Below Kirin Cliff, The Last Treasure

"Clang--clang--clang--"

The bell chimes echoed from Chaos, resounding throughout the Primordial Era.

Lu Chen had only escaped Buzhou Mountain for ten thousand miles when he heard the bell, his heart jolting.

The Purple Firmament Palace is opening its lecture!

According to the original work, Hongjun's first lecture was on the path of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal. But for him, what was more important was that the three thousand guests of the mortal world would gather in Chaos, and the Primordial Era would briefly enter a "vacuum period"!

The high-ranking officials of the Three Clans and various powerful beings would all go to listen to the teachings, leaving his home base vulnerable.

"Opportunity!" Lu Chen's eyes lit up.

He was currently being hunted by the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Kirin Clan. Though the Primordial Era was vast, he had nowhere to hide. Rather than constantly evading, he might as well seize this chance to pull off something bigger!

"The Kirin Clan's treasury is all that's left to raid... No, it's the Kirin Clan's ancestral land treasury!"

He remembered the Elder Token and the secret area of Kirin Cliff marked on the Jade Slip map--that place hid the Kirin Clan's true foundation, and might even hold the biggest secret of the war between the Three Clans.

"To Kirin Cliff!"

Lu Chen changed direction, flying towards Kirin Cliff on the west side of Buzhou Mountain.

Along the way, he checked on the Little Golden Phoenix in his arms.

The little one was still asleep, but its breathing was steady. The three golden quills on its head glowed faintly, clearly digesting the power it had just awakened.

"Time stop... What kind of talent is this?" Lu Chen marveled.

The Golden Crow controlled the sun, and the Phoenix mastered Nirvana. The combination of the two actually gave birth to a divine ability related to time? Although it could only last for an instant and consumed a huge amount of energy, it could save his life at a critical moment.

"I'll call you 'Little Gold' from now on." Lu Chen patted its head.

The Little Golden Phoenix chirped, nuzzled his finger, and continued to sleep.

Three days later, Lu Chen arrived at Kirin Cliff.

It was a cliff ten thousand feet high, its sheer face as sharp as if carved by a knife. It was entirely earth-yellow, exuding a heavy Wuji Earth aura. There were Kirin Clan palaces at the summit, but it was silent now--clearly, the higher-ups had all gone to Purple Heaven Palace.

"There shouldn't be many guards."

Lu Chen concealed his aura and, following the Jade Slip's guidance, found a hidden crack at the base of the cliff.

The crack was concealed by a natural formation. Without the map, it would be impossible to find. He cast a few incantations, and the crack widened, revealing a staircase leading down.

"The Kirin Clan's ancestral land is deep within the base of the cliff..."

Just as he was about to enter, his heart suddenly gave a strong warning!

"Buzz--"

Around the crack, countless earth-yellow runes lit up, forming a trapping and killing formation!

"There really was an ambush!" Lu Chen reacted extremely quickly, the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner instantly shielding him.

"Boom!"

The formation activated, and countless Wuji Earth Divine Lightning bolts struck down, each capable of killing a Golden Immortal.

Lu Chen endured several strikes, his blood churning, but he could still hold on. He summoned the Black Brick, and the Golden Light of Merit erupted, smashing towards the formation's nodes.

"Break!"

The formation violently shook, cracks appearing.

Just then, a figure emerged from the depths of the crack.

"I've been waiting for you, little thief."

Lu Chen's pupils constricted.

Shi Qilin!

No, the aura is wrong... a Grand Unity clone?

The "Shi Qilin" appeared illusory, possessing only thirty percent of the main body's strength, but it was still Grand Unity level!

"A clone left behind to guard?" Lu Chen's heart sank.

"The main body went to listen to the teachings, leaving me to guard the ancestral land," the clone sneered. "I didn't expect you to actually dare to come--stealing my Kirin Seal Replica, killing my third elder, you'll stay here today!"

Before he finished speaking, the clone opened its mouth and spat out the true Kirin Seal!

As the true seal appeared, the replica trembled, and Lu Chen's pressure increased dramatically.

"I can't fight this head-on..." His mind raced, and he suddenly remembered the Elder Token.

This token could grant free passage into and out of the ancestral land treasury, perhaps it had other uses?

He took out the token and injected his spiritual power into it.

"Buzz--"

The token lit up, resonating with the true Kirin Seal.

The clone's movements paused, its expression filled with surprise and doubt: "Third Brother's token? How did you..."

"The Third Elder's dying wish!" Lu Chen seized the opportunity to spin a tale. "He said there was a traitor in the Kirin Clan, and that the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan had secretly formed an alliance. He sent me to the ancestral land to retrieve something and deliver it to the Clan Leader!"

