Seeking West Kunlun, the Three-legged Blue Bird Guides the Way

On the other side, after Jumang departed, Donghua did not linger. Following his earlier plan, he continued his journey toward Buzhou Mountain at the heart of the Primordial Continent.

The primordial wilderness stretched vast and boundless, and the long road inevitably felt tedious and heavy.

The countless mountains and endless marshes that swept beneath his feet were, to him, nothing more than a blur of fleeting images flickering across heaven and earth.

The only things that could add a touch of color to this monotonous journey were the Innate Formations he occasionally encountered along the way. Some lay hidden in secluded valleys, others perched atop the clouds—riddles set by heaven and earth, awaiting the fated one to unravel them.

For Donghua, the process of deduction, breaking the formation, and entering to claim the treasures was itself an excellent form of enlightenment and pastime.

It must be said that at this time, the eastern part of the Primordial Continent was rich in natural splendor and abundant in spiritual energy—truly a land overflowing with heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

Among the mountains, rivers, and marshes, unrefined Innate Spirit Materials could be seen almost everywhere, shimmering with a radiant, gem-like glow.

Every Innate Spirit Root and Innate Spiritual Treasure was guarded by an Innate Formation, quietly awaiting its destined owner.

Along this journey, although Donghua had not obtained a Top-grade Spiritual Treasure, he had gathered more than ten pieces of mid-grade and low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures and Spirit Roots.

The most precious among them was the Fire Spirit Pearl, one of the Five Directions Spirit Pearls, alongside the Earth Spirit Pearl.

Donghua was not disappointed by this.

After all, nine out of ten of the world's Top-grade Spiritual Treasures had already fallen into the hands of the sole victor of the Dao-Demon Conflict—Hongjun. The few that remained were already bound by destiny, mostly being companion treasures of various Innate Divine Beings.

Masterless top-grade treasures left out in the world were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, and every single one was hidden deep within deadly formations or chaotic prohibitions, visible only to those with immense fortune and great destiny.

Whether one could encounter them depended entirely on a faint thread of heavenly fate.

At the same time, most of the Innate Divine Beings of Donghua's generation had also ended their secluded cultivation and stepped into the world, showing their brilliance on the vast stage of the Primordial Continent.

During his travels, Donghua not only witnessed the savage scenes of the Witch Clan expanding everywhere and establishing tribes, but also heard much news about the Myriad Races of the primordial world.

The most widely circulated tales were of Di Jun and Taiyi from the Sun Star.

Whenever the Witch Clan attacked a weak race, the two often extended a helping hand, and their reputation for righteousness spread among the Myriad Races.

Moreover, many races, either grateful for their kindness or intimidated by their power, willingly led their tribes to submit, pledging allegiance to them as their lords, seeking refuge from the Witch Clan's attacks.

Donghua was not particularly surprised by this.

Di Jun was born with the destiny of an emperor; his leadership charisma was an innate talent—even as an enemy, Donghua could not deny it.

Those who cultivated the Dao sought transcendence, not the severing of all emotions.

In this magnificent and turbulent era, building a faction and gathering fortune, though fraught with danger, was also a path leading to the Great Dao.

Some chose to walk alone, while others naturally chose the path of a hegemon.

Donghua's thoughts shifted slightly. If he followed the original timeline...

By now, East King Duke must have already raised a considerable force in the East Sea, where the Dragon Clan had retreated.

After all, vast as the Four Seas were, they could not match the depth of the Primordial Continent's foundation.

With his cultivation at the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, East King Duke ranked among the first tier of Innate Divine Beings. Dominating the East Sea after the Dragon Clan's retreat was more than sufficient.

And this very fact was the root cause of his death and destruction in the original fate.

In the future, the Witch Clan would occupy the Primordial Continent, while Di Jun and Taiyi could only rely on the Primordial Starry Sky as their foundation for development.

Looking across heaven and earth, aside from the continent and the starry sky, only the Four Seas remained for contention.

Kunpeng, who occupied the North Sea, was personally confronted by Di Jun and Taiyi, who forcibly extracted a wisp of his true spirit, forcing him to submit in fealty. The West Sea and South Sea had no dominant figures in control.

Thus, East King Duke, who had built a vast power in the East Sea, became the final obstacle to the Demon Race's Heavenly Court unifying the Four Seas—a thorn that had to be removed.

