At the second sermon in the Purple Heavens Palace, Hongjun did more than teach the wondrous method of severing the Three Corpses. He also took a momentous step that would shape the Primordial World: he appointed leaders of the male and female immortals!
He appointed East Prince Gong as the leader of the male immortals of the Primordial World, and Queen Mother of the West as the leader of the female immortals. The two would oversee all matters concerning the immortals of the Primordial World. He also bestowed upon them the Dragon-Head Golden Staff and the Pure Water Alms Bowl, two Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures that would serve as tokens and symbols of their authority!
Though Queen Mother of the West had received a title and a spiritual treasure, she continued to dwell in West Kunlun, serene and self-possessed. She made no great show of her new position, as though she had simply accepted a duty.
East Prince Gong, however, was different! With the title of "Leader of the Male Immortals" and the Dragon-Head Golden Staff in his hand—a Top-grade Spiritual Treasure that symbolized immortal authority and dominion—he felt his spirits soar. He seemed to see a bright future in which he ruled over the myriad immortals and commanded the power of the Primordial World! This undoubtedly fueled the ambition he had already harbored.
And an even greater opportunity lay ahead! After returning to the Primordial World and emerging from seclusion as a Quasi-Saint, he traveled across the East Sea, brimming with satisfaction, and unexpectedly discovered the legendary Penglai Immortal Island, hidden for countless eras!
The island was a world unto itself. Its spiritual energy was abundant, its territory vast, and its foundations profound—far surpassing ordinary grotto-heavens and blessed lands. It was a natural foundation for an emperor's realm!
What sent East Prince Gong into raptures was the discovery of a Yellow Middle Plum growing on the island! This was a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root. It bloomed once every era, bore fruit once every era, ripened once every era, and could only be eaten after yet another era had passed!
Smelling a flower's fragrance could grant ten thousand years of cultivation, while eating a single fruit could bring one directly to the Golden Immortal realm! Such a divine treasure only added to the foundations of Penglai Immortal Island.
Hongjun had personally appointed him leader of the male immortals. He possessed the Dragon-Head Golden Staff, a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and Penglai Immortal Island, a foundation fit for an emperor. He even had the Yellow Middle Plum, a treasure of such divine potency, and his own cultivation had reached the early Quasi-Saint stage!
He had the right timing, the right place, and the right people—all seemed to be in his grasp!
East Prince Gong's ambition was like dry tinder catching fire, blazing fiercely! He was no longer content with an empty title. He wanted to establish an unrivaled Immortal Court of his own, truly rule over the myriad immortals, and become the undisputed supreme immortal beast of the Primordial World!
With all these advantages, East Prince Gong attracted countless rogue cultivators, small and medium-sized factions, and even powerful figures seeking a chance to advance. They flocked to join him in barely ten thousand years.
Outside Penglai Immortal Island, Immortal Light swirled every day, and cultivators came and went in an endless stream. The beginnings of a regional power were already taking shape.
As he watched his forces grow stronger by the day, East Prince Gong became ever more determined to establish an Immortal Court. But he knew that one tree could not make a forest, and not a single Quasi-Saint powerhouse in the Primordial World had joined him!
"The Sage Hongjun appointed leaders of the male and female immortals for a reason. A solitary yang cannot give birth, and a lone yin cannot flourish..."
East Prince Gong considered the matter in secret. If I establish an Immortal Court and persuade fellow Daoist Golden Mother to join me, then the two leaders of the male and female immortals can rule it together. Not only would that make our claim entirely proper, but we would also gain another Quasi-Saint in battle, greatly increasing our strength and stabilizing our fortune!
In his view, Queen Mother of the West and he had both been appointed by the Dao Ancestor, making them natural allies. If he could persuade her to join him, the Immortal Court would be established in accordance with the Dao Ancestor's decree, giving it the moral high ground. They could also balance yin and yang, ensuring their fortune endured.
"I must go to West Kunlun and pay Golden Mother a personal visit. I'll lay out the stakes and invite her to join me in this great undertaking!" East Prince Gong made up his mind.
And so the "Leader of the Male Immortals," bent on establishing an Immortal Court, tidied his appearance, brought attendants and lavish gifts, mounted a cloud, and left Penglai Immortal Island for the Yaochi realm of West Kunlun.
East Prince Gong arrived at the Yaochi Immortal Realm of West Kunlun on a cloud, accompanied by his retinue, his spirits high. There he saw immortal herbs and jade flowers, graceful cranes, and burbling springs—a serene, secluded scene, utterly unlike the bustle of Penglai Immortal Island, where myriad immortals came to pay their respects.
Queen Mother of the West received East Prince Gong at the Yaochi Immortal Palace with an air of grace and cool composure. Her manner was calm, and she showed little reaction!
