Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

Chen Qing, who was silently reciting Taoist scriptures, was suddenly awakened by this majestic voice. His consciousness instantly returned to the body of the green ox, and he opened his ox eyes, which were full of shock and astonishment.

"Attaining sainthood through enlightenment? Hongjun? Preaching at Zixiao Palace?"

Chen Qing's mind was in turmoil, and he couldn't calm down for a long time. He even couldn't help but curse under his breath.

Hongjun attained enlightenment and gave his first sermon at Zixiao Palace!

This is a momentous event in the history of the primordial world!

He instantly realized that this was a crucial period when the struggle between Dao and Demon had just ended, Hongjun had killed the Demon Ancestor Rahu, quelled the Dao-Demon Calamity, and attained the first Sainthood in the Primordial World, and the world was in a state of temporary peace, while the Lich Calamity had not yet erupted.

Although this period was somewhat more stable than the Calamities of the Ferocious Beasts, the Dragon-Han Calamity, and the Dao-Demon Calamity, it was still fraught with undercurrents and extremely dangerous.

The Wu and Yao races have emerged, and powerful beings from all walks of life have appeared. They fight endlessly for the sake of hearing the Dao, for opportunities, and for territory. In the future, a cataclysmic calamity of Wu and Yao will break out, causing countless innate beings to perish and even breaking Mount Buzhou.

Chen Qing lowered his head to assess his cultivation level. He was merely at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, which was utterly insignificant in the current prehistoric world. Any random expert could easily crush him. With such meager cultivation, he was not even worth an ant in front of those with names and titles. If he were to act recklessly, he probably wouldn't even know how he died.

Only now did he fully understand that the sapling he had eaten was not an ordinary spiritual herb, but the Enlightenment Tree, one of the ten innate spiritual roots of the primordial world!

This tree contains profound truths and can help living beings comprehend the Dao, enhance their understanding, and resolve cultivation bottlenecks. It is a treasure coveted by countless powerful cultivators. He was initially attracted by the aura of the Enlightenment Tree and instinctively ate it.

As for the jade disc fragment spinning in the chaotic space, Chen Qing finally learned its origin. It was a broken piece of jade he had bought for a few dollars at an antique stall on the roadside in his previous life. He never expected it to be a fragment of the Creation Jade Disc, the number one treasure of the primordial world! His journey through the primordial world must have been thanks to this fragment of the Creation Jade Disc.

The Enlightenment Tree merged with his soul, enhancing his comprehension; the fragments of the Creation Jade Disc united with his soul, containing boundless power of creation. The combination of the two awakened a unique innate divine ability—Evolution.

In fact, it is more accurate to say that he improves and enhances. He can deduce all kinds of supernatural powers, spells, and techniques, and optimize and evolve them according to his own needs, making the techniques more suitable for himself and more powerful.

However, this supernatural power also has limitations. It must follow the great principles of heaven and earth. It is impossible to directly deduce a saint-level method from a trashy cultivation technique. It requires a gradual approach.

Although this supernatural power has no direct combat ability whatsoever, and cannot be used to fight or kill, Chen Qing is already extremely satisfied.

This is definitely a cheat code. In this dog-eat-dog world, with this supernatural power, he can slowly hone his skills, improve his strength, and develop in a lowly way. Sooner or later, he will become one of the strongest in the world and no longer have to live in fear like he does now.

"Never mind, cultivation is the priority!" Chen Qing suppressed his excitement and made up his mind.

Currently, his cultivation is stuck at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm. If he can take another step forward and break through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, he can trigger the Heavenly Tribulation of Transformation and transform into human form.

In the primordial world, only by taking human form can one truly embark on the path of cultivation. At that time, whether one seeks out a powerful figure to become a disciple or cultivates alone, it will be far better than living in the valley as a cow.

In his previous life as a human, he naturally longed to transform and return to human form. Even though his current body is that of a primordial blue ox, his soul remains that of a human, and his desire to transform is far stronger than that of the native creatures of the primordial world.

