Qiuniu's Conditions

"I heard you."

Qing Yi lowered her head again to look at the World Dao Resonance beneath her feet, which had clearly become even more violent. Confused, she asked, "Since you heard it, why...?"

"That's why we need to run," Qing Xuan said solemnly.

Qing Yi blinked, her exquisite face full of confusion.

She had no idea what kind of special power of Cause and Effect those words, "Fellow Daoist, Please Stay," possessed.

But out of absolute trust in Qing Xuan, she did not slow down. Instead, she took the initiative to merge the clear radiance of the Creation Green Lotus into Qing Xuan's world, helping him accelerate.

Meanwhile, Yinglong, standing at the prow of the dragon boat, froze.

He clearly had not expected that remaining silent would have been better. The moment he politely called out to stop them, the two ahead not only failed to stop, but fled as though they had seen a ghost, even more frantically than before!

"How unreasonable..."

Yinglong frowned deeply, his expression turning unpleasant.

The pale-gold dragon wings behind him beat fiercely once more, and the immense mana of a late-stage Great Luo poured forth without reservation.

Two Great Luo Dao resonances, one ahead and one behind, began a bizarre chase across the skies of the Primordial World.

But Yinglong had attained the Dao earlier, his foundation was profound, and the Dragon Race's escape arts were exceptional to begin with.

In only a few moments, the massive Golden Dragon Boat swept across the void like Mount Tai bearing down from above, blocking Qing Xuan and Qing Yi's path not far ahead.

"Fellow Daoists!"

The deep voice rang out again, this time carrying a faint trace of pressure.

Qing Xuan knew there was no point in continuing to run unless he intended to turn hostile and fight immediately.

Only then did he calmly withdraw the World Dao and stop amid the clouds with Qing Yi.

The Golden Dragon Boat slowly approached.

Yinglong stood at the bow, looking down as his gaze swept back and forth between the two of them.

After a long silence, he finally could not resist voicing his confusion, obvious frustration in his tone.

"Since you two already heard my call, why did you not stop? Why did you... run even faster?"

Qing Xuan remained unruffled, his handsome face as calm as an ancient well. There was no sign that he had been the one desperately accelerating and fleeing moments ago.

"Oh, I suddenly sensed that a great opportunity seemed to be about to emerge ahead."

Standing with his hands behind his back, Qing Xuan casually made up an excuse. "Opportunities of the Great Dao change in an instant. I truly did not wish to delay, so I quickened my pace."

Qing Yi turned her face slightly and quietly glanced at him.

There was not the slightest ripple in the young woman's cool features, but she graciously remained silent.

She did not expose him. She merely thought Qing Xuan looked rather good when he lied.

Qiuniu stepped out from behind Yinglong at this moment. Though he also found the excuse about an emerging opportunity somewhat forced, as Ancestor Dragon's eldest son, he had the composure not to fuss over such a trivial matter.

"I am Qiuniu, eldest son of Ancestor Dragon. This is Elder Yinglong of our clan."

Qiuniu's gentle smile returned. Cupping his hands, he offered a flawless greeting between peers. "We followed the disturbance in the eastern Water Veins here. We merely wished to befriend the two of you and bear no ill intent. If we have disturbed you, I hope you will forgive us."

Ancestor Dragon's eldest son. A great general of the Dragon Race, Yinglong.

Naturally, Qing Xuan knew of these two.

"I am Qing Xuan."

One did not strike a smiling face, so Qing Xuan could only return the greeting with a raised hand.

Compared to Qing Xuan, Qing Yi, standing at his side, was far more aloof. She merely gave a slight nod. "Qing Yi."

After both sides exchanged greetings, the atmosphere eased somewhat.

Qiuniu soon turned his gaze toward the Ancestral Vein in the distance, which they had left behind and which had now fully revived.

"To be frank, our clan's Primordial World Water Vein Map showed that this Ancestral Vein had been destroyed during the Fierce Beast Tribulation. It had lain dormant for countless years, only regaining such immense innate vitality just now."

