Inside and outside the valley, the atmosphere was as tense as iron.
The radiance streaming from the Innate Gourd Vine illuminated face after face—some calm, some eager, and some grim.
Xuan Qing looked at the Gourd Vine before him, his heart lifting with joy.
All seven gourds were High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. If he could devour them, breaking through to Quasi-Saint would be no problem.
Moreover, the seven gourds concealed the Heavenly Dao's machinations. This would allow him to disrupt the Prehistoric World's grand scheme and take revenge on Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao.
"I'm taking these seven gourds." Certain of victory, Xuan Qing paid no heed to the Great Powers rushing over.
After devouring the mass of Chaos baleful energy in the Western world, he had already healed his injuries.
Now that he had the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Green Lotus Sword, in hand, he was confident he could defeat anyone present.
Yuanshi gave a cold snort. "What arrogance! Do you think the rest of us don't exist?"
Before Yuanshi could finish, Xuan Qing transformed into a streak of azure light and attacked him.
The surrounding space twisted instantly.
Laozi had long foreseen that Xuan Qing would attack Yuanshi. As soon as the Heaven and Earth Exquisite Black Yellow Pagoda appeared, it enveloped the Four Pure Ones.
Though the Green Lotus Sword was an Innate Supreme Treasure, it could not break through the pagoda with the Four Pure Ones driving it at full power.
"You four useless fools! If you've got the guts, come out!" The pagoda's defenses had driven Xuan Qing to the brink.
The last time they fought, if Laozi hadn't had the Black Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, Xuan Qing would certainly have dealt the Four Pure Ones a grievous blow.
"If you've got the guts, come in here!" Li Shou taunted.
He had no fondness for Xuan Qing.
That bastard had not only slashed him with a sword, but had also attacked them outright at Zixiao Palace last time. If he had the chance, Li Shou would absolutely kill Xuan Qing.
Xuan Qing laughed instead of getting angry. "Then stay in that pagoda."
He knew perfectly well which mattered more: the Innate Gourd Vine or the Four Pure Ones.
The Four Pure Ones fell silent.
Yuanshi shook his head helplessly. "I had sensed that one of the gourds should have been mine. Now, it seems things have changed."
Tongtian looked grim as well. "This Daoist Xuan Qing has gone too far in bullying us!"
"It's fine. Our safety matters more than spiritual treasures." Laozi took it in stride and did not feel disappointed.
Li Shou sighed. If only he had a system. Then getting gourds for his three brothers would be a piece of cake.
He was truly at a loss for words.
His system had clearly arranged his origins for him, but it had insisted on drawing Pangu's blood.
Then Pangu had come back to life and split the system apart with one strike...
The other Great Powers all cast pitying glances toward the Four Pure Ones.
With that madman Daoist Xuan Qing targeting them, the Four Pure Ones would likely have no chance of obtaining the Innate Gourd Vine.
Ancestor Minghe was the first to lose patience. Blood waves surged beneath his feet, while phantoms of Abi and Yuantu drifted behind him.
His voice was cold, carrying an unquestionable air of dominance.
"I have cultivated in the Blood Sea for ages and am in need of a spiritual treasure to suppress my fortune. The red gourd on this vine, with its killing aura, is fated to be mine. It belongs to me, Minghe."
Just as Minghe reached out to seize the red gourd, a streak of azure Sword Light slashed toward him, cutting through space across billions of miles.
Xuan Qing's gaze was icy, his face full of disdain for Minghe.
"This is a spiritual root of pure yang, bearing treasures meant for the virtuous. How could someone like you, steeped in filth and burdened with slaughter, presume to covet it?"
"Xuan Qing, are you seriously planning to keep all seven gourds for yourself?"
Minghe's eyes sharpened, and the phantom Blood Sea surged.
"Why must you two fellow Daoists quarrel?" Nuwa's voice was gentle, yet carried a Creation Dao rhythm that brooked no argument.
Her gaze fell on the jade-green gourd wreathed in creative vitality.
"I sense that the vitality and creation of this vine accord with my Dao. This jade-green gourd will benefit my cultivation."
