Primitive Age of Xianxia (Honghuang style xianxia story)

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

For most people looking at him, Da Hai came off as unassuming. He was someone who blended into the background. Someone you'd brush off as unimportant. Sure he'd dress nicely and was well kept but the feeling he gave off was not extraordinary in any way.

Compared to the likes of Shenni, Si Hai, or even Wangshu who made an attempt to stand out, Da Hai was practically invisible. He'd contributed greatly to the Shenni war sure, but everyone else participating who survived was equally crucial.

His reputation didn't exceed others either. He'd hardly made any appearances outside of the east sea and barely any news reached the rest of the primitive world. As he spent all his time hauled up in Yingzhou, he was an afterthought to many powerhouses in the world. A name you remember but don't think much on.

But the current situation has changed. For all the years he'd known him, Zulong had seen many sides of Da Hai. He'd seen him amiable(mostly), deadpan(always), disappointed(sometimes), frustrated(a lot), happy(rarely). But he'd never seen his master as he was now.

Da Hai's facial expression could only be described as a chilling rage. His mouth did not move from that thin line it was in but his glare was positively apocalyptic. The air around the sea god had changed as well.

From the moment he stepped through the hole in reality. All things were silenced. The storm made no sound, the waves lay in wait, the wind stilled. Zulong felt a chill down his spine just from being near his master, and he wasn't even the one targeted.

Da Hai took one look at the barely alive four symbols divine beasts and took action. Although he didn't move, the effect of primordial Qi was felt. Bai Hu, Qinglong, Zhuque, and Xuanwu regained colour.

Si Hai stood on top of the ocean starring in somewhat of a disbelieving expression. "You actually came here?" He wondered as if he was looking at the dumbest man alive.

"You actually came here away from your island?" Si Hai's crooked mouth broke into a smirk. "Heh, heh heh, hahahahahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The sea god exploded into full blown laughter ignoring all those around him.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, this is too funny," Si Hai laughed. "Da Hai, heh, I pegged you for a, heh, somewhat intelligent, haha, man. Not a smart one but at least not one this dumb," Si Hai made out between chuckles.

Da Hai tilted his head to one side and smirked. "The only fool here I see is you," he said softly.

"Haha, Da Hai you fool. You were safe on that island, save from me for the most part I'll admit," Si Hai smirked. "But that is all you are, a turtle who cannot fight anywhere else but from the comforts of your own home."

The sea got pointed his harpoon at Da Hai. "But even then, I no longer fear that place. You see, for the last ten thousand years I've tirelessly developed ways to counter your little mind tricks," he boasted. "Your illusions no longer affect me, you have lost all chance you've had of defeating me. But at least you were boosted in Yingzhou."

Si Hai sighed and shook his head, "To think you'd actually willingly leave. You realise that out here, you're weaker than ever right?"

"Heh, yeah, I am weaker outside of Yingzhou," Da Hai admitted. "But you seemed to have gotten the wrong impression Si Hai," Da Hai said holding bu Si Hai's bisected arm.

At first he was confused, then his mind caught up to him. Si Hai's pupilless eyes widened and looked down. One of his arms, the lower arm on his left side had been torn off. It took a few moments between his realisation for the pain to catch up to him.

"What?" He grunted. He looked back at Da Hai and couldn't help but be unnerved by his smile.

"Si Hai," Da Hai began. "If anything, you've proven yourself dumber than I thought." The ancestor of the great sea chuckled and threw the arm into the sea.

"Ten thousand years to figure spells to counter illusions. Ten thousand years in seclusion to study illusions. Ten thousand years of sitting on your ass and learning techniques," Da Hai repeated over and over. "Ten thousand years wasted."

Si Hai gritted his teeth and growled. He leapt into the air preparing to smash Da Hai to pieces. The full weight of his cultivation came barreling down. The sea quaked beneath him, the thunder and wind howled behind him. The storm clouds swirled with him as the epicentre.

"Tsk tsk Si Hai," Da Hai said not even moving. He looked up at the descending Si Hai. The emperor of the four seas was incredibly fast, but to Da Hai's eyes, he appeared very slow.

"You see, while you were busy studying spells, I've been enlightening myself on the Dao," Da Hai said. "In ten thousand years, I've made so many improvements that I've left you behind."

"Indeed, you were smart to figure spells to counter my greatest weapon. On earth you'd be like a gamer changing his loadout for a new boss fight," Da Hai said softly while Si Hai became confused upon hearing these words. What was Da Hai talking about?

"But Si Hai, while you did get stronger, you grew laterally," Da Hai said smiling brightly. "Whereas I grew vertically," he sighed and waved up.

In one motion, Si Hai had suffered a grievous cut that left his entire left side hanging by his waist. He bled out in shock, herculean amounts of blood like Dao essence leaked out like a fountain. The golden radiance showered the area.

"You've, to think you," Si Hai muttered in shock.

"Yes Si Hai, I've left you behind," Da Hai said smiling sadistically. "My Dao has long since left the realm of Da Luo," he said swiftly swinging his hand across.

Si Hai wasn't prepared to defend himself. But even if he was, he couldn't defend was he was bisected at the waist. Si Hai desperately lashed out with a punch. However, that blow never reached Da Hai as his fist was crushed and encased by water before tearing off.

Da Hai leisurely walked up to Si Hai still smiling. "You really have no shame do you Si Hai," Da Hai laughed. He shoved his hand, tiny in comparison, into the gargantuan Si Hai's chest. He made and gripping motion and tore out an ethereal construct of a Dao fruit.

Si Hai's eyes widened fearfully. "Wait Da Hai, wait, please wait a minute," he begged. "My kingdom, all my slaves, all my treasures, they're yours, I'll even serve you."

Da Hai tightened his grip. The sound of something succumbing to high pressure was heard as loud as day. All the while Si Hai begged.

"A slave, no a mount, I'll be your mount, don't do this," Si Hai begged helplessly. "Please Da Hai, as a fellow godfiend, as a cultivator, you know why this is wrong," he screamed as cracked began appearing on the Dao fruit.

"Si Hai" Da Hai said with venoming dripping contempt. "To think someone like you managed to forge a Dao. A toxic Dao I'm sure. To so willingly bully juniors, to hurt my s… to hurt those who belong to my sect. You really are trash."

"You do not deserve to be in the realm of Da Luo Golden Immortal. So I'll send you back to Taiyi, even the odds for a bit. Pretty fair wouldn't you say?" He snarled.

"Or maybe I'll break your unity, and send you tumbling back to Golden Immortal. Give you a taste of your own medicine," he said. "Not a bad idea actually. I'd deposit you on the south continent where the empress of birds would love to see you," he said taking a brief look at the amazed yet scared Zhuque.

Those spectating the battle didn't know what to feel. Sure, they were immensely thankful to Da Hai. They wanted to all bow in respect and revere him. Zhuque wanted to convince her sister to build a shrine for him.

But there was something intrinsically wrong with what Da Hai was doing. An intrinsic feeling that they all dreaded. The Dao was precious. It was something fundamentally a part of you. As Taiyi Golden Immortals who'd found their Dao, they all understood the importance of such.

"What an emperor of the four seas," Da Hai scoffed. "I showed you mercy last time, but you dare scheme behind my back. No wonder you followed Shenni, you two are so alike."

Radiant Dao essence broke away from the Dao fruit of emperor Si Hai. He could feel his cultivation becoming unstable. His power was plummeting. His current state was miserable.

"Da Hai, don't think you'd get away with this!" SI Hai roared. "I am a valuable ally to the devil ancestor, you really think he'd let you get away with this?"

"The same tactic? Really?" Da Hai raised an eyebrow in amusement. He crushed his fist tearing off have the Dao fruit. He completely pulverised fifty percent of Si Hai's Dao. The emperor of the seas fell back in pain. He was barely able to maintain his stature and desperately tried to crawl away.

"Ah, ah, ah," Da Hai sang teleporting before him. He gripped the other half of the Dao fruit taking his sweat time torturing Si Hai. "Let's take this nice and slow."

Si Hai looked utterly miserable. He felt extremely depressed right now. How had Da Hai reached the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm? He'd completely surpassed him in every way. Based on the way he'd fought, he wasn't new to the realm. Da Hai's cultivation was very stable.

Si Hai looked in petrified fear. He'd never felt so weak before in his life. So helpless as he gazed up the phantom image of eight hissing serpents. Their manes were glowing menacingly.

Above the clouds, violet light gathered and an old man in purple robes appeared. His hands were placed firmly behind his back. He looked down at the dark clouds in curiosity.

"What happened while I was gone?" He muttered. He took a brief look eastwards towards the mainland before tearing his eyes away. Luohu shouldn't care too much about the ocean anyway.

Descending towards the ocean surface, the old man observed the panicked look of Da Hai and the half dead Si Hai. "Oh, well isn't this interesting," he muttered.

"Hongjun," Da Hai whispered letting go of Si Hai giving the old man, Hongjun his full attention.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

First there was Hongjun, then there was heaven. One phrase that dictated the world. The mystery of mysteries saint who embodied the great balance of the universe prior to the splitting heaven and earth. That was to say, Hongjun predated the heavens.

Da Hai's mind swirled with old memories of a world he'd barely dwelled on. Truth be told earth or terra or whatever you'd call it rarely entered his mind unless he wanted to remember mythological trivia. In this time period however, barely any was useful.

But no matter what source, no matter which text, no matter which description. One consistent thought was universal. Do not fuck with Hongjun.

Yet right now, all Da Hai could think about were the last few conversations with Huoyun. Those memories tens of thousands of years old. Memories that remained vivid throughout all his time cultivating and instructing.

"Wait a second," Da Hai had said. "You vitality Huoyun, you're severely injured. Are you really going to fight in this state?"

"Hm? What other choice do I have," Huoyun answered flying with equal pace with Da Hai. "Our home is being threatened by a madman drunk on revenge. Just abandoning everything and leaving is not an option."

"Except it is, you once taught me to not be too benevolent less I be taken advantage of. To be wary of strangers, to not pick fights I cannot win," Da Hai said.

"I did," Huoyun sighed. "But right now, things are bigger then just you and me. I cannot let something as big as this go."

The daoist of the five elements closed his eyes in tired sadness. "This world is still in its infant stage. Hongjun and Luohu, their desire for control, their desire to cultivate this world. The bodies of our brethren they'll leave in their wake will be catastrophic."

"You've already told me," Da Hai stated. "Hongjun injured you so?"

"I wish it were not so, else I'd be at 100% for the fight," Huoyun sighed. "Who knew the grass cricket will grow so strong so fast. I know he incarnated early but to already…Hai, I don't know if he'd pursue me or not but…" he shook his head. "The past is the past, we can only look to the future, work with what we've got."

"Stay safe alright," Da Hai said. "We'll come out of this war fine."

'How idealistic I was,' Da Hai thought retching himself out of his memories. 'Hongjun, I blame you. I hate you,' the sea god closed his eyes to suppress his rage from showing.

"Fellow daoist," Hongjun approached steadily, not too fast nor too slow. A steady past with firm steps and a strong posture. He appeared old but not frail, not simple. Just looking at him gave off a feeling of vast mysteries, deep enlightenment into Dao.

"Daoist Hongjun, greetings," Da Hai said evenly. He discretely motioned with his fingers facing away from Hongjun for Zulong to move away.

The old man took a side glance at Zulong and the four divine beasts. His eyes got a brief look of relief. In fact he'd also looked incredibly happy.

'Right, Zufeng exhibited an aura similar to Hongjun. There is a high probability he'd gotten to the Qilin as well,' Da Hai thought while observing Zhuque for any reactions. 'No reaction, she doesn't recognise him. Approached from a false identity perhaps?'

"It is Da Hai correct?" Hongjun asked and Da Hai nodded. "Well, I haven't seen you in ages. I believe this is the second time we've met."

"Yes," Da Hai said. "But the last time could hardly be called a meeting," he said taking a deep breath.

"You are troubled fellow daoist?" Hongjun asked appearing concerned. "What ails you friend?"

"A lot of things," Da Hai admitted. "But I must say, your appearance here was unexpected."

"It was merely a quiet stroll," Hongjun sounded very friendly when he talked. "It's not good to stay cooped up for too long. Cultivating can get quite boring."

'Likely story,' Da Hai thought. 'What could he be after? He took zero interest in Si Hai, but a lot in me and Zulong. Zulong I understand, but I am just a background character.'

"Haha, when I first met you, I thought you were an oddity," Hongjun said smiling. "So like Da Hai but so different in your aura, you were like a completely new person. Tell me, do you still go by Da Hai?"

"Yeah, I do," Da Hai nodded. It was no secret that all three thousand chaos godfiends knew each other at least to the degree of an acquaintance. Hongjun had seen the original Da Hai and spoken to him plenty of times. It was only natural considering how many yuanhai passed in the chaos sea.

The chaos godfiend civilisation brought to extinction by Pangu had been around for many cosmic years. Around 313 or so, that was to say 313 Yuanhai went by before Pangu executed the godfiends. Translated to the time flow of the primitive world, that was 40,377,000 years. Plenty of time for the main three thousand to meet.

"Wonderful, fellow daoist Da Hai, it truly brings this old man joy to see how much progress you've made. Truly I am envious," he said jovially. At the same time, a seniority was established. Yet Hongjun is acknowledging Da Hai, attempting to play to his ego.

"How can I help you fellow daoist," Da Hai finally asked. "I stand by the justice I've dealt to Si Hai."

"So such small issue," Hongjun said. "I was merely appraising you," the old man walked up to Da Hai and suddenly appeared very serious.

"The truth is, this world is in danger," Hongjun said sadly. "The Heavenly Dao is in danger of assimilation by a terrifying demon."

"Luohu," Da Hai whispered. Hongjun nodded.

"I see you're already aware," he said stroking his long white beard. "Truth is, I am gathering allies. An alliance of the strongest cultivators to combat him." 'A sales pitch huh?'

Hongjun sighed in sadness appearing very tired and distraught. "Already we are losing this war. Many comrades had fallen over the years. Even the mighty godfiends like patriarch Kunwu. Even one of our greatest, daoist Huoyun was tragically assassinated by Luohu," he said with a grief stricken face. No falsehoods could be found in his voice. 'The fuck did you just say?'

"Alas, a tragedy, struck down before his time. Luohu is a man who'd do anything to win," he said. 'You hypocrite.'

'How dare you!' "Yes, it was. Most tragic loss," Da Hai gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. His blood boiled like magma and it was only through years of controlling his emotions that none were leaked out.

"You were familiar with the late daoist Huoyun?" Hongjun said with a hint of surprise. "Indeed, it was a tragic day when he perished. Luohu snuffed out a very kind soul. Inspire of his fearsome reputation, daoist Huoyun was not like others of his rank," the old man smiled sadly. 'You despicable lying piece of shit.'

"Fellow daoist, you are quite possibly one of the strongest immortals that exists in this world. Please help me avenge daoist Huoyun," Hongjun pleaded. 'What utter nonsense.'

'I wish you dead,' Da Hai thought trying to keep a perfect poker face. Then he twitched, and twitched again, then again. "What a load of bullshit," he whispered.

"Hm?" Hongjun grunted tilting his head. 'What am I doing?'

"Tell me Hongjun, does your goal not equal that of Luohu?" Da Hai snarled. "Do you not admit your involvement in brother Huoyun's death? Do you not admit your true intentions?" 'I am making a mistake.'

"What?" Hongjun raised an eyebrow. 'But right now…'

"I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding fellow daoist," Hongjun said evenly. 'As I stand before you…'

"I am working for the betterment of all living beings," Hongjun admitted. "You must understand the gravity of the situation. I cannot be lax in my judgement. Are you with me?" 'I just don't CARE!'

"Fellow daoist, you are making a mistake," Hongjun sighed. "You do NOT want this fight."

The world exploded in a flash of light before Zulong's eyes. He couldn't open his eyes he was thrown back. He tumbled across the ocean slamming into an island, shattering the island and continuing in his trajectory.

Tensing his claws, he gripped the fabric of reality to steady himself. The dragon slid for millions upon millions of kilometres before managing to somewhat steady himself. He raised his head and immediately looked away.

The assault to his senses was too much. The sky sang, the ocean rejoiced, the lightning danced. Bridges of immortal marine gods were beating their drums of war, blowing on their trumpets, announcing the offensive.

Reality distorted and tore apart. Two titanic auras washed over the dragon making him question what was real or not.

Water rose up and clashed against celestial clouds. A javelin of ice landed somewhere close to Zulong. A massive explosion threatened to rupture his eardrums.

Da Hai, 12th grade white lotus spun in one hand, each of its soft lotus leaves were like steel blades, desperate for blood. In his other hand was a large flag swirling with dense water, the xuanyuan water control flag.

Hongjun grunted in surprise as he leaned back to avoid a swing of the flag. Then he raised his arm to block a torrent of water the force of which cracked reality and slipped into the void before doubling back for another hit.

Hongjun closed his eyes and sat crossed legged mid air. He clasped his palms and breathed out. The water splashed harmlessly over him and returned to the ocean. The grinding power of white lotus did not reach him.

Hongjun slowly opened his eyes which glowed purple.

"ARGH!" Da Hai flew back having been struck by a fierce blast of immortal power. The white lotus appeared behind him in support. Its nursing energies empowered the sea god. The flag at this side was raised and the ocean along with it.

At least 30% of the west sea rose into the air transforming into a mighty serpent. It stretched on for tens of millions of kilometres long. The serpent lurched forward and Hongjun.

The old man sighed, he clasped his hands and chanted. The maw of the serpent bit down at Hongjun before exploding into uncountable amounts of droplets. Hongjun sat mid air looking disappointed.

"Last chance fellow daoist, with me?" He asked.

The droplets in the air froze into sharp edges the size of a pocket knife. They bombarded Hongjun in a hail. The old man opened his palm and slapped the air. A massive wave of wind obliterated every single droplet in existence.

Da Hai snarled in rage and drew his sword. In a wide arch slashed at Hongjun. The sea parted in his wake and the heavens split.

CLANG!

Between Hongjun's index and middle finger, he held the edge of the teardrop sword. He sent his other palm out at Da Hai's stomach.

A massive wave of purple light radiated from the impact point spanning vertically in a circular shape like a disc. The eight headed serpentine form of Da Hai impacted the ocean floor below. Eight pairs of eyes glared at Hongjun hatefully.

With those eyes, sixteen beams of laser shot into the heavens carving at Hongjun. The old man opened both his palms and held them open before him, one up and one down. He twisted them around.

The two extremities of black and white met forming a diagram of the Taijitu. The spinning wheel of two extremities gave rise to the spinning wheel, perfectly balanced harmony. Bleeding into each other, they gave rise to five aspects of creation, four surrounding a fifth. Eight images appeared beyond forming a perfect balance of the cosmos.

The Taiji painting, a piece of Pangu's axe that split off after the primitive world was opened. It appeared in Hongjun's hands and spun. All things in this world exists in harmony, the process defined on the painting detailed the change from primordial heaven to early heaven with the oncoming rise of latter heaven.

Da Hai ultimately failed to land a single blow on Hongjun. And as the wild winds of the primitive world blew. Da Hai rose to face the ancestor of the great balance.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Incredibly long, monstrous, ferocious and furious. This was the current state of Da Hai as he lunged at Hongjun. The divine water known as pellucid divine water flowed through the sea god's veins allowing him to avoid Hongjun's palm strikes.

The old man whirled his palms around and deflected one of Da Hai's heads into another head. The sea god flew up and wrapped his tail around Hongjun only to be prevented by a bubble.

"Hmph!" Hongjun snorted. The bubble exploded in a bright purple light. Golden radiant Dao essence bled profusely from Da Hai's remaining stump that was once his tail. Sixteen eyes narrowed as eight mouths opened blasting bolts of electricity in unison.

Hongjun pointed his index finger up. It glowed purple with swirling clouds surrounding it resembling a tunnel. A narrow laser shot out of his finger, its might eclipsing Da Hai's attacks. The lightning was shattered as the purple laser blasted through them all.

Da Hai's eyes widened. With impeccable reaction speed, his entire body melted into a stream of water phasing through the beam. Hongjun narrowed his eyes.

The great immortal clasped his hands and breathed out calmly. A small spec of purple energy appeared in his hand. With a quick motion, he threw it at the battery form of Da Hai.

BOOM!

What could only be described as an apocalyptic purple blast occurred in the largest explosion ever conceived in the history of the primitive world. Space and time were torn apart revealing a gaping black hole into the void between realms.

However, Da Hai in a pure water form still floated in the air. Slowly, the water receded as the sea god moved away warily. The distance between them was at least 43 million kilometres.

Hongjun frowned in irritation. The purple bomb had done more damage to the primitive world than Da Hai. The taiji painting appeared in his palm. The dual extremities of the black and white expanded and covered the surrounding area in an invisible dome.

Da Hai narrowed his eyes as the dome expanded faster than he could move. The hole into the void was also enveloped. The balancing effect of the taiji painting instantly took effect.

Space was locked down and this area was isolated from the outside world becoming its own separate universe. Like shards of glass, pieces of reality mended the hole restoring it to the blue cloudless sky. It was as if no damage was ever done.

Hongjun smiled in soft triumph. Purple lightning crackled in his eyes as orbs of immortal energy floated around him attacking Da Hai with long distance bombardment.

Da Hai gritted his teeth and flew away kiting the attacks. As he'd done so, his tail regenerated bit by bit. Da Hai swerved into the air abruptly flying up then turning again and again.

As one of the serpent heads looked back, Da Hai noticed the projectiles gaining ground. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated, pellucid divine water ran through his veins again.

'What if I…ok let's do this,' he strategised in his thoughts. As the energy blasts neared, Da Hai dived. He descended and flew above the ocean surface while pulling tendrils of water to intercept the blasts.

Hongjun waved his hand and the blasts swerved around him. Da Hai nodded in expectation, he ripped a huge portion of the water into a tsunami hoping to engulf the blasts. In response, Hongjun flexed both his arms out and pushed.

Without hesitation, the blasts shot through the tsunami wall nigh effortlessly. They continued chasing Da Hai as he dived deep underwater. But he couldn't continue running for long.

Hongjun looked pleased when they impacted in a massive explosion. Because of the sealed universe, collateral damage was also none existent beyond the ocean being kicked up a few million kilometres.

"Now how will I approach the dragon?" He stroked his. His eyes suddenly widened. Behind him, water conglomerated into the human form of Da Hai.

In his hands lay the xuanyuan water control flag. The actual flag was neatly wrapped around the pole. Above the flagpole, the 12th grade white lotus disengaged into a conglomerate of white steel petals. They attached themselves onto the top and built upon themselves until they became a coherent sharp blade.

Around the base of the blade, the cycling waves wheel manifested and became a hilt guard. The ancient looking ocean swallowing jug appeared and attached itself onto the pummel of the flagpole turned handle. Water rose out of the jug into the handle forming a long thick hilt of ice. The completed weapon heavily resembled a zambato.

With both hands, Da Hai held the fused treasure. The sheer power from combing two top grade xiantian treasures and 2 high grade xiantia treasures was incredible. The top grade treasures were notable as they provided the offensive power while the high grades merely stabilised it.

As he swung down, Da Hai did not make a peep. His eyes carried a look of bloodthirst rarely if ever seen on the man. The white blade glowed in transparent greyish light striking at the back of Hongjun's head. All of this took place in an instant.

Divine sense was an extremely useful tool at a cultivator's disposal able to detect foreign energies. They awakened early on during the development of the nascent soul and only grow exponentially more powerful from there. The only real way of defending from a sense was to forcefully block it or be lucky enough that the user doesn't have it on.

Hongjun was an experienced member of the chaos godfiend civilisation. He was no stranger to using divine sense and as such had a small passive sense active warning him of the danger of incoming attacks. Throughout the years he'd admittedly grown lax as he became confident in his position.

However, that wasn't to say he'd neglected divine sense entirely. As although he'd not actively used it after assuming he'd killed Da Hai in that blast, he was able to sense and react to an oncoming attack.

CLANG!

The white blade formed from the white lotus clashed against the flagpole of the Pangu banner. Hongjun had long since turned around and blocked Da Hai's strike with clear surprise in his eye.

"Today is just full of surprises," Hongjun muttered.

Sensing danger immediately disengaged and leapt back assuming a full form of pellucid divine water as a grey wave of power washed over his form. Hongjun's face twitched as Da Hai phased through his deadliest method of attack. The chaotic sword Qi had failed to reach Da Hai.

"I've already sealed dimensions, how is he doing that?" Hongjun raised and brought the Pangu banner down in a slash motion. He cleaved the oceans and skies apart in one stroke.

Loathed as he was to admit it, Da Hai was becoming somewhat enlightened from just watching the moves employed by Hongjun. He felt pellucid divine water drain away from him as he narrowly avoided the oncoming blow.

'This cannot go on forever,' he thought regretfully. His moment of raw rage is now costing him dearly. He quickly bought his weapon up to block a casual swing by Hongjun. 'He's not even taking this seriously.'

"Tell me, what other surprises have you've got," Hongjun asked. "And what was that technique just now. I'd love to trade pointers."

'This motherfu…' Da Hai raged as dodged and went for another swing only to be denied blood by the Pangu banner.

Hongjun smiled softly as the banner slid across the white lotus blade and slashed at Da Hai via the flag. Da Hai leaned back just barely dodging the blow and associated shockwave. Bits of his hair flew off as well as a small gash on his forehead.

Looking back Hongjun, with his banner raised, was generating a huge amount of chaotic sword Qi. It was formed into a blast.

'I cannot let that reach me,' Da Hai thought as Hongjun brought the banner down and unleashed the blast of grey. It sped and sped travelling for a very long time yet not at all.

"Great control of space," Hongjun complimented. The space between them was forcefully expanded yet the two still stood very close together. The distance travelled by the chaotic sword Qi continued to increase however.

"Sadly, chaotic sword Qi is very good at a few things. Most notably, destruction," he casually said. The grey wave of energy was like a gas of clouds. Reality suddenly twitched, Da Hai lurched back, and the chaotic sword Qi expanded in a deadly wave.

From within the pummel of Da Hai's blade. The ocean swallowing jug unleashed its stored contents. Years of pellucid divine water harvested and stored came gushing out meeting the wave of Qi.

"Hmph, were you not listening young man?" Hongjun spoke condescendingly. "Hai, this old man will teach you a lesson…hm?" Hongjun looked in confusion as after the water enveloped the Qi, it harmlessly travelled without affecting anything.

It was as if the Qi was right here, yet so far away that they couldn't cause harm. Da Hai huffed and puffed as he narrowly escaped with his life. Hongjun was not an opponent to take lightly at all.

"Okay," Hongjun finally relented in annoyance. "Guess I can't mess around anymore."

'Fuck,' was the singular thought running through Da Hai's head. He raised his weapon and blocked a single bash by the Pangu banner. With his free hand, Hongjun followed up with a palm slap. A slap Da Hai could not avoid.

BOOM!

Da Hai flew incredibly fast and incredibly disorientated. He slammed into the barrier isolating this dimension so hard that glass like fragments came off. His treasures were split and fell to his sides.

Da Hai looked up a gargantuan purple palm came at him. Immediately, the 12th grade white lotus appeared surrounding him. It wrapped Da Hai's body and expanded into a massive shield specialising in defence.

BOOM!

The lotus flower was pushed so hard that the barrier formed by the taiji painting was beginning to crack. Da Hai looked back at the wall, the teardrop sword appeared in his hands and he slammed it with full force into the barrier. His full cultivation struck with everything he had concentrated at a singular point. Combined with the force of Hongjun's own attack, a small crack opened through.

'Yes!,' with a single thought, Da Hai transformed into a stream of water. His treasures disappeared in flashes of light, fading into himself as he exited through the crack.

Watching this go down, Hogjun frowned in irritation. He spread out his arms dispelling the taiji painting. With his superior vision, he saw a severely injured Da Hai. He was bleeding everywhere, golden Dao essence was also coming off of him.

"It was entertaining at least," Hongjun muttered and prepared another attack. "Can't have a variable running around."

"MASTER!" A voice called out as a black and yellow light rocketed for Da Hai. Hongjun raised an eyebrow as a golden serpentine dragon wrapped around Da Hai's severely injured form.

"What is?… Zulong you fool. Get out of here," Da Hai screamed.

"No, I cannot obey you this time master," Zulong replied inspite of his own injuries. "I cannot allow you to die."

"You," Da Hai uttered. He clenched Zulong's body and pushed. "Get away from this place, you'll only find your own death," he said desperately showcasing more emotion than he'd ever done for many years.

Up above, Hongjun hesitated. 'Master and disciple? Shit,' he thought in anger. So that's where the dragon was this whole time. The phoenix and qilin were hard to track but he'd managed it. Only the dragon eluded him and it turns out, he'd already had a master.

'What's going on? I need more information,' Hongjun thought in a panic. He dispelled his next attack making sure to not accidentally do anything like killing Zulong. 'Hmph, well played,' he thought bitterly.

"But," he said aloud. "It's not like this is too much of a hindrance," he said coldly. Hongjun waved his arm in an arc, Zulong widened his eyes as he felt trapped. A purple outline enveloped the dragon.

"GRRRR, " Zulong attempted to resist but could not move. His body moved without his own input as he unwrapped Da Hai and flew involuntarily into the air.

"GAH!" The dragon roared as he was forcefully thrown away.

"ZULONG!" Da Hai called out.

Hongjun smiled as he raised to Pangu banner preparing to stab out.

BOOM!

Hongjun suddenly turned around and grabbed the forearm of a new arrival preventing a devastating palm strike. "Even you showed up?" He said to a furious Wangshu.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

I was once told that inhabitants of earth developed a taste for sunbathing. A method of relaxation deemed healthy for people. I have to agree, though my definition is probably a lot different of mortals. Only someone like me can float in space and bathe in the rays of a primordial star.

It also provides a good place for me to relax and think. To reminisce about the past. To all the ongoings of the world. A big difference from how I was in the past.

The earliest memories I had were a blank void. I don't know how long before I became accustomed to my surroundings. I couldn't see, couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't hear, couldn't feel. I simply existed in a void of nothingness.

"Oh?" But after a while of existing like that, I heard a voice. A deep gruff voice but one which spoke in a method beyond my understanding. Because truth be told, I couldn't understand anything at the time.

"This is new," that same voice had said. "What are you doing in there? What is your name?"

I didn't, couldn't answer him. I didn't know how to. But I wanted to. I wanted to know what he was, of what I am. There was so much I wanted to ask that I even surprised myself. Was I getting smarter because I couldn't remember knowing these things before nor how to even express them in words.

But somehow, on that day I suddenly understood language. Suddenly I spoke the same tongue as him. Well spoke is an exaggeration as I couldn't speak, but I did understand him.

"Not answering?" He sounded almost surprised. "Hm…Oh, I see. So you are the first."

First? I remember asking in my mind. First of what? What did that even mean? The sudden surge in my knowledge was still overwhelming me. I barely understood what he said.

"Hm, let's try this. Follow my instructions," he instructed. I accepted and followed along, after all, what else could I do?

"Feel that tug within you, that spark. No, no, no, not like that," he said. "Here, let me show you. Feel this," he said sending some sort of signal my way. I felt it, then I followed it as best I could.

"Yes, well done child," the voice said again. I could understand him better after that, in fact, I could almost see him. The vague outline of a man. In comparison to what I see daily nowadays, he was massive. Above all else, he was powerful.

He was massive, he was tall, he was gargantuan, so many words to describe him yet they are all synonyms of big or powerful. He seemed invincible in this world, more than something like me. It was then that I truly felt insignificant.

"Ha, ha, now you can see," he said. His face was blurry to my senses. But I could make out his features. He had a lot of hair, so much hair in fact that I'd liken it to a forest.

He had been holding up something, his arms outstretched and held high. Honestly, I couldn't see below his upper sternum. Whatever was below was obscured by a veil I couldn't penetrate. Or it was simply too far for me to see.

'Who are you?' I asked. At that time, I was incredibly excited. It was a break away from my norm. I was meeting with something completely new, someone new.

"Me? Well, I am Pangu of course," he answered. Pangu, what a strange name. Just the words alone spelt something super ancient. Older than me, quite possibly vastly older than me.

"What is your name?" He asked me. I couldn't answer him, I didn't know what I could be called. It was not like the current me, where I could definitively say who I was, what I was, what I like, what I do, or anything like that. I would say that I detested the form of being I once was.

"Don't know huh?" He said. I didn't know how he knew what I had been thinking. But thinking now, Pangu's cultivation was so high that he'd have no problem reading my mind, even as abstract as I was.

"I am sure one day you'll know my child," he said kindly. "One day, you'll find out for yourself, after all, you are the first xiantian lifeforms in my primitive world," he said with pride.

At the time I didn't know what a primitive world was. But I was curious, I wanted to ask what it was and where it was. Could I see it? Could I experience it? Was it as magical as learning as I'd done just moments prior?

"Well, the pri…Oh, I hadn't noticed," he said with some sadness. I was initially confused, but then I saw his presence fading. "I'm sorry my child, my time has come. Eighteen thousand years, such a short amount of time. I wonder what Vishnu will think of me now. Wonder how Ra's doing, is he still having beef with Apep? And how are that group calling themselves the protongenoi, I remember them starting a civilisation recently not unlike the chaos godfiends."

What? So many names, so many names that I was overwhelmed. What are you saying? Who are these people? Were there more like you? Like me? I wanted to meet them. I remember desperately asking for more as he faded.

"Hai, I wonder if it was the right choice," he didn't seem to be talking to me. "I am sorry for wiping out you all. Can you forgive me for my selfishness? Hai, the most I can do to repay you is to allow you to exist in my world."

Then he was gone. And I was enveloped in void again. I took a few moments, then I screamed. Where are you? Come back? Don't leave me! Don't leave me alone like this! What am I supposed to Do?

After how many years after I stopped weeping. I finally looked up and saw a sea of blinding stars. Massive celestial bodies in the far off distance, so far away from me. To alleviate my time, I started counting. One, two, three, and so on and so forth.

Sometimes I'd miscount and start again. It was tedious and annoying, I made progress only to restart again. But in actuality, I was intentionally making these mistakes. Because I didn't want this to end. If I finished counting, what else was I going to do? That space was so empty, so lonely aside from me and the stars. Just us in this black world.

Eventually, I started noticing the stars becoming fewer. They weren't disappearing, they were merging. I gasped in shock when I counted three hundred and sixty four before I'd noticed. There were once trillions of them, I'd regularly reach the billions before resetting. What now? There were only three hundred or so left.

I sat there for many more years. Now I truly had nothing. Why isn't anyone here? Why wasn't anyone talking to me?

"What do we have here?"

That voice changed my life forever. For the first time since forever. I looked away from the stars and turned my gaze downwards. I had been sitting on grass was the first thing I noticed. I was resting on roots was the second thing I noticed. The third thing I saw was a curious old man holding a horsetail whisk.

"Can you speak yet? Curious, you can see but you can't speak. You are already so powerful but you don't have form? What kind of godfiend are you?" He asked.

'Who are you?' I asked back. He didn't seem to be able to understand me. But he didn't leave. He sat down and closed his eyes in contemplation. So I waited, I waited for him for years.

He opened his eyes after a few thousand years had gone by. "Follow my instructions," he said. I accepted of course. Then he guided me.

First I felt energy, primordial Qi. Then I condensed it. I morphed it into shapes I desired. My helper was smiling as he instructed me. As he went on, I got better. He taught me how to make sounds, how to properly speak, how to project my thoughts outwards rather than simply thinking. He taught me how to harness the primordial stellar Qi. He even corrected me on the number of stars, turns out, there were three hundred and sixty five as I had neglected to count the one star I existed on.

"Well now, preparations should be complete. It's time for you to take form," he said kindly. I acknowledged him, so I began the process. Three flowers appeared mid air as storm clouds gathered above me. They struck me but I persisted, they weren't actually that tough after all.

Afterwards, I felt a tugging. Admits my assault by lightning, fire, wind, rain, ice, and a whole bunch of other things. I felt a tugging at the universe itself. So I pulled, and I ripped out a golden gas that flowed into me.

My first step into the world was a wobbly one. I actually fell and had to craw for a bit. My helper, the old man was laughing at my embarrassment as I pouted at him. He handed me a change of robes.

I raised my eyebrows, what were these for?

"Hai," he said. "You need to cover up your modesty," he said. I was a bit confused but I obeyed all the same. After I was done, I looked back and saw what once housed me. It was a laurel tree, the biggest one of its kind. Of course, back then it was the only one of its kind that I was aware of. It was a truly majestic sight to behold,, it was simply beautiful, but also powerful.

"So, what's your name?" He asked me.

"Wangshu," I answered him.

"Wangshu?" He asked for confirmation.

"Yes, I was once this tree so majestic that it must be the king of trees. So I am Wangshu," I said.

"Fine, I am Yang Mei," he replied. That was how I met my first friend. He was both my friend and my mentor. He taught me a lot of things, he told me about the chaos godfiends, about his old travel buddies, about his brothers in arms. Da Hai and Huoyun, there were so many stories about them that I wanted to meet them.

"They will show up, I'm sure of it," Yang Mei said sadly. He told me that he was one of the first to reincarnate so he wasn't aware of much. Apparently, the primitive world was a space that existed below where I am. That's why I couldn't find it, it was too far out of my range and in another dimension.

Yang Mei couldn't stay unfortunately, he had to go and travel. Sometimes I followed him. Sometimes I stayed behind. But he'd always come back once in a while and tell me stories. I travelled the primitive world too.

Unfortunately, back then that world was so empty. The only things I found were ferocious beasts constantly trying to eat me. I left soon after that, the primitive world seemed so boring. And then years passed just like that.

Then I finally met Da Hai. Or well, Yang Mei said he was Da Hai. Then he said he wasn't. I was honestly a bit confused at first. But, in that moment, I met my second friend in the world. We talked, drank, hung out.

Fought a war together as well. He was responsible for saving my life and I his. I even met Huoyun for the first time. Though meeting is a bit exaggerated as we only met briefly. But he was instrumental in saving my life as well.

Hongjun and Luohu. I remembered feeling fear for the first time when they turned to us. But I made it in the end. No one aside from Da Hai even really comes to the starry skies.

Oh Da Hai, you were so loyal, you made an excellent companion. Even though he's long since passed, you still wish to avenge him. But I worry about you. I could feel your hatred then and I could feel it now. It's not healthy withholding it for so long.

It's not like I don't understand. I want to help you as well. But your plan, it sounded a bit dumb. Training up the dragons and using them as your army? Then what, armies are useless in the face of a superior foe, I can fight the entire four seas by myself and win with both hands tied behind my back blindfolded.

I hate how you are right now. I hate how dishonest you are right now. Your current disposition is not good. Why must you keep doing this? I can see how this is all destroying you.

Truthfully, I don't think you know what you're going to do. I don't think you think that you could win. If what you told me about their legends are true, I don't think I'd win. If only Yang Mei will come back, I miss him.

But at least one good thing to come out of the current state of the world were the dragons. Qinglong looked so adorable running around the starry skies practising stellar arts. I wonder if I should take in a few disciples as well. Sadly, no one in the primitive world fits my requirements. Then again, I hadn't been looking that hard

I opened my eyes, the closest star shone brightly. It's the little things about life that counts. Constant vying for supremacy just isn't my style. Just relax and enjoy the world. I certainly hope Da Hai can understand this. I think he does, just that the hand he was felt was a shitty one.

I floated upright and looked behind me and smiled. Ever since I grew in power, my connection to the lunar star had strengthened. I can now move it with me everywhere. Of course, taking into the primitive world will cause a big commotion but here in the starry skies, it was fine.

Hm? What that? I looked at a small disturbance near me. It appears t be some kind of tree branch. Wait a minute. Is that a fucking hole in my starry skies?

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

"Wangshu," Da Hai said in surprise. Zulong who was suddenly released sighed in relief at the appearance of his aunt master. Wangshu tore her hand out of Hongjun's grasp and leapt back kicking at the immortal.

Hongjun leaned back avoiding the blow and frowned in displeasure. "Wangshu, are you declaring yourself an enemy of the world?" He lectured.

"Enemy? Heh, the only enemy I see is you," Wangshu spat. The goddess sent a blast of silver light at Hongjun. Narrowing his eyes, Hongjun unleashed the taiji painting forming a shield.

Looking to the side, Wangshu threw out a guard at Da Hai. "Take that," she said. Da Hai nodded unplugging the guard and drank its contents. It was filled with three brilliance divine water, filled with endless life giving energy that filled his vitality.

Da Hai's injuries were healing fast and very quickly recovered. The miraculous power of the three brilliance divine water was astounding. A guard full had restored the sea god to peak fighting condition.

Wangshu lashed out at Hongjun showing an incredible level of skill in martial arts. Hongjun twisted his head avoiding a palm strike before grabbing that hand. A fist encased in purple clouds struck Wangshu's abdomen hard.

The moon goddess had to steady herself. Her abdomen had gained a wooden texture. Wangshu's eyes glowed silver, her skin faded away, her divine features disappeared into a snarling wooden creature.

