On Kunlun Mountain, inside the thatched cottage, Tongtian held a small Treasure Seeking Mouse in his hands and showed him to Yuanshi. "Second Brother, look! I picked up this little mouse on Buzhou Mountain. What do you think? Isn't he adorable?"
Yuanshi's face darkened. "Take him away. I get annoyed just looking at this thing."
Tongtian scratched his head. "Second Brother doesn't like him? I think this little fellow is pretty cute. Besides, his foundation seems decent. I'm planning to take him as my disciple."
Laozi also advised him, "Third Brother, we still have to be selective when accepting disciples. Although this Treasure Seeking Mouse is a divine beast, but... Hmm? Interesting. If you want to take him as your disciple, then go ahead."
As it turned out, Laozi had just taken a careful look and discovered that this Treasure Seeking Mouse was the first mouse born after the creation of the world. His fortune was not weak, so Laozi agreed to let Tongtian accept him as a disciple. After roughly half a month, the Treasure Seeking Mouse welcomed his Form Transformation Heavenly Tribulation.
Just then, the hardworking gardener Xuanxiao also returned. Since pulling out the Innate Gourd Vine and contaminating it with turbid qi would prevent it from growing Gourd Babies, he had no choice but to dig it out bit by bit, roots and all, and bring it back into the system space.
As soon as Xuanxiao landed at the thatched cottage's entrance, he saw Tribulation Clouds gathering in the sky. He said speechlessly, "Did something go wrong? I get struck by a tribulation just for coming home?" The moment he finished speaking, he noticed that he had stepped on a plump little mouse. He hurriedly jumped aside and said, "So this tribulation is yours?"
The Treasure Seeking Mouse angrily chattered at Xuanxiao, but Xuanxiao could not understand him. He went straight back into the thatched cottage and left him to continue undergoing his tribulation. As soon as he entered, Tongtian said, "You bullied your junior disciple the moment you came back?"
Xuanxiao was stunned. "What? Junior disciple? That little mouse?"
Tongtian nodded. "Don't look down on him. That boy's foundation is not weak. Once he completes his transformation, he'll at least be at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level. His foundation is already quite impressive."
Xuanxiao nodded. "Oh, got it. The first mouse born after the creation of the world, huh? Interesting. But, Old Father, are you sure you want to take a disciple like this? I'm one of the Three Sovereigns of the demon race, so I won't discriminate against demons, but I have a feeling that this little mouse's fate is somewhat strange."
Tongtian said, "It's fine, it's fine. We'll see what he becomes after his transformation."
Before long, the Form Transformation Heavenly Tribulation descended like a thunder dragon. A Duobao Pagoda flew out and hovered above his head, blocking the tribulation lightning. After enduring eighty-one strikes, a chubby little boy appeared. He pointed one hand toward the sky and the other toward the ground, declaring, "Above the heavens and beneath the earth, I alone am supreme."
Only then did Xuanxiao, slow on the uptake, react. Holy crap, this guy is Duobao Daoist, the future Buddha Tathagata... I actually stepped on him by accident just now. Then Xuanxiao said to Tongtian, "This fellow obtained a cultivation method for the Great Dao of Supreme Self during his transformation tribulation. That's terrifying."
Tongtian shook his head. "It's fine. He and I are destined to share a teacher-and-disciple relationship. As for how far he can go in the future, that will depend on his own fortune."
Xuanxiao waved his hand. "If you want to take him as your disciple, go ahead. Hehe, let me show you something good." As he spoke, he brought out the Innate Gourd Vine. "I dug up the Three Lights Divine Water, the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, and the Innate Gourd Vine. Later, I'm going to build my own Daoist Palace in the rear mountains and plant this stuff there. Second Uncle, you're the one to ask about artifact refining. Could you help me refine a Daoist Palace?"
Yuanshi nodded. "Sure." With that, he brought out a cauldron and some materials and began refining. Before long, he had refined an entire Daoist Palace.
Yuanshi said, "With your strength, it'll be enough for this Daoist Palace to be comfortable to live in. As for defensive formations and the like, go ask your father to arrange them."
Xuanxiao said, "Mm-hmm, this is enough. I'll add a couplet to the Daoist Palace, too." With that, he casually waved his hand and carved two lines on either side of the door.
Tongtian was rendered speechless. "You just called Duobao arrogant, but your couplet isn't any more modest than he is."
The couplet Xuanxiao had written read:
"Unmatched in the sword arts, I, Laozi."
"Grandpa created heaven and earth."
The horizontal inscription read: "A Mighty Family."
Yuanshi was also speechless. "Although this couplet is somewhat crude, there's honestly nothing too wrong with it... Eldest Brother, you and Third Brother are both skilled at wielding immortal swords, and Father God truly was the one who created heaven and earth. The couplet is a little arrogant, but it isn't exactly boasting... As for the horizontal inscription, well, with us protecting him, he can be as mighty as he wants."
Laozi stroked his beard. "Third Brother, don't overthink it. So what if the child is a little arrogant? Is our family really incapable of protecting him?"
Seeing how doted on he was by Laozi and Yuanshi, Xuanxiao thought, The Three Pure Ones absolutely must never split up in the future. That's final. At worst, I'll suppress every conflict between the disciples of the Exposition Sect and the Interception Sect. From today onward, I'll cultivate properly. Every problem comes from insufficient cultivation.
Just then, the little chubby boy arrived at the thatched cottage. "Huh? Whose Daoist Palace is this? The couplet is so arrogant. Isn't he afraid of getting beaten up when he goes outside?"
Xuanxiao's face darkened. He then came to Duobao's side and said amiably, "It was just one accidental step on you. Are you really holding a grudge against your Senior Brother? This Daoist Palace is mine. Do you have a problem with it?"
The little chubby boy immediately complained, "Master, Senior Brother is bullying me! He didn't even watch where he was going and stepped right on me. You know, I had just gone out to undergo my tribulation when a huge foot suddenly pinned me down. Do you have any idea what kind of psychological trauma that caused?"
Tongtian said helplessly, "Xuanxiao, this... How about you apologize to your junior disciple?"
Yuanshi defended his disciple. "Apologize for what? He simply wasn't watching where he was going. Duobao, this is the Eight Trigrams Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe. Consider it your Senior Brother's apology. Take it." Xiao'er is the direct bloodline of the Three Pure Ones. Apologize to a little mouse? Is Tongtian's primordial spirit running a fever?
Duobao accepted the immortal robe without saying anything, and the matter passed just like that. But inwardly, he muttered, *This Senior Brother seems to be very doted on. ε=(′ο｀*))) Sigh, why has Second Martial Uncle never found me this pleasing?* (Xuanxiao: Because I'm his biological nephew—his real nephew. You're only his Nephew Disciple, and you even shed fur before completing your transformation. Other than Old Father, who loves running a zoo, who would like a shedding mouse?)
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