Niu Ben arrived outside the entrance to Kunlun Mountain and saw the Purple Mansion Envoy again.
The Purple Mansion Envoy felt uneasy. He did not know whether he would be able to meet the Three Pure Ones, but his attitude remained excellent. His face was full of smiles as he cupped his hands to Niu Ben in greeting.
"Little friend, what was the result?"
"Master invites you in!" Niu Ben returned the gesture with a smile and made an inviting motion.
The Purple Mansion Envoy breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could meet them, everything else could be discussed.
If he had not even been granted an audience, he definitely would not have a good outcome upon returning.
Niu Ben led him to the Great Hall.
Within Taishang Laozi's Dao Field, not only was he present at this moment, but Primordial Heavenly Lord and Tongtian were there as well.
"Master, Two Martial Uncles, I have brought him here!"
Taishang Laozi smiled and nodded. His eyes were filled with gentleness, and he exuded an aura of Dao Follows Nature that made people feel as though they were bathed in a spring breeze.
Primordial Heavenly Lord and Tongtian both nodded at Niu Ben. They were evidently very satisfied with him, and smiles appeared on their faces as well.
The Purple Mansion Envoy hurried forward to pay his respects, his attitude incomparably respectful. "Greetings, Senior Three Pure Ones!"
At this moment, he did not dare address the Three Pure Ones as senior brothers.
Especially with Primordial Heavenly Lord present, if he dared utter those words, Primordial Heavenly Lord might directly throw him out. That arrogant temperament of his looked down upon people like them, who wore fur and scales.
He was also a Quasi-Saint, an exalted figure wherever he went, yet compared to the Three Pure Ones, the gap in their strength was like the chasm between earth and the bright moon in the sky.
Every one of the Three Pure Ones was an existence he had to look up to.
The difference in strength between Quasi-Saints could be as vast as heaven and earth.
Slaying the Three Corpses required merging Magic Treasures. What he used was merely an ordinary Innate Spiritual Treasure. He too wished to use a top-grade Innate Supreme Treasure, but he had none. Moreover, at Treasure Distribution Cliff in the Purple Clouds Palace, he had not managed to seize even a single treasure.
Back then, the Three Pure Ones had swept through the place like a gale. The three of them had taken the most treasures.
Furthermore, the Three Pure Ones had been formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit. Pangu had created the world, and the entire Primordial Wilderness belonged to him. They carried the vast Merit of Pangu's World-Creating.
The Personal Disciples accepted by Dao Ancestor Hongjun were all saints ordained by heaven in the future.
When Taishang Laozi faced the Purple Mansion Envoy, he still wore a gentle smile, but it did not carry the same spring-breeze warmth he showed Niu Ben.
"What business do you have at my Kunlun Mountain?"
The Purple Mansion Envoy hurriedly took out an Invitation, bent at the waist, and respectfully held it above his head with both hands.
His voice became even humbler. "A thousand years from now, the lord of our Immortal Court, East Prince Gong, will hold the Myriad Immortals Assembly with Purple Mansion Prefecture. I have been specially sent to invite the Senior Three Pure Ones to attend."
Taishang Laozi flicked his Fly Whisk, and the Invitation landed in his hand.
After reading its contents, he did not immediately answer. Instead, he considered the matter.
East Prince Gong's actions held deeper implications.
Recently, friction between the Purple Mansion Immortal Court and the Demon Heavenly Court had been constant throughout the Primordial Wilderness. A battle between them was inevitable.
He did not wish to involve himself in such affairs, and he had already comprehended where his Dao lay.
The Dao of his second and third brothers likewise did not lie with the Immortal Court or the Heavenly Court.
If the Three Pure Ones attended, it would mean they were taking the side of the Purple Mansion Immortal Court.
And the Dao cultivated by his second brother, Primordial Heavenly Lord, was to follow the Heavenly Dao. He disliked those covered in scales, born damp or hatched from eggs, so he certainly would have no objections.
