Dao Xuan bid farewell to Ao Guang, who was so grateful he practically wanted to tear out his heart and offer it up.
Riding the Five Spirit Qilin, he traveled across the waves and left the East Sea.
Auspicious clouds accompanied him along the way, while Clear Wind saw him off.
Before long, he returned to his own Daoist grounds—Fangzhang Immortal Island.
This island had formed from a Chaos Fragment. Innate Spiritual Energy was so dense it had condensed into mist, while exotic flowers and rare plants carpeted the land, immortal birds and auspicious beasts roaming freely.
At the center of the island stood an ancient yet magnificent Daoist palace.
Its glazed blue-green tiles, jade pillars, and golden steps were surrounded by auspicious clouds and countless streams of blessed radiance.
Three great characters, with Dao Rhyme flowing through them, were inscribed upon the plaque above its gates: Xuan Yuan Palace!
Dao Xuan had just descended from the clouds and landed upon the White Jade Plaza before the palace.
"Master's back! Master's back!"
Two clear, childish voices rang out joyfully.
Two exquisitely adorable Daoist boys, appearing seven or eight years old, ran out from within the palace like butterflies flitting among flowers.
The boy on the left wore his hair in twin buns, dressed in a Water-Combining Robe, with a Heaven and Earth Knot at his waist and Cloud-Treading Shoes on his feet.
His face was like a peach blossom bud, his eyes gleaming with spirit. He was lively and energetic.
He was Yushu Boy.
The boy on the right wore a fish-tail crown, pale yellow robes, a Pure Yang Knot at his waist, and hemp sandals on his feet.
His face looked dusted with powder, his lips like vermilion. He was more composed, though he could not hide his delight.
He was Xuanji Boy.
The two children ran up to Dao Xuan and immediately bowed down.
"Welcome home, Master!"
"Master, you've finally returned! You were gone for tens of thousands of years. Yushu and Xuanji missed you terribly!"
Yushu was more impatient by nature. As soon as he finished bowing, he pouted and began complaining.
Though Xuanji said nothing, his large eyes were also full of grievance.
Seeing the two boys whom he had enlightened and raised with his own hands, Dao Xuan felt warmth rise in his heart.
He laughed heartily and reached out to rub their heads.
"All right, all right. Stop complaining. Haven't I returned?"
"I gained quite a few opportunities during this trip, and I brought gifts back for you as well."
"Really?!" Yushu's eyes immediately lit up, and all his grievance vanished.
Xuanji also revealed an expectant expression.
"Of course it's true." Dao Xuan nodded with a smile. "But first, let me see how well you watched over the home. Are the treasures in the garden doing well?"
"They're doing great! They're doing great!" Yushu hurried to answer, his little face brimming with pride. "Master, come with us quickly!"
The two boys flanked Dao Xuan and led him through layer upon layer of palace halls, arriving deep within Xuan Yuan Palace.
Spiritual energy swirled through the air, and faint rosy light glimmered.
A carefully tended Spirit Garden unfolded before them.
Many rare spirit roots and immortal herbs collected by Dao Xuan had been planted within it.
Yet the most eye-catching sight was a pool roughly one zhang across at the center of the garden.
The pool water bore three colors, with the light of the sun, moon, and stars endlessly circulating within it, radiating vast vitality and the power of creation!
It was precisely a divine pool formed from gathered Three Lights Divine Water!
Beside the pool, a vine wound its way along.
The vine was entirely jade-green, spiritual light flowing over it, its leaves seeming to have been carved from emerald.
A gourd of extraordinary form hung from the vine!
It was the final withered little gourd from the Innate Gourd Vine atop Buzhou Mountain, whose origin essence had been exhausted and which had nearly dried up!
But now—
Dao Xuan focused his eyes, and delight immediately filled his heart!
Though the once-withered little gourd remained grayish-purple, it had become far fuller and rounder.
Mysterious violet-gold patterns faintly emerged across its surface, while a weak yet exceptionally pure trace of innate spiritual essence slowly spread from within.
Nourished by the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil and Three Lights Divine Water, the entire gourd vine had long since lost its former withered appearance.
Its body was thick and sturdy, its spiritual radiance brilliant, overflowing with life!
That final little gourd was truly recovering, and judging by its state, it would not be long before it fully matured!
"Master, look!" Xuanji pointed at the gourd vine, his voice carrying a trace of barely perceptible pride.
"Yushu and I remembered Master's instructions. Every nine years, we used the Jade Bottle to draw Three Lights Divine Water and carefully watered it once. We never dared slack off in the slightest."
"Yes, yes!" Yushu quickly nodded as well, lifting his little face with an expression that plainly said, Praise me already!
"Watering it was hard work! We had to calculate the timing precisely and control the amount of water. We didn't dare use even a drop too much or too little! We were afraid of damaging Master's treasure!"
Dao Xuan looked at the two boys' eager expressions and felt even more pleased.