Assuming her true form gave Wangshu a power boost. Her limbs creaked as they moved. Her silver eyes shone in anger. Opening her mouth, she fired a blast of lunar energy,

Hongjun held out his right hand and stopped the blast. He raised his left and blocked Da Hai's concentrated laser. Hongjun growled in visible anger.

"This has gone on for long enough," he announced. His eyes darkened into a deep purple. The gas clouds around him quivered. The skies darkened in ominous wrath. Purple lightning danced admits the clouds and divine chanting could be heard.

The praise of daoist priests from across the cosmos was concentrated into the heavens above Hongjun. The chanting rejoiced in his teachings, thanked him for his benevolence, they chanted for his victory.

"Youths these days," Hongjun said looking almost condescending. "You should've been good little boys and girls and listen to your elders. Disobedience requires punishment."

In a flash of purple, Wangshu and Da Hai were both overwhelmed. Da Hai gritted his teeth plummeting into the ocean. Wangshu did much better as she was able to catch herself. The wooden goddess humphed at Hongjun triggering him.

The silver radiance of the moon clashed against divine retribution of the heavens. It was a sight worth seeing. It was as if the moon in all its grandeur was standing defiant against the heavens themselves. Hongjun resembled an absolute deity, his beard and robes fluttering in the wind.

He sighed in disappointment. "In the end, you refuse to accept my pitch? Wangshu, I thought you fought for the world, surely you will put aside petty grievances," he lectured.

"Petty? I could still remember your desire to kill us," Wangshu snarled. "Have you really forgotten all your involvement in Shenni?"

"Slandering me are we? Please at least pick something believable," Hongjun sighed condescendingly. "You really are naive, there are forces in play much larger than yourself. I thought you were smart as a direct descendent of Pangu."

"It is because I am smart that I recognise you for what you are," Wangshu retorted. Her arms tensed preparing to fight. Down below, Da Hai surfaced from the water holding the xuanyuan water control flag.

Hongjun looked down and said, "Such precious treasures does not deserve to be in your hands. The legacy of Pangu shall not be tarnished by a villain like you," he immortal said righteously.

"Yeah right," Da Hai scoffed waving the flag around. Perfect hydrokinesis on any scale. Too bad the bodies of Golden Immortal weren't flesh and blood else Da Hai would've made Hongjun explode from the inside.

The ocean rose as one for Da Hai. They charged and thought for Da Hai. They roared and challenged the heavens for Da Hai. The west sea's seawater rose in an all consuming wave intent on swallowing Hongjun.

On an island not far from the battlefield. Qinglong and the rest of his group recuperated from their earlier tussle. "Things are not looking good," the azure dragon said getting up. "Yinglong, we have to support master."

"What? Are you insane?" Bai Hu exclaimed in disbelief. "Do you not see the kind of battle going on? A start but of lightning will kill us."

"No, I don't think they will," Yinglong chimed in. "That senior, Hongjun, he deliberately chose not to kill us nor eldest brother," he explained. "We're valuable to him," he concluded.

From top and bottom, the sea and the moon clashed against the heavens. Purple gas clouds met against the horrifying might of the ocean pushing it back. It countered the radiance of the moon holding it in place.

"Da Hai," Wangshu called out mentally. "We are not gaining an advantage on him, not anytime soon."

"Get to the point," Da Hai respond forming a shield with the white lotus to block a bolt of purple lightning. He attacked with the flag and defended with the lotus allowing him to somewhat manage. However, he'd already sustained a few injuries from Hongjun's assault. Evidently, the great immortal was focusing more on Wangshu than himself.

"We need the lunar star, I can call it to us," she said.

"Then what's stopping you?" Da Hai replied back.

"The pressure is too much, I cannot extend enough concentration to call it to me," she admitted.

"Is it nearby at least?" Da Hai asked.

"Yes, just beyond the hole in the sky," she replied.

"Alright, I'll try to buy you some time," Da Hai said. He crossed both his arms as a pillar of purple slammed into him through the ocean. The sea god spat out his Dao infused blood and reared back. His forearms were bent in unnatural ways.

"Master," Da Hai turned his head to the side and witnessed to approaching forms of Yinglong and the four symbols. Suddenly an idea reached him. 'What luck,' he thought in relief.

"Qinglong, Bai Hu, Zhuque, Xuanwu, you can all hear me yes?"

"Yes master/senior," they responded instantly.

"Good, form the four symbols formation," he instructed. "Before you say anything, let me finish. I'll use my cultivation base to fuel it. You only need to build and guide it."

Wangshu struggled against chains of purple clouds and growled. She radiated silver light that tore apart myriad clouds. However, they just kept coming back. Hongjun pointed his fingertip at her and formed a thin laser beam.

ZOOM!

The beam fired for Wangshu. It travelled blindingly fast and packed enough energy to heavily injure, if not outright kill the moon goddess. Suddenly, that laser swerved out of the way missing Wangshu.

Hongjun narrowed his eyes, "I wonder how much karmic luck you can expend." Wangshu reached out and tugged at her chains. Roots came out of her body lashing out at Hongjun.

The great immortal slapped out at the tendrils. Each and every one of them was met with shockwave producing slaps. Hongjun raised his palm and unleashed a gargantuan purple palm. The pangu banner lay at his lap as he fought while supplementing him with hits destructive might.

Wangshu roared shaking the heavens. The image of the lunar star appeared behind her. On her head, a crown with embedded jewels manifested. The intense light was blinding but Hongjun only grunted in annoyance.

Wangshu proceeded to shatter her bindings and bring her arms to getter. She fired a blast that was a replica of her own monstrous face against Hongjun's palm.

Zulong had to shield his eyes at the explosion as he lay low on the ocean surface. He stepped on the water straddling to get up. "What power," he muttered before steeling his eyes. "One day, one day, I'll stand at that summit."

"Hm?" Hongjun suddenly looked downwards. A cosmic diagram of the universe brimming with starry might rose up at him. He looked back at the injured but a smirking Wangshu and humphed in distaste. Wangshu was missing a good chunk of her body, three of her arms had been severed and the left side of her head was missing.

The diagram of the universe turned, the ocean below it swirled with it. It lit up with twenty eight constellations in four quadrants acting out in unison.

The taiji painting manifested below Hongjun's feet expanding into a diagram of the taiji greater in size. The two forces clashed against each other. The harmonious power of existence against the heavenly bodies of the universe.

A titanic struggle began as Hongjun was deeply troubled. The four symbols formation formed by the four guardian beasts with support from Da Hai was exponentially stronger. What's more, all of Da Hai's xiantian spiritual treasures were placed into the formation.

"Damn it, obey me and break it apart," Hongjun growled at the taiji painting in frustration. He picked up the floating Pangu banner and smashed it downwards. The chaotic sword Qi that originally split the chaos sea descended in waves.

Absolute destruction clashed against the cosmic universe. Lightning of a wide assortment of colours littered the skies. Da Hai howled in rage mustering his Dao fruit to its absolute limit.

High up in the skies, Wangshu back in human form held her arm outstretched. "Come on, come on, travel faster," she begged. She pulled with her full might while taking brief glances below.


The cosmic universal diagram was beginning to crack. Under Hongjun's bombardment, even one of the most powerful formations in the world was beginning to break. Hongjun looked almost gleeful at his progress.

"No matter what, you cannot discount the gap in cultivation," Hongjun stated smashing down with the Pangu banner once more. The banner bearing the iconography of Pangu was once apart of a greater weapon, the Pangu axe.

After heaven was split from the earth and the primitive world was opened from the chaos sea. The Pangu axe exhausted all its power. After, it had cut apart the highest level of reality possible, a feat not even Dao realm ancestors could lightly achieve. In the wake of such an act, the axe split into three.

The axe head became a banner, the neck and eye became a bell, and the handle became a painting. These treasures were not simply xiantian spiritual treasures. The Pangu axe was an ultimate existence far beyond xiantian spiritual treasures. Unlike the 36th grade chaos green lotus which split into ten top grade xiantian spiritual treasures. The axe split into three chaos spiritual treasures.

Although they came from sources of similar level. The Pangu banner was far superior compared to the xuanyuan water control flag and the 12th grade white lotus.

Da Hai sucked in a deep breath and braced himself for the impact. He could only take solace in Hongjun's earlier words about imperfect control. The flag struck the surface of the formation damaging it like no other had before.

Da Hai spat out a mouthful of blood as the cracks became too much. The formation was destabilised, it was breaking. 'Wangshu, where is the lunar star?' Da Hai thought desperately.

On the ocean floor, the unconscious bodies of the four symbols floated in the water. Yinglong swerved trying to collect them. Hongjun had held back from killing them and was making an active effort to pull his punches while they were in the area.

In the sky, a visibly stressed Wangshu looking very haggard was pulling with both hands. The doorway at the summit of the Jianmu tree showed the lunar star on the other side. However, the doorway was too small.

"Fuck," Wangshu growled punching out. The sound of glass shattering was heard as reality was punched apart. Wangshu's attempt at widening the hole was met with some progress. However, the lunar star was simply too large.

Hongjun looked back at Wangshu. He felt the devastating power of the lunar star trying to descend into the great wilderness. The right eye of Pangu was an existence on the verge of Dao. It was nothing to scoff at. It was actually the primary reason Hongjun valued Wangshu and why he never fought her in the stars.

"Oh no you don't," he swung the pangu banner around sending a wave at the unsuspecting goddess.

Wangshu felt danger. She looked back just in time as the wave bisected her at the waist. "GAH!" She screamed in pain. Her Dao essence bled out and her nascent soul too sustained damage.

"Wangshu," Da Hai called out flying up with a combined zambato sword. Hongjun blocked the oncoming blade with his forearm. He clawed sideways with that same arm.

SPLATTER!

Da Hai's entire left side was torn away from his body. It was only connected to his body by his abdomen. 'Damn it,' Da Hai thought. 'Will things really end like this?'

Hongjun raised another palm intending to slap Da Hai to death. A mysterious golden light appeared on Da Hai's body. A miracle occurred in which Da Hai was whole. He dodged the palm strike of Hongjun and send a palm strike of his own.

Da Hai's palm was lit in the auspicious karmic fire. He slammed into Hongjun's waist with a heavy impact. The shockwave could be felt across the world.

"GRAH!" Hongjun growled in pain as his waist was burnt badly. Da Hai spun mid air and kicked Hongjun with a leg encased in karmic fire.

Hongjun flew into the sky while Da Hai assumed his true form. The eight heads spewed forth karmic fire in a concentrated stream of fire at Hongjun. Da Hai's own karmic luck was plummeting extremely quickly. His desperation had nearly cost him his entire stockpile.

Hongjun threw both hands down. The Pangu banner, the taiji painting, and the jade fortune disc appeared in unison. The greatest force of the universe, the karmic fire was successfully being blocked.

Zulong looked up in a panic. He was prepared to propel himself up to shield his master with a tail slap. But suddenly, space distorted beside him. Qiankun stepped out from the portal looking at the battle.

"Good, I made it in time," he said softly. It was then that Zulong noticed that in his hands, Qiankun held the dying body of another immortal, Ancestor Shangxia.

Qiankun himself looked scruffled. He had obviously been in a tough battle just now. "You're Da Hai's disciple right?" He asked to which Zulong nodded.

"Good, I owe a debt to your master," he explained dropping Shangxia's body. Cosmic rays condensed wrapping around Shangxia. Qiankun himself blasted high into the air.

"What a Hongjun," he scoffed. "After all these quite years, you finally make such a move. No matter, it's not like I have to fight you directly."

Qiankun's mastery over space was second to none. Even though his cultivation was currently inferior to Hongjun, his control was in reality much finer. With this, he was the fastest immortal cultivator in the world. Beating out Hongjun and Luohu.

Wangshu who held herself together in a blob of three brilliance sacred water was the first to notice Qiankun. "Why are you here?" She asked.

"I want to say that it was pure coincidence that I was in the area, but something else probably had something to do with it," he admitted. "To think this all started when I had a premonition a few decades ago to come west."

Hongjun spread out his arms dispelling the karmic fire. Da Hai looked extremely spent and lay mid air panting. "Using so much of my power to punish brats," he scowled. "To think so much usage was needed to put you down. Wait… this presence, Qiankun?"

Hongjun turned around and saw Qiankun standing tall. "Hongjun, you don't get murderous intent against me without repercussions," Qiankun said. "And you certainly don't try to assassinate me with a recruitment pitch. Don't underestimate the ancestor of the universe."

With one motion, Qiankun opened a gargantuan portal into the starry skies. A portal visible from the west continent where a black robed young man walked out alongside a silver haired young man. "What the hell is going on?" Luohu asked Mara who merely shook his head indicating he had little idea.

Hongjun looked nervously at the sky as the lunar star appeared in the primitive world for the first time in history. Wangshu smirked as her lower half was restored by the moonlight. Her eyes glowed and her crowned sung.

It sounded as if a million celestial fairies were celebrating. As if the stars themselves became royal servants laying out the carpet for their ruler. Wangshu breathed in and out feeling the power of the stars flow into her through the portal.

"Let's pull him into the starry skies," she informed Qiankun and Dai Hai.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

For the first time in a very long time, Hongjun felt panicked. Da Hai alone was not a problem. Da Hai plus Wangshu was mildly irritating but not beyond his reach. Da Hai, Wangshu, and Qiankun would be extremely difficult to properly face but his own victory is still guaranteed. However, the current situation represented the worst possible scenario.

All around the great wilderness, across the five continents four seas. Day switched into night. The sun disappeared from the sky. The stars were not visible. The only thing seen across the world was silvery lunar radiance all flowing westward.

Above the west sea, dwarfing everything by an order of magnitude. A celestial construct billions of kilometres in radius. The lunar star appeared in all its transcendent glory. Even after a yuanhai and a half since he'd died, Pangu's right eye still carried the terrifying might of Dao.

Although he never made the breakthrough into Dao. Pangu's understanding, his own Dao had already reached the rank of Dao realm. His fruit was already beginning to disappear had Pangu not halted it.

The memories of the chaos godfiends were still vivid. They could still remember facing Pangu, their arrogance in thinking they would win. No, it could've never been called a battle. It was the equivalent of pest control in its ease.

Today, that same presence was felt again in the great wilderness. The lunar star's presence brought back unpleasant memories for all those who were present before the heavens were opened.

Hongjun swallowed a lump of saliva. He brought his hands up catching a blast of pure lunar Qi. The energy washed over his hands freezing his skin, shaving away at his soul, gnawing away at his own being.

He heard soft singing from the lunar star, it was both haunting yet beautiful. He felt his mind go weak, his muscles softening. However, he instantly grabbed hold of himself once more.

The taiji painting below his feet stabilised him. The pangu banner in his hands swung up in a wave of chaotic sword Qi. The resulting blast split the lunar star's attack. Hongjun's glowing purple eyes met those of Wangshu's cold silver eyes.

As he was distracted by the attack. Da Hai had joined Wangshu and Qiankun's side in the sky. Hongjun scanned around noticing the lack of dragons and associated parties.

"Your disciples?" Wangshu asked.

"Gone, I flung them as far as I can," Da Hai said.

"Good, now we can press our advantage," Wangshu said. She brought both her hands together and chanted. She produced a hand seal in and in turn, the lunar star responded.

Hongjun sighed in embarrassed disappointment. Looking at the lunar star he felt extremely torn. Looking around, he relented. It was time to cut his losses. It was pointless to continue pressing the matter

The pangu banner was retracted and Hongjun waved his hand intending to open a hole into the void.

SHRINK!

Hongjun widened his eyes in surprise as the hole snapped shut. He looked up at Qiankun whose hands glowed in cosmic light and frowned. The lunar star's attack was already approaching him.

Hongjun tore into reality with both palms and excepted great strength. At the same time, Qiankun slammed both palms together stabilising spacetime. The two continued their tussle while lunar light descended.

Hongjun manifested the taiji painting to block Qiankun's attacks. At the same time, Qiankun pulled out the cosmic ruler and stabbed it into reality. White lightning sparked across the universe below the gaze of the lunar star. Hongjun was at this moment, feeling extremely pressured.

The cosmic ruler was dealing with taiji painting just fine. It was a treasure whose use primarily lay in attacking. Under Qiankun's hands, it could temporarily halt the taiji painting. But as the taiji painting continued to spin, Qiankun brought out his second treasure.

A small cauldron appeared in Qiankun's hands unleashing fire, water, wind, soil, and metal. The universal caldron appeared alongside the cosmic ruler. The universal cauldron, usually used for refining pills, was now used to seal away the space around Hongjun.

The ancestor of the great balance gritted his teeth as his time was cut short. Wangshu's lunar rays washed over him. 'Hm? It's not an attack?' Hongjun widened his eyes in shock as his body was involuntarily pulled upwards.

Realising what was going on, he grabbed hold of the pangu banner only to gasp in pain. Behind him, seawater rose in the form of a massive tendril that smashed into Hongjun's back. He glared at Da Hai who had his arms raised.

With the boost from the lunar star, Da Hai's powers were magnified. He struck Hongjun from behind while Qiankun struck from the front. Wangshu used this time to continuously pull Hongjun up higher and higher.

Hongjun's purple gas clouds had all but disappeared. The only hint of purple were those on his own person. The old man found it an extremely difficult struggle even as he pulled on his cultivation base.

Gritting his teeth, Hongjun unleashed the unrestricted pressure of a Hunyuan Da Luo Golden Immortal. His wave of power washed over the primitive world shocking those in hiding at just how high his cultivation base was.

Even though they still held the advantage, Wangshu, Da Hai, and Qiankun all felt extremely pressured as they fought. It was only due to the lunar star that they hadn't been reduced to kneeling before Hongjun.

Wangshu howled as she pulled with the lunar star. Hongjun struggled helplessly as the battlefield was leaving the west sea. "Wangshu, you do not want this, do not force my hand," Hongjun roared in warning.

"You've already forced our hand," Wangshu retorted dragging everyone up with her through Qiankun's portal. Already, she could feel herself growing in power as the starry skies neared. Qiankun was much the same and even Da Hai was absorbing unrestricted star energy.

"Press our advantage, don't relent," Da Hai said almost gleefully. The 12th grade white lotus floated menacingly behind him while the xuanyuan water control flag glimmered.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Wangshu said chuckling. An ice chain formed from the lunar star flew down. It wrapped itself around Hongjun's chest.

"Wangshu, I am willing to let bygone be bygones," Hongjun said tugging at the chain. "I am willing to absolve all grievances, I will not bother you again if you stop this now."

Wangshu's eyes went cold, "What do you think Da Hai? Qiankun?"

"Do you need to ask?" The sea god said.

"It'll be one more danger to my health gone," the cosmic deity said.

Smirking, Wangshu pulled with all her strength. The sudden surge in power caught Hongjun off guard. He flew uncontrollably through the portal into the world of stars.

Qiankun slammed his palms together shutting the portal forever. The sight of the great wilderness was gone in an instant. Da Hai scanned the area of space they appeared in and noticed the lack of the hole created by the Jianmu tree.

"We're still at the western quadrant," Wangshu quickly said. "But we are a fair distance from the west sea. Didn't want him to find the exit," he explained.

Once in the starry skies, everything stilled. Hongjun looked extremely insignificant in comparison to the lunar star and its pat of three. Wangshu, Da Hai, and Qiankun had all received the stellar construct's blessings. Their intent to fight was obvious.

Hongjun looked around himself as the chain holding him collapsed. He sneered and cracked his neck and joints. "Wangshu, Da Hai, Qiankun," he called out. "Remember that you were the ones who forced my hand."

The three innate gods tensed as a sudden explosion of pure aura washed the starry skies. They each took a step back as Hongjun released his full power. For the first time since creation, Hongjun was fighting with everything he's got.

Hongjun's three flower crowns floated above him, his Dao fruit appeared in his natal area looking full purple with decorations of clouds and divine iconography. What was more surprising was what sat on the flower crowns themselves.

On the left most flower sat an old man identical to Hongjun looking extremely human. The second flow in the middle sat an Oldman resembling Hongjun but more demonic with red lines adorning his face. The third was empty.

"He's already cut two corpses," Da Hai said startled. "His Dao is already nigh perfect. One more corpse cut and he'd reach Wuji," he said.

"Corpses? What are these corpses?" Qiankun asked in confusion. However even he felt afraid of Hongjun at this moment. Even he could tell the mystical might of Hongjun at this moment surpassed him even at his peak.

"In Daoism, there exists three demonic figures residing in the being. In philology, to transcend into an immortal, the expelling of all three are required. These are the three corpses, representing good intentions, evil intentions and obsession," Da Hai explained. "That is to say, this is Hongjun's Dao path."

"His Dao, it is so different than the one I remember," Qiankun said in interest. Although he didn't understand what Da Hai was talking about in the former portions, the latter part he understood perfectly. "It is a vast improvement," the ancestor of the universe said.

"If what I am detecting is accurate," Wangshu said. "Then we've grossly underestimated him," she sighed with a frown.

"No reason to give up," Da Hai interrupted. "We still have the advantage," he stepped forward gathering stellar Qi into himself. Wangshu raised her eyebrows and sighed joining him. Qiankun drew the cosmic ruler and stepped forward.

Three simultaneous transformations took place before the lunar star. They opposed the ancestor of the great balance, Hongjun who'd manifested an illusion of the purple empyrean. Hongjun sat at the helm, on a cushion at the centre of his divine palace among purple clouds. He looked wise beyond comprehension, exalted beyond gods, the absolute existence from the days of primordial heaven.

A swirling mass of stars and gas spiralling like a galaxy appeared and attacked Hongjun's empyrean. Qiankun's true form was that which resembled the milky way galaxy. At the centre lay the universal cauldron supporting him while the cosmic ruler flew in for attacks.

Wangshu too reverted back to her natural form. She stood tall resembling a tree with feminine features flowing silver with six arms and three faces. With the lunar star so close to her, Wangshu's combat prowess was superior to Qiankun and newly rivalled those of Hongjun.

Da Hai smiled as the battle began. He faded into existence and non existence standing on the 12th grade white lotus. He was titanic in size sporting eight serpentine heads each with spongy yellow manes. 'I have waited for this for so long, this has always been the way I understood most, whatever complex plan isn't necessary anymore,' he thought.

"In many ways, the starry skies is also an ocean," Da Hai announced. "I was born to embody the sea," Da Hai announced. "Be they a sea of water, mud, trees, or stars, it doesn't matter. The ocean is mine to command," Da Hai roared leading the pack to attack Hongjun.

…

'Nine months have already passed since his master disappeared into the starry skies,' Zulong thought looking at the western sky. He was currently sitting on the universe traversing boat travelling further eastward.

Looking around, Zulogn noticed his brothers were also in a bad mood. This was not uncommon these days. They were all worried about the wellbeing of their mentor. 'There still hadn't been any news,' he thought in frustration.

Their current route was taking them to the south continent. As Si Hai had long fled to recover, they were unbothered throughout the journey. Zhuque's control over the ship had been impeccably smooth.

The speed they were currently travelling was easily many times faster than when they'd been flying or swimming themselves. The ancestral dragon turned away from his gaze west and looked forward instead.

"Hey, chin up," he called out to Yinglong and Qinglong. "Have faith in master. He will not go down so easily, especially now with aunt master and that other senior with him."

"Hai, you're right," Yinglong said. "But I wish we could do more. I was the most useless of our group," he said self deprecatingly.

"What are you on about? You did the best you could," Zulong said.

"Yet I was the most helpless, you stood up to Si Hai and Qinglong contributed so much with the four symbols formation. Whereas I on the other hand? I could only spectate," the winged dragon sighed.

"Don't be hard on yourself brother," Qinglong called out. "If anything I was the screw up for not holding up the formation."

"Cheh, why are we all talking this depressing talk," Bai Hu said from across the deck. "Hold your heads high, your accomplishments are far greater than any Taiyi Golden Immortal myself included. Keep looking forward cause there's no point regretting the past."

"Have a heart Bai Hu, their master is still missing," Xuanwu said coming out from the cabin. "They worry is perfectly understandable."

"What? All I'm saying is to stop being so self defeating," Bai Hu retorted.

"Hey boys," Zhuque called out. "We're nearing the dimensional membrane. We'll officially cross into the south seas soon," she announced.

'The south, I wonder what'll wait for us there,' Zulong thought taking one last look west. 'Stay safe master Da Hai.'

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

'The ocean air of the south sea carried a much different feeling than that of the west or north,' Zulong idly thought. The sailing journey had been very smooth with very little interference aside from a few wannabe pirates. Of course with the group's power level, what pirate could possibly threaten them.

But if the dragon had to be honest, the journey had gotten incredibly dull. There was little to do and most people knew better than to approach a ridiculously fast ship carrying several powerful auras. Zulong concisely looked westward and opened his divine sense.

'Still nothing,' he thought sadly. He looked back at the sitting figures of the four symbols divine beasts. They sat in a formation representative of the four cardinal directions.

"Anything?" He asked with hope. Qinglong opened his eyes and shook his head. Zulong sighed at the implications.

"The starry skies is sealed," Qinglong said. "It's unusual for me to not even feel the power of the stars for such a long period of time."

"Right, it is strange. Almost like that constant companion that just one day disappeared," Xuanwu agreed with similar nods from the other two. "I don't think any more attempts of probing the starry skies will work friend."

"Zulong," Yinglong called out from the steering platform. "I'm sure master will contact us when he has returned. Don't stress too much."

"You say that like you're not stressed," Zulong retorted. He could see the same hopeful glint in Yinglong's eyes as he had. Yinglong's was a pretty good actor when he wanted to be. But nothing his brothers do can fool the eldest dragon.

"Whatever the case, probing the stars are useless," Zhuque said walking up the platform. "We cannot detect those seniors and even if we could, what can we do? It's not like any of us are strong enough to matter."

The vermillion bird took over from Yinglong as the helmsmen and steered the ship northwards. "I'm familiar with this region, used to explore here every day, still do actually. We should be seeing the mainland in a few hours."

"Wait, you explore these parts? I thought Si Hai had it out for you?" Bai Hu said. "Doesn't his men like, hunt you or anything? You're not exactly subtle."

"Oh please, that ugly turd hadn't gotten off his lazy ass since before I was born. His men can't ever hope to match me in a fair fight or even a normal ambush," Zhuque scoffed.

"Didn't they just do that shortly before we met?" Bai Hu snarked.

"That's why I said normal ambush. That was anything but normal," she said. "Pure happenstance and will never happen again."

"Right, of course it won't."

"Shut up Bai Hu," Zhuque said zapping the tiger with a stream of fire. "In other news, you guys are going to love the phoenix's roost. My sister's castle is the greatest fortress city in the world."

"Truly?" Qinglong challenged. "My brother's success in the east I nothing to scoff at either. They tout it as the trading center of the seas."

"I'm sure brother Zulong's city is impressive, but my sister is an emperor of the world. The crowned phoenix sovereign and direct descendent of Pangu," Zhuque said smugly.

She looked down at the conflicted gazes of Qinglong, Yinglong and Zulong. 'Hm? What's up with them?' She thought.

'This complicates things,' Zulong thought. He thought back to the last time he'd encountered a fellow emperor and wondered if this Zufeng he's meeting will be similar.

'Zulin exists in the north, my brother to the east, Zufeng in the south,' Yinglong pondered. 'Only the west is spared but are ruled by the devils. Three rivalling emperors of the primitive world, it's almost like the primitive world is gearing itself up for another conflict.'

The universe traversing boat continued to travel at a steady pace. The southern parts of the primitive world weren't known for conflict unlike the rest of the world. It was actually one of the quietest and most peaceful portions of the world.

During ancient times, many innate creatures who became refugees migrated here and set up their own clan compounds. These clans only had a handful of strong fighters left and over the years very few were produced. Over the years, the south had garnered a massive population that rivalled the thriving west continent and east sea. However, unlike the latter two, the south continent wasn't home to many powerhouses.

Zhuque looked up at the sunny bright sky in anticipation. She'd missed her home for the past several years now. Her sister must've been very worried for her.

"Who's that?" Bai Hu suddenly asked standing up.

Zhuque was only confused for a moment before sensing the approaching presence. She smiled softly and replied, "That's one of my sister's generals, Chongming."

"He's strong, I can feel it," Xuanwu complimented getting up and gazing at the distant flying bird. Chongming was massive, he was easily several thousand kilometres in wingspan.

"Chongming has been following my sister for a long time. He's an innate god of the east continent and one of my sister's most loyalist follower," Zhuque explained. "He's trustworthy, he's likely patrolling right now."

As Chongming got closer, the rest of the group got a better look at him. This bird deity was similar in build to Zhuque's true form. He was also red and orange with some golden feathers jutting out like flames. He resembled a skinny chicken and had two eyes. However, each of his eyes bore two pupils making four pupils in total.

Chongming was one of the most majestic bird's they've ever seen. Second only to Zhuque and far superior to the devil raven father and son duo. He was also pretty powerful at the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

Zulong suspects that he could fight Yinglong. Perhaps not win but could definitely hold his own for a time. Though this was only preliminary speculation. Chongming could be a support specialist for an alchemist with poor offensive capabilities for all he knows.

"Chongming, over here!" Zhuque called out to the massive avian.

"Princess," Chongming greeted descending from his position in the sky. His avian form shrunk until he was approximately six foot tall and took the form of a man. His hair remained red and yellow while his eyes possessed two pupils each.

"Princess, it is good that you've returned. Recent movements in the south seas have gotten her majesty worried," Chongming said looking around. "Who are your companions?"

"These are my new comrades Chongming," Zhuque said then introduced everyone on the ship. "They helped me get out of a trap and escape emperor Si Hai."

"What? Si Hai was spotted returning to the sea a little while ago. Did you have anything to do with that?" Chongming asked.

"What's there to say? We encountered him and had to fight him but managed to escape," Zhuque explained.

"I think we'd need more detail," Chongming replied.

"Yes, but I want to go home quickly, I'll let my sister know myself," Zhuque said calmly but with small amounts of excitement. "I have guests here as well and we were in a hurry. Please return and notify my sister of our arrival."

"Very well, greetings to you all," Chongming said nodding to the rest of the crew on the universe traversing boat. Then he suddenly had a thought, "My princess, when did you learn to sail?"

"Oh I don't, this ship is sailing itself. I'm just telling it where to go," Zhuque revealed.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that I didn't need to be steering?" Yinglong chimed in.

"Don't speak to the pri…" Chongming tried to say before he was interrupted by Zhuque's gesture.

"It's fine Chongming. As for you, well you never asked," the vermilion bird said.

"She's right Yinglong, you kinda just walked up there when she got down," Qinglong said smirking.

"But I thought ships… Sigh, treasure not ship," Yinglong sighed gripping his forehead. He walked away and sat down while the azure dragon laughed.

"Charming bunch," Chongming said slowly to which Zhuque nodded. " In any case, I shall be returning now. Princess, I shall send escorts for you immediately," he said.

Zhuque gestured for him to go and the innate god soon took flight and left. "The phoenix's roost is due 137 thousand kilometres offshore," she announced. "Prepare for the most amazing sight you'll ever see," she said giddily.

"We'll see about that," Qinglong retorted. Though deep down, he was also curious about his fellow divine beast's elder sister. This scenario was quite similar to his own family after all. He idly wondered if Zulin had any such siblings.

In just under three hours, the universe traversing boat arrived in a small bayside fort. It was one of the military bases set up to watch for movements from the south sea. Chongming's personal forces were already there waiting for them.

However, they were not the primary reason they were there. Due to Zufeng's ambition, tension was high between the continent and ocean. Normally, with Si Hai's presence, such insolence would be crushed. However, the emperor of the four seas had not made any moves in many generations. As such Zufeng's boldness had increased exponentially.

As such, the borders between both powers were rife with armies. Even Zulong was impressed by the squadrons of Immortals present. It would take an alliance of many clans in the east sea to gather this many forces that were present along the southern borders.

'It seems that I'm a bit late to the party,' Zulong thought stroking his chin. From what he'd understand and what Zhuque was telling them, Zufeng had been in power for quite some time. In fact, she was already building her empire when he was still in training.

'Meeting master held back my plans by a lot,' he mused in his thoughts. 'But I do not regret them, slow and steady shall win this race. I still have a lot of time,' the dragon said to himself and smiled. He admired the sights of the south continent, it had a charm to it that many places he'd been to lacked.

The south continent was not as dense with primordial Qi as the east nor west. It was densely populated but at the same time exuded a peaceful aura that was the exact opposite of the north. The south was dense with woodland areas and grass fields and very temperate. It was in many ways, the perfect place to cultivate life.

The group was treated to an army of servants who greeted them. Hundreds of maids and butlers readied chariots pulled by magical horses. Zulong idly pondered if these horses were rewarded for their services as mounts.

"My princess, this way please," the servants said bowing to Zhuque pointing towards a prepared chariot. Zulong and the rest followed after the vermillion bird collected the universe traversing boat. She'd also had the kunwu sword strapped to her side on full display making no attempts to hide its rank.

It was evident why she'd done so when the servants and soldiers she'd passed held fingering gazes of awe. Zulogn doubted that they've ever seen a top grade xiantian spiritual treasure in their lives. Low grade perhaps but higher grades were exponentially rarer.

When they were on board the carriage, various refreshments were brought in. Fruit juices, exotic fruits and meats. Overall, a universal standard treatment reserved for royalty. Zulong was not unused to this, he quite liked it.

Seeing Zulong nod in approval filled Zhuque with happiness. Once someone's gotten to know Zulong, they instinctively knew he was in charge. Among the four symbols, they were all fellow siblings born apart but united as one. They were a team with equal input and equal rank.

But Zulong had always been above the rest. Everyone trailed behind the dragon. Even strangers would hold themselves respectfully when meeting him. Her servants were also extremely polite and dutiful and the vermillion bird could tell that not all of it was simply following orders.

The dragon reminded her of her own sister. In many ways, that actually quite frightened her. The anxiety of what could come of it did not fill her with much hope. Free as she was, Zhuque loved her sister a lot for all her faults.

She prayed to the heavens that such a meeting would go well. The four symbols as a family depended on it.

…

"Taiyi Golden Immortals? All of them?" A woman dressed in long elaborate imperial robes decorated with fire and birds of all kinds and a crown of many jewels and beads hanging on the side. The appearance of her crown vaguely resembled that of a peacock's tail. She rested her hand on her knuckle on her right looking down.

This woman was exceedingly beautiful. Everything about her screamed beauty and power beyond even Wangshu. His eyes were orange with trails of fire. The light of the yin and yang were held in her pupils. Her power at the peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal was unquestionable. This was Zufeng, the phoenix sovereign.

"Such a large gathering of experts followed my sister?" The phoenix sovereign asked. The person she was addressing was Chongming. The innate god was kneeling at the foot of her throne rigidly.

"Yes your majesty," Chongming said. "All five of them were Taiyi Golden Immortals. It is a for sure guarantee that they've all found their Dao as well."

"Hm," Zufeng placed her index finger on her right cheek in thought. "Capable servants are rare to find. My sister deserves many rewards for her efforts."

"Your majesty," Chongming said. "I believe that is an incorrect assumption."

"Oh?" Zufeng gazed down. "What makes you say that? Do you believe my sister incapable of recruiting Taiyi Golden Immortals? Especially for the chance to serve under me?"

"With all due respect your majesty," Chongming began. "Taiyi Golden Immortals at theirs and my level won't submit for just a name."

"The audacity," Zufeng snarled igniting the room around her in a flurry of nanming divine fire. "You dare spout nonsense?"

"Not nonsense your majesty," the Chongming bird met the sovereign's gaze with his own. "I apologise if my words offend you, you may punish me anyway you wish. However, I stand by my opinion."

"Hmph, we'll see about that," Zufeng got up and stepped down from her throne. "You're lucky you're useful," she said walking past the kneeling innate god. Exiting her throne room leaving Chongming on his own, Zufeng spotted the ministers waiting outside.

"Prepare a banquet," she ordered. "We shall celebrate my sister's return."

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

The famed location of the south continent known as the phoenix's roost is both a castle and a city. Rather, the name refers both to the palace of Zufeng and the surrounding city built around it. The towering structure of the imperial palace outlined by a statue of a phoenix spreading its wings was visible even at the coast.

Upon entering the city, the iconography of various birds subservient to the phoenix was depicted. Although he'd only been there once, Yinglong found the build philosophy to be similar to Zulong's city. That was to say, very egocentric.

However, whereas Zulong had a pragmatic side to him as evident to prioritising security, the phoenix's roost seemed to lack that. From a glance, Zulong's city can be identified as a death trap to attack for an army of immortals. But the phoenix roost was able to be besieged.

That wasn't to say that the avian's capital was defenceless. It certainly had formations drawn in place and powerful fighters stationed. It was obvious from the distinct auras of half a dozen Golden Immortals and three Taiyi Golden Immortals that it was a force to be reckoned with.

Seeing the concentration of fighting power, Yinglong thought it made sense why the avians were able to stand up to the south seas. If you ignore the presence of Si Hai, both sides had a similar amount of experts. In fact the avians likely had more.

The winged dragon studied the city while paying close attention to Zhuque's introductions as the journey continued. While his older brother had proven himself very observant, Yinglong thought it best to give him a second opinion.

"And just over that way is the market area. Foreign clans travel here often to make trades in cultivation and crafting resources from us. Our supply is the greatest in the south continent," Zhuque chatted merrily with her fellow divine beasts.

"That's impressive sister Zhuque," Xuanwu complimented. "Just how many people come here?"

"Oh I think minister Lu said there were about nine million people a month," Zhuque said. "Most of these are just the visitors, farmers or merchants conducting whatever business they're doing."

"Oh, so many people," Xuanwu felt dizzy. He was of a similar age to Zhuque and roughly knew there were a lot of people in the world. But to hear it being stated so casually was a little nauseating. Especially since he primarily resided in the north.

"Might sound like a lot, but it really isn't," Qinglong said. "The east sea where I'm from had tons of settlements with millions of people travelling to and between. It's not strange to see billions of movements on important days."

"Wow, same," Zhuque said. "I thought only the south was so populated."

"I've travelled more than my brothers so I've seen the continents from a distance," Qinglong explained. "The east continent is not that populated compared to the south but the east ocean is heavily populated."

"Wow, I'd love to visit there," Zhuque said in amazement. "But unfortunately my sister banned me from there. Said it was too dangerous or something like that."

"Really? How so?" Qinglong asked.

"Something about how it was a chaotic mess of clans vying for power. How there were Golden Immortals by the dozens in every few hundred thousand kilometres," the vermillion bird said.

"Hm, well big brother is more familiar with the situation than me but I can see that being the case," Qinglong said. "What's the current census of Golden Immortals?" He asked Zulong

"At least one per clan, extrapolate from there," Zulong replied.

"Heavens," Zhuque squeaked at the implications. If the east sea was anything like the south continent, then there were easily tens of thousands of clans. "How does one raise so many Golden Immortals?" She asked curiously,

"Advancement in methods," Zulong explained. "Everyone knows everyone in the east. It's not strange for cultivators to trade insight and recourses."

"But to develop so quickly," Zhuque mused in wonder.

"All thanks to our master," Qinglong smiled in pride. "Many years ago, he preached to the masses and upped the quality and quantity of cultivation techniques. Since then, the successes of cultivators had risen exponentially."

"Wait you mean the eastern preaching session actually happened? It's not a rumour?" Zhuque exclaimed. The there dragons all started chuckling at that.

"Hm, I wasn't sure either," Bai Hu said. "There were some rumours a while ago about a sect in the east but I never paid it any mind. You're saying your master accepted the entire east sea as disciples of his sect?"

"No, nothing like that. I wasn't born then but from what those who attended say, he gave lots of pointers and generic advice that enlightened everyone," Zulong corrected. "The east sea is indebted to master, without him, the secrets of immortality will be held back for ages. Even the continent proper had benefitted."

"Now that you mention it, I think we benefitted too," Zhuque said in realisation. "I always thought the progress was natural but it may have flowed from the east sea considering our interactions along the dimensional wall."

The conversation continued after that with both sides trading information casually. For Yinglong, it was a good time to prepare himself for meeting the famed phoenix sovereign. His advanced hearing picked up idle chatter from their escorts and from their description, she was quite a prideful person.

The group finally arrived at the palace compound. As their destination was reached, they exited the carriage and were greeted by the familiar Chongming and another individual of similar rank and power.

"General Chongming, minister Lu," Zhuque greeted the two.

"Welcome back princess," both innate gods greeted her back with a salute. "Her majesty is anxiously waiting for you in the main chamber."

"Of course," Zhuque nodded. "Come alone, I can show you the way," she said gesturing to Zulong and the rest.

What greeted them inside was a structure showcasing the colours of red, yellow, orange in every way they could without being jarring. The palace was built to be the lap of luxury and power with depictions of the phoenix. Most notable was a statue of the phoenix roosting above a multitude of birds below its feet.

The message was clear. The phoenix was the king of the world. She stood above all avians as the supreme king of birds.

When Zhuque led them into the throne room. Zulong's gaze met Zufeng's for the first time. In that moment, the world stood still. Roaring water met with burning fire. In that moment, two emperor's recognised each other despite never having met.