"A traitor?" The clone's eyes flickered. "What item?"

"The Third Elder didn't say, only that I should retrieve it myself from the treasure vault." Lu Chen unleashed his full acting prowess, his face a mask of grief and indignation. "If Senior doesn't believe me, you can come with me to investigate!"

The clone fell silent.

It had indeed received a message from the Third Elder about an urgent matter, but then the Third Elder had died. Could it truly be related to a traitor?

"Alright." The clone finally nodded. "I will accompany you inside. If you dare to play any tricks, I will kill you!"

"I wouldn't dare." Lu Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The two entered the depths of the rift, one after the other.

The stairs wound downwards, plunging ten thousand zhang into the earth. The deeper they went, the denser the Wutu spiritual energy became, and the greater the pressure.

Half an hour later, their surroundings suddenly opened up.

It was a massive underground cavern. In the center stood a hundred-zhang altar, upon which floated a yellow earth seal—the Kirin Ancestral Seal, an Innate Spiritual Treasure that suppressed the Kirin Clan's destiny!

Treasures were piled high around the altar: Innate Wutu Essence piled like mountains, tens of thousands of Houtian Spiritual Treasures, and countless Jade Slips, elixirs, and spirit herbs.

"This is the true foundation of the Kirin Clan..." Lu Chen was awestruck.

But his gaze was quickly drawn to an object beside the altar—

It was a broken Kirin skeleton, only bones, yet its entire body was crystalline like jade, exuding an aura of Chaos.

"This is..." Lu Chen's pupils contracted sharply.

"The remains of the Kirin Progenitor, the Chaos Demon God, Wutu Kirin." The clone's voice was complex. "Our clan's rise depended entirely on refining a trace of this skeleton's origin."

Chaos Demon God remains!

Lu Chen's heart pounded like a drum. This was more precious than any Innate Spiritual Treasure! If he could refine even a trace of its origin, his earth element would instantly reach perfection!

"What item did you come to retrieve?" the clone asked.

Lu Chen suppressed his greed and pointed to a corner of the altar. "That Jade Slip."

There was indeed an ancient Jade Slip there, labeled "[Three Clans Alliance · Dragon-Han Secret Record]."

The clone frowned. "What do you need this for?"

"The Third Elder said the traitor's identity was recorded within." Lu Chen lied through his teeth.

The clone hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Take it."

Lu Chen stepped forward and picked up the Jade Slip. His divine sense swept through it, and it indeed contained evidence of the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan's secret alliance, as well as some compromising information about high-ranking members of the Kirin Clan.

But what he truly cared about was a small piece of bone pressed beneath the Jade Slip—it was a finger bone from the Chaos Kirin's remains!

He pretended to examine the Jade Slip, secretly unfurling the Qiankun Diagram and collecting the finger bone.

"Are you done?" the clone urged.

"Yes." Lu Chen turned around.

But the moment he turned, an unexpected event occurred!

"Buzz—"

The Little Golden Phoenix in his arms suddenly awoke and let out a sharp cry.

Time froze!

Although it was only for a tenth of a breath, it was enough for Lu Chen!

With the Black Brick in hand, he unleashed the Golden Light of Merit and smashed it against the clone's forehead.

"Bang!"

The clone was caught off guard, its primordial spirit shaken by the impact, its movements freezing.

"Absorb!"

The Qiankun Diagram unfurled, sucking the clone into the small world to be suppressed—a Grand Unity clone, even with only thirty percent of its strength, would be a great supplement if refined!

After doing all this, Lu Chen didn't have time to examine things closely and began to frantically loot.

Innate Wutu Essence, take seventy percent!

Houtian Spiritual Treasures, take three hundred top-quality pieces!

Elixirs and spirit herbs, take the high-grade ones!

Jade Slips and cultivation techniques, copy all of them!

Finally, he looked at the Chaos Kirin skeleton.

"I can't take it all... then I'll take the most important part!"

He rushed to the skeleton and found the heart area—there was a yellow earth crystal, fist-sized, containing the Wutu origin.

"Kirin Heart Core!"

Just as he was about to collect it, the skeleton suddenly trembled.

A wisp of remnant consciousness awoke: "Who... disturbs my slumber..."

A remnant consciousness of a Chaos Demon God!

Lu Chen's scalp tingled, but he had to see it through. He summoned the axe handle fragment, and the Sky-Opening Merit's Golden Light erupted.

"Senior, forgive me, junior is borrowing your treasure!"

The Golden Light of Merit resonated with the Earthen origin, and the heart core flew into his hand automatically.

