Obtaining Treasures

The Innate Gourd Vine shone with a brilliant radiance, its seven-colored treasure light shooting straight into the heavens.

Seven treasure gourds swayed violently on the vines, as if possessing life, eager to break free from their restraints and find their respective masters!

The entire Buzhou Mountain seemed to resonate faintly. The Mysterious Yellow Qi coiling around its body accelerated its flow, emitting a low hum.

It was as if it were offering praise for the final ripening of this spiritual root of heaven and earth.

"The spiritual energy is sufficient, the treasure gourds are about to ripen!"

Grand Pure One Laozi held a whisk with a jade handle, his voice calm and placid, yet carrying an undeniable majesty.

His gaze swept over the seven treasure gourds, each with its unique brilliance, finally settling on the one that was entirely purple-gold, its Dao patterns the most profound and deep.

"This gourd has a connection with me."

Laozi spoke concisely and took a step forward, his figure already before the vine.

He did not directly reach out to pluck it. Instead, he extended a withered yet infinitely Dao-infused finger and pointed remotely at the purple-gold gourd.

Hum!

The purple-gold gourd's brilliance retracted, and it instantly detached from the vine, transforming into a stream of light that obediently fell into Laozi's wide sleeve, showing no further anomalies.

Laozi nodded slightly and retreated to his original position, as if he had merely taken an ordinary object.

"Since Elder Brother has taken one, I should take one as well."

The Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerate's face was solemn, his gaze like lightning, locking onto the gourd that was entirely mysterious yellow and exuded the dense aura of primordial earth.

He also stepped forward, his robe sleeve gently brushing, and the Mysterious Yellow Gourd flew up on its own, falling into the universe within his sleeve.

"Haha, it's my turn!"

The Upper Pure Heavens Master, with his forthright nature, let out a hearty laugh, his eyes blazing as he looked at the gourd that was entirely azure-green, with sword energy faintly visible.

He formed his fingers into a sword, and an invisible sword qi guided it. The azure-green gourd fell with a sound, and he took it into his embrace.

The three direct descendants of Pangu, the leaders of the Daoist sect, completed their treasure-taking process with flowing grace, devoid of any worldly trace, fully displaying the demeanor of Saints.

It was now the Eastern Emperor Taiyi's turn.

This emperor of the Demon Clan's golden crow imperial robe fluttered without wind. The phantom of the Chaos Bell above his head trembled slightly, emitting a low chime that suppressed space and time.

His gaze was sharp as a knife, directly locking onto the gourd that was entirely crimson-gold, its sharpness revealing itself, with an aura that seemed capable of severing all things.

"This gourd shall be a weapon of slaughter for my Demon Clan!"

Taiyi's voice carried a natural arrogance as he beckoned.

The crimson-gold gourd let out a clear, resonant hum, transforming into a dazzling golden rainbow that fell into Taiyi's hand. Golden light emanated from it, its sharpness intimidating.

Old Ancestor Hongyun, with a jovial smile and an amiable demeanor, stepped forward: "My Daoist path has shallow fortune. To obtain this treasure is already a great blessing."

He had his eye on the gourd that was entirely crimson, with faint illusory shadows of red sand swirling within.

The crimson gourd seemed to sense the unique affinity emanating from Hongyun. Its brilliance softened, and it flew into Hongyun's embrace of its own accord.

Finally, it was Empress Nuwa's turn.

She moved with graceful steps, the aura of Creation flowing around her. Her gentle gaze fell upon the gourd that was entirely emerald-green, most vibrant with life, as if containing infinite Creation.

"This gourd may align with my Dao."

Nuwa's delicate hand beckoned, and the emerald-green gourd, carrying a rich life force, landed in her palm.

Thus, the six resplendent and infinitely powerful treasure gourds found their respective masters.

Laozi obtained the Purple-Gold Gourd (later used for alchemy, capable of containing all things).

Primordial Heavenly Venerate obtained the Mysterious Yellow Gourd (later used for the Three Lights Divine Water).

Heavens Master obtained the Azure-Green Gourd (later refined into Water-Fire Gourd or Sword Gourd).

Taiyi obtained the Crimson-Gold Gourd (later refined into the Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger).

Hongyun obtained the Crimson Gourd (later refined into the Ninety-Nine Soul-Scattering Crimson Gourd).

Nuwa obtained the Emerald Gourd (later refined into the Monster-Summoning Banner).

Each gourd would bloom with world-shaking brilliance in the future, becoming renowned supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures!

