Gift in Hand, Retreat

"Ding, mission issued: seek greeting gifts from Lord of the Beginning and Laozi. Reward: Clear Heart of the Sword state of mind." At that moment, the system timely issued the mission.

Yun Ting nodded, obediently approached Laozi, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Eldest Uncle."

Laozi laughed heartily, took out a bottle of Nine-Revolutions Golden Elixir, and said, "Haha, this is the Nine-Revolutions Golden Elixir. Take it as your greeting gift."

Yun Ting beamed with joy and said, "Many thanks, Eldest Uncle, for bestowing this treasure."

Then, Yun Ting slowly walked toward Lord of the Beginning, performed a bow, and said, "Greetings, Second Uncle."

Lord of the Beginning nodded, carefully examined Yun Ting's bone structure, and said, "Third Brother, Yun Ting's bones are excellent, surpassing even Duobao. He's a fine seedling." Then, he produced a set of Purple Ribbon Immortal Robes and said, "A Postcelestial Supreme Treasure, the Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe. Take it."

Afterward, Yun Ting pointed at Duobao and asked, "Father, who is this?"

"Haha, this is your father's senior disciple, Daoist Duobao, the transformed form of an Innate Treasure Mouse. You may call him senior brother." Tong Tian laughed heartily.

Yun Ting approached Duobao, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, senior brother. Since your title is Duobao, you must have no shortage of treasures. Your junior brother has just transformed and lacks a divine weapon. Could senior brother gift me one?"

Duobao thought to himself, "This... what kind of thing is this? You call me senior brother and immediately ask for treasures? Sure, I transformed from an Innate Treasure Mouse and have plenty of treasures, but you can't just do this to me." Yet, this was his master's son. If he refused, his master might think less of him in the future. With no choice, he produced an immortal sword and said, "A Low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Divine Firmament Sword, obtained by chance. I gift it to you, junior brother."

Yun Ting took the longsword, cupped his hands, and said, "Many thanks, senior brother."

Seeing this, Tong Tian laughed heartily and said to Yun Ting, "Your father needs to go into seclusion for a while to refine a protective treasure for you. You may open a cave dwelling on Mount Kunlun and cultivate well. Your father will take his leave now." With that, he turned into a streak of light and vanished.

Yun Ting looked bewildered, turned to Lord of the Beginning, and said, "Second Uncle, did my father forget something? He said on the way he would teach me the Shangqing Immortal Art, but it seems he forgot to give it to me."

Lord of the Beginning glanced at Laozi and couldn't help laughing. "Big Brother, Third Brother is too... well, this can be forgotten too." He then produced a Jade Slip and said, "The paths cultivated by the Three Pure Ones are all on this Jade Slip. You are the only direct bloodline of the Three Pure Ones, so it is all given to you."

Duobao watched from the side and curled his lips, thinking, 'I am the senior disciple of the Three Pure Ones, and I only received the master's teachings. This little junior brother, on the other hand, comes and immediately gains the favor of the master and both martial uncles, getting all the good stuff.'

"Ding, congratulations on completing the mission. Reward: Clear Heart of the Sword state of mind. New mission issued: seclude for a thousand years, advance to Late Taiyi Golden Immortal. Reward: location of the High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, Treasure-Dropping Golden Coin." At that moment, the system issued another mission.

"System, why didn't you show the data panels for Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle just now..." Yun Ting suddenly asked the system.

"Because you didn't ask... Hmm, querying entries requires you to actively request it for investigation. If it were passive, when the Jie Sect's ten thousand immortals come to court in the future, or when the Demon Heavenly Court is established and you visit, your mind would be full of panels." The system replied casually.

"I freaking... fine, you're right. I'll go into seclusion and do the mission first. Anyway, the entries for the Three Pure Ones are probably all similar... But you'd better change the reward. Everyone on Blue Star knows the Treasure-Dropping Golden Coin is on Mount Wuyi..."

Inside the system space, on a large sofa, a mature woman reclined, sipping coffee, and muttered, "Change the reward for you? You think you can just say change and I'll do it? I'm happy as is. Hmph, this system is the big sister here; you're just a little brother." Then, she completely ignored Yun Ting's complaint.

Seeing the system ignore him, Yun Ting didn't dwell on it. He opened a cave dwelling on Mount Kunlun and went into seclusion. Lord of the Beginning, after probing with his divine sense, looked at Laozi and said, "Big Brother, what if Yun Ting uses the Nine-Revolutions Golden Elixir to break straight through to Great Luo?"

Laozi shook his head. "No matter. I sensed a slightly different aura on him. He won't be so unwise."

Time passed slowly; a thousand years flew by in an instant. Inside the cave dwelling, Yun Ting's divine radiance was restrained, his sword aura fierce, gathering the surrounding spiritual energy instantly. A faint haze shimmered around him. Lord of the Beginning sensed Yun Ting's aura and said to Laozi, 'Big Brother, Xiao'er is about to break through to Taiyi.'

Laozi nodded. "Not bad. A thousand years to reach Late Taiyi Golden Immortal. This talent surpasses even Duobao's."

Duobao heard this, curled his lips, and thought, 'It's different when it's your own child. Every time he praises a disciple, he has to take a jab at me. Hmm, ever since junior brother came up the mountain, I'm no longer the one winning the master's and the two martial uncles' favor on Mount Kunlun.' (Yun Ting: Fat mouse, that's not my fault. Even before I came up the mountain, Second Uncle didn't like things with fur.)