Nuwa watched the Three Sky Ladies leave. Thinking of what had happened before, she could not help asking, her words filled with worry. After all, they were all top-tier mighty figures of the Primordial World. If she accidentally offended all of them, there would be no place for her and her son to survive in the Primordial World.
"Mother, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
Shen Hongfei replied indifferently. He understood the personalities of these people from the Primordial World fairly well. Apart from a small number of mighty figures—such as the Three Pure Ones—most would not attack a child unless their own sect's teachings were affected. Doing so would cause them to lose face.
After reassuring his mother, Nuwa, Shen Hongfei thought of something. One of the seven gourds contained an opportunity meant for his mother: the Golden Gourd. It contained a strand of innate qi, which could be used to refine the Monster-Recruiting Banner. Once the true spirits of the monster race were placed inside, it could control all the monsters under Heaven. This item would give his mother enough subordinates to use in the future.
During this period, he had discovered something: his mother was not like the emotionless and cold-blooded deities in many Primordial World novels from his previous life. Instead, she was an inexperienced, somewhat adorably naive young woman.
The Primordial World was filled with all kinds of schemes. To prevent his mother from being foolishly used by others, he had to put in some effort and clear away all the plots and schemes for her.
However, refining the Monster-Recruiting Banner required some weapon-refining materials. He could find a way to have Di Jun send some over. By then, he could refine it with the Heaven-Refining Furnace, and also refine the remaining gourds into their corresponding treasures, allowing them to display extraordinary power.
This matter could not be rushed. It had to be handled slowly. Thus, Shen Hongfei took out the Ancestral Dragon Pearl and began comprehending the laws contained within it.
On an island by the East Sea Coast.
Two Taoists with sallow complexions and an air of compassion radiating from their bodies looked delightedly at a pearl in their hands. These two were none other than Zhunti and Jieyin.
After leaving Mount Buzhou, they had been unwilling to return empty-handed, so they began traveling through the East, specifically visiting various spiritual mountains and great rivers in hopes of obtaining some spiritual roots and treasures, while also converting more cultivators to the Western Sect.
There was no helping it. Ever since Luohu detonated the spiritual ley lines of the West, that region had become a barren land. Even over ten million years, it might not produce a single Innate Spiritual Treasure, let alone an innate lifeform with an extremely noble origin.
The two had racked their brains over this. Even if they had to bear the reputation of shameless scoundrels, they still had to plan for the West, allowing it to stand shoulder to shoulder with the East and restore its ancient glory.
"Ah, it's only a low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure."
Zhunti thought of the gourd spiritual root on Mount Buzhou, and he immediately felt disappointed with the low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure in his hand, the Qi-Containing Pearl.
"Second Brother, top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures can only be encountered by chance. Having a low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure is already quite good."
Jieyin pressed his palms together. His face was filled with sorrow as he gently consoled him.
Zhunti also knew that even a low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure was a rare treasure, but he was still unwilling to accept it. When he thought of that brat in Nuwa's belly, Zhunti gritted his teeth angrily. Why was this child so obsessed with money? Could he not give one treasure to the West?
"Eldest Brother, why is the East blessed with outstanding people, while our West has to suffer such calamities? How unfair is the Heavenly Dao!"
"Second Brother, watch your words."
Jieyin looked up at the sky. Dark clouds filled the air, and lightning flashed and thunder roared. He could not help stopping Zhunti from continuing.
Rumble!
Two bolts of lightning descended from the sky, striking Jieyin and Zhunti with pinpoint accuracy.
"Phew~"
After the dark clouds dispersed and the lightning faded, Zhunti spat out a mouthful of black smoke. His skin was charred black, and wisps of electricity coiled around his body, yet his eyes revealed delight.
"Hahahaha."
"Eldest Brother, I understand now!"
Jieyin spat out black smoke as well. With a wave of his hand, a surge of magical power appeared, and his disheveled appearance vanished. Seeing Zhunti's crazed look, he could not help feeling grief in his heart.
"Second Brother, this is the will of Heaven. Do not become trapped in delusion."
Upon hearing this, Zhunti grabbed Jieyin's sleeve and could not help weeping bitterly. "Eldest Brother, I've thought of a way to revitalize the West!"
"Second Brother, what way?"
