Chaos Bead's Promotion

In the vast primordial world, after that ancient, earth-shattering initial battle between the Witches and Demons, an eerie calm descended.

Above the Heavenly Court, the Demon Clan sheathed their wings and licked their wounds.

Dijun, Taiyi, Xihe, Changxi, Fuxi, and other top-tier mighty beings all entered seclusion to heal, turning their backs on worldly affairs.

The Ten Great Demon Marshals led the remnants of the army, silently accumulating strength and repairing the shattered palaces of the Heavenly Court.

Beneath Buzhou Mountain, within Pangu Hall.

The Twelve Ancestral Witches were also severely wounded, their vital essence and blood depleted.

The Witch Clan's warriors gathered the remains of their fallen comrades and buried them in the ancestral land, nurturing them with Fiend Qi.

Across the land, the Witch Clan tribes fell silent, with only a bone-deep hatred brewing in the quiet.

Other mighty beings of the Great Desolation, whether the Three Pure Ones of Kunlun, Jieyin and Zhunti of the West, Minghe of the Sea of Blood, Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple, or those reclusive innate divine beings...

They had witnessed the World-Opening Power of Pangu's Phantom and felt the Saintly might of the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, which crushed all in its path.

All were deeply shaken!

An unprecedented sense of urgency swept through the hearts of all the mighty beings.

Seclusion!

Frantic seclusion!

The entire Great Desolation seemed to have hit the pause button, falling into an almost suffocating silence.

Only the invisible pressure, like a sword hanging overhead, urged all living beings to ascend to higher realms.

Kunlun Mountain.

Misty vapors scattered like colorful smoke, sunlight and moonlight cast shimmering rays.

A thousand ancient cypresses, ten thousand sections of bamboo.

Exotic flowers spread like brocade, wondrous herbs emitted fragrance.

When immortal cranes cried, their calls echoed through the distant heavens; where auspicious phoenixes soared, their feathers shone with the light of multicolored clouds.

On a certain peak, an ancient, rustic Daoist temple stood, its plaque inscribed with three characters radiating Dao Rhyme: Xuan Yuan Temple.

Inside the temple, in a quiet chamber.

Dao Xuan sat cross-legged on a Cloud Bed.

He wore a Blue Gauze Headband, his hair tied in a double bun.

He wore a light yellow Daoist robe with cloud patterns, a silk sash tied around his waist forming a Heaven and Earth Knot, and Cloud-Treading Boots on his feet.

His face was like sheep fat jade, his bearing elegant and refined, his eyes and brows clear.

Pure Qi swirled around him, the phantom of Three Flowers flickered faintly above his head, and the Five Qi churned within his chest.

He had already cultivated to the mid-stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

It seemed like just one step away from the late stage of Grand Unity, but in reality, it was a chasm.

"The Grand Unity realm, each level is a world unto itself..."

Dao Xuan murmured in his heart.

During these three thousand years of secluded cultivation, he had comprehended the Heavenly Dao and sorted through his learning.

The Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique circulated ceaselessly, tempering his physical body and Primordial Spirit.

The Dao Rhyme of the Huang Ting Jing flowed in his heart, contemplating the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.

Alas.

The Grand Unity realm could not be broken through by merely cultivating magical power.

It required a deeper understanding of the Laws of heaven and earth, and of one's own Great Dao.

Three thousand years passed like a fleeting moment.

Although Dao Xuan felt his magical power had become purer, his Primordial Spirit more condensed, and his understanding of the Great Dao had deepened considerably.

He was still a difficult-to-describe opportunity away from the threshold of the late stage of Grand Unity.

His gains were meager.

"Sigh..."

Dao Xuan sighed lightly and slowly opened his eyes.

Divine light was contained within his gaze, clear as a deep pool.

"Cannot be forced, cannot be forced..."

He knew well that the path of cultivation required both effort and rest.

Merely sitting in meditation was not necessarily beneficial.

"Since the realm is difficult to break through, I might as well refine Magic Treasures and enhance my protective abilities."

Dao Xuan's thoughts stirred.

Several beams of treasure light flew out from within his Auspicious Cloud, hovering inside the quiet room, emitting divine radiance of various colors, illuminating the room with splendor.

The first item.

It was a banana fan.

The fan surface was divided into four colors: green, red, white, and black, corresponding to the origins of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind.

Treasure light flowed, with faint sounds of wind and thunder.

It was precisely that Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Four Symbols Banana Fan!

The second item.

It was an ancient and simple great seal.

Nine dragons coiled around the body of the seal, their scales and claws soaring, lifelike.

