Return to Mount Sumeru

After staying for a few days and arranging the work at Spirit Bamboo Mountain, Jiang Yun gathered everyone from the Dragon Palace. He brought the Mysterious Turtle along and continued their journey to Mount Sumeru.

During this period, the Dragon Palace group had taken on tasks and earned some Merit. Although it wasn't much, everyone was excited. When they heard Jiang Yun was summoning them, they were a little reluctant to leave.

On the way to Mount Sumeru, they passed by Pengxuan Grotto-Heaven. Jiang Yun didn't linger. He simply exchanged a few words with Huang Ya, who was stationed at the outpost outside the grotto-heaven, inquiring about the development of the Grotto-Heaven World. Hearing that everything was progressing well, he felt reassured and didn't stop for long.

Another three hundred years passed, and the group finally arrived at Mount Sumeru.

It had been over three thousand years since Jiang Yun had left Mount Sumeru. This time, he planned to stay for a while longer, as in just over a thousand years, it would be time to taste the fruits as agreed with Great Immortal Zhenyuan.

As soon as they reached the front of Mount Sumeru, they saw Jieyin and Zhunti waiting with dozens of people at the mountain gate.

Seeing this, Jiang Yun was overjoyed. He hadn't expected his Teacher and Martial Uncle to value him so much that they would personally come to the mountain gate to welcome him back.

He quickened his pace and approached the two, bowing respectfully. Jieyin and Zhunti nodded in acknowledgment.

Before he could speak again, Zhunti spoke first, "May I ask which fellow Daoist has come to my Mount Sumeru? We have come here specifically to welcome you."

Their eyes were fixed on the Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea, their expressions solemn.

This was because neither of them could discern the Mysterious Turtle's true strength or its intentions.

Jiang Yun understood the situation upon seeing this. His two elders had sensed the Mysterious Turtle's aura, which was why they had come to the mountain gate to welcome a guest. His earlier feeling of being moved was wasted.

"Teacher, Martial Uncle, this is Senior Mysterious Turtle of the North Sea. It has existed since the beginning of heaven and earth. While I was traveling in the Northern Sea, I had the good fortune to assist it, and Senior Mysterious Turtle has agreed to accompany me. Heavenly Dao bears witness," Jiang Yun explained the Mysterious Turtle's origins.

"Thank you both for waiting here to welcome me. I was in a life-or-death tribulation and was fortunate to be saved by Jiang Yun. I have now resolved to be at its service. There is no need for you to be suspicious," the Mysterious Turtle added its own explanation.

After hearing their words, Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged glances, both looking incredulous.

"Is the Fortune of my disciple (nephew) this heaven-defying?" they both mused inwardly.

To go out seeking an opportunity and return with a follower at the peak of Hunyuan? Who wouldn't be stunned!

"So that's how it is. Let's discuss further back at the mountain!"

Zhunti finished speaking, turned, and led the group back to the main hall of the Dao Field.

Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Yun walked to Jieyin's side and said softly, "Teacher, I have brought some people from the Northern Sea Dragon Palace who wish to become my disciples. I would like to settle them in my cave dwelling and report to you later."

Jieyin nodded slightly, trusting his disciple to be a responsible person who wouldn't act recklessly. He gestured for Jiang Yun to make his arrangements.

Jiang Yun then went to the Mysterious Turtle and asked it to go to the main hall to converse with his Teacher and Martial Uncle first, while he went to settle the people from the Northern Sea Dragon Palace. He would find the Mysterious Turtle afterward.

The Mysterious Turtle nodded in agreement.

Upon entering the mountain gate, the crowd dispersed in front of the main hall. Jiang Yun beckoned the Dragon Palace group to follow him towards his cave dwelling.

Inside the cave dwelling, Jiang Yun told everyone to rest for a while. He would report the situation first and then arrange for them to formally become disciples at the main hall at an opportune time.

After giving his instructions, Jiang Yun left the cave dwelling and went to the Great Hero Hall.

Inside the hall, Jieyin and Zhunti were entertaining the Mysterious Turtle. The two parties then began discussing the detailed process of how the Mysterious Turtle and Jiang Yun met.

The Mysterious Turtle recounted how Jiang Yun had saved it. At that time, its intuition told it that meeting Jiang Yun was its only chance of survival. It couldn't bother with anything else and could only desperately cling to this life-saving straw. It lamented that for most of its existence since its emergence, it had been sleeping, possessing nothing. It could only seek help from others by offering its service.

After hearing the Mysterious Turtle's account, Jieyin and Zhunti, as powerful cultivators of the Primordial Desolation, thought of the destiny they bore to revive the West. For a moment, they felt a sense of empathy for the Mysterious Turtle's plight.

They were all powerful figures of the Primordial Desolation, bearing their own destinies. The difference was that the Mysterious Turtle's destiny offered no choice, or rather, its sleepy nature had led it astray, making it impossible to extricate itself. It couldn't escape on its own and could only slowly await death. As for themselves, the destinies they bore were unified with their own Dao. The process of fulfilling their destinies was the very act of practicing their Dao methods, and they could decide how to walk this path.

Jiang Yun arrived outside the main hall. Dozens of cultivators stood outside, the same people who had stood behind his teachers at the mountain gate. These must be the new disciples accepted after the mountain gate was opened!

Seeing Jiang Yun approach, these people, led by three prominent cultivators, gathered around him.

"Greetings, Senior Brother!" led by the three, everyone bowed to Jiang Yun.

"My fellow junior brothers need not be so formal. Please rise quickly!" Jiang Yun said, offering a hand to help them up.

Afterward, he looked at the three in front, wanting someone to introduce the group to him. "I assume Teacher Jieyin and Martial Uncle Zhunti have already mentioned me to you. Could one of you introduce your group to me?"

Among the three, the one in the middle, exuding a soft and bright radiance, with a temperament as clear and transparent as glazed glass, stepped forward slightly and said, "I am Jingming, under Teacher Jieyin. My Dharma name is Medicine Master Glazed. Senior Brother can call me Pharmacist."

He then gestured with his hand, pointing to the others. "To my left is White Lotus, under Teacher Jieyin, Dharma name Maitreya. To my right is Youming, under Teacher Jieyin, Dharma name Ksitigarbha."

He then introduced the people behind them. After his introduction, Jiang Yun recognized a few familiar names among the people behind them: Mahasthamaprapta, Sunlight, Moonlight, and Kinnara.

Among his junior brothers, Pharmacist had the highest cultivation. He was also his second junior brother, having just broken through to Mystic Immortal. Among the others, only those with the familiar names had reached the True Immortal realm. The rest, due to their short cultivation time, hadn't even reached the True Immortal realm. However, their aptitude was considered outstanding in the Western world, with most of them being stronger than the Hall Masters under him.

After an initial mutual understanding, Jiang Yun searched his personal world for gifts for his junior brothers. In the end, he gave each of them a drop of Three Lights Divine Water according to the number of people.

Upon receiving the gifts, everyone thanked him in unison and quickly put away the precious items. The bond between senior and junior brothers immediately deepened, and everyone inwardly marveled at their Senior Brother's wealth.

After meeting his junior brothers, Jiang Yun requested an audience at the entrance of the main hall. Upon receiving Jieyin's reply, he entered the hall alone.