Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

In the midst of chaos, time stood still.

Taotie sped along, traversing countless billions of miles of void.

The surging chaotic energy automatically parted before its enormous body.

The raging chaotic winds were like a gentle breeze in front of its jet-black scales.

Xuandu stood on the shoulder of the Taotie, his green robes fluttering slightly, his black hair flowing over his shoulders.

His gaze pierced through layers of chaos, looking into the endless depths.

I don't know how much time passed.

The Taotie suddenly stopped.

Its enormous body hung suspended in the chaos, its blood-red eyes fixed intently ahead.

"Master."

It spoke, its voice low and deep, carrying a hint of barely suppressed excitement:

"arrive."

Xuan Du raised his eyes and followed Taotie's gaze.

There, the chaotic energy no longer surged.

There, the chaotic gales no longer raged.

There, all was deathly silent.

Endless silence.

But within that deathly silence, there was a crack.

A rift stretching across the chaos.

The crack was enormous, its length and width unknown, spanning tens of thousands of feet.

Within the crack, there was not nothingness, but a ray of light.

A dazzling expanse of light.

The light was a chaotic color, yet it also possessed a dazzling array of seven colors.

Within that light, one could vaguely see the phantoms of mountains and rivers, the rotation of the sun, moon and stars, and the swaying of flowers, grasses and trees.

Within that light, there was also a faint, ethereal Daoist charm, a primordial energy that refreshed the mind and spirit.

Xuan Du stared at the crack, his gaze slightly narrowed.

Is this the spatial rift that Taotie spoke of?

Is this the shortcut to the Xuanji Heavenly Realm?

He sensed the aura emanating from the crack and his heart stirred slightly.

That aura was completely different from that of the primordial world.

In the primordial world, there is the suppression of the Heavenly Dao, the shackles of the laws, and the omnipresent power of order.

But the aura emanating from this crack was devoid of the laws of nature, the principles of law, and order.

Only the purest and most primordial innate energy.

That is the supreme creation that can only be born from chaos.

"The Mysterious Silent Heavenly Domain is on the other side of the rift?"

Xuan Du spoke, his voice calm.

Taotie nodded:

"Yes."

"Pass through this crack, and you will reach the Xuanji Heavenly Domain."

"It has the most complete laws and the densest spiritual energy, making it a rare sacred place for cultivation in the chaos."

"Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie are right there."

It paused, a complex emotion flashing in its blood-red eyes:

"Shennie is there too."

Xuan Du's eyes flickered slightly.

Divine rebellion.

The King of Ferocious Beasts.

The existence of the Nine Heavens of Primordial Chaos.

That was the biggest variable in his trip.

Do not confront it head-on.

We can only outsmart them.

Xuan Du's mind raced, and he looked up at the crack.

He did not step inside immediately.

He simply stood with his hands behind his back on Taotie's shoulder, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

a long time.

He spoke slowly:

"Taowu".

"If you were to step into the Xuanji Heavenly Domain now, would Shen Ni notice?"

Taotie paused, then shook its head:

"Won't."

"The Xuanji Heavenly Domain is extremely vast; even a god could not cover its entirety."

"Moreover, I am one of the four great ferocious beasts, and I bear the mark planted by Shen Ni on my body."

"When I step into the Xuanji Heavenly Domain, Shen Ni will only think that I have returned."

"No one will suspect anything."

Xuan Du nodded slightly upon hearing this.

It has a brand mark.

That makes things easier.

He gazed at the Taotie, his eyes darkening slightly.

"In that case, you may go back now."

Taotie was stunned:

"Master, won't you come in with me?"

Xuan Du shook his head:

"No."

"If I were to enter the Xuanji Heavenly Domain, with Shen Ni's cultivation level, I might not be unable to detect it."

"Moreover, I also have the Chaos Pearl to conceal my aura."

"But that concealment may not be foolproof in front of the ninth level of the Primordial Great Luo Realm."

He paused, his voice turning deep:

"I can't take the risk."

Taotie remained silent.

It knew that its master was right.

Shen Ni's cultivation has reached the heavens, and he has already reached the ninth level of the Hunyuan Daluo Heaven.

