Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

The river of time stretches across the void, its waters flowing slowly. Every wave is a microcosm of an era, and every ripple is a trace of a period of time.

This is a place that even sages would be wary of.

Although Taiyi is a Primordial Golden Immortal and wields the Primordial Treasure Chaos Bell, he can only protect himself within the River of Time. He has no confidence in entering it to capture Chen Qing.

The power of the river of time is too mysterious. The power of the past, present and future is intertwined, and even he dares not act rashly.

If it were to cause turmoil in the long river of time, the consequences and the karmic repercussions would be something he would not want to bear.

Moreover, Chen Qing is already inside. Who knows what kind of backup plan he has set up? If he has some way to activate the power of the River of Time, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"You think I can't do anything to you just because you're hiding in the river of time?" Taiyi said coldly, his voice tinged with resentment. "You can't hide in there forever."

Standing amidst the long river of time, Chen Qing shrugged, a playful smile on his face: "I'm not in a hurry. But I'm curious, Donghuang, how long can you wait outside? You won't be able to control me in a little while, you believe me?"

His gaze drifted, intentionally or unintentionally, toward the distance—in that direction, toward the Kunlun Mountains.

Taiyi's expression changed, and following his gaze, his heart sank.

He could sense several powerful auras rising from the direction of Kunlun Mountain. Those were the auras of the Three Pure Ones—Laozi of Taiqing, Yuanshi of Yuqing, and Tongtian of Shangqing—all three emerging together and rapidly approaching. The three auras merged into one, like three great mountains pressing down on Taiyi's heart.

If this continues, these three will probably have to get involved themselves.

Taiyi's heart sank.

If the Three Pure Ones arrive, today's events will be completely out of control. Although he is not afraid of fighting one-on-one—with his mid-stage Hunyuan Golden Immortal cultivation and the Chaos Bell, he is confident that he can hold his own against any of the Three Pure Ones.

But if the Three Pure Ones joined forces, he would be no match for them. Moreover, the Three Pure Ones were personally selected disciples of Hongjun Daozu, future sages, and there would be no benefit for the demon race to confront them.

Moreover, the Witch Clan is also eyeing us covetously.

Taiyi's divine sense swept across the direction of Buzhou Mountain and could sense several hidden yet powerful auras probing at its foot—the auras of the ancestral witches of the Wu tribe. They had clearly noticed the commotion and were observing in secret, waiting for an opportunity.

If he were to fight the Three Pure Ones, the Witch Clan would surely seize the opportunity to attack. At that point, the Demon Clan would be attacked from both sides, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

But he couldn't swallow his anger and just walk away like that.

He, the mighty Donghuang Taiyi, was forced to this point by a Grand Luo Golden Immortal. If word got out, what would become of the demon race's reputation? What would become of his authority?

Taiyi's gaze swept back and forth between Chen Qing in the long river of time and the increasingly approaching aura of the Three Pure Ones in the distance. His expression was uncertain, and he clenched and unclenched his fists several times.

After a moment, he gritted his teeth and made a decision.

"Chen Qing, I've remembered what happened today," Taiyi said coldly, his voice filled with undisguised chill. "But remember this: if I run into you again, it won't be so simple."

Having said that, he put away the Chaos Bell, turned around, transformed into a golden light, and disappeared into the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The golden light moved extremely fast, disappearing into the sky in the blink of an eye, leaving only a faint golden trail that slowly dissipated in the void.

Seeing this, Yingzhao and his demon soldiers also slunk away. Yingzhao clutched his chest, his face pale, not even daring to look back—he had utterly lost face in this battle. A dignified demon saint, defeated in a single move by a Grand Luo Golden Immortal—this humiliation would likely haunt him for a long time.

The lesser demons fared even worse; some scrambled and crawled away, while others used their escape techniques to flee completely in the blink of an eye.

Mount Buzhou finally fell completely silent.

Only the shattered mountain and the mess on the ground silently testify to the brief but intense clash that had just taken place.

Chen Qing emerged from the river of time, the light of creation slowly receding, and the Qiankun Cauldron and the Apricot Yellow Banner were absorbed into his body. He exhaled a long breath, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

To be honest, he was just putting on a brave face.

If Taiyi were to recklessly plunge into the River of Time, he wouldn't be entirely confident of escaping unscathed. If they were to truly clash within the River of Time, who knew what unforeseen events might occur?

