His Dharma Eye saw it clearly.
The small figure running toward them was actually a little monkey!
Duobao was puzzled. "Could the honored guest Master mentioned be this little monkey?"
The monkey did not conceal his cultivation at all. He was a Quasi-Saint, just a tiny step away from the Peak Quasi-Saint Realm.
His Dao foundation was even more perfect than that of the Eight Immortals.
But so what?
Their own master was a Great Saint of the Dao Integration Realm!
Huh?
There was a Quasi-Saint in the Primordial Era whom he did not know about?
As Duobao looked at the monkey, he suddenly felt that he seemed familiar.
After a slight turn of thought, he immediately understood.
Wasn't this the Monkey who had been born not long ago?
He had possessed Quasi-Saint cultivation the moment he was born. That truly was impressive.
But that was all!
Could the truly honored guest be behind him?
Was this little monkey merely a scout?
If so, then the guest's background was enormous.
There were not many Quasi-Saints in the current Primordial Era!
In the blink of an eye, the monkey arrived before them.
Duobao watched coldly. Even as Biyou Palace's eldest disciple, he could not figure out this monkey's origins.
Welcoming guests had originally been his responsibility.
Yet he had absolutely no idea who the guest was.
Duobao could only stand behind Tongtian and quietly await Tongtian's arrangements.
Before the monkey could speak, Tongtian directly bent at the waist and saluted him.
"Daoist Lingbao of Biyou Palace greets Fellow Daoist Wukong!"
Gasp!
Duobao was horrified!
What was going on?!
His own master had actually saluted first?
Was this a mistake?
This little monkey really was an honored guest!
He was not some scout!
It completely exceeded their expectations.
The Primordial Era had a strict hierarchy, and the higher one's cultivation, the stricter it became.
Tongtian could be said to be the foremost among the current Saints.
His cultivation had reached the Eleventh Heaven of the Dao Integration Realm.
He was only one and a half heavens away from the Peak Dao Integration Realm!
If he took the initiative to salute someone, how many people in the Primordial Era could bear it?
If one's virtue did not match one's position, disaster would surely follow!
Such information suddenly flooded Duobao's Primordial Spirit Sea of Consciousness.
But Tongtian had already saluted. As Tongtian's disciples, could they refrain from following suit?
Duobao and the other Eight Immortals all bowed to the small monkey.
Deep down, they truly feared that the little monkey would be unable to bear Tongtian's courtesy.
That would turn a good intention into a bad result!
The Monkey was delighted. He straightened his robes, afraid of disgracing his master's etiquette.
Sun Wukong called out loudly, "Greetings, Daoist Lingbao. By my master's command, I have come especially to visit Daoist Lingbao."
"My master said that aside from bringing you his letter, I have a tribulation to undergo, so I will be staying with you for a while."
Hmm?!
Duobao and the other Eight Immortals' mouths fell slightly open—the monkey had truly endured the salute of a Great Saint of the Eleventh Heaven of the Dao Integration Realm!
Nothing happened to him at all!
Instead, he happily addressed Tongtian as Fellow Daoist over and over!
Since when had the rules of the Primordial Era become so mild?
Tongtian was even more delighted upon hearing the Monkey's words.
"Since Senior Lin Dong has instructed me, this junior shall naturally comply."
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. You may treat my Biyou Palace as your own home!"
He glared at Duobao and the other Eight Immortals and ordered,
"What are you still standing around for? Come greet Martial Uncle Wukong!"
Gasp!
Duobao and the other Eight Immortals instantly understood the reason for the monkey's arrival.
This monkey—no!
This Martial Uncle Wukong was actually the disciple of Great God Lin Dong from Penglai Immortal Island.
An honored guest, unquestionably an honored guest!
Duobao and the other Eight Immortals willingly and respectfully saluted him together. "Greetings, Martial Uncle!"
Tongtian had once taken them to Penglai Immortal Island.
However, Duobao and the other Eight Immortals' cultivation had been too low. The moment they entered Penglai Immortal Island, the Dao aura around Great God Lin Dong had guided them into a state of enlightenment.
They had not even seen Great God Lin Dong's true appearance.
Yet that did not affect the tremendous benefits they had obtained.
During that trip, Duobao and the others' cultivation had directly risen from the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm to the peak of the Quasi-Saint Realm.
They had also gained boundless Merit, as well as supreme Dharma treasures!
