After discussing the Dao beneath the stars with Tongtian, Nuwa, and Hong Yun, Xuan Wazi parted ways with them. Tongtian returned to Kunlun Mountain to digest his gains, Nuwa went back to her cultivation grounds on Mount Buzhou to continue comprehending creation, while Hong Yun, remembering Xuan Wazi's warning, hurried straight to Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain, ready to begin his long life of "shut-in" seclusion.
Xuan Wazi himself was in no rush to find a place for secluded cultivation. He remembered the opportunity mentioned by the system—the one involving the Innate Gourd Vine.
"The Innate Gourd Vine... according to later legends, it bore seven treasure gourds, which were claimed by the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Hong Yun, Di Jun, Taiyi, and Hongjun. Hongjun seemed to have given his to Haotian to store pills? I can't remember clearly." Recalling this, Xuan Wazi rode his escape light back to Mount Buzhou.
"Still, now that I'm here, the ownership of this gourd vine will have to change." A familiar mischievous grin appeared on his face. "Especially that purple-and-white Chaos Gourd that was supposed to belong to Eastern Emperor Tai Yi. It contains Chaos Qi, can nurture all things and return them to chaos, and possesses endless wondrous uses. Clearly, it is fated to be mine!"
He did not head directly toward the place where he remembered the gourd vine growing. Instead, he first quietly returned to the vicinity of the natural restriction where he had originally stayed. Though the place no longer served any purpose, he was familiar with it, and it was close to the main body of Mount Buzhou. The lingering pressure of Pangu could effectively interfere with heavenly calculations.
He set up a restriction with the Chaos Bead and adjusted himself to peak condition. His divine sense at the late Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm spread out like spilled mercury, carefully sensing every fluctuation of spiritual energy and every abnormal trace of Dao rhythm within Mount Buzhou.
As the pillar of heaven, Mount Buzhou covered an immeasurably vast area. Who knew how many Blessed Lands and innate restrictions lay hidden within it? Even for Xuan Wazi, finding the yet-unborn Innate Gourd Vine with precision would take some effort.
Relying on his sharp perception of the life essence and Dao rhythm unique to Innate Spiritual Roots, aided by his refinement of the Dao rhythms of the Creation Green Lotus and the Laurel Divine Branch, as well as the faint guidance of the Chaos Bead toward treasure auras, he searched the midsection of Mount Buzhou like the most patient hunter.
One day, he passed through what appeared to be an ordinary mountain stream. The water babbled softly, yet the spiritual energy there was several times denser than in the surroundings, carrying an exceedingly obscure dark aura that seemed capable of swallowing all light.
"Hmm? There's something strange here." Xuan Wazi stopped and focused his divine sense ahead. Sure enough, deep within the ravine, beneath a cliff face covered by a natural illusion formation, he discovered a peculiar plant.
It was not a gourd vine, but a small tree entirely black in color, its leaves like ghostly claws and radiating devouring power.
"This is... an Innate Spiritual Root, Soul-Devouring Darkwood?" Xuan Wazi recognized it. It was top-tier material for refining demonic and ghost-path treasures, capable of devouring souls and corrupting primordial spirits. "Good stuff. It's not very useful to me, but it would be great for ambushing people... ahem, for collecting."
Without ceremony, he broke through the illusion formation and gathered the not-yet-mature Soul-Devouring Darkwood along with a small piece of Innate Netherworld Soil beneath its roots. He placed them in a specially opened "herb garden" space within the Chaos Bead, nourishing them with the Dao rhythm of the Creation Green Lotus.
This little incident made him even more certain that Mount Buzhou was truly filled with treasures.
He searched for several more decades. During that time, he found several more decent Innate Spirit Materials and even discovered a wisp of Innate Fire Essence in an earthfire cave, but he never found any trace of the gourd vine.
"Looks like the time has not come yet, or perhaps the gourd vine's concealment restriction is extraordinary." Xuan Wazi was not discouraged. He simply continued searching while using Pangu's pressure on Mount Buzhou to further comprehend the Fragment of the Great Dao of Strength.
He simulated the scene of Pangu opening heaven and earth, experiencing that supreme power capable of splitting chaos with one's own strength and setting Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind in place. The insights within the fragment gradually merged with his own Primordial Dao Body. His use of strength was no longer limited to brute force; it became subtler, allowing him to wield great weight lightly and light weight heavily, changing as his heart desired.
This day, while comprehending the Great Dao of Strength in a mist-shrouded valley, he suddenly felt something and snapped his eyes open!
Deep within the valley, behind an ordinary-looking cliff face, an incomparably obscure yet vast and majestic surge of Innate Yi Wood Essence erupted for an instant, mixed with seven distinct yet same-origin treasure lights. It was like a sleeping dragon awakening! Though it was immediately concealed again by a powerful innate restriction, how could that fleeting fluctuation escape Xuan Wazi, who had been closely watching this place all along?
"Found it!" A sharp gleam flashed through Xuan Wazi's eyes. His figure vanished from where he stood, and in the next instant, he appeared before the cliff face.
The cliff looked no different from its surroundings, but with Xuan Wazi's current cultivation and the Chaos Bead's insight, he could clearly see layers upon layers of incomparably complex innate Dao patterns flowing across it, forming a powerful concealment and protective restriction. The restriction was naturally formed and connected to the earth veins of Mount Buzhou. If not for a chance opportunity—or someone like Xuan Wazi, who had prepared in advance and possessed extraordinary perception—even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal passing nearby would find it difficult to notice.
"What an exquisite restriction. No wonder this is the place where a top-tier Innate Spiritual Root is being nurtured." Xuan Wazi praised it, but did not forcefully break the formation. Forcing his way through would create too much disturbance and might damage the Spiritual Root within.
He sat cross-legged, his divine sense extending like the finest tendrils as it carefully seeped into the restriction. At the same time, he activated the Chaos Bead, simulating the Innate Yi Wood and earth aura that shared the restriction's origin. What he wanted was to "blend in," not to "break through."
This was a process that tested patience and skill to the extreme. The innate restriction changed endlessly and contained the mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements, as well as the mysteries of Spatial Folding. Xuan Wazi focused completely, relying on the inclusiveness of his Primordial Dao Body and the Chaos Bead's ability to analyze, slowly cracking and adapting to the laws of the restriction.
Forty-nine days later.
"Open!" Xuan Wazi shouted in a low voice. His hands formed an unfathomable seal, which he pointed toward the cliff face.
The cliff rippled like water. Dao patterns flowed and slowly parted to either side, revealing a gap only wide enough for one person to pass through. An extremely rich wave of Innate Spiritual Energy, mixed with a refreshing fragrance of vegetation, rushed out to greet him!
Xuan Wazi's figure flickered, and he entered at once.
The scene before him suddenly opened up. It was actually a small Blessed Land hidden by the restriction! At its center, atop a mass of dense Innate Wu Earth Essence, grew an incomparably wondrous vine.
The vine was emerald green all over, as though carved from jade. Its leaves resembled green jade, while seven-colored radiant light flowed around it. Hanging from the vine were seven gourds of different colors, their treasure light shooting into the sky!
The crimson one radiated scorching flames; the purple-gold one carried incomparably sharp metal-edge aura; the water-blue one contained vast water-element power; the earth-yellow one gave off a sense of heavy support; the azure-green one brimmed with vitality and creation; and there was also a black one, deep and dim, as though capable of swallowing everything.
Yet the one that drew Xuan Wazi's gaze most was the purple-and-white gourd, its surface wreathed in Chaos Qi and its Dao rhythm the most ancient and profound of all—the Chaos Gourd!
All seven gourds were clearly close to maturity. They radiated alluring treasure light and trembled faintly, as though they might fall at any moment.
"Haha! It really is the Innate Gourd Vine! Seven treasure gourds!" Xuan Wazi was overjoyed. He knew that according to the original course of events, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Di Jun, Taiyi, and the others would soon sense the treasure light and come to pluck them.
