Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

Upon hearing this, Kunpeng flew into a rage, his eyes wide open, almost spitting fire, his demonic aura surging like a tide, causing the surrounding air to stagnate. His hands clenched tightly, veins bulging, and he was about to unleash his fury on the spot.

Just then, Chen Qing suddenly heard his second senior uncle, Yuanshi Tianzun, inexplicably blurt out, "That's right, what right do you, a mere creature born from moisture and an egg, have to sit here with us?"

These words shocked everyone present. Kunpeng glared angrily at Yuanshi, his teeth itching with hatred, and cursed inwardly: "You, Yuanshi, why did you have to interrupt my argument with Zhunti?"

But how could Zhunti let such a golden opportunity slip by? A glint flashed in his eyes, and taking advantage of Kunpeng's distraction, he waved his hand, and an invisible magical power surged out.

Caught off guard, Kunpeng was pushed aside by a great force and staggered several steps before regaining his balance.

When he came to his senses and looked again, Jieyin had already been pulled over by Zhunti and sat steadily on the futon that originally belonged to Kunpeng.

Jieyin's face was sallow, and he remained silent with his eyes closed, as if none of this concerned him. However, the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true feelings.

"you--"

Having suffered such a humiliating disgrace, Kunpeng was naturally unwilling to let it go. His aura was overwhelming, and his magical power surged like a raging sea, and he was about to make a move.

People around turned their heads to look, some gloating, others shaking their heads inwardly.

Just then, a Taoist priest appeared on the platform at the very front, seemingly out of nowhere.

That person had an otherworldly air about him, his aura was as deep as an abyss, and his eyes seemed to encompass all things in heaven and earth. He was none other than the Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

"No fighting is allowed in Zixiao Palace. Anyone who does it again will be expelled from the palace."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable majesty, as if the very essence of Heaven itself was speaking. The sound struck their very souls, causing everyone present to shudder.

Kunpeng's anger was forcibly suppressed by this voice, and his murderous intent had nowhere to be vented, making his face turn ashen.

He glared hatefully at Zhunti, then turned his head and stared at Hongyun with eyes as fierce as knives—if it weren't for this kind old man's meddling in giving up his seat, how could he have been squeezed out?

Hongyun shrank back when she was stared at, and moved closer to Zhen Yuanzi, feeling extremely regretful.

Kunpeng let out a heavy snort, casually found a futon in a corner and sat down, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

At this moment, Hongjun's voice rang out again, devoid of any emotion: "From now on, the seating arrangement shall be as described above, and no further disputes shall be tolerated."

After saying that, he didn't care about the reactions of the crowd and began to preach.

"In the chaos, there exists something, silent and still, the beginning of heaven and earth, the mother of all things, whose name I do not know..."

When a sage preaches, it is naturally extraordinary. Extraordinary phenomena appeared in the Purple Cloud Palace: heavenly flowers rained down, golden lotuses emerged from the ground, as if the voice of the Great Dao was chanting in the void.

Auspicious light shone in countless rays, and auspicious energy flowed in thousands of strands, enveloping the entire palace in a profound and mysterious Daoist atmosphere. The voice seemed not to come from a mouth, but rather to flow directly from the depths of heaven and earth, penetrating straight into the soul.

This lecture focused on Daoist techniques below the level of Great Luo Golden Immortal, and Chen Qing understood some of it. He gradually became immersed in it, his mind flowing with the Daoist rhythm, and unknowingly entered a meditative state. His magical power circulated slowly within his body, and his cultivation level seemed to be propelled upwards little by little by an invisible hand.

As for evolving supernatural powers? Forget it—he carries fragments of the Creation Jade Disc, and if the Dao Ancestor discovers them, the trouble will be immense. Therefore, he simply listened obediently to the Dao, daring not to make the slightest move.

Time flowed slowly, and three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. Hongjun stopped preaching, his voice abruptly ceasing, and the strange phenomena in Zixiao Palace dissipated.

The crowd snapped out of their trance, gazing longingly at Hongjun, their faces still brimming with lingering wonder. Some remained lost in the Daoist aura for quite some time before finally snapping back to reality.