It was as if two swirling abyss of primordial power clashed. Both came from the same source. Both recognised each other as family. Yet at the same time, both detested each other for daring to impose themselves above the other.

There was an old saying, two tigers cannot share the same mountain. If one considered the primitive world to be a mountain, these emperors are tigers born to rule it. They knew from the get go that they were each other's adversaries.

From the moment they've locked eyes. Zulong felt almost nostalgic. Yet his eyes narrowed as he instinctively knew that the woman before him can never be his follower. No words needed to be exchanged for both parties to know this.

'Such is the clashing path of my destiny,' Zulong sighed in resignation. He felt very guilty at this moment. His little brother felt for the first time, truly complete, yet now that blissfulness may well be stripped away.

"Ng…Zu..ng…Lo…g…Zu… Zulong," Yinglong's soft voice snapped Zulong back to reality. He broke contact and looked to Yinglong.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" He asked.

"You were spacing out a bit there, things got a bit awkward," Yinglong whispered back. Looking forwards, Zulong also saw Zhuque repeating a similar action to a slightly stunned Zufeng.

"What's wrong sister?" Zhuque whispered. "This is very unlike you."

"That man," Zufeng gestured with her eyes at Zulong. "Who is he?"

"Hm? Don't tell me you're interested in Zulong?" Zhuque gasped. "Well he is easily the strongest of the group and very handsome."

"Stop," Zupfen snapped raising a finger. "That's not what I meant, give me a second." The phoenix snapped her eyes back to the rest of her audience.

Chongming and Lu were looking curiously at what was happening. Zufeng felt slightly embarrassed at her silence. She could see that the other guests, Xuanwu, Bai Hu, and Qinglong were getting slightly agitated at the silence.

"Greetings," Zufeng announced breaking the ice. "I welcome you all to my domain. It is my understanding that you aided my sister?"

"Yes, your uh…your majesty," Xuanwu and the others gave a respectful bow whereas Zulong only gave a respectful salute. Zufeng felt a sense of irritation aimed at the ancestral dragon.

'That's fine, they always are arrogant in the beginning,' she comforted herself in her heart. After all, Lu and Chongming's loyalties were among those she'd won through combat.

"Do you not bow before your sovereign?" Zufeng challenged.

"These legs don't kneel to any bar one," Zulong returned. The atmosphere became tense again. Both Zhuque and Qinglong could feel their hearts tighten.

"Ah, fellow daoists are all just awed by sister's beauty," Zhuque quickly came up with an excuse. Qinglong motioned to do the same but Zulong threw him a glaring look.

"You should already be able to guess why I won't and never will," Zulong said. Behind him, Chongming and Lu tightened their stances.

"Heh, hahaha," Zufeng chuckled before narrowing her eyes. "On the account of my sister, I shall forgive you. But I will not tolerate disrespect in my court."

"With all due respect your majesty," Bai Hu began. "We are not a part of your kingdom nor are our statuses inferior in any way to you. Expecting fellow daoists of similar standings is a bit presumptuous don't you think."

"You think yourself my equal?" Zufeng raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Bai Hu, that's enough," Zhuque snapped. "Don't needlessly antagonise my family," she scolded. "Please, sis, spare them some leniency," she begged towards Zufeng.

"Fine," Zufeng huffed. "I shall permit this," after she'd said so, the room returned to normal temperature. An invisible pressure that did not affect those present but could be felt lifted.

"As thanks for aiding my sister, I have prepared a banquet for you all. That is to be held tomorrow evening. I trust you'll all attend?" Zufeng extended the invitation.

"What right do I have to refuse such a generous offer?" Zulong accepted. Seeing that everyone else had no objections once Zulong spoke Zufeng nodded.

"Very well then, I've also prepared rewards for you. Ten thousand kilograms of top grade spiritual herbs and ores as well as xiantian spiritual treasures. I will have minister Lu guide you to receive them." She announced.

"Very generous of you, your majesty," Zulong said.

"I spare no expenses when it comes to family," the phoenix sovereign retorted.

"Neither will I," the dragon mused softly. "I accept your proposals. We've only done what any good samaritans would've done. And as well, my brother and your sister belongs to the same family of divine beasts. It was only natural for us to help."

"Same family you say, inform me later," Zufeng whispered to Zhuque. "If that is all, then I shall extend my hospitality to you all. You will find my kingdom to be beyond expectations."

Taking the signal, the party turned to leave for the waiting minister Lu. However, before they left Zufeng Called out again.

"All experts are welcome in my empire, I hope you make the wise choice," she finished as the doors closed. Zulong narrowed his eyes but kept silent. He wordlessly sighed, he was right after all.

"Come, this way," minister Lu gestured for them to follow him.

'We can regret later,' Zulong said to his brothers through mental communication. 'Enjoy whatever time we have now.'

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

By the next day, phoenix's roost had become incredibly lively. Zufeng was not joking when she uttered the words 'spared no expense'. In under a day, the city was decorated, statues lit up in flames, and various ornaments were placed throughout the city.

Overnight, the busy city had transformed into one on festive mode. All on the whims of their divine ruler.

From his position at the window, Zulong observed the people below. His suite was one that allowed for easy viewing into the greater city. This was something he'd requested from minister Lu and granted with no resistance.

"Hm, these people know who's in charge, who they should worship," Zulong quietly mused. Yinglong who sat deeper in the room sorting through the collected treasures perked up.

"They practically have it all shoved in their face, it's quite pretentious if you ask me," Yinglong said before going back to his work.

"Yes, a bit too on the nose," Zulong agreed before diving into deep thinking. He reflected upon how he'd built his city and saw the startling amount of similarities. 'Perhaps I should tone done things in the future. It just looks like I'm overcompensating,' he pondered. 'I should ask Yu'er when I get back.'

Meanwhile, Yinglong moved a pile of ores rich in fire Qi into a small pouch. The enormous amount of material was shrunken down to make it manageable for such tasks. Yinglong had already gone through the collection of herbs sorted based on their elemental affinity.

Placing the fire ore pouch alongside the others he stretched his neck. "Their foundation is not shallow brother, the avians have rooted themselves into the south quite successfully," he said. "I wonder if Zulin had done the same in the north".

"Her head start is troubling but not unchallengeable. Once we return I can finally begin assuming power," Zulong said. "There are a few things I want to try first, however."

"Oh? May I ask what?" Yinglong enquired.

"Look at them," Zulong said pointing to the people below. "What do you notice?" Yinglong narrowed his eyes and observed. His divine sense shot out of the phoenix's roost and into the city below scanning the civilians.

These civilians consisted of both mortals and immortals in a nine to one ratio. However, even so, the mortals held varying degrees of cultivation at least above the Nascent Soul realm. Only the youngest of children were still below that and hence remained in their natural forms.

"They're all birds," Yinglong stated. "Or at least of avian descent, only a very minor few are not." The winged dragon turned towards his elder brother in thought. "That's odd, the beasts and sea folk who live here remain out of the way towards the outskirts."

"Zufeng is herself an avian," Zulong said. "She is the ruler of all birds in this world. I sense a separation going on between the avian and non avian members of her empire."

"Is that not a bit early to tell?"

"Above all else, the phoenix sovereign is arrogant and conceited. In the eyes of the supreme of all birds, she is first, that means the family she comes from, that is to say birds, come directly after her. Everyone else comes after that," Zulong said sitting down across from Yinglong. "I know this for the same reason you do brother. I am exactly the same in how I view ourselves."

"Or rather, how I viewed us dragons at the dawn of our inception," Zulong mused drinking his cup of juice that was on the table. "It does bring about an interesting fact though. Everyone below identifies themselves as avians, even the beasts. Hence there is a level of unity."

"Sounds similar to the devils," Yinglong said. "Except theirs was a cultivation method that evolved into the basis of an entire civilisation and way of life." The winged dragon suddenly perked up and said, "You're thinking of doing the same aren't you."

"It brings about a level of unity and stability. But how I do so will need to be different. I cannot be as wasteful of the devils in Nan Dao Chen had shown themselves to be," Zulong said. He reached into his inter spacial ring and pulled out a scroll and handed it to Yinglong.

"That's the silk sheet you were drawing on during our journey," Yinglong said in recognition. He took the scroll and began reading its contents.

"It is only in the prototype stages, I hope to infer with master once he returns," Zulong said with a sad look. "I hope he returns soon."

…

"Have you picked out what you're going to wear to the banquet?" Zhuque asked. She was sitting before a large table playing cards with the rest of the four symbol divine beasts. They were subsequently all dressed in plain guest robes except Zhuque.

"What? Why does it matter?" Bai Hu shrugged throwing down a five. "I'll just go as I always go, in my normal clothes."

"You kidding? You look like you're dressed for a hunt," Zhuque snorted. "If you want to look tough at least play up the warrior look and go in armour."

"My fur is my armour, unlike your soft feathers, they can take a hit without being plucked off," Bai Hu joked. "Sides, I look great."

"My sister thinks you're a barbarian," Zhuque replied flatly. "I don't want her to think my friends are barbarians," she sighed. "Xuanwu, Qinglong, you understand what I mean right?"

"This is my first time I'm attending something like this" Xuanwu said uneasily. "Truth be told I'm a bit clueless."

"Never really crossed my mind," Qinglong scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "You've met my brother, right? He doesn't really care much for these things."

Zhuque sighed, "Just make sure to dress nicely. In fact, I'll get the servants to bring us matching robes. We're a set of divine beasts, we need to look the part of divine beasts."

"You're really stressed about this," Xuanwu said. "I don't know much so I can't guarantee anything but I promise to do the best I can." Bai Hu and Qinglong nodded along with the black tortoise.

"That's all I can ask for," Zhuque sighed. "My sister expects great things from all of you. You mustn't disappoint her, she's a bit prideful but I promise that she's a good person."

"Prideful's putting it lightly," Bai Hu snorted only to receive the vermillion bird's glare. "Alright, alright, I'll concede," he put his hands up in mock surrender. "It's been a while since I've been to a gathering like this. Some of the major provincial leaders on the west continent hold similar events."

"Oh trust me, we avians take clothing very seriously. Nothing in the world compares to us, you have not seen anything," Zhuque insisted. "Beauty is intrinsically ingrained into southern culture."

The other three divine beasts nodded. "Alright, the servants will show you where all the noble outfits are. If you really can't decide, then I'll pick one for you," she stated with finality. The divine beasts could only nod in agreement.

…

That evening, the banquet hall of the palace was littered with esteemed nobles. Powerful cultivators, ministers, and generals alike gathered under the orders of their phoenix sovereign.

Tables were aligned along the room. Rare spiritual fruits were adorned upon plates. Herbal dishes as well as the meat of immortal beasts were also served. Dishes of carefully cultivated worms were lined upon colourful dishes decorated with images of flowers and feathers.

Banquets were not an unfamiliar sight to Zulong. The sheer extravagance of what is being served was also not strange for the eldest dragon. What was new however was the dress codes for the participants.

Zulong himself had opted for his preferred colours of yellow and black. His given outfit was one made of plums of feathers embedded with jewels. He honestly found it gaudy and unbefitting of his royal visage.

He scanned the room and found groups of Heavenly Immortal and Golden Immortals. Clearly, the upper echelons had shown up. Perhaps not all the sum total of Zufeng's forces had arrived but a good majority had. Zulong thinks it's likely due to distance.

Already, the guests were chatting merrily. The major players had also arrived. Zulong easily found minister Yu who'd guided him a day ago. The man was a bit of an enigma to the dragon. He was very dutiful and disciplined. However, he was also not very talkative nor sociable.

Chongming had not arrived yet but Zulong guessed that he may be with Zufeng. At least one powerhouse should accompany the sovereign as her guard if only for appearance's sake.

"Is this everyone?" He heard Qinglong ask Zhuque. The vermillion bird began to shake her head but stopped and made a so-so gesture instead.

"Kinda? Minister Changfu should be here and if not, he'd likely accompany my sister. But otherwise, all the important people are here," Zhuque said.

"Changfu? I guess he's the third Taiyi Golden Immortal after Yu and Chongming," Bai Hu chimed in.

"Indeed, the three primary immortals under the phoenix sovereign involve myself, brother Chongming, and brother Changfu," minister Yu spoke up calmly for the first time. "We serve as the direct servants of her majesty."

"I see," Zulong mused. "How did you meet the phoenix sovereign if you don't mind me asking? How did you come under her employ?"

"Is that a question?" Minister Yu asked with a raised eyebrow. He was a burly man bigger than Chongming. In fact, he looked to be the sort that'll be a soldier rather than a simple minister. He'd also worn a nose ring like a bull.

"Her majesty is the supreme king of all avians in the world, it is only natural we follow," minister Yu said. "It is only a matter of time before all come under her rule."

"That so?" Zulong grinned. "You sure about that? I hear that many hidden powers exists in the primitive world. The supreme bird is not the supreme of all living creatures after all."

"Be that as it may, all shall accept their place as avians," minister Yu stated looking blankly at Zulong. "You will learn as well fellow daoist, as I have."

BANG!

The doors swung open with an entourage of servants. They announced the entrance of Zufeng. Chongming and another smaller man wearing puffy feathered clothing trailed behind her. Zulong could distinctly sense their auras as mighty Taiyi Golden Immortals.

'That should be Changfu,' Zulong pondered. 'These three are not second rate, they're all innate gods, I can feel it.'

Zufeng marched until she reached the main seat above all others and at the centre of the main table. Zulong sat a few places to her right along with his brothers and three of the four symbols.

He looked up feeling Zufeng's gaze bear down upon him. He frowned slightly. He'd long considered himself a sovereign of the world just like Zufeng. At this moment, he felt a bit peeved at his placement. It was like he was being treated as an afterthought.

He should at least be placed on equal to Zufeng seeing but seeing as he was only a guest, he could accept things for now. The dancers were trickling in along with other performers.

Zufeng smiled at the banquet. She raised her voice and announced the commencement of the celebration. Immediately, the room was flooded with her power. Her Qi was felt bearing down upon all beings.

To Zulong, this power was vastly different from his own origin within the seas. Zufeng's origin was that of harmony between yin and yang, of the five elements born in between. All the transformations of the five elements were keenly sensed by Zulong and he gasped in wonder.

Zufeng's attire was a royal dress decorated like a peacock. Behind her were a train of tail feathers lit up in brilliant colours resembling the peacock. A divine aura hovered around her that reminded the dragon of both himself and Zulin.

"Today we gather upon the successful return of my dear sister, your princess Zhuque," Zufeng announced. "She'd done great work dealing both a fatal blow to our fierce enemy, Si Hai of the four seas."

"She'd also done great aid to our divine nation by bringing in additional help against our foe. May I present immortals Zulong, Yinglong, Qinglong, Xuanwu, and Baihu."

Zulong narrowed his eyes. He hoped this ordeal will be over soon. There was only so much he could take.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Sitting here, in this banquet hall, being served fruits and worms. Zulong felt extremely uncomfortable and unsatisfied. Keeping his thoughts to himself was never something he'd found challenging up till now. But currently, the dragon was itching to start something.

Zulong looked to the side and saw his little brother and Zhuque happily chatting and sighed. He'd bear with things a little longer. After all, some petty slights aren't the priority. Instead, Zulong defaulted back to his standard behaviour when in an unknown environment.

The ancestral dragon silently observed those around him, taking in as much as he could. The hall had a jovial atmosphere yet there was a clear air of pride exuded by those present. Zufeng was trying to court the four symbols and himself to her side and it was aggravating.

Personally, Zulong found the decorations to be gaudy. Too much flashy gems, too much flashy iconographies of the phoenix. But once voiced, Yinglong will call him a hypocrite. His own master would just give him a blank stare with the same meaning.

Zulong drunk down a glass of spiritual fruit juice and grumbled. 'Some wine would've been better,' he thought. He began contemplating about spreading his master's creation to all corners of the world. It will be something that'll make events like this slightly more bearable.

"Ng…Zu…g…Zulong," the dragon's attention snapped to his second brother beside him. The winged dragon had been calling out to him for a bit trying to get his attention.

"What is it brother?" Zulong whispered back.

"The royal party is beginning to get agitated," Yinglong warned and Zulong realised his mistake. He'd been scanning the various noble guests and the banquet hall but had neglected the hostess herself and her entourage.

Turning his gaze over, he saw the calculating yet disapproving looks the three Taiyi Golden Immortals at Zufeng's side. Her seating position at his superior still bugged him but she showed an expression of clear annoyance. Not to the degree of outright anger but enough to know that she is displeased.

Zulong put on a small smile and made a compliment to ease the situation. "Your generosity knows no bounds," he said. "To spend so much on such short notice speaks volumes of your character."

"Obviously, as civilised people, it is only natural that lead by example," Zufeng spoke pridefully. Zulong frowned a little within, there wasn't even a hint of humbleness that was common in social interactions.

"It is from my understanding that you came from the east?" The phoenix sovereign suddenly asked. Those around her silenced themselves as she spoke intending to listen in. Placed on the spot, Zulong sighed in his heart and began answering.

"Indeed, I originated in the western portions of the east sea," Zulong answered truthfully.

"Sea? I am only familiar with the east continent," Zufeng admitted. "I hear it is a brutal place of power struggles between rivalling factions."

"There is some truth to that," Zulong said. "But there are mutual rules obeyed by all. Rules for engagement between the various kingdoms."

Zufeng scoffed, "Say what you want about that abominable Si Hai, but at least he brought order to the seas and the lesser beings." The phoenix sighed, "Unfortunately, the east cannot be like the south. It must be hard living in such a barbaric place."

Zulong had to physically hold himself still less he lose his temper. What was this woman trying to do? Purposefully antagonise him? Instead he decided to probe for more information, "You seem very knowledgeable of the east."

"Of course, the continent at least is famed for being home to ancient experts. Who hasn't heard of mystical Mt. Yujing, fire cloud cave, or the mysterious Mt. Kunlun," the phoenix said.

"The east sea is also a place for experts," Zulong reputed. "Yingzhou mountain's ancestor Da Hai, not to mention the host of Taiyi Golden Immortal leaders of the sea folk clans."

"Yes, a most chaotic place," Zufeng nodded. "Not to worry, it is only a matter of time before I ascend to a higher realm. I shall bring order to your home and put an end to the fighting," the phoenix assured sincerely.

Qinglong turned away from a slightly nervous Zhuque and frowned deeply. Yinglong slowly put down his glass as well. Around them, the rest of the four symbols also somewhat frowned. They were not overly familiar of the east sea but they still felt cross due to their friendships.

Zulong leaned back and took a deep breath. "I would suggest taking that back," the dragon said. "The east sea does not appreciate such dismissal of us."

Zufeng raised an eyebrow. "You think I speak falsehoods?" She inquired. "The waters of the east exhibit none of the harmony I have brought. Mosasaur, Plesiosaur, Colossal Shark, primordial turtle, and so many sea clans vying for power. Whereas I have united all the avian clans and even beast clans recognise me as sovereign."

"The east sea is vastly superior to your measly territory in every conceivable way," Zulong began. "You do not have a right to rule our waters. Less so before I."

"Hmph, amusing dragon. You believe yourself my equal?" The phoenix sovereign taunted. "I have an established kingdom. I am a sovereign recognised by the Heavenly Dao. What do you have in comparison? A measly city?"

Zulong perked up in surprise. "I figured it out," Zufeng said. "I've heard of a famous trading city in the east sea shaped like a nine digit claw. Goods from that place came here as well." She leaned forward and sneered.

"When I met you, I felt the imperial destiny that you and I shared. But after all this time, what have you to show for it? You're not even a monarch, just a rogue cultivator, a cit lord at best. A bunch of primitive fishes," the phoenix sovereign laughed a mocking tune. "You should to the smart move and join me. I can put your muscle to good use."

"How dare you!" Qinglong jumped up and pointed Zufeng. "Is this how the avians act towards their guests?" Yinglong roared jumping up. "Such uncouth behaviour, as expected of barbarians," he threw back the insult.

"Ignorant worms," Changfu got up and began flexing his power. "You should speak with respect when speaking to her majesty," he growled.

"And what would a feathered pig like you know of respect," Yinglong bit back revealing his wings. Changfu humphed and sprouted three wings from his back.

"Wait, perhaps we should calm down a bit," Zhuque stood up trying to appease both sides. However, Chongming held his arm out and nudged her back. "Princess, get back, these are dangerous individuals," he insisted.

"No, they're my friends," the vermillion bird tried to say only for her eldest sister to stand up as well silencing her.

"You're still young and naive," Zufeng said. "These foreign dragons are ignorant. I shall teach them why they should not stand against the phoenix."

"But sister!" Zhuque began. "Silence!" Zufeng commanded washing the room in a wave of heat. The harmonious fire of the nanming divine fire glowed along with her figure. Numerous brilliant tail feathers rose up behind her spreading outwards like a peacock.

"You were foolish and deserve to be punished as such," Zufeng announced. "But I am a gracious ruler, you still have a chance to join my ranks."

"Stop your drivel, it's killing my brain just listening to you talk," Zulong growled. "Peacock, you will regret declaring me as your enemy," the dragon replied in equal pride.

"What did you just call me?" Zufeng frowned. Her aura flared outwards shaking her palace. The various guests took this as the opportunity to begin running. Not even Golden Immortals can survive her full fury without proper protection.

Chongming, Lu, and Changfu took stances behind their sovereign. Bai Hu materialised his sword and moved to stand alongside Qinglong and Xuanwu. The trio looked in apologetic regret at Zhuque who remained by Zufeng's side with a horrified expression.

"I am the celestial phoenix worm, sovereign of all avians. You will treat me with proper respect," Zufeng growled flaring her aura even more. An invisible Dao fruit manifested behind her and glowed in five coloured radiance. Her eyes flashed with the light of the yin and yang.

Zulong scoffed and flared his own aura. "I am the celestial dragon peacock. First disciple of ancestor Da Hai of Yingzhou, chief disciple of Yingzhou, sovereign of the seas. I shall treat you however I please peacock," he responded back. Black and yellow light appeared around the dragon countering Zufeng's own.

Both sides glared as they rose into the air. The cries of a dragon and that of a phoenix could be heard. To the outside observer, the phoenix sang a harmonious song, it made them want to kneel down and revel in her glory, to follow her to the ends of the earth.

The dragon's roar however manifested an imperial might. It made observers shiver in awe and respect. It made them want to kowtow and bestow the title of rightful emperor upon his head.

The heavens above darkened. Storm clouds rumbled and an ominous presence could be felt for many kilometres.

Both sovereigns shed their Dao bodies and assumed their true forms. Zulong stretched ten thousand kilometres in length covered in glistening golden scales. Although the injuries of yesteryear were still visible on his body, he still looked magnificent.

The phoenix who appeared was both fresh and much smaller. Her body was only a thousand kilometre from head to the base of her tail. Her head was green with a crown of feathers, her neck was white with a metallic sheen, the back and wings were crimson red, her chest was covered in black feathers. Her legs and claws were of a yellow colour.

Zufeng looked like a beautiful male peacock. Her tail was much longer though and stretched for many kilometres, vastly longer than her body and wingspan. The king of all birds appeared majestic alongside the celestial dragon.

Below both monarchs, the others took to their true forms as well. The azure dragon, winged dragon, white tiger, and black tortoise appeared combating against Chongming, Lu, and Changfu.

Chongming was a Herculean chicken with polycoria. His red feathers clashed against Qinglong's fierce blows without losing out. However, Qinglong managed to effortlessly dance around the bird and strike from behind. During this engagement, Chongming had to admit that Qinglong was the superior fighter. However, while he was not able to win, he was able to tie Qinglong down for a time.

Changfu was much more hideous. He was a pheasant with three heads, three wings, and three sets of legs. He was fanatical in his fight and engaged Yinglong in a brutal struggle.

Lu was perhaps the most unenthusiastic of the three. Unlike the two birds, Lu was not wholly birdlike. His head was that of an ox, his body was that of a reptilian fish complete with small fins. On his back were birdlike wings and flapped to defend him.

Bai Hu and Xuanwu together was overkill though as Lu struggled with the pressure. So much so that he disengaged and flew back.

Above them, nanming divine fire flashed in many directions. This particular divine flame was generated from the harmony between the five elements and the dual yin and yang. It is perhaps the most stable substance in the primitive world while giving off an all encompassing energy.

Zufeng was by all accounts an incredibly skilled fighter. She had no reservations against going all out from the get go. Arrogant she may be, but she was far from incompetent.

In contrast to the dragon's invincible physique. The phoenix kited Zulong, blasting him from a distance. The ancestral dragon narrowed his eyes and unleashed a blast of lightning from his mouth.

Zufeng's body glowed in myriad lights. Her body unleashed a wave of glittering radiance that seemed to calm Zulong's raging attack before dissipating it.

"Hmph," Zulong's body glowed before his aura expanded into a massive dragon hundreds of thousands of kilometres in length. "The dragon emerged from the sea, soaring above the clouds," he chanted.

Zufeng grimaced in panic flapping her wings fiercely, she backed away as quickly as she can when the attack was fired. A massive burst of light made up of five different colours emerged from the phoenix's body.

Both sides clashed producing heaven splitting rainbow lights. Zufeng pushed hard, she unleashed the nanming divine fire in conjunction to her rays of lights. However, her opponent was Zulong, he was like a brick wall that refused to move.

Zulong grabbed hold of the energy wave coming at him and held it back with his claws. Growling, he stretched out his right claw releasing the dragon pearl. The treasure was deployed like a hammer.

Zulong smashed Zufeng's attack to pieces with a strike that could only be described as a universe full of endless ocean condensed into a tiny orb used for bludging.

"Gah!" Zufeng was pushed back spitting out a mouthful of blood. The phoenix looked astonished at the dragon who despite his previous injuries held the distinct advantage in this battle.

The phoenix sovereign was barely able to stabilise herself before being hit by a fatal swipe of Zulong's claw. Her body was paper in comparison to Zulong and could not withstand the blow. Her chest and side bled profusely as her innards spewed out and much of her gorgeous feathers were fell.

"Your majesty!" Chongming cried out attempting to gain altitude only for Qinglong to grab the bird by his talon and smashed him back down onto the ground. Chongming's attic of tying down Qinglong had turned into Qinglong timing down Chongming.

"No!" Changfu opened all three of his beaks to breathe fire at Yinglong. The winged dragon flew up in an arc avoiding the flames. His auspicious clouds generated rain putting out the flames enraging Changfu.

"Get out of my way," Changfu jumped to attack with his claw. His attempt was met by Yinglong's own claw strikes. His pecks were slapped aside by the dragon's tail.

Crashing down onto the ground, Chongming and Changfu raised their heads to look at both dragon brothers hatefully. The disdain from the dragons was evident in their gaze,

On the other hand, Lu continued to put minimum effort into his battle. Bai Hu and Xuanwu as well did not give their all. There was no point in wasting energy when the dragons had everything handled. Knowing Zulong's pride, he'd hate for them to interfere anyway.

In the sky, Zufeng engulfed herself in an eruption of flames pushing the surprised Zulong back. The brilliant nanming divine fire flashed in rainbow light spreading out in a radiation of divine fire. Phoenix's roost was bathed in this fire knocking down buildings and statues.

From out the fire, Zufeng emerged looking as if no damage had been dealt. However, her disposition was noticeably different. The phoenix was slightly pale. He narrowed her eyes into a glare. Zulong met her gaze with equal contempt.

Neither was willing to back down. Both wanted the other dead. Perhaps this innate dislike was why Zufeng purposefully antagonised Zulong. Either way, there was no way they could tolerate the other living.

"Wait, stop this. Please, just stop this already," Zhuque's panicked scream suddenly rang throughout phoenix's roost. The vermillion bird blitzed into the sky. "Just stop fighting already!" Zhuque's cry was like a sonic boom.

The Taiyi Golden Immortal unleashed a sound wave that caught the attention of the dragons and avians. Her red and yellow avian stature spread out her wings coming in between Zulong and Zufeng.

"Please, just stop fighting," she begged.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

The presence of the vermillion bird lit up the sky in a new colour. Zhuque's radiance was one of extreme heat originating from the mars star. It was a flame that burned much hotter than the nanming divine flame. In this regard, Zhuque's fire was much more destructive than Zufeng's.

The vermillion bird's wings forcibly separated the ancestral dragon from the phoenix sovereign. Both fighters were briefly stunned and Zhuque took this moment to cast divine winds. They forcibly pushed both Taiyi Golden Immortals back.

"Please sister, brother Zulong, stop this madness," she pleaded. Her physical size dwarfed the phoenix but her presence felt vastly lesser. Zhuque narrowed her eyes in hesitation once her sister was in the way.

"Please see reason, we're all friends here. Stop this before things get out of hand," Zhuque cried out. The divine flame of summer flared around her, fuelled by the full weight of her cultivation base.

"This is an order," Zufeng commanded. "Move out of my way and assist our experts."

"But please just list…" Zhuque tried to say.

"One warning," Zulong growled. "Move aside." His glare was carried both a look of regret but also one of venomous rage. The dragon's demeanour was far worse than what Zhuque was familiar with.

His sharp claws, his fanged mouth, his narrowed glare. Even his catfish whiskers that normally invoked a look of wisdom now waved menacingly in the air. Just his presence gave the vermillion bird a bone chilling frightened feeling.

However, Zhuque steeled her resolve. "Please just listen. You do not need to fight like this. This is all a misunderstanding, lets go back down and work things out."

"You don't understand," Zufeng said coldly. "There could never be peace between us. It was never an option." Zulong merely closed his eyes and gave the softest of sighs.

Zhuque flinched back. 'No, I can't give up yet,' she thought and moved to please her case. However, she saw Zufeng's eyes widened in shock and rage. Then she felt a tugging force.

Turning her head back, Zhuque felt her body being battered aside. Zulong's left claw slammed into her body before she could register his actions. The vermillion bird was battered aside while sending the ancestral dragon and surprised yet disappointed look.

"I did warn you," Zulong replied regretfully before moving to engage the Phoenix sovereign.

Zhuque's world lit up in a hail of rainbow explosions as she hit the ground. The earth shook violently at her descent cracking like spiderwebs. Buildings were toppled over and the city was in full evacuation mode.

The vermillion bird craned her head up and got onto her feet. Looking below her, she looked horrified at rows of crushed people. Looking back up, the battle between Zulong and Zufeng had raged to the point of spilling out of control.

The two seemed to be completely ignoring all the ongoings around them. Their only focus were on how to kill each other. Although their battlefield was high in the sky, their shockwaves affected the land as well.

Zhuque spread out her wings manifesting two golden wings covering the entire city. A herculean shockwave consisting of black light and divine flames smashed into her impromptu shield. "Gah," she grunted.

"FUCK," she cried out. "Why won't they listen. Zulong is very honourable and caring. But it's like he's a completely different person. I can get through to sister, I know it. But I can't if brother Zulong is in the way."

The vermillion bird opened her beak and breathed a fog of red gas that cloaked hundreds of thousands of powerless civilians. With a had turn, she threw them into the distance before taking flight herself.

BOOM!

Explosions from impacts rang throughout the sky. The gargantuan form of the dragon chased the much smaller phoenix who pelted him with blasts of power. The dragon would fire back and attempt claw strikes while gliding through the air.

Zulong's attacks were so sharp in fact that reality suffered tears into he void between worlds. In turn, Zhuque's smaller form glided above Zulong's claw and kicked his body with her claws. Her talons too tore into Zulong's scales drawing blood.

The dragon answered back with his hind limbs. He pulled the phoenix off of him and began crushing her with his body. Zefeng retorted with a burst of five colour light. The force of the primaeval life giving force ripped into Zulong's body forcing him to relent.

The two deities tangled brutally. Blood was drawn from both sides as both parties went to a bloodthirsty frenzy. The dragon's scales resisted a lot of damage while the phoenix consecutively restored herself with the nanming divine flames.

Both were incredibly skilled and experienced fighters. Zulong from his long years battling across the east sea and later on, his journey around the world. Zufeng from forcing native innate gods and experts intro submission.

As they fought, Zulong winded his head back and opened his mouth. The roar he unleashed was so loud that heaven and earth shook. Fleeing civilians instantly went onto their knees and kowtowed, many had also lost consciousness, unable to bask in Zulong's presence.

Chongming and Changfu could barely hold on under the twin dragon's pressure. Both avian experts were forced onto the retreat unable to bring their hundred percent under these circumstances. 'This is bad,' both thoughts as the azure dragon and winged dragon carried on towards them with claws ready.

Zulong's cry had affected even Zufeng. The phoenix felt her heart stop and the urge to submit. However, she was not one to give up easily. She looked up in defiance only to see the tail of Zulong barrel down full force.

SPLOOSH!

The phoenix's body was reduced to meat paste, exploding mid air into pieces of feather and gore. Zhuque looked onwards in horror, her brain stopping to comprehend what she was seeing.

The bits of gore surrounded Zulong who sneered. He was ready to finish off the rest of the avians when he noticed the presence of Zufeng. 'She's not dead,' he realised.

The pieces around him caught fire. Multi coloured fire that flashed with divine light converging upon a single spot. They lit a huge bonfire so bright that Zulong shut his eyes.

Massive beautiful tail feathers emerged from the fire. They stretched into the sky before revealing the full appearance of the ancestral phoenix. Zufeng emerged with a fully reconstructed body showcasing no injuries. However, there was one noticeable difference.

Her strength had dropped considerably. Her cultivation at the peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal had fallen. Her Dao was still present but her cosmic tree had changed considerably. Instead of a full structure, it appeared to only be adolescent.

"Hmph," Zulong snorted turning to attack once more. Zufeng grimaced flying at full speed to avoid a claw strike that ripped into the void. She took this chance to dive into the void between worlds. Her abrupt departure angered the dragon.

"Come back here," he roared tunnelling his way out of the great wilderness. His tear into the fabric of reality split space apart like glass. It was as if the world was a mirror that had just had a hole blown through it.

Wild currents washed into the great wilderness. Chongming and Changfu took this chance to follow the suction force into the void to pursue their sovereign.

Lu's cow face looked complicated. He glanced back at Bai Hu and Xuanwu wondering what they wanted to do while contemplating his next course of action. He sighed before choosing to follow into the void.

On one hand, if Zufeng lived then he'd done his job of assisting his sovereign. Not he other, the void provided easy escape opportunities, it was endless and invisible unless he opened up portals into the great wilderness.

Zhuque sighed in relief in the moments after her sister's resurrection. Tracking the combatants remaining in the great wilderness, she quickly bolted for the dragons.

Qinglong and Yinglong were about to head into the void with Bai Hu and Xuanwu when the vermillion bird caught up. Yinglong immediately took a hostile stance but Qinglong flew up front.

"Qinglong, you have to help me," Zhuque cried. "Stop them from fighting. Only you can convince Zulong."

"Things have progressed too far Zhuque," Qinglong sighed regretfully. "I am sorry but as of this moment, I cannot…I...I cannot think of you as a friend." The azure dragon flinched when he saw the hurt look on Zhuque's face. Bai Hu and Xuanwu both grimaced, they've both put their eggs in Zulong's basket long ago but now they felt extremely conflicted.

"Qinglong please," Zhuque began. "I cannot let my sister die," she said flaring up her aura and took a deep breath.

"And I can't let any harm come to my brother," Qinglong said taking a big gulp. The vermillion bird's power washed over the four innate gods. The mars star hovered behind her meaningly bracing to charge. His posture became more defeated as time went on.

The small moment of silence felt like it stretched on for eternity for Qinglong. Yinglong was already charging in for an attack against Zhuque. 'This is all kinds of fucked up,' Qinglong screamed in his heart. He glanced quickly at Xuanwu who met his gaze in understanding.

CLANG!

Yinglong yelped in surprise when Xuanwu's shell appeared before him blocking his call strike. "Xuanwu, what is the meaning of this," he cried.

"Deescalating the situation," the black tortoise responded without hesitation. Yinglong looked back, he saw Zhuque follow Qinglong into the void along with Bai Hu and Xuanwu. With the support of the other two, Qinglong and Zhuque's speed gained unprecedented heights. They were out of Yinglong's reach within moments.

The formation of the four symbols formation was nearly instantaneous. The four were already experienced with working together and their natural instincts aligned perfectly. They were heavily pressed for time but luckily, Zulong and Zufeng did not travel far.

The diagram of the cosmic skipped past the three Taiyi Golden Immortals of the avians and reached the chase between Zulong and Zufeng. The phoenix was looking much worse than before. Her loss in cultivation hurt and she likely would've suffered a second death if the four symbols formation had not formed.

Faster than both fighters could react, they were sucked into the formation. This was a construct that nearly struck down a Da Luo Golden Immortal. Despite the powers of both Zulong and Zufeng, they were hurled into an endless void of stars, restrained by chains of starlight.

"What the?" "What is the meaning of this?" Both innate gods cried out once separated.

The seven constellations on the east and south descended towards them. They consolidated into the azure dragon Qinglong and the vermillion bird Zhuque. "Brother/sister," they said.

"Qinglong, let me go this instant," Zulong ordered. His voice rumbled throughout the formation shaking the azure dragon's resolve. Qinglong shared a look with Zhuque and hovered forward.

"Enough is enough brother," the azure dragon said. "It's not worth pursuing petty insults. The battle has already spiralled out of control and in a heavily populated place. Let's just leave."

"Sister, please just listen to me. You had no reason to escalate things as they've had. Let's just let all this go and repair phoenix's roost. Too many have perished already," Zhuque said.

"You do not understand sister. As long as he exists, my rule will forever be challenged. Battle was inevitable, we cannot be friends," Zufeng retaliated. "Zhuque, these are our enemies. Be a good girl and let your big sis handle this."

"Then at least for my sake," Zhuque pleaded. "I will follow all your instructions from now on. I will never disobey you again. Please, don't you see the condition you're in."

"Zulong please," Qinglong joined in as well. "Zhuque is my sister in all but blood. Just this once, let this matter go. Let's just go home and rest. There is no point in staying to fight anymore."

Zulong and Zufeng gave their respective siblings a complicated look. Sharing a look together, they both glared with hatred. Two tigers can never exist on the same mountain. Zulong and Zufeng could never live in the same world. If Zulin was here, he'd agree as well.

The ying and yang Qi of Pangu. Although they both emerged from the same source separated by distance. They hated each other instinctively. Yet in this moment, they both agreed on the same thing.

Wordlessly, Zulong and Zufeng relented. The chains around them disappeared. Zhuque breathed a sigh of relief. The formation disappeared as well now that it was no longer needed.

As both parties faced off, Lu, Chongming, and Changfu arrived beside Zufeng. The phoenix sovereign raised her hand and halted their advance. They realised immediately that the fighting was over.

As the group wordlessly reentered the great wilderness above the ruined phoenix's roost, Yinglong joined them. They shared one last look.

"You know what this means right," Zulong asked the four symbols. Three out of the four symbols all looked regretfully at Zhuque. The sovereigns, natural born rulers of the primitive world. Why did there have to be more than one? Why was heaven so unfair?

As the two parties departed, Zhuque sighed depressingly. 'Why did things have to end like this?'

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Flying high above fertile grasslands and gentle streams. The group of dragons plus divine beasts fled in silence. The gentle natural view of the southern lands were lost to their depressing mood. Dark storm clouds were generated in the wake of their flight.

Zulong did not speak to Qinglong and vice versa. In fact, no one spoke at all. The azure dragon could see clear anger in his brother's posture. Yet at the same time, Qinglong was also furious at him.

The bond the four divine beasts shared was a sacred one. It transcends words and is deeply tied to their existence. Separating from Zhuque hurt Qinglong, just as it had hurt Bai Hu and Xuanwu.

Although if you'd asked them for their personal opinion. Bai Hu, Xuanwu, and Qinglong would've said they made the right choice in following Zulong over Zufeng. However, that did nothing to stop the hurt they felt. The four symbols that were completed so recently had been shattered.

After fifty six days of non-stop slight, Qinglong finally spoke up. "Did things really have to end like this?" He asked, voicing his frustrations. The other two divine beasts couldn't help but listen in as well.

"The avians had declared themselves our enemy. They are a threat to big brother and must be elimi…" Yinglong began to say.

"I wasn't asking you," Qinglong abruptly cut his winged brother off. "Zulong, I support you wholeheartedly, but…why did you have to…"

"Little brother, I am sorry for your loss," Zulong said. "But understand this. In no universe would that peacock, that horse, and me exist merrily together. After meeting with that peacock, I finally understood."

"Was there really no other way brother? Why did you let her get to you?" Qinglong growled.

"If it wasn't Zhuque, would you have cared?" Zulong retorted. Qinglong gave a brief look of surprise before shaking his head. "My ambition is the same as that of that peacock and the north's horsey. When I met them I finally understood. We are diametrically opposed, our very existence clash. Peace was never an option."

"Is it? Or is it because she insulted your pride," Qinglong accused.

"The fact that she insulted me is part of the reason yes," Zulong admitted calmly. "But were you so far in paradise that you forgot how she insulted our home and master as well?" He growled.

"I…"

"I admit that my own rage overtook me. But Qinglong, where is your anger at her insults? Will you just let some stranger slander the good name of the east sea and master?" Zulong accused. The azure dragon went silent.

