"Boom... Boom..." With the deafening roars echoing around them, the surrounding sea became a murky chaos. Shen Long, worried about the young dragons he brought with him, instinctively shouted, "Everyone, be careful!"

"Grand Ancestor, what is that?"

"I'm not sure, but I sense a tremendous surge of magical energy. It doesn't feel like the aftermath of a battle. If I'm not mistaken, either some creature is on the verge of a breakthrough, or a great treasure is about to reveal itself," Shen Long said gravely to the young dragons.

"Ah! That's fantastic! A treasure is about to emerge! Let's go grab it and offer it to you, Grand Ancestor! Then we won't have to mine every day!" Ao Kun, excited by Shen Long's words, didn't hesitate and was ready to charge forward.

Startled, Shen Long quickly pulled her back and knocked on her head with a heavy thud.

"Why did you hit me?" Ao Kun asked, aggrieved.

"Hitting you is the least I could do! Are you out of your mind? Do you even know if there's danger down there? If you rush in recklessly, you wouldn't even know how you died!" Shen Long, clearly frightened, was now also visibly angry.

"Why are you being so mean to me? I'm only doing this for you!" Ao Kun's tears welled up, falling in sparkling droplets.

Shen Long was at his wit's end. This girl was the only female in his squad, a true treasure among them. Whenever she cried, it was as if every problem dissolved away.

Left with no choice, Shen Long decided to let it go for now. However, he sensed that this area was extremely dangerous—an instinct honed by his experience as a late-stage Da Luo Immortal. His priority now was to move the young dragons to safety.

"Ao Qian, take the rest of the team and follow the mining methods I've taught you. Notify the three elders, Tian, Di, and Huang, and tell them that a great treasure has emerged here. Request immediate reinforcement." Shen Long understood the gravity of the situation. If even he could sense the danger, it was no small matter. He knew his own strength; ever since arriving in the Primordial Era, he had yet to engage in a real fight. Whenever the dragon clan went to war, he always fled, knowing that the dragon clan was powerful enough without him.

Tian Long had repeatedly urged him to gain battle experience, but Shen Long had always found excuses to avoid it. Instead, he led a group of young dragons, becoming treasure-hunters rather than warriors.

This time, however, things were urgent. He needed to send them back to the dragon clan to avoid danger and also deliver the news.

"Grand Ancestor, don’t you have a teleportation talisman?" Ao Qian asked, puzzled.

Teleportation talismans were commonly used in the Primordial Era for communication, especially in situations like this. Shen Long did indeed have many of them. However, because of his obsession with collecting treasures, he had once posted a task within the dragon clan, offering to exchange Taoist techniques for any gemstones they found. As a result, he had used up most of his talismans for "business deals," much like sending messages on a phone in his previous life.

Of course, he couldn't say this out loud. Feigning anger, he snapped, "Get moving! Do I need you to teach me how to handle things?"

"Understood."

"Everyone, form the Dragon Transformation Formation!" Despite the crisis, Ao Qian proved to be a capable leader. Under his command, the group swiftly formed a complex formation, their bodies merging until they resembled a single, mighty dragon.

"Dragons dive deep into the abyss, travel along the earth's veins—Earth Vein Speed Technique, go!" Ao Qian’s voice echoed once more, and with a nod to Shen Long, the giant dragon dove into the earth and disappeared.

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This was one of the many techniques Shen Long had developed after emerging from seclusion, inspired by the explosion of information in his past life and his mastery of the laws of the Dao. Some of these techniques were even adopted by the three Ancestral Dragons, which was why Tian Long no longer pressured Shen Long to join battles.

"As vast as the universe, as small as a ring—Dragon Clan's 'Size Manipulation,' 'Shrink!'" Once the young dragons had left, Shen Long recited an incantation and used his self-created magical power, shrinking himself down and hiding.

Just as he concealed himself, the murkiness of the sea cleared. Suddenly, beams of golden light burst forth from the depths, shooting toward the heavens.

