Mount Sumeru, outside the mountain gate.
A streak of azure sword light tore through the void, descending with an air of effortless grace.
As the sword light faded, it revealed a middle-aged man in azure Daoist robes, handsome and carefree in bearing.
Sovereign of Heaven.
He held the Qingping Sword and stood before the mountain gate, staring up at the completely transformed immortal mountain before him. He was utterly stunned.
"Th-this is still the Western Mount Sumeru?"
Tongtian murmured to himself, his eyes filled with shock.
The last time he had visited Mount Sumeru, he had already been amazed by its wealth. But compared with how it looked now, the Mount Sumeru of that time was like a child beside a giant.
The immortal mountain before him had completely exceeded the limits of his understanding.
The mountain gate had been carved from a single piece of Chaos Primordial Stone. It stood a hundred zhang tall, with the words "Mount Sumeru Sacred Realm" engraved across it. Each character radiated a rich aura of the Great Dao, as if it contained the principles of Heaven and Earth.
On either side of the gate stood a ten-zhang-tall stone lion. They were no ordinary stone lions, but had been crafted from Innate Geng Metal. A lively gleam shone in their eyes; they had clearly developed Artifact Spirits.
Tongtian cautiously released a wisp of his divine sense, hoping to gauge the strength of the two stone lions.
The lions suddenly opened their eyes, and a fierce pressure surged toward him. They were actually at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm.
"Good grief, even the gatekeepers are Golden Immortals?"
Tongtian drew in a sharp breath, even more astonished than before.
He stepped through the mountain gate, and the sight that greeted him left him dumbfounded.
The path beneath his feet wasn't paved with ordinary stone slabs. It was laid with Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. With every step, a gentle force of creation flowed into his body, so soothing he could almost moan with pleasure.
All kinds of exotic flowers and rare plants grew along both sides of the road. Every single one was at least a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Medicine, and some even gave off the aura of an Innate Spiritual Root.
Even more absurdly, little signs stood beside the spirit medicines. They read, "Please do not pick. Violators will be fined."
At those words, Tongtian's mouth twitched.
Fined?
Wasn't that a little too down-to-earth?
As he continued onward, one magnificent palace after another came into view.
Every palace had been built from Chaos Divine Wood. Each pillar was so thick that ten people couldn't wrap their arms around it, and all of them gave off a faint aura of chaos.
Glazed tiles covered the palace roofs, shimmering with every color of the rainbow under the sunlight. The sight was breathtaking.
Streams wound between the palaces, their crystal-clear water brimming with enticing spiritual energy.
Tongtian walked to the stream, crouched down, and scooped up a handful of water. He held it beneath his nose and took a sniff.
"Is this... Three Lights Divine Water?"
His eyes widened as he stared at the stream in disbelief.
Three Lights Divine Water was a treasure of such caliber that it was sold by the drop outside, with every drop worth a fortune.
But here, it was being used as decorative water, gathered into a stream?
Wasn't that outrageously extravagant?
Tongtian felt as if his entire worldview had crumbled.
He had always considered himself well-informed. Mount Kunlun was one of the Primordial World's finest paradises, yet compared with the Mount Sumeru before him, it was practically a rundown temple.
"Fellow Daoist Tongtian, long time no see."
A lazy voice came from up ahead.
Tongtian looked up and saw Taiyuan standing with his hands behind his back before a palace, wearing that same warm smile.
"Big bro."
Tongtian hurried over and saluted with clasped hands. "I heard about your display of power in the East Sea and how you helped Empress Nuwa attain sainthood. I was so eager to see you that I had to come by."
"And while I was at it..."
He glanced around at the buildings, so luxurious they were almost suffocating, then gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"I figured I'd see what real wealth looks like."
"Big bro, your place is way too luxurious!"
"Compared to this, my Mount Kunlun is practically a rundown temple."
Taiyuan smiled and waved a hand. "You're flattering me, Fellow Daoist Tongtian. It's all just cheap stuff. I make do with it."
"Come on in. I had some food and wine prepared. We can talk over a meal."
Tongtian followed Taiyuan into the main hall, his eyes darting around as he tried to take everything in.
The interior was even more luxurious. Fine spirit jade covered the floor, while Luminous Pearls were set into the walls. Each pearl was as big as a fist, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.
At the center of the hall stood a huge round table made from Ten Thousand Year Zitan Wood, giving off a faint sandalwood fragrance.
It was already laden with all kinds of dishes, each one sending out an enticing aroma.
Tongtian stared at the food, eyes wide.
The delicacies had been made with the meat of Innate Spirit Beasts. Every morsel was infused with rich spiritual energy; just one bite could increase one's cultivation.
And then there was the hot pot. Its base glowed with seven-colored light, and what bubbled inside wasn't ordinary broth, but a divine soup simmered from Merit Water and all sorts of rare ingredients.
"Big bro, you're going way overboard."
Tongtian swallowed, then took a seat at the table.
"What's there to be modest about? We're family."
Taiyuan smiled as he poured Tongtian a cup of wine. Its intoxicating aroma made it clear that it had been brewed from Ten Thousand Year Spirit Medicine fruit.
"Here, have a drink."
They clinked their cups and drained them in one gulp.
As the wine slid down his throat, it turned into a warm current that flowed into his dantian. Tongtian felt refreshed from head to toe, and even the magic power within him seemed more lively.
"Excellent wine."
Tongtian praised it and set down his cup.
"Big bro, I heard that in the East Sea, you not only helped Empress Nuwa attain sainthood but also captured that old East King Duke?"
"Mm."
Taiyuan nodded and dropped a piece of meat into the hot pot to cook.
"That guy kept coming after me. This time, he happened to walk straight into my trap, so I dealt with him while I was at it."
"Now he's sweeping my toilets."
Tongtian nearly spat out the wine in his mouth.
"Sweeping toilets?"
His eyes widened, and then he burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Big bro, you're ruthless. He's the Head of Male Immortals, personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, and you've got him sweeping toilets?"
"If word gets out, the whole Primordial World will laugh itself silly."
"Word's already out."
Taiyuan shrugged, looking completely unconcerned.
"He's no good anyway. Giving him some work to do is just making proper use of him."
Tongtian gave him a thumbs-up, admiration clear in his eyes.
"Big bro, I respect your attitude."
They ate and talked, discussing everything from insights into cultivation to the state of affairs in the Primordial World. The more they talked, the more they hit it off.
Tongtian realized that Taiyuan wasn't just rich; he was also extraordinarily knowledgeable, with unique insights into the situation in the Primordial World. The conversation taught him a great deal.
"Big bro, I've realized you're a truly unfathomable person."
Tongtian set down his chopsticks and looked at Taiyuan seriously.
"You've got wealth, wisdom, and strength."
"My two elder brothers put on airs all day and call themselves the Pangu Orthodox Lineage, but as far as I'm concerned, the two of them together aren't worth one of you."
Taiyuan smiled but didn't reply.
Tongtian was straightforward and spoke without thinking, but that was precisely why he was the most sincere of the Three Pure Ones.
Before you continue