"What a shame. They belong to me now!" Xuan Wazi stepped forward without hesitation, his gaze first locking onto the Chaos Gourd.
However, just as he reached out to pluck it, a sudden change occurred!
The Chaos Gourd seemed to sense an unfamiliar aura drawing near. It abruptly shook, its mouth opening on its own as a Chaos Qi Flow swept toward Xuan Wazi like a long ribbon! At the same time, the other six gourds burst with treasure light, faintly resonating with one another. A powerful repulsive force field descended, as though they intended to protect the treasure on their own!
"Oh? You've got a bit of a temper?" Xuan Wazi laughed rather than panicked. "But in front of me, you'd better behave!"
He did not use the God-Slaying Spear or the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation. There was no need to make such a fuss over Spiritual Treasures that had not fully matured. He merely raised his right hand.
The Fragment of the Great Dao of Strength flickered in his palm. An invisible, absolute domain of power instantly spread outward, enveloping the seven gourds along with the entire gourd vine!
The sweeping Chaos Qi Flow struck the domain of power and vanished without a sound, like a clay ox entering the sea. The repulsive force field formed by the resonance of the six gourds was even more fragile before absolute strength, shattering in an instant like paper!
Ignoring every obstacle, Xuan Wazi's hand steadily and gently plucked the purple-and-white Chaos Gourd.
The gourd felt cool in his hand and was incomparably heavy. It seemed to contain a tiny chaotic world within, making it extraordinarily mysterious.
[Ding! Successfully seized the Innate Spiritual Treasure 'Chaos Gourd'! This treasure contains a chaos space, capable of nurturing all things and returning them to chaos. Its wondrous uses are endless.]
"What a treasure!" Xuan Wazi could not put it down. After playing with it briefly, he stored it in the Chaos Bead to nurture it.
Then, his gaze swept toward the remaining six gourds.
"According to the 'plot,' these six should have belonged to the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Hong Yun, Di Jun, and Taiyi... But I'll collect Hong Yun's share for him, so he won't suffer for possessing a treasure. As for Di Jun and Taiyi's shares..." Xuan Wazi chuckled and, without the slightest hesitation, swept away the remaining six gourds along with the entire Innate Gourd Vine and the mass of Innate Wu Earth Essence beneath it! He did not leave even a root hair behind for those who came later!
"Perfect! Took the whole lot!" Xuan Wazi clapped his hands and nodded in satisfaction at the now-empty Blessed Land.
He knew well that once these gourds were taken by others, they would become linked to their owners' fortune. Taking them afterward would be difficult. Snatching them all before they acknowledged masters was the proper path. As for how much this would alter the "plot," or how much karma it would create, would Xuan Wazi care?
"Eastern Emperor Tai Yi, your Chaos Gourd is gone. I wonder whether your Chaos Bell—oh no, the Eastern Emperor Bell—will also find itself fated with me someday?" Xuan Wazi grinned wickedly as his figure once more merged into the Chaos Bead's concealment, silently leaving this Blessed Land.
Not long after he left, several powerful auras sped over from different directions and descended near the valley.
"Strange. I clearly sensed heaven-shaking treasure light here just now. Why did it suddenly disappear?" Laozi frowned slightly and calculated with his fingers, only to find the heavenly secrets a chaotic blur.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate looked displeased. "Could the treasure have already been taken?"
Sect Master Tongtian looked around, his gaze sharp.
Soon after, Nuwa, Di Jun, Taiyi, and the others arrived one after another, all wearing expressions of confusion and reluctance.
Naturally, they found nothing. The Blessed Land that had nurtured the Innate Gourd Vine had completely concealed itself after Xuan Wazi departed, leaving behind no trace. This opportunity that should have belonged to them had already been intercepted in advance and devoured cleanly by some shameless bastard.
Meanwhile, Xuan Wazi had long since fled far away. Having found a hidden place, he began studying his newly acquired Chaos Gourd and considering how to use the Innate Gourd Vine to prepare for Nuwa's future creation of humans and possibly other plans.
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