The bottom of the seal was engraved with the "Myriad Treasures" Dao patterns, containing the supreme mystery of commanding all treasures and suppressing fortune.

The treasure light was heavy, its majesty hidden deep within.

It was precisely that Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal!

The third item.

It was a ruler.

Mysterious Yellow Qi coiled around the body of the ruler, meritorious golden light flowed, and auspicious energy permeated.

The ruler measured heaven and earth, stabilizing the universe.

It was precisely the first treasure of merit in the Postnatal—the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Merit Ruler!

The fourth item.

It was a twelve-petal lotus pedestal.

The lotus pedestal was pure white and flawless, with purifying divine light flowing, emitting a pure Dao Rhyme that purified all Malevolent Spirits and protected the Primordial Spirit and true soul.

It was precisely that Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Root—the Twelve-petal Pure World White Lotus!

The fifth item.

It was a treasure pearl the size of a dragon's eye, perfectly round.

Within the pearl, it seemed as if there were visions of the Four Seas churning and ten thousand dragons roaring, emitting a vast and boundless dragon might and innate water spiritual energy.

It was precisely that Supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Ancestral Dragon Pearl!

These five supreme treasures were Dao Xuan's ultimate protective treasures.

Although he had already initially refined them, there was still a considerable distance from the state of "thought becomes action, like an extension of one's arm," where they could be manipulated at will.

Especially the Ancestral Dragon Pearl, obtained from the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, it contained the Origin of the Ancestral Dragon and the fortune of the Dragon Clan, making it extremely profound.

"This is the perfect opportunity to refine it carefully and deepen our connection."

Dao Xuan calmed his mind.

He first picked up the Four Symbols Banana Fan.

His divine sense probed in, his magical power nourished it, and he carefully comprehended the Laws of the Four Symbols Origins contained within.

The heaviness of earth, the ferocity of fire, the continuity of water, the swiftness of wind.

Dao Rhyme flowed within his heart.

Refining a Magic Treasure was also a process of comprehending the Great Dao.

A thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

The Four Symbols Banana Fan's treasure light grew stronger, and its connection with Dao Xuan's mind became several parts closer.

With a slight movement of his mind, the divine light of the four colors flowed, and wind, thunder, water, and fire appeared, its power even greater than before.

Next was the Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal.

This seal commanded all treasures and suppressed fortune, making it extremely profound.

Dao Xuan used his Primordial Spirit to communicate with the nine divine dragon phantoms within the seal, comprehending the domineering Dao Rhyme that commanded all treasures and suppressed everything.

Another thousand years.

The Myriad Treasures Nine Dragon Seal hummed, the nine divine dragon phantoms became more solidified, the treasure light of the seal retracted, and its majesty deepened.

The Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Merit Ruler followed closely.

This ruler was a supreme treasure of merit, and its refinement was the smoothest.

Dao Xuan nurtured it with his own merit and fortune. The Mysterious Yellow Qi of the ruler body merged with the meritorious golden light, and the Dao Rhyme of the ruler measuring heaven and earth became clearer.

Another thousand years.

The Merit Ruler's light was gentle. Dao Xuan could already exert seven to eight tenths of its power to measure heaven and earth and stabilize the universe.

Finally, it was the Twelve-petal Pure World White Lotus.

This lotus was a supreme treasure for self-protection, purifying the Origin.

Dao Xuan's Primordial Spirit immersed itself in the pure divine light emanating from the lotus platform, cleansing its spirit and comprehending the pure Dao intent that purifies all malevolence and protects the true spirit.

A thousand years of refinement.

The white lotus's divine light flowed, its twelve petals crystal clear, further enhancing its protective capabilities.

Thus, all four precious treasures had been refined to a greater degree of mastery.

Dao Xuan's gaze fell upon the last item.

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl!

This pearl was obtained under peculiar circumstances, but due to the overbearing nature of the Ancestral Dragon's origin it contained, and its lack of perfect compatibility with Dao Xuan's own Great Dao, its refinement progress lagged behind the others.

Dao Xuan picked up the Ancestral Dragon Pearl.

The pearl felt warm and smooth in his hand, with immeasurable water essence and the roar of dragon souls seemingly contained within.

He followed the same procedure, slowly infusing his divine sense and magical power into the pearl.

He sensed the vast innate water spiritual origin and the fragmented remnants of the power laws left by the Ancestral Dragon.

The refinement process was quite sluggish.

The Ancestral Dragon's origin was unruly, and though the dragon soul's will had fallen silent, its residual pressure still resisted the penetration of external forces.