"I will freely admit," Zulong said. "I am naturally extremely arrogant. I don't take insults lightly and I will kill for far less. I am sorry for breaking the bonds you share, blame me if you must."

"Just know that what's done has been done. Zufeng and I are on a collision course. You may have stopped the battle now but the conflict will get far worse in the future," Zulong said. "You can feel it can't you."

The two silent divine beasts nodded along with Qinglong. The feeling they've received when they saw the dragon and the phoenix fighting. The same one Xuanwu felt faintly when Zulong met Zulin. The same destiny that was innate between all three.

The heavenly Dao was trending towards conflict. It was almost like it wished for war.

"I'm sorry brother," Qinglong apologised.

"Don't be, I get your frustration," Zulong comforted. "The heavens were unfair to you. This brother of yours has failed you."

"No, you were right brother. I am just too frustrated over how things ended up. But what's done is done," Qinglong relented. "Though I hope to repair this relationship in the future, I cannot if Zufeng remains in the picture. What say you two?" He asked Bai Hu and Xuanwu.

"I think I speak for Xuanwu when I say we've both thrown our all in with your lot," the white tiger answered. "I will not say I am pleased with the result. Zhuque was as important to us as you…Zulong I'll be frank with you, I understand wholeheartedly why you lashed out and in your position, I would've done much the same. I think you are more worthy then Zufeng but I cannot deny the blame I've placed on you."

"Whatever the case, it is too late to go back now," Xuanwu sighed with regret. "Personally found Zufeng a bit distasteful. I trust you more then I do her for your deeds in the north so. So we can only move on from here. What's the plan boss?"

"For now? We return to the east sea and rest," Zulong said. "I have several ideas that needs to be proven before I am fully confident in declaring myself sovereign. While I do that, we stay vigilant and wait for master's return."

"Alright," Yinglong, Qinglong, Bai Hu, and Xuanwu nodded. The four followed Zulong's lead as they flew through the dimensional wall.

In the years to come, their journey would remain peaceful. Around another seventy nine years later, the group finally reached Zulong's city.

…

In the shadows of the Jianmu tree, the stairway to heaven, Chenghuang woke up from his self induced hibernation. More than a hundred years spent healing an injury that was caused by stray shots during the fierce battle that took place here so long ago.

The foxlike innate god got out of his hiding spot admits the roots and wandered off. He silently looked in sadness at the environment around him. Much of the initial island had been shaved off and what remained was but a tiny portion of the original. Barely a tenth remained.

However, Chenghuang could also see distant islands that were once apart of the same mini continent he'd been born on. He sighed in relief knowing that chunks weren't outright destroyed. He still had sentimental value on his place of birth after all.

'I need to improve my cultivation,' the innate god pondered with determination. His witnessing of the power possessed by Taiyi Golden Immortals and Da Luo Golden Immortals had shaken him to his very core. He was not a violent person nor a fighter by nature yet he recognised the need to improve his strength.

'How should I progress now?' He pondered silently. Chenghuang sat on his hind on one of the many hills on the yet unnamed island. The innate god slowly attempted to map out his progress. However, without accurate knowledge about the primitive world, he was struggling.

THOOM!

'Hm? What was that?' Chenghuang silently stood up and looked around. He closed his eyes and proceeded to sense the disturbance around him before taking off for the shore.

His white paws landed gently on the beach making tiny indents. The foxlike creature narrowed his gaze across the water to a nearby island. It was actually a new landmass created by the impact of several chunks smashing together.

Chenghuang dashed rapidly across the surface of the open ocean. Each step he took was one of elegance and grace. His long luscious tail fluttered behind him.

Foom!

Chenghuang landed softly on the larger island. Immediately, he felt the extremely dense amount of primordial Qi in the area. This will be useful to his cultivation.

The Jianmu tree had boundless starlight leaking through constantly. But Chenghuang will be the first to admit that he wasn't suited for it. He much preferred this second island.

The innate god began investigating around looking for the source of that sound. He sniffed around the air and jumped high into the sky giving himself a huge vantage point.

'There,' he thought dashing out of the clouds. He landed gracefully on the opposite end of the island on another beach. He walked over slowly seeing with his own eyes, a body lying in the sand. This being had evidently washed up just now impacting the nearby rocks.

Chenghuang noted how tough this man was. The waves were still quite violent as an after-effect from the battle over a century ago. This man was carried by the waves quite violently and looked nearly dead. In fact, Chenghuang could barely feel his life signals.

Getting closer, Chenghuang got closer to him. As he did so, he caught a sense of vertical. Suddenly, he could not register what direction he was going in. Up became down, forwards became backwards, left became right, and on and on the effects went.

'Focus,' Chenghuang berated himself. He shook his head violently and sent a burst of Qi outwards before enclosing himself in a thick veil of one. With this defence, he could just barely stop the nauseous effects.

'This one is powerful,' Chenghuang concluded. It was hard to judge given the distance between him and Si Hai not to mention the nearly deceased state of this man. But Chenghuang likened them both to be of similar rank, Da Luo Golden Immortals.

Chenghuang circled around the body studying it. He could already feel the extremely potent Qi leaking off of him. His Dao was an established one and felt eldritch to the Golden Immortal. He stopped when he saw the man's open eye staring weakly at him.

'He's alive,' Chenghuang thought. 'No, he's barely alive, dying from the looks of it.' The innate god examined this man closer. His injuries became much more obvious when examined using divine sense.

Immortals could look fully healthy with no ailments appearing on their person. But looking at them from a spiritual lens will often tell you just how injured they truly are. For Da Luo Golden Immortals, their body was to an extent expendable. It would hurt their combat prowess and vitality but they can survive it.

This man on the other hand. His internal structures were collapsing. His nascent soul was nearly dissipated. His Dao was already fading.

Chenghuang idly wondered what happened as he sat down. He met the gaze of this dying god silently and did not speak a word.

"Are you not going to say anything?" The dying god heaved out with great effort. "Not going to ask why or how or who I am?"

"Who are you?" Chenghuang asked softly. He was not one who liked speaking but if he needed to then he'd comply.

"Don't feel compelled to," the dying god laughed weakly. "I was merely curious. It is nice to not die alone after all, heh heh."

"To be honest, I do not like this ending. I did not survive battling Shenni only to die at the hands of an old friend. Hai, he didn't even stay for my final moments," the dying god said regretfully.

"But I didn't have a choice. The world is already setting itself up for the next great war. The three beast sovereigns birthed from Pangu are not the central characters. They are merely second fiddle to the true chess masters," he said much to Chenghuang's confusion. Who were these sovereigns he was speaking of?

"We all felt it you know. Every single one of us old fogeys felt it the day they were born. We didn't know their location but we did know they existed. It's one of the privileges of reaching Da Luo Golden Immortal realm. Not much can be hidden from you," he said.

"Most of us didn't really care. I don't think Si Hai even noticed given how obsessed he was. But Hongjun knew, that old schemer knew he was losing a race," the dying god sighed.

"What choice did we have? Between Hongjun and Luohu, the former wants the Heavenly Dao but the latter wants this world. One can at least see us all surviving but the other will grind us all to dust," the dying god said. "I am pathetic, I took the coward's way out. Living as a puppet or as fuel to someone else is not how I wanted things to go. But they are both so far above us, there was never another option. Getting Qiankun to kill me was the best way put right?"

"This world is young still. But it is already so much better than living in the chaos sea. It is so much more beautiful, so much more peaceful," he said with a small smile. "After all these years, I can't say I fully forgive Pangu. But I genuinely appreciate his efforts."

"My name is Shangxia little one. I once mastered the Dao of myriad directions and distorted the sense. Don't forget me," he said before stopping.

Chenghuang neared the man. But he'd already drawn his last breath. His primordial Qi left his body rapidly. His corpse was left behind, completely fresh, looking like a living person. However, his lack of moment nor presence was very telling.

Immortals did not rot. If they passed peacefully like this, they will leave behind a fully intact corpse that was itself a powerful weapon. Shangxia had been holding on for over a hundred and thirty odd years. His death came slowly but no further harm was done to him that would result in a mutilated corpse.

Chenghuang hung his head low in respect. He did not know this senior well if at all. He'd have to perform some divinations to learn more. But he felt it appropriate to give him a proper funeral.

The fox chose a forest clearing closer inland. He constructed a crude shrine for Shangxia made of stone. Then he plucked several tail hair and transformed them into incense sticks.

"Farewell senior," Chenghuang said. He'd benefited greatly from this. Just being close the Shangxia gave inspirations and revelations. Chenghuang felt that his progress will be much smoother.

Around Chenghuang's feet, white lines of primordial Qi surged outwards. They flowed throughout the island catching the innate god's curiosity. These lines touched all over the island, across rivers, plains, and woodland.

From these lines, people sprouted. Elegant, graceful, beautiful people. Their skin was white as snow, their hair was long and elegant just like Chenghuang's tail. A new innate creature tribe had formed.

"White," Chenghuang commented. These people, these men and women prancing in the nude. They were all so white, so much like snow, so much like his own white fur. These white people were blessed beneath the aura of Shangxia and Chenghuang.

By being born in the land filled with such rich primordial Qi, they possessed very long lifespans in comparison to mortals of a similar cultivation level.

"Baimin," Chenghuang whispered after observing for several years. "I will call you Baimin," he said.

"You all look so much like me," Chenghuang said softly. "You also have bits of myself in you. So, I will protect you. This land is your home as it is mine. So consider me your guardian deity," Chenghuang told the Baimin people. Afterwards, he lay down and quietly began cultivating, the Baimin people followed his example.

…

"What have you found?" Luohu asked lounging on a couch in his personal palace. Hundun who sat opposing him slid a scroll across the table.

"We suspect that Hongjun will not return for quite some time," Hundun said. "Will you be moving our forces?"

"Hm, it is the perfect time to attack and destroy Mt Yujing," Luohu said smirking. "Mara, muster our forces," he commanded.

"Should we get the Taowu as well?" Mara asked.

"No, those beasts are still too hard to control," Luohu denied. "Just get my army ready and we'll move out as soon as we can."

"Understood, it'll take some time considering how sudden this is. Will you be going ahead of us?" Mara asked. "We don't have a clear idea on Hongjun's forces."

"I suspect that old man likely placed traps around Mt Yujing. I'm also unsure what allies he'd gathered during my retreat. But I am willing to take the risk," Luohu said. "Meet me at the western borders and we'll move out as a unit."

"Very well, my lord devil," Mara and Hundun said in unison.

"Oh and someone wake up taotie, that fool's been sleeping way too long," Luohu reminded before walking out.

Unbeknown to them, a small ripple appeared above Mt Sumeru.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

The flaw with Pangu was that he never saw the whole picture. He was never aware of the flaw in the Heavenly Dao. Da Hai, who was fully aware of the myths, began explaining to Pangu every detail he knew of.

"So you're saying, that my work will become the catalyst to that ant Hongjun's ascension to Dao?" Da Hai nodded at the confirmation. Pangu sighed in defeat, "So what are his intentions then? It seems from your description Hongjun becomes the Heavenly Dao itself."

"At the end of his third sermon, Hongjun bequeaths the Dao of the Three Corpses to many ancestors. He bestowed thousands of spiritual treasures as well. Chief amongst them being the remnants of your divine axe. Hongjun used his own Dao to complete the Heavenly Dao, fusing with it and becoming a part of the world itself," Da Hai explained.

"This is why he is referred to as the Dao ancestor, he is the progenitor of Daoism. The ancestor who sacrificed himself for the benefit of the world and gave away all he had."

Pangu's statue scoffed, "Bullshit, Heavenly Dao was born from me. My Dao was already more than complete, I simply decided not to break through further. No actions like completing the Heavenly Dao was ever needed."

"How can you be so sure?" Da Hai asked curiously. He trusted Pangu's words far more than Hongjun but Pangu had not been a part of the world since its inception.

"My flesh did not reach as high, but my understanding of Dao was already at the Dao realm, the supreme stage after the stage of Da Luo Golden Immortal. The world created from me will be an order of magnitude greater than naturally forming universes. The Heavenly Dao born from me will be perfect, with the entirety of my understanding of the Great Dao behind it. There was never a need to complete it." he stated surely.

Da Hai pondered, the Heavenly Dao had purposefully sent him here, so it did not seem wholly pleased with Hongjun and Luohu attaching themselves to it. Seeing Da Hai's confused look Pangu elaborated on what he knew.

"Listen, the Heavenly Dao is fundamentally the will of the world to survive and improve. It is harsh but fair, impartial to any one side, be they good or evil. Heavenly Dao will only act against forces that threaten the world or when the evolution of the world is necessary."

"The Heavenly Dao most probably sent you down here for a reason, Da Hai. What you described is a violation of Heavenly Dao. Hongjun and Luohu essentially injected personality and autonomous thoughts into it. If this is true, the Heavenly Dao should be in turmoil with itself," Pangu said.

"Can we stop them? Restore the the Heavenly Dao to the way it was?" Da Hai asked.

"Unless you want to annihilate the world and start again," Pangu sighed in defeat. "It is likely that the Heavenly Dao has already incorporated this change, it is still young and all its defences have not yet fully-formed. It would've swallowed anything that it deemed beneficial to it."

"Prime example being power from another powerful being, " Da Hai finished. The statue hummed in agreement.

"I can guess what happened afterwards. You were struck fiercely before even getting close to the Heavenly Dao right? The likely scenario is that it upped its guard against any and all things after it realised the changes happening within it." Pangu explained.

"Can anything be done, at all?" Da Hai asked desperately.

"I guess you could find some way to establish an impartial system that can be incorporated by the Heavenly Dao, and have it become strong enough to overtake the influences of those ants Hongjun and Luohu. Otherwise, you have to live with it," Pangu said.

"Man, that would feel like living under Big Brother," Da Hai rubbed his temples. He felt really fatigued with the conversation.

Pangu chuckled, "Yes exactly like Big Brother, though less mechanical and more mystical, and far more absolute." Evidently Pangu was also aware of some pop culture of Earth.

Da Hai felt very overwhelmed at what he was learning. He walked up to one of the seats and looked at the statue. Pangu didn't mind so he sat down and held his head in his hands.

Various thoughts came and went through Da Hai's mind for a time. He sighed in frustration, 'If only I was born earlier." Hongjun and Luohu had a very early start, far longer than Da Hai. If Da Hai was born at the head of the generation, he could've done something.

'And Huoyun wouldn't have died,' Da Hai closed his eyes and clenched his fists until they drew blood. Looking at the dripping blood on his palms, they faded them out of existence by his will, so as to not dirty the sacred Pangu Temple.

He leaned back on the chair displaying the characters of calm water, looking defeated. This life has been one bad thing after the other, and now his friend is dead, even the Heavenly Dao is compromised. Then a theory popped into Da Hai's mind.

"Done brooding?" Pangu asked as he saw Da Hai get up from his thinking pose. Da Hai looked very serious when he began speaking again.

"Great god, why would Hongjun do all this? What motivates him to complete a supposed destiny from some mortal's mind?"

"I do not know," Pangu replied.

"Another question, are you sure there is no realm above the Great Dao?"

"I am unsure, however the Great Dao is supreme, the beginning and the end. What could possibly exist above it?"

"Well I'm sure you are aware of my world's entertainment media, correct?"

"Yes?" Pangu replied, "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Well in a genre based on Chinese philosophy, called Xianxia, there is often a phrase thrown around, Transcendence. I've read quite a few books where the main character transcends the Dao and leaves for an even higher plane of existence," he explained.

Suddenly Pangu began laughing, "What? You would believe the prattling of fiction writers? This is real life, not something from a book you found off the internet." He said unbelievingly.

"But what if, master? The possibility is always there."

"Suppose I believe you. How will Hongjun or Luohu even accomplish this? At most, merging with my primitive world will only let them control the world, and possibly push their cultivation to the Dao realm. It'll make them virtually invincible but not push them into some make-believe realm," Pangu scoffed.

"In the future, the primitive world will transform into the three realms. Many supreme powerhouses exist, bound to the Heavenly Dao's orders within the Heavenly Court, not to mention the six saints who suppresses the world," Da Hai said.

"The saints were described as the ultimate existence where all beneath them are ants. They're likened to the Dao realm of the Chaos Sea with only the restriction of being under the control of the Heavenly Dao," Da Hai explained.

"All that'll do is provide the Heavenly Dao with extra muscle. I can see why it'll work with them in the scenario, but not the crack-pot theory of yours," Pangu disagreed.

"What if they believe that with enough power on their side they can forcefully break through into the Dao realm. Saints are pseudo-Dao realms themselves, plus the Heavenly Dao of yours which is already in the complete Dao-Birth realm, added on by the Heavenly Lords. Stellar Sovereigns, Rulers of the Mountains and Seas, Ancestral Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The combination of all these factors cannot be simple," Da Hai waved his arms around excitedly.

"All these powers put together should easily be above a Dao realm being. Even multiple Dao-realm characters might fall if they challenge it. It'll be an unprecedented power," Pangu concluded before he too began realising something.

"The only Dao ancestor is Yuanling, he is a lofty figure who does nothing. All other candidates have already perished at my hands. No one has ever attempted to open a world before as a Dao ancestor. Theoretically speaking a Dao realm expert's Dao is the same as the Grand Dao," Pangu said in wonder.

"Dao realm beings should all have unique Daos no matter how similar they appear on the surface. What you have described, direct passage of one's Dao for the study of others who intern base their Dao realm cultivation upon it. Hongjun from your myths essentially made so everyone was following in his footsteps, his Dap. Hence no matter what they did they could never achieve Dao, only Saint of the Great Dao.

"Meaning there is a possibility Hongjun and Luohu, whichever one wins, can make the three realms into a chaos world that'll replace the Chaos Sea. The Heavenly Dao will be the new Great Dao, and as the being that personifies the Heavenly Dao Hongjun or Luohu will have the highest chance of transcendence with no obstacles to bother them," Da Hai continued.

"Thus he prevents the appearance of a second Dao realm being while retaining a combat force that could rival one. Enslavement of living beings followed by forceful takeover of the established order, followed by more enslavement. How wonderful," Pangu concluded in anger.

After a while of silence the two had come to terms with what they've learned from each other.

"Disciple, can I ask you a favour?" Pangu asked.

"You are already my master, you don't need to ask."

"Please, find a way to thwart them. My creation should never be desecrated like this," he said slowly. Da Hai was also in thought, morally what Hongjun and Luohu was attempting to do was wrong.

However Da Hai had the mind of a godfiend with only some influence from a human. Desire for progression to the next realm was inherent in all of them. What Hongjun and Luohu were doing wasn't really wrong from a fellow godfiend's point of view.

Pangu wanted them stopped because he couldn't bear to see his creation and his own sacrifice being taken advantage of so blatantly like this. Da Hai's true goal was vengeance.

"I already have enough motivation to do so master," Da Hai said determinedly. He had already decided to do this long before meeting Pangu. "All that's left is the how," he stated.

"I'm sure you can find a lot of help, nobody likes being controlled. But most crucial thing is your strength. You need to improve your Dao realm, the Da Luo Golden Immortal realm is not like lower realms. The gulf between it and Dao is so massive that we came up with subdivisions to describe major milestones. Da Hai, you must perfect your Dao to the Hunyuan Wuji level. If possible, figure out the Great Dao and reach the Dao realm, that is my request as your master."

Da Hai cupped his hands and bowed, "As you wish master."

"As a master I guess I should bequeath something to you but unfortunately I have no treasures on me," Pangu stated sadly.

Just then merits golden light descended from above the temple. This light reached into the building and manifested several things. A flag depicting waves, a cauldron with the image of Wuji, a wheel laced in gold, a sword with water dripping from it, and finally a tree sap.

Da Hai recognised all of them as high grade Xiantian spiritual treasures with the exception of the flag, which was a top grade treasure. This flag's name was also something he recognised, the Xuanyuan Water Control Flag, one of the leaves of the 36th grade Chaos Lotus, and of the same origin as the 12th grade White Lotus.

"Well, I guess the Heavenly Dao agrees with you," Pangu said amused.

"Heavenly Dao want's what is best for the world. If Hongjun or Luohu proved they're more beneficial to it, it will take action against me. If I prove beneficial, it will go against them," Da Hai said as he stored the treasures away.

"The Heavenly Dao owes me too much for its existence. It owes me an un-repayable debt. You have my blessings, disciple, the Heavenly Dao will always be partial to you," Pangu wished him luck.

"And one last favour if I may," Pangu suddenly brought up. Da Hai nodded, and Pangu continued on.

"Those blood pools outside, they're my blood. The beings born from them will be the closest thing to my children. Can you look after them for me?" He requested.

"I will, master," Da Hai bowed to Pangu one last time.

"Haha, good, good, too good, I can finally die in peace," Pangu's words became more and more slurred until eventually, it faded. Da Hai sighed and bowed once more. He then materialised some incense and placed them into a small jar at the front of Pangu's statue. Small amounts of merit descended at this action.

Walking outside Da Hai sighed looking very tired, the excitement was over. "What a long day," he muttered.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

In the day of primal heaven, when the world existed in muddled chaos. Two extraordinary opposing forces defined by black and white combined yet remained separate. They formed a seamless balance which together generated many other concepts that brought the world into being.

Hongjun was the ancestor of the great balance. His Dao was one that represented the primal heavens. The balance which appeared before creation. His purple clouds are a symbol to his deific might.

When his two corpses appeared over a century ago. The starry skies lit up in an ocean of violet energies. The celestial stars themselves began trembling. The primitive location which will one day become the heavens became the staging grounds of the biggest battle in primitive history.

Hongjun sat in a lotus position calmly. His breath was steady and his appearance was one of calm superiority. However the robes he wore still bore cuts and damages received many years ago. His hair wasn't neatly tied and flowed freely.

As of this moment, the western portion of the starry skies was a mess of purple clouds, stellar lights, explosions, and constant fighting. The gargantuan form of the lunar star positioned itself opposite of Hongjun, taking its place among the western quadrant.

The sheer presence of the lunar star was a sight to behold. Its power was used to augment the three innate gods who regularly fought Hongjun to a standstill. A testimate of its might as it was once an eye of Pangu.

In any other scenario, its opponent would've been crushed. However, Hongjun was not like any other opponent. Whence he finally decided to hold nothing back, there was little that could stop him. His Dao was such a powerful one that even those who'd stepped on the path of Wuji would not challenge him.

Qiankun, Wangshu, and Da Hai had to all work together with assistance from the lunar star to tie against Hongjun. If they could drag him into the lunar star itself, they could kill him. But how impossible of a task was that? Despite their best efforts, this battle was a tie with neither side gaining an advantage.

Or at least that was the case for moments at a time. As the battle waged on for decades on end. The side consisting of Qiankun, Wangshu, and Da Hai began taking breaks. Not that they needed to rest as that was wholly unnecessary.

The true reason was for the individual 'resting' to experiment and try to find ways to invent new ways of attacking. One of three will break away for half a decade or so and this before rejoining the other two when the pressure became too big.

However, Hongjun was extraordinarily powerful. Without the presence of the third, Hongjun will start gaining ground very quickly and would eventually break all their defences in as little as three years. As such, Da Hai, Wangshu, and Qiankun could only take a few years off individually while the other two fought their hardest.

A few years was really too short to overcome Hongjun. Any small improvement Da Hai had made no difference against the purple clouds of Hongjun. Already, a palace had appeared among Hongjun's clouds mocking the sea god with the image of a safe and unbothered Hongjun.

With a continuous wave of palm strikes, Hongjun finally scored a direct hit on Wangshu and Qiankun. Both deities recoiled back in agony as their defences were finally broken after half a decade of nonstop assault. Wangshu's quickly waved her hand forming a temporary silver tree that just managed to block a strike of the pangu banner's flag.

Hongjun pressed the advantage. Purple clouds surged outwards towards the panting duo. Their presence was both divine and menacing, awe yet dread inducing. They glowed in trillions of divine lights that resembled singing gods and dancing fairies.

It was then that a blue light blasted out of the lunar star. A wave of water illuminated by trillions of specs resembling stars surged into the purple heavens. Both forces washed over each other making Hongjun frown in irritation. Da Hai had rejoined the battle.

It grated on Da Hai as he moved to join Qiankun and Wangshu in the fight. Despite the constant fighting improving his ability in active combat. They've in reality made little progress in actually defeating Hongjun much less killing him.

"HAH!" Da Hai roared as he opened with a downward slash using the merged form of all his treasures. The zambato like blade cleaved across spacetime smashing into the purple clouds. Empowered by the stars, they shaved off large volumes of purple clouds.

"Hmph," Hongjun grunted releasing a palm strike that repelled Da Hai's attack. The aftershock of the collision shook the fabric of reality. Da Hai had put everything into that attack and reeled back for more strikes.

Hongjun in retaliation sent another palm strike. Wangshu's wooden face snarled, she moved alongside Qiankun and together deployed the universal cauldron to block the attack.

BOOM!

An even bigger explosion rocked the western starry skies. Celestial bodies were physically moved out of their regular trajectory. Reality itself started bending and tearing. Were it not for the balancing act of the purple heavens and the lunar star, a hole would've been blown out of the starry skies decades ago.

Hongjun concentrated his might and placed both his palms together in a single strike. His two corpses above him repeated a similar motion. The resulting attack hurled through towards the trio on the lunar star.

In unison, Qiankun deployed the universal cauldron, Wangshu the lunar crown, Da Hai the 12th grade white lotus. The three ancestors formed a massive trigram meeting Hongjun's strike head on.

"Gah!" All three grunted in pain being forced back. However, they did manage to dispel Hongjun's strongest strike. Hongjun himself frowned, he'd been preparing that one for a while and would need to prepare for a second one.

Qiankun and Da Hai retreated back as Wangshu sent a wave of moonlight. Any injuries they sustained in that fierce flash was instantly restored. Da Hai snarled, his mouth was one of jagged fangs and a forked tongue. His normal short spongey hair was now long snake heads coiling around him. All seven of them snarled in frustration.

The petals of the 12th grade white lotus circled before Da Hai. With the xuanyuan water control flag in hand, he unleashed a sharp blast at Hongjun.

Seeing this action, Qiankun followed as well. The cosmic ruler at his side struck out with its full might. Both parties released some of their greatest techniques hoping to gain an offensive advantage.

Scoffing, Hongjun deployed the defensively superior taiji painting. The diagram of the yin and yang before the old man circled before separating. The conjoined attack by Da Hai and Qiankun was torn apart into billions of particles until they too disappeared were splintered and destroyed.

The back and forth continued on as all three reached a stalemate once again. They had not managed to hurt Hongjun but they had not suffered at all. An eternal stalemate was reached once again.

"We cannot go on like this," Wangshu grunted out while parrying a one of Hongjun's palm strike. She kicked with a root like appendage only for the pangu banner to slice it and the following kick into bits.

"Agreed," Qiankun said raising the cosmic ruler. The edge of the ruler smashed into Hongjun's oncoming attacks driving them back. A second successive strike forced out the taiji painting to defend. Qiankun spun his galaxy like true form sending spirals of fire, water, lighting, and wind out to harass Hongjun. "We need a new plan of action. I for one am sick and tired of fighting," he said.

"We cannot," Da Hai growled back. "We have an advantage here, continue attacking. We'll breakthrough his defences eventually and he'll be vulnerable."

"Da Hai," Wangshu said in anger. "Look around you, does it look like we have the advantage?" She raised her arms summing tendrils of silver roots that ripped apart a construct of purple clouds. She lashed out with slaps of her own.

"She is right fellow daoist Da Hai," Qiankun said. "We've been stuck here for far too long. We should disengage and get away, he can't track us with my methods."

"And abandon out position?" Da Hai questioned in disbelief. "We've got him on the ropes for the first time since the dawn of the primitive world. We can't give it up now, not when I'm this close."

" Da Hai listen to yourself. This battle will never end," Wangshu retorted back sounding very exhausted. "I don't know about you but I do not want to spend the rest of my life in constant fighting."

"We just have to push a little harder. All out efforts in one spot, then we rip through and attack," Da Hai said.

"Like what we tried twenty years ago? Or the time thirty one years ago? Or that other time fifty nine years ago?" Qiankun grunted while repelling another attack. "This is not working, even with the stars on our side, we're not gaining any ground."

Da Hai gritted his teeth and roared in frustration. He cannot refute their claims nor will he agree with them. The snake heads around him unleashed breath attacks in geysers of water pushing back against Hongjun's fist formed from clouds. The sea god uncharacteristically leapt forward howling in rage.

"Qiankun," Wangshu said softly. The swirling vortex of stars that was Qiankun merged back into an old man holding the cosmic ruler in one hand who nodded. "I have an idea," she suggested as she raised her hands to support Da Hai.

The sea god swung his merged blade at the heavenly projection of Hongjun. The old man within smirked forming a titanic celestial general holding the pangu banner. transformed into a halberd. It clashed against Da Hai's own attack.

A swirling mass of stellar water punted the general pushing it back. Hongjun brought a fist forward and punched in retaliation obliterating the block of water. The force of his blow ploughed into Da Hai who hastily stabbed his blade down to block the blow.

Space tore at the soles of his feet as the sea god slid back. He quickly regained his footing and battled against a projected army created by Hongjun. Waves of purple soldiers were torn apart as Da Hai fought with the fierceness of an out of control beast.

Heavy lightning and celestial fire struck the sea god at his back. Da Hai grunted turning around to defend while controlling waves of water to harass the enemy.

Beams of stellar light shot past Da Hai as Qiankun's rocketed over cosmic ruler in hand. He smashed chunks of the purple heaven apart tearing his way across the battlefield.

"Hai, get off," Hongjun sighed clapping his palms. The magical force transformed into a tidal wave of dust clouds containing an uncountable amount of purple lightning bolts. They tore at the fabric of reality as they went along.

Grunting, Qiankun slammed the universal cauldron onto the surface of the clouds forming an image of the universe. Wangshu also flew over with a luminescent glow that lit up the western sky with bright moonlight. Her presence directed moonlight at the two gods rejuvenating them.

"Coming in here again? When will you guys learn," Hongjun sighed shaking his head in disappointment. "No matter the variation of tricks you try, they never work." Hongjun's performed several motions and released a surge of power. They transformed into various elements to drive the trio back.

Wangshu smirked and raised her hand and pulled. The lunar star that previously stood still began moving. It hurled its way towards the heavens created by Hongjun.

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Smashing the star into me again? Same old same old," he sighed moving back. The purple heavens followed after him as he retreated from the lunar star.

"Qiankun," Wangshu cried. Da Hai turned around with confusion on his face when Qiankun raised the cosmic ruler. The ancestor of the universe leapt high above and smashed into the fabric of reality.

Hongjun looked up in surprise. "Attacking reality instead of stabilising it? What are you planing?" He shot out a purple beam of lightning at Qiankun.

Wangshu acted with haste, she flew into the way of the attack. The image of the lunar crown appeared before her resisting the lightning. "Open the gate," she commanded and Qiankun nodded.

The ancestor of the universe took a lotus position and summoned the universal cauldron. The gap opened by him expanded into a full portal into the void.

"Finally running away I see," Hongjun said. "Wise of you indeed, now quit wasting my time."

"What are you two doing?" Da Hai roared in disbelief. "You're going to waste all out years of progress."

"Connect us Qiankun," Wangshu commanded. Qiankun nodded and folded his hands in several motions. He opened his eyes which glowed in cosmic light.

Hongjun threw aside Da Hai with a slap and looked towards the portal only to raise his eyebrow. "The great wilderness?" He said in confusion. He was wondering why they opened a portal into the very world where tracking them would be so much easier.

Qiankun gripped the portal and pulled, ripping it into a massive hole in the sky. With this amount of visibility, Hongjun recognised the land through it. "West continent," he said.

"RAHG," Wangshu roared as she pulled. Hongjun turned around horridly right into the approaching lunar star. He had been distracted by the Wangshu and Qiankun's actins that the lunar star had reached him.

"Damn it," he said raising both palms. With all his might, he pushed against the lunar star. The sudden hit pushed him back. The lunar star was moving quickly towards the portal.

Unable to gain his footing in time, Hongjun flew through the portal right into the sky above the west continent. "Why would they?" He began saying.

"No!" Da Hai howled. He ran forwards only Wangshu to appear beside him and kick him away as Qiankun sealed the hole shut.

"Damn it, you let him get away," Da Hai raged.

In the west continent, Hongjun looked around in confusion. He stopped moments later when he came face to face with an equally surprised and equally appalled Luohu standing right below him with a marching army.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

"NOOOOO!" Da Hai roared furiously. The portal into the great wilderness' west continent slammed shut, back into real space just as Da Hai swung a massive water blade down. It instead ripped into the void.

"Hey, stop damaging the fabric of reality," Wangshu growled back.

Da Hai instead of listening reached out with his hands and pulled. He tore into the void attempting to open another portal. However, Qiankun slammed his palms down against shutting down each and every one of his attempts.

"Qiankun open another portal now," Da Hai demanded.

"Watch your tone with me," Qiankun retorted angrily. "There will be no gateways to the west. Let Hongjun be Luohu's problem."

"You squandered the perfect chance to end them," Da Hai growled back. The seven snake heads around him hissed menacingly.

"Don't antagonise me Da Hai," Qiankun warned. The cosmic ruler in his palm began glowing.

"Fine, if you won't help me then I'll do it myself," Da Hai said turning around and drawing the teardrop sword. He gathered a huge amount of stellar water onto the surface of his blade and made to strike into the void.

CLANG!

Da Hai's blow clashed against the outstretched form of the cosmic ruler.

"What is the meaning of this?" Da Hai demanded.

"Going after them now is the equivalent to committing suicide," Wangshu roared at the sea god. Da Hai swirled around to glare at the moon goddess who returned with a glare of her own.

"I'm not about to let you walk to your own death," she said snapping her fingers. In a flash of light, silver chains bound Da Hai from head to toe. The sea god tensed to break the chains but they held firm.

"Release me Wangshu," Da Hai growled.

"Not until you calm down," she replied.

"I am perfectly calm."

"You are irrational," Wangshu shouted suddenly surprising Da Hai. "You have allowed your rage cloud your judgement. Analyse the battle, we were barely tying him down. Follow him into the west and the only thing you'll find is your death. Do you really desire to seek your own death?"

The starry skies rumbled in accordance with Wagshu's voice. It was as if the stars themselves echoed her rage. The stars themselves shouted in unison along with her.

"But we were so close," Da Hai argued. "Closer than we've ever been in years. Closer than we ever will have."

"Did that look close to you?" Qiankun said stepping forward in anger. "Hongjun was on his own and yet he stopped all three of us with the lunar star's support. What if Destiny Demon god had shown up?"

"What?" Da Hai turned in surprise. "He's allied with Destiny Demon god?"

"The ancestor of time Sichen and the ancestor of yin and yang as well. Shangxia told me in his recruitment pitch," Qiankun said surpassing the feeling of regret.

"Then it would've been all the more reason to go all in," Da Hai tried to argue. "He was without his greatest allies."

"I underestimated Hongjun as well. I thought we could take him when allied, I was wrong," Qiankun said shaking his head. "Frankly I do not see a possibility of fighting him and winning. Even at my peak I still would've lost. At Da Hai's peak, you still would've lost."

"How can you be so sure. He couldn't gain any ground on us. Eventually, we would've managed to corner him."

"Don't speak to me about battle experiences boy," Qiankun growled angrily. " I have a dozen yuanhui's worth of experience in combat and there was no beating Hongjun. The gaps taken to figure out new techniques was too short to make any meaningful breakthroughs."

"They would've added up over time."

"That's not how cultivation works and you know it," Wangshu scoffed. "We lacked the raw power to hurt him but he still could hurt us. Face it, we simply lacked methods to beat him much less kill him."

"So we should just give up?" Da Hai yelled. The chains binding him started quaking much to Wangshu's shock. "I refuse to spit on brother Huoyun's memory. Hongjun needs to pay, both him and Luohu."

"And now you want to fight both of them? Are you insane?" Qiankun said shaking his head. "I thought you a lot more rational than this."

"Like master like disciple," Wangshu muttered messaging her nose bridge. "Your single minded obsession will be the death of you," she accused.

"It is not an obsession, it is justice," Da Hai cried.

"Do you hear yourself?" Wangshus scoffed. "If not for your naturally non confrontational personality you would be long dead."

"I for one do not wish to walk to my death," Qiankun said with a humph. He turned around and casually ripped a hole into the void. "I will be entering secluded cultivation. Do not try to find me," he said stepping through closing the gateway behind him.

"Damn it," Da Hai growled in frustration. Qiankun sudden refusal to help will negatively impact his progress. He hadn't made any major progress in years and his own lack of power frustrated him to no end.

'Zulong still exists,' Da Hai pondered. 'He's already nearing Da Luo Golden Immortal and it'll only be a matter of time before he can properly assist him. By then the dragons should be set up and I can call upon support from around the world.'

'Wangshu in the stars, Zulong in the seas. I'll have Hongjun and Luohu cornered,' he pondered taking a brief look at Wangshu. However, he only found her displeased gaze looking right back at him.

"Qiankun has a point," Wangshu said. "If Hongjun is already so strong, how terrifying is Luohu? Best let them both deal with each other," she said breaking Da Hai away from his thoughts.

"I am sorry," he managed to say. "But I will not stop on this path," he said. "Huoyun can't have died for nothing. You were there, you know what happened. You are the legacy of Pangu, it is your duty to protect this world. So will you help me or not?"

PAH!

The chains shattered around Da Hai as he staggered back from the sudden burst of pain on his cheek. Wangshu's glare was one that frankly frightened the sea god.

"Guilt tripping me? You embarrass yourself in your delusions," Wangshu said disappointingly.

"And you shame his memory," Da Hai said glaring at the goddess. "He saved your life, he saved my life. He was instrumental in saving the world. His killers, those who ploted and schemed against us are still out there having the time of their lives. How dare you stand there like nothing's wrong?

"How dare I?" Wangshu said in startling disbelief.

"Yes, do you care nothing for brother Huoyun at all?" Da Hai accused. "You should be leading the fight against them. Youn Qiankun, Shangxia and all those who know the truth."

"I care nothing for daoist five elements." Wangshu, visibly hurt and pissed off, gave off a chilling aura. "The only reason I went along with you, the only reason I offered my aid was because of you. Because I saw you as my friend."

"You've become so obsessed that you start seeing everyone around you as another tool to use," Wangshu scoffed. "The current you is no different from either of those two. Hiding behind a justifiable cause for your own hatred. Using others for your own revenge. Pushing those close to you away and fencing yourself."

She gripped her fists tightly. The pale light of the lunar star had never shown so menacingly. The light of the moon was a peaceful one. Yet in this instance, it appeared furious.

"I genuinely prayed that that was not the case. But it seems you are consumed down to your very essence," Wangshu sighed in disappointment. "Go back to Yingzhou, you are no longer welcomed here."

"I." Not giving Da Hai a chance to speak. Wangshu struck Da Hai with a powerful kinetic blow. The goddess hurled the sea god away from her, deep into space, into the void, towards the east sea.

At that moment, Da Hai stood still in a trance. He wore an expression of shock even as Wangshi forcibly hurled him across the fabric of reality. Though he could easily resist, he did nothing as he plummeted for the great wilderness.

Those words hit Da Hai harder than any blow he'd been felt before. The tidal wave of guilt settled in at the same time. His rage had given way to clarity and horror.

SPLASH!

Da Hai crashed into the east sea. For a time, he simply floated there unnoticed. His snake heads had long faded into his body. The sea god remained motionless for a long period of time.

Many thoughts raced through his mind. Memories from the time he broke Huoyun's seal to his confrontation against Hongjun. The scenes played within his mind over and over again.

His middle aged appearance suddenly appeared very tired. He did not look like he had any strength to move at all. There was an air of loss surrounding him.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into years. All the while Da Hai lay in a blanket of despair contemplating his choices until now. Was Wangshu right? Was he truly so consumed in wrath that it had become an obsession?

He thought about his disciples. Originally accepted with the intention of producing powerful pawns. Then he thought about his commitment to that plan. 'Just what had I been thinking at the time,' he pondered.

Aimless, clueless, hopeless. The emotions the sea god felt were ones he'd suppressed for nearly half a yuanhui. He thought about Zulong and the other sovereigns he'd observed. The lessons he'd tried to teach, to steer the dragons into a certain direction.

Abou the result he wanted to achieve. About the contradictory claims he'd made and contradictory actions he'd taken.

'I guess I wasn't thinking at all. Deep down, I had long realised how impossible of a foe I face. How aimless I was. How I was drifting from half baked idea to half baked idea. Acting in bad faith to myself and those around me.'

Looking up at the moonlit night sky, Da Hai sighed depressingly. "I really am trash."

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Tap, tap, tap. Da Hai's soft footsteps touched down upon the beach around Yingzhou's shore. The sea god sighed before heading up the main pathway. He'd been away for quite some time, nearly a thousand years but even so, Yingzhou did not look any different

Not a single bush was out of place, not a single but of weed. The trees were well maintained and the decorations showed regular signs of polish. The various statues and his own palace did not look any different, well maintained and clean.

