The Arrival of Jieyin and Zhunti

Xuande stood before the Innate Restriction that was about to dissipate, in no hurry to break free.

He had only just completed his Form Transformation. Though the Heavenly Dao had bestowed a name upon him, the foundation of his true form had directly elevated his cultivation to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Yet his aura was still somewhat unsettled, and the circulation of his spiritual power had not fully reached perfect harmony.

With the situation outside still unknown, rashly venturing out would hardly be wise.

He sat cross-legged in the air within the restricted space that had accompanied him through countless years, gathered his thoughts, and began consolidating his cultivation.

His divine sense sank into the primordial spirit within his Purple Mansion. Vast mana, like a sea of stars, surged through his meridians and dantian. Its richness and purity far surpassed anything he had sensed when he had been the true spirit of the lotus throne.

A Grand Unity Golden Immortal had transcended the Three Realms and stood beyond the Five Elements, beginning to touch the laws of space and time. Such beings already ranked among the upper echelons of the Primordial Wilderness.

And upon careful examination, his current realm had actually stabilized firmly at the late stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!

His immense mana condensed like mercury, while his primordial spirit shone with brilliant golden light. An auspicious cloud flickered above his head. Though the Three Flowers had yet to fully condense, they already showed signs of budding.

The Five Qi circulated within his chest, ceaselessly generating one another.

Most notably, a thin yet incomparably resilient layer of golden radiance naturally lingered around his body.

It was a fusion of the merit aura carried by the Origin Essence of the Merit Golden Lotus and its Innate Dao Charm of defense. Myriad techniques could not breach it, and all evil retreated before it.

"Late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal..."

Xuande steadied himself inwardly.

No matter which calamity era the Primordial Wilderness was currently in, this cultivation was by no means something others could casually manipulate.

So long as he did not provoke the few great powers who had already become Saints or reached Peak Quasi-Saint, he should have more than enough ability to protect himself.

This undoubtedly gave him his first measure of confidence in facing the unknown Primordial Wilderness.

He spent some time further refining his mana, allowing his primordial spirit and Dao body to meld seamlessly.

Only when his entire aura had completely withdrawn and returned to its natural simplicity did he appear to be nothing more than an ordinary accomplished cultivator.

Only the occasional lotus phantom flowing deep in his eyes, along with the indescribably pure and peaceful temperament around him, revealed his extraordinary origins.

Just as his cultivation was fully complete and he prepared to break free of the restriction and truly step into the world of the Primordial Wilderness—

"Buzz!"

From a distant direction, two exceptionally distinct auras seemed to carry a faint resonance with his true form, rushing toward this region at tremendous speed!

That resonance did not stem from bloodline or inheritance. It was more like a kind of... destined affinity.

Or rather, a faint entanglement at the level of Heavenly Dao fate.

One aura was sorrowful and weighty, while the other carried sharpness and liveliness.

Xuande's heart sank.

"They've come... so soon?"

He immediately concealed every trace of his aura, reducing his presence to the lowest possible level while focusing with all his might on the two rapidly approaching auras.

Thanks to his late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation and the Innate Spiritual Root's keen sensitivity to the auras of heaven and earth, he quickly determined the visitors' realms.

"Both of them are... Mid-Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortals?"

Xuande froze slightly, then an uncontrollable sense of relief and relaxation rose within him.

Good! They had not yet become Saints!

They even seemed to remain some distance away from becoming Quasi-Saints.

Mid-Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortals and late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortals both belonged to the Great Luo realm.

Yet in the Primordial Wilderness, the gap of a minor realm often meant a considerable difference in the depth of one's comprehension of the Great Dao, the breadth of mana accumulation, and the power of one's divine abilities.

Especially since he had transformed from the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus, possessing supreme origins and profound foundations. Having transformed first and stabilized his cultivation, his advantage was amplified further.

Most of his fear faded, replaced by calm calculation.

The other party had clearly come after sensing the emergence of a "fated spiritual treasure"—namely, the aura of his former Merit Golden Lotus true form.

Now that he had completed his Form Transformation, what they faced was no longer an "ownerless spiritual treasure."

It was an Innate Divine Being with extraordinary origins and cultivation even slightly higher than their own.

The situation had already changed.

As that thought passed through his mind, the two auras had arrived outside the Innate Restriction and stopped.

Through the restriction barrier, which had grown thin and allowed him to perceive the outside world far more clearly, Xuande "saw" the newcomers.

They were two Daoists.

The one in front wore a sorrowful expression and had a thin frame. Clad in an old pale yellow Daoist robe, his brow seemed to bear the suffering of all living beings. His aura was compassionate and enduring. He was none other than Jieyin.