Dao Xuan was neither hasty nor impatient, using a gradual approach to wear down, communicate with, and refine it bit by bit.

Just as the refinement deepened and his divine sense touched the core origin of the Ancestral Dragon Pearl.

An anomaly occurred!

Buzz—!

Deep within Dao Xuan's Primordial Spirit, the Chaos Bead fragment, which had been dormant and slowly self-repairing, began to vibrate violently without any warning!

A powerful surge from the primordial chaos, a yearning for completion, instantly transmitted to Dao Xuan's mind!

At the same time.

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl in his hand erupted with unprecedented brilliance!

Dragon roars echoed throughout the quiet chamber!

The vast innate water spiritual origin and the Ancestral Dragon's will within the pearl seemed to have received a supreme summons, becoming incredibly active, even... with a sense of submission and allegiance!

"What is this...?"

Dao Xuan's mind trembled violently!

A bold thought flashed through his mind like lightning!

"Could it be... that this Ancestral Dragon Pearl was formed from a fragment of the Chaos Bead?!"

The Chaos Bead, a primordial treasure, contained the Primordial World and possessed the supreme power to conceal heavenly opportunities, creating its own chaotic world!

After its shattering, fragments scattered throughout the Great Desolation, transforming into numerous Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Dao Xuan, by chance, had obtained one.

Now, this Ancestral Dragon Pearl was resonating so strongly with the Chaos Bead fragment!

The possibility was extremely high!

"I'll know if I try!"

A brilliant light shot from Dao Xuan's eyes!

He no longer hesitated.

With a thought, the Chaos Bead fragment deep within his Primordial Spirit flew out instantly!

The fragment was ancient, grayish, and unremarkable, yet it exuded the most fundamental chaos aura.

Dao Xuan channeled his full magical power, cautiously bringing the Ancestral Dragon Pearl slowly closer to the Chaos Bead fragment.

Buzz—!

The moment the two touched!

An extraordinary phenomenon occurred!

Within the quiet chamber, five-colored divine light soared into the sky!

Myriad auspicious rays spewed purple mist, and countless auspicious lights rolled like crimson neon!

Dragon roars echoed across Fangzhang Immortal Island, piercing the clouds and reaching the heavens!

It was as if ten thousand dragons were paying homage, welcoming their supreme sovereign!

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl erupted with unprecedented radiance, its body beginning to soften and deform, like flowing mercury.

The Chaos Bead fragment, however, acted like a greedy black hole, madly devouring and merging the origin streams transformed from the Ancestral Dragon Pearl!

A vast, ancient, profound, and all-encompassing Dao Rhyme of chaos began to permeate the air!

Dao Xuan held his breath, focused his mind, and fully channeled his magical power, guiding this merging process.

Simultaneously, his Primordial Spirit immersed itself within, comprehending the supreme Dao Rhyme of chaos's genesis and the evolution of all things!

This fusion wasn't a simple superposition.

Instead, the Chaos Bead fragments were absorbing the Origin of the Ancestral Dragon Pearl, completing the missing Laws and structures within themselves!

The Innate Water Spirit Origin contained within the Ancestral Dragon Pearl, along with fragments of the Law of Ancestral Dragon Power, perfectly matched some of the foundational rules for "world evolution" within the Chaos Bead!

Time lost all meaning amidst this profound fusion and comprehension of Dao Rhyme.

Dao Xuan's mind was completely immersed.

After an unknown amount of time.

Perhaps an instant, perhaps ten thousand years.

The brilliant light and dragon roars within the quiet room suddenly receded!

All anomalies vanished.

Only a bead, much more solidified than before, with contained brilliance and swirling Chaos Qi, floated quietly before Dao Xuan.

On the bead's surface, Chaos Qi flowed, and within it, illusory images of the Four Seas could be faintly seen, along with dragon-shaped Dao patterns.

The aura it emitted was even more profound, even more vast!

The Chaos Bead!

A significant portion of it had been restored!

Although it was still far from being a complete Chaos Supreme Treasure, its power and the Chaos Dao Rhyme it contained were more than ten times stronger than the previous fragment!

The moment the Chaos Bead was completed!

A surge of incomparably pure, vast power originating from the Chaos Origin, like a torrent from a broken dam, surged back!

It instantly poured into Dao Xuan's limbs and bones, cleansing his physical body and nourishing his Primordial Spirit!

Boom--!

Dao Xuan felt his Primordial Spirit roar!

The Three Flowers above his head suddenly solidified, emitting brilliant Dao radiance!

