"Bzzz!"
The Three Thousand Laws' profound light flowed through Pangu Hall, and space trembled faintly. Xuanyuan and Tongtian had returned together.
Pangu Hall had the Mysterious and Profound Mysterious Womb Gate, so ordinary people could not enter. Even top Great Witches like Kuafu and Da Yi could only be brought back in by an Ancestral Witch after they left.
However, this restriction had no effect on Xuanyuan and Tongtian, who possessed Ancestral Witch bodies themselves.
"Shortly after my elder brother and I left, we came across a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure emerging. This is a Prosperous Fruit Tree. Its fruit can improve one's cultivation, so it's only fitting that we share it with our brothers and sisters."
Xuanyuan gently pushed his palm, and the three-zhang-tall Prosperous Fruit Tree flew to the edge of the Pangu Blood Pool. He lightly tapped the air with a finger, and forty-eight ripe red Prosperous Fruits floated overhead, each radiating a Misty Creation Halo.
When her will swept over the fruits, Houtu's eyes lit up. The profound Law of Earth surged around her. "For two elder brothers to find such an Innate Spiritual Object that can improve cultivation—it must be our good fortune!"
The Primordial World had only just begun, and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were abundant, but there were very few that could improve the cultivation of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
"Three each. Refine them in seclusion."
Xuanyuan took three and ate them all. Then he sat cross-legged and began circulating his Grand Unity Magic Power, refining their essence.
Tongtian followed right after him, Yin Yang Qi swirling around his body.
"Good stuff!"
Divine fire flared in Zhurong's palm as he lifted three Prosperous Fruits. Southern Bright Leaving Fire gently enveloped them. He circulated the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, slowly absorbing their essence into his bloodline to strengthen his body.
The Ancestral Witches did not cultivate magic power. They focused on their physical bodies and drew out the Laws in their bloodlines. Thus, their process of refining the fruits differed somewhat from Xuanyuan's, and each of them did it in their own way.
And so, all fourteen Ancestral Witches entered seclusion to cultivate. As for the remaining six Prosperous Fruits, Di Jiang sent them out of Pangu Hall with his spatial power, sending them to Kuafu and Da Yi, who were traveling around Buzhou Mountain.
Although they did not establish a clan, the Great Witches and Lesser Witches were extensions of the Ancestral Witches' bloodlines. As long as it was within his power, Di Jiang was willing to look after them.
Tongtian and Xuanyuan sensed Di Jiang's actions.
Tongtian opened his eyes and hesitated to speak. But when he saw that his Fourth Brother had no reaction, and recalled the attitude of their two elder brothers when they had first emerged into the world, he sighed inwardly and stayed silent.
The sensation of improving one's cultivation was undoubtedly captivating. As their magic power rapidly increased, time flew by just as quickly.
The Primordial World had only just begun, and its creatures had no worries about their Lifespans. For those with great divine abilities, time left even fewer traces.
Before they knew it, three thousand years had passed in the blink of an eye.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
On this day, Chaos Residual Qi surged violently through Pangu Hall. Laws blazed around Xuanyuan and Tongtian at the same time, and their auras suddenly soared.
A Chaos World Projection appeared around Xuanyuan, with one Law after another unfolding within it. The White Tiger Token inside his Nascent Soul also had two Innate Treasure Restrictions refined along the way. The Qiankun Bow and Zhentian Arrow, a paired set of rare treasures, rose and fell with the alternating currents of Clear and Turbid Qi.
Three flowers bloomed above Tongtian's head, and Yin Yang Qi coalesced into the phantom image of two fish. As they swam and breathed, they drew immeasurable spiritual energy into themselves. The Purple Lightning Hammers and Fishing Drum radiated dazzling lightning as two of their Innate Treasure Restrictions were unlocked at the same time.
"Congratulations to our two brothers on their great progress and advancement to the Late Stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!"
The Twelve Ancestral Witches temporarily stopped refining the fruits and offered Xuanyuan and Tongtian their congratulations.
Xuanyuan and Tongtian were "Little Pangu," with Clear Qi Nascent Souls and Turbid Qi Physical Bodies. Naturally, the Twelve Ancestral Witches refined the fruits much more slowly than they did.
"Brothers, please continue your seclusion. My elder brother and I intend to travel the Primordial World."
Xuanyuan cupped his hands, then led Tongtian out of Pangu Hall once more.
After leaving Pangu Hall, Xuanyuan and Tongtian explored Buzhou Mountain for a while. When they found no other treasures emerging, they flew westward and truly began their travels through the Primordial World.
The two brothers set out from Pangu Hall and headed west.
The Primordial World was immeasurably vast, spanning countless tens of thousands of miles. By direction, it was divided into five lands, corresponding to the Innate Five Elements.
Thus, Heaven had Five Elements, and Earth had Five Directions.
The Five Directions of the Great Earth were the Central Land, Eastern Land, Southern Great Earth, Western Land, and Northern Land.
Buzhou Mountain, where Pangu Hall stood, was at the center of the Central Land and the center of the entire Primordial World, though it was not the most prosperous place.
The Eastern Land was the most beautiful and spiritually abundant. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy and Essence of Sun and Moon in the Primordial World seemed to gather there, like countless rivers flowing eastward into the sea.
