Kong Xuan's Birth

"Excellent!"

"Wonderful!"

Fuxi, Nuwa, and Tai Yi all readily agreed.

Auspicious clouds gathered atop the mountain, Dao rhythms filled the air, and a discussion of the Dao among mighty Innate Deities began.

Zhongnan Mountain, Qing Huan's Dao Field.

The enormous egg that had lain dormant for countless years suddenly erupted with violent, resplendent Five Elements Laws!

"Crack... crack-crack-crack..."

A crisp, rapid series of cracking sounds rang out, like jade and silk snapping apart.

Web-like fissures rapidly spread across the eggshell's surface!

"Krrraaa—!!!"

A piercing cry that could split metal and stone, carrying the majesty of a born king, tore through Zhongnan Mountain's tranquility! The sound was clear and resonant, shaking the soul!

Qing Huan abruptly opened his eyes within the Cave Mansion, a flicker of delight flashing through them.

"Hm? Is it time for Kong Xuan to undergo Transformation?"

With a thought, he appeared on the platform at the mountain peak.

Five-Colored Divine Light shot into the heavens. Five pillars of red, yellow, blue, white, and black light twisted and revolved, illuminating the skies for thousands of miles in dazzling splendor!

The eggshell exploded with a thunderous crash, turning into specks of light that were instantly absorbed by the figure at the center.

An immense, incomparably elegant giant bird unfurled its body!

Its feathers were exquisitely beautiful and brilliantly colorful, as though it wore the finest brocade in the world.

It raised its head and cried out. Its enormous tail feathers trailed long streams of five-colored light as it wheeled through the skies above Zhongnan Mountain, freely venting the joy of its birth and the boundless power of the Five Elements.

Every beat of its wings stirred the Five Elements spiritual energy between heaven and earth like tidal waves.

Qing Huan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with satisfaction and praise.

After all, this was the first peacock in heaven and earth. Its dazzling beauty and divine bearing could only be called a miracle of Creation.

Though it was not favored by the Great Dao as Innate Deities were, it was Yuanfeng's son, bore the remaining Luck of the Phoenix Clan, and possessed the unique source Luck of being heaven and earth's first peacock. Its foundation and potential were by no means inferior to ordinary Innate Deities!

"Hahahaha! I, Kong Xuan, have finally undergone Transformation and entered the world!"

The peacock's clear voice rang through the clouds, filled with the heroic spirit of breaking free from restraints and soaring through the nine heavens.

At this moment, his cultivation had stabilized at the middle stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal. Five Elements Dao rhythms circulated endlessly around him, and his foundation was incomparably robust.

He could clearly sense that, so long as he cultivated diligently, he would surely reach the late Taiyi stage within ten thousand Kalpas!

The rosy light at the cave entrance gradually receded, and Kong Xuan had already assumed his Innate Dao Body.

His flowing five-colored Dao robe set off his cascading black hair and exceptionally handsome features.

He gave Qing Huan, who stood quietly outside the cave, a deep bow. His voice was clear and bright.

"This disciple, Kong Xuan, greets Master!"

Qing Huan's gaze was gentle as he nodded with a smile.

"Good! Kong Xuan, today you have successfully undergone Transformation. Your future on the Great Dao is promising.

"You should venture into the Primordial Wilderness and seek out your opportunities."

Qing Huan was quite gratified by this disciple. He possessed extraordinary talent and enduring Luck. If not for the later calamity of Investiture of the Gods, even the Witch-Demon Calamity would have found it difficult to shake his foundation.

Qing Huan also had no intention of letting Kong Xuan take the path of Slaying the Three Corpses. That path was fundamentally impassable... Even if the Path of Hunyuan was slower, so be it!

However, a trace of urgency appeared in Kong Xuan's eyes as he earnestly said,

"Master, at the moment of my Transformation, my heart stirred. I clearly sensed Mother's summons. This disciple wishes to depart at once and return to the Phoenix Tribe."

His mother, Yuanfeng, was still enduring endless suffering to suppress the Volcano of Immortality. As Yuan Feng's direct son, how could he remain carefree outside?

"Hehe, your filial heart is commendable. Naturally, you should return."

Qing Huan's tone was calm. "This is your duty. As your master, I will not stop you.

