Primordial Era: Reborn as a Qi Immortal, Steadily Cultivating

Chapter 153 Ancestor Zhulong (4.3K)

"Junior Ma Yuan greets Senior Zhulong."

Ma Yuan dared not be negligent and immediately bowed deeply to the core of that inferno.

The next moment, the black karmic fire and water vein evil energy that had been surging for countless eons slowly parted to the sides.

It opened up a waterway leading to the deepest part of purgatory.

It was at this moment that Ma Yuan finally saw things clearly.

What kind of majestic being is suppressing all sins and evil energy in the heart of this purgatory?

Its body is perched at the end of the sea eye.

It seemed to have completely merged with the entire dark abyss, and its beginning and end could not be seen at all.

All that could be seen were ancient dragon scales that had long since lost all their luster.

Its colors are not the common blue, gold, black, or white.

Instead, it presents a most ancient and profound chaotic color.

Its dragon head was tightly closed, yet its body naturally exuded a terrifying pressure that was enough to make even the Great Dao submit to it!
His existence seemed to be even more ancient than this primordial world!
Its body was completely integrated with the violent and unrestrained water vein energy below, as well as the Dragon's Lament Karmic Fire that was enough to burn all living beings, becoming one with it!

It takes itself as the core of the formation and the Dao Fruit as its foundation.

In the deepest part of the East China Sea, an eternal and supreme prison has been built!

"We deeply admire the demeanor of our seniors."

Ma Yuan spoke solemnly.

"Heh... He's nothing but an old man clinging to life, atoning for the sins of his clan. What kind of elegance is there to speak of?"

That ancient voice, filled with endless vicissitudes, slowly resounded once again in Ma Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness.

His voice carried a hint of unspoken self-mockery.

"Young friend, you are so young, yet you have managed to forge your own path through the uncharted chasm, a path that has been established by the sages for millennia. This truly amazes even this old man."

Upon hearing this, even Ma Yuan's usually calm and collected mind trembled violently!
He never imagined that this ancestor of the dragon race, who had long since withdrawn from worldly affairs for countless eons, would so clearly discern the true nature of his status as a transcendent immortal upon their first meeting!
It should be noted that even Zhen Yuanzi and Xi Wangmu, who were already at the peak of Quasi-Sainthood, were not among them.

It's just that we can see his strange Taoist methods, which are unrelated to cause and effect.

However, he ultimately failed to capture the true essence of the word "outside the world" as succinctly as the Candle Dragon before him!

"Senior's insight is truly remarkable. My humble skills are nothing more than a clumsy attempt to teach Lu Ban."

Although Ma Yuan was inwardly turbulent, he remained outwardly calm and responded humbly.

"Young friend, there's no need for such modesty."

The ancient voice of Zhulong rang out once more.

His tone carried a hint of genuine appreciation.

"The way of Heaven is like a cage, and all living beings are prisoners."

Within this cage, through their own wisdom and perseverance, they forged a path of transcendence beyond the predetermined chessboard of destiny.

Such spirit, such wisdom—throughout the endless ages since the beginning of time, only you, my young friend, possess it.

"I have taken the liberty of inviting you here today, precisely for the sake of your supreme path, which allows you to transcend the chessboard."

Zhulong no longer kept them in suspense; his voice became more solemn than ever before, and he went straight to the point, revealing the true purpose of the invitation.

"I wish to make a deal with you, young friend, that concerns the life and death of my entire dragon race."

As he finished speaking, his enormous eyes, which seemed to hold the power of the sun and moon, slowly closed.

The next moment, a profound Daoist aura erupted from his imposing body!
"Buzz!!!!"

Ma Yuan felt the scene before him change.

It was as if in an instant, we had crossed endless time and space and arrived on a surging, brilliant river!
This river is not a river of time.

Rather, it is the supreme river of fortune formed by the convergence of the fortune of all living beings in the primordial world!
In that long river, the two energies representing the Witch and Demon races are locked in a fierce battle upstream, their power overwhelming and occupying almost 90% of the entire river!
The newly formed human destiny flowed slowly downstream like an inconspicuous stream.

Though small, it is full of endless vitality and potential.

However, at the very bottom of that long riverbed, there was a corner that was already covered by filth and silt.

A golden dragon of fortune, its body already mangled and bound tightly by countless black chains formed from karma, lay there quietly.

It has long since completely lost all its vitality and energy!
Above its head, an invisible shackle formed from the laws of Heaven floats!

"This... is the true dead end for my dragon race now."

Zhulong's voice, filled with endless sorrow, slowly echoed in Ma Yuan's ears.

"People generally believe that my dragon clan is simply burdened by karma and has a declining fortune."

Little did they know that since the Great Calamity of the Dragon and Han Dynasties, our race had already been personally shackled by the primordial Heavenly Dao, a shackle sufficient to sever all hope!

