On the Road of Chaos, Meeting Hongyun

"Boom--!"

The Primordial Phoenix plummeted onto a deserted island, carving out a hundred-foot-deep crater. The Nirvana Divine Fire ignited half the island.

Lu Chen, clinging to the mouth of the cave, watched the towering flames in the distance, his heart pounding.

"The Primordial Phoenix... is this badly injured?"

This leader of the Phoenix Clan, a peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal, was now as weak as a flickering candle. A penetrating wound marred her chest, where dragon energy and Kirin malevolent energy intertwined, clearly indicating she had been severely wounded by the Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin working together.

The Heavenly Phoenix Egg she clutched had also developed cracks, and the Nirvana Divine Fire was desperately trying to repair it.

"Chirp..." The Little Golden Phoenix poked its head out from Lu Chen's embrace, gazing at its kin in the distance with a flash of sadness in its eyes.

Lu Chen stroked its head. "Want to go save her?"

The Little Golden Phoenix nodded, then shook its head—it knew the danger.

Just then, dragon roars and Kirin bellows echoed from the sky.

"Primordial Phoenix! You will die today!"

"Hand over the Heavenly Phoenix Egg, and we'll leave your corpse intact!"

The Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin descended with overwhelming killing intent, followed by dozens of Grand Unity-level Dragon Clan and Kirin Clan experts.

The deserted island was instantly surrounded.

Lu Chen held his breath, pushing the concealment functions of the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner and Qiankun Diagram to their limits.

"I can't be discovered... or I'm dead."

In the crater, the Primordial Phoenix struggled to rise, her wings stained with blood, yet she remained proud. "You wish to kill me? Are you worthy?"

She burned her last essence, and the Nirvana Divine Fire surged into the sky, transforming into a thousand-foot-tall phantom fire phoenix.

"She's going all out," the Ancestral Dragon sneered. "Attack together!"

The three clan leaders clashed once more, and the entire deserted island began to crumble.

Lu Chen watched, his heart in his throat. The residual energy from battles of this caliber could kill him.

"I need to get out of here quickly..."

He quietly retreated, preparing to escape through the sea.

But as soon as he reached the shore, an anomaly occurred!

"Buzz--"

The Kirin Elder Token in his embrace suddenly grew hot and flew out on its own, shooting towards the center of the battlefield!

"What?!" Lu Chen's face changed drastically.

The token transformed into a streak of yellow light, landing precisely before the Primordial Phoenix.

The Primordial Phoenix blinked, grabbed the token, and scanned it with her divine sense. Her expression shifted dramatically. "A list of Kirin Clan traitors?! And the secret records of the Three Clans' alliance... This..."

She suddenly looked up at the Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin, her eyes flashing with bone-chilling hatred. "So that's how it is... The Dragon Clan has long colluded with the Kirin Clan to destroy my Phoenix Clan!"

The Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin were also taken aback.

"What list?" Shi Qilin frowned.

"Still pretending!" the Primordial Phoenix shrieked hysterically. "You joined forces to set a trap and lure me into calamity... Fine! Fine! Fine! Since that's the case, then let's all die together!"

She went completely mad, pouring all her vital blood into the Heavenly Phoenix Egg.

"With my life, I grant rebirth—My child, avenge your mother!"

"Boom!"

The Primordial Phoenix's body exploded, transforming into endless Nirvana Divine Fire that surged into the Heavenly Phoenix Egg.

The eggshell shattered completely, and a Three-legged Golden Crow, burning with golden flames, emerged—not a phoenix, but a pure-blooded Golden Crow!

"This is... the Golden Crow bloodline from the Solar Star?!" the Ancestral Dragon exclaimed in shock.

The Golden Crow let out a sky-shattering cry, its aura rapidly increasing, instantly breaking through to Grand Unity, and still growing!

"Not good! She's going to sacrifice herself to accelerate the birth of a Grand Unity Golden Crow!" Shi Qilin roared. "Stop it!"

But it was too late.

The Golden Crow opened its eyes, filled with hatred and sorrow. It inhaled, swallowing all the divine fire that had transformed from the Primordial Phoenix, its aura stabilizing at the Grand Unity mid-stage.

"Mother..." the Golden Crow's voice was childish, yet filled with boundless killing intent. "You will all die!"

It spread its wings, and the Solar True Fire blazed, boiling the seas.

"Withdraw!" the Ancestral Dragon decided instantly.

A crazed Grand Unity Golden Crow, fighting desperately, was something everyone feared.

