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

Outside Biyou Palace, on the plaza, ten thousand immortals gathered.

The Tongtian Sect Leader sat on a high platform, surrounded by auspicious clouds and golden flowers falling in profusion. He did not directly teach the profound "Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation," but first explained the basic "Shangqing Protector Array Principles," from the Three Powers and Four Symbols to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, proceeding from the shallow to the deep, with clear and logical explanations.

The disciples below listened with rapt attention, including Lu Chen (his clone Lu Xiao). He was multitasking, absorbing what Tongtian had taught him while simultaneously transmitting the essence to his main body. Meanwhile, his main body was in the cave on Mount Buzhou, using the Great Dao of Power to deduce and apply its principles to other situations, making rapid progress.

The explanations lasted for forty-nine days before the basic principles of the formation finally came to an end. On this day, Tongtian finally mentioned the "Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation".

"This formation is inspired by the perilous bends of the Yellow River, and it incorporates the Three Powers and contains the wonders of heaven and earth. Within it are the Bewitching Immortal Pill and the Immortal-Sealing Technique, which can cause immortals to lose their spirit, dissipate their soul, trap their form, damage their energy, lose their original essence, and harm their limbs." Tongtian's voice was vast and resounding. With a wave of his hand, Dao patterns intertwined in the air, evolving into the illusory image of the Yellow River rushing and winding through the nine bends. Within it, killing intent was faintly visible, and immortal light was dimmed, making the disciples' hearts pound with fear.

"The core of this formation lies in the word 'Hun Yuan'. When it is in operation, it forms its own small world, reversing Yin and Yang and disrupting the Five Elements. If those who enter the formation do not have a supreme treasure to protect them, even a Great Luo Golden Immortal will suffer calamity."

Hunyuan?

Upon hearing these two words, both Lu Chen's main body and his clone were startled. The natal treasure in his hand was the "Chaos Brick," which had now been upgraded to a "Chaos Treasure," its core being the Dao of "Chaos" and "Primordial Chaos"!

Could it be that... some of the principles of this Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation resonate with his Chaos Brick?

Sure enough, when Tongtian began to explain some of the core array patterns and operating techniques, the Chaos Brick inside Lu Chen's Qiankun Diagram spontaneously trembled slightly, and the chaotic patterns on the surface of the brick flickered, as if echoing the illusory image of the array diagram.

Meanwhile, in the square of Biyou Palace, the three female immortals sitting in the front row—Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao—also seemed to sense something. Especially the eldest sister, Yunxiao, whose bosom faintly emitted golden light, her aura subtly resonating with the fluctuations of the array diagram evolving in Tongtian.

Lu Chen (Lu Xiao) glanced at the Three Immortals of Sanxiao and understood. The Three Immortals of Sanxiao, the future masters of the "Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation," probably already sensed the power of their famous magic weapon, the "Primordial Golden Cauldron."

The Primordial Golden Cauldron, this treasure is based on the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, encompassing all things. It can collect all things and diminish a person's cultivation, thus embodying the Dao of "Primordial Chaos." It may share similarities with the Chaos Brick and the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation on the level of "Dao."

As the sermon continued, Tongtian imparted the essential methods of setting up the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, including the configuration of the formation's key points and the key variations. Although he did not delve into the most crucial secret method of driving the Hunyuan Golden Bucket (which was an opportunity for the Three Immortals), the disciples had already benefited greatly from it.

After the sermon ended, the disciples dispersed, each pondering their own thoughts. Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) was about to leave when a clear, cold female voice called out to him.

"Junior Brother Lu Xiao, please wait."

Looking back, it was indeed Lady Yunxiao. She had a dignified and beautiful appearance, and a cool and aloof temperament. Beside her were the lively Qiongxiao and the charming Bixiao.

"Greetings, three senior sisters." Lu Xiao bowed respectfully.