"This shackle not only restricts the fortune of my dragon clan, but also, in the darkness, severs the upper limit of the path of all my descendants!"
"This means that although our race possesses a profound foundation comparable to that of the Lich Kings, we will never again be able to produce a true Great Luo Golden Immortal!"

"And I, for this reason, am imprisoned in this eye of the East Sea, enduring the torment of being burned by karmic fire day and night. How am I any different from those prisoners below?"

These words fully expressed the endless, untold bitterness and despair of the Dragon Clan throughout countless eras!
Ma Yuan watched all of this quietly, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

Heaven is impartial, yet it also has its selfish aspects.

The three races of Longhan once wreaked havoc in the primordial world.

This led to the destruction of heaven and earth, and the suffering of all living beings.

Such overwhelming karma, how could Heaven easily forgive it?
"I have been imprisoned here for countless eons, and in those endless years, I have deduced countless ways to break this deadlock."

Zhulong's voice rang out again, but this time it carried a hint of determination.

"However, all methods to break through this prehistoric Heavenly Dao lead to certain death!"

"Only your path, young friend, is an unorthodox path that does not enter the primordial heavenly path and forms its own world."

That was the only hope that my dragon race could find a glimmer of hope under the shackles of Heaven's will, and escape this chessboard!

As soon as he finished speaking, the extraordinary phenomenon that had enveloped Ma Yuan's mind slowly dissipated.

Zhulong's expectant eyes were fixed on Ma Yuan!
He no longer beat around the bush, and his voice became more solemn and dignified than ever before!
"I, Zhulong, in the name of the progenitor of the dragon race, formally invite you, young friend, to form an eternal alliance with my dragon clan!"

"In the future, the myriad worlds that my young friend is still evolving will become a brand new place for my dragon race to live and reproduce!"

Our race will completely break away from this primordial world and become a group of innate deities in your world, young friend!

"In return, my entire dragon clan, including myself, will serve as your most loyal and powerful vassals and protectors for generations to come!"

"The boundless resources accumulated by my Dragon Clan over countless eons will all be given to you, young friend, to help you take another step forward on the Great Dao beyond this realm!"

Faced with the earth-shattering proposal put forward by the ancestor of the dragon race.

Even though Ma Yuan had long cultivated his mind to be as still as an ancient well, at this moment, ripples inevitably stirred deep within his Dao heart.

The entire clan was entrusted with this responsibility—what a heavy burden of cause and effect!

The Dragon Clan were the protagonists of the previous era. Even though their fortunes have declined, the foundation and power they possess are still unmatched by any other major clan in the primordial world.

If one can obtain his assistance, one's world outside the mundane realm will surely leap forward by a thousand miles, saving the effort of accumulating merit over hundreds of millions of years.

However, the greater the temptation, the more terrifying the hidden dangers behind it.

Ma Yuan's mind raced, countless thoughts arising and disappearing within his primordial spirit.

But he maintained a calm demeanor throughout.

He bowed respectfully to those enormous eyes, which seemed to reflect the sun and moon, and said in a deep voice:
"I am deeply grateful for your high regard, senior."

However, this matter is far too significant; it's not that I'm unwilling, but rather that I'm unable to.

His voice was clear and firm, echoing in the silent eye of the sea.

A hint of doubt was revealed in Zhulong's will.

Seemingly not expecting that, faced with such enormous benefits, this junior who had just entered the Great Luo Realm could calm down so quickly and even directly refuse.

Ma Yuan didn't keep anyone in suspense; he knew all too well that any scheming would seem utterly ridiculous when communicating with such an ancient being who had lived for countless eons.

The best course of action is to be open and honest.

He continued, "The senior's grand aspirations are what I aspire to."

However, this matter concerns the survival of our entire clan, and the weight of its karmic consequences far exceeds what my current level of cultivation can bear.

"Although my world has now begun to grasp the basics of the Middle Thousand Paths, its origins are still shallow and its laws are not yet perfect."

Let alone bearing the weight of an unparalleled being like our predecessor, who has already reached the pinnacle of Quasi-Sainthood, even bearing the immense fortune and overwhelming karma accumulated by the entire Dragon Clan over several eons would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—utterly inadequate.

"At that time, not only will it not be able to find a new place for the dragons to live, but the backlash of karma and the erosion of fortune will cause my world, which I have finally managed to evolve, to collapse and shatter in an instant."

"This move is like drinking poison to quench thirst for the senior, and it is even more self-destructive for the junior. I hope the senior will think it over carefully."

What he said was very resounding.

It pointed out the most fatal hidden danger in this alliance without bias.

This is not an excuse, but a fact.

He maintains a prudent mindset and would never risk the irrecoverable foundation he has painstakingly built for the future for the sake of short-term gains.

