Chapter 48: Hongjun Returns, the Three Clans Transform

After this calamity, innate spiritual qi abounded in heaven and earth; many innate deities entered seclusion, seeking further progress.

The Dragon Clan also began implementing its plan, letting many water deities see the sea's purifying power, while simultaneously enforcing water‑qi exchange on the Bei Fang Continent.

When the gods saw the Four Seas' water fortune merge with the Bei Fang water fortune, both sides' fortunes burst with vigorous vitality, and the entire Bei Fang water system became full of life.

The Four Seas' water fortune and the Dragon Clan's fortune both surged.

Although the Dragon Clan experienced something strange, its Fourth Ancestor, hailed as the Dragon Clan War God, the innate deity Ying Long, was sealed.

Yet this occurrence did not affect the water deities' optimism toward the Dragon Clan, nor their expectation of mutual water‑qi exchange and linked water fortunes.

This would greatly lessen the water deities' burden, so they need no longer worry about rivers drying up.

Although the Dragon Clan would send clansmen to serve as Water Lords to manage the water meridians, they would not gain divine status, ultimately remaining merely administrators.

The gods also need not worry about blocked water meridians, conflicts among the Water Tribe, or reduced rainfall in the surrounding areas.

This can be called a win‑win situation for both sides.

Since the Dragon Clan's plan for the Bei Fang water system succeeded, now the Four Rivers and Eight Streams all agree to the Dragon Clan's water‑meridian interconnection plan.

Moreover, they actively opened the connections between their own waters and the tributary water systems, incorporating these systems into the Dragon Clan's domain.

In merely thirty yuanhui, the Eastern Water System fell entirely into the Dragon Clan's hands; the many water deities of the East also enjoyed the benefits of the Dragon Clan's surging fortune, their cultivation advancing greatly.

Seeing this, the Qilin Clan also wanted to try, but found linking the heavy earth meridians far more difficult—utterly not worth the loss—and so they ultimately gave up.

Having secured the Eastern Water System, the Dragon Clan also began contacting the Western Water System from the West Sea and the Southern Water System from the South Sea, making some progress, though much slower.

Seeing this, knowing the time had come, Zu Long set out from the East Sea toward Cloud Dream Marsh.

"Cloud Dream Marsh's Bai Ling pays respects to the venerable deity."

Bai Ling greeted the newly arrived Zu Long at the Dao Chang of Cloud Dream Marsh, offered fruit and tea, and invited him to sit.

"Niu Er, where is your master? Could you pass along a word that an old friend has come to visit?"

Zu Long was quite friendly toward Bai Ling, for he likes those who know propriety; this Niu Er, since his arrival, has overstepped no bounds of etiquette.

Seeing him enter without a calling card, not revealing his name, yet first receiving courteous hospitality—though he was not allowed through the mountain gate, the fruit and tea were never lacking.

Thus his attitude was naturally much more friendly.

"In reply to the venerable deity, my master entered seclusion after returning from his last outing; before closing up he specifically instructed me that this seclusion would admit no outside guests."

"No matter who comes here, they must not disturb him."

"Oh? Not even his few friends?"

Zu Long asked curiously.

"The master said that unless he himself emerges from seclusion, no one who comes may disturb him."

Bai Ling immediately replied.

"Then so be it; since we have no affinity this time, we can only speak of it later."

Having said that, Zu Long took out a jade slip and handed it to Bai Ling, then pulled out a stalk resembling water grass—an inferior spiritual root—and tossed it to Bai Ling, saying:

"When your master leaves seclusion, give him this jade slip; by then he will have his own judgment, and this spiritual root will be your reward for the help, little Niu Er—farewell."

Having spoken, Zu Long's silhouette faded away.

Meanwhile Bai Ling stared at the spiritual root in astonishment:

"Mine? It's for me!"

His tone brimmed with intense disbelief, as if he could not believe he would suddenly possess a spiritual root.

He then slipped the jade slip into his bosom, seized the spiritual root, eagerly returned to the medicinal garden, planted it, transformed into his true form—a white ox—and hopped about excitedly.

