The Foremost of Primordial Male and Female Immortals, Candle Dragon Asks the Way at Buzhou Mountain

Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice resounded and echoed through the Purple Firmament Palace, then he flicked his fingers lightly. Two Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures transformed into streaks of light that tore through the void, landing before Dong Wang Gong and Queen Mother of the West respectively.

Golden scales flickered across the surface of the Dragon Head Crutch, and the golden dragon head at its tip inhaled and exhaled Pure Yang True Fire. Every scale was engraved with Pure Yang Dao Patterns.

Starlight swirled around the Pure Water Alms Bowl, and within the bowl, the Starry Sky Array was reflected. Seven types of spiritual water, including Heavenly One True Water and Xuan Ming True Water, overflowed and condensed into a lotus. When it bloomed, it rippled with the profound Law of the Great Dao of Water.

Both of these Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures had been obtained by Dao Ancestor Hongjun in his early years.

Now that he had become the first Heavenly Dao Saint and was planning to integrate his body with the Heavenly Dao, he no longer had any use for these Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.

"Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for bestowing these treasures!"

Though Queen Mother of the West did not place much importance on the so-called title of Chief of Female Immortals in the Wilderness and harbored no ambition, receiving a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure for nothing naturally filled her with joy.

As for Dong Wang Gong, his face was overflowing with wild elation, and the Pure Yang Qi all over his body surged and churned with excitement.

However, this move by Dao Ancestor Hongjun also caused the Three Thousand Guests of the Purple Firmament to exchange glances, and then their gazes involuntarily turned toward Di Jun and Tai Yi.

Everyone present knew that Dong Wang Gong had long since formed a karmic entanglement with these two Golden Crows, and they had clashed with each other several times.

"Return in three Eons."

With those words, Dao Ancestor Hongjun did not even look at the reactions of the Three Thousand Guests of the Purple Firmament. He waved his hand lightly, and time and space twisted with a shudder, sending them all out of the Purple Firmament Palace.

"Though the sun has its yin aspect, it is still extremely close to pure yang. What a pity, what a pity."

Ziwei Star Lord's gaze swept over Tai Yi and Di Jun, his voice laced with undisguised mockery.

He had long since formed an irreconcilable death feud with these two Golden Crows, and if not for Dong Wang Gong's protection, he would have been besieged and killed by them long ago.

Now that Dong Wang Gong had received a reward and official appointment from the Dao Ancestor, Ziwei Star Lord was genuinely delighted.

"Hmph!"

Di Jun let out a cold snort, his expression somewhat dark and gloomy.

He was naturally unwilling to accept Dong Wang Gong's position as Chief of Male Immortals, but since this was a decree personally issued by the Dao Ancestor, he had no choice but to bow his head. He could only nurse his resentment in secret, while his ambition grew as wildly as weeds.

The other Great Divine Powers had varied expressions, but Candle Dragon had no interest in these empty formalities. Having lived through the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, he was long accustomed to such power struggles.

Rather than watching the commotion here, it would be better to hurry back to the Wilderness and pay another visit to Xuanyuan.

When Dao Ancestor Hongjun had mentioned the term "Quasi-Saint" earlier, doubt had arisen in Candle Dragon's heart.

What was the difference between a Golden Immortal of the Origin and a Quasi-Saint?

Quasi-Saint, Quasi-Saint—could it be that to become a Heavenly Dao Saint, one had to switch to the path of the Quasi-Saint? Was the path of the Golden Immortal of the Origin a dead end?

Candle Dragon was unwilling to accept such speculation. He had cultivated for countless Eons to achieve the realm of Golden Immortal of the Origin. If his guess turned out to be true, wouldn't that mean all his years of cultivation had been negated?

Thus, the moment he recalled Xuanyuan's earlier guidance, he did not want to waste a single moment. He became the first Great Divine Power among the Three Thousand Guests of the Purple Firmament to leave.

As for the other Great Divine Powers, some remained to discuss the Dao that Dao Ancestor Hongjun had taught, some exchanged insights and formed friendships, and some relied on their protective treasures to venture into the Chaos to seek treasures...

None of them walked the same path as Candle Dragon.

At Buzhou Mountain Peak, clouds drifted like tufts of cotton, and Chaos Residual Qi formed strong winds that pierced through the rocks but skirted three feet around the Jade Table. Xuanyuan and Tongtian sat cross-legged facing each other, while spiritual roots and immortal fruits on the table gleamed with flowing light.

The skin of the Ginseng Fruit gleamed with a faint green radiance, the Jiao Pear hung with crystalline dewdrops, and the tender buds of the Dongting Biluochun unfurled, releasing Dao Rhyme Clear Qi. Even the Longevity Peach resting on the corner of the table had its flesh steeped in a faint moonlight essence.

Apart from the Ginseng Fruit, the other spiritual roots and immortal fruits were what the two brothers had gathered over the years. Their grades were not high, mostly Low-grade Innate Spiritual Roots and Medium-grade Innate Spiritual Roots.

The Jiao Pear, an Innate Medium-grade Spiritual Root, was taken from the Central Land. Consuming it could cleanse the Primordial Spirit and prevent Heart Demons from invading.

