Qing Ling smiled and used Zhan Shen to collect heavenly merit again.
Zhan Shen’s body condensed with divine light. Though not yet sharpened, it already surpassed most divine blades in heaven and earth.
It only awaited a true sharpening to reveal its edge to the world.
Great divine beings from all sides watched Qing Ling, most thinking this would be the end of it.
However, one supreme being saw that Qing Ling had already merged three out of the four sequences. If the last one were to merge, the four sequences would be complete, and the authority over heaven and earth would be immense.
Indeed, in the northernmost reaches, amidst collapsing winds and snow, a snake and a turtle appeared, their dual voices echoing across the heavens and earth.
“I am the God of Winter, now in accordance with heaven and earth, merging the Winter Sequence divinity with the other three. With all four sequences united.
From this day forth, the God of Winter shall be Du Guang Qing Ling!”
A divine spark descended from the north, integrating into Qing Ling’s body.
He bowed his head in gratitude towards the north.
The Supreme Being Xuan Wu turned, cloaked in ice and snow, and returned to slumber.
At the far southeast extremity of the Primordial World, outside the entrance to the Two Principles Cave, two elders stood side by side. One, in black and white robes, pointed to the confluence of the Four Sequences’ energies in the distance and laughed, “Tai Li, do you think the Dragon Clan’s fortune will rise again?”
Beside him, an elder in a black robe stroked his beard and chuckled, “Naturally.
But how much longer can the Phoenix Ancestor and the Qilin Ancestor hold back?
Old Man Yin Yang, why don’t you and I try a divination? Let’s see who moves first, Phoenix and Qilin, or the Dragon Clan?”
The black and white robed Daoist chuckled, “When it comes to divination, besides Hong Jun, I, Ancestor Yin Yang, have never been defeated. Among the Chaotic Divine Demons, only Tai Geng among your nine Great Supreme Gods is skilled in divination. When did you become interested in this?”
Ancestor Tai Li shook his head and laughed, “Though this old bone of mine hasn't perished like Tai Geng, my path is broken. Unlike some of you who still have the heart to participate in the struggles of the Primordial beings,
I only wish to remain in seclusion, not interfering with any faction. Then, no matter who wins, I will still have some standing and can merely survive.
Therefore, for the sake of survival, I can only seek external guidance and divination.”
Ancestor Yin Yang chuckled, “You are, after all, one of the nine Chaotic Supreme Gods, why so dejected?”
Ancestor Tai Li shook his head and lightly laughed, “Not at all, I have merely seen through some things and my heart has become tranquil.”
Ancestor Yin Yang looked at Tai Li’s calm demeanor with a hint of surprise, feeling that his old friend was no longer as transparent as he once was.
In the Great Demon Heaven World, shadows loomed, arranged in the four directions.
Luo Hu sat in the main seat, looking at the three “friends” who had just arrived. A smile even appeared on his sinister face.
“Luo Hu is greatly honored to have invited the Nine Heavens Old Demon, the Chaotic Old Mo, and the Formless Old Demon today. This is beyond unexpected.”
A Daoist, whose flesh bore no eyes, ears, nose, or mouth, emitted a chilling, strange voice from his skin, “Indeed, when we were in the Hong Meng era, our nine Chaotic Great Demons ruled among the three thousand divine demons. Now, only a mere two or three remain.”
The Nine Heavens Ancestor was a young girl in white, her laughter like silver bells. “Formless, you overestimate the nine Great Old Demons. Several of the nine Great Supreme Gods are still in hiding.”
“Heh, Nine Heavens, you only know how to spout nonsense. Back then, that old bastard Tai Geng slaughtered all eight heavens of your realm. Who knows where you, this ancestor, were hiding to escape the tribulation,” Formless said coldly.
“Enough, let us not dwell on past matters,” the Chaotic Ancestor, seated between the two, sighed, interrupting their bickering.
Although the Chaotic Ancestor was a handsome young man, for some reason, his brows and aura always gave off a sense of decay.
As soon as the Chaotic Ancestor spoke, the Nine Heavens Ancestor and the Formless Ancestor ceased their arguments.
Luo Hu laughed, “Chaotic Old Demon, I must say you are incredibly bold. Although Ancestor Ku Rong’s divine essence is incomplete, he is still a Chaotic Divine Demon. By devouring him whole and not completely destroying him, others might think you are the Ku Rong Demon God.”
The Chaotic Ancestor chuckled, “Why can I not be the Ku Rong Demon God?” As his voice fell, the young man’s face transformed, becoming an elder with white hair. His body, soul, and even his Dao source aura seemed to have truly changed.