Half a step behind him stood a somewhat leaner figure with a slightly sallow complexion. His eyes were bright, carrying a trace of sharpness and eagerness. Dressed in a green Daoist robe, he was undoubtedly Zhunti.

At that moment, both of them stared with strange light in their eyes at the Innate Restriction where Xuande was located.

Though the restriction had greatly weakened in spiritual power due to Xuande's Form Transformation and was about to disappear.

It still retained the dense aura of the Merit Golden Lotus and Innate Dao Charm.

To them, that aura was irresistibly alluring, like an oasis appearing before travelers in the desert.

"Senior Brother, this thing truly has affinity with our West!

Its aura is so peaceful and pure, and it possesses such vast merit power. It must be a supreme Innate Spiritual Root or spiritual treasure!"

Zhunti's tone carried excitement he could barely suppress, his eyes blazing.

Jieyin slowly nodded. The sorrow on his face lessened somewhat, and a glimmer of light flashed through his eyes.

"Good. The spiritual aura here is abundant, and it faintly accords with our Dao. This is indeed a great opportunity.

However, though this Innate Restriction has weakened, it must not be underestimated. You and I must break it carefully, lest we damage the spirituality of the treasure within."

After saying that, the two exchanged a glance and prepared to join forces to cast their techniques and shatter the final barrier.

Just as their mana was about to surge forth—

"Buzz!"

The Innate Restriction before them—that golden barrier—suddenly rippled violently from within.

It was not shaking from an external attack, but rather dissipating from the inside out like a bubble naturally bursting.

Golden light scattered like drifting fireflies, and the restriction fully opened.

A young figure in a plain white Daoist robe, with a faint golden halo flowing around his body, slowly stepped out from the center of the dissipating restriction.

His steps were calm, his aura pure and peaceful, and a gentle smile rested on his face. He walked directly before the stunned Jieyin and Zhunti.

Xuande stopped, raised one hand before his chest in a simple Daoist salute, and spoke in a clear voice neither servile nor overbearing.

"This humble Daoist is Xuande. I cultivated quietly and underwent Form Transformation here. Just now, I sensed the auras of two fellow Daoists approaching. May I ask what brings you here?"

His calm gaze swept over Jieyin and Zhunti. His eyes were clear, bearing just the right amount of curiosity and inquiry, as though he had truly merely encountered two unfamiliar fellow Daoists by chance.

Jieyin and Zhunti both froze.

Where was the treasure? Where was that merit spiritual treasure aura so dense that it had stirred their Dao hearts?

Before them stood only this Daoist who called himself "Xuande."

His aura was pure and peaceful, faintly matching the merit power they had sensed earlier. Yet he was clearly a cultivator who had already formed a Dao body and possessed profound cultivation. How could he be some ownerless spiritual treasure?

What startled them even more was Xuande Daoist's cultivation... they could not see through it at all!

They could only feel that his aura was deep as an ocean and perfectly integrated, faintly exerting a sense of pressure upon them.

He was at least at the peak of the Mid-Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, perhaps even... higher!

The sorrow on Jieyin's face deepened somewhat, though doubt and contemplation swiftly flashed through the depths of his eyes.

The eagerness in Zhunti's gaze abruptly cooled, replaced by uncertainty and a trace of nearly imperceptible regret.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

After a while, Jieyin was the first to recover. Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he returned the salute, his voice low and gentle.

"So it is Fellow Daoist Xuande.

This humble Daoist is Jieyin, and this is my junior brother, Zhunti. We come from Mount Sumeru in the West.

While cultivating quietly on the mountain, we suddenly sensed a peaceful Dao Charm soaring from this place, as though it had affinity with our West. Thus, we came to investigate.

We did not expect this to be the place where Fellow Daoist underwent Form Transformation and emerged into the world. It is truly a misunderstanding. Please do not take offense, Fellow Daoist."

Zhunti swiftly adjusted his expression as well, forcing out a smile as he cupped his hands in salute.

"Precisely so. Congratulations to Fellow Daoist on completing Form Transformation, attaining the Dao, and achieving the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.

Observing Fellow Daoist's pure aura and the faint manifestation of merit, your origins must be extraordinary. Might I ask what Fellow Daoist's true form is...?"

He asked directly, his gaze fixed tightly on Xuande as he tried to uncover some clue.

The residual Merit Golden Lotus aura within the dissipating restriction was simply too obvious.

And this Xuande Daoist's aura was so compatible with it that Zhunti could not help but form a certain suspicion.