Gourd Vine

"The Innate Gourd Vine! One of the Ten Great Spiritual Roots!"

Old Ancestor Minghe let out a low, involuntary cry, a flicker of complexity in his eyes as he recalled another missed opportunity...

Seven treasure gourds hung from the vine, their radiance swirling, their aura tugging at the hearts and minds of every great power present.

Without a word, the assembled mighty beings unconsciously stepped forward several paces, their intangible auras clashing, the atmosphere suddenly growing tense.

Qing Huan also stood at the very front, his expression calm, his gaze deep as he fixed his eyes on those seven beams of light.

Grand Pure One Laozi stroked his beard and laughed, his voice like a great bell, carrying a Dao resonance that soothed the heart:

"Spiritual treasures have their own spirits; they will choose their masters. We are all Innate Deities—to come to blows over such naturally born creations would be beneath our dignity and harm the fellowship of Daoist friends."

Laozi's words laid out the rules, carried a veiled warning, and offered everyone a graceful way out.

The crowd's auras reined in slightly. Though still on guard, they tacitly accepted the method of "the treasure choosing its master," their gazes turning even more fervently toward the gourd vine.

As if responding to Laozi's words, a gourd—entirely purple-gold, with profound Dao patterns flowing endlessly, exuding a warm elixir-fire aura—trembled lightly, transformed into a streak of light, and steadily landed in Grand Pure One Laozi's outstretched palm...

Once in hand, the gourd's radiance dimmed, appearing ancient and majestic. Laozi nodded slightly and put it away...

Next, a jade-green gourd, crystalline and translucent, radiating a pure and righteous clear light, left the vine and flew straight into the hands of Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun...

Yuanshi's expression remained indifferent, but a hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

The third gourd was a chaotic color, faintly emitting a sharp sword intent. It bounced around quite lively before also turning into a streak of light, plunging into the embrace of Shangqing Tongtian Jiaozhu.

Tongtian laughed heartily, his eyes full of joy.

Seeing three treasure gourds quickly claimed, only three beams of light remained on the vine.

Fuxi smiled:

"Only three treasures left. I wonder who they will fall to."

No sooner had he spoken than a gourd, entirely crimson like fire, containing vast fire essence and auspicious energy, flew out with a hint of cheerfulness.

With a "whoosh," it shot straight into the arms of Old Ancestor Hong Yun, whose face was flushed with joy and delight!

"Haha, congratulations, Daoist Friend Hong Yun! To obtain such an auspicious treasure—your fortune is deep indeed!"

Zhenyuanzi laughed, genuinely happy for his old friend.

"Haha, fellow Daoists, you flatter me," Hong Yun said, gazing at the red gourd in his hands with utter fondness.

After all, this was his very first Innate Spiritual Treasure!

In an instant, only two gourds remained on the vine.

Nuwa's gaze was like water. When her eyes fell on the emerald gourd, it seemed to sense her call. Its Creation Qi surged, and it naturally detached from the vine, transforming into a streak of light full of life's rhythm, landing in Nuwa's arms.

As the gourd entered her hands, Nuwa felt a vast, life-giving energy surge into her heart, perfectly aligning with her own Great Dao. A hint of a moving smile curled at the corners of her lips.

Purple mist swirled, rosy clouds flowed. The last remaining deep purple gourd bobbed and swayed on the immortal vine, exhaling a Primordial Chaos aura yet unopened. Its Dao resonance stirred the hearts of all the saints present.

Daoist Zhunti stepped forward, a smile on his face that was both compassionate and determined. He made a sweeping bow to the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun and Tai Yi, Nuwa, and the others, his voice carrying the distant Zen flavor unique to the Western World:

"Amitabha! Fellow Daoists, just now Daoist Friend Hong Yun and Daoist Friend Nuwa each obtained a spiritual treasure, their fortunes deep.

I observe that this last gourd's aura subtly aligns with my Pure Land of Bliss—this is a predestined fate."

Jieyin deliberately emphasized the word "fate," but his gaze, like an invisible hand, quietly enveloped the purple gourd.

"Boom—!"

At the critical moment, a bell toll capable of tearing the void and shaking the Nine Nethers exploded violently!

A massive, ancient bell, engraved with the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and Earth, Wind, Water, Fire—the Chaos Bronze Bell—materialized out of thin air, carrying the supreme power to suppress chaos and reverse time and space, crashing down between Jieyin and the purple gourd!

The bell's waves, like a solid tsunami, erupted outward!

"Pfft!"

Daoist Zhunti, caught in the direct blast, felt as if struck by a Primordial Divine Mountain. His protective Buddha light flickered violently. With a muffled groan, he was sent flying hundreds of thousands of zhang by the overwhelming recoil, tumbling awkwardly in midair several times before barely stabilizing. His face drained of color, shock and fear mingling!

The residual bell waves swept past, causing even the distant void to ripple.

The figure of Eastern Emperor Taiyi stood like a rock behind the Chaos Bell. His black imperial robe billowed without wind, rustling loudly.

One hand pressed lightly on the top of the Chaos Bell, his domineering gaze like two divine swords piercing the heavens, coldly stabbing toward the two Westerners. A hint of undisguised contempt and murderous intent curled at the corner of his mouth:

"Hmph! Jieyin! Zhunti! You two bald donkeys, do you take my 'Chaos Bell' for a clay or wooden decoration?

Or... does your barren Western Land wish to taste the flavor of this Innate Supreme Treasure shattering the Universe?"

Every word clanged like metal, carrying the Solar True Fire that burned the void, making the surrounding temperature soar.

Qing Huan watched with interest. He really hadn't expected those two Westerners to dare snatch things openly in such a setting!

Faced with this naked threat and the supreme pressure of the Innate Supreme Treasure, Zhunti, who had just spoken of "fate," was momentarily speechless, his aura churning uncontrollably.

The usually taciturn Jieyin stepped forward, forcing a bitter smile onto his face. He pressed his palms together, his voice filled with infinite compassion and helplessness:

"Daoist Friend Taiyi, you speak too harshly, too harshly... Amitabha! Our Western World is indeed barren and desolate, its spiritual veins exhausted, all life withered—truly an unspeakable land of poverty.

What my senior brother and I seek is merely a single Innate Spiritual Treasure to suppress our Luck and slightly alleviate our plight.

Such a trivial request, Daoist Friend—you hold a supreme treasure; why resort to great violence over such a small matter?"

"Would that not harm the fellowship of those who study the Dao within the Purple Firmament Palace, and thus defy the Dao Ancestor's teachings?"

His words were slow, each syllable earnest, as if laden with the endless suffering and hopes of all beings in the Western lands.

As he spoke, he slowly withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at the Purple Gourd, as if he had completely abandoned the struggle.

Yet, beneath this seemingly calm and indifferent compromise, deep within Daoist Jieyin's lowered eyelids, the glance he cast toward the Chaos Bell burned with an intensity that could melt through the void!

Greed, longing, unwillingness... a myriad of complex, inscrutable emotions churned within those profound Buddhist eyes, ultimately condensing into a single, deep-seated spark of scorching fire, nearly solidified into substance.

That gaze seemed to pierce through the bronze walls of the Chaos Bell, staring directly at the boundless power within—the power of Heaven-Opening and the reordering of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.

The Western lands were indeed barren, but the bell before him was the true supreme treasure, capable of overturning the Universe and remaking Heaven and Earth!

A faint, barely perceptible shadow of a dark thought seemed to quietly take root in a corner where no one could see.