If the first explosion was a large scale bombing raid, the current explosion is a nuclear bomb. The concentrated explosion of thousands of xiantian spiritual treasures were magnified by primordial Qi within said treasures going haywire. The instability generated a far deadlier force indiscriminate of who it hit.
Ancestor Si Hai and Qiong Qi were at the edges of the explosion but both were blown back heavily burnt. Qiong Qi's wings were ruined, his fur was blackened with burn marks. Si Hai was even worse better, his natural water Dao was heavily damaged and his body, charred black.
Both combatants landed many hundreds of kilometres away from Mt Buzhou unconscious. The shockwave had charred the land reducing the surrounding area around Mt Buzhou into a smouldering crater.
The explosive force was far greater than a Great Principle Chaos Immortal self detonating. Huoyun calculates that the chances of anyone at the epicentre of the explosion surviving were slim to none.
He had managed to receive Wangshu who gave up her celestial moon crown to him for use. Top grade xiantian spiritual treasures could only unleash their full power with someone of high cultivation. Huoyun's Great Principle stage cultivation base fully protected his charges.
Unfortunately, they seem to be the only survivors. None of the innate gods who arrived had survived. Huoyun surveyed the massive crater, the smoke was beginning to clear.
Taowu who has survived the blast unwound his tongue and looked over in fear. He immediately tried to sense the presence of his brothers and quickly found the unconscious Qiong Qi. He swallowed his saliva in nervousness.
At the crater, Hundun's damaged figure was revealed. Five of his arms were blown off and he'd only retained half of his body and his four wings. Hundun's featureless face faced Huoyun's cloud form, while indistinguishable, rage could be felt coming from him.
His last remaining hand clasped a decaying ball of orange-green light. It was convulsing as if it was unstable and about to collapse.
Huoyun realised immediately it was Taowu's nascent soul or at least what was left of it. Hundun was the only thing keeping the soul together and even then it did not look like it'd last long.
Huoyun's shield faded away and his multi coloured clouds receded back to his human form dressed in red robes. The battered figures of Qiankun, Shangxia, Wangshu, and Da Hai appeared behind him sitting on Da Hai's 12th grade white lotus who expanded to accommodate all of them.
Huoyun himself wasn't looking too good, blood was dripping from his mouth and he appeared very pale. However, it was much better compared to the mutilated Hundun.
"Brother, I was useless" Taowu's weak voice was heard by Hundun. The nascent soul completely dispersed leaving Hundun on his own. From this day the 4 evils just became 3. Hundun's mood was extremely terrible right now.
Four chaos hatchets appeared around him floating mid air. Hundun motioned for them to attack Huoyun. The daoist of five elements in response released the five element pearls.
Both top grade xiantian spiritual treasures clashed albeit much weaker compared to their earlier battles. Neither Hundun nor Huoyun could use their abilities to their maximum potential.
The hatchets retreated and faded away leaving the two in a staredown. Taowu's skinny human body slowly floated towards Hundun.
"Big brother, what are we going to do now?" He asked hopelessly. Hundun's true form receded back into a cloaked faceless human. He looked very tired, he stared up at the skies above him.
Waving his arms around he easily tore into space. "The great balance had been broken," he stated. From his test just now it was evident the bindings of the Taiji painting was no longer in effect. "A tactical retreat is the best option," he said.
"What about senior brother Qiong Qi?" Taowu asked. Hundun looked in Qiong Qi's direction and had a thought. It would be great if could kill Si Hai right now. He looked back at Huoyun then up at Hongjun.
"Our lord should be arriving soon as well. There's no need to panic," he said much to Taowu's confusion. Despite the distance, Huoyun had also heard him and felt extremely confused. Shenni was as good as dead, what is Hundun talking about.
Hongjun cut deeply into Shenni with the Pangu banner's sword form. With a hard swing, he cleaved off Shenni's right paw. Purple light shone at his feet and he kicked Shenni forcing him to spit out blood. The beast emperor howled in pain and rage.
"Hongjun you bastard, you will regret using me!" He roared and charged despite his grievous wounds.
Hongjun sighed, "Foolish, did you never think that since I gave you your cultivation, I could also take it away?" He raised his palm at Shenni, "Playing with you has been fun but we're on a schedule. I'm afraid this is where we part ways".
A massive bright seal with the image of the taijitsu appeared. "Your death shall herald a new era Shenni, a new year for us all," Hongjun said cheerfully pressing down towards the beast emperor.
Shenni could feel himself weakening before the seal. His primordial Qi was being sucked out, his Dao fruit was breaking apart. He felt extremely regretful at himself but also furious. His anger just kept increasing.
"Damn you, lying thief," he uttered out before being completely engulfed by the seal. The attack parted the clouds landing at the base of Mt Buzhou.
Hongjun retracted the Pangu banner while folding both hands behind his back. He looked extremely pristine and majestic as he descended from the heavens. The Taiji painting was also retrieved by him.
Hongjun was surprised, the Taiji painting's space locking effect had been broken by the explosion earlier. It would seem his control over the treasure would need to be increased by another level first before he gains full mastery over it.
