The Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud carried Haotian and Jade Pool through the clouds of the Primordial Wilderness before landing steadily at the foot of Zhou Mountain.
This divine mountain, formed from Pangu's spine, pierced straight into the Nine Heavens. Its foothills were shrouded in spiritual mist that had not dispersed for countless Yuanhuis.
Heavy law fluctuations rose from deep within the Earth Vein. Every speck of dust seemed to contain remnant Origin power from the creation of heaven and earth.
Following the guidance of the Spirit Veins, the two entered a hidden valley where the spiritual qi was so dense that it had nearly condensed into liquid.
At the center of the valley, a vine over ten feet tall grew quietly.
Seven Gourds of Different Forms hung amid its emerald leaves, each glowing with a different spiritual light: purple-gold, ink-black, red-blue, earthy yellow, milky white, red-gold, and dark green. It was the Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Root, the Innate Gourd Vine.
"Senior Brother, is this the Innate Gourd Vine?" Jade Pool stepped forward two paces, her fingertips gently brushing through the spiritual mist beside her, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"The spiritual qi on its leaves is so dense. Even the surrounding mist carries the aura of laws."
Haotian nodded, his gaze falling upon the seven gourds on the vine, a faint smile on his lips.
"This vine was nurtured by the essence of Pangu's Earth Veins and has long since gained spirituality."
"Judging from the fluctuations of its spiritual light, it should be waiting for all those destined to gather before allowing the gourds to fully ripen."
"We arrived early. We only hurried here a few hundred years ahead of them, so we can wait for the others first."
He could sense that each gourd was connected to a particular law.
For example, the Ink-Black Gourd contained faint Chaos Qi, while the milky-white gourd was surrounded by the aura of creation. Their owners had clearly long been destined. Forcibly taking them would instead damage the spiritual root's destined opportunities.
Hearing this, Jade Pool obediently stood at Haotian's side. Her Ren Water Spiritual Qi merged with the surrounding spiritual mist, forming a faint watery halo around her.
From time to time, she raised a hand to catch droplets of condensed spiritual dew, her face full of contentment.
Several hundred years quietly passed amid the swirling spiritual mist.
One day, three streams of Purple Qi appeared in the distance, followed by Seven-colored Rosy Clouds, earthy-yellow spiritual light, and the aura of True Sun Fire.
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Fuxi, Zhenyuanzi, Hongyun, Dijun, Taiyi, and other great powers had finally arrived one after another.
When they saw Haotian and Jade Pool already waiting in the valley, their expressions all turned solemn.
The Three Pure Ones exchanged glances, secretly thinking, Junior Brother Haotian's cultivation is indeed unfathomable. We were closer to Buzhou Mountain, yet we still arrived several hundred years later than him.
Dijun and Taiyi, meanwhile, tightened their grips on the Eastern Emperor Bell, a trace of tension flashing through their eyes.
If Haotian intended to monopolize the Innate Gourd Vine, then with his Late Golden Immortal of the Origin cultivation, no one present could contend with him.
Even if they joined forces, it would be useless. They likely would not even be a match for Jade Pool.
Haotian took in everyone's expressions and spoke calmly. "There is no need for concern. Although I arrived first, I have no intention of keeping everything for myself."
"The Innate Gourd Vine was destined by fate. Each gourd corresponds to a particular opportunity."
"I will only take my own share. As for the rest, it depends on each of your compatibility with the gourds. There is no need to fight over them."
His words were like a calming pill, and everyone let out a breath of relief.
Laozi was the first to cup his hands. "Junior Brother is righteous and just. We are impressed."
Yuanshi and Tongtian nodded in agreement, while Nuwa offered a gentle smile.
She had originally worried that everyone would fight over the treasures. Now that Haotian had set the tone, much trouble had been spared.
The group then sat cross-legged beside the gourd vine and waited quietly.
Over the next thousand years, the gourds on the vine grew ever more vivid, and the law aura within their spiritual light became increasingly dense.
The Purple-Gold Gourd faintly carried an aura of absorption. The Chaos Qi within the Ink-Black Gourd grew increasingly dense, while the Red-Blue Gourd flashed alternately, as though water and fire were merging within it.
Finally, one morning, the Innate Gourd Vine suddenly erupted with radiant rosy light that stretched for thousands of miles. The seven innate gourds lit up at once, and the leaves rustled as though announcing their maturity.
