Within a vast immortal mountain where spiritual energy hung like mist year-round.
A handsome youth in a dark Daoist robe sat cross-legged atop a bluestone cliff outside a palace on Jade Capital Mountain.
The Dao Rhythm of laws flickered around him, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea and forming a visible Spiritual Energy Vortex.
By a White Jade railing not far away stood a doll-like little girl with a face as round as a pink dumpling. Standing on tiptoe, she watched the youth with worry filling her eyes.
Seeing the elder beside her staring at the cliff, she could not help but ask softly, "Sir, can Senior Brother... successfully break through?"
The one she called sir was Hongjun. He stroked his long beard and chuckled. "Jade Pool, you should have faith in your senior brother."
Before he had finished speaking, the Spiritual Energy Vortex above the cliff suddenly contracted sharply.
Immediately afterward, an unfathomable aura burst forth with the youth at its center!
The aura was weak at first, but in an instant it spread across all of Jade Capital Mountain. The Innate Spiritual Grass throughout the mountain swayed, as though bowing in worship.
The phantom of the youth's primordial spirit slowly rose from above his head. At the phantom's forehead—
A strange Human Flower the size of a palm silently appeared, its petals unfurling one after another.
When the first petal bloomed, faint ripples of law spread through the air. When the second bloomed, the flow of spiritual energy around them suddenly accelerated.
Third petal, fourth petal... until the tenth petal had fully unfurled, the entire Human Flower glowed pale gold, and Great Dao runes could vaguely be seen flowing across its petals!
Yet the petals did not stop unfurling. The eleventh petal quietly broke free of the calyx.
A wisp of chaotic gray spread through the pale gold, and the runes instantly became a hundred times more intricate.
As though they were demonstrating the Chaos Law from before the creation of heaven and earth, the Spiritual Energy Vortex in the mountains abruptly froze.
Threads of Chaos Airflow were actually drawn from cracks in the void, winding around the Human Flower.
When the twelfth petal fully unfurled, the entire Human Flower interwove gold and gray, like the first wisp of Dao Rhythm born within Chaos.
An exceedingly faint primordial glow even shimmered from its stamens. The Innate Spiritual Vein deep within Jade Capital Mountain trembled along with it, emitting a deep hum as though responding to this unprecedented talent-born phenomenon of the Primordial Wilderness!
As the twelve-petal flower bloomed, ripples suddenly spread through the void, and a tributary of a silver-glowing river appeared out of nowhere.
It was the River of Time! Countless tiny timelines stretched from it like silver threads.
After circling around the youth for a moment, they all converged and merged into the phantom of his primordial spirit.
At the same time, a solidified True Spirit of the primordial spirit detached from the River of Time and completely fused with the youth's own primordial spirit.
This was the mark of breaking through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal—transcending the River of Time and truly sharing the lifespan of the Primordial World.
Jade Pool's face immediately lit up with joy, and her little hand unconsciously clenched the Gold Hairpin at her waist.
Hongjun's hand froze as he stroked his beard. A flash of surprise crossed his murky eyes before turning into deeper understanding.
Such talent actually shared the same origin as Pangu, who had created heaven and earth. No wonder he could not deduce this boy's complete fate!
Still, this was a good thing. When he had first enlightened Haotian and Jade Pool, he had merely wanted two attendants to manage his Daoist grounds and ease his boredom.
Yet he had never expected Haotian to be an uncut jade, with talent identical to Pangu's. Perhaps... he could pass down his legacy to him in the future.
Although, under the guidance of the Jade Disk of Creation, he had already taken the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa as disciples, Haotian and Jade Pool were naturally the closest to him. (The plot has been adjusted slightly here, dear readers, please forgive me.)
And Haotian was diligent as well. If he were to pass down his legacy, it was only right to pass down more of it. With that thought, Hongjun gathered his thoughts.
At that moment, the youth on the cliff slowly opened his eyes. A trace of a smile flashed through his light amber eyes as the Spiritual Energy Vortex around him gradually dispersed.
He rose, straightened his Daoist robe, and quickly walked before Hongjun to bow. "Thank you, sir, for your guidance and protection. This attendant has successfully broken through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal."
"This is your own fate and fortune; it has little to do with me." Hongjun waved his hand, then changed the subject.
"However, your talent has given me quite a pleasant surprise. Haotian, are you willing to take me as your master?"
"This disciple is willing!" Hearing this, Haotian immediately kowtowed. As his forehead touched the ground, a warmth rose in his heart.
He had transmigrated to the Primordial Wilderness over ten thousand Yuanhui ago. If not for Hongjun's enlightenment, teachings, and protection, even with the treasures left behind by the system, he might not have grown safely to this day.
No matter how good a treasure was, without the strength to protect it, possessing it only invited disaster.
Seeing him agree, Hongjun said "good" three times in succession.
