Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

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

"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 after the war."

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 seven powerful beings of the Primordial Chaos realm—Sanqing, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Chen Qing—gathered once again.

"Gentlemen, although the Demon God Realm has temporarily retreated, I believe they will not give up easily." Haotian got straight to the point, "I invited you all here to discuss the next steps in our plan."

Laozi said, "Junior Brother Yuanshi plans to go into the Chaos and talk to the man in black robes."

Everyone looked at Yuanshi.

Yuanshi nodded: "If we can resolve the conflict peacefully, why must we fight and kill? It's not that we're afraid of them, but we don't want the prehistoric world to be devastated."

Chen Qing frowned: "Second Martial Uncle, this is too risky. The man in black robes is no benevolent person; what if he tries to harm you..."

Yuanshi waved his hand: "It's alright. I know what I'm doing."

Nuwa said, "Brother Yuanshi, I'll go with you. The two of you can look after each other."

Yuan Shi thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright."

Jieyin asked, "Should my junior brother Zhunti and I also go?"

Yuanshi shook his head: "No need. It's enough for me and Junior Sister Nuwa to go. You all stay in the prehistoric world, just in case."

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, Yuanshi and Nuwa embarked on their journey to Chaos. The two traversed the chaotic currents, flying towards the Demon God Realm. Along the way, they saw countless corpses of cultivators from beyond the realms, remnants of the last great war, floating in the chaos, mostly corroded.

"The enemy also suffered heavy losses in this battle," Nuwa sighed.

Yuan Shi nodded: "There are never any winners in war. But some wars are unavoidable."

The two continued on their journey, and after an unknown amount of time, they finally arrived at the gates of the Demon God Realm.

It was a massive black portal, from which chaotic energy swirled, emanating a terrifying aura that sent chills down one's spine. Two extraterrestrial saints stood guard before the portal.

"Who goes there?" a sage from beyond the realm shouted sternly.

Yuanshi said calmly, "Primordial Primordial Heavenly Venerable, come to see your master."

The two sages from beyond the realm exchanged a glance, and one of them turned and went inside to announce their arrival. A short while later, he emerged: "Our lord requests your presence. Please come in."

Yuanshi and Nuwa exchanged a glance and stepped through the gate.

Inside the door lies another world.

This world is completely different from the primordial world. The sky is dark red, the earth is gray-black, and chaos permeates everywhere.

The mountains and rivers were all black, as if they had been soaked in ink. A putrid stench permeated the air, making it feel suffocating.

Yuanshi and Nuwa frowned slightly, but said nothing. The two followed the extraterrestrial saint, traversing barren lands, until they arrived before a massive black palace.

The palace was magnificent and imposing, entirely black, exuding a chilling aura. The palace doors were wide open, and a figure in black robes sat high above, flanked by eight saints from beyond the realm.

"Primordial Celestial Venerable, Goddess Nuwa," the man in black said calmly, "I did not expect you to come."

Yuanshi said, "I have come to have a talk with you."

The man in black robes asked, "What are you talking about?"

Yuanshi said, "Let's talk about peace. Your desire for the Primordial World is nothing more than for resources and territory. But the Primordial World is not unclaimed land; it is home to billions of living beings, and it is where our roots lie. If you can abandon your thoughts of invasion, we can discuss some other forms of cooperation."

The man in black robes sneered, "Cooperation? What right do you have to talk to me about cooperation?"

Yuanshi said, "The Primordial World has six Sages, two Grand Luo Golden Immortals, and the unfathomable Dao Ancestor. Although you have nine Sages, fighting on foreign soil, your chances of victory are not great. You saw it in the last great battle; we are no weaker than you."

The man in black robes was silent for a moment, then asked, "How do you intend to cooperate?"

Yuanshi said, "We can exchange resources and even jointly develop the secret realms within the chaos. The Primordial World and the Demon God Realm don't necessarily have to be enemies; they can also be friends."

The man in black robes pondered for a long time before finally saying, "I can consider it. But there is one condition."

Yuanshi asked, "What are the conditions?"

The man in black robes said, "Hand Chen Qing over to me."

Yuan Shi's expression darkened: "Impossible."

The man in black sneered, "Then there's nothing to talk about."

Yuanshi stood up and said calmly, "In that case, farewell."

He and Nuwa turned around and walked out of the hall.

The man in black robes watched their retreating figures, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, but ultimately he did not make a move.

Yuanshi and Nuwa returned to the prehistoric world and relayed the black-robed man's words to everyone.

"Hand Chen Qing over to them? Wishful thinking!" Tongtian roared in fury.

Chen Qing remained calm: "The man in black robes is testing us. He knows we won't agree, which is why he's making this demand."

Laozi nodded: "Qing'er is right. He doesn't really want Qing'er; he's testing our limits."

Yuanshi said, "In any case, the path of negotiation is not viable. We must prepare for the worst."