The reason the Eight Immortals could calmly destroy a generation of Western Teachings' Dao Hearts within the Immortal Slaying Sword Array was all thanks to Great God Lin Dong's casual actions.
Duobao had even relied on that Earth Splitting Chisel to directly destroy the Willow Tree avatar of Great Immortal Yang Mei, a mighty expert at the Peak Dao Integration Realm!
Were they wrong to call Great God Lin Dong's disciple Martial Uncle?
Not at all!
Duobao sighed inwardly.
"No wonder Master said he was an honored guest!"
"He truly is an honored guest!"
The Eight Immortals' gazes were fiery, and their voices loud and sincere, startling Sun Wukong.
Back on Penglai Immortal Island, where had he ever seen so many cultivators?
Not to mention cultivators respectfully calling him Martial Uncle.
Sun Wukong danced with joy, then thought for a moment and hurriedly reached into his pockets.
Tongtian asked curiously,
"Fellow Daoist Wukong, what are you looking for?"
Sun Wukong looked deeply embarrassed.
"Old Sun has disgraced my master."
"I left the island in such a hurry that I forgot to bring gifts."
"Aiya! I'll definitely remember next time."
Tongtian was just about to say there was no need. He was a Great Saint of the Eleventh Heaven of the Dao Integration Realm.
What treasure in the Primordial Era had he not seen?
Then he saw Sun Wukong truly pull out a pile of things.
Tongtian forcibly swallowed the words that had reached his lips!
That was right!
A Great Saint of the Eleventh Heaven of the Dao Integration Realm directly swallowed his refusal!!
Sun Wukong was somewhat embarrassed.
"I left the island in a bit of a rush. These are fruits Old Sun usually likes to eat, and tea Old Sun likes to drink..."
"You Martial Nephews can divide them among yourselves!"
Duobao and the others looked at one another, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
So this Junior Uncle-Master was actually a man of etiquette!
They were about to politely refuse—Biyou Palace was the foremost sacred land of the Mystic Gate in the Primordial Era apart from Zixiao Palace. Would it lack a few fruits?
Just as Duobao was considering his words,
Tongtian said joyfully, "Fellow Daoist, you must be joking. These treasures are not things one can casually find in the Primordial Era!"
"This is their good fortune!"
Tongtian hurriedly shouted, "Why are you still standing there? Come accept the treasures and thank your Martial Uncle!"
Duobao was stunned.
When he looked up, he saw an expression of immense delight on Tongtian's face.
Duobao's heart skipped a beat...
"These fruits might truly be precious treasures!"
"Otherwise, would Master be making such an expression?"
Duobao understood Tongtian's personality all too well.
Even when facing the Saints, Tongtian always spoke plainly and never put on airs!
Therefore...
These really were treasures!!
Duobao looked carefully, his heart pounding wildly.
He could not even name the vast majority of the fruits in that pile.
The only one he could recognize was—Enlightenment Tea!!
This was one of the ten great spiritual roots of the Primordial Era, the leaves of the legendary Enlightenment Tree.
Even Saints had a chance of entering a state of enlightenment after consuming it.
It was a genuine supreme treasure of the Primordial Era!
At this point, Duobao had no other thoughts. He hurried forward respectfully, received the fruits in Sun Wukong's hands with both hands, and carefully stored them in a Dharma treasure.
Only then did he salute again. "This Martial Nephew thanks Martial Uncle for bestowing these treasures!"
Jinling and the other seven Immortals immediately understood that their master and senior brother had received great treasures.
Naturally, they did not dare neglect their manners and quickly saluted in thanks as well.
After recovering from their shock, Duobao and the other Eight Immortals cursed themselves inwardly. "How could a mighty expert from Penglai Immortal Island possibly come without treasures?"
Just think of the Dharma treasures they regarded as their lives.
Those had merely been little trinkets casually refined by Great God Lin Dong!
Would Penglai Immortal Island lack supreme treasures?
Perhaps, to the mighty experts of Penglai Immortal Island, such fruits were commonplace.
But in the Primordial Era, they were all first-rate supreme treasures.
This Martial Uncle was truly extravagant!
Tongtian personally led Sun Wukong into Biyou Palace's main hall.
He dismissed all the disciples, leaving only the Eight Immortals of the true lineage to accompany them.
