Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

Inside the main hall of Penglai Immortal Island.

The Three Pure Ones and Chen Qing sat in different places, and the atmosphere in the hall was solemn. The news that the nine sons of the Ancestral Dragon had been beaten into mounts spread throughout the prehistoric world. Although the Ancestral Dragon did not immediately retaliate, everyone knew that this matter could not be left unresolved.

"Qing'er, are you sure that bead can help you avoid the suppression of the Heavenly Dao?" Laozi spoke first, his gaze profound.

Chen Qing nodded: "This disciple is 90% confident. The Chaos Pearl is a supreme treasure of chaos. Although it is broken, it contains its own world."

If it can be integrated into a disciple's inner world, not only can the world's level be further advanced, but it can also use the power of the Chaos Pearl to conceal heavenly secrets and evade the suppression of the Heavenly Dao.

Tongtian slapped the armrest: "Since that's the case, what are we waiting for? Let's go straight to their door and snatch the pearl! That old mudfish, Zulong, can't the four of us beat him?"

Yuanshi shook his head: "Third brother, don't be anxious. Although Zulong is injured, he is still the master of the dragon clan. Moreover, with his sudden resurrection, no one knows how much power he still has hidden."

Moreover, if he were pushed too far, he would self-destruct the Chaos Pearl in the primordial world, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Laozi nodded: "Second brother is right. This matter needs to be considered carefully."

Chen Qing pondered for a moment and said, "Master, Uncle-Master, I have an idea."

"Tell me about it." The three Qings all looked at him.

Chen Qing slowly said, "What the Ancestral Dragon cares about most right now are nothing more than two things: the face of the Dragon Clan and his own cultivation."

Now his nine sons have become his disciple's mounts, and the dragon race has lost all face. If the disciple uses this as grounds to force him to hand over the Chaos Pearl as ransom, perhaps that would be feasible.

Tongtian frowned: "Will he agree?"

Chen Qing's lips curled slightly: "He naturally won't agree easily. But what if my disciple gives him a way out?"

For example, the Dragon Clan promised that as long as the Ancestral Dragon handed over the Chaos Pearl, his disciple would release his nine sons and guarantee that he would no longer actively oppose the Dragon Clan.

Although the First Emperor was a sage, he still had to weigh the pros and cons. His nine sons were his own flesh and blood, and the future of the dragon race depended on them.

It's not worth sacrificing nine offspring and the future of the dragon race for a single, damaged Chaos Pearl.

Lao Tzu pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "This plan is feasible. But how can we ensure that the Ancestral Dragon hands over the real Chaos Pearl? What if he tries to fool us with a fake one?"

Chen Qing smiled and said, "Master, rest assured, my avatar once clashed head-on with the Chaos Pearl in the Chaos, and I am very familiar with its aura."

The truth will be revealed soon enough. Furthermore, this disciple will have Xuanming deliver a message to the Dragon Clan, requesting that Master and senior uncles secretly oversee the situation to prevent the Ancestral Dragon from resorting to desperate measures.

Yuanshi nodded: "This arrangement is quite appropriate."

Tongtian chuckled: "Little Qingzi, this is an open scheme of yours. Even if Zulong knew it was a trap, he would still have to jump in. With nine sons in your hands, he would be hesitant to act rashly."

Chen Qing shook his head: "Uncle-Master, you flatter me. I was merely acting in accordance with the situation. However, this matter still requires someone of considerable influence to convey the message to the Dragon Clan. Although Xuanming is quite powerful, he is not a saint after all, and the Ancestral Dragon may not give him face."

Lao Tzu thought for a moment and said, "Then let my avatar go. With my status as the Sage of Taiqing, the Ancestral Dragon should think twice."

Chen Qing quickly replied, "How could I trouble Master to make the trip personally? This disciple can send my avatar. Although my avatar is not as powerful as a saint, it is still enough to make the Ancestral Dragon dare not underestimate me."

Lao Tzu nodded, but did not insist.

