A sword, a donkey, and a pot of wine

The wind and clouds change, and the true dragon appears

On Taiwu Mountain, a sudden rain came.

The strong wind brought dark clouds overhead, and the sky and the earth were instantly plunged into darkness.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning tore through the sky, and it was as bright as day in an instant.

Immediately afterwards, loud thunder exploded, as if the sky was falling and the earth was splitting, making people's eardrums hurt.

Several lightning bolts flew through the clouds like dragons, one of which was particularly thick and struck straight towards the top of the Taiwu Mountain Hall.

In an instant, a strong light burst out, and the hall was instantly tightly wrapped in a blazing white light shield.

Along with the loud noise, the powerful impact caused sparks to fly and gravel to fly everywhere, as if the power of heaven had descended to the earth, shocking everyone.

The rain poured down along the eaves of the hall, and ripples continued to form in the puddle in front of the hall, spreading out in circles.

The young disciples of Taiwu Mountain were frightened by this sudden scene. Their faces turned pale and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

At this moment, the figures of the old Taoist priest and Ji Zi appeared.

The two stood quietly in the rain, and the rain could not get close to them at all, as if there was an invisible barrier protecting them.

The old Taoist priest stared at the charred area on the top of the Taiwu Temple that had been struck by lightning, his brows furrowed tightly as he said in a deep voice, "Such a strange phenomenon has occurred in the sky. Could it be that a great demon has appeared?"

Ji Zi's expression grew increasingly serious, her brows furrowed into a chuan shape, and worry etched into her tone, "This thunder is truly bizarre. Ever since Master Tiandao passed away, there have been no more thunder tribulations in the world, but the scene today... is truly bizarre."

"That's because the true dragon of this era is about to be born!"

Suddenly, a voice was heard.

The old Taoist priest and Ji Zi looked in the direction of the sound and saw Qin Ming leading an old Taoist priest slowly approaching.

The moment the old Taoist priest saw the old Taoist priest, his body suddenly stiffened and he stood there in a daze.

Seeing this, the old Taoist priest laughed and said, "Brother, don't you recognize me, your junior brother?"

The old Taoist priest finally came to his senses, his face full of disbelief, and blurted out: "Junior brother, why are you here?"

The old Taoist priest's expression darkened as he slowly said, "When a person is about to die, there are always many things that he cannot let go of, so he comes back to take a look."

The old Taoist priest's eyes were slightly red. He took a few steps forward, shook the old Taoist priest's hand tightly, and said in a trembling voice: "Junior brother, it's been many years since we last met. How have you been these years?"

The old Taoist gently withdrew his hand and smiled bitterly, "Brother, we parted ways due to our different philosophies. I, determined to follow the will of Heaven, left Taiwu Mountain and founded Xuan Ce Mansion. After wandering around for so many years, I've gained some insights."

The old Heavenly Master nodded slightly, his expression complex. He said, "Although our philosophies differ, our friendship remains unchanged. I wonder why you've returned this time? And why did you mention the birth of a true dragon in this era?"

The old Taoist priest looked up at the charred patch of land atop Taiwu Temple, his eyes grave. "Brother, this thunder is definitely not ordinary. Since leaving Taiwu Mountain, I've followed the will of Heaven to explore many mysteries and discovered that the laws of the world have quietly shifted. This thunder is very likely a sign of the birth of a true dragon."

Ji Zi, listening from the side, frowned and couldn't help asking, "But what is the necessary connection between the birth of this true dragon and this thunder tribulation? Moreover, since the death of Master Tiandao, thunder tribulations have ceased to exist in the world. This scene today is truly bizarre."

The old Taoist's gaze was profound as he spoke slowly, "Legend has it that with every new era, earth-shattering events occur. True dragons are spiritual beings of heaven and earth, and their birth requires the baptism of thunder and lightning to prove their extraordinary nature. The reappearance of this thunder and lightning tribulation may indicate that the rules of heaven and earth are about to be reset, and a new era is about to begin."

When Ji Zi heard this, her expression became even more serious, and she murmured to herself, "Is Ji Yuan about to break the seal?"

The old Taoist priest asked in a deep voice, "Is Tianming in Taiwu Mountain?"

Ji Zi nodded: "He is in seclusion now."

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest's expression was complicated and difficult to discern: "This time, the True Dragon chose to be born in my Xuanhuang Realm. It must be coming for the destiny!"

Ji Zi's face suddenly changed: "How is this possible? The True Dragon and the Fate of Heaven are both chosen by the original will of the universe. They should be friends, not enemies. Why..."