"However, remember this: when traveling through the Primordial Wilderness, cultivate both body and mind. Do not create needless slaughter. You bear the bloodline of the Innate Phoenix Tribe. You surely understand the Karma involved."

Qing Huan gave this warning deliberately. Peacocks were naturally fond of devouring all living creatures. Such instincts had to be restrained, or no amount of Luck would suffice.

"Yes! This disciple shall remember Master's command and never dare disobey!"

Kong Xuan solemnly assented. Before his words had even faded, he had already flashed to the side of a radiant giant egg.

The aura within the egg shared his origin. It was his younger brother, Great Peng.

"Elder Brother!"

Great Peng's Spiritual Sense came from within the egg, carrying envy and a hint of loneliness.

"You have already undergone Transformation. I truly long for that day, but my origin is still deficient. I do not know how many more years it will take..."

Kong Xuan gently stroked the giant egg and said warmly,

"Do not be impatient, little brother. Stay here in Master's Dao Field and nurture your origin in peace. Cultivate diligently.

"This journey of mine is to return to the Volcano of Immortality and visit Mother, but also to travel through the Primordial Wilderness, broaden my horizons, and gain experience. Once my affairs are settled, I will certainly return and cultivate alongside you."

With that, five-colored radiance flashed around Kong Xuan. Without another moment's hesitation, he transformed into a heaven-shaking rainbow. In an instant, he broke through the flowing-light barrier of the mountain-protecting formation and vanished into the vast, boundless Primordial Wilderness, speeding south toward the Volcano of Immortality.

Watching his disciple depart, Qing Huan withdrew his gaze and calculated the heavenly secrets on his fingers.

"Only one Huiyuan Era remains until Purple Cloud Palace's second lecture..."

He had already intended to travel through the Primordial Wilderness once more, and the timing was perfect.

"Very well. I shall go to Buzhou Mountain and take a look."

As the thought arose, Qing Huan's figure had already appeared beyond the formation.

Looking up at the Primordial Wilderness's foremost divine mountain—Buzhou Mountain—he saw its peaks connecting heaven and earth, majestic and vast. Though countless ages had passed, and Pangu's lingering pressure no longer suffocated all beings as it had at the beginning of creation, the chaotic Gale Wind raging through its slopes remained sharp as blades. Still, it had indeed weakened greatly compared to the past.

Qing Huan pondered inwardly.

"The Heavenly Dao has manifested, and its suppression is gradually taking shape. Otherwise, how many could reach Purple Cloud Palace beyond the Thirty-three Heavens?"

Buzhou Mountain was the sole path leading to the heavens beyond heaven.

Among the rolling mountain ranges, the presence of living creatures had noticeably thinned.

Where scaled beasts had once gathered in great numbers, only a few scattered demon tribes now huddled together in difficult survival. It seemed the Witch Clan had made its move...

Qing Huan was indifferent to this. His purpose was clear: to find the legendary Innate Gourd Vine!

Yet even though his Spiritual Sense spread like a net across Buzhou Mountain's immortal ranges, and though he crossed strange peaks and hidden valleys for thousands of years, the heaven-and-earth spiritual root that should have been growing there remained nowhere to be found.

"The opportunity has not arrived. It cannot be forced... In the end, I must return empty-handed."

A trace of regret could not help but pass through Qing Huan's heart.

Of the seven Innate Gourds growing on that vine, aside from the seventh, which for some reason never matured and became only top-grade, the other six were all Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures that seized the wonders of heaven and earth!

Nuwa took one and refined it into the Monster Summoning Banner, which commanded all demons.

Di Jun refined another into the peerlessly sharp Immortal Slaying Flying Knife, which even Quasi-Sages found difficult to withstand.

Only the one Ancestor Hong Yun obtained was refined into the somewhat less powerful Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd. Qing Huan felt that Hong Yun using that red gourd was truly a waste of its potential...

As for the Three Pure Ones? Their family fortune was plentiful, so the gourds were no more than icing on the cake.

"Forget it. The time for Purple Cloud Palace's second lecture is near. I cannot delay any longer."

Suppressing his slight disappointment at failing to find the treasure, Qing Huan's Dao rhythms circulated around him. He transformed into invisible, traceless Pure Light and shot straight into the nine heavens, passing through layer after layer of gale winds, lightning, and fire as he headed for Purple Cloud Palace—the distant chaotic realm beyond the Thirty-three Heavens.