Several people flew toward Kunlun Mountain, each with different thoughts on their minds.
The closer they got to the peak, the denser the spiritual energy became—more than twice as rich as that of Mount Sumeru, which was still recovering.
The Three Pure Ones envied how quickly Randeng's cultivation advanced, but he was no less envious of their having such a top-tier dojo from the moment they were born.
As they neared the peak, a magnificent palace came into view. Its halls had been built along the mountain slope, rising in tiers. White jade formed the steps, dark jade the walls, and purple-gold the pillars. Innate runes covered the beams and columns, depicting the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. Every pattern resonated with the Great Dao. At the very center of the palace, three Dao-patterned characters were carved into a plaque: Three Pure Ones Palace.
Randeng immediately decided that one day he would renovate Mount Sumeru to this standard.
Tongtian chuckled, knowing his friend's penchant for lavish, magnificent dojos had struck again.
"If you like it, fellow Daoist, why not stay here in Kunlun for good?"
Randeng shook his head. "I'm no longer alone. A whole crowd in the West is waiting for me to return."
Inside Three Pure Ones Palace, they took their seats on the cushions.
Randeng took out three white jade boxes from the space within his Heaven-Measuring Ruler. Each held around two hundred Enlightenment Tea Leaves. He handed them to the Three Pure Ones.
"This is my first visit, so I've brought you some Enlightenment Tea Leaves. They're quite beneficial for cultivation. Please accept them as a small token of my regard."
When they opened the boxes, a fragrant aroma wafted out, and all three felt their Spiritual Platforms grow a little clearer.
"Fellow Daoist, could this be the Enlightenment Tea Tree, a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root?"
This time, Taishang was the one to speak. The Three Pure Ones had also searched for the Enlightenment Tea Tree, but had never found any clues. After all, it was an Innate Spiritual Root that could aid cultivation, and it was useful to Innate Divine Saints practicing any Law.
"Indeed, it's from the Enlightenment Tea Tree. I came across it on an immortal mountain while traveling to Kunlun."
Randeng didn't explain how he'd found it. He only said that he'd felt a prompting in his heart and discovered it by chance.
His foreknowledge was his greatest secret.
"Fellow Daoist, you certainly have deep blessings."
Taishang's eyes were profound as he gave Randeng a meaningful look. If they were talking about blessings, who among the Innate Divine Saints had more than the Three Pure Ones?
Randeng took out his tea set and brewed a pot of Enlightenment Tea for the Three Pure Ones, following the same steps as before.
The Three Pure Ones, in turn, each brought out some of the spirit fruits they had treasured.
Though they had many Spiritual Treasures and Spiritual Roots, this was the first time the Three Pure Ones had tasted Enlightenment Tea.
Only after tasting it did they realize how valuable Randeng's welcome gift was.
After all, comprehending the Laws was essential to the cultivation of Innate Divine Saints.
"Fellow Daoist, this Enlightenment Tea is far too precious. Since you're visiting Kunlun for the first time, we should be the ones hosting you."
Yuanshi felt a little embarrassed. They had invited Randeng to Kunlun, yet he was the one who had given them Enlightenment Tea.
Tongtian stepped in to smooth things over.
"Second Brother, we can always visit Fellow Daoist Randeng in the West another time. Besides, haven't you already prepared to discuss the Way of Artifact Refining with him?"
Only then did Yuanshi remember the real reason for their meeting. He quickly set out the Houtian Spiritual Treasures he had crafted, one by one.
Randeng picked up a sword-shaped treasure and examined it. It contained sixteen restrictions, placing it among the mid-grade Houtian Spiritual Treasures.
Randeng then brought out a Spiritual Treasure modeled after the Vajra Pestle. It contained eighteen restrictions and also possessed the Vajra Pestle's original ability to break spells.
Yuanshi took it and looked surprised. He had assumed Randeng's artifact-refining skill would be about on par with his own at best. After all, Yuanshi had studied the Way of Artifact Refining ever since he was born.
With the Enlightenment Tea aiding them, the four began discussing the Dao. For a time, all manner of Law and Daoist resonance filled Three Pure Ones Palace. When their discussion reached an exciting point, they even brought out their Spiritual Treasures to demonstrate.
Afterward, they began discussing the Daoist arts each of them excelled in.
Randeng and Yuanshi focused mainly on the Way of Artifact Refining, while Tongtian and Taishang listened from the side. Then Tongtian explained the Way of Formations, and Randeng was able to chime in from time to time. Finally, Taishang discussed his Way of Alchemy, while the other three could only watch and learn eagerly.
