For someone whose cultivation was as high as Zulong, restoring those cultivators of the frigid desolate north sea was but a simple matter. Despite what his detractors said, he never harmed them once.
In order to build further goodwill, Zulong used his powers to drive out the frigid cold from a subsection of the north sea. It wasn't a large area but enough to accommodate those present until a more permanent solution can be created.
"The cold will be an issue, a very large one," Zulong mused unhappily. He had set up five point pentagram as a barrier but it was already weakening. "We'll cover the underground lake, hopefully that'll insulate the cold," he instructed.
"Right/Elder brother is wise," Qinglong and Yinglong said in unison. The two dragons retreated back to the underground lake and got to work. Pulling together their powers they began enclosing the lake with their power.
"This is not good," Yinglong said. "We can use the soil present but it is too weak to hold."
Zulong joined the duo in their attempts while contemplating. "Fellow daoist Xuanwu, you are a native, do you have any ideas?" He asked.
"To be fair, I've spent most of my life asleep," Xuanwu said looking somewhat embarrassed. "Perhaps you could put a treasure over it? A sufficiently powerful xiantian spiritual treasure should do the trick."
Zulong frowned, he did not wish to part with either of his top grade xiantian treasures. "What do you guys think of solidifying our Qi," he asked.
"What like spiritual ore veins?" The others asked. Zulong nodded, the principle of what he proposed is similar just lacking in terms of preexisting raw material.
"A solidified chunk of Qi will not be permanent, as time goes on it will erode much faster than a cover forged from ores," Yinglong said.
"Do not discount me fellow daoist," Xuanwu said. "The north sea is my home, I can stay and reinforce the barrier."
"With all due respect daoist Xuanwu, your cultivation is not strong enough to reinforce the barrier," Yinglong said without any malice. "Even with us four, it is still a struggle to seal this lake shut."
"It's fine, with our cultivation it'll last long enough. When we return we'd come up with a more permanent solution," Zulong said. "On my signal," he ordered.
The three dragons in unison revealed their true forms. Three massive serpentine figures appeared within the north sea depths. The dragons roared in unison, unleashing their profound cultivation and Qi.
Xuanwu did a similar action. His handsome/beautiful features faded away to a gargantuan ovoid creature. He was a tortoise with a solid shell with engravings of clouds and waves. He was black with outlines of luminescent blue.
Xuanwu's head was angular and big. His limbs were wide and steady. His shell was thick and strong, resembling a mountain made of pentagonal pyramids. He truly looked like an auspicious beast fit to stand beside a dragon. His most distinguishing feature however was his tail.
Instead of a short tortoise's tail, Xuanwu's was much long longer and not a true tail at all. It was another beast entirely, a serpent resembling a viper whose breath unleashed cold mist. It was red in colour contrasting Xuanwu's black and blue body, scaly and sleek.
Behind Xuanwu, the bright image of the water star mercury with all it's watery mysterious might shone. It showcased Xuanwu's deep understanding of the Dao and its profound mysteries. The black tortoise did not lose out to the dragons.
'This person is not simple,' Zulong thought to himself as they got to work. He noticed that Xuanwu's power could be a very useful asset to him for his talent was equal to his brothers.
What was more astonishing was how well he coordinated with Qinglong. It was as if they were born to fight side by side, brothers from a foreign family. Their Qi complemented each other in ways that even he nor Yinglong could.
'But there also appears to be something missing,' Zulong thought after more observation. 'Like two parts of an even greater whole.'
By now, a solid jade platform with four colours of bright gold, dull yellow, azure blue, and pitch black. It held firm against the cold air permeating from the underwater lake. However, this steadiness will not last for long.
"Water's getting warmer," Qinglong idly commented waving his arm around the water. The change could be felt immediately. Although it was still very cold, it was not as extreme as before.
"It'll take some time before the sea temperature drops back to an acceptable level. The barrier protecting the north sea denizens should let them live comfortable lives," Zulong said.
They returned to where they left the north sea cultivators. Many of them still bore unhappy looks but equally as many bore grateful looks. "Thank you," they said.
"The environment should be enough for your young to survive," Zulong said. "I've left you with enough resources nobles from the east sea can obtain. Use it wisely," he said.
"Thank you," the cultivator who originally took that leap of faith said. "Sadly, Shenni's reign has permanently damaged the north's vitality, innate creatures will never appear again. Even so, we will recover as best as we can," he said.
"What is your name fellow daoist?" Zulong asked.
"This one is named Xie Chun. One of the few remaining Great Crabs in the north," he said.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Xie Chun, I will see you when I return," Zulong said turning to leave.
"Actually, fellow daoist, if it is not too much to ask," Xie Chun called out. "I'm afraid the north sea will not truly prosper again until something else is felt with."
Zulong narrowed his eyes. This crab was is overreaching. Or perhaps he has a strong enough grasp of Zulong's personality to dare ask something of him.
"Speak away," Zulong said.
"Aside from the cold, the north sea is also frequented by primordial beasts. You have already encountered some of them," Xie Chun said. "The fact is that primordial beasts still do frequent the northern part of the great wilderness. They gather at the mysterious island at the northmost corner of the world. If fellow daoist wishes for a true stable kingdom, they'll have to be eliminated."
Zulong nodded, primordial beasts according to ancient records were a pest. They were the first blight on the world that deserved to be eliminated.
"What say you brothers?" He asked Qinglong and Yinglong. The two dragons nodded in agreement and agreed to the request. It was not too much of a big deal.
"Xuanwu, wanna come with us?" Qinglong asked the black tortoise.
"I would love to, I have not seen primordial beasts with my own eyes," he said in agreement.
