At the foot of Mount Buzhou, the atmosphere was subtle and stagnant.
Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi sat across from each other at a stone table, seemingly focused entirely on the chessboard. The crisp clicks of their pieces could not conceal the surging awkwardness beneath their deliberately cultivated calm. Though their Dao bodies had been restored to their original state by Nuwa's saintly power of creation, the bone-deep humiliation and terror of being dominated by Xuan Wazi lingered like a disease rooted in their bones, deeply branded into their minds and impossible to dispel. Every chess piece they placed seemed to hammer against their fragile pride.
Fuxi had already turned around to face the towering Mount Buzhou that held up heaven and earth, yet his faintly trembling shoulders revealed that he was still desperately suppressing laughter that was nearly bursting from his lips. Above the clouds, Nuwa's saintly aura was distant and ethereal, seeming both present and absent. Yet that silent gaze alone was like an invisible mountain pressing upon Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi's hearts, making them feel as though they sat on pins and needles. Even their breathing unconsciously softened.
Xuan Wazi, meanwhile, appeared utterly relaxed, reclining against a smooth boulder with his eyes slightly closed, as if his mind had wandered beyond the heavens. In truth, he had split off a strand of divine sense to closely watch Tongtian, the Daoist in green robes not far away who remained immersed in the mysterious state of comprehending the Dao. At the same time, he was discussing the gains from their earlier "spar" with the system in his mind. The generous haul of Unfilial Points had put him in quite a pleasant mood.
Time flowed amid this strange silence. The Primordial World knew no years; perhaps only the span of snapping one's fingers had passed, or perhaps a thousand years had already gone by.
Then, a sudden change erupted!
A previously restrained and harmonious sword Dao aura began to churn violently around Tongtian! Like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, it sent ripples spreading outward layer upon layer. Those ripples grew ever more turbulent, gradually becoming an overwhelming tide!
"Hum—"
An exceedingly faint yet incomparably clear sword cry rang out. Like the first call of a newborn phoenix, it was pure and bright, instantly shattering the silence at the mountain's foot and piercing the senses of every great power present!
Hong Yun's hand, holding a white piece, paused in midair. Zhen Yuanzi's fingers around a black piece tightened involuntarily. Fuxi spun around sharply, the lingering amusement on his face instantly replaced by gravity. Even the ethereal aura above the clouds seemed to solidify for an instant. Xuan Wazi abruptly opened his eyes as well, a brilliant light flashing within them as he fixed his gaze tightly upon Tongtian.
From Tongtian's upright figure, standing like a solitary peak, threads of nearly tangible sword qi began to spill out uncontrollably. Unlike his usual sword qi, which was openly sharp and pressed upon the spirit, these strands carried a vibrant meaning filled with boundless vitality. They were like the snow and ice melting after a harsh winter, while seeds buried deep within the earth gathered the immense power needed to break through the soil! The Dao aura around him, which had originally been nearing completion, now resembled boiling water, churning, colliding, and sublimating with ferocious intensity!
"Hum! Hum! Hum—!"
The sword cries grew louder and denser. At first, they were like pearls falling onto a jade plate, crisp and pleasing to the ear. Then they became like countless swords trembling in unison, metal clashing against metal. Finally, they seemed to transform into the roar of a sword-qi storm sweeping through heaven and earth, containing supreme resolve and chilling majesty—the will to sever karma, shatter falsehood, and carve out a sliver of life for all beings!
Tongtian's eyes, which had remained closed for an unknown number of years, suddenly flew open!
"Clang—!"
Two dazzling sword lights, almost solid in form, burst from his eyes and shot straight into the nine heavens, violently piercing the thick sea of clouds above and revealing the clear blue sky beyond! His entire bearing underwent a heaven-shaking transformation. Before, he had been like a famous sword hidden within its sheath; one knew it must be a divine weapon, yet its brilliance remained concealed. Now, the divine sword had left its sheath, its cold radiance illuminating the world as sword qi surged straight between the Ox and Dipper constellations! A vast, pure, incomparably sharp supreme sword intent, yet touched with compassion for all beings and the desire to defy fate itself, erupted from him and swept in every direction!
This sword intent was so vast and majestic that the surrounding space began visibly twisting and folding, countless fine, transparent sword marks appearing like hairs, slicing through everything. The spirit grasses and immortal flowers beneath his feet all bowed low, while the nearby mountains, stones, and cliff faces hummed in resonance! On the precious chessboard before Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi, forged from star cores and Innate warm jade, every piece trembled violently and let out wails of unbearable strain, as though they would crumble into dust beneath this irresistible sword Dao pressure the very next moment!
"My Dao... is complete!"
Tongtian rose to his full height, his Daoist robe fluttering loudly despite the absence of wind. His clear, sharp voice was like an unsheathed sword slicing through the sky, carrying endless joy at comprehending the Great Dao and breaking through the final veil of confusion, along with immense confidence. It resounded within the hearts of everyone present. Sword-qi radiance swirled around him, and his already profound aura surged like a river bursting through its banks, violently breaking through the solid barrier that had troubled him for so long. In an instant, he entered an entirely new and broader realm—the perfected realm of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal!
Moreover, his Dao foundation was as stable as Mount Buzhou supporting the heavens, while the purity of his sword intent rivaled the first wisp of Innate Geng Metal Qi at the dawn of chaos! The edge of his blade had already clearly touched the threshold of the Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal, transcending all things and roaming free!
His gaze flashed like lightning as he slowly swept it across everyone present, sharp enough to seem capable of piercing the human heart. At last, his eyes settled upon Xuan Wazi, who leaned against the boulder with an expression that seemed to say, "Just as expected." Tongtian's face turned solemn, and he bowed deeply toward Xuan Wazi in a most formal salute to the Great Dao!
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wazi, for clearing away my confusion! This kindness, this debt... Tongtian will remember it in his heart!" His voice was low and powerful, filled with sincere gratitude.
He offered this bow wholeheartedly, without the slightest reluctance. If not for Xuan Wazi's seemingly casual yet truly incisive guidance concerning "the potential of the human race," "teaching without distinction," and "opening the mountain gates wide," which had been like a bright lamp illuminating the mist of confusion in his Dao heart, he might still have wasted countless years trapped by his ingrained beliefs and the constraints of his identity as one of the Three Pure Ones. He would never have been able, as he now was, to see so clearly and firmly the path of establishing a sect and attaining the Dao that belonged to him alone!
Seeing this, the frivolous smile on Xuan Wazi's face faded somewhat. He straightened slightly and calmly accepted the bow. He casually waved a hand, but his tone carried an unusual seriousness, along with the air of one who had been through it before. "Fellow Daoist Tongtian, you overstate it. You and I are both guests of Zixiao Palace. This poor Daoist is merely a few years older and happened to occupy the first meditation cushion. Though I did not become the Dao Ancestor's disciple, I still became acquainted with you fellow Daoists in our humble beginnings. The Great Dao lies right before us. This poor Daoist merely saw that you had doubts in your heart and offered a casual word of advice. What truly mattered was that Fellow Daoist's own accumulation was deep enough, and your Dao heart clear and lucid enough, for you to understand the refined meaning upon hearing the melody—to grasp it at a single point and ignite at the slightest touch."
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