Mornings at Mount Sumeru always came with the cheerful cries of spirit beasts and Innate Spiritual Qi so thick it seemed impossible to disperse.
In the spirit beast garden behind the mountain, a figure in a gray robe held a specially made jade spoon and diligently filled the feeding troughs one by one. The feed was no ordinary fare. It was a "special edition" made by simmering ten-thousand-year-old Spiritual Grain with leftover hot pot broth.
As Daoist Liuguang fed the South Bright Leaving Fire Pig, whose whole body blazed with fire, he hummed an unfamiliar tune, his face lit by a genuinely happy smile.
"Eat up, eat up. Grow nice and plump."
"Ah, I wouldn't trade this life for anything—not even for being a Grand Luo Golden Immortal."
Back in Purple Mansion Continent, he had been East King Duke's trusted aide, but how could a life spent walking on eggshells compare to the comfort he enjoyed now? There was no scheming here, only endless work and endless spiritual delicacies. Though he was technically a gardener, the resources Daoist Taiyuan let slip through his fingers were enough to make a Grand Unity Golden Immortal like him wake up laughing from his dreams.
In front of the elegant Bamboo Hut halfway up the mountain,
Taiyuan lounged on the Chaos Spirit Jade Carefree Chair, where he found enlightenment (and took naps), sending one shimmering purple Star Grape after another into his mouth.
He seemed to be daydreaming, but in his sea of consciousness, the enormous [Prehistoric Power Distribution Map] was slowly turning.
Golden dots represented the major powers, while red ones marked dangerous areas.
The entire state of the Primordial World lay within his grasp.
Suddenly,
the spot at the center of the map representing the heavenly pillar, Buzhou Mountain, erupted without warning in a dazzling red glow. Its brilliance even outshone the ominous markers for the surrounding Witch Tribe strongholds.
[Ding! A major opportunity event has been detected!] [Location: Halfway up Buzhou Mountain.] [Event: One of the Ten Innate Spiritual Roots—the Innate Gourd Vine—is about to mature.] [Participating factions: The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa and Fuxi, Di Jun and Tai Yi, Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi, the Twelve Ancestor Witches (watching from the shadows).] [System recommendation: The host may go and see if there are any scraps to pick up. Though the seven gourds each have their destined owners, if you play your cards right, you might still reap unexpected rewards.]
Taiyuan sprang to his feet, casually tossing aside the grape skin in his hand. His eyes flashed.
The Innate Gourd Vine!
This was one of the classic scenes in which treasures were divided in the Primordial World!
Each of those seven gourds had an impressive history. Laozi's Purple Gold Red Gourd, Hong Yun's Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd, Tai Yi's Immortal Slaying Gourd...
But the seven gourds weren't Taiyuan's target.
As a transmigrator, he knew full well that Heaven's Will had already arranged everything for those seven gourds—even their owners had been decided in advance. If he tried to seize one by force, he would incur enormous Karma and offend a whole host of future big shots.
His gaze passed through the seven-colored images of the gourds and settled on the Withered Vine that had given birth to them, and on the seemingly ordinary patch of soil beneath its tendrils.
In the future, Nuwa would refine that vine into the Human Creation Whip. One lash, and thousands of humans would appear.
That soil was even more precious: the essence of the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, the raw material for creating humanity.
In the eyes of the powerful beings of this era, these two things were merely scraps left over after use. But to Taiyuan, they were strategic resources central to the future destiny of the Human Race—and, by extension, to his position as their "godfather."
"Second Brother! Third Brother! We've got work to do!"
Taiyuan rose, brushed the wrinkles from his robe, and called out to the two men meditating in the distance.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two beams of golden light landed in front of him.
Zhunti looked thrilled. He still had the Sky-Turning Shovel in his hand, which he hadn't had time to put down, and his eyes gleamed with greed. "Elder Brother! What's up? Are we going East to stock up again? Who are we robbing this time? I've had it in for East King Duke for a while now. How about..."
Jieyin said nothing, but the Prayer Beads in his hand had stopped moving. He, too, was clearly eager to go.
Ever since they'd profited from their last trip outside Purplecloud Palace, the brothers had become extremely enthusiastic about "business trips."
"Ahem."
Taiyuan cleared his throat and flicked Zhunti on the forehead. "What do you mean, 'stock up'? We're learned men. Watch your manners."
"This time, we're going to visit some relatives."
"Visit relatives?" Zhunti clutched his forehead, looking baffled. "Since when do we have relatives in the East?"
"We didn't before. We will afterward."
Taiyuan smiled mysteriously and gazed toward the distant Eastern Lands. "I'm going to take a vine and dig up some soil while I'm at it. They'll make a splendid gift for Fellow Daoist Nuwa. Once we give it to her, we'll have the strongest backing in the Eastern Lands."
Jieyin considered this. "Elder Brother, you mean what happened outside Purplecloud Palace last time..."
"Can't say. Can't say." Taiyuan waved a hand. "Heavenly secrets must remain secret."
"All right, let's get going. But we'll keep a low profile this time. The Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage is too flashy and attracts trouble. That fellow East King Duke is probably keeping an eye on us."
