Dijun had barely left when Zhen Yuanzi pulled out several dozen Ginseng Fruits, along with a fresh branch from the Ginseng Fruit Tree, and traded them to Hongyun for the Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd.
Qin Xuan planned to plant this fresh Ginseng Fruit Tree branch in Pangu Temple. If it happened to take root, wouldn't that mean gaining another one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots outright?
As everyone gradually dispersed, only Qin Xuan, the Twelve Ancestral Witches, Jieyin, Zhunti, and the siblings Nüwa and Fuxi remained beneath the Gourd Vine.
Over there, Hou Tu and Nüwa had gathered together, whispering about something unknown. Soft laughter drifted over from time to time.
Qin Xuan did not join in the fun. He simply plucked the final two gourds from the vine, then casually waved his hand and collected the entire Gourd Vine, along with the patch of Nine Heavens Breathing Earth beneath it.
"Wait, fellow daoist!" A somewhat anxious female voice rang out.
Qin Xuan paused, a nearly imperceptible smile curling at his lips.
The biggest fish had taken the bait!
Nüwa was frantic inside!
That violet-blue gourd had inexplicably tugged at her heartstrings from the very first moment she saw it.
The Gourd Vine and the soil emanating an aura of creation also felt extraordinarily important to her. Somewhere deep down, she sensed that if she missed this chance today, she would surely regret it beyond measure in the future.
But her pockets were cleaner than her face.
She did not even possess a decent spiritual treasure or spiritual root. What could she possibly use to trade?
This was not really her fault. At present, the vast majority of the renowned Innate Spiritual Treasures in the Primordial World were still held tightly in the hands of the Dao Ancestor in Zixiao Palace.
The Taiji Diagram, Pangu Banner, Four Swords of Zhuxian, Mountain and Rivers State Diagram, Red Bridal Ball... Hongjun was practically a walking super treasury right now.
Only after the third sermon, when Hongjun formally accepted disciples and distributed treasures, would these top-tier treasures possibly circulate into the world.
By then, the grace of imparting the Dao, the bond of master and disciple, and the favor of bestowed treasures would form layers upon layers of karma.
All one could say was that Hongjun's kindness...
Could never be repaid!
It simply could not be repaid!
Qin Xuan took in every change in Nüwa's expression and immediately understood.
He promptly revealed a friendly smile and directly handed the Demon Summoning Gourd he had just put away, together with the Gourd Vine and Nine Heavens Breathing Earth, to Nüwa.
A flash of delight passed through Nüwa's eyes, only to turn into hesitation. Her outstretched hand stopped in midair, and she did not quite dare accept them.
Seeing her concerns, Qin Xuan spoke calmly.
"Fellow daoist Nüwa, this gourd is destined for you, but I truly cannot give it away for nothing. How about this? Take it first. If you obtain a suitable Innate Spiritual Treasure someday, simply return one to me then. I am in no hurry."
After a pause, he pointed at the Gourd Vine and Nine Heavens Breathing Earth and smiled.
"As for this vine and soil, they are even less worth mentioning. Consider them gifts for you, fellow daoist."
His expression was frank, as though he were truly giving away two insignificant little trinkets.
Nüwa looked into Qin Xuan's seemingly sincere eyes, then lowered her gaze to the three treasures shining with precious light and exuding boundless auras of creation. For a moment, her heart wavered.
On one side was an inexplicable wariness. On the other was a genuine, enormous opportunity that might concern her own path of cultivation.
In the end, her thirst for opportunity overcame her misgivings. She took a soft breath and solemnly reached out to accept the three treasures.
"Then, thank you for your generous gift, fellow daoist." She gave Qin Xuan a slight bow, her voice clear and pleasant. "Nüwa will remember this kindness. Should I find a suitable spiritual treasure in the future, I will certainly return the favor!"
Qin Xuan remained perfectly composed as he said, "No need for such politeness, fellow daoist Nüwa. We all reside on Buzhou Mountain, so we should interact often in the future."