His downfall was already fated from the moment his faction was established.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Donghua.

Before he knew it, the towering Kunlun Mountains stood before him.

At the summit of the sea of clouds, the ancestral vein of all mountains finally revealed its true form.

Radiant clouds served as ribbons, auspicious vapors hung in thousands of strands, and a vast Dao resonance spread like a tide through every inch of void, inspiring awe.

Donghua stood with his hands behind his back atop a cloud, gazing at this ancient divine mountain, his heart filled with longing:

If Kunlun Mountain is already so majestic, what kind of earth-shattering splendor must Buzhou Mountain, which supports heaven and earth, possess?

But for now, he had more important matters.

His gold-threaded Dao robe lightly fluttered as Donghua turned toward the direction of West Kunlun. There, amidst swirling clouds and rosy mists, jade terraces and gemmed pavilions faintly appeared, and pure yin clear energy cascaded down like silk.

He had not come this time to visit the Three Pure Ones of East Kunlun, but to meet a Dao companion whose path resonated with his own—the master of West Kunlun, the Queen Mother of the West.

Those who sought the Dao valued the Dharma, Companions, Resources, and Location.

The Dharma was the foundation of the Great Dao, the vessel of transcendence.

It encompassed the fundamental cultivation methods, protective Spiritual Powers and Techniques, and the comprehension of the Heaven and Earth Laws. Without the Dharma, one would be chasing illusions and reflections in water and flowers, wasting years without ever finding the door.

Companions were those who walked the same path, those whose fortunes intertwined.

They were Dao companions who mutually verified and jointly explored the Great Dao along the cultivation journey, and also bore the responsibility of protecting each other and crossing calamities together. The Dao was not born in solitude, the Dharma did not walk alone, and fate did not arise in isolation.

Resources were the provisions for cultivation, the traveling expenses for seeking the Dao.

These are all necessities for cultivation: spiritual treasures, spiritual roots, pills, and heavenly materials and earthly treasures. If wealth is insufficient, it is like a boat without sails and oars—even with ambitions that reach the heavens, it is difficult to cross the bitter sea.

The second is Ground—the foundation for establishing the Dao, the Grotto-Heaven that nurtures the Dao.

This refers to one's Daoist Ground and blessed land, concerning the thickness of spiritual energy, the manifestation or concealment of Dao resonance, and matters of safety and calamity. If the Ground is poor, it is like a tree losing its soil—even with a posture that aspires to pierce the sky, it is difficult to grow strong and thrive.

When all four are complete, complementing and supporting each other, only then does the path of cultivation appear smooth and open.

As for Donghua now, his Dharma is clear, his wealth is sufficient, and his Ground is settled—the foundation of his cultivation is as firm as a rock.

Now, with all conditions fulfilled and the Great Dao within reach, he is only lacking one thing: a Dao Companion who can walk shoulder to shoulder with him, share the flow of fortune, and cultivate the Great Path together.

The best proof of this is Jieyin and Zhunti of the West. The two are Dao friends to each other, following one another through life and death, binding their own fortune and even their Dao paths together completely.

It was precisely by relying on this unity of heart and strength, this selfless and unreserved support, that they were able to jointly make their great vows, repair the barren Western lands with immense perseverance and wisdom, and ultimately ascend to sainthood side by side.

As for the Queen Mother of the West, she was born from the transformation of the primordial pure yin origin. Together with the East King Duke, one yin and one yang, they respectively represent the two paths of yin and yang, innately and perfectly complementary—making her the most ideal candidate for a Dao Companion.

Donghua rode his cloud to the border of West Kunlun and was about to announce his arrival when he suddenly heard a clear, resonant cry from the nine heavens.

He saw where the sea of clouds churned, the Three-legged Blue Birds parting the clouds as they came, their wings scattering specks of clear radiance as they spread.

The Three-legged Blue Birds had crimson heads and black pupils, tracing profound and mysterious trajectories through the air.

They lightly fluttered their wings, and ten thousand strands of moonlight swirled along with them, coalescing before Donghua into a rainbow bridge that spanned the void.

"By the decree of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, we welcome the senior into West Kunlun."

The Blue Bird spoke celestial words, while the other two split to either side, each bearing a Kunlun jade branch, a peach spirit leaf, and a osmanthus petal, paving a fragrant and enchanting immortal path.