Hongjun Fellow Daoist, Don't Leave!

Primordial Chaos Measuring Heaven Ruler, an Acquired Merit Treasure—though acquired, its might surpassed even ordinary Innate Treasures!

Taichu gazed at the ruler in his hand, unable to put it down.

"Forty-nine restrictions!"

"Hmm! Not bad, not bad! A bit many, but I'll start refining now!"

"If it weren't many, could it be called a fine treasure?"

At this time, the Primordial Wilderness had yet to see any living beings—or rather, no native life had emerged yet.

When the Great God Pangu split Heaven and Earth, a few old monsters had still slipped in with remnants of their souls.

But now, they were all hiding in obscure corners to heal their wounds; without several kalpas, they wouldn't dare emerge.

Taichu sat there for a hundred thousand years.

Good heavens, he never expected that after a hundred thousand years, the last three restrictions remained utterly impenetrable.

By now, the Primordial Chaos Measuring Heaven Ruler had forty-six restrictions refined by Taichu.

"Perhaps my cultivation is still too low. Once it increases, I might be able to fully refine it!

But for now, it handles smoothly without any hindrance!" Taichu murmured to himself.

Then he put away the ruler and flew toward the summit of Buzhou Mountain.

He flew straight to a point one-third of the way from the top.

Feeling the immense pressure of Buzhou Mountain, even Taichu could not fly any further.

Just as he steadied his mind, he suddenly sensed a ripple of energy.

Looking closely, he saw a Daoist trying to break an Innate Array.

"I am Hongjun. May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?" Hongjun spoke.

Taichu sized up Hongjun, faintly sensing a trace of Chaos Demon God aura on him.

"My name is Taichu!"

His tone was far from friendly.

Taichu scrutinized Hongjun—though both were at the early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage, the aura Hongjun emitted was clearly much weaker than his own.

It seemed Hongjun also sensed Taichu's unfriendliness.

He continued, "I came to Buzhou Mountain to try my luck, hoping to find one or two suitable treasures. If you don't mind, fellow Daoist, how about we travel together?"

Taichu thought to himself, "This man carries the aura of a Chaos Demon God. Since he's willing to team up, perhaps I can use this chance to probe his background."

Taichu sneered, "Travel together? Then wouldn't Fellow Daoist Hongjun be giving up this treasure within easy reach?"

Hongjun smiled awkwardly: "Since ancient times, treasures go to those fated. I've refined this array for a long time without any progress—it means it's not meant for me!

To travel with you, fellow Daoist, would be this old Daoist's fortune instead!"

"This old fox has no shame. He clearly can't refine the Innate Array himself, so he's scheming to send me away and come back to claim it when his strength is sufficient!" Taichu mused.

In that case, I won't let you off easy either.

After hearing Hongjun's words, Taichu showed no politeness: "Since you say so, fellow Daoist, why not let me give it a try? You wouldn't object, would you?"

"Ah, this... no, no, of course not!"

Hongjun stammered for a while, then fell silent, watching Taichu.

He never expected Taichu to play by a different script.

"In that case, I'll give it a try!"

With that, Taichu formed hand seals and began refining the array.

A hundred years later, Taichu had fully refined it.

"Central Wuji Apricot Yellow Flag!"

Both spoke at once.

Taichu raised his hand and beckoned; a small flag radiating brilliant light landed in his palm.

Hongjun's face flushed red. Both at the early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal stage, yet the array he had failed to refine in nearly ten thousand years was cracked by Taichu in no time at all.

And it turned out to be a Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Central Wuji Apricot Yellow Flag!

Taichu glanced at Hongjun: "Since Fellow Daoist Hongjun said treasures go to those fated, I won't stand on ceremony!"

With that, he put the treasure away.

Hongjun's old face reddened: "Your fortune is deep, fellow Daoist. It is rightfully yours!"

Taichu smiled faintly: "You flatter me, Fellow Daoist Hongjun. Let's go, then—let's travel together!"

With that, the two continued toward the summit.

Along the way, they encountered many spiritual treasures, but anything above Middle Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure was all taken by Taichu.

Taichu chatted and laughed with Hongjun the whole way, but Hongjun's face looked worse than if he had swallowed a fly.

Suddenly, Hongjun understood!

"Damn you, Taichu—so you traveled with me just to stop me from claiming that treasure!"

"Daoist Hongjun? Daoist Hongjun, why have you gone silent?"

Hongjun's old face flushed red. "Daoist Taichu, this poor Daoist has felt a sudden insight and must return to my Daoist Temple. I can no longer accompany you on your travels!"

With that, before Taichu could speak, he turned and headed straight for the foot of Buzhou Mountain!

"Daoist Hongjun, don't leave! I still don't know where your Daoist Temple is!"

But Hongjun's figure was already gone!

Watching Hongjun leave, Taichu burst into laughter!

"No matter how many schemes you, Hongjun, might harbor, I won't let you play tricks before me. On the path of cultivation, whether it's opportunities or spiritual treasures, you have to fight and snatch for them—did you expect a pie to fall from the sky?"

Seeing that he was nearing the summit of Buzhou Mountain, Taichu quickened his pace.

After all, this single ascent had already taken over a hundred thousand years!

As the pressure grew heavier and heavier, Taichu finally reached the peak of Buzhou Mountain!

Standing atop Buzhou Mountain, Taichu gazed out at the Primordial World!

In these past hundred thousand years, some beings had gradually awakened their intelligence, though none had yet taken form.

Suddenly, a ripple passed by—Taichu seemed to sense Pangu's presence!

"Big Brother!" Taichu called out urgently.

But there was no trace of Pangu—only a formation left behind as a legacy.

Taichu reached out to touch it, but grasped nothing.

Yet at that moment, a cultivation technique appeared in his mind.

"Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Skill!" Taichu exclaimed.

Cultivating the "Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Skill" to the ninth revolution would allow one to reach the peak of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin realm!

It was also an exceptional body-tempering art—the perfect method to Prove Dao with Strength!

"So this is the legacy Big Brother left behind. He must have wanted me to spread this technique and benefit the Primordial World!"

With that, Taichu sat down and began to cultivate.

Though no one could yet ascend the mountain peak, Taichu casually set up a protective formation—no matter the time, one should never leave themselves exposed to danger.

This time, Taichu's cultivation lasted another ten thousand years.

By then, his cultivation had reached the Great Luo Golden Immortal Middle Stage, and what pleased him even more was that his physical body had also advanced to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Initial Stage!

"It's time to descend the mountain. I've stayed on Buzhou Mountain for nearly an entire epoch. The Primordial World should have some beings taking form by now," Taichu said.

One epoch is one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years, and Taichu's journey to Buzhou Mountain had taken almost exactly that long.

During this time, many beings in the Primordial World had awakened their intelligence, and some had even begun to take form one after another.

Meanwhile, on the Eastern Continent at Jade Capital Mountain, Hongjun slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.