On the vine, the radiance suddenly dimmed by more than half, leaving only one gourd hanging there solitarily.

This gourd was entirely a chaotic, undefined gray-white color, and it was a size smaller than the other six.

Its treasure light also appeared much weaker. The last trace of origin power transmitted by the vine seemed insufficient to support its complete maturation, making it appear somewhat listless.

Everyone's gaze naturally fell upon Dao Xuan.

Old Ancestor Hongyun still smiled: "Little friend, it seems this last one is your destined fate."

Dao Xuan looked at the small gray-white gourd, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"As expected... it's this underdeveloped one."

He chuckled inwardly, "Compared to the supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures of the other six great figures, this is at best a high-grade one, and a flawed one at that... My destiny is truly tenacious!"

Despite his internal grumbling, even a mosquito's leg is still meat, let alone something born from an Innate Spiritual Root.

Dao Xuan took a deep breath, suppressed his stray thoughts, and stepped forward, bowing respectfully to the vine. "This junior, Dao Xuan, thanks the spiritual root for its gift."

He reached out and carefully plucked the gray-white gourd from the vine.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, smooth and moist. Though it didn't outwardly gleam, it contained a trace of innate chaotic Dao rhythm within, albeit extremely faint, as if it could dissipate at any moment.

"It's barely a high-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure embryo, I suppose..."

Dao Xuan assessed internally. "If I can find an opportunity to nurture it in the future, it might advance further."

The moment he plucked the gourd, the Innate Gourd Vine, which had supported seven precious gourds and exhausted its last bit of vital energy, began to...

Wither and fade at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its jade-like vine turned yellow and withered, its leaves falling like a candle in the wind, on the verge of turning to ash.

Dao Xuan's heart leaped!

A legend from later generations flashed through his mind—the vine used by Empress Nuwa to create humans, known as the Human-Creating Whip!

A Saintly artifact of merit!

"Though this vine is withered, its origin is not extinguished! It still has great use!"

This thought struck Dao Xuan like lightning.

Almost on instinct!

Before anyone else could react, Dao Xuan's hand shot out with lightning speed, grabbing the base of the withering vine!

His movements were incredibly swift, and he scooped up the vine along with a small, unremarkable clump of soil wrapped around its roots, storing it all in his storage artifact!

The entire operation was completed in a flash, astonishingly fast!

The scene fell silent.

The gazes of the Three Pure Ones, Empress Nuwa, Old Ancestor Hongyun, and Eastern Emperor Taiyi—six supreme beings—all focused on Dao Xuan, tinged with surprise and scrutiny.

Old Ancestor Hongyun blinked, asking uncertainly, "Young friend... you just...?"

Even Grand Pure One Laozi, whose mind was usually as calm as still water, showed a barely perceptible flicker of surprise in his eyes.

The Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerate frowned slightly, appearing displeased, feeling the action lacked decorum.

The Upper Pure Heavens Master, however, showed even greater interest in his eyes, finding his junior disciple's actions quite fitting with his own unconventional style.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile, clearly thinking Dao Xuan was picking up scraps.

Only Empress Nuwa felt an inexplicable tremor in her heart the moment the vine was taken, as if she had lost something incredibly important, something deeply connected to her future Dao path!

She furrowed her delicate brows, her clear eyes looking at Dao Xuan with a hint of confusion and faint disappointment, but she ultimately said nothing.

Dao Xuan felt the pressure of the six gazes. Even with his thick skin, his face felt a little hot.

He quickly bowed deeply to everyone, especially towards Laozi and Empress Nuwa, and explained:

"Esteemed seniors, please forgive me. This junior saw the spiritual root exhaust its essence to nurture the precious gourds and was about to perish. My heart ached at the sight.

This vine was born on Buzhou Mountain, inheriting Pangu's legacy. Even in its withered state, it contains a trace of the life-giving essence of Creation.

This junior dares to collect it, hoping to find a sliver of hope for it, so it does not completely dissipate into the world.

If I have been presumptuous, I beg for your forgiveness!"

His words were sincere and heartfelt, and by invoking Pangu's legacy and the essence of Creation, his actions seemed reasonable.

Laozi's surprise turned to understanding, and he nodded slightly:

"Good. All things have a spirit, and it resides in the heart. For you to have this thought is also a form of destiny."

With his master setting the tone, the Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerate's frown eased, and he said no more.

The Upper Pure Heavens Master laughed, "Haha, Junior disciple, you're quite sentimental. Well done!"

Old Ancestor Hongyun clapped his hands, "Young friend is kind-hearted. This is an act of benevolence."

