Volume One: The Lich Cataclysm Chapter 113: The Five Aggregates Return, The Realm of the Five Elements Emerges

Di Jun was not unaware of the benefits the starry sky could bring to the demon race; it was just that Taiyi’s previous probing had left him deeply wary of it. He knew well that his task now was to amass strength.

“It’s almost time. After the Sage delivers his sermon, it will surely be the moment for my demon race to flourish,” Di Jun, seated upon his imperial throne, mused with eyes clouded and inscrutable. Within those eyes, boundless ambition was concealed. To Di Jun, the demon race was nothing more than a means to prove himself to the vast primordial world.

“When my success is sealed, neither Ziwei Emperor, nor the Wu tribe, nor the Lord of Mount Zhou, nor even the Sages themselves will be worthy of my regard.” With that, Di Jun spared not a single lingering glance at the lavish palace and plunged straight into deep contemplation.

Since founding his tribe, Di Jun had found that the fortune and merit he accrued greatly aided his cultivation. Thus, he had not the slightest concern that Fuxi or the others might renege; now, the fates of all were bound together—one thriving, all thrive; one suffering, all suffer.

Yet what Di Jun did not realize was this: could everything in the vast world truly proceed according to his designs?

Somewhere at the central-southern connection of the primordial land—

“These five veins of the five elements truly are extraordinary. I never thought I’d reap such rewards,” mused the Daoist of Five Aggregates, who had long since left Mount Zhou and was now roaming the land in search of a convergence of the five elements.

As he explored, he had finally discovered a place where the spiritual energy of the five elements was exceptionally dense. Upon closer inspection, he realized the area was guarded by five dragon veins, each representing metal, wood, water, fire, or earth, transforming this place into a blessed paradise.

There, the Daoist of Five Aggregates also found a colossal egg.

“Could this be the very first peacock of creation? This location borders the south and is saturated with the power of the five elements. Yuan Feng has always been alone; it seems that upon arriving here, she communed with the five dragon veins and thus nurtured the first peacock under heaven,” he speculated.

This was not uncommon among many primordial beings—even the most sacred among them sometimes came to be this way.

Soon, the Daoist secluded himself here, planting the innate Five-Needle Pine at the heart of the five converging dragon veins. He then used the pine to refine the veins, absorbing them as his own essence and transforming them into five primary roots.

At first, his intention had merely been to hide the dragon veins away, so that they would not be destroyed in the future. Never did he imagine that refining them would so greatly strengthen the essence of his Five-Needle Pine body, bringing him within a hair’s breadth of becoming a Chaos Spirit Root.

In that instant, the lands encompassing the five dragon veins underwent a miraculous transformation, becoming a secluded world distinct from the primordial land, gradually separating and existing parallel to it.

Only then did the Daoist realize that the five dragon veins could have formed a world nearly as vast as the Great Thousand Worlds themselves, but when Pangu split the heavens and earth, his strength exhausted too quickly, leaving the veins anchored in the primordial earth. Now, with the Daoist’s arrival, the final opportunity had come, and the world was at last realized.

Sensing his destiny, he anchored his Five-Needle Pine body at the heart of the world, strengthening its very essence. Yet this world could still feed its power back to the primordial land.

“After so many years, the Five-Needle Pine has finally completed its transformation, becoming a Chaos Spirit Root,” the Daoist murmured, reappearing upon the primordial land, feeling the earth-shaking change in his own strength without a ripple of emotion.

Beyond the heavens, in the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun suddenly opened his eyes, his divine sense sweeping across the primordial land.

“Strange. Why does a Hunyuan Da Luo-level aura appear in the land?” Yet, despite searching far and wide, he found nothing, for the very moment the Daoist’s aura had leaked out, it was immediately withdrawn and melded into the land of the five converging veins.

“Little one, meeting me is indeed your fortune,” the Daoist thought as his divine sense brushed over the resplendent egg that remained. With a thought, countless seals appeared, and a grand formation enveloped the entire area.

“Countless worlds are born from the primordial land and must, in turn, nourish it. Henceforth, this shall be the World of Five Elements—before long, it shall become a Great Thousand World!” Sensing the innate energy flowing from the World of Five Elements, he spoke with feeling.

No sooner had his words fallen than a stone stele appeared, its surface inscribed with the characters for “World of Five Elements” in the script of the Great Dao.

“Since there is now the World of Five Elements, this place must have the Mountain of Five Elements as well,” he thought, and his whole being radiated with the rhythm of the five elements.

In an instant, a mountain range of five great peaks rose up—each with its own distinct nature, forming a natural grand array of the five elements.

At the center stood the Earth Peak, rich in earth energy, replete with spirit soil and precious minerals.

To the east was the Wood Peak, lush with wood energy, towering ancient trees, brimming with vitality and countless spiritual herbs.

To the south rose the Fire Peak, ablaze with fire energy, an ever-active volcano.

To the west, the Metal Peak, dense with metal energy, containing all manner of primordial and mundane metals.

To the north, the Water Peak, suffused with water energy, its summit adorned by a spirit pool that birthed myriad innate and acquired spiritual waters.

The stele of the World of Five Elements was set atop the Earth Peak. With a gesture, the Daoist conjured a temple beside it, completed in an instant.

“Henceforth, this shall be my Daoist abode,” he declared. As his words fell, his entire aura and appearance underwent a dramatic change. The youthful countenance, somewhat resembling Qingxuan, was replaced by that of a middle-aged Daoist, long black hair flowing, beard drifting like willow down.

Before he could react, ten streams of primal energy separated from the five peaks—five coalesced into a horsetail whisk, the other five into a five-colored bead.

As soon as the treasures formed, they flew into his hands, and he refined them completely in the blink of an eye.

“Excellent. The Whisk of Five Aggregates and the Bead of Five Elements—both supreme innate spirit treasures with forty-eight restrictions! It seems fate favors me,” the Daoist said, knowing that these treasures were born of the world’s gratitude for his contribution.

Meanwhile, the enormous five-colored egg remained concealed on one of the peaks, nourished ceaselessly by the potent energies of the five elements.

“After years in seclusion, it is time to venture forth and clear my mind,” he said. With the arrival of the Mountain of Five Elements and the completion of his abode, the Daoist felt no urge to linger.

“Little one, we shall meet again if fate allows! With the abundant energy here, you should soon emerge into the world. Since we have met, I shall leave you a token for protection.”

With that, the Daoist beckoned toward the peak, and five streams of spirit light—fire, water, earth, metal, wood—flew to him. Opening his mouth, he spat out a five-colored, chaotic flame.

After a moment’s work, a five-colored fan appeared in his hand.

“This is the Fan of Five Elements, a supreme acquired treasure forged from innate materials, imbued with the power of the five elements—perfect for you,” he said, tossing it as a streak of light that vanished into the five-colored egg.