Chen Qing checked his cultivation level and was immediately overjoyed. He hadn't expected that a single lecture would allow him to break through to the late stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm!

The sage's teachings were indeed extraordinary. He clenched his fist secretly, his anticipation for his future path of cultivation growing even stronger.

The others, more or less, had also gained something, their faces beaming with joy as they whispered and discussed amongst themselves. Some praised the Dao Ancestor's supernatural powers, while others discussed the Daoist techniques they had just comprehended. The entire Zixiao Palace was bustling with activity.

At this moment, Hongjun spoke, saying, "Three thousand years have passed since this sermon. A thousand years from now, the sermon will begin again."

Before anyone could react, Hongjun waved his hand—everyone felt a blur before their eyes, as if time and space had reversed.

When they opened their eyes again, everyone had appeared outside the Zixiao Palace, with chaotic void beneath their feet and majestic palaces behind them.

Everyone was shocked, marveling at the Dao Ancestor's immense power and extraordinary abilities. Some tried to turn back, only to find that Zixiao Palace had vanished into the chaos and could no longer be found.

At this moment, Ancestor Hongyun was thinking of taking advantage of the crowd to make some friends—who didn't know that the kind-hearted Hongyun from the prehistoric world loved making friends the most? He looked around, wanting to find someone to chat with.

Before he could make a move, Zhen Yuanzi grabbed him and dragged him away.

"Hey, Zhen Yuanzi, why are you pulling me? I haven't even greeted those fellow Daoists yet!" Hongyun said, looking back with a puzzled expression as she was being dragged along.

Zhen Yuanzi was utterly exasperated with his old friend Hongyun. He thought Hongyun was completely out of his mind; didn't he see the man-eating eyes of the Kunpeng? And he was still planning to go off and cause trouble? He was truly courting death!

"If you don't want to be ambushed by Kunpeng halfway, you'd better behave yourself!" Zhen Yuanzi scolded in a low voice, pulling Hongyun along and quickening his pace, disappearing into the chaos in the blink of an eye.

Kunpeng stood outside Zixiao Palace, watching the departing red clouds, his eyes surging with killing intent, but he ultimately restrained himself.

This was in front of the Dao Ancestor's gate; he dared not make a move. If he angered the one inside, he would be finished. He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing his hatred, and transformed into a streak of light, departing.

Chen Qing and the others did not linger. Everyone had gained something from listening to the teachings at Zixiao Palace and was busy returning to their secluded cultivation.

With Chen Qing by their side, the Three Pure Ones rode on auspicious clouds and flew slowly towards Kunlun Mountain.

As they were walking, a strange sensation suddenly came from below, as if something was calling to them.

"Hmm! I feel like there's something I'm destined to meet!"

Tongtian exclaimed in surprise, stopping in his tracks and drawing everyone's attention. He gazed intently into the distance, a hint of delight in his expression.

Both Lao Tzu and Yuan Shi silently sensed, closed their eyes and concentrated their minds, and explored with their primordial spirit.

After a moment, Lao Tzu nodded, stroked his beard, and said, "Indeed, I also sense that there is something I am destined to meet."

Yuanshi nodded, indicating that he had sensed it as well, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

The three exchanged a glance, all seeing unwavering determination in each other's eyes. Then, carrying Chen Qing, they turned around and flew at top speed towards the source of the sensation.

From a distance, you can see a group of people standing there, a dark mass, at least a dozen of them.

Laozi and the others felt a chill run down their spines: Had the item already been taken by someone else?

They breathed a sigh of relief once they got closer.

In the distance, a gourd vine stood, its tendrils vigorous and its entire body a deep yellow-brown, bearing seven gourds of varying colors—purple-gold, green, red, white, black, yellow, and one that was half green and half yellow. Each gourd exuded a rich, primordial energy, shimmering with a radiant glow and shimmering with precious light; it was clearly no ordinary object.

Looking at the gourds before him, Chen Qing understood immediately—this was the gourd vine, one of the legendary ten innate spiritual roots. Only such an innate spiritual root could produce so many innate spiritual treasures.

There were quite a few people here at this time. Chen Qing recognized the leaders: Donghuang Taiyi with the Chaos Bell on his head, the Demon Emperor Jun, the siblings Fuxi and Nuwa, Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun, as well as the gloomy-faced Kunpeng, and several other rogue cultivators whose names he did not know.

