Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

The group left Kunlun Mountain, took off on the clouds, and flew towards the East China Sea.

Chen Qing led the way, with the Three Pure Ones following closely behind. Tongtian was still carrying the round, treasure-hunting rat in his hand. The big rat was held in his hand, its four paws tucked into a ball, and its small eyes darted around, curiously observing the scenery along the way.

"Little Qing'er, are those overseas fairy islands you mentioned the legendary Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang Islands?" Tongtian asked as he flew. "I heard about these three islands not long after the creation of the world. Back when the Dragon Clan was at its peak, they searched the four seas but couldn't find them. I never expected that you would find them, kid."

Chen Qing smiled slightly: "Uncle-Master is indeed knowledgeable and has a strong memory. It is indeed these three immortal islands. However, the islands are shrouded by a primordial array that can conceal the secrets of heaven and hide one's traces. If it were not for a fortuitous encounter, one would not be able to find them even if passing by. I wandered in the East Sea for a hundred years before I suddenly had a feeling and found the entrance."

"A Primordial Grand Formation?" Yuanshi was slightly moved. "A Primordial Grand Formation that can evade the senses of the Three Pure Ones is indeed rare. Back then, my elder brother, third brother, and I also searched for it in the East Sea based on rumors, but we found nothing and just thought it was a rumor. It seems that the formation is indeed extremely mysterious."

Chen Qing nodded and said, "Second Martial Uncle is absolutely right. That great formation was formed from fragments of chaos, which is in accordance with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. If one is not destined, even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would find it difficult to grasp its essence. It took me more than a hundred years to comprehend and refine it."

Lao Tzu listened quietly, stroked his beard, and suddenly said, "In that case, the Three Immortal Islands have probably never been set foot on since the beginning of time. The fact that you were able to enter shows that you truly have a connection with those three islands."

"Master is right," Chen Qing replied respectfully.

After flying over thousands of mountains and rivers for several days, the group finally arrived at the East China Sea.

The vast ocean stretches to the horizon, its blue waves merging seamlessly with the sky. A sea breeze blows, the waves surge and churn, and occasionally a few seabirds skim across the surface, uttering clear, melodious calls.

"This is it." Chen Qing stopped on the sea and pointed to a vast, empty area in front of him.

Sanqing looked in the direction he was pointing and saw that the sea was empty, with nothing but the boundless ocean.

Tongtian looked around and exclaimed in amazement, "My elder brothers and I have been to this area before. At the time, we thought it was calm and peaceful, no different from other places. Who would have thought that the legendary Three Immortal Islands were hidden here?"

Yuanshi closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Indeed, there are traces of an array. This great array is integrated with heaven and earth; if one did not know it beforehand, one would hardly notice it even if passing by."

"The Three Immortal Islands were formed from the fragments of chaos scattered when Pangu created the world. This great formation was also naturally formed by the condensation of chaotic energy. It existed since the beginning of creation, so it is naturally difficult to find."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and cast a spell. Suddenly, a ripple appeared in the void in front of him, like a stone being thrown into a calm lake, with the ripples spreading outwards in layers.

Immediately afterwards, a huge gate appeared out of thin air, with green mountains and clear waters and swirling mist visible inside, forming a stark contrast with the vast sea outside.

"Please!" Chen Qing gestured for him to enter and flew into the portal first.

The three Qings exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment, and then followed.

The moment I stepped through the portal, a bright and open space opened up before me.

Three enormous islands appeared before us, arranged in a triangular shape, silently floating on the sea. The largest island was in the very center, with towering peaks, cascading waterfalls, ancient trees reaching for the sky, and medicinal herbs growing everywhere.

The innate spiritual energy was so rich that it turned into mist, swirling and flowing through the mountains. Taking a deep breath, one felt refreshed and invigorated, as if one's entire being had been cleansed.

"What a blessed land!" Lao Tzu couldn't help but exclaim. "The richness of spiritual energy here is no less than that of Kunlun Mountain. What's even more remarkable is that the innate spiritual energy on this island is pure and unadulterated, seemingly untouched by any impurities."

Yuanshi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the island, a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "Formed from fragments of chaos, it is indeed extraordinary. Most of the spiritual herbs on this island have grown here since the beginning of time, and most of them have long since disappeared from the outside world. I did not expect that such a complete innate ecosystem has been preserved here."

Tongtian's eyes widened in disbelief: "Little Qing'er, this is the Three Immortal Islands? This is outrageous! The concentration of spiritual energy here is almost as high as our Kunlun Mountain! And this is only one of them, where are the other two?"

