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

The atmosphere in Biyou Palace was somber.

Tongtian's few words struck the hearts of all the disciples like a heavy hammer. The Investiture of the Gods, the divine positions in the Heavenly Court, falling into calamity... these words all foreshadowed an impending storm that would sweep through the Xuanmen sect.

"May I ask, Master," said Daoist Duobao, the chief disciple, in a deep voice, "that disciples of our Jie Sect are required to be listed on the Investiture of the Gods?"

This question echoed the sentiments of everyone present. The hall fell silent; all eyes were fixed on Tongtian.

Tongtian remained silent for a moment before speaking: "The Dao Ancestor said that those with deep roots and cultivation will attain immortality, those with shallow roots and cultivation will attain divinity, and those with inferior roots and cultivation will be reduced to ashes. Whether you are on the list or not is determined by Heaven, and also depends on your own fortune and karma." He glanced down below, "But you must remember that in the face of the great calamity, slaughter is inevitable. If your skills are inferior, you will die and your Dao will be destroyed, and your soul will be on the list, which is also your destiny."

The words were vague, but the meaning was clear: a great calamity was coming, and those who were not skilled enough or burdened by karma might be deified after death.

The disciples' expressions varied, ranging from worry and unease to resentment. The Jie Sect was known for its pilgrimage of ten thousand immortals, but its disciples were a mixed bag, with many burdened by karmic debts.

"Disperse, all of you, and cultivate diligently." Tongtian waved his hand and disappeared.

The disciples bowed and took their leave, then gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves.

Zhao Gongming's face was ashen. He walked out of the main hall with Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) and muttered, "It must be Master Yuanshi's doing! What's this talk of deep roots and cultivation? Isn't it all up to him? I'm afraid he's trying to use this opportunity to suppress my Jie Sect!"

"Senior brother, be careful what you say," Lu Xiao advised. "The sage's intentions are beyond our comprehension. However, this matter of the Investiture of the Gods is unlikely to end well."

"What's there to be afraid of!" Zhao Gongming's heroic spirit surged. "Our Jie Sect's myriad immortals, are we to be trifled with? If they dare to come knocking on our door, we'll make them know the power of my Sea-Stabilizing Pearl!"

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls appeared, radiating five-colored light, with faint phantom images of the twenty-four celestial beings rising and falling, exuding a majestic aura. This treasure was a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, capable of capturing people and objects, suppressing all directions, and possessing boundless power.

Lu Xiao (Lu Chen)'s gaze fell on the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, but a sudden thought struck him.

The Sea-Stabilizing Pearl?

Inside his Qiankun Diagram lay twelve more Sea-Stabilizing Pearls! He had pieced them together from the Dragon Clan's treasure vault and the Treasure Distribution Cliff years ago. He had never known their full form, only assuming they were powerful innate spiritual treasures. Now, it seemed…

Legend has it that there are thirty-six of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls, which can give rise to the thirty-six heavens. If they could be collected together, their power would rival that of innate treasures, and they might even evolve into the Chaos Pearl! However, after the creation of the world, they were scattered to all directions, and no one has ever been able to collect them all.

These twenty-four pearls belonging to Zhao Gongming are probably the largest known collection.

If we could collect all thirty-six...

A bold idea began to take root in Lu Chen's mind. This might be an opportunity, not only for the magic weapon, but also to plant a crucial piece in Zhao Gongming's heart!

"Senior Brother, this pearl is truly extraordinary." Lu Xiao exclaimed in amazement. "I have heard ancient legends that there were originally thirty-six Sea-Stabilizing Pearls, which evolved into countless forms throughout the heavens and possessed boundless power. Senior Brother has obtained most of them; this is truly an incredible stroke of luck."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gongming's face flashed with a hint of smugness, but then he added with some regret: "It's a pity that the whereabouts of the remaining twelve are unknown. Otherwise, with all thirty-six gathered and manifesting across the heavens, what would I have to fear outside Master's Immortal Slaughtering Formation?"

"Perhaps the time is not yet ripe," Lu Xiao comforted him, then changed the subject, "Senior brother, I have some knowledge of weapon crafting. Observing the spiritual light within this pearl, it seems there are deeper changes that have not yet been activated. If you trust me, could I take a look? Perhaps I can discover something."

Zhao Gongming had a good impression of this intelligent "Junior Brother Lu Xiao," and the other party's talent in array formation and artifact crafting was already well-known within the sect. After a slight hesitation, he nodded: "If Junior Brother wants to see it, of course. However, this treasure is already connected to my mind and body, and it is difficult for outsiders to activate. They can only observe its form and Daoist charm."

"That's enough, thank you for your trust, Senior Brother." Lu Xiao was overjoyed.

Zhao Gongming hung the twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls in the quiet room, allowing Lu Xiao to observe them.

Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) sat cross-legged in front of the pearl, seemingly observing the Daoist rhyme seriously. In reality, his true self had already taken out the twelve Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearls in the Pillar of Heaven Cave and was sensing the Daoist rhyme, internal restriction structure, and the principles of evolution of the heavens of Zhao Gongming's twenty-four pearls in sync with his clone.

