To East Kunlun

"Won't you stay a while longer, Senior? I haven't even had the chance to thank you. You've been busy with my clan's affairs this whole time and haven't rested at all."

Su Mei grew a little anxious. She had not expected Xuan Qing to leave so soon.

"There's no need. I'll come again when I have time. I've gained quite a bit from this trip as well."

Xuan Qing had not come away empty-handed. At the very least, he had learned about the origins of the Marriage Fruit Tree and the Fox Clan. He would have something to boast about in the future. Understanding this world was itself a gain.

Qing Ling tearfully bid Su Mei farewell, telling her to visit Azure Nether Island and play with her in the future. Su Mei was the first friend she had made since coming out.

The moment Xuan Qing and the others left the Fox Clan, Su Mei erected a Stone Statue for him. After some thought, she engraved the title Dao Venerable Xuan Qing upon it, then gathered every clan member before the statue and said:

"Clan Members, this senior is the benefactor who saved our entire clan. We must carry gratitude in our hearts and pay our respects to Dao Venerable Xuan Qing often in the future."

With that, she took the lead in bowing to Xuan Qing. Seeing their Clan Leader's actions, the entire Fox Clan followed suit. In their hearts, they silently recited Dao Venerable Xuan Qing.

Not long after leaving, Xuan Qing suddenly felt an immense amount of Auspicious Qi descend upon him. Sensing it carefully, he discovered that Little Fox had led her entire clan in worshipping him. After thinking it over, Xuan Qing did not stop them. This would help Little Fox rest easier; otherwise, her constant guilt might greatly affect her breakthrough to Grand Luo Golden Immortal.

Several thousand Kalpas passed. Along the way, Xuan Qing and the others did not use divine abilities or escape arts to travel. Instead, they wandered and paused like ordinary people, contemplating heaven and earth.

Ever since his first contemplation of heaven and earth had led to a breakthrough, Xuan Qing had discovered the wonders of Primordial Heaven and Earth. This journey was the perfect opportunity for the others to learn from him and contemplate it as well.

At times, the Qing Ya Sisters would gain insights, entering seclusion for dozens or even hundreds of Kalpas to comprehend laws. This method of cultivation was far better than remaining on Azure Nether Island.

Qing Yue had also caught up from behind, breaking through to the Later Stage of Primordial Unity Golden Immortal and surpassing Bai Yu, who had only just reached the Mid-stage. This showed the benefits of a good Root Origin.

As they traveled, observing the countless states of life throughout the Prehistoric Era, Xuan Qing's comprehension of the Law of Destiny deepened further and further. His Middle Stage of Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm was now completely perfected, and he had comprehended two strands of the Law of Destiny.

Xuan Qing could break through to the Middle Stage of Grand Luo Golden Immortal at any time. However, if he wished to continue condensing a Heaven Flower beyond the twelfth grade, he had to accumulate a little more. Otherwise, if his Heaven Flower failed to reach the level of his Earth Flower, he would regret it forever.

The Qing Ya Sisters had been enlightened in advance by Xuan Qing. They were High-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots, and after being nurtured by Three Lights Divine Water, they were naturally attuned to the Law of Creation. Still, it was difficult for them to comprehend the Law of Creation.

After nurturing spiritual roots on Azure Nether Island for so many years and coming into contact with too much Creation Holy Water and Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, both of them had comprehended the Law of Life, a subsidiary law of the Law of Creation.

Though it was a subsidiary law, it could still contend with laws ranked among the top twenty. Compared with the many great powers of the future Prehistoric Era, they could rival Zhen Yuanzi.

After several thousand Kalpas of travel, they finally arrived at the Second Divine Mountain of the Prehistoric Era—Kunlun Mountain.

Kunlun Mountain not only possessed an Ancestral Vein as large as Azure Nether Island's, but also numerous earth veins. This was something Azure Nether Island could not compare to. However, Azure Nether Island possessed Chaos Spiritual Roots and Chaos Breathing Soil, things absent from the Prehistoric Era.

All things considered, because Kunlun Mountain was simply too vast, Azure Nether Island was slightly superior. Still, it could be considered the number one immortal blessed land on the Prehistoric Continent. Zhou Mountain did not count, since living beings could not survive there for long.