When the crowd saw the Three Pure Ones arrive, their eyes flickered, each with their own thoughts.

The Three Pure Ones are now considered to be among the most powerful cultivators in the primordial world.

All three had reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, just one step away from becoming a Primordial Golden Immortal—what would later be called a Quasi-Saint.

With such strength, one could roam freely throughout the entire prehistoric world.

Now that these three have joined the fray, many unexpected changes are likely to occur.

"Fellow Daoists Sanqing, have you also come for the gourd?"

Seeing the Three Pure Ones approaching, Zhen Yuanzi stepped forward, cupped his hands, and inquired. He was gentle by nature and kind to others, and he didn't care about the gourd; he was just accompanying his friend Hongyun to take a look.

These people standing at the pinnacle of the primordial world naturally knew each other. The names of the Three Pure Ones were known to everyone present.

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi's politeness, the Three Pure Ones couldn't keep a straight face, so they all smiled and nodded.

Lao Tzu said, "That's right. We were just about to return to Kunlun Mountain when we were brought here by chance."

These words were spoken in a neutral tone, but the meaning was clear—we were brought here by chance, not on purpose to compete with you.

On the other side, Taiyi's expression was not good. With his cultivation level and the innate treasure, the Chaos Bell, he hadn't even considered anyone present a threat. He was confident that he could snatch at least one or two gourds if he made a move. Just when it seemed like he was about to reap the rewards, these uninvited guests, the Three Pure Ones, suddenly arrived.

He wasn't confident of victory against the Three Pure Ones.

Legend has it that the Three Pure Ones were transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu, with Laozi, the Supreme Pure One, possessing the most precious treasure of acquired merit—the Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth, which, when placed on one's head, grants innate invincibility. The Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Tongtian Sect Master also possess unfathomable and profound abilities.

Although Taiyi was arrogant, he did not believe that he could take on three people at once. He suppressed his displeasure and watched coldly from the sidelines.

As for the others, such as Nuwa and Kunpeng, they were all delighted. With the arrival of the Three Pure Ones, Taiyi's advantage would no longer exist. At that time, it would all depend on their own abilities, whether they were destined to be together or not—they would seize it first and worry about the consequences later!

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi saw Chen Qing following behind Laozi, his gaze lingering on him for a moment before he asked, "May I ask who this fellow Daoist is?"

Before the Three Pure Ones could speak, Chen Qing stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands, and said, "Chen Qing, disciple of the Taiqing, greets Senior Zhen Yuanzi!"

Zhen Yuanzi glanced at Chen Qing in surprise. Taiqing has taken on a disciple? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing.

He sized Chen Qing up and down, noticing the young man's striking features, extraordinary bearing, and the subtle flow of Taiqing Daoist energy around him. He nodded inwardly. Then he smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, what good fortune and luck you have!"

Chen Qing quickly offered a few words of modesty.

Just then, another change occurred. The gourd vine, which had been completely still, suddenly shone brightly, and a rich innate energy shot straight into the sky, with countless rays of light and auspicious colors, enveloping the entire world in this precious light.

"It's almost ripe!" someone shouted.

As soon as he finished speaking, several gourds detached from their vines at the same time, floating in mid-air, spinning around and each displaying its own unique brilliance.

A glint of light flashed in Laozi's eyes, and he was the first to act. With a wave of his hand, the purple-gold gourd landed steadily in his grasp. This was the very purple-gold gourd that would later be used to hold elixirs, capable of containing all things in heaven and earth, with endless wondrous uses.

Yuanshi snorted coldly, not wanting to be outdone, and stepped forward, putting the second cyan gourd into his sleeve. What Yuanshi used to store in this gourd afterward remains unknown.

Tongtian was even more direct. He leaped forward, grabbed the third two-colored gourd, turned back, and smiled broadly. This gourd contained a pair of water and fire qilin, which were also extremely powerful.

Seeing that the Three Pure Ones had already taken three, how could the others hold back any longer? They all rushed forward.

