The primordial world's years were tranquil, serenely beautiful.
All races nurtured their kin, mountains and rivers regained their glory, and life gradually reappeared on the land.
Ten thousand years passed in a blink!
Above the Yellow River, countless aquatic beings lingered in the turbid waters, awaiting the legendary Dragon Gate.
In the East Sea, within a grand palace, Huang Long raised a hand and said lightly, "Dragon Gate, open!"
The sound echoed through the Yellow River basin. The waters parted, and a towering Dragon Gate, reaching into the depths of the heavens, ascended!
The Dragon Gate spanned heaven and earth, its peak entering the first heaven.
A colossal dragon-shaped soul coiled above the clouds of the Dragon Gate, surrounded by myriad auspicious clouds and bathed in boundless golden light.
Countless aquatic beings' eyes blazed with desire as they soared upwards, leaping towards the sky!
Most of those who dared to attempt the Dragon Gate were of the Heavenly rank, with Golden Immortals being a minority.
There were also more than ten cultivators of the Taiyi realm.
Thousands of aquatic beings transformed into their true forms, vying to leap through the Dragon Gate.
However, the Dragon Gate was an ancestral dragon's treasure, and the greater the cultivation, the heavier the pressure.
For every ten feet a Heavenly rank aquatic being leaped, their burden increased by a thousand jin.
For every ten feet a Golden Immortal leaped, their burden multiplied tenfold!
As for Taiyi cultivators, for every ten feet they ascended, their burden grew by a hundred thousand jin.
Great Luo Golden Immortals, their physical bodies already perfected, had no chance for further transformation, and thus would not attempt the Dragon Gate.
From all directions, aquatic beings surged towards the Dragon Gate, but few managed to ascend; a thousand feet high had already culled the majority.
At ten thousand feet, only thirty percent of the aquatic beings reached.
At a million feet, only a few hundred stubbornly persisted.
Once one reached a million feet, even if they failed to pass the Dragon Gate, they would receive a boon, a refined bloodline!
Huang Long shook his head. This was the first grand opening of the Dragon Gate, and no one had succeeded!
One by one, the aquatic beings retreated from the heavens, falling back into the Yellow River.
Each of them felt deep sadness and regret in their hearts!
The magnificent Dragon Gate vanished from heaven and earth. Innumerable aquatic beings dispersed, returning to their respective territories.
They would spread the legend of the Dragon Gate far and wide: those who surpassed a million feet could receive the pity of the True Dragon's heart and a great opportunity!
Simultaneously, beneath Buzhou Mountain, within the Ancestral Witch Hall, the last Ancestral Witch was born!
His name was Zhu Jiuyin. He had a human face, a snake's body, and was scarlet-red. His eyes were straight and piercing; when he closed them, darkness fell, and when he opened them, light appeared. He neither ate nor slept, sustained only by wind and rain.
He was a youth, a silent youth, unlike the cultivation fanatic Ancestor Zhulong. His mind was filled with countless grand strategies for heaven and earth.
The eleven Ancestral Witches were filled with joy. Tens of thousands of Wu tribesmen prostrated themselves, shouting, "We welcome our Ancestor!"
The youth opened his eyes, and heaven and earth flickered, the sun and moon blurred, and the stars shifted.
Yes, he was the ancestor of the Wu, and no longer anything else.
The youth smiled. The past had faded like smoke. He said with a faint smile, "Zhu Jiuyin greets all my elder sisters and elder brothers!"
Zhurong, with his fiery enthusiasm, threw an arm around his shoulder and laughed, "Ah, Eleventh Brother, you've kept us waiting!"
Gonggong also chuckled, "Indeed, but who can blame you when you're the youngest among us brothers and sisters?"
Dijiang's face was filled with pride, his eyes holding unspoken ambition. "With Eleventh Brother born, our Wu tribe must also emerge!"
The ten Ancestral Witches' eyes gleamed with excitement. How many years had passed since the era of the Dragon and Phoenix faded? Now, the primordial world finally had a place for them. They could finally roam freely through this magnificent world created by Father God, this vast land of mountains and rivers!
Only Houtu's eyes held a trace of sadness, while Zhu Jiuyin's expression remained as calm as water.
