The Innate Gourd Vine

Long after Xuanyuan had left with the Six-Eared Macaque and the others, the people beside East Duke finally came to their senses. Every one of them was utterly shocked.

Back at the edge of the Outer Heavens, the Six-Eared Macaque, Kong Xuan, and the other two had all been at the Golden Immortal Realm. Most of the people here had been at the same level, and some had even been stronger than them.

Yet in just ten thousand years, the Six-Eared Macaque, Kong Xuan, and the other two had actually broken through to the peak of the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm.

They were now only one minor realm below top experts like Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and East Duke.

They had left everyone else far behind.

Having seen the gap between them, the others felt envy and jealousy. At the same time, they grew even more curious about why those four had taken Xuanyuan as their master and acted so utterly reverent and devoted toward him.

Some of the more perceptive ones had already realized that East Duke was leagues apart from these truly top-tier experts. They quietly withdrew and slipped into the Chaos Void.

Most, however, felt intensely resentful. Their hearts twisted, and they became even more convinced that East Duke, the Dao Ancestor's personally appointed leader of the male immortals and future ruler of the Heavenly Court, was their best bet.

They did everything they could to curry favor with East Duke, hoping that once the Heavenly Court was established and ruled the Primordial World, they would secure a good position there.

They wanted access to more cultivation resources, which would help them advance faster and eventually surpass the Six-Eared Macaque, Kong Xuan, and the others.

Like gamblers who had lost everything and were desperate to win it back, they hoped East Duke would turn their luck around.

If Xuanyuan knew what they were thinking, he would have laughed himself silly.

East Duke could barely save his own skin, and they still wanted to rely on him?

After returning to the Primordial World, Xuanyuan unusually chose not to head straight back to Qianyuan Mountain and take it easy. Instead, he went alone to Buzhou Mountain.

The Innate Gourd Vine and the Thirty-Six-Petaled Creation Green Lotus had both appeared on Buzhou Mountain. If he remembered correctly, they would ripen after Hongjun's second lecture.

He wanted to get there early and check on them.

The moment he set foot on Buzhou Mountain, a series of system notifications suddenly rang in his mind.

"Ding! The host has entered Buzhou Mountain. The system has issued a random sign-in quest—'The world's treasures belong to those with fate, and I am the one destined to claim them!' Host, please go to the Innate Gourd Vine and sign in. Then successfully claim every treasure from the Innate Gourd Vine—not even a single leaf may be left behind. Quest reward: 10 billion Great Dao Merit and 20 points in every law mastered by the host."

"Ding! The host has entered Buzhou Mountain. The system has issued a random sign-in quest—'Heaven's will forbids it? Did it ask me?' Host, please go to the Thirty-Six-Petaled Creation Green Lotus and sign in. Ensure that the Thirty-Six-Petaled Creation Green Lotus is not split apart. Quest reward: 11 billion Great Dao Merit and an increase of one major realm in the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Technique."

There were two quests in total, and both offered generous rewards.

The second quest in particular, which would advance the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Technique by one major realm,

made Xuanyuan's mouth water.

The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Technique was the complete cultivation method practiced by Great God Pangu. Each increase in rank brought a tremendous boost in strength.

His cultivation was currently at the consummation of the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, corresponding to the consummation of the fourth revolution of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Technique.

Advancing the technique by one major realm would bring him to the consummation of the fifth revolution, corresponding to the consummation of the Quasi-Saint Realm.

Of course, before completing the quest, Xuanyuan would certainly advance to the Quasi-Saint Realm—that is, reach the fifth revolution of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Technique. If the technique then advanced by another major realm, wouldn't he ascend in a single leap, breaking straight through to the Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, also known as the Saint Realm?

The thought thrilled Xuanyuan.

After all, there was a saying in the Primordial World: beneath the Saint, all were ants.

Only with the strength of the Saint Realm could one truly gain a measure of influence.

Only then could one take some initiative in the struggle against Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao.

Otherwise, no matter how many treasures one possessed or how brilliant one's plans were, they would all be a joke before absolute power.

As a variable beyond the Heavenly Dao's control, Xuanyuan was not being targeted by Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao for now—not because they couldn't, but because killing a naturally born Ancestor Witch who possessed the merit of creating the world would incur immense karmic consequences.

But as long as Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao were willing to pay the price, killing him would be as easy as lifting a finger.

It wasn't that they couldn't do it. They simply weren't willing.

The moment Xuanyuan truly threatened them, they would kill him without hesitation.

That was the main reason he stayed so low-key despite having the system and acquiring countless treasures through sign-ins.

He could try whatever he wanted within the limits tolerated by Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao, but he could not cross the line.

Cross it, and he would die.

That was the absolute authority that came with absolute power.

If Xuanyuan broke through to the Saint Realm, then with the support of his many treasures, he might not be able to defeat Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao, but at least he would have a chance to escape.

At worst, he could follow Old Ancestor Yang Mei's example and flee to the Chaos Void beyond the Primordial World.

What could Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao do then?

Standing at the foot of Buzhou Mountain, Xuanyuan gazed up at its towering, majestic heights. His eyes had never been more resolute.

"As long as I complete these system quests, the sky will be high enough for birds to soar, and the sea wide enough for fish to leap. Even if I have to risk everything and reveal every last trump card, I must succeed!"

Having made up his mind, Xuanyuan flew up Buzhou Mountain.

Formed from Pangu's backbone, Buzhou Mountain was the tallest mountain in the Primordial World, stretching for well over a million li.

Xuanyuan searched for over a thousand years, continuously using divination until he finally found the Innate Gourd Vine.

But when he arrived, quite a few people had already gathered there.

Sanqing, Nuwa, Fuxi, Zhen Yuanzi, and Ancestor Hong Yun.

Every one of them was a top expert in the Primordial World.

When they saw Xuanyuan, their expressions varied.

Nuwa smiled and nodded to Xuanyuan in greeting, then turned her attention back to the Innate Gourd Vine.

Fuxi glanced at Xuanyuan, furrowed his brow slightly, and gave a cold snort before ignoring him.

Their abodes were both on Buzhou Mountain. They had discovered this Innate Gourd Vine soon after Hongjun's first lecture.

But the seven gourds hanging from the vine had never ripened, so they had stayed here to guard it.

During the second lecture, to prevent anyone from stealing the Innate Gourd Vine, they had even set up dozens of formations and wards here.

As soon as the second lecture ended, they hurried back without a moment's delay.

Unexpectedly, word of the Innate Gourd Vine on Buzhou Mountain had already spread throughout the Primordial World.

As soon as they arrived, Sanqing, Zhen Yuanzi, Fuxi, Jieyin, Zhunti, Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and the other powerful figures of the Primordial World had soon followed.

The two knew they couldn't contend with so many powerful figures. And since they had all listened to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's lectures, while the Innate Gourd Vine bore seven gourds in total, each a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure,

they tacitly allowed the others to stay.

After all, they had laid their plans early and had the advantage of being first on the scene.

With seven Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Gourds, surely they could claim one or two.

So they didn't pay much attention to Xuanyuan's arrival.

Unlike the two of them, everyone else couldn't help but furrow their brows deeply when they saw Xuanyuan.

There were only so many Innate Gourds. The more people there were, the slimmer each person's chances of getting one.

But when they saw that Xuanyuan had come alone, they felt somewhat reassured.

If the Witch Clan's powerful figures had all come, they wouldn't have had any chance at all.