The three returned to Wuzhuang Temple and each entered closed-door cultivation to refine their treasures. Qing Xuan took out four gourds—the azure-blue and platinum-white gourds—and finally refined the Water-Fire Gourd and the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife.
The Water-Fire Gourd contained the power of innate water and fire. It could transform into water dragons and fire phoenixes to attack enemies, and it could also protect its wielder and ward off techniques.
Using Chaos Refined Gold as its core, Qing Xuan fused Chaos Qi into the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife, forming a Blade of Chaos within the gourd. Originally, it only needed to be aimed at an enemy to activate, but Qing Xuan still mischievously added an incantation. He had to aim it at the enemy, lock onto their Niwan Palace, then chant, "Please turn around, my treasure!" to behead them.
Because it contained Chaos Qi, the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife was even stronger than its original version. With sufficient cultivation, it could even kill a Sage.
Qing Xuan did not refine the Chaos Gourd too extensively. He merely gave it two additional functions. One was to draw people inside; Chaos Qi filled its interior, and anyone who entered would instantly perish, their body and Dao scattered. The other was to spew out massive amounts of Chaos Qi, which could kill enemies and break formations. He named it the Jie Xu Gourd.
As for the final Xuanhuang Gourd, it contained a thread of the earth's origin, Xuanhuang Qi. Qing Xuan carefully refined it, creating a "Xuanhuang Minor World" within it that could evolve Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.
It could spray Xuanhuang Qi to cover the user's entire body, rendering them immune to all damage. Qing Xuan named it the Earth Suppressing Gourd.
All four treasure gourds were High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, ranked among the finest in the Primordial Wilderness.
"It's time to go out. The two of them have probably been waiting for a long time." Qing Xuan had spent six hundred years refining the four treasures, while Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi only needed to refine one Spiritual Treasure each, so they were naturally much faster than him.
Qing Xuan then left the quiet room and headed to the front courtyard of Wuzhuang Temple. The moment he entered, he saw the two of them eating hotpot and drinking spirit wine.
When Hong Yun saw Qing Xuan, his eyes lit up. He hurriedly waved and called out.
"Brother Qing Xuan, come eat hotpot!"
"Hahaha, what are you two eating?" Qing Xuan asked with a laugh. He quickly walked over and looked into the pot. Good heavens—the two of them were actually cooking Ginseng Fruit in it.
"This..." Qing Xuan looked speechlessly at Zhen Yuanzi. It was one thing for Hong Yun to mess around, but he had not expected the usually serious Zhen Yuanzi to lose his mind as well.
"Fellow Daoist, we discovered this way of eating by accident. Who would have thought Ginseng Fruit would taste unexpectedly delicious when cooked in hotpot? Hurry and try some." Zhen Yuanzi looked slightly embarrassed, then quickly urged Qing Xuan to have a taste, hoping to prove that there was nothing wrong with his mind.
Hearing that, Qing Xuan decided to try it. In any case, with his current cultivation, food poisoning was impossible.
Qing Xuan took a bite of the cooked Ginseng Fruit and was surprised to find it delicious. It was like adding tomatoes to hotpot in his previous life—sour, sweet, numbing, and spicy, with every flavor present.
The three of them then ate and chatted together. Qing Xuan showed them the four treasure gourds, and after marveling at them, the two also brought out the Spiritual Treasures they had refined.
As expected, Hong Yun had added his own divine ability to the gourd and refined the legendary Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd. Once unleashed, this treasure could defile one's Primordial Spirit and possessed boundless power.
Zhen Yuanzi had also refined the Purple Gold Gourd. Like Laozi's, it could store all things and contained Samadhi True Fire. Anyone drawn inside would be refined into pills in no time.
After resting at Wuzhuang Temple for a while, the three set off for Zixiao Palace. Less than a hundred years remained before Hongjun's second lecture, and they all eagerly anticipated it.
In the blink of an eye, five thousand years passed, and the second lecture was about to begin. Everyone gathered outside Zixiao Palace. Qing Xuan and the other two saw many familiar faces, and when the Three Pure Ones saw them, their expressions did not change.
