69: Yazi died, marking the beginning of a great calamity.

The blood-red light in the sky tore through the firmament like a sharp blade, and Devilish Qi gushed out from the cracks in the earth's veins, silently affecting all living beings in the Primordial World.

At the junction of the three clans' Domains, a Dragon Lords' eyes suddenly turned crimson. He revealed his true Dragon form and, disregarding his clan's orders, lunged at a passing group of the Feather Clan.

His sharp claws tore through the protective winds of many Feather Clan Cultivators, and hot blood splattered onto the Qilin Clan territory below.

"Dragon Lords Ao Qing has gone mad!"

The Dragon Clan Elders roared as they tried to stop him, but they saw the devilish patterns on the Dragon's body surge. He forcibly crashed through a path and charged into the Qilin Clan's territory to begin a slaughter.

The Qilin Clan was not to be trifled with either; they immediately sent people to swarm and surround Dragon Lords Ao Qing.

Dragon Lords were the highest-level combatants of the Dragon Clan, second only to the Ancestral Dragon and the Torch Dragon.

Faced with such a being fighting desperately, the Qilin Clan struggled to respond for a moment, thinking this was some new tactic of the Dragon Clan with a trap hidden behind it.

Later, upon learning that he had simply gone mad, the Qilin Clan showed no mercy. They used the Nine Mountains Dragon Locking Formation to suppress and kill him on the spot.

Dragon blood splattered across the sky, and the Qilin Clan Cultivators stained by the blood began to see their pupils turn black as the Devilish Qi within them started to surge.

The fall of the Dragon Lords immediately enraged the Ancestral Dragon, but he also noticed that there was something fishy about the matter.

Ao Qing was a veteran who had followed him from the very beginning through countless battles; why would he suddenly go mad?

He had also noticed the strands of interconnected Devilish Qi within the clan, but he ultimately hadn't paid them much attention.

Now it seemed that this matter was definitely related to it.

Just as he was about to order an investigation, on the other side, Ya Zi—who was also infected by Devilish Qi and already possessed an overwhelming killing intent—had already led an army to settle scores with the Qilin Clan. He even took with him a divine weapon that had not yet been fully refined: the Qilin Piercing Halberd.

Blood stained the sky, and killing intent boiled.

Ya Zi led the Dragon Clan elites and charged straight into the heart of the Qilin Clan's territory.

His eyes were crimson, and dense Devilish Qi swirled around him. The pitch-black Qilin Piercing Halberd in his hand, its blade glinting with a cold, sinister light, emitted a heart-palpitating Evil Qi.

The Qilin Clan had already set up the Nine Mountains Dragon Locking Formation and had been waiting for a long time. As the Formation activated, the phantoms of nine mountains descended from the sky, suppressing the space around Ya Zi. The power of the earth's veins transformed into golden chains that wrapped around the Dragon's body and sealed his true form. Even a powerhouse at the level of the Dragon Lords would find it difficult to break free.

However, Ya Zi gave a cold laugh. The Qilin Piercing Halberd in his hand suddenly vibrated, and a blinding black light erupted from the blade.

This halberd was specifically designed to counter the Qilin Clan, and the blood-soaked Evil Qi upon it had a strong interfering effect on the circulation of the earth's veins.

With a shake of his arms, he swept the Qilin Piercing Halberd outward. A pitch-black halberd light, like a sky-splitting blade, struck fiercely at the core eye of the Nine Mountains Dragon Locking Formation!

Boom!

Wherever the halberd light passed, the golden chains snapped inch by inch. The phantoms of the nine mountains shook violently, and a crack was actually split open by this single strike!

The Evil Qi of the Qilin Piercing Halberd frantically eroded the Formation's Foundation. The Qilin Clan Elders' expressions changed drastically, and they hastily channeled their magic power to stabilize the Formation, but it was already too late.

Ya Zi laughed wildly. His figure moved like lightning as the Qilin Piercing Halberd pierced straight toward the Formation's eye!

Crack!

With a series of earth-shaking booms, the core runes of the Nine Mountains Dragon Locking Formation were pierced by the Qilin Piercing Halberd, and the entire Formation collapsed instantly!

