Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

Inside the main hall of Penglai Immortal Island.

Chen Qing and Xuan Ming returned from the human tribe and took their seats. A servant boy served tea, the aroma of which wafted through the air, but could not dispel the heavy atmosphere in the hall.

"Has there been any movement from the Demon God Realm recently?" Xuanming asked first.

Chen Qing shook his head: "The avatar sent a message that there are no unusual movements in that world for the time being. However, that man in black robes is no ordinary person; he won't remain inactive forever."

Xuanming asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Chen Qing pondered for a moment and said, "All the necessary preparations have been made. The disciples of the three sects are in their positions, and the outer array of the prehistoric world has been reinforced. All that remains is to wait."

"Wait?" Xuanming frowned slightly.

Chen Qing nodded: "Wait for them to arrive. The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light; it would be unwise to launch a preemptive strike. Moreover, our understanding of that world is still insufficient. A rash attack would only lead us into a trap."

Xuanming was silent for a moment, then asked, "When do you think that man in black will make his move?"

Chen Qing shook his head: "It's hard to say. Maybe a few years, maybe decades, maybe hundreds of years. But one thing is certain—he won't make us wait too long. Last time he came to the Primordial World, although it was just a test, it still revealed his eagerness. His desire for the Primordial World is much stronger than we imagined."

Xuanming asked, "Are you afraid?"

Chen Qing laughed: "Afraid? I, Chen Qing, have seen all kinds of storms since I started cultivating. The war between the Lich King and the Demon King, the extraterrestrial saints, the war of the Ancestral Dragon—which one wasn't a matter of life and death? If I were afraid, I wouldn't be cultivating."

Xuanming smiled, a rare hint of gentleness in his eyes: "You're quite open-minded."

Chen Qing picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and gazed at the vast sea outside the hall. He slowly said, "Those who cultivate the Dao cultivate not only magical power, but also their character. Without a strong character, even the strongest magical power is in vain. Having experienced so much, I have long understood this principle."

Xuanming seemed to be deep in thought and remained silent.

Silence fell over the hall, broken only by the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the waves.

Shouyang Mountain, Bajing Palace.

Lao Tzu sat cross-legged before the alchemy furnace, gently fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. The Six Ding Divine Fire within the furnace burned fiercely, and the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir was nearing its final stage. His expression was calm, his gaze focused, as if all the disturbances of the outside world were irrelevant to him.

A figure walked in from outside the door; it was Yuanshi Tianzun.

"Elder brother," Yuanshi sat down beside Laozi, "Qing'er sent word that there's been no movement from the Demon God Realm for the time being."

Lao Tzu nodded, not stopping what he was doing: "The quieter it is, the more abnormal it is. That man in black robes is no good; he must be plotting something."

Yuanshi said, "What I'm worried about is that he's not planning an attack, but something else."

Lao Tzu paused slightly, holding his palm-leaf fan: "You mean... he might be eyeing the Dao Ancestor?"

Yuanshi nodded: "After the Dao Ancestor merged with the Dao, although his strength was unfathomable, he was also bound by the Heavenly Dao. If that black-robed man finds a way to sever the connection between the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Lao Tzu was silent for a moment, then said, "The wisdom of the Dao Ancestor is beyond our comprehension. Since he chose to unite with the Dao, he must have had his reasons. We just need to do our own thing."

Yuanshi sighed and said no more.

The two sat quietly, one refining elixirs, the other meditating with his eyes closed. The only sounds in the hall were the crackling of the flames in the cauldron and the occasional chirping of birds from outside the window.

Jin'ao Island, Biyou Palace.

The Tongtian Sect Leader stood in the center of the main hall, with the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords hovering around him, their sword intent soaring to the heavens. Before him stood a group of disciples of the Jie Sect, including Duobao, Jinling, and Wudang.

"Listen up, all of you!" Tongtian said in a deep voice, "The Demon God Realm may attack at any time. From today onwards, none of you are allowed to leave Jin'ao Island. Everyone must cultivate on the island and be on standby at any moment!"