"I'm home," Da Hai muttered to himself. He walked steadily up the trail leading up to his palace. The trail was quiet and peaceful, Da Hai immediately noticed new vegetation added. The end result was a beautiful trek through nature.

"When did?" He looked around confused. Yingzhou had excellent natural beauty but it seemed between the time he was gone and now, more had been added. There were thousand year old spiritual trees and gourd trees and this wasn't even the dedicated farm.

These trees didn't use to be here. The sea god calculates that these were likely planted several centuries ago. Either by the head moth fairies as decoration to liven up the place or by the dragons for the same goal. Either way, the trees flourished under the rich environment of Yingzhou.

Looking around, Da Hai admired the beauty of the flora around him. He'd never partaken in such actions before, even Yingzhou was little more than a good base for him up until now. He took a gourd and took a bite out of the fruit.

"It's good," he said smiling softly. He tilted his head hearing soft footsteps. Coming through from a path that led to the spiritual farms, a group of the moth fairies maids passed through. They immediately noticed Da Hai and made to prostrate themselves.

"Welcome back great lord," The surprised voices of three of the moth fairies called out. They were carrying baskets that were filled with various types of plants and fruits. It made sense to Da Hai, these spiritual fruits looked to be ripe for usage.

"This is wonderful news, the young lords will be very pleased," the moth fairies exclaimed excitedly. "Big sister was so worried when the young lords returned with you gone. We've been without news for a very long time."

"It's fine, inform them of my safe return," Da Hai instructed. He gestured for them to leave.

"My lord, I shall prepare a banquet for you," one of the fairies enthusiastically said. However, Da Hai raised his hand and stopped her.

"No, there is no need for that," he said. "I admire your enthusiasm but celebrations for such small things are unnecessary."

"Uh, if you're sure," she managed to say shyly. Da Hai instructed her to follow her sisters then proceeded to make his own way up.

Watching them leave, Da Hai sighed. "I don't deserve this," he muttered. He looked down at the trails of golden light in the palm of his hand. "I don't even believe in your cause, I don't even really care about you," he said lowering his hand. What little amounts of karmic luck that remained disappeared back into him.

Strolling up the pathway, he stopped as the figures of two of his disciples came to view.

"Master!" Qinglong and Yinglong called out in unison rushing down, barely stopping themselves. They bowed respectfully to the sea god and made joyous faces.

"You all," Da Hai didn't know what to say.

"Master, it is good to see you safe," Qinglong said joyfully. "How did the battle go? Has that old villain been vanquished?"

"I…" Da Hai sighed and shook his head. At his air of depression, the dragons' expressions fell. "Do not worry about that matter. That is something for I, your master to deal with," Da Hai assured. "Focus on your own cultivation and do not worry over it."

"But master, he threatened you. That is more than enough reason for…" Yinglong began saying before Da Hai stopped him.

"That person is an ancestor before even my time. Let me handle things for now and when you all reach the realm of Da Luo, I will properly brief you," Da Hai promised.

"Heh, in that case, master you'd better prepare for that debriefing soon," Qinglong said smirking.

"That confident in reaching Da Luo?" Da Hai said raising his eyebrow. "Ha, I expect you to follow through with such a claim," he said with a small warm smile.

The two dragons were slightly stunned at Da Hai's more amiable behaviour but gave it no mind. The most important knot in their hearts had untied.

"We will not disappoint master," they proclaimed. The ancient sea god felt no small amounts of pride, this time he did not suppress it. Within his heart, he sighed with disappointment and regret directed at himself.

"Where is your senior brother?" Da Hai inquired. "I do not feel his presence on Yingzhou. In fact, where is the Yi Feier? Her presence is also missing." Yi Feier was the given name of the head moth fairy. Da Hai had bestowed rather uncreative names on all of them when they became fully sentient.

"Oh! Big brother and the ms Feier are tending to Nan Dao Chen as we speak," Yinglong explained. "The city has been allocated within the primordial turtle clan's territory for now."

"I see, so she made it safely back after all," Da Hai sighed with relief. One of the first actions he made before confronting Si Hai was to punt the head moth fairy across the void. He aimed her directly at the east sea with instructions to deliver Nan Dao Chen back to Yingzhou.

Normally, it could take tens of thousands of years for her to travel on foot. The head moth fairy had sailed across the void with speeds unfathomable to her. She reached the east sea after a few decades but had to trudge her way back.

Thankfully, she received no trouble due to her identity. All residents of Yingzhou carried a unique energy signature placed there by Da Hai. It was something most experts of the east sea recognised. According to Yinglong, she met up with the dragons sometime after they returned to the east and they carried her with them.

To Da Hai, this was great news. Yi Feier had been a good assistant and had been equally steadfast in her loyalty. Though Da Hai had never paid her too much attention until now. 'Perhaps I should upgrade her status to a proper disciple,' he pondered.

Pushing his thought aside, Da Hai turned back to the two dragons. "Inform them of my return but don't rush them back, I will want to see their progress myself," he instructed.

"It shall be done," they said bowing.

…

THOOM!

A chain of mountains collapsed into rubble. Resting around the edges of the dimensional wall towards the central continent, large continents of devil soldiers sat nursing their wounds.

The cataclysmic clash of several ancestor level figures had unintentionally caught many high ranking devils in the crossfire. The resulting losses were quite severe for the devilish Dao.

"Well that was a disaster," Mara snarked taking a seat beside a frowning Luohu. The demon king was missing his entire left side and one of his legs was encased in ice. Not far from them, the gargantuan form of Qiong Qi lay motionless mid air within a bubble.

Mara reached out to interact with the time bubble before pulling back. "Fascinating," he said. "Now that I'm out of combat, this technique is quite sophisticated. It's not quite of Shiva's level but it's par beyond anything from the devas."

"What the fuck were they doing here?" Luohu growled.

"You recruited us into your sect, are you really surprised Hongjun would do the same?" Mara said placing his right arm on his knee. "What do you think Hundun?" He asked the faceless god.

Hundun floated nearby facing the time bubble. His six skinny arms were stretching outperforming some sort of magical ritual. The godfiend was in actuality trying to undo the time bubble trapping his fellow evil beast.

"Yinyang was expected but nothing to worry about, Sichen was a surprise and a threat but nothing we can't handle," Hundun said smoothly. "But the destiny demon god presents a problem," he admitted.

"How the fuck did that old fool gain the loyalty of the destiny demon god much less find him?" Luohu growled. "His whole shtick prevents others from tracing him."

"He does present quite a conundrum doesn't he," Mara sighed.

"Alone he is a difficult opponent," Luohu admitted. "I can't beat him easily and he can escape anytime he so chooses and I'd be unable to stop him. But him and Hongjun together are not a match I can handle," the devil ancestor gripped the shaft of his god killing spear so tightly that a creaking sound was heard.

Silver and blacklight hovered around the devil ancestor and all those around him skirted a wide breadth. Only those such as Hundun and Mara could remain within his presence.

"We need another edge," Mara said. "I will be frank with you when I say we should've attacked sooner, your lack of confidence costed us the advantage." Luohu remained motionless but hesitantly nodded. His expression was the ugliest Mara had ever seen.

"The ideal choice is to recruit more godfiends to our side," Mara concluded. "Who else is still alive?" He mused.

"The starry skies' guardian, empress Wangshu, the ancestor of the universe, great immortal Qiankun, and the hermit of the seas, Da Hai, the mysterious vertigo immortal Shangxia,. Then we have emperor Si Hai of the four seas, and the scavenger Shen Feng," Hundun listed one after the other.

"Of these, the former likely hold a grudge after the last war. The latter is more amiable but their power level is too low to make a meaningful difference," the faceless godfiend said.

"Doesn't Si Hai have a deal with us?" Taotie asked approaching the trio. "He's indebted to us."

"He's a moron who doesn't recognise that fact," Luohu scoffed. "Even back during the chaos days, that moron was always too arrogant for his own good. I sometimes wonder how he survived so long without getting killed."

"But the pressing matter remains. We could still approach those experts and try to win them over. However, Wangshu is the only one we know the definite location of. We'll approach her and try to win her over. Hopefully, she doesn't hold too much of a grudge," Luohu pressed his hands on his chin in thought.

"Fuck, things are not looking good," Luohu tapped his lip. A million thoughts raced through his mind.

"Perhaps we should look into the new era innate gods," Mara suggested. "Hundun, do you have any news on them?"

"This generation is a slippery bunch," Hundun said. "Most are smart enough to remain in hiding or pretend to be a member of an innate creature clan. However, we do have news of one calling herself phoenix sovereign."

"Oh? Do tell," Luohu spoke up, his interest piqued.

"She's an expert on the south continent and maintains a large territory near. Her cultivation though should still be in the Taiyi Golden Immortal level," Hundun reported.

"That's a shame, Taiyi is much too low," Luohu frowned. "We need a weapon, relying on another expert is too unreliable."

"You want to craft another treasure?" Mara asked.

"No, unless we're dealing with a bonafide Dao artefact, another treasure won't add much. My destruction mill and god killing spear are equal to what Hongjun can pull out. Fuck he really lucked out grabbing Pangu's stuff," Luohu cursed. Why did Hongjun have such good luck whereas he had to hunt for treasures in the chaos sea.

"Give me some time to think about it," Luohu said getting up. "I'll be entering secluded cultivation. You two, get the devilish Dao up and running again," he instructed before disappearing in a haze of light.

…

A portal opened up within Zixiao palace. The palace of purple clouds rested peacefully atop Mt Yujing in a sea of soft purple clouds. Its lustrous walls hummed with divine chanting and immortal insight.

Hongjun stepped through the portal frowning. A deep gash ran down his wrinkly face and red stains were on his beard.

The hulking monstrosity that was the destiny demon god followed after him. His yellow eyes slanted in an ugly glare. Sichen chose to remain silent while Yinyang wisely skirted to the side.

"Explain yourself," the destiny demon god's deep voice rumbled. His unsatisfactory feelings were on full display.

"I made a tactical retreat, it is not the right time to face Luohu," Hongjun explained calmly wiping the blood off his body with a few gestures.

The destiny demon god lacked a proper human form. His emotions could not be easily read based on his expression. However, the air around him was permitted with irritation.

"Then why did you initiate the battle?" The destiny demon god asked slowly. Every word was said with power and dissatisfaction. His very presence made even Hongjun slightly uncomfortable.

The ancestor of time, Sichen leaned on a pillar remaining silent. He too was surprised that the battle Hongjun. Though, unlike the destiny demon god, he was not that upset at having to retreat.

"It was…an unfortunate accident," Hongjun said. "Luohu detected me while I was in the area hence the initiation. Luckily, we were able to deal him a humiliating blow."

"Improve your hiding ability Hongjun," destiny demon god growled. "Only contact me, when the real battle begins," he said. With a loud crack of thunder, the hulking form of the godfiend vanished.

"I take it Shangxia's dead?" Hongjun asked after a few moments.

"His life bound crystal shattered," Sichen said.

"Shame, do we know where his corpse fell?" Hongjun inquired.

"Only that it's somewhere in the west sea. But now Luohu will be paying more attention. I don't think we should go there," the god of time said. Hongjun nodded as well, he strolled forwards and took a seat on a meditation cushion at the middle back of the hall. He appeared both imposing and grand.

"Very well, you should all improve your cultivation," Hongjun advised. "We still need to prepare."

"Just remember your promise Hongjun," Sichen and Yinyang said.

"I will uphold my end of the bargain. Your Daos will no longer be of use to the heavenly Dao once the earlier heavens are set in motion. By then, you'll be free to progress once more," Hongjun said smiling kindly. 'After all, you lot have no place in the world to come,' he added in his mind.

"I'll hold you to that," Sichen said narrowing his eyes before splitting open the void and teleporting away. Yinyang followed soo afterwards.

Left on his lonesome, Hongjun massaged his temples. His face was flushed with embarrassment and a solid cloud of red anger radiated from him. "How dare they," he said softly but angrily.

"This humiliation, I'll pay it back a thousand folds," he promised.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Gui Daiyu stepped onto the balcony of Zulong's palace with some hesitance. She found the royally dressed dragon standing in excitement before her. Smiling softly, the princess approached him.

"What's got you so riled up this morning?" She asked. Zulong tilted his head at her and smiled.

"I've gotten news from Yingzhou," the dragon said smiling. "Master has finally returned safely."

"This…this is wonderful news," Gui Daiyu gasped. Upon studying Zulong's face she asked, "Is his excellency coming here?"

"Yes, he wants to check in on my progress," Zulong said turning around. "I can't disappoint him. I have to show him what I've been working in for the past few centuries."

"Are you sure it's ready?" Gui Daiyu questioned. "This kind of project has never been done before. You still haven't even tested its credibility."

Zulong sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, it is much harder then I expected to create a new cultivation path. But I am confident that it'll impress. After all, I worked on it."

"Wow, I think your overconfidence is getting to your head," she joked. Zulong chuckled in response. "But in all honesty, if you're sure then go ahead. I've seen how hard you've been mulling over it so you should show it off. But I'll just say I told you so."

"All the more reason to," Zulong said walking inside the bedroom. "Master can give me suggestions and directions. His cultivation is still much higher than mine, he can surely catch things I've missed."

Zulong held Gui Daiyu's hand and offered her a kiss. "I am lucky to have met you. One more reason to be thankful," he said softly. He suddenly snapped his head to the side and smiled.

"He's here," he announced. "Let's not keep him waiting." The dragon guided Gui Daiyu out of the room. The two made their way through the palace towards the front steps passing by many servants who bowed their heads in reverence.

The current Zulong was not another rogue expert known for his combat prowess. The dragon now held a very high status as the inheritor of the saint of Yingzhou, Da Hai.

To the sea folk of the east sea, Da Hai's name was synonyms with ancestor. He was the cultivation ancestor of the east sea and their most venerated god. His temples were everywhere along with palates depicting his quotes.

As they walked, Gui Daiyu fidgeted uneasily. Zulong took notice in realisation of this and held her hand softly. "Don't be nervous," he said. "Master is not as grandiose as you may think."

"Easy for you to say," Gui Daiyu snapped back. "You didn't grow up attending festivals and ceremonies with his statue looming over you. This is our god for heaven's sake, I used to play around the foot of his statue with my cousins and siblings."

"I see what you mean," Zulong nodded. "But master honestly doesn't care much for formalities. He just comes and goes and talks like any regular person. He's not that bad, I promise. Besides, haven't you already met him?"

"Only at a distance and he barely acknowledged me," the princess cried. "Oh heavens, what if he finds out about the time I spilt juice onto his statue? I mean, I did clean it out and nobody found out but…"

"Ok Yu'er, calm down," Zulong said placating his partner. "It'll be fine, master already thinks highly of you. In fact, I think he thinks you're better than me." The dragon's reassuring smile calmed the turtle princess.

Unnoticed by both of them, Da Hai had already caught the entire conversation. As such it was quite weird when he suddenly burst out laughing while drinking beverages served by the servants in this guest room.

"This is so strange," Gui Daiyu whispered as she and Zulong entered the room. Da Hai sat on the main seat. Yi Feier had already arrived and sat down rather than taking the position of a servant.

"This small one greets you honoured exalted one/Hello master," they said in unison. The vast difference in tone was palpable. While they were both very respectful, Zulong was noticeably more casual and intimate. Gui Daiyu on the other hand carried a fear of rejection yet awe.

"Good disciple, it is good to see you again," Da Hai praised clapping Zulong's shoulders. Zulong was briefly surprised but thought nothing much of it. But he did note that Da Hai had become noticeably warmer compared to their previous interaction.

"And you must be my disciple's Dao companion," the famed sea god said turning towards Gui Daiyu stunning the girl. The princess flushed and looked away unable to meet his eyes.

"Truth be told I did not expect this development when I first sent you over," Da Hai said to Zulong. "Nevertheless, I believe she is good for tempering your more undesirable qualities," he praised Gui Daiyu while dissing Zulong.

"Hey," Zulong called out in embarrassment. "The follies of my youth are long over, I am not a child anymore master," he said.

"Of course not, you are this universes premier talent, above all else you are my disciple," Da Hai praised. He led Zulong and Gui Daiyu to take a seat and drank with them.

It surprised how openly friendly his master was being but it was not an unwelcome change. Da Hai had always had a more warm side beneath that cold exterior. Zulong never did know why his master was the way he is and he never pried. However, he felt his master was in a better place now compared to before.

Very quickly, Gui Daiyu left her nervous persona behind. The atmosphere became a lot more lively and the princess felt a lot more comfortable talking. She told all sorts of stories about Zulong and vice versa.

The head moth fairy sat a little further behind. She nevertheless smiled softly at the scene. For her, Yingzhou mountain was the most important place in the world. It was much better when their lord and master got along joyfully.

Yi Feier and her sister were not born on Yingzhou. But for them, they might as well be. Their earliest memories as themselves were as silkworms on Yingzhou. Their whole lives had been on that island whether they be cultivating or working.

Da Hai was not a bad person to work under. In fact, he was basically a teacher and parent to all of them. Cold and distant as he may be most of the time, he also spared no expense in providing for those under him.

"Here, this is for you," Da Hai said taking an object wrapped in cloth out of his pocket dimension. It was revealed to a pair of earrings pulsating with primordial Qi. Gui Daiyu's eyes widened when she realised that this was a xiantian spiritual treasure.

"A…a…a mid grade xiantian spiritual treasure?" She uttered. "I can't possibly accept this," she held the treasure in her hands like it was the most precious thing in the world.

Xiantian spiritual treasures of any grade were hard to come by. Even low grades were seldom seen and treated as national treasures. Yet here was Da Hai randomly giving out a mid grade like it was nothing.

In truth, part of the reason Xiantian spiritual treasures were so rare was because they were hoarded by the most ancient of experts who were there first. Da Hai might not be the most sociably of people but he does leave Yingzhou and nearly always comes back with treasures he picked up. Many seniors of his generation were pretty similar.

Da Hai stored most things on him while others like Hongjun stored them on their home abodes. Luohu was unique in that he funnelled his wealth into the devilish Dao.

"Accept it, it's a gift," Da Hai said smiling softly. "For all the things you've done for me, you deserve it."

"But I," the princess was momentarily speechless.

"Just think of this as an early dowry for Zulong then," Da Hai added.

'Wait, shouldn't that be the other way around?' said dragon thought gaining a weird expression on his face.

"Uh," Gui Daiyu managed to say utterly bewildered yet embarrassed. She could only accept Da Hai's gift.

"Good, good," Da Hai laughed in satisfaction. "You have potential, I can sense it. It is only a matter of time before you break off all chains in this world and step into the realm of Golden Immortal. Perhaps not now, but definitely by the end of this Yuanhai."

The princess smiled happily at the praise. With the recognition from the greatest god of the east sea came a desire to meet that expectation. Zulong smiled at the praise she's gotten, he silently vowed to reach Da Luo Golden Immortal as soon as possible as well.

Later that day, in a more private study. Zulogn entered the room with eagerness. "This way master," he said eagerly leading Da Hai in. He hurried to the drawer and pulled out a collection of scrolls and lay them on the study table.

Da Hai chuckled at the dragon's antics, only in a private setting could he be like this. "What is it that made you so eager Zulong?" He asked. He looked around the room.

Da Hai had always preferred to keep things where they can be easily be found. That wasn't to say he was the neatest person ever, just that he preferred a certain level of neatness that he imparted to the dragons over the years.

Zulong's private study was a mess of papers and models. Random diagrams and test tubes scattered about. Pictures of anatomy, plants, models of the cosmos and various other diagrams are scattered about.

From a first glance, all these things had nothing to do with each other. They were easily different fields of study even for cultivators. However, Da Hai had an inkling to what Zulong wanted to show. After all, this era was famed for a reason.

During the era of the three beasts, there existed the phoenix, the qilin, and the dragon. Among the three, the qilin and the dragon had numerous descendants forming massive clans. The phoenix was the only exception having only two children in her lifetime.

Although the dragon clan consisted of millions upon millions of members. The current world only consisted of three male dragons. What's more, the ancestral dragon was only ever recorded to have had nine sons in legends.

When Zulong grabbed one particular scroll and unfurled it for Da Hai to see. Things started to make sense. Da Hai held that contained a large summary of unique principles in his hand while Zulong gathered several others for him to see.

"How ambitious," Da Hai said in wonder. "I'm impressed Zulong, is this what you have been working on for the last several centuries I've been away?"

"Yes master," Zulong nodded. "I've had this idea brewing in my mind since I first touched down on the west continent. My further analysis of the north, west, and south has led me to a conclusion of how I want my empire to turn out."

The dragon held up a scroll containing a set of steps followed by an image of the dragon. "I believe this will be the ideal step to achieve this."

"Smart idea, unifying everyone of the four seas under the singular communal cultivation path. I can see where the inspiration for this came from," Da Hai praised handing back the scroll he held. "Do you have a name for it?"

"Yes master," Zulong said. "I plan to call this the path of the celestial dragon. or simply the draconic Dao."

"Very well, draconic Dao it is," Da Hai said nodding. "But I must warn you Zulong. This path like all others can only lead to the Golden Immortal realm."

Zulong looked slightly alarmed, "Wouldn't it be more beneficial to go into the higher realms? Cultivation is about progress right and enlightenment after all."

"Yes, and that is precisely why there can never be a path that goes beyond Golden Immortal," Da Hai said grimly. "Ponder on this as you create this path. I'm sure you can figure it out on your own." He took another scroll into his hands and frowned slightly.

"This will be a lot harder to achieve," he admitted. He eyed a nervous Zulong who nodded in agreement. "The creation of an entire race of innate creatures," the sea god mused. "It is very doable and considering your presence, a guarantee."

"I sense a but," Zulong said.

"But you lack key ingredients," Da Hai said. "The basis of life relies on the five elements. However, this is the easiest material to gather. The primitive world is rich in the five elements, even the winds, the grass, the water, and land are rich with it. Specialised materials like the five element soil are not needed."

"However, the other component is the three brilliance sacred water. This is where it gets tricky," Da Hai said frowning.

"I understand master, this is why I was planning to leave and scour the world for some," Zulong said.

"Already?" Da Hai frowned. "It has not been long since you returned. I can see how badly Gui Daiyu wants you here."

"I know, it's not anytime soon. I still have to work on my cultivation," the dragon replied. Da Hai stroked his chin in thought. 'The amends I need to make,' he pondered.

"Do not worry about three brilliance sacred water," Da Hai announced much to Zulong's surprise. "I will secure it for you."

"What? But master, Yingzhou for all its riches does not possess the quantity I need," Zulong cried out.

"Do not worry about that," Da Hai retorted sharply. "Worry about your own cultivation and your administration. Besides, it is a master's duty to support their disciple."

At this moment, Zulong felt extremely emotional. He was a xiantian lifeforms, whole from the moment of birth. Unlike innate creatures, he did not have parents. Da Hai was the closest thing to a father he has.

"Of course, master. I'm already close to a breakthrough. Within a hundred years I will ascend to the Da Luo Golden Immortal realm," Zulong announced.

"Hm, very well. I shall await you until then," Da Hai said smiling proudly. 'Yes, this is a good feeling,' he thought.

…

"Sister, why are we here?" Zhuque asked following behind Zufeng. The pair of sisters had sneaked away from phoenix's roost and discreetly entered the east continent.

"You should be in secluded cultivation to restore your strength," the vermillion bird urged. Her elder sister shook her head gloomily.

"No sister, I have to do this first," the phoenix sovereign said. She lead her sister into a cliff face overlooking a large valley. The two flew down until they reached the entrance of a cave emanating with power.

A robed old man with the head of a vulture awaited them. "So you've come after all," he said slowly.

"Yes old man, now where is it?" Zufeng demanded. She was loathed to be here but her self confidence had been shaken. Any extra power was good in this scenario.

"Such impatience, hai, how good it is to be young," the old man said chuckling.

"Enough of this, show me where this five element light is," Zufeng demanded with strength. The ground beneath her shook and dark clouds swirled above her.

"No rush, no rush," the old man gestured into the cave. "This way, you'll understand once you enter," he said.

"Wait outside," Zufeng informed her reluctant sister. "If he tries something, kill him." She boldly walked into the cave.

This same cave accepted her entrance. In fact, to the phoenix, it was almost as if she found kin. Strong red clouds guided her deeper and deeper into the cave. The golden rays of destiny were now more visible than ever.

"It's true," Zufeng whispered. She spread her arms that transformed into beautiful wings. He neck elongated and her face gained a beak. The illustrious form of the phoenix was revealed in all her glory.

She reached the centre of a cave where a large gathering of power sat. A small incense bowl lay beneath her but she paid it no mind. "This'll do nicely," she said excitedly. Five coloured lights began rapidly entering her body. Zufeng took deep breathes and felt her body strengthen like never before.

"Old senior of the previous era, thank you for this gift," she said when the lights finally dimmed. The multi coloured aura of the five coloured divine light shone in her head. This legacy she gained was one that was beyond her own expectations.

"Ancestor of fire clouds, a true monster of the chaos sea," she whispered. She withdrew several instances and paid her respects before abruptly leaving, after all, her beloved sister was still waiting outside.

Watching the two avian goddesses leave, the old man smiled. "Thank you for your sacrifice old friend," he said looking up at the sign displaying the proud words 'Fire Cloud Cave'. His birdlike features faded to reveal a happy Hongjun.

"The stage is slowly being set," he said stroking his beard. "Shame I couldn't get the dragon but no big loss. Now I just need to find that piece of Jade. Then my future is fully secured."

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

"It's finally happening," Da Hai mused looking up into the sky. Above Yingzhou, the heavens lit up in a shower of golden light. Singing and dancing, images of gods manifested welcoming the descent of an ancestral deity.

Yinglong, Qinglong, Bai Hu, and Xuanwu looked up from their perch on Yingzhou in equal amazement at the magnificent sight above them. Raw primordial Qi gathered in radiant bursts, shining as they rose up into the sky.

The serpentine form stretching over ten thousand kilometres long danced admits the clouds. Zulong soared in the heavens, his golden scales glistened and gleamed as they shed divine light.

Around the seas, various experts gathered to watch the spectacle of Zulong's breakthrough. The high level experts who'd reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal stage gazed in amazement and wonder and a strong sense of longing. For those lower, below the Heavenly Immortal realm, they struggled to comprehend the dragon dancing above them.

For many with low cultivation, they could not even perceive Zulong's existence. Even immortals struggled to comprehend what they were seeing. The sheer concept of the Dao emanating off of Zulong was both awe inspiring yet so out of this world that they could not comprehend it.

"You know, hearing about this is one thing. But to actually see this with my own eyes," a strong raspy voice said. This was the plesiosaur ancestor.

"Quite right old long neck. Guess I shouldn't be surprised he'd be the first one of our generation to reach that realm," Plesiosaur's longtime rival, mosasaur ancestor said. "I guess it's inevitable now."

"Indeed," Colossal shark and plesiosaur replied together. "I'll move my troops away and you do yours. Our new sovereign won't like his subjects fighting that's for sure."

"Haha, who knew that kid from all those years ago will follow through with his words," Plesiosaur laughed and sighed in resignation.

"What kid? That kid kicked your, mine, and every else ass before he was taken in," Colossal shark huffed. "It was only a matter of time anyway, the only thing he needed was the honoured exalted saint's approval."

As Zulong pushed open the boundaries between Taiyi Golden Immortal and Da Luo Golden Immortal, he'd felt as if he entered a whole new world. The sheer clarity of which he could view the cosmos astounded him. He felt as if he'd been blind all this time and only now learned to see.

"So this is how master sees the world?" He mused. His eyes appears to be glazed over as golden strings of destiny flew by him. The winds of fate originating from the heavenly Dao, the winds that set the trend of heaven became visible to him. Zulong slightly narrowed his eyes.

"I see," he mused. His body twirled in the air floating millions of kilometres above sea level. He took a deep breath and released the culmination of his cultivation. He bathed the east sea in rich Dao essence so much so that some people had an instant breakthrough.

"The dragon was born admits the waves, he rises from the sea, flying into the sky, soaring above the clouds," Da Hai mused watching Zulong dance in the air. Even he felt admiration towards the dragon. His current cultivation was absurd, his accumulation was incredibly high even compared to the godfiends of the ancient past.

"Without Pangu, even I would be inferior," Da Hai mused with a look of pride. "I truly don't deserve this."

Zulong descended in a flurry of wind. He was wreathed in auspicious clouds that cloaked him, shrinking down until he restored his human Dao body. He was immediately glomped by Gui Daiyu.

"You did it, you did it!" She laughed joyfully. "You finally reached that realm. Now you're the first expert beneath the honoured saint."

"Of course I can do it, who do you think I am?" Zulong responded joyfully swinging the girl around.

The primordial turtle ancestor looked a little uneasy at such a public display. He nervously looked towards Da Hai and sighed in relief when he saw the sea god smile. He'd been lucky to have been allowed to stand on Yingzhou, everyone else including the top three east sea superpowers either sat in the ocean or in the air.

"Yes, with this big brother will be one step closer," Qinglong smiled with excitement. "The time of coronation should be soon."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Yinglong retorted. "Big brother has already stated he doesn't want to rush things like that peacock from the south. He's already told us breaking through was only one of three situations that must occur before he's crowned."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Qinglong said. "But this is no less joyous."

"That we can agree on," Yinglong nodded.

…

Several thousand years after Zulong's breakthrough, news reached the east sea. The south continent had lit up in a hail of five coloured light and the cry of the king of birds reached all corners of the world.

Almost overnight, all avian species across the five continent four seas began a pilgrimage. In unison, birds from all over the world marched for the south continent. Many were slain during the trek but many made it as well.

Then the news arrived, the phoenix sovereign had risen. The first of the three to be crowned, the illustrious king of all birds finally appeared and announced herself to the world. This Da Luo Golden Immortal expert overthrew all other powers of the south continent in the span of ten years and quickly assumed total control.

The geopolitical situation between the south content and sea had shifted completely. It was only through a lack of interest in the waters that spared Si Hai's forces not that he's ever admitted it himself.

The worldwide announcement of the phoenix sovereign had also shaken the hearts of two individuals. The qilin and the dragon suddenly felt the urge to challenge back in defiance and fury. However, the dragons quashed that notion down quickly.

"You're really not doing it?" Gui Daiyu asked her lover in bed.

"No, the territory I want is much much much larger than what that peacock has got. Personal power doesn't matter at that distance," Zulong shook his head. "But don't worry, the draconic Dao has reached a major breakthrough."

"You're leaving for Yingzhou again right?" Gui Daiyu asked sounding almost disappointed. Her hand touched her abdomen causing Zulong to falter.

"I'm afraid so, but don't worry, it'll only be a quick visit," the dragon promised.

"You should stay there longer, you'd get more time to work with honoured saint. I'll just enter secluded cultivation," Gui Daiyu stated much to the dragon's surprise.

"Hm? Well, alright then. You are close to a breakthrough yes?" Zulong asked for clarification.

The turtle princess sighed, "How can it be so easy to enter the Golden Immortal realm? I can see the gateway but I suspect I am still a few thousand years off."

"Why not come to Yingzhou with me?" Zulong suggested. "The Dao rich environment there is extremely suitable for cultivation."

"Would I even be allowed? That's the holy land and…" she began only for Zulong to place a finger on her lip.

"You're not a foreigner anymore Yu'er," Zulong said smiling softly. "You're family and master considers you one of us. You don't have to be so nervous around him all the time. I'll put one of your brothers in charge of Nan Dao Chen and Long Chen and we'd be set."

"Alright then, if you're sure," Gui Daiyu relented. The duo left for Yingzhou. With Zulong's newfound strength they reached the mystical island in hours. The difference between Taiyi Golden Immortal and Da Luo Golden Immortal was like heaven and earth. The current Zulong could casually squish the old Zulong like a worm.

The loving pair was greeted by Bai Hu and Yi Feier. For the past few thousand years, the white tiger had stayed on Yingzhou as a guest whereas the black tortoise had returned north for cultivation under Ao. As such Zulong was not surprised to see these two here.

"Let master and my brothers know I've returned," he told them. While doing so he examined the two's cultivation. The moth fairy has already reached the summit of Heavenly Immortal while the white tiger was close to Da Luo Golden Immortal like he was so long ago. 'Looks like the foundation will get even stronger,' the dragon thought.

"This way young lord," Yi Feier gestured. Da Hai had already been expecting Zulong for several centuries now. The sea god awaited them in the main hall of his palace cultivating in a lotus position.

"Zulong, Daiyu, it is good to see you both again," Da Hai greeted. Zulong and Gui Daiyu saluted him in turn. "I suppose you're here to discuss the draconic Dao again aren't you?" Zulong nodded in response.

When the two immortals began speaking on the subject, Gui Daiyu could no longer understand them. The concepts they spoke of was so all encompassing yet transcendent that she could not follow along at all. Her cultivation was simply too low to follow their discussion.

A discussion on the Dao between high level experts would always seem like nonsense to lower tier experts. Between two apex existences like Zulong and Da Hai, this fact was magnified. Nevertheless, Gui Daiyu maintained a stiff polite position if only to not be rude.

'It's not even like they're speaking another language, it's like they're just making weird sounds,' she thought in admiration. 'I wonder how they see the world compared to me. It was so confusing even when Zulong explained it to me.'

"And for the final portion, connecting all the roots into one singular gateway which acts as the tribulation instead of the heavenly tribulation. This dragon's gate will serve as the culmination of the transformation into a true dragon," Zulong explained to Da Hai showing him a holographic diagram projected from his palms.

"Thus recreating your own physique but on a lesser scale. Then there is the potential for growth into your true physique that is to say the body of the immemorial celestial dragon," Da Hai confirmed nodding.

"Those branching paths, they all lead back to this one source," Da Hai said adding his own projections. "Ao many starting points with similarities only in that they're dragons, all leading back to the immemorial celestial dragon, you. Brilliantly done Zulong," he praised.

"Yes, there are still some kinks and the process needs to be streamlined for ease of access but the foundations are almost done," the dragon said.

"And you also leave room for others to build upon this, the branching starting points are things each individual can create and make their own lineage of the draconic Dao," the sea god smiled in satisfaction. "I suppose you've also figured out why a cultivation sutra should not exceed the Golden Immortal realm correct?"

"Yes master, it was perplexing at first but as I worked on the pathways I had an inkling to it. Will master confirm for this disciple?" Zulong asked to which Da Hai nodded.

"Then, I suspect it is due to the Dao itself. Golden Immortal represents the breaking away from the universe, breaking away from the river of destinies and obtaining true freedom from the world. Progressing from there requires the creation of one's own Dao, one's own understanding to obtain enlightenment."

"But that is the key fact, everyone must have their own Dao. To copy someone else's Dao is to walk their path. But one's own Dao only reaches to the creator's level, and the creator themself holds the apex position. As such no one can ever supersede them. Only when they perish or abandon their path can another take their place but this cycle repeats."

"Master, the devilish Dao is a trap, isn't it? No one can ever surpass the devil ancestor, not unless he perishes. No one can ever progress past a certain point," the dragon outlined. He locked eyes with Da Hai asking for confirmation and approval.

"Well done Zulong," Da Hai clapped his hands smiling. "Well done indeed, yes, that is indeed why no sutra can ever supersede the Golden Immortal realm. To do so is cruelty of the utmost degree. Remember, you must never do so, understand?"

"I understand master," Zulong said. "It would be unfair to all those who'd follow me, unfair to all creatures who'd cultivate under me."

"It's good that you do, I suppose you'd want to enter the testing phase soon yes?" Da Hai asked.

"Yes, and I have the perfect test subject in mind," the dragon said smiling. Da hai looked curiously as the dragon got to work.

…

On the back gardens of Yingzhou, a pond lay in a beautiful garden. Several dozens of carps lived there peacefully. They were spiritual beasts captured years ago by Da Hai and brought here as decorations, as such they had yet to gain true sentience.

Zulong walked into the back garden holding a finished book. He gazed into the pond and looked around stroking his chin. "You'll do," he said pointing at the runt swimming about.

With a gesture, he captured the carp in a bubble of water and brought it to him. "Okay fish, this is the draconic manual, read it, memorise it, cultivate it," he instructed. The carp looked at him for a moment then swam around the bubble.

"I'm going to inject it into your mind now fish," Zulong warned. "Good luck," he said pushing the entire manual into the carp's mind before dumping it back in the water

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

"You know, reflecting back on a lot of things through this eternal lifetime of mine. I've come to regret many things. I am selfish, cruel, blind, I thought myself an intelligent schemer when all I was was but an ignorant fool. I was a horrible friend."

Sitting beneath the moonlight, Da Hai drank small sips of fruit wine. The aromatic taste of the alcohol carried with it extremely potent primordial Qi. Any mortal who drank a fraction of a droplet would become a strong cultivator, any who drank more than that would burn to ash. After all, the fruit of the Fusang tree was used to brew it.

"Hai," Da Hai sighed looking up at the moon. "Old friend, I hope you can forgive me. I realise now that for the sake of my disciples I would. Hai, I really am shameless."

Da Hai sat on his wooden rocking chair and sighed again. Reminiscing about the past often brought nothing but pain and regret and this was no different. "I want to fix things between us," he admitted.

The moon hummed hauntingly sending a shiver down Da Hai's spine. "So you are listening," he said in confirmation. As soon as he said that, a faint feeling he'd been experiencing, one that resembled the frigid north dissipated.

"Still, Zulong needs three brilliance sacred water. This is the only way," Da Hai sighed taking a big drink. "I can only hope you don't think me too shameless. If it were me, I know I'd cut myself in two on the spot, but you were always the better person. Just like Huoyun was."

…

"Remarkable progress," Zulong mused jolting down notes. His observation of the carp was going along better then smoothly. In three hundred years, it had already formed a nascent soul and was steadily progressing towards

"Based on his performance here, perhaps I can add…" he further mused toying with the ideas in his mind. His recent progress had been much greater than the ten thousand years he'd spent on this project beforehand.

"Was this what Luohu was like when he made the devilish Dao?" Zulong idly asked. Naturally, no one answered him but it was a rhetorical question in the first place. He jolted down the formation of the dragon soul within the carp.

"Next should be the formation of the bones, followed by organs, flesh, scales, then dragon gate should open allowing for true dragon blood," Zulong racked his mind for any other muses. "Hm, strong naturally occurring phenomenons could help this process, blood of other dragons as well. Preferably blood as that'll be easier to obtain."

Zulong stroked his chin, "Hm, would Qinglong be willing to donate?" He quickly squashed the thought and retrieved a knife. "But as big brother, I should take the fall instead," he grumbled letting loose a small droplet of blood for the carp.

"You better be grateful fish, that's royal dragon blood you're tasting," he roared pointing at the carp who merely swam away. "To spill the blood of a dragon, how humiliating," he grumbled.

Just then, loud footsteps caught his attention. The sliding door several hundred metres away was abruptly slid open and Yinglong ran out. "Big brother, urgent news," he cried catching the elder dragon's attention. Normally Yinglong was not one to be so energetic, that was Qinglong's job.

"Slow down brother," Zulong instructed. His tone immediately changed and the serious nature of this confrontation was palpable. "Tell me what's going on?"

"Emergency voice transmission from brother Xuanwu, the north sea is being invaded by an army of these insect like primordial beasts," Yinglong reported.

Zulong widened his eyes in surprise before narrowing them in anger. "Zulin?" He asked to which his younger brother nodded grimly. "Has Xuanwu engaged that horse?"

"No, Xuanwu reported immediately when he sensed Zulin enter the sea," Yinglong said. "From the delay of the message, this event should've taken place several months ago, they may have already started battling."

"Xuanwu has uncle master Ao's protection, he can last for a few decades, perhaps even a century. We need to hurry," Zulong said. "Grab Qinglong, I'll be going ahead," the dragon said flying away.

The prototype communication crystals Zulong had used over ten thousand years ago was now reached a stage where they can be easily used to message others over long distance. Zulong's own extremely high cultivation allowed for the device to cross world boundaries in record time.

At the speed Da Luo Golden Immortals were capable of traveling at, several years was all it took to reach the north sea as opposed to the centuries to millennia it'll take a Taiyi Golden Immortal. The golden black ray of light Zulong transformed into bolted into the void skipping straight for the north sea.

"Master, Yu'er I'll be going out," he informed both individuals as he left Yingzhou. Gui Daiyu looked up at the disappearing ray of light and frowned slightly. She turned to look at Da Hai who'd been instructing her.

The sea god was pinching his fingers and performing divination. His eyes glowed in a soft greyish blue before frowning slightly. "He's just taking care of some pest, don't worry, Zulong can take care of himself."

"I know, it's just. I can't help but worry," the princess admitted. "I wish I was there for him, fight by his side. Please help me, most honoured exalted saint of Yingzhou."

"As I have told you and as Zulong has told you, you do not have to call me that," Da Hai sighed. "Very well, I will impart some insight upon you. Listen carefully."

…

Void turbulence, violent spatial tides that pushes and pulls in all direction within the void between worlds. Such things meant nothing to a Da Luo Golden Immortal as Zulong rocketed at top speed.

"After all these years, you finally come out of hiding," Zulong scoffed. His claws tore at the fabric of reality ripping a hole into the skies above the north sea.

