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Western lands.

Suddenly, blood rain poured from the sky in a certain area, and dark clouds spread.

Several old demons radiating Slayer Aura were wrapped within the sky-obscuring demonic clouds.

"Hehehehe, it's so lively up in the sky."

"Let this old ancestor have some fun too."

These old demons were powerful figures of the Western demonic path who had survived the Dragon-Han Calamity.

Seeing the chaotic battle in the sky, their eyes swirled with schemes, and various plans flashed through their minds.

Black lotuses bloomed, and streams of blood and killing intent flowed. These old demons were not willing to be left out.

But at this moment, on Mount Sumeru, beneath the Bodhi Tree, two beings clasped their hands together and smiled kindly at the elder demons:

"Amitabha, amitabha."

"All sentient beings suffer. Fellow Daoists, please do not join the fray."

With that, Mount Sumeru suddenly emitted golden light.

Auspicious clouds filled the air, accompanied by Buddhist chants.

A golden lotus bloomed, and the eight-treasure wondrous tree displayed its power.

"Jieyin!"

"Zhunti!"

The demons roared, and torrents of blood rain surged towards Sumeru.

Heaven and earth descended into chaos.

The entire Primordial Era was shaken.

Heaven unleashed its killing intent, and dragons and snakes emerged.

This was the first large-scale battle of this epoch.

Above the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.

The Five Elements Great Dao roared, and laws intertwined.

The heavens and earth showed anomalies, with lightning and thunder flashing.

Five beings wearing crowns and imperial robes surrounded Fuxi and Nuwa.

They were the rulers of the Five Directions Divine Demon Imperial Dynasties.

All of them were Innate Dao Lords who had attained enlightenment.

"Fuxi, Nuwa, is your Phoenix Perch Mountain lineage truly determined to be irreconcilable with my Five Directions Divine Dynasty?"

Emperor Golden Brilliance held a golden mace, his eyes sharp with golden light, and his words carried endless killing intent.

Gold represented killing and warfare. Emperor Golden Brilliance cultivated the Geng Metal Great Dao and possessed the most potent killing intent among the Five Directions Emperors.

"Our paths differ; we cannot conspire together."

Dao Lord Fuxi sighed softly, and the Fuxi Qin in his hand resonated with a zhengzheng sound.

Empress Nuwa, with the Universe Cauldron above her head and holding the Red Embroidered Ball, had killing intent surging in her eyes.

Seeing Fuxi and Nuwa's stance.

Emperor Golden Brilliance said no more.

"Since that is the case, we can only fight."

"Kill!"

Rolling thunder shook the vast universe.

As the Five Directions Emperors shouted their battle cry, the sky changed color.

Earth, water, fire, and wind gave rise to destruction, and layers of karma enveloped the great thousand realms.

In the Myriad Spirit Mountains, countless cultivators bled.

The mountain range shattered, and rivers changed course.

Divine Demons fell like corpses, and rivers of blood flowed.

The entire land was stained crimson.

In the Wei River.

Zhou Yuan's Primordial Spirit reflected the great thousand realms.

A black and white chessboard displayed various scenes.

"Witch-Demon, Divine Profound, Dao-Demon, it's utter chaos."

He looked up at the chaotic phenomena in the sky, his eyes flashing with deep thought.

"Now that Tianshui Emperor is too preoccupied to care about anything else."

"Within the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty, there likely isn't enough spare power to come after me, the Wei River Water God."

Therefore...

He could take advantage of the current chaos to annex some water systems.

During this period of turmoil, surely no Dao Lord of the Divine Demon would cast their gaze upon this remote corner.

As for what to do after annexing the water systems.

"I joined the Myriad Races Alliance long ago."

"I even have the achievement of killing a prince of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty."

"I have merit even within the Demon Clan."

"What's more, I've now controlled the Wei River and achieved Grand Unity."

"Wouldn't the Dao Lords of the Demon Clan Heavenly Court protect a loyal Grand Unity Great Sage?"

Zhou Yuan's bottom line was quite flexible.

Although in the past he didn't want to join the Demon Clan or get involved in the great tribulations.

"But times have changed."

"While staying put and guarding the Wei River isn't bad."