The Dongting Biluochun, taken from Snail Mountain in the Eastern Land, was an Innate Medium-grade Spiritual Root. Sitting in quiet contemplation, it allowed one to observe the subtle and enter the microcosm, calming the Dao Heart and aiding in enlightenment.

The Innate Longevity Peach, taken from the Southern Great Earth, was a Medium-grade Spiritual Root. Consuming it could extend one's lifespan by five hundred years.

"Fourth Brother, how long do we have to wait here? Will Fellow Daoists Zhen Yuanzi and Candle Dragon really come?" Tongtian toyed with the Fishing Drum in his hand, growing a bit restless.

Having obtained the Enlightenment Tea Tree, he was thinking about whether he could seize the opportunity for a Sudden Enlightenment to truly cross that threshold and advance to the realm of Golden Immortal of the Origin.

"Brother, don't be impatient. Have you not heard that Sharpening the Axe Does Not Delay the Woodcutting? Sitting and discussing the Dao can also accumulate foundation, so that when the moment of Sudden Enlightenment comes, you can Accumulate Deeply and Release Wholly... Look, he has already arrived."

Xuanyuan personally divided the tea soup of the Dongting Biluochun into three portions, pouring it into three Jade Cups. Then, sensing something in his heart, he raised his head and looked towards the east.

"Roar!"

A high-pitched Dragon Roar came from the far distance, its sound waves rolling like thunder across the sky dome of the Wilderness.

The roar shook the snow accumulated on Buzhou Mountain Peak—formed by the extreme cold since the beginning of the world—causing it to fall in flurries. A flash of Profound Clarity Qi passed through Xuanyuan's eyes, and Tongtian also looked up towards the horizon:

The originally clear sky dome suddenly gave rise to an extraordinary phenomenon. A Golden Sun and a Silver Moon hung side by side in the high sky. Where sunlight and moonlight intertwined, time and space suddenly rippled like water, and even the strong winds that constantly blew around seemed frozen by the Power of Time.

The next moment, a Giant Shadow stretching for thousands of miles broke through the mist. Its face was human, its scales were like Blood Jade inlaid with golden edges, and when its eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if the Sun and Moon were rotating.

It was Candle Dragon, who had hurried back immediately after listening to Hongjun's lecture.

He had also heard about what Queen Mother of the West had said and analyzed that the feelings between Grand Pure One Laozi, Yu Qing Yuan Shi, and Xuanyuan and Tongtian were only so-so. Thus, he had ruled out Kunlun Mountain as an option and rushed directly to Buzhou Mountain.

Now, seeing Xuanyuan, who had already set up the Jade Table on the mountain peak, Candle Dragon could not help but feel a chill in his heart, finding the former increasingly unfathomable.

"Hum."

The light of the sun and moon radiated from his body, and the next moment, he transformed into an Innate Divine Body clad in a Red Robe.

The Time-Space Fluctuation gradually subsided, and the extraordinary phenomenon of the Sun and Moon Appearing Together, which had covered millions of miles, also faded away, leaving only the residual Dragon Might in the air, interwoven with the fragrance of the spiritual fruits on the Jade Table.

"Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon, it has been a while."

Xuanyuan smiled faintly and invited Candle Dragon to take a seat.

"Daoist Xuanyuan, since our parting at the East Sea last time, we spoke of exchanging insights once our cultivation advanced further. Forgive my boldness, but I have come to trouble you this time."

Seeing that Xuanyuan and Tongtian seemed to have been waiting here in advance, as if fully prepared, and recalling that all the Great Divine Powers of the Primordial World were rushing to the Purple Firmament Palace, while only these Two Brothers remained unmoved, Candle Dragon's heart stirred with some guesses. He cupped his hands and spoke courteously.

"Good."

Xuanyuan nodded at this, raised his hand, and gently grasped the void. The Chaos Pearl within his Primordial Spirit trembled, and the Primordial Measure Heaven Ruler appeared in his hand.

"Kacha!"

A single stroke of the ruler cleaved open an independent time and space. Then, the Chaos Residual Qi atop Buzhou Mountain Peak suddenly converged, and Pangu's Residual Might spread like a deep abyss, intertwining with the temporal barrier he had opened to form a transparent Light Barrier, sealing off all surrounding heavenly mechanisms and karmic threads.

This act was both to protect the Dao and to prevent these words from disturbing the other Great Divine Powers of the Primordial World.

Such a technique of isolating karma and heavenly mechanisms was something Xuanyuan had comprehended during his Secluded Cultivation in Pangu Hall.

Limited by his own realm, even with the aid of treasures, it could only function in places like Buzhou Mountain and Guixu Land, where Chaos Residual Qi and Pangu's Residual Might remained.

Of course, if he directly summoned the Chaos Pearl and entered the Chaos World within it, that would be a different matter entirely.

"Daoist, this..."

Watching Xuanyuan's display of such means, Candle Dragon's pupils abruptly contracted, and his heart was filled with overwhelming shock.

To mobilize Pangu's Residual Might and Chaos Residual Qi—such a divine power was something even he, a Golden Immortal of the Origin, could not achieve!