He knew this spiritual root was already his; his master would not value such a thing, and even if he offered it later, the master would certainly refuse it.

At that moment, Qi's consciousness immersed in the Dao Fruit; a vast world flickered within the Dao Fruit with dazzling light.

Qi linked the world to the Dao Fruit with his consciousness; the world suffused with his Dao essence, appearing especially pure and beautiful.

The Great Luo Heaven had been completed; next came the refinement of spiritual treasures.

The World‑Opening White Jade Section was offered forth, and Qi's divine power continually suffused the runes upon it.

Each rune upon it gradually took on Qi's divine power, as if each were being lit up.

Each rune is a great consumer of divine power; to fully refine a rune basically requires exhausting Qi's divine power once.

This is a task requiring time and effort to complete; they need constant nurturing.

Time elapsed in this repeated process of refinement.

Knowing that a tremendous roar echoed between heaven and earth, spreading throughout the Primordial.

"Primordial Heaven and Earth above, I am the Primordial Ancestral Dragon, chief of the Primordial scaled armor, establishing the scaled‑armor clan, governing the Primordial Four Seas on behalf of Heaven, vetted by the Heavenly Dao."

The Phoenix and Qilin Clans could not help but follow closely, one to seize the initiative, two to contend for merit.

"Primordial Heaven and Earth above, I am the Primordial Qilin Ancestor, chief of the Primordial beasts, establishing the beast clan, governing the Primordial earth on behalf of Heaven, vetted by the Heavenly Dao."

"Primordial Heaven and Earth above, I am the Primordial Phoenix Ancestor, chief of the Primordial birds, establishing the bird clan, governing the Primordial skies on behalf of Heaven, vetted by the Heavenly Dao."

The three voices fell; heaven and earth responded, the three clans' conduct benefiting the Primordial; instantly a great expanse of merit arose, not inferior to the merit descended during the Ferocious Beast Great Calamity. The merit golden clouds split into three, falling upon the three clans.

Of these, seven‑tenths of the merit fell upon each clan's chief; the three chiefs' cultivation thus pointed directly to the utmost of the Great Luo Revered God, needing only a small step to surpass him and reach a new realm.

The remaining three‑tenths scattered among the clans' living beings, also granting them considerable opportunity.

As these merits finished dispersing, heaven and earth grew quiet for a moment, then Zu Long's voice was heard again.

"Primordial Heaven and Earth above, I am the Primordial Ancestral Dragon, now chief of all scaled armor, deeply feeling the hardship of scaled‑armor beings' survival; from this day forward, at the shore of the East Sea, I establish the Dragon Gate."

"The Dragon Gate opens every three thousand years; any being of scaled‑armor lineage who leaps over it shall obtain the Dragon Clan's bloodline and become a dragon seed."

Heaven and earth responded again, descending a merit golden cloud; though not as great as before, it was still immensely large, and Zu Long's aura underwent a qualitative change at that instant.

Thus, on the Primordial Continent the three clans stood in tripartite balance, the Dragon Clan's strongest situation formed, and the three clans' fortunes reached their historical peak at this moment.

Qi stood in the lotus pond watching this unfold, also anticipating who would be the protagonist of the coming great calamity.

"Regardless of how the Primordial situation develops thereafter, the tragic case of the Ferocious Beast Great Calamity must never happen again."

Qi turned and walked back to the pool bottom, no longer paying attention to the changes in heaven and earth; only with sufficient strength could he ensure that the vicious beast tragedy would not happen again.

And Hongjun had just walked out of Chaos, a sudden bewilderment rose in his heart.

"What's going on? Is this still the wilderness? How did the three tribes' strength suddenly become so powerful?"

Sensing the location of the fragment of the Creation Jade Disc and the current strength of the three tribes, even Hongjun felt a moment of bewilderment.

PS: I've started work again, still overtime, so annoyed! My birthday is completely ruined, but I still wish myself a happy birthday.

Asking for votes.

(End of chapter)