Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

On Penglai Island, Chen Qing secluded himself in seclusion.

He possessed numerous low-grade innate spiritual treasures obtained from the Treasure Dividing Rock. Although their rank was not high, each contained fragments of its own laws. These items might not be enough for combat, but they were perfect materials for comprehension and cultivation.

Chen Qing threw one spiritual treasure after another into the Qiankun Cauldron, returning them to their original source, refining the fragments of laws contained within, and then replicating them into his own microscopic world.

After comprehending the laws governing each spiritual treasure, he did not destroy it, but restored it to its original state and carefully stored it away.

His path of cultivation was different from that of any other cultivator in the primordial world.

Others' paths to enlightenment are all rooted in the primordial world. Even cultivators like the Witch Clan, who cultivate their physical bodies and inscribe the laws upon their flesh and bones, essentially communicate with the laws of the primordial world through their physical bodies when fighting. Their roots are firmly planted in the primordial world.

Chen Qing, however, was different.

His Great Dao resides within his microcosms. These 840 million microcosms each possess their own independent system of Great Dao laws. This is both Chen Qing's Great Dao and the Heavenly Dao of his microcosms.

Chen Qing's cultivation level increased not because of the laws of the primordial world, but because of the growth of these microscopic worlds.

This does not mean that Chen Qing is weaker than other cultivators.

The microscopic world within his body was indeed far less vast and boundless than the primordial world. The laws governing it were also far less complete and profound than the primordial Heavenly Dao.

However, the laws that cultivators in the primordial world can comprehend are merely the framework of laws established at the very beginning of creation—the foundation of the Heavenly Dao, but not its entirety. Even if one comprehends a particular law to perfection, it is impossible to mobilize the full power of the laws of the primordial world.

From this perspective, all monks are on the same starting line.

As for proving one's Dao through laws, it is theoretically possible, but in reality, it is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Living in the primordial world, for every step your Dao takes to grow, the laws of the primordial Heavenly Dao will also grow stronger. You will forever remain within it, forever unable to surpass it, let alone replace it.

This is why the great powers in the primordial world ultimately chose to forge their own path—a newly created path, which, though not as vast as the primordial Heavenly Dao, belongs entirely to themselves and is not bound by any constraints.

Although Chen Qing possessed many spiritual treasures, most were of low or mid-grade, with very few of them being of high grade. However, this was enough for him—what he needed was not the power of the spiritual treasures themselves, but the fragments of laws they contained. The Five Elements, Yin and Yang, wind and rain, thunder and lightning… each law could add a layer of depth to his microscopic world.

Time has passed, and I don't know how much time has gone by.

When Chen Qing finished comprehending all the spiritual treasures in his hands and slowly opened his eyes, his cultivation had unknowingly reached the late stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. The 840 million microscopic worlds within his body were several times larger than before, with more powerful world energy and richer internal laws.

The most gratifying thing is the understanding of the Great Dao—the Five Elements Law, the Yin-Yang Law, the wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning... Although I have only grasped the surface of each of these laws and my understanding is far less profound than that of the Space Law, each law is an indispensable nutrient for the growth of the particle world.

The richer the world, the greater his power.

Chen Qing nodded in satisfaction and was about to get up and stretch when suddenly—

"boom--"

The entire primordial world trembled violently.

The tremor was as if an invisible giant hand had grasped the entire primordial world in its palm and shaken it violently.

Chen Qing's expression hardened, and he flashed out of Penglai Island, looking up into the distance.

On the horizon, a towering giant stood proudly.

The giant was tens of thousands of feet tall, his head reaching the sky and his feet firmly planted on the earth. His muscles were bulging and bulging, like an ancient god descending to earth. In his hand he held a huge axe, the blade gleaming coldly, exuding a vast and ancient aura as if it had created the world.

An overwhelming pressure emanated from the giant, sweeping in all directions.

Immediately afterwards, the entire sky suddenly darkened.

Countless stars appeared in the daytime, the sun and moon shone together, and the stars were arrayed in formation. Brilliant starlight fell from the sky, weaving together a huge net of light that covered the heavens and the earth, enveloping the battlefield within it.

