"East Prince, I bestow upon you the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Purple Gold Dragon Head Crutch—to help you suppress Luck, protect the Dharma, and defend the Dao."
"Queen Mother of the West, I bestow upon you the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Pure Water Alms Bowl—and one of the Innate Five Directions Banner—the Western Plain Colored Cloud Realm Banner—to help you regulate yin and yang and harmonize Luck."
"Three! Three Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures!"
The hall instantly rang with sharp intakes of breath. Countless envious and jealous gazes nearly drowned the two of them.
Queen Mother of the West possessed peerless beauty and an ethereal temperament. She truly was a rare beauty in the Primordial Wilderness.
Qing Huan's gaze lingered on her for a moment as he mused inwardly:
This woman escaped unscathed from the destruction of the Immortal Court and hid away in West Kunlun until the end of time. She is certainly no easy opponent.
Turning his thoughts back to himself, Qing Huan silently calculated:
The key now is to find things of the same origin to sever the corpses... the Gourd Vine, the Twelve-Grade Lotus Platform, the Innate Five Directions Banner... The Twelve-Grade Lotus Platform is difficult to find. Rahula's self-destruction destroyed one, while of the rest, one is in Minghe's Blood Sea and another is in the Dao Ancestor's hands. Even if I robbed them, I could not gather three Lotus Platforms...
The whereabouts of two Innate Five Directions Banner were already known. The Central Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner was on Hongjun's Treasure Distribution Cliff, while the Western Plain Colored Cloud Realm Banner had been bestowed upon Queen Mother of the West. There might still be opportunities for the other three banners.
The Innate Gourd Vine... is the most feasible option!
He made his decision.
The Gourd Vine shall be my first choice, but I cannot let the Five Directions Banner slip away either!
If fortune favors me, I can pursue both without delaying either.
If I cannot obtain them...
A trace of resolve flashed through Qing Huan's eyes.
Then I can only rely on exchanges and robbery in the future...
Top-grade Innate treasures will naturally come into the hands of those fated for them. When they have just emerged, I cannot seize them after all. There is nothing I can do if the spiritual treasure does not choose me...!
Randeng stared at the twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls on Treasure Distribution Cliff. They were precisely what he needed, yet the spiritual treasures simply would not fly toward him...
After Hongjun's second lecture ended, Qing Huan's Dao Cultivation had nearly broken through to the perfected realm of Grand Unity Golden Immortal under the nourishment of the vast Dao essence.
His primordial spirit was full and his Magic Power surged. He lacked only an opportunity to trigger that mysterious strike that severed the past, present, and future, allowing him to formally enter the Quasi-Sage realm.
Qing Huan had already made up his mind.
"This lecture ends here. You may all depart."
"After one Kalpa, Purple Sky Palace will open once more to expound... the path to Sainthood!"
As Hongjun's words fell, his figure silently faded from the cushion, as though he had never existed.
The gates of Purple Sky Palace swung wide open.
East Prince was glowing with pride, his head held high and his spirits soaring.
Yet among the remaining Innate Deities in the hall, which one did not possess extraordinary origins and tremendous arrogance?
Apart from those too weak who had come to hear the Dao, some newly arrived Innate Lifeforms, and a few quick-witted individuals who immediately gathered around to flatter him, none of the true great powers stepped forward to congratulate him.
"Hmph!"
Primordial Heavenly Venerate gave a clear, disdainful snort. Flicking his sleeve, he turned to Qing Huan and said:
"Fellow Daoist Qing Huan, in my opinion, none but you deserve the title of Head of Male Immortals!
"The Dao Ancestor personally granted you the foremost seat. Your origins and Dao Cultivation surpass this man's tenfold. Such an arrangement is truly unjust!"
Tongtian nodded in agreement as well:
"Second Brother is absolutely right! What virtue or ability does that East Prince possess? It is truly a pity, a pity that Fellow Daoist Qing Huan did not receive this honored position!"
Qing Huan smiled faintly, his expression calm and unruffled.
"You two flatter me. My Dao heart lies only with the Great Dao itself, in pursuing eternity.
"These empty titles and authority are merely passing clouds. They only invite Karma and add needless troubles."
He saw things clearly. The Head of Male Immortals looked glorious, but the position actually carried immense responsibility and entangling Karma.
If it was handled well, one could still survive in the cracks... perhaps even lie low until becoming the next Heavenly Emperor...