Everyone opened their eyes, their gazes falling upon the seven gourds in unison. Yet they all looked toward Haotian at the same time.
"Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, please go first." Haotian raised a hand in invitation, his tone humble.
Laozi did not decline. Rising to his feet, he walked to the vine and looked at the Purple-Gold Gourd.
The gourd faintly resonated with his Great Dao. With a lift of his hand, the Purple-Gold Gourd slowly fell into his palm. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and clear voices of laws echoed from within.
Yuanshi followed closely behind. He looked at the Ink-Black Gourd, his mind stirring slightly before he plucked it from the vine. Sensing the Chaos Qi contained within, satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
Tongtian took a liking to the Red-Blue Gourd. The moment it entered his hand, he sensed the laws of water and fire circulating within it.
"This Water-Fire Gourd can control innate water and fire. It can attack and defend, and it perfectly suits my Dao. It is a fine treasure."
When it was Nuwa's turn, she hesitated, her gaze shifting between the yellow gourd and the milky-white gourd.
The yellow gourd was surrounded by Fortune, and it seemed to share a deep connection with her.
The milky-white gourd, meanwhile, was filled with Creation Qi and was more compatible with her Dao of Creation.
After hesitating for a moment, she ultimately took the Pink-White Gourd.
Though the aura of creation suited her, the fourth gourd, which concerned Fortune, was even more important.
After Nuwa took the yellow gourd, Haotian rose to his feet and looked at the milky-white gourd.
The Creation Qi within this gourd faintly resonated with his Primordial Heart Sutra.
He raised a hand and removed the gourd. After sensing its effects, he found that this Creation Gourd was average in both attack and defense, but it could raise the grade of Spiritual Treasures.
It could nurture Houtian Spiritual Treasures and elevate their grade. It also had remarkable effects on cultivating spiritual roots, making it quite a good treasure.
Of the remaining two gourds, the Red-Gold Gourd was surrounded by the aura of flames and was compatible with Dijun's True Sun Fire.
He stepped forward and took it down. Once he sensed the abilities it contained, he was overjoyed.
The Crimson Gourd carried a sharp, offensive force. The moment Hongyun approached it, it resonated with him.
After taking it down, he discovered that its offensive power was formidable. The Red Sand within could corrode one's primordial spirit.
Once the Seven Gourds had been taken, the Innate Gourd Vine suddenly trembled.
A mass of grayish-brown soil seeped out from beneath the vine, faintly carrying an aura capable of bearing all things. It was the innate spiritual object, Nine Heavens Breathing Soil!
Nuwa felt something stir within her. With a wave of her hand, she collected both the gourd vine and the Breathing Soil, her eyes filled with delight.
She vaguely sensed that this vine and the Breathing Soil would be of great use to her in the future.
Though she did not know what use they would have, she would learn when the time came.
Although everyone felt some regret upon seeing Nuwa take the vine and the Breathing Soil, no one objected.
After all, Nuwa had the greatest compatibility with these spiritual objects, and her gentle nature meant she would never waste such an opportunity.
"Now that the treasures have been decided, Jade Pool and I will take our leave first."
Haotian cupped his hands, then boarded the Myriad Heavens Auspicious Cloud with Jade Pool. The auspicious cloud transformed into a streak of light and flew toward the East Sea.
Seeing this, the others also dispersed. Dijun and Taiyi returned to the Sun Star with the Red-Gold Gourd, preparing to consolidate the demon race's forces.
Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun returned together to Wuzhuang Temple to study the uses of the Crimson Gourd.
Nuwa and Fuxi also rode the Seven-colored Rosy Clouds back to Qixia Mountain, where they began considering the uses of the gourd vine and the Breathing Soil.
Only the Three Pure Ones returned after everyone else had departed, their gazes directed toward the mountain peak.
Laozi formed a Taiji Seal with his fingers and said in a deep voice, "There seems to be Creation Qi left over from the creation of heaven and earth atop the mountain. It is extremely compatible with our Dao paths. Why not go up and investigate?"
Curiosity flashed through Yuanshi and Tongtian's eyes, and they nodded in agreement.
"Good! Let us see what other opportunities await atop this divine mountain formed from Father God's spine!"
The three immediately transformed into three streams of Purple Qi and flew toward the peak of Buzhou Mountain, which pierced straight into the Nine Heavens. Their figures soon vanished into the spiritual mist.
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