After Nüwa left, Qin Xuan smiled.
This Demon Summoning Gourd was no ordinary Innate Spiritual Treasure. It was a supreme treasure capable of commanding the demon race!
Could he, the Thirteenth Ancestral Witch, possibly use it to command all demons?
Keeping this gourd in his hands would be utterly useless.
But after Hongjun distributed treasures in the future, Nüwa's Red Bridal Ball and Mountain and Rivers State Diagram would both be renowned top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.
As for the Gourd Vine and Nine Heavens Breathing Earth, he had not given them away for nothing either.
Nüwa would later use this Gourd Vine, together with Nine Heavens Breathing Earth mixed with Three Lights Divine Water, to create the first humans and attain sainthood on the spot!
It was not as though he had never considered holding these two items over Nüwa's head, but after thinking it over, he felt it was inappropriate.
First, who knew whether this was the only portion of Nine Heavens Breathing Earth in the Primordial World?
If there were more, would he not end up gaining nothing at all?
Second, without the Gourd Vine, what if Nüwa found some other spiritual root, flung mud around to create humans, and caused humanity to be born with even worse innate qualities?
So he dismissed the idea.
Once Nüwa attained sainthood through these two treasures, the karma she owed him would be immense.
How could people of this era possibly understand that free things were the most expensive?
He was not worried that Nüwa would refuse to repay the debt after becoming a saint. After all, the future Goddess Nüwa's character was in no way comparable to those two from the West.
If this opportunity had belonged to Jieyin and Zhunti, he would rather destroy it than hand it over to them.
One only had to consider the fate of that unlucky Hongyun in the original story.
In Zixiao Palace, he had kindly yielded his seat for a moment, thereby forming an enormous karma concerning sainthood.
And what happened in the end?
When Hongyun suffered his tribulation, those two not only stood by and watched, but even joined forces to obscure the heavenly secrets, cutting off Zhen Yuanzi's path to rescue him. They watched helplessly as Hongyun died and his Dao vanished.
To them, so long as Hongyun lived, that karma weighed upon their hearts like a mountain.
But if Hongyun died, then naturally everything would be settled once and for all.
After Nüwa departed, Qin Xuan weighed the final gourd in his hand. It was clearly a size smaller, still green-skinned and not yet fully mature, and he felt somewhat curious.
This object seemed to have no record in the Primordial World legends of later generations. He did not know what miraculous properties it possessed, so it appeared he could only take it back and study it slowly.
At this moment, seeing that only the two brothers and the Ancestral Witches remained, Zhunti could not help feeling a chill run through him. He hurriedly poked the senior brother beside him.
Yet Jieyin seemed not to notice at all. His eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the last gourd in Qin Xuan's hand.
His face was filled with longing, and his eyes were bloodshot.
Zhunti sighed softly. How could he not desire that Innate Gourd as well?
But the memory of being brutally beaten by Qin Xuan and Hou Tu earlier remained vivid in his mind. He did not dare provoke Qin Xuan again so easily.
As for trading something for it, that was even more impossible. The gourd was fated with the West, not with "yuan."
If taking a beating could get us a gourd, it would not be such a loss...
Seeing the infatuated look on his senior brother's face, such an absurd thought actually surfaced in Zhunti's mind.
His eyes, too, gradually reddened as he looked at the gourd.
But after only a moment, Zhunti violently shook his head. Clarity returned to his eyes as he forcefully tugged on Jieyin's sleeve and lowered his voice.
"Senior Brother, this treasure is not fated with the West. We should leave quickly!"
Only then did Jieyin jolt awake. He gave the gourd one final reluctant look before finally nodding.
With a flicker, the two of them vanished from where they stood.
Qin Xuan watched the direction in which they had left, a cold smile rising at the corner of his mouth.
He had yet to settle the score for how those two had earlier incited everyone to besiege him and seize the treasures!
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