The Guardian Arrives

Meng Chen did not immediately refine the Innate Spiritual Root. He was waiting for his Guardian to arrive.

Before coming to Kunlun Mountain, Meng Chen had already discussed matters with Meng Zhang Divine Lord. Once he successfully entered the Chan Sect, Meng Zhang Divine Lord would dispatch Meng Chen's Guardian to him.

Even within the Chan Sect, Meng Chen needed a Guardian. This was especially true after that old schemer Daoist Ran Deng joined. Spoiled by Meng Zhang Divine Lord, Meng Chen had a temper and was unwilling to bow his head to Daoist Ran Deng.

Yet Daoist Ran Deng was a Primordial Saint who had even entered the Purple Cloud Palace. By the time he joined the Chan Sect, he had already reached the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. For Meng Chen to catch up to Daoist Ran Deng was no overnight task.

Thus, he had to summon his Guardian.

With the Guardian present, even if he was not before Yuanshi Tianzun, Meng Chen would not need to humble himself before Daoist Ran Deng.

Meng Chen set up an incense altar, lit the incense, and bowed toward the east: "Father, your son has successfully entered the tutelage of Teacher Yuanshi. Please send Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu at once to help your son establish himself in the Chan Sect."

Not only did Meng Chen share blood with Meng Zhang Divine Lord, but even if he were an ordinary person, merely thinking of Meng Zhang Divine Lord's name would allow the lord to perceive him. With this bow, Meng Zhang Divine Lord, far away in the Eastern Celestial Pole, immediately "saw" Meng Chen's current situation.

In the Eastern Celestial Pole, divine trees formed forests, every place filled with innate Dao charm. Among the divine trees dwelled many members of the Dragon Clan. Azure dragons swam through the void, occasionally breathing out dragon breath to help the divine trees grow.

Some of these azure dragons had formed from plants cultivating into dragons, others from the spiritual energy of the Eastern Celestial Pole taking shape, and still others from the Calamity Fate of the Eastern Celestial Pole manifesting...

In the end, the Azure Dragon Lineage and the Primordial Dragon Lineage only resembled each other in appearance, both granted the name "dragon" by heaven and earth. In truth, the Azure Dragon Lineage and the Primordial Dragon Lineage could not even be considered the same race.

At the center of the Eastern Celestial Pole stood an enormous Innate Spiritual Root—the Azure Sky Divine Tree.

The Azure Sky Divine Tree was entirely azure-green. Each leaf was a continent, each branch a star domain. The whole tree grew between heaven and earth, a veritable cosmic tree, a world tree.

At the heart of the Azure Sky Divine Tree sat a middle-aged Daoist in azure-green robes. His face was resolute, his features sharp, radiating boundless majesty. Above, he towered higher than the heavens; below, he loomed larger than the seas—like the master of the world itself.

This man was Meng Chen's father, the master of the Eastern Celestial Pole, the foremost of the Four Primordial Spirits—Meng Zhang Divine Lord.

After Meng Chen burned incense and prayed to him, he immediately received his son's message. Learning that Meng Chen had smoothly entered the Chan Sect, Meng Zhang Divine Lord's face showed a gratified smile.

The identity of a saint's disciple carried immense weight. With Yuanshi Tianzun as his backing, Meng Chen's succession to the position of Azure Dragon Divine Lord would face virtually no obstacles.

"Where is Cangwu?"

As Meng Zhang Divine Lord spoke, the great Dao laws of the entire Eastern Celestial Pole churned violently. Following his will, they instantly carried his voice to every time and space within the Eastern Celestial Pole.

"Roar!"

A dragon's roar shattered the nine heavens. The once-clear sky was shrouded in auspicious clouds, and within those rolling clouds, infinite dragon might was revealed. A dazzling azure light burst open in the clouds, and an azure dragon, covering the sky and suppressing all realms, appeared above Meng Zhang Divine Lord's head.