Qing Xuan looked around but did not find Kong Xuan or Peng Xuan. Logically speaking, the two of them were qualified to attend this lecture as well, yet they had not come.
"Brother Dao, are you looking for your two beloved disciples?" Zhen Yuanzi asked with a smile.
"Yes, but there is no sign of them. Perhaps they each have their own opportunities." Qing Xuan replied. He was not worried that they would encounter danger. After all, he had left a trace of perception on each of them. If they faced a life-or-death crisis, he would sense it.
"The second lecture is beginning. Please enter." As before, the doors opened, and the boy and girl attendants invited everyone inside.
Qing Xuan and the other two entered the hall. When Qing Xuan saw its arrangement, his heart jolted.
What is going on?
The arrangement within Zixiao Palace was much the same as during the first lecture: a lofty Dao Platform and cushions neatly arranged on both sides. The only difference was that the six cushions beneath the Dao Platform had disappeared.
"Huh? There aren't six cushions this time. I was wondering whether I could snatch another one!" Hong Yun said regretfully. Quite a few people shared his thoughts, and upon seeing the arrangement, they could only sigh inwardly.
So that's how it is. It seems he intends to accept disciples this time. Qing Xuan thought to himself. He had not accepted disciples the first time because Hong Yun had not yielded his cushion. To avoid history repeating itself, he had simply chosen not to arrange those six cushions this time.
Does this count as causing trouble indirectly? I hope Senior Hongjun doesn't hold it against me. Qing Xuan thought, then casually found a place to sit with the other two and quietly waited for Hongjun to arrive.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Hongjun suddenly appeared.
"The second lecture begins. This time, I will speak of the path beyond Grand Unity and the road to becoming a Quasi-Saint."
Just as everyone prepared to listen carefully, Hongjun suddenly fell silent.
"Hmph. From this day onward, the Dharma shall not be passed to Six-Eared." Hongjun suddenly declared.
While everyone was wondering who Six-Eared was, Hongjun began the lecture. They hurriedly listened.
This lecture mainly covered the Dao of Severing the Three Corpses. Those seated below the Dao Platform, such as the Three Pure Ones, Zhen Yuanzi, and Hong Yun, were all at the Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. Only Qing Xuan had reached the perfected Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, so he gained immensely from the lecture.
A thousand years passed, and the lecture came to an end. When everyone awoke from the Dao resonance, they discovered that Sage Hongjun had not left, and they hurriedly bowed.
"Thank you, Sage, for imparting the Dao!"
Hongjun looked over the crowd, a glint flashing through his eyes as he spoke.
"Now that the second lecture has ended, I intend to accept several of you as disciples of the Mystic Gate."
The hall immediately erupted into commotion. Everyone whispered among themselves before falling silent, all hoping to enter beneath the Sage's tutelage.
Just as expected. Qing Xuan understood. The six disciples were destined by Heaven, and no one else had any chance.
Hongjun swept his gaze around the hall, then called the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa forward.
"I intend to accept the four of you as disciples. Laozi shall be the eldest disciple, and Nuwa the fourth disciple. Are you willing?"
The four were overjoyed and immediately knelt in worship.
"Greetings, Master!"
With a wave of Hongjun's hand, a treasure descended beside Laozi.
"This is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram. I bestow it upon you. Cultivate diligently."
Laozi was overjoyed and knelt again. "Thank you, Master!"
"This treasure is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Pangu Banner. I bestow it upon you. Cultivate diligently."
"Thank you, Master!"
"This treasure is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and the Immortal Slaying Four Swords. I bestow them upon you. Cultivate diligently."
"Thank you, Master!"
"This treasure is the High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the River Diagram of Mountains and Rivers. I bestow it upon you. Cultivate diligently."
"Thank you, Master!"
Hongjun then bestowed treasures upon the other three in turn, filling everyone with envy. At that moment, a voice rang out.
"May the Sage show mercy upon the West!"
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