Everyone nodded.

Chen Qing stood up and said, "Master, Uncle-Master, I plan to go to the Chaos again to find out the details of that world."

Lao Tzu frowned: "This is too dangerous."

Chen Qing said, "We must go, even if it's dangerous. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory. How can we fight if we don't even know the enemy's strengths and weaknesses?"

Lao Tzu remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright. But you must be careful and not act rashly."

"Disciple understands."

A few days later, Chen Qing embarked on a journey to Chaos alone.

This time, he didn't bring anyone with him, nor did he leave any trace. He completely concealed his presence, moving silently through the chaos like a ghost.

After passing through that familiar chaotic region, Chen Qing arrived at the gates of the Demon God Realm. He didn't go in, but instead observed carefully from a distance.

He saw the black gate, the extraterrestrial saints guarding it, and the dark red world inside.

"Is this the Demon God Realm?" Chen Qing murmured.

He closed his eyes and probed the doorway with his divine sense, trying to perceive the entirety of that world.

However, the moment his divine sense probed into the door, a powerful will rushed towards him, repelling his divine sense.

"Who is it?" a deep voice came from inside the door.

Chen Qing's expression changed, and he turned into a streak of rainbow light, disappearing into the chaos.

The will scanned the chaos for a moment, found nothing unusual, and then withdrew.

Chen Qing traveled at a rapid pace until he was far away from the Demon God Realm before stopping.

"That was close." He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "That person's spiritual sense was too strong; he almost detected me. I didn't expect there to be someone stronger than this black-robed man in the Demon God Realm."

He didn't linger and turned back to the primordial wilderness.

Inside the main hall of Penglai Immortal Island.

Chen Qing told Xuan Ming about his experience in the chaos.

"That person is very strong. His cultivation level is probably similar to that of a Dao Ancestor." Chen Qing said with a solemn expression.

Xuanming asked, "So what do you plan to do?"

Chen Qing was silent for a moment, then said, "Continue cultivating. I want to become stronger."

Xuanming nodded: "I'll support you."

Chen Qing smiled, stood up, and walked deeper into the main hall.

He was going into seclusion to cultivate and attempt to reach a higher level.

……

Deep within the main hall of Penglai Immortal Island.

Chen Qing sat cross-legged in the core of the world, his body enveloped in dense light of laws, like an ancient and unchanging stone statue.

His inner world had reached the level of the immeasurable great world, comparable to that at the beginning of the primordial era. The three thousand Great Dao Laws intertwined around him, forming an impenetrable giant net, each law as thick as a mountain, radiating an ancient and profound light.

However, Chen Qing knew that this was not enough.

The power of the Demon God Realm far exceeded his imagination.

"It needs to be even stronger," Chen Qing murmured.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his inner world, beginning to explore higher-level mysteries.

Deep within the core of the world, a faint barrier stretched out. It was the limit of the world, and also the limit of Chen Qing himself.

Break through it, and you'll enter a whole new realm. If you can't break through, you'll remain here forever.

Chen Qing took a deep breath, mobilized all the power of his inner world, and launched an attack on the barrier.

"boom--"

The core of the world trembled violently, and a trickle of blood spilled from Chen Qing's mouth. The barrier remained unmoved, instead forcing him back several steps.

"Again!"

Chen Qing gritted his teeth and launched another attack. This time, he also mobilized the three thousand Great Dao Laws, merging them with the power of the world to create a massive torrent that crashed fiercely against the barrier.

"Boom!"

The core of the world trembled violently, and the entire hall shook slightly. A crack finally appeared in the barrier, but it still did not break.

Chen Qing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"If once doesn't work, I'll try twice. If twice doesn't work, I'll try three times. One day, I'll break it."

He closed his eyes, once again mobilized the power of the world, and launched an attack on the barrier.

Once, twice, three times... ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times.

Chen Qing couldn't remember how many times he had attempted the attack; he only knew that each attempt left him injured and exhausted. But he never gave up, and he never wavered.

Because he knew he was a line of defense for the primordial world. If he fell, the primordial world would be in danger.

He cannot fall, nor is he allowed to fall.

Outside the main hall, Xuanming stood quietly, sensing the increasingly powerful aura within. She knew Chen Qing was fighting desperately.

"You will definitely succeed," Xuanming murmured, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

She turned and walked towards the edge of the island. A gentle sea breeze caressed her, and her white hair fluttered in the wind.

On the distant sea, several seabirds were playing. Everything was so peaceful and serene.

But Xuanming knew that beneath this tranquility, undercurrents were surging.

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 a new batch of Nine-Turn Golden Elixir was nearing its final stage.

"Elder brother." Yuanshi Tianzun walked in from outside the door and sat down opposite Laozi.

Lao Tzu nodded, without stopping what he was doing.

Yuanshi said, "Qing'er has been in seclusion for a hundred years. I wonder how she is doing."