Tongtian asked, "Fellow Daoist, what instructions does Senior Lin Dong have?"
The Monkey took out a ray of message light and solemnly placed it in Tongtian's hands.
"Please take a look, Daoist Lingbao. Master only said that a great upheaval of heaven and earth was imminent, and that the Primordial Era would undergo shocking changes. He did not say anything else."
Sun Wukong mocked himself.
"Old Sun was only just born, and my cultivation is insufficient. Master said for me to settle down here and return to the mountain after completing some Journey to the West Calamity."
Tongtian promptly agreed. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Just treat this place as your own home!"
He tapped the sphere of light and immediately received a message.
Tongtian smiled.
"Senior Lin Dong instructed my disciples to accompany you properly and have fun."
Sun Wukong was overjoyed and quickly said, "Then what are we waiting for? Please have my Martial Nephews introduce everything properly!"
Duobao naturally obeyed Tongtian's orders.
After they left,
Tongtian's expression immediately changed drastically. "The Lord of Seven Kills has returned from the void? This must be reported to the fellow Daoists of the Mystic Gate!"
The Saints came at his invitation.
Yuanshi found it rather strange. "Junior Brother Tongtian, why have Duobao and the other disciples not come to accompany us?"
He truly coveted Tongtian's eight true lineage disciples.
After the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, Yuanshi had kept his word.
He had thoroughly reorganized Jade Void Palace.
Every surviving Golden Immortal of Chan Jiao, without exception, was stripped of their primordial spirits!
During the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, the performance of Chan Jiao's immortals had left Yuanshi deeply disappointed.
Cultivators of the Primordial Era needed to know their own limits.
Your cultivation might be lacking, but you had to understand your own place.
Take Lingzhuzi of Wa Imperial Palace. His cultivation had not reached Daluo,
yet he never grew arrogant just because he was a Saint's disciple.
Throughout the entire ordeal, he had followed behind the Eight Great Disciples of Biyou Palace, never encountering the slightest danger.
Not only did he safely survive the calamity and successfully obtain Investiture of the Gods Merit, he had even forged friendships with Biyou Palace's true disciples.
But look at how his own disciples had performed.
The title of Twelve Golden Immortals had led them astray.
Even Randeng, one of the former Three Thousand Guests of Zixiao Palace, had failed to recognize his own place.
How tactfully Duobao had arranged their assignment.
He had merely told them to stay safely in the rear and not move recklessly.
He had been afraid they would run into danger.
Yet those immortals had gone and directly confronted Minghe!!
Minghe was a Peak Quasi-Saint, one of the three great Quasi-Saints of the Primordial Era.
Did they think that title had been earned for nothing?
Good heavens, that single battle had cost them Randeng, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Cihang, and Juliusun!
Duobao had not even had time to come to their aid!
Yuanshi was a man who cared about his reputation. How could he endure such humiliation?
How disgraceful!
Yuanshi looked at his Golden Immortals and found them more repulsive the longer he looked.
Therefore, after the Investiture of the Gods ended, he directly assigned them intensive cultivation.
If they did not break through to Quasi-Saint, they were not to return!
But...
Through Yuanshi's Dharma Eye, the chances of these Golden Immortals advancing to Quasi-Saint were exceedingly slim!
He did not hold much hope.
Yet the legacy of Jade Void Palace needed to be passed down!
Could he really let Yun Zhongzi take charge of Jade Void Palace?
But Yun Zhongzi was only a peak Daluo!
He was nowhere near comparable to the Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace.
Yuanshi truly wanted one of the Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace to join his Chan Jiao.
Duobao... he did not dare entertain that thought.
If he actually mentioned Duobao's name, Tongtian might very well fight him over it.
But if Duobao was impossible, then Jinling would do as well!
Among the Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace, only Duobao and Jinling suited his Chan Jiao.
Of the rest, only Zhao Gongming was barely acceptable.
It was not that the other immortals lacked talent.
Yuanshi could see it clearly.
Duobao possessed the supreme treasure, the Earth Splitting Chisel.
The other seven immortals likely possessed similarly powerful treasures.
After all, their Luck was actually comparable to that of him, a Saint of the Primordial Era!
Other than Tongtian's protection as a Saint, this could only be explained by the support of their own treasures.
And those treasures had to be Chaos Spirit Treasures!
Just like the great sects of the Mystic Gate.
