Daqin Zhentiansi

With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Yuan caused the Thunder Origin Dao Fruit, refined from the opponent's killing move, to instantly dissipate, transforming into specks of lightning that nourished the starry sea.

He stood still, his dark golden divine soul as steady as an ancient rock in the desolate starry sea, and the Dao aura around him resonated more deeply with the faint source of the thunder eye: "Senior is too kind. The Great Dao is boundless, and the fourteenth level is not the end."

"This junior merely borrows the torch of the Great Qin to ignite the thorns of the primordial wilderness and pave the way forward."

The enormous lightning phantom of the Azure Sky Venerable remained silent for a moment, the shock in his dragon eyes slowly settling into a deep and complex feeling.

He looked at Zhang Yuan, his voice like muffled thunder rolling through the void:
"A torch ignites thorns... What a fine 'a torch ignites thorns'! Young friend Zhang Yuan, your path has left this old man in awe."

His enormous dragon claws slightly lifted, and the floating star fragments in the desolate starry sea seemed to be drawn in, slowly rotating and outlining blurry yet tragic ancient scenes:
"But do you know that the Heavenly Palace's theft of the Dao is not limited to setting up shackles?"

"The ancient battle of mythical beasts was not merely a contest of strength!"

"The Heavenly Human Race regarded all the races of the primordial world as resources, and our noble bloodline as materials for forging weapons and refining treasures! They wielded the 'God-Slaying Halberd,' the 'Ten Thousand Scale Shield,' and the 'Heaven-Burning Feather Fan,' all forged from the sinews, bones, scales, and armor of our ancestors, and slaughtered in all directions!"

In the scene, the skeleton of a colossal beast, resembling a pillar supporting the sky, can be vaguely seen being dragged along, its sacred wings being melted and forged into banners in the flames, and its mournful cry resounding throughout the universe.

The God-Slaying Halberd is a hundred feet long. Its shaft is forged from the entire spine of the Xuanwu Supreme, with its joints as ferocious as a continuous mountain range, and its entire body flows with a dark, mysterious, and cold light.

The halberd blade is forged from the fangs of a white tiger made of Geng metal. It is shaped like a crescent moon, with serrated spatial cracks densely covering its edges. When swung, it cuts through the void on its own.

A celestial general stood on a cloud of stars, sweeping his halberd with one hand.

Where the halberd blade passed, the hundred-mile mountain range silently crumbled into dust. Wherever the cold light reached, the fleeing demon army was instantly frozen into ice sculptures, and then shattered into dust by the halberd's wind.

With a flick of the halberd tip, space collapsed into a black hole, swallowing and crushing a Saint Realm giant ape that was trying to resist, along with its divine powers and magical forms.

The Thousand Scale Shield is perfectly round and as large as a solitary peak.

The shield is inlaid with millions of azure dragon scales, each scale imprinted with the phantom of a struggling dragon soul, with cyan and purple lightning patterns running between the scales.

The shield's edge was surrounded by serrated edges forged from the carapace of the Baxia clan, with solidified crimson lightning dripping from the tips of the teeth.

The Burning Heaven Feather Fan has its frame made of the twelve tibia bones of the Vermilion Bird ancestral lineage, and its surface is covered with the nascent downy feathers of the three supreme beings of the Phoenix, Azure Luan, and Bifang clans.

The feathers shimmered with golden, red, and blue divine fire, and when fanned, they scattered countless meteors and sparks across the sky. The lava dripping from the feather tips eroded eternally burning pits in the ground.

Before Zhang Yuan appeared the image of the Xuanwu skeleton, dragged across the wasteland by rune chains, its spine being forcibly ripped out, causing the earth to collapse with a mournful cry.

The dying wings of the phoenix tumbled in the chaotic furnace, each feather peeling away causing the stars to flicker.

The dragon's reverse scale was plucked and embedded into the shield, and the flesh beneath the scale turned into solidified blood lightning on the shield's edge.

The brilliance of these divine weapons is imbued with the blood, tears, and soul-wrenching sorrow of countless races throughout the primordial era.