The sight that greeted the dragon was one of chaos. Thousands of monstrous insects hacking away at a creature the size of a continent. A creature resembling a tortoise and a snake, the true form of the great god Xuanwu.

Not far away, Zulin stood on a cloud. He was in his human form and looked rather nonchalant about the whole ordeal. However, when the hole into the void was ripped open, he looked up and grinned.

"So you're here," Zulin said smirking. He looked tiny compared to the gargantuan dragon. However, his aura did not lose out. The qilin glared at the dragon. "I predicted you'd come," he announced to the floating dragon.

Admits the clouds, Zulong scoffed. His voice alone generated divine winds that instantly shredded thousands of insect like beasts relieving Xuanwu. The tortoise did not appear harmed at all, in fact, he seemed more worried about Zulin.

In truth, the entire skirish was merely Xuanwu resisting Zulin. With his Da Luo Golden Immortal cultivation base, no one except the qilin could've harmed him.

"You know, those took time to make," Zulin said in irritation.

"Since when did you start breeding primordial beasts?" Zulong growled. The air pressure around him strengthened viciously.

"Since I realised emperor Shenni never lived up to his potential," Zulin sneered. "Now get out of my territory."

"Your territory?" Zulong laughed. "What a Joke. What gall you must have to come back here after the beating I gave you. I am in admiration," he mocked.

Zulin stopped smiling. "What do you care? You don't even live here. Scurry back to your east sea, the north is my kingdom," he proclaimed.

"The oceans are my kingdom," Zulong scoffed. Both parties glared each other in a standoff. The immense auras of two very powerful Da Luo Golden Immortals erupted. They clashed with each other creating two separate heavens.

A divine court of the land dwelled by myriad beasts stood behind Zulin. The cries of billions of monsters roared in unison. Behind Zulong was a divine court of the ocean, a royal throne trailed by majestic crab soldiers and turtle ministers.

The seas rumbled in anticipation of their clash. Xuanwu retreated, he unravelled his body revealing the hiding forms of what remained of the north sea seafolk. Many of them looked uneasily at both destined sovereigns.

"He's actually back," the giant crab Xie Chun said in awe at the dragon. Zulong's visage was even more profound than before. The Heavenly immortal felt he'd go blind if he looked at the dragon for too long.

Two more gashes opened up in the sky. The winding bodies of Qinglong and Yinglong flew out accompanied by the white tiger Bai Hu.

Zulin narrowed his eyes. "Using numbers, have you no honour?" He sneered.

"As if the likes of you deserve any," Zulong scoffed. "The ocean is my domain and I alone am enough to deal with the likes of you," he grinned with a bloodthirsty look.

"Hmph, domain? You aren't even a proper king," Zulin scoffed. "I on the other am a true sovereign in this world. Hear me heavenly Dao, I Zulin, the ancestral qilin declare myself sovereign of the primitive world. I am the rightful ruler of the land and the myriad beasts within," he declared.

The skies rumbled, an immense amount of karmic luck descended. They drifted into the qilin admits purple lightning and golden clouds of merit. Zulong narrowed his eyes.

Golden light condensed around Zulin forming an imperial dress. The crown with twelve strings of beads on both ends formed atop his head. A staff with the head of a qilin appeared in his hands.

"You stand in the presence of a sovereign," Zulin declared. "Why are you not bowing?" He threatened. "This sovereign remembers past crimes you have committed. But this sovereign is merciful and can overlook your crimes if you apologise and enter my court to receive proper punishment."

"Fat chance," Qinglong roared beginning to rush forward. Zulin scoffed and sent a wave of energy out at the dragon.

"Such insolence deserves death," he declared. Spacetime warped as a deadly ray of light blasted at the dragon. Qinglong gritted his teeth and readied his defences.

"Don't you dare touch my brother," Zulong howled untangling his massive body. In an instant, the golden dragon's tail whipped around, smacking the ray of light into bits. Zulong laughed in the face of the attack.

"This is all the Qilin Sovereign amounts to?" He taunted.

"Brother Zulong," Xuanwu called out mentally. "The safety of the seafolk, they mustn't be caught up in such a battle, they would not be able to survive," he warned. Zulong narrowed his eyes in anger momentarily frightening the black tortoise.

Then he took a moment and calmed himself. 'He's right, I can't escalate without collateral damage,' he thought grimly. Simply him and Zulin flexing their powers had been enough for the dragon to make some simulations in his head.

Zulong scowled at what he was about to do. It was extremely aggravating to the point where he wanted to snap at his subordinates. At full strength, something he'd need to guarantee a kill on Zulin, even Xuanwu's impeccable defence would have to be focused on himself to survive.

"Not at all worm," Zulin said raising his arm. A massive chessboard appeared behind the sovereign. Its pieces send down beams of light releasing an army of ridiculous proportions. Primordial beasts appeared in such numbers that it was frankly ridiculous.

A virtual ocean of hideous bodies appeared. Hundreds of millions, possibly billions of primordial beasts comparable to Golden Immortals, thousands of the same ones comparable to Taiyi Golden Immortals. Zulin lifted his arms and smiled.

"Behold, years of experimentation and breeding. These are no longer like the primitive primordial beasts that roamed mindlessly in these lands. These are living weapons. I call them Gu worms. What do you think?" He challenged.

"Numbers do you no favours here," Zulong retorted. "What is an army of weak immortals against several Da Luo Golden Immortals?"

Zulin frowned and clicked his fingers. The chessboard shone with even more light and a beast skin scroll appeared in Zulin's hands. Millions of beasts climbed atop each other and melted into each other forming truly massive grotesque titans. Many others also combined in weapons for these titans to hold.

"Throwing themselves at you aren't the only thing they can do," Zulin smirked.

Zulong braced himself and gritted his teeth. "Xuanwu, move to into the void with the north sea seafolk," he instructed saying forwards.

Just then, everything stopped. Daylight became moonlight. Despite the open daytime all this took place in, suddenly the world was shunted into the night. The entirety of the north sea had changed in an instant.

"Aunt master?" Zulong called out in shock. Zulin frowned at the sudden appearance of an illusionary moon among the night sky.

"Honoured senior, though I respect you, you should not get involved in my matters," he ordered. The moon above him hung menacingly, emanating a dangerous aura, an aura that far surpasses everyone present.

Zulin felt his courage waver. He subconsciously took a step back. He glared at the celestial construct only the frown angrily. "So this is your stance?" He asked. "Very well then, you better be careful star emperor," he threatened before turning around. His body and his army transformed in a beam of light and flashed away.

"Just like that?" Bai Hu asked walking forwards. Zulong nodded and said, "Despite our current rank of power, the ancestors of the previous generations are still supreme."

"Sovereign or not, we must still respect them," the dragon concluded. "But the gap is also getting smaller. Sooner or latter, we'd be equals," he said.

Before the dragons, a tear opened up and out stepped Da Hai. His hands were tied behind his back and around his waist was a gourd. "Come on, finish your businesses here first, then we'd return," he instructed.

"Master, is that?" Zulong asked pointing at the gourd. He could feel the rich life giving force from within the bottle. Pretty much what he'd need to create the dragon clan.

Da Hai nodded. "I had to clear some stuff up with Wangshu but I managed to get some of what you need.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Space distorted as Da Hai emerged from a portal. Stepping into the void between worlds, Da Hai was momentarily assaulted by chaotic energies. He quickly shook off the effect and strolled forwards.

"Finally here," he whispered to himself. Another ten thousand years had passed since he'd last been to the starry skies. More than ten thousand years spent working with Zulong, Qinglong, and Yinglong to improve their cultivation.

Gui Daiyu had entered secluded cultivation to tackle the Golden Immortal realm head on. As such Da Hai left Yingzhou at the hands of Yi Feier. "I've procrastinated long enough," he said.

Stepping forwards, Da Hai utilised his divine sense to feel the direction of the starry skies. His footsteps touched nothing as he walked through the void. Very quickly, his destination was within reach.

The world of the void was vast and itself a colourless empty gap that existed between the many dimensions of the primitive world. If the primitive world was a cake where each layer was a world such as the vast wilderness and the starry skies, then the void was the box that contained the cake and all the space in between.

Immediately, Da hai stopped at the edges outside the starry skies. He felt the membranous fabric that separated the void and the world of the stars.

"Strengthened to this degree, you really don't want anyone in do you?" He mused. Instead of forcing his way in, Da Hai sat down cross legged.

"I'm here to…I'm sorry for everything I said," he explained. He retrieved a barrel of spiritual wine and pushed it forwards towards the starry skies. "A peace offering if you will, made from the essence of the Fusang tree itself."

"Hai, who am I kidding? You wouldn't care about any of that. It's one of the reasons I admire you," Da Hai admitted. "You have so little greed nor ambition in this universe that calls for both and yet you thrive."

"I am sorry for how I treated you. I never heeded your advice nor did I bother to see your warnings. I thought of you and everyone else as tools and it left me hollow."

"I tried to justify itself to me. I lied to Pangu to his face. I desecrated the sacred bond of a master and disciple. These days I wonder why Huoyun saved me out of anyone else. Why did he remain my brother?"

"Hai, even so, I've never accomplished anything meaningful. Even if I'd left Zulong and the others to their own devices they'd still have reached Da Luo Golden Immortal in record time. Still accomplished all they did."

"I am really sorry, deeply sorry. I hope you can forgive me even though we'll never be friends again…"

"Why are you really here?" Wangshu's cold voice stopped Da Hai.

"I am here to apologise, properly this time," Da Hai said.

"Why are you really here?" The goddess asked again.

"Like I said, to apologise," Da Hai said.

"Not for three brilliance sacred water?" Wangshu's cold chuckle rang throughout Da Hai's ear like frosty needles prickling his skin.

"No, I had intentions of asking you at first but I realised how wrong that'll be," Da Hai admitted. "There are other places which could potentially spawn three brilliance sacred water, sites where innate creatures first appeared. Sites teeming with life, kunlun, Mt Tai, Mt Nongli. I had planned to travel to these places to look."

"Even when it'll place you in great danger?" Wangshu scoffed. "You do realise you're on Hongjun's radar now. Those places are all on the east continent. Heading to these places would be a deathtrap."

"I've got no choice," Da Hai said. "Three brilliance sacred water spawns living beings, places with them would have yet to spawn any and the Qi rich location that is the east continent which is also sparsely populated is bound to have it in droves."

"You…you're actually…you're serious," Wangshu's voice seemed to be getting closer unexpectedly. Da Hai felt space warp around him in surprise. His surroundings warped and distorted into nine rings spinning faster and faster.

Da Hai did not feel panicked however. If Wangshu attacked him then so be it, he had no real intention to fight in the first place. Besides, this was not an attack, this was a forced teleportation.

Da Hai's surroundings rematerialised themselves into a grassy field. He was just outside the celestial moon palace on the lunar star, in front of the laurel tree. Wangshu sat leaning against the tree below two large hanging fruits.

"You really are a top talent," Da Hai commented in wonder. Wangshu in the past was at least relative to his level. But although Da Hai was an incredibly powerful Hunyuan Golden Immortal, Wangshu had already left that realm behind.

The goddess' eyes glowed in nine rings. Her aura wasn't so much silvery as they were starry. They resembled actual stars rather than the lunar star. Her Dao had evidently evolved to another level.

"Greetings to the most exalted great god venerable," Da Hai saluted.

In the chaos godfiend civilisation, those who achieve the apex of cultivation, that is to say the completion of a Dao path, were unanimously named great god venerable.

The ancestor of the king of trees, Wangshu now stood at the same pedestal as those figures. Ten thousand years really made a lot of difference.

"Don't praise me yet," Wangshu said. "I've only recently entered this realm and only with the help of the laurel tree. I would be nothing without Pangu's inheritance."

"Neither would I," Da Hai admitted sadly. He gazed up at the two large hanging fruits curiously.

"The next generation," Wangshu said simply. "The sovereigns will be crowned before this yuanhai ends. Then this intermediate phase will end." She pointed at the two fruits and sent waves of nursing starlight into them.

"They appeared a few thousand years ago, still got a long way to go until they mature and take form," she said.

"Xihe and Changxi," Da Hai said watching the two.

"Is that what they'd be called? Interesting."

"Yes, the gods of china before Daoism came into existence. The solar goddess and mother of the ten suns Xihe and the goddess of the moon Changxi," Da Hai described. "They were the generation directly preceding the investiture of the gods."

"I take it they didn't end well?" Wangshu asked.

"Who knows, accounts are confusing at best," Da Hai admitted. "After the death of the nine suns, Xihe just fades from history. Changxi as well though she was probably conflated with Chang'e. The moon lord by the time of journey to the west was Chang'e after all."

"I see, hm," a long pause occurred in between the both of them. The awkward silence lasted for quite a while until Wangshu retrieved the barrel Da Hai had gifted. She lifted a glass and drank it.

"I never understood why you like this stuff, tears at the throat," she complained. She tipped a droplet out and watched in fascination as the soil disintegrated at the touch.

"It helps me deal with everything going on," Da Hai sighed.

"Not a very good method."

"No, it was not."

"…So my nephew wishes for three brilliance sacred water," Wangshu finally said.

"You don't have to. Like I said, I will be retrieving them myself…"

"Abababababa! No, this water is not for you," Wangshu held out her hand stopping the sea god. "This is for my nephew Zulong. This is my gift to him, it has nothing to do with you," she said.

"So I'm only the delivery boy?" Da Hai joked.

"Yes, that's exactly what you are," Wangshu laughed. "Besides, I have to take care of those two," she pointed up at the gestating deities. "They are my responsibility just as Zulong, Yinglong, and Qinglong are yours."

"So you're planning to?"

"Yes, since you have some I thought I may as well acquire some for my own. And these girls prove the perfect candidate," Wangshu said chuckling.

"Well be careful, disciples can be quite a handful," Da Hai joked.

"Hah! Don't you know it."

The two ancient gods began chatting like old friends. Slowly the frosty atmosphere became a lot warmer. Though the trust would never restore to what it once was, Da Hai felt satisfied. No matter the result, he would've accomplished what he set out to do.

…

Below the laurel tree, Wangshu smiled a happy expression. Before her, she held a gourd containing gallons of three brilliance sacred water. One of the richest sources of life in existence.

"I suppose Zulong will be getting crowned soon," she commented. "And married, heavens so much has happened. The world as we know it is changing into its next phase."

"It will be a brutal one, one that decides our fates as we know it," Da Hai said.

"Does it? Will everything really come to pass as you say?"

"I cannot say for certain if events will follow exactly as I think. But I'm sure you too can sense the trend of heaven," he stated to which the moon goddess nodded sadly.

"Why does the heavenly Dao seek conflict? Why does it seek misery on living beings?" She grunted.

"It is Hongjun and Luohu who wants this to occur. The chaos created by the three sovereigns will open the world for new opportunities. One where they can finally realise their ambitions," Da Hai said.

"And that is?" Wangshu asked almost accusatory. "What do they actually want. Why go through such a convoluted scheme? It doesn't make logical sense."

"Who knows. They've gleamed the future as have I. It's probably the only way they think it can go," Da Hai admitted. "The heavenly Dao is a mysterious thing that not even I understand. Right now, the source of the conflict is a shadow war to win favour with it. Whoever wins shall be the path the heavenly Dao follows."

"How disturbing!" Wangshu gasped. "You'd think the heavenly Dao would think for itself. Choose a path rather than this farce."

"It's already compromised in the first place," Da Hai explained. "Either Luohu or Hongjun would overpower it in time and subsume it. I don't know what happens after that. For now, all that will do is lead to indecision."

"I see," Wangshu sighed and massaged her temples. "Things just keep getting worse and worse…I suppose you're leaving now."

"Yes, I don't want to impose, especially not after…well I'll go now," Da Hai stood up with the gourd Wangshu gave him. "Do you want me to say anything to Zulong, Qinglong, or Yinglong for you?"

"Just tell them their aunt wishes them well," Wangshu said taking a side look only to frown slightly. "Ohya? They seem to have run into a slight problem."

"Problem?" Da Hai cast his own divine sense into the great wilderness. He scanned the north see and immediately was angered. Upon seeing Da Hai's reaction Wangshu smiled slightly.

"Not to worry, I'll drive that brat away," Wangshu said. She began directing her power into the great wilderness. "The Jianmu tree was good for one thing, it made it easier for me to reach the five continents four seas."

"It seems I am in your debt once again," Da Hai said thankfully.

"What debt? I'm their aunt master, it's only natural I help them out," Wangshu smirked.

"Thank you," Da Hai said one final time before turning away and leaving back into the void. Wangshu watched him leave and sighed.

"You can come out now," she said coldly. Her posture tightened and a frigid aura emanated from her body.

From behind the laurel tree, a handsome young man dressed in black robes walked out calmly. He looked amiable but gave off a deadly feeling like one was standing beside a pit of endless horrifying power.

Luohu, the devil ancestor was standing on the lunar star, mere inches away from Wangshu.

"So that's what became of the ancestor of the great sea," Luohu's silky smooth voice said in curiosity. "He truly has changed to last I saw him. Stronger, wiser, he's certainly interesting now."

"Just because I extended hospitality to you does not mean you can eavesdrop on my conversations," Wangshu retorted. She faced the devil ancestor eye to eye. Both of their cultivation was even and currently, Wangshu had the home-field advantage. Yet the goddess still felt slight fear.

"Easy, no need to be upset. I didn't hear anything," Luohu said. "I know you distrust me but I am not the type of man who breaks his word. I will not pry into your privacy."

Wangshu snorted, "You should go."

"Naturally, I've been here too long anyway," Luohu agreed. "Just think about my offer okay? Great god Pangu's legacy shouldn't end with you." He clapped Wangshu's shoulder before walking off in the direction of the Jianmu tree.

Seeing the terrifying man leave, Wangshu shivered and released a sigh of relief. "What should I do?"

 

[Shadvos]

Mate your most recent batch of chapters got thrown into the middle of the thread marks.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Mate your most recent batch of chapters got thrown into the middle of the thread marks.

Click to shrink...

fixed it, don't know what happened.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

In order to prevent another invasion by Zulin into the north sea, Bai Hu remained while the dragons returned. With two of the four symbols together, even the Qilin sovereign cannot easily defeat them. However, this was not a permanent, to guard against such a powerful threat will recover more than them.

Zulong followed behind Da Hai in eagerness. Around his waist was the gourd which contained gallons of three brilliance sacred water. The dragon had a bright excited smile as he walked.

"Zulong, do you understand the full process?" Da Hai asked. The air around the greater deity was extremely calm. The cloud they all rode on travelled in such speeds that even the dragons were hard pressed to replicate.

"Yes master," Zulong nodded. "I've been preparing a long time for this. Presiding over a trading hub has its uses," he complimented tapping his inter spacial ring.

"Indeed, you'd think people will put more value in natural phenomenons but they get traded around so casually it's honestly shocking," Da Hai said in agreement.

"That's because only specialists like alchemists or artificers know of their importance," Zulong said smiling. "I mean, even three brilliance sacred water is pretty useless in an actual fight."

"Don't forget the current environment as well," Da Hai added. "The sheer density of primordial Qi and Dao laws does not necessitate the need for these things. Simply resting a mantra and training is enough to gain power in the primaeval heavens."

"Master, correct me if I'm wrong but you say that like that'll change," Yinglong asked. The confusion was evident on his face and it was evident he was trying to work out the sea god's words.

Da Hai chuckled amused. "Sometimes I forget the primitive world is not a regular chaos world," he mused. "You've lived all your lives in this universe, all your lives in Pangu's world that you know very little about the chaos sea beyond."

"The chaos sea," Zulong mused. "I've never really thought about that place before."

"What was it like master?" Qinglong abruptly asked. "You're a chaos godfiend like all the other ancestors and lived during the chaos period right? What was it like roaming and living in the chaos sea?…If you don't mind me asking of course"

Zulong and Yinglong looked curiously too. Da Hai momentarily paused and thought about things a little. "I've actually never been to the chaos sea," he admitted with a little embarrassment.

"What?" All three dragons exclaimed in shock. "But…How?"

"Bit of a misconception," Da Hai explained exasperatedly. "I am not the Da Hai of the chaos sea but I did inherit everything from him. Consider me a pseudo reincarnation if you will. I know many things about the chaos sea and the chaos godfiends precisely because of those memories I inherited but I've never personally been there myself."

"I see," the dragons said.

"To answer your question, the chaos sea is the ultimate world behind our own. It is the supreme multiverse in which all chaos worlds or universes as we call them exists," Da Hai explained. "Every once in a while, a universe will come into existence either naturally or through outside means. These universes typically age and die within a single Yuanhui."

"A single?" Yinglong exclaimed and proceeded to calculate with his fingers. "Then this means…we've only got several tens of thousands of years left until the apocalypse?"

"No, that is wrong," Da Hai corrected. "Pangu's primitive world is not ending anytime soon if at all so don't worry about that," he placated his disciples. "The principle this universe is built on is likely the most powerful and stable ever seen in all creation. The sacrifices used to make this world essentially made a…um… a second chaos sea if you will."

"That is fascinating master but what does that have to do with your earlier statement?" Zulong asked bringing back the original topic.

"Oh, you mean the cultivation issue. You must understand that like an ordinary chaos world in the chaos sea, our universe goes through development cycles as well. All of this is centred around the heavenly Dao which acts as the central will of the universe and guides it along. We are currently still in the infancy stages," Da Hai elaborated.

"So the heavenly Dao is not complete?" Yinglong asked for confirmation.

"Indeed," Da Hai nodded. "It exists and is fully functioning but it yet lies immature. Its suppression is weak and the barriers that stop ordinary beings from sensing Dao is nigh nonexistent. Even the most common of rats can sense the Dao and cultivate to immortality. All one has to do is sit in a cave and they'll see some success."

"But that will not be for forever. Eventually, the world will develop to a point where so many immortals are not desirable. Dao will become scarce and cultivation becomes hard. Natural phenomenons such as three brilliance sacred water, five element soil, pure yang sun fire, nanming divine fire, even my own pellucid divine water will become extremely desirable for consumption," Da Hai said.

"To think the future will become so tough," the dragons mused in disappointment.

"Don't feel down, that future is very far away. At least millions years, likely after several dozen dozen yuanhuis or so. Even then, cultivation is not impossible, it is merely harder and requires more effort," Da Hai comforted them. "Don't think too much about them, you won't have to deal with those times for a long time."

Zulong nodded in understanding. He tapped the gourd bottle on his hip and sighed in relief that he was born so early. The current world was rife with opportunities and cultivation was still simple. Even cultivating the Dao sounded much easier than the eventual future.

…

Returning to Yingzhou, Zulong immediately got to work. He checked up on the carp before going to see Gui Daiyu. The turtle princess was still in secluded cultivation hence the dragon returned to Long Chen in advance

His personally founded city Long Chen served as Zulong's main place of residence these days. With Zulong's status, the amount of traffic the city got was a magnitude higher than other similar nature cities.

Zulong stayed there collecting and experimenting for a time. Little by little, a thousand years had passed since he returned.

"I want her to be here with me when I begin," Zulong said disappointingly starring at the gourd of three brilliance sacred water. "But I really can't wait," he mused.

He'd been working on sending traders to all corners of the world for the last few years and the news he'd gotten made him nervous. Zufeng's hold on the southern continent had gotten stronger and it seemed her battle techniques had improved. There were rumours she clashed with Taotie of the devilish Dao three hundred years ago and she beat him black and blue.

Zulong rubbed his chin in impatience. "She'll understand right?" He murmured. He closed his eyes in his office and debated for a day and night before leaving for Yingzhou.

Da Hai who was doing some calligraphy at the time looked up in surprise when Zulong suddenly appeared on Yingzhou. "Zulong, what are you doing back here so soon?"

"Master, I need some advice," Zulong started. "I wish to commence the creation process. But I also want Gui Daiyu to be there with me. We promised to be together after all but…"

"But the current geopolitical situation does not allow you to wait," Da Hai interrupted with a sigh. 'Romance, why is he coming to me for this kind of advice. He does realise I've never been in a relationship right?' He pondered.

"Uh," Da Hai stammered. He glanced at Yi Fei'e standing in the corner who looked just as clueless as he. The head moth fairy shrugged in response.

"Well…I'm afraid I cannot give you much advice on that front Zulong. If this is a big moment you promised her you'd do together then you'd probably end up hurting her but it's nothing permanent. However, I believe you should follow through, your time window is getting awfully tight as is," the sea god suggested.

Zulong nodded hesitantly. "Thank you master," he said before turning around to leave. Da Hai remained seated and sighed. "I am the wrong person to ask this of," he said while Yi Fei'e only laughed at his expense.

Da Hai sent the moth a look silencing her. "Since this is the case then I'll," he closed his eyes and gathered his insight. Feeling the rich Dao laws within his body Da Hai punted all of that in the direction of Gui Daiyu's room.

"That'll help her form the third flower," he mused. "Once she exits secluded cultivation, send her to Zulong," he instructed Yi Fei'e.

"Of course my lord," the moth fairy bowed.

"By the by, how do you and your sister feel about Yingzhou?" Da Hai suddenly asked.

"Hm? What do you mean? We love it, living here at Yingzhou," the moth said.

"No, I meant your current status in life. Are you satisfied?"

"Uh, I mean there is not much else we'd want. We have everything we need. May I ask why you're asking this, my lord?" She asked curiously.

"What do you think about becoming full disciples under me" Da Hai said.

"Huh? Uh, what brought this on my lord? My sisters and I are very content serving Yingzhou and have never desired anything more. What's more who will perform our duties if we do accept?" Yi Fei'e stammered having been caught off guard for once in her long life.

"It is a natural evolution of events. Your talents are not bad and your current duties already coincide with disciples under a master," Da Hai said with slight bewilderment. Truthfully he expected her to accept right away. Call him arrogant but discipleship beneath a venerated ancestor such as himself will always be a lucrative prospect.

"Oh! Um, in that case of course we'd accept. If master is willing to take us. This moth is dull so my accomplishments will never compare to senior brothers but this I will try my best," Yi Fei'e immediately said getting onto her knees and beginning to kowtow.

"Hm," Da Hai nodded. "Call your sisters over, I will name you Yi Fei'e my fourth official disciple. Your sisters will henceforth be my named disciples," he said. "I shall present you with my personal spells once the ceremony is over."

On that day, Yingzhou gained several more disciples to its lineage yet lost several servants. However, very soon the island will be swarmed with servants courtesy of Zulong.

…

"Alright, let's begin," Zulong whispered holding his arm out. His two brothers stood behind him in anticipation. They kept themselves restrained behind their elder brother and future sovereign.

They stood upon a cliff face overlooking the east sea close to the location of their birth. This place was one of nostalgia bringing forth many memories of them trio overcoming the Golden Immortal tribulation an aeon ago.

Beside Zulong's feat, the gourd of three brilliance sacred water sat waiting to be called forth. Around him lay other barrels containing every unique or strange naturally occurring spiritual materials. The only exceptions were those supremely rare substances such as Nanming divine fire.

"My blood, the royal blood of the dragon shall set forth the creation of the dragon clan," Zulong declared. He raised his right hand transforming into a razor sharp claw and cut deep into his left elbow.

Pools of blood leapt out of the dragon's arm draining from his true form. Rich essence belonging to the dragon flew into the air in the shape of a crimson dragon. It flew and twisted in the air reaching a size of thousands of metres.

Zulong slightly bent over and gasped his breath. He felt large portions of his own vitality leave him as he made the sacrifice. "Still within expectations," he said to the worried faces of Yinglong and Qinglong.

He lifted his arms and unleashed the seals on the barrels around him. An instant explosion of natural phenomenons rose into the air. Various types of materials rose high up into the sky combining with the crimson blood dragon seamlessly.

"It's working," Zulong smiled. He grabbed hold of the gourd and unsealed it unleashing a stream of the life giving water. Wangshu had kept her promise, this gourd contained authentic three brilliance sacred water with all its effects in large volumes.

The stream rose up like a geyser shooting directly into the mixture the crimson blood dragon had become. As it did so a change occurred. The heavenly Dao itself began to stir.

The sky above the east sea lit up in a golden glow. A divine aura settled upon the ocean grabbing the attention of all living creatures. A shockwave was unleashed that could be felt across the world.

Zulong smiled brightly. "Hahaha! Yes, come my children," he roared. His royal voice of the supreme king carried its full effects in washing over the east sea and beyond. In conjunction with his cultivation of Da Luo Golden Immortal, the effects were magnified.

Across the land, various sea folk knelt down welcoming the new clan that will be joining them. The living creatures of the continent also began kneeling though they were confused as to their reasons in doing so.

Within the throne room of phoenix's roost, Zufeng sat resting her head upon her palm. Her eyes were now extremely powerful, able to perceive events around the world. Unhindered by the heavenly Dao, Zufeng saw into the east sea. She sneered as she saw Zulong's actions.

"Creating his own innate creature clan? How droll," she said. "What's the point of creating a race in after yourself? All you're doing is diminishing your uniqueness. Hai, but that's to be expected from a mere worm."

Within a field filled with insect like beasts, Zuling turned his attention eastward towards the vast phenomenon occurring. His mighty eyes narrowed at the sight.

"So much karmic merit, the amount of luck is insane," Zulin spoke in wonder and jealously. "Creating his own race. Hm, this idea has merit."

Across the world, experts from all over took attention. They all suddenly all took a step back when a powerful roar rumbled throughout the heavens.

A gargantuan golden dragon circled the skies. He stretched ten thousand kilometres long and looked incredibly majestic. His long catfish whiskers portrayed wisdom beyond his years, his claws were sharp and ready to destroy his enemies.

"I am Zulong, from this day I declare the formation of the primordial celestial dragon clan," he declared. His words carried such weight that across the world, the land rumbled.

Millions of shadows erupted from the bellow of the crimson blood dragon. Millions of serpentine dragons of all sorts of colours flew into the open air above the east sea.

Yinglong and Qinglong took looks at each other and smiled. They leapt into the air transforming into gargantuan dragons following their elder brother.

"You are children of my clan, from this day, no matter what type, you are all dragons," Zulong declared.

"We greet lord patriarch," millions of voices called out. These dragons were formed from all types of materials. Spiritual flames created fire dragons, spiritual clouds created cloud dragons, spiritual water created sea dragons, shadows created illusionary dragons etc.

Across the east sea, all folks knelt down and kowtowed. "We greet ancestral dragon, they declared."

The beastly face of Zulong smiled. He scanned around him and bought the sight of a small bout. He smiled as he saw the individuals present.

Gui Daiyu stood at the forefront and waved at him all smiles. Behind her, Da Hai had a strong look of pride while all seven of the moth fairies gave him applause.

"Well done Zulong," Da Hai said. "From this day onwards, your path truly begins.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

"Lord Bai Hu," Xie Chun greeted as the white haired man walked up to him. Despite the last nine thousand years, the crab man was still terrified of the innate god. There was just something about him that invoked a sense of primal fear.

"May I ask what you're doing here?" He inquired.

"Just checking up on the seal," Bai Hu said walking past the crab and hopped onto the crystal platform covering the underground lake that was the source of so much of the north sea's problems.

"Oh and you should probably get out of here, for your own safety don't stay near the barrier," the white tiger reminded before disappearing out of sight.

Nodding, Xie Chun hopped away from the platform. Despite its reputation, he liked to come here to think. It was an isolated area where he doesn't need to deal with his fellow elders. Besides, the cold here hadn't been that big of a problem in many years.

Xie Chun sighed thinking about the lake. Even with the seal in place things still weren't as good as things were during ancient times. But at least their population had expanded again.

The current north sea still consisted of one village but it was a very safe village. With the presence of two Da Luo Golden Immortals, the small population of elites in the north sea were able to thrive peacefully. They've now expanded from the scattered few hundreds to a stable fifteen thousand members.

Of course, despite Xuanwu and Bai Hu's assistance, it was still an incredibly tough environment to live in. Several Profound Immortal elders had also succumbed to age and perished joining their forefathers in wherever the dead went.

Xie Chun sighed and sat down at a nearby iceberg. 'Heavens, who expected lofty Da Luo Golden Immortals of all things to assist us,' he thought with reverence. Da Luo Golden Immortal was a mythical realm. Even he, a premier expert was only a three crowned Heavenly Immortal.

However, Xie Chun had heard about the great wilderness beyond the seas. Of the five continents and four seas, a world of many experts. Some say Golden Immortals existed by the millions there and every clan was presided by a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

"To think the lofty realm of ancestral godfiends could be reached by us," he mused softly. Even he was nearing the time for his Golden Immortal tribulation. He wanted to do it soon, before his age caught up to him.

Even Heavenly Immortals aren't resistant to the test of time. While on paper they are ageless their souls were not. Heavenly Immortal stretches their lifespans to the limit of possibility, of one yuanhui and then their souls dissipate. Only the greatest of physical body refiners can leave an intact corpse behind when such an event happens.

Living here in the north sea was tough especially. The intense environment weakened everyone's vitality. With such a loss, their own lifespans decreased. Even Xie Chun does not expect himself to survive a full 129,600 years.

THOOM!

Xie Chun abruptly looked up in surprise. The crystal platform shook bouncing up and down for what seemed like an eternity. The crab nervously stepped forwards.

"What's going…" he barely made up before being thrown back by a sudden burst of frosty yin energy.

"Gah!" He screamed being forced into his true form. The arthropod crashed into the ice cold soil struggling to get up. "So cold," he shuddered bringing his pincers up to shield himself.

"What happened?" He thought with fear as the crystal platform disintegrated into colourful particles.

"NO! THE BARRIER!," he yelled trying to catch the particles in desperation only to be forced back. He scrambled to do something but only managed to achieve nothing except barely clinging to life.

'No! This is a disaster, I have to reform it,' Xie Chun thought in panicked frustration. He feared what would happen to the children with low cultivation back home. He feared what would happen to all his children and grandchildren.

ROAR!

The crab's train of thought was suddenly stopped by the bombastic cry of a fearsome tiger. The arthropod's eyes looked up catching the sight of a gargantuan tiger many thousands of kilometres in size facing down the lake.

With his presence, the icy waves of water was being suppressed and forced back. The bleak chilling atmosphere was being forced back to whence it came.

"Lord Bai Hu, what happened to the seal?" Xie Chun called out.

The white tiger looked at him stunned. "Didn't I tell you to leave?" He exclaimed. "Hai, dammit, listen when you're warned moron," he growled smashing both his white furry paws down.

The fierce iron sword energy pressed down hard on the cold air. Xie Chun watched in awe as the Venus star made its appearance. The celestial body created waves of metallic energy containing the cold air.

However, Xie Chun realised something. "Lord Bai Hu, why aren't you reforming the barrier? It should be well within your capabilities," then his mind turned to a horrific thought. "Did you destroy the barrier? Was it all a lie after all?"

"Oh for the love of, if you had just left you wouldn't notice a damn thing," the innate god growled back. "We're not destroying the barrier, we're replacing it with something better," he said looking up.

Following his line of sight, Xie Chun saw shadows above the water. His enhanced eyes struggled to see the distance on the ocean surface but he could see a massive shape rapidly descending.

"Stand back," Bai Hu commanded. "And this time, listen to my orders."

Accepting them, Xie Chun immediately swam as far away as possible. "You didn't specify how far I had to go," he grumbled in dissatisfaction. However from the looks of things, Bai Hu heard him as the tiger turned his eyes at him with a growl.

THOOM!

Xie Chun's travels were broken when the water parted. A massive circular structure many times the size of the underwater lake descended. Xie Chun immediately picked up speed and swam even faster than before.

However, no matter how fast he went, he was still beneath the enormous construct's shadow. Even his full Heavenly Immortal peak cultivation couldn't help him much.

"Is this how it all ends?" He thought sombrely. He sighed, at least the dragon hadn't lied, they've indeed helped his north sea seafolk as promised.

"Got ya," a youthful voice said. Xie Chun suddenly found himself being held by a pair of scaled claws.

"Hey, you really weren't supposed to be there," Xie Chun looked up towards the voice. What greeted him was the similar looking draconic face of a dragon. The same as those three from all those years ago.

However, this dragon was considerably smaller and weaker. He was only a Golden Immortal after all.

"What?" The crab man could only say as the dragon dragged him out from beneath the circular construct. It was only then that Xie Chun saw what lay atop it.

The circle was in reality a large stone platform carrying a massive palace. A castle that was bigger than anything he'd ever seen. It was tens of thousands of kilometres in size and many thousands of kilometres high. Held up by massive pillars with coiling dragons, giant statues of guardian beasts.

The most eye catching thing was the centre. The main palace building was a large squarish shape looking temple in an elevated position with a large staircase leading up to massive gates with the carvings of a crowned dragon. Above was a sign with massive inscribed words.

Xie Chun read the words carefully and memorised them.

The in bold letters read:

'NORTH SEA DRAGON PALACE'

Glancing around, Xie Chun noticed that the cold energy had all but disappeared. The palace had completely sealed the lake shut, he couldn't even feel the chilling air anymore.

What was more awe inspiring was the azure serpentine form of Qinglong. The dragon wasn't alone however, he was surrounded by an army of dragons. Xie Chun's eyes counted at least a million dragons. Of them, there were also the auras of tens of thousands of Golden Immortals, a number that frankly boggled his mind.

…

"Got word from little brother, operation up north went well," Yinglong reported to his eldest brother before him.

Standing tall at the head of a flying battleship, Zulong wore armour instead of his usual black robes. He appeared like a general heading into battle.

Behind him was also a massive fleet travelling incredibly quickly. Far quicker than it'll take for immortals of lower cultivation to travel otherwise.

Several million dragons had followed Zulong along with millions of cultivators from the various sea clans. They stood on the ship standing in anticipation as they travelled.

"I see," Zulong said smiling. "Then the north is secured. Soon the south will follow," he said. The dragon's eyes brimmed with immortal power. His fingers rubbed the dragon pearl in anticipation.

"Tell me," Zulong said. "How much resistance can we expect."

"With Si Hai's reputation? A lot will throw themselves at us simply because of fear," Yinglong said. "However, if we replace him. No one will care. They will celebrate our arrival."

"Yes, I expected as much," Zulong nodded. "How far are we?"

"Minutes," Yinglong admitted pointing at a collapsing palace in the distance. "That should be his castle."

Zulong frowned and looked at the run down shack in shock. "That's his palace? What in heaven has he been doing?" The place was a disaster. Zulong had hoped he could save resources and just occupy Si Hai's castle as his own with some renovations but this looks like he'd have to start from scratch.

Looking closer, he also saw burn marks on the palace. "Hey brother, do the reports say anything about that peacock attacking this place?" He asked.

"Yes, the phoenix sovereign struck emperor Si Hai's stronghold several centuries ago. She was however repelled though reports say emperor Si Hai suffered heavy losses," the winged dragon replied.

"I'll say, this place looks terrible," Gui Daiyu said walking up to the deck. The dragons parted making way for the primordial turtle.

In the thousands of years since the dragon clan's creation, Gui Daiyu had reached the Golden Immortal realm. Her strength rose exponentially and she was considered among the top experts among Golden Immortals. She'd also been accepted as the matriarch of the dragon clan.

"Think Si Hai will show?" She taunted.

"His pride demands it," Zulong said walking forwards. He stepped onto the air with the confidence of an emperor. "But even so, he's nothing in front of me."

As if right on cue, the massive deity of ancient days appeared. Si Hai's monstrous form broke the surface of the water holding a cracked harpoon. His blank eyes and razor sharp teeth appeared downright murderous.

"You, how dare you cross into my domain," Si Hai roared. "You who dare copy the visage of my fellow emperor chaos sky dragon."

"I don't know who you're talking about and frankly I don't care. But see here's the thing," Zulong said. "The south sea is my domain now. For you my hated rival, there are two options. You can save me a lot of time by killing yourself now. Alternatively, I will be forced to expend some effort to kill you thereby wasting everyone's time," he announced.

"How dare you," Si Hai growled. "You little worm, do you have any idea who I am? I am emperor Si Hai of the chaos godfiends. I was a mighty powerhouse before you were even conceived. No one dared cross me."

"Yet here you are, bullied around by everyone. How deluded are you?" Zulong mocked. Si hai answered him with a charge.

Although Si Hai appeared monstrously powerful, Zulong could see through the facade. The godfiend was on the verge of death already. He was only barely holding on to life.

Zulong gripped his fist and punched out. His blow connected with the sea god hard punting into the distance.

With his other hand, Zulong created a claw of water from the ocean that grabbed hold of the god. "Your time is long over Si Hai," Zulong said shaking his head laughing. "Today, I, Ao Zulong am the ruler of the four seas."

"To think a disciple of that nobody will," Si Hai uttered weakly glaring at Zulong.

The dragon sliced sideways with his arm decapitating Si Hai. The godfiend of the past died instantly, his soul dissipating into nothingness.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Da Luo Golden Immortals were supposed to be grand existences. Ultimate lifeforms who reigned invincible in this world. Unstoppable and unopposed, they did whatever they wanted.

One of them died just like that.

Si Hai's corpse fell into the waves drifting about like a floaty. Zulong starred at the corpse and detached head with contempt. Ever since his journey ended, Zulong has felt nothing but anger and contempt for the godfiend.

