"Oh dear," Hongjun murmured to himself stroking his beard. The scene from Haotian's mirror depicted a sight that was the furthest thing from ideal. "Oh dear indeed."

"Master?" Haotian said gulping no small amounts of fear. "It's starting isn't it."

"What no! It can't be, don't be silly senior brother," Yaochi said attempting to dissuade his line of thought. Only, Hongjun did nothing to deny it.

"When immortals carelessly fight, living beings are easily caught in between," Haotian reasoned. "Worlds are shattered, existence is threatened. Look sister, the clouds of tribulations have formed. The lighting, its not divine purple."

"You are right," Hongjun said turning around. "Stay here, don't go anywhere until I get back."

Then he stepped off of Mt Yujing and disappeared leaving a concerned Haotian and a confused Yaochi. For Haotian, this was a moment in history that he was going to witness first hand. He couldn't help but feel a little excited.

He felt a little guilty at that. Although he didn't know the dragons nor their extended family personally, he still felt a connection with them.

Unfortunately, his importance in this event was ultimately a minor spectator.

…

Before Zulong's very eyes, it manifested. It manifested almost instantly yet also appeared to last an eternity. A long transformation of splendour and magnificence the likes of which he had never seen.

Zulong wasn't young anymore, he had been around long enough to see some amazing sights. He witnessed Ao's prescience first hand, the frigid cold of the pit within the North Sea, the first time the four symbols gathered as one. He had also saw Da Hai plummeting the Heavenly Sea Suppression Needle into the Sea Eye first hand.

Suffice to say, Zulong wasn't surprised by the power of a Limitless Supreme Chaos Immortal. He regularly sparred with one and even though his Dao realm was incomparable, he could be considered in the same ballpark as one if only combat prowess is considered.

But when Luohu called out that name, that name which shook the world past present and future. A name Zulong recognised from Da Hai's warnings. Yet a name and an appearance which shook his resolve all the same.

Four pointed extremities rose into this world, rising like the blooming of a lotus flower. They spun smoothly and elegantly. Yet there was a haunting magnificence to them as Luohu stepped in the centre.

The devil's face was one of visible rage. The smashed remains of Mt Sumeru lay behind him crumbling even now. With that as the background, the Immortal Slaying Sword rose to his right, the Immortal Trapping Sword rose on his left, the Immortal Slaughtering at his front, and the Immortal Ending Sword at his back. They hovered and circulated around him, projecting gargantuan images of themselves across the distance.

The Immortal Extermination Formation was that formed was so large that it visible around the world. It casually dwarfed the army of the east and south sea as well as the other massive true forms of the various dragons and seafolk. One has to understand that these beings after assuming their true forms were thousands of kilometres in size.

Yet they were still nothing but specks in both physical size and presence before Luohu.

"What the fuck? It's just one man!"

Someone uttered. No one could tell who cause they were all muttering variations of the same thing. A sense of dread permeated Zulong's skull.

His pupils shrank as the edge of the Immortal Slaying Sword brushed against his line of sight. Luohu smirked at the response.

"Magnificent aren't they, the true works of art of a genuine chaos godfiend," he said offhandedly. He waved his arms around showcasing the formation to everyone, devils, dragons, and seafolk alike.

"Creatures of the sea, dragons of the world, devils of my lineage," he addressed them. "What made any of you think you were in the same level as I?"

He starred at some members of his lineage, they subsequently shrank before his gaze. Then he looked at Zulong's group who also flinched.

"You indigenous life forms think you're all so high and mighty. But you're just scavengers picking food scraps off the tables of your betters long gone. My people, my race," Luohu sighed with nostalgia.

Mara and the three evils nodded in the distance. The resident devils play their game with the hopes of usurping Luohu one day. This was an open secret, a regrettable byproduct of devil cultivation. If the Great Devil Emperors couldn't figure out why they're not advancing then they really are idiots. But is was also a risk that didn't warrant much attention. After all, what can fleas do against a mountain.

It was the same principle that Zulong and Zufeng ruled with albeit to a much lesser extent. They were so powerful that nothing can really go against them. Their only rivals were either family or longtime friends.

Luohu was filled with pride when he mentioned the godfiends. Though he never cared for them as individuals, as a whole he like Hongjun loved the civilisation dearly. This pride emanated throughout the Immortal Extermination Formation and vibrated the air to a terrifying degree.