Even the Chaos Pearl might not be able to completely hide from his perception.

If Master were to enter the Xuanji Heavenly Domain and be discovered by Shen Ni, it would mean certain death.

But if we don't go in, how can we subdue Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie?

Taotie was puzzled, but dared not ask any further questions.

He simply stood quietly in the chaos, waiting for Xuandu to speak.

Xuan Du gazed at it, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

The smile was faint, yet it carried a profound understanding that saw through everything.

"Taowu".

He spoke, his voice calm:

"Listen carefully."

"I want you to pretend to be injured."

Yao Zhu was startled:

"Pretending to be injured?"

Xuan Du nodded:

"good."

"You were fighting the silver python just now and were injured by me. Although your injuries have mostly healed, if you deliberately suppress your aura and pretend to be seriously injured, Shen Ni won't be able to tell."

"And so you will enter the Xuanji Heavenly Domain in this state."

"Go find Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie."

"Tell them that you encountered a powerful enemy in the chaos and fought your way back."

"That powerful enemy is not highly skilled; he is only at the third level of the Hunyuan Daluo realm."

"They may possess a priceless treasure, enough to threaten them."

Upon hearing this, Taotie's blood-red eyes suddenly lit up.

It understood.

The master wanted it, and used himself as bait.

One by one, Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie will be drawn out of the Xuanji Heavenly Realm.

This leads to the scope of Shenni's perception.

Then......

Taotie raised its eyes and looked towards Xuandu.

Those bloodshot eyes were filled with excitement.

"Master is wise!"

It growled, its voice filled with barely suppressed excitement:

"This disciple will go immediately!"

Xuan Du raised his hand to interrupt it.

"No rush."

He spoke, his voice calm:

"Before that, there is one more thing."

The words fell.

The purple light shone from the center of Xuandu's brow.

The Chaos Pearl flew out from between his eyebrows and hovered in his palm.

The pearl trembled slightly, its chaotic light flowing endlessly.

Xuan Du's thoughts stirred slightly.

"Buzz".

A chaotic halo of light surged from the pearl and fell straight towards the Taotie.

The halo was extremely faint, so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

However, wherever it went, the aura, cause and effect, and origin of the Taotie were all concealed.

Taotie shuddered.

It lowered its head and looked at its own body.

A faint halo of chaotic light slowly circulated over the jet-black scales.

Beneath that halo, its presence became almost imperceptible.

Even the ninth level of the Primordial Great Luo Heaven cannot perceive its true state without deliberate investigation.

"Master, this is..."

Taotie spoke, its voice carrying a hint of shock.

Xuan Du gazed at it, his eyes calm:

"The concealing power of the Chaos Pearl."

"With this aura protecting you, even if you stand in front of Shen Ni, he will not be able to tell that you have become my disciple."

"I'll just think you're still that loyal Taotie."

Upon hearing this, Taotie trembled violently.

It gazed at Xuandu, at those calm yet profound eyes, at that young face that exuded boundless composure.

An indescribable emotion surged within me.

With this cover-up, even divine rebellion cannot detect its betrayal.

With this cover, even a god would not be able to sense the existence of Xuandu.

With this cover-up, even if it were divine rebellion, no one could stop Master's plan.

"Thank you, Master!"

Taotie lowered its head, its voice filled with heartfelt gratitude.

Xuan Du nodded slightly.

He retrieved the Chaos Pearl, stood with his hands behind his back on Taotie's shoulder, and gazed through the crack towards the unknown Xuanji Heaven Domain.

There, there are Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie.

He had the opportunity to break through to the sixth level of heaven.

He was the final link in the chain to subdue the four ferocious beasts.

"Go."

Xuan Du spoke, his voice calm:

"Proceed according to plan."

"Bring out Chaos, Qiongqi, and Taotie one by one."

"I'll wait for you outside."

Taotie nodded emphatically.

It straightened up, its massive body slowly turning to face the rift that stretched across the chaos.

Take a deep breath.

Suppress the surging excitement and nervousness in my heart.

Step out.

"Buzz".

The Taotie's pitch-black figure slowly disappeared into the crack.

The dazzling light engulfed its form.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared.