The Primordial Era: Starting with Jingwei Filling the Sea

"Snapped!"

On the chessboard, a piece was placed, and the previously declining situation for the white side began to turn around. Subtly, a large group of black pieces were now being restrained by this single piece.

"Second brother, your move was truly brilliant. It's just a pity that you're only now thinking of changing your strategy; isn't it a bit too late?"

"Brother, haven't you heard that in chess, one only sees the world when one takes a risky move, and only when the situation is at its worst can one find a way out?"

Another white piece landed on the board. There was no trace of human activity at the place of the piece, but it seemed as if boundless Taoist energy was rising up, which actually brought all nine lines of chess that had been locked down by black pieces back to life.

The man called "Big Brother" was an old Taoist priest with a receding hairline and thinning hair at the edges of his head. Even so, he strangely did not show any signs of aging; he was as natural as the mountains and rivers of nature, making him seem utterly untouched by time.

The one referred to as the second brother was a middle-aged Taoist priest with a dignified and meticulous appearance. He wore a Hunyuan crown and a twelve-piece Sumeru robe, giving people the impression of being extremely upright and intolerant of any flaws.

These two are none other than the Sage of Taiqing and the Sage of Yuqing.

The Sage of Taiqing raised his eyes, a yin-yang symbol flashing within them: "The third brother seems to be serious this time. It's truly perplexing that he has taken on a fifth personal disciple in this entire era."

He was ruthless and didn't say much. With a flick of his finger, the black chess piece crashed down, aiming straight for the white piece's central point, as if the giant axe that Pangu used to create the world had cleaved down, trying to uproot the white piece.

"How can the canal be so clear? Because it has a living source. I observe that Duobao, obsessed with power, has lost his true self. Guiling is impulsive and unfit for great responsibility. Jinling and Wudang, though ambitious to save the world, unfortunately place personal feelings above the law, making them equally incapable. Only Yunxiao, the young boy, has deep-rooted potential, but alas..."

When the Jade Purity Saint mentioned Fairy Clouds, a glimmer of hope briefly appeared in his eyes, but it quickly vanished.

He placed his piece again, right in the gap between the black pieces, like a lone pine breaking through a rock, stubbornly holding up a piece of heaven and earth in a desperate situation.

The Taiji pattern in the eyes of the Sage of Taiqing became increasingly clear, as if he were deducing the secrets of heaven, or as if he were evolving the Great Dao: "The Third Brother's Jie Sect has always been 'teaching without discrimination,' but hidden within this 'discrimination' is a monstrous calamity. For the sake of his brothers, Yunxiao Xiaotong knowingly did the impossible, which is no different from the three of us brothers."

Sage Yuqing stopped moving, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Pangu transformed into all living beings, and all living beings are Pangu. The tribulations of all living beings are the tribulations of Pangu, and also the tribulations of the three of us. This tribulation is a link in the evolution of heaven and earth, and even sages cannot escape it."

"Whether it is a calamity or a blessing, it is still unknown. The worst outcome is that he will no longer exist in this era. The position of a sage is a position of duty, but also a cage."

The Supreme Sage remained noncommittal; nothing could affect his state of mind.

"In that case, let us wait and see how the world unfolds, and watch the rise and fall of events. The third brother is already a sage, and his cultivation is no less than ours, so we can rest assured."

In another sacred site, another pair of brothers were also discussing this matter.

The fact that the Tongtian Sect Leader accepted an outer disciple wouldn't attract any attention; even the Jade Purity Saint was used to it. But when he accepted a personal disciple, it caused quite a stir.

The Tongtian Sect Leader had very strict requirements for his personal disciples; even Fairy Yunxiao could only remain in the outer sect.

Fang Yang had no presence in the prehistoric world; he wasn't even qualified to participate in the Four Teachings Conference organized by the four religions of the West, including the Human, Chan, Jie, and Western sects.

Such a minor character inexplicably saved the daughter of the Human Emperor and inexplicably became the personal disciple of the Tongtian Sect Master, which inevitably attracted attention from all sides.

Inside Leiyin Temple, under the Bodhi tree, two saints sit side by side beside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool.

Golden light filled the air, accompanied by the sounds of chanting and Sanskrit inscriptions that rippled across the surface of the pond. The colorful carp in the pond, hearing the melodious sounds, leaped joyfully out of the water, making a "drip-drip" sound.

The saint on the left has a sorrowful face and compassionate eyes. He is dressed in a dark gold Taoist robe. An eagle perches on his shoulder, its eyes closed obediently, enjoying the baptism of the Western Dharma.

The sage Zhunti on the right is slightly thin and wears a Vairocana hat and an apricot-yellow plaid Taoist robe. Countless heavenly secrets surround him.

"Senior brother, Fang Yang is just an ordinary human who has only achieved the Acquired Realm. He was able to cultivate to the Golden Immortal realm entirely thanks to the Supreme Purity Five Qi Golden Pill that you gave me. Even Chang Er Ding Guang Xian can only be an outer disciple. What secret does Fang Yang hold?"

Sage Zhunti made numerous calculations, but his results were flawless. No matter how he calculated, he couldn't find any redeeming qualities in Fang Yang.

The Sage of Guidance stroked the eagle and smiled faintly: "To be favored by Senior Brother Tongtian, this child is no ordinary person. I am quite looking forward to seeing what changes Fang Yang will bring to the world after he grows up."

Upon hearing this, the Sage Zhunti chuckled and immediately understood.

"Hehe, it's because you're too persistent, Junior Brother. Those little fellows under our command are trying to scheme against the East Sea Dragon Clan in order to make the West prosperous, so that our Western Dragon Clan can occupy the East Sea. Fang Yang's sudden emergence has ruined their plans. This boy and our disciples are bound to have a battle."

The Sage looked towards the East Sea, a knowing glint in his eyes: "Sunlight and Moonlight are far too eager for quick success. It's one thing for them to scheme against the East Sea Dragon Clan, but to drag the human race into it is quite another. To scheme against a three-year-old child—how is their despicable method any different from that of demons and heretics? These two are not worth nurturing."

As the Sage of Reception finished speaking, the Sage of Zhunti's expression darkened, for he had once schemed against the Ten Golden Crows of the demon race. The Sage of Reception was ostensibly criticizing the Sunlight Daoist and the Moonlight Daoist, but in reality, he was advising the Sage of Zhunti to cease his despicable actions.

Seeing that the Sage Zhunti understood his meaning, the Sage Jieyin pressed his advantage and spoke earnestly.

"Junior brother, you and I are saints, teachers of the disciples of the Western Sect. Our disciples will learn from our every word and deed. Junior brother, you wouldn't want our disciples to be nothing but hairy, horned, and born from eggs, would you? I still vividly remember what the Demonic Sect did in the West back then!"

Sage Zhunti remained silent for a long time, his eyes flickering for a while, and only after a long while did his mind become clear.

"What you say is absolutely right, senior brother. I am obsessed with the prosperity of the West, but I have overlooked the fact that the foundation of prosperity lies in virtue. If virtue is not cultivated, even if the West prospers for a time, it is nothing more than a raging fire and beautiful flowers, which cannot last long."