Each word was like a thunderstorm, each step was like earthquakes. Luohu lazily waved around his hand in grandeur.

"Zulong was it? I'll admit you have some ability, and you certainly have balls. But you offended those who you SHOULDN'T!"

…

"Zulong, let we warn you why you must be weary of the west continent and the Devilish Dao."

"This again master? You say it every time we meet up for tea. It's honestly getting tedious."

"How could I not when I see you ostracising west continent imagery from the west sea."

"Big brother is right master, besides didn't you slap that Luohu weasel's sorry hide into the horizon years back?"

"Quit right Qinglong. I'd say they're scared of the outside world all holed up in their corner. If master don't have to face the rejection from the Heavenly Dao, he'd be history. Why don't I do yo a favour and gift his head to you master?"

"Hai, what did I say about growing overconfident Zulong."

"And what did I say about not having faith in me master?"

"You're Gui Daiyu culls some of your reckless tendencies."

"Heh, she's a good woman. You could do with one yourself, one to cull your turtling habits."

"Ahahahahaha, perhaps. But Zulong, remember what I said about the Immortal Extermination Four Swords?"

"That it is a formation that requires at least four saints to break? What even are saints anyway. You say they're the apex life forms but am I not a Primal Zenith Chaos Immortal? Are you not above even that?"

"It's a formation that requires four masters of equal rank to the user. I could sense Luohu gaining benefits from my own breakthrough. I failed to kill him then and he'll only grow stronger. You must develop a counter."

"But master, is that formation according to you also defensive by nature. It stops me from harming him but cannot stop one from leaving. It cannot harm one within it. It's functionally a giant turtle shell."

"Well…yes you are right about that. I suppose I do worry too much, but I can't help it. You three are my greatest legacy in this heaven and earth."

"Haha, cheers to that. Brothers!"

…

Where was his confidence now?

Was he just that reckless and stupid in the end?

They say old habits die hard. So what if you think you outgrow them and that you've moved on. Ultimately they're part of your intrinsic personality. They'd always remain to a certain capacity even if you suppress it.

"Zulong!"

Qinglong's cry broke the ancestral dragon out of his musing. His eyes raised as a quartet of swords formed a single beam of light. It was in the shape of a sword, a blade designed to split the heavens and cleave the earth.

An unnatural sight of killing intent and raw power. A statement in the world that displayed ultimate dominance.

Luohu was acting as if he was the headsman about begin an execution.

'Immortal Extermination Four Swords,' Zulong thought bitterly. He chuckled to himself before sighing. "Brothers, children, friends, are you with me?"

"WE ARE YOUR MAJESTY!"

Zulong glared at the oncoming slash. "Just one devil is incomparable to the might of the vast seas!" He boasted.

The Overbearing Nine Songs formation swelled in size, growing to match the Immortal Extermination formation. The sight was like two spinning galaxies clashing against each other, one resembling a spinning flower and the other a coiled dragon riding the waves.

The dragon sang through nine voices, manifesting the glory of a million year old empire. At this point it couldn't even be called Over Bearing Nine songs anymore. That formation was formed with the princes in mind.

When the trinity of Zulong, Yinglong, and Qinglong took command they channeled their inherited Yang Qi of Pangu's throughout the formation. They combined their strongest accomplishments in martial pursuits to create an overwhelming force of nature.

The Devil Emperors retreated and watched on. Some in awe, some in contemplation, some in anxiety, but all were in acknowledgement of Luohu's power. The devil at the top could do whatever he wanted, eat, drink, sleep, fuck, it doesn't matter.

Luohu didn't deign to use his spear for there was no need. He lifted one finger and called upon the might of the Immortal Ending Sword. Then he shifted his index commanding the sword to strike.

To counteract this, Zulong put the full brunt of his battle formation forwards. The coiling dragon transformed into a Great Wall spanning millions of kilometres. It resembled a steady serpent winding across the sky.

But just as sudden. A portal opened up in the sky.

"WAIT LUOHU, STAY YOUR HAND!"

It was Hongjun arriving in the nick of time. For someone like him, travelling within the primitive world was as easy as blinking. Even if he left Yujing moment's prior he can cross continents in short order. He even had the Taiji Painting ready.

But ultimately he was too late to stop anything.

The Immortal Ending Sword stabbed into the stone bricks of the wall knocking down particles. Zulong and the others grunted but held firm. The dragon appeared unbreakable in the face of Luohu's assault.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"To further defences, brothers put your scales into it!" Zulong commanded. At the same time he too called upon his bodily scales. He projected them into the wall transforming it from a wall of bricks to a wall of golden scales.

Along with him, yellow scales with feathery wings transformed into tall towers along the wall. they gathered up auras of auspicious clouds.

Azure scales lined the top of the wall. Qinglong's scales carried with them the manifestation of the cosmos.

Luohu gritted his teeth. The fact that his strike was failing to pierce the defences the three dragons put up was humiliating. And he counted only three cause the power distribution in total was over ninety percent from the three dragons. The formation might as well be irrelevant aside from giving extra boost to them.

"Okay, so I underestimated again," he admitted with no small indignation. He glanced upwards and saw a worried Hongjun who had just arrived.

"Hmph, these dragons are important for the tribulations was it? Well the Qilin was already killed and no harm was done. Since they chose to fight me instead of the avians then I'll do the world a favour."

With another motion of his fingers, he called upon the other three swords in his disposal. The Immortal Ending Sword retreated and joined the other swords before striking again. This time they did so as four pillars of sword light.

Qinglong's eyes widened as the sword struck into the scales. As the most enlightened member of the brothers he realised it first.

"Zulong! He's striking at the gaps!"

The four pillars piled their way into the wall and began shifting. The Overbearing Nine Songs formation was shaking and flickering. Scales fell off it as if crumbling.

"Senior brothers!" Yi Fei'e cried out. She retrieved her sword and pulled her reigns ordering Cinnabar Phoenix forwards. She cried out as she swung with all her might at the sword beams.

CLANG!

Her blade bounced off much to her shock. Even after several successive strikes she couldn't do anything.

"That woman is being foolish, ancestor's power is unquestionable," Emperor Rippling Reflection said scoffing at her attempts. The other Devil Emperors observing couldn't help but agree.

It was not just Yi Fei'e, other immortals tried to stop the attack. The results were a lot more mixed. For while Yi Fei'e got out unscathed, some like this clownfish was cut to bits. Another cultivator attempted to assassinate Luohu from the back only to immediately disintegrate upon stepping into the formation.

Luohu scoffed. "Unless you're a similar level of existence like that dragon over there or yours truly. Then its foolishness to walk in. But then again, what can I expect from you lot."

"Us lot destroyed your beloved mountain before you can do anything about it!" Zulong responded having heard Luohu's words. He flared up a roar in a desperate gambit. His lungs swelled and his mouth opened wide.

His cry ruptured the heavens turning the stormy sky gold and black. Purple lightning manifested from the heavens and struck down along with an army of celestial soldiers.

Qinglong and Yinglong nodded and attacked as well. The former's came in the form of the Jupiter Star that manifested before the wall. The latter came in the form of a ferocious thunderstorm.

Even the princes attempted to use arts of their own to supplement their father and uncles. They attacked in the form of nine sheets of music.

But ultimately, they did little to dissuade the swords. Luohu ripped into the Overbearing Nine Songs formation. Then he tore it apart completely.

The formation crumbled in an explosion of light. The backlash sent anyone who wasn't in the Da Luo Golden Immortal range tumbling, some even dying from the backlash. Hundreds of thousands of immortals died on the spot unable to withstand the force of the strike.

Zulong spat out a mouthful of blood. He glared up at Luohu who gave him a look.

Luohu attacked with the Immortal Slaughtering Sword hoping to end Zulong once and for all. The sword crashed down from the formation and met the Pangu's Banner head on.

Zulong scoffed as Hongjun appeared to block the strike. The flag pole was held in both hands like a bo staff.

"What are you doing here?"

Hongjun looked back with an exasperated look. "Whatever grievances your lineage has with me exist only between your master and I. Today I am your ally."

"Hongjun you meddling old coot, who are you to interfere in my business?" Luohu called out arrogantly. He swaggered up to the old immortal with the other swords ready.

"I'll interfere when your battle is threatening the stability of the world," Hongjun said. "I cannot let you murder the Dragon Sovereign."

"Murder? He murdered one of my emperors and destroyed my home!"

"Only because you instigated a war between dragons and avians."

"This again? I had nothing to do with that. You people blaming me for everything?" Luohu roared. He attacked without hesitation with the four swords. The blow was so great that even Hongjun grunted in pain and was knocked back.