"Junior Brother, there's no need for such formalities," Yunxiao said calmly. "Just now, while listening to your teachings, I noticed your inner light was contained, and your understanding of the principles of formations was remarkably rapid, suggesting you possess unique insights. My two sisters and I also have some knowledge of formations; I wonder if we could exchange a few words with you?"

Lu Xiao's heart stirred slightly. This was a gesture of goodwill from the Three Immortals, and also an opportunity to further engage with the Hunyuan Golden Bucket. Naturally, he couldn't miss it.

"Senior sister, you flatter me. It is my honor to receive guidance from the three of you."

The four arrived at the cave dwelling of the Three Immortals, "Three Immortals Island" (a separate residence opened within Biyou Palace). The cave dwelling was filled with spiritual energy and elegantly decorated. Qiongxiao served celestial tea, while Bixiao curiously observed Lu Xiao.

The exchange started as a casual conversation, but as the topic deepened, Lu Xiao (relying on his mastery of formations and his understanding of the "Primordial Chaos" Dao) was able to offer insightful observations that impressed the Three Immortals, especially Yunxiao, whose eyes showed increasing admiration.

"Junior Brother, your understanding of the 'Primordial Chaos' is so profound?" Yunxiao couldn't help but sigh. "To be honest, Junior Brother, I have a treasure called the 'Primordial Chaos Golden Cauldron,' which also contains the principles of Primordial Chaos, but I always feel that I haven't been able to fully unleash its power. Listening to what you've said, Junior Brother, it seems that you've gained some insight."

As she spoke, she flipped her palm, and a golden, bucket-shaped magic weapon appeared, spinning rapidly. Inside, it seemed as if a galaxy was rotating, and the universe was creating and dying, a mysterious and extraordinary sight.

Hunyuan Golden Cauldron!

Lu Xiao's gaze sharpened as he carefully observed. At the same time, far away on Mount Buzhou, the Chaos Brick within the Qiankun Diagram trembled more intensely, and the subtle resonance between the two intensified.

"Senior sister, may junior brother take a closer look?" Lu Xiao asked.

Yunxiao pondered for a moment, then placed the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron on the table and said, "This treasure has already become one with my mind and spirit. Junior brother, you can observe its Dao charm, but do not use your divine sense to explore it deeply, lest you suffer a backlash."

"Junior brother understands."

Lu Xiao approached, seemingly to observe, but in reality, his true self was carefully sensing the structure and flow of laws within the Chaos Golden Cauldron, guided by the "Primordial Chaos" Daoist rhyme of the Chaos Brick.

This sensation greatly surprised him.

The internal structure of the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron bears a striking resemblance to that of the Chaos Brick! It's not just a resemblance in form, but a similarity in the "Dao." Both contain the primordial essence of "encompassing," "transforming," and "dissolving," only their forms of expression differ—the Chaos Brick leans more towards "suppressing" and "crushing," while the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron excels at "containing" and "dissolving."

If one can understand the commonalities among them, it might be possible to give the Chaos Brick a similar "containment and disintegration" property, or to further enhance the power of the Primordial Golden Cauldron.

More importantly, through this resonance, Lu Chen's understanding of the "Primordial Chaos" Dao is rapidly deepening! This has immeasurable benefits for him in perfecting his own Dao of Power (the ultimate power can also evolve into chaos).

The observation lasted for several hours. Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) gained a great deal, but he also keenly sensed that deep within the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron, there seemed to be an extremely subtle "mark," not left by Yunxiao, but something even more ancient and profound, carrying a faint... aura of the Heavenly Dao?

"Could it be a backup plan from the Dao Ancestor, or some even more ancient being?" Lu Chen himself was secretly on guard. In the Investiture of the Gods, the Three Immortals of Sanxiao met a tragic end, and this Hunyuan Golden Cauldron was ultimately taken away by a sage; perhaps this was not a coincidence.

