became Hunyuan.

It's not that easy. Compared to Yin Ziyu and Jiu Feng's near-death experiences, and compared to the great calamity battle in which Hongjun attained enlightenment, this is far too easy.

It is precisely because it is easy that its value is too low. In the end, it is not achieved through one's own enlightenment, cultivation, or planning to reach the Hunyuan realm, but rather it is a gift from the Heavenly Dao, which is inherently deficient.

Hongjun once said that there are three methods to prove the Dao: the strongest is to break the shackles of the Heavenly Dao by force, the second strongest is to sever the three corpses, and the weakest is to prove the Dao by merit.

Regardless of the method, as long as it is done without the permission of Heaven, breaking the shackles to prove the Dao is all considered to be proving the Dao by force, which is the Dao of Sentient Beings.

Those who sever their three corpses, extinguish all emotions, and merge with the Dao belong to the Dao of Ruthlessness.

The Great Dao of Power within Jiufeng's body suddenly erupted, and with a casual strike, it destroyed all those Qi-opening blades.

Immediately afterwards, with a wave of her hand, Jiufeng unleashed a powerful force of the Great Dao towards Yuanshi Tianzun.

Upon seeing this, Yuanshi Tianzun immediately summoned the Heavenly Auspicious Clouds to protect himself. However, the power was simply too great, causing the Heavenly Auspicious Clouds to tremble violently. Yuanshi Tianzun was struck so hard that his face turned pale, and he retreated tens of millions of miles.

Jiufeng snorted coldly: "It was just a casual strike!"

Lao Tzu, watching from the side with a solemn expression, said, "Do not be arrogant, and do not think that the Way of Heaven truly does not exist!"

Jiufeng's gaze swept over the four sages, Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti, and she said arrogantly, "Since that's the case, then let's have a battle of chaos. I want to see what tricks you four have up your sleeves!"

At this moment, Jiufeng had already attained enlightenment and instantly knew that Yin Ziyu had succeeded. Therefore, she was not afraid at all, whether it was these saints or the Heavenly Dao.

Lao Tzu's expression was solemn. After a moment of silence, he said, "If that's the case, then let's have a battle of chaos."

Now that Jiufeng has arrived, it is absolutely forbidden to allow Jiufeng to disrupt the prehistoric world by relying on her cultivation. Saints have the responsibilities of saints, but Hunyuan does not.

This is also why Heaven does not allow anyone to attain enlightenment; it is precisely because those who attain primordial chaos can truly disrupt the primordial world and cause Heaven to lose control. Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti then transformed into four streams of light and headed straight for the outside of chaos.

Before leaving, Laozi turned to look at Xuandu and solemnly instructed him: "No matter what, Jiufeng has already attained the Dao, and Ziyu's attainment of the Dao should not be far off. Withdraw the troops immediately!"

Xuan Du's expression was solemn. He immediately found Guang Chengzi and conveyed his master's decree: "Junior brother, the master has ordered that Jiu Feng has already attained enlightenment, and it seems that Zi Yu's enlightenment will not be far off. The situation is hopeless, and we should retreat immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Guang Chengzi was unwilling, but he knew that the sage's decision had its reasons, so he immediately issued the order.

In an instant, the three armies that had been besieging Chaoge City began to withdraw in an orderly manner, the mighty army retreating like the tide and heading into the distance.

As the enemy troops withdrew, Chaoge City stabilized from its previous precarious situation, and the tense nerves of all parties on the city walls were finally able to relax.

Di Xin gazed in the direction the enemy army had gone, his brow furrowed, and said, "Although the culprit Zhuanxu is dead and these three parties have withdrawn their troops, should we just let them go and pursue them?"

At this moment, Luo Shen stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, pursuing them is useless. They have many defensive magical treasures, and their quasi-saint level experts are far superior to us. The Shang Dynasty has already suffered heavy injuries after a fierce battle, and pursuing them now will not bring any benefits. Zi Yu has not yet returned, and the battle of the saints in the chaos is the key. We should wait and see what happens and wait for the outcome."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xin pondered for a moment and then nodded: "Very well, immediately issue the order to set up defenses and reassure the people. Now that Jiu Feng has attained enlightenment, it seems that it won't be long before the Imperial Uncle attains enlightenment as well. Let us wait patiently."

With Emperor Xin's order issued, the soldiers in Chaoge began to restore order in an orderly manner, and Chaoge, which was originally filled with an atmosphere of utter desperation, gradually returned to stability.
What was originally a state of despair has been swept away by Jiufeng's return after attaining enlightenment. Everyone is now filled with hope and waiting for Yin Ziyu's return after attaining enlightenment!
Although the great battle of the saints is underway, there is still some unease about whether Yin Ziyu will return. Luo Shen did not say much, but everyone knew that since Jiu Feng was not in a hurry, Yin Ziyu must be safe and sound.

Now, almost everyone's eyes are on the great battle of chaos, the first to prove the Dao through force versus the Sage.

In the chaos, the gray air currents churned endlessly.

Nine Phoenixes hovered in the depths of chaos, their aura of the Great Dao of Power as deep and boundless as the ocean.

Jiufeng looked at the four sages opposite her—Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti—and said with a fighting spirit in her eyes, "I will prove my Dao with force. You four sages, come at me all at once!"

"Don't be so arrogant!"

Yuanshi Tianzun roared and made the first move.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable first suspended the auspicious clouds above his head, letting down countless golden rays to protect himself, while simultaneously waving the Pangu Banner.

In an instant, a terrifying aura, as if the heavens and earth were splitting apart, swept out, and countless heaven-opening blades tore through the chaos, slashing towards Jiufeng with the force of destroying the world.