The Five Qi within his chest, like five divine dragons, surged and roared, charging straight towards the crown of his head!

That bottleneck of late-stage Grand Unity, which had troubled him for thousands of years, like a chasm...

Under the feedback of this pure and vast Chaos Origin!

It dissolved silently, like snow melting in spring!

It happened naturally!

A fluctuation of magical power, several times stronger than before and more seamless, erupted from Dao Xuan's body!

Late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

He had made it!

Dao Xuan slowly opened his eyes.

A flash of Chaos Qi flickered in his pupils before returning to clarity.

Feeling the surging magical power within his body and his clearer comprehension of the Laws of Heaven and Earth, his joy was indescribable.

"No intention, yet it bears fruit... This refining of a Magic Treasure has unexpectedly brought me such a great opportunity!"

With a slight movement of his mind.

The brilliant Chaos Bead fell into his hand, warm and smooth like jade, connected to his mind, responding to his will like an extension of his own body.

With another thought.

The Chaos Bead flashed, instantly vanishing into the depths of his Primordial Spirit, its aura completely concealed. Even a Saint would likely have difficulty detecting its existence without deliberate calculation.

"With this bead, the Great Dao is within reach!"

Dao Xuan rose to his feet.

Pure Qi swirled around him, Dao Rhyme naturally formed.

He stepped out of the quiet room and into the main hall of Xuan Yuan Temple.

Incense curled in the hall, where the statues of the Three Pure Ones were enshrined.

Dao Xuan straightened his Daoist robe and bowed respectfully to the statues.

Then, he summoned auspicious clouds and left Fangzhang Immortal Island, heading straight for the Taiqing Palace on the main peak of Kunlun Mountain.

Inside the Taiqing Palace.

Grand Pure One Laozi still sat on the Cloud Bed, his aura ethereal, as if merged with the Dao.

He wore the Nine Heavens Cloud-Piercing Crown, his face ancient and simple, with a three-strand long beard flowing down.

He wore a plain, dark-colored Daoist robe that moved without wind.

Dao Xuan entered and bowed.

"Disciple Dao Xuan pays respects to Master."

Laozi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze gentle, as if it could see through everything.

His eyes fell on Dao Xuan, and he nodded slightly.

"Late Grand Unity, stable foundation, Dao Rhyme perfected. Good."

"Disciple was fortunate enough to break through and has come to report to Master and seek guidance on cultivation doubts," Dao Xuan said respectfully.

Dao Xuan took the opportunity to ask several questions about mana circulation and comprehension of Laws in the late Grand Unity stage.

Laozi answered each one concisely, pointing directly to the Origin of the Great Dao.

Dao Xuan listened as if entranced, and many cultivation bottlenecks suddenly became clear.

"The Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth. The Great Dao is unfeeling, operating the sun and moon.

The Great Dao is nameless, nurturing all things. You have now reached the late Grand Unity stage, and should understand your own Dao and seek the opportunity for Primordial Chaos. However, you cannot be hasty. It requires patient effort and an understanding of nature."

Laozi finally advised.

"Disciple will strictly follow Master's teachings!" Dao Xuan was sincerely convinced.

Laozi nodded slightly and closed his eyes again, his spirit wandering.

Dao Xuan knew his Master's temperament. He bowed again and withdrew from Taiqing Palace.

With this breakthrough and his Master's guidance, his Dao heart was clear.

Stillness bred movement.

"I have been in the immortal mountains for too long and have not experienced the mortal world. I should re-enter the Great Desolation, experience the changes of heaven and earth, and verify what I have learned."

Dao Xuan's mind was made up.

He descended Kunlun Mountain.

He arrived at the Qilin Cliff at the foot of the mountain.

A clear whistle.

From the cave dwelling below the cliff, a five-colored auspicious light shot out!

It was the Five Spirit Qilin!

After tens of thousands of years, this beast was even more majestic than before.

It was seen that:

Its horns were sharp and hidden with auspicious light, its body covered in five-colored jade scales.

Jade claws hung like hooks, white; silver scales danced like mirrors, bright.

When it moved, auspicious clouds rose beneath its feet; when it cried out, its voice made all beasts tremble.

Truly an immortal's mount, extraordinarily divine!

The Five Spirit Qilin saw Dao Xuan and affectionately nuzzled his Daoist robe, emitting happy low whines.

"Old friend, let's go into the mortal world again!"

Dao Xuan smiled and mounted the Qilin's back.

