Nan Ji looked at the surrounding scenery and secretly thought that the Great Desolation's landscapes truly were extraordinary.
He raised his head toward the thatched cottage and saw Boundless Dao Rhyme slowly spreading out from within, continuous and lingering without dispersing.
"Master and the others should still be cultivating. I'll take a look around first."
Nan Ji had long been unable to suppress his yearning for the Great Desolation. Cultivation here could last tens of thousands or even millions of years, so wandering about for a century should not be a problem.
More importantly, it was said that treasures littered the Great Desolation at this time. Even a single wild blade of grass was an Innate Treasure.
Once the Witch and Demon clans fought their final battle, it would be too late to look for them.
What Nan Ji did not know was that the Three Pure Ones had all opened their eyes when he awoke.
Nan Ji merely assumed that his three elders were still cultivating. Whether they could hear him or not, he respectfully cupped his hands toward the thatched cottage. "Three elders, Nan Ji has just finished cultivating and wishes to look around nearby. I definitely will not go far."
After saying that, Nan Ji did not wait for a reply. With a flash, he transformed into his true form as an immortal crane.
With a flap of his wings, clouds of spiritual mist scattered around him as he flew outward.
"Disciple, be careful. Do not leave Kunlun Mountain lightly. Return in a hundred years!"
Just as Nan Ji began flying, Yuanshi's voice rang out within his sea of consciousness.
The sudden sound of Yuanshi's voice nearly frightened Nan Ji into falling from the sky.
But then he realized that his master had not blamed him and was instead concerned for him. As someone who had transmigrated from the future, Nan Ji found himself somewhat unaccustomed to it.
Was this what a master in the Great Desolation was like?
With that thought, Nan Ji circled twice in the air before forcefully flapping his wings and departing.
After Nan Ji left, Laozi said to Yuanshi with satisfaction, "This child has a fine temperament. He is neither hasty nor impatient, making him even more suited to comprehending the Heavenly Dao."
Yuanshi nodded in satisfaction.
Tongtian, however, seemed as though he wanted to argue.
But seeing the attitudes of his two elder brothers, he ultimately opened his mouth and said nothing.
In truth, the Three Pure Ones all knew Nan Ji's cultivation level. Thus, while he was comprehending the Dao, each of them had left behind a thread of divine awareness, fearing that his eagerness for success would destabilize his foundation.
However, Nan Ji's comprehension was not poor, and he had first completed his own foundation.
Thus, the Three Pure Ones were satisfied with Nan Ji.
Tongtian said nothing, but that did not mean Yuanshi would remain silent. Yuanshi earnestly said, "Third Brother, when accepting disciples, Nan Ji should be your standard. He understands propriety and observes it, neither hasty nor impetuous. In the future, his breakthroughs will naturally come as water flows into a channel."
Tongtian's face darkened, but he could only listen helplessly to Yuanshi's instruction.
Yuanshi himself had not noticed that while he was usually sparing with words toward others, Tongtian was an exception.
Elsewhere, Nan Ji had been away from the thatched cottage for quite some time before gradually adapting.
At first, whenever he saw even a single spiritual herb, Nan Ji would stuff it into his storage space, leaving no blade of grass behind like a swarm of locusts passing through.
Even spiritual fruits and spiritual trees that caught his eye were collected together with the soil in which they had taken root.
Of course, this convenient storage technique came from the Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture taught by the Three Pure Ones, and it was also one of the foundations Nan Ji had completed during cultivation.
But gradually, Nan Ji discovered that Kunlun Mountain was truly enormous. He simply could not collect everything.
This was probably why the Great Desolation had not retained many treasures after Gonggong smashed Buzhou Mountain.
After all, among the living beings of the Great Desolation, other than Jieyin and Zhunti, who would think to gather up such treasures?
Thus, after collecting things for several years, Nan Ji gave up his "locust" behavior and began traveling while selectively collecting treasures.
"Wait!"
When Nan Ji arrived before a rugged mountain peak, his heart suddenly trembled, as if some opportunity was about to arise.
Seeing that the surroundings seemed shrouded in mist, Nan Ji flew into the air and carefully examined the mountain before him.
Xuanqing Peak!
Nan Ji recalled the records within the Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture, as well as stories passed down in later generations.
It was said that Xuanqing Peak had been the Three Pure Ones' place of cultivation in Kunlun before they split apart.