Although the Human Sect and Chan Jiao had suffered blows during this calamity, their foundations had not been harmed in the slightest.
In contrast, the Interception Sect had been directly wiped out.
Regardless of whether Tongtian had voluntarily disbanded the Interception Sect, it had ultimately still perished.
That was because the Human Sect and Chan Jiao respectively had the Taiji Diagram and Pangu Banner to suppress their sects' Luck.
And what had the Interception Sect possessed at the time?
The supreme treasure suppressing its Luck had merely been the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Immortal Slaying Sword Array!
Of course, if the Immortal Slaying Sword Array had changed as it did during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, transforming in one stroke from an Innate Spiritual Treasure into a Chaos Spirit Treasure,
then the Interception Sect absolutely would not have disbanded, nor would it have been destroyed.
Yuanshi's doctrine was exposition:
to clarify the true principles of heaven and earth, and expound upon heaven and earth's orthodox teachings.
This was his doctrine, as well as a code of conduct for Chan Jiao cultivators.
Whenever Chan Jiao cultivators spoke, they spouted grand principles and lofty rhetoric. They were merely putting Chan Jiao's Dao into practice.
In the mortal world, that feeling was that of—those in power!
Only those in power spoke in such a tone at every turn.
In other words, Chan Jiao was the aristocracy among the Saint sects.
They were born to wield power, or rather, to hold the right to speak.
Otherwise, Chan Jiao would have no way to develop at all!
His successor had to be a True Immortal of Fortune and Virtue with unfathomably profound cultivation and unparalleled Merit.
Only then would people listen to what he said!
Yuanshi admired Tongtian's eight true disciples; each had formed their own Dao.
But honestly speaking,
only Duobao and Jinling suited his own Dao.
The others, such as Wudang, Guiling, and Sanxiao,
were more suited to the lower ranks. They were too close to the common people.
In another spacetime,
Wudang had retired into the mountains, becoming known as Old Mother Wudang, and commanded immense faith among ordinary mortals.
The Sanxiao fairies had become Fairy Gandeng.
They were tied to the livelihood of countless households; no one could do without them.
Naturally, they had an enormous number of followers.
As for Zhao Gongming, his Dao was highly universal.
Unfortunately, he was the foremost outer disciple.
Just like Duobao, Tongtian would never let him go.
Although Zhao Gongming bore the title of outer disciple,
Yuanshi knew that he was being cultivated as the leader of one faction.
The outer disciples also needed someone specifically to manage them.
Of Biyou Palace's more than two hundred disciples, only eight had received the true transmission.
Zhao Gongming was the leader who managed those two hundred-plus people.
Tongtian truly understood Yuanshi's intentions.
He could not help but smile.
"Senior Brother, why are you always eyeing my disciples?"
"Do you truly have no plans to raise another disciple from scratch?"
Yuanshi shook his head, utterly serious.
"My disciples—I know exactly what they are like!"
"It would already be quite good if they could reach even half the level of those eight martial nephews."
He sighed.
"For those eight martial nephews, the cultivation realm of Peak Quasi-Saint is merely a starting point."
"But for my disciples, I fear it is not merely a question of whether it is the endpoint."
Tongtian fell silent.
Just because every time an immeasurable calamity occurred, Quasi-Saints and Daluo seemed to be everywhere,
one should not mistakenly believe that the realms of Quasi-Saint and Daluo were insignificant in the Primordial Era.
That was a grave misunderstanding.
There were countless cultivators in the Primordial Era, yet reaching Grand Unity Golden Immortal already made one a major figure in a region.
Those who could cultivate to Daluo Golden Immortal were absolute giants.
Otherwise, could Chan Jiao have relied on the Twelve Golden Immortals to uphold its reputation all this time?
Jade Void Palace had a Saint overseeing it!
Even for a Saint's disciple, cultivating to Daluo Golden Immortal was an astonishing display of talent.
If one could break through even further beyond the Twelve Golden Immortals,
one would become a Quasi-Saint renowned throughout the Primordial Era, the founder of a sect in one region.
The three publicly acknowledged top Quasi-Saints of the Primordial Era—Zhen Yuanzi, Minghe, and Kunpeng—were given a measure of respect even by Saints.
Yuanshi saw it clearly: aside from Yun Zhongzi, who had that possibility,
none of his other disciples could reach such a level.
Before you continue