Following the call of fate, Xuan Yi found a valley wreathed in flames before him.
This was Undying Volcano.
"You've come! I hope you'll come into the mountain for a talk, Fellow Daoist."
As Xuan Yi arrived, an ethereal divine-sense transmission reached him.
It was Yuanfeng, the guardian of Undying Volcano. Yuanfeng had once been the ancestral phoenix of the Phoenix Clan, which had dominated the Primordial World. During the great war among the Three Clans, Yuanfeng had suppressed Undying Volcano with her own body to ensure the Phoenix Clan's survival.
"I wonder why Fellow Daoist summoned me here?"
Following the voice, Xuan Yi arrived deep within Undying Volcano. However, he did not dare let down his guard before one of the old generation's great experts. Yuanfeng likely possessed the cultivation of a Saint.
"Fellow Daoist need not worry. Within the Primordial World, no one would dare make a move against you. I summoned you here because I hope you can take my two children as disciples."
Before Yuanfeng suppressed Undying Volcano, she had already been pregnant. She had even fused most of her essence blood into them. It could be said that these two children were the hope of the Phoenix Clan.
Xuan Yi was somewhat puzzled. "Why has the ancestral phoenix chosen this humble Daoist? I'm only at the Heavenly Immortal realm."
"Haha, during the war between the demonic and Daoist paths, our Three Clans were deeply involved as well. Although I suppressed Undying Volcano ahead of time, I watched your birth with my own eyes. You were conceived from the bloodlines of the Heavenly Dao, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and several great experts. In terms of background, I'm afraid no one in the Primordial World is qualified to stand beside you."
Only if her children became Xuan Yi's disciples could they establish themselves in the Primordial World.
"Of course, I will not have Fellow Daoist take my children as disciples for nothing."
"This is the Blood Spirit Pond, formed from the essence blood of my Phoenix Clan after their deaths. If Fellow Daoist is willing, this Blood Spirit Pond shall be yours."
A pool of water as red as blood appeared before Xuan Yi. The energy contained within was enough to destroy heaven and earth.
"Since that is the case, this humble Daoist accepts."
Seeing Xuan Yi agree, two phoenix eggs radiating flowing light slowly appeared.
One emitted dense Five Elements power, while the other was surrounded by Yin-Yang Two Qi.
"Fellow Daoist, both of my children have inherited their legacies and will soon take form and be born. I leave them to you from this day onward!" Yuanfeng's voice carried a trace of sorrow.
"Fellow Daoist Yuanfeng, rest assured. No one is allowed to bully this humble Daoist's disciples!"
Having received Xuan Yi's assurance, Yuanfeng finally relaxed.
"Then, Fellow Daoist, you should first enter the Blood Spirit Pond and break through your cultivation!"
As Xuan Yi entered the pond, countless streams of energy began surging into his body. Xuan Yi hurriedly circulated the Primordial Chaos Grand Unity Art and began absorbing the energy.
Time was not counted in the Primordial World, and several hundred years passed in the blink of an eye. Xuan Yi's cultivation had now broken through to the mid-stage Primordial Chaos Mystic Immortal realm, and his combat strength was comparable to a Saint at the fifth level. Meanwhile, all the energy in the blood pond had been absorbed by Xuan Yi, turning it into an ordinary spring.
Feeling the surging power throughout his body, Xuan Yi had not expected the Blood Spirit Pond to contain such terrifying energy. The Primordial Chaos Grand Unity Art was powerful, but the energy it required was equally terrifying.
The spiritual energy needed to advance from the peak Heavenly Immortal realm to the mid-stage Mystic Immortal realm was enough for four or five Quasi-Saints to break through and become Saints. This was also why Xuan Yi's cultivation advanced so slowly.
"Thank you for your assistance, Fellow Daoist! Once your children take form, this humble Daoist will take them as disciples."
Since he had accepted her gift, he naturally had to handle the matter properly.
Crack!
The sound of eggshells breaking came from the two phoenix eggs. Dark clouds gathered overhead as the transformation lightning tribulation slowly formed.
"Collect!"
With the power of heavenly punishment, dealing with such lightning was effortless for Xuan Yi. With a mere wave of his hand, the terrifying transformation lightning tribulation vanished.
Whoosh...
A Five-Colored Divine Light shot into the sky. A dazzlingly colored peacock leaped out from one of the phoenix eggs, growing with the wind and turning into a gigantic beast in the blink of an eye.
Rumble...
The other phoenix egg was unwilling to be outdone. A Yin-Yang divine light erupted from it and shot straight into the heavens.
In an instant, the Yin-Yang divine light transformed into a Taiji Yin-Yang Fish and merged into the peacock egg.
"Chirp!"
A phoenix cry rang out as the figure of a golden-winged Great Peng leaped out of the egg.
A burst of radiant light flashed, and Kong Xuan and Great Peng took human form.
Kong Xuan appeared to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with handsome features and long golden hair drifting in the wind.