'How deserving,' he mocked in his mind. He unleashed a wave of immortal power that washed over the ocean. Zulong's fierce attack resembled the surge of a tsunami. It engulfed every inch of Si Hai's body disintegrating it to the last atom.

When he was done, not a single trace of Si Hai remained. The only thing of note was a damaged harpoon with burn marks. Zulong held out his hand and retrieved the weapon before storing it away.

"How tragic," Da Hai's melodious voice said as the primaeval sea god stepped through the void and into the sky. Zulong acknowledged his master with a salute.

"Why do you say that master?" Zulong asked curiously. "I thought you hated him based on your two histories."

"I felt an intense uncontrollable rage for what he did to you," Da Hai revealed. "But I can't say I truly hated him. Ever since our meeting all those years ago on Yingzhou, I've only ever held him in low opinion. He was an overconfident overreaching man who couldn't let go of his glory days."

"He was scum," the dragon stated.

Da Hai nodded. "Indeed he was, he has truly fallen far from his time as a chaos godfiend. He was once a great expert proficient in battles. He partook in all conflicts among the chaos godfiends. Once he was an exalted figure that even the likes of the original Da Hai acknowledged. However, now he's been reduced to nothing but a school bully."

Da Hai sighed, "For all my grudges against him, it is still sad to see a great immortal fall like that. Goes to show you, that even the most lofty of figures can be dragged down to mud. Humbling thought isn't it?"

"I will remember this teaching," Zulong said bowing in respect. He turned towards his fleet and ushered them forward. All of those dragons and sea clans had kowtowed when Da Hai appeared but now stood up and began driving.

"How are the new sky barges?" Da Hai asked the dragon.

"Very powerful," Zulong admitted. "Those stones we gathered holds portions of primordial chaos gust. The propelling strength is over a dozen times faster then anything we've had before."

Primordial chaos gust was similar to pure yang sun fire or nanming divine fire in that is was a natural phenomenon that generates in the wilds. This type of wind came from the extreme gusts generated by Pangu opening the heavens. After that storm dissipated, remnants were absorbed into objects across the world giving them the capability to hold this wind.

Da Hai nodded in understanding. "Remember, those stones are rare so use them with care. You may be a person of great karmic luck but that doesn't mean you should wantonly waste things."

"This disciple understands," Zulong nodded. "Let's go men," he ordered.

It was an awe inspiring sight. Millions of dragons descended in unison. Millions of serpentine beasts supported by millions of various sea creatures entered the south seas.

Their cultivation dwarfed anything the south sea could've thrown at them. The first generation dragons Zulong created were all geniuses in their own right. As it stands, there existed millions of Heavenly Immortals among them and tens of thousands of Golden Immortals.

Nine thousand years was a short time for cultivation. However, Zulong used this time wisely to increase the power of the dragon clan by leaps and bounds. No power in the east sea could challenge them not to mention the south sea.

Along with the dragons, mighty experts of the sea also joined in the fray. Ancestral beings who listened to Da Hai's lecture who'd since risen to the stage of Taiyi Golden Immortals served as powerful generals.

Against this onslaught, the south sea sea clans gave up without a fight. They opened the doors for them and had decided to even before Si Hai had confronted Zulong.

In an instant, Zulong had claimed a territory that dwarfed the combined total of Zufeng and Zulin's empires. He was fast and immediately got to work constructing the south sea dragon palace.

Unlike the north sea palace, it didn't need to be specially built to seal a powerful natural phenomenon like the underground lake and pure yin pale water.

Because of the ease of this conquest, Zulong hurriedly moved on. He left behind three hundred thousand dragons and a million east sea troops to guard and construct the south sea dragon palace before heading westward.

…

In a dark ritualistic room, two men were present. One was working extensively on various diagrams and slags of metal and jewels. The other was a silver haired man with glowing eyes and six arms.

They were naturally the devil ancestor Luohu and the demon king of the sixth heaven, Mara.

"Should we stop them?" Mara asked Luohu who continued to work.

"No, ignore them," Luohu denied. "We need the heavenly Dao on our side not against us. It's the trend of heaven for the three sovereigns to come to power. It'll be in our disinterest to attack them now."

"But would that not cultivate more unnecessary enemies for us?" Mara inquired.

"Again, no. The sovereigns are destined to have their little lovers spat and when the final battle occurs, we'll make our move. By then they will no longer have the heavenly Dao's protection and be easy picking," Luohu said picking up a sword handle examining it.

"Inform our devil sects to pull out of the west sea. From now on the west continent will be sealed from the rest of the world," Luohu instructed.

"Alright," Mara nodded.

"By the by, how are those two talents doing?" Luohu suddenly inquired.

The two talents he was referring to were the two new rising geniuses int he devilish Dao. Their names were Heart Devil and Sky Demon King respectively. These two appeared out of nowhere and joined the devilish Dao several thousands years ago and were already Taiyi Golden Immortals.

"Very well, their potential remains the highest of all we've seen," Mara said. "Heart Devil especially has been quite taken with leading roles in our sect. His efforts saw the rise of a new batch taowu beats,"

Luohu nodded in satisfaction. The devilish Dao had long been studying complex alchemy and sciences. After the Shenni war, they managed to recover some of Taowu's essence and create an innate clan out of it through extremely evil energies.

It also acted as a great way to cleanse the sin gathered by the land by funnelling them into a new race. In this way, the devilish Dao did not lose karmic luck.

…

Like the south sea, the west sea did not have anything that could stand against the dragon's march. The ancestral dragon personally made an appearance with his dragons and formed a new branch there.

His extremely high cultivation allowed for him to effortlessly defeat all the warring clans of the west sea. What was more was that this sea was the most bountiful aside form the east sea. It suffered no ravages unlike the north and south.

Zulong landed softly on a beach flexing his shoulders. In the sky dangled the defeated bodies of all the south sea ancestors who tried to challenge him.

Sixty eight Taiyi Golden Immortals fought him at once yet still lost miserably. But that was to be expected against a Da Luo Golden Immortal. These west sea seafolk could not even land a single hit while Zulong merely played with them.

"We greet your majesty," the defeated experts said. Their supporting experts took this moment to kowtow in defeat. Any plans of retaliation was shattered by Zulong's victory.

The strength of a Da Luo Golden Immortal was simply too much. They couldn't do a single thing even if they wanted to.

Zulong nodded and accepted their surrender. He proceeded to ignore them for now and headed deeper into the island. He had chosen to stop here as he recognised this place from afar.

Each step he took was the equivalent of a billion mortal steps. Zulong appeared instantly to where he wanted to go in a few steps. Looking up at the Jianmu tree towering above him and the stars beyond, he sighed in wonder.

"Hm, looks like aunt master put up a gate up there," he said after some observation. His eyes casually saw billions of kilometres into the air, up high into the peak of the Jianmu tree. A gateway had indeed been constructed there that filled the whole space.

"The Starry skies are aunt master's private residence," Zulong hummed. "I should send guards and servants up there to assist her," he decided.

The dragon suddenly jerked his head sideways. The fox like figure of Chenghuang stood on a root of the celestial tree observing him. Zulong narrowed his eyes in wonder as he saw the power of his fellow innate god had reached the latter stages of Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

"Twenty thousand years to reach this level, very impressive" he complimented.

"Thank you," Chenghuang answered softly.

"Still not much of a talker aren't you?" He teased. Chenghuang merely shook his head. "So, as you know, I am in charge now," Zulong said gesturing at the sea of kowtowing experts.

"What do you say of joining?" Zulong inquired.

Chenghuang looked contemplative. "You…" he seemed to hesitate before turning around. Zulong looked curiously as Chenghoung flickered his tail indicating the dragon to follow.

Zulong shrugged and flew after his fellow innate god.

The snow white Chenghuang leapt and ran across the wind. He easily crossed several kilometres and led the dragon towards a nearby island.

Zulong followed along leisurely. Seeing their patriarch depart, several dragon elders at the Golden Immortal realm followed after them.

"Patriarch!" They called out. However, Zulong merely signalled them to be silent. He did not object to them following however. He found the younger dragon's eagerness to please quite endearing actually.

"What do you want to show me?" Zulong asked curiously starring at an utterly barren island. However, he squinted his eyes noticing some oddities. However, no matter how he looked he couldn't see past the vast emptiness. But he did know something was wrong.

Just as he was about to forcefully break whatever was affecting him, Chenghuang called out.

"Noticed?" He asked softly. Zulong got the distinct feeling the white foxlike creature was amused.

"Okay, this is remarkable," Zulong complimented. Chenghuang took this moment to wave his tail. The illusion disrupting all senses was instantly dispelled revealing what was hiding underneath.

What greeted the dragon was perhaps one of the most beautiful places he'd ever laid eyes on. A country covered by fluffy snows and beautiful blossom trees and red roses. The water was clear and filled with beautiful crystal like water.

Numerous humanlike inhabitants resided here. They had pale skin and white hair. They all had red markings and were extremely beautiful be they man, woman, or child.

"White nation, protection," Chenghuang said. Zulong nodded in understanding. These people were weak by the standards of the primitive world. They did not have a single Golden Immortal presiding over them and lacked many meaningful fighters.

"All subjects are under my protection," Zulong stated. "My scales are their shield and my claws their swords."

Chenghuang nodded sensing the promise in Zulong's voice. He felt awed as Zulong spoke no doubt due to the unique power of the dragon's roar.

"Your majesty," Chenghuang knelt down on his four limbs mimicking a kowtow. Zulong nodded in understanding and satisfaction.

"Then the white nation show become part of my dragon empire. They too are my people and under my protection," Zulong stated. "This is my promise and my oath."

The heavens rumbled in confirmation with Zulong's words. The dragon nodded. "It's done," he muttered closing his eyes and floating into the air.

Zulong was extremely sensitive to the changes of heaven and earth. He could feel large convergences of mysterious energies from across the world. 'Karmic merit,' he thought.

Karmic merit was good karma attributed to those with great accomplishments that aided in the heavens. It was the same energy that gave either good fortune or bad fortune. It was and karmic luck was essentially one and the same.

As a Da Luo Golden Immortal, Zulong's senses were heightened to the extreme. He could easily identify the movements of karmic luck when he put his mind to it.

'There's so much,' he thought in surprise. He had not been paying attention to his own luck for a while. As such he was pleasantly surprised when he sensed an onslaught of great fortune centred around him.

"The luck of a sovereign," Zulong mused. "And what's more, I haven't even officially announced myself yet," he said in anticipation.

"Just how much would my luck multiply?" He contemplated. "Only time will tell. Men, let's get a move on," he commanded the floating dragons.

…

Meeting up with the submissive western sea clan leaders, he asked for places with rich primordial Qi. After all, places with a lot of Qi was ideal for constructing his west sea palace. They presented excellent cultivation spots and places to lay down formations.

Natural spiritual veins were interlocking laylines that highlighted places of immense concentration of primordial Qi. Zulong was searching for one with the aid of those overly familiar with the west sea.

With their aid, the west sea dragon palace was soon under construction at a well of primordial Qi located towards the central areas of the west sea. Zulong nodded satisfactorily at the construction process.

"Ao Yan," he called out to one of his dragon generals. "Any movements from the west continent?"

"No lord patriarch," the dragon said. "Our scouts said there have been no movements past the shore. In fact, several coastal cities were abandoned and left empty."

Zulong rubbed his chin and debated his next actions carefully. "We weren't exactly quiet about things yet Luohu just let me do whatever I want?"

"My understanding of the devilish Dao is deeper than most. They can definitely fend me off even with all my forces. But they didn't even try," he frowned.

"It seems neither the devilish Dao, the peacock, nor the horsey are too interested in the seas right now," he contemplated. "Fine, I'll head south to guard against the peacock for now."

"Ao Yan, take over command of the west sea dragon palace and the 3.4 millions dragons we brought with us. Hold fort unless the devilish Dao invades. The sky barges are fast enough for you to escape," the dragon instructed. "Relay the same order to the sea clans."

The younger dragon nodded and left. Zulong departed for his personal sky barge leaving his fleet behind in the process. All the while, he struggled to contain his own excitement.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

The east continent was in an uproar. The news of the three sovereigns took the world by storm. Three separate fifty Da Luo Golden Immortals had taken the opportunity to carve out large chunks of the world up into their own private territories.

The status quo as the primitive world had known it had been utterly shattered. In this day and age, various innate clans debated whether they should join one of these forces. Some also debated whether they would set their eyes on the east continent next.

All of this however, was meaningless to Hongjun. The ancestor of the great balance sat like a statue within Zixiao palace silently cultivating. He ignored the ongoings of the world as if nothing bothered him sitting on his purple prayer cushion.

Purple clouds swirled around him. Hongjun appeared extremely peaceful. A soft humming along with chanting could be heard. Inaudible for mortals and only understandable for the extraordinary.

Profound mysteries were created and disappeared within the same breath. Entire lineages of cultivation were thought up and discarded with but a thought. Primordial Qi circulate his body while his understanding towards the Dao continued to grow.

Hongjun slowly opened his eyes. The three flower crowns appeared above his head spinning with divine authority. Hongjun's eyes glowed with intense divine purple lights. His very essence was divinity of the highest order.

Two mysterious figures appeared on the left and right flower crowns. Two old men heavily resembling Hongjun sat upon the splendours like an immortal would a lotus seat.

They sat with hands clasped chanting softly cultivating just like Hongjun. They possessed the same level of insight but distinct feels. They could be recognised as Hongjun if one looked but that detail can often be overlooked.

Hongjun raised his right hand above his head.

"CUT!" He roared slicing down with his arm. His hall lit in vast purple light. They were like a wave of cosmic starlight illuminating the heavens like the heavenly river flowing through the nine heavens.

An intense Burts of energy erupted forth slamming and shaking the Zixiao palace to its foundation. The radiant force of a Da Luo Golden Immortal who has achieved a completed Dao path and thereby reached the great principle of primal chaos spread irradiated like a bright star.

In this instance, even Golden Immortals would be smited on accident by this energy pressure. Hongjun's forceful actions if done anywhere but within Zixiao palace would massacre living beings by the billions.

Then nothing happened.

Hongjun hunched his back frowning outwardly. He closed his eyes and recited several sutras before calming down from his disappointment.

"Forget it, these things take time," he sighed. "My progress is already too extraordinary as is." He manifested a tea set and boiled himself some spiritual tea before taking a small sip. He revelled in the taste and sighed in content.

"The path of Wuji is mysterious. But this era is still starting, we have another yuanhui before things really get serious," he comforted himself.

Taking another sip of tea, he began some divination into the status of the three sovereigns. When he got no results he didn't seem disappointed, rather he seemed to have expected this.

"Destined individuals are naturally protected after all," he said.

The key reason he couldn't track Da Hai, Zulong, or even Luohu and vice versa was because they were all protected by the Heavenly Dao. Da Hai even more so as he lived on Yingzhou which was a separate universe in and of itself being a chaos fragment.

Hongjun had personally gotten down and dirty and did detective work to work out the locations of Zufeng and Zulin. He followed rumours, sightings, and spiritual energies in order to find their location before tagging them.

He could never accomplish the same with Zulong as by then he had already begun living full time on Yingzhou and was thus out of reach. What's more, the east sea for the longest time was shrouded by the heavenly Dao which Hongjun wasn't willing to offend.

"To locate my obsession… Maybe I should," he mused simulating various possibilities in his head. This was the standard process for cultivators trying to break through, performing simulations before live experimentations. Most cultivators learned about what recourses they needed through this process.

Thankfully, the current world was still in a state where recourses weren't really necessary for cultivation outside of developing affinities or crafting. Hongjun silently went back to secluded cultivation after his short break.

…

Luohu tinkered away within his workshop. He neither sat nor meditated unlike Hongjun. Instead, he continuously worked on his new weapons, swords from their appearance. The devil ancestor was humming a cheerful tune that completely seemed out of place within his dark dungeon.

Occasionally he would pull a chained innate creature from their cage and experiment on them before moving on. He was energetic, proactive, and completely dead to the world.

Like Hongjun, Luohu ignored everything in the world except himself and the things he worked on. All the while, he circulated Qi and contemplated on the Dao. His body was on autopilot moving under instructions on any insights he gleamed.

This was how Luohu liked to cultivate. He would sit down and meditate but he also liked to work at the same time. Especially so now that he was inspired to create.

His recent battle with Hongjun had been embarrassing to him. While offensively he held the distinct advantage, defensively he was far inferior.

His offence while powerful, was not at a level where it could reliably pierce Hongjun's taiji painting. Hongjun's pangu banner on the other hand can reliably damage him and force him to retreat.

They may be neck and neck in cultivation realm and insight but in terms of battle power, Hongjun was the superior of the two. As such, Luohu wanted to rectify this.

The devil ancestor poured years upon years of work and was making steady progress. He had always been talented in bloodshed and things that caused such and this was no different.

Luohu was fully honest with himself. He would kill when he wanted to. He would teach who he wanted to. He would do whatever he wanted to do even if others disagreed with him. He would follow his own desires until the very end, indulge in whatever he wanted and live however he wanted.

Right now, the only thing Luohu wanted was to kill Hongjun. If he can't make it happen then he will do something to make it happen.

"Alright, let's test this," Luohu mused grabbing hold of a standard looking sword. The metal was dark grey and jewels embedded themselves on the handle.

Luohu turned towards a chained wolf looking at him with fear.

"Wai…" the wolf barely made out before Luohu slashed at him unflinchingly. He bisected the innate creature in one stroke and frowned. He tossed the sword aside and went back to his bench.

"The trapping effect didn't even activate," Luohu mused. He immediately got the work refining another slag of metal. Let none say Luohu was a quitter.

"No matter, there's still 49,000 other possibilities I have still yet to test," he said while moulding a new sword.

"Ah, Wuji oh Wuji. The great principle without limit. The paramount force without limit. Oh great Wuji," he sang. His progress wasn't fast but it was smooth. Hunyuan Wuji Luo Golden Immortal was an eventuality that he had long vowed to reach. He just never thought this would be how he does so.

…

Wangshu walked down a set of stairs down a dark stairway lit by torches containing mini suns. She looked incredibly uncertain at this process but nevertheless trudged on.

Her feet tapped against the dusty stone with soft taps. Yet the space was so empty that each of her footsteps made noticeable tapping sounds.

Wangshu arrived before a hidden study and walked into a small cultivation room complete with hanging calligraphy works and a prayer cushion. She walked past all of that wand punched into the brick wall.

Pulling across the wall revealed another hallway. The goddess obliterated the wall and stepped through. As she did so, more torches lit following her along.

Wangshu grimaces arriving at the final door. She pushed it open into an empty room. It was pure silver and contained nothing that could be seen. Nothing that could be sensed.

The only object was a floating wisp.

"Oh? Little girl, you back?" A mature woman's voice asked.

"Yeah," Wangshu replied. "Things have changed since last we spoke."

"Heh," the wisp chuckled. "And here I thought you wouldn't come around."

"Oh don't mistake me seeking your help as me liking you. I detest everything about your society," Wangshu sneered. "But the current world order necessitates me seeking your aid."

"Hmph, in the end, you're still the one seeking my aid. Ask away little girl, what is it you seek," the wisp relented.

"The path to Wuji," Wangshu revealed. She was met with silence as the wisp glanced at her in shock.

"Wu…Wuji? WUJI? You, you've actually… How the hell did you reach Hunyuan Da Luo so fast?" She practically screamed. Wangshu looked at the wisp unimpressed, she folded her arms and tapped her fingers waiting for her answer.

"Hai, youngsters," the wisp sighed. "I thought my generation was talented. No chaos life forms were ever quite like us. But to think a goddess from a chaos world utterly smashed out records."

"Cease your reminiscing Moon Demon god, I don't want to be here longer than necessary," Wangshu sneered.

"Heh fine," the wisp revealed to be Moon Demon god said. Wangshu could feel the wisp smirking at her even though it lacked any facial details.

The wisp's true identity was the Moon Demon god of the three thousand chaos godfiends. In the distant past, she was the moon lord of the celestial lunar temple, a major power among the godfiends society.

She was the counterpart of the Sun Demon god Lu Ya and worked alongside the sun deity as part of a larger alliance of godfiends. Together they were the supreme chaos lords of five planets seven stars.

After Pangu split the chaos apart and created the primitive world. Moon Demon god perished alongside her brethren. However, she ultimately failed to reincarnate and remained as a remnant spirit dwelling within the core of the lunar star's moon palace.

Her counterpart, Lu Ya had managed to survive but sadly perished as well in the early days.

"Very well, Moon Star lord," Moon Demon god said. Her sudden shift in tone indicated her change of topic. Wangshu was typically called little girl by her due to her carefree attitude.

Currently, Moon Demon god decided to refer to Wangshu as her proper position as Moon star lord. Technically speaking, as the highest authority among the stars, Wangshu's title could also be Heavenly Sovereign of the Highest Moon Palace.

"The path to Wuji is the path to Grand Dao," Moon Demon god stated. "The path to finding Wuji is simple but nigh impossible. Unlike the process of Dao creation, it is universal across all seekers of the Dao."

"By completing your Dao, you had already refined it to the highest level. Achieved the absolute realm of the supreme ultimate Taiji. But Wuji is not Taiji, it is the without limit ultimate that exists before Taiji," Moon Demon god explained.

"Get to the point, I already know this," Wangshu said impatiently. She was very unlike her usual self. Then again, she did not like dealing with the Moon Demon god.

"To achieve Wuji, you must work out the processes in which Wuji became Taiji. The grand principles of zero to one to two to three," Moon Demon god explained. "Any one of these principles when understood would elevate you to Wuji."

"That's it?" Wangshu asked slightly confused.

"Expecting something more?" Moon Demon god sounded amused. "Wuji is after all, a bridging realm to Dao. But it is still functionally still a Da Luo Golden Immortal. The great principle you seek is merely superior."

"I see," Wangshu said turning around to leave.

"Tell me Moon star lord," Moon Demon god's wisp said. "Would you finally be carving out your rightful destiny?"

"I am not your successor," Wangshu all but growled. "I refuse to conquer and enslave as you would have it."

"Hai, such a waste of potential," Moon Demon god scoffed. "Even so, you are still the sovereign of the stars. My title is one you own, Moon star lord."

"I don't care," Wangshu scoffed walking out of the room.

"You should. I named you a sovereign of the stars after all. Extreme Yin Primordial Sovereign, Holy Queen of the Highest Moon Palace," Moon Demon chanted. "You can be so much more than you are."

Wangshu ignored all that was said and sealed the room once more. She restored the brick and walked out no longer interested in staying.

"Wuji, the path is unclear but I have to reach it if only so that I have a chance to survive," she murmured.

Appearing on the balcony overlooking the starry sky, Wangshu starred in the distant great wilderness. "Good luck Da Hai, may you too see success on your path," she said. Turning away, Wangshu entered secluded cultivation.

…

Da Hai placed the letter he was reading down. Zulong had opted to remain in the south sea as deterrence against Zufeng until the dragon palaces are finished construction.

Progress was slowed down by a few thousand years due to the abrupt need to gather rich materials and laying down intricate formations. Si Hai's palace was damaged to the point where it was little better than a broken down shack.

The ancestor of the great sea rubbed his chin in thought. "The world's moving so fast," he mused. Yi Fei'e had challenged and successfully passed the Golden Immortal tribulation ascending to that illustrious realm that was slowly becoming more and more common.

The power standard was becoming higher and higher. Previously, Heavenly immortals were overlords while Golden Immortals were absolute gods. Nowadays, Golden Immortals were dime a dozen while Taiyi Golden Immortals were true experts

However, with the emergence of the three sovereigns, this was bound to change again. Da Luo Golden Immortals are the new overlord realm while everyone else were booted down the totem pole.

Da Hai contemplated his own cultivation. He was still stuck at the Hunyuan level of Da Luo Golden Immortal. His Dao has still yet to evolve beyond the level of primal chaos and it had bugged him to no end.

The Dao of distant seas has been expanded in all the ways Da Hai had thought of. He'd developed it to the absolute peak yet it still wasn't enough. The sea portion was already fully understood and the distant portion was nearly done.

Distant inherently meant far away. But also implies a degree of visibility. Da Hai understood this and created pellucid divine water, a substance that allowed for one to be unreachable yet close. It was also an Dao that excelled in remaining unnoticeable. He picked up a brush as he contemplated and began doing calligraphy, it was an activity he adopted that soothed him these days.

Da Hai was still contemplating when he heard a knocking sound. "Come in," he said.

"Master," Yi Fei'e greeted the sea god. "New letter from eldest senior brother," she said. Senior brother here referred to Zulong. Her term of reference has now changed with her status.

Picking up the letter, Da Hai read:

P.S. Forgot to write this part but I've also decided that after the palace's construction, I will hold my coronation in the East Sea Dragon Palace. Expect to see a massive influx of people in the coming years.

It was very short and concise. Da Hai frowned slightly as he thought about the dragon's situation.

"Dragon sovereign," he mused. He was incredibly proud of his disciples. However, he could not shake off that instinctive sense of fear. Not fear at his disciples, but fear at their destinies.

Doing so brought Da Hai back to when he first met them. To a time where he still desired to use them as his vanguard. A time where he was falling into an abyss of rage he hadn't even noticed.

"He will succeed in the end, right?" He questioned. Yi Fei'e looked curiously as her master's face slowly contorted to one of unsure fear.

'So many factors in this world, can Zulong stand against all stacked against him. The Phoenix, the Qilin, the Dragon are all pawns of the heavenly Dao destined to develop the world into the next era,' Da Hai thought with no small horror.

'Can I, let him do this?'

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Da Hai sat on his watching chair staring out into the night sky. These past few millennia have been some of the most exciting news in the primitive world's history. Yet for this great god of the early heavens, it was a trying time.

It can not be denied how proud Da Hai was of Zulong's rise to power. That dragon had in the span of ten thousand years, built his own clan with an incredibly stable foundation. Expanded that clan's population with the help of very energetic male and female dragons. Raise that clan to one with innumerable experts. Then sweeping across the four seas.

They had been incredibly fast taking mere half a dozen years to reach and take both the north and south seas. Then used a few more to take the west. Most of that time was travel time as no opponent could triumph against the ancestral dragon.

Most of the experts Zulong raised didn't even have to do anything but stand there and look tough. Though they were very effective at looking tough. After all, the sight of millions of dragons each ten thousand metres long at the smallest blanketing out the sky was quite intimidating.

Da Hai drank a small sip of wine and looked towards a piece of paper he'd been writing on. Notes about things he remembers about mythology and the development of the world.

It was not that he needed to do this as immortals possessed eidetic memories. Rather, it was very helpful in aiding him to think.

"Three beast sovereigns, three beast sovereigns," Da Hai mused depressingly. "Things have already progressed so far."

He looked at a nearby bowl of water. On it were projections of both Zufeng and Zulin. Both figures were recent renditions of their status. They no longer appeared like rogue cultivators like they were in the past but as actual royal rulers.

It was not especially hard to get information nowadays from east, south and north due to how connected the continents are. Of the three the south was undoubtedly the most populated. The north still suffered from the sinful actions of Shenni while the east was its own beast entirely.

The seas Willa always be larger and more populated than the continents. This domain Zulong had claimed will also be the most spread out and hardest to defend. He was bordered by both his rivals who were consequently a distance away from his primary base of operations.

"I can't kill them without arousing trouble I can't cope with," Da Hai thought with irritation. The jade brush in his hand started creaking with the amount of force the sea god was using.

Da Hai checked his own karmic luck before calculating his losses before feeling a chill. "Can't even think about that, what bullshit," he complained angrily.

Da Hai may consider himself an ally of the heavenly Dao, but let it not be said that sometimes he really hated that cosmic force.

"I can't let that happen," Da Hai mused covering his frown with his legs hand in a thinking pose. "I can't allow him to die. You most certainly cannot stop me."

Almost immediately, a flash of thunder rumbled in the distance prompting Da Hai to look out the window once more. "He's my disciple, my son and inheritor. Right now, he is the priority for me," he said out loud.

Some movement of the clouds outside his room seemed to indicate a level of understanding. But Da Hai got the feeling that his greatest ally didn't really agree with that last sentiment.

"I understand, the constant waging war inside you is painful," Da Hai admitted. "The battle between the Devil and Dao ancestors are inevitable. You can be sure that I will fight for you. But right now, something else takes precedence."

No responsive sound was heard. Da Hai sighed in relief. Normally, he didn't really want the world to turn against him. In truth, he quite liked the Heavenly Dao. It was tenacious and decisive. It knew what it wanted and it wanted to live. But it was also open to ideas and willing to heed others.

Just that the idea Hongjun, Luohu, and to an extent himself had fed into it proved to be one that was too lucrative to pass up.

If the era of the three beast sovereigns can be defined by anything it was the amount of experts they had. In this era, the primitive world was connected closely to the chaos sea. Sensing the Dao was easy and anyone could cultivate. The sheer number of Golden Immortals this era held was easily in the hundred millions, possibly even low billions.

So when the great tribulation happened, the power of these experts fed and empowered the heavenly Dao to obscene heights.

"This era is just starting but so many things are already set in stone. I…I am at fault as well," Da Hai sighed thinking more and more about Zulong's situation.

No matter what, even if Zulong was unambitious nor wished to fight, he will be forced to. Zufeng and Zulin will never let him rest. He would not be able to withstand their continuous pushes and will have to go to war himself.

Da Hai had no doubt Zulong can beat them but in the end, he too will be afflicted by the tribulation as a part of the war. His end will not be pretty. WHat's more, Hongjun and Luohu might even use this as an excuse to finish him off.

Da Hai looked at a portrait of his disciples hanging on the wall. It was taken thousands of years ago when Zulong crossed into the realm of Da Luo Golden Immortal and obtained the great principle of the Dao.

Zulong's Dao was one of royal authority. It symbolised his desire to rule as sovereign of the world. Despite how outwardly merciful and kind as the dragon was, he can be just as pragmatic and cruel if need be. There was a high chance he might implicate himself without knowing.

"The path of a sovereign is not a kind one," Da Hai mused. Suddenly he had an epiphany. His eyes widened in realisation.

"He hasn't announced himself yet," Da Hai uttered in realisation. "He's annexed territory but that's no different to a sect taking a mountain. He's not proclaimed himself as a candidate to rule the world. He hasn't connected to the dragon's karmic merit, not fully."

Da Hai adopted a thinking pose as he said, "There is still hope. Zulong cannot be allowed to become sovereign."

FLASH!

Da Hai faded out of existence, teleporting across Yingzhou towards the moth fairies. As residents of Yingzhou, even if they possessed strong cultivations, Da Hai can find them with no difficulty.

Yi Fei'e, Er Fei'e, San Fei'e, Si Fei'e, Wu'Fei'e, Liu Fei'e, and Chi Fei'e had in the time since coming to Yingzhou, all reached the Golden Immortal realm. They were all well on track to Taiyi Golden Immortal.

Though they don't really leave Yingzhou aside from errands for Da Hai, they've garnered a reputation as the Seven Illusionary Fairies. This was because they were all weirdly talented at illusion type spells. Spells Da Hai himself knew a lot about simply from living in Yingzhou.

The lot of women were sitting and eating a basket of homegrown spiritual fruits when Da Hai abruptly popped into said garden. It was one of many planted on Yingzhou by the moths who'd long been given free reign on this topic.

Da Hai's sudden appearance did not register to the minds of the fairies at first. After all, his brand of teleportation involved slipping in and out of existence rendering him completely untraceable.

"Hey try this one sis," San Fei'e said picking up a specially grown spiritual fruit for Yi Fei'e.

"Hope it's better than that last attempt, that one was just terrible," the head moth fairy said in good jest taking the fruit.

"Ahem!" Da Hai cleared his throat.

"Oh master," Er Fei'e said looking back briefly before turning back to her sisters. "MASTER!" only to immediately realise who was standing then and got up to greet him along with the rest of her sisters in a ninety degree bow.

Aside from Yi Fei'e, all the fairies were in name disciples. This means that while Da Hai taught them spells and the Dao, they did not inherit much from the sea god. Yi Fei'e on the other hand received personal defensive treasures and guidance on cultivation and Dao.

Yi Fei'e had received just as much guidance as her senior brothers before her and more so than her sisters and as such exceeded them by a wide degree. She was also one of the most trusted of all of Da Hai's subordinates.

"What is it master requires of us?" They asked.

"Deliver a message to Zulong for me," Da Hai said. "It doesn't matter how you do it, just as long as he receives it."

"What message does master wish to send?" Yi Fei'e inquired.

"I want to talk with him, privately on Yingzhou," Da Hai said before fading out of existence.

After a few moments, Yi Fei'e flicked her wrist packing away the tables and fruit baskets into her sleeve. "Right, break's over," she announced clapping her soft hands lightly.

"I guess I'll, you know what sisters. You lot barely leave the island as is. You six go out and tell senior brother," Yi Fei'e said smirking at their shocked faces.

"Eh? What? But it's so comfortable here. Besides big sister is so experienced with these errands and we're afraid we might mess it up," they tried to say.

"Which is why you all should get experience," Yi Fei'e suggested. "Well, we can't keep master waiting. Take one of the spare sky barges and go."

And so six of the seven moth fairies departed Yingzhou for the first time in twenty to thirty thousand years. They travelled to meet the dragon who was darting between the west, south, and east these days to oversee construction as well as to guard against Zufeng as most of the Da Luo powerhouses were up north to guard against Zulin.

…

Yi Fei'e wandered the gardens Yingzhou silently. Now that her sisters were gone, it was actually quite lonely. Her master Da Hai wasn't really one to make social calls and what's more, had entered secluded cultivation until her senior brother returned.

'Senior brother, how odd to refer to him like that,' Yi Fei'e thought wordlessly. They used to be a distance of lord and servant but now they were fellow disciples beneath Da Hai. They were essentially siblings of the same lineage.

Her strength had also improved by an order of magnitude. Her usage of weapons and spells had been improved though she hoped to test them in an actual fight one day. Sitting and reading about war and battle can only take you so far.

Some live practice was necessary especially when in this aspect of cultivation. This was why the moth decided to try using the new spell Da Hai taught her. Yi Fei'e readied herself and activated her spell. She faded out of existence similar to Da Hai and appeared in another section of Yingzhou.

This was the 'Distant Flash' spell that was a movement technique that allowed one to motionlessly fade in and out of existence. It was derived from Da Hai's Dao of distant seas. Da Hai figured out this spell by studying his own Dao and imparted it freely to all his disciples as it was a very strong survival skill.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much opportunity to use it. Zulong and the dragons being so overwhelmingly powerful and the moths having barely experienced any conflict.

Yi Fei'e took in the sight of a peaceful garden that appeared as she faded into view. "This is the koi pond garden," she realised. Her aim had been off, she was aiming for Yingzhou's fourth mountain peak.

She walked up to the pond and saw a colourful assortment of carps swimming about. Their colourful scales glistened in the crystal clear water and bright sunlight.

"Their cultivation is already quite high," Yi Fei'e mused. She watched as hundreds of carps came near the edge of the pond eager for a treat. These carps were really gluttonous.

In truth, although they acted as decorations, each and every one of these fishes were legitimate cultivators. Some had even crossed into the True Immortal realm and beyond over the years having fed of fish feed made of some of the best herbs available.

These fishes would all qualify as experts if they roamed outside. However since their treatment here was so good, they just remained as decorations. It wasn't as if Da Hai cared if they left or not. Yi Fei'e thought them pretty smart, no work yet reap all the benefits.

The size of the koi pond was massive. It was easily hundreds of metres in width and flowed into a river that led into a waterfall somewhere down the garden.

Seeing the carps giving her a pitiful look, Yi Fei'e sighed helplessly. She retrieved a bag from her sleeve and watched in amusement as the eyes of these hundreds of fishes lit up in gold.

What happened next was a carnage of battle as Yi Fei'e emptied the bag into the pond and watched in fascination as factions of carps assaulted each other for the food.

It was highly likely that there was an actual society of carps a little deeper into the pond. The moth simply never checked as it wasn't important and this place was only really interesting to her eldest senior brother.

"Those tactics that group is using though," Yi Fei'e watched in fascination as a mini war went on. An army of carps had attacked in a pincer formation and trapped another before forcing them into a cage while they got the food.

War wasn't a subject people associated with Yi Fei'e due to her dainty fragile appearance. It also wasn't something she shared with people nor something she talked about nor kept notes on. But it was something she found interesting and liked to read about in her free time. That and romance novels, the creativity of east sea seafolk with too much time on their hands were extraordinary.

ROOM!

"Hm?" Yi Fei'e curiously turned her head. A sudden shift in temperature was felt as the ground shook slightly. Strangely, it was a familiar energy signature.

"This feeling?" Yi Fei'e mused. "Senior brother? No, too weak. Not any of the dragons either, this one feels new."

Yi Fei'e stepped forwards crossing thousands of steps in a single step. She followed the river leading out of the koi pond for quite a distance until she reached a waterfall.

This place was connected to the main koi pond but none of the carps liked to come here. In fact, Zulong's pet project had picked this place to be his cave abode for secluded cultivation.

Yi Fei'e gazed curiously at the waterfall. She looked up and saw dark clouds teeming with lightning, fire, and ice. A large amount of heavenly energies was gathering.

"Someone here is undergoing the Immortal tribulation," she said. The waterfall was hitting the surface of the river harshly. Some droplets went up to the moth fairy only to fade past her as if she was never there.

Yi Fei'e watched in fascination as instead of striking down, heavenly wind, heavenly fire, heavenly water, and heavenly lightning descended in unison converging on the waterfall.

It was a first in history as a gateway morphed just before the waterfall nearly touching it. Yi Fei'e could feel an oppressive force behind this gate. The gravitational force must be horrendously strong. Though it was all focused on the other side behind the waterfall, Yi Fei'e could still feel strong energy coming from it.

The moth fairy retreated a hundred steps not wanting to be caught up in this tribulation. It wouldn't really affect her at all but she didn't want to dirty herself.

This heavenly gate was adorned by dragons on all sides. It was unlike any Immortal tribulation Yi Fei'e had ever seen in her life. More unique and mysterious than even her own which itself was quite powerful.

RUMBLE!

The gateway groaned. A shadow was visible on the other side of the waterfall. On the other side of the gateway struggling. Yi Fei'e had a distinct feeling she knew who it was.

Only one cultivation manual can possibly generate this. She hadn't worked on the project herself but she has read it and memorised it herself. She'd also seen the dragon clan cultivating it for themselves as well. Though no one else had tried other than dragons as this method was tailor made for dragons.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

The shadow on the other side struggled, it swished and swooshed struggling to move. Yi Fei'e tilted her he'd curious if it'll succeed. Her senior brother had staked a lot on this fish after all.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

The fierce heavenly wind erupted from the gate blowing against the grass and trees. Yi Fei'e herself was unaffected but she could sense the carps nearby had gone deep underwater.

"What the hell is going on?" One of the carp elders screeched. He was a Profound Immortal senior yet was clueless.

"Could it be that runt fellow?" Another immortal carp asked.

There was panicked discussion among them as this tribulation scared the Profound Immortals and the one Heavenly Immortal elder they had. Yi Fei'e wordlessly formed a spatial barrier over the koi pond. It won't do if they all died under her watch.

Tap!

Da Hai's soft footstep landed beside Yi Fei'e. The sea god looked sharply at the gateway grinning. "Working as intended," he mused.

"Master," Yi Fei'e greeted.

"Hm," Da Hai acknowledged.

The two watched in silence as the shadow became bigger and bigger. The shaking was getting more and more intense. Even the gate was quivering as the shadow approached the surface.

"He's coming," Da Hai stated.

BOOM!

The waterfall erupted and the gateway smashed to bits. A gargantuan serpentine figure erupted from both destroying and absorbing the gateway into his long scaly body.

This being was once a carp fish living in the pond. He had decent talent but was small and weak for his group. His parents were near the end of their lives and had all but given up on him.

One day, he received a manual from the owners. These beings saw to their care with enriching food and a safe environment. Children like him would often hear stories from their forefathers about how scary the outside was and that they should appreciate the owners.

After that event, this carp fish cultivated hard. He reforged his bones according to the manual, he reforged his organs, his flesh, his tendons, his veins, and soul. He followed the manual as he crossed the gateway and obtained true dragon blood transforming his body entirely.

He entered the trial on one side of the waterfall as a small carp and exited as a long, powerful, and wise dragon. He measured over ten thousand metres in length with a crocodilian head, a lion's mane, catfish whiskers, muscular bull like limbs, long sharp claws, and a snake's body.

His scales felt invincible and his power was unlike anything he'd felt before. He felt as if he could fight dozens of carp Profound Immortals and win soundly.

"History is made today," Yi Fei'e said smiling brightly. She was genuinely happy and couldn't wait to tell her senior brother on his success.

"Yes, yes it was," Da Hai said frowning. He did not show it to Yi Fei'e but he secretly didn't want this to happen. 'Now Zulong will be even sure of himself. He'd be one step closer to his demise,' Da Hai thought gripping his fist.

As Yi Fei'e clapped in celebration, the only thought crossing Da Hai's mind was, 'I can't allow that to happen.'

