The Primordial Dragon Temple

As I approached the temple, a sense of reverence enveloped me. My grandmother and the towering dragon statues were engaged in a ritual, surrounded by a vast array adorned with intricate symbols that shimmered in the dim light. Each node of the array held treasures that could incite bloodbaths in the cultivation world outside, their allure almost palpable.

When the final node was placed, Grandma turned to me, her face lighting up with a motherly smile that hinted she had sensed my presence long before I arrived.

“So, you’ve completed your assignment, hm?” she said, her tone teasing.

“Of course!” I replied, puffing out my chest with pride. “But what is this array for?”

With a bemused smile, Grandma rolled her eyes. “Come, sit here. We have much to discuss.”

I took my place beside the dragon statues, my curiosity piqued. Grandma’s demeanor shifted to one of seriousness as she began to explain.

“This array is for your naming ceremony. As you know, naming is a matter of great importance for a primordial. We’ve waited until now because the impact of your name will be strongest when combined with your advancement to the Heaven Realm.”

I listened intently as she continued. “Advancing to the Heaven Realm is significant because it allows us to form a Primordial Core within our souls. This core will be the essence of your very self, defining who you are. By using this naming ritual during your advancement, your name will be engraved into your core, which is crucial for your future.”

“Why is it so important?” I asked, my curiosity deepening.

“It’s time I told you about the mission of the primordial creatures and your future,” she said, her tone shifting to one of gravity. “I can’t share everything, as 'they' will know. Our mission has always been to become true gods of this world, for our realm is in constant danger because of 'them'.” She paused then said already expecting my question. "Who are 'they', what are 'they', you will find it eventually in future."

Her words hung in the air, overwhelming me. The idea of becoming a god was both exhilarating and daunting. I steeled myself, my pride as a primordial dragon igniting my determination.

“So, how do we become gods?” I asked, resolved to do anything for my clan and my beloved grandmother.

“The steps to becoming a true god are incomplete; no one has succeeded yet. Our ancestors have confirmed a few crucial steps. Having your name engraved into your core is one of the most vital,” she explained. “Once you reach the Heaven Realm, you can only advance to the next realm by integrating the rules of the world—what we call the Dao—into your Primordial Core. However, even if you reach the Dao Realm or the realm beyond it, you cannot become a true god solely through primordial energy.”

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Confusion washed over me. “What do you mean? Aren’t we only cultivating primordial energy?”

Grandma smiled knowingly. “As I mentioned, you will receive a transformation technique after advancing to the Heaven Realm, allowing you to take on a humanoid form, right?”

“So, what does that have to do with becoming a god?”

“It’s all interconnected. Other races cultivate spiritual energy, and here’s how our cultivation stages compare to theirs: the peak of our Mortal Realm is equivalent to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm of other races. The peak of our Earth Realm corresponds to the peak of the Mahayana Realm. After the Mahayana Realm, other races ascend to the Immortal World, where they cultivate Immortal Energy. Thus, our Saint Realm is akin to the Exalted Immortal Realm, and the Heaven Realm is equivalent to the Immortal Emperor Realm.”

As she spoke, an ominous feeling settled in my gut, which intensified with her next words. “After you take on a humanoid form—whose age you can change at will—and complete the dungeon, you will need to venture into the outside world to cultivate spiritual energy, then ascend to the Immortal World to cultivate Immortal Energy. Only by integrating both types of energy into your Primordial Energy can you hope to become a true god.”

Her revelation left me in disbelief, and I felt shock wash over my features. “So, what you’re saying is that I will have to cultivate again?”

Grandma stifled a laugh, clearly amused by my pout. “Well, you don’t have to do anything strenuous. Even if you sleep outside, your cultivation will increase over time. That’s one of the perks of being a primordial beast. And don’t worry; your primordial cultivation won’t become invalid. In the mortal world, you’ll be invincible. If someone annoys you, you can simply destroy them without compromise. Just remember—don’t use powers beyond the Earth Realm or Mahayana Realm in the mortal world, or the Heavenly Dao will expel you.”

“How much time do we have for this mission?” I asked, my mind racing with the implications of our conversation. The thought of the world being in danger weighed heavily on me.

Seeing my concern, Grandma’s expression turned somber. “What’s wrong, Grandma? Did I ask a bad question?”

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong,” she replied, her sadness receding. “I was just reminded of the past. As for your question, you have a million years—or even more—to become a god. So don’t worry; take your time and work at your own pace.”

My heart sank a little. “A million years? Why do we have so much time?”

“Because, for beings at my level, a million years are nothing,” she said softly. “And the second reason relates to why I am in soul form. We, the primordial clan heads and our elite warriors, fought against 'them'. In that battle, my body was destroyed as we successfully erected a barrier to protect our world. I could only come here because of the Legacy Temple.”

Rage surged within me at the thought of my grandmother’s suffering, and I clenched my fists. “Who did this? Tell me! I will destroy everything that hurt you!”

As my fury escalated, energy began to leak from my body, threatening to unleash chaos. Grandma transformed into her dragon form, her imposing presence grounding me as she smacked me gently on the head. The sting brought me back to my senses, allowing clarity to seep through my anger.

“Brat, it’s a million years too early for you to seek revenge for me,” she chuckled, her laughter echoing in the temple. “I don’t need your vengeance; I’m not truly dead.”

“Now, let’s focus on your naming ritual,” she said, her tone shifting back to one of purpose.