Within the Chaos Pearl lay a world of its own, isolated from inside and out. Yet when the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity came to an end, the tragic grand vows that shook the Primordial Source Laws of the entire Primordial Wilderness, along with the Heavenly Lament, were like boulders cast into still water, stirring ripples through the space within the pearl.
Li Cha slowly opened his eyes, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through them. Though he had not been there in person, through his connection to the Primordial World and the vague information relayed by the Spiritual Tea Trees scattered outside, he already knew everything that had happened. Ancestral Dragon Seals Sea Eye, Primordial Phoenix Seals Volcano, Beginning Qilin Transforms into Auspicious Sign... The three sovereigns who had once dominated an era had ultimately met such a bleak end. It was hard not to sigh at the sight.
"The rise and fall of all things, the cycle of karma—nothing goes beyond this." Li Cha sighed softly. The fate of the three clans was indeed tragic, but at its root, it had also been caused by their own ambitions and accumulated murderous intent. Beneath a Tribulation of Calamity, no one could truly transcend.
After his moment of reflection, his mind immediately tensed. The Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation had passed, which meant the curtain on the next Tribulation of Calamity—the Dao-Devil War—was about to rise! Those great powers who had lain dormant during the Dragon-Han era, or who had emerged in response to fate, would soon take the stage of the Primordial Wilderness one after another.
His Spiritual Sense stretched outward like invisible feelers, using the power of the Chaos Pearl to cautiously probe the outside world, especially the demonically charged depths beneath Mount Sumeru. Sure enough, in an extremely hidden corner beneath Mount Sumeru, he clearly sensed a space cleverly concealed by the laws of the Heavenly Dao. This space was hidden so deeply that even Demon Ancestor Luohu had failed to notice it, yet it could not escape Li Cha, who had dealt with the Heavenly Dao more than anyone—and had even skimmed benefits from it.
His Spiritual Sense silently seeped through that Heavenly Barrier, and Li Cha "saw" the scene within: two thin, sorrowful-looking Daoists sat facing one another, their bodies radiating pure Western Metal Dao Rhythm. Their auras had already reached the Early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, yet they desperately suppressed themselves, not daring to leak even the slightest trace, much less trigger the Transformation Heavenly Tribulation. The reason was simple: this Western Land was now Demon Ancestor Luohu's domain! If they dared to transform and enter the world, the immense fluctuations of spiritual energy would instantly draw Luohu's attention. Their fate was easy to imagine.
"Jieyin, Zhunti..." Understanding dawned on Li Cha. So it was indeed the two future leaders of the Western Teachings. At this moment, they were like frightened rabbits, hiding beneath their own lair and trembling as they secretly accumulated strength.
Seeing them immediately made Li Cha think of the Three Pure Ones, formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, as well as the Twelve Ancestral Witches, formed from his essence blood. They had likely already fully matured, perhaps even transformed, yet had likewise chosen to remain hidden and await their chance. These future protagonists destined to stir the winds and clouds of the Primordial Wilderness had all tacitly chosen to lie low, quietly developing in corners unnoticed by anyone.
As for himself, though he possessed opportunities and supreme treasures, his Early Da Luo cultivation was indeed somewhat lacking before these future saints and top-tier great powers. Especially in the coming Dao-Demon Karmic Tribulation, without sufficient strength, forget fishing in troubled waters—he might not even be able to protect himself.
"Perfect. My deep understanding of the Five Elements laws from refining the Five Elements Furnace, along with the tempering of my state of mind through a thousand years of artifact refinement, has allowed me to touch upon an opportunity for breakthrough." Li Cha's gaze hardened. "The most urgent matter is to increase my strength!"
He glanced at Mo Ran beside him, who was still digesting his previous gains. His aura had already reached the limit of the Golden Immortal realm, yet he had been unable to break through to Da Luo. Li Cha spoke reassuringly, "Mo Ran, the path of cultivation requires balance. Do not force it. Your foundation is already secure; your breakthrough will come naturally. Enter seclusion with me, calm your mind, and contemplate. You will gain something from it."
"Yes, Master." Mo Ran answered respectfully, suppressing the impatience in his heart.
Li Cha hesitated no longer. He fully activated the Chaos Pearl, raising its concealment and defensive abilities to their utmost limit. Then, he and Mo Ran began another round of secluded cultivation within the pearl's world, where Chaos Qi filled the air, their goal pointed directly at Mid Da Luo!
Just as Li Cha sought a breakthrough within the Chaos Pearl, far beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, an ancient and majestic palace shrouded in violet qi—Purple Sky Palace—silently floated amid the Chaos Qi.
Upon a cloud bed within the palace, an ancient-looking Old Daoist with an unfathomable aura slowly opened his eyes. He was Hongjun. Before him floated a Fragment of the Jade Disc of Creation far larger than the one in Li Cha's possession, streams of Primordial Violet Qi descending from it to aid his deductions of heavenly secrets.
