Comprehending the Grand Formation

Each great formation was unfathomably profound. Every time Haotian contemplated one, it took him several days, or even more than ten.

Yet he reveled in it, utterly unaware of time slipping away.

The laws and profound truths contained within these great formations—some complemented the Dao he cultivated, while others stood in complete opposition to it.

It was precisely through comparing such mutual generation and mutual restraint that Haotian's understanding of the essence of the Great Dao grew ever deeper.

In particular, the final peak corresponding to the attribute of "darkness," where the Nine Nether Spirit Devouring Formation had been laid out, proved quite difficult for Haotian to comprehend.

This formation involved various yin-aligned laws—Netherworld, devouring, extinction, and more—which clashed considerably with the Dao he cultivated.

Yet it was during his study of this formation that Haotian gained a deeper understanding of the principles of "Yin Yang Mutual Generation" and "Light Dark Mutual Transformation."

He vaguely sensed that the mystery of "Yin Yang Transformation," which he had never been able to fully grasp, seemed to have found an opportunity for a breakthrough.

Thus, Haotian remained among the nine peaks of Kunlun Ruins for a full eighty-one years.

One day, when he awoke from his contemplation of the final mountain peak, a glimmer of enlightenment flashed through his eyes.

He sat cross-legged in the void, Dao resonance circulating around him. At times it transformed into Pure Yang Golden Light; at others, it shifted into Utmost Yin Gloom. The two cycled endlessly within his body, achieving a mysterious balance.

"Yin Yang Mutual Generation, Light Dark Mutual Transformation... so that's how it is." Haotian murmured, a smile appearing on his face.

These eighty-one years of contemplating the Nine Peaks Great Formation had not directly raised his cultivation realm, but they had vastly broadened his Dao Foundation and perfected his understanding of the Great Dao.

Now, he had already touched the threshold of the Golden Immortal Mid-stage. All he lacked was a single opportunity to break through.

More importantly, through observing these nine great formations, Haotian's attainments in the Dao of formations had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Now, in terms of his understanding of formations alone, he was no less capable than many Cultivators who specialized in that path.

"It is time to head for East Kunlun." Haotian rose to his feet and took out the Purple Firmament Token.

He poured his mana into the token, and the Purple Firmament Token immediately blossomed with a gentle yet majestic purple radiance.

The radiance was not dazzling, yet it carried a supreme Dao resonance, as though it could command all laws and harmonize every Dao.

As the Purple Firmament Token was activated, the enormous stele at the center of the nine peaks suddenly began to tremble.

A gateway slowly opened in the void.

This gateway differed from the rift Haotian had passed through when entering Kunlun Ruins. It was more stable, more magnificent.

At its edges, Yin Yang Qi circulated, Five Elements spiritual light flickered, and all kinds of Innate Dao Patterns appeared and vanished.

Through the gateway, Haotian could vaguely make out the scene on the other side.

It was a land even more sacred and vast, with towering mountain ranges and endless palaces. Purple qi streamed from the east for thirty thousand li, while Auspicious Clouds curled around the Ninth Heaven.

Haotian took a deep breath, straightened his Daoist robe, and stepped into the gateway.

Passing through the gateway linking Kunlun Ruins and East Kunlun, Haotian felt as though he had crossed some invisible boundary.

The gateway behind him slowly closed, and the sight before him suddenly opened wide.

If Kunlun Ruins was already a rare blessed grotto-heaven of the Primordial Wilderness, then East Kunlun was a true sacred land of immortals.

As far as the eye could see, mountain ranges stretched without end. Every peak towered into the clouds, their Mountain Bodies giving off a faint jade-colored sheen.

Cloud and mist coiled between the mountains, yet they were no ordinary vapors. They were Spirit Mist condensed from liquid spiritual qi; even a single breath left one's Primordial Spirit feeling clear and refreshed.

Flocks of immortal cranes flew across the sky, their feathers white as snow and their cries crisp and pleasing.

Among the mountain forests, Spirit Deer strolled while Qilin flickered in and out of sight. All manner of auspicious beasts rarely seen in the outside world lived here as freely as ordinary Living Beings.

