The Calamity Begins

Zhou Yuan thought to himself.

His face already showed a sigh:

"I am a friend of the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi."

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun is also a rare and kind person in the Primordial World."

"I have always been public-spirited and righteous, and people call me the timely rain in the Primordial World."

"To stand by and watch a friend in distress die is not the way of the saints."

"This is the child bell of the [Mother-Child Soul-Swaying Bells ]. Fellow Daoist Hongyun, please keep it close to your body."

"If something were to happen to me someday, with this bell in hand, even in the midst of a great calamity, amidst the chaos of Heavenly Secrets and karma, I could still intervene from afar."

As they spoke, Zhou Yuan took out a jet-black bell that exuded innate energy and was engraved with strange patterns, and handed it to Daoist Hongyun.

Daoist Hongyun carefully put the bell away.

He bowed deeply in sincere gratitude and said:

"Thank you, Dao Brother Taiyuan."

"If you ever need my services in the future, Dao Brother Hong Yun, I will do my utmost and repay you with my life!"

Time flies, and years pass by.

Eighty thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, many powerful figures were awakened from their seclusion.

They looked up at the sky, trying to divine the secrets of Heavenly Secrets.

A flicker of panic crossed their eyes.

Palace of Hearing the Dao in Wuyi Mountain.

Zhou Yuan also awoke from his cultivation.

"The Big Dipper shifts, dragons and snakes rise from the land."

"The Evolution of the Great Tribulation!"

"From then on, the secrets of Heavenly Secrets became unclear, and cause and effect became imperceptible."

"Even when Great Luo immortal or Quasi-Saint Heavenly Venerate calculates the secrets of Heavenly Secrets again, it is like viewing flowers in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water—nothing more than a dream, an illusion, a bubble."

This is the best of times.

When cause and effect are unclear, all living beings can manipulate events, hide behind the tides of power, stir up trouble, and gradually rise to the top in a chaotic world.

This is the worst of times.

When the Heavenly Secrets are not revealed, countless living beings have no scruples. The Calamity Qi cloudes their minds, and Karmic Debt entangles them. Only when the mountains and rivers are stained with blood and all living beings are grieving can their obsessions be severed.

Zhou Yuan left the Palace of Hearing the Dao.

Standing amidst a sea of clouds that stretches to the sky.

He surveyed the Zhou Tian Universe.

His eyes were incredibly deep.

"Deer Child!"

The White Deer Attendant, holding the Dao bell, stepped forward:

"Disciple is here."

"You shall go to the Northern Darkness Continent yourself."

Tell Liu Xuan.

"We can begin!"

The White Deer Attendant's expression turned solemn, and he bowed, saying:

"Disciple obeys the Imperial Decree!"

Having said that, he transformed into a white deer on the spot, with auspicious Auspicious Clouds rising from his four hooves. After emerging from the sea of clouds, he headed straight for the Moonlight Spirit Mansion in the Northern Darkness Continent.

Zhou Yuan stood atop a cliff where the clouds met the sky, his robes fluttering and his black hair flowing.

He watched the departing figure of the White Deer Attendant.

A thoughtful look flashed in his eyes:

According to the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the battle at Kunlun Mountain set the stage for this great calamity.

'This marks the beginning of a calamity.'

'But only now have unusual celestial signs revealed the impending calamity.'

'So, this first person to initiate this calamity... is not from the battlefield of Kunlun Mountain.'

Zhou Yuan had a vague idea in his mind.

With his memories of his past life as a foundation, he saw things more deeply than others.

But now the secrets of Heavenly Secrets are hidden, and the causes and effects are not apparent.

Trying to delve deeper, I found myself struggling to come up with any ideas.

"Crane Child."

"Go and convey my decree."

"Wuyi Mountain is closed from today."

"Disciples of each cave are not allowed to leave the mountain gate or the cave heaven."

"As for the subordinate sects and academies outside the mountain gate, the masters of each cave shall decide for themselves."

Crane Child was startled.

She wanted to ask something else.

But Zhou Yuan was nowhere to be seen in the vast sea of clouds ahead.

Only one voice remained, echoing in the void.

"A great calamity is approaching."

"Tribulation of Slaughter has broken out."