He remained calm, withdrew his senses, and said to Yunxiao, "Senior Sister, this treasure is indeed infinitely wondrous. In my humble opinion, its power may not be limited to capturing treasures, seizing people, or reducing their cultivation. If it can be combined with the wonders of the 'Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation,' using the formation to control battles and using battles to create formations, with the primordial chaos flowing endlessly, it may be able to form its own primordial world. It may not be able to trap a Saint, but trapping and killing a Great Luo Immortal would be as easy as turning one's hand."

Upon hearing this, all three of the Three Immortals were shaken!

Yunxiao's eyes flashed with brilliant light: "Using formations to control battles, and battles to create formations... the Primordial World! Junior Brother is truly a genius! These words are like a sudden awakening!"

Qiongxiao and Bixiao were also very excited, surrounding Lu Xiao and repeatedly asking for details.

Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) then eloquently explained some ideas that combined what Tongtian had taught him, his own insights, and his own understanding of the Chaos Brick. Although it was only a framework and direction, it opened a completely new door for the Three Immortals, giving them a revolutionary understanding of the use of the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron and the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation.

This exchange lasted for three days and three nights. The Three Immortals' attitude towards Lu Xiao (Lu Chen) had changed from initial appreciation to near admiration, and they regarded him as a "soulmate" in the art of array formations and the use of magical treasures.

Before parting, Yunxiao solemnly took out a jade slip and handed it to Lu Xiao: "Junior brother, this contains some insights and understandings of the 'Nine Turns Yellow River Formation' that my two sisters and I have gained over the years. Although it is not as systematic as what our teacher taught us, it has some unique aspects. I have benefited greatly from discussing the Dao with you today, junior brother. I give this slip to you as a token of my gratitude."

"This... is too precious," Lu Xiao declined.

"Junior brother, please accept this," Qiongxiao said with a smile. "Your insights are far more valuable than this jade slip. Come visit often, and we can work together to further enhance the power of this grand formation!"

Bi Xiao nodded repeatedly, "That's right, Junior Brother Lu Xiao, you can't refuse!"

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Lu Xiao had no choice but to accept the jade slip, his heart filled with emotion. The Three Immortal Maidens were kind-hearted and loyal, but alas, their fates were sealed...

"Three senior sisters," Lu Xiao suddenly said seriously, "the Investiture of the Gods has begun, and a great calamity may befall us in the future. I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."

The Three Immortals of Sanxiao solemnly said, "Junior Brother, please speak."

"No matter what happens in the future, if you fight with others, especially the disciples of the Chan Sect, remember not to kill them all, and especially do not easily kill the Twelve Golden Immortals. A saint's face is more important than anything else." Lu Xiao said earnestly, "No matter how strong the formation or how powerful the magic weapon, you must leave room for maneuver. Remember, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

These words were spoken in a veiled manner, but the three Xiao sisters were all intelligent and understood the deeper meaning behind them. Recalling what their teacher had said before, their expressions became more serious.

"Thank you for your guidance, Junior Brother. My sister and I have taken it to heart," Yunxiao said solemnly.

After leaving the Three Immortal Islands, the clone returned, and the memories were synchronized.

Inside the Heavenly Pillar Cave, Lu Chen held the jade slip containing the insights of the Three Immortals, sensed the Chaos Brick resonating with the Hunyuan Golden Bucket, and felt a deeper understanding of the "Hunyuan" Great Dao within his body. A complex expression appeared on his face.

The gains were enormous, but I also felt a deeper vortex.

"The Three Immortals... Gongming... the Intercepting Sect..." he muttered to himself, "The waters of the Investiture of the Gods are deeper than I thought. But now that I'm in, there's no turning back."

He looked toward the Kunlun Mountains, his gaze growing cold.

"Yuanshi, the two Western Saints, and Haotian... do you intend to use the Investiture of the Gods to purge dissidents and divide up the destiny?"

"Then I, Lu Chen, will place a few more disobedient pieces on this chessboard."

"Let's see whose misfortune it is in the end!"