Only then did Ancestor Dragon and Candle Dragon breathe a sigh of relief. "Dao Venerable, may I ask what you want our Dragon Clan to do?"
Qing Tian smiled.
To be honest, there was nothing in the Dragon Clan nowadays that could catch his eye.
Some treasures were indeed decent, but if he took them all, the Dragon Clan's strength would certainly be greatly reduced. How could they stir up the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation then?
After thinking for a moment, he said, "My dojo is currently short of manpower. Immediately prepare three thousand Dragon Maidens at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm to serve as my slaves."
"What?"
Ancestor Dragon could not help crying out.
Three thousand Grand Unity Golden Immortals was no joke. It was an extremely terrifying force.
"What? Do you have an objection?"
Qing Tian narrowed his eyes, dangerous light flashing within them.
"I wouldn't dare. Dao Venerable, rest assured. We will certainly handle this matter properly."
Candle Dragon hurriedly shook his head and spoke first.
He knew Ancestor Dragon's temper very well. He was afraid that his elder brother would provoke Qing Tian again. If that happened, it would not be as simple as three thousand Dragon Maidens.
"Good. Take this as a warning. If I hear similar remarks from you again in the future, it won't end so simply."
Qing Tian gave a slight nod and spoke indifferently.
How could Candle Dragon and Ancestor Dragon dare object? They nodded at the same time. "Your orders are wise, Dao Venerable."
At the same time, far away on the Wild Continent, Ancestor Hongjun's expression had darkened to the extreme.*
"Luohu, I never thought you would be such a coward afraid of death, actually submitting to that madman Qing Tian."
Ancestor Hongjun's gaze was icy.
He and Qing Tian had long since become irreconcilable enemies.
Now that Luohu had joined forces with Qing Tian, it was extremely disadvantageous for him.
Luohu was his mortal enemy, a Demon God from the Chaos Era whose strength was unfathomably deep. With Dao Venerable Qing Tian added to the equation, Hongjun did not think he would be their match.
He knew that the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation was a reshuffling of the Primordial Wilderness. Once it ended, the opportunity to become a Saint would arrive. At that time, there would inevitably be a battle between him, Qing Tian, and Luohu.
"From the looks of it, I have to strike first. Otherwise, I won't even know how I died when the time comes!"
Hongjun thought darkly, murderous light flashing in his eyes.
Once he had made up his mind, he swept the Whisk in his hand and instantly tore open the void. With one step, he arrived above the Eastern Sea.
"Where is Ancestor Dragon? I, Hongjun, have come to pay you a visit. I hope you will meet with me."
He spoke calmly. His voice condensed into a thin thread and was transmitted precisely into Ancestor Dragon's ears. Apart from that, it did not alarm anyone else—not even Candle Dragon noticed anything unusual.
This was Hongjun's method.
With the Jade Plate of Creation in his possession, he could obscure the secrets of Heaven. With the Heavenly Dao's assistance, he could freely communicate with any divine being in the Primordial Wilderness.
At present, he already possessed some of the characteristics of a Heavenly Dao Spokesperson!
After parting ways with Qing Tian and the others, Ancestor Dragon was in the Dragon Palace, still seething with resentment. When he suddenly heard Hongjun's voice, he could not help feeling surprised.
He was just about to respond when waves of fluctuation came from the space before him. A figure in a white Daoist robe appeared without leaving the slightest trace.
The sight made Ancestor Dragon's scalp tingle.
Hongjun's methods were too bizarre. There was not the slightest fluctuation of vital energy. If he had launched a sneak attack while Ancestor Dragon was in seclusion...
At that thought, Ancestor Dragon broke out in a cold sweat.
"When did such a person appear in the Primordial Wilderness?"
Hongjun looked at Ancestor Dragon with a smile and said calmly, "Ancestor Dragon, I have come to seek you out because I have an important matter to discuss. Do you know what the Heaven and Earth Tribulation is?"
"The Heaven and Earth Tribulation?"
Ancestor Dragon was puzzled. He faintly sensed something, but it was too vague to put into words.
He shook his head. "Please enlighten me, Daoist."
Hongjun was not surprised. Only the Chaos Demon Gods knew about the Tribulation. As for the others, even the Innate Demon Gods could only see it as though through fog and were unable to understand its essence.
He explained, "The so-called Tribulation is a disaster bestowed upon living beings by Heaven and Earth. There are too many living beings in the Primordial Wilderness now, and cultivators are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. They absorb vast amounts of Heaven and Earth's vital energy without giving anything back. If this continues, Heaven and Earth will inevitably spend more than they take in. Thus, the Tribulation will arise, wipe out countless living beings, and return the vital energy to Heaven and Earth to maintain their operation."
