Primordial Era Emerges, Talismans Probe Boundaries

Kongming's claws, carrying a sharpness that tore through chaos, were less than three feet from Xuan Fu's talisman array. The pitch-black power of space had condensed into substance, the air around the claws squeezed into piercing explosions. Xuan Fu could feel the Rigid-Soft power on his talisman array violently fluctuating, on the verge of collapse at any moment.

At this critical moment, the Chaos Crystal suddenly erupted with ten thousand rays of golden light.

The mysterious aura hidden within the crystal burst forth instantly, no longer the ice-cold indifference from before, but carrying a vast, boundless pressure, like the descent of the Heavenly Dao, instantly enveloping the entire plain. Where the golden light passed, the power of space on Kongming's claws melted like snow before fire, dissolving by more than half. The claws' speed abruptly slowed, and even the scales covered in space runes began to crack.

"Th-this... what power is this?!" Kongming Demon God let out a furious, panicked roar, fear appearing in his eyes for the first time. He could feel that this power far exceeded his understanding, even more terrifying than the owner of that ice-cold gaze from before, as if it were a direct manifestation of the Chaos Origin.

Xuan Fu was also shaken by this sudden pressure, his qi and blood (talisman runes) churning, the Rigid-Soft Talisman Array on his body trembling violently, yet under the golden light's envelopment, it unexpectedly became more stable. He keenly sensed that the rhythm of the Great Dao contained in the golden light was of the same lineage as Pangu's Sky-Opening Trajectory, yet purer and more profound, as if it were the Origin Core of the Sky-Opening Great Dao.

The Sky-Opening Trajectory on the Chaos Crystal's surface, illuminated by the golden light, seemed to come alive. Strands of cyan-gold patterns peeled away from the crystal, like little snakes, flying toward Xuan Fu's talisman body. His heart stirred, and he did not resist, instead opening his talisman core, allowing these patterns to merge into himself.

With each pattern that merged, Xuan Fu's understanding of the Rigid-Soft Dao deepened by one degree. The Rigid-Soft Talisman Power, which had been slightly rough before, now became increasingly smooth and effortless, like parched earth receiving sweet rain. The fierce Sky-Opening power, the gentle power of space, and the warm power of life intertwined perfectly. The light on the talisman's surface grew even more brilliant, its volume expanding again to the size of a middle finger, and the pressure it emitted faintly surpassed that of an ordinary low-level demon god.

"No! That is this Venerable One's fortune!" Kongming Demon God watched this scene, his eyes filled with greed and unwillingness. Though he knew this mysterious power was terrifying, he still could not bear to give up the great fortune before him. He abruptly urged his entire Origin, ignoring the damage to his claws, and lunged at Xuan Fu again, targeting those peeling Sky-Opening Trajectories.

Xuan Fu was already prepared. The Rigid-Soft Talisman Power erupted instantly. With a flash of cyan-gold light, a talisman blade, blending rigidity and softness, condensed into form. It carried both the fierceness of Sky-Opening and the cunning of space, slashing straight at Kongming's claws.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal clashing rang across the plain as the talisman blade collided with the claws. Kongming felt an overwhelmingly fierce force travel through his claws, shaking his Origin into disorder, while simultaneously a gentle force spread along his arm, attempting to dissolve his Origin Power. He was horrified to find that his power of space could not fully block this talisman blade, and the cracks on his claws grew more numerous.

"Ant! How dare you wound this Venerable One!" Kongming roared in fury, spitting out a mouthful of black Origin Blood. The blood transformed into a pitch-black Space River, sweeping toward Xuan Fu. This was his innate divine ability, containing pure Space Origin, its power far surpassing the earlier Space Blades.

Xuan Fu did not dare to be careless. He immediately drew on the Chaos Crystal's golden light, pushing the Rigid-Soft Talisman Array to its limit. The cyan-gold talisman array resonated with the golden light, forming a solid barrier. The Space River crashed against the barrier with a thunderous boom. The barrier trembled violently but did not shatter.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, the Chaos Crystal's golden light suddenly surged again. A blurry phantom slowly emerged from within the crystal.

This phantom's face could not be seen, only a towering silhouette, surrounded by the trajectory of the Sky-Opening Great Dao. The pressure it emitted made the entire chaos tremble. When Kongming Demon God saw this phantom, he was terrified out of his wits. How could he still dare to fight? He turned to flee.

"Want to leave?"

A majestic voice sounded, not from the phantom, but directly within the spiritual senses of both. As the voice fell, the phantom lightly pointed, and a beam of golden light shot toward Kongming. Kongming felt the space around him instantly locked. No matter how he urged his power of space, he could not move an inch, forced to watch helplessly as the golden light drew closer and closer.