Once the agreement was reached, Chen Qing immediately flew towards the East Sea Dragon Clan.

The abyss of the East Sea, the ancestral home of the dragon race.

This is a mysterious space hidden deep in the ocean trench, surrounded by towering coral reefs that emit a faint, glowing light. In the depths of the sea, undercurrents surge, and countless dragon cultivators patrol the area, maintaining a high level of vigilance.

Deep within the ancestral temple, in a magnificent crystal palace, the Ancestral Dragon sat high on his dragon throne, his face somber.

His injuries had not yet healed; the wound on his chest, left by Chen Qingzi's electric hammer, was still throbbing with pain—not just physical pain, but also pain to his dignity.

Zu Long frowned: "Who?"

"It is... Master Chen Qing."

An uproar erupted in the hall. Several dragon elders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with apprehension. The name Chen Qing had become a taboo in the dragon race. He had captured the nine princes to be his mounts, slain the Candle Dragon, and looted the East Sea Dragon Palace… Each of these events was like a knife stabbing into the hearts of the dragons.

"Let him in." Zu Long remained silent for a moment before speaking coldly.

Before long, Chen Qing's avatar floated in, dressed in white as snow, his expression calm and composed. He looked around the hall, his gaze sweeping over the dragon elders before finally settling on the Ancestral Dragon.

"Fellow Daoist Zulong, how have you been?" Chen Qing bowed slightly, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

Zu Long snorted coldly: "Speak plainly if you have something to say, stop beating around the bush."

Chen Qing wasn't annoyed and said calmly, "I've come today to discuss the matter of the nine princes of the Dragon Clan. They are currently guests on Penglai Immortal Island and are doing quite well. However, there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want them to return, you'll have to pay a price."

A cold glint flashed in Zu Long's eyes: "Are you threatening me?"

Chen Qing shook his head: "It's not a threat, just a transaction. Fellow Daoist, hand over that Chaos Pearl, and I will release the nine princes and guarantee that I will never again actively antagonize the Dragon Clan. How about it?"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall.

"Damn it! How dare they ask for the Chaos Pearl?"

"This is outrageous!"

"Your Majesty, we cannot agree to this!"

Zu Long raised his hand to silence the elders' commotion, staring intently at Chen Qing: "You have quite the appetite. The Chaos Pearl is a treasure of my dragon clan; how could I possibly give it to you?"

Chen Qing's expression remained unchanged: "Fellow Daoist can refuse. However, those nine princes will have to stay on Penglai Immortal Island as 'guests'. Moreover, if the Dragon Clan encounters me again in the future, I will not show any mercy. Fellow Daoist is a smart person and should know what to choose."

Zu Long's face was ashen. After a long silence, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Come and collect the pearl in three days. If you dare to play any tricks, my dragon clan will fight you to the death!"

Chen Qing smiled slightly: "Fellow Daoist is straightforward. Then this disciple will await good news." After saying that, he transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the sea.

Zulong stared in the direction he had left, his eyes filled with hatred and resentment.

"Your Majesty, are you really going to give him the Chaos Pearl?" a dragon elder asked anxiously.

Zu Long took a deep breath and slowly said, "Give it to him? Hmph, do you think my things, Zu Long's things, are so easily taken? He wants the Chaos Pearl, I'll give him a Chaos Pearl. As long as he refines that thing, hmph..."

Upon hearing this, the elders immediately understood the Ancestral Dragon's intention and all revealed sinister smiles.

Three days later, on the shore of the East China Sea.

Chen Qing arrived at the agreed location in disguise, while the Three Pure Ones hid in the shadows to provide backup.

Zu Long had been waiting for a long time. His face was gloomy, and he held a gray bead in his hand, which was the Chaos Bead.

"The things are here. Where are my nine sons?" the First Emperor said in a deep voice.

Chen Qing waved his hand, and nine giant dragons flew up from the chariot and landed behind the Ancestral Dragon. Qiu Niu and the others knelt down upon seeing their father, their faces filled with shame.

