Was Dao Ancestor Hongjun going to bestow treasures?
In an instant, the entire Zixiao Palace buzzed with discussion. The great powers sucked in breaths, their yearning plain to see.
The Method of Slaying Three Corpses to Attain Dao required innate spiritual items, and Innate Spirit Treasures were the most suitable of all. But there were only so many Innate Spirit Treasures in the Primordial Wilderness; even after tens of thousands of years, one might not gather enough treasures to slay the Three Corpses.
Even innate deities like the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa had to spend a great deal of time searching for treasures if they wanted to slay their corpses and become Saints.
Aside from Dao Ancestor Hongjun, Dong Wanggong was probably the only one in Zixiao Palace with a great many treasures.
West Queen Mother was his Dao Companion. She had attained the Dao by slaying the Three Corpses with the Thirty-six Sea-Calming Pearls, and her cultivation had now reached Quasi-Saint Peak—a height the other innate deities could hardly hope to match.
If they could obtain an Innate Spirit Treasure bestowed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun, slaying the Three Corpses would be easy, and their realms would advance by leaps and bounds.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun looked toward Old Master Taiqing, his face brimming with peaceful immortal fortune. His entire bearing was sacred and noble, like that of a kindly master.
With a slight surge of magical power, he produced the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram.
Boundless Yin-Yang Taiji Qi spread out, and an extraordinary vision appeared in the void. A golden Taiji bridge emerged above the entire Zixiao Palace, displaying the might to suppress all ages.
"That's the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram! When Dao Ancestor fought Old Ancestor Yangmei before, it unleashed unimaginable power. I wonder who he'll bestow it upon?"
Someone among the innate deities cried out.
"Who else could it be? It has to be Laozi!"
"Can't you see how Dao Ancestor's eyes have been fixed on him? If only I had his talent—if only I, too, had been formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit!"
"Alas!"
As expected!
"This is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram. It was formed from the back of the Pangu Axe. It can separate the clear from the turbid and stabilize Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water, encompassing all the myriad phenomena of the universe!"
"Its defensive power is peerless, and it contains the ultimate principles of Yin and Yang, profound beyond measure. It embodies the Four Symbols of Taiji, with endless transformations. Whatever one imagines will appear; whatever one contemplates will come to pass. Once brought forth, no evil can prevail against it and no spell can break it. Its wielder will stand undefeated from the very beginning!"
"Laozi is the foremost disciple of the Mystic Gate and the leader of the Three Pure Ones. He deserves this treasure!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun declared loudly. With his magical power, the Taiji Diagram displayed all kinds of divine might, and immortal arts swept through the entire Zixiao Palace.
With a casual wave, Dao Ancestor Hongjun sent the Taiji Diagram into Laozi's arms.
The Innate Supreme Treasures in the Primordial Wilderness could be counted on two hands.
Laozi already had the Postnatal Merit Supreme Treasure, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Exquisite Pagoda, as his companion treasure.
Now, with the Innate Supreme Treasure Taiji Diagram as well, only someone with a higher realm—or the emergence of a top-tier offensive Innate Supreme Treasure—could threaten him.
Otherwise, Laozi's defenses were unmatched. He could neither be defeated nor seriously injured.
What a damn turtle, Laozi!
It's a pity the Innate Supreme Treasure Taiji Diagram isn't fated to be mine. Otherwise, if I used this treasure to wield the Yin-Yang Law, my combat strength would be terrifying!
I hope I'll have a chance to trade for this Innate Supreme Treasure from Laozi someday. If I can gather the Chaos Bell, the Taiji Diagram, and the Pangu Banner, then the Pangu Axe can reappear in the world!
Watching this, Dong Wanggong pondered to himself.
He had already gathered two of the five Lotus Platforms: the Twenty-Four Petal Creation Green Lotus and the Twelve-Petal Pure World White Lotus. Only the final three Lotus Platforms remained before he could begin his plan to nurture the Chaos Green Lotus.
Besides Ancestor Minghe's Twelve-Petal Karmic Fire Red Lotus and the Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus that Jieyin would obtain, the last one—the Twelfth Grade Black Lotus of Destruction—was the hardest to acquire.
After the War of Dao and Demon, Demon Ancestor Luohu had become an Outer Realm Heavenly Demon. The God-Slaying Spear and the Twelfth Grade Black Lotus of Destruction had vanished without a trace and remained missing to this day.
On the Cloud Platform, another banner appeared in Dao Ancestor Hongjun's hand.
"This is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Pangu Banner, one of the Three Treasures of Creation."
"It can suppress destiny and is an unrivaled treasure of slaughter. When unfurled, it can tear through the void and shatter the space-time of the heavens. Its power is boundless."
"Yuanshi, this treasure is fated for you!"
With that, Dao Ancestor Hongjun bestowed the Innate Supreme Treasure Pangu Banner upon Yuanshi. The latter immediately knelt and bowed, expressing his gratitude.
There was no denying it—he had chosen an excellent master.
First, the Primordial Violet Qi, and now an Innate Supreme Treasure.
The other innate deities were so envious they nearly ground their teeth to dust, especially Ancestor Hong Yun, whose attention had also been caught by the Taiji Diagram and the Pangu Banner.