"Keep the cave door tightly shut, quietly recite a few volumes of the Yellow Court Classic; those who stir up trouble will have their names recorded in the Book of Life and Death."

Crane Child pondered the meaning behind it and hurriedly said respectfully:

"Disciple receives the Imperial Decree."

"I will certainly convey the Master's message to the Seventy-two Caves."

This was a matter of great importance, and she dared not neglect it.

He transformed into a white crane and soared straight into the heavens.

North Nether Palace.

The Old Ancestor Kunpeng, clad in a black robe, had a glint of sharp light flashing in his aged eyes, making him extremely intimidating.

The faint sounds of feng shui echoed around him, along with the cries of Kun and Peng.

"Heavenly Secrets are hidden, and cause and effect do not exist."

"A great calamity is coming..."

The Old Ancestor Kunpeng sighed softly, his voice echoing in the North Nether Palace, stirring up ripples.

He stroked the [Celestial Demon Record] in front of him, on which 129,600 Demon Script shone brightly, flowing with the fortune of the Demon Clan race and exuding Mysterious Yellow Merit.

"Di Jun and Tai Yi are of insufficient virtue and are not worthy to rule the world."

"The foundation that our Demon Clan built through countless trials and tribulations, with blood and fire, cannot be entrusted to such people!"

The Kunpeng raised its head, seemingly able to see through the layers of heavens to the imperial throne held high in the Thirty-three Heavens.

"The Heavenly Emperors take turns sitting on the throne."

"So."

"Why can't it be my Kunpeng?"

A gleam of ambition flashed in the eyes of the Kunpeng Ancestor.

A raging fire seemed to be burning within him.

What burns in that fire is power, what burns is desire, and what burns is also the yearning for the Great Dao.

"Just waiting..."

"We are just waiting for our ancestor to obtain the Primordial Violet Qi."

"His cultivation has advanced further."

"Who dares to challenge me for the throne of the Demon Clan Heavenly Emperor!"

Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces.

The sun hangs high in the sky, shining brightly upon the Myriad Heavens and Universes.

Above the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Di Jun's gaze was deep and unfathomable, his eyes like two great suns, reflecting the four directions and eight wastelands.

"Tai Yi, is there any unusual activity from Northern Darkness?"

"Thirty thousand years ago, Kunpeng had already secretly plotted to lure East King Duke into coveting the Primordial Violet Qi in Daoist Hongyun's possession."

"Now, the world is filled with the Calamity Qi, and cause and effect are obscured."

"This is the perfect opportunity for them to make their move."

I don't think they'll be able to tolerate it.

A cold glint flashed in Eastern Emperor Tai Yi's golden eyes:

"Kunpeng is a proud and arrogant creature, not one to remain subservient to others for long."

"They've probably been secretly plotting to get this position under my elder brother for a long time."

"If it were to obtain the Primordial Violet Qi..."

"From now on, my Demon Clan will likely face many troubles!"

Di Jun's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said:

"This old demon is nothing more than a fish in a net, a bird in a cage."

"They won't cause any real trouble."

"Once I obtain the Primordial Violet Qi, I will have my own way of dealing with him."

"You shall circulate the Great Sun, mobilize the Moon, monitor the world, patrol the universe, and keep a close watch on the Purple Mansion Continent and the Demon Master Palace."

"Also keep an eye on Daoist Hongyun's place."

Upon hearing Eastern Emperor Tai Yi silently nodded.

Now that a great calamity has arisen, Calamity Qi is rampant, it is clearly difficult to apply the ancient methods of divination based on Heavenly Secrets and causality.

But the Lunar and Solar shine universally Myriad Heavens and Universes.

If Eastern Emperor Tai Yi were to use his power to survey the Four Seas and Eight Wastelands, although he could not truly see everything clearly, he could still spy on one or two deities.

Di Jun gazed at the prosperous Thirty-three Heavenly Palaces and at the Demon Clan warriors who were ready for battle and exuded a murderous aura.

The young Demon Clan warriors yearn for glory!

He sighed softly to himself.

This entire universe, encompassing all directions and wilderness.

No one wants to see the Demon Clan race Primordial Great World.

But so what?

'Once I obtain that Primordial Violet Qi...'

'By virtue of the Heavenly Emperor's throne and the Primordial Violet Qi, one can naturally glimpse the Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal.'