"Good! From today onward, you are my fifth personal disciple. I will pass down to you every Dao Fruit I have attained. When I have time in the future, I will also forge you a set of Spiritual Treasures of the same origin."
"This disciple dares not covet Spiritual Treasures. I only ask that Master grant me one request." Haotian first spoke respectfully.
Then his gaze fell upon Jade Pool beside him. "I beg Master to accept Junior Sister Jade Pool as a disciple as well."
"Senior Brother, you needn't do this!" Jade Pool hurried forward, her eyes full of gratitude, yet she feared displeasing Hongjun. "I... I can remain an attendant. Master should not be troubled because of me."
Hongjun smiled instead, his admiration growing stronger. "You do know how to look after your junior sister."
"Very well. I shall first accept Jade Pool as a registered disciple. When her fate and fortune arrive in the future, she may be elevated to a personal disciple."
"Thank you, Master!" Haotian and Jade Pool kowtowed together. The former felt a weight lift from his heart, while the latter wept with joy, tears rolling down like pearls from a broken string.
After the two rose, Hongjun asked again, "Do you have any other requests? If so, I will certainly help if I am able."
"This disciple wishes to travel through the Primordial Wilderness." After thinking for a moment, Haotian stated his request firmly.
Hongjun was slightly stunned, then tried to persuade him. "The Primordial Wilderness is far from peaceful now. The calamity qi between heaven and earth has already begun to grow."
"The Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan stand in a three-way balance, and war could break out at any time. One careless step and you may be swept into the calamity. Would it not be safer to remain on Jade Capital Mountain and cultivate?"
"Master is correct, but this is an age of great contention."
"How can one grow stronger without striving? Without experiencing worldly affairs, no matter how high one's cultivation is, it is merely empty theory. This disciple knows his limits and will never easily involve himself in the conflicts of the Three Clans."
Listening to his master's persuasion, Haotian raised his eyes, his expression incomparably resolute.
Hongjun gazed at him for a moment. Seeing that his mind was made up, he no longer tried to stop him. "In that case, I bestow this Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud upon you for protection."
"This treasure's defense rivals an Innate Supreme Treasure. It can also protect the mind and restrain Demonic Qi."
"Additionally, this contains my cultivation insights. Take it and comprehend them."
As his words fell, a seven-colored Auspicious Cloud flew from Hongjun's sleeve.
A faint aura of the Heavenly Dao lingered around the Auspicious Cloud. At the same time, an immense amount of cultivation insight flowed directly into Haotian's primordial spirit.
It contained both interpretations of laws and realizations concerning karmic retribution.
Haotian accepted the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud, both shocked and delighted.
He recognized this treasure. In the original timeline, the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud had been Venerable Yuanshi's supreme protective treasure, yet now it had fallen into his hands.
Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he kowtowed again. "This disciple thanks Master for granting this treasure!"
"Master, c-can I travel with Senior Brother?" Jade Pool asked timidly, her large eyes brimming with expectation.
Hongjun looked toward Haotian, who immediately nodded. "This disciple is willing to bring Junior Sister along, and I am capable of ensuring her safety."
"Very good." Hongjun nodded in satisfaction. "Go and prepare your belongings. I still need to meet several old friends later."
"I have activated the Mountain Protection Grand Array. Should anything happen, crush this talisman to send a message."
As his words fell, a Jade Token merged into Haotian's body.
Holding the Jade Token, Haotian took Jade Pool's little hand and turned to leave.
Walking along the bluestone path of Jade Capital Mountain, Jade Pool could not help asking, "Senior Brother, where in the Primordial Wilderness are we going now? Will we encounter ferocious beasts?"
"We'll first take a look at the East Sea. As for ferocious beasts... with Senior Brother here, don't be afraid."
Haotian patted her head, a trace of nostalgia flashing through his eyes.
He suddenly recalled the system's indignant yet aggrieved voice when it had departed more than ten thousand Yuanhui ago.
"Master, Tongtong has been blacklisted by the Great Dao! I only skimmed a little from the Great Dao and drew some Pangu blood in other spacetime realms. Why am I the only one being punished?"
"Other systems all do this. In the end, the Great Dao just thinks I'm easy to bully. Tongtong can't beat it, so I can only leave."
"But Tongtong left something good for master. I raised master's talent to a twelve-petal bloom."
"I also left several sealed gifts within Master's primordial spirit. There will be a surprise every time Master breaks through a major realm!"
"I believe that with these, Master will definitely be able to go further. Once Master becomes stronger, you must help Tongtong demand an explanation from the Great Dao."
Thinking of what the system had said back then, Haotian could not help smiling.
Although the system had left, it had given him the greatest capital he possessed to establish himself in the Primordial Wilderness.
Now that he had entered Hongjun's sect and could travel with Jade Pool, the road ahead would have to be walked step by step by himself.
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