Jade Void Dao Grounds on Xuanqing Peak

"Master, this is Niu Niu. She is the little sister your disciple has taken in!"

After a burst of commotion, Nan Ji brought Niu Niu before the three elders.

Yuanshi looked at the Queen Mother of the West before him and wished he could throw her out of the mountain gates at once. But after some thought, he still said, "Very well. She should have remained in Kunlun anyway."

Yuanshi truly had no way to make her stay, so he gave an ambiguous answer.

After all, half of Kunlun Mountain belonged to the Three Pure Ones, while the other half belonged to the Queen Mother of the West.

Seeing that his master had agreed, Nan Ji solemnly addressed the Three Pure Ones.

"Martial Uncles and Master, this is the cultivation grounds your disciple has prepared for you!"

"I ask Martial Uncle, Master, and Martial Uncle to name it!"

Seeing Nan Ji's respectful manner, Yuanshi felt exceptionally gratified.

Still, he said to Laozi, "Let Elder Brother decide."

Laozi smiled at Nan Ji and nodded, thinking to himself, Second Brother truly took in a fine disciple.

After pondering for a moment, Laozi said, "The Dao is emptiness. All things are born from being, and being is born from nonbeing. Let it be called Jade Void."

"This... Elder Brother, how could that be appropriate?"

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi naturally understood what Laozi meant. His expression was filled with delight, yet he still spoke to refuse.

Laozi narrowed his eyes at Yuanshi. Though Yuanshi claimed it was inappropriate, everything Nan Ji had done was plain for the Three Pure Ones to see.

This would not only satisfy Yuanshi's vanity, but also honor Nan Ji's filial devotion.

Thus, Laozi waved his hand. "Then it is settled."

With that, Laozi swept his long sleeve, and four ancient divine characters appeared above the mountain gate: "Jade Void Dao Grounds."

Nan Ji looked toward the distant mountain gate and thought, As expected of Eldest Martial Uncle! These four characters contain such profound Dao intent that merely gazing at them from afar brings insight. Eldest Martial Uncle is drawing ever closer to the Dao of nonaction.

Both the construction of the palace before him and the respect Laozi had shown put Yuanshi in an excellent mood.

He looked proudly at everything before him, then said to Nan Ji, "Disciple, since my palace is called Jade Void, let me test you. Have you any thoughts on names for your Eldest Martial Uncle's and Martial Uncle's palaces?"

Laozi had long understood Yuanshi's temperament completely.

Yuanshi cared deeply about appearances and was even more domineering than Laozi, the eldest brother, in many matters.

With that in mind, Laozi casually waved his hand and changed the inscription on the central of the three main halls into the words "Jade Void Palace."

Since Nan Ji had built these palaces bit by bit himself, Laozi was also curious what names Nan Ji would give his own palace.

Tongtian had originally been completely uninterested in all this, but when he heard that Nan Ji would even name his palace, he immediately said anxiously, "Second Brother, you are mistaken. Nan Ji's cultivation is still shallow. How could he..."

It would have been fine if Tongtian had kept quiet, but the moment he spoke, Yuanshi glared and said faintly, "What? You think your elder brother is mistaken?"

Seeing this familiar scene, Laozi only felt a headache coming on. This had happened many times at Kirin Cliff.

So Laozi quietly edged toward the palace on the left.

"Of course!" Tongtian failed to catch on and continued, "Second Brother, the name of a Dao grounds bears great significance for our fortune. How can we let..."

Yuanshi abruptly cut Tongtian off and said to Nan Ji, "Disciple, this is a test from your master. Think carefully. Your master, Eldest Martial Uncle, and Martial Uncle still need to discuss the Dao. Once you have decided, simply write the names on the plaques."

Only after Yuanshi interrupted him did Tongtian suddenly notice his right eye twitching fiercely. He hurriedly tried to salvage the situation. "Second Brother, that was not what I meant."

"No matter!"

Just as Laozi was about to move to his own palace, Yuanshi suddenly said, "Elder Brother, please come to Jade Void Palace to discuss the Dao!"

"Ah..."

Thus, under Nan Ji's gaze, Tongtian and Laozi were brought into Jade Void Palace.

Watching the elders' backs, Niu Niu could not help sighing to Nan Ji, "Big Brother, your master and martial uncles have such a good relationship!"

Looking at the closed palace gates, Nan Ji and Niu Niu put on a show of pondering for several decades.

