Xuande stood before the Innate Restriction, which was about to dissipate, but made no move to break through it.
He had only just undergone Form Transformation. Though the Heavenly Dao had bestowed a name upon him, the foundation of his original body had carried his cultivation straight to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
His aura still wavered slightly, however, and his spiritual power did not yet flow with perfect ease.
With the situation outside unknown, rushing out would be unwise.
He sat cross-legged within the restriction space that had sheltered him for countless years, calmed his mind, and began consolidating his cultivation.
His divine sense sank into the Primordial Spirit in his Purple Mansion. Vast, star-sea-like power surged through his meridians and dantian, its might and purity far beyond anything he had sensed when he was merely the lotus platform's spirit.
A Grand Unity Golden Immortal stood beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements, with a dawning grasp of the laws of space and time. Such a being already ranked among the strongest in the Primordial Wilderness.
And as he examined his own cultivation, he found that he stood firmly at the late stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal!
His immense power had condensed until it flowed like mercury. His Primordial Spirit shone with golden light, and an Auspicious Cloud flickered above his head. His Three Flowers had yet to form fully, but they were already poised to bloom.
The Five Qi circulated within his chest without end.
Most striking of all, a faint yet extraordinarily resilient golden glow surrounded him of its own accord.
It was the fusion of the merit carried by the Merit Golden Lotus's Origin Essence and its innate defensive Dao Charm. Countless spells would struggle to touch him, and evil forces would retreat.
"Late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal..."
Xuande's heart settled.
Whatever tribulation era the Primordial Wilderness was in, no one could treat someone at his level as easy prey.
So long as he did not provoke the few mighty beings who had already become Sages or reached Peak Quasi-Saint, he should have more than enough strength to protect himself.
That gave him his first measure of confidence in facing the unknown Primordial Wilderness.
He spent some time refining his power further, bringing his Primordial Spirit and Dao body into perfect harmony.
Only when his aura had withdrawn completely, returning to a state of natural simplicity, did he appear no different from an ordinary accomplished cultivator.
Only the occasional lotus shadow deep in his eyes and the indescribable air of tranquility around him betrayed his extraordinary origins.
Then, just as he completed his cultivation and prepared to break through the restriction and step into the Primordial Wilderness for the first time...
Hum!
From far away came two distinct auras.
They resonated faintly with his original body and were approaching this area at astonishing speed!
The resonance did not stem from bloodline or inheritance. It felt more like... an affinity.
Or rather, a faint pull at the level of fate and the Heavenly Dao.
One aura was compassionate and solemn; the other was sharp and lively.
Xuande's heart sank.
They're coming... already?
He immediately concealed his aura and reduced his presence to the barest trace, while focusing all his senses on the two approaching figures.
Thanks to his late-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation and an Innate Spiritual Root's sensitivity to the energies of heaven and earth, he soon discerned their cultivation levels.
Both of them are... Mid-Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortals?
Xuande paused, then relief surged through him.
Thank goodness! They haven't become Sages yet!
They even seemed some distance from the Quasi-Saint realm.
Mid-stage against late-stage: both belonged to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
But at this level in the Primordial Wilderness, even one minor realm of difference
often meant a marked gap in their understanding of the Great Dao, the depth of their accumulated power, and the strength of their divine abilities.
Xuande, moreover, had undergone Form Transformation from the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus. His origins were supreme, his foundation profound, and he had transformed first and stabilized his cultivation. That only widened his advantage.
Most of his fear faded, replaced by cool calculation.
They had clearly sensed the emergence of the "Numinous Treasure destined for them"—what had once been his lotus body—and come looking for it.
But he had already undergone Form Transformation. They would no longer find an "unclaimed Numinous Treasure."
They would face an Innate Divine Being of extraordinary origins, whose cultivation even slightly surpassed their own.
The situation had changed.
As that thought crossed his mind, the two auras arrived outside the Innate Restriction and stopped.
Through the barrier, now thin enough to give him a much clearer sense of the outside world, Xuande "saw" the newcomers.
They were two Daoists.