Xuan Fu's heart tightened. This phantom's strength had exceeded his imagination, likely approaching or even reaching the level of Pangu. He did not take the opportunity to attack Kongming but instead restrained his aura again, merging himself into the golden light as if merging into the Great Dao, avoiding the phantom's attention.

The golden light landed on Kongming. It did not erupt with world-destroying power but instantly stripped away part of the Space Origin within his body. Kongming let out a miserable wail, his aura instantly wilting. The power of space around him became chaotic and disordered, clearly severely wounded. The phantom seemed not intent on extermination. The binding force loosened, and Kongming, like a startled bird, turned into a streak of pitch-black light, fleeing into the depths of chaos without looking back.

Having dealt with Kongming, the phantom's gaze (an indistinct pressure) fell on Xuan Fu. Xuan Fu's talisman body involuntarily tensed, his spiritual sense highly focused, ready for anything. He could feel that the phantom bore him no ill will, but rather a hint of scrutiny and curiosity.

The phantom did not speak. It simply pointed lightly again, and another beam of golden light shot toward Xuan Fu. This golden light was completely different from the one that had stripped Kongming's Origin. It was gentle and pure, containing rich insights into the Sky-Opening Great Dao. Xuan Fu rejoiced in his heart, immediately opening his talisman core, absorbing the insights within the golden light with all his might.

The mysteries of the Sky-Opening Great Dao poured into his spiritual sense like a bursting dam. His previous understanding of "Rigid" and "Soft" now seemed like looking at the sky through a tube. The true Rigid-Soft Dao was not a simple superposition of power, but two extreme manifestations of the Great Dao. Rigidity could split heaven and earth; softness could embrace all things. Rigid and soft in harmony could evolve all laws.

The talisman patterns spun wildly, imprinting and digesting these insights one by one. Xuan Fu could feel his talisman system undergoing a qualitative leap. The Rigid-Soft Talisman Power became increasingly harmonious, even able to preliminarily simulate the Sky-Opening Trajectory, condensing more powerful talismans and arrays.

After an unknown amount of time, the insights within the golden light were fully absorbed. The phantom gradually became transparent, eventually turning into a streak of light, re-merging into the Chaos Crystal. The crystal's light also dimmed, returning to its previous state, though the Sky-Opening Trajectory on its surface had become clearer and deeper.

Xuan Fu slowly opened his eyes (his spiritual sense calmed), his heart filled with shock and gratitude. This fortune was richer than all his previous gains combined. Not only had it completely stabilized the foundation of his Rigid-Soft Talisman Dao, but it had also elevated his strength by several levels. His spiritual sense coverage expanded to ten thousand miles, and the toughness and power of his talisman body far surpassed that of an ordinary low-level demon god.

He bowed deeply to the Chaos Crystal, a gesture of thanks to the phantom. Though he did not know the phantom's identity, it had not only helped him repel Kongming but had also bestowed upon him such precious insights into the Great Dao. This debt of gratitude, he remembered.

On the plain now, aside from the Chaos Crystal and scattered Origin Fragments, there was no other activity. Xuan Fu did not linger. He immediately began collecting those Origin Fragments. These fragments contained Origins of different attributes. Though not as precious as the Sky-Opening Trajectory, they could still be used to perfect his talisman system.

After collecting the fragments, Xuan Fu looked at the Chaos Crystal again. He could feel that within the crystal, traces of the phantom's aura and the Origin of the Sky-Opening Great Dao remained. If he could cultivate here long-term, he would surely gain even greater improvements. But he also knew that this place was no longer safe. Though Kongming had fled, there was no guarantee he would not return, or attract other, stronger demon gods.

More importantly, the outline of the Wild Continent was becoming increasingly clear. The separation of Pure and Turbid Energies was accelerating. The distant mountain ranges grew more distinct, and the spiritual energy between heaven and earth began to thicken. He knew that the era of the Wild Continent was about to officially begin, and the prologue of the Three Clans Hegemony was about to unfold. He had to head to the Wild Continent as soon as possible, find a safe foothold, and prepare for the coming tribulation.

Without any hesitation, Xuan Fu urged the Rigid-Soft Talisman Power, transforming into a cyan-gold streak of light, flying toward the direction of the Wild Continent. With the Rigid-Soft Talisman Power's enhancement, his escape speed was several times faster than before, like a meteor streaking across the chaos, heading toward that newborn world.

During the flight, Xuan Fu's spiritual sense continuously expanded, probing the surrounding environment. The demon gods in the chaos were growing fewer, most having already fled into the Wild Continent or perished in the earlier Sky-Opening tribulations and mutual slaughter. Occasionally, he encountered a few surviving demon gods, all with withered auras. Seeing the pressure radiating from Xuan Fu, they hurriedly avoided him.