"Even worse, they used supreme evil magic to enslave and distort the bloodlines of us divine beasts!" Cang Qiong's voice was filled with deep hatred. "The 'Earth-Splitting Stone Demon' clan was originally the children of the earth, with a kind and gentle nature, but they were forcibly refined into mindless puppets by the Heavenly Palace and turned into weapons of war for conquering cities and seizing strongholds!"

"The 'Soul-Devouring Ghost-Faced Spider's' ancestors once lived next to the Vermilion Bird. Its webs could weave dreams, but it was forced to become a tool of the Heavenly Palace to spy on souls and weave nightmares! And then there's the 'Howling Moon Silver Wolf'..."

With each name he uttered, the chill in Zhang Yuan's heart deepened.

This is not only a plunder of power, but also the most thorough trampling on the dignity and heritage of all living beings in the primordial world.

Although the intelligence from the town's watchtower mentioned it, it was far less shocking and to the core than what Cang Qiong, as a firsthand witness to the long history of the Azure Dragon Clan, had revealed.

“These are all lessons from the past!” Cang Qiong stared intently at Zhang Yuan. “You have led a heretical path and committed acts against the heavens, which have already shaken the foundation of the Heavenly Palace.”

"They will surely see you as a thorn in their side! Today you helped my clan rekindle the Thunder Eye, but when the Heavenly Palace settles its scores in the future, the methods will be a hundred times more ruthless!"

"Do you have a solution? Can your path protect the beings that follow you from such misfortune?"

Facing the Heavenly Palace head-on?
Zhang Yuan understood that if he wanted to reunite the Nine Provinces of Great Qin, he would have to face the Heavenly Palace and the Heavenly Venerable directly.

Otherwise, the Qin Dynasty will never be able to reunite.

He may never be able to return to the Qin Dynasty.

Zhang Yuan's illusory divine soul flashed, and his voice carried an undeniable resolve: "What you say, senior, I will keep in mind."

"The Heavenly Palace is tyrannical, enslaving all living beings; this is a path to certain death! The path of this junior is not only to break the shackles, but also to reshape the primordial order, so that all races may live in peace and find their proper place!"

"Anyone who obstructs this path, whether celestial being, god, or demon, is my enemy! Even if the road ahead is strewn with thorns and raging with blood and fire, Zhang Yuan will hold the torch, burn away the thorns, and forge a path to survival! As for the path of protection..."

He paused briefly, his body swirling with chaotic Daoist energy, faintly resonating with the will of the Great Qin Heavenly Dao: "Only through unyielding self-improvement and the gathering of all forces can we achieve our goals! On the banks of the Sunken Sand River and in the Thunderfall Abyss, glimmers of light have already appeared. If all the races of the primordial divine beasts unite as one, what fear is there of the infighting within the Heavenly Palace?"

Cang Qiong stared at Zhang Yuan for a long time, and finally a genuine, expectant approval appeared on his face, which was filled with thunder.

"Excellent! What a wonderful 'self-improvement and unity'! I have seen your ambition! I believe in your passion!"

His enormous dragon claw slowly opened, and a drop of indescribably brilliant deep purple liquid condensed in his palm.

This droplet seemed to be a miniature chaotic sea of ​​lightning, with stars rising and falling and dragon shadows swirling within, exuding the purest, oldest, and most noble aura of the Azure Dragon bloodline!
Its mere existence caused this desolate sea of ​​stars to tremble slightly, as if it had been given a new lease on life.

"This is a wisp of 'Ancestral Dragon Origin Blood' that I condensed during my resurrection through the Thunder Eye."

The voice of the heavens was solemn and resolute.

"This item contains the primordial essence of our bloodline, which may be beneficial to your refining of the primordial origin and the forging of an unparalleled foundation."

"However, this item also contains the karma of our clan. If you accept it, you will be connected with the fate of the Azure Dragon clan, and fortune and misfortune will be intertwined!"

His eyes shone brightly, carrying an unmistakable fervor: "I offer this source as a gift, young friend... please demonstrate the supreme mystery of 'Thunder Source Creation' once more, and allow me to witness it! This is not a transaction, but a testament to our shared path, a passing on of the torch!"