Chen Qing smiled and said, "Each of the three islands has its own merits. We are currently on Penglai Island in the center, with Yingzhou on the left and Fangzhang on the right. Penglai is the largest and has the most abundant spiritual energy. Yingzhou and Fangzhang are slightly smaller, but they each have their own unique charm."

Laozi looked at Penglai thoughtfully. "Qing'er, do you intend to use this place as your future Daoist temple?"

"This disciple does indeed have this plan." Chen Qing did not hide anything. "This disciple will eventually leave Master and cultivate alone. I should find a place to practice as soon as possible so that I can have a place to settle down."

Lao Tzu nodded without saying anything more.

Yuanshi suddenly spoke up: "Come on, take us to see that Pure World White Lotus." His tone was filled with anticipation.

"Second Uncle, this way please." Chen Qing led the three of them towards the center of the island.

Before long, the group arrived at the lotus pond.

The lotus pond was about a hundred feet in circumference, and the water was crystal clear, shimmering with gold, silver and purple light. It was the famous Three Lights Divine Water.

The pond was covered with emerald green lotus leaves, and white lotuses stood tall and graceful, their petals crystal clear and shimmering with seven colors.

In the very center of the lotus pond, a giant white lotus blooms proudly, its nine-colored light flowing, and its petals unfold in twelve stages—the very same twelve-petaled Pure White Lotus.

On either side of the Pure White Lotus, there is a ten-petaled lotus platform. Although it is not as dazzling as the Pure White Lotus, it is still full of precious light and spiritual energy.

The gazes of the three Pure Ones simultaneously fell upon the twelve-petaled Pure White Lotus.

"It truly is the Twelfth Grade Pure World White Lotus." Yuanshi's eyes gleamed, his tone filled with admiration. "This lotus platform, along with the Twelfth Grade Merit Golden Lotus, the Twelfth Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus, and the Twelfth Grade World-Destroying Black Lotus, is renowned as a rare and supreme innate spiritual treasure in the world. I never expected it to appear here."

Tongtian stared at the two tenth-grade lotus platforms, lost in thought: "Little Qing'er, when you mentioned using the Qiankun Cauldron to upgrade their grade, you meant extracting the essence of these two tenth-grade lotus platforms and injecting it into the twelfth-grade lotus platform?"

"Third Uncle is indeed insightful." Chen Qing nodded and said, "That's exactly what I meant. These two tenth-grade lotus platforms and the Pure World White Lotus share the same origin and similar source. If we can return them to their original source and inject them into the Pure World White Lotus, it might allow the Pure World White Lotus to break through its shackles and advance to become a supreme innate treasure."

Of course, this disciple is not entirely confident that this matter will succeed; it will require Second Martial Uncle to personally give it a try.

"A supreme innate treasure..." Yuanshi murmured, repeating it over and over, his eyes shining even brighter.

Lao Tzu pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke: "Although this method is feasible, it is quite risky. Although the origins of the two tenth-grade lotus platforms are related to the twelfth-grade lotus platform, they are not one entity after all. Forcibly fusing them could easily damage the lotus platforms and render all previous efforts futile."

Yuanshi waved his hand dismissively: "Brother, you're overthinking it. With the Qiankun Cauldron in hand, returning to the origin and merging into one is its strength. Plus, with us protecting you, there should be no problem."

Lao Tzu thought for a moment and nodded: "If that's the case, then let's give it a try."

Yuanshi looked at Chen Qing: "Could I borrow your Qiankun Cauldron?"

"Of course I will offer it." Without hesitation, Chen Qing summoned the Qiankun Cauldron from his body, held it with both hands, and respectfully presented it to Yuanshi.

Yuanshi took the Qiankun Cauldron, examined it carefully, and nodded: "A fine cauldron. As expected of a cauldron transformed from the lotus seedpod of the Creation Lotus, it can return to its origin and transform the acquired into the innate. Its uses are indeed infinite."

He held the Qiankun Cauldron in front of him, looked at the three lotus platforms in the lotus pond, took a deep breath, and waved his hand.

A burst of magical power shot out from Yuanshi's hand, transforming into an invisible giant hand that gently lifted a tenth-grade lotus platform from the pool and slowly moved it above the Qiankun Cauldron.

"go!"

With a low shout, Yuanshi trembled violently, and a beam of dark yellow light shot out from the mouth of the cauldron, enveloping the tenth-grade lotus platform.

Under the illumination of the Xuanhuang light, the lotus platform slowly melted, transforming into a ball of primordial energy that swirled and surged above the mouth of the cauldron, exuding an extremely rich innate aura.

Yuanshi was completely focused, carefully manipulating the Qiankun Cauldron to peel away the impurities from the primordial energy bit by bit. This process was extremely delicate; the slightest carelessness would damage the primordial energy and render all previous efforts futile.