"Then how are we getting there?" Zhunti asked.
Jieyin silently brought out his innate spiritual treasure: the Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus of Merit.
The golden lotus turned slowly, shedding streams of meritorious golden light. It was sacred and serene, and its defenses were said to be unbreakable by anyone short of the Four Saints.
"This will do." Taiyuan nodded and stepped aboard. "It may look a little plain, but these days, simplicity is the ultimate show of wealth."
The three sat cross-legged on the golden lotus. It turned into a streak of light and sped straight toward Buzhou Mountain.
Buzhou Mountain, formed from Pangu's Spine, towered in the center of the Primordial World, supporting the four corners of heaven and earth.
Even from billions of miles away, one could feel the terrifying pressure that had suppressed the Primordial World since time immemorial.
As the golden lotus drew closer, the pressure grew heavier.
Though Jieyin and Zhunti had both reached Perfected Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, the oppression that pressed upon their very souls still made it difficult to breathe. They had no choice but to circulate their power to resist it.
Taiyuan alone remained unaffected.
He sat at the front of the lotus, his complexion rosy and his breathing steady. He even closed his eyes in contentment, as if enjoying a massage.
The Pangu Wish Light within him activated on its own, resonating with the mountain as though they shared the same blood.
Here, he wasn't an outsider. He was a child returning home.
"Elder Brother is truly unfathomable."
Watching Taiyuan's relaxed, easygoing demeanor, Zhunti admired him all the more. "He can even ignore Pangu's pressure. His origins must be more authentic than even the Three Pure Ones'!"
Soon,
the three reached the perimeter of an innate formation halfway up the mountain.
Quite a few people had already gathered there.
The Three Pure Ones maintained their usual aloof air, occupying the most advantageous position. Nuwa and Fuxi stood off to one side. Di Jun and Tai Yi had brought a host of demon gods with them. Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi, the best of friends, were huddled together, muttering to each other.
The atmosphere was tense.
With a supreme treasure within reach, no one wanted to back down.
Just then, a beam of golden light swept through the sky, and the Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus of Merit landed steadily.
Taiyuan and the others stepped off the lotus, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"Well, what a crowd!"
Taiyuan smiled and cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoists, long time no see. What a coincidence. Are you all here to admire the scenery?"
The Three Pure Ones furrowed their brows. Primordial Heavenly Lord snorted coldly, clearly displeased at the arrival of these three "Dung Stirrers."
Di Jun and Tai Yi, meanwhile, wore complicated expressions.
They looked at Taiyuan, hating him for his ruthless schemes and for swindling them out of so many resources, yet wondering if they could get something good out of him again. The conflicting feelings left the two Demon Emperors in a quandary.
Nuwa, however, brightened and walked over to greet him.
"Daoist Taiyuan!"
Nuwa smiled sincerely. "I gained a great deal from our last meeting. I was just thinking of visiting you in the Western Lands, and now we've run into each other here."
Ever since she had fused with the strand of Taiyuan's origin, her understanding of the Dao of Creation had advanced by leaps and bounds. Naturally, she was deeply grateful to him, the one who had shown her the way.
"Of course, of course."
Taiyuan smiled and returned her greeting, his gaze drifting toward the area behind Nuwa that was shrouded by the formation. "I sensed treasure light soaring into the sky here, so I thought I'd come see what the fuss was about. If I happen to find something worth picking up, all the better."
Hong Yun waved enthusiastically. "Daoist Taiyuan! Come over here! Let's stand together!"
Watching Taiyuan mingle effortlessly with the big shots from every side as soon as he arrived left many rogue cultivators staring in astonishment.
When had the Western trio built such fearsome connections in the Primordial World?
Just as everyone exchanged pleasantries and vied with one another in secret,
BOOM—!!!
A deafening rumble suddenly erupted from within the innate formation.
Then,
a beam of seven-colored divine light burst upward, tearing through the formation's concealment and illuminating the entire sky in dazzling colors. Even the clouds that lingered over Buzhou Mountain year-round were dyed in seven hues.
Innate Yi Wood Qi, so dense it was almost tangible, surged forth like a tide, mingled with ripples of law.
"The gourd vine... has matured!"
Someone in the crowd cried out in alarm.
The next moment,
everyone's gaze turned feverish. The relatively harmonious atmosphere instantly became tense and volatile.
The Three Pure Ones' auras began to rise. The He Tu Luo Shu faintly appeared in Di Jun's hand, while Tai Yi had already grasped the Chaos Bell.
Everyone was ready to strike.
Everyone but Taiyuan.
He remained where he was, hands tucked into his sleeves, a meaningful curve at the corner of his mouth.
His gaze passed over the seven dazzling gourds hanging from the vine, each radiating an alluring treasure light, and went straight to the withered, yellow vine that seemed utterly devoid of spiritual energy, and the patch of soil at its roots that glimmered with a faint yellow light.
In everyone else's eyes, they were scraps.
In his, they were priceless treasures.
"The good show is about to begin."
Taiyuan murmured softly, his eyes gleaming like a hunter's upon spotting his prey.
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