Hongjun's explanation was simple, but Ancestor Dragon was deeply shaken.
With his intelligence, he could hear the terror of the Tribulation from those few words!
The Heaven and Earth Tribulation would exterminate immeasurable living beings!
"Please teach me, Daoist. How should I lead the Dragon Clan through the Heaven and Earth Tribulation?"
He cupped his fists toward Hongjun, who then spoke.
Hongjun said with a smile, "Surviving the Tribulation is actually quite simple. As long as enough living beings are killed to restore the balance of Heaven and Earth's vital energy, it will be fine. The higher the cultivation of the strong beings killed, the greater the effect."
Ancestor Dragon understood. He suddenly realized something and said, "In that case, is the conflict between our Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin Clans also because of the Tribulation?"
"Correct. According to the Heavenly Dao's operation, the normal outcome is for the Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin Clans to all withdraw from the stage of the Primordial Wilderness. Only then can this Tribulation end."
Hongjun did not conceal anything and spoke bluntly.
Ancestor Dragon's gaze grew solemn, and his breathing unconsciously quickened.
His lifelong goal was to lead the Dragon Clan to dominate the Primordial Wilderness and then use its immense Destiny/Fortune to prove the Hunyuan Dao. Now that Hongjun had revealed that the Dragon Clan would have to withdraw from the stage of the Primordial Wilderness, he found it impossible to accept. Unwillingness filled his heart!
"Daoist, what must my Dragon Clan do to avoid the Tribulation?"
He respectfully bowed and asked.
Hongjun stroked his beard and said indifferently, "The Dragon Clan is already caught in the Tribulation, with killing karma wrapped around it. Escaping the Tribulation will be exceedingly difficult."
Ancestor Dragon's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "No matter how difficult it is, as long as there is even a glimmer of hope, I will fight for it!"
Hongjun smiled inwardly. As expected, he took the bait.
On the surface, however, he remained calm and composed. "The only glimmer of hope lies in the Western Continent."
Countless demons lived on the Western Continent, all of them Luohu's subordinates.
Those demons were likewise entangled in killing karma. When the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation reached its climax, they would be destroyed as well.
The true protagonists of the Primordial Wilderness would then be the currently inconspicuous Demon Race and the Witch Clan, which had yet to emerge.
But how could Ancestor Dragon know this?
He treated Hongjun's words as a lifeline. Cold light flickered in his eyes. "I understand!"
Hongjun nodded in satisfaction.
Luohu was currently Qing Tian's subordinate.
If the Western Continent encountered danger, Luohu certainly would not stand by and watch. When that happened, Qing Tian would surely intervene as well. As long as Hongjun waited for an opportunity, then borrowed the Heavenly Dao Power and the strength of the three Innate Races of the Primordial Wilderness, he did not believe he could not kill Qing Tian and Luohu!
"Fierce Beast Clan, Phoenix, Kirin... Qing Tian, I want to see just how capable you are, and whether you can escape such a killing tribulation!"
Hongjun thought resentfully.
After fooling Ancestor Dragon, Ancestor Hongjun did not linger. Instead, he traversed the void directly and arrived at Undying Mountain. He found Phoenix Ancestor, explained the pros and cons to her, and clarified the relationships involved, successfully persuading her as well.
The Phoenix Clan did have some ties of friendship with Qing Tian, but in the face of the survival of the entire clan, everything else was insignificant.
In Phoenix Ancestor's eyes, ensuring the Phoenix Clan's survival was the most important matter. Everything else had to stand aside.
The Kirin Clan needed no further persuasion. They decisively agreed.
After leaving the ancestral land of the Kirin Clan, Ancestor Hongjun laughed heartily.
Even he was moved by such a force. Killing Qing Tian would be easy!
Eastern Sea, on Penglai Immortal Island.
Three thousand Dragon Clan girls at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm were busy constructing the entire island.
Qing Tian sat cross-legged in Qing Tian Dao Palace, his expression calm and composed.
He took out the Ancestor Dragon Pearl and connected with the system.
"Ding! A Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure has been discovered. Would you like to sacrifice it?"
The system's voice rang out.
"Sacrifice it!"
Qing Tian chose decisively.
The Ancestor Dragon Pearl was certainly powerful, but to him, it was like tasteless food. Exchanging it for strength was much more reliable.
His current strength was still somewhat too weak.
Before you continue