After figuring it out, Chen Qing immediately calmed his mind and began to circulate his cultivation technique again, frantically trying to break through the bottleneck of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, hoping to transform into human form as soon as possible.

Just as Chen Qing was in seclusion, working hard to break through his limits, three figures, riding on auspicious clouds, slowly arrived above the mountain where he was.

The leader was an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a lotus crown and a plain Taoist robe. He had a kind face, white hair and a youthful face, and was surrounded by a faint aura of Taiqing immortality. He had a gentle temperament, yet exuded a profound and unfathomable majesty. He was none other than Taiqing Laozi, who was transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu.

Standing to his left was a middle-aged Taoist priest with a serious face and a cold expression. He wore a Yuqing Taoist robe, exuded a chilling immortal aura, and had sharp eyes. He was none other than Yuqing Yuanshi.

On the right is a young Taoist priest with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a handsome face, a free and easy temperament, and a lively aura. He seems to have a cheerful personality and is none other than Shangqing Tongtian.

All three are direct descendants of Pangu, transformed from his primordial spirit. Since their birth, they have cultivated together on Kunlun Mountain, sharing a close and brotherly relationship. They are among the most powerful beings in the primordial world.

Tongtian, with his sharp eyes, was the first to spot the green ox meditating with its eyes closed atop the mountain. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he pointed and exclaimed, "Hey, elder brother, look at that green ox below! The aura emanating from it is mellow and gentle, extremely similar to the Taiqing aura within you—they're practically from the same lineage!"

Upon hearing this, Laozi and Yuanshi both turned their heads and looked towards the mountain peak.

Below, the blue ox lay quietly on the blue stone, its body enveloped in rich innate spiritual energy. Its fur shimmered with a jade-like light, and its aura was calm and steady. The aura surrounding it indeed carried a strong Taiqing Daoist charm, exactly the same as Laozi's aura.

Laozi's gaze fell on the green ox, and he gently pinched his fingers to deduce its nature. After a while, he raised his eyebrows slightly and said in a strange tone, "This is the first green ox in the world, a primordial being that was born after the creation of the world. I don't know when it gained enlightenment and has been cultivating diligently ever since."

Strangely, since we three transformed into human form, we have been cultivating in Kunlun Mountain and rarely venture out. This green ox lives in a remote valley and has never met us. Why then does it possess the Daoist aura of our Taiqing lineage?

He naturally had no idea that the Tao Te Ching that has been passed down through the ages was actually a Taoist classic he wrote after he attained enlightenment, containing his insights into the Tao.

Chen Qing comprehended the Tao and cultivated himself by silently reciting the Tao Te Ching. He absorbed the Great Tao of Taiqing, and his body was naturally imbued with his Taoist charm, making him closely related to the Taiqing lineage.

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi also carefully examined the blue ox below, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

He always valued lineage and aptitude, and disliked those indiscriminately killing innocent and vulgar demons. However, at this time, demons had not yet formed in the prehistoric world. Chen Qing was a primordial green ox, of noble birth, and possessed the Daoist essence of Taiqing. He devoted himself to cultivation, never killed any living beings, and had exceptional aptitude. He immediately felt a sense of fondness for him and wanted to take him as a disciple.

But then he thought again that this ox possessed his elder brother's Daoist aura and was destined to be connected with the Taiqing lineage. If he were to forcibly take it as a disciple, it would be inappropriate. He could only regret it in secret and suppress the idea of ​​taking it as a disciple.

Tongtian stared at the green ox with great interest, his eyes sparkling, seemingly lost in thought. He secretly muttered to himself that he also needed to find a disciple with exceptional talent, so as not to lose to his elder brother.

Looking at his two brothers' expressions, Laozi understood. He spoke calmly and with a hint of certainty, "Since this ox possesses the Daoist essence of my Taiqing lineage and is a primordial being, it has a deep affinity with me. It should be included under the tutelage of the Three Pure Ones and inherit our Daoist tradition."