He rubbed their heads once more and praised them without reservation.
"Good! Very good! Yushu, Xuanji, you truly have not disappointed me! You have cared for this spirit root so well. I am greatly pleased!"
Having received praise, the two boys beamed with joy, happier than if they had received some great treasure.
Dao Xuan looked at the flourishing gourd vine and the Seventh Gourd, which was about to mature, feeling deeply satisfied.
He swept his sleeve.
Two streams of light flew out, landing respectively before Yushu and Xuanji.
The light faded.
Before Yushu floated an ancient bronze mirror the size of a palm.
Its body was simple and ancient, covered in mysterious cloud patterns. Its mirror surface was hazy, as if veiled in a thin mist, and its aura was obscure and unfathomable.
It was the mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Sky-Gazing Mirror! It could peer into the heavens, observe the smallest details, and also possessed considerable defensive power.
Before Xuanji was a dull gray bead that appeared utterly unremarkable.
Yet within the bead, a blue wind vortex and violet lightning flickered and intertwined, emanating a fierce aura of wind and thunder.
It was the mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—the Wind and Thunder Pearl! It contained the power of innate wind and thunder, striking swiftly and with formidable force.
"These two treasures were obtained by me at Treasure Distribution Rock. Today, I bestow them upon you to protect yourselves and safeguard the Dao."
"Yushu shall receive the Sky-Gazing Mirror, and Xuanji shall receive the Wind and Thunder Pearl."
"I hope you refine them diligently and cultivate earnestly. Do not disappoint my expectations."
"Wow! Thank you, Master!"
"Many thanks for Master's generous gift!"
Looking at the Innate Spiritual Treasures floating before them with their circulating treasure light, the two boys grew so excited their little faces turned red. They hurriedly knelt and kowtowed in thanks.
They carefully picked up their respective treasures and could scarcely bear to put them down.
Yushu held the Sky-Gazing Mirror up, looking left and right. Its hazy surface reflected his curious little face.
Xuanji cradled the Wind and Thunder Pearl, sensing the violent power contained within. He was excited, yet also somewhat nervous.
Seeing his boys so delighted, Dao Xuan was in an excellent mood as well.
He was just about to turn and head to the quiet room to meditate and digest the gains from his journey to the East Sea.
But his gaze inadvertently swept across the Seventh Gourd at the tip of the vine once more.
Hm?
Dao Xuan halted.
Earlier, he had been too occupied with delight at the gourd's recovery. Now that he focused and examined it carefully, he discovered something unusual.
Within the gourd, apart from the pure innate spiritual essence, there seemed to be... another extremely faint yet exceptionally lively... aura of life, like that of a newborn infant?
This aura was extraordinarily concealed. Had Dao Xuan's primordial spirit not been powerful, and had he not possessed the Chaos Bead and an acute perception of life's origin, he would have found it nearly impossible to detect!
"Hmm?"
Astonished, Dao Xuan stepped closer and carefully extended his divine sense toward the gourd.
Sure enough!
Deep within the chaotic innate spiritual essence inside the gourd, an extremely tiny curled-up speck of light, emanating pure life fluctuation, was slowly pulsing!
Like an embryo still being nurtured!
"This... this is..."
Dao Xuan's eyes widened.
The gourd... was nurturing a living being?!
A famous legend from his past life flashed through his mind.
Could it be... that it was really going to produce a Gourd Baby?!
The moment that thought arose, even Dao Xuan found it absurd, yet he could not help feeling curious.
A living being was being nurtured inside a gourd born from an innate spirit root?
That was far more interesting than a mere spiritual treasure!
Dao Xuan was immediately intrigued.
His original plan to enter seclusion was temporarily set aside.
He decided to remain on the island for a while longer and carefully observe the gourd's changes.
Thus—
Over the following days, Dao Xuan began living a leisurely "retired" life on Fangzhang Immortal Island.
Every morning—
He would either stand atop Xuan Yuan Palace, watching the rising sun and Purple Qi Comes from the East, comprehending the mysteries of yin and yang's cycles.
Or he would stroll through the island's Spirit Garden, watching strange flowers bloom and immortal herbs gather dew, sensing the principles of vegetation's flourishing and decay.
In the afternoons—
He would sit in a secluded pavilion behind the palace.
He would take out tender leaves from the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree.
And brew them with Three Lights Divine Water.
The fragrance of tea curled through the air, Dao Rhyme arising naturally.
While sipping immortal tea that could aid enlightenment, he would read Daoist scripture jade slips brought back from Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain.
Huang Ting Jing, Yin Fu Jing, Qing Jing Jing... numerous Daoist classics were always at hand.
His primordial spirit immersed itself in the profundities of the Great Dao, reviewing the old and gaining new understanding.
At dusk—
He would climb the highest peak of the immortal island.
He watched the sea of clouds churn, the Golden Crow sink westward, and the sunset dye the heavens red.