Who wouldn't want an Innate Supreme Treasure?
"Tongtian, this is the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation. It is also a Heavenly Dao treasure of slaughter. Demon Ancestor Luohu forged this sword formation from the killing aura of the Three Races, so it is filled with boundless killing intent and peril."
"Anyone who is not a Heavenly Dao Saint will be annihilated the instant they enter this formation."
"Furthermore, the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation cannot be broken by fewer than four Saints, so you must wield it with caution!"
Golden light flickered in Dao Ancestor Hongjun's eyes as he looked at Tongtian. He felt a pang of regret, for the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was a treasure of slaughter and could not suppress merit and destiny.
Tongtian was, after all, his disciple, but Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not reveal the Heavenly Secrets.
Tongtian's tribulation lay in the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, as well as in the sect he would establish in the future.
"Thank you, Master!"
As Tongtian sent his Primordial Spirit into the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, its terrifying killing aura erupted wildly. Every living being felt as though a sharp blade were hanging over their head.
Seeing this, Dong Wanggong shook his head slightly.
The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation had both benefits and drawbacks, but it was especially suited to Tongtian's swordsmanship.
Yet the Interception Sect Tongtian would establish in the future went astray under his leadership, bringing about countless murderous tribulations and karmic consequences. Combined with the karmic burdens of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Heavenly Origin Sect, it ultimately led to the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation.
Compared with Laozi and Yuanshi, Tongtian still needed to temper his Dao heart. Otherwise, swordsmanship could destroy powerful foes, but it could also wound the wielder himself. A sword had two edges, and fortune and misfortune went hand in hand.
After finishing all this, Dao Ancestor Hongjun looked toward Nuwa.
She was his inner disciple. By rights, he only needed to bestow a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure upon her. But Nuwa had become entangled with Dong Wanggong in the karma of Dao Companions, and she had now comprehended the Law of Creation.
With that supreme treasure as well, Nuwa's merit would become unparalleled.
After a brief hesitation, three streams of light appeared before Dao Ancestor Hongjun. The first was the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Qiankun Diagram; the second was the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Red Embroidered Ball.
The final item was a massive cauldron.
"Nuwa, you have a heavenly mandate upon you. I shall bestow the Mountain and River Diagram, the Red Embroidered Ball, and the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Qiankun Cauldron, upon you."
"The Qiankun Cauldron contains the Power of Life Creation. It can reverse the postnatal and restore the innate, tempering Postnatal Spirit Treasures into Innate Spirit Treasures. Combined with the art of crafting treasures, it can even create Top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures."
Aboard the Twenty-Four Petal Creation Green Lotus,
Dong Wanggong stared at Dao Ancestor Hongjun, stunned and unable to believe what he was seeing.
In the original history, Nuwa had only obtained two Top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures. The Qiankun Cauldron had only appeared when Nuwa mended the heavens, and even then, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had merely lent it to her temporarily.
The Taiji Diagram, the Pangu Banner, and the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation were all primarily suited for combat. But the Innate Supreme Treasure Qiankun Cauldron bestowed upon Nuwa was a walking arsenal.
Innate Spirit Treasures were far more powerful than Postnatal Spirit Treasures, and Postnatal Spirit Treasures could not be used to slay the Three Corpses. With the Qiankun Cauldron, one could create an army of Quasi-Saints.
Even the weakest Quasi-Saint was still far stronger than a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun had truly spared no expense, bestowing the Qiankun Cauldron upon Nuwa.
"The Nine Heavens Breathing Soil is an innate spiritual item. If Nuwa uses the Power of Life Creation inside the Qiankun Cauldron to create the Innate Human Race, then their potential will be no less than that of ordinary innate deities!"
"That's simply terrifying!"
At that moment, Dong Wanggong finally understood Dao Ancestor Hongjun's good intentions.
He couldn't help feeling a measure of goodwill toward him.
"Zhunti, Jieyin, you are my nominal disciples, so I shall bestow Top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures upon you!"
"The Blessing Divine Staff and the Five-Flower Dust Whisk belong to Zhunti."
"The Twelve-Petal Merit Golden Lotus and the Azure Sky Divine Sword belong to Jieyin!"
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's jade sleeve stirred, and four streams of light fell into Zhunti and Jieyin's arms. Both men stared in astonishment, dumbfounded.
Were nominal disciples really so unimportant?
The Three Pure Ones and Nuwa had all received Innate Supreme Treasures, but all they got were Top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures—and not even an explanation for any of them. It was simply pitiful.
"The Azure Sky Divine Sword is probably connected to the Chaos Demon God Old Ancestor Cangtian. It contains Innate Geng Metal Qi, which suits Jieyin very well."
Dong Wanggong murmured to himself, discerning the Azure Sky Divine Sword's origins.
Azure Heaven, Yellow Heaven, and the Green Heaven had been born during the Chaos. They were among the more powerful of the Three Thousand Chaos Demon Gods. They had also appeared during the Fierce Beast Calamity, but eventually vanished without a trace.
At this thought, Dong Wanggong's lips curved into a slight smile.
The Primordial World was getting more and more interesting!
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