Such a tremendous commotion alarmed countless ancient powerful cultivators who had lived in seclusion throughout the primordial world. Divine senses emanated from famous mountains and great rivers, sweeping towards the source of the tremors.

Chen Qing's mind jolted—the war between the Lich King and the Lich King had begun!

He immediately used the Great Space Technique, his figure disappearing directly into the void, and traversed towards the giant.

Not far from Mount Buzhou, on a vast plain, blood flowed like a river and corpses littered the ground.

Hundreds of millions of Wu tribe warriors clashed with hundreds of billions of demons, their battle cries shaking the heavens and blood and flesh flying everywhere. The Wu tribe warriors were all burly and physically strong, their fists and feet capable of causing mountains to crumble and the earth to split; the demon army, on the other hand, was overwhelming, their spells raining down and their magical treasures like a forest.

Every moment, thousands of lives are lost, blood stains the earth red and flows into rivers, and bones pile up like mountains, a shocking sight.

Meanwhile, in the skies above the battlefield, the real decisive battle is unfolding.

Each of the twelve ancestral witches held a large flag and stood in the twelve directions, setting up the witch clan's clan-protecting formation—the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation.

The array flags fluttered in the wind as twelve distinct yet shared auras intertwined and merged, transforming into a vast and boundless power. At the center of the array, a colossal figure slowly materialized—the true form of Pangu.

The giant's eyes shone like the sun and moon, his breath like thunder and lightning. He wielded the phantom of Pangu's axe, each strike unleashing the power to cleave the heavens and earth. Wherever the axe's light passed, space shattered, time became disordered, and countless demon armies were reduced to ashes before they could even scream.

In the sky opposite, Di Jun and Tai Yi led 365 demon gods of the demon race who were at least Great Luo Golden Immortals to set up the Zhou Tian Star Array.

Three hundred and sixty-five star banners fluttered in the wind, corresponding to three hundred and sixty-five ancient stars in the sky. Beams of starlight descended from the heavens, enveloping the entire formation in starlight. Countless phantoms of ancient stars appeared within the formation, and with the support of various Great Dao powers, they dragged long tails of light as they crashed fiercely towards the true form of Pangu.

Above Taiyi's head stood the Chaos Bell, its resounding torrent suppressing the void. The innate treasure hovered above the array's core, its profound meaning manifesting, amplifying the power of the entire Zhou Tian Star Array several times over. The power of the stars became even more solid and violent, forcing Pangu's true form to retreat steadily.

"Hahaha! Di Jun and Tai Yi, you two birdmen, listen up—this time, my Wu Clan will wipe out your demon race and show you who the true master is on this primordial land!"

Within the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation, Zhu Rong laughed heartily, his voice like thunder, as the array flags in his hands swung rapidly. Flames surged around him, pushing the laws of fire to their limit.

Taiyi roared and activated the Chaos Bell with all his might. The bell's toll rose higher and higher, and the power of the entire formation surged once more. The power of the stars transformed into giant silver dragons, tearing at Pangu's true form with ferocity.

But the Twelve Ancestral Witches were not to be trifled with. At Dijiang's command, the twelve exerted their strength simultaneously, and Pangu's true form suddenly steadied itself, cleaving several star dragons in two with a single axe strike.

The two sides fought fiercely, neither able to gain the upper hand.

However, while they enjoyed their victory, the desolate land suffered greatly.

The axe's edge cleaved the earth, carving out bottomless canyons. The phantom of an ancient star crashed into the mountains, shattering countless spiritual veins and immortal peaks. The aftershocks devastated a million miles around, leaving countless innocent birds, beasts, and plant spirits unaware of what was happening, reduced to dust in the overwhelming destructive force.

Chen Qing stood at a great distance, watching the scene before him, a deep sense of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

These are truly top-tier killing formations of the primordial world. The combat power displayed by these two formations is probably no weaker than that of a sage. No wonder the Wu and Yao races have the confidence to challenge heaven and earth—this kind of power is indeed qualified to contend with a sage.

However, he also noticed that the fortunes of the Lich and Demon races were rapidly fading away.

Those innocent lives lost in battle, those mountains and spiritual veins destroyed—all these have been recorded as blood debts by the Heavenly Dao. Vast karmic forces, like dark clouds, hang over the heads of the Lich and Demon races, gradually eroding and eroding their fortune.