The power of the River of Time is too mysterious; the slightest carelessness could lead to unpredictable consequences. Although he has condensed an undying spiritual light within the River of Time, he dares not say that he can do whatever he wants within it.

Fortunately, Taiyi was ultimately wary of the Three Pure Ones and the Wu Clan, and dared not really fight to the death.

Chen Qing looked up into the distance; those powerful auras were drawing ever closer. He straightened his robes and waited quietly.

A moment later, three figures flew in from a distance and landed in front of him.

It is the Three Pure Ones.

Laozi, dressed in a blue Taoist robe and holding a cane, had a calm expression. He looked Chen Qing up and down, and seeing that he was unharmed, nodded: "It's good that you're alright."

His tone was calm, but the concern in his eyes was unmistakable.

Yuanshi's face darkened as he looked in the direction Taiyi had left, and he coldly snorted, "Donghuang Taiyi, you're becoming more and more outrageous. Bullying the weak with the strong, bullying the few with the many—is this the demeanor of the demon race's Donghuang?"

He always valued rules and dignity, and he couldn't stand this kind of bullying. What's more, the one being bullied was someone from his own sect.

Tongtian laughed heartily, stepped forward, and patted Chen Qing on the shoulder with such force that Chen Qing staggered: "Little Qing, impressive! Even Taiyi's Chaos Bell couldn't trap you, and you even slapped his face hard. Not bad, not bad, you have the style of your master back in the day!"

He laughed heartily, his eyes full of admiration.

Chen Qing smiled wryly and quickly waved his hand, "Uncle-Master, please don't tease me. I was forced to hide in the River of Time. If Master and the two Uncle-Masters hadn't arrived quickly, I don't know how long I would have had to waste with Taiyi."

He was telling the truth. Without the Three Pure Ones as his backing, Taiyi might not have been able to retreat so easily. He was able to escape unscathed today not only because of his own strength, but also because of the prestige of the Three Pure Ones.

Laozi said calmly, "Given Taiyi's character, he won't really fight you to the death. The Wu Clan is his greatest threat; he won't risk putting the Demon Clan in danger for your sake alone. However..."

He paused, then looked at Chen Qing with a serious expression: "You've offended the demon race this time. You'll have to be extra careful when traveling through the prehistoric world. Although Di Jun and Tai Yi might not dare to openly target you, they could still sabotage you behind your back. The demon race is powerful and has many eyes and ears. You're bound to encounter trouble traveling alone in the prehistoric world."

"Disciple understands," Chen Qing said respectfully. "Disciple will be careful."

Yuanshi also spoke, his tone carrying a hint of warning: "Chen Qing, you are now a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and with a supreme treasure protecting you, you do indeed have some ability to protect yourself. But the prehistoric world is vast, and many capable people emerge. You must not be complacent because of this. Especially the demon race, Di Jun and Taiyi are ambitious and ruthless, so we must be wary."

"This disciple will remember the teachings of my Second Martial Uncle." Chen Qing bowed again.

Tongtian didn't spout any grand theories, but simply chuckled and handed Chen Qing a jade slip: "Little Qing, these are a few formations I've recently come to understand. Take them and study them. If you encounter this situation again in the future, setting up a formation will give you a better chance of winning."

Chen Qing accepted the jade slip, deeply moved: "Thank you, Third Martial Uncle."

The Three Pure Ones said no more, rose on the clouds, and flew towards Kunlun Mountain. In the blink of an eye, the three figures disappeared into the horizon.

Chen Qing watched the Three Pure Ones depart before turning away and flying towards the East China Sea.

He had originally planned to wander around Buzhou Mountain to see if he could find any treasures. But after such an unpleasant encounter with the demon race, staying there any longer seemed inappropriate. If he were to run into other demon saints, it would be another problem.

Let's head to the East Sea first; finding the materials to refine the World Pearl is the most important thing.

Above the Thirty-Three Heavens lies the Heavenly Court.

The atmosphere inside the magnificent hall was solemn.

Taiyi sat on the throne on the right side of the main hall with a gloomy face, his expression ashen, and he remained silent. His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, producing a monotonous "tap-tap" sound that echoed in the hall.

Emperor Jun sat on the throne of the Heavenly Emperor in the center. After listening to Taiyi's story, he frowned and remained silent for a long time.

