Primordial Era: From the Creation Lotus to the First Disciple of the Three Pure Ones

Qinglian dispelled his supernatural powers, his aura returning to normal, as if he hadn't been the one who had just crushed the great demon.

He looked at Kuafu, who remained in his giant form and was covered in blood, and smiled gently: "Fellow Daoist, are you alright?"

Kuafu finally came to his senses, his massive body crashing to his knees, shaking the earth. His voice, booming like thunder, was filled with gratitude and awe: "Kuafu thanks the Immortal for saving my life! If it weren't for the Immortal's intervention, I fear I would not have escaped this calamity today! May I ask the Immortal's title?"

Although he was a high-ranking shaman with a forthright and straightforward personality, he knew that the Taoist priest in front of him was unfathomably powerful and possessed extraordinary abilities, making him no ordinary person.

"I am Qinglian, a disciple of the Three Pure Ones of Kunlun Mountain," Qinglian announced.

"A disciple of the Three Pure Ones!" A flicker of realization crossed Kuafu's eyes, followed by even greater respect. "So you are the Azure Lotus Immortal! Kuafu and the Houtu tribe will never forget your life-saving grace! If the Immortal does not mind, please come with Kuafu back to the tribe for a short rest, so that we may do our best to repay your great kindness!"

Qinglian's heart stirred.

He was already filled with curiosity about the Wu clan, who had the bloodline of Pangu, and especially wanted to meet the legendary great shamans, or even... the ancestral shamans! So he readily agreed: "In that case, I will trouble you, fellow Daoist."

Kuafu was overjoyed and immediately shrunk his body to the size of a normal person (about two zhang tall), leading Qinglian towards the tribe.

Along the way, Kuafu praised Qinglian's unfathomable magical power, his words filled with respect for the strong.

The Houtu tribe is located at the junction of a vast and fertile plain and mountains. The tribe is built with huge stones, and its style is rugged and powerful, full of a sense of strength.

The tallest stone hall in the center exudes a profound earthy aura, clearly related to the ancestral witch Houtu.

When Kuafu returned to the tribe with Qinglian and loudly proclaimed that he had been saved by this "Immortal Qinglian, a disciple of the Three Pure Ones," and that he had personally witnessed the immortal casually crushing two Taiyi Demon Kings, the entire tribe was in an uproar!

The Witch Clan values ​​gratitude above all else and reveres the strong! Countless Witch Clan warriors, regardless of age or gender, looked at Qinglian with eyes full of gratitude and fervor.

A grand bonfire feast was then held in the central square of the tribe.

A huge bonfire roared, and a whole ancient beast was placed on the grill. Golden oil dripped into the fire, sizzling and filling the air with a fragrant aroma.

The unique strong liquor of the Wu tribe was poured into huge stone bowls like spring water. The Wu men pounded their chests, sang ancient war songs, and danced with great energy, creating a lively and unrestrained atmosphere.

Qinglian was treated as an honored guest and sat beside Kuafu and several powerful figures who were clearly great shamans.

Although he did not eat meat, he followed local customs and drank a few bowls of strong liquor, feeling the unique boldness and straightforwardness of the Wu tribe, and felt quite happy.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere was in full swing.

A burly man, sitting opposite Qinglian, was extremely tall and strong, like an iron tower even when seated, staring intently at her.

He was shirtless, his muscles were like cast iron, and he was full of explosive power. He was none other than Xing Tian, ​​the war god known for his warlike nature!

"Immortal Qinglian!" Xing Tian's voice, like muffled thunder, drowned out the surrounding clamor. "Brother Kuafu said you possess boundless magical power and great supernatural abilities, which I, Xing Tian, ​​admire! But observing your physical body, Immortal, one sees a precious light within, your blood and qi like a dragon, hidden yet unleashed, its strength is probably extremely astonishing! I, Xing Tian, ​​have loved battle all my life, and I most enjoy sparring with those who possess strong physical bodies! I wonder if Immortal would do me the honor of fighting me, Xing Tian, ​​without using magical power, relying solely on your physical body, so that I may also experience the physical prowess of the Three Pure Ones' eldest disciple?"

His eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit, but it was not a provocation; rather, it was a pure yearning for the strong and a fervor for battle.

Kuafu quickly added, "Immortal, Brother Xingtian meant no offense! He's straightforward and just has a knack for hunting! If you were to use your supernatural powers, he knows he would be no match. He only asks to test his skills against you in the realm of the physical body!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of interest flashed in Qinglian's eyes.

He had just undergone the baptism of Pangu Jade Marrow, and his physical strength had reached an unprecedented level, so he was worried about where to test it.