This azure dragon circled through the void, sweeping across endless time and space, pushing layers of spacetime away like waves. Then, it transformed into a young Daoist in dark robes. His face was like a jade disk, his hair jet-black and lustrous, but his eyes held the vicissitudes of ages. This was Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu.

The dragons of the Azure Dragon Lineage all appeared youthful, even those born during the Beast Calamity.

"Greetings, Divine Lord!"

Meng Zhang Divine Lord did not look at Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu. Instead, he turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and commanded: "The Crown Prince has successfully entered the tutelage of Fellow Daoist Yuanshi. Go to Kunlun Mountain and await the Crown Prince's orders."

Hearing this, Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu's face lit up with joy: "The Crown Prince becoming a saint's disciple is a blessing for our Dragon Clan. Rest assured, Divine Lord, I will diligently assist the Crown Prince and help him achieve the Great Dao swiftly."

"Mm, go. From now on, you are my disciple."

Meng Zhang Divine Lord spoke.

Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu's eyes were filled with disbelief. After a moment, he snapped back to reality, his spirits soaring as if injected with adrenaline.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

He knew that without Meng Zhang Divine Lord's nurturing, he could never have reached the Golden Immortal of the Origin realm. Yet even as a Golden Immortal of the Origin, he was still not considered Meng Zhang Divine Lord's disciple.

Now, Meng Zhang Divine Lord had taken him as a disciple—this was an immense honor.

Before, he was going to Kunlun Mountain to aid the Crown Prince of the Azure Dragon Lineage. Now, he was helping his own junior brother.

The weight of "junior brother" far exceeded that of "crown prince." The crown prince was merely a superior; a junior brother was family. The two could not be compared.

In the Boundless Tree Sea, Meng Chen quietly awaited his Guardian's arrival. He was not anxious. He was an immortal, with endless time and endless life to wait.

The Primordial Wilderness was vast beyond measure—thousands of times more expansive than the starry sky above. Between the Eastern Celestial Pole and the Primordial Wilderness lay the Abyss of Ending Law, which forbade Daoist arts. Even a Golden Immortal of the Origin could not arrive instantly.

Cultivation required patience. Those without patience were doomed to achieve nothing.

One day, two days, three days...

After three days, the sky above the Boundless Tree Sea finally shifted—clouds gathered and parted. Meng Chen knew his Guardian had arrived.

Swoosh!

A beam of azure light descended, landing before Meng Chen. Then, from within the light, Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu's figure emerged.

"Cangwu greets the Crown Prince!"

As soon as he appeared, Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu bowed to Meng Chen.

Though Meng Chen had been born not long ago, he recognized Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu. Cangwu was one of the Four Dragon Lords under Meng Zhang Divine Lord, an elder of the Dragon Clan who had weathered the Beast Calamity and the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation alongside Meng Zhang Divine Lord.

"From now on, I shall rely on you, Senior."

Meng Chen quickly returned the bow.

Before a Golden Immortal of the Origin, he dared not act presumptuously. In both seniority and prestige within the Dragon Clan, he was far inferior to Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu.

Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu smiled and said: "Junior Brother, you are too polite. I have now entered Teacher's tutelage. Protecting my junior brother is my duty."

He could not wait to share the news that Meng Zhang Divine Lord had accepted him as a disciple. He had waited far too long for this day.

"Really? Then congratulations, Senior Brother!"

Meng Chen's eyes were full of surprise as he offered his sincere congratulations.

In the Primordial World, the most reliable bond was that of master and disciple. Master and disciple were like father and son—this was no empty saying.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries to cement their fellowship, and then Meng Chen spoke: "Junior Brother intends to refine an Innate Spiritual Root. I would trouble Senior Brother to act as my Guardian."

Azure Dragon Lord Cangwu's expression turned solemn. "Junior Brother, rest assured. Senior Brother will not allow anyone to disturb you."

With a Guardian in place, Meng Chen could finally set his mind at ease and focus wholeheartedly on refining the Innate Spiritual Root.