'By then, let alone the Three Pure Daoists.'

'Even if it is that person, what can they really do to us?'

In this great calamity, the Demon Clan is already in the midst of it.

Only by fighting with all our might can we escape this predicament.

"When the day comes, we will trample Purple Mansion Continent and sever the head of the Ancestral Witch."

"The mountains and rivers are stained with blood, the stars are shattered. This calamity will pass!"

Di Jun's tone was firm and unwavering, carrying an undeniable confidence.

He is not the Ancestor Dragon, and the Demon Clan will not become a loser like the Primordial Three Clans.

"Only through victory, and victory after victory, can we build the immortal glory of our Demon Clan Heavenly Court!"

Kunlun Mountains.

The Immortal Mountain remains forever, and the cranes sing eternally.

Countless wisps of celestial mist enveloped the Jade Void Palace.

Inside that palace.

The Three Pure Daoists ascended to their cloud beds and began expounding scriptures and discussing the Dharma, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Creation, Evolution, and End: Three Great Dao Proverbs manifest countless extraordinary phenomena.

In an instant, lotus flowers bloomed in the void, displaying a dazzling array of colors.

After a long while, the Grand Pure Daoist finally stopped preaching:

"Yuanshi, Tongtian, your minds are in turmoil."

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in Yuanshi Tianzun's arms emitted three-colored divine light, and his body was surrounded by scenes of chaos opening up and primordial creation. Tianzun sighed softly and said helplessly:

"The great calamity has begun, but the Heavenly Secrets remain unclear."

"But this has deviated from our plans."

If the secrets of Heavenly Secrets and the cause and effect are clear, the Three Pure Heavenly Venerates have a thousand ways and myriad means to make the Kunlun Mountain lineage ascend to the top of the universe and become the supreme holy land in this era.

"But now that the great calamity has begun, we are also caught up in it."

"I dare not interfere with cause and effect."

The Yuanshi Tianzun saw only darkness and obscurity.

Teacher Hongjun will not leave the Purple Firmament Palace again during this era.

The Mystic Gate Immortal Path lost its pillar of strength.

Even though the Three Pure Heavenly Venerates Ones hold high positions and possess vast supernatural powers.

But two fists can't fight four hands.

'If we allow the Witch Clan and the Demon Clan, and even the Purple Mansion Continent, to continue to grow stronger...'

'Wonderfully, in the future, won't our Three Pure Ones lineage still have to rely on their every whim?'

What made Yuanshi Tianzun even more apprehensive was...

The position of that Heavenly Emperor was comparable to that of Primordial Saint.

If Di Jun, or even Di Jiang and East King Duke, were to secure that position...

The grand ambition of the Three Pure Daoists —to transform the Heavenly Court into a Daoist Heavenly Court and the world into a world of Mystic Gate Immortal Path —would be shaken.

Daoist of Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerate held the Four Swords of Zhu Xian in his hands, and wisps of sword energy swirled and billowed in the air. Every breath seemed to cause spacetime to shatter and the universe to return to nothingness.

Daoist of Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerate's eyes were indifferent, and he raised an eyebrow:

"What my senior brother says makes sense."

"It's better to take advantage of the fact that those three forces haven't yet gained significant power."

"Having fought them once, we have firmly established the status of our Kunlun Mountain Ancestral Court of Mystic Gate."

Grand Pure Daoist raised his eyelids slightly.

He said calmly:

"Suppress them?"

"The Witch Clan, the Demon Clan, and even the Purple Mansion Continent are all members of our Mystic Gate Immortal Path."

"If we can suppress them today, won't we be able to suppress the other lineages within the Xuanmen in the future?"

"If we incur the wrath of the masses, even this old Daoist priest will find it troublesome."

The Grand Pure Daoist remained unmoved.

"Yuanshi, Tongtian."

"Remember, we have only qualified to become Heavenly Dao Saints, but we are not truly Heavenly Dao Saints."

"In the end, we are nothing more than a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal."

"And the number of Primordial Origin Golden Immortals in the Primordial Great World is far more than just a handful, and the number of Innate Supreme Treasures in the Primordial World is far more than just the [Taiji Diagram], the [Pangu Banner], and the [Four Swords of Zhu Xian]!"

"Neither I nor you are qualified to fight against that overwhelming force."