A pure physical contest with Xing Tian, ​​the great shaman renowned throughout the primordial world for his physical prowess and divine combat skills, would be the perfect touchstone!

"Excellent!" Qinglian put down the stone bowl, stood up, and laughed loudly, "This humble Daoist also wanted to stretch his muscles! Fellow Daoist Xingtian, please!"

The center of the square was quickly cleared, the bonfire was removed, and a huge training ground was formed.

All the witches excitedly gathered around, holding their breath and anticipating this rare showdown of physical prowess!

Xing Tian roared, like a savage beast awakening, his muscles bulging, his bronze skin gleaming with a metallic sheen. With a single step, the ground cracked! He made no fancy moves; his fist, the size of a cooking pot, cracked through the air as it struck straight at the center of Qinglian's body! Simple, direct, and ferocious! This was a pure crushing of power and speed!

Qinglian's eyes narrowed, and she dared not be negligent.

Although he possessed a formidable physical strength, his experience in life-or-death combat and the sophistication of his fighting techniques were far inferior to those of the battle-hardened Xing Tian. He too unleashed a punch, choosing to meet the attack head-on!

"boom--!"

Their fists clashed like two divine mountains collided! A violent shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them, kicking up clouds of dust!

Qinglian felt an overwhelming force coming from her, her arm went numb, and she was so shocked that she staggered back three steps! Xingtian, on the other hand, only swayed slightly before becoming as steady as Mount Tai!

"Good!" Xing Tian's fighting spirit intensified, and he pressed his advantage relentlessly, unleashing a barrage of punches like a storm, his legs whipping across the battlefield! His attacks were wide and sweeping, yet they also subtly echoed the rhythm of an ancient war dance, each strike containing terrifying power capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, as well as a precise grasp of the timing of the battle.

At first, Qinglian was completely at a disadvantage, and could only rely on her physical defense, which was far superior to Xingtian's, to withstand the attack and occasionally parry and counterattack, making her look quite disheveled.

He possessed immense strength and speed, but lacked the combat skills to perfectly utilize them and convert them into effective damage. Xing Tian, ​​on the other hand, had unparalleled combat experience and could always anticipate Qing Lian's movements, causing the greatest impact with minimal cost.

However, Qinglian's comprehension was terrifying! The Nine Revolutions Profound Yuan Technique endowed him with extraordinary insight and learning ability!

Under Xing Tian's relentless onslaught, he absorbed his opponent's fighting techniques like a sponge! The power transmission, balance control, and feints within Xing Tian's seemingly simple straight punches, sweeps, and charges were all rapidly analyzed, imitated, and integrated into his own body!

Gradually, Qinglian's movements became more agile, her dodging became more exquisite, and her blocking was no longer a direct confrontation, but rather carried the meaning of deflecting force and pulling.

His counterattacks were no longer blind; he began to look for gaps in Xing Tian's attacks, trying to achieve greater effects with less force! Although he was still being suppressed, he was able to stabilize his position and even occasionally forced Xing Tian to defend!

Xing Tian grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed! He could clearly sense that his opponent was growing at an unbelievable speed! From his initial clumsiness and awkwardness to his current methodical approach, he had even begun to develop his own fighting rhythm! This was simply a monster born for battle!

Finally, after nearly half an hour of fighting, Qinglian's eyes flashed with a sharp light!

He seized upon a slight opening in Xing Tian's defenses, where his old strength had been exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated. His body moved like a ghost, cutting into Xing Tian's center. His shoulders sank down, and he delivered a powerful "Mountain-Pulling Strike" that contained the full power of his body and incorporated the essence of Xing Tian's power generation that he had previously observed. It slammed into Xing Tian's chest!

"Bang—!"

With a muffled thud, Xing Tian's towering body was thrown off the ground for the first time, flying dozens of feet backward before crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust!

The entire square fell into a deathly silence! All the witches stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Qinglian, who had finished her stance, and Xingtian, who was struggling to get up.

Xing Tian wiped away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth (purely from the shock, without any internal injury), and instead of being angry, he burst into a deafening laugh: "Hahaha! That was exhilarating! That was exhilarating! Immortal Qinglian, I, Xing Tian, ​​am convinced! Your physical body is ridiculously tough! And your learning speed is frightening! That collision was powerful!" He was completely convinced of his defeat.

Qinglian, slightly out of breath, cupped her hands and said, "You flatter me! Fellow Daoist Xingtian's combat skills are divine; I have benefited greatly from them!"

This battle ignited the passion of the great shamans of the Houtu tribe! Even the God of War Xing Tian was defeated, so how strong must the physique of this chief disciple of the Three Pure Ones be?