All Realms and Worlds: The Lost Home

In the primordial world, the sea of ​​clouds stretched endlessly.

This place is not Kunlun Ruins or East Sea Abyss, which are located in the center of the primordial wilderness, but a hidden sea of ​​clouds in the southern wilderness.

The clouds and mist are all formed from the primordial spiritual energy at the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, shimmering with a faint glow, and swirling among the undulating floating mountain ranges.

Beneath the mountains, a spiritual vein pulses, its aura deep and distant, escaping the turmoil and chaos of the primordial continent, where only the vicissitudes of time flow quietly among the sea of ​​clouds.

At the top of the sea of ​​clouds, a colossal shadow lay coiled upon it.

Its body was hidden in the shimmering white clouds, with only its tens of thousands of feet long spine visible. Its scales were like purple gold, shimmering with an ancient and majestic luster in the dim light.

Each scale bears the marks of time, as if carrying the endless years since the beginning of time.

The dragon's whiskers hung down like a silver river cascading to the ground, and with a slight sway, they caused the surrounding spiritual energy to surge.

The dragon's eyes were closed, its breathing was even and deep, and its body was surrounded by a faint dragon's might, which was neither ostentatious nor lacking in composure or strength after experiencing life and death.

This is Ao Chen, a purple-gold divine dragon who survived the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, and also a transmigrator from Earth who has wandered in the primordial world for countless epochs.

Ao Chen could no longer remember the exact year and month he had transmigrated.

At that time, he was just an ordinary history enthusiast in a city on Earth, studying ancient books late into the night, when he was suddenly pulled by an invisible force.

When it opened its eyes again, it had become a purple-gold dragon egg, the first egg of the primordial dragon race.

From hatching from the shell, to vaguely recognizing this world of strict laws and the survival of the fittest, and then to personally experiencing the bloody battles between dragons and phoenixes.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already experienced tens of thousands of cycles of rise and fall in this world.

He witnessed the fall of the primordial gods, the rise and fall of ancient tribes, and even survived the catastrophe that swept across the entire prehistoric world, such as the Dragon and Phoenix Calamity.

Countless epochs of time are enough to wear down the obsessions of most living beings, enough to allow him to completely integrate into this primordial world and look down upon all living beings as a purple-gold divine dragon.

But the longing hidden deep within my soul has never diminished in the slightest.

That was his home on Earth, where he had elderly parents, a wife waiting for him to come home, and responsibilities and affections he hadn't yet fulfilled.

This longing to return home is etched into the very essence of his soul.

It sustained him in his desperate battle during the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, it sustained him in leading the remaining members of his clan into hiding, and it sustained him in maintaining a sliver of "humanity" throughout the long and lonely years.

Over the years, he has tried to find his way back home.

With the advantages of his transmigrator soul and the talent of the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon, his cultivation speed increased by leaps and bounds, and he rose rapidly among the dragons, even managing to come into contact with the power of the laws of the primordial origin.

He once ventured into the Dragon Clan's secret realm deep within the East Sea to study the star charts left behind by the ancient Dragon Ancestor.

He once traveled alone to Kunlun Ruins to seek guidance from the primordial deities on the principles of time and space.

It has also exhausted its own essence to deduce countless coordinate trajectories.

But the spacetime barrier between the prehistoric world and Earth was far more solid than he had imagined.

Every simulation ended in failure, and every attempt only resulted in the depletion of the source.

Only that faint connection deep within his soul to the earth, like a flickering candle in the wind, reminded him that his homeland still existed and that there was hope of returning home.

At this moment, Ao Chen was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, using the Dragon Clan's secret technique to refine the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and repair the hidden injuries left during the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity.

The hidden wound was deep within the dragon's core, caused by taking a direct hit from the Phoenix Clan's ancestor while covering the clan's retreat.

Despite countless eras of recuperation, it has never been completely eradicated, and it will ache whenever the spiritual energy of heaven and earth fluctuates.

But just as he was immersed in cultivation, his soul merging with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

A mighty roar of will, without warning, pierced through the primordial barrier of heaven and earth, resounding deep within his soul.

"Buzz—"

Ao Chen's massive body trembled violently, and his tightly closed dragon eyes snapped open, a hint of fear and confusion flashing in his golden dragon pupils.

That roar of will was formless and intangible, yet it carried extreme anger and a protective intent, as if it came from the ends of the universe, instantly stirring the very essence deep within his soul.

He could clearly sense that this will was not directed at the primordial beings, nor was it about vying for the opportunities of heaven and earth.

