Qingfeng carried the three of them over the Nine-Bend Corridor, while the pavilions and towers flew backward like streaks of light. In the blink of an eye, a Green Stone Arch suddenly appeared.
As they stepped inside, Xuanyuan and Tongtian felt an immense vitality rush toward them. Looking up, they saw a giant tree piercing the clouds, its crown seemingly capable of supporting the entire sky.
"The Ginseng Fruit Tree, one of the Ten Great Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots. Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi truly possesses incredible fortune."
Xuanyuan sighed with emotion.
The Primordial World was vast. Since the Heaven and Earth Opening, more than ten Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots had been nurtured. Every one that could rank among the Ten Great Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots was the cream of the crop.
For example, after the Space Demon God was slain by Pangu, Old Ancestor Yang Mei was reborn in the Primordial World. His true body, the Hollow Willow, was one of the Ten Great Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots.
"The Ten Great Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots? A Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root ranked alongside Third Brother's Immortal Apricot?"
Tongtian was slightly astonished and hurriedly looked toward the great tree.
The Ginseng Fruit Tree stood one hundred and twenty zhang, nine chi, and six cun tall. Its gnarled branches intertwined like coiling dragons, every pattern flowing with Innate Jia Wood Essence and connected to the Earth Vein Wutu.
Its crown was a full seven zhang and two chi in diameter. Jade-green leaves grew luxuriantly in layers, while thirty lustrous fruits hung between the treetops. Their entire bodies gleamed with the luster of mutton-fat jade, and their complete limbs made them look exactly like infants not yet three months old.
"Fellow Daoists, this is the treasure that guards my temple." Zhen Yuanzi stroked his beard and laughed heartily. A Golden Striker appeared out of thin air in his hand. With three light taps, three Ginseng Fruits fell in response, but they did not hit the ground. Instead, magic power held them suspended in midair.
"These fruits bloom once every three thousand years, bear fruit once every three thousand years, and require another three thousand years to ripen. In short, they can only be eaten once every ten thousand years, and only one crop ripens in that time."
"They ripened today, just as the two of you happened to visit. Truly, fate has brought you together!"
With that, he swept his sleeve, and the fruits fell into a White Jade Cup. Clear water transformed into Jade Nectar and slowly dissolved them.
Ginseng Fruits fell when they encountered metal, withered when they encountered wood, dissolved when they encountered water, scorched when they encountered fire, and sank into the earth when they encountered soil.
"In that case, thank you, Fellow Daoist."
Zhen Yuanzi raised his cup in invitation. Xuanyuan and Tongtian did not refuse either. They lifted their White Jade Bowls and directly consumed the Ginseng Fruits.
After drinking it all, rich spiritual resonance exploded in Xuanyuan's mouth in an instant, transforming into countless warm currents that coursed through his limbs and bones. Even the Chaos World within the Chaos Pearl trembled faintly.
Within it, the Law of the Great Dao of Wood that he had exchanged for from Gou Mang was perfected a little further.
The Ten Great Spiritual Roots were all manifestations of Innate Jia and Yi Wood merging with other laws.
The Fusang Tree was Innate Jia Wood merged with the Law of the Great Dao of Fire.
The Flat Peach was Innate Jia Wood merged with the Law of the Great Dao of Water.
As for this Ginseng Fruit, it was Innate Jia Wood merged with the Law of the Great Dao of Earth.
At this time, the Ginseng Fruit's life-extending effect held little meaning.
Instead, the wisp of Innate Jia Wood Qi within it was like a key, allowing Xuanyuan's comprehension of the Law of the Great Dao of Wood to rise explosively after years of accumulation.
"This time, I have received Zhen Yuanzi's kindness. At the very least, it has saved me tens of thousands of years of comprehension."
Xuanyuan's heart stirred slightly.
After eating the Ginseng Fruits, the three great divine cultivators did not change locations. They sat cross-legged beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree and began discussing the Dao.
"The Great Dao of Earth bears all things through great virtue. If one can comprehend the circulation of the Earth Veins, one can naturally control a region's mountains and rivers."
Beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, a phantom mountain condensed from the Wutu Law lightly touched Zhen Yuanzi's horsetail whisk. The mountain and river veins slowly unfolded in the void, secretly conforming to the principles governing the circulation of the Earth Veins.
"Earth can nourish wood, and the Five Elements can arise from a single source."
The Law of the Great Dao of Wood burst forth from Xuanyuan's fingertips. It resonated with the phantom Wutu and transformed into a pillar of light that shot into the clouds, causing the mountains outside the temple to tremble and the immortal herbs and spiritual plants of Longevity Mountain to grow wildly.
The Five Elements were the Pillars of Heaven and Earth, while Yin Yang was the Origin of Taiji.
"I cultivate the Great Dao of Yin Yang. Earth, too, has a distinction between Yin and Yang."
"Wutu suppresses and slays like Kunlun pressing down from above, while Jitu nourishes like spring rain moistening all things. Only when Yin and Yang complement each other can it be called the Great Dao!"
Playing with the Earth Spirit Pearl, with Yin Yang Qi circling around him, Tongtian spoke thus.
Earth had Yin and Yang, and thunder had Yin and Yang... Tongtian seemed to be showing signs of embarking on a path that transformed all laws through Yin Yang and derived ten thousand laws from a single method.
