Wu Ming said to Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun, "Fellow Daoists, follow me."
Then Wu Ming turned around and led Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun deeper into Pangu Hall.
Deep within Pangu Hall, a figure sat cross-legged. Dao Rhythm flowed around him, and his aura was as profound as the sea, as if he had merged with the entire Pangu Hall.
The man's face was astonishingly similar to Wu Ming's—at least ninety percent alike!
By the time the three of them approached,
the seated figure opened his eyes and looked at Wu Ming, nodding. "Fellow Daoist, thanks for your effort."
Wu Ming bowed slightly to the figure. "Fellow Daoist, you and I are one. There's no need to stand on ceremony."
That figure was none other than Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming nodded, then turned his gaze toward Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun. A gentle smile appeared on his face. "Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, it has been a long time."
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun stared at the two nearly identical people before them, their minds instantly short-circuiting.
What... was going on?
Twins?
No!
The Witch Clan had been transformed from Father God's essence blood. How could there be such a thing as twins?
This person before them... and Fellow Daoist Wu Ming... were practically carved from the same mold!
Moreover, this person's aura was far more terrifying than Fellow Daoist Wu Ming's. It was unfathomable!
Hong Yun had always been the most straightforward and could not hold back his doubts. He blurted out, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, you and this... Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming..."
He pointed at Wu Ming, then at the seated figure, his face filled with confusion.
Wu Ming was just about to explain when Zhou Ming raised a hand to stop him.
"Let me explain."
"I imagine the two of you have already formed some guesses."
He paused, then directly revealed the answer.
"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming was formed from a portion of my Primordial Spirit that I severed from myself, combined with my own Essence Blood."
"I am Wu Ming."
"Wu Ming is also me."
"The two of us were originally one."
As his voice fell, Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun exchanged a glance. Both saw unconcealed shock in the other's eyes!
So it was true!
Although they had sensed it beforehand, hearing the truth with their own ears was still far too shocking!
Fellow Daoist Wu Ming was actually only the Avatar of the Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming before them!
Then just how profound was the cultivation of Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming's true body?
Zhen Yuanzi quickly calmed down. Looking at Zhou Ming, he asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming... no, Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming, this matter is of great importance. It must be a secret of the Witch Clan."
"Why have you told the two of us today?"
Zhou Ming said frankly, "I naturally told you because I trust you both."
"Besides, there's no need to keep hiding it now."
"In the past, when our Witch Clan had just been born, my twelve younger brothers and sisters and I all needed to enter seclusion to stabilize our cultivation and digest Father God's inheritance."
"But the newly born Witch Clan could not be left without anyone to look after it."
"So I severed a portion of my Primordial Spirit, combined it with Essence Blood, and created Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, allowing him to handle the Witch Clan's affairs and travel through the Primordial Wilderness in my place."
"Later, Dao Ancestor Hongjun attained the Dao and opened a lecture on the Great Dao in Zixiao Palace."
"At that time, my existence could not yet be exposed, so I continued to have Fellow Daoist Wu Ming stand in for me, listen to the Dao, and form that connection."
"Now that the three lectures in Zixiao Palace have ended, the cultivation of the Primordial Wilderness's various mighty figures has advanced, Quasi-Saints have emerged one after another, and the Saint positions have already found their owners."
"Dao Ancestor is also about to Unify with Dao, becoming further hidden behind the Heavenly Dao."
"At this point, my appearance in the Primordial Wilderness will no longer cause any trouble."
Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun were shaken to their very cores.
Although they did not completely understand why Zhou Ming could not appear before, or why Dao Ancestor Unifying with Dao meant he could appear, they wisely did not press further.
Zhen Yuanzi looked at Zhou Ming and sensed his unfathomable aura. Understanding dawned in his heart.
No wonder Fellow Daoist Wu Ming had always remained so calm when facing the Demon Clan's Di Jun and Taiyi, and had even seemed somewhat... disdainful?
It turned out that his true body, this Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming, possessed such terrifying strength!
Zhen Yuanzi considered himself one of the Primordial Wilderness's top mighty figures. Holding the Earth Book and standing upon the earth, he was practically innately undefeatable.
Yet before Zhou Ming, he felt an indescribable pressure.
Aside from Dao Ancestor Hongjun seated high in Zixiao Palace, there was probably no existence in the entire Primordial Wilderness stronger than the Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming before him!
Zhen Yuanzi gathered his thoughts and saluted Zhou Ming with clasped hands. "I see. May I ask why Fellow Daoist summoned the two of us here today?"
"With Fellow Daoist's strength, there should be very few matters in the Primordial Wilderness that can trouble you now, should there?"
Zhou Ming exchanged a glance with Wu Ming beside him. Wu Ming nodded slightly.
Only then did Zhou Ming look at Zhen Yuanzi and speak directly. "I do indeed have something I wish to ask Fellow Daoist for help with."
"I wish to borrow Fellow Daoist's Earth Book for a time. Would that be possible?"
Borrow the Earth Book?
Zhen Yuanzi's heart stirred at the words.
The Earth Book had been formed from the Amniotic Membrane of the Primordial Wilderness's earth. Its defensive power was unparalleled, and it could even connect with the Primordial Wilderness's earth veins, possessing boundless wonders.