Rather, it stemmed from a pure, unbridled rage for the sake of his offspring—"How dare you try to stop my children from returning home!"

Children? Returning home?

Ao Chen's dragon whiskers trembled violently, and his heart was filled with turbulent waves.

The aura contained within this will instantly stirred the connection between his soul and the Earth deep within him.

A familiar warmth, originating from his homeland, welled up in his heart, but in the next second, it abruptly broke apart, accompanied by the aftershocks of his roaring will.

Like a string stretched taut for countless epochs, it snapped completely after the most violent tremor.

Ao Chen's purple-gold scales stood up instantly, and his dragon body suddenly soared into the air.

Its body, tens of thousands of feet long, stretched out in the sea of ​​clouds, unleashing its dragon might without reservation, causing the surrounding innate spiritual energy to surge wildly, and even the floating mountain range trembled slightly.

He stared wide-eyed at the vast wilderness, his divine soul stretching out in an attempt to capture that broken connection.

But no matter how he tried to perceive it, all he got was emptiness.

The faint bond that held him to the earth, to his parents and wife, vanished without a trace.

"Homeland..." Ao Chen's dragon roar was low and hoarse, carrying an undisguised sense of loss and pain.

A hint of confusion flashed in the golden dragon's eyes.

Throughout countless ages, even when the road home was uncertain and he faced life-or-death ordeals, he never gave up hope.

Because he knew that he was still a wanderer, and that there was still a harbor he longed for in his heart.

But now, the connection is broken. He can no longer sense the presence of his homeland, nor can he be sure if his home is still there, or if his parents and wife are safe and well.

He is no longer a wanderer.

Even those who have wandered far from home still yearn to return, and still have roots of attachment to their hometown.

He lost all connection with his homeland and became a homeless wanderer adrift in the vast wilderness.

This sudden despair was more devastating to him than the severe injury he suffered at the hands of the Phoenix Ancestor during the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, or the pain of watching his people perish.

Just as Ao Chen was enveloped in despair, his dragon body trembling slightly from the turmoil of his emotions.

A barely perceptible golden light, following the spatial rift left by the roar of that will, quietly pierced through the barrier of the primordial world.

Like fireflies, they slowly drifted toward his dragon body.

That golden light was a fragment of Wei Yu's soul, which accurately captured the Earth imprint deep within Ao Chen's soul.

After wandering through countless eras, they finally found this powerful transmigrator who also came from Earth.

The golden light fell on Ao Chen's purple-gold dragon scales without causing the slightest ripple, like water droplets merging into the ocean, slowly seeping into his dragon body.

Following the flow of the meridians, it eventually converges at the core of his soul.

The moment the fragments merged, Ao Chen froze, and his previously restless soul suddenly calmed down.

A faint yet incredibly clear aura of shared origin emanated from the depths of the soul.

He could clearly sense that this fragment carried the will of another time traveler, and the same obsession with returning home.

It also has faint, crisscrossing coordinate patterns—the coordinate aura that originates from the same source as Earth, the clue to his homeland that he has been searching for for countless eons.

Ao Chen quickly composed himself, activated the Dragon Clan's secret technique, and carefully enveloped the fragment of soul, meticulously examining the information within.

The fragments contain no complete consciousness, only blurred images and emotions: a cliffside hut, a worn-out plastic bracelet, coordinates interwoven with countless ribbons of light, and the resentment and perseverance before death...

Another name slowly emerged in his mind—Wei Yu.

"Wei Yu..." Ao Chen murmured the name, a hint of understanding and solemnity flashing in his golden dragon eyes.

He could vaguely guess that this compatriot named Wei Yu might have sacrificed himself in order to decipher the coordinates of his homeland.

This fragment of his soul is his gift to all Earth travelers.

The gloom of despair quietly dissipated with the arrival of this fragment, replaced by a renewed hope.

Ao Chen knew perfectly well that this single fragment was far from enough to find his way home, much less to rebuild his connection with Earth.

But the appearance of this fragment proves that in the myriad worlds, there are other kin like him, and other scattered fragments.

If we can gather all these fragments, we might be able to piece together the complete coordinates of Earth, and perhaps even reverse time and space to embark on the journey home.

This hope, like a spark in the darkness, instantly ignited his long-dormant obsession.

Countless ages of waiting and perseverance, countless failures and struggles, all take on new meaning at this moment.

He must find the other fragments of the soul and gather all the clues.