The group of four took off towards the north most point of the north sea.
"Do you think I made the right choice?" Xie Chun suddenly said after the group of deities were gone.
"Good or bad, it won't change much," a cultivator behind him said. "It sounded almost like a dream."
"Hmph," the old woman snorted with contempt. "A mistake if I ever saw one. Would've been better to go out fighting. My Lin'er would've wanted that at least."
"You are too consumed by the past," Xie Chun said with a sigh. "Whatever the case, we have walked out of this tribulation with some gains. That Zulong, something about him just screamed out to me."
"Falling for an innate god of all things? Guess I never knew you," the old woman scoffed.
"I don't think he lied," another cultivator said. "He sounded serious, nothing about him spelt deceit. Just promise."
"Empty promise I'm sure," the naysayers said. Xie Chun however maintained his hopeful disposition. He had a feeling that something big will change about the seas. Something relating to the dragon who just left. A feeling that sprung up from the moment the dragons appeared.
…
At the northernmost point of the north sea. At the misty oceans in which the continent on Ao's back was located. The great tortoise Ao and Da Hai awaited Zulong's group.
"Did you foresee they would clear out my infestation problem? Was that why you took no action?" Ao said in his rumbling voice.
"It was a likely scenario," Da Hai admitted. "Though if they had left beforehand I would've cleared them out for you."
"Heh heh, how shrewd fellow daoist, how shrewd indeed," Ao laughed. "It was entertaining watching them fight themselves on my back, I senjoyed it while it lasted."
"You do not mind their presence? Even though they gnaw at your flesh?" Da Hai asked.
"I regenerate faster than they could eat. It never mattered anyway. No worse than a small itch," Ao said. The colossal creature had not moved one inch since the dawn of time. He could only perceive the world by way of divination.
Da Hai nodded, Ao's choices were of no concern to him. Seeing Zulong and the other's approach he began concealing both himself and the head moth fairy.
"The beast here are not like those driven out into the larger north sea and continent. The amount of vitality they gained by eating a chaos godfiend is extraordinary. let's see how well the dragons can deal with them," Da Hai murmured in expectation.
He was not disappointed. Zulong, Qinglong, Yinglong, and Xuanwu immediately got to work upon arriving at the 'mysterious island' shrowed in mist. Because Ao had opted not to speak they could not tell that this was a living creature at all.
Yinglong dived in from the air. He controlled the clouds and rain and thunder to magnificent efficiency. He blasted, whipped and clawed at a vast assortment of primordial beasts clearing their number with little effort.
His wings carried him smoothly across the clouds as he gracefully fight against his foes. The dragon of the clouds manipulated the clouds themselves as weapons. They were his shield and sword.
Qinglong and Xuanwu displayed their starry might. The dragon and tortoise smashed the primordial beasts to bits. Their stellar constructs burned them alive. Xuanwu's snake head also unleashed its own frosty breath.
Zulong meanwhile observed their performance with happiness. Neither his brothers nor the newcomer were weak by any stretch of the imagination. Strength and talent was something Zulong heavily valued.
The ancestral dragon soon joined the fray. His golden magnificence dominated the battlefield with a mixture of physical power and water manipulation.
"Admits the raging waves, the dragon rises from the sea, soaring above the clouds," Zulong chanted as he thought. As he chanted golden light glimmered along the surface of his scales. However they did not have any real effects other then visual.
Da Hai narrowed his eyes. 'His in the process of inventing a new spell,' he thought. Live combat was a very good learning experience. It allows the spontaneous development of ideas for spells and cultivation.
'I shall see where this new art goes,' Da Hai thought with expectation. The group had made good progress clearing out the initial waves. However primordial beast lacked a sense of danger and kept pouring out.
'Some of the inner beasts have been devouring Ao for a long time. I wonder how they'll stack up against Zulong?' He thought. From the looks of it, Ao's anticipation was roused as well. The turtle was watching the battle with interest.
Among the hordes on Ao's back. Those special monsters who'd evolved past their weaker kin roused. Their attentions were turned to the invading dragons and tortoise.
North Continent Shore
A large crowd of primordial beasts were gathered on one beach gorging on the remains of an ancient chaos godfiend long deceased. A dignified antlered man watched from afar with a small smile.
He held up a diagram. It glimmered with power before flashing with mysterious lights. The effect was immediate. The eyes of the primordial beasts glazed over and their bodies stilled.
"The old man wasn't lying, this does work," the dignified man, Zulin, said. The ancestral Qilin rubbed the diagram gently. Its scroll was made from the skin of the beast emperor himself. A piece his benefactor claimed to have sliced off eons ago during the war.
"With this, I am one step closer to controlling the north continent," Zulin said with a smile. "It's a shame the sea turned out the way it did. Si Hai can have that wasteland," he said with a dismissing snort.
"All that's left is to achieve the Great Principle," Zulin said while guiding the army of primordial beasts. Only in the north can you find this army of monsters. Only in the north have they survived.
"Hm? What's this?" Zulin's nosed twitched. His head flickered northwards and sniffed the air.
"Such a good smell, very good smell," his curiosity roused, the innate god shed his human form and assumed his horselike quadrupedal body with a long tail and draconic features. The Qilin sniffed the air and his hairs glowed. His whiskers blew in the wind and faint golden flecks drew towards him.
"Such a strong smell, how could someone have so much karmic luck?" Zulin lifted one hoof and step on a magic golden cloud. All four of his hoofs were lifted into the air.
"You lot shall join up with the others in Shenni's cave," he ordered his newly captured primordial beasts. The innate god proceeded to dash northwards hoping to catch whatever was giving off so much karmic luck before it