Though it was called a mountain peak, Kunlun Mountain itself was immense, and this so-called peak was actually a great mountain.
Its base was broad and sturdy, while its summit pierced into the clouds. Mysterious spiritual patterns wrapped around it in layers, forming an Innate Guardian Array.
Seeing this, Nan Ji understood why he had sensed an opportunity here.
For the Three Pure Ones to choose this place as their Dao grounds before becoming saints, it surely contained a great opportunity.
Thus, Nan Ji slowly descended to the foot of the mountain. As he comprehended the Dao of formations recorded in the Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture, he also attempted to break the mountain-protecting array before him.
Nan Ji continued making deductions. Sweat slowly seeped from his forehead, and his breathing grew unsteady.
Yet Nan Ji was somewhat unwilling to accept it. Other transmigrators came across batches of Innate Spiritual Treasures or heaps of Innate Spirit Roots.
Why was it so difficult for him to break even a single mountain-protecting array?
Perhaps that thought distracted Nan Ji. In a moment of carelessness, he was injured by the array's backlash.
"Pfft!"
Nan Ji spat out blood before barely opening his eyes and sighing. "So opportunities really are important. What is not yours cannot be forcibly sought."
Though he felt a trace of disappointment, Nan Ji also believed that becoming Yuanshi's disciple was already his greatest opportunity.
No matter how bad things became, he could still survive the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation. At worst, he would become the Great Emperor Changsheng of the South Pole.
So, lacking some great opportunity was not enough to make him too dejected.
"Not bad. Being able to gain such an understanding is not necessarily a bad thing." Yuanshi's voice sounded behind Nan Ji.
Hearing the voice, Nan Ji turned around and found Yuanshi standing there.
Laozi and Tongtian were beside him as well.
"Disciple greets Master, Martial Uncle Elder, and Martial Uncle." Nan Ji hurriedly bowed to the three of them.
Seeming to notice Nan Ji's confusion, Yuanshi said, "I left a strand of divine awareness upon you. When I sensed that you were in danger, I came at once."
Hearing this, Nan Ji's emotions became complicated, and a wave of sourness rose in his heart.
Everyone said that Yuanshi was famously protective of his own.
But when danger truly came, it was hard not to be moved by Yuanshi's appearance.
Thus, Nan Ji said with a choked voice, "Master, this disciple was too impatient. I merely sensed an affinity with this place and thought..."
Before Nan Ji could say that he wanted to give the place to the Three Pure Ones as a residence, Yuanshi interrupted, "Overestimating yourself! If this array had not been a defensive formation, then at best your divine soul would have become unstable and your foundation damaged. If it had been a killing formation, you... Fortunately, your comprehension is not bad. Consider this a lesson learned."
Yuanshi's words sounded forceful and decisive at first, and his tone was stern.
But after thinking it over, Nan Ji understood Yuanshi's kindness toward him and obediently said, "Yes, Master. This disciple knows his mistake."
Laozi, who had been watching the two of them, nodded and said, "Second Brother, do not blame Nan Ji too much. This Xuanqing Peak truly has an affinity with us Three Pure Ones!"
Only then did Yuanshi and Tongtian begin examining Xuanqing Peak before them.
After a moment, Yuanshi nodded as well. "This place is destined to become the Dao grounds of us Three Pure Ones."
"Second Brother, you too. Little Nan Ji was not wrong either. This place truly has an affinity with us..."
However, before Tongtian could finish, Yuanshi interrupted him. "When I am instructing my disciple, do I need your guidance?"
The Three Pure Ones had not yet become saints, so Tongtian instinctively shrank his neck at Yuanshi's words. He then hurriedly looked at Nan Ji. "Little Nan Ji, you surely did not study the Dao of formations properly. Another day, your martial uncle will teach you well!"
Hearing this, Yuanshi shot Tongtian a dissatisfied glance and thought, Why would my disciple need your instruction?
But Yuanshi ultimately did not say it aloud. After all, the Three Pure Ones had not yet become saints who stood above all others, so there was still more tolerance and patience in how they treated one another.
"Uh..."
Was this the benefit of being the Three Pure Ones' first disciple?
Nan Ji felt that the future split among the Three Pure Ones was somewhat related to his master's personality.
Thus, he could only answer stiffly, "Thank you, Martial Uncle!"
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