Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

Zhen Yuanzi, transformed into a yellow light, pierced through the clouds and mist, and soon arrived at the territory of Buzhou Mountain.

Even before he got close, he felt a powerful pulse of the earth. This Buzhou Mountain truly lived up to its reputation as the transformation of Pangu's spine; the thickness of its earth veins and the richness of its spiritual energy far surpassed any other mountain range in the primordial world. The mountain was majestic, piercing the clouds, connecting the heavens above and the netherworld below, a veritable hub of heaven and earth.

However, at this time, there were already undercurrents surging in Buzhou Mountain.

Zhen Yuanzi concealed his form, hovering high in the sky, using the Earth Book to sense the flow of the earth's veins. All that could be seen was:

At the foot of the mountain, countless Wu tribes were quietly migrating and consolidating. Under the personal supervision of the two ancestral witches, Houtu and Xuanming, the power of the earth and the power of ice and snow intertwined to form a faint barrier a hundred miles around Buzhou Mountain. This barrier did not hinder ordinary living beings, but it had a natural repulsion and warning against demonic energy.

On the eastern and western slopes, Jumang and Rushou have begun setting up their formations. On the eastern slope, towering trees create what appears to be an ordinary forest, yet each ancient tree is a key element of the formation, with vines meandering underground like living creatures, forming the "Myriad Trees in a Forest" maze. On the western slope, golden light flickers, the rocks turn metallic, and a sharp aura soars to the sky, forming the "Geng Metal Forbidden Zone" killing formation. Although neither formation is fully activated, they are already taking shape, echoing each other and interlocking seamlessly.

Deep within the mountains, the figures of Gonggong and Zhurong occasionally appear. The two forces of water and fire explore and patrol the underground veins, marking and sealing ancient passages and fissures wherever they go, as undercurrents and lava alternate. Although the two sometimes argue, their cooperation is surprisingly tacit—water extinguishes where the fire is too intense, and fire melts where the water flows through cold places, achieving a dangerous balance.

At the four strategic points, the elite forces of the four Wu tribes—Shebishi, Tianwu, Xizi, and Qiangliang—were already in position. They did not make a big show of it, but instead dispersed into smaller groups, hiding among the mountains, forests, clouds, and lightning, monitoring all movements in all directions.

"What a formidable trap." Zhen Yuanzi nodded to himself. "The speed of the Wu Clan's reaction and the tightness of their defenses are truly extraordinary."

But he also saw the problem: these arrangements, though ingenious, were all defensive. The Wu tribe excelled in close combat and valued strength, and formations were not their forte. While the "Myriad Trees Forest" and "Gengjin Forbidden Domain" were indeed powerful, they might not be unbreakable by a master of formations.

more importantly……

Zhen Yuanzi's gaze pierced through the mountain and reached deep into the earth's veins.

The geological veins of Buzhou Mountain are far more complex than imagined. It is not only the central hub of the primordial geological veins, but also resembles a giant "chakra," connecting the Nine Heavens and the Nine Netherworlds, and traversing heaven and earth. Inside the mountain, countless tributaries of the geological veins crisscross like a spider web, and some of these tributaries even show faint signs of tampering.

"As expected..." Zhen Yuanzi's eyes narrowed.

The disturbances were extremely subtle, almost undetectable unless he used the Earth Book to investigate. They were not destroying the ley lines, but rather, like "probes," they silently penetrated deeper, trying to figure out the direction, nodes, and strength of the ley lines.

This method is completely different from the previous style of the demon race using the power of the stars to impact the earth's veins. It is more covert, more refined, and more dangerous.

"Is he looking for the 'weakness' of the earth's veins? Or does he want to do something to the earth's veins at Buzhou Mountain?" Zhen Yuanzi pondered.

Just then, he sensed an unusual fluctuation somewhere in the mountain.

With a flash, Zhen Yuanzi arrived at an inconspicuous canyon on the northern slope of Buzhou Mountain. The canyon was filled with jagged rocks and seemed ordinary, but the Earth Book revealed that there was a deeply hidden tributary of the earth vein here, which was currently being disturbed by external forces.

Zhen Yuanzi concealed his aura with a hand seal. Deep within the canyon, three demons were casting spells around a black stone tablet covered in runes. The leader was a powerful demon with an eagle's head and a human body, exuding a chilling aura and possessing the cultivation of an early-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal. The other two were a fox demon and a snake demon, both with the strength of a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

"Guardian Eagle, this ley line node has been marked," the fox demon said seductively. "As long as we bury the 'Erosion Vein Nails' here, and His Majesty Emperor Jun commands, all three hundred and sixty Erosion Vein Nails will be activated simultaneously, which will dismantle the ley line structure from within Mount Buzhou. At that time..."

"Silence." The Eagle Protector coldly interrupted, "This place is under the noses of the Witch Clan, so no more words are to be spoken. Quickly lay down the Corrosive Vein Nails; we still need to hurry to the next location."

The three demons began to activate the stone tablet. The runes on the tablet glowed with an eerie light, and a long nail, about three feet long, pitch black and covered with barbs, slowly emerged from the tablet, its tip pointing towards the ground, emitting a chilling corrosive aura.

Zhen Yuanzi's eyes turned cold.

