Nan Ji glanced at Laozi and the others. As he cultivated, the color gradually returned to his face.
His previously uneasy heart slowly settled as well.
Seeing that the Three Pure Ones had gradually stabilized, Nan Ji had intended to cultivate too. But after sitting cross-legged, he found himself seeming to have encountered a bottleneck.
Nan Ji hurriedly ended his cultivation.
After all, cultivation was not particularly important to the current Nan Ji.
Remembering that Tongtian had told him before cultivating that he could play nearby, an idea immediately formed in Nan Ji's mind.
So he cupped his hands toward the Three Pure Ones and said, "Eldest Uncle, Master, Uncle-Master, this disciple will be back shortly!"
After Nan Ji spoke, the Three Pure Ones did not respond.
However, a nine-story pagoda suddenly appeared before Laozi, countless rays of radiant light slowly descending from it.
Nan Ji's eyes went wide at the sight of the pagoda!
This was the acquired merit supreme treasure, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda!
Its defensive power could completely rival an Innate Supreme Treasure!
What a treasure!
Holding the pagoda in his hands, Nan Ji looked as though sand had gotten into his eyes.
But he knew his elders were recovering, so Nan Ji said nothing more. After cupping his hands, he flashed into a streak of light, transformed into his true form of an immortal crane, and flew into the distance.
The Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture taught by the Three Pure Ones contained certain descriptions of ordinary heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
And what Nan Ji needed to do was search for Pure Void Luminous Jade to build the Jade Void Palace for Yuanshi.
In the current Great Desolation, the Witch and Demon clans had not yet fought themselves into a frenzy, and spiritual energy was far more abundant.
Therefore, such treasures that gathered spiritual energy and nurtured qi were not particularly precious.
But after Gonggong angrily crashed into Buzhou Mountain, their value would become apparent.
At that time, the Witch Clan would ravage countless mountains and earth veins throughout the Great Desolation, and naturally, their remaining supply would become scarce.
More importantly, it itself had a certain hallucinatory effect on low-cultivation cultivators. The Great Desolation's living beings currently regarded it as useless, but that happened to suit Yuanshi's aesthetic tastes.
Most crucially, it was stored in Wuyi Mountain.
The very place where the Treasure Dropping Coin appeared in the Investiture of the Gods.
Although Nan Ji had already learned from the matter of Xuanqing Peak that treasures in the Great Desolation were not so easily obtained, he still wanted to take a look if he had the chance.
So Nan Ji beat his wings and soared freely over the lands of the Great Desolation. With every flap, wisps of spiritual mist scattered from his feathers.
Before long, Nan Ji arrived above Wuyi Mountain.
Compared to every mountain in the Great Desolation, even the great mountains of later generations could not be considered more than small hills.
Nan Ji circled in the air and thought to himself, This mountain is so huge. Searching it is going to be a real pain.
Before long, a voice from below caught Nan Ji's attention.
"Hey! Fellow Daoist, would you care to come down for a cup of tea?"
Nan Ji looked down and saw two cultivators seated around a stone table. A stone pot and two stone cups were actually placed atop it.
"Hey! That sounds great!"
Nan Ji immediately transformed into human form and landed at one corner of the table.
One somewhat mature-looking cultivator casually pointed, and a stone stool appeared beside the table.
The younger cultivator who had first called out to Nan Ji waved his hand through the air, and a stone cup appeared.
Then, the young cultivator slowly poured the water from the stone pot.
In an instant, a rich fragrance rushed straight into Nan Ji's primordial spirit. Suddenly, Nan Ji felt not only refreshed in body and mind, but even his realm seemed to be slowly rising.
"This, this is..."
Nan Ji thought to himself, Could this be an Innate Spirit Root?
The somewhat mature-looking cultivator merely smiled without speaking and extended his hand. "Fellow Daoist, please!"
Nan Ji did not stand on ceremony. Seeing how generous the two were, he reached out and drained the tea in his cup in one gulp.
Immediately, Nan Ji felt that his understanding of the Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture had never come so easily before, and his cultivation actually began to break through.
Without suspecting anything, Nan Ji hurriedly sat cross-legged and began to calm himself as he comprehended the rise in his realm.
