Primordial: From a grain of soil to the ancestor of all paths

When Qinglian came to Taichu's side, the allure in her eyes of desire, which was enough to bewitch all living beings, completely subsided, leaving only pure concern.

"Are you okay?"

"It doesn't matter——"

Tai Chu waved his hand, and the power of a saint in his physical body flowed, instantly restoring the injuries caused by the saint's Dao aura.

"It did cause Taiqing Laozi a bit of a loss; he's probably jumping up and down in anger outside the Thirty-Three Heavens right now."

He spoke casually, but Di Jun and Tai Yi, who were standing nearby, were deeply shaken.

That was the Supreme Saint of Taiqing! The eldest disciple of the Xuanmen Sect, the strongest among the saints! In a direct confrontation, he was forced by Taichu to have the Dao Ancestor intervene to extricate him from the predicament, and even suffered a loss?

Just how terrifying was the power of the Primordial Era?
"Hmph, serves him right." Qinglian snorted coldly, showing no goodwill towards Taiqing whatsoever. "If Hongjun hadn't intervened, I would have taught my brother's son a lesson again today!"

Upon hearing this, Di Jun and Tai Yi gasped in shock and dared not utter another word.

These two are both incredibly domineering and fiercely protective of their own.

"Now that this matter is settled, I should return to Tianyuan Mountain to go into seclusion and comprehend the principles of 'wealth' and 'transaction'."

Tai Chu said to Di Jun and Tai Yi, "The Heavenly Court should focus on recuperation and rebuilding, and quickly familiarize itself with the human way and destiny. It should not easily clash with the sages."

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist, I understand." Emperor Jun nodded solemnly.

After giving his instructions, Tai Chu, along with Qing Lian and Tian Yan, tore through the void and returned to Tianyuan Mountain in the East Sea.

After they left, Di Jun immediately ordered the Demon Clan Heavenly Court to seal off the South Heavenly Gate, activate the Zhou Tian Star Array for protection, and declare a state of recuperation. At the same time, he began to fully digest the human fortune gained from protecting the human race.

The primordial world seemed to have fallen into a brief period of calm once again after this earth-shattering battle of sages came to an end.

However, everyone knew that this was just the final stillness before the storm.

In the west, Mount Sumeru.

Beside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool, the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, sat facing each other, their expressions of suffering a hundred times more intense than ever before.

"Senior brother, Tai Chu's scheme is truly too vicious!"

Zhunti gritted his teeth, and the Seven Treasures Tree unconsciously rustled behind him, creating cracks in the void.

After they attained sainthood, their first thought was to use their great power and lofty aspirations to repair the ancestral veins of the West and bring life back to this barren land.

But when their sages' great power penetrated deep into the earth, they were horrified to discover that the entire ancestral veins of the West were like a bottomless black hole that could never be filled!
The merits they borrowed from Heaven, the grand vows they made, and all the power they used to restore the West were greedily devoured by this ancestral vein. Then, through a mysterious connection that they could not sever, the power flowed continuously towards the direction of Tianyuan Mountain in the East Sea!
All the merit they painstakingly borrowed was ultimately used to benefit the beginning!

"Back then, when he sorted out the earth's veins and bestowed the Three Lights Divine Water, we thought it was an immense favor..." The Sage of Guidance closed his eyes and shed two lines of sorrowful tears. "Who knew that it was actually the deepest shackles that had been laid long ago!"

If we want the West to prosper, we must first feed the Primordial Ones.

But the appetite of the Primordial Beginning was so great that it could even devour the Heavenly Dao. What could they possibly use to fill it?
This is tantamount to a dead end!

"Senior brother, are we just going to let this go?" Zhunti said unwillingly. "Is our Western Sect destined to be controlled by him for all eternity?"

"That's all——"

The Sage who guided the way opened his eyes, his gaze revealing a resolute determination.

"Since the righteous path is blocked, we must find another way. Master Hongjun once said that when the demonic forces rise, the righteous forces decline, and when the righteous forces rise, the demonic forces decline. Now that the righteous path is powerful, perhaps Rahu's demonic path is the true way out for our West!"