Xuan Fu did not provoke them, focusing solely on flying toward the Wild Continent. He could feel that as the distance closed, the rules of heaven and earth became clearer. Clear qi rose to form the sky; turbid qi sank to form the earth. The outlines of mountains and rivers were taking shape. Innate Spiritual Qi flowed between heaven and earth, nurturing countless Innate Beings.

Finally, after flying for about a chaos hour, Xuan Fu set foot on the soil of the Wild Continent.

Beneath his feet was solid earth, rich in earthy Origin, purer and gentler than the Origin in chaos. Surrounding him were continuous mountain ranges, covered in unknown innate plants, emitting faint spiritual energy. The sky was azure, dotted with white clouds, a stark contrast to the darkness of chaos.

"So this is the Wild Continent..." Xuan Fu's spiritual sense rippled with a hint of emotion.

Unlike the violent, deathly stillness of chaos, the Wild Continent was full of life and vitality. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth was so dense it almost liquefied. With each breath, he could feel spiritual energy flowing along his talisman patterns into his body, nourishing his Origin. But at the same time, he could sense countless dangers hidden on the Wild Continent. In the distant forests, roars of giant beasts came from time to time. In the sky, powerful Innate Beings occasionally flew by, emitting heart-stopping pressure.

Xuan Fu did not rashly venture into the Heart of the Great Desolation. Instead, he chose a valley near the edge of chaos to temporarily settle. The spiritual energy here was not as rich as in the heartland, but it had the advantage of being remote and safe, less likely to be discovered by other powerful beings.

He made a circuit of the valley, confirming no other beings lived there, then began setting up talisman arrays. Using the Rigid-Soft Talisman Power as a base, combined with Space Runes and Life Talisman Runes, he laid down three layers of talisman arrays around the valley: Stealth, Warning, and Defense. The Stealth Talisman Array could completely shield the valley's aura, preventing spiritual sense detection. The Warning Talisman Array could sense any abnormal activity within ten thousand miles. The Defense Talisman Array would automatically activate upon attack, forming a barrier that blended rigidity and softness.

After setting up the arrays, Xuan Fu finally sighed in relief. In this unfamiliar Wild Continent, talisman arrays were his only source of security.

He found a flat rock to sit on and began organizing his recent gains. The insights from the Chaos Crystal's Sky-Opening Trajectory, the various Origin Fragments he had collected, the perfection of the Rigid-Soft Talisman Dao... all of these needed time to digest and refine. He took out the Origin Fragments one by one, sorted them by attribute, and merged them into his own talisman body.

The earthy fragment added a layer of heaviness and stability to his talisman. The metallic fragment enhanced the sharpness of his talisman blades. The watery fragment gave his talisman power a touch of fluidity... As various Origins merged, Xuan Fu's talisman system grew more and more complete. The light of his talisman body became increasingly brilliant, and the pressure it emitted grew stronger.

After refining all the fragments, Xuan Fu began attempting to condense a new talisman. With the Rigid-Soft Talisman Power as the core, incorporating Space, Life, Fire, Earth, and other attribute Origins, a cyan-gold talisman slowly condensed in his hand. This talisman was named the "Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman." It possessed both the fierceness of Sky-Opening, easily breaking through Space Barriers, and the gentleness of space, protecting the user while breaking through. Its power was several times greater than the earlier Space Escape Talisman.

Looking at the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman in his hand, Xuan Fu's heart was filled with a sense of achievement. This was the first high-level talisman he had condensed since stepping into the Wild Continent, and the best proof of his strength's improvement.

Just as he was about to continue delving into the talisman dao, the Warning Talisman Array suddenly transmitted a faint fluctuation.

Xuan Fu's heart tightened. He immediately restrained his aura, urging his spiritual sense to probe along the Warning Talisman Array's induction. He saw, ten thousand miles away in the sky, a massive figure rapidly approaching. This figure resembled a giant dragon, surrounded by dense water vapor, emitting a pressure far surpassing any demon god he had encountered before. It was clearly a powerful local Innate Being of the Wild Continent.

What alarmed him more was that this figure's flight direction was exactly toward his valley!

Xuan Fu immediately stood up, gripping the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman in his hand while activating the Defense Talisman Array, ready to fight or flee. He did not know this figure's intentions—whether it was passing by by chance, drawn by the valley's spiritual energy, or had detected his presence.

As the figure drew closer, Xuan Fu could clearly feel the water vapor on the other party growing denser, even affecting the spiritual energy around the valley. The humidity in the air increased sharply, and a thin layer of water film began to form on the ground.