"The Demon Clan Heavenly Court offers me a much broader horizon."

Although the Ancient Divine Path's Black Emperor, Ancestor Dragon, had already vanished into the Great Dao, the Four Seas Dragon Clan remained the undisputed overlord of the Primordial water element.

They controlled the water transport of the four seas, and countless dragon sons and grandsons in rivers, lakes, and oceans were followers of the Dragon Clan.

If Zhou Yuan wanted to tread the path of the Ancient Divine Path and prove himself as the Water Element Black Emperor, he would inevitably have to clash with the Dragon Clan.

"Although the Ancient Dragon Clan is in decline, day by day."

"A starved camel is still bigger than a horse."

"As one of the overlords of the previous epoch, the Four Seas Dragon Clan's foundations are likely far deeper and stronger than I imagine."

Zhou Yuan sighed with genuine emotion.

With the accumulation of several epochs, how could the Dragon Clan fear a nobody like himself who started from scratch?

"So, joining the Demon Clan and going public under their banner is also a viable path."

"The Demon Clan Heavenly Court, wanting to escape its nominal existence, has to demand power from the major forces in the Primordial Era."

"And the Four Seas Dragon Clan is clearly one of their targets."

"Then, it would be perfectly reasonable for me, the Wei River Count, to be the vanguard against the dragons."

Using the power of the Demon Clan to annex the Huai River.

"As for what to do after annexing the Huai River..."

Zhou Yuan smiled slightly.

Once he achieved the status of an Innate Dao Lord.

His room for maneuver would greatly increase.

With this thought, Zhou Yuan summoned Old Man Qingrong and several other Heavenly Humans and Divine Demons:

"The Primordial Era is now in turmoil, with killing tribulations arising everywhere."

"All living beings struggle to survive."

"I now issue my decree."

"Whoever pays homage to the Wei River shall receive my protection."

Old Man Qingrong and the others hesitated for a moment before cupping their hands and saying:

"Divine Lord, rest assured, we will immediately head upstream and downstream of the Wei River to spread the decree and gather the tribal beings."

Zhou Yuan nodded, and he produced several Houtian Spiritual Treasures to bestow upon the four of them.

"The Primordial Era is no longer what it was."

"It is now a time of great peril, extremely dangerous."

"These few Spiritual Treasures were refined by me after I achieved Grand Unity Great Sage."

"With these Spiritual Treasures, ordinary True Ones will not be able to harm you."

"Just proceed with caution, and your lives will be safe."

Old Man Qingrong and the others were overjoyed.

Their hesitation stemmed from the fact that the Primordial Era was now overflowing with tribulation energy, making it difficult to guarantee their safety outside the Water Mansion.

But this was the first task Zhou Yuan had assigned them, and even knowing the danger.

Old Man Qingrong and the others didn't dare to refuse, nor did they wish to.

Now, Zhou Yuan was looking out for them, bestowing Spiritual Treasures upon them for protection.

He severed their final lingering concerns.

"The Divine Lord is merciful."

Old Man Qingrong and the others were filled with admiration.

They bowed to Zhou Yuan, and after taking their leave, they urgently rallied the beings of the Water Mansion, each going their separate ways towards the upstream and downstream of the Wei River.

Watching the beings of the Water Mansion depart.

Zhou Yuan pondered, deciding he needed to increase his manpower.

"The Wei River is vast, and the Huai River even more so."

"Relying solely on these rogue cultivators will ultimately make maintaining control difficult."

"The twelve races on Chessboard Mountain might have a role to play in the future."

"They have recuperated in the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range for nearly an Era, so they can be put to good use now."

With this thought, Zhou Yuan no longer hesitated.

He immediately transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.

He had now become a Divine Demon Cultivator at the Grand Unity Great Sage level.

His Divine Abilities and Daoist arts were far beyond what they were before.

Under his imposing divine might, no one dared to seek trouble with him.

As he got closer and closer to the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.

Zhou Yuan encountered more and more cultivators.

Occasionally, he saw giant beasts resembling mountains pulling bronze war chariots.

The chariots were covered in mottled bloodstains, speaking of the brutality of war.

Zhou Yuan merely glanced at them and paid them no further mind.

Today, these beings were no longer worth his effort.