"Yes!" the disciples replied in unison.

Duobao stepped forward and said, "Master, there is something I don't understand."

Tongtian glanced at him and said, "Speak."

Duobao said, "The Demon God Realm has eight Saints, plus that black-robed man, making nine. Our Primordial World only has six Saints, plus our eldest brother, a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, making seven in total. The disparity in strength is enormous. Does Master have a chance of victory?"

Tongtian sneered: "Chance of victory? What do you mean by chance of victory? They have more people and we have fewer people, but that doesn't mean we have more people."

We're fighting on our own turf, blessed by Heaven and supported by all living beings. They, on the other hand, are fighting away from home, deep in enemy territory, facing logistical difficulties. The outcome is still uncertain.

Duobao nodded thoughtfully.

Tongtian added, "Furthermore, don't forget, we still have the Dao Ancestor. After merging with the Dao, the Dao Ancestor's strength is unfathomable. No matter how strong that black-robed man is, can he surpass the Dao Ancestor?"

Upon hearing this, the disciples felt somewhat relieved.

Tongtian waved his hand: "All of you, go down. Cultivate diligently and don't embarrass your master."

"Yes!" The disciples withdrew.

In the west, Mount Sumeru.

Jieyin and Zhunti sat facing each other; they were the only two people in the hall.

"Junior brother, did you really go to Chaos?" Jieyin asked with a solemn expression.

Zhunti nodded: "I went. And I met the black-robed man from that world."

The guide frowned: "What did you talk about with him?"

Zhunti said, "It's nothing. I just probed his background. That man in black robes is no less powerful than the Dao Ancestor. Moreover, he has eight saints under his command, each of them a formidable character."

After a moment of silence, Jieyin asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Zhunti stood up, walked to the window, gazed at the distant sea of ​​clouds, and slowly said, "Senior brother, I know you've always been worried about my betrayal. But I can tell you clearly, I will not."

The guide said, "I believe you."

Zhunti turned around, looked at Jieyin, and a complex light flashed in his eyes: "Senior brother, we have been brothers for so many years, you should know my heart for the Western Sect."

I'm not doing this for myself, but for the Western Religion. The Three Pure Ones are powerful, and our Western Religion has always been suppressed. I dream of making the Western Religion strong.

But that doesn't mean I would betray the primordial world. To betray the primordial world is to betray ourselves. I understand that.

Jieyin nodded without saying anything more.

Silence fell over the hall, broken only by the sound of the wind outside the window and the occasional chime of bells in the distance.

In Nuwa's palace, Nuwa sat on her cloud bed, playing with a five-colored stone in her hand.

She gazed at the vast chaos outside the palace, her mind filled with countless thoughts. She recalled the scene of listening to the Dao in Zixiao Palace, the joy of creating humans and becoming a saint, the helplessness during the war between the witches and demons, and the sorrow of Fuxi's reincarnation.

"Elder brother, are you alright in the Fire Cloud Cave?" Nuwa murmured.

She knew that Fuxi had regained his memories of his past life and that he was doing well among the humans. But she still couldn't help worrying. He was her eldest brother, the closest person to her in this world.

"Your Majesty, someone from Heaven has arrived," a maidservant announced from outside the palace.

Nuwa put away the five-colored stones and said calmly, "Let him in."

Before long, a celestial official entered and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, the Jade Emperor requests your presence to discuss matters concerning the fight against the Demon Realm."

Nuwa nodded: "I understand. You can go back now, I'll be there shortly."

"Yes." The celestial official withdrew.

Nuwa stood up, walked out of the Nuwa Palace, and flew towards the Heavenly Court.

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

Haotian sat high on the dragon throne, with Yaochi standing beside him. Inside the hall, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Chen Qing, seven powerful beings of the Primordial Chaos realm, were gathered.