At this time, the Three Pure Ones had not yet separated and were in harmony. They were focused on passing on the Pangu lineage and did not have a single disciple. When they saw such a gifted being who was also destined to be with them, they were naturally delighted.

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi's lips twitched slightly. He glanced helplessly at Laozi, thinking to himself: "Brother, you're too blunt. It's like you're afraid that Tongtian and I will compete with you for it."

However, he had no objection and immediately nodded, saying, "This ox is blessed with good fortune, of noble lineage, and possesses extraordinary talent. It is fitting that it should become my eldest brother's disciple and become the first disciple of the Sanqing Sect."

Tongtian, being of a carefree nature, already believed that the three were one, and that no matter whose disciple one became, they would all be disciples of the Three Pure Ones. He immediately nodded repeatedly, smiling, and said, "Absolutely, absolutely! This green ox has exceptional comprehension; it should be my first disciple among the Three Pure Ones. Becoming your disciple, elder brother, would be perfect!"

"good!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Tzu nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face, thus finalizing the matter.

At this moment, Chen Qing was still immersed in his arduous cultivation, doing his best to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and break through the bottleneck of Taiyi Golden Immortal. He was completely unaware that he had been internally designated by the Three Pure Ones as Laozi's disciple.

If he were sober at this moment and knew that he was about to become Laozi's disciple, he would probably be so excited that he would jump up from the bluestone.

In the primordial world, becoming an apprentice is of paramount importance; choosing the right master is like ascending to heaven in one step.

Hongjun Daoist was the first sage in the primordial world. He preached in Zixiao Palace and all his disciples became sages in the future. His disciple Haotian was the future ruler of the Three Realms. He had countless treasures and opportunities and was the master that countless beings dreamed of.

But Chen Qing knew in his heart that Hongjun's disciples were already destined to be the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and the Two Western Saints. He was just a minor Golden Immortal, who couldn't even go to Zixiao Palace and had no chance of becoming Hongjun's disciple.

Yuqing Yuanshi emphasized rules and hierarchy, but in the later battle of the Investiture of the Gods, the strength of his disciples was indeed inferior to that of the Jie Sect. Although they were safe and sound under his protection, they were by no means the best choice.

The Shangqing Tongtian sect taught all without discrimination, and had thousands of disciples. However, during the Investiture of the Gods, the Jie sect's ten thousand immortals came to pay homage, but in the end, the sect was destroyed. The Tongtian sect leader was defeated by the four sages, and the Jie sect was almost wiped out. Following him was too dangerous.

As a saint of the demon race, Nuwa rarely appeared in the world, and she had no disciples. It was extremely difficult to become her disciple.

Although the two Taoists, Jieyin and Zhunti, are saints, the West is barren and treasures are scarce. After becoming their disciples, let alone obtaining any opportunities, they probably won't even get a decent magic weapon and will have to suffer and develop alongside them.

Based on this calculation, Laozi of Taiqing is undoubtedly the best choice.

As the senior disciple of the Xuanmen sect, Laozi possesses profound cultivation and formidable strength. He will have countless magical treasures in his hands in the future, including the Taiji Diagram and the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda, both of which are top-tier innate treasures. Moreover, he has very few disciples, with only Grand Master Xuandu in the future. Therefore, he will not need to compete for resources. Furthermore, Laozi is of a tranquil nature and dislikes fighting. Following him for cultivation will be the most stable path, allowing one to peacefully survive the great calamity and slowly develop.

This was an incredible stroke of luck, something Chen Qing never dared to dream of.

But at this moment, he was only focused on breaking through his cultivation level and his mind was full of transformation, so he was completely unaware that his opportunity had been delivered right before his eyes.

He tried his best to circulate the spiritual energy in his body, repeatedly trying to break through the bottleneck of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. However, no matter how hard he tried, he was always just one step away from breaking through the bottleneck, which was like an impenetrable wall. This frustrated him greatly, and he was secretly anxious.

The Three Pure Ones above the mountain peaks saw his predicament clearly.