Zu Long glanced at them, snorted coldly, and said nothing.

Chen Qing reached out and took the Chaos Pearl, probing it with his divine sense to carefully perceive its contents.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his lips: "Fellow Daoist Zulong is indeed true to his word. I will accept this bead."

Zu Long coldly said, "Take what you need and get out of here. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

Chen Qing didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

After he walked away, Zulong revealed a strange smile: "Fool, did you really think I would give you the Chaos Pearl? Although that pearl looks exactly the same, I have infused it with a secret dragon curse."

Once he's refined, he'll slowly be assimilated by the dragon race and become their servant. Then, hmph…”

However, what Zu Long didn't know was that Chen Qing had already sensed something was wrong the moment he received the bead.

His world power seeped into the bead and he discovered that although the bead's aura was extremely similar to the Chaos Bead, its internal structure was completely different, and there was a faint evil power lurking within it.

~~

Chen Qing, in his guise, carrying the fake Chaos Pearl that had been tampered with by the Ancestral Dragon, leisurely returned to Penglai Immortal Island. The Three Pure Ones also emerged from the shadows and entered the main hall together.

"How did it go?" Tongtian asked impatiently, "Did you get the bead?"

Chen Qing smiled slightly, took out the hazy gray bead from his sleeve, and held it in his palm. The bead's surface shimmered with spiritual light, faintly emanating a chaotic aura, and at first glance, it was extremely similar to the real Chaos Bead.

The gazes of the Three Pure Ones all fell upon the bead. Laozi frowned slightly, probing it with his divine sense, and after a moment, his expression changed: "This bead... is not right."

Yuanshi also noticed the anomaly and said in a deep voice, "Although the aura is similar, it is hollow inside and the laws are incomplete. This is not the Chaos Pearl, but just a replica."

Tongtian roared in fury: "That old mudfish Zulong dared to fool us? Little Qingzi, let's go! Your martial uncle will go with you to his door and teach him a lesson for trying to fool us!"

Chen Qing, in his avatar, quickly stopped him and said with a smile, "Uncle-Master, don't be anxious. This disciple already knew that this bead was fake."

The three Qings all looked at him, their faces showing confusion.

Chen Qing's avatar explained, "My true form once fought fiercely with the Ancestral Dragon in the Chaos, and I am extremely familiar with the aura of the Chaos Pearl. As soon as I obtained this pearl, I sensed something was amiss. The reason I didn't expose it on the spot is because I had other plans."

Lao Tzu seemed to be thinking: "Are you planning to turn the tables on me?"

Chen Qing, in his avatar, nodded and said, "Master, you are wise. Ancestral Dragon thought he had fooled me with a fake bead, so he would surely lower his guard. I could take advantage of his moment of weakness and carelessness to plot against the real Chaos Bead."

Yuanshi frowned: "That's true, but the Chaos Pearl is in the hands of the Ancestral Dragon, who is a saint who proved his Dao through force. How easy is it to snatch the treasure from him?"

Chen Qinghua's lips curled into a meaningful smile: "Second Uncle, rest assured, I have my own way. Besides... what I want has never been that fake bead, but what the Ancestral Dragon truly cares about."

Tongtian asked curiously, "What is it?"

Chen Qinghua smiled without saying a word, and simply tossed the fake bead into the Qiankun Cauldron.

A flash of light from the cauldron revealed the bead's true nature—an ordinary innate spiritual treasure corrupted by a dragon clan secret curse.

The evil force attempted to corrupt the Qiankun Cauldron, but was instantly obliterated by the light of creation within the cauldron, turning into nothingness.

"This secret incantation is quite ingenious." Laozi examined the bead whose evil power had been worn away and said calmly, "If an ordinary cultivator were to refine it, at best they would be assimilated by the dragon race, and at worst their primordial spirit would be controlled, turning them into a puppet. The Ancestral Dragon's move was undeniably ruthless."