Fuxi, true to his reputation as a fiercely protective brother, rushed to shield Nuwa. Together, the siblings managed to snatch a black gourd. Nuwa held the gourd in her hands, her face beaming with joy. Later, after Nuwa attained sainthood, she refined this gourd into a demon-summoning banner and gifted it to Dijun Taiyi, who used it to govern all the demons in the world.

With Zhen Yuanzi's help, Hongyun also obtained a red gourd. A happy smile appeared on his face as he hugged the gourd and stepped aside, admiring it dearly.

This is precisely the magical treasure that Hongyun would later use—the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Red Gourd, which emits a sky full of red light when used to scatter people's souls.

The Kunpeng moved with lightning speed, transforming into a blur as it rushed forward, about to grab a white gourd.

"clang--"

A bell rang out, its sound causing a sharp pain in the eardrums of everyone present. Taiyi held the Chaos Bell in one hand and gently shook it, releasing an invisible sound wave. Kunpeng felt his entire body stiffen, as if frozen in place, unable to move.

In the blink of an eye, Taiyi had already taken the white gourd first.

Later, Taiyi refined this gourd into the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife, which shone brightly in the Investiture of the Gods, killing many cultivators and earning a fearsome reputation.

Kunpeng broke free from the immobilization, his face as black as the bottom of a pot. He glared hatefully at Taiyi, then looked at the gourd vine, where only a small, unripe-looking gourd remained, hanging listlessly on the vine, the worst-looking one.

Kunpeng angrily grabbed the gourd, then glared fiercely at Taiyi, glanced at everyone present, snorted coldly, and turned into a streak of light to leave. He would remember this humiliation.

At this point, all seven gourds on the gourd vine had been divided up.

The remaining gourd vine withered quickly after the gourd was detached, losing all its luster and turning dry and yellow, as if it would break at the slightest touch.

Everyone had received their treasures and was quite satisfied; they were just about to leave.

Chen Qing's eyes darted around, and under everyone's gaze, he suddenly darted forward.

He wasn't ashamed at all. He squatted down, carefully uprooted the entire gourd vine, patted off the dirt, and happily tucked it into his sleeve.

This action stunned everyone present—this thing is withered, what use is it?

Sanqing saw this and felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. Alas, he was such a despicable master (or uncle-master), his disciple was so poor that he wouldn't even let a withered vine go, and he didn't have any valuable treasures to offer!

Chen Qing, however, didn't care about all that. He had his own calculations: this gourd vine was so extraordinary, capable of bearing innate gourds. If he could revive it in the future, wouldn't he have a continuous stream of innate spiritual treasures? Even if he couldn't, it would still be a powerful spiritual treasure. No matter how you looked at it, this deal was a win-win!

"Huh!"

As Chen Qing was about to turn back, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a faint light in the hole left after the gourd vine had been dug out.

He immediately stopped, squatted back down, and used his hands to dig away the mud.

Seeing this, the others' faces twitched – you've dug up the gourd vine, what good stuff could possibly be underneath? Some people had already shaken their heads and left, thinking the boy was too greedy.

Laozi paused for a moment, feeling somewhat embarrassed, then coughed twice and said, "Ahem, disciple, come back. We're going back to Kunlun Mountain."

Without turning his head, Chen Qing continued working, replying, "Master, wait a minute! There's treasure here!"

Seeing that Chen Qing's expression didn't seem fake, and that his tone carried a hint of surprise and excitement, Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian exchanged glances and curiously stepped forward, wanting to see what else they had overlooked.

Chen Qing was overjoyed. After the soil below was cleared away, a small, square cauldron gradually revealed itself from deep within the earth.

The small cauldron was no bigger than the palm of my hand, its entire body a bluish-gray, with ancient patterns engraved on its surface, and faint wisps of mysterious yellow energy emanating from it. A mysterious and unfathomable aura emanated from it, as if it contained the secrets of heaven and earth.

Chen Qing took a deep breath and carefully reached out to lift the small cauldron out of the soil.

The cauldron felt cool to the touch and was heavy, unlike any ordinary object.

The three Pure Ones' gazes simultaneously fell upon the small cauldron, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Lao Tzu observed intently for a moment, then his expression suddenly changed slightly, and he whispered, "This... could it be...?"