The phantoms of the nine mountains dissipated, and the golden chains turned into specks of spiritual light, vanishing between heaven and earth.

The Qilin Clan Cultivators spat blood and retreated one after another. Under the backlash of the broken Formation, those with weaker cultivation exploded and died on the spot!

However, although the Qilin Piercing Halberd was powerful, it had not been fully refined after all and could not withstand such violent power.

At the moment the Formation broke, countless cracks appeared on the halberd's shaft, and it finally exploded with a "bang," turning into fragments that filled the sky!

While Ya Zi was still reveling in his triumph of breaking the Formation, the Qilin Clan Elders took action in their fury.

Several Qilin Clan powerhouses launched a joint strike, their vast magic power crushing down like the sky collapsing.

Although Ya Zi was strong, his combat power was greatly reduced after losing the Qilin Piercing Halberd. Coupled with the Devilish Qi eroding his mind, his reaction was a split second too slow, and his Dragon head was crushed by a palm strike from a Qilin Clan Elder, with Dragon blood splattering across the earth!

A great general of the Dragon Clan and the second of the nine sons had fallen!

The destruction of the Qilin Piercing Halberd and the death of Ya Zi completely ignited the fuse for the war between the three clans.

The Dragon Clan was enraged, and the Qilin Clan no longer backed down. The fighting between the two sides grew increasingly tragic and fierce.

Those Cultivators who had been tainted by Devilish Qi were already unable to restrain themselves, knowing only how to kill frantically.

The Great Tribulation thus began... The aura of the Great Tribulation continued to gather, and the Primordial World was once again plunged into long-term turmoil.

In the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, Qing Wu and the others, who were still wandering around with Hong Yun, suddenly lost their leisurely mood.

During a Great Tribulation, it was not advisable to travel around, as one was very likely to be targeted by the calamity qi.

"Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, the Great Tribulation is approaching. If fate permits, we shall meet again." After saying this, the two of them, Qing Wu and his companion, were about to leave with Lu Shu.

Seeing this, Hong Yun quickly tried to persuade them to stay. "Fellow Daoists, my Fire Cloud Cave is not far from these Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Why not come to my grotto-heaven to take refuge for a few days first?"

Qing Wu paused slightly upon hearing that they were going to the Fire Cloud Cave.

Wuzhuang Temple has the Ginseng Fruit Tree, but I have never heard of any top-tier Spiritual Root in the Fire Cloud Cave.

Even Hong Yun himself frequently ran to Wuzhuang Temple to mooch Zhenyuanzi's ginseng fruit, so Qing Wu immediately lost interest.

"The Great Tribulation has not yet fully erupted at this moment, and we still have some strength to protect ourselves. Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist," Qing Wu politely declined.

Thinking that their meeting was a form of fate, and since Hong Yun had helped look after Lu Shu, there was no harm in giving him a few pointers.

"Before we part, this poor Daoist has a few words to offer. Would you be willing to listen, Fellow Daoist?"

Hong Yun nodded. "Please speak, Fellow Daoist. Hong Yun will certainly listen with rapt attention."

"Your origins are profound, and your fortune can be called matchless, but unfortunately, your personality is a bit too easygoing. Normally, this is a good thing."

Qing Wu paused and said with a slightly serious expression, "But during a Great Tribulation, your easygoing nature will cause you to be tainted by much unwarranted Karma, consuming your fortune and reducing your Luck, or even..."

Qing Wu did not finish his sentence.

Hong Yun patted his chest and said, "You are right, Fellow Daoist. I understand the reasoning. This poor Daoist will return to the Fire Cloud Cave to enter secluded cultivation. Until the Great Tribulation passes, I will not come out to wander again."

"Farewell!"

Hong Yun then waved to the group before turning to leave.

Looking at his back, Qing Wu shook his head.

Everyone understands the reasoning, but whether one can actually do it is another matter.

During the Great Tribulation, he might be able to restrain himself from going out, but changing his nature and altering his previous habit of liking to watch the excitement everywhere would be truly difficult.

He shook his head. He had given all the warnings he should; he hoped Hong Yun would truly take them to heart.

"Let's go!"

The three transformed into streaks of light, moving away from the battlefield of the three clans and returning toward the Nanming Undying Volcano.