"Screw you!" Luohu spat in anger. He stabbed at Hongjun who immediately used the Taiji Painting to block that strike. But still, the vibration from the attack uprooted the land around them both.

Above them, the sky rumbled and the aura of death appeared in the world. Both combatants narrowed their gazes at the sky. The Heavenly Dao was crying.

Red lightning bore down across the world. Terrifying yin attribute wind ripped across the land. The seas rose in tsunamis. Volcanos erupted in geysers of hot magma. The Jianmu tree shook and the stars moved in erratic ways.

"It's even fiercer then last time," Primordial Turtle King said after getting to his feat. "Only I guess it's scaled to all the improvements we've made."

"Am I correct to assume this is the start of a tribulation father-in-law?" Zulong asked him. The turtle nodded grimly.

"I remember when it last happened. The Eight Direction Oceanic Suppression Heavenly Lord shielded us back then and went out soon afterwards. The conflict didn't take long to end. But I have a feeling this'll last much longer."

…

Distantly, a brother sister pair was playing with a weird rock.

"Nuwa, you still playing with that rock? Come help me practise my song," Fuxi complained.

"But brother, your music is boring."

"What? Why I outta…"

They both felt the disasters simultaneously. Both serpentine human hybrids winced as a cold feeling shot down their spines.

In another location in the east, a six eared macaque only smiled.

…

Hongjun gulped. The tribulation started without his involvement. He'd have to scramble to get ready, he did not feel like fighting Luohu to the death now.

"Let's call it a day, both sides are exhausted," he offered Luohu. The devil raised an eyebrow.

"Exhausted?" He chuckled. Then he exploded in power again. "You may run Hongjun."

With the Immortal Extermination Formation, he easily forced back Hongjun like it was nothing. The old man was thrown through the sky, only landing in Zulong's claw. He steadied himself and said.

"Many thanks Dragon Sovereign."

Zulong grunted in displeasure. "I hate to admit it but he is beyond me."

"I have friends but they are too far away right now. We need to regroup, the seas alone are not enough to fight the devils."

Zulong scanned the Devil Emperors, at Mara and the three evils, then at Luohu himself. He nodded wordlessly.

By now, Luohu had already retrieved the God Killing Spear. He felt kinda stupid for not attacking sooner. Because if he could've so easily beat back Hongjun, then he shouldn't have been weary for so long. He should've long been capable of an overwhelming victory like he wanted. He could claim Pangu's physique as his own.

"Today you lot can finally die!"

He attacked with a thrust. His swords shot out beams of light that merged into his black spear. It was an attack more then capable of killing himself if he was the target.

"Heavenly Dao, I need some time and we stand no chance without you. Please, as your friend, advisor, and humble servant help us this one time!" Hongjun begged towards the sky.

And so it did.

Luohu's strike was met with resistance from an illusionary figure, one that groaned in pain. Even the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao could not hold forever.

"Retreat, retreat to the west sea!" Zulong ordered everyone. The reason was because the west sea was not only well fortified against any eastern invasion but also held the rest of the immortal experts Zulong did not bring. His army would be stronger there then anywhere else.

Hongjun followed after Zulong as waves of light shot through the sky. These were the Immortals who retrieved the weaker men and women.

"Harass them," Mara ordered. He jumped into the sky while Luohu was distracted. He was soon followed by numerous Devil Emperors.

"This is not the right time fellow daoists," Hongjun said with a sigh. He waved the Pangu's Banner bringing forth a cloud of Chaos Sword Qi. With his power, he disintegrated three Primal Zenith Chaos Immortals at once, shocking the others to a stop.

But Mara kept going, he directly clashed against Zulong.

"Fuck off, I'll deal with you later," the dragon slammed his tail into the forearm block of the demon king pushing him down.

"You'll only be delaying the inevitable Dragon Sovereign," Mara said shaking his head. "Let me give you some advice since it'll be a shame if a dazzling figure like you died. My brother Luohu is after the body left behind by Pangu. His physique matter but the rest of you don't. He'll refine this world and destroy it in the process before achieving Dao realm."

"He's quick to forget and doesn't care for you once his goal is accomplished. Take your nation and flee into the chaos sea while you can. Meet with your master, adventure, I don't care which. Just don't get in the way yeah?"

His words were met with silence as by then the surviving immortals had already retreated. But he didn't doubt Zulong heard him.

Days later, while resting in the west sea. A message appeared in the sky of rumbling clouds. Luohu had declared war on the entire world.