Primordial Era: Reborn as a Qi Immortal, Steadily Cultivating

Chapter 25 Mountain Protector Beast
Skull Mountain, Bone Cave.

Inside the quiet room.

The Daoist principles of water and fire flowed slowly, eventually merging entirely into Ma Yuan's body.

He temporarily suppressed his plan to condense the innate five elements Dao body in his heart.

The meal must be eaten one bite at a time, and the road must be walked step by step.

He had only just managed to achieve a delicate balance between the water and fire energies within his body, and his foundation still needed time to solidify.

If we were to hastily introduce a third, equally domineering earth element right now, it would be counterproductive.

Not only does it fail to serve as a check and balance, but it also fails to do so.

On the contrary, it is highly likely that this hard-won balance will be broken.

The three elements of water, fire, and earth were completely out of control within his body.

At that time, it would be a minor matter if one's cultivation level regressed instead of progressed; the real consequence of being careless would be the collapse of one's foundation.

"This matter cannot be rushed."

Ma Yuan slowly rose, concluding his training session.

With a thought, twenty-four azure divine pearls, radiating a warm and precious light, flew out from his body and hovered in front of him.

Within the inner miniature world of one of the divine pearls, a colossal black figure is being suppressed.

It was the four-clawed black dragon from the East China Sea that he had captured.

"It's about time to deal with this long worm."

Ma Yuan muttered to himself.

From the battle in the East China Sea to the Heavenly Wedding Ceremony, and then to his return to Skull Mountain for seclusion.

By all accounts, this black dragon has been suppressed within the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl for over a thousand years.

For thousands of years, it was isolated from the world, enduring the crushing power of the microcosm and the torment of endless loneliness day and night.

It seems that its unruly and proud spirit has been worn down considerably.

Ma Yuan probed into it with his divine sense.

as predicted.

The black dragon at this moment was no longer the ferocious creature it once was.

Its enormous body lay listlessly on a desolate piece of land, its once jet-black scales now dull and lifeless.

Though a trace of unyielding spirit still lingered in his lantern-like dragon eyes.

But more than anything, there was a deep sense of exhaustion and despair.

Upon sensing the arrival of Ma Yuan's divine sense, the black dragon merely raised its eyelids weakly, lacking even the strength to roar.

"How about it?" Ma Yuan's indifferent voice echoed in the black dragon's mind. "Would you be willing to do my legwork?"

The black dragon remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a hoarse growl.

"I...the dragon race...will never be slaves!"

"The bones are quite tough, though."

Ma Yuan was not surprised by this.

He sneered, knowing that ordinary methods would no longer be able to sway his will.

But Ma Yuan was no ordinary man who only knew brute force.

"I'm giving you one last chance."

Ma Yuan's tone gradually turned cold, "Submit to me, and I will not only grant you your freedom, but also help you refine your bloodline and purify your karma, giving you a slight chance to transform into a true dragon in the future."

"If you remain stubborn and unrepentant... then I will have no choice but to extract all your dragon bones, tendons, and blood to refine them into magical treasures and elixirs, so that your cultivation will not have been in vain."

Using both soft and hard tactics, coercion and inducement.

Upon hearing this, a fierce fluctuation finally flashed in the black dragon's dim eyes.

Transform into a true dragon!

These four words pierced deep into the place it longed for most!
But then it sneered: "Ridiculous! You are nothing but a mere Golden Immortal cultivator, yet you dare to spout such arrogant words, claiming you can help me cleanse my bloodline and transform into a true dragon?"

"Whether I can or not, you will soon find out." Ma Yuan stopped wasting words with it.

He knew that to completely subdue such an arrogant person, he had to fundamentally eliminate all thoughts of resistance!

"Cause and effect intertwine, destinies are intertwined, by imperial decree!"

Ma Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, and the giant, dark blue hand containing the Dao of cause and effect silently reached out from behind his head!
The giant hand hovered between Ma Yuan and the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl that suppressed the black dragon.

A thick, invisible, and colorless thread of cause and effect extended from Ma Yuan's true spirit.

Through that giant, dark blue hand, in a way that was both unreasonable and in accordance with the laws of nature, it fiercely nailed into the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, forcibly connecting it directly with the true spirit of the black dragon!
This is the domineering nature of the Great Dao of Cause and Effect!

He directly used his great magical power to forcibly establish a "cause and effect" between himself and this black dragon!
"Do not--!"

The black dragon, suppressed in the Lesser Thousand Worlds, let out a terrified and desperate roar at this moment!
It felt that its true spirit, its destiny, and everything about it were all bound together with the rogue cultivator before it at this moment!
With a single thought, the other party can determine its life or death!

If the other party dies, it will surely be doomed forever!
This absolute control emanates from the deepest part of the soul.

It should instill more fear in it than any form of torture!

All its pride and its indomitable spirit were crushed to dust before this supreme law of cause and effect!
I do not know how long it has been.

Once that thread of cause and effect has been completely stabilized.

The black dragon's enormous body finally lowered its head, which had been proud for countless millennia.

Its hoarse voice, carrying endless bitterness and a hint of relief, resounded in Ma Yuan's mind.

"Ao Xuan... greets... master."

Upon hearing this, Ma Yuan smiled with satisfaction.

With a thought, he broke the chains of order that bound the black dragon.

The four-clawed black dragon, Ao Xuan, transformed into a streak of black light and flew out of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, prostrating itself at Ma Yuan's feet.

At this moment, its size has shrunk to ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).

The arrogance in his eyes when he looked at Ma Yuan was gone, replaced by deep respect and submission.

"Your name is Ao Xuan?" Ma Yuan asked casually.

"Yes, Master. I am a collateral branch of the East Sea Dragon Clan, a mixed-blood black dragon with impure blood. I apologize for making you laugh at me, Master." Ao Xuan replied respectfully.

Ma Yuan nodded slightly.

He looked at Ao Xuan in front of him, marveling at him.

Not only is Ao Xuan's bloodline mixed, but he is also entangled with a layer of racial karma originating from the Dragon-Han Calamity.

Despite these dual constraints, it was still able to cultivate to the peak of the Profound Immortal realm on its own, and was even just one step away from condensing the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit.

It is evident that his temperament, perseverance, and even luck are all extraordinary.

"It's not entirely without merit."

Ma Yuan thought to himself.

"Get up."

He said, "From now on, you will be the guardian beast of my Skull Mountain. You will usually hide in the mountain stream to cultivate. When I go out, you will serve as my mount."

"Thank you for your kindness, Master!"

Ao Xuan was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed.

To be able to escape that dark and oppressive regime and regain its freedom is already an immense blessing for it.

Today, Ma Yuan's Skull Mountain Dojo has taken shape and is becoming increasingly well-established.

Shi Ji was in charge of internal affairs and managed all matters, large and small, in the mountains.

The two attendants, Black Wind and Azure Cloud, patrolled the mountain gate and were responsible for external communications.

This four-clawed black dragon, which is virtually invincible below the Golden Immortal level, is a guardian beast of the mountain, protecting the mountain gate.

Ma Yuan looked at the thriving scene before him.

My heart is filled with even more anticipation and confidence for my future spiritual practice.

(End of this chapter)