Due to its location and terrain, the Kunlun Mountain Range was divided into East Kunlun and West Kunlun. Strictly speaking, they could be regarded as two mountains, with two Ancestral Veins, one large and one small.

Because of its size, ordinary living beings generally referred to East Kunlun as Kunlun Mountain. The center of East Kunlun was where the Three Pure Ones would take form in the future. Hidden by the Great Dao, the center of East Kunlun was currently inaccessible.

West Kunlun was much smaller by comparison. The two Ancestral Veins together were called the Kunlun Mountain Range.

The Three Pure Ones were currently being nurtured at the center of Kunlun Mountain. They would not gain spiritual intelligence until the Heavenly Dao Emergence.

Because part of West Kunlun bordered the Western Continent, living beings of the Prehistoric Era called it West Kunlun.

There were relatively few living beings on Kunlun Mountain. Many great powers had discovered the great formation at its center, but whenever they approached, they received a warning from the Great Dao. Thus, they had mostly retreated.

Once, a Heaven and Earth Demon God ignored the Great Dao's warning and forcibly tried to break the formation. The instant his attack landed on it, he vanished, along with the space around him. Only after a long while did that space recover.

The other great powers had been terrified by this display and stayed far away from the entire Kunlun Mountain Range. Later living beings also discovered the formation, but with the example of a top great power before them, none dared approach Kunlun Mountain carelessly. They directly listed Kunlun Mountain as a forbidden land.

Many living beings that had originally lived in Kunlun also left, afraid that they too would one day die beneath the formation. That was why the entire Kunlun Mountain had such abundant Innate Spiritual Qi yet so few living beings.

"Wow, so this is Kunlun Mountain? The inherited memories were right—it's spectacular!"

The moment Han Xi and the others saw Kunlun Mountain, they exclaimed in awe. Although Azure Nether Island's cultivation environment was indeed better than this place, it lacked such grandeur.

"Let's go. We'll move closer. We have plenty of time, so we can take our time looking around."

Xuan Qing shook his head as he looked at the others, who were immersed in the scenery. He still felt Zhou Mountain was more magnificent. Having grown used to Zhou Mountain, Kunlun Mountain did not seem quite as shocking to him.

Xuan Qing and the others slowly approached Kunlun Mountain. At that moment, two people came together from another direction. They appeared to be traveling through Kunlun Mountain as well.

"Old Lei, there are people ahead. They seem to be here for Kunlun Mountain too. Should we greet them?" Lei Li, standing beside Yun Jing, said to him.

"Let's greet them. We're about to meet anyway. Otherwise, it would seem discourteous and might offend them."

Yun Jing was rather meticulous. Neither side knew the other, so greeting them would avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

With that, the two hurried over, cupped their hands, and said, "Greetings, fellow Daoists. Are you fellow Daoists also here to explore Kunlun Mountain? I am Yun Jing of the White Tiger Clan, and this is my friend Lei Li of the Kirin Clan."

Looking at the two who had hurried over, Xuan Qing found it rather interesting. The last time, he had encountered a Second Generation Fire Kirin at Zhou Mountain, and now he had run into a Second Generation Thunder Kirin at Kunlun Mountain. He really could not escape the Kirin Clan on the Eastern Continent. He wondered what kind of temperament this kirin had.

"Haha, it is fate that we have met you two at Kunlun Mountain. We came from the East Sea and do not know much about Kunlun Mountain. Could you tell us about it? This treasure land has so few living beings in sight."

Xuan Qing had concealed his aura, so the two Primordial Unity Golden Immortals before him could not detect it. The closer they came to Kunlun Mountain, the fewer living beings there were. That was indeed strange. Could there be something wrong with Kunlun Mountain?

"Oh, you fellow Daoists do not know? Kunlun Mountain is practically a forbidden land. Our Clan Leader said that during the previous Measure Tribulation, a great power died in the formation at Kunlun Mountain's center. Even the Great Dao issued a warning, so everyone stays far away from this place."

Yun Jing was something of a know-it-all. He knew many secrets of the Prehistoric Era, so he explained the matter to Xuan Qing and the others.