Qiuniu looked at them with blazing eyes. "Was this the doing of you two, Fellow Daoists?"

Qing Xuan nodded without concealing anything. "We discovered an innate object within that was fated with Qing Yi. But the Ancestral Vein was already fragile. If we took the treasure directly, it would have completely collapsed. To settle the Cause and Effect, we simply used the Great Dao to reshape the crack."

"To the two of you, it may have merely been a casual act. But to the countless living beings of all races in the east who rely on the Water Veins to survive, it is a Creation of immeasurable merit!"

Qiuniu's expression turned solemn, and he respectfully bowed deeply to them.

"Though the Fierce Beast Tribulation has ended, the devastation it left behind covers the east. Over the years, the Dragon Race has also expended endless effort repairing the shattered Water Veins."

"What you two did today has indeed spared our Dragon Race a tremendous amount of work. On behalf of the aquatic races of the east, Qiuniu thanks you both."

Qing Xuan sidestepped to avoid half the bow. He did not claim such righteousness for himself, merely saying, "Having taken the opportunity, we must bear the Cause and Effect. Repairing the Ancestral Vein was only proper. You overstate it, Fellow Daoist."

Seeing Qing Xuan's unperturbed demeanor, the admiration in Qiuniu's eyes deepened.

The vision of the two of them attaining the Great Luo Dao from afar had already been enough to prove the depth of their foundations and the profundity of their Dao.

Now that he was speaking with them face-to-face, Qiuniu discovered that they neither deliberately sought to curry favor with the Dragon Race because of its current overwhelming authority over the Primordial World, nor acted arrogantly after only just attaining Great Luo.

They knew when to advance and when to retreat, and their Dao hearts were perfectly balanced.

They were absolutely rare, peerless combatants!

Thinking of the main purpose of this journey, Qiuniu stopped circling around the matter and went straight to the point.

"Since you two have only just attained the Dao, I imagine you are still traveling the Primordial World and have yet to choose a cultivation ground to settle in?"

Qiuniu stepped forward slightly, his tone filled with sincerity. "The Dragon Race now rules the Four Seas and is in need of talent."

"If you do not object, would you be willing to travel with the Dragon Race? Among the countless innate spirit islands and underwater blessed lands of the East Sea, you may choose any you wish. We will never interfere with your secluded cultivation!"

He paused, then continued laying out his offer. "Not only that, the Primordial World Water Vein Map held by our clan, the unexcavated ruins of innate gods and demons, and the many Great Dao inheritances we collected during the Fierce Beast Tribulation will all be opened to you without conditions."

"The Dragon Race's Fate Aura is now at its height, flourishing like the midday sun. If you are willing to bind your Fate Aura to that of the Dragon Race, Heaven and Earth's Fate Aura will surely aid your future cultivation and comprehension of the Dao, allowing you to achieve twice the result with half the effort!"

At this point, Qiuniu's gaze became extremely serious.

"Moreover, my father, Ancestor Dragon, has always respected the strong of the Primordial World. Given the foundations and Dao you two have displayed, if you are willing to enter the East Sea, my father will surely emerge from seclusion in person to discuss the Dao with you and explore the realm beyond Great Luo together!"

Yinglong stood beside him with his hands behind his back. This time, he did not interrupt Qiuniu.

Because he understood very well.

The terms Qiuniu had offered carried an irresistible weight even for a seasoned Great Luo Golden Immortal: a top-tier innate cultivation ground, opportunity realms accumulated over tens of millions of years by a hegemonic race, immense Fate Aura at its peak, and an opportunity to personally discuss the Great Dao with one of the strongest beings in the Primordial World today, Ancestor Dragon.

Looking across the current Primordial World, other than the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin races, there was no fourth power capable of producing such terrifying resources and promises at once.

Two more chapters will be released later at 00:00.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, updates will be set for this time from now on.