The opposite was true of the Western Land, where Xuanyuan was headed.
During the Demon Dao Struggle, Luohu had detonated the Western Spiritual Veins, leaving the Western Land barren ever since. Hongjun, the eventual victor, had therefore incurred a debt of Western Karma.
Xuanyuan and Tongtian traveled the Primordial World for another thousand years. They encountered no treasures during that time, but saw many Great Witches and Lesser Witches along the way.
After making inquiries, they learned that the groups were spreading out in search of opportunities under the leadership of Da Yi and Kuafu, two of the top Great Witches.
After wandering here and there, the two eventually reached the edge of the Eastern Land, near the Western Land.
There was a top-level blessed land here, along with a cultivator of great divine abilities. This was one of Xuanyuan's goals in the Primordial World.
Xuanyuan strode upon Xuanqing Cloud Qi, while Tongtian walked alongside him with the Purple Lightning Hammers and Fishing Drum. Before long, they suddenly saw clouds rolling ahead, and a ray of light containing Innate Wood Qi pierced through them.
Gazing into the distance, they saw a majestic mountain hidden among Nine Layers of Misty Clouds. Spiritual Roots and Immortal Herbs covered its slopes, gleaming with a soft green light, while a Taoist temple's Golden Peak shone atop the mountain.
It was none other than Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain.
This was the abode of the cultivator of great divine abilities, Zhen Yuanzi. His origins were extraordinary: he had been born from the Essence of Wutu, corresponding to the Essence of Jitu that had given rise to Daoist Shanhe, whom Xuanyuan had slain.
However, unlike the latter, whose life had been cut short, Zhen Yuanzi enjoyed far greater fortune and destiny.
Not only had he been accompanied from birth by the Ginseng Fruit Tree, one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots, he also possessed the Earth Book.
The Earth Book was no ordinary treasure. It was one of the Three Books of Heaven, Earth, and Man, formed from the Earth Fetal Membrane, and ranked among the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. It could command the power of the earth and alter its spiritual veins. It could also be used to set up the Innate Wutu Great Formation, which had tremendous defensive power.
Besides all that, what drew Xuanyuan's attention most was that it was a key item for establishing the Earth Path!
"Fourth Brother, this place is rich in spiritual beauty. Though it cannot compare to Kunlun Mountain or Buzhou Mountain, it is still a top-level blessed land. Someone with great divine abilities must have claimed it."
As Tongtian spoke, Yin Yang Qi circulated more rapidly. He was ready to strike at any moment.
"Whoosh!"
Just then, the Golden Peak of Wuzhuang Temple suddenly blazed with rosy light, and a streak of azure shot through the air. When its radiance faded, a Daoist with an immortal bearing appeared.
He wore a Carefree Crane Cloak woven from crane feathers and patterned with hidden clouds. A Purple Gold Lotus Crown rested on his head. His face was as fair as jade, and three long strands of beard fell over his chest.
"I am Zhen Yuanzi. Greetings, fellow Daoists."
The Daoist rode on auspicious clouds and lightly waved the Jade Dust in his hand, sweeping it across Xuanyuan and Tongtian as he made a respectful salute and spoke warmly.
"Upper Pure Tongtian."
"Xuanqing Xuanyuan."
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi."
Xuanyuan and Tongtian returned his greeting politely, and the atmosphere was cordial.
"I have long lived in Wuzhuang Temple and rarely interacted with others. Now that you two fellow Daoists have passed by, it must be fate. Why not come inside, so we can chat and discuss the Dao?"
Feeling that Tongtian's magic power was even somewhat stronger than his own, and glancing at Xuanyuan, whose depths were unfathomable, Zhen Yuanzi could not help inviting them in.
He had emerged into the world quite some time ago, but he disliked conflict. Since moving to Longevity Mountain, he had not visited many places. He had only one close friend among cultivators of great divine abilities, a man named Hong Yun.
Zhen Yuanzi himself had been born from the Essence of Wutu, so by rights he should have been at Buzhou Mountain, the Wutu nexus. There was a reason he had moved to Longevity Mountain.
When he had first emerged into the world, a sudden inspiration had come to him, and the words "Wutu Tribulation" had flashed through his mind. He had immediately left Buzhou Mountain, moving even faster than Fuxi and Nuwa.
He did not know what the Wutu Tribulation meant, but leaving Buzhou Mountain, the Wutu nexus, had surely been the right choice.
If Xuanyuan knew of Zhen Yuanzi's experience, he would surely have marveled that, though both had been born from the essence of Earth, Zhen Yuanzi's fortune and destiny far surpassed Daoist Shanhe's.
The Wutu Tribulation referred to Gonggong's Angry Collision with Buzhou Mountain. Buzhou Mountain was also where the calamity of the Witch-Demon Tribulation would be most severe.
"Of course."
Xuanyuan and Tongtian exchanged glances, smiled, and nodded.
"Please, fellow Daoists!"
Pleased that his invitation had been accepted, Zhen Yuanzi lightly swept his sleeve. A clear breeze lifted up and ushered the two directly into the temple.
Though these two were powerful, Zhen Yuanzi had the confidence granted by the Earth Book now that they had entered Wuzhuang Temple. He was not worried that they might have ill intentions.
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