Beneath the moonlight, the three of them sat quietly for a while.
Just as Zhunti was about to say something, Xuande suddenly rose and bowed solemnly to Jieyin and Zhunti.
Jieyin was taken aback and hurried to his feet to return the bow. "Daoist Brother, what is the meaning of this?"
Zhunti also stood, his face showing confusion.
Xuande straightened and slowly looked from one of them to the other, his expression earnest and sincere.
"Daoist Brothers," he began slowly. His voice was soft, but every word was clear. "There is something I must explain to you both."
Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, then listened intently.
Xuande said:
"When I first arrived at Mount Sumeru, I had... some reservations about you both.
"Back then, I had only recently undergone Form Transformation and knew little of the affairs of the Primordial Wilderness. For various reasons, I was also wary of you both.
"So I concealed my true origins."
He paused and looked at them.
Jieyin's expression remained calm. A complicated emotion flickered in Zhunti's eyes, but neither of them spoke.
Xuande continued:
"My true form is no ordinary Innate Golden Lotus. It is... the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus."
At his words, silence fell beneath the Bodhi Tree.
The Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus. It had come from a seed of the Chaos Green Lotus and was one of the most exalted Innate Spiritual Roots in the Primordial Wilderness.
After speaking, Xuande waited quietly for their reaction.
A moment later, Jieyin spoke.
His voice was still low and gentle, without the slightest trace of surprise or anger.
"Daoist Brother, my junior brother and I already knew."
Xuande stared at him, momentarily stunned.
Zhunti smiled too. There was no resentment in his smile, only relief and gladness.
"When Daoist Brother underwent Form Transformation, my senior brother and I sensed the aura left within your Innate Restriction.
"Such pure Merit energy, such profound Lotus Dao resonance—what else could it have been but the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus?"
Jieyin nodded and said slowly:
"When Daoist Brother had just undergone Form Transformation, it was only natural for you to be wary of us and conceal a thing or two.
"We never brought it up because we did not want to put you in an awkward position.
"With time, you would come to understand that we invited you not for your spiritual treasures, but because we sincerely wished to discuss the Dao and cultivate together."
Xuande looked at them, a complex emotion rising in his heart that he could hardly put into words.
He had thought he'd hidden it well, thought he'd been careful at every turn.
But it turned out they had known from the very beginning.
They knew his origins. They knew he had concealed them. Yet they had never exposed him or questioned him. They had simply treated him as they would anyone else, honored him as a fellow cultivator, and welcomed him as family.
Over the past ten thousand years, from discussing the Dao to restoring the Earth Vein, they had long since become more than allies bound by mutual interest.
The mountains and rivers they had traveled together, the smiles they had exchanged when Merit descended... all of it had been real.
"Daoist Brothers..."
Xuande's voice caught. He drew a deep breath and bowed to them again, this time more deeply and solemnly than before.
"I judged two noble men by my own petty standards."
Jieyin hurried to steady him.
"Daoist Brother, there's no need. We had only just met, and it was only natural for you to be wary.
"Had my junior brother and I been in your place, we might not have done any better."
Zhunti stepped forward and patted Xuande on the shoulder with a smile.
"Daoist Brother, by speaking so frankly today, you've shown that you consider my senior brother and me your own.
"My senior brother and I couldn't be happier. Why would we hold those old matters against you?"
Xuande straightened and met their sincere gazes. The last trace of distance in his heart vanished.
"Daoist Brothers," he said slowly.
"From this day onward, Xuande will stand united with you both and work to revitalize the West.
"Whatever concerns Mount Sumeru concerns me; whatever you both wish for, I wish for too."
Jieyin nodded solemnly. "Good. From now on, the three of us will stand together, sharing hardship and prosperity."
Zhunti's smile faded as he spoke earnestly. "My senior brother and I will remember your words.
"With the three of us working together, how could we fail to revitalize the West?"
Beneath the moonlight, three hands stacked atop one another. There were no vows, no spells—just a simple gesture, yet it carried more solemnity than any oath.
The three sat down again, and the atmosphere felt even warmer and more relaxed than before.
Zhunti returned to his usual eager self, peppering Xuande with questions, while Jieyin watched them with a smile, occasionally adding a word or two.