An overwhelming pressure filled the air, making Shen Long feel as if he were about to be crushed. In his ears, a voice echoed endlessly, "Suppress... Suppress... Suppress..." The golden light darkened the sky, while thunderclouds rolled in, lightning flashing.

Shen Long's heart skipped a beat. "Damn! Is this a treasure undergoing a tribulation? What kind of artifact could possibly cause a tribulation greater than my own transformation?"

"It must be a powerful suppressive treasure. Let’s see what it is."

"Vast is the universe, the dragon soars through it—Space Travel!" Shen Long murmured another incantation and slipped into the void, drawing closer to the treasure.

Space Travel was another spell he had developed, a testament to his mastery over spatial laws.

As he approached, Shen Long’s eyes widened in shock, and his mind was thrown into turmoil.

"This... Could this be... the legendary Chaos Cauldron?"

In the depths of the ocean, a massive, gray cauldron with three legs and two handles appeared before him, its belly enormous. When the tribulation clouds had first appeared, the cauldron had withdrawn its aura. Now, it exuded no magical power, yet Shen Long saw an entire world within it.

The immense force tugged at his Dao heart, causing it to ripple ever so slightly, releasing a faint energy.

Though it was just a trace, it was enough to attract the attention of the heavens. Shen Long felt the tribulation fix its gaze on him, a cold shiver running down his spine. Sure enough, the tribulation doubled in intensity.

Since being struck by lightning during his first crossing into this world, and again during his transformation tribulation, Shen Long had developed a deep fear of heavenly lightning. Although both times it hadn't killed him, the sight of lightning aimed at him made him want to flee.

But this time, escape wasn’t an option. The tribulation had locked onto him. No matter how far he ran, it would strike.

In a moment of panic, Shen Long’s eyes fell on the Chaos Cauldron, and a sudden idea struck him. Without a second thought, he used Space Travel to leap into the cauldron.

Inside was a gray, formless world, devoid of light, reminiscent of the time tunnel Shen Long had passed through before arriving in the Primordial Era. It was suffocating.

Shen Long stood within this strange realm.

"So, the interior of the Chaos Cauldron is a miniature chaotic world. No wonder it’s called the Chaos Cauldron," he murmured after observing the inner realm.

"But how am I supposed to refine it?" His intention in entering the cauldron had been to refine it, while also avoiding the tribulation outside.

"Am I supposed to act like Pangu and split open a small world in here? No, that can’t be right. If I opened a world, it wouldn't be called the Chaos Cauldron anymore—it would be the Primordial Cauldron." Shen Long sank into deep thought.

"What should I do?"

"Wait, something’s not right. If the Chaos Cauldron is undergoing a tribulation, that means it has developed its own consciousness. Once it completes the tribulation, it will take form. If it finds me inside, won’t I be in danger?" In his panic, blinded by the allure of the treasure and his fear of the tribulation, Shen Long had made a critical mistake.

Now cold sweat drenched him. What to do? What to do?

Shen Long kept asking himself, his composure slipping away. Then, from above his primordial spirit, his Ruyi Scepter let out a soft "ding," snapping him back to his senses.

With a shiver, Shen Long regained his calm. After a moment of contemplation, he narrowed his eyes and made a firm decision. He took out his companion treasure—the Purple-Gold Ruyi Scepter.

Reciting an incantation, he commanded, "Ruyi, Ruyi, heed my will, manifest!"

In an instant, the scepter transformed into an axe. If the Three Pure Ones were present, they would surely recognize it—it was none other than the Pangu Axe.

Following the teachings in his inherited memories, Shen Long began to strike at the chaotic void. Though he lacked Pangu’s might, his actions still caused significant disturbances within the cauldron. While he couldn't split open the chaos, he could disrupt the tribulation.

Sure enough, on the third strike, a furious roar erupted from the chaos, "You little worm, I will kill you!"

Immediately, Shen Long felt the pressure around him intensify as a suppressive law descended upon him. The force was so immense that Shen Long reverted to his true form, letting out a pained dragon roar.

"Roar!"