Huoyun narrowed his eyes when Hongjun appeared above Mt Buzhou. His presence wasn't unexpected given he was the one who kickstarted the battle. Huoyun was simultaneously grateful and furious. This old man had the nerve to act all heroic when he was the one ultimately responsible.
"You dare show your face!" Shenni's single horned lion like beast form shot blasts after blast of spectral ghost fire. The purplish flames brushed against the combined image of the Taiji in front of Hongjun who stood confidently and unconcerned.
Since he arrived many of the innate gods felt at ease. If he was able to stop Shenni then victory was definitely in their hands. Many formations made out of Great UnityGolden Immortal went to fight Taowu while the rest were kept busy.
Hongjun displayed masterful control of the Dao as he fought. Shenni who was so domineering was completely tied down. The old man possessed impeccable defense not allowing the beast emperor to even come near Mt Buzhou.
The beast emperor roared in frustration. He bashed himself against the Taiji image. Spectral ghost fire burned around his whole body searing into the fabric of reality itself. Holes into the void appeared all around him creating suction flow into spatial tides.
"What is this?" Shenni roared. Hongjun smirked but it was covered by his fluffy beard. His defensive treasure, the Taiji painting was a part of the creation trio of spiritual treasures. Since the beginning of the primitive world, he had managed to obtain two of them.
The Taiji painting spun stabilising space around the primitive world. The damage done to reality was fixed just like that. The painting extended covering over a quarter of the central continent in an instant. It set space in place and locked dimensions preventing anyone from entering and exiting. It seemed to those participating in the fight that Hongjun was not taking any chances of Shenni escaping.
"A gift of Pangu's," Hongjun said. Upon hearing those words, Shenni's eyes went bloodshot as if he just found out he was cuckolded. He couldn't even form coherent words anymore and continued fighting carelessly. Many innate creatures who happened to be near him burned to ashes instantly.
It was chaos everywhere, Huoyun was preoccupied with Hundun and victory did not look to be close. Taowu whipped with his tongue shattering a formation crushing 13 Great Unity Golden Immortals at once. The rest formed up and combined into a greater cosmic giant.
Qiong Qi had a flashy duel against Si Hai. Both gods were of the origin of water. In the distant past, these two along with Da Hai were known as the 3 primeval lords of water. Qiong Qi representing corrupted, dirty, or filthy water. Da Hai representing unrestrained all consuming seawater, and Si Hai representing all water in the world.
"Pathetic, is that all you've got?" Qiong Qi sneered. He brought his paw down and smashed Si Hai's body with great force. The sea god spat out a mouthful of blood and glared at the tiger.
"Did you forget who I am Qiong Qi?" He lunged forward and pierced Qiong Qi's shoulder with his harpoon. Swiping out o Qiong Qi's flesh he clashed against the tiger's steel like wings. Both sides grinder against each other before Qiong Qi kicked Si Hai away.
The tiger charged at the sea god who brought up a shield of water bouncing the tiger away.
"I am first beneath the 4 greats" Si Hai charge with incredible might. Da Hai's ocean below rose up in response to his call forming a gargantuan giant of seawater. Si Hai merged himself with the ocean itself grappling with Qiong Qi who grew exponentially in size.
'This was like a scene out of Pacific Rim' thought Da Hai. He did not mind Si Hai taking control of his water nor did he resist the stronger god's attempt to do so. Da Hai was much too preoccupied with Taotie.
He and Wangshu worked in conjunction utilising the inherent connection between the moon and the sea to empower each other. The compatibility allowed Da Hai to grasp the embryonic form of a formation. Although he would still need years to study and perfect such a thing he could already see it taking form.
Wangshu was fully focused on Taotie. Her form was not without injures, her furious demon face had been smashed in by Taotie's foot. The goddess pushed out a recreation of the lunar star punching into Taotie's stomach.
Da Hai punched out at the star, the force of the blow heavily dented Taotie's incredibly tough stomach. Da Hai created more water to trample over the innate god. Taotie bashed his thick face against Da Hai's dissipating all of it into rain droplets.
Taotie opened his mouth swallowing an ocean full of raining seawater. He opened his mouth dispensing the contents like a cannon at Wangshu forcing her to manurer out of the way. Da Hai frowned when he saw Taotie's stomach restore to its original appearance.
"This is not working," he told Wangshu who nodded. The gap of a single realm was enormous. The two of them were already half a step into Chaos Immortal fighting a Taotie who had only recently been restored to Great Principle Chaos Immortal. Yet Taotie was evidently stronger than the both of them.