The Five Spirit Qilin's four hooves trod on auspicious clouds, carrying Dao Xuan away from Kunlun Immortal Mountain, heading straight for the vast Great Desolation.

At this time, in the Great Desolation.

Tens of thousands of years had passed since that earth-shattering initial battle.

The Witch Clan, relying on their powerful reproductive abilities and their status as children of the earth, had recovered their vitality extremely quickly.

Across the land, Witch Clan tribes were scattered like stars.

Although not as prosperous as before the great war, they had regained some vitality.

There were Witchmen tribes:

Nestled by mountains and rivers, with stone houses in rows.

Totems stood tall, with a faint aura of Fiend Qi.

Witchmen warriors, some with faces like ripe dates and beards like tangled roots, wielding giant axes; others with faces like the bottom of a pot, with red hair and fangs, carrying bone spears on their backs.

Their Blood Essence was vigorous, and their shouts shook the mountains and forests.

There were also Great Witches traveling:

Some rode ferocious beasts, their bodies like mountains, with Fiend Qi soaring to the heavens.

Others walked on the ground, covering a thousand miles in a single step, shaking mountains and rivers.

Wherever they passed, all beasts lay dormant, and demonic auras retreated.

Although the Demon Clan controlled the Heavenly Court and governed the stars.

On the land, it was still the Witch Clan's domain.

The Heavenly Dao's Imperial Decree of "Witches govern the earth, Demons control the heavens" prevented the two sides from erupting into all-out war.

However, the bone-deep hatred had long been integrated into their blood and marrow.

Small-scale conflicts, like subterranean fire and magma, had never ceased beneath the surface of tranquility.

Dao Xuan rode the Five Spirit Qilin, traversing the mountains and rivers of the Great Desolation.

At times, he saw Witch Clan tribes hunting ferocious beasts, their Fiend Qi soaring to the heavens.

At other times, he saw Demon Clan squads gathering spiritual materials, their demonic clouds sweeping past.

If the two sides met unexpectedly, a disagreement would often escalate into a battle, with blood splattering for five paces.

Dao Xuan merely observed from afar, not interfering.

His mind was as clear as a mirror.

This was the aftermath of a Calamity, entangled with karma.

Rashly getting involved would only attract karma.

"Why should laborers make things difficult for other laborers? Why should the subordinates risk their lives to settle the grudges of their superiors?"

Dao Xuan shook his head and sighed softly, then rode his Qilin away leisurely.

He possessed the awareness of a "Great Desolation onlooker."

His purpose for this journey was clear.

First, to verify his learning and comprehend the natural laws of heaven and earth.

Second, to see if he could find more opportunities, as the path to completing the Chaos Bead was still very long.

The Five Spirit Qilin had extremely fast foot speed.

One day, they arrived at the coast of the East Sea.

Behold:

Misty waves stretched to the celestial river, and vast tides connected to the earth veins.

The incoming tide surged like thunder in spring; the water flooding the inlets resembled strong winds in summer.

Immortal mountains loomed, and islands dotted the landscape like stars.

Dao Xuan was about to find an immortal island to land on and comprehend the Great Dao of Water Element.

Suddenly, he heard waves of magical energy fluctuations and shouts emanating from the sea ahead.

Interspersed within were dragon roars and... the unique, ferocious Fiend Qi of the Witch Clan!

"Oh? The East Sea Dragon Clan and the Witch Clan have clashed?"

Dao Xuan's brows twitched slightly.

The Dragon Clan had long since declined after the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, settling in the four seas.

Now, they were clashing with the Witch Clan, the overlords of the land?

As his thoughts stirred, the Five Spirit Qilin understood. Its auspicious clouds shifted beneath its feet, and it silently drew closer.

In the sky above the sea ahead.

Several true dragons revealed their hundred-zhang-long bodies, their scales bristling, teeth bared and claws extended, engaging in a fierce battle with seven or eight Witch Clan warriors.

Among the Witch Clan warriors, the leader was a Great Witch.

He had a face like indigo, hair like cinnabar, and a large mouth with fangs.

He wore a helmet made of unknown beast bones, a simple leather armor, and wielded a giant Xuan Hua axe.

His Fiend Qi was dense, and his Blood Essence was like a roaring furnace.

He was clearly a powerful cultivator in the middle stage of a Great Witch!

The Witch Clan warriors behind him were also fierce, wielding bone clubs and stone spears, surrounding and attacking the true dragons.

On the Dragon Clan's side, the leader was a red dragon, its scales like fire, exuding an extraordinary dragon might, possessing the cultivation of a peak Golden Immortal.