No matter how difficult the road ahead, no matter how many unknown dangers lie ahead in this vast and desolate world, he will persevere.

For my aging parents, for my waiting wife, and for that longing for home etched deep in my soul.

As his thoughts surged, the tragic scene of the Dragon and Phoenix Calamity flooded into Ao Chen's mind like a tidal wave.

It was an era of constant warfare, with the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan dividing the primordial world into three, constantly attacking each other.

In the struggle for dominance over heaven and earth, a catastrophe swept across the entire primordial world.

At that time, Ao Chen was already a leading figure among the younger generation of the Dragon Clan. With the wisdom of a transmigrator and the powerful talent of the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon, he made many outstanding contributions on the battlefield and was highly valued by the Dragon Ancestor.

But the calamity was merciless; the Phoenix Clan's flames burned away the Dragon Clan's habitat, and the Qilin Clan's fury razed the Dragon Clan's city.

Countless members of their tribe perished, their blood staining the mountains and rivers of the ancient land.

When the Dragon Ancestor died in battle and the Dragon Clan was on the verge of extinction, it was the obsession with returning home that sustained Ao Chen.

He knew he couldn't die. If he perished, the lineage of the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon would be completely extinguished, and he would never have the chance to return to Earth.

So, disregarding his own safety, he led the remaining members of the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon Clan.

With their familiarity with the prehistoric terrain and precise tactical planning, they fought their way out of the encirclement and suppression by the Phoenix Clan and the Qilin Clan.

Having avoided the epicenter of the catastrophe, they traveled a long and winding road before finally finding this hidden southern wilderness of clouds.

This place is rich in spiritual energy, secluded, and far from the strife of the past, making it a perfect place for the people to recuperate and thrive.

Over the years, Ao Chen has been leading his people to heal their injuries and reproduce, while secretly cultivating and consolidating his strength, always on guard against external threats.

He knew that although the Dragon and Phoenix Calamity had ended, the primordial world was not at peace.

The prelude to the Great Tribulation of the Gods is about to begin. Various forces are stirring up trouble, and if they are not careful, the surviving clansmen will face annihilation.

"Chieftain."

A gentle dragon voice rang out, and several figures emerged from the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

They were all members of the Purple Gold Divine Dragon Clan. The leader was Ao Lie, Ao Chen's younger brother, whose strength was second only to Ao Chen. For many years, he had been assisting Ao Lie in managing the clan's affairs.

Sensing the dragon's might and emotional fluctuations that Ao Chen had just unleashed, Ao Lie asked with concern, "Your aura changed just now, is something wrong?"

Ao Chen slowly withdrew his dragon might, his dragon body shrank slightly, and he transformed into a man wearing a long robe with purple and gold dragon patterns.

With a handsome face and an ancient demeanor, only the golden vertical pupils in his eyes still retained the majesty of a divine dragon.

He looked at Ao Lie and the other clansmen, his tone calm but with an undeniable firmness: "It's nothing, I just have a new goal in mind."

He did not mention the identity of the time traveler, nor did he speak of the secrets of his homeland and the fragments of his soul.

This is his biggest trump card, and also his most dangerous secret. In the treacherous world of the prehistoric era, he cannot easily reveal it to anyone, not even his own people.

A hint of doubt flashed in Ao Lie's eyes, but he did not ask any further questions. He simply said respectfully, "Everything is fine in the clan. However, we have recently noticed some unusual spiritual energy activity in the eastern part of the prehistoric world. It seems that a powerful being is divination the Dao of Time and Space, which may lead to unforeseen changes."

Ao Chen nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the eastern part of the prehistoric world, a sharp glint flashing in his golden vertical pupils.

"The calamity of the Investiture of the Gods is approaching, and all forces are making their plans. There is no need to pay attention to them."

The order was issued: the clan was to strengthen its defenses, strictly forbidding any clansmen from leaving the area, and to continue their clandestine cultivation.

"Yes."

Ao Lie and the others responded in unison, then slowly retreated and disappeared back into the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

After his clansmen left, Ao Chen stood alone atop the sea of ​​clouds, raising his hand to his chest.

That was where the fragments of the soul merged, and a faint, warm aura lingered there.

He looked up into the depths of the universe, his gaze piercing through the barriers of the primordial world, as if he could see the scattered fragments of souls in all the heavens and myriad realms, and those compatriots who also longed to return home.

"Wei Yu, thank you," Ao Chen said softly, his tone full of solemnity.

"I will continue your obsession. I will retrieve each and every fragment of your memory."