Only then did he write "Eight Sceneries Palace" and "Biyu Palace" on the two palace gates respectively.

After finishing the divine inscriptions, Nan Ji remembered that he had yet to share his Enlightenment Tree with the Three Pure Ones. He brought Niu Niu before Jade Void Palace and respectfully bowed. "Master, your disciple has written the names. I request an audience with Master."

As soon as Nan Ji finished speaking, the doors of Jade Void Palace slowly opened.

After signaling for Niu Niu to follow him, Nan Ji quickly entered through the doors.

Upon reaching the center of the main hall, Nan Ji bowed with Niu Niu. "Disciple Nan Ji greets Master, Eldest Martial Uncle, and Martial Uncle."

Nan Ji did not notice that when Niu Niu bowed, Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian all shifted their bodies slightly aside.

Even to this day, Nan Ji felt no discomfort in bowing to the Three Pure Ones.

After all, he had worshipped other deities in his former life as well. Though those prayers had all been for wealth and career success, the three true deities now sat right before him.

After bowing, Nan Ji rose with Niu Niu and examined the Three Pure Ones. "After some thought, I named Eldest Martial Uncle's palace Eight Sceneries Palace, and Martial Uncle's palace Biyu Palace."

For some reason, his master Yuanshi appeared radiant.

Yet Eldest Martial Uncle Laozi looked somewhat listless, while Martial Uncle... was in terrible condition, seemingly even with two dark circles beneath his eyes.

"Mm! Excellent names!"

Hearing the names, Laozi thought, They truly suit my heart.

More importantly, they gave him an excuse to leave this troublesome place. Laozi hurriedly said, "Then your Eldest Martial Uncle shall go make some arrangements."

After saying that, Laozi gave no one the chance to stop him and flashed away toward his Eight Sceneries Palace.

Naturally, Laozi's words made sense as well. Back at Kirin Cliff, he had noticed that Nan Ji had built a Hundred Herbs Garden around the three main halls, planting it with large quantities of spirit herbs and spirit fruits.

Seeing Laozi leave just like that, Tongtian thought, As expected, Eldest Brother is the most capable!

So he followed up, "Mm! Biyu Palace. Little Nan Ji truly knows what your Martial Uncle likes. I shall also..."

However, just as Tongtian was about to leave, he discovered a hand gripping his right arm.

"Who..." Tongtian angrily tried to break free, only to find that it was his second brother, Yuanshi, holding him.

"It is I!" Yuanshi's expression flickered between light and dark as he looked coldly at Tongtian.

Held by Yuanshi, Tongtian could neither leave nor stay.

Yet when Yuanshi looked at Nan Ji, satisfaction returned to his eyes. He asked, "Disciple, is there anything else?"

Watching Yuanshi change expressions so quickly, Nan Ji secretly swallowed.

He hurriedly took out a teapot and two jade cups he had prepared and said, "Master, I thought that as you, Eldest Martial Uncle, and Martial Uncle discuss the Dao, this item would improve the effect."

"Mm, this is an Innate Spirit Root, the Enlightenment Tree. It is indeed not bad. Leave it here."

Yuanshi nodded in satisfaction, feeling even more that taking Nan Ji as his disciple early had been the right choice.

Although Nan Ji was curious why Eldest Martial Uncle Laozi had fled so quickly, he still clasped his hands and said, "Then this disciple shall deliver some to Eldest Martial Uncle as well, so as not to disturb Master and Martial Uncle."

The moment Tongtian heard Nan Ji was leaving, he grew anxious. "Little Nan Ji, your Eldest Martial Uncle is not thirsty. Come explain this tea to your Martial Uncle!"

"No need. Your elder brother will explain it to you!"

In an instant, Nan Ji's vision blurred, and he had already been teleported out of Jade Void Palace by his master Yuanshi.

"Tsk, tsk, Master and Martial Uncle truly get along well!"

Recalling Niu Niu's earlier remark, Nan Ji said the same.

Niu Niu had long known what had happened inside the palace. At first, Yuanshi's words had given her quite a fright. Who would have thought that Jade Pure Yuanshi, so cold before others, was actually like this in private?

But Niu Niu could not say anything at this moment.

So she instinctively widened her bright eyes and said to Nan Ji, "Big Brother, let's go find your Eldest Martial Uncle at Eight Sceneries Palace instead!"