The twelve Ancestral Witches emerged from Buzhou Mountain, leading ten thousand Wu tribesmen into the primordial world, proclaiming in unison, "We, these twelve, born from the essence blood of Father God Pangu, are called Ancestral Witches. Our kin are called the Wu tribe. The Wu tribe has emerged!"
Ten thousand Wu tribesmen roared in unison, their hair bristling, muscles bulging, their bloodlines wild, and they howled at the sky.
"Wu!"
"Wu!"
"Wu!"
The ten directions of the earth's essence returned, and the dust of the land resounded across the eight realms.
The east and west land trembled, the sun and moon lost their brilliance, and only the essence of heaven and earth remained, with twelve majestic figures standing sentinel around Buzhou Divine Mountain.
Great beings from all corners of the world watched the twelve Ancestral Witches, thinking to themselves, "A new shift in the grand destiny of heaven and earth is likely to occur!"
At the apex of the Jianmu tree, Qing Ling's eyes were as still as ancient water. The emergence of the Wu tribe was indeed a little early, but it would also mark the beginning of a new era.
The Wu tribe had stepped onto the stage of heaven and earth. Would the demon tribe be far behind?
However, as the embodiment of the Earthly Dao, he did not feel any closeness from the Ancestral Witches.
They should have belonged to the Earthly Dao, but the Wu tribe seemed to have changed.
Qing Ling knew why they had changed, but he did not reveal it.
Perhaps Ancestor Zhulong had reversed time and space, making him Zhu Jiuyin.
Would Hongjun, the master of the Heavenly Dao and the Ancestor of Time, not know?
He knew, but he did not stop it. He merely interfered, altering the will of the Ancestral Witches.
Hongjun had only made a minor change, which was almost no change at all.
Henceforth, in the subconscious of the twelve Ancestral Witches, Qing Ling was Qing She, and later, a demon.
As the new generation rose to power, at the bottom of the East Sea, the old era's Dragon clan was in decline.
Even though Ancestor Huang Long had informed all the sea tribes, only a few clans had come for this grand opening of the Dragon Gate.
Within the Crystal Palace, four young dragons stood respectfully before the dragon throne. Tens of thousands of aquatic beings knelt on the ground, bowing to Huang Long.
Huang Long said little, only stating, "Those who are present today are all vassals of the Dragon clan.
Those who are absent will no longer be under the Dragon clan's command."
The new elder ancestor of the Sea Whale King clan was a frail old man, the only Great Luo Golden Immortal among these ten thousand sea creatures.
"Ancestor, the sea clans number three thousand. If they are all removed, the Dragon clan's fortune will plummet further!"
Huang Long glanced at him and smiled, "You have sharp insight. However, one does not need too many vassals, only loyalty!"
With that, he raised his hand and pointed to the roof of the Dragon Palace, saying, "Today, our Dragon clan expels three thousand vassal sea clans, dismisses eight thousand aquatic clans, and eight hundred land clans, retaining only forty-nine clans such as the Lobster, Giant Crab, Great Whale, Sea Fork, Spirit Clam, Sea Turtle, and... to be the internal members of the Dragon clan!"
In the East Sea, the golden dragon's fortune manifested as a true dragon. Infinite fortune flowed from the golden dragon to all directions, and countless karmic debts were also stripped away.
The decaying scales of the Dragon clan vanished along with the vast fortune.
The hidden powerful beings of the sea tribes rejoiced secretly. From now on, they would be free from the Dragon clan and become independent clans, no longer subject to others' commands!
Ancestor Huang Long sneered inwardly, a hint of mockery on his face.
The elder ancestor of the Whale clan noticed this and was startled. It seemed this ancestor was not to be trifled with.
Huang Long suppressed his emotions and looked at the assembled sea clans, saying, "Although the Dragon clan no longer possesses the glory of our ancestors, it is still sufficient to protect your clans with our auspicious beastly nature.
From now on, if you all fulfill your duties, you will have nothing to fear from the great calamities of the world and can ensure the eternal survival of your clans!"
The sea clans rejoiced immensely. If they could truly survive forever, what did it matter if they remained vassals?
Tens of thousands of sea clans prostrated themselves, saying, "Mercy of the Ancestor!"
Huang Long smiled and said, "Now, the order of the Four Seas is gone. I wish to re-establish the order of the Four Seas and reclaim control of them. I will need everyone's full cooperation."
The elder of the Spirit Clam clan, an old woman, chuckled, "The Ancestor's decree is our command. We will do our utmost."