"Trying to leave?!" the Golden Crow shrieked, transforming into a golden light and giving chase.

The three clan leaders fought and fled, disappearing into the distant East Sea in the blink of an eye.

The desolate island returned to peace, leaving only a mess scattered everywhere.

Lu Chen surfaced from the seabed, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

"Primordial Phoenix has fallen... One of the Three Clans' leaders is dead, and the Calamity is about to end."

He looked towards the center of the battlefield, where a few of Primordial Phoenix's life-essence feathers were scattered, along with that now-dim Kirin Elder Token.

"The token is exposed, and the Kirin Clan's traitor can no longer be hidden... But it's good. If the Three Clans tear each other apart, I'll have an opportunity."

He put away the feathers and the token, preparing to leave, when his gaze suddenly sharpened.

At the bottom of the deep pit, embedded within the fragments of that Heavenly Phoenix Egg, was a piece of crimson crystal—the Primordial Phoenix Heart Core!

"A heart core from the Grand Unity Peak... I'm rich!"

Lu Chen rushed over, about to claim it, when the heart core suddenly transformed into a red light and shot into his forehead.

"Buzz—"

A massive amount of information flooded his mind:

The complete Nirvana True Scripture

Three thousand secret arts of the Phoenix Clan

Primordial Phoenix's lifelong cultivation insights

And... a warning:

[To the one who comes later, if you obtain my heart core, you must promise me one thing: protect my son, the Golden Crow, and do not let it be consumed by the Calamity]

Lu Chen gave a wry smile.

Another one entrusting their child to him.

However, the value of the Primordial Phoenix Heart Core was indeed worth him accepting this karma.

"I'll do my best," he promised to the void.

The heart core completely integrated, and Lu Chen's cultivation base loosened again, moving towards Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

But he didn't have time to go into seclusion.

The bell of Purple Firmament Palace had already rung three times; the sermon was about to begin. He had to hurry to Chaos, or he would miss the first sermon, and all subsequent opportunities would be lost.

"I'll go to Purple霄 Palace first, and deal with other things later."

Lu Chen determined the direction and flew towards the border between the Primordial Era and Chaos.

A month later, he arrived at the edge of the Primordial Era.

Ahead lay the gray, chaotic airflow, violent and disordered, posing a risk of death even for a Golden Immortal.

"According to the original story, the threshold for the first sermon is Grand Unity Golden Immortal... With my current cultivation, I'm afraid I won't even be able to cross Chaos."

Lu Chen frowned.

As he was contemplating, laughter could be heard from a distance.

Three figures approached together: one was a white-haired old man with an immortal demeanor, another was a cold and beautiful woman in palace attire, and the last one...

His red robe was like fire, his smile was hearty, and a red gourd hung from his waist.

"Ancestor Hongyun!" Lu Chen's eyes lit up.

The Primordial Era's kindest old man, who would later be surrounded and killed for the Primordial Violet Qi, was still a carefree Loose Immortal at this moment.

"Perhaps I can hitch a ride..."

Lu Chen tidied his robes and stepped forward proactively, "Three fellow Daoists, please wait."

The three stopped and looked at him.

Ancestor Hongyun sized up Lu Chen and smiled, "Young friend, are you also going to Purple Heaven Palace to listen to the sermon?"

"Indeed," Lu Chen cupped his hands. "It's just that my cultivation is shallow, and I fear I won't be able to cross Chaos. I wonder if I could travel with you three?"

The white-haired old man (Zhen Yuanzi) frowned, "Chaos is dangerous. Bringing you might cause complications."

The woman in palace attire (Queen Mother of the West) also said faintly, "Without Grand Unity, entering Chaos is a near-certain death."

Lu Chen was prepared. He took out Ancestor Qiankun's Jade Slip. "I am a successor of Ancestor Qiankun and possess a congenital spiritual treasure for protection. I won't be a burden to you three."

"Ancestor Qiankun's successor?" Zhen Yuanzi was moved. "He... didn't he perish?"

"My master left behind a sliver of inheritance, which I was fortunate enough to obtain," Lu Chen said, half-truthfully.

Ancestor Hongyun laughed heartily, "Since you are Ancestor Qiankun's successor, you are one of us. Young friend, come with us. My Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd is more than enough to protect you through Chaos."

"Thank you, Senior Hongyun!" Lu Chen was overjoyed.

The four set off together, stepping into Chaos.

Ancestor Hongyun summoned the red gourd, which spewed out crimson mist to cover everyone, resisting the erosion of the chaotic airflow.

