"Master! Master, look!"
"Over there! Hurry, Master!"
At that very moment, a wave of thick, oppressive black clouds rolled down over Mount Shushan, plunging the entire mountain into utter darkness. The sky dimmed to pitch-black, cutting off all light. Nothing could be seen.
And in the very next breath, from deep within the clouds, several figures slowly began to emerge—each exuding an awe-inspiring aura that suppressed everything around them and even seemed to shake the heavens themselves.
The ones who had arrived were none other than Ao Qing, Prime Minister Turtle, and the elites of the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan. As soon as Ao Qing had issued the order, the entire Dragon Clan mobilized and came straight to Mount Shushan.
This was the first time Ao Qing had seen Shushan as it existed in the Yin-Shang era.
To his surprise, even though the legendary Shushan Sword Sect had not yet fully taken shape, its foundation had clearly begun. Majestic palaces rose proudly from the mountain's peaks—imposing and awe-inspiring even from a distance.
Beneath those palaces, countless white-robed Taoist cultivators had gathered in groups to cultivate. The moment they sensed Ao Qing's arrival, many instinctively raised their heads, eyes filled with shock. Someone had come… to this secluded region of Bashu?
"So, Shushan already has its early foundations."
Ao Qing's lips curled into a faint smile. He'd been worried Shushan might not have been established yet, and he would've made the trip for nothing. But now it seemed… he had come at the perfect time.
"Who are you?!"
A sudden, forceful shout echoed out across the mountain.
From among the many disciples, a white-haired Taoist elder stepped forward, gripping a shining sword, glaring at Ao Qing coldly.
"Stranger, do you not know this is Shushan, a sacred place for cultivation? We do not tolerate intrusions lightly!"
As his voice fell, all the cultivators around him drew their swords in unison, a surge of killing intent exploding outward, rippling across the mountain like an invisible shockwave.
Ao Qing raised a brow.
He could feel it—these cultivators weren't weak. Quite a few had already reached the peak of human potential. Some were even on par with Li Jing of Chentang Pass.
"No wonder Shushan attracted so many disciples even in the early days..."
His gaze sharpened.
Before Prime Minister Turtle could even move, Ao Qing's dragon eyes suddenly flashed.
That one gaze alone released a pressure more terrifying than all the gathered cultivators combined—an oppressive force that burst outward, crashing over the entire mountain like a tidal wave.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Countless Shushan cultivators felt as if an entire mountain had collapsed upon them. Their bones creaked and splintered under the overwhelming pressure, and they fell to their knees, unable to so much as lift a finger.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
A chorus of snapping bones echoed across the mountainside.
The powerful cultivators of Shushan, all of them, were crushed to the ground—faces pale, bodies trembling in agony, disbelief written across their faces.
What kind of monster… could suppress them all with just a glance?!
Ao Qing didn't waste time with talk.
He wasn't here for diplomacy. His purpose was simple: he wanted the Shushan Sword Arts—and the legendary Heart of Pangu.
According to myth, when Pangu opened the heavens and died, his body became the rivers and mountains of the world. His beating heart, however, was said to have transformed into the sacred land of Shushan.
A treasure like that… how could I leave it for someone else?
"Prime Minister Turtle."
Ao Qing glanced sideways.
As if reading Ao Qing's mind, the old turtle moved instantly.
In a flash of movement, Prime Minister Turtle led several dragon elders straight into the sect grounds—right before the stunned eyes of the cultivators—and began emptying out Shushan's libraries, alchemy chambers, and martial scroll halls.
These resources would serve as the foundation for boosting the combat strength of the Four Seas.
Books, manuals, pills, scrolls—everything was methodically cleared out and packed into storage artifacts.
The Shushan cultivators could only watch helplessly, seething with rage, as the secrets they had spent lifetimes compiling were taken away.
But what could they do?
The man before them had subdued them all with a single look.
They didn't even have the strength to stand.
Once the looting was done, Ao Qing nodded in satisfaction.
With a casual flick of his hand, a dazzling seven-colored tower appeared in his palm—the Exquisite Spirit Tower, bestowed by Receiving Daoist himself.
"Capture."
The tower emitted a blinding golden light as it flew up and hovered above the crowd.
In the blink of an eye, the tower sucked in all the Shushan disciples—one after another—until not a single person remained on the mountain.
Shushan was now completely empty.
Ao Qing grinned.
"Excellent."
With this many human cultivators captured, the beast clan would gain invaluable guidance. The overall strength of the Four Seas was sure to soar once more.
Having completed the task, Ao Qing prepared to leave—taking with him the Heart of Pangu buried deep within the mountain.
But just as he turned—
Boom!
Five radiant beams of golden light suddenly split the heavens.
Descending from the sky were five warriors in resplendent golden armor, each wielding a long crimson spear and exuding an overwhelming aura of divine might.
They moved with a killing intent so fierce it made the very air tremble.
"We are the Shushan Heavenly Generals, guardians of this sacred land. Who dares trespass upon Shushan?!"
Their thunderous voices echoed through the skies, shaking the foundations of the mountain itself.
Ao Qing narrowed his eyes.
"Shushan Heavenly Generals?"
He suddenly remembered—many of the Blessed Lands in the world were guarded by Mountain Gods and Celestial Generals.
These five were clearly the appointed protectors of Shushan, and their strength wasn't low—they were at least quasi–Great Golden Immortal level.
Prime Minister Turtle stepped forward, but Ao Qing raised a hand to stop him.
"There's no need."
"It's been a while since I've taken action myself. So what if they're Heavenly Generals of Shushan?"
"Let this king show you what true power looks like."
As his words fell, golden light surged around his body.
With a roar, Ao Qing transformed.
His massive dragon form exploded into existence—wrapped in blinding golden light and enveloped in divine pressure. The entire mountain was thrown into a tremor.
What had once been dim and gray was now lit like daytime.
A colossal, thousand-zhang-long golden dragon, shimmering with divine radiance, unfurled above Shushan.
Crack! Boom!
At that very moment, streaks of tribulation lightning fell from the heavens—illuminating the sky and casting the massive Eight-Clawed Golden Dragon in a terrifying, awe-inspiring silhouette.