But with the slightest mishandling, death and the dissipation of one's Dao would be the outcome.
East Prince would inevitably become inflated in the future and attempt to establish a Primordial Wilderness order centered on himself... That was a path to death!
"Haha."
Taiqing Laozi held a whisk and gave it a light wave, approval showing in his eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Qing Huan possesses broad-mindedness and a fine Dao heart! To abandon such empty fame and focus on the Great Dao, your future is boundless!"
Elsewhere, the two emperors of the demon race were also speaking in low voices.
"Eldest Brother, East Prince has gained a title and received treasures from the Dao Ancestor. Will he meddle in the affairs of our demon race in the future?"
Tai Yi furrowed his brow slightly, his tone carrying concern.
Di Jun's gaze was imperious, naturally exuding an emperor's dominance along with a hint of coldness.
"A jumping clown is hardly worth mentioning. If he knows his place and peacefully enjoys his title, so be it. But if he does not know the immensity of heaven and earth..."
Di Jun gave a cold snort.
"We brothers will naturally act on the Dao Ancestor's behalf, discipline him for him, and help him save face! We will make him understand that in this Primordial Wilderness, strength is ultimately supreme!"
Seeing this, Qing Huan did not linger. He cupped his hands and said:
"Fellow Daoists, I shall take my leave first."
Before his words had faded, his figure had transformed into a streak of azure light, shooting out of Purple Sky Palace in an instant and plunging toward the lower realm beneath Buzhou Mountain.
The Innate Gourd Vine! It would appear after the second lecture ended! He had to get there first!
The great powers also rose one after another, leaving in groups of two or three.
Azure light streaked across the skies of the Primordial Wilderness.
"The Twelve-Grade Lotus Platform is indeed a superior choice for severing corpses, but unfortunately... it is difficult to gather them all."
Qing Huan reviewed matters in his mind as he sped along.
"The Lotus Platform damaged by Rahula's self-destruction has fallen somewhere unknown...
"That old fellow Minghe guards the Blood Sea and the two swords Abi Yuantu, with the Karma Red Lotus in hand as well. His defenses are impregnable...
"As for the one in the Dao Ancestor's hands, that is even more impossible to consider..."
I want them all, yet I do not want to incur Karma. What should I do...
Qing Huan shook his head slightly and temporarily suppressed his thoughts of the Lotus Platforms.
?West Kunlun, Yao Chi Immortal Realm.?
Queen Mother of the West sat upon a jade platform, her peerlessly beautiful face carrying an unshakable heaviness.
The tragic end of the Three Innate Clans, especially the few direct descendants of the Phoenix Clan now under her protection in West Kunlun, remained vivid in her mind.
That monstrous karmic burden, that devastating backlash of Karma... made her feel tremendous pressure from the seemingly exalted title of "Head of Female Immortals."
"Governing order? Easier said than done..."
She let out a soft sigh.
Just as she was lost in thought, a figure carrying a scorching, sunlike aura descended upon West Kunlun.
"Fellow Daoist Queen Mother of the West, you certainly are living leisurely!"
East Prince laughed aloud, his tone brimming with triumphant pride.
"The Dao Ancestor has entrusted the heavy responsibility of organizing the Primordial Wilderness to the two of us. Do you intend to simply remain in this Yao Chi Immortal Realm and watch the winds and clouds shift?"
East Prince's eyes burned brightly.
"Right now, we are isolated and weak. Though our titles are lofty, we can hardly command respect.
"If you and I join hands, wield the titles personally bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, and recruit the great powers of the Primordial Wilderness, we can surely accomplish twice the work with half the effort and truly establish an Immortal Court order that governs the Primordial Wilderness!"
East Prince's words were full of incitement, painting a grand vision of magnificent achievements... along with his own dream of eternal glory...
Queen Mother of the West raised her eyes. Her clear gaze met East Prince's directly, her voice cool and resolute.
"Fellow Daoist East Prince, I appreciate your goodwill. The Dao Ancestor's granting of this position is an honor, but I have already made my decision. I have no intention of participating in the 'great undertaking' you speak of.
"Cultivating quietly in Kunlun and tending to the affairs of the female immortals are already my proper duties. If you wish to achieve merit and establish a force, then proceed as you see fit. I will not interfere."
She had thought it over deeply.
Before you continue