Chen Qing, Laozi, and Tongtian stood aside, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound, for fear of disturbing Yuanshi.

Time passed by, second by second.

After an unknown amount of time, the essence was finally purified to its ultimate state, becoming crystal clear, like a golden sun, radiating a soft and pure light.

Yuanshi's expression remained unchanged. He raised his hand again and lifted up the other ten-petaled lotus platform, then placed it into the Qiankun Cauldron in the same manner.

Having learned from the first experience, the process was much faster this time. Before long, the second batch of essence was also purified and floated above the cauldron mouth alongside the previous batch.

The two original formations complement each other, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Yuanshi took a deep breath and slowly merged the two primordial energies into one.

"Next comes the most crucial step," Yuanshi said in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the twelve-petaled Pure White Lotus in the center of the lotus pond.

He raised his hand and beckoned, and the Pure World White Lotus rose up in response, slowly flying out of the pool and hovering above the Qiankun Cauldron.

Yuanshi infused the fused primordial energy into the Pure World White Lotus little by little.

The Pure White Lotus trembled violently, its petals radiating a brilliant nine-colored light, as if resisting an external force. The primordial energy clashed fiercely with the Pure White Lotus's essence, causing the lotus platform to shake violently and emit a buzzing sound, as if it might shatter at any moment.

"Hold on!" Laozi said in a deep voice, raising his hand to unleash a beam of Taiqing Immortal Light, firmly fixing the Pure World White Lotus in place.

The veins on Yuanshi's forehead bulged as he fully activated the Qiankun Cauldron, forcibly pressing that primordial energy into the Pure World White Lotus.

The White Lotus of Purity trembled more and more violently, and fine cracks even appeared on its petals, as if it would shatter at any moment. Chen Qing watched with trepidation, fearing that this precious lotus platform would be destroyed.

"Mix it up!"

With a roar, Yuanshi slammed his hands out simultaneously, sending two powerful streams of magic surging into the Qiankun Cauldron. The Qiankun Cauldron roared, and its primordial light surged, completely enveloping the Pure World White Lotus.

The tremors gradually subsided.

The crack slowly healed.

The nine-colored light of the Pure White Lotus began to change, gradually transforming from nine colors to ten, eleven, twelve colors...

The number of petals is slowly increasing. Thirteenth petal, fourteenth petal, fifteenth petal...

The growth of each new petal was accompanied by a violent surge of spiritual energy, as if the heavens and earth were trembling at the transformation of this lotus platform.

The Three Lights Divine Water in the lotus pond boiled, the water surging and churning, with golden, silver, and purple light intertwining and transforming into beams of light that poured into the Pure World White Lotus, providing it with a continuous source of energy.

The entire immortal island trembled slightly, and the spiritual energy on the island was stirred up as if by an invisible hand, forming a huge vortex of spiritual energy that converged towards the lotus pond.

"This commotion... is too big!" Tongtian's eyes widened in shock.

Laozi's expression was solemn, and he dared not relax his grip on the Taiqing Immortal Light in his hand.

Chen Qing stared nervously at the lotus platform, silently praying: It must succeed, it must succeed...

After an unknown amount of time—perhaps several hours, perhaps several days—the petals of the Pure World White Lotus finally stopped growing.

Grade 20.

The Pure White Lotus has successfully advanced from the twelfth grade to the twentieth grade!

Although it didn't reach the twenty-fourth grade in one go, the twenty-grade lotus platform has already broken through the shackles of the top-grade innate spiritual treasure and reached the level of the innate supreme treasure. Although it is not as good as the Three Treasures of Creation and the Qiankun Cauldron, it is still much stronger than the previous top-grade innate spiritual treasure!

Moreover, the light emanating from the lotus platform changed from nine colors to twelve colors, with the twelve colors flowing endlessly, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene that exuded a heart-stirring aura.

Yuanshi slowly withdrew his magical power and let out a long breath. His face was somewhat pale, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, clearly indicating that this refining process had consumed a great deal of his energy.

"It's done." Yuanshi looked at the twentieth-grade Pure World White Lotus floating in the air, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. "Although it didn't reach the twenty-fourth grade, the twentieth grade is already rare. When the opportunity arises in the future, we can find other lotus platforms to inject their essence into, and perhaps we can go even further."

He raised his hand and summoned the Pure White Lotus, which slowly flew into his palm, transforming into the size of a palm. He held it in his hand, and twelve-colored light illuminated his face, making him appear even more majestic and solemn.

"Congratulations, Second Martial Uncle, on acquiring this priceless treasure," Chen Qing stepped forward and said respectfully.

Yuanshi glanced at him, a rare smile appearing on his face: "Xiaoqing, you're very thoughtful. I really like this lotus platform."