What did Zhou Ming want the Earth Book for?
Zhen Yuanzi's thoughts raced, and he instantly formed a guess.
He looked at Zhou Ming and slowly said, "Does Fellow Daoist wish to find two of the legendary Three Immortal Islands of the East Sea—Fangzhang and Yingzhou?"
"Oh?" Zhou Ming revealed a trace of surprise. "How did Fellow Daoist know?"
Zhen Yuanzi stroked his beard. "My Earth Book was formed from the Amniotic Membrane of the Primordial Wilderness's earth. One of its abilities is to reflect the mountains, rivers, and earth veins of the Primordial Wilderness. The many islands within the Four Seas also fall within the Earth Book's range of manifestation."
"Since Fellow Daoist wishes to borrow the Earth Book, the matter you seek must be related to the earth or islands."
"And in the Primordial Wilderness, aside from the two islands of Fangzhang and Yingzhou, whose traces are elusive and which occasionally appear above the East Sea, I truly cannot think of anything else worth using the Earth Book to find for a mighty figure like Fellow Daoist."
Zhou Ming nodded. "Fellow Daoist's insight is truly sharp. I am indeed seeking those two islands."
Zhen Yuanzi pondered for a moment before continuing. "Since Fellow Daoist has spoken so frankly, I shall be equally direct."
"There is naturally no problem with lending the Earth Book to Fellow Daoist."
"However, Fellow Daoist should not place too much hope in it."
Zhou Ming raised his brows slightly. "Oh? Why? Could even the Earth Book's abilities fail to locate Fangzhang and Yingzhou?"
Zhen Yuanzi shook his head. "That is not the case. It can indeed sense the locations of those two immortal islands."
"It is simply that those two islands do not truly exist within the Four Seas of the Primordial Wilderness."
"Instead, they are attached to the Chaos Void beyond the Primordial World, more like blessed paradises."
"Only at specific points in time, when drawn by the Heavenly Earth Rules, do they briefly 'squeeze' into the Primordial World and manifest above the East Sea."
"Furthermore, their positions are different each time they appear, and they remain for an extremely short period. Sometimes it is several months, sometimes several days, or even less."
"Even if the Earth Book discovers their traces, by the time Fellow Daoist hurries over from Buzhou Mountain, those two immortal islands will probably have already left the Primordial World and hidden themselves in the Chaos Void once more."
"I once had similar thoughts, but after making some deductions, I gave up."
"So finding those two islands is extremely difficult. It can only depend on fate and cannot be forced."
After listening, Zhou Ming asked, "Did Fellow Daoist never consider waiting above the East Sea and hoping they would appear?"
Zhen Yuanzi gave a bitter laugh. "I did. But it wasn't worth it."
"First, the times and locations when the two islands appear follow no pattern. They may only appear once every tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of years. If one waits idly in the East Sea, the time required is far too long, and the uncertainty is too great."
"Second, even if one were lucky enough to wait until they appeared, no one knows what exactly is on those two islands. What if one spent endless years waiting, only to gain nothing in the end? Would that not be a waste of one's cultivation time?"
"Third, and most importantly, as I said before, the time they remain is extremely short! Even if one discovers them, if one is not fast enough or is delayed by something, one can only watch helplessly as they disappear again. Rather than place one's hopes in such an ethereal opportunity, it is better to cultivate peacefully at Wuzhuang Temple and comprehend the Great Dao."
After hearing Zhen Yuanzi's explanation, Zhou Ming nodded. "I see."
"Thank you for clearing that up, Fellow Daoist."
"But I still wish to borrow Fellow Daoist's Earth Book."
"There is something on those two islands that is of vital importance to our Witch Clan!"
"No matter how difficult it is, I must make the attempt!"
Zhen Yuanzi looked at Zhou Ming's determined expression, then at Wu Ming beside him, whose expression was equally solemn.
That object's importance to the Witch Clan was probably beyond imagination.
"Very well!" Zhen Yuanzi no longer hesitated. With a flip of his hand, an ancient, heavy yellow book appeared in his palm. It was none other than the Earth Book.
"Since Fellow Daoist insists, I shall naturally offer my assistance."
He handed the Earth Book toward Zhou Ming.
"This Earth Book is hereby lent to Fellow Daoist."
Zhou Ming solemnly accepted the Earth Book. It felt heavy in his hand, and he could clearly sense the vast earth power contained within it.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!" Zhou Ming bowed deeply to Zhen Yuanzi. "Our Witch Clan will remember Fellow Daoist's assistance today!"
"In the future, we will surely repay you handsomely!"
Zhen Yuanzi hurriedly helped Zhou Ming up. "Fellow Daoist, you flatter me!"
"I have been close to Fellow Daoist Wu Ming for many years, and we are as close as brothers. Now that Fellow Daoist is in need, I have merely offered what little strength I can. Why speak of repayment?"
"It is only a small matter. Fellow Daoist need not take it to heart."
But Zhou Ming shook his head, his expression serious.
"The small matter Fellow Daoist mentioned is a major matter concerning our Witch Clan's future."
"Our Witch Clan will remember this friendship."
"One day, we will repay it."
Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi said no more and merely nodded.