His third brother's Dao was to Seize a Thread of Life for all living beings, Teaching Without Discrimination. He had the most free-spirited and easygoing nature, so no matter what decision he made, Tongtian would not object.
East Prince Gong was the Head of Male Immortals personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor. As a Personal Disciple of the Dao Ancestor, he also needed to be given some support.
After pondering for a moment, Taishang Laozi finally said in an even voice, "Return and tell East Prince Gong that we shall attend in a thousand years."
Upon receiving a definite answer, the Purple Mansion Envoy's eyes filled with uncontrollable delight.
His heart pounded wildly. All the way here, he had been deeply uneasy. The worst outcome was that the Three Pure Ones would refuse to see him at all, or that they would meet him but decline the invitation.
If either of those outcomes had occurred, he would not even have known how to return and report.
Now that he had received a clear answer, East Prince Gong certainly would not make things difficult for him upon his return. In his joy, he might even reward him with several Lingbao.
Only after respectfully bowing did he hurriedly leave.
The pressure of being within the Three Pure Ones' Dao Field was simply too great.
At that moment, a ding sounded in Niu Ben's mind.
[Congratulations, Master, you have triggered a God-tier Choice!] [Choice 1: Ask Taishang to take you to Purple Mansion Prefecture in a thousand years. You will receive one Lottery Chance!] [Choice 2: Continue to stay steady on Kunlun Mountain. You will receive one Innate Spiritual Treasure!]
Hearing the system's voice,
Niu Ben swiftly began to deliberate. An Innate Spiritual Treasure was certainly good, but what might appear from the system lottery?
He directly asked the system in his mind,
"System, what can I obtain from that Lottery Chance?"
[Ding! The lottery can randomly grant divine abilities, Lingbao, and spiritual items!]
Niu Ben raised an eyebrow slightly. That answer was a little too vague.
He asked in his mind, "System, for example?"
[Ding! There are many types of divine abilities, such as Taishang Laozi's One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, or divine abilities from other worlds!] [Lingbao may include Innate Supreme Treasures or Innate Spiritual Treasures. There may also be Innate Merit Treasures, or even ordinary Houtian Spiritual Treasures!] [Spiritual items may be one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots, or they may be ordinary spiritual roots found everywhere!]
Niu Ben pondered for a moment. Innate Spiritual Treasures were indeed good, but compared to the lottery, the lottery seemed more enticing.
What reward he could obtain would depend entirely on his luck.
He was not lacking in Innate Spiritual Treasures. After all, with Taishang Laozi nearby, if there was a treasure he wanted, he could wear him down and get it.
If the direct reward had been an Innate Supreme Treasure, he might have chosen option two.
But now, he chose option one. He would take a gamble—perhaps a bicycle would become a Ferrari.
At this moment,
Within the Great Hall.
Primordial Heavenly Lord's eyes were filled with confusion and doubt.
He was the first to speak. "Elder Brother, you dislike involving yourself in such matters the most. Why would you attend East Prince Gong's Myriad Immortals Assembly?"
Even Tongtian beside him cast a puzzled look his way.
The two of them had both thought their elder brother would refuse outright.
Yet unexpectedly, he had agreed.
The Three Pure Ones had never regarded East Prince Gong highly. After Dao Ancestor Hongjun's third lecture, East Prince Gong had invited them to join the Immortal Court, only to be directly refused.
Moreover, none of the three thought much of East Prince Gong's character.
Tongtian disliked him even more. By nature, he was carefree and unrestrained, and he could not stand people who bullied others by relying on their power.
But East Prince Gong was the Head of Male Immortals personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor. Tongtian could not simply cut him down with a sword, but he could ignore him. So long as East Prince Gong did not provoke him, he could not be bothered to meddle in such idle affairs.
At this moment, both of them looked at Taishang Laozi.
Even Niu Ben was filled with doubt. Taishang Laozi should understand what East Prince Gong was planning, so why had he agreed so readily?
He also wanted to hear what Taishang Laozi would say.
Before you continue