The one in front had a sorrowful face and a thin frame. He wore a worn, pale-yellow Daoist robe, and his brow seemed to bear the suffering of all living beings. His aura was compassionate and enduring. This was Jieyin.
Half a step behind him stood a slightly leaner, capable-looking figure with a sallow face and bright eyes that held a hint of sharpness and eagerness. Dressed in a blue-green Daoist robe, he could only be Zhunti.
Both men now stared at the Innate Restriction surrounding Xuande, their eyes gleaming.
Though Xuande's Form Transformation had greatly weakened the restriction and left it on the verge of dissipating,
a rich aura of the Merit Golden Lotus and innate Dao Charm still lingered within it.
To them, that aura was irresistible, like an oasis to travelers lost in the desert.
"Senior Brother, this treasure truly is destined for the West!
Its aura is so peaceful and pure, and it holds such immense merit. It must be a supreme Innate Spiritual Root or Numinous Treasure!"
Zhunti could barely contain his excitement. His eyes burned with anticipation.
Jieyin nodded slowly. Some of the sorrow left his face, and a gleam appeared in his eyes.
"Indeed. Spiritual energy abounds here, and its Dao Charm seems to align with our path. This is a great opportunity.
But though this Innate Restriction has weakened, we must not underestimate it. We should break it carefully, lest we damage the treasure's spirit."
The two exchanged a glance and prepared to join forces to break through the final barrier.
Just as they were about to unleash their power—
Hum!
The golden barrier of the Innate Restriction suddenly rippled violently from within.
It was not the tremor of something struck from outside. Like a bubble bursting, it dissolved from the inside out.
Golden light scattered like fireflies, and the restriction opened completely.
A young figure in a plain white Daoist robe stepped slowly out from its fading center, a faint golden halo flowing around him.
His pace was unhurried, his aura serene, and a gentle smile rested on his face. He walked straight up to the astonished Jieyin and Zhunti.
Xuande stopped, raised one hand before his chest in a simple Daoist salute, and spoke in a clear voice, neither humble nor overbearing.
"I am Xuande. I have been cultivating here in seclusion and underwent Form Transformation. I sensed your auras approaching just now. May I ask what brings you here?"
His gaze passed calmly over Jieyin and Zhunti. His clear eyes held just the right measure of curiosity, as though he had merely happened upon two unfamiliar fellow cultivators.
Jieyin and Zhunti both froze.
Where was the treasure? Where was the aura of a Merit Spiritual Treasure, so strong that even their Dao hearts had sensed it?
Only this Daoist who called himself "Xuande" stood before them.
His aura was pure and peaceful, and it did seem to accord with the power of merit they had sensed. But he had plainly formed a Dao body and possessed profound cultivation. How could he be an unclaimed Numinous Treasure?
More alarming still, they could not quite see through Daoist Xuande's cultivation!
His aura felt deep as the sea and perfectly unified, exerting a faint pressure on them.
He was at least at the peak of Mid-Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal, and perhaps... even higher!
The sorrow on Jieyin's face deepened, though doubt and calculation flashed through his eyes.
The eagerness in Zhunti's eyes cooled at once, replaced by uncertainty and a barely perceptible trace of regret.
Silence settled over them.
After a moment, Jieyin recovered first. Suppressing his inner turmoil, he returned the salute and spoke in a low, gentle voice.
"So it is Fellow Daoist Xuande.
I am Jieyin, and this is my junior brother, Zhunti. We come from Western Mount Sumeru.
While cultivating in seclusion on the mountain, we sensed a peaceful Dao Charm rising to the heavens from this place. It seemed to have an affinity with the West, so we came to investigate.
We did not realize this was where you had undergone Form Transformation. It was a misunderstanding. Please take no offense."
Zhunti quickly composed himself as well. He forced a smile and bowed.
"Just so. Congratulations on attaining Form Transformation and reaching the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
Your aura is pure, with traces of merit within it. Your origins must be extraordinary. Might I ask what your original body was...?"
He asked directly, watching Xuande intently for the slightest clue.
The aura of the Merit Golden Lotus lingering in the dissolved restriction had been all too clear.
And Daoist Xuande's aura matched it so closely that Zhunti could not help but suspect a connection.