This was the aura of the Dragon Clan!

Xuan Fu's heart stirred. With the Wild Continent's emergence, the Dragon Clan, as one of the three clans, had already begun to move across the continent. Judging by this figure's aura, it was clearly a powerful member of the Dragon Clan, possibly even a high-ranking one.

He did not choose to strike first, nor did he immediately flee. Instead, he continued to lurk within the valley, observing the other party's movements. The Dragon Clan held great power; if conflict could be avoided, that would be best. If not, he could still use the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman to escape in time.

Just as that dragon figure was only a thousand miles from the valley, the other party suddenly stopped.

Xuan Fu could feel the Dragon Clan expert's Spiritual Sense sweeping across the valley's surroundings, clearly detecting the talisman array he had set up. When the Spiritual Sense passed over the talisman array, it paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by its intricacy.

A moment later, a dignified voice resounded through the valley: "Which fellow cultivator is cultivating here in seclusion? I, Ao Guang of the Dragon Clan, pass through this area and, seeing the dense spiritual energy here, wish to borrow this precious land for a time. I ask the fellow cultivator to show yourself and meet me."

Ao Guang?

Xuan Fu's heart tightened. He had not expected the visitor to be such an important figure from the Dragon Clan. Among the three clans that had first emerged in the Wild Continent, the Dragon Clan was the strongest, and Ao Guang's strength was surely unfathomable.

He hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to reveal himself. One could hide for a time, but not forever. On the Wild Continent, he would have to deal with the three clans sooner or later. Rather than passively evading, it was better to take the initiative and learn the Dragon Clan's stance.

Xuan Fu activated the Stealth Talisman Array and slowly walked out of the valley, transforming into the form of a cultivator in a green robe. He cupped his hands toward Ao Guang's direction and said, "This junior, Xuan Fu, greets Fellow Daoist Ao Guang. This valley is merely a temporary resting place for this junior. If Fellow Daoist needs to use it, this junior will naturally yield."

He did not reveal his true identity or strength, instead adopting the posture of a junior, his attitude humble. This expressed goodwill while leaving room for retreat.

Ao Guang's figure slowly descended, transforming into a dignified middle-aged man clad in a dragon robe. He looked Xuan Fu up and down, a flash of surprise in his eyes: "Oh? A talisman cultivator? Your talisman array is quite exquisite—rare to see."

There was no malice in Ao Guang's tone, but rather a hint of appreciation. Clearly, Xuan Fu's skill in talisman arrays had piqued his interest.

Xuan Fu felt slightly relieved and smiled. "Fellow Daoist flatters me. This junior only dabbles in the talisman path—nothing worth mentioning."

Just then, as the two were speaking, Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense suddenly detected two more powerful auras rapidly approaching from the sky a thousand miles away.

One of these auras carried a blazing flame power, and the other a heavy earth-attribute power. They clashed with Ao Guang's watery aura, clearly belonging to the other two clans—the Phoenix Clan and the Kirin Clan!

Ao Guang also sensed these two auras. His expression shifted slightly, and his gaze toward Xuan Fu grew more complex: "I didn't expect the Phoenix Clan and Kirin Clan to come as well. It seems this valley's spiritual energy has indeed drawn quite a crowd."

Xuan Fu's heart sank. The simultaneous convergence of experts from the three clans here was no coincidence. This valley was likely more than just rich in spiritual energy.

He instinctively looked deeper into the valley and carefully probed again with his Spiritual Sense. This time, he discovered something unusual—hidden deep beneath the valley floor was a faint spiritual vein. Its source seemed to connect to the Origin Land of the Wild Continent, emitting extremely pure Innate Spiritual Qi.

So that's it!

Understanding dawned on Xuan Fu. The three clans had gathered here, likely all drawn by this concealed spiritual vein.

And just then, the figures of the Phoenix Clan and Kirin Clan appeared on the horizon. The Phoenix Clan expert transformed into a woman in a fiery red long dress, surrounded by blazing flames. The Kirin Clan expert took the form of a man in a earthen-yellow battle armor, his aura heavy as a mountain.

Their gazes fell on Ao Guang and Xuan Fu, carrying clear hostility and vigilance.

The prelude to the Three Clans Hegemony seemed to have begun early in this remote valley.

Standing in the middle, Xuan Fu looked at the three parties of glaring experts and inwardly cursed his bad luck. He had only wanted to find a place to cultivate in seclusion, yet he had been dragged into the conflict of the three clans.

What unsettled him even more was that at the edge of his Spiritual Sense, he once again detected a familiar aura.

It was the aura of the Kongming Demon God!

Kongming had followed the three clans' experts here as well!