They really do share the same origin!

The twelve beads in my hand and the twenty-four beads in Zhao Gongming's hand are perfectly matched in terms of aura, Daoist charm, and even the most subtle restriction patterns! They are originally one!

Suppressing his excitement, Lu Chen began a meticulous yet risky operation.

Using the power of his true self and the suppressing power of the Chaos Brick, he carefully peeled away a trace of the "original imprint" from his twelve Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearls. At the same time, through the contact of his clone "Lu Xiao", he quietly "transferred" this trace of imprint into the core restriction of Zhao Gongming's twenty-four divine pearls.

This trace of primordial imprint is extremely faint, and originates from the same source as the divine pearls. Among the twenty-four divine pearls that Zhao Gongming has fully refined, it is like a drop of water in the ocean, extremely difficult to detect. Its function is not control, but rather "marking" and "resonance".

With this imprint, no matter where the twenty-four divine beads are in the future, as long as the distance isn't too far, Lu Chen can vaguely sense their location. More importantly, if these twenty-four divine beads leave his body or are taken by others, Lu Chen, relying on the primal resonance of the twelve beads in his hand, might have the opportunity to exert influence, or even... "summon" them back at a crucial moment!

Of course, this requires extremely precise operation and timing, and carries considerable risk. But it's worth a try.

It took Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) seven whole days to finish "observing" the lesson, his face showing a tired but enlightened expression.

"Senior brother, this treasure is indeed infinitely mysterious." Lu Xiao returned the divine pearl and exclaimed, "It contains the wonders of the evolution of the heavens and earth, and also has the virtue of calming the seas and pacifying the waves. I have gained a lot from observing it. However... I have a vague feeling that this treasure is not in its complete form, and its power still has great potential to be tapped, perhaps related to the twelve missing pearls."

Zhao Gongming retrieved the divine pearl and carefully sensed it, finding nothing unusual. He only noticed that the pearl's spiritual light seemed slightly more lustrous than before, assuming that his junior brother had activated its spirit while observing it, and thus suspected nothing more. Hearing Lu Xiaozhi's words, he sighed even more, "Junior brother indeed has excellent eyesight. It's a pity, where can we find those twelve pearls? Perhaps they were already destroyed in the War of Creation."

"Who can say for sure about matters of chance?" Lu Xiao smiled meaningfully.

The two discussed the Dao for a while, and their relationship became even more harmonious. Zhao Gongming had come to regard Lu Xiao as a trustworthy fellow disciple, and he no longer concealed his worries about the Investiture of the Gods and his dissatisfaction with the Chan Sect.

Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) plays the role of a qualified listener and strategist, sometimes comforting and sometimes analyzing the situation. He subtly deepens Zhao Gongming's hatred for the Chan Sect and the Heavenly Court with his words, while also implying that the Jie Sect should make preparations in advance and unite all forces that can be united, such as... that Daoist Lu Chen who is at odds with both Yuanshi and the West.

"Daoist Lu Chen?" Zhao Gongming mused. "Although this man's actions are... unconventional, his strength is unfathomable; he even dares to confront a Saint. If he truly wishes to befriend our Jie Sect, it wouldn't be a bad thing. But what about my teacher..."

"Master is wise and will weigh the options," Lu said with a smile. "I just feel that with a great calamity approaching, more help means more chances of survival."

Zhao Gongming wholeheartedly agreed.

A few days later, news spread from Biyou Palace: In order to cope with future uncertainties, the Tongtian Sect Leader will give a lecture on "Shangqing Protector's Divine Power" in the square outside the palace in three days. He will teach a simplified version of the formation essence called "Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation". Although this formation is far inferior to the Zhuxian Sword Formation, it is good at trapping enemies, wearing down their magic power, and cutting off the three flowers on the top of their head and the five qi in their chest. It is a wonderful method for protecting the Dao in group battles.

Immediately, the disciples of the Jie Sect were excited and prepared to go and listen to the lecture.

Lu Chen received the message from his clone, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

The Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation? The signature skill of the Three Immortal Maidens!

This is also one of the iconic formations of the Jie Sect, renowned for its power. If he could learn it, and combine it with the newly comprehended principles of the Zhuxian Formation, his mastery of formations and his methods of combat would reach a new level!

"However, before that..."

Lu Chen looked at the twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls in his hand, then thought of Zhao Gongming's twenty-four pearls, and the predetermined tragic fate of this chivalrous and righteous outer disciple of the Jie Sect after the opening of the Investiture of the Gods...

"Senior Brother Gongming," he murmured to himself, a complex smile curving his lips, "your twenty-four beads, and your life... I, Lu Chen, might be able to help you change them."

"Of course, the reward is... I'll have to 'lend' this set of beads to you in the future."

He activated his brick-escape technique and quietly left the cave once again, his destination—Biyou Palace.

Listen to the teachings, learn the formations, and devise strategies to await the opportune moment.

The winds of deification are blowing faster and faster.