Jieyin hurriedly asked upon hearing this.
"Take the child in Nuwa's womb as a disciple!"
A sharp glint flashed through Zhunti's eyes. At the moment he had been struck by lightning, his mind had become clear. He had been mistaken all along. To develop the West, spiritual treasures and spiritual plants alone were not enough.
To revitalize the West, what it needed most was innate lifeforms with extraordinary origins. Once they matured, there would naturally be spiritual treasures, and spiritual plants would no longer be lacking. Right before them was a candidate with an extraordinary origin and plenty of spiritual treasures and spiritual plants: Shen Hongfei.
"The child in Nuwa's womb has already been promised in advance as a disciple of the Primordial Heavenly Lord. If we want to take him as a disciple, we will inevitably offend the Three Pure Ones."
Jieyin shook his head, rejecting Zhunti's words. After all, the Three Pure Ones were one entity, and their cultivation was far beyond what the two of them could match. If they tried to snatch Yuanshi's disciple, the greatest possibility was that they would end up with nothing.
"Eldest Brother, you're mistaken. That child has not yet acknowledged Yuanshi as his master. We still have a chance."
"Besides, from my observations, that child does not want to acknowledge Yuanshi as his master either. Not being born yet is merely an excuse!"
As Zhunti spoke, the light in his eyes grew brighter. He wished he could immediately go and take Shen Hongfei as his disciple.
Jieyin sighed inwardly. If that child was merely fobbing Yuanshi off and was unwilling to become his disciple, then what made the two of them think they could make him join the West? That child did not look like someone who could easily be fooled!
Jieyin did not think highly of it, but he did not know how to dissuade him. He could only sigh softly. "Forget it, forget it. Let him try."
Zhunti did not know what Jieyin was thinking. He began pondering how exactly he could move that child and make him join the Western Sect.
Convert him directly?
Zhunti shook his head and rejected the idea. Unlike the Eastern cultivators they had converted in the past, this child had not yet been born and was still in Nuwa's belly. If he wanted to use conversion techniques, he could not avoid Nuwa.
Although Nuwa was pregnant, her Late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation was no sham. Moreover, she had obtained the gourd spiritual root on Mount Buzhou this time. She was not someone to provoke.
If a battle broke out and attracted the attention of the other mighty figures, things would become troublesome. This matter could only be carried out secretly.
"I've got it!"
Zhunti remembered how that child had said on Mount Buzhou that the mountain was his home and that all the spiritual treasures born there belonged to him. Judging from this, he was clearly a money-loving little fellow. Zhunti's eyes lit up. Perhaps he could use a spiritual treasure to move the child. He then told Jieyin his idea.
Upon hearing this, the wrinkles on Jieyin's face drew together like the tangled roots of an ancient tree. The sorrowful atmosphere radiating from his body became even more pronounced. He sighed softly. "Second Brother, the child in Nuwa's belly is now wealthier than both of us. Ordinary spiritual treasures probably won't catch his eye."
"At the very least, it would have to be a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure for there to be even the slightest chance."
As Jieyin spoke, he slapped the top of his head. The Three Flowers above him slowly bloomed. A sixteen-zhang golden body sat upon auspicious clouds, his left hand supporting the twelve-tiered Jieyin Treasure Banner and his right hand holding a horsetail whisk. Three bowl-sized milky-white relics floated above the sea of clouds, radiating brilliant light.
"These are the only treasures I possess that might catch that child's eye. If you need them, take them."
Jieyin spoke to Zhunti with a pained expression. These were treasures he had obtained with great difficulty. Giving them away would be like having a piece of flesh cut from his heart. But for the sake of the West, he could only make this sacrifice.
Zhunti looked at the spiritual treasures rotating around Jieyin's lonely Three Flowers. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he could not bear it. He refused, saying, "Eldest Brother, there's no need to go that far."
Seeing Zhunti refuse, Jieyin breathed a sigh of relief. With a sweep of his hand, he withdrew the Three Flowers, and the several spiritual treasures also sank into his heavenly spirit.
Zhunti fell silent, but he could not say anything. He pondered what treasure he should give that child. Of all the treasures in his possession, only the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree and the Six Roots Pure Bamboo might catch the child's eye. Could he really give them away?
Before you continue