In the eyes of the Grand Pure Daoist, there seemed to be the Epoch Change, the evolution of Human Dao, and the transformation of the world.

"The rise of the lich is the inevitable trend of Heavenly Dao."

"Just as in Archaic Era, the three races drove out Fierce Beasts and became kings of the four corners of the earth and the eight wastelands."

"Our Mystic Gate Immortal Path has triumphed over the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path, and has flourished throughout the Myriad Heavens and Universes."

"The Witch Clan and the Demon Clan are the protagonists of this era, replacing the Primordial Three Clans and the lineage of the God Clan."

"It is fitting that it prospers."

"It cannot be stopped by human power."

Seeing that Yuanshi Tianzun and Daoist Tongtian remained silent.

Grand Pure Daoist shook his head slightly:

What's the rush?

"You will rise to power by this, and you will also perish by this."

"The decline that follows the peak is the natural order of Heavenly Dao."

"As the great calamities evolve, the struggles will naturally become increasingly fierce."

At this point, the Grand Pure Daoist sighed softly:

"And by then..."

"The beings of the Primordial World can no longer endure this great war; it is time for us to go and set things right, to rectify the chaos and restore order."

Yuanshi Tianzun and Daoist Tongtian nodded slightly, both showing thoughtful expressions.

The Primordial World was filled with the tremors of fear due to the impending great calamity.

Many sacred Dao Lord closed their mountain gates and hid their Daoist temples in the vast universe.

They no longer interfered in worldly affairs.

Thus, when the great calamity arrives.

The Primordial Great World has fallen into a long-lost tranquility.

However, many powerful figures were quietly observing the development of the situation, sensing an impending storm.

And so, another three thousand years passed.

Longevity Mountain.

Wuzhuang Temple.

The Daoist Hongyun, dressed in a red Daoist robe, was meditating and cultivating in the Wuzhuang Temple.

Since that day when I discussed the Dao with Zhou Yuan.

Daoist Hongyun and Zhen Yuanzi also gained something.

Twenty thousand years ago.

Zhen Yuanzi then reached the threshold of the Primordial Origin Golden Immortal and began a long period of secluded cultivation.

Meanwhile, the Daoist Hongyun protected him within the Wuzhuang Temple.

This day.

Just like the past ten days, everything was calm and peaceful, with no incidents.

But then the Qingfeng and Mingyue came to report:

"Uncle-Master Hong Yun."

"There was a young boy outside who said he was a disciple of an old friend of the master and had come to pay his respects."

Ancestor Hong Yun frowned, a hint of suspicion rising in his heart.

With a sweep of his divine sense, he saw the area outside Longevity Mountain.

An Attendant Boy dressed in blue robes, with his hair tied in two buns, was looking behind him with a terrified expression.

It seemed as if there was some Great Terror creature behind it.

"It is Dao Lord Hanfu's disciple."

Why are you in such a panic?

"Could it be that something happened to Fellow Daoist Han Fu?"

Ancestor Hong Yun frowned slightly.

That Dao Lord Hanfu was a primordial cold plum tree that attained enlightenment. He had lofty aspirations and was always on friendly terms with him and Zhen Yuanzi.

If something were to happen to him now, it wouldn't be right to ignore it.

Ancestor Hong Yun pondered for a moment.

Then they sent Qingfeng and Mingyue to ask the Attendant Boy in blue a few more questions.

Only after confirming everything was correct did they activate the magic array and let the Attendant Boy in.

"Disciple greets Dao Lord."

"Thank you so much Dao Lord, for saving my life."

The Attendant Boy in blue bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Why have you come to Longevity Mountain instead of serving Fellow Daoist Hanfu in the mountains?"

These words were spoken.

The Attendant Boy in blue robes couldn't help but tear up, and said sorrowfully:

"Reporting to the Dao Lord."

"The teacher originally lived a secluded life in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs."

"Just a short trip a few days ago, and I was blessed with good fortune, obtaining an Innate Spiritual Root."

"But little did we know that this very Innate Spiritual Root would cause such trouble."

"It actually provoked a powerful figure to attack the dojo."

"The teacher was no match for them and had no choice but to hastily send us out."

Let us each seek refuge with our teachers and old friends.

"I have come here precisely to seek refuge with the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi!"