Lao Tzu looked down at the green ox struggling to break through, his smile deepening, and slowly said, "Since you are my future disciple, then I will lend you a hand and help you break through your bottleneck."

As he finished speaking, he slowly extended his right hand and gently tapped with his index finger.

A warm and mellow celestial light, containing the boundless Great Dao of Taiqing, shot out from his fingertips, transforming into a stream of light that instantly pierced through the void and entered the body of the green ox below.

As the celestial light of Taiqing entered his body, Chen Qing felt a sense of lightness throughout his body. His previously blocked meridians were instantly unblocked, and the barriers at the bottlenecks melted away like ice and snow.

With a soft "pop," Chen Qing's cultivation broke through completely, leaping from the peak of Golden Immortal to the early stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal!

The powerful magic of a Taiyi Golden Immortal surged within his body, his innate spiritual energy soared, and the spiritual light on his fur shone brightly. The entire azure ox underwent a dramatic transformation, losing its previous immaturity and gaining the majesty of a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

Chen Qing was overjoyed and was about to feel the power after the breakthrough when the sky suddenly changed color.

The once clear and auspicious sky was suddenly filled with dark clouds. The heavy, dark clouds surged in from all directions like a tide, covering the entire sky in a short while. The world instantly darkened, and a devastating pressure crashed down from the clouds, causing the entire valley to tremble slightly.

Within the dark clouds, lightning flashed and thunder roared, with streaks of purple lightning weaving and darting about, producing deafening booms.

Chen Qing felt a chill run down his spine and instantly understood—this was the Heavenly Tribulation of Transformation!

When a being takes human form, it triggers the laws of heaven and earth, and is bound to undergo a heavenly tribulation. If it passes through, it will transform into a Dao body and embark on the path of cultivation. If it fails, its soul will be scattered and turn into ashes.

In the blink of an eye, the tribulation clouds in the sky grew larger and larger, from the initial hundred feet to a thousand feet, then to ten thousand feet, and finally stopped at nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine feet, reaching the limit of numbers!

The tribulation clouds formed a huge black vortex in the sky. Within the vortex, bolts of lightning, several meters thick, rolled and roared, flashing with purple lightning and containing the power to destroy everything. Just looking at them was enough to make one tremble with fear.

Yuanshi, perched atop the mountain peak, gazed at the terrifying tribulation clouds with envy in his eyes. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Hiss! Elder brother, your disciple is truly remarkable! For ordinary innate beings, the tribulation clouds upon transformation are only a thousand feet in size, which is already the limit. These tribulation clouds, reaching nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine feet, are the pinnacle, a sight rarely seen throughout the ages. This is enough to demonstrate that his talent is comparable to ours!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Tzu smiled and nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with satisfaction for his disciple.

The size of the tribulation cloud directly corresponds to the aptitude of a living being. The better the aptitude, the greater the power of the tribulation cloud. A living being who can summon the ultimate tribulation cloud will surely become a top powerhouse in the prehistoric world in the future. It is undoubtedly a great joy for him to accept such a disciple.

Tongtian, watching the terrifying tribulation clouds and then observing Laozi's satisfied expression, couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Once things are settled here, I must find a disciple with even better aptitude. I absolutely cannot lose to my elder brother!"

Although his voice was soft, Laozi and Yuanshi were both top-tier supernatural beings and heard it clearly. They exchanged a smile and said nothing more.

They knew in their hearts that the primordial world was no longer the world at its beginning. Most of the innate demon gods had perished, and the innate spiritual objects had been occupied by various parties. Finding a disciple comparable to this green ox was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Chen Qing, looking down at the roaring thunder dragon tribulation clouds above his head, was not afraid at all; instead, his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.

He's destined to undergo the Heavenly Tribulation of Transformation!

Having survived this tribulation, I will transform into a Dao body, become a disciple of Laozi, and develop peacefully in the primordial world. With the help of the Creation Jade Disc and the Enlightenment Tree, and with the power of transformation, I will eventually be able to carve out my own place in this primordial world!