Zhou Ming Borrows the Earth Book

Wu Ming said to Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, "Daoist Friends, follow me."

Then Wu Ming turned and led Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun deeper into Pangu Hall.

In the Depths of Pangu Hall, a figure sat cross-legged, Dao rhythms circulating around him. His aura was as unfathomable as the sea, as though he had merged into one with the entire Pangu Hall.

This man's face was ninety percent identical to Wu Ming's!

As the three drew near, the seated figure opened his eyes, looked at Wu Ming, and nodded. "Daoist Friend, you've worked hard."

Wu Ming gave the figure a slight bow. "Daoist Friend, you and I are one. Why be so formal?"

That figure was Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming nodded, then turned his gaze to Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "Daoist Friend Zhen Yuanzi, Daoist Friend Hong Yun, I trust you have both been well."

Looking at the two nearly identical people before them, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun's minds instantly froze.

What... was going on here?

Twins?

No!

The Wu Clan had been formed from Pangu's Essence Blood—how could there be such a thing as twins?

This person before them... and Daoist Friend Wu Ming... looked as though they had been cast from the same mold!

And this man's aura was far more terrifying than Daoist Friend Wu Ming's! Unfathomable!

Hong Yun was the most straightforward by nature. Unable to hold back the question in his heart, he blurted out, "Daoist Friend Wu Ming, you and this... Daoist Friend Zhou Ming..."

He pointed at Wu Ming, then at the seated figure, his face full of confusion.

Just as Wu Ming was about to explain, Zhou Ming raised a hand to stop him.

"Let me explain."

"I believe the two of you have already made some guesses."

He paused, then directly gave them the answer.

"Daoist Friend Wu Ming was formed when I severed a portion of my Primordial Spirit and combined it with my own Essence Blood."

"I am Wu Ming."

"Wu Ming is also me."

"The two of us were originally one."

As his words fell, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun exchanged a glance, each seeing the unmasked shock in the other's eyes!

So it was indeed so!

Though they had long had a premonition, hearing the truth with their own ears was still far too shocking!

Daoist Friend Wu Ming was actually only the avatar of this Daoist Friend Zhou Ming before them!

Then just what level of cultivation did Daoist Friend Zhou Ming's true body possess?

Zhen Yuanzi swiftly calmed down. Looking at Zhou Ming, he asked in a deep voice, "Daoist Friend Wu Ming... no, Daoist Friend Zhou Ming, this matter is of great importance. It must be a secret of the Wu Clan."

"Why tell the two of us today?"

Zhou Ming answered frankly, "Naturally, it is because I trust you both, Daoist Friends."

"Besides, there is no longer any need to keep it hidden."

"Back when the Wu Clan had only just been born, my twelve younger brothers and sisters and I all needed to enter Seclusion to stabilize our cultivation and digest Father God's inheritance."

"But the newborn Wu Clan could not be left without anyone to watch over it."

"So I severed part of my Primordial Spirit and combined it with Essence Blood to create Daoist Friend Wu Ming, allowing him to handle the Wu Clan's affairs in my stead and travel the Primordial Wilderness."

"Later, Dao Ancestor Hongjun attained the Dao and expounded the Great Dao at Purple Cloud Palace."

"At that time, it was still unsuitable for my existence to be exposed, so Daoist Friend Wu Ming continued to act in my stead, listening to the Dao and forging connections."

"Now, Purple Cloud Palace's three lectures have concluded. The Great Powers of the Primordial Wilderness have advanced in cultivation, quasi-Sages have emerged in droves, and the Saint Positions have already been assigned."

"Dao Ancestor is also about to merge with the Heavenly Dao, further concealing himself behind it."

"At this time, my appearance in the Primordial Wilderness would be of no consequence."

Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun listened with their hearts shaken.

Though they did not fully understand why Zhou Ming could not appear before, or why he could appear once Dao Ancestor merged with the Heavenly Dao, they tactfully chose not to ask further.

Zhen Yuanzi looked at Zhou Ming and felt the other man's unfathomable aura, suddenly understanding.

No wonder Daoist Friend Wu Ming had always been so calm when facing Di Jun and Taiyi of the Demon Race—he had even seemed somewhat... disdainful?

So it turned out that his true body, this Daoist Friend Zhou Ming, possessed strength terrifying to such a degree!

Zhen Yuanzi considered himself one of the foremost Great Powers of the Primordial Wilderness. With the Earth Book in hand, he was almost innately invincible while standing upon the earth.

Yet before Zhou Ming, he felt an indescribable pressure.

Other than Dao Ancestor Hongjun, seated high within the Purple Cloud Palace, there was likely no one in the entire Primordial Land stronger than the Daoist Friend Zhou Ming before him!

Zhen Yuanzi composed himself and bowed to Zhou Ming. "So that is how it is. May I ask why Daoist Friend summoned the two of us here today?"

"With Daoist Friend's strength, there should be few matters in the Primordial Land today that could trouble you, no?"

Can't find the book by searching its title? Try searching for the author instead—perhaps it was merely renamed!

Zhou Ming exchanged a glance with Wu Ming beside him. Wu Ming gave a slight nod.

Only then did Zhou Ming look to Zhen Yuanzi and speak directly. "I do indeed have a matter in which I wish to ask for Daoist Friend's help."

"I would like to borrow Daoist Friend's Earth Book. Would that be possible?"

Borrow the Earth Book?

At those words, Zhen Yuanzi's heart stirred.

