Meeting Sanxiao

"Four Golden Immortal realm experts!"

Li Qingxu's entire body tensed as he sensed the vast, ocean-like aura emanating from them, the unease in his heart growing ever stronger.

He was only at the Mid Stage of Earth Immortal—facing four Golden Immortals meant certain death.

While Li Qingxu warily sized up the four, their gazes also fell upon him in unison.

"I am Zhao Gongming. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

The black-robed man at the lead clasped his hands toward Li Qingxu, his voice deep and resonant.

"Zhao Gongming?"

Li Qingxu's heart stirred as a flood of information from his past life surged forth like a tide.

In his previous life's memories, Zhao Gongming was the Eldest Senior Brother of the Jie Sect's outer disciples, born from the first wisp of clear wind in the world. He was formidable in strength, upright in character, and chivalrous in nature, with the Sanxiao as his sworn siblings.

However, during the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, Zhao Gongming was slain by Lu Ya's Seven Arrows Book, his True Spirit ascending to the Investiture of the Gods, and after the tribulation, he was enfeoffed as the Dragon Tiger Mystic Altar True Lord.

To avenge their brother, the Sanxiao set up the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, stripping the Kunlun Twelve Golden Immortals of their Three Flowers atop the Crown and Five Qi in the Chest, only to be personally sent to the Investiture of the Gods by the protective Primordial Heavenly Venerate.

"Those three women behind him must be Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao, incarnations of primordial clouds and mists."

Li Qingxu guessed inwardly.

Seeing Li Qingxu frozen in place, slow to respond, the Sanxiao thought he had been intimidated by Zhao Gongming's aura.

"Oh, big brother, don't be so stern—you look terrifying."

The youngest, Bixiao, chided playfully, then turned to Li Qingxu with a bright smile:

"I'm Bixiao. This is my big brother Zhao Gongming and my two sisters, Yunxiao and Qiongxiao."

"Don't be nervous. We just sensed a big battle here and came to check it out—no ill intent."

Li Qingxu snapped back to his senses and clasped his hands toward the three:

"I am Li Qingxu. Greetings, Fellow Daoists."

Given his Mid Stage Earth Immortal cultivation facing three Golden Immortals, he should have addressed them as seniors.

But since Zhao Gongming had taken the initiative to call him Fellow Daoist, he followed suit as an equal.

"Fellow Daoist, were you just in battle here?"

Zhao Gongming looked at the shattered landscape below and the swamp that had turned to molten magma, asking with some curiosity.

"Yes."

Li Qingxu nodded, making no attempt to hide it.

"When I passed by this place, two Heavenly Immortal realm Evil Flood Dragons tried to ambush me, but I killed them."

Zhao Gongming and the Sanxiao exchanged glances of surprise.

After all, Li Qingxu was only at the Mid Stage of Earth Immortal. To kill two Heavenly Immortal realm Evil Flood Dragons unscathed while being ambushed and outnumbered showed strength far beyond the ordinary.

"You're a member of the Human Race—why aren't you staying in your tribe, wandering so far from home?"

Yunxiao also spoke up.

"To go to Kunlun Mountain and become a Saint's disciple."

Li Qingxu answered truthfully.

"Become a Saint's disciple?"

Zhao Gongming and the Sanxiao looked at each other, seeing surprise in one another's eyes.

In their view, for Li Qingxu, a mere Earth Immortal of the Human Race, to take such a great risk and cross billions of miles across the perilous Primordial World to Kunlun Mountain to seek a master was truly a mark of exceptional resolve.

After all, even they, as Golden Immortals, had to travel in a group of four to barely ensure their safety.

"Big brother, since we've met, it's fate. Since we're also going to Kunlun Mountain to seek a master, why not take him along?"

Bixiao secretly transmitted her voice to Zhao Gongming.

"Alright."

Zhao Gongming agreed without much hesitation.

After all, if Li Qingxu truly managed to become a Saint's disciple, they would be Fellow Disciples—a good karma to build early.

"Fellow Daoist Qingxu, the four of us siblings are also heading to Kunlun Mountain to seek a master."

"If you don't mind, how about we travel together?"

Zhao Gongming invited.

Li Qingxu knew the other party was offering help and immediately clasped his hands in thanks:

"Good, many thanks to all you Fellow Daoists."

Seeing Li Qingxu's overly formal demeanor, Bixiao couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

"Haha, well said, well said."

With the matter settled, they wasted no further time.

Zhao Gongming said, "Let's go," and auspicious clouds rose beneath his feet.

Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao each displayed their divine abilities, transforming into streaks of white, green, and blue clear light.

Though Li Qingxu gave it his all, the vast gap in cultivation left him far behind Zhao Gongming and the others. He could only watch helplessly as those four fleeting shadows shrank rapidly at the edge of the sky, turning into tiny specks of light before vanishing entirely.

"This..."

Just as he shook his head with a wry smile, that point of emerald light at the horizon turned back and returned, arriving before him in an instant.

The green light dissipated, revealing Bixiao's graceful figure standing tall.

A hint of sly amusement curled at the corner of her lips as she sized up Li Qingxu and laughed. "Your cloud-riding is far too slow. At this pace, you'll miss the Saint's mountain-opening ceremony."

Without waiting for his reaction, Bixiao grabbed his wrist. "Don't just stand there—this young lady will give you a lift."

Before her words faded, Li Qingxu felt a gentle yet overwhelmingly powerful force of magic envelop his body. The scenery before him stretched and blurred into flowing ribbons of light as they shot forward at breakneck speed.

Feeling the warmth from her palm and the faint, elusive fragrance, Li Qingxu—single for two lifetimes—couldn't help but feel his blood surge and his heart stir.

As a Golden Immortal and a being born from clouds and mist, Bixiao's flying speed was tens of thousands of times faster than Li Qingxu traveling alone.

Yet the Primordial World was so vast that even with Bixiao "giving him a lift," it took them several years to reach the outskirts of Kunlun Mountain.

Kunlun Mountain soared billions upon billions of zhang high, like the backbone of heaven and earth, stretching beyond sight.

Standing at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, Li Qingxu felt an indescribable, overwhelming aura crashing down upon him, his mind trembling violently.

In comparison, everything else became insignificant—even other mountains tens of millions of zhang high turned into mere mounds of dirt.

"No wonder it's the second-largest mountain in the entire Primordial World, second only to Buzhou Mountain. Truly astonishing."

Li Qingxu clicked his tongue in awe.

Zhao Gongming and the Sanxiao were in a similar state, standing dazed at the foot of Kunlun Mountain for a full minute before slowly coming back to their senses.

When they truly arrived at the mountain's base, what greeted their eyes was a pitch-black sea of people.

Two Saints—Primordial Heavenly Venerate and Tongtian Cult Master—taking disciples at the same time was an unprecedented event in the Primordial World. Beings from all corners had flocked here.

Now, hundreds of millions of Primordial creatures had gathered at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, and more were still streaming in endlessly.