Encounter at Mount Buzhou, the Three Pure Ones of Pangu

The Sky-reaching Jianmu is truly miraculous. Only a small portion of it grows within the Primordial World, while the vast majority remains hidden within the void.

Ordinary cultivators, even if they had the fortune to encounter this tree, would likely find it impossible to take away without special means. However, this was not a problem for East King Duke.

This was because he possessed a Supreme Space Treasure: the Chaos Bead.

East King Duke owned a Great World that belonged solely to him. Although the world within the Chaos Bead had not yet evolved all living things like the Primordial World, it was more than capable of housing the Sky-reaching Jianmu.

He summoned the Chaos Bead from his Primordial Spirit and sent it flying around the Jianmu. With a single rotation, the divine tree was drawn inside. As the Jianmu vanished, the ground sealed itself, and the fractured space smoothed over; it was as if the tree had never appeared on Yingzhou Island at all. It was truly miraculous.

Having obtained the divine tree, East King Duke knew the greatest opportunity on Yingzhou Island had been claimed, so he ceased his exploration.

Unlike the islands of Mount Fang and Penglai, whose emergence shook the four seas with endless visions, Yingzhou emerged in complete silence, perhaps due to the nature of the Sky-reaching Jianmu that suppressed it. Had it not been for the fact that the three islands shared the same origin and that East King Duke, as the Lord of Mount Fang Island, possessed an innate connection to them, he might not have sensed it so quickly.

At this time, no creatures from the East Sea had yet arrived in the surrounding waters. East King Duke decided to claim the island for himself. After refining the island's core, he activated the Innate Guardian Great Array. He then sat cross-legged above the island and spent several decades setting up a Supreme Yang Concealment Formation before he was satisfied.

Once the formation was activated, the entire island vanished from the East Sea. The surrounding waters returned to a state of tranquility. Unless one's Primordial Spirit cultivation was far superior to his, even a deliberate search with divine sense would yield nothing.

Having done all this, he returned to Mount Fang Island with satisfaction.

Back at his dojo, East King Duke once again immersed himself in closed-door cultivation. The path from the late stage of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal to the peak seemed within reach, yet it felt impossibly far away. Over tens of thousands of years, he had several times thought he had grasped the opportunity for a breakthrough, only to find himself missing the mark each time.

In the Primordial World, the conflict between the Three Tribes had officially begun. The aura of the Great Tribulation grew increasingly pervasive outside. With only ten thousand years left until the War of Dao and Demon, East King Duke abandoned the idea of a breakthrough. He broke his seclusion, intending to travel across the Primordial Continent.

Escaping the East Sea and flying toward the Primordial Continent, he had a planned destination this time. While not a specific spot, he had a direction: Buzhou Mountain.

Rumors from his past life claimed that half of the opportunities in the Primordial World were found on this divine mountain, and that was no exaggeration.

Formed from the spine of Pangu, the source of all mountains, the divine charm of Buzhou needs no further description.

It nurtured countless treasures and several Innate Divine Beings: Fuxi, Nuwa, and the twelve great gods born from Pangu's Essence Blood—who had yet to emerge—along with their vast race, the Witch Clan, one of the protagonists of the next Great Tribulation.

Although East King Duke did not lack spiritual treasures, he still held expectations for this trip to Buzhou.

Traveling via escape techniques without a moment's rest, he reached the foot of Buzhou Mountain in just over a hundred years.

Soaring into the sky, its majesty commanded reverence. The wonder of this first divine mountain of the Primordial World was such that the density of Innate Spiritual Qi was secondary; beneath its aura, one could not help but feel a sense of worship when facing the mountain. Even with East King Duke's current cultivation at the late stage of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, he felt insignificant.

Steadying his mind, he began his ascent. After walking for several hundred miles, he felt a surge of pressure—this was the Pangu Pressure.

The great god Pangu had opened the heavens and transformed his body into all things countless Yuan Hui ago, yet this pressure remained, a testament to his immense power.