Chen Qinghua sneered, "He's ruthless, but I'm no less so. I'll remember this fake bead for now. Once my true self emerges from seclusion, I'll settle accounts with him all at once."

Meanwhile, in the abyss of the East Sea, lies the ancestral home of the Dragon Clan.

Emperor Chenglong sat high on his dragon throne, holding a cup of fine wine in his hand, a smug smile on his face. His nine sons knelt below, heads bowed, each with a look of shame on their faces.

"Get up," Zu Long said calmly. "This matter is not your fault. That Daoist Chen Qing is very skilled; even I suffered at his hands, let alone you."

Qiuniu raised his head, hesitating to speak. Yazi, however, couldn't help but say, "Father, that Chen Qing has gone too far! Not only did he humiliate us, but he also stole the Dragon Clan's most precious treasure. If we don't avenge this, how can our Dragon Clan maintain its honor?"

Zu Long sneered, "Revenge? What's the rush? That brat took the fake bead and thinks he's found a priceless treasure. The day he refines it will be the day he becomes a dragon puppet. At that time, forget about revenge; I'll make him wish he were dead!"

Upon hearing this, the dragon princes all revealed a look of pleasure in their eyes.

Zulong continued, "However, this matter has also served as a reminder to me. It is unwise for the Three Pure Ones to protect that brat and fight head-on. I need time to recover from my injuries and also time to accumulate strength. You lot, from today onwards, cultivate diligently and do not slack off."

"Yes!" the nine dragon princes replied in unison.

Deep within the main hall of Penglai Immortal Island.

Chen Qing's true form sat cross-legged in the core of the world, his body enveloped in dense light of laws.

His inner world has merged with most of the microscopic worlds, and the three thousand Great Dao Laws are almost all perfected. The walls of his world are as solid as iron, and it already has the charm of the primordial world at its inception.

Before him floated a real Chaos Pearl—a hazy, gray pearl covered with fine cracks, yet exuding an ancient and desolate aura.

That aura contained the mysteries of the beginning of chaos, and the origin of the three thousand great Daos before they were separated.

This Chaos Pearl was actually already in Chen Qing's hands.

When Chen Qing was fighting the Ancestral Dragon in the Chaos, his avatar did not have the opportunity to steal the Chaos Pearl, but his main body, through the sensing of the power of the world, managed to extract a trace of the Chaos Pearl's original aura the moment the Ancestral Dragon activated it.

Using this trace of aura, Chen Qing secretly refined a "Twin Pearl" with an aura almost identical to that of the Chaos Pearl, using the power of the world as a guide and the Qiankun Cauldron as a furnace.

This twin pearl shares the same origin as the true Chaos Pearl, and there is a subtle connection between them.

As long as the Ancestral Dragon refines the Chaos Pearl, the Twin Pearls will be able to sense the location and state of the Chaos Pearl.

Chen Qing can indirectly influence the Chaos Pearl through this connection.

This was Chen Qing's true plan—to feign an attack while secretly advancing. The First Emperor thought he had been fooled by the fake pearl, unaware that he himself was part of Chen Qing's scheme.

"It'll be soon," Chen Qing murmured to himself. "Once the Twin Pearls are fully formed, it will be time to seize the Chaos Pearl."

He closed his eyes and continued to circulate the power within his body, guiding the power of the world to nurture the twin pearls.

The bead slowly rotated in his palm, and with each rotation, it resonated faintly with the Chaos Bead far away in the East Sea.

This resonance was extremely subtle, so subtle that even the Ancestral Dragon could not detect it. But Chen Qing could feel that as the resonance occurred more and more frequently, the connection between the Twin Pearls and the Chaos Pearl became increasingly close.

"Ancestral Dragon, you think you're plotting against me, but little do you know I've been plotting against you all along." Chen Qing's lips curled slightly. "When the Twin Pearls are fully formed and I emerge from seclusion, that will be the time when your Chaos Pearl changes hands."