Randeng and the Three Pure Ones rode beams of light to the valley, but as they drew near, they discovered that someone had arrived before them.
The newcomer wore a blood-red robe and carried two oddly shaped long swords on his back. A demonic red light glimmered in his eyes.
As if sensing their approach, he gave a cold snort. The Laws of Blood surged around him, and the pressure of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal swept over the four of them.
"How domineering!"
They were all Grand Unity Golden Immortals. How could Yuanshi tolerate someone acting so arrogantly in front of him?
He formed a hand seal and brought out the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi. Its profound Law of Order, carrying the pressure of his Grand Unity cultivation, crashed into the other man's power.
With that outfit and those Laws of Blood, could he be Minghe?
As if to confirm Randeng's guess, the blood-robed Daoist spoke the next moment:
"I am Blood Sea Minghe. May I ask which fellow Daoists you are?"
Minghe was secretly alarmed. He had thought that after reaching the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, few in the Primordial World would be a match for him.
Yet he had only just arrived at Buzhou Mountain and found a valley where an Innate Spiritual Treasure seemed to be emerging, and already he had encountered four Innate Divine Saints whose auras were no weaker than his own.
"From Kunlun Mountain: Yuanshi and Taishang of the Upper Pure Ones."
The Three Pure Ones gave their names. Blood Sea Minghe had heard of them; they were Innate Divine Saints whose origins were almost as exceptional as his own. In the northwest of the Primordial World, they could be called masters of their own territory.
"I am Randeng of the West. It's a pleasure to meet you, fellow Daoist."
Randeng introduced himself as well, then studied Minghe closely.
The Daoist Minghe—later known as Ancestor Minghe—was said to have been formed from Great God Pangu's navel and tainted blood. He possessed three innate treasures: the Yuantu Sword, the Abi Sword, and the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus.
The Yuantu Sword and the Abi Sword, like Randeng's own Primordial Chaos Heaven Measuring Ruler, could kill without incurring Karma.
The Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus, meanwhile, could burn away Karmic Power.
Among the Innate Divine Saints, his origins and treasures were both top-tier.
"The West? Why have I never heard of you before?"
Minghe's Blood Sea lay in the northwest of the Primordial World, bordering the western lands. He had remained in seclusion within the Blood Sea until reaching the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, and only then ventured out into the world. He knew that the West had been blasted apart by Demon Ancestor Rahu and left in ruins. As for the Three Pure Ones, he knew of them—they had been formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, after all.
"I'm merely an unknown nobody. It's only natural you haven't heard of me, fellow Daoist."
Randeng had no intention of making a name for himself. He knew Minghe. In the original course of events, Minghe had played the biggest role in the siege of Hong Yun.
With 480 million Blood God Son incarnations, he was known as "As long as the Blood Sea endures, Minghe will never die." He was devious beyond measure.
But Minghe knew that none of the Innate Divine Saints who had reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm this early were ordinary.
"Hmph. A treasure is emerging here. Why don't we join forces to break this Innate Great Formation, then each rely on our own abilities to claim the Innate Spiritual Treasure?"
Minghe had naturally noticed how extraordinary the formation was. But if they joined forces, breaking it would be effortless.
He was confident that his Karmic Fire Red Lotus would let him reach the Innate Spiritual Treasure first.
"Agreed."
Taishang nodded. Although the Three Pure Ones were on close terms with Randeng, if there was only one Innate Spiritual Treasure, deciding how to divide it would be a problem. Better to let each rely on their own abilities: whoever got it first would keep it.
Randeng nodded as well. He knew there might be more than one treasure here, but he still agreed to Minghe's proposal.
If Randeng remembered correctly, Taishang and Minghe had found the Innate Banana Fan at the same time. Taishang had taken the fire-aspected fan, while Minghe had taken the earth-aspected one.
The five of them joined forces and began attacking the Innate Great Formation. Minghe brought out the Yuantu Sword and the Abi Sword, both wreathed in the Laws of Blood. Every strike crashed down like a blow from the boundless sea.
The Three Pure Ones brought out their righteous energy, the Qingping Sword, the Dragon-Headed Cane, and the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi. Endless azure light shimmered, engulfing the entire valley.
