Primordial Era: A brick knocks Hongyun unconscious, and he seizes the throne at the start.

Three days later, on the shore of the East China Sea.

Lu Chen found a deserted island, set up an array, and then took out an object.

That fragment of the God-Slaying Spear!

The fragment was only the size of a palm, but its malevolent aura was astonishing. Lu Chen repeatedly tempered it with the Golden Light of Merit and the Three Lights Divine Water, completely erasing the mark belonging to Rahu within, and then—

"melt!"

He incorporated the fragments into the black bricks.

The black bricks trembled violently, and fine dark red lines appeared on their surface, perfectly combining the sharpness of the spearhead with the weight of the bricks.

The new black brick is here: it is jet black, with dark gold patterns interspersed with blood-red demonic patterns, and its weight has increased threefold. With one strike, it comes with a triple effect of "armor penetration + spirit erosion + evil energy pollution"!

"It should be called 'God-Slaying Brick' now," Lu Chen said with satisfaction.

Next, he took out the Zhou Tian Star Array diagram to study it.

Although the core part is restricted, the outer formation is enough for him to set up a simplified version of the "Small Heavenly Cycle Star Formation", which can be used to trap enemies, defend, and gather spiritual energy.

"With these two trump cards, we can finally have some confidence going into the Demon Abyss."

With everything prepared, Lu Chen flew towards Mount Sumeru in the west.

Ten days later, at the foot of Mount Sumeru.

This place is already in the western region, where spiritual energy is scarce and the rocks are exposed, forming a stark contrast with the beautiful and fertile land of the east.

Following the guidance of the Demon Abyss Token, Lu Chen found an inconspicuous cave.

The entrance to the cave was concealed by an illusion array, making it difficult for even ordinary Grand Luo Immortals to detect. However, the Demon Abyss Token heated up and automatically broke through the illusion array.

Lu Chen took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The cave was deep and dark, and the deeper one went, the denser the demonic energy became.

After walking for about a hundred miles, the view suddenly opened up ahead—it was an underground world!

The sky was a dark red rocky peak, the earth flowed with a black demonic river, and in the distance stood a demonic city, within which countless demonic creatures roamed.

"This is the Abyss of Demons..." Lu Chen was shocked.

After Rahu's fall, how could the demonic path still exist on such a scale?

"You're here?"

A figure appeared silently in front of Lu Chen; it was the remnant soul of Rahu.

"This junior will keep the appointment," Lu Chen said, bowing.

Rahu sized him up, his gaze settling on the God-Slaying Brick: "You melted down the fragments of the God-Slaying Spear? Interesting... Aren't you afraid of angering me?"

"If you cared, you wouldn't have let me get the fragment," Lu Chen said calmly.

"Clever," Rahu smiled. "Come with me."

He led Lu Chen to the palace in the center of the Demon City.

Along the way, Lu Chen saw countless demons practicing formations, among which were familiar figures—the remnants of the Ancestral Dragon, the Primordial Phoenix, and the First Qilin, training demon soldiers in the form of the three races!

"This is……"

"After the Great Tribulation, the remnant souls of the three races fell into the Demon Abyss and were taken in by me," Rahu said calmly. "They hate the injustice of Heaven and the scheming of Hongjun, and are willing to follow me to reclaim the Primordial World."

Lu Chen remained silent.

The downfall of the three races was indeed aided by Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao. But was siding with the demonic path truly a wise move?

Upon entering the palace, Rahu dismissed his attendants.

"I promise to give you a great gift." He raised his hand, and a black crystal floated in the air. "This is the 'Crystal of the Origin of the Demonic Path,' containing all my insights into the demonic path, and even more... the secret of the Primordial Purple Qi."

Lu Chen's pupils contracted.

"No need to be surprised," Luo Hou said leisurely. "The Primordial Purple Qi is the foundation for becoming a saint, but who says there can only be seven? When chaos first opened, there were forty-nine Primordial Purple Qi. Pangu used most of them when he created the world, and the rest were scattered everywhere. The seven in Hongjun's hands are only a part of them."