He watched the stars gradually brighten and the Milky Way stretch endlessly, comprehending the principles behind the movements of the celestial constellations.
Whenever the mood struck—
He would also offer some guidance in the cultivation of the two boys.
Since Yushu had obtained the Sky-Gazing Mirror, Dao Xuan taught him basic methods of deduction, divination, and perceiving the flow of qi.
Since Xuanji had obtained the Wind and Thunder Pearl, Dao Xuan taught him the tricks of drawing upon wind and thunder and wielding divine abilities.
The two boys progressed rapidly and worshipped their master with complete devotion.
Occasionally—
Dao Xuan would ride the Five Spirit Qilin and take a leisurely ride over the East Sea.
He watched the boundless blue waves, giant whales spraying water, and Black Birds soaring through the sky.
Or he would dive into the deep sea to seek rare spiritual materials and precious medicines, enriching his little treasury.
His days were carefree and comfortable beyond compare.
They were even more enjoyable than listening to his teacher lecture on the Dao at Kunlun Mountain.
It carried something of the feeling that "in the mountains, one knows not the passing years; when the cold ends, one does not know how much time has gone by."
One day—
As usual, Dao Xuan—
Had brewed Enlightenment Tea in the pavilion.
Tea fragrance filled the air, refreshing his heart and mind.
He lifted a jade cup and took a light sip.
A cool Dao Rhyme seemed to pierce straight into his Purple Mansion, leaving his primordial spirit clear and lucid. His comprehension of the Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique seemed to deepen by another trace.
Just as he was enjoying himself—
Suddenly!
Rumble—!
Without any warning!
The entire Fangzhang Immortal Island shook violently!
The winds and clouds in the sky abruptly changed!
The previously clear azure sky was instantly covered by heavy leaden clouds that seemed to come from nowhere!
The clouds churned like spilled ink, pressing low over the immortal island!
A terrifying pressure, heavy and stifling, as though heaven and earth were about to collapse, suddenly descended!
Crack!
A ghastly white bolt of lightning that tore through the heavens struck down without warning!
Immediately after—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening thunder roared wildly through the heavy clouds like the fury of ancient gods!
A violent wind rose from the ground!
It swept up towering waves of spiritual mist and snapped countless immortal blossoms and exotic grasses!
The tranquil Eastern Sea instantly boiled over!
Colossal waves surged into the sky like enraged beasts, savagely battering the reefs around Fangzhang Immortal Island!
"Master!"
"Master! What happened?!"
The two attendants, Yushu and Xuanji, were frightened pale by the sudden upheaval of heaven and earth. Panicked, they ran to the edge of the pavilion.
Dao Xuan had already set down his jade cup.
He rose to his full height and stood within the pavilion.
Beneath his Blue Gauze Headband, his face was as smooth as mutton-fat jade, yet it was now grave and solemn.
His clear, refined eyes flashed brilliantly, piercing through the raging winds and leaden clouds as he stared fixedly toward the center of the Spirit Garden!
Toward the Innate Gourd Vine!
At the tip of the vine—
the gourd that had originally been dull gray and utterly inconspicuous—
was now erupting with rays of auspicious light that stretched for thousands of feet!
Purple-gold radiance pierced the heavy leaden clouds, bathing the entire darkened world in magnificent splendor!
The mysterious patterns on the gourd's surface seemed to come alive, flowing madly!
An indescribably pure and boundless innate spiritual aura, as though it had existed since the creation of heaven and earth, erupted like an ancient primordial god or demon awakening from slumber!
It swept across all of Fangzhang Immortal Island!
It even stirred the spiritual energy of the surrounding heavens, forming a massive vortex that poured wildly into the gourd!
Within the gourd, that faint yet pure breath of life flared like a prairie fire, instantly becoming incomparably intense and distinct!
It was madly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth! Absorbing the essence of the gourd vine! Absorbing the transformative power of the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil and the Three Lights Divine Water!
It was... breaking out of its shell!
Dao Xuan watched this earthshaking phenomenon and sensed the rapidly rising life fluctuation within the gourd.
The gravity on his face gradually faded, replaced by an irrepressible trace of astonishment and anticipation.
He muttered to himself:
"It's here... it's finally coming..."
"This poor Daoist would like to see just what medicine you're selling in that gourd."
"Just don't let some child in a bellyband really jump out and call me Grandpa..."
Before he had finished speaking—
BOOM—!!!
A purple-gold divine bolt of lightning, thicker and more dazzling than all the previous lightning combined, tore through the heavens with the might of heaven and earth's creation and struck the radiant Purple-Gold Gourd with unerring precision!
The gourd vine swayed violently!
Purple-gold divine light burst from the gourd's surface!
A crisp crack, like jade shattering, rang clearly in Dao Xuan's ears!
That Innate Spiritual Embryo, nurtured for who knew how many cosmic cycles...
At last!
It was about to be born!
Before you continue