Corrosion Nails are objects that specifically damage the spiritual energy of the earth's veins, and are extremely insidious. One or two might be manageable, but if, as the fox demon said, all three hundred and sixty are laid down simultaneously, once activated, the veins of Mount Buzhou will be severely damaged, possibly even shaking the very foundation of the mountain. The Wu tribe, who use Mount Buzhou as their totem, will naturally suffer a great blow. Moreover, if Mount Buzhou is damaged, the Kunpeng Primordial World will undergo earth-shattering changes!

"The demon race actually resorted to such a vicious scheme..." Zhen Yuanzi felt a surge of anger and was about to make a move when he sensed another aura rapidly approaching.

boom!

A pillar of crimson fire descended from the sky, heading straight for the three demons!

"You filthy demons, how dare you covet my Mount Zhou!" Zhu Rong's roar echoed throughout the valley.

Almost simultaneously, a dark blue water dragon surged from the ground, blocking the demons' retreat. Gonggong's figure emerged from the water dragon, and he and Zhu Rui surrounded the three demons.

"Ancestral Witch!" The Eagle Protector's expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he summoned a bone shield to block in front of him, and shouted fiercely, "Retreat!"

The fox demon and the snake demon reacted extremely quickly, transforming into two gusts of demonic wind as they tried to escape.

"Can you leave?" Zhu Rong sneered, clasped his hands together, and flames filled the sky, turning into a cage that completely sealed off the canyon.

Gonggong then manipulated the water dragons to split into countless forms, which coiled around the three demons like chains.

The Eagle Protector gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood essence onto the bone shield. The shield instantly blazed with crimson light, temporarily blocking the combined attack of water and fire. He seized the opportunity to take out a jade talisman and crush it—

hum!

Space fluctuated, and a portal of starlight appeared behind the Eagle Protector.

"Star Teleportation Talisman? Trying to leave?" A cold glint flashed in Gonggong's eyes as he unleashed a punch, the force of which carried the power of a raging torrent of water, striking directly at the Starlight Gate.

Boom!

The portal shook violently, but did not completely shatter. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Eagle Protector grabbed the fox demon and slipped inside.

"Stay!" Zhu Rong's fiery fist arrived, but it was a step too late, only striking half of the Eagle Guardian's body. The Eagle Guardian screamed in agony as half of his wing turned to charcoal, yet he still managed to disappear into the portal with the fox demon.

The snake demon was a step too slow and was caught in Gonggong's water dragon's coils. Terrified, she was about to beg for mercy when Zhurong struck down with his palm, instantly engulfing her in flames and annihilating her body and soul.

The star portal shattered, and the canyon returned to calm, leaving only the black stone tablet and the suspended vein nails.

Zhu Rong grabbed the Corrosive Vein Nail, sensing its sinister aura, his face darkening: "A top-grade acquired spiritual treasure, it really is after all eyeing the veins of Buzhou Mountain!"

Gonggong examined the stone tablet and said in a deep voice, "This stone tablet is the key to locating and activating this acquired spiritual treasure. Judging from the runes, there are probably more than one similar one."

The two exchanged a glance and both saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.

"Report this matter to my brother Dijiang immediately." Zhu Rong put away the vein-corroding nail and the stone tablet.

"Wait a minute," a gentle voice said.

Zhen Yuanzi revealed himself.

Zhu Rong and Gong Gong immediately went on alert: "Who goes there?"

"This humble Taoist is Zhen Yuanzi." Zhen Yuanzi cupped his hands in greeting. "I just witnessed the two Ancestral Witches slaying the demon, and I have come to pay my respects."

"Zhen Yuanzi?" Zhu Rong raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"We've come for the earth veins of Buzhou Mountain," Zhen Yuanzi said frankly. "The demon race intends to destroy the foundation of the earth veins by eroding them. This matter concerns the safety of the primordial land, and I cannot stand idly by."

Gonggong sized up Zhen Yuanzi: "You were on good terms with Hongyun, who fell at the hands of the demon race. Do you wish to take revenge?"

"Revenge must be taken, and the earth's veins must be protected," Zhen Yuanzi said calmly. "The two are not mutually exclusive."

Zhu Rong, being straightforward, replied, "In that case, would you be willing to join forces with my Wu clan? Hou Tu has already sent someone to your Wuzhuang Temple; have you received the news?"

Zhen Yuanzi nodded: "Xing Tian has arrived at Wuzhuang Temple. I came here to investigate the situation at Buzhou Mountain. It seems that the demon race has grand ambitions. Although the witch race has laid a net, it is difficult to guard against such insidious methods."

Gonggong frowned: "What brilliant idea do you have?"

Zhen Yuanzi took out the Earth Book: "My Earth Book can monitor and regulate the primordial earth veins. If you two trust me, I am willing to use the power of the Earth Book to help the Wu Clan explore all the earth vein nodes of Buzhou Mountain, find the vein-corroding nails that the demon race may have buried, and set up protective restrictions."

Zhurong and Gonggong exchanged glances.

Houtu did mention the possibility of cooperating with Zhen Yuanzi before. The Earth Book is formed from the earth's membrane, and its control over the earth's veins is unmatched. If Zhen Yuanzi were to help, it could indeed make up for the Wu tribe's shortcomings in protecting the earth's veins.

"We must report this matter to our elder brother Dijiang," Gonggong said. "However, you may come back to the Pangu Palace with us first. My eldest and second elder brothers are in the palace."

"Good." Zhen Yuanzi nodded.