Taiyi remained noncommittal.

Empress Nuwa's sense of loss had not entirely faded, but after hearing Dao Xuan's explanation and seeing Laozi's approval, she also nodded slightly and said gently, "Fellow Daoist is thoughtful."

However, that faint tremor in her heart lingered.

Dao Xuan, just breathing a sigh of relief and about to retreat behind Laozi, suddenly...

He felt a surge of indescribable heaviness, warmth, and a boundless, life-giving aura emanating from the clump of unremarkable soil at the base of the gourd vine in his storage bag!

This aura was so unique and powerful, far surpassing any spiritual soil he had encountered before!

He sent his consciousness into his storage bag and was so stunned he almost cried out!

He saw that the originally drab soil wrapped around the vine's roots was now emitting a gentle, soft, nine-colored radiance!

The soil was as fine as paste, seemingly wriggling as if alive, exuding a supreme earth element origin aura that could carry all things and nurture all life!

"This... this is... Nine Heavens Breathing Soil?!"

Dao Xuan roared inwardly, so excited he almost jumped out of his skin!

The legendary primordial divine soil, indispensable for Empress Nuwa's creation of humans and Yu the Great's flood control!

It contained immeasurable Creation vitality; a single grain could form a mountain, a handful could fill the four seas! A truly priceless treasure!

It was tens of thousands of times more precious than an immature gourd!

He forcibly suppressed the surging waves in his heart, his face striving to maintain calmness, yet the ecstasy and excitement in his eyes could not be concealed no matter what, his mouth almost splitting to his ears.

His change in expression naturally did not escape the notice of the great beings present.

Old Ancestor Hongyun was the most curious and couldn't help but ask, "Young friend, what makes you so happy? Could it be that the vine root has some other profound mystery?"

Dao Xuan took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, but his voice still carried a hint of excitement, "Reporting to Senior Hongyun, this junior... this junior discovered a small clump of soil beneath the vine root. It seems... it seems somewhat unusual."

He dared not speak its name directly, fearing it would attract unnecessary trouble.

"Oh?" Laozi's gaze flickered slightly, his divine sense sweeping over Dao Xuan's body (mainly towards his storage bag).

With his cultivation, he instantly perceived the unique aura of Creation's origin, belonging to the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, seeping out through the gaps in the storage bag!

Even with Laozi's naturally unperturbed nature, a hint of genuine surprise flashed in his eyes at this moment, which then turned into a smile of relief:

"It's actually Nine Heavens Breathing Soil? This is a divine artifact of Creation in the Great Desolation, the foundation of all things, containing immeasurable vitality.

Your karmic affinity is indeed exceptionally profound."

"Nine Heavens Breathing Soil?!" Old Ancestor Hongyun exclaimed, his face full of disbelief.

Empress Nuwa's delicate body trembled slightly, her beautiful eyes shimmering with brilliance as she looked at Dao Xuan with a complex expression.

She cultivated the Dao of Creation, and her senses were most keenly attuned to the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil; this item held extraordinary significance for her!

The flicker of emotion in her heart instantly found its source!

So the lost vine was exchanged for this sensing!

The Upper Pure Heavens Master clapped his hands and laughed, "Haha! Good lad! You picked up a 'broken gourd' and got a piece of real gold! This luck, even I, your martial uncle, am envious!"

A flicker of surprise also flashed in Primordial Heavenly Venerate's eyes. He re-examined Dao Xuan and nodded slightly, acknowledging this fortuitous encounter.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's brow twitched slightly. For the first time, his gaze towards Dao Xuan held a hint of seriousness, but more so, scrutiny.

The Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, even the treasury of his Demon Clan's Heavenly Court did not possess such an item!

"Congratulations, young friend (martial nephew)!" Hongyun, Tongtian, and Nuwa all offered their congratulations, their tones much more sincere.

Dao Xuan quickly bowed in return, a brilliant smile on his face, "Many thanks to all seniors! This junior was merely fortunate, all thanks to my Master's blessings and protection!" He appropriately flattered Laozi.

Laozi stroked his beard and smiled, clearly quite pleased with Dao Xuan's response and this unexpected gain.

This child's destiny was so grand, his karmic affinity so deep, he was indeed a talent worth nurturing, and worthy of the position of his first disciple.

With the great deity Laozi by his side, Dao Xuan's heart was greatly reassured, knowing that the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil was now completely secure, and no one would dare harbor ill intentions.

The others exchanged pleasantries for a few more moments, and in their conversations, their attitude towards Dao Xuan, the newly appointed first disciple of Taiqing, became much more amiable.