The remnant consciousness was silent for a moment, then a hint of relief echoed: "Pangu's aura... Forget it, this item is yours. But you must promise me one thing."

"Senior, please speak."

"My descendants... the Kirin Clan... the Calamity will bring their doom... leave a sliver of hope..."

The voice faded, and the remnant consciousness dissipated.

Lu Chen bowed solemnly: "Junior will do his best."

He put away the heart core and glanced at the Kirin Ancestral Seal on the altar—it remained untouched. That thing was tied to the entire fortune of the Kirin Clan; taking it would mean an endless feud.

"Retreat!"

Lu Chen rushed out of the cave, retracing his steps.

As soon as he emerged from the crack, he heard a furious roar from the sky:

"Little thief! Return my clone—!!!"

Shi Qilin's true form had returned from the Purple Heaven Palace ahead of schedule?!

Lu Chen was terrified, burning his essence blood to escape.

"Where do you think you're going!" Shi Qilin slammed down a palm, causing space to collapse.

Lu Chen gritted his teeth, burning the Earthen essence he had just obtained, pushing the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner to its limit.

"Boom!"

The palm strike hit the light shield, shattering it. Lu Chen vomited blood and was sent flying backward, but he used the force to break free from Buzhou Mountain's range.

"Chase!"

Shi Qilin pursued relentlessly.

One chased, one fled, crossing half of the Primordial Era.

Seven days later, Lu Chen finally shook off his pursuer and hid on a deserted island in the East Sea—the most dangerous place was the safest. The Dragon Clan would never have imagined he would dare return to the East Sea.

Inside the cave, he collapsed on the ground, covered in wounds.

But looking at the spoils in the Qiankun Diagram, he grinned.

"It was worth it!"

He first refined the Kirin Heart Core. The Earthen origin merged into his body, and the "Earth Qi" among the Five Qi in his Chest became complete!

With this, the five qi—Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—were all present! His cultivation officially entered the late stage of Golden Immortal, with an incredibly solid foundation.

Next, he refined the Grand Unity clone. Boundless magical power surged into him, and his cultivation advanced further, reaching the peak of Golden Immortal!

Just one step away from condensing the Three Flowers Above the Head and achieving Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

"Time to take stock of the harvest..."

Lu Chen examined his gains one by one:

Chaos Kirin skeletal finger bone (can be used to refine an Earth-attribute supreme treasure) Innate Earthen Essence (enough for ten thousand years of cultivation) Three hundred Houtian Spiritual Treasures (enough to arm an army) Countless pills and spirit herbs A complete set of Jade Slip cultivation methods And most importantly—the secret record of the Three Clans' alliance!

He opened the secret record, his shock growing with each page.

"The Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan have indeed formed an alliance, but both sides intend to trick the other... There is indeed a traitor within the Kirin Clan, and a high-ranking one at that! No wonder the Three Clans are fighting like a pot of porridge..."

As he was engrossed in reading, suddenly, on the last page of the secret record, a line of bloody text appeared:

[If you see this text, it means the Calamity has reached its final stage]

[The Three Clans are destined to be destroyed, by the Heavenly Dao's will]

[However, the destruction of the clans is not my wish]

[Beneath the altar at the bottom of the cliff, the last embers of the Kirin Clan are buried—three Kirin Eggs, may the destined person preserve them well]

Lu Chen froze.

Kirin Eggs? The last embers?

He suddenly remembered the Chaos Kirin remnant consciousness's plea: "Leave a sliver of hope..."

"So that's how it is..." Lu Chen murmured.

The Three Clans were destined for extinction, but the Kirin Ancestor wanted to leave some bloodline for his people.

"I accept this karma."

He looked towards Kirin Cliff in the west, his eyes complex.

And just then, the Little Golden Phoenix in his arms stirred again, chirping urgently towards the east.

Lu Chen looked up, seeing a streak of red light tear across the eastern sky, falling towards the desolate island.

Within the red light, a Phoenix could be vaguely seen, bathed in blood, cradling an egg—

The egg was blood-red, with Nirvana Divine Fire burning on its surface.

It was Primordial Phoenix's aura!

Primordial Phoenix, heavily wounded, had fled, carrying the last Heavenly Phoenix Egg! She fell on the other side of the desolate island, her life force weak.

And further away, the pursuers of the Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin had arrived! The three parties were in chaos, and a battle was about to erupt on this desolate island! Lu Chen held the secret of the Kirin Clan's fire seed and had stumbled upon a dying Primordial Phoenix; what would he choose? To save, to snatch, or... to take advantage of the chaos?