Taishang's alchemy already incorporated his understanding of the Way of Yin and Yang. Randeng guessed that the Golden Core Great Dao Taishang would later pass on to humanity had already begun to take shape.
After their discussion, Randeng's Annihilation Law finally reached sixty-one percent, while his Law of Earth reached thirty-four percent.
The Enlightenment Tea had contributed to this as well. All four felt they had gained more from this discussion than they usually did.
A thousand years later, their discussion came to an end. Randeng mentioned that he planned to visit Buzhou Mountain next and asked if the Three Pure Ones wanted to go with him.
Buzhou Mountain held many opportunities: the Innate Banana Fan, the Innate Gourd Vine, Pangu Marrow, and other top-tier Spiritual Treasures and Spiritual Roots. Most of them, however, had yet to emerge, and would only do so when the time was right. Randeng wanted to ride on the Three Pure Ones' blessings and go there with them.
The Three Pure Ones exchanged glances. Taishang spoke.
"Just as it happens, the three of us have recently finished our seclusion and were planning to go out. Since you're heading to Buzhou Mountain too, Fellow Daoist Randeng, why don't we go together?"
In truth, they had accepted Randeng's gifts and didn't want to turn him down. The Three Pure Ones had already visited Buzhou Mountain many times. If there had been any Spiritual Treasures there, they would have sensed them by now.
So the four set off for Buzhou Mountain together.
Buzhou Mountain lay at the center of the Primordial World, while Kunlun Mountain was in the east. The two were actually quite close. Otherwise, the Three Pure Ones wouldn't have known Fuxi and Nuwa.
The four agreed that after exploring Buzhou Mountain, they would go look for Fuxi and Nuwa. It had been tens of thousands of years since they last met, and they wondered if Fuxi and Nuwa had reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
All four were Grand Unity Golden Immortals, and they soon arrived at the foot of Buzhou Mountain.
Buzhou Mountain had been formed from Pangu's Spine. It stood at the center of the Primordial World and supported the heavens and earth.
It would not be until after the Witch-Demon Tribulation, when Gonggong crashed into Buzhou Mountain in a fit of rage, that this greatest divine mountain in the Primordial World would fall.
The moment Randeng stepped onto Buzhou Mountain, he felt a sudden increase in pressure on both his Primordial Spirit and his body. This must have been the unique pressure of Pangu.
But a glimmer of light flashed from the wisp of Pangu's Fortune deep within Randeng's Primordial Spirit, and the pressure on him eased considerably.
The Three Pure Ones noticed how easily Randeng climbed the mountain, and surprise flickered in their eyes. Since they had been formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, Buzhou Mountain's pressure affected them far less than it did others.
Why was Fellow Daoist Randeng, whose true form was presumably an Innate Spiritual Treasure, also so untroubled by Pangu's Pressure?
Seeing their confusion, Randeng revealed the aura of the wisp of Pangu's Fortune within his Primordial Spirit.
"It seems the Three Pure Ones are less sensitive to Pangu's Fortune than the Ancestor Witches."
Both groups claimed to be Pangu Orthodox, yet Houtu had recognized the Pangu's Fortune within him at a glance back on Wuyi Mountain. Perhaps that was because the Ancestor Witches placed more importance on drawing out the power of their Pangu Bloodline.
"I never would have guessed that you, Fellow Daoist Randeng, also had such a connection to Father God Pangu."
Tongtian spoke, feeling even closer to Randeng.
Taishang and Yuanshi felt the same. Though the Primordial World had been formed from Pangu, not every living being received Pangu's protection through his fortune.
Only Innate Divine Saints who possessed Pangu's Fortune had the right to call themselves Pangu Orthodox.
Only then did Randeng realize that he, too, could call himself Pangu Orthodox.
The four continued toward the mountainside, their bonds growing closer in the process.
The reason they were heading only as far as the mountainside was that even with Pangu's Fortune protecting them, their Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation would let them climb no farther.
Just as they were about to reach the mountainside, a dazzling light burst from a nearby valley. The auras of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire Laws flowed from within.
Randeng and the others approached the valley. Though it was guarded by an Innate Great Formation, the violent aura within, visible through the formation, was like that of the world's creation. The four Laws of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire gave rise to one small world after another.
The Innate Banana Tree!
Randeng knew that the Spiritual Root on Buzhou Mountain which bore the auras of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire could only be the Innate Banana Tree.
He hadn't expected to actually benefit from the Three Pure Ones' blessings!
The Three Pure Ones were also puzzled. They had visited Buzhou Mountain several times, yet never encountered any opportunity. Could it be that they had benefited from Fellow Daoist Randeng's blessings?