Zhang Yuan's illusory soul's gaze sharpened.

This "Ancestral Dragon Blood" is indeed crucial to him, as it can greatly accelerate the deep integration of the Chaos God-Demon Body with the Primordial Origin, bridging the last bit of barrier between him and the "Outlier".

And what the heavens desire is also within reason.

The fourteenth level of cultivation was just as attractive to a Venerable like him, who had been trapped at the peak of the twelfth level for countless years, as the Thunder Eye was reborn!

"Good!" Zhang Yuan didn't hesitate, and his divine soul power condensed once more!

This time, he did not unleash Cangming's killing move. Instead, he used his vast Chaos True Essence and the fragments of the Great Qin Heavenly Dao as a conduit to communicate with the faint source of the Thunder Eye that had just revived in this broken star sea.

"Buzz—" His illusory divine soul held his hands together, and a clearer and more profound miniature chaotic lightning eye appeared above his palms.

Unlike his previous passive shaping when neutralizing attacks, this time he actively "created" it!
Countless tiny, shimmering purple-gold lightning runes flowed out of the miniature lightning eyes as if they were alive.

They are not manifestations of destruction, but rather contain the seeds of laws of "structure", "order" and "life"!

Under the overwhelming gaze of the heavens, these runes began to combine and form.

A tiny glimmer of light appeared at the center of the rune, rapidly expanding and stretching... eventually forming a lifelike little lightning dragon about a foot long!

Although small, the dragon had clear scales and claws, and lively eyes. Pure chaotic lightning energy swirled around its body, and it swam happily in Zhang Yuan's palm, absorbing and exhaling the sparse free energy in the starry sea!

It is not an energy illusion, but a thunder creation that truly possesses a trace of spirituality and the essence of existence!

"The fourteenth level, Thunder Source Creation... Transforming the illusory into the real, endowing with spirit and creating life!"

Cang Qiong's voice trembled uncontrollably, and Long Tong stared intently at the swimming little dragon, as if he had seen the key to the supreme path.

"So that's it! So that's it! It's not just about shaping, but also about imbuing with spirit! This is... the embryonic form of the Creator's authority!"

The little lightning dragon, seemingly sensing the gaze of the heavens, tilted its head curiously, let out a soft yet clear dragon roar, and then transformed into a stream of light, merging back into the miniature lightning eye in Zhang Yuan's palm before disappearing.

Zhang Yuan dispersed his supernatural powers, and the aura of his illusory soul seemed to have been greatly depleted, but his eyes remained as bright as stars.

Without the slightest hesitation, the dragon claw gently pushed forward.

That drop of "Ancestral Dragon Origin Blood," carrying the profound karma and supreme expectations of the Azure Dragon Clan, transformed into a deep purple light, instantly traversing space and entering the space between Zhang Yuan's eyebrows!
"boom!"

An indescribable power, seemingly originating from the very beginning of time, ancient, noble, violent, and full of boundless vitality, exploded deep within Zhang Yuan's soul!

It clashed and merged fiercely with his own chaotic divine and demonic origin and the will of the Great Qin Heavenly Dao!
An unprecedented sense of "fit" arose spontaneously.

It was as if he was no longer a "stranger" walking in the wilderness, but had truly taken root here, becoming one with the breath and pulse of this land!
The primordial source's rejection of him was almost completely washed away by the power of this drop of primordial blood at this moment!

Zhang Yuan's soul trembled and dissipated within the space of the stone tablet.

Cang Qiong stood still, lightning flashing around him, and a glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.

----------------

In front of the stone tablet.

Zhang Yuan slowly stood up.

He felt the power within his body, which had become increasingly pure and profound due to the deduction of the thirteen layers of cultivation techniques, the resonance with the Great Dao, and the infusion of the Ancestral Dragon's source blood, and was deeply in harmony with the origin of the primordial world.

He gazed into the depths of Canglong Mountain, as if he could penetrate through layers of space and feel the gaze of that ancient being.

"Senior Cangqiong, fellow Daoists, Zhang Yuan bids farewell."

He bowed solemnly towards the direction of the Thunder Crystal Altar and the radiant Inheritance Stele.