Once seated, East Prince Gong lost no time in laying out his grand plans. First, he praised the profound intent behind Hongjun's appointment of the immortal leaders. Then he shifted gears and declared passionately:
"Fellow Daoist Golden Mother, the myriad immortals of the Primordial World are without order, and conflict is everywhere. The Sage Hongjun commanded us to oversee the affairs of male and female immortals precisely so that we could set the world in order and establish proper laws! I found Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea. It is a dojo bestowed by Heaven, and I wish to establish an Immortal Court there, rule over the myriad immortals, bring yin and yang into harmony, and govern the Primordial World together! This great undertaking follows the Dao Ancestor's decree and will benefit the entire Primordial World!"
As he spoke, East Prince Gong gazed intently at Queen Mother of the West and made his offer:
"Yet a solitary yang cannot give birth, and I cannot manage this alone. You are the leader of the female immortals, and you and I were both appointed by the Sage. We should join forces and share authority over the Immortal Court! With our Quasi-Saint cultivation and our titles as leaders of the male and female immortals, how could the Immortal Court fail to flourish? Then we would establish order throughout the Primordial World and command its fortune. Only then would we fulfill the Sage's trust!"
East Prince Gong believed his proposal was entirely reasonable and promised a bright future, leaving Queen Mother of the West no reason to refuse. Yet when she had heard him out, the cool serenity of her face gave way to none of the eagerness he had expected. Instead, she furrowed her brow slightly.
After a moment's thought, Queen Mother of the West slowly shook her head. Her voice was clear and calm. "Fellow Daoist Mu Gong, your ambition is admirable. But I was born in West Kunlun, and I value peace and quiet. I have little aptitude for worldly affairs, much less the ability to rule over the myriad immortals. To me, the Dao Ancestor's appointment as leader of the female immortals is chiefly a responsibility to bring yin and yang into harmony and guide the cultivation of female immortals, not a mandate to rule over them."
"Besides, establishing an Immortal Court and ruling over the myriad immortals would involve tremendous cause and effect. It cannot be done without overwhelming strength capable of suppressing the Primordial World and unparalleled prestige. Though you have Penglai Immortal Island and the Sage's appointment, powerful figures abound in the Primordial World. The Three Pure Ones, Di Jun and Taiyi, Jieyin and Zhunti—all are formidable opponents. And then there is the mysterious master of the God of Mount Buzhou... Please think carefully, fellow Daoist. Do not invite endless calamity through a moment's recklessness."
Queen Mother of the West's words were both a refusal and a kindly warning, offered out of the friendship they shared as recipients of Hongjun's appointment. But to East Prince Gong, they sounded entirely different!
He thought she was making excuses and belittling his ambition—perhaps even mocking him for reaching beyond his station! He had come to invite her with all his heart, only to be rejected outright. How could he save face?
A surge of humiliation and anger welled up in him. East Prince Gong's expression darkened, and his voice cooled. "Since you have no interest, then consider it as though I never came today. But the Sage's decree is already in place, and the Primordial World is on the verge of falling into chaos. Establishing an Immortal Court is the inevitable course of events. I have made up my mind!"
With that, East Prince Gong rose abruptly. He no longer bothered with courtesy, and swept out with a flick of his sleeve.
"Fellow Daoist Mu Gong!"
Queen Mother of the West tried to persuade him further, but East Prince Gong had already turned into a streak of pure-yang light and left West Kunlun without looking back.
On the way back to Penglai, East Prince Gong grew angrier with every passing moment. Queen Mother of the West's refusal felt like a slap in the face, and without the leader of the female immortals joining him, the Immortal Court he had envisioned no longer seemed quite so perfect.
"Hmph! She doesn't know what's good for her!" East Prince Gong seethed inwardly.
"I invited you in good faith and offered to share authority with you, yet you keep making excuses and putting on airs! Do you think I, East Prince Gong, am beneath you? Or do you think I'm not worthy of standing alongside you?"
The humiliation of rejection gradually turned into resentment and hatred toward Queen Mother of the West. He decided that instead of becoming his ally, she had become the first obstacle on his path to establishing a great Immortal Court.
As for inviting the Three Pure Ones from the eastern side of Kunlun? East Prince Gong wasn't that deluded. Those three heirs of Pangu's True Lineage were proud and aloof. At the sermon in the Purple Heavens Palace, he had seen that even Hongjun treated them with respect. How could they possibly lower themselves to join his Immortal Court?
"Fine! I can establish this unrivaled Immortal Court without Queen Mother of the West! When the Immortal Court's might shakes the Primordial World, let's see who dares look down on me!"
East Prince Gong buried his resentment and grew even more determined to establish the Immortal Court on his own. He hurried back to Penglai and immediately began making preparations!
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