The other powerful demons in the hall remained silent, not daring to utter a sound. They could sense the suppressed anger emanating from Donghuang Taiyi, and none of them dared to provoke him at this moment.

After a long silence, Di Jun finally spoke, his voice deep and steady: "The Three Pure Ones..."

He repeated the two words to himself, his gaze deep, as if he were deep in thought.

"It seems we need to reassess the significance of these three," Di Jun said slowly. "The personal disciples handpicked by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the future sages, are indeed not to be trifled with."

Taiyi snorted coldly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "So what if they are the Three Pure Ones? Once our demon race unifies the prehistoric world, their immense fortune will be enough for us to attain sainthood. At that time, it won't be too late to deal with them."

He paused, then said, "I will avenge today's humiliation sooner or later."

Di Jun shook his head and did not reply.

He had a vague premonition that the Three Pure Ones might be even more difficult to deal with than the Witch Clan.

Although the Witch Clan is powerful, they are merely warriors, brave but lacking in strategy. The Three Pure Ones, on the other hand, possess not only profound cultivation but also great wisdom and fortune, making them truly unfathomable. To be their enemy is certainly not a wise move.

But things have come to this point, and a rift has already formed between the demon race and the Three Pure Ones. Repairing their relationship will probably not be so easy.

Di Jun pondered for a moment, then changed the subject: "Right now, the most important thing is still the Wu Clan."

He stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and glanced at the demons in the hall: "The Witch Clan is powerful. All twelve Ancestral Witches are quasi-saints, especially Dijiang, Zhujiuyin, and Houtu, who are unfathomable. Although my demon clan has many soldiers and generals, to be honest, our top combat strength is not as good as that of the Witch Clan."

Upon hearing this, all the demons in the hall nodded in agreement.

Indeed, although the demon race is numerous, only a handful of people, including Di Jun, Tai Yi, and the Demon Saint, can truly reach the Quasi-Saint level.

On the other hand, the twelve Ancestral Witches were all quasi-saints, with powerful physical bodies capable of withstanding attacks from innate spiritual treasures. In a head-on confrontation, the demon race was no match for them.

Even if Taiyi possessed the Chaos Bell, a supreme treasure from the beginning of creation, it would be difficult to bridge this gap.

"Therefore, we need to recruit more top-tier combatants," Di Jun said in a deep voice. "We must either recruit or train them, and we must improve the top-tier combatants of our demon race as soon as possible."

He paused, then thought of the Kunpeng.

"Kunpeng..." Di Jun said thoughtfully, "This person has profound cultivation. If we can recruit him into our ranks, it will be a great help to our demon race."

Taiyi frowned: "Kunpeng is arrogant and unruly; he may not be willing to submit to anyone."

Di Jun smiled slightly: "Then we'll see if he knows what's good for him. If he's willing to serve my demon race, that's fine. If he doesn't..." A cold glint flashed in his eyes, "then don't blame me for being impolite."

Taiyi nodded, saying nothing more. Although Kunpeng possessed profound cultivation, he didn't take him seriously. With the Chaos Bell in hand, he was confident he could suppress any Quasi-Saint.

Di Jun added, "Besides Kunpeng, there are also two fairies from the Taiyin Star—Xihe and Changxi."

When these two names were mentioned, a strange light flashed in Di Jun's eyes.

"The Taiyin Star was formed from Pangu's left eye and is ranked alongside the Sun Star. Xihe and Changxi, as innate deities born from the Taiyin Star, possess unfathomable cultivation, no less than that of Kunpeng," Dijun said slowly. "If we can persuade them to join the Heavenly Court and unite with my brother and me in yin and yang harmony, we might be able to rapidly improve our cultivation levels, and even hope to touch the threshold of sainthood."

Upon hearing this, all the demons in the hall showed expressions of surprise.

Yin and Yang in harmony? Is Di Jun about to...?

Taiyi was also taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully.

The sun and the moon are the two poles of the yin and yang principles of heaven and earth. If yin and yang can unite, it is indeed possible to produce a qualitative change, allowing their cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds.

"What does Big Brother mean...?" Taiyi asked tentatively.

Di Jun nodded, his gaze resolute: "I will personally make a trip to Taiyin Star."

The demons in the hall looked at each other, none daring to say anything.

No one can ever change Di Jun's decision.