"Wonderful, wonderful."
Zhen Yuanzi clapped his hands and laughed.
Their discussion of the Dao continued. Zhen Yuanzi spread his broad sleeves, and the heavens and earth within a radius of a million li transformed into phantom images within them. Yin Yang Qi coiled around Tongtian like dragons, faintly seeming to evolve into the Five Elements. Xuanyuan deduced the laws of the Five Elements, faintly displaying signs of giving birth to all things.
Three kinds of Dao Rhyme intertwined, dyeing the heavens and earth in dazzling colors.
Time passed. The three great divine cultivators conversed happily, and all gained something from the exchange. Their discussion of the Dao lasted a thousand years.
During this time, Xuanyuan also comprehended the two great divine abilities, Shrink the Ground to Inch and Universe in a Sleeve, from Zhen Yuanzi.
The former borrowed the momentum of the Earth Veins, while the latter operated the power of space.
"Today, I shall give this to you. With Wutu and Jitu harmonized, it may help you comprehend the Great Dao of Earth."
Xuanyuan thought for a moment before flicking out a khaki-colored bead radiating an aura of desolation. It was the Essence of Innate Jitu he had obtained by slaying Daoist Shanhe.
The Essence of Innate Wutu combined with the Essence of Innate Jitu formed the complete Origin of the Great Dao of Earth. If Zhen Yuanzi could comprehend it, refine this Essence of Jitu, and merge it into himself to perfect his roots,
then his potential and achievements would certainly be no weaker than Old Ancestor Yang Mei's. Without taking the path of Severing Three Corpses, he could likewise Prove Dao Hunyuan through the laws.
And he would become even stronger.
Speaking of which, the Essence of Jitu was somewhat useful to Xuanyuan as well, but not particularly so. Giving it to Zhen Yuanzi would both repay his kindness and establish a good relationship, laying the groundwork for establishing the Earth Path in the future.
"The Essence of Jitu?"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi rose abruptly. After his primordial spirit sensed that aura of shared origin and mutual complementation, even it began to tremble wildly.
He had a premonition that refining this Essence of Jitu would definitely bring him tremendous benefits.
"That's right. This item is destined to be yours, Fellow Daoist, so there is no need to refuse. As for those Ginseng Fruits, you can give me a few more." Xuanyuan smiled.
The Ginseng Fruits were quite good, after all.
Putting everything else aside, they would certainly be of considerable benefit to Gou Mang, the Ancestral Witch of Wood, and Houtu, the Ancestral Witch of Earth.
"You jest, Fellow Daoist. To me, this Essence of Wutu is the opportunity to Prove Dao. The grace of helping me Prove Dao is greater than heaven! As for mere Ginseng Fruits, whenever they ripen in the future, you may take as many as you need."
Zhen Yuanzi's expression turned solemn. With a wave of his Qiankun Sleeve, the Golden Striker took twenty-six of the remaining twenty-seven Ginseng Fruits and wrapped them in an Innate Ice Silkworm Silk Scarf before sending them before Xuanyuan.
If he had not still been thinking of his gluttonous close friend Hong Yun, Zhen Yuanzi would not have kept even one.
"If you encounter confusion over a fork in the Great Dao in the future, you may come to Kunlun Mountain or Buzhou Mountain to look for me."
Xuanyuan put the Ginseng Fruits into his sleeve, pondered for a moment, and spoke a hint.
The matter of the Chaos Pearl could not be revealed to anyone. Since Zhen Yuanzi had no place isolated from the Heavenly Dao and karma, Xuanyuan could not directly give him any pointers regarding Hongjun's lecture on the Dao.
The Hongmeng Purple Qi was a huge pit, but it would not kill Zhen Yuanzi. It would only kill Hong Yun, that Good Old Person.
However, becoming a saint through Severing Three Corpses was different. Where would Zhen Yuanzi find three Innate Spiritual Treasures of the same origin?
Moreover, compared with Proving Dao by Law, Severing Three Corpses to Prove Dao was absolutely a path that looked simpler but was actually an unsuitable dead end.
After refining the essences of Wutu and Jitu, Zhen Yuanzi's talent for Proving Dao by Law was directly comparable to those Chaos Demon Gods reincarnated.
"I shall remember that."
Zhen Yuanzi nodded, increasingly grateful in his heart.
"Hmm?"
"Kuafu and Da Yi?"
Suddenly, Xuanyuan and Tongtian raised their heads and looked west. They sensed two familiar auras fleeing from the west.
"Fellow Daoist, what is it?"
Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi could not help asking.
Why were the two of them looking west? The west was barren. How many great divine cultivators could there be there?
"Nothing. Two shameless fellows bullied the bloodline of my brother. Since I have encountered them, I naturally cannot stand by and watch."
A cold glint flashed through Xuanyuan's eyes. He clenched his right hand, and the heavy Qiankun Bow appeared in it, radiating a dense Fierce Ominous Aura.
Then he took out a Zhentian Arrow with his left hand. Grand Unity Magic Power poured into it as he nocked the arrow and drew the bow, pointing it straight toward the west!
Whether Kuafu and Da Yi are destined to be connected with you remains to be seen, but this arrow is certainly destined to be connected with you!
Before you continue