Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

Within a short period of time, Nuwa, the Three Pure Ones, Jieyin and Zhunti became saints one after another, and the prehistoric world order changed dramatically.

Those powerful beings who resided in famous mountains and great rivers all turned their gazes to Mount Kunlun in the east and Mount Sumeru in the west, each with their own thoughts and complex expressions. Everyone could sense that the heavens were about to change.

heaven.

Donghuang Taiyi and Dijun sat side by side at the head of the table. The hall was empty, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was suffocating.

Taiyi's face was so gloomy it could drip water, and his fingers kept tapping on the armrest, making a monotonous "tap-tap" sound.

After a long silence, he couldn't help but speak, his voice tinged with anxiety: "Brother, the Three Pure Ones have become saints, and the two in the West have also become saints. Our demon race has long had a feud with that Taoist Chen Qing. What if the Three Pure Ones take this opportunity to cause trouble..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was crystal clear.

Di Jun remained calm, picked up the jade cup on the table, took a slow sip, and then said unhurriedly, "Although the Three Pure Ones have become saints, they will not easily take action against my demon race. Saints are detached from worldly affairs and believe in cause and effect and destiny. Without a legitimate reason, they will not rashly interfere in the affairs of the primordial world."

Taiyi frowned: "But what about Chen Qing..."

"It is true that Chen Qing is a disciple of the Three Pure Ones, but his conflict with my demon race is ultimately just a personal grudge. If the Three Pure Ones wanted to stand up for their disciple, they would have done so long ago. Why wait until now?" Di Jun put down his jade cup, his gaze profound. "Besides, my demon race is not without sages."

Taiyi was taken aback: "Big brother, you mean... Goddess Nuwa?"

Di Jun nodded: "Although Nuwa is the Holy Mother of the human race, she is also the Queen of the demon race. After she became a saint, although she did not publicly express her support for the demon race, she did not sever ties with them either. With her around, the Three Pure Ones will have some reservations."

Taiyi pondered for a moment, his expression softening slightly, but he was still uneasy: "What should we do if we encounter any disciples of the Three Pure Ones in the future?"

"Restraint," Di Jun said in a deep voice, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Avoid it if you can, yield if you can. It's not too late to worry about these things when our demon race's fortunes are prosperous and our strength has greatly increased."

Taiyi clenched his fists, but ultimately said nothing more.

The East Sea, the ancestral home of humankind.

After Lao Tzu attained sainthood, he did not linger in the East Sea. He took Chen Qing with him, rose on the clouds, and flew towards Kunlun Mountain.

On Mount Kunlun, in the Sanqing Hall, all the disciples gathered.

Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian sat atop the hall, their combined aura of sainthood intertwined. Though they had deliberately restrained themselves, the disciples in the hall still felt a profound sense of awe.

Chen Qing stepped forward first and respectfully bowed: "Congratulations to Master, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle on attaining the Primordial Chaos Realm and becoming Saints!"

Behind him, disciples including Xuandu, Duobao, Guangchengzi, Antarctic Immortal, Jinling, and Wudang all bowed down, their voices unified and resounding: "Congratulations, Master (Senior Uncle) on attaining sainthood!"

Lao Tzu nodded slightly, a smile on his face.

Yuan Shi, who was usually stern and rarely smiled, showed a rare hint of satisfaction.

Tongtian laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Get up, get up. We're all family, why make such a big fuss?"

The disciples rose and lined up on both sides.

Lao Tzu looked around at everyone and slowly said, "The fact that the three of us have attained sainthood is a joyous occasion, but it also brings a new problem."

He paused, then continued, "Although Kunlun Mountain is rich in spiritual energy and has a strong earth vein, it is no longer able to bear the great destiny of our three sages. Therefore, after discussing with my two junior brothers, we have decided to each find another place in the primordial world to establish our own sect and spread the Great Dao."

These words caused an uproar below.

The disciples exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with confusion and astonishment. In their hearts, the Three Pure Ones were one, and Mount Kunlun was their common root. Now that the three sages were to separate, wasn't this... a division of the family?

Chen Qing was also shocked.

Are the Three Pure Ones about to split up?

In his memory, later legends say that the Three Pure Ones separated because they were incompatible and had many conflicts, ultimately leading to their parting ways. But the scene before him was not due to the fact that Mount Kunlun was insufficient to bear the fortune of the three sages, but rather because the brothers had fallen out.

Chen Qing felt somewhat relieved and secretly rejoiced: perhaps because of his presence, the relationship between the Three Pure Ones was much more harmonious than in the original historical account. The separation was merely due to circumstances, not a breakdown in their relationship. That was good.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Master, my two senior uncles, have you found a suitable place for your Daoist practice? I discovered three immortal islands—Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou—in the East Sea years ago, and I have already occupied them. If you and my senior uncles do not have a suitable place yet, you may establish a Daoist practice on one of these three immortal islands."