Upon hearing this, Zhunti trembled, and a terrifying glint flashed in his eyes.

Yes! Since we can't open-source it, let's "intercept" it!
The East is vast and rich in resources, with abundant fortune. If we simply convert some living beings and seize some of their fortune, wouldn't we be able to gradually fill the void left by the West?

……

The shores of the East China Sea are the ancestral home of humankind.

Since the beginning of time, when the Yellow Plum containing the "seed of fire" was bestowed upon humanity, the development of humankind has embarked on a path completely different from what was ordained by Heaven.

They were no longer satisfied with the "Creation Sutra" passed down by the Holy Mother Nuwa, nor did they blindly imitate the universe.

The child who swallowed the yellow plum did not grow up to be the most powerful cultivator, but instead became the first "wise man" of the human race.

He began to observe the movement of the stars and summarized the patterns of farming.

He began to study the properties of fire and invented a method for firing pottery.

He began to think about the relationships between people and formulated the most primitive tribal rules.

A flame called "civilization" blazed fiercely among the human race.

This flame also caused the human race's fortune to surge at an unprecedented rate.

This surge in fortune did not entirely belong to Taiqing, the leader of the Human Sect, nor did it all flow to the Holy Mother Nuwa. Instead, a large portion of it was concentrated in this flame of civilization, nourishing Tianyuan Mountain in the East Sea through that mysterious connection.

Beyond the thirty-third heaven lies the Taiqing Palace.

Taiqing Laozi suddenly opened his eyes. He could clearly feel that his control over the fate of the human race had been weakened by one point.

"The Way follows nature... Heh, what a fine saying about the Way following nature."

"In the beginning, do you think you've won?"

He slowly rose, took a step, and his figure disappeared into the Taiqing Palace.

Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Palace.

Di Jun sat upright on the imperial throne, his imperial path becoming increasingly pure. He used the luck of humanity as fire and the stars of the heavens as a furnace to reforge his imperial body. Although his cultivation had not recovered, his combat power was far superior to what it used to be.

"Report!"

A demon god rushed into the main hall, "Your Majesty, the Eastern Emperor Donghua and the Eastern King of Zifu Continent have re-established the Celestial Court on the shores of the East Sea!"

"What?" Di Jun frowned.

Hasn't the Eastern King Duke already perished?
"Not only that!" the demon god continued, "Dongwanggong claims that he is acting on the decree of the Supreme Sage to restore the world of wandering immortals. Anyone who does not enter the Heavenly Court, the Underworld, or the Western Sect can enter his Celestial Court and receive the Sage's protection!"

"What a brilliant move by Taiqing!" Dijun instantly understood the other party's intention, and smashed the jade table in front of him with a palm strike. "He is trying to undermine the foundation of my Heavenly Court!"

The Heavenly Court rules over all demons, but it also absorbs countless rogue cultivators from the primordial world.

Taiqing's move is to gather all the fortune of the rogue cultivators under his own control!

……

Deep within the chaos lies the Purple Cloud Palace.

Hongjun watched everything that was happening in the primordial world below with an expressionless face.

The initial plan, the counterattack of the Supreme Purity, and the unusual movements in the West were all laid bare before our eyes.

"The chessboard is in disarray."

"In that case, let's make another move and make this game truly exciting!"

With a gentle wave of his whisk, a decree, imperceptible to all, traversed endless time and space and landed in the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable, who was meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

He was stunned at first, then his face showed a mixture of ecstasy and ferocity.

The next moment, his voice, filled with supreme majesty yet carrying a chilling killing intent, resounded throughout the entire prehistoric world.

"By the decree of the Dao Ancestor!"

"The demon race disrespects the will of Heaven, causing chaos in the primordial world; their crime deserves to be punished!"

"By imperial decree: All disciples of the Chan Sect shall follow the will of Heaven, assist the righteous gods of the Zhou Tian in returning to their rightful places, and restore the order of Heaven and Earth!"

