Zhou Ming's Divine Thought swept over every inch of Mount Fangzhang Island, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Nothing.
He couldn't sense the aura of the Pure World White Lotus at all.
The immortal island was rich in spiritual energy and covered in heavenly treasures, yet the most important target was the only thing missing.
Unwilling to give up, he searched even more carefully, probing deep into the earth veins.
Still, he found nothing.
Instead, while searching, his Divine Thought touched upon a valley concealed beneath layer after layer of Restraining Spells.
The Restraining Spells were extremely intricate. If not for his profound cultivation, he would have almost missed them.
Zhou Ming moved and silently passed through the Restraining Spell.
Inside the valley, spiritual energy was abundant.
Twelve beads emitting a faint, clear light hovered quietly above a pool of spiritual spring water.
The Sea Calming Divine Beads! And they were precisely the twelve missing beads!
Zhou Ming's heart stirred slightly.
Although he hadn't found the Pure World White Lotus, the appearance of these twelve Sea Calming Divine Beads was an unexpected delight.
He beckoned with one hand, and the twelve beads fell into his palm.
Together with the twenty-four he had exchanged from Tongtian, all thirty-six Sea Calming Divine Beads were now complete.
Once all thirty-six Sea Calming Divine Beads were gathered, they formed a complete Innate Supreme Treasure.
For Dijiang, this would be an enormous boost.
After putting away the Sea Calming Divine Beads, Zhou Ming once again confirmed that the Pure World White Lotus was not on the island.
He had no desire to linger. With a movement, he prepared to leave Mount Fangzhang Island.
This place couldn't be stayed in for long!
Mount Fangzhang Island could break away from the Primordial Wilderness and vanish into Chaos at any moment.
Zhou Ming's figure transformed into a streak of light and swiftly left Mount Fangzhang Island.
Almost at the instant he departed, the mist surrounding Mount Fangzhang Island grew denser. The entire immortal island began to turn illusory, slowly sinking into another layer of space.
Elsewhere, on Mount Yingzhou Island.
Dijiang and Houtu searched separately, making excellent progress.
Houtu controlled the Earth Law and was the most sensitive to the spiritual veins beneath the earth. She closed her eyes and carefully sensed every wisp of aura deep within the island.
Her Divine Thought swept across the island, and she soon sensed a special aura in a valley guarded by layers of Restraining Spells—a pure and sacred aura imbued with the power to purify all things.
"Found it!"
Houtu was delighted and immediately sent a message to Dijiang.
Soon, Dijiang's figure appeared beside Houtu.
The two looked toward the valley. Inside, a twelve-petal lotus platform bloomed quietly.
The lotus platform was snow-white all over, unstained by even a speck of dust. It radiated a soft yet majestic white light. It was none other than the Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus!
"It really is here!" Dijiang said solemnly.
Houtu stepped forward and cautiously approached the Pure World White Lotus.
The lotus platform seemed to sense the gentle aura of the earth on Houtu and did not resist.
Houtu extended her hand. Magic Power surged as she carefully lifted the Pure World White Lotus.
"How is Big Brother..." Houtu looked toward Dijiang.
"Leave the island first!" Dijiang made the decision immediately. "This place can't be stayed in for long. It may break away from the Primordial Wilderness and return to Chaos at any moment!"
"Good!"
The two dared not delay in the slightest. After putting away the Pure World White Lotus, they immediately circulated the Space Law and Earth Law, charging out of Mount Yingzhou Island's Innate Grand Array at their fastest speed.
The moment they left, the enormous outline of the immortal island behind them began to turn illusory and blurred, as though it were being pulled by an invisible force and slowly sinking into another spacetime.
Dijiang and Houtu exchanged a glance, and both could see the relief in the other's eyes.
If they had been even one step slower, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
The two did not linger. As agreed, they flew rapidly toward the deserted island where they had previously stayed for a hundred years.
On the deserted island.
Zhou Ming had been waiting there for some time.
A moment later, two streaks of light descended. They were Dijiang and Houtu.
"Big Brother!"
"Big Brother!"
The two hurried forward.
Houtu handed the Pure World White Lotus to Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming looked at the Pure World White Lotus before him, sensing the pure and vast power within it. He nodded.
"Very good."
"At least this trip wasn't in vain."
He looked toward Dijiang and flipped his palm. The twelve Sea Calming Divine Beads appeared in his hand.
"Big Brother, what are these?" Dijiang looked at the twelve beads. Sensing their familiar aura, confusion appeared in his eyes.
"Found them on Mount Fangzhang Island." Zhou Ming handed the beads to Dijiang.
"The remaining twelve Sea Calming Divine Beads."
"Together with the twenty-four you exchanged from Fellow Daoist Tongtian, there are thirty-six in total."