Great Peng looked somewhat wild and unruly, his gaze sharp as blades and his hair black and white.
"Disciples Kong Xuan and Great Peng greet Master!"
Without another word, the two immediately bowed down and kowtowed.
"Good, good, good! As expected of Fellow Daoist Yuanfeng's children. You already possess early-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation the moment you take form."
Xuan Yi was delighted to have accepted two disciples with such excellent foundations. With a wave of his hand, an invisible force swept over them and directly lifted Kong Xuan and Great Peng to their feet.
"Kong Xuan, Great Peng, you both possess your own inheritances. As long as you cultivate diligently, you can roam the Primordial World with your innate divine abilities. As your master, I will not teach you methods of Primordial Spirit cultivation."
"This is the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, the divine technique that safeguards my Xuan Sect. It specializes in tempering the body, and I now pass it on to you."
Compared to Kong Xuan, Great Peng had not made much of a name for himself in later generations. It was likely because he had neglected his excellent innate divine ability and insisted on refining it into the Yin-Yang Two Qi Bottle. Thus, Xuan Yi offered the two of them a reminder.
"Kong Xuan, you possess the innate divine ability Five-Colored Divine Light. I grant you the Innate Spiritual Root, Five Pine Needles. If this spiritual root merges with your origin, your Five-Colored Divine Light will be able to sweep away anything."
"Great Peng, you were born with Yin-Yang Two Qi. I grant you the Innate Supreme Spiritual Treasure, the Yin-Yang Mirror. This mirror also contains Yin-Yang Two Qi. I hope you cultivate well."
Xuan Yi nodded to himself in satisfaction before bestowing the cultivation technique and spiritual treasures upon the two.
"Thank you, Master, for bestowing treasures upon us!"
Kong Xuan and Great Peng kowtowed together. Then, their gazes turned toward their mother, Yuanfeng.
"Mother, your children will certainly follow Master and cultivate diligently. One day, we will restore the Phoenix Clan."
"Good children, the Phoenix Clan suppressing Undying Volcano is the greater trend of the Heavenly Dao. Do not do anything that defies heaven. Mother only asks that you remain safe!"
A mother worried when her children traveled far from home. How could Yuanfeng not wish to keep them by her side? But if they remained here, they would likely never have a chance to rise.
"Fellow Daoist Xuan Yi, I leave my two children in your care from now on!"
Still unable to put her mind at ease, Yuanfeng reminded Xuan Yi once more.
With a helpless expression, Xuan Yi replied again, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I will certainly take good care of them."
Looking at Kong Xuan and Great Peng, Xuan Yi said calmly, "My disciples, come with me back to Buzhou Mountain."
After bidding farewell to Yuanfeng, Xuan Yi flew toward Buzhou Mountain with Kong Xuan and Great Peng.
Buzhou Mountain.
A little monkey was vigorously wielding the Mysterious Iron Ruyi Staff. With every swing, the earth trembled and mountains shook.
He was Xuan Yi's eldest disciple, the Six-Eared Macaque.
Six Ears was no longer the little monkey he had once been. He had attended Dao Ancestor Hongjun's second sermon, then followed Xuan Yi to Kunlun Mountain to listen to Sanqing discuss the Dao for a thousand years. His cultivation had now reached the late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. Combined with his innate divine ability and powerful cultivation technique, he could even contend with a Quasi-Saint.
Just then, three figures silently appeared. It was Xuan Yi arriving with Kong Xuan and Great Peng.
"Disciple greets Master!"
Looking at Six Ears, Xuan Yi nodded in satisfaction before saying, "These are your two junior brothers. Take good care of them in the future, and never harm fellow disciples."
Six Ears turned to Kong Xuan and Great Peng and replied, "Rest assured, Master. I will certainly take good care of my two junior brothers."
Kong Xuan and Great Peng were also sizing up Six Ears. They could sense that his foundation was no worse than theirs, while his cultivation was unfathomable.
Xuan Yi nodded with a smile. Given Six Ears's intelligence, he naturally would not disappoint him.
He then dismissed them. Having absorbed the Blood Spirit Pond's energy, Xuan Yi also needed to enter seclusion and stabilize his cultivation.
Outside the hall, Kong Xuan and Great Peng cupped their hands toward Six Ears. "Greetings, Senior Brother. Sorry for the trouble in looking after us from now on."
Having never been an elder brother before, Six Ears looked embarrassed. "Junior Brothers, there is no need for this. We come from the same sect and should look after one another."
"Master's kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain. We should cultivate diligently, so that when we travel the Primordial World in the future, we can spread Master's fame."
Kong Xuan and Great Peng looked at Six Ears in surprise. They had originally thought he was some young master from a great clan, but they had not expected him to value loyalty and affection so much.
Their goodwill toward him immediately soared. The two exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Senior Brother is right. We cannot let Master's expectations down."
The three of them then began cultivating together.
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