This is the first time in the history of the primordial world that all the Primordial Realm experts have sat together to discuss important matters.

"Gentlemen, the Demon God Realm is about to invade. I have invited you here to discuss how to defend against it," Haotian said, getting straight to the point.

Laozi said, "All the necessary preparations have been made. The outer array of the primordial world has been reinforced, and the disciples of the three religions are all in their positions. Now, we are just waiting for them to arrive."

Yuanshi said, "We still need a unified command. Once a great war breaks out, all forces must cooperate and cannot fight independently."

Tongtian slapped the armrest: "Right! We need a commander-in-chief. I recommend Xiao Qingzi!"

Everyone turned to look at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing was taken aback, and quickly waved his hand: "Uncle-Master, I am still too inexperienced to be qualified."

Laozi said, "Qing'er, don't refuse. In terms of strength, you are already a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal, no less than us. In terms of prestige, no one in the three religions can match you. In terms of strategy, everything you have done over the years has been perfect. This commander-in-chief position is rightfully yours."

Yuan Shi nodded: "Brother is right. Qing'er, you shouldn't refuse."

Nuwa also said, "Fellow Daoist Chen Qing, I will also support you."

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance and nodded.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Haotian said, "In that case, Fellow Daoist Chen Qing will serve as the commander-in-chief, leading all forces in the prehistoric world to jointly resist the Demon God Realm."

Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Chen Qing had no choice but to accept: "Since that's the case, Chen Qing will respectfully comply. However, this disciple has one request."

"Speak," Lao Tzu said.

Chen Qing said, "Once the great war breaks out, I hope everyone will follow orders and not act on their own. This is not for my personal authority, but for the survival of the Primordial World."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Chen Qing added, "Furthermore, I need someone to be in charge of contacting all the various forces. Once the Demon God Realm attacks, everyone must be notified immediately."

Tongtian raised his hand: "I'll do it! I'm too weak, I'll be easily intercepted."

Chen Qing smiled: "Alright, then I'll trouble you, Uncle-Master."

The group discussed some more details and didn't disperse until late at night.

Time flies like an arrow.

In the blink of an eye, another century has passed.

On this day, Chen Qing was meditating on Penglai Immortal Island when he suddenly sensed a message from his avatar: "Main body, there's movement in the Demon God Realm!"

Chen Qing opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them: "They've finally arrived."

He stood up, walked out of the main hall, transformed into a rainbow of light, and flew towards the chaos.

In the midst of chaos, the gates to the realm of demons and gods opened once more.

Countless cultivators from beyond the realm poured out of the gate, covering the sky and densely packed together, more than twice as many as last time.

Eight sages from beyond the realm stood on either side, their imposing presence overwhelming. The man in black robes stood at the very front, his robes fluttering in the wind, his face grim.

"Chen Qing? We finally meet." The voice of the man in black robes echoed in the chaos, carrying an arrogant and domineering air.

Chen Qing stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Hmm."

The man in black robes said, "Submit! Or die!"

Chen Qing said, "Further words are useless, let's fight."

With a wave of his hand, the black-robed man unleashed eight extraterrestrial saints simultaneously, sending eight devastating attacks hurtling towards Chen Qing.

Chen Qing neither dodged nor evaded, but unleashed the full power of his inner world. The three thousand Great Dao Laws gathered in his palm, transforming into a golden light screen that blocked all eight attacks.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar erupted in the chaos, sending swirling currents of energy flying in all directions. Chen Qing took several steps back, his expression unchanged.

A hint of admiration flashed in the black-robed man's eyes: "Not bad, stronger than before."

Chen Qing said, "It's more than enough to deal with you."

The man in black robes sneered and personally took action, striking down with a palm.

This palm strike was stronger and more ferocious than those of the eight saints, containing boundless chaotic power. Cracks appeared in the chaotic space wherever the palm wind passed.

Chen Qing dared not be negligent, and pushed the power of his inner world to its limit, throwing a punch to meet the attack.

