Gourd Vine

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

Ancestor Minghe cried out involuntarily, a trace of complexity flashing through his eyes as he recalled another missed opportunity...

Seven precious gourds hung from the vine, their radiance flowing as their auras tugged at the minds of every great power present.

Without a word, the great powers all stepped forward several paces in tacit unison. Their invisible auras collided, and the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

Qing Huan stood at the very front as well, his expression calm as he watched the seven streams of light with profound eyes.

Taiqing Laozi stroked his beard and smiled. His voice rang like a great bell, carrying a Dao rhythm that soothed the heart:

"Spiritual treasures possess spirits and will naturally choose their masters. We are all Innate Deities; if we were to fight viciously over something born of heaven and earth, would that not disgrace our status and damage the fellowship among fellow cultivators?"

Laozi's words established the rules, contained a veiled warning, and gave everyone a way out.

The crowd reined in their auras somewhat. Though they remained wary, they tacitly accepted this method of "spiritual treasures choosing their masters," and their gazes grew even more fervent as they turned toward the Gourd Vine.

As though responding to Laozi's words, a gourd entirely purple-gold, with profound Dao patterns endlessly flowing across it and a gentle pill-fire aura emanating from it, trembled lightly. It transformed into a streak of light and landed steadily in Taiqing Laozi's open palm...

Once the gourd entered his hand, its radiance withdrew, leaving it simple yet majestic. Laozi nodded slightly and put it away...

Immediately afterward, a crystal-clear Jade-Green Gourd radiating pure, vast Pure Light flew from the vine and landed directly in Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun's hand...

Yuanshi's expression remained indifferent, though a trace of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.

The third gourd was chaos-colored, with faint but sharp sword intent seeping from it. It bounced about energetically a few times before turning into a streak of light and plunging into Shangqing Tongtian Jiaozhu's arms.

Tongtian laughed heartily, his eyes full of delight.

In the blink of an eye, three precious gourds had each found their owners, leaving only three glowing gourds on the vine.

Fuxi smiled.

"Only three treasures remain. I wonder who they will go to."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gourd as crimson as fire, containing vast fire essence and auspicious energy, flew out with a hint of carefree joy.

With a whoosh, it flew directly into the arms of Ancestor Hong Yun, whose face was flushed with delight!

"Haha, congratulations, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun! To obtain such an auspicious treasure, your fortune is truly profound!"

Zhenyuanzi laughed loudly, sincerely happy for his old friend.

"Haha, thank you for the compliments, fellow Daoists." Hong Yun gazed at the red gourd in his hand, his eyes filled with adoration.

After all, this was his first Innate Spiritual Treasure!

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

Nuwa's eyes were as tranquil as water. When her gaze fell upon the Emerald Gourd, it seemed to sense her summons. Creation Qi around it surged, and it naturally detached itself from the vine, transforming into a streak of light filled with the rhythm of life before flying into Nuwa's arms.

Once the gourd entered her hand, Nuwa felt vast vitality of Creation surge into her heart. It was incomparably compatible with her own Great Dao, and an enchanting smile could not help appearing on her lips.

Purple qi swirled and rosy clouds flowed. The final remaining Deep Purple Gourd rose and fell upon the immortal vine, swaying gently as it exhaled and absorbed the Primordial Chaos Aura from before chaos had opened. The Dao rhythm it emitted stirred the hearts of all the great powers present.

Daoist Zhunti took a step forward, wearing a smile that was compassionate toward all beings yet determined to prevail. He bowed to the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun and Tai Yi, Nuwa, and the others, his voice carrying the distant Zen intent unique to the Western World:

"Immeasurable Life Buddha! Fellow Daoists, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun and Fellow Daoist Nuwa have each just obtained a spiritual treasure, their fortunes truly profound.

"I see that this final gourd's aura is faintly compatible with our pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a fate ordained by heaven."

Jieyin deliberately emphasized the words "ordained fate," yet his gaze silently enveloped the Purple Gourd like an invisible hand.

Buzzz—!

At that critical moment, a bell chime powerful enough to tear apart the void and shake the Nine Netherworlds thundered forth!

An ancient, heavy Chaos Bronze Bell engraved with the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and Earth, Wind, Water, Fire appeared out of nowhere. Carrying supreme power capable of suppressing chaos and reversing time and space, it smashed down fiercely between Jieyin and the Purple Gourd!

Vast bell waves erupted outward like a tangible tsunami!

"Pfft!"

Daoist Zhunti, who bore the brunt of it, felt as if he had been struck by a Primordial Divine Mountain. The Buddhist light protecting his body flickered violently. With a muffled groan, he was sent flying hundreds of thousands of feet by the irresistible recoil, tumbling several times through the air before barely stabilizing himself. All color drained from his face, leaving him shocked and horrified!

The aftershocks of the bell chime swept outward, sending ripples through even the distant void.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi stood immovably behind the Chaos Bell like a boulder. His dark imperial robes fluttered without wind, snapping loudly.

One hand rested upon the Chaos Bell's crown as his disdainful gaze, like two Heaven-Opening divine swords, pierced coldly toward the two men from the west. A trace of undisguised contempt and killing intent hung from his lips.

"Hmph! Jieyin! Zhunti! You two bald asses, do you take my Chaos Bell for some clay or wooden ornament?

"Could it be... that your barren Western land wishes to taste the power of an Innate Supreme Treasure shattering the Universe as well?"

Every word rang like clashing gold and iron, carrying the aura of Solar True Fire that could burn the void and causing the surrounding temperature to surge.

Qing Huan watched with interest. He truly had not expected those two from the west to dare snatch something by force in a situation like this!

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

Jieyin, who had remained taciturn all along, stepped forward instead. He forced an exceedingly bitter smile onto his face, pressed his palms together, and spoke with endless sorrow and helplessness:

"Fellow Daoist Tai Yi, your words are too harsh, too harsh... Amitabha! Our Western World is indeed impoverished and desolate. Its spiritual veins have dried up, and all living things have withered. It is a barren land too miserable to describe.

"What my senior brother and I seek is merely an Innate Spiritual Treasure to suppress the Luck of the Western beings and ease their plight somewhat.

"For such a trifling request, why must you, Fellow Daoist, wielding a supreme treasure, make such a great fuss?

"Wouldn't harming the fellowship among the disciples who listened to the Dao at the Purple Cloud Palace go against the Dao Ancestor's teachings?"

He spoke slowly, every word earnest, as if bearing the endless suffering and hopes of all beings in the Western World.

As he spoke, he slowly withdrew his gaze and did not look at the Purple Gourd again, seemingly having completely abandoned the struggle for it.

Yet beneath that seemingly calm compromise, the glance Daoist Jieyin cast toward the Chaos Bell from beneath his lowered eyelids burned hot enough to melt through the void!

Greed, yearning, resentment... all manner of complicated and inscrutable emotions roiled within those profound Buddhist eyes, eventually becoming a blazing fire deeply buried within his heart, nearly solidifying into substance.

That gaze seemed to pierce through the bronze walls of the Chaos Bell, staring directly at the boundless might within it that could open heaven and earth and reset Earth, Water, Fire, Wind.

The Western World's poverty was real, but the bell before him was the true supreme treasure capable of overturning the Universe and remaking heaven and earth!

A faint, imperceptible dark thought seemed to quietly sprout in some unnoticed corner.