Among the Three Thousand Primordial Chaos Demon Gods, Hongjun's origins were not particularly outstanding, ranking beyond the thousandth place. Yet he was meticulous, skilled at forbearance and calculation, and with the largest Fragment of the Jade Disc of Creation, he had received the guidance of the Heavenly Dao and understood the key to his path toward sainthood—eliminate Demon Ancestor Luohu and complete the Heavenly Dao!
He knew full well how terrifying Luohu was. He had been a fearsome Demon God ranked among the top ten in Chaos, wielding slaughter and destruction. Now, with the Western Land as his foundation, he was refining the Four Swords of Zhu Xian. His strength had reached Peak Quasi-Saint, and his ferocious might soared to the heavens. By himself alone, Hongjun had no chance of victory.
"The Zhu Xian Sword Formation cannot be broken without four saints..." Hongjun formed seals with his fingers, wisdom and calculation glinting in his eyes. "It seems I must find a few 'fellow Daoists' to join this grand undertaking." His divine awareness quietly swept across the Primordial Wilderness, searching for innate great powers with potential and strength, those who might have karmic ties with Luohu or be willing to act for the Heavenly Dao. Qiankun Ancestor, Yin-Yang Ancestor, Great Immortal Yang Mei... One name after another flashed through his mind.
Unlike Hongjun, who single-mindedly followed the Heavenly Dao and plotted for helpers, Luohu, deep within the Mount Sumeru Demonic Palace, was contemplating an even crazier, even more heaven-defying plan!
"Heavenly Dao? Hmph, it is merely a puppet born from self-generated laws after Pangu's death!" Luohu sat high upon the Bone Throne, Demonic Energy surging around him as the illusory shadows of four vicious swords radiating exterminating intent rose and fell behind him. As an ancient Demon God who had once fought Pangu and witnessed the true might of Chaos, he had never truly regarded this newborn Heavenly Dao as anything worthy of notice.
His goal was to refine every living being in the entire Primordial World! Using the blood essence, souls, and resentment of countless living beings as fuel, and the Zhu Xian Sword Formation as a furnace, he would reverse Qiankun and forcibly seize the origin of the Primordial World, thereby condensing a World-Destroying Millstone of his own, one capable of rivaling or even surpassing the Pangu of old! He would attain the supreme Primordial Great Dao!
The corpses and Wraiths of the countless beings from the Dragon-Han three clans had already greatly increased the power of his Four Swords of Zhu Xian, while his own cultivation had stabilized at Peak Quasi-Saint. This only further proved the "correctness" of his path. In his eyes, the likes of Hongjun were nothing more than dry bones in graves, sooner or later destined to become stepping stones on his path to the Great Dao.
The undercurrents of the Primordial Wilderness began to surge at an unprecedented speed.
Within the Chaos Pearl, time flowed like water, and five hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the silent Chaos space suddenly shook! Li Cha's aura surged explosively like an erupting volcano. The stable barrier of Early Da Luo was repeatedly battered by vast mana and deeper Five Elements Dao Rhythm! Azure, yellow, crimson, blue, and white Five-Colored Divine Light intertwined and revolved behind him, evolving the mysteries of mutual generation and restraint. The Twelve-Petal Human Flower appeared, carrying his surrounding Dao Rhythm as it merged into the Earth Flower bud beside it, making its aura even vaster and more profound.
Suddenly, the Chaos Pearl filled with floral fragrance, golden lotuses sprang from the earth, and the petals of the Earth Flower opened one after another. Mountains, rivers, exotic flowers, and strange grasses were reflected upon them... At last, the Earth Flower bloomed into twelve petals, and Li Cha's cultivation broke through to Mid Da Luo.
At the same time, Mo Ran beside him was drawn by the aura of this breakthrough. His inky Qilin Armor shone brilliantly, and he released a deep roar he had suppressed for far too long! His aura fluctuated violently. Though he failed to break through the Da Luo threshold in one stroke, he still took a firm half-step forward, reaching a mysterious realm far beyond the limit of Golden Immortal yet slightly inferior to true Da Luo—Half-Step Da Luo! His strength also soared.
Li Cha felt the vast mana surging through his body, far exceeding what it had once been, as well as his even more effortless control over the Five Elements laws. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. This breakthrough was of great significance.
Not long after his breakthrough, through the Spiritual Tea Trees scattered around Mount Sumeru, he sharply sensed that the suffocating and terrifying demonic might that had long enveloped the Western Land was rapidly moving away from Mount Sumeru, heading east!
"Luohu has left!" A sharp gleam flashed in Li Cha's eyes. "Is it to set up the Zhu Xian Sword Formation? Or... No matter what, this is the perfect opportunity to escape this land of trouble!"
If he did not leave now, when would he?
"Mo Ran, conceal your aura. It is time for us to leave," Li Cha said in a deep voice.
Mo Ran gave a low roar and swiftly concealed his Half-Step Da Luo aura.
Li Cha took a deep breath and fully activated the Chaos Pearl. At the same time, he used the Spirit Vine Boundless technique, locking onto a Spiritual Tea Tree far from the core region of Mount Sumeru. The next moment, the speck of dust formed by the Chaos Pearl slipped silently through layer after layer of spatial obstruction like a fish entering the sea, fleeing at high speed beyond the Western Land!
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