If this fight continues, neither race will have a good ending, regardless of who wins or loses.

Chen Qing shook his head, preparing to leave, when suddenly—

A chant descended from the heavens, ethereal and solemn, each word clear and distinct, as if it had existed since the beginning of time, only now being heard by humankind:

"Lying high in the nine heavens, I found the true Tao on my futon."

Beyond the mysteries of heaven and earth, I shall be the supreme leader.

Pangu gave birth to Taiji, from which Yin and Yang and the Four Symbols followed.

One path is passed down to three friends; two teachings, Chan and Jie, are divided.

The leader of the Xuanmen (mysterious sects) transformed from a single breath into Hongjun.

Before the chant had even finished, a beam of mysterious light descended from the sky, transforming into the figure of an old Taoist priest above the battlefield.

Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor.

He wore a simple Taoist robe, his hair was as white as snow, his face was ancient, and his eyes were as deep as an abyss. He stood there quietly in the void, without making any movement or speaking any words, yet the entire battlefield fell silent.

That aura was not the aura of a saint, but rather—the aura of the Heavenly Dao.

Indifference, impartiality, supreme authority, and inviolability.

Hongjun frowned, looking down at the fierce battle between the Wu and Yao tribes, and gently waved his sleeve.

With a wave of his hand, the wind was light and the clouds were calm, as if he had merely brushed away the dust from his clothes.

However, the entire battlefield froze completely in that instant.

The warriors of the witch clan and the army of demons, who were locked in fierce combat, were forcibly separated by an invisible force. The spells, magical treasures, axe beams, and starlight flying in mid-air all froze in place before silently dissipating.

Everyone was suppressed—not by any one person, but by the entire primordial world.

That power came from heaven and earth, from all things, from every inch of space, from every wisp of spiritual energy. It was as if the whole world was saying: Enough is enough.

Even the true form of Pangu summoned by the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation had no chance to resist. The towering giant collapsed and reverted to the original form of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, which were pressed back to the ground by that force.

The voice of Hongjun Daozu resounded throughout heaven and earth, devoid of any emotion:

"From this day forward, demons will rule the heavens, and witches will govern the earth. For three thousand years, the demon and witch races shall not wage war."

The voice was not loud, but it was like a divine law, an ironclad rule, beyond question and impossible to disobey.

Chen Qing stood at a distance, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Is this the power of Hongjun Daozu?

No.

He immediately shook his head, looking at the indifferent, supreme, and utterly heartless aura emanating from Hongjun, and he had his answer—this was not Hongjun's power, but the power of the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun merged with the Dao and acted on behalf of Heaven. The one standing here at this moment is less the Dao Ancestor Hongjun and more the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao.

On the battlefield, the witch and demon races, feeling the irresistible pressure of the Heavenly Dao, remained silent, not daring to utter a sound. No one dared to move rashly, fearing that the Dao Ancestor might turn them to ashes if he were displeased.

Di Jun and Tai Yi exchanged a glance, stepped forward, and respectfully bowed: "We humbly obey the Dao Ancestor's command!"

The Wu tribe, however, did not worship Heaven, nor did they respect Earth, nor did they worship sages. They snorted coldly, put away their battle flags, and turned to leave. Before leaving, Zhu Rong glared fiercely at Taiyi, the meaning of which was crystal clear—we'll settle accounts with you three thousand years from now.

Dijiang neither stopped them nor said anything more. He gave Hongjun Daozu a deep look, then turned and broke through space, leaving with the other Ancestral Witches.

A massive, earth-shattering battle came to an abrupt end.

After the Wu and Yao races dispersed, Dao Ancestor Hongjun looked down at the ravaged land, at the mountains of corpses, and at the rivers stained with blood, and sighed softly.

That sigh contained helplessness, sorrow, and an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

Then, he turned and stepped into the void, his figure gradually dissipating.

Just before he disappeared, Chen Qing suddenly felt that Hongjun Daozu's gaze swept over his direction.

That gaze was fleeting, so quick it seemed like an illusion.

But Chen Qingqing clearly sensed it.

He didn't know what it meant, but he felt a chill rise up his spine that lingered for a long time.