"The Investiture of the Gods, here it comes!"

A list, radiant with golden light and containing endless divine runes of the Heavenly Dao, soared into the sky from the Jade Void Palace and hung above the nine heavens!
A terrifying aura of impending calamity instantly enveloped the hearts of every living being! The Great Calamity of the Gods!

It was actually activated ahead of time by Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

Moreover, the spearhead is aimed directly at the Heavenly Court of the Demon Race!
In the Lingxiao Palace of the Thirty-Third Heaven, Di Jun and Tai Yi suddenly stood up, their faces extremely grim.

They had just stabilized the situation and were preparing to unleash their full power when Hongjun overturned the table, declaring that the lives of the entire demon race would serve as fuel for this great calamity!

On Mount Kunlun, the Primordial Celestial Venerable stood before the Jade Void Palace, holding the Investiture of the Gods in his hand. His cold gaze swept across the primordial land, finally settling on the direction of Tianyuan Mountain in the East Sea.

He wanted everyone to know that those who obey Heaven prosper, and those who defy Heaven perish!

In the beginning—

Your death is nigh!
The Primordial Decree and the Investiture of the Gods were issued, and the aura of great calamity pressed down like dark clouds over the city, instantly enveloping the entire prehistoric world.

Above the Heavenly Court, Di Jun and Tai Yi stood at the South Heavenly Gate, gazing at the Investiture of the Gods hanging in the Nine Heavens, their faces so gloomy they could drip water.

"What a great Dao Ancestor! What a great Primordial Beginning!"

The Chaos Bell in Taiyi's hand hummed incessantly, and the terrifying killing intent froze the surrounding space and time into ice.

"He's trying to use my demon race as firewood to fill the hole left by his Chan Sect!"

Di Jun did not speak, but the rage burning in his golden imperial eyes was enough to incinerate stars.

He had just abolished his Dao foundation and resumed the path of the Emperor, and the demon race was only just beginning to digest the fortune of humanity; this was precisely the time when they needed the most time. Hongjun, however, abruptly overturned the table, giving them no chance to catch their breath.

"Brother, let's fight!" Taiyi said in a deep voice, "Our demon race has never feared a battle! Even if it is a saint, even if it is a Dao Ancestor, if they want our demon race to surrender, they will have to knock out all their teeth!"

Di Jun slowly shook his head, his gaze piercing through the endless void, looking towards the direction of Tianyuan Mountain in the East Sea.

"Not urgent."

“Hongjun’s move may seem to be aimed at my Heavenly Court, but in reality, it is forcing Taichu to take sides.”

……

East China Sea, Tianyuan Mountain.

Inside the Taichu Dao Palace, Taichu, Qinglian, and Tianyan sat facing each other.

The three seemed oblivious to the immense calamity emanating from the outside world, a calamity powerful enough to terrify even a quasi-saint city.

“That old fellow Hongjun is really in a hurry.” Tianyan chuckled and fiddled with the Yandao Divine Sword in front of him. “First he forced the birth of the Five Saints, and now he’s started the Conferred God Tribulation ahead of schedule. He’s trying to tie everyone to his chariot.”

"The more anxious he is, the more it proves we're on the right path." Qinglian's voice was cold, but her eyes, filled with desire, gleamed with excitement. "He wants to use the power of Heaven's Way to suppress people, then we'll overthrow his so-called Heaven's Way!"

Taichu did not speak; he simply stretched out his hand, palm facing upward.

The two treasures obtained from Wuyi Mountain, the Treasure Basin and the Treasure-Dropping Coin, slowly emerged.

In the basin, the round copper coin with a square hole was emanating a profound Taoist aura.

"The way to wealth is to gather the treasures and energy of the world and collect the fortune of all living beings."

"The way of trading is to exchange what you have for what you don't have, and to exchange things of equal value. This is one of the most fundamental laws of the universe."

The voice of the primordial beginning was very soft, yet it seemed to contain the profound truths of the universe.