The Nine Heavens and Formless Ancestors exclaimed in shock, “Ancestor Ku Rong!”
Luo Hu was also momentarily surprised, then laughed, “If I didn't know you so well, Chaotic Old Demon, I might have thought old man Ku Rong had devoured you.”
The Chaotic Ancestor said with a half-smile, “These are not important. What is important is that I can infiltrate the chaotic gods.
At that time, I will be unable to help you, and it will depend on how much capability you, Luo Hu, the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, possess.”
Luo Hu heard this and laughed heartily, “Good! Excellent! Rest assured, my power will not disappoint brother Chaotic.
In the Hong Meng era, there were three thousand divine demons, a thousand gods, a thousand demons, and a thousand god-demons.
When Pangu opened the heavens, the god-demons all perished. Only the gods and demons survived for tens of thousands of years. Gods were worshipped by all beings, while demons were detested.
In this world tribulation, the chaotic gods are destined to fail.”
Above Du Guang, Qing Ling merged with the Four Sequences. The diagram of the Four Sequences divided the four realms of heaven and earth, and the four scenes within the diagram transformed into the four regions of the Primordial World.
The power of heaven and earth bore the load, and the diagram of the Four Sequences governed them, becoming a supreme treasure of natural phenomena.
Qing Ling declared again, “The Four Sequences of heaven and earth are one with my body. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter are under my command.
I am the God of Time and Sequence, controlling the phenomena of heaven and earth, and the order of all living beings.”
This time, even beings who were not great powers could sense an invisible force in the heavens and earth being bestowed upon Qing Ling.
On Jade Capital Mountain, the old Daoist fell silent for a moment. The heavenly secrets had shifted, and the great trend was about to change. At this juncture of shifting winds and surging clouds, he would not be distracted by minor matters. No matter how strong Qing Ling’s authority over heaven and earth became, he was not the protagonist of this era, so Hong Jun would not divert his attention for him.
Qing Ling pointed at the diagram, and the diagram descended upon him.
He wore the colors of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, and moved through the void with the momentum of heaven and earth.
With his right hand raised, Qing Ling summoned the life of Spring.
With a wave of his left palm, he brought forth Summer.
As his left foot stepped out, the Autumn winds began to blow.
His right foot landed, bringing forth snow and wind.
Qing Ling circled the Primordial World once, and the four seasons passed.
Wherever he went, all living beings prostrated in worship, and those with grudges or enmities retreated. At this moment, Qing Ling acted on behalf of heaven and earth, and no one could resist him, nor could any power oppose him.
This was the zenith of Qing Ling’s glory, the most magnificent moment during the era of the Three Tribes.
All snakes in the world looked up, kneeling before the might of their Ancestor.
One person’s momentum, riding the power of the Four Sequences and the might of heaven and earth, commanded obeisance from all directions.
From this day forth, there were no longer any rebellious snake tribes, nor any desire for division among them.
In the East Sea Serpent Royal Family, Ancestor Yuan Kui looked up at this fellow tribesman for the first time and exclaimed, “Ancestor Tai Geng did not choose the wrong person. My Sea Serpent Royal Family will forever belong to the snake lineage.”
On Phoenix Perch Mountain, a man and a woman stood together on the summit, looking towards the southeast.
The woman in red raised her head and said, “This is the Snake Ancestor.”
The man beside her smiled gently, “My little sister is lost in thought.”
The woman chuckled lightly, “Who does not admire the strong? But I too will eventually be admired by others. It is simply not yet time.”
The man shook his head and smiled helplessly, “What use is strength? Even the strongest are not omnipotent.”
In the West, within a sealed divine realm yet to emerge, a tall mountain stood, situated at the source of countless terrestrial veins in the west.
Within the mountain stood a temple, and on a tree in the temple hung thirty fruits.
Beneath the tree sat a young man, holding a mysterious yellow object, known as a book.
The young man inscribed the great Dao onto the book: “In the southeast of heaven and earth, there lies the wilds of Du Guang. A tree pierces the heavens. Upon the tree is a deity, transformed from a snake deity beast into human form, whose honored name is Qing Ling. He commands the Four Sequences of heaven and earth. His hands govern Spring and Summer, his feet represent Autumn and Winter. Winds, clouds, rain, snow, dawn and dew, and the changes of day and night are all under his control.”
After the young man finished writing, he flipped the pages closed. The cover of the book bore three inscriptions, stating: Classic of Mountains and Seas.