Da Hai readied the ocean swallowing jug in hand. "Eight head killing!" He declared unleashing eight snake heads all with frightening power. This spell was improved after Da Hai's cultivation rose, its power would tear apart even a peak Great Unity Golden Immortal with ease.
Taotie opened his mouth and bit the water construct in half. His eyes on his shoulders looked at Da Hai mockingly. He sprayed his stomach acid at Da Hai who brought out the 12 Petals White Lotus in response.
'I need to attain the Great Principle soon,' he thought. He scanned the battlefield and saw flashes of Hongjun and Shenni above the clouds. Huoyun was still stalemating Hundun with no signs of clear victory though Huoyun did look to be slowly losing the advantage.
Three other observers who were fighting Taowu along with the cosmic giant also saw Da Hai and Wangshu's miserable state. The cosmic giant was able to hold Taowu back with the conjoined power of over 100 Great Unity Golden Immortals. The three ancestors Kunwu, ancestor Qiankun, and ancestor Shangxia nodded at each other.
Qiankun and Kunqu detached from the cosmic giant and flew to Da Hai and Wangshu. Shangxia took full command of the cosmic giant utilizing 7 arms to grapple Taowu. Using his Dao of directions he disorientated Taowu.
"At this stage, you can still affect me?" The evil god was held by the cosmic giant. Shangxia commanded the formation to perform a suplex. They smashed Taowu's painted head into the ground sending a shockwave that could be felt around the world.
Da Hai's ocean was kicked up by the force sending millions of primordial beasts and innate creatures into the air as well. Thanks to Hongjun stabilising space with the Taiji painting no spacial tears.
Kunwu and Qiankun arrived to aid Da Hai and Wangshu. The ancestor Kunwu wielded a mighty greatsword known as the Kunwu sword. This great god intercepted Taotie's bite whose teeth were unable to break the blade.
Ancestor Qiankun was the master of the cosmos. He brought out the universal cauldron, it emitted cosmic energy as if it wanted to refine all things in creation. Ancestor Qiankun reached inside the cauldron pulling out a single ruler.
Da Hai recognised both tools. They were famed treasured that belonged to one of the three pure ones, the Heavenly Lord of the Dao and Virtue also known as Grand Supreme Elderly Lord, and several other titles but most famously the Grand Pure One.
This ruler was the universal ruler, one of the greatest offensive weapons in creation. Although the wielder ancestor Qiankun's cultivation was only at the half step Chaos Immortal realm he still commanded terrifying might.
Qiankun swung with the universal ruler at Taotie. To not allow Taotie to flee Da Hai created many water tendrils to tie down the evil god. Although she was confused by his actions Wangshu aided Da Hai empowering him with her lunar yin radiance while creating ropes of star energy.
Wangshu's treasure repertoire was also put to good use. Various low to mid level xiantian spiritual treasures were used to suppress Taotie. Even Kunwu and Qiankun felt jealous of her.
The two ancestor's conjoined attack landed on Taotie. Kunwu's sword cut into Taotie's flesh drawing blood. Qiankun's attack however was much more ferocious.
The universal ruler smashed into Taotie's face. The sound of a skull cracking could be heard. Taowu who had regained his footing and slammed the cosmic giant into the land looked up in shock. Taotie's head bled as he swayed in the air.
Qiankun was clearly very tired after that strike. Using the universal ruler with his current cultivation was not a very good idea. Although Taotie was injured he wasn't close to dying. The good news was that Taotie could not stay conscious for long.
After being struck by the equivalent of an entire minor universe crystallized into a ruler Taotie felt incredibly dizzy. Soon he fell landing with a thud completely unconscious.
This was only a fraction of the universal ruler's power. Wielded by a combatant with a high cultivation base, this ruler's attack potency was the equivalent of being bashed by the entire primitive world. Even Primal Zenith Chaos Immortals would be crushed to death.
With Taotie out of the picture for now the four flew off to Taowu. Taotie was very nigh impossible to kill for them so he could do little aside from leaving him there.
Up above the clouds, Hongjun gathered purple clouds in his hand. These clouds swept away Shenni's fire breath and sent him hurtling through the skies.
"Despicable Hongjun. I thought you and I understood each other" he roared in rage and slashed with his claws. Hongjun held up his banner blocking the strike.
"Blame yourself for your lack of intelligence" Hongjun used his second hand and unleashed a palm strike. Shenni spat out blood as he was forced back with great force.
"Hongjun, was what you said a lie? Why aren't you helping me!" He attacked once more. Hongjun sighed, 'what a simple fellow' he thought. Shenni was all brawn and no brain, he was the ideal simpleton.