“Hongjun uses the Heavenly Dao as a chessboard and all living beings as chess pieces, emphasizing control and bestowal.”

"As for me, I want to show him how he can play this game when all living beings have the right to trade with Heaven."

He flicked his finger, and the Treasure-Dropping Coin flew out of the Treasure Basin and hung above the Taoist Palace.

The next moment, Tai Chu's calm yet incredibly clear voice resounded throughout the entire chaos.

"The Great Way is above, and all living beings bear witness."

“I, Taichu, now establish the ‘Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’.”

"This pavilion is not part of the Heavenly Path, nor does it belong to the Underworld, nor is it affiliated with the Human Religion; it exists independently outside the Three Realms and Six Paths."

"Inside the Treasure Pavilion, everything can be traded. Cultivation techniques, spiritual treasures, bloodlines, fortune, and even the Dao Fruit of a Saint—as long as you can afford the price, you can exchange them here."

"The Treasure-Dropping Coin serves as the transaction certificate. The Treasure Basin is the foundation of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion!"

"Wanbaoge, stand up!"

Upon hearing this, the entire prehistoric world fell into a deathly silence.

All living beings, whether they were demon kings cultivating in the deep mountains, mortals in human tribes, self-important golden immortals of the Chan Sect, or suffering novice monks of the Western Sect, were all stunned.

transaction?

Everything can be traded? Even the fruits of a saint's enlightenment?
What an arrogant, and yet so alluring declaration!

Kunlun Mountain, Yuxu Palace.

The majestic face of the Primordial Celestial Venerable instantly twisted.

He has just unleashed the Investiture of the Gods, intending to use the power of Heaven to force the demon race and intimidate the Primordial Era.

But Tai Chu turned the tables and cut off his supply lines!

You want to follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people? Fine, I'll give you a choice not to follow Heaven!

Being listed on the Investiture of the Gods signifies death and the annihilation of one's spirit, which is then subject to the control of the Heavenly Court.

But Wanbaoge gave everyone a chance to step out of the chessboard and change their destiny!
This is a blatant challenge to the foundation of his Chan Sect and the authority of the Investiture of the Gods!
"You brat! How dare you do this!"

Yuanshi Tianzun roared and raised his hand to summon the Pangu Banner.

But at this moment, the Investiture of the Gods in his hand began to shake violently, and the Heavenly Dao fortune contained within it began to flow away wildly, like a flood breaking through a dam!
The direction it was flowing in was the East China Sea!

Not only him, but also the Western Sect, including Jieyin and Zhunti, had their expressions change.

They keenly sensed that countless beings who had originally longed for Western religion now had an additional thought in their minds.

To go to the West, one must make a great vow and observe the precepts.

Go to Wanbaoge; as long as you have "treasures," you can exchange them for anything!
Outside the Thirty-Three Heavens, Taiqing Laozi and Nuwa also opened their eyes at the same time, with different expressions.

Hongjun wanted to use the Investiture of the Gods to integrate the power of the Heavenly Dao and completely control the prehistoric world.

But in the beginning, a rule of "trade" stirred up the desires of the entire primordial world!
"Boom!"

Above the nine heavens, boundless blood clouds gathered, and purple divine lightning rolled within the clouds, enraging the Heavenly Dao!
Tai Chu's actions were tantamount to establishing a separate set of rules outside the system of the Heavenly Dao! This was the most blatant provocation against the Heavenly Dao!

A heavenly punishment a hundred times more terrifying than the one that punished Di Jun before began to brew in Zixiao Palace!

However, just as divine punishment was about to descend.

"Om-"

Deep within the Netherworld, the Hall of Reincarnation trembled violently.

Houtu's benevolent yet majestic will once again enveloped the primordial world.

"With the authentic approval, Wanbaoge shall be established!"

Immediately afterwards, Di Jun's voice rang out from the Heavenly Court.

"With the approval of the Heavenly Court of the Demon Race, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion shall be established!"

Next, there is the Nuwa Palace.

The sage Nuwa's clear, cold voice rang out. (End of Chapter)