Laozi shook his head and laughed, "The three islands of Penglai are your destiny, how can we forcibly seize them? Besides, the Human Sect doesn't have many disciples now, only you and Xuandu, so there's no need for a large temple. I've already found a quiet place on Shouyang Mountain, enough to settle down and establish the sect."

Yuanshi continued, "Mount Kunlun was formed from the spine of our father god Pangu. We, the Three Pure Ones, have cultivated here for countless years and have developed a deep affection for it. Someone must stay and guard this foundation. So I will stay on Mount Kunlun and not leave."

Tongtian said with a grin, "Little Qing'er, we're going to be neighbors. I found a fairy island in the East Sea called Jin'ao Island, which isn't far from your Penglai. You can come visit often when you have time."

Chen Qing sighed inwardly: Sure enough, the Daoist temples of the Three Pure Ones are exactly the same as in the legends—Laozi resides on Shouyang Mountain, Yuanshi remains on Kunlun Mountain, and Tongtian goes to Jin'ao Island. Everything is proceeding according to the established trajectory, but the relationship between the Three Pure Ones is much better than in the legends.

Afterwards, the disciples each followed their own masters and left Kunlun Mountain.

Yuanshi stood atop Mount Kunlun, watching Laozi and Tongtian's departing figures, remaining motionless for a long time.

Guang Chengzi cautiously approached: "Master, what about Grand Master Uncle and Third Uncle...?"

"Let them go," Yuanshi said calmly, then turned and walked into the main hall.

His back view looked somewhat lonely.

The news spread throughout the primordial world, and the various supernatural beings reacted in different ways.

Some people gloated because the Three Pure Ones were at odds; some felt it was a pity, lamenting that the unity of the Three Pure Ones was ultimately just a pipe dream; others secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if the Three Pure Ones were a united front, who in this primordial world could withstand them? Now that they are separated, they are easier to deal with.

Shouyang Mountain, located in the eastern part of the ancient land, is majestic and full of spiritual energy. Although it is not as grand and magnificent as Kunlun Mountain, it has its own unique tranquility and elegance.

Lao Tzu established a Taoist temple here, naming it "Bajing Palace". The palace is small, simple and plain, just like Lao Tzu's temperament.

Chen Qing and Xuan Du helped their master arrange everything and then settled down.

On this day, Chen Qing bid farewell to Laozi, preparing to travel.

Lao Tzu didn't ask any further questions, but simply gave a brief instruction: "Go early and come back early."

Chen Qing responded and turned to go down the mountain.

Xuandu saw him off at the mountain gate, hesitating to speak. Chen Qing patted him on the shoulder: "Cultivate diligently, don't embarrass your master."

Xuan Du nodded heavily.

The primordial land was still the same primordial land. The mountains were still the same mountains, the rivers were still the same rivers, but Chen Qing always felt that something was different.

It's about luck.

After being blessed by the human race's fortune in the Temple of the Holy Master, his perception of fortune became exceptionally acute. Now, walking on this land, he could clearly feel that the fortune of the Lich and Demon races was flowing away at an abnormal rate.

The situation is particularly severe among the demon race.

Of course, the Wu tribe wasn't much better off.

Although the Wu tribe does not cultivate their primordial spirit or accumulate merit, their innate racial fortune is gradually dissipating. It's just that the demon race, having slaughtered humans, carries heavy karma, causing their fortune to dissipate even faster.

Chen Qing secretly calculated: at this rate, in a few thousand years, the fortunes of the Wu and Yao races will plummet to rock bottom. At that time, let alone dominating the prehistoric world, even preserving their foundation will be a problem.

As he was thinking, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

A person was standing on the mountain path ahead.

No, it's not a person. It's a witch.

A woman with a gentle face, yet her eyes held a resolute and weathered look that seemed incongruous with her appearance. She stood there quietly, as if she had been waiting for a long time.

Chen Qing's pupils contracted slightly; he recognized the person.

The ancestral witch of the Wu tribe, Houtu.

The only female among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, she wields the law of the central earth and is a legendary being who is compassionate and cares for all living beings.

"Houtu of the Wu Clan greets Fellow Daoist Chen Qing." Houtu nodded slightly.

Suppressing his shock, Chen Qing returned the greeting with clasped hands: "Chen Qing greets the Ancestral Witch Houtu. May I ask what brings the Ancestral Witch here?"

Houtu's gaze lingered on Chen Qing's face for a moment, as if confirming something, before she slowly spoke: "My Wu Clan has recently suffered a severe loss of fortune. I have come out here to find a solution."

Chen Qing's heart stirred.

As expected, fortune has run out.

But he remained expressionless, simply saying, "The Ancestral Witches sought a solution, yet they stopped Chen Qing. What is the meaning of this?"