Most striking of all, three vast streams of purple qi, as boundless as the sea, descended from the east across the heavens. They stretched for thirty thousand li, shrouding all of East Kunlun.

That purple qi contained supreme Dao resonance. Merely looking upon it inspired reverence in one's heart.

"So this is the bearing of the Three Pure Ones' Dao Field?" Haotian sighed inwardly.

Following the guidance of the Purple Firmament Token, he flew toward the direction where the purple qi was most concentrated.

Standing upon Auspicious Clouds, he passed through layers of Spirit Mist and crossed countless immortal mountains and blessed lands.

Along the way, Haotian witnessed many wondrous sights.

Waterfalls flowed upward, pouring straight into the clouds.

Ancient Trees reached into the heavens, their branches bearing spiritual fruits that radiated Dao resonance.

Roads paved with jade wound onward, stone steles carved with Innate Dao Patterns standing on either side...

After flying for about half a day, a particularly unusual mountain peak appeared ahead.

This mountain was not the tallest, yet it possessed a unique charm.

Its Mountain Body was shaped like a triangular prism, its three sides respectively emanating three distinct Dao resonances of purity, jade, and supremacy. They melded together, yet remained as clearly divided as river water and well water.

Halfway up the mountain, an ancient, unadorned temple could be vaguely seen, shrouded in faint purple qi and impossible to discern clearly.

Haotian knew that this was where the Three Pure Ones Temple stood.

He descended from the clouds and landed upon a Green Stone platform at the mountain's foot. Before the platform, a flight of Green Stone steps wound upward toward the temple halfway up the mountain. There were nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps in total, each carved with intricate Dao Patterns.

Haotian straightened his Daoist robe, held the Purple Firmament Token in hand, and began ascending step by step.

He did not use any spell to fly, choosing instead to proceed on foot.

It was a sign of respect for his master, and also a tempering of his state of mind.

As he stepped onto the bluestone stairs, Haotian sensed the Dao patterns on them faintly lighting up beneath his feet.

These Dao patterns seemed to contain some sort of trial. With every step he took, a faint ripple of Dao essence struck his Primordial Spirit.

Yet Haotian's foundation was solid and his Dao Heart unwavering. A trial of this level posed no difficulty for him.

His steps were steady, his aura deep and unhurried, as he climbed upward one step at a time.

As he rose higher, the scenery around him became ever more mystical.

On either side of the stairs, strange phenomena appeared from time to time.

At times, lotus flowers bloomed from the void; at times, Dao Sound rang out from the netherworld; at others, phantoms of all manner of Great Dao laws manifested...

Haotian felt something stir within him. He slowed his pace and carefully contemplated the Dao essence contained within these phenomena.

When he reached the mountainside, two phantom figures suddenly appeared on either side of the stairs ahead.

The figure on the left held a whisk, with lean features and an otherworldly bearing.

The figure on the right carried a longsword on his back, Heroic Spirit brimming between his brows.

Though the two phantoms were merely condensed Dao essence, they radiated the unique pressure of Primordial Unity Golden Immortals.

"Who goes there? Why do you dare intrude upon the Three Pure Ones Temple?" the two phantoms spoke in unison, their voices clashing like gold and jade and echoing through the mountains.

Haotian halted and cupped his hands in salute. "This Daoist is Haotian, a Boy attendant under a Saint. I have come to visit the three fellow Daoists. This is my token of identification."

As he spoke, he raised the Purple Firmament Token in his hand.

Sensing the dense Dao essence of the Three Pure Ones around it, the token automatically emitted a gentle violet radiance.

Upon seeing the Purple Firmament Token, the expressions of the two phantoms shifted slightly. They simultaneously bowed in return. "So you are of the Dao Ancestor's lineage. Forgive our disrespect. Please follow us."

The phantoms led the way, and Haotian followed behind them.

The Dao essence of the trials on the remaining steps all dispersed, making the journey much easier.

Before long, Haotian arrived before the Daoist temple gates on the mountainside.