Old Ancestor Hongyun chuckled, "Today, the precious gourds have returned to their rightful owners, and we see the Taiqing Daoist friend gaining an excellent disciple. This is truly a grand event for the Great Desolation. My humble dwelling still has an alchemy furnace about to complete its cycle, so I shall take my leave first."

Empress Nuwa also said, "I too must return to Phoenix Perch Mountain to meditate on Creation. Fellow Daoists, we shall meet again."

Before she left, she cast another deep, meaningful glance at Dao Xuan.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi was the most straightforward. He cupped his hands slightly towards the Three Pure Ones, "Three Daoist brothers, farewell."

With that, he transformed into a golden rainbow, carrying the phantom image of the Chaos Bell, and shot through the void.

Hongyun and Nuwa also each summoned auspicious clouds and drifted away.

In the blink of an eye, only the Three Pure Ones and Dao Xuan remained on the cliff.

Grand Pure One Laozi looked at Dao Xuan, his voice calm, "Disciple, come back to Kunlun with your master."

"Yes! Master!" Dao Xuan respectfully replied, his heart filled with anticipation.

Kunlun Mountain, the sacred dojo, he was finally going to set foot within it!

The Upper Pure Heavens Master laughed, "Elder Brother has gained an excellent disciple, truly a cause for celebration! Let us quickly return to Kunlun, so that Martial Nephew can witness the grandeur of our dojos!"

The Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerate also said, "Good."

Laozi nodded slightly, and with a gentle wave of his jade-handled whisk.

Instantly, a clear light descended from the heavens, transforming into a white jade golden bridge spanning billions of miles. One end landed on the cliff of Buzhou Mountain, and the other disappeared into the depths of the northwest void!

"Let's go."

Laozi stepped onto the golden bridge first.

Dao Xuan followed closely, as did Primordial and Tongtian.

The golden bridge shimmered with light, carrying the four of them, disregarding spatial distance, and instantly vanished into the vast expanse of the sky.

The wind of Buzhou Mountain still howled. On the cliff, only a small shallow pit remained where the vine had been rooted, bearing witness to the distribution of spiritual treasures that had shaken the future pattern of the Great Desolation and the karmic affinity of master and disciple.

The golden bridge spanned the sky, crossing the boundless Great Desolation.

Dao Xuan stood on the bridge, feeling the ground beneath him as stable as a mountain. The surrounding scenery rapidly receded, turning into blurred lines of light and shadow.

Gale winds, turbulent flows, and spatial folds were all smoothed by the clear light emanating from the golden bridge, making it feel like walking on level ground.

In just a moment, the scene ahead opened up dramatically.

The scene revealed:

Mists and colorful clouds condensed into auspicious vapors, the sun and moon emitted radiant light.

Ancient cypresses, verdant and lush, mingled with mountain mist, appearing as one with the autumn waters and the vast sky; Wildflowers, crimson and vibrant, mirrored the morning glow, like peach blossoms and apricot flowers blooming in unison.

Colorful lights swirled, all emanating the brilliance of the Dao, soaring through violet mists; Fragrant smoke drifted, all releasing pure fragrance from the Innate Limitless.

Immortal peaches and fruits, each one like a golden elixir; Green willows and poplars, their branches like threads of jade.

At times, the cry of yellow cranes could be heard, and at times, blue phoenixes were seen soaring and dancing.

The mortal world was completely absent, truly a blessed land and a sacred realm; Misty vapors filled the sky, indeed a celestial abode and a hidden paradise.

This was none other than the ancestor of ten thousand mountains, the sacred land of immortals—Kunlun Mountain!

A golden bridge landed on a massive white jade plaza before the mountain.

At the end of the plaza stood an ancient and magnificent Daoist palace, its plaque inscribed with three characters that seemed to be born of the Dao itself—Jade Pure Palace!

This was the Primordial Heavenly Venerate's dojo.

Deep within the Kunlun mountain range, two other palaces of immense grandeur faced each other from afar. One exuded tranquility and non-action, with purple qi flowing from the east, which was Grand Pure One Laozi's Taiqing Palace. The other was filled with soaring sword qi and vibrant life force, belonging to the Upper Pure Heavens Master.

The three Pure Ones' dojos stood like a tripod, jointly supporting the sacred realm of Kunlun!

"Disciple, this is Kunlun," Grand Pure One Laozi's voice echoed.