Fuxi stood silently at Nuwa's side, his Eight Trigrams Array Diagram faintly visible, making his position clear.
Jieyin's face was full of sorrow. He let out a long sigh. "Fellow Daoists, the West is impoverished. A spiritual treasure like this is truly our hope of revitalizing the West and guiding all living beings to salvation."
Zhunti immediately chimed in, his face earnest. "Exactly. We of the West are willing to exchange a Great Dao Vow for a gourd and form this good karmic bond."
"Bah!" Xuan Qing held a lotus leaf and sneered.
"You two useless fools think you're worthy of fighting for treasures? Which of these gourds is fated to be yours?"
Xuan Qing had been sickened by those two for a long time.
If he weren't worried the Heavenly Dao would attack him after he devoured Jieyin and Zhunti, he would have swallowed them already.
"You!" Jieyin's expression darkened.
"In my opinion..."
Ancestor Hong Yun smiled, trying to smooth things over, though his gaze kept drifting toward the Purple-Gold Gourd wreathed in auspicious clouds and radiant mist.
"When such a treasure appears, everyone who sees it deserves a share. Why don't we each rely on our own fate and keep the peace—"
"Hong Yun, shut up!" Zhenyuanzi said sharply, his head aching. His old friend was meddling again.
Kunpeng's sinister voice came from the dark clouds. "Let each of us rely on our own abilities. There's no point in saying more."
Chang Xi leaned close to Xi He's ear and whispered, "Sister, look at them. They all act so righteous, but when it comes to snatching things, they're fiercer than anyone."
Xi He shook her head slightly, her gaze cool.
The weakest Great Power present was at least in the middle stage of Great Luo.
Top Great Powers like Xuan Qing and Fuxi were even more formidable, having reached Grand Unity Perfection.
With just her and Chang Xi, they likely wouldn't get anything.
"Little Sister, let's leave." Xi He's gaze was gentle. She was worried the fighting here would hurt Chang Xi.
Chang Xi grinned and took Xi He's hand. "Don't be afraid, Sister. Nothing will happen while I'm here."
She had checked.
No one present had broken through to Quasi-Saint, while she had already used her system to reach Hun Yuan Golden Immortal.
If Xi He was willing, Chang Xi could absolutely take that Water Gourd.
If she took only one, the Heavenly Dao probably wouldn't interfere.
Zhang Hao's gaze also fell on Buzhou Mountain.
The Innate Gourd Vine had appeared, drawing a gathering of the Prehistoric World's top Great Powers. There were countless Transmigrators among them.
He couldn't possibly ignore it.
He didn't particularly care who ended up with the seven gourds, but Nuwa had to get the Innate Gourd Vine and the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil.
Humanity absolutely had to come into being.
Otherwise, the Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West Measure Calamities would never take place.
"Lao Hong, what do you think?" Zhang Hao asked Hongjun beside him.
"Um, could you stop calling me Lao Hong?"
Hongjun coughed twice.
As a Hun Yuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal, he naturally understood what "Lao Hong" meant.
Over the past Yuanhui, he had secretly dealt with some Transmigrators and glimpsed a corner of the world's future.
He, Hongjun, had settled the Dragon and Phoenix Tribulation and the conflict between Dao and Demon. He had also been the first in the Prehistoric World to attain Primordial Realm, even if he had used a shortcut. He couldn't exactly be called a prisoner!
"Then what do you think, Great Dao Ancestor?"
"Just call me Lao Hong..."
After his first lecture, Hongjun had remained in the Heavenly Dao's void, using the Jade Disc of Creation Fragment to comprehend the Hun Yuan Great Dao.
The more of the Hun Yuan Great Dao he comprehended, the faster he cultivated.
He had now reached Hun Yuan Ninth Heaven.
As he surveyed the Great Powers contending for the Innate Gourd Vine, Hongjun could already tell which ones were Transmigrators and which ones were natives.
"This Poor Daoist believes that none of those present will obtain the gourds," Hongjun said with a perfectly serious expression.
At the same time, an odd look came over Zhang Hao's face.
Neither of them noticed a streak of spiritual light slip into the Innate Gourd Vine.