"Many thanks for coming to my aid, Master!"
After Mo Wu's tribulation lightning had dissipated, his Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation was completely stabilized. The boy immediately rushed over to Xie Fang and bowed before him.
He was now a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, but he knew that compared with Xie Fang, he was still as insignificant as dirt beside the clouds.
As his strength grew, his resolve to follow and serve Xie Fang only became firmer.
He knew all too well that if Xie Fang hadn't taken him in back then, he would probably have been bullied to death by the Kirin Clan by now!
Thus, heaven and earth could bear witness to Mo Wu's loyalty to Xie Fang!
"It's only a single Ginseng Fruit. It's not enough to make up for what you lack."
Xie Fang said, "If you get the chance in the future, you should complete all five elements within yourself. Only then can you better attain the Great Dao!"
"Yes, thank you, Master!"
Thirty thousand years passed.
The Dragon Clan was still searching for Xie Fang.
After all, the Innate Spiritual Treasure Ancestral Dragon had promised was simply too tempting.
Xie Fang, however, paid it no mind.
If the Dragon Clan hadn't provoked him first, he wouldn't have slaughtered so many of them. As for Ancestral Dragon...
Xie Fang had been wanting to test the strength of a Quasi-Saint!
Besides, Ancestral Dragon was practically a treasure from head to toe.
Dragon blood could regrow severed limbs, boost cultivation, and improve one's constitution. Dragon bones were incredibly hard and indestructible, comparable to Innate Spiritual Treasures, and could even be used to forge divine weapons.
Ancestral Dragon could be called a walking treasure vault!
"Once I kill Ancestral Dragon, I'll replace your blood with his Ancestral Dragon blood essence. Your bloodline power will surely improve even more after that."
Xie Fang spoke casually, reassuring Mo Wu.
Mo Wu said gratefully, "Yes, thank you, Master, thank you... What? Kill Ancestral Dragon? Ancestral Dragon blood essence?"
The boy hadn't quite registered what Xie Fang had said. But when he realized that Xie Fang planned to kill Ancestral Dragon and give him the Dragon's blood essence, Mo Wu's heart leaped, and his face filled with terror.
Ancestral Dragon! He was a Quasi-Saint-level powerhouse!
Xie Fang, however, seemed to have misunderstood him. "What? You don't want Ancestral Dragon's blood essence? That's true. You're from the Kirin Clan, so I don't know whether you'd reject the Dragon Clan's blood essence. How about this? If I get the chance, I'll kill Shi Qilin and get his blood essence for you..."
"Hiss—"
Xie Fang's words made Mo Wu draw in a sharp breath. "My dear Master, Shi Qilin is only a little weaker than Ancestral Dragon. He's a bona fide Quasi-Saint too. Is it really wise for us to do this?"
Xie Fang merely smiled at Mo Wu's worries.
His goal was to rise above the entire Primordial World. Ancestral Dragon and Shi Qilin alike were nothing but cannon fodder once the Tribulation ended.
They might be enjoying boundless glory now—and their most glorious days might even still lie ahead—but when the Dragon-Han Tribulation ended, they would all meet tragic ends!
"Enough. You've already gotten your reward, boy. Get to work. From now on, these Three Immortal Islands will be our cultivation ground."
Xie Fang kicked Mo Wu in the rear, sending him tumbling off the clouds.
Then Xie Fang opened a spatial rift and tossed out every heavenly treasure he had acquired over the years.
Among them were naturally no shortage of Innate Items. He even threw down various treasures for building halls and towers.
With Mo Wu's cultivation as a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, having him build an Immortal Palace, terraces, and towers was as easy as could be.
After leaving everything to Mo Wu, Xie Fang found a place rich in Spiritual Qi, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
These three Immortal Islands covered a vast area. They couldn't possibly be inhabited by only Xie Fang, Mo Wu, and Zhen Yuanzi.
Otherwise, what was the point of establishing a cultivation ground?
With a wave of Xie Fang's hand, surging Spiritual Qi burst forth. A nearby piece of Qing Shi immediately gained a spirit.
"This disciple pays respects to Your Excellency."
After Xie Fang bestowed life upon him, the innocent-looking, tiger-headed Qing Shi child immediately knelt before him.
Xie Fang nodded slightly, then looked toward a nearby stalk of Ling Yun grass. With a flick of his finger, a stream of immortal energy shot out, and the Ling Yun grass instantly transformed into a playful, adorable girl.
"This disciple pays respects to Your Excellency."
The girl immediately knelt before Xie Fang and spoke.
"From now on, you two will stay by my side."
Xie Fang spoke calmly. "You have taken human form today. Qing Shi and Ling Yun, these shall serve as your Dao names."
"Yes. Thank you, Your Excellency."
The two children, Qing Shi and Ling Yun, respectfully thanked Xie Fang.
To them, Xie Fang's act of bestowing life upon them was an immense stroke of fortune, a gift of creation itself!
The surrounding immortal herbs and grasses had also witnessed this scene, and at once, they began to stir with eagerness.
All the immortal herbs and grasses on the Three Immortal Islands had been nourished by abundant Spiritual Qi, and most had already developed spirits.
They simply lacked cultivation methods and had no way to advance.
Now that they had seen Qing Shi and Ling Yun transformed into humans by Xie Fang and elevated to the heavens in a single step, spared countless years of arduous cultivation, how could they not feel envious?
Many of them even took the initiative to approach Xie Fang and bow before him.
Countless living beings and heavenly treasures bowed deeply to Xie Fang as if paying their respects to a Sage. The entire Three Immortal Islands were filled with lively bustle.
A faint warm current suddenly flowed around Xie Fang.
It was invisible and untouchable, yet Xie Fang truly felt it. For a moment, he couldn't help but pause.
"Is this... fortune?"
Xie Fang felt a rush of joy. It seemed the Heavenly Dao approved of his act of bestowing life upon living beings.
Looking at the living beings kneeling before him, Xie Fang finally understood why Hongjun, the Three Pure Ones, and others in later generations had been so fond of expounding the Dao to all living things.
For one thing, expounding the Dao could stabilize one's cultivation. For another, those seekers who gathered to listen would, without realizing it, provide the speaker with a sliver of fortune.
The fortune provided by a single living being was too small to notice. But when countless tiny streams flowed into the sea, the fortune would eventually grow powerful.
Looking at the living beings bowing before him, Xie Fang couldn't help but feel the urge to expound the Dao.
First, it would help the Three Immortal Islands flourish. Second, it would benefit his own fortune.
"Since you have come before me in sincere faith, you have formed a good karmic connection with me. I shall expound the Dao to you for a thousand years. Listen with calm hearts."
As Xie Fang's voice fell, the crowd erupted. Countless living beings bowed to him again and again, making all sorts of cries to express their gratitude.
"Calm your hearts..."
Xie Fang nodded slightly. His expression turned solemn, and he began to speak.
His voice was deep and enduring, as the sounds of the Dao rose and lingered.
"Chaos contained the Dao. When heaven and earth were created, the Dao was born. There was a thing..."
"The Dao I speak of travels on and on without faltering. It can be regarded as the mother of heaven and earth..."
"The Dao takes heaven and earth as its furnace and nurtures all things to become the Dao..."
One after another, the sounds of the Dao echoed through the air. Heavenly flowers rained down, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.
In an instant, immortal music rang out above the Three Immortal Islands. Mists of purple qi spread across the sky, and the boundless heavens grew serene.
Amid these wondrous signs, the living beings on the Three Immortal Islands gradually settled into deep concentration.
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