Dao Xuan gazed at the celestial spectacle before him, feeling the Innate Spiritual Energy, which was purer and more concentrated than that of Buzhou Mountain, yet incredibly gentle. He was utterly awestruck.

"Disciple... disciple..." He was momentarily speechless, unable to find words to describe it.

The Upper Pure Heavens Master chuckled, "Haha, junior martial nephew, you'll have plenty of time to see it all later. Go with your master to Taiqing Palace to settle in first."

Grand Pure One Laozi addressed the Primordial Heavenly Venerate and the Upper Pure Heavens Master, "Second Brother, Third Brother, I will take my disciple back to the palace first."

The Primordial Heavenly Venerate and the Upper Pure Heavens Master nodded.

Grand Pure One Laozi swept his sleeve, and a gentle, clear light enveloped Dao Xuan.

In the next moment, the two of them appeared in another secluded and tranquil location.

The scene revealed:

Pine slopes were serene, bamboo paths were secluded. White cranes flew past, escorting floating clouds, while monkeys scampered up and down, offering fruit. Before the gate, the pond was wide and tree shadows stretched long; stone cracks revealed moss flowers. The palace halls were layered and towering, reaching the highest heavens, while pavilions were ethereal, as if bathed in rosy clouds. It was truly a blessed land and a spiritual region, a cloud cave akin to Penglai. In the pure void, worldly affairs were few, and in the stillness, the Dao heart was born.

An ancient Daoist palace was situated within, lacking the grandeur and majesty of the Jade Void Palace, yet it exuded a greater sense of returning to simplicity, with the Dao naturally inherent.

Above the palace gate, there was no plaque, yet the "Taiqing" Dao rhythm flowed naturally, marking Grand Pure One Laozi's place of pure cultivation—Taiqing Palace!

The palace gate opened silently, auspicious clouds spontaneously arose, and radiant energy condensed into spiritual essence. There were no attendants to greet them, only an atmosphere of pure tranquility and non-action.

Grand Pure One Laozi led Dao Xuan into the palace. The interior furnishings were extremely simple: a meditation cushion, a pill furnace, and a cloud bed, yet everywhere, the profound meaning of the Dao's simplicity was evident.

"Since you have entered my sect, you must understand my Dao."

Grand Pure One Laozi sat down on the cloud bed, his voice calm. "My Dao is called 'non-action,' it is called 'naturalness.' The highest good is like water; water benefits all things without contention. It resides in places people dislike, thus it is close to the Dao..."

Grand Pure One Laozi began to expound the fundamental principles of the Taiqing Great Dao to Dao Xuan, each word a pearl, containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

Dao Xuan held his breath, his mind focused, and sat cross-legged on the cushion, listening intently.

Within his Primordial Spirit, the Dao rhythm he had gained from the Enlightenment Tea Tree resonated with the Great Dao spoken by Grand Pure One Laozi. Many cultivation bottlenecks he had encountered before suddenly became clear!

The illusory shadows of the three flowers above his head flickered, and the five qi flowed ceaselessly. His True Immortal perfected realm was showing signs of loosening!

Grand Pure One Laozi's sermon did not manifest any extraordinary phenomena, yet it was like a spring breeze transforming things, moistening them silently, and quietly nourishing Dao Xuan's Dao Foundation and Primordial Spirit.

After an unknown amount of time, Grand Pure One Laozi stopped preaching.

"You have just entered my tutelage, and your foundation still needs to be honed. This is the fundamental method of the Taiqing Immortal Art, along with the body-refining technique Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique. You must diligently practice them."

Grand Pure One Laozi pointed a finger, and two streams of clear light entered Dao Xuan's brow.

Vast and profound scriptures were instantly imprinted deep within Dao Xuan's sea of consciousness.

"Thank you, Master, for imparting the Dharma!"

Dao Xuan bowed gratefully, his heart filled with excitement. This was a fundamental great law personally passed down by a Saint!

"Behind the palace, there are quiet rooms and alchemy chambers. You may choose one to cultivate in peace." Grand Pure One Laozi closed his eyes. "Go."

"Yes, disciple, I take my leave." Dao Xuan respectfully exited the great hall.

Outside the hall was silent, with only the clear wind brushing past the pine and bamboo, carrying wisps of the forest's pure energy.

Dao Xuan took a deep breath of Kunlun's immortal energy, immediately feeling refreshed and his mind clear.

He looked back at the closed hall doors, his heart filled with gratitude and determination.

Kunlun Mountain, Taiqing Palace, Taiqing's foremost disciple!

His path in the Great Desolation had truly begun its ascent to the heavens from this moment!