Randeng simply tapped the two spirit lamps resting on his shoulders, one gray and one gold. Two fire dragons roared toward the formation's restrictions.
Five Grand Unity Golden Immortals attacked at once. Even with Buzhou Mountain's pressure weakening them, they soon blasted open the Innate Great Formation.
Minghe reacted the fastest. In the blink of an eye, he brought out the Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus and transformed into a blood-red beam of light, speeding into the formation.
Randeng wasn't about to let him get his way so easily. He brought out the Primordial Chaos Heaven Measuring Ruler. Yellow-black light spread across a thousand li, and the space around them seemed to turn viscous. Minghe's speed abruptly dropped.
Randeng and the others rode beams of light into the valley, keeping pace with Minghe.
Only when he entered the valley did Randeng see what the Innate Banana Tree looked like.
A strange banana tree clung to the steep cliff. No ordinary leaves grew at its crown; instead, it held aloft four enormous divine banana leaves, each as large as a canopy. They shimmered with distinct colors, their Daoist charm formed by nature:
One was heavy with yellow and gold, its veins coiling like dragons and serpents, as if bearing a thousand miles of mountains—steadfast and immovable;
One was a deep, dusky blue, its surface rippling with watery light. The faint sound of surging rivers seemed to flow from it, gentle and unending;
One was a pale, graceful green, its thin edges sharp as blades. It stirred without a breeze, summoning howling gales that sliced through the void;
One was a blazing crimson, with the essence of innate Bing Fire dancing across its surface. Heat billowed from it, warping even the space around it.
The four leaves slowly revolved, weaving blue, green, yellow, and red rays into a hazy curtain of light as spiritual mist swirled around them.
Seeing that the four leaves of the Innate Banana Tree were about to mature and emerge as treasures, the Three Pure Ones exchanged a glance with Randeng. Since there were four treasures, they could join forces against Minghe.
Minghe keenly noticed the subtle shift in the relationships between them.
"Thinking of joining forces against me, the Patriarch?"
Minghe gave a cold snort. He held the Yuantu Sword in his left hand and the Abi Sword in his right. The Twelve-Rank Karmic Fire Red Lotus appeared beneath his feet, while the Daoist aura of the Laws of Blood flowed through his eyes.
"Fellow Daoist, these treasures are destined for us brothers. Please withdraw at once."
Taishang spoke. Compared with Minghe, whom they had only just met, the Three Pure Ones naturally trusted Randeng more.
"Each of you can take one treasure. I have no objection. I only want the earth-aspected Banana Fan."
Minghe's words immediately set the Three Pure Ones apart from Randeng, making it clear that he wanted only one Innate Spiritual Treasure and would leave the other three to them.
A trace of hesitation flashed through Yuanshi's eyes. They had never had a conflict with Minghe before, and he was reluctant to make an enemy of a top-tier Innate Divine Saint for no reason.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, why waste words on him? The four of us can stand together and drive him away!"
Tongtian had a fiery temper and couldn't stand Minghe sowing discord between the Three Pure Ones and Randeng.
Randeng stopped Tongtian as he was about to charge forward and shook his head to reassure him. He had of course noticed the hesitation in Yuanshi's eyes, and he said:
"Since Fellow Daoist Minghe also wants the earth-aspected Banana Fan, why don't we settle this with a few rounds? The winner takes the Innate Spiritual Treasure, and the loser leaves."
What Minghe wanted was a one-on-one chance against each of them. After all, he was confident he could hold his own against any one of them.
"Good. You're straightforward, fellow Daoist. Then forgive me for what follows."
The Karmic Fire Red Lotus beneath Minghe's feet erupted. Endless flames of Karmic Power poured from it, turning the area into a sea of karmic fire. At the same time, Minghe swung the Yuantu Sword and the Abi Sword, unleashing the Daoist aura of his Laws of Blood. He even revealed the rudimentary form of the Great Dao of Slaughter he had comprehended.
The Three Pure Ones watched in alarm. They hadn't expected Minghe to have so many treasures, let alone to have comprehended the rudimentary form of a Great Dao. They couldn't help worrying for Randeng.