"And the others..."

"Some were obtained by the Chaos Gods, some were left in the depths of Chaos, and some... were sealed in certain places." Rahu looked at Lu Chen. "For example, in the deepest part of the Demon Abyss, there is a seal."

Lu Chen's heart raced.

"Why did you tell me all this?"

"Because I cannot retrieve it," Rahu said frankly. "That purple aura is sealed by the laws of Pangu's power, and only a descendant of Pangu can touch it. You possess the merit of creating the world and also have fragments of the laws of power, making you the best candidate."

"What are the conditions?"

"Take out the purple energy, and we'll each get half," Rahu said. "Your half will be enough to strengthen your foundation when you prove your Dao through force. My half will help me reshape my demonic body."

Lu Chen pondered.

The risks are enormous, but the rewards are also enormous.

Half of the Primordial Purple Qi was enough for him to push the Law of Power to its peak, laying a solid foundation for proving the Dao through power.

Is the sealed area dangerous?

"There is a test left by Pangu, but I don't know exactly what it is," Rahu said. "But with your intelligence and luck, you should be able to pass it."

should……

Lu Chen inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained composed: "This junior can give it a try. But before that, I'd like to know—what's the deal with Jieyin and Zhunti?"

Rahu laughed: "I knew you'd ask that. They... were 'converted' by me."

It turns out that when Jieyin and Zhunti were traveling in the West in their early years, they accidentally entered the outer edge of the Demon Abyss and were implanted with a demonic seed by the remnant soul of Rahu. The demonic seed did not control their minds, but only subtly influenced them, making them feel closer to the demonic path, while at the same time amplifying their dissatisfaction with the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

"So they didn't defect, but were tricked?" Lu Chen suddenly realized.

"You could say that," Luo Hou said. "I need them to act as the eyes and ears within the Xuanmen. Their mission to 'exterminate' Kunpeng was also orchestrated by me in secret—the demon race is too strong, which is detrimental to the revival of the demonic path."

What a deep scheme!

Lu Chen felt increasingly that Luo Hou was dangerous.

"Senior, if I take out the purple energy, will you really let me leave?" he asked.

"I swear by the very origin of the demonic path: if you succeed, I will not stand in your way, and I will grant you the permanent right to use the Demon Abyss Token, which you may use to trade here at any time," Rahu said solemnly.

The oath of the demonic path is heavier than the oath of the heavenly path; those who break it will have their Dao heart shattered.

Lu Chen nodded: "Okay, I'll go."

"Wise." Rahu raised his hand, and the palace floor cracked open, revealing a downward staircase. "Go straight for three thousand miles, and you will reach the sealed land. I will wait for you here... for three days."

Lu Chen no longer hesitated and stepped onto the stairs.

The stairs were long, and the deeper one went, the heavier the pressure from Pangu became.

Lu Chen had no choice but to activate the axe handle fragments to resist.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a stone chamber appeared ahead.

In the center of the stone chamber, a wisp of purple energy floated—unlike the fake purple energy seen in the fragments of chaos, this purple energy was more solid, with Dao runes flowing like stars within it, radiating an aura of eternal immortality.

True Primordial Purple Qi!

Around the purple aura, there are three trials:

The first obstacle is a stone tablet inscribed with: "The ultimate power can break all laws. Unleash your power."

Lu Chen thought for a moment, then instead of using the black brick, he fully activated the Law of Force and punched the stone tablet.

"boom!"

The stone tablet remained motionless, but a line of words appeared on its surface: "[Strength is not brute force, but the power of the Way. You have qualified.]"

The second path is a mirror, reflecting Lu Chen's deepest fear—he saw his future failure to prove his Dao through force, his death and the dissipation of his Dao, and all his plans coming to naught.

But Lu Chen laughed: "If you fear failure, why bother with cultivation?"

The mirror is broken.

The third path was a phantom image of Pangu, wielding the Heaven-Opening Axe.