East King Duke dispersed his Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal magic power, intending to climb the mountain on foot. A Yuan Hui ago, when he ascended the Sun Star, he had used the Power of the Myriad Stars to temper his body, deducing the Dharma Gate of the Supreme Yang Battle Body and raising his physical realm to the level of a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal.

This journey to Buzhou Mountain was the perfect opportunity to continue tempering his body using the Pangu Pressure.

Without the protection of his Primordial Spirit's magic power, the pressure felt like carrying a mountain weighing over a million catties. East King Duke continuously circulated the Supreme Yang Battle Body Dharma Gate, trudging upward step by step, leaving a footprint with every stride.

As he climbed higher, the Pangu Pressure relentlessly tempered his Dao body. Over a thousand years, he had reached a point where he could walk as if on flat ground, moving with ease. His physical body had successfully broken through to the realm of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, matching his Primordial Spirit cultivation.

With his body refinement goal achieved, East King Duke retracted his power and flew upward, stepping upon a Dao Lotus. Buzhou Mountain truly lived up to its reputation; the spiritual items along the path were numerous. While not all were of the highest grade, it was enough to justify its name as a Treasure Mountain.

Since he was passing through a Treasure Mountain, he naturally could not return empty-handed. He selected a few rare items and collected them.

On this day, as he flew to the mountainside, East King Duke's primordial spirit suddenly trembled, and he felt a stirring in his heart.

Instead of being alarmed, he was delighted. He followed the sensation and soon discovered an Innate Formation. It was clearly fated to be his, so he broke through the formation and entered without much effort.

Spiritual Mist filled the air, transforming into white lotus blossoms that guarded a crimson banner suspended in the center of the formation. Points of Innate Spiritual Light shimmered; it was undoubtedly an extraordinary treasure.

Although he already possessed many supreme treasures, he clearly sensed that this item was fated for him. Stepping forward, he could feel his aura connecting with the banner.

Reaching out, the spiritual banner flew toward him of its own accord and landed in his hand.

He inspected it with his divine sense and nodded in satisfaction.

A High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Blazing Sun Command Banner. It contained thirty-five Innate Restrictions, nearing the level of a Top-grade treasure; it was among the best of the High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.

The banner was inscribed with Innate Dao Patterns. When a cultivator wielded it, they could command True Yang Blazing Flames to injure enemies, possessing formidable power.

Having obtained the spiritual treasure, East King Duke stepped on his Dao Lotus and flew out of the formation. Before he could steady himself, he saw three streams of light flying rapidly toward him. In the blink of an eye, they arrived and landed, revealing three Daoists.

There was an old man, a middle-aged man, and a youth. The old man appeared kind-hearted, the middle-aged man looked dignified, and the youth was sharp and imposing. All three possessed vast Dao Rhymes, manifesting the aura of Great Supernatural Beings. Though their temperaments were distinct, their energy signatures were interconnected, almost as if they were one.

Upon seeing their appearances, East King Duke had already guessed their identities.

"Why do the three fellow Daoists block my path?"

Standing on his Dao Lotus with the newly acquired Blazing Sun Command Banner still in his hand, East King Duke spoke calmly.

"I am Grand Pure One Laozi, Jade Pure Primordial, and Upper Pure Tongtian. Greetings, fellow Daoist."

The old man spoke; he was the head of the Three Pure Ones, The Grand Pure Heavenly Lord of Morality, Laozi.

"So it is the Pangu Three Pure Ones before me. My apologies for the lack of courtesy. I am East King Duke, Daoist name Supreme Yang. Greetings to the three fellow Daoists."

Laozi narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Greetings, fellow Daoist Supreme Yang. My two brothers and I were traveling through Buzhou when we sensed a Great Supernatural Being nearby, so we came specifically to meet you."

East King Duke nodded, neither confirming nor denying.

To the side, Primordial Heavenly Lord suddenly stepped forward.

"Our primordial spirits sensed that a treasure here was fated for us, the Three Pure Ones. Since this treasure has fallen into your hands, fellow Daoist, why not bring it out for us to see?"

At Primordial's words, East King Duke's expression darkened.