He didn't stand on ceremony; he genuinely liked the white lotus. Chen Qing already had the Qiankun Cauldron, so its use wasn't significant. Besides, this was also a token of Chen Qing's filial piety; he could compensate Chen Qing later with other means, since Chen Qing's cultivation technique required a massive amount of resources.

He tucked the Pure World White Lotus into his sleeve, then looked at the Qiankun Cauldron in his hand, examined it carefully, and suddenly said, "This Qiankun Cauldron is indeed an extraordinary treasure. When I used it just now, I discovered that it can not only return to its original state, but also fuse different origins into one. If it can be used properly, its wonderful uses are far more than that."

Chen Qing nodded and said, "This disciple is also exploring how to use the Qiankun Cauldron. It's just a pity that this disciple's cultivation is still shallow, and I can't bring out many of its wonderful uses."

"No rush, take your time." Yuanshi returned the Qiankun Cauldron to Chen Qing. "Once your cultivation improves, you will naturally be able to unleash its full power."

Chen Qing took the Qiankun Cauldron and solemnly put it into his body.

At this moment, Tongtian suddenly spoke up: "Little Qing'er, do you also intend to use your twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls and the Universe Ruler to open up the heavens?"

Chen Qing was taken aback, not expecting Tongtian to have seen through his plan. He didn't hide anything and said truthfully, "Third Uncle is indeed insightful. This disciple does have this idea. There are 840 million microparticles in my body. If I can use the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl and the Universe Ruler as a guide to open up the myriad worlds within these microparticles, then the power of 840 million worlds will be added to my body, and my strength will surely increase greatly."

"Eight hundred and forty million worlds..." Tongtian gasped, "Your ambition is far too great!"

Lao Tzu seemed to be deep in thought, and slowly said, "Although this method is grand, it is not impossible. However, the time and resources required are probably immeasurable. Moreover, to open up the myriad worlds, you need to have a very deep understanding of the laws of heaven and earth; otherwise, even if you open them up, they will only be empty shells and will have no real power."

"Master's teachings are indeed correct." Chen Qing humbly accepted the instruction. "This disciple will proceed step by step and will not be impatient for quick results."

Lao Tzu nodded and said nothing more.

Yuanshi suddenly spoke: "You only have twelve of those Sea-Stabilizing Pearls. I remember there are thirty-six Sea-Stabilizing Pearls in total, forming a complete set of spiritual treasures. Do you know where the remaining twenty-four are?"

Chen Qing said, "The whereabouts of the remaining twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls are currently unknown, but we may have a chance to find them by using these twelve as a guide."

"My cultivation level is still low, so I don't need it for now. I'll wait until I advance to the Taiyi level before considering it."

Yuan Shi nodded, but he made a mental note of it.

Tongtian said casually, "If you ask me, Xiaoqing, you might as well just refine those twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls directly. Why bother collecting all thirty-six? Twelve pearls are already quite powerful."

Chen Qing shook his head and said, "Uncle-Master, you are unaware of this. The thirty-six Dinghai Divine Pearls are a set. Although they are powerful when used separately, their essence is ultimately incomplete."

The disciple's plan was to gather all thirty-six of them, then use the Qiankun Cauldron to return them to their original source, breaking down their essence and integrating them into the microparticles within his body.

"By creating countless worlds within particles, the worlds may begin small, but they can expand continuously as the disciple's cultivation grows, eventually evolving into true worlds."

"What a grand gesture!" Tongtian exclaimed in admiration. "Your idea is excellent, but spiritual treasures aren't so easy to find."

Chen Qing smiled and said, "It all depends on human effort. I'm not in a hurry now, I'll just take it slow."

The Three Pure Ones all nodded in agreement. Those who cultivate the Dao should absolutely avoid being impatient for quick success. Chen Qing's composure was truly commendable.

At this moment, Laozi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Chen Qing, these Three Immortal Islands are indeed rare blessed lands. However, do you know why these three islands have never been discovered by outsiders?"

Chen Qing was taken aback: "Isn't it because of the innate grand formation outside the island?"

Lao Tzu shook his head: "The Primordial Grand Array is indeed profound, but it is not enough to deceive everyone. What truly keeps these three islands hidden until now is the fortune of heaven and earth. Since the creation of the world, these three islands have been waiting for a destined person. Since you have been able to find this place, it means that you are destined for these three islands. But you must remember, destiny is one thing, whether you can hold onto it is another."

Chen Qing's heart skipped a beat, and he respectfully said, "Disciple will remember Master's teachings."

Lao Tzu nodded and said no more.

"Alright, we've lingered here for too long, it's time to go and listen to the teachings," said Yuanshi.