The Candle Dragon, which dwells deep within Purgatory, heard Ma Yuan's analysis.

Its voice slowly resounded once again in Ma Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness.

“Your concerns are very valid, young friend. Your current foundation is indeed insufficient.”

"Therefore, I will grant you a sufficient foundation!"

The moment the words fell, a violent tremor suddenly came from the deepest part of the Sea Eye Purgatory!

Ma Yuan's expression hardened as he saw that, under the influence of the will of the Candle Dragon...

In the deepest part of the sea eye, in that chaotic region that even his divine sense could not perceive, twelve points of azure light were slowly rising.

Those were twelve azure pearls, their surfaces adorned with naturally formed Dao patterns, resembling nascent chaos, exuding an ancient and boundless aura of chaos.

The moment they appeared, the twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls within Ma Yuan's body uncontrollably surfaced on their own, circling around him and emitting bursts of humming sounds that yearned for joy!

They share the same roots and are exactly the same!
Ma Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted, and a huge wave of emotions surged within him.

"This...this could be the remaining twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls?!"

The twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls he now possesses together constitute the pinnacle of top-grade innate spiritual treasures, possessing boundless power.

He had calculated countless times that if all thirty-six stones could be found, this treasure would undergo an unimaginable transformation.

And now, that last lost piece has suddenly appeared before our eyes!

“That’s right,” Zhulong explained slowly.

"The Chaos Pearl, once a supreme treasure of chaos, also suffered the great calamity of creation, shattering into thirty-six core fragments that were scattered throughout the vast and desolate world."

Twenty-four of them fell upon the primordial continent, and after countless eons, they were obtained by you, young friend, and transformed into twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearls.

"The remaining twelve fragments fell into this East Sea Eye in ancient times, and I obtained them and suppressed them here."

Zhulong's voice was full of determination: "Today, I will give you all of these last twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls!"

"When the thirty-six precious pearls are combined and undergo countless eons, they will eventually return to their original state, and their grade will surpass the limit of the supreme innate spiritual treasure, and be promoted to the supreme innate treasure."

With this supreme treasure to suppress the earth, water, fire, and wind of your world, your outer world will possess the unparalleled foundation to ascend to become a true Great Thousand World!

Innate treasure!

The foundation of the universe!
If Ziyingtian can be elevated to the Great Thousand World, then bearing the fortune, life, and karma of the Dragon Clan will no longer be just empty talk!
Great danger and great opportunity coexist.

And Zhulong had already placed this tremendous opportunity before him.

Ma Yuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, and solemnly looked at Zhulong, saying in a deep voice, "Senior has given such a generous gift, it would be pretentious for me to refuse. Please speak frankly if you have any requests."

"My requirement has always been only one." Zhulong's will became incredibly clear.

"To find a place for our dragon race where our bloodline can continue and where we are not subject to the wrath of Heaven."

Their gazes met in the endless darkness.

One is an ancient guardian who is willing to give everything for the survival of his race.

One is a seeker of the Dao who seeks transcendence through the Great Dao and requires an unsurpassed foundation.

Their goals aligned perfectly at that moment.

Without the slightest hesitation or testing, Ma Yuan solemnly took the lead in swearing an oath:
"I, Ma Yuan, here today establish a covenant based on the Great Dao beyond the mundane world that I have witnessed."

They will do everything in their power to perfect their own world, and when the world advances to the Great Thousand Realms, that will be the time for the dragon race to migrate.

At that time, the Dragon Clan will have a place in my otherworld, protected from the ravages of the Great Calamity, and helped to continue their lineage until my Dao collapses and the world perishes!

His words are followed by the law!
Behind Ma Yuan, a hazy and vast phantom world appeared.

The laws of the Great Dao resounded, echoing his vow.

Upon seeing this, the enormous dragon body moved accordingly, and a desolate, ancient, and supreme dragon might suddenly spread out.

"I, Zhulong, hereby pledge my allegiance to you, young friend, by the ancestral lineage of the Dragon Clan."

From this day forward, the Dragon Clan will regard you, my lord, as their sole master. When you achieve your goal, I will lead all the Dragons within the Sea Eye to eternally guard your outer world, obeying your commands without fail, through countless eons. This oath is witnessed by the Great Dao!

The grand oath transformed into a purple-gold dragon of destiny, intertwining with Ma Yuan's aura.

Ultimately, it transformed into an incomparably profound Dao imprint, which disappeared into the depths of each other's true spirits.

The Great Alliance is complete!
This is a supreme constraint that transcends the oath of Heaven, directly binding it to the fundamental Dao of both parties.

Unless one party dies, there is no possibility of betrayal.

With the contract in place, the will of the Candle Dragon stirred.
The twelve dazzling Sea-Stabilizing Pearls transformed into a streak of light and flew straight toward Ma Yuan.

(End of this chapter)