The Earth Book had been formed from the World Membrane of the Primordial Land. Its defensive power was peerless, and it could link to the earth veins of the Primordial Land, granting it boundless wondrous uses.

Why did Zhou Ming wish to borrow the Earth Book?

Zhen Yuanzi's thoughts raced, and in an instant, he had a guess.

He looked at Zhou Ming and slowly said, "Could Daoist Friend be seeking the two legendary Three Immortal Islands of the Eastern Sea—Fangzhang and Mount Yingzhou?"

"Oh?" A flicker of surprise appeared in Zhou Ming's eyes. "How did Daoist Friend know?"

Stroking his beard, Zhen Yuanzi said, "My Earth Book was formed from the World Membrane of the Primordial Land. One of its powers is to reflect the mountains, rivers, and earth veins across the Primordial Land. The many islands within the Four Seas also fall within the Earth Book's range of manifestation."

"If Daoist Friend wishes to borrow the Earth Book, then what you seek must be related to land or islands."

"And within the Primordial Land, what could be worth a Great Power like Daoist Friend using the Earth Book to search for? Other than Fangzhang and Mount Yingzhou, the two islands that leave only fleeting traces and occasionally appear over the Eastern Sea, I truly cannot think of any other possibility."

Zhou Ming nodded. "Daoist Friend's insight is keen as a torch. I am indeed seeking those two islands."

Zhen Yuanzi pondered for a moment before continuing, "Since Daoist Friend has been frank with me, I may as well speak plainly."

"Lending the Earth Book to Daoist Friend is naturally no issue."

"However, Daoist Friend should not hold too great an expectation."

Zhou Ming raised a brow. "Oh? Why is that? Could even the Earth Book be unable to find Fangzhang and Mount Yingzhou?"

Zhen Yuanzi shook his head. "That is not the case. It can indeed sense the locations of those two immortal islands."

"It is simply that those two islands do not truly exist within the Four Seas of the Primordial Land."

"Rather, they are attached to the void of Chaos beyond the Primordial World, more like Blessed Lands."

"Only at certain points in time, drawn by the laws of heaven and earth, do they briefly 'squeeze' into the Primordial World and manifest above the Eastern Sea."

"Moreover, their location is different every time they appear, and the duration is exceedingly brief—sometimes several months, sometimes a few days, or even less."

"Even if the Earth Book discovers their traces, by the time Daoist Friend travels there from Buzhou Mountain, those two immortal islands will likely have already left the Primordial Land and hidden themselves once more within the void of Chaos."

"I, too, once considered it, but after making my deductions, I gave up."

"Thus, finding those two islands is exceedingly difficult. One can only leave it to fate; it cannot be forced."

After hearing this, Zhou Ming asked, "Has Daoist Friend never considered waiting above the Eastern Sea, like waiting by a tree stump for a rabbit?"

Zhen Yuanzi gave a bitter smile. "I have. But it is not worth it."

"First, there is no pattern to the time or place of the two islands' appearance. They may emerge only once every several tens of thousands of years, or even every several hundred thousand years. Waiting idly in the Eastern Sea would consume far too much time, with far too much uncertainty."

"Second, even if one were fortunate enough to wait until they appeared, no one knows what lies upon those two islands. What if one spent endless years only to gain nothing in the end? Would that not be wasting one's cultivation years for nothing?"

"Third, and most crucially, as I just said, the time they remain manifested is extraordinarily brief! Even if one discovers them, if one is not fast enough or is delayed by some matter, one can only watch helplessly as they vanish once again. Rather than pinning one's hopes on such a misty chance encounter, it would be more practical to cultivate peacefully in Five Village Temple and comprehend the Great Dao."

After hearing Zhen Yuanzi's explanation, Zhou Ming nodded. "So that is how it is."

"Thank you, Daoist Friend, for clearing my doubts."

"But I still wish to borrow Daoist Friend's Earth Book."

"On those two islands lies something of utmost importance to my Wu Clan!"

"No matter how difficult it may be, I must give it a try!"

Zhen Yuanzi looked at Zhou Ming's resolute expression, then at Wu Ming beside him, whose expression was equally grave.

That thing's importance to the Wu Clan was likely beyond imagination.

"Very well!" Zhen Yuanzi no longer hesitated. With a turn of his palm, an ancient, weighty yellow tome appeared in his hand—it was the Earth Book.

"Since Daoist Friend insists, I shall naturally lend my aid."

He extended the Earth Book toward Zhou Ming.

"This Earth Book shall be lent to Daoist Friend."

Zhou Ming solemnly accepted the Earth Book. It was heavy in his hands, and he could clearly sense the vast power of earth contained within it.

"Thank you, Daoist Friend!" Zhou Ming gave Zhen Yuanzi a deep bow. "The aid Daoist Friend has given today shall be engraved upon the hearts of the entire Wu Clan!"

"One day, we will repay it generously!"

Zhen Yuanzi hurriedly helped Zhou Ming up. "Daoist Friend thinks too highly of it!"

"I have been friends with Fellow Daoist Wu Ming for many years; we are as close as brothers. Now that my fellow Daoist is in need, I merely offered what little help I could. Why speak of repayment?"

"This small matter is not worth dwelling on, Fellow Daoist."

Yet Zhou Ming shook his head, his expression solemn.

"What Fellow Daoist calls a small matter is, to our Wu Clan, a matter that concerns our future."

"Our Wu Clan will remember this kindness."

"One day, we will surely repay it."

Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi said no more and merely nodded.