"Once these beads are united, they will form a complete Innate Supreme Treasure!"
"Refine them completely as soon as possible. They will greatly benefit your future mastery of the Space Law."
Dijiang solemnly accepted the twelve Sea Calming Divine Beads.
The instant all thirty-six beads entered his hand, they immediately resonated intensely with the twenty-four he had already refined within his Primordial Spirit.
A complete and vast aura spread outward.
Dijiang could clearly feel that after this set of treasures united, its might had undergone a world-shaking transformation.
"Thank you, Big Brother!" Dijiang said solemnly, his voice filled with excitement.
An Innate Supreme Treasure!
This was the highest-level magical treasure in the Primordial Wilderness. With this treasure, his battle prowess would soar once more.
"We're brothers. There's no need to be so polite." Zhou Ming waved his hand. "Now that everything is settled, we'll return to Buzhou Mountain at once."
"Yes!"
The three no longer delayed. They transformed into streaks of light and flew toward Buzhou Mountain.
Pangu Hall.
Zhou Ming, Dijiang, and Houtu returned.
Wu Ming had already been waiting there.
Seeing Zhou Ming and the other two return safely, a trace of relief appeared on Wu Ming's usually calm face.
"Fellow Daoist, did everything go smoothly?" Wu Ming asked.
Zhou Ming nodded. "There were some twists and turns, but the result was acceptable."
Zhou Ming took out the Pure World White Lotus and handed it to Houtu.
"Houtu."
"Big Brother?" Houtu stepped forward.
Zhou Ming looked at Houtu with a solemn expression. "You will refine this Pure World White Lotus."
"Once you have completely refined it... take a drop of your own heart's Essence Blood, then sever a portion of your Primordial Spirit Origin and fuse it into this lotus platform to refine an Avatar."
"This Avatar... will be of great use in the future."
Refine an Avatar? And it would require her Essence Blood and Primordial Spirit Origin?
Houtu was puzzled, but she did not ask further.
She had always trusted Big Brother's arrangements unconditionally.
"Yes, Big Brother. Houtu understands." She accepted the Pure World White Lotus, sensed the feeling of affinity coming from the lotus platform, and nodded.
Zhou Ming then looked toward Dijiang. "Dijiang, you should also go into seclusion."
"Completely refine the thirty-six Sea Calming Divine Beads. The sooner, the better."
"Once you succeed, our Witch Clan will gain another great trump card."
"Yes, Big Brother!" Dijiang replied, then turned and found a secret chamber to begin refining the Innate Supreme Treasure in seclusion.
Only Zhou Ming and Wu Ming remained in the great hall.
Zhou Ming looked toward Wu Ming. "Fellow Daoist, during the hundred years we were away, did anything major happen in the Primordial Wilderness?"
Wu Ming shook his head. "Nothing major."
"The Demon Clan's Heavenly Court is still accumulating strength. Di Jun and Taiyi have been busy consolidating the Demon Clan's forces and temporarily have no time for anything else."
"After Kunpeng obtained the Hongmeng Purple Qi, he holed up in the Demon Master's Palace in the North Nether, rarely showing himself. Clearly, he is deeply wary of Di Jun and Taiyi."
"The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, Zhunti, and the others have all entered seclusion at their respective abodes after obtaining the Hongmeng Purple Qi, quietly cultivating and comprehending the Saint Path."
"Hong Yun returned to his Fire Cloud Cave, while Zhen Yuanzi also returned to Wuzhuang Temple."
"The other factions are all digesting what they obtained from Zixiao Palace as well. The Primordial Wilderness is temporarily in a relatively peaceful period."
Zhou Ming nodded. This was more or less what he had expected.
It was merely the calm before the storm.
Once someone became a Saint first, or once the Demon Clan felt its wings had grown full and its strength was sufficient to crush everything, a great war sweeping across the entire Primordial Wilderness could erupt again at any moment.
"Fellow Daoist, I need to enter seclusion once more for a period of time to prepare for the coming tribulation." Zhou Ming spoke to Wu Ming.
"You'll have to continue troubling yourself with overseeing the Witch Clan's affairs, great and small."
Wu Ming bowed slightly. "Rest assured and enter seclusion, Fellow Daoist. You have me to look after the Witch Clan."
Zhou Ming nodded, then took out the Earth Book and handed it to Wu Ming. "I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist to return this item to Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi."
Wu Ming solemnly accepted the Earth Book. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I will handle this matter properly."
Zhou Ming said no more. He nodded, turned, and walked into the depths of Pangu Hall. He found the most central area and began his seclusion.
Only Wu Ming remained standing in the center of the empty great hall, his gaze deep and unreadable as he wondered what he was thinking.