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

Inside the Wuzhuang Temple, Lu Chen and the other two were healing their injuries and recuperating.

Three days later, his injuries had basically healed.

"Young friend, what are your plans next?" Zhen Yuanzi asked. "Although the demon race has temporarily retreated, they will certainly not give up easily. Di Jun is a man of deep thoughts; his retreat today must be part of a plan."

"I know." Lu Chen nodded. "So, I should 'disappear' for a while."

"disappear?"

"Yes." Lu Chen took out an item—the Chaos Pearl obtained from the core of the Treasure Dividing Cliff.

The bead is about the size of a fist, with chaotic energy flowing inside, as if it contains an unexplored world.

"This bead can be used to create an avatar, and the avatar's aura is completely different from the original body, making it difficult even for a saint to discern," Lu Chen said. "I plan to create an avatar to operate outside and attract attention from all sides. My original body will then remain hidden, focusing on cultivation and striving to break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm."

"Great idea!" Hongyun exclaimed, "Openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass!"

Zhen Yuanzi nodded: "This method is feasible. However, refining an external avatar requires a large amount of rare and precious materials, and the process is dangerous..."

"I have the materials," Lu Chen smiled. "The ones I picked up in the Chaos and Three Races battlefields, plus the ones I got from the Treasure Distribution Cliff, are enough. As for the danger—with the Chaos Brick suppressing it, it's not a big problem."

Just do it.

Lu Chen opened a cave dwelling on the back mountain of Wuzhuang Temple, set up many restrictions, and began to refine his clone.

Main materials: Chaos Pearl (core), Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood (shaping), Yuanfeng Heart Core (imbuing with spirituality), Qilin Skeleton (stabilizing the foundation).

Auxiliary materials: 365 kinds of innate spiritual materials, corresponding to the number of the heavens.

Refining method: Use Chaos Brick as furnace, Three Lights Divine Water as catalyst, and Creation Merit as fire.

The entire process lasted forty-nine days.

On the forty-ninth day, a dazzling chaotic light erupted from within the cave.

A figure slowly emerged from the radiance.

His face bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Lu Chen's, but was more angular, with eyes as sharp as knives. He wore a chaotic-colored Daoist robe, and his aura was clearly that of an early-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal!

"From this day forward, you shall be called 'Chenying'," said Lu Chen in his true form.

The clone Chen Ying nodded: "Don't worry, I know what to do."

The two looked at each other and smiled at the same time—shared thoughts, synchronized memories, the clone was another version of themselves.

Lu Chen handed over most of the treasures to Chen Ying, including the Chaos Brick (a replica made from scraps, with 30% of the power of the original), some innate spiritual treasures, and a large amount of materials.

"You will operate in the prehistoric world as a rogue cultivator, keeping a high profile to attract attention from all sides. If necessary, you can reveal some clues about 'Lu Chen stealing treasure,' but do not expose your true location."

"Understood." Chen Ying accepted the treasure. "Where do I plan to go into seclusion?"

"The Abyss of Demons," Lu Chen uttered.

The most dangerous place is the safest place. Luo Hou needs him to retrieve the remaining half of the purple energy (although he has already retrieved it, Luo Hou is unaware of it), and he won't easily harm him. Moreover, the Demon Abyss is isolated from the Heavenly Dao's prying eyes, making it an ideal place for seclusion.

"Take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself."

His clone, Chen Ying, transformed into a streak of light and flew out of Wuzhuang Temple, heading towards Buzhou Mountain—he was going to "accidentally" show his face in the territory of the Wu Clan so that the demon race would know where "Lu Chen" had gone.

Lu Chen's true form quietly left Wuzhuang Temple and, guided by the Demon Abyss Ring, entered the Demon Abyss once more.

Rahu was not surprised by his arrival.

"You little brat, you've caused quite a commotion." The remnant soul of Rahu smiled faintly. "You even got the Chaos Brick. Looks like you took all three core items from the Treasure Distribution Cliff?"

"Senior is indeed well-informed." Lu Chen didn't hide anything. "I used the Chaos Pearl, gave the blueprint to the Queen Mother of the West, and the brick is in my hands."

"Smart," Rahu praised. "You know how to choose. The Queen Mother of the West's favor is far more valuable than a map."

He paused for a moment: "You've come here to use the Demon Abyss as a pretext for secluded cultivation?"

"Indeed. Please do me this favor, senior."

"Alright." Luo Hou readily agreed. "Deep within the Demon Abyss lies a 'Chaotic Spring,' where time flows differently from the outside world. One year outside is equivalent to a hundred years inside the spring. You may cultivate here, but you must agree to one thing for me."

"Please speak, senior."

"Within a hundred years, break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. Then, do one thing for me."

"What is it?"

"Kill someone." A cold glint flashed in Rahu's eyes. "Guide."

Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat.

"The guide has already pledged allegiance to his senior, why...?"

"He didn't defect; he was planted with a demonic seed," Rahu sneered. "But recently, he somehow managed to force out 30% of the demonic seed, and it's showing signs of slipping out of his control. This boy is cunning; if he can completely rid himself of the demonic seed, he will surely become a great threat to me."

He looked at Lu Chen: "You have a grudge against him, so killing him is perfectly justified. After it's done, I will give you the 'God-Slaying Spear Forging Method' and... a complete list of all the demonic cult's spies within the Xuanmen."

Lu Chen remained silent.

Killing Jieyin would have a grave karmic consequence. Jieyin was a future sage; killing him would be tantamount to defying fate.

But the method for forging the God-Slaying Spear and the list of hidden agents were too tempting.

"I need time to consider."

"Very well. Give me an answer within a hundred years." Rahu raised his hand and pointed, a beam of demonic light indicating the direction, "The Chaos Spring is over there, go."

Following the guidance, Lu Chen arrived at the deepest part of the Demon Abyss.

There was indeed a spring here, but what gushed forth was not water, but chaotic energy condensed into liquid. The flow of time around the spring was abnormal, making it indeed suitable for seclusion.

He sat cross-legged by the spring, took out the remaining half of the Primordial Purple Qi, and began to refine it with all his might.

The century-long period of seclusion has officially begun.

Meanwhile, outside, thanks to the activities of the clone Chenying, the primordial world has become even more lively...

---

Three months later, on the outskirts of Buzhou Mountain.

Chen Ying's whereabouts were "accidentally" revealed, and he was discovered by a demon scout.

A chase ensued, and Chen Ying fled in disarray into the territory of the Witch Clan, where he was rescued by the Ancestral Witch Zhu Rong.

The demon army pressed in, confronting the witch clan.

The shadow of the primordial catastrophe grows ever stronger.

Lu Chen, who was in seclusion, was unaware of all of this at the moment.

He is at a crucial moment in breaking through the barrier against Ronaldo...

After a century of seclusion, just as Lu Chen was about to break through to the Great Luo realm, the Demon Abyss suddenly trembled!

Rahu's remnant soul urgently summoned: "Boy, we've emerged from seclusion! That bastard Jieyin has gone mad—he's actually joined forces with Zhunti, Styx, and Kunpeng to set up the 'Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation (Imitation),' attempting to force his way into the Demon Abyss and seize the remaining half of the Purple Qi!"

Even more terrifying, outside the Immortal Slaughtering Formation, a faint, hidden holy aura could be seen...

Even the Dao Ancestor Hongjun was watching?!