Lao Tzu said, "He will be fine. That boy never lets us down."

Yuan Shi nodded: "I think so too. But the Demon God Realm probably won't give us much time."

Lao Tzu paused slightly in his palm-leaf fan: "What message have you received?"

Yuanshi said, "The avatar left in the chaos sent a message that the black-robed man's injuries have healed. The eight saints have also regained their strength. They may attack again at any time."

Laozi was silent for a moment, then said, "Qing'er needs more time. We must buy him some time."

Yuanshi asked, "How can we win them over?"

Lao Tzu said, "I will go into the chaos and hold back the people of the demon realm."

Yuan Shi frowned: "Too dangerous. The people of the Demon God Realm are quite powerful, what if..."

Lao Tzu waved his hand: "It's alright. I know what I'm doing."

Yuanshi wanted to persuade him further, but Laozi stopped him by raising his hand.

"Second brother, Qing'er is our last hope. If he can break through that barrier, we have a chance of victory. If not, the Primordial World will be in danger. For the sake of the Primordial World, for the sake of Qing'er, I must go."

Yuanshi sighed and said nothing more.

Lao Tzu stood up, put away the alchemy furnace, walked out of the Eight Views Palace, and flew towards Chaos.

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.

"Master, is there any news from Senior Brother?" Duobao asked.

Tongtian shook his head: "No. He has been in seclusion for a hundred years, and there has been no news of him since."

Duobao looked worried: "Will Senior Brother be alright?"

Tongtian glared at him: "What are you saying? Your senior brother is incredibly lucky, what could possibly happen to him? He must be at a crucial moment in his breakthrough and can't afford to worry about the outside world."

Upon hearing this, Duobao felt somewhat relieved.

Tongtian then said, "Don't just stand around. All of you, cultivate diligently, lest you embarrass your senior brother when the great battle arrives!"

"Yes!" the disciples replied in unison.

In the west, Mount Sumeru.

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

"Junior brother, Senior Brother Yuanshi has sent word that the man in black robes has fully recovered from his injuries," Jieyin said.

Zhunti nodded: "I know. They could attack again at any time."

The guide asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Zhunti stood up, walked to the window, looked at the sea of ​​clouds in the distance, and slowly said, "Senior brother, I want to take a trip into the Chaos."

The guide frowned: "What are you going to do?"

Zhunti said, "Let's go see what the man in black robes is plotting. If we can find out any useful information, it will benefit us as well."

After a moment of silence, Jieyin said, "It's too dangerous."

Zhunti laughed: "Danger? When does a cultivator not deal with danger every day? If you're afraid of danger, you might as well go home and farm."

Jieyin sighed, "Go ahead. But be careful."

Zhunti nodded, turned and walked out of the main hall, flying towards Chaos.

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

Haotian sat high on the dragon throne, with Yaochi standing beside him. In the hall, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Chen Qing were absent; only Yuanshi and Nuwa were present.

"Gentlemen, the black-robed men may attack again at any time, and we must be prepared," Haotian said bluntly.

Yuanshi said, "My elder brother has already gone to Chaos to hold off the man in black robes. Qing'er is also in seclusion, trying to break through to a higher realm."

Nuwa said, "Junior Brother Zhunti has also gone to Chaos to gather information."

Haotian nodded: "You have all worked hard. I will order people to strengthen the defenses of the Heavenly Court, just in case."

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

In the midst of chaos, Lao Tzu and the man in black robes faced off from afar.

"Sage Taiqing, what brings you here?" the man in black robes said coldly.

Lao Tzu said calmly, "I have come to have a talk with you."

The man in black robes said, "What's there to talk about? We already talked about it last time, there's nothing more to discuss."

Laozi said, "Last time is last time, and this time is this time. I have come to tell you that Chen Qing is currently in seclusion and has broken through to a higher level. Once he emerges, you will no longer be his match."

A cold glint flashed in the black-robed man's eyes: "Are you threatening me?"

Laozi shook his head: "This isn't a threat, it's a fact. You should be aware of Qing'er's potential. He's only been cultivating for a short time, yet he's already able to rival you. In time, will you still be his match?"

The man in black robes was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you want?"

Laozi said, "I would like to ask you to give Qing'er some more time. Once he emerges from seclusion, you can have a fair fight. If he wins, you should stop here and never do it again. If he loses, the entire prehistoric world is at your disposal."

The man in black robes sneered, "You've got a good plan. If he loses, the entire Primordial World is at my disposal? You think you can represent the entire Primordial World?"

Lao Tzu said, "I can represent the Three Pure Ones and the Three Teachings. As for the other sages, I will persuade them."

The man in black robes pondered for a long time before finally saying, "Very well. I will give you one hundred years. If Chen Qing still cannot break through after one hundred years, don't blame me for being impolite."

Lao Tzu nodded: "It's a deal."

He turned around and returned to the primordial wilderness.