Lao Tzu's expression was solemn, with a magnificent pagoda above his head, from which primordial energy emanated. The Tai Chi diagram in his hand spun, and the Golden Bridge of Heaven and Earth added a second layer of defense.

After all, one must be cautious when facing the first person who proves the Dao through force.

Lao Tzu, wielding a coiled dragon-patterned flat staff, slammed it down towards the Nine Phoenixes. The staff's shadows were numerous, as if containing the ultimate truth of the beginning of heaven and earth, and each strike carried the great power to shatter chaos.

The Guide Daoist sat upright on a twelve-petaled golden lotus, which radiated countless rays of light, protecting the Guide Daoist in the center.

The guide held a blessed pestle, its surface shimmering with golden light. It carried the compassion to save all living beings, yet also contained an invincible power, as it smashed towards the Nine Phoenixes.

The Daoist Zhunti used the Azure Lotus Banner to protect himself, with the banner fluttering and countless rays of azure light descending as a form of defense.

Holding the Seven Treasures Tree, the tree swayed and swept towards the Nine Phoenixes, dissipating the chaotic energy wherever it passed.

The four primordial saints attacked simultaneously, their power shaking the heavens and the earth. The combined might of the saints formed a terrifying energy storm, tearing apart the chaos wherever it passed, and turning countless chaotic energies into dust under this power.

Within the chaos, one can fight freely. The aftershocks of the battle spread in all directions. Each collision reduces the chaotic region within a radius of trillions of light-years to nothingness, and the area of ​​destruction continues to expand based on trillions of light-years.

Despite being surrounded by the four saints, Jiufeng remained completely unafraid.

Without any protective magical treasures or weapons, his fists, imbued with the power of Pangu, charged forward like a miniature Pangu himself, meeting the attacks of the four saints head-on.

"boom!"

Nine Phoenixes unleashed a punch, which struck Zhunti's Azure Lotus Banner squarely.

Faced with the fists of the one who proved the Dao with force, the defense of the top-grade innate spiritual treasure was still insufficient and shattered instantly. Daoist Zhunti was hit as if by a heavy blow and was sent flying by this enormous force. He flew backward in the chaos for countless light-years before he regained his footing, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Immediately afterwards, Jiufeng's figure blurred, and she arrived in front of the Guide Daoist, unleashing both fists containing boundless power.

"Click"

The defenses of the twelfth-grade golden lotus were shattered, and the Guide Daoist was forced to retreat repeatedly, spitting out a mouthful of golden blood that stained the golden lotus beneath him.

Upon seeing this, Laozi's eyes flashed with surprise, and he immediately unleashed the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones technique.

Three figures emerged from his body, all possessing the power of saints, and together with Laozi, they besieged Jiufeng.

The three Laozi clones, each wielding a coiled dragon-patterned flat staff, launched an attack like a raging storm.

Jiufeng remained completely calm, her fists flailing, each punch carrying the power of Pangu creating the world.

"bang bang bang"

Soon after, he shattered all three clones.

A sage's clone can fight a sage by force, but how can one fight against someone who proves the Dao by force without a defensive treasure?

Then, Jiufeng turned around and attacked Yuanshi Tianzun. Yuanshi Tianzun waved the Pangu Banner, and countless Qi-opening blades cut into Jiufeng's body, but they could not seriously injure her at all.

The Great Witch attained enlightenment, possessing an already extremely strong physical body. Furthermore, she received personal instruction from Pangu, which is sufficient to demonstrate the strength of the Nine Phoenixes.

With a single punch from Jiufeng, even though Yuanshi Tianzun was protected by the auspicious clouds of the heavens, he was still struck and his blood surged, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. Jiufeng stood in the chaos, like an unshakeable miniature Pangu, and faced the siege of the four saints with ease.

Faced with the might of the Nine Phoenixes, Laozi was extremely solemn. At this moment, Laozi was temporarily unharmed thanks to the protection of two supreme treasures, while the Nine Phoenixes were picking on the weakest target. However, Laozi looked towards the Heavenly Dao.

Faced with the imminent sweep of the Four Saints by Jiu Feng, they immediately reacted.

In the primordial world, the innate essence that had flowed for countless years began to fluctuate violently, as if drawn by an invisible force, drawn from mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, plants, and rocks, and converging towards the horizon.

The primordial source that once nourished countless living beings and supported the glorious primordial era is now declining at a visible rate, like a magnificent dream suddenly shattering.

The earth has lost its original warmth and moisture, gradually revealing its dry texture; the mountains and rivers have lost their former beauty, becoming silent and oppressive.
And these innate primordial powers that had been taken back by the Heavenly Dao eventually flowed towards Lao Tzu's location like rivers flowing into the sea.

Lao Tzu stood in the chaos, and in an instant, his body was enveloped by a dense primordial power. With the blessing of the primordial power, three figures suddenly split off from Lao Tzu's body, which were his good corpse, evil corpse, and self!
The benevolent corpse is none other than Laozi, while the malevolent corpse is majestic and aloof, carrying a chilling and murderous aura, and the self carries the color of the Great Dao's inaction.

When these innate elements converged, the three corpse clones began to merge their auras, eventually becoming one and reintegrating into Lao Tzu's original body.

The return of the Nine Phoenixes after attaining enlightenment has unexpectedly become Laozi's greatest opportunity. The other three saints were dumbfounded. As the three corpses merged, Laozi's aura began to soar. The pressure that was originally somewhat peaceful due to his attainment of sainthood through merit has now become heavy and profound.

Laozi's cultivation level skyrocketed like a rocket, breaking through the realm of achieving sainthood through merit and reaching the level of severing the three corpses and merging into one to prove the Dao. His power was comparable to that of the Dao Ancestor Hongjun back then.

(End of this chapter)