There was a formation at Kunlun Mountain's center! Then it had to be the Three Pure Ones. It was not yet time for them to emerge, so the Great Dao had granted them protection.

"Thank you for informing us. These Spiritual Fruits are a gift for you two."

Xuan Qing immediately took out two Gui Water Spiritual Apricots and offered them over. It was not that Xuan Qing was overly generous; he had his own calculations.

Seeing the Spiritual Fruits Xuan Qing offered, both men were startled. Could these be the fruits of a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Root? The best spiritual root in their clans was only High-Grade Innate Spiritual Root, yet the aura of these fruits was incomparably richer than anything they had ever seen.

"Thank you, Senior, but a few words are not worth such a generous gift."

Yun Jing hurriedly pulled Lei Li into another bow and declined the Spiritual Fruits. Someone who could produce Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Fruits and whose cultivation they could not see through was undoubtedly a great power. They had nearly offended this senior with their words just now. If they accepted the fruits too, they would seem greedy and insatiable.

"They are just small trinkets, meant to forge a good connection. Perhaps I may need to trouble you little friends someday. As for Little Friend Lei Li, this can also settle a piece of Karma. Take them both."

Since the great power had said so, the two no longer declined. Otherwise, they would be slighting the senior. Besides, they truly coveted the fruits. They could save them countless years of arduous cultivation.

"May I ask what thoughts you have, Senior? Could you explain in detail? Otherwise, we will not feel at ease accepting them."

Yun Jing was no fool. Such a valuable gift had to come with a price. The Prehistoric Era placed the greatest emphasis on Karma; otherwise, one's Path of Dao would be difficult to walk. He did not know what difficulty this senior might seek his help with.

"Rest assured, it is not a bad thing. There is a fortuitous opportunity related to the White Tiger Clan, and I wish to intervene and change it somewhat. It will benefit the Prehistoric Era as well, and I will not make things difficult for you. One day, I will visit the White Tiger Clan.

"However, opportunities come with a price, so you must be prepared.

"As for Lei Li, I cannot say much. When you return and tell your Clan Leader, he will naturally understand. This can also put his mind at ease."

The sooner the Four Pillars of the Prehistoric Era were established, the better. They would not only stabilize the Prehistoric Era and accelerate its evolution, but would also provide four more combatants at the perfected Primordial Golden Immortal realm in the future—perhaps even four Primordial Grand Luo Golden Immortals. They could also lessen the damage inflicted upon the Prehistoric Era in the Dao-Demon War.

If the Four Pillars were established after the Heavenly Dao, things would be different. At that time, the four would be completely controlled by the Heavenly Dao. Having no means to restrain the Heavenly Dao would not be a good thing.

As for that trivial matter of the Kirin Clan, was it not merely a Second Generation Kirin? His compensation was more than worthwhile. He was giving them some face. In any case, the Kirin Clan would not have good days ahead, and perhaps they would need his help someday. Xuan Qing did not want the Prehistoric Era to become like it had in his previous life.

"Thank you, Senior. Then we shall accept them. May we ask for your Daoist title, Senior? How should we address you?" Yun Jing also wanted to know who Xuan Qing was, otherwise he would not know how to explain things upon returning.

"My name is Xuan Qing. My Daoist abode is Azure Nether Island in the East Sea. Your Clan Leader should know of me."

The moment they heard Xuan Qing's Daoist title, both men's eyes widened. They had not expected him to be that senior.

"Senior, you are the great power whose breakthrough to Grand Luo triggered the phenomenon of the Law of Creation manifesting! I heard my Clan Leader mention you. He said there was a great power with limitless potential and heaven-defying combat strength. To think we would meet you here."

Yun Jing had heard his Clan Leader speak at length about Xuan Qing, saying how heaven-defying Xuan Qing was, that he had a younger sister who could also trigger phenomena, and that he was friends with Empress Wang Shu.

Ever since Xuan Qing's last meeting with Wang Shu, information about him had spread. The great powers all knew of this newly ascended Grand Luo Golden Immortal and had instructed their clan members not to provoke him carelessly. After all, he was someone capable of contending with Candle Dragon.