The figure of the Azure Sky Venerable re-coalesced on the altar throne. At this moment, his gaze towards Zhang Yuan was one of complete equality and respect, even carrying a hint of camaraderie: "Fire General, take care! The Azure Dragon Clan will remember this kindness! If needed in the future, we can reach the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Domain in an instant!"

Ao Qing stepped forward from the crowd. At this moment, his aura was calm and composed, and his dragon horns were crystal clear with flowing purple lightning. He was no longer the same as before.

He bowed deeply to Zhang Yuan, his eyes filled with heartfelt respect and gratitude: "Lord Zhang Yuan, I will never forget your kindness in saving me! If there is any need for my service, I will brave mountains of knives and seas of fire, even unto death!"

Zhang Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Ao Qing and the several other powerful and eager Canglong Clan Saint Realm experts behind him: "Cultivate diligently and stabilize your realm. The 'Burial Wasteland,' ravaged by ferocious beasts on the banks of the Sunken Sand River and outside the Thunderfall Abyss, needs your dragon might to cleanse it."

Ao Qing and the other Azure Dragon powerhouses' eyes instantly blazed with fierce fighting spirit, and they roared in unison, "We obey the Fire Commander's orders! After a short preparation, we will immediately head to the Burial Bone Wasteland! We will turn that beast's lair into a training ground for the Dragon Clan!"

Without another word, Zhang Yuan stepped forward, his figure transforming into a streak of black light that soared into the sky, merging with the burning golden-red clouds in the air.

The Vermilion Bird let out a clear cry, spread its wings, and stirred up a sky full of flowing fire, tearing through space.

The figures of the man and the phoenix vanished in an instant into the churning thunderclouds above the Azure Dragon Mountains, now teeming with life.

Only the banks of the Thunder Pool remain, where ten thousand dragons gaze upwards, their hearts surging with emotion.

Deep within the Canglong Mountains, that ancient and weary will seemed to let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

……

Flames blaze across the sky, the Vermilion Bird spreads its wings.

Zhang Yuan stood atop his flowing, shimmering feathers, while the primordial land below swept across the landscape like a scroll painting.

After leaving the Azure Dragon Mountain Region, he and the Vermilion Bird, who had transformed into a red-robed female cultivator, did not stop. Their target was the central part of the prehistoric world, Zhenyue Mountain, the ancestral home of the Qilin clan.

However, as soon as they approached the "Panshi Market" on the outskirts of Zhenyue Mountain, the deafening shouts of battle, the violent energy fluctuations, and the thick stench of blood hit them, turning the originally peaceful market upside down.

Chaos reigned within the market town.

Panicked demon merchants packed up their belongings and fled, while human cultivators gathered in small groups, some gazing solemnly at the distant battlefield, others whispering amongst themselves, their faces mostly filled with pessimism.

"It's over, it's over! The Huang Lin lineage is probably doomed this time!"

A transformed wild boar spirit huddled in the corner, its voice trembling.

"Three hundred elite guards from the garrison have been dispatched, along with the 'Mountain Shattering' war chariots from the Patrol Division to reinforce the formation, and the leader is none other than that killing star, 'Earth-Splitting Venerable'!"

"This show of force clearly indicates an intention to exterminate the entire clan!"

"Who told the Huang Lin lineage to guard the 'Earth Divine Crystal' mine and refuse to offer it all as tribute?" An elderly human man beside him shook his head and sighed. "What the Heavenly Palace wants, how can it be bargained for?"

"Although the Qilin Clan is strong, the Patrol Division came prepared this time, using the 'Earth-Piercing Cone' from the twelve treasures, specifically designed to break the Qilin Clan's 'Eight Desolations Suppressing Mountain Formation'... Alas, at most we can hold out for one more day before the great formation is broken!"

"One day? I doubt it!" a bull demon carrying a giant axe grumbled. "Didn't you see that the 'Thick Earth Peak,' where the array's core is located, has already been cracked by that 'Earth-Pit Cone'?"

"The elders of the Huanglin Clan are all out of breath and lack the strength to continue. I think they can only hold on until sunset at most!" (End of this chapter)