"Take this axe blow; if you survive, you will obtain the purple aura."

The phantom swung its axe, and although it only had one ten-millionth of the power of Pangu, it was still enough to kill a quasi-saint!

Lu Chen gritted his teeth and played all his trump cards:

The apricot-yellow flag of Wuji protects you!

The Qiankun Diagram unfolds, creating a small world that cancels out the conflict!

God-slaying bricks, come forth!

"clang--!!!"

The axe and brick collided, sending Lu Chen flying backward and bleeding from all seven orifices, but he did not die.

The phantom of Pangu vanished.

All three tests passed!

Purple aura drifted towards Lu Chen.

He reached out and touched it, and the purple energy split in two. One half merged into his body, and the other half flew towards the exit of the stairs—that was half of Rahu.

"It's a success..."

Lu Chen slumped to the ground, feeling the immense power of the half-stream of purple energy within his body.

His power increased dramatically, and his cultivation level soared from the late stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal to the peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal, just one step away from becoming a Daluo!

More importantly, he has a clearer understanding of the path to proving the Way through force.

"It's time to go back..."

He got up, about to leave, when he suddenly noticed something in the corner of the stone chamber.

It was a piece of bone, gray and inconspicuous.

But the purple energy within Lu Chen's body resonated with it!

He picked up the bone fragment and probed it with his divine sense—

[Pangu's Spine Fragments: Records of the Three Forms of Creation]

[First Technique: Creation of Heaven and Earth (Requires Saint-level magical power)]

[Second Form: Chaos Returns to Origin (Requires Peak Quasi-Saint Level)]

[Third Form: Power Spanning the Primordial Chaos (Can be learned by the Great Luo Immortal)]

The third move is exactly what Lu Chen can learn right now!

"An unexpected bonus?!" He was overjoyed.

After storing the bone fragments in the Qiankun Diagram, Lu Chen quickly returned.

At the exit of the stairs, Luo Hou had obtained the other half of the purple energy and was refining it.

"Congratulations." Rahu opened his eyes. "You have indeed not disappointed me."

"You're too kind, senior." Lu Chen cupped his hands in greeting. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Wait a minute." Rahu tossed over a black ring. "This is the 'Demon Abyss Ring.' With this, you can freely enter and exit the Demon Abyss, and also contact me. If needed in the future, we can trade."

Lu Chen accepted it: "Thank you, senior."

He turned and left the Abyss.

Back on the ground, the sunlight was blinding.

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief—the trip to the Demon Abyss, though dangerous, was incredibly rewarding.

Halfway through the primordial purple aura, fragments of Pangu's spine, the Demon Abyss Ring... and knowledge of the demonic path's layout.

"Next, it's time to see what happens between Jieyin, Zhunti, and Kunpeng."

Just as he was about to fly back to the East, a communication jade slip in his bosom suddenly vibrated.

It was sent by Hongyun:

[Young friend, return immediately! Something terrible has happened—Jieyin and Zhunti are fighting with Kunpeng! The Styx River is also involved, Taiyi has appeared, and the five saints are engaged in a chaotic battle! And… the demon race is searching for treasure thieves, and they suspect you!]

Lu Chen: "..."

Well, I'm being blamed again.

But this time, he wasn't flustered.

Because he had an extra card in his hand.

"If we're going to play, let's play big."

He changed direction, not returning to Wuzhuang Temple, but flying towards Buzhou Mountain.

—The Witch Clan is ready to emerge.

Lu Chen went to the Wu tribe of Buzhou Mountain and gained the trust of the Ancestral Witch by relying on the essence of Zhu Rong and half of the Primordial Purple Qi.

Meanwhile, the chaos of the Five Saints' battle spilled over into the West, causing Mount Ling to crumble. Jieyin and Zhunti were severely injured, and Kunpeng roared before fleeing: "Lu Chen stole the treasures from the Treasure Distribution Cliff! I have evidence!" Evidence? What evidence?!