Huang Long nodded and said, "The Four Seas will be managed by the Four Sea Dragon Palaces, each overseeing a region. I will appoint four Dragon Kings to be the masters of the Dragon Palaces, responsible for all affairs within their respective seas.
These four young dragons, named Guang, Qin, Shun, and Run, will respectively govern the East, South, North, and West Seas.
A title will be added to the front of the Four Seas' names, 'Ao,' signifying a royal race!
These four will be the future Four Sea Dragon Kings!"
The elder of the Spirit Clam clan, with great perceptiveness, bowed and said, "We pay homage to the Four Sea Dragon Kings!"
The rest of the crowd echoed, "We pay homage to the Four Sea Dragon Kings."
The four young dragons looked somewhat flustered, but seeing Huang Long's indifferent expression behind them, they felt reassured.
Ao Guang spoke first, "Please rise, everyone!"
The remaining three followed a beat later, also saying, "Please rise, everyone!"
The sea clans then stood up.
Huang Long continued, "Within the Four Sea Dragon Palaces, the Lobster and Giant Crab clans will serve as guards, the Sea Turtle clan will act as scribes, the Patrol Sea Yaksha clan will be responsible for patrols, and the Great Whale clan along with the various fish clans will form the main army of the Dragon Palaces, awaiting the Dragon Kings' commands."
The sea clans were overjoyed. The positions that were once high and mighty in the Dragon Palaces now belonged to their clans. These were lucrative posts, allowing them to share in the Dragon Palace's fortune and ensure the long-term prosperity of their clans.
Huang Long raised his hand and pointed. Four Dragon King seals descended into the foreheads of the four Dragon Kings. The Dragon King seals appeared, and a majestic dragon's might instantly suppressed the bloodlines of all the sea clans.
"You must all diligently assist the Dragon Kings in governing the Four Seas. Should anyone harbor ill intentions, I will exterminate their entire clan and erase them from existence!"
A chill went through the sea clans. The annihilation of their clans by a supreme being would be as easy as flipping a hand.
The four Dragon Kings felt uneasy and looked at Huang Long.
Huang Long smiled and said, "Have you forgotten the teachings I have imparted to you over these past few thousand years?
Go forth with confidence, have no fear. You are Dragon Kings, rulers of the Four Seas!
Remember, you have me behind you. I can quell any trouble!"
The four Dragon Kings bowed with tears in their eyes and departed for the Four Seas respectively.
The sea clans dispatched members to accompany the Dragon Kings to their respective Dragon Palaces.
Huang Long rose and entered the ancestral den.
After eight thousand years of instruction, the four dragons already regarded him as a father. Huang Long had taught them the methods of the Great Dao, leadership, and strategies. They would become the best Four Sea Dragon Kings!
Even if there were hardships, trials, and immense difficulties, the Dragon clan's beginnings were also forged step by step!
Benefiting from the fortune of the Four Seas, their cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds, and the Dragon clan's fortune would continue to accumulate, awaiting another ascent to the heavens!
With the Dragon clan's will and his own arrangements, the Four Sea Dragon Palaces would be impregnable. Even great beings, if the king denied them entry, could not enter.
He had arranged everything, awaiting the day when the four Dragon Kings truly commanded the Four Seas.
Currently, they would be treated as mere puppets. Various sea clans would not fully obey them, and the personnel of the Dragon Palaces would also struggle to follow orders completely.
This was a trial for them, and also an opportunity!
At the same time, after a journey fraught with dust, Qi arrived in the Nine Netherworld.
At the bottom of the Blood Sea, Patriarch Ming He, who was in an intimate embrace with the Celestial Consort, was suddenly interrupted by a guard outside his palace.
"Reporting to the Ancestor, an urgent matter requires reporting!"
Patriarch Ming He's mood was abruptly disturbed. He instantly donned his robes and said coldly, "What is it?"
The Celestial Consort, her beauty displayed on the bed, looked at him plaintively and called out softly, "My lord~"
However, a supreme being's mind could not be swayed by mere mortal desires.
The attendant, hearing the Celestial Consort's voice, seemed to realize his folly and broke out in a cold sweat. Nevertheless, he said, "A child has arrived outside the Blood Sea, claiming the Master of the Eastern Wilderness is his elder brother and has come to pay his respects."