Several days later, Nan Ji broke through two minor realms in succession and reached the initial stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
At the initial stage of the Grand Unity realm, one Human Flower bloomed upon the spiritual platform.
Feeling that his realm had stabilized, Nan Ji slowly stopped cultivating. When he opened his eyes, he said to the two, "Thank you, both of you, for guarding me during my cultivation. May I ask who you are...?"
The somewhat mature-looking cultivator cupped his hands and said, "I am Xiao Sheng. This is my second brother, Cao Bao."
As Xiao Sheng introduced him, Cao Bao scratched his head and said, "The two of us are independent cultivators from Wuyi Mountain."
Nan Ji froze upon hearing that, then said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoists! Nan Ji thanks you both once again for guarding me."
Xiao Sheng, Cao Bao, Wuyi Mountain!
Something was wrong!
The people were right, but the timing of their appearance was seriously wrong.
How had the two of them already taken form before the Witch and Demon Calamity?
And with this, they could still be killed by Zhao Gongming?
Thinking of this, Nan Ji carefully examined the two, then was greatly startled.
Both of them were Mid-stage Taiyi Golden Immortals.
Something was wrong.
Just as Nan Ji was puzzled, Xiao Sheng seemed to notice his confusion and candidly said, "Watching Fellow Daoist cultivate just now, immortal light surrounded and protected you, while your Dao cultivation steadily broke through. Your master must surely be an Innate great deity, correct?"
Nan Ji scratched his head awkwardly before saying, "I would not dare hide it from Brother Xiao. My master is Jade Pure Yuanshi of the Three Pure Ones."
Originally, Nan Ji had not wanted to constantly invoke Yuanshi's name.
The current Great Desolation was not yet the era of Saints. Who knew what monstrous figure left over from ancient times might emerge somewhere?
Besides, he was above such lowbrow behavior. He could not possibly tell everyone he met: My master is Venerable Yuanshi!
But regarding Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao, on one hand, the tea they had gifted him had helped him break through his realm. On the other hand, the two in his impression of the Great Desolation were not bad people.
"Just as expected, the Three Pure Ones formed from the primordial spirit of Great Deity Pangu are indeed extraordinary," Xiao Sheng sighed.
In truth, the Three Pure Ones had not yet been formally accepted as disciples by Hongjun, so their reputations were not that illustrious. Xiao Sheng was merely expressing his admiration.
After hearing this, Cao Bao exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Wow! I knew Brother Nan had to be extraordinary—dignified and imposing, a model for our generation!"
"Huh?"
Being praised so lavishly by Cao Bao, Nan Ji felt somewhat embarrassed.
And... Brother Nan? What an unusual form of address!
So Nan Ji said, "Not at all, not at all. Rather... that tea?"
Tea capable of helping him pass through the late and perfected stages of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm was certainly no ordinary item, so Nan Ji asked curiously.
Cao Bao casually patted Nan Ji on the shoulder, refilled his cup, and said, "Brother Nan, this is the Supreme Innate Spirit Root, the Enlightenment Tea Tree! Have some more!"
Nan Ji accepted the stone cup and looked at the flickering specks of light within. He felt somewhat embarrassed to keep drinking.
Seemingly seeing Nan Ji's concern, Xiao Sheng waved his hand and explained, "Fellow Daoist, drink without worry. Enlightenment Tea is exceptionally effective only with the first cup, and it is only effective below the Grand Unity realm."
For some reason, whenever Nan Ji was with Xiao Sheng, he always felt as though Xiao Sheng could see through his thoughts.
"That's right! Since Brother Nan has come to our Wuyi Mountain, there will definitely be enough Enlightenment Tea for you!"
With Cao Bao promptly refilling his tea at his side, Nan Ji was not one to be coy. Before long, he began chatting freely with the two.
As the first immortal crane after the opening of heaven and earth, Nan Ji possessed an extraordinary inheritance to begin with, and later cultivated the Three Pure Ones Primordial Scripture. But when it came to knowledge and experiences of the Great Desolation, he still could not compare to the two brothers.
Therefore, most of the time, Nan Ji listened while the two spoke.
Even though much of what Cao Bao said was nonsense.
Before you continue