Xuande suddenly remembered something, and his expression grew serious.
"Daoist Brothers, there is something else I must tell you."
Seeing his expression, Jieyin and Zhunti realized it was no trivial matter and listened intently.
Xuande said slowly, "When I was repairing the Abyss of Demonic Energy, I once ventured deep underground.
"There, I discovered... two treasures left behind by Rahula."
At these words, Jieyin and Zhunti were both startled.
"Rahula's treasures?" Zhunti blurted out. "How did that Demon Ancestor's treasures end up there?"
Jieyin's expression turned grave as well. "Did you encounter any danger, Daoist Brother? Rahula was the Demon Ancestor. Though he has fallen, his relics may still conceal some hidden traps."
Xuande shook his head. "Do not worry. I carefully examined the two treasures with Merit Golden Light. Their demonic energy has been completely purified, and there are no remnants of Rahula's spirit or any restrictions.
"Besides... I had already begun refining them at the time and left my Primordial Spirit mark on them."
"Begun refining them?" Jieyin mused.
"No wonder the source of the corruption in the Abyss of Demonic Energy suddenly vanished back then. So Daoist Brother had taken those two treasures."
Zhunti suddenly understood as well.
"So that's what happened! I wondered why the demonic energy in the abyss had completely dissipated. Daoist Brother had pulled the source out by its roots."
Xuande nodded and continued:
"Both treasures share the same origin as my true form.
"One is the Twelve-Petal Destruction Black Lotus. It shares an origin with my Merit Golden Lotus, but their attributes are diametrically opposed.
"The other is the God-Slaying Spear, said to have been formed from the root of the Chaos Green Lotus. It is an innate treasure of slaughter."
Zhunti drew in a sharp breath.
The Twelve-Petal Destruction Black Lotus and the God-Slaying Spear—either treasure alone would have been enough to make the great powers of the Primordial Wilderness fight tooth and nail to claim it.
Back then, Rahula had relied on these two supreme treasures to run rampant throughout the Primordial Wilderness, killing countless beings. Even Hongjun had needed to go to great lengths to defeat him.
"Daoist Brother, you actually obtained both of these supreme treasures..."
Zhunti murmured, a complicated look in his eyes—shock and envy, but not the slightest trace of greed.
Jieyin fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly:
"These two treasures share an origin with you. Perhaps it was the will of the Heavenly Dao that they fell into your hands. However..."
He looked at Xuande, concern in his eyes.
"Your path lies in Merit and Purity.
"The Destruction Black Lotus has the opposite attributes, while the God-Slaying Spear carries too much killing intent.
"Though you have begun refining them, if you wish to truly control these two treasures..."
"You must finish refining them and fully integrate them into your own path.
"This will be dangerous. You must think carefully before proceeding."
Xuande nodded.
"I understand. Though the two treasures have acknowledged me as their master, the Primordial Spirit marks I placed on them are only preliminary.
"They are far from being truly under my control.
"If I do not finish refining them, they will be like two ticking karmic bombs, ready to trigger cause and effect at any moment.
"I plan to find a quiet place to refine them completely and make them truly my own."
Hearing this, Zhunti immediately said:
"Then refine them here on Mount Sumeru!
"The place on this mountain with the richest Spiritual Energy is perfect. My senior brother and I can set up restrictions to protect you."
Jieyin nodded as well. "Exactly. Refine them without worry, Daoist Brother. My junior brother and I will protect you and make sure no one disturbs you."
Xuande looked at them, warmth welling up inside him.
He knew that anyone else might have coveted the value of these two treasures.
But Jieyin and Zhunti were thinking only of how to help him and keep him safe.
"Thank you, Daoist Brothers," he said solemnly.
Jieyin shook his head. "You give us too much credit, Daoist Brother. The three of us stand together. There's no need to thank us."
Zhunti was already on his feet, smiling.
"Then let's waste no time. We should find the place with the richest Spiritual Energy.
"I know just the spot, up in the back mountains. There's a Spiritual Vein there, and the Spiritual Energy is even denser than it is beneath the Bodhi Tree.
"Follow me, Daoist Brother!"
The three rose and headed along a mountain path toward the back mountains.