"boom--"

Fist and palm collided, causing the chaotic space to tremble violently. Chen Qing took several steps back, and the man in black robes also took a step back. The two looked at each other, both filled with astonishment.

"Good!" the man in black shouted, attacking again. Chen Qing was not to be outdone and met him head-on.

The two engaged in a fierce battle amidst the chaos, with light radiating everywhere and deafening roars resounding throughout.

The eight extraterrestrial saints were unable to intervene and could only retreat far away to watch this earth-shattering battle.

Chen Qing became more and more adept at fighting, with the power of the world within his body flowing incessantly. He used the three thousand Great Dao Laws alternately in his hands, sometimes fixing space with the Law of Time, sometimes unleashing a soaring killing intent with the Law of Slaughter, and sometimes tearing the void with the Law of Space.

His fighting style was unpredictable, leaving the man in black robes overwhelmed.

However, the man in black robes was, after all, a powerful cultivator who had cultivated for countless years and was extremely experienced.

He quickly adapted to Chen Qing's style of play and began to fight back.

Although his chaotic power was not as pure as Chen Qing's world power, it was more profound, enduring, and inexhaustible.

In the chaotic void, two world-destroying forces are colliding fiercely.

The battle between Chen Qing and the man in black robes had been going on for an unknown period of time.

The two fought their way from the edge of chaos to the vicinity of the Demon God Realm, and then back to the outer edge of the Primordial World. Wherever they went, the chaotic air currents were torn into countless fragments, and spatial rifts spread like a spider web.

Seeing that the black-robed man was unable to subdue Chen Qing for the time being, the eight extraterrestrial saints exchanged glances, then set off together, bypassing the two who were locked in fierce combat, and rushed towards the prehistoric world.

Their goal was clear—to break through the defensive formation and invade the interior of the Primordial World before all the Primordial Saints arrived.

"Make your move!" the leader, a saint from beyond the realm, shouted coldly.

The eight people attacked simultaneously, unleashing eight devastating attacks that slammed into the outer perimeter of the primordial formation.

Although the defensive array set up by the Three Pure Ones was incredibly sturdy, under the continuous bombardment of the eight saints, its light began to flicker violently, and fine cracks appeared.

Just then, a clear, long roar came from the direction of the primordial wilderness.

"Who dares to defy my primordial order!"

A figure soared into the sky from Shouyang Mountain, holding a Taiji diagram that transformed into a golden bridge spanning heaven and earth. Laozi arrived first, unfurling the Taiji diagram, the Yin and Yang energies circulating, blocking all the attacks from the eight extraterrestrial saints.

"The Great Pure Sage!" A sage from beyond the realm recognized Laozi, and his expression changed slightly.

Immediately following, Yuanshi Tianzun flew out from Kunlun Mountain holding the Pangu Banner. The banner fluttered in the wind, and chaotic sword energy shot out, heading straight for two extraterrestrial saints.

"The founder of the Chan sect, I've come to meet you!"

The Tongtian Sect Leader also arrived from Jin'ao Island, the Four Immortal Execution Swords surrounding him, their sword intent soaring to the heavens. Without a word, he directly unleashed the Immortal Execution Sword Formation, enveloping the three extraterrestrial saints within it.

"Tongtian of the Jie Sect, today I'll show you what the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation is all about!"

The goddess Nuwa flew from the Nuwa Palace, and the Map of Mountains and Rivers unfolded, transforming into a vast landscape that trapped a sage from beyond the realm.

Jieyin and Zhunti also rushed from the West. The twelve-petaled golden lotus of merit bloomed with boundless Buddhist light, and the seven-treasure tree swayed continuously, joining forces to block the remaining two extraterrestrial saints.

Six primordial saints faced off against eight extraterrestrial saints. Despite being outnumbered, the six relied on the power of the primordial heavenly Dao and held their own.

A great war broke out on the outskirts of the primordial wilderness.