Zhen Yuanzi held the Earth Book, stabilizing space.

Queen Mother of the West had the Kunlun Mirror above her head, illuminating the path ahead.

Lu Chen followed behind silently, observing these three future powerhouses.

Hongyun was enthusiastic and talkative, explaining his experiences in Chaos to Lu Chen along the way. Zhen Yuanzi was calm and spoke little, but the occasional pointers he gave benefited Lu Chen greatly. Queen Mother of the West was aloof, but seemed somewhat curious about Lu Chen's identity as the successor of Qiankun.

"Young friend, since you have inherited Qiankun's legacy, do you know the outcome of his discussion on the Dao with Dao Ancestor Hongjun back then?" Queen Mother of the West suddenly asked.

Lu Chen's heart stirred: "Master didn't elaborate, only saying... the Dao of the Dao Ancestor is not necessarily the only one."

The three were all shaken.

"Well said, 'not necessarily the only one'." Hongyun clapped his hands and laughed, "Fellow Daoist Qiankun is still as arrogant as ever."

Zhen Yuanzi, however, gave Lu Chen a deep look: "Do not speak of this to outsiders."

"This junior understands," Lu Chen nodded.

Halfway through their journey, the Chaos currents suddenly became violent.

"Careful! It's a Chaos Vortex!" Queen Mother of the West shouted.

A vortex tens of thousands of feet wide appeared ahead, swallowing everything, not even light could escape.

Hongyun fully urged his gourd, the crimson mist barely holding back the vortex.

"Can't hold on! The vortex is expanding!" Zhen Yuanzi's expression was grim.

Lu Chen looked at the increasingly close vortex, and a sentence from a Jade Slip suddenly flashed in his mind: [A Chaos Vortex is actually a spatial node, it can lead to a Chaos Remnant.]

"Seniors, this vortex might be an opportunity!" he shouted.

"What opportunity? This is a dead end!" Queen Mother of the West frowned.

"Let's gamble!" Hongyun grinned, "Young friend, how do we proceed?"

"Charge in!" Lu Chen pointed to the center of the vortex, "The space there is weakest, we can break through a passage!"

"Alright! I'll trust you this time!" Hongyun, full of heroic spirit, steered his gourd towards the vortex's center.

Zhen Yuanzi and Queen Mother of the West followed helplessly.

"Boom--!"

The gourd crashed into the vortex, space distorting.

Lu Chen felt the world spin, and when he regained his senses, he was already in a shattered Chaos space.

It was only a hundred miles in area, with solidified Chaos barriers surrounding it. In the center, an object floated—

A stream of violet qi, swirling and flowing, containing Dao runes, emitting an aura of eternal immortality.

Primordial Violet Qi!

The foundation for becoming a Saint!

Hongyun and the other two were stunned.

"This is... Primordial Violet Qi?!" Zhen Yuanzi's voice trembled.

A glint of heat flashed in Queen Mother of the West's eyes.

Hongyun, however, laughed heartily: "An opportunity! A tremendous opportunity! Young friend, you are truly a lucky star!"

He excitedly rushed towards the violet qi.

Lu Chen's pupils constricted.

In the original story, Hongyun obtained the Primordial Violet Qi after his first lecture on the Dao, and was then besieged and killed!

Now, the violet qi appeared ahead of schedule?

And... this stream of violet qi seemed a little off.

The fragment of an axe handle within him vibrated slightly, emitting a warning—

This violet qi is problematic!

"Senior, wait!" Lu Chen called out urgently.

But Hongyun had already reached out to grab the violet qi.

The moment he touched it, the violet qi suddenly erupted with a blinding light, engulfing Hongyun.

Hongyun grunted, actually being pushed back three steps, his face pale.

"This violet qi... has an owner?!" he exclaimed in shock.

Lu Chen's heart sank.

As expected, it was a trap!

In the Chaos Remnant, the Primordial Violet Qi floated, and Hongyun was injured.

Outside the remnant, several terrifying auras were rapidly approaching—Kunpeng, Minghe, Di Jun, and Taiyi!

They had clearly been lying in ambush here long ago, waiting for someone to trigger the trap! Lu Chen and the other three were trapped in the remnant, with powerful enemies outside and a bizarre violet qi within. A desperate situation had reappeared!

What was even more troublesome was that the Kirin Elder Token in Lu Chen's embrace suddenly resonated with that stream of violet qi—deep within the violet qi, a phantom of a Kirin vaguely appeared. Was this... Shi Qilin's scheme?!