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

Managing four separate estates was a pain. This was even more so when these estates were massive palaces that were in charge of four of the largest territories of the entire universe, surrounded by enemies, still in construction, and years apart even in the fastest travel time.

Zulong, for all his power, could not be everywhere at once. He could not possibly manage the west, south, north, and east seas as well as focusing on his own cultivation and projects. But he had known this for over fifty thousand years.

Three of the four symbols guard the north with 2.3 million dragons moving in. That population was expected to grow and already the first batch of eggs numbered in the hundred thousands. They would be able to defend against a possible invasion by Zulin long enough for Zulong to receive news and arrive to help.

Yinglong guards the south along with 5.9 million dragons adding on hundreds of millions of experts from the east sea as well as the newly ascended Da Luo Golden Immortals Mosasaur and Plesiosaur ancestor.

The west had Chenghuang who was soon to reach Da Luo, 3.4 million dragons and the Colossal Shark ancestor. Though due to the movements, or lack there off, the west sea was deemed low priority for the experts under him.

Zulong himself remained in the east and cycled between the rest of the four seas to oversee constructions. Four massive formations were being constructed along with the palaces and these were tantamount to the defences of his headquarters.

Thousands of years ago, Zulong had devised with Da Hai a powerful formation that could defend as well as keep itself hidden from unwanted visitors. Using Da Hai's Dao of Ever Distant Seas and Zulong's Imperial Rule Dao, a formation was crafted.

This was the Overbearing Nine Claws Suppression Formation. It was able to repel attacks by Da Luo Golden Immortals and entrap foes with senses distorting illusions. At the same time, it generated overbearing pressure that threatened to crush the enemy.

However, though it was, it needed exceptionally powerful spiritual veins to be laid in place as well as extremely powerful artefacts. For this purpose, Zulong crafted four dragon pearls that were of the high grade xiantian spiritual treasure quality.

These dragon pearls were designed for the sole purpose of maintaining these formations. They however did absolutely nothing else and were useless other than being in a formation.

Currently, Zulong was within the east sea. The construction of the North Sea Dragon Palace was long completed and the other seas were nearing completion as well. This proud dragon was naturally in a great mood.

Because of the situation, the north sea took priority and had extra formations in place to trap the Pure Yin Pale Water. Reports from dragons studying that place also indicated some other forces beyond the lake that Zulong wasn't sure about.

However, those investigations can be put on the back burner for now. The ancestral dragon had other pressing matters to attend to.

Zulong sat within a meeting room with a horde of ministers. Powerful Golden Immortals served as guards and stood on all sides. These were some of the dragon elites who'd denied managing roles.

The ministers were made up of an ensemble of sea creatures from shrimps, to stingrays, sharks, crabs, and most importantly turtles. Much of the primordial turtle clan and their subsidiary's bureaucracy was absorbed into the dragon's proto-government.

"And that concludes the census for the Misty Jade Sea province. Now the Red Pearl Sea province has seen some growth in…" and on and on it went as a turtle minister went over little changes in the east sea. Zulong listened attentively in the main seat. His orders are absolute but he preferred to have advisers and people more experienced than he in these topics.

This was why the Primordial Turtle King was sitting beside him chiming in whenever it became necessary. A second opinion from a fellow ruler was always welcome. It was a big leap to change from city lord to monarch after all.

Hours past as the topics of buildings and infrastructure was discussed. The income of recourses the dragons were collecting was frankly insane. Zulong normally used these recourses to continuously produce powerful fighters as well as develop cities with powerful formations. Yet still, they have leftovers that can be exchanged with clans from the continents proper.

"Your majesty, the bulk of Yellow Earth Granite has arrived. We can begin construction on the ceremonial platform soon," a turtle minister said.

"I see, and what of the Jade Heavenly Blaze? Has the torches made of Silver Treasured Birch arrived yet?" Zulong asked.

"Unfortunately your majesty, the baboon clans who control the silver forests are still yet to send out what we ordered. But the transaction has already been made and they should be here by the decade."

"Very well, and the rest of the ceremonial decorations?" Zulong asked scanning around the room.

"Of course your majesty," the ministers quickly handed over the list of things that were ready and those that were not.

"Hm, it seems we are ahead of schedule," Zulong nodded satisfyingly. "Turtle King, how fast do you think the south and west sea Dragon Palaces can be completed based on the trajectory of materials harvested?"

"Based on the amazing success we've been seeing in our mines and forest farms, perhaps nineteen more years will see to the South Sea Dragon Palace's completion. This is of course without factoring in what the south sea has harvested," the Turtle King said.

"The west sea due to its distance will take a little longer. The Celestial Steel Wood, Cloud Rain Wood and Aquatic Prismatic Ore are only found in the east after all," he added. "The extensions to the original plans have halted the construction somewhat but we should see completion by the end of this century."

"Very well, it seems all things are progressing smoothly," Zulong said.

"It is all thanks to your majesty's hard work. The sheer amount of karmic luck has positively affected our gains and elevated our productivity by at least 500%," a crab minister praised.

What this crab said was true. Zulong's past actions had garnered a lot of merit from the Heavenly Dao and through that gained a tremendous amount of karmic luck. This allowed the dragon to see too many fortunes successes to count in his short tenure as a ruler.

The meeting went on for a little while longer with Zulong ordering for more alchemical pills for the dragons and rising talents from other clans as well as the opening of more farms for herbs needed for said pills.

"If nothing else is urgent…dismissed," Zulong concluded. "Return to your stations and make the glory of the four seas known," he commanded.

"Yes your majesty," the ministers kowtowed in reverence before leaving. They left the room one after the other after Zulong's decree returning to whatever other jobs they had. This left the Primordial Turtle King alone with the dragon

"Now then father-in-law, where has Yu'er gone? I haven't seen her this morning," Zulong asked. "Normally she would be here for court but instead she sent pill master Bao Yanzi instead."

"Yes, it was a bit strange she wasn't there. I haven't seen Yu'er since yesterday when she retired with you," the turtle kind replied. "I'm sure she's fine though. Probably too busy conducting alchemical experiments."

"Hm," Zulong rubbed his chin. His ears, powerful as they were, could pick up all the sounds in the palace. It wasn't that hard for him to overhear what he wanted.

"Pill tower? She's consulting Ao Jin?" Zulong frowned.

"The physician?" The turtle king said worriedly. "Hai, I knew she shouldn't have been working so hard."

"I suppose I'll drop by and see how she's doing. Her condition isn't too ideal for working after all," Zulong said beginning to make his way towards the resident pill tower.

"I concur, I don't know why she insists on working so hard even though she's now with child," the turtle king grumbled. "Hai, she's always been too stubborn."

"We need to hurry in case this is an emergency," Zulong commanded.

The path to the pill tower was a long one. It was built in close proximity to the barracks. This was because the tower served a double purpose as a hospital as alchemists and physicians walked hand in hand.

The Pill tower itself was a massive building. It was easily several kilometres in length and width and at least a thousand kilometres high. It was a grand building that had a lot of input from the turtles as they were skilled alchemists in general.

The two entered the pill tower and walked past all the working alchemists before arriving at the top. They skipped past floors upon floors of alchemists hard at work concocting pills and materials for other pills.

Alchemy was a gruelling process and a single batch of pills can often take weeks to months to years to process. This was also with very skilled alchemists. The difficulty only goes up as the quality and the level of pills goes up.

The former princess had grown very powerful over the years. With the aid of Da Hai and Zulong, she formed her primal unity and ascended to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm astoundingly quick for postnatal creatures. Even her father fell behind her in terms of prowess.

Throughout the years since, she'd also taken to a managing duty. Because Zulong supervised all corners of the vast ocean, Gui Daiyu managed the east sea for him just as Yinglong is doing now with the south. She was an integral part of the empire and one of the government's inner circle.

"That girl is putting too much stress on herself," the turtle king sighed. Zulong nodded in agreement as well. Yet he chose to follow her wishes.

Zulong opened the door to the top of the spill tower. His wife and confidant Gui Daiyu sat inside with a dragon physician checking over her body.

While the pill tower was normally a place for alchemical resources, it also dubbed as a hospital. Alchemists were also physicians specialising in both medical and cultivation pills.

Gui Daiyu was herself an exceptional alchemist being skilled in pill making. It was quite common to find her working and training the dragons in this field. Even Zulong has to admit defeat to her in this field.

Gui Daiyu has always been beautiful even among the denizens of the east sea and innate gods of the primitive world. Even now after forty thousand or so years, she was still a charming woman. However now the most notable aspect of the dragon empress was her slightly bulging belly.

"It seems to have formed an eg…Hm? Oh, greetings lord patriarch, greetings your excellency," the dragon physician checking Gui Daiyu over kowtowed towards Zulong and the turtle king in reverence.

"Get up Ao Jin," Zulong said. "Yu'er, how are you holding up," he said tenderly to his wife. His arrogant demeanour receded back into his body.

"Zulong, you don't have to treat me so fragilely," Gui Daiyu smirked. "I'm perfectly capable of any activity. I'm simply here for a second opinion, nothing more."

Zulong smiled and looked down in some embarrassment. He'd neglected a court meeting today when he heard his wife had gone here. After all, his child was a source of his worry these days and one of the reasons he hasn't left the east sea in decades.

"I know, but this is a first for me," Zulong complained. "We're not even sure if you're laying an egg or doing a live birth." The turtle king beside him also nodded energetically.

"That's right Yu'er, the mixture of such powerful bloodlines is guaranteed to produce a powerful child but also a tough birth. Bringing powerful beings into existence has historically been harsh on the mother," the turtle king reminded.

"Hai, Zulong go back to work," Gui Daiyu scolded. "And you father, don't encourage him. I'm a Taiyi Golden Immortal as well. All those examples you're thinking of were mortal mothers and immortal fathers, of course incidents might happen."

"Besides, Ao Jin and I are pretty sure I'm laying an egg. Dragons and turtles both lay eggs so no reason I won't," she said. She hurried Zulong out of the room. "The empire needs you more than me, paperwork won't sign themselves, orders won't give themselves, dreams don't see themselves into fruition."

"Okay, okay, it's just a small checkup," Zulong smiled bashfully. Any other creature will be utterly astounded by this interaction as it was incredibly out of character. Even his own brothers were confused by it when they first met the Guy Daiyu.

"Come on turtle king, as my wife says, we have work to do," Zulong announced bringing his father-in-law away with him.

THOOM!

"Hm?" Zulong quickly looked around tensing for a fight. The turtle king, Gui Daiyu and Ao Jin also tensed. However he sensed nothing hostile nor foreign is he calmed down.

"What was that?" Gui Daiyu asked. Her senses were not as advanced as the dragons but it was strong. But even she did not sense anything.

"It was only a physical aftermath, whatever caused that as quite a distance away," Zulong murmured. He flexed all his senses and caught the tail end of a sound.

A familiar roar that reminded him of his own and the ones of his brethren. "Dragon's roar?" He said star ringing out a nearby window and into the sky. "Signs of a Heavenly Tribulation, a strong one by the looks of it," he said recognising the movement of heavenly energies.

"Could it be?" Zulong mused. "Has that fish crossed the Heavenly Tribulation already?"

"Huh, I guess your cultivation method works for non dragons after all," Gui Daiyu said beside him.

"Heh, haha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Zulong laughed joyously. "This is wonderful news."

"I guess we should schedule your coronation properly now," his wife chimed in. "As soon as the palace construction finishes?"

"Yes as soon as they finish," Zulong nodded. "We should send invites all across the world. All the continents and all the seas. Let them see the glory that is us the dragons. I see it Yu'er, one nation, one people, all united beneath the name dragon."

"I'll admit, it is a smart way to get everyone to identify as dragon," Gui Daiyu nodded. "I guess I'll begin initiating the advertisement campaign."

"We'll announce it at my coronation," Zulong said. "I'll contact master and get him to send that fish over. A live example visible is always better than things said on paper."

'Hmph, what Phoenix Sovereign? What Qilin Sovereign? Nothing can stand against me and my dragons,' Zulong thought viciously.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

A long time ago, Zulong vowed to become sovereign of the universe. At the time, he thought he could do so with overwhelming strength and charisma. He committed himself to years of training within the east sea. However, he discovered no one was willing to follow him inspite of his strength and mercy.

Years later, he returned and gained great reputation as a successful city lord. He had a good reputation and strong backing that to the people of the east sea made him the successor of their god.

After that, the dragon became wise and cautious. He wished for an unshakable foundation and studied the situation of the world through personal travels. He learned and understood the nature of the places he wanted to rule. He learned and adopted ideas from outside.

The vision he foresaw was a world united under one banner. Dragons, the supreme clan of the empire. This word will not represent just the Primordial Celestial Dragon Clan, it represented all inhabitants of the seas. It was cultivation, it was a culture, it was everyone.

Zulong chuckled merrily toasting himself. The event had set in and the sun star was no longer in view. The watchful gaze of the lunar star now illuminated the world as the ancestral dragon poured himself a cup of spiritual wine.

"Ah! Life is great," he cheered. His celebratory mood could not be ruined at this point. He was essentially done with the preparatory steps and had made such progress that he'd overtaken the avians and the beasts for sure.

"What Phoenix? What Qilin? Just a peacock and a horsey overreaching their place," Zulong snorted with contempt. "Just a slap of my tail already sent them both packing. Hmph, just a bunch of small fries."

Zulong chugged down the drink with eagerness. "Ah, nothing like master's homebrew wine," he winced at the singing from his throat. The chaotic energy from the void harvested and mixed into the drink could tear apart even the bodies of Golden Immortals.

Only top tier powerhouses like Zulong can casually drink this wine without decapitating themselves in the process. The dragon quite liked the buzz it gave him.

"Zulong, do you think you should be gloating so early?" Gui Daiyu asked worriedly. "After all, those two are still incredibly powerful existences."

"And? I've beaten both of them easily and if it wasn't for some tricks they would've been dead," the dragon sneered at the memory. "That horsey is lucky he has such a useful gift. Trust me Yu'er, once I have him cornered, I'll take his head."

"Just be cautious, those tricks you've mentioned are still incredibly dangerous. I mean causality manipulation and instant recovery? Even you can't manage that," Gui Daiyu sighed taking a sip of her own cup. Her glass was filled with fruit juices instead of wine.

"Hmph, horsey's luck will run out eventually. He's stupid to waste his karmic luck like that. I can do the exact same thing he did for an even longer period of time. But that's just wasting the luck of my nation," Zulong said.

"If he was so confident to use it all without hesitation, then he must have some way to replenish them," Gui Daiyu said cautiously. "It's not that I don't know you're stronger, but those two, especially the northern Qilin seem to have a lot more hidden."

"Unless he goes around being a good samaritan every second of his life, that kind of luck usage isn't something he can replenish," Zulong scoffed. "There won't be a next time Yu'er. You should be more concerned about your own wellbeing and our child's not some nobodies who can do nothing but run."

Gui Daiyu smiled softly, her earrings glistening along with her. "I suppose I should. He's coming along very healthy."

"His? You divined it already?"

"Just a feeling," the turtle said. "He'd be a strong one. Neither of us were weak when we conceived. He'd be born an immortal at the very least."

"He better be, he's the son of Zulong," the proud dragon said triumphantly. "As the son of the dragon, of course he'd grow up to be a powerhouse."

"Don't you mean because he's the son of Guy Daiyu?" His wife smirked.

"Of course, it'll be because of both of us," Zulong said smiling brightly along with his wife. He felt nothing in this world could stop him now. He had a family he could count on, powerful subordinates, an indestructible foundation, and enough luck to choke on. What could possibly halt this dragon's march?

"By the way, would lord Da Hai be coming here soon?" Gui Daiyu asked.

"Of course, I sent the invitation letter myself," Zulong said with mock hurt. "Master deserves the best invitation. No mere message crystal would ever suffice, especially not for this occasion."

"Hm, it seems only yesterday when we were still planning how best to take the other three seas," Gui Daiyu mused smiling fondly at the memory. "You thought it'll take another five thousand years, not less than a hundred. Now only a few hundred years later, you're ready to crown yourself." She raised her cup forward.

"What can I say? The heavens favour me," Zulong raised his wine cup and toasted her. "So further successes and great fortune."

"To further successes and great fortune," Gui Daiyu replied.

…

The golden light of merit hovered over Zulong's eye. He'd been observing his own karmic luck and even though this was probably the hundredth time he probed himself, the amount still astounded him.

"Naturally of course" he mused smiling giddily. He could sense some amount of luck had been diminished no doubt due to the good fortune he'd been experiencing. But he also felt it increasing to fill out the gap.

Zulong's source of luck was like a burning star in comparison to the torches everyone else held. He was incomparable to even the most fortunate of individuals.

Only the other sovereigns could in theory rival Zulong's own luck. He couldn't be sure of theirs as their location was not only too far but their cultivation would bar even his senses. But he was sure they were combined, still less than a fraction of his own.

"It is only natural as it is me," he mused giddily. With so much fortune at his fingertips, he was practically invincible. His dragon empire is bound to continuously grow to an unrivalled state.

What Phoenix Sovereign? What Qilin Sovereign? What Devil Ancestor? Can all three of them even compare to the mighty dragon and his seas? This was the continuous thought running through Zulong's mind.

Zulong stood on the highest balcony of the east sea dragon palace overlooking the east sea. His celestial eyes oversaw the ocean in all directions. The east sea capital, Xuanlong Cheng was a marvel. Thousands of times larger than his first city and equipped with a farm stronger formation.

"Your majesty?" A voice called out.

Zulong turned his head slowly and glared at annoyance. He'd been peacefully marvelling at his work. To be snapped out of it was simply rude.

"What is it Ao Hu?" He asked in annoyance. The dragon he was speaking to was one of the stronger dragons with special status within the palace. He was a fairly powerful Taiyi Golden Immortal.

"A thousand apologies your majesty but special guests have arrived," the dragon said apologetically. Zulong in his bout of annoyance had unwittingly released a surge of powerful energy. Even this Taiyi Golden Immortal couldn't help but feel an intrinsic fear of dealing with a vastly superior being.

The chasm between both members of the dragon race was immense. Despite Ao Hu being functionally similar to Zulong with no lesser disadvantages in terms of the dragon bloodline, he was still a mere ant in comparison to Zulong's star.

"Ladies Er Fei'e, San Fei'e, Si Fei'e, Wu Fei'e, Liu Fei'e, and Chi Fei'e are here," he quickly said.

"My junior sisters are here? That was fast, the letter was only sent out days ago," Zulong contemplated. The location of the East Sea Dragon Palace wasn't that close to Yingzhou. Then again, Yingzhou could shift its location even though Da Hai never really used that ability.

"When did they arrive?" The dragon patriarch asked calming down.

"Moments ago your majesty. The exalted ladies arrived at the city edges and were immediately invited here," Ao Hu stated.

Nodding in understanding, Zulong said, "Invite them over to the largest guest hall on the right wing. I shall meet them there." He turned around and teleported out of view fading out of existence similar to all others in Yingzhou's lineage.

Zulng reappeared at the designated guest hall and sat down at the main seat. He sat there for around ten minutes before servants began coming in with sets of tea and snacks imported from the east continent. They were picking up popularity among the inhabitants among the sea and dragon clans.

Zulong didn't have to wait long. Only about an hour passed before six of the seven moth fairies arrived. They were all stunningly beautiful resembling snow women with hints of illusionary prowess.

"Junior apprentice sisters, welcome to my domain," Zulong greeted.

"We sisters greet eldest senior brother," the moth fairies said in unison saluting him before taking their seats. They were served plenty of tea and snacks as a show of good faith from the elder dragon.

"Haha, no need to stand on occasion, we've all known each other for too long for that," Zulong said jollily. "Take a seat and try some of these delicacies."

"Thank you senior brother." "Ooooh, what are these?" Er Fei'e and Liu Fei'e said together.

"Commodities from the east continent," Zulong said. "Nothing much, but they are quite good."

The dragon sat back and watched as the sapient moth cultivators tried all sorts of snacks. They were surprisingly good at appraising them. Zulong curiously wondered what they've been up to since being promoted to in name disciples.

"So, what brought you all here?" He asked. He'd initially assumed they arrived due to his invitation letter to his upcoming coronation. However, that event was still a few decades off.

Da Hai was also not present and he knew his master will come to such an event. What's more telling was that they arrived here so soon which probably meant they left Yingzhou way before he sent that letter out.

Even Zulong needed a month or so to get to Yingzhou, less if he exhausts himself to his limits but doing so would be hazardous to his health and unnecessary. As such he concluded they were likely here for another matter.

"Oh right," Liu Fei'e yelped while Er and San Fei'e sighed shrugging. Er Fei'e quickly cleared her throat and began declaring her message.

"Actually, master sent us," she said. "Master what's you to return to Yingzhou for a meeting."

"A meeting?" Zulong raised his eyebrow curiously. "What would master want?"

"Unfortunately I have no idea," Er Fei'e said. "He only told us to fetch you and little else."

"Might have to do with the new dragon," Wu Fei'e chimed in. "It was a pretty big commotion. Rocked the whole island and everything."

"Hm, how is he? How strong I mean," Zulong asked about the carp turned dragon.

"Very strong, he broke through to Profound Immortal directly after ascending," Er Fei'e reported. "Surprised us as well, we didn't even know that was possible."

"Right, right, He directly mastered the water element and ascended to Profound Immortal. Though I don't think he's tested his power yet, at least not when we were still there," she added.

"I see," Zulong rubbed his chin. "That's joyous news. Hahahahahaha!" the dragon laughed joyously. "Your's truly's Draconic Dao is a top tier method after all."

"Yes, senior brother's invention was terrifying. I'm a Heavenly Immortal and even I don't think I can pierce that carp dragon's scales," San Fei'e clapped her hands and complimented.

"Heh, little sisters must practise hard. You're all talented and Golden Immortal is not that hard to reach," Zulong praised.

"Very well, if master desires to speak with me then I shall head out in haste," he declared. He stood up and fixed up his black robes. "Will you all be returning with me?" He asked the moths.

"Hm, master didn't give any instructions about that," Er Fei'e placed a finger on her chin in thought. "Can we stay here? We hardly ever leave Yingzhou."

"Sure, I'll settle you all down. Yu'er will love the company," Zulong said. His mood was astonishingly good and has been for many years now. Things could only continue to go up for this dragon.

…

Days later, Zulong notified Gui Daiyu and various ministers. He settled his junior sisters down in royal guest chambers and entrusted the ruling of the east sea to his father-in-law the Primordial Turtle King.

"Take care Yu'er," he informed his wife. "I'll be seeing master now. It probably won't be too long, a couple of months at most."

"Of course, stay safe husband," Gui Daiyu smiled.

"And I you wife," Zulong gave her a passionate kiss.

Gui Daiyu has been pregnant for half a dozen years now. For immortals, it wasn't that strange for them to carry their children for years on end. In Gui Daiyu's case, she was carrying an egg that will itself have an incubation period.

With the immense power of Zulong and Gui Daiyu. The approximate birth of their first child won't be for several hundred to a thousand years. Ten thousand years was also possible if calculated on the higher spectrum of things.

The talent of that child was also expected to be incredibly high. Zulong was hopeful for them to be born a Heavenly Immortal. Perhaps even a Golden Immortal if he was extremely lucky. That was on the same level as first generation innate creatures and innate gods, the highest form of xiantian lifeforms.

"Alright, take care," Zulong announced before departing in a blaze of yellow and black light. His titanic body unfurled beneath the waves. He shot like a torpedo eastward directly for Yingzhou.

PLOOM!

Zulong broke out of the ocean surface ascending for the clouds. He flew as high as he can without punching into the void laughing joyfully. Looking down upon the world, the dragon performed twirls and hoops mid air.

Zulong felt like the top of the world. He couldn't wait to see and report to Da Hai once again. For the past years, he'd only communicated through messages but never face to face.

Now faced with the prospects of reporting his successes face to face. Zulong simply couldn't contain his excitement. He was unlike a regal monarch and more like a child who just won his first competition.

Clouds danced around the serpentine dragon's body resembling carriages hurrying the dragon along. His speed with his current cultivation was far higher than 99.99% of living creatures within the primitive world.

"Yingzhou, here I come," he announced in the air. For someone who's lived most of their life on that island, Zulong was incredibly familiar with the celestial mountain. What's more, he was one of the few capable of tracking it despite its natural disposition.

After two months of flight, Zulong finally detected the mystical energies of Yingzhou. This celestial mountain was one of the best in the world. Its environment was incredibly suitable for cultivation, more so then the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Zulong felt that his master deserved nothing less. This same great ancestor who produced the Sovereign of the Sea, Patriarch of Dragons, and Ancestor of the Draconic Dao.

Zulong entered the illusionary Barries of Yingzhou, crossing the brief areas of chaos that lied between. Yingzhou was an island that was simultaneously within the primitive world yet simultaneously not. It was perpetually out of reach if iso desired. Perpetually distant if you will.

The astronomical size of the dragon shifted back into his handsome human form. Zulong was incredibly handsome by human standards and appeared to be a young man in his mid-twenties. His black and yellow robes were elaborate depicting his vast wealth and power.

"Master, I am here," Zulong announced triumphantly with a salute. He strolled up the path leading up to Da Hai's palace brimming with confidence.

Da Hai's resident was a grand place, well maintained and regularly updated by his disciples over the years. Over time, it became grander than originally intended. Zulong, Yinglong, Yi Fei'e etc all had a good eye for architectural design after all.

"Junior sister," Zulong greeted Yi Fei'e who was awaiting him. Beside her stood a young man appearing sixteen years old with long hair and dragon antlers. "Fish, I didn't even recognise you," he said.

"Senior brother," Yi Fei'e returned the greeting. "It is good to see you visit again. I assume my sisters are staying in the East Sea Dragon Palace?"

"Yes, they said they didn't spend much time outside so why not?" Zulong shrugged

"Indeed, it will do them well to gain some experience. I just hope they won't make trouble for senior brother," Yi Fei'e said.

"Master," the carp dragon bowed to Zulong at a stiff ninety degree. "I still have not thanked master for granting me the Draconic Dao."

"Hm, I guess that will make you an apprentice of mine. Do you have a name?" Zulong asked.

"This one was named Shao Koi by my mother," the newly arisen dragon said.

"Small Koi? That won't do, you need a powerful name," Zulong scratched his chin in thought. "You preserved hard to reach this state, so how about Jian Koilong?"

"Persevere Koi dragon? Thank you for granting me this name," Jian Koilong said.

"Of course, you are a member of my Primordial Celestial Dragon clan now, not some fish living in a pond," Zulong waved. "You'll join me in the East Sea Dragon Palace once I return."

"Of course," Jian Koilong accepted. He had never really fit in with the carps raised on Yingzhou in the first place and he'd already scarred most of them half to death. Might as well find a new future.

Yi Fei'e stood on the side and opened the door for Zulong. The massive doors swing open into a massive empty hall held up by sturdy pillars.

Da Hai's hall was decorated with statues of corals, pots, and weapons such as spears, swords, and halberds. The floor tiles were navy blue with the pillars being hugged by flairs of yellow, red, green, and light blue.

Da Hai sat meditating on the Dao in a lotus position upon the 12th grade white lotus at the elevated platform. Despite being in human form, he appeared to be thousands of metres tall and filled up the hall like a buddha statue at a temple.

Da Hai opened his eyes smiling softly, "You've come."

"Of course, master commands and disciple obeys," Zulong said kowtowing to Da Hai respectfully.

Da Hai's massive form disappeared into a middle aged man with yellow hair standing just above 1.7 metres tall. He was shorter than Zulong but had a presence that felt even larger.

The disparages in cultivation was put full on display. Da Hai's understanding into the Dao made him far more mystical than Zulong. Though despite this, in terms of combat ability, the two were more comparable than one would expect.

"It is good to see you in good health disciple," Da Hai smiled softly. "I've been watching from afar from all these years and I couldn't be prouder."

"Haha, nothing much master, nothing much. I merely got lucky after all," Zulong smiled.

"Yes, congratulations by the way," Da Hai said.

"How did you?" Zulong asked before slapping his forehead. 'Of course, master knows everything.'

"Yes, Yu'er is carrying our child. With the empire on the rise, my subordinates getting stronger, my successes are too many to name. Soon, master, soon my dream will be accomplished," Zulong said. "Then I'll deal with master's enemies too, devilish Dao and that Hongjun."

"Zulong…" Da Hai tried to interrupt.

"Do not worry master, I've been extremely careful. My foundations are already set and I'm ready to take the next step. After I announce myself the Heavenly Dao will offer its protection as well and my power will evolve even further," Zulong promised.

"No Zulong, that is," Da Hai grimaced uncomfortably.

"I know, tough opponents. But I know my limits. I can surpass them in time. In time, we can eliminate all threats to us," Zulong said. "My luck is also superb, no misfortune can befall us, you can be assured of that."

"That's the thing Zulong," Da Ha sighed. "I…I don't think you should be sovereign."

'What?' Was Zulong's only startled thought.

 

[Daoist Dreamwalker]

The great hall of the ancestor of the great sea was completely still. Silence permeated both men who stood opposing one another. So quiet that the sound of the drop of a pin would blanket the entire hall.

Da Hai's posture was one of resignation. He did not smile nor did he seem happy at what was said. However, his eyes carried a look of conviction. The great immortal observed his disciple who seemed to be taken aback.

For the first time in aeons, the ancestral dragon was taken aback. He looked utterly confused at what just came out of his master's mouth. His handsome face seemed to be struggling to grasp those words.

'I don't think you should be sovereign.'

For a Da Luo Golden Immortal, their minds could casually move far beyond the speed of light. A mind boggling amount of simulations could race through their minds in the span of a second.

Yet Zulong was completely taken aback for more than a minute. For sixty entire seconds he did not respond. He merely kept that confused look, his mind struggling to keep up.

"Zu…" Da Hai began before his disciple broke out into a hearty laugh. He laughed as if he heard the greatest joke in the world.

"AAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Zulong laughed uncontrollably. Eventually the humorous sound got slower and slower while he held a hand over his stomach until it stopped. "Ah, thank you master, I needed that."

"You know, I hadn't heard such a good joke in…well since ever. You really got me there," Zulong wiped a tear from his eye. "Never knew you could joke so well, I always thought aunt master was the funny one. Guess you learn something new every day."

"Zulong," Da Hai said seriously standing confidently straight. In contrast, Zulong's relaxed posture was still spasming with laughter.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Zulong asked smiling.

"Zulong I'm serious here," Da Hai said. His face was one that meant seriousness. No hint of joke nor jest was found.

"Seriously though master, quite it with the jest," Zulong sighed. However, his smile stiffened. "If it's anything important, we really should…should…"

Zulong gradually stopped smiling. His expression of happiness gave way to one that was neither smiling nor frowning. His mouth was merely a flat line.

"You're serious," Zulong said slowly as if questioning his every word. "You're being fully serious," he mused straightening his back and leaning back slightly.

"Fuck, you're serious," Zulong took half a step back. He took a few breathes to recompose himself whispering, "You're serious," again and again. All this while Da Hai sighed in defeat as well.

"Yes disciple, I believe it would for the best if you relinquish this goal of sovereignty," Da Hai said strongly.

Zulong starred at his master with a look of confusion. "Wha…Why?" He uttered. "If you haven't noticed, I'm doing great out there. Living beings in eight directions praise my name. They sing my name and worship my rule."

"My enemies dare not cross me. My enemies have never triumphed over me. Even a godfiend ancestor of the previous era fell by my hands like a farmer killing chickens," Zulong said in a tone that spoke of how obvious it all was.

"If you're worried about my arrogance then it's easily manageable," Zulogn continued not letting Da Hai get a word in. "I've made precautions against that. My brothers know when to obey and disobey. My wife can work around my more egotistical moments. I can correct any mistakes if you see any," he tried with a hint of desperation.

Da Hai shook his head, "You don't understand, it's much more complicated than that." The sea god sighed.

"Complicated how? Hm?" Zulong folded his arms giving Da Hai a disbelieving look. "Do you not believe in me anymore? Not even after all I've done to prove myself?"

"There are mechanisms in place in this world, mechanisms that will see to it for you to die. Destiny itself is against you Zulong. No matter how much success you're seeing now, eventually, the dragons will fall. Your descendants cursed with an unplayable debt of sin," Da Hai said.

"So what, you divined some horrible fate awaited me?" Zulong scoffed. "Master you know as well as I do that the future is never set in stone. Divination only takes you so far and no future is ever guaranteed."

"This is not divination, it is the future Zulong. I have seen it," Da Hai begged. "Trust in your master. If you follow through with this path you will only bring yourself ruin. No ambition is worth your life."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Zulong was flabbergasted. "You…I…master, you can't seriously believe this…this…bullshit you're spouting."

"Every word Zulong. Your enemies are the least of your worries. The dragon, phoenix, qilin are all doomed to this fate. Years from now, your endless battles will cause a disaster unlike any other which will set this world on fire. One which you will not survive," Da Hai argued. "Please Zulong, return to Yingzhou. Abandoning this path is for the best."

"FUCK THAT!" Zulong roared startling Da Hai who flinched back. "You can't expect me the just follow through with that. I have come so far, SO FAR. I cannot…No, I REFUSE to quit."

The great hall flared up with an apocalyptic draconic might. The floor tiles cracked, the pillars trembled. As if responding to his rage, the great hall which once held many aspiring cultivators of the east sea quivered.

"I don't care what future you think you saw or what's gotten into your head. But I have come too far to turn my back now," Zulong declared sending Da Hai an enraged look. "And frankly, I don't care. I decided I am the Dragon Sovereign and that is who I will be."

"STOP!" Da Hai shouted back ceasing the rumbling. "I did not teach you to mindlessly throw your life away. I am trying to save your life. The path of a sovereign will only end in tragedy."

"Rich coming from you," Zulong scoffed.

"What?" The aged master said. "Zulong understand what I'm saying. The Heavenly Dao picked out this path for you from the moment you were born. Your desire to become sovereign is a preset desire programmed into you and will only lead to your and your family's deaths. Your thirst for power will make this world bleed and in turn, it will kill you and curse your people."

"Do you hear yourself master? Teaching me? Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think me blind? From the moment I entered your sect you've been preparing me for this path. Administration? Warfare? Logistics? Kingship? Even if that is true, YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS PUSHING ME FOR THIS," Zulong roared pointing accusingly at Da Hai.

Da Hai was shocked silent. He was completely taken aback and did not know how to respond. Zulong took a deep breath to calm down. "So don't tell me that bullshit master," the dragon said.

The look Zulong gave was one of utter disappointment. He shook his head and sighed. "I apologise, my rage got to me," he muttered. "But I will not back down master. I will never leave this path."

Da Hai narrowed his gaze in frustration. "I can't let you die," he said. In an instant, the power of a Hunyuan Golden Immortal flooded the great hall. This time, it was a calm restraining aura.

Zulong widened his eyes in betrayal. He wordlessly questioned Da Hai on his stance. The dragon gripped his fists hard, veins popped out blaring in rage.

"This is for your own good. Let Zufeng and Zulin kill each other over this world. Don't let the Heavenly Dao or anyone else manipulate you to your doom. You don't have to follow the script, get out while you still can," Da Hai urged.

Zulong merely shook his head. His muscles tensed, he opened his eyes and glared at his master, his mentor for nearly fifty thousand years, his father in all but blood. "You hypocrite," he said.

Da Hai was taken aback as an equally majestic aura washed over the room. Zulong unleashed his immortal might pushing Da Hai's back freeing himself. However, the dragon made no other movements.

"For a while now, I knew. You're not nearly as subtle as you think. I worked it out," Zulong stated calmly. "But I never cared, I was grateful to you for showing me the way. So I'm only going to ask you for confirmation."

Da Hai widened his eyes completely taken aback. The look Zulong sent was a clam look of anger mixed with betrayal. This look cut deeply into the ancient sea god.

"You intended to use me, my brothers, and now I guess my empire for your own means. You wanted us to be your allies…no, your fodder against your enemies. The ancestors Luohu and Hongjun," Zulong said.

Da Hai opened his mouth only to close it again. He wordlessly nodded.

"You saw us as pawns for your own schemes cause you alone was not strong enough. You desired to use me and I'm guessing the other two as well. From the beginning, we were your cannon fodder," Zulong said.

Da Hai nodded once again.

"I suppose you also saw aunt master the same?" The dragon added.

"I'm trying to make amends," Da Hai said looking utterly defeated. His aura had completely receded into himself while Zulong's remained bare. "You are all important to me, I don't want you to meet that fate."

"I failed brother Huoyun in the past," Da Hai began shedding tears as he said so. "I saw my brother die helplessly and I was consumed by the thirst for vengeance. But all that ended up doing was push everyone else away. I didn't see what was in front of me until it was too late."

The image of the moon goddess and the ancestor of the universe appeared in Da Hai's mind. Although the latter wasn't as close with him, Qiankun was still a friend of sorts.

"Please Zulong, I don't want you to die. Not you, not Yinglong, not Qinglong, not Wangshu, not Yi Fei'e, not Er Fei'e, not, San Fei'e, not Si Fei'e, not Wu Fei'e, not Qi Fei'e," Da Hai sent Zulong a pleading look.

"No one decided for me," Zulong said meeting Da Hai eye to eye. "I chose this path for myself. Perhaps due to self entitlement at first. But I have grown a genuine desire to do so. I am the leader of the east sea. I am the monarch in the hearts of my dragons."

"Yes master, when I was young I believed that I as a being born from Pangu's Yang Qi that it was my god given right to stand as sovereign of the world. But you changed that and I will always be grateful to you as my master," Zulong said sadly.

"Without you, I'd never have realised the error of my ways. Never have met Yu'er. Never seen so much success in my life," Zulong gave a soft sad smile. "Never have gathered so many who'd wish to follow me without beating them over the heads. East sea, south sea, north sea, west sea, non of them would've gone down without a drawn out war."

His foot shifted and he turned his back on the sea god. "But now I truly want to be the sovereign so many already see me as. I will fight for sovereignty whether you're with me or against me."

He took one step, then another, then another. Zulong, the proud ancestral dragon began steadily walking away from Da Hai. The old sea god merely stood silently watching his eldest and most precious disciple leave.

"Zulong," Da Hai called out. However, the dragon ignored him and kept going. Da Hai did not move from his spot, he watched as the dragon closed in on the door.

Zulong could feel tears running down his cheek. He could not describe everything he was feeling as of this moment. But what he did know was that he needed to see Gui Daiyu.

Suddenly, Zulong felt a force pulse into his mind. He whirled around to defend only to feel no malicious intent. Instead, he felt memories flow into his mind.

Texts upon texts, stories upon stories, theories upon theories. Each covered by their own biases and differing events. But all followed the same outline. Then other information flowed in, events of the past, figures Zulong had never seen before only heard of.

He saw figures battling through the cosmos. Of the beings who most likely inspired his appearance. That titanic Chaos Sky Dragon among the chaos godfiends. He saw the original godfiend named Da Hai and his travels with Yang Mei and Huoyun.

He saw the events leading up to the Shenni war. Of the pathetic being that grew to become his master. Of how that being struggled to find himself. Of how he found his true self and grew in strength. Of the helplessness he felt when Huoyun fell inspite of all he gained.

He saw the man the ancestor of the five elements was. How kind yet hardened he was. How wise and strong he was. Zulong felt his heart move as the memories flowed into him.

He turned his head around and met Da Hai's gaze. A level of understanding was reached wordlessly. However, Zulong's expression did not change. Then he turned back and exited the great hall.

…

"Senior brother! What was that?" Yi Fei'e's panicking figure was the first thing that came into Zulong's view.

When he saw her, Zulong felt like kicking himself for recklessly blowing up like that. His junior sister was not strong enough to resist him if he truly unleashed. Luckily the great palace was in the way.

Zulong glanced back and saw the dishevelled appearance of Da Hai's palace. Cracks were everywhere and the building looked like it might collapse anytime.

"Why was going on in there?" Yi Fei'e urgently asked. "The doors wouldn't open no matter what I did and…and… Is master alright? Were you two attacked?"

"He's fine," Zulong said wiping his face of his tears. "Master just needs some space."

"Are you okay?" The moth immortal asked stepping closer worriedly. Zulong instantly knew why. His appearance probably wasn't in the best state to meet people in.

"I am, just had to get some things off my chest. A bit of a disagreement is all," he dismissed. He began walking past the moth and up to Jian Koilong who was hugging himself in a metal position.

"Get up, you make a mockery of dragons with that attitude," Zulong commanded.

"Huh? Uh yes master," Jian Koilong hurriedly said but Zulong held up his palm.

"I am not your master, I am your patriarch as you are a member of my Primordial Celestial Dragon Clan," he corrected. "Follow me, we're heading back."

"O…Okay," Jian Koilong obeyed getting up. He looked back at Yi Fei'e before deciding to obey the dragon's instructions.

Yi Fei'e starred at Zulong's back contemplatively. "Will you be coming back?" She asked.

"Unlikely," Zulong said without stopping.

"I'll always be here for you. We fellow disciples," she said hopefully.

"Yes," Zulong said glancing back. "We're all fellow disciples beneath the ancestor of the great sea." He turned back around and guided Koilong away from Yingzhou. He didn't plan on coming back.