Heading to Kunlun Ruins

After Haotian and Bai Ze discussed the Dao for a time, Haotian left behind several hundred Spirit Tea leaves before preparing to depart Kunlun Branch Courtyard.

At parting, Bai Ze saw him off beyond the Mountain Gate, his expression carrying a trace of reluctance. "Daoist, your journey to Kunlun Ruins leads into an unknown future. You must be careful."

"Kunlun is the ancestral vein of the Primordial World, concealing countless perils. Without tremendous fortune and unwavering resolve, none can venture deep within."

"Thank you for the advice, Daoist." Haotian solemnly cupped his hands. "Once I have paid my respects to Kunlun's Great Powers, I will certainly return to discuss the Dao and taste tea with you again."

With that, Haotian took out the Purple Firmament Token. At a thought, the talisman burst with dazzling violet radiance, enveloping his entire body.

The next instant, ripples spread through space. Haotian transformed into a streak of violet-gold light and vanished beyond the horizon.

Bai Ze remained where he was, watching the streak of light recede as he murmured to himself, "This Daoist's origins are likely even more extraordinary than I imagined..."

Using the Purple Firmament Token to traverse space, Haotian felt as though he had become the path of a law itself, traveling through the interlayers of the Primordial World.

The scenes around him were bizarre and ever-shifting. At times, earth, wind, water, and fire churned in tumult; at others, stars flickered into illusion, perished, and were reborn.

This was a realm only those who had mastered Space Law or possessed special supreme treasures could enter.

As he traveled, Haotian sank his thoughts into his inherited memories.

Kunlun—the ancestral vein of the Primordial World, progenitor of all mountains, source of spiritual energy.

Since Great God Pangu's World Creation, Kunlun had stood in the east of the Primordial World, receiving the fortune of Heaven and Earth and nurturing boundless creation.

Kunlun was divided into East Kunlun and West Kunlun. Whether one wished to enter East Kunlun or West Kunlun, one first had to reach Kunlun Ruins before proceeding farther.

Kunlun Ruins was the gateway and hub of the Kunlun Mountain Range, as well as a secret realm of Heaven and Earth independent from the outside world.

Legend had it that this place was formed from Great God Pangu's spine, containing the most primordial imprints of law from the dawn of creation.

Without a special method or token, only a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal could find its entrance.

"According to the inherited memories, the entrance to Kunlun Ruins should be at the 'Heaven and Earth Rift,' thirty million li west of the East Sea Coast..." Haotian calculated the direction in his mind, and the Purple Firmament Token adjusted course accordingly.

After traveling through the spatial interlayers for an unknown length of time, an enormous rift stretching across the void suddenly appeared ahead.

At its edges, Chaos Qi churned without cease. Earth, wind, water, and fire were born and extinguished within it in endless flux, radiating a heart-palpitating Aura.

Haotian understood at once that this was the "Heaven and Earth Rift" leading to Kunlun Ruins.

He did not dare delay. Activating the Purple Firmament Token to protect his body, he became a streak of light and shot straight into the seemingly perilous rift.

The instant he passed through the rift, Haotian felt as though he had broken through an invisible barrier.

The sight before him changed abruptly. Gone was the chaotic scene of the spatial interlayers, replaced by a vast, boundless world suffused with spiritual energy.

This was Kunlun Ruins.

Looking out, he saw nine colossal peaks towering into the heavens, half-hidden amid swirling clouds and mist. They were arranged in the positions of the Nine Palaces, each peak radiating Innate Spiritual Energy of a different attribute.

One mountain was crimson from summit to base, with fire spiritual energy surging like a tide.

One was deep blue like water, with Water Law flowing through it.

One was lush green as dripping jade, overflowing with the vitality of the Wood Law.

Between the nine peaks stretched seven-colored rainbow bridges, their surfaces glimmering with flowing light, faint runes flashing across them.

Farther away, waterfalls descended from the void, their sources unknown. The roar of water rumbled like thunder, while the droplets they flung into the air refracted countless rosy rays beneath the sunlight.

The spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth was so dense it was nearly liquid. With every breath, one could feel one's cultivation slowly growing.

Immortal Birds and Exotic Beasts occasionally flew through the sky. All were Great Desolation Exotic Species rarely seen in the outside world, and some had only ever been recorded in inherited memories.

Haotian stood in the void, sensing the laws of this world.

The laws here were clearer and more complete than those outside, as though they remained in the primordial state from when Heaven and Earth had first opened.

If one could cultivate here long-term, the efficiency of comprehending the Great Dao would be at least ten times greater than in the outside world.

"As expected of the gateway to the Primordial World's ancestral vein..." Haotian sighed inwardly.

Just as he was surveying his surroundings, the clouds and mist ahead suddenly parted of their own accord. A road paved in golden light extended from beneath his feet, leading straight to a White Jade Platform at the center of the nine peaks.

Haotian knew this was Kunlun Ruins' welcome, so he stepped onto the golden road and flew toward the platform.

The platform was vast, spanning a full hundred li in every direction. It was entirely built from superior white jade, its surface carved with densely packed Innate Dao Patterns.

At the center of the platform stood a colossal stone stele a thousand zhang tall. Its inscription was written in ancient Chaos Divine Script, radiating an age-old, desolate Aura.

Haotian approached the stele and focused on its inscription.

"Kunlun Ruins, the hub of the Primordial World, the pivot of Heaven and Earth."

"East Kunlun is the Dao Field of the Three Pure Ones; West Kunlun is the residence of the Queen Mother."

"Those entering East Kunlun must pass the Three Pure Ones Trial."

"Those entering West Kunlun must undergo the Yaochi Test."

"Those without a token may also challenge the Nine Peaks Great Formation. Pass the formation, and the gateway shall open."

Haotian understood after reading the inscription.

His main purpose in coming here was to visit the Three Pure Ones, so naturally, he had to head to East Kunlun.

The Purple Firmament Token was the Dao Ancestor's token of trust. With it, he should be able to meet them without trouble.

However, Haotian did not immediately activate the Purple Firmament Token. He swept his gaze over the nine towering peaks, a thoughtful glint flashing through his eyes.

"Nine Peaks Great Formation... the inherited memories mention it briefly. This formation was modeled after the nine great innate formations of the Primordial Wilderness and contains the ultimate principles of heaven and earth."

"Since I'm here, I might as well study it first. Perhaps I'll gain some insight into the Dao of formations."

With that thought, Haotian moved and flew toward the nearest crimson-red mountain peak.

This peak belonged to fire. Before he even drew near, a scorching aura rushed toward him head-on.

Magma flowed over the crimson rocks on the mountain's surface, forming natural patterns of flame.

Nine golden fireballs floated around the Mountain Body, arranged in the positions of the Nine Palaces as they slowly revolved.

Haotian stopped at a safe distance and opened his Dao Eye for a careful examination.

In his field of vision, these nine fireballs were not simple creations of flame. They were formed from countless fine Fire Element Law runes, linked together to create a profound and mysterious great flame formation.

"This is... a simplified version of the Nine Yang Sky Burning Formation?" Haotian recognized the formation's foundation, and surprise stirred in his heart.

The Nine Yang Sky Burning Formation was one of the Primordial Wilderness's top Killing Formations. At its peak, it could burn the heavens and boil the seas; even Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals faced the danger of perishing within it.

Though the formation before him was merely a simplified version, with less than one ten-thousandth the power of the original, the Fire Element Law contained within it was exceptionally pure.

Haotian focused his mind on comprehending it, committing the formation's Rune Structure and the paths of its energy circulation to memory one by one.

Although fire was not the Great Dao he chiefly cultivated, the myriad laws were interconnected. The mysteries of such a top-tier formation offered no small reference for perfecting his own Great Dao.

After studying it for several dozen days, Haotian finally grasped seventy to eighty percent of the mysteries within this great flame formation.

He then proceeded in turn to the other eight mountain peaks, studying the innate formations corresponding respectively to the eight attributes of water, wood, metal, earth, wind, lightning, light, and darkness.