"Thank you for your hard work fellow daoists," he nodded towards the surviving few. With a single conflict, nearly all reincarnated chaos godfiends had perished. The remaining ones were the few before him and they were reduced to a sorry state.
Hongjun could already feel the gestation process nearing completion. An extra few deaths should be enough. Although he felt regretful he justified to himself that they were dying for a good cause.
He scanned both groups before detecting Louhu's oncoming presence. 'Bastard,' he thought in displeasure. Dark clouds gathered over the western horizon accompanied by silver lightning bolts.
A majestic aura and the sounds of chanting was heard from the west. Auspicious black dragons and phoenixes danced across the skies signalling the arrival of a mighty figure.
A black lotus suddenly descended from the western direction. A young man with an elegant smile stood atop it holding a deadly spear in hand. Luohu had arrived in spectacular fashion.
Accompanying Lou was a host of other beings. Most prominently was an androgynous individual. It had three black eyes, long silver hair, and four arms. Its skin was tanned brown and it held a black pagoda in one of its hands.
This individual's cultivation was very high, at least Great Principle Chaos Immortal realm. Luohu's right hand man, the demon king of the sixth heaven, Mara who the Japanese of earth knew as Hajun.
"Why have you come Luohu?" Hongjun asked righteously. He put on the image of a heroic elder meeting an evil demon. His purple aura screamed trust me.
"Don't mind me old friend, I'm simply here the pick up a few subordinates," he waved at Hundun to come over. Hundun much to everyone's shock took Taowu by the waist and flew towards Lou grabbing Qiong Qi along the way.
"Forgive me master, Taowu could not make it," he kneeled immediately upon landing on the black lotus. Lou laughed softly as if the loss did not bother him.
"Accidents are bound to happen," he forgave Hundun. "We still have a bit of his blood essence stored on Mt Sumeru so we can work something out".
Hundun nodded and motioned the stunned Taowu to follow him. The devilish aura was extremely frightening yet comforting to the innate god. He felt truly alive as if he could do whatever he wanted, consequences no longer mattered, conscience couldn't stop you, all things belonged to you.
Hundun clicked his fingers snapping tatie out of his visions. He chastised Taowu via voice transmission and made a mental note to improve Taowu's Dao heart. He handed the brutalised Qiong Qi to a hairy looking devil for medical attention and moved beside Luohu.
"Double agent huh? He never did seem like the sort to follow Shenni," Shangxia commented upon the change of allegiance. Now that Luohu is here another fight looked to be starting soon between both mighty beings.
"Hundun, even you?" Shenni's weak voice called out from the base of Mt Buzhou. His broken form slowly crawled out inch by inch staring in disbelief at the 3 evils. Hongjun narrowed his eyes in annoyance, 'So stubborn,' he thought.
"Can I trust no one in this forsaken world?" He cursed.
"Your actions were illogical Shenni," Hundun stated in a cold detached voice. His tone was devoid of any significant emotion when faced with his false master. "Your actions would've doomed us all," he added.
"Curse you, curse every one of you. You spit on master's grave," Shenni cursed in tears. He could not control his emotions at all. His uncontrollable tears touched the ruined soil leaving wet patches.
Luohu sneered at the weeping Shenni and said, "How pathetic."
Shenni looked up at Luohu in rage. Now it all made sense why the 4 evils cultivated so fast despite having been kept busy from focusing on recovery for so long. Luohu must've had something to do with it otherwise they'd probably still be Great Unity Golden Immortal. His mind couldn't rationalize it any other way.
'Just like Hongjun offered me,' he realised in depression. He laughed bitterly before glaring at both titans among gods.
"Don't write me off so easily. I am Shenni, most loyal of Demon Ape's general and I will avenge my master," accompanying his scream his body glowed golden. Large cracks appeared on his body.
Hongjun and Luohu widened their eyes. 'Stop him,' they thought in unison. They both deployed the Taiji painting and 12th grade black lotus in unison at the maddened beast emperor.
"Devils, help out as well," Luohu commanded and his army jumped off the black lotus leaping into action. They brought out various low grade xiantian spiritual treasures and even lower ranking primordial spiritual treasures.
Amongst the chaos Huoyun realised his chance. He turned towards the injured immortals beside him and said, "Fellow daoists, please use this opportunity to escape."
Qiankun and Shangxia did not hesitate, they bolted immediately. Wangshu looked at the two hesitantly before sighing loudly, she too transformed into a silver light rising above the atmosphere.
Huoyun transformed into a mass of cloud clinging onto Da Hai's body and ran as well. Staying here any longer would be extremely dangerous. He looked at the unconscious Si Hai and felt slightly complex.
"You are a fellow daoist too," he muttered sending a jolt of red lightning at Si Hai waking the man up. Upon realising his situation, the sea god followed the others examples and ran as well.
"Let's all die together," Shenni smiled widely. His body glowed like a star, the three spenders, 5 Qi unification, nascent soul, and Dao fruit shook violently. The unstable force screamed in destructive power.
"Forgive me, master," Shenni let loose a single tear. Then he exploded.