Within Wuzhuang Temple, time slipped quietly by amid the unceasing murmur of teachings and the rising glow of Merit Golden Light, like a stream flowing day and night.
Inside the Nine-Clawed Merit Profound Golden Dragon, that first spark of spirit had once been no brighter than a firefly.
But Zhenyuanzi had expounded on the foundations of the earth and its power to nurture all things. Lord Wanshouyuan had revealed the clear rhythms of Wood Vitality and its endless cycles, while Hong Yun had described the boundless sky and the shifting Flowing Wind. Under their alternating teachings and careful nourishment, the spark had changed beyond recognition.
It was no longer a faint, uncomprehending pulse that seemed ready to vanish at any moment. It had grown dense and strong, becoming a slowly swirling cloud of spiritual light about the size of a fist.
Its colors were subdued: pure white light glowed at its heart, while a faint profound golden radiance surrounded it, showing its close connection to the Golden Dragon's body.
It had gained the beginnings of intelligence, though it was still far from clear thought or the ability to express its intentions.
Yet it could now dimly understand simple, kindly thoughts from outside: the "steadiness" in Zhenyuanzi's teachings, the "growth" in Lord Wanshouyuan's, and the "freedom" in Hong Yun's.
This was especially true when the two young disciples, Qingfeng and Mingyue, crept close day after day.
When their small, innocent hands, carrying the fresh spiritual energy of plants and trees, gently stroked its cool scales, the newborn mind sent out a faint but unmistakable pulse of instinctive joy, like a young creature seeking its mother.
It had even begun to absorb, slowly and passively, the Merit Profound Yellow Qi around it and Pangu's Legacy Aura that permeated Wuzhuang Temple from the Ancestral Veins of Longevity Mountain. These nourished it, making its cloud of spiritual light ever more lustrous.
But once its intelligence had grown to a certain point, the three Da Luo Golden Immortals sensed a bottleneck almost at the same time.
Zhenyuanzi stopped teaching first. His deep gaze seemed to pierce the dragon's body and look straight into the cloud of light. "Our teachings have done nearly all they can. Its spiritual foundation is secure, and its understanding of the world has taken shape. It is like jade newly cut, or a young eagle whose feathers have filled out."
Lord Wanshouyuan took up his words, her voice clear as a spring striking stone:
"Indeed. A fully formed mind cannot be achieved through instruction alone.
It must contemplate, settle, and accumulate understanding as time passes, gradually making what we have taught it its own. A seed buried deep in Fertile Soil must sprout through its own strength before it can put down firm roots and flourish. This takes patient work. It cannot be forced."
Impatient though Hong Yun was, he understood. He nodded.
"You are both right. Now we can only wait for it to mature and awaken to wisdom on its own. But that wait may have to be measured in ages." A trace of anticipation and helplessness colored his voice.
All three knew that the Golden Dragon's origins were extraordinary. Fully nurturing its intelligence would likely take far longer than it would for an ordinary creature; there was no rushing it. Fortunately, Wuzhuang Temple was a Blessed Land, where time and spiritual energy were abundant.
In the mountains, the years passed unnoticed. One day, as Zhenyuanzi and Hong Yun discussed the Dao beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, both felt a stirring in their hearts and a sudden desire to leave their long seclusion.
Since taking form, they had hardly ever stepped beyond the barrier around Longevity Mountain, except when necessary to guard it or give teachings.
Now everything on the mountain was settled, and the Golden Dragon's intelligence had entered a stable stage of development. All it needed was time.
Lord Wanshouyuan, Zhenyuanzi's Da Luo Golden Immortal avatar, shared his thoughts and could remain at the temple.
Longevity Mountain also had its powerful, naturally formed Guardian Great Formation, linked to the Primordial Land Veins. Alongside it stood the Four Symbols Guardian Formation, which resonated with the Qi Flow of the Four Symbols Plantain Tree Hong Yun had left behind. Together, they made the mountain all but impregnable.
Zhenyuanzi looked up at the churning Sea of Clouds beyond the temple. Curiosity appeared on his solemn face as he said to Hong Yun:
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, we have lived on this mountain since taking form. Peaceful as it is, we have never truly seen the breadth of the Primordial World.
With everything here in order and the Golden Dragon needing time, why not travel for a while? We could see the wonders of the Primordial Wilderness for ourselves and test our understanding of the Dao. We might also find opportunities and broaden our knowledge."
Hong Yun's eyes lit up. He had always yearned for freedom like a cloud drifting across the sky, and had long wanted to see the legendary Primordial Land. He clapped his hands and laughed, his crimson robe billowing like flame.
"Excellent! Excellent! Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, that is exactly what I was thinking! Sitting on this mountain every day may advance our cultivation, but we miss some of the living spirit of heaven and earth.
To travel the Primordial Wilderness, witness the Birth and Death of All Things, understand the rise and fall of races, and test what we have learned amid the world's changes—that is the path cultivators like us should follow!"
Their minds made up, the two did not hesitate. They called Lord Wanshouyuan and Qingfeng Mingyue over and carefully instructed them to guard the temple and look after the Golden Dragon.
Lord Wanshouyuan smiled calmly. Wood Qi flowed around her, putting them at ease, and she bowed.
"Go without worry. I will remain here.
Every blade of grass and every tree on the mountain is within my awareness. Nothing will go amiss.
I will watch over the Golden Dragon's developing intelligence and guide its steady growth.
As for your travels, the Primordial Wilderness may seem peaceful, but hidden currents run beneath it. The Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin races are growing stronger, and clashes between them are becoming more frequent. Take care, hold fast to your principles, and do not let yourselves be drawn into their disputes."
The two young disciples knew their masters were going on a long journey. They were reluctant to see them leave, but even more curious. Blinking their wide eyes, they promised brightly:
"Don't worry, Master! Don't worry, Master Hong Yun! We'll listen to Lord Wanshouyuan, take good care of our home, and look after this big Golden Dragon!"
With everything arranged, Zhenyuanzi and Hong Yun delayed no longer.
They exchanged a nod. Their figures blurred into streaks of yellow and red light, silently passing through Wuzhuang Temple's Mountain Protection Great Formation and leaving the Blessed Land of Longevity Mountain behind.
Once away from the mountain, they did not fly at full speed toward a fixed destination as Lord Wanshouyuan had done on her journey to Buzhou Mountain.
Instead, they deliberately slowed down and concealed their vast Da Luo Golden Immortal auras, revealing only the power of Primordial Unity Golden Immortals.
Like two ordinary cultivators traveling together, they wandered at ease across the Primordial Land, beginning a journey with no destination beyond wherever their hearts led them.
Even with their profound cultivation and detached temperaments, they could not help being awed by the grandeur and untamed vitality of a world still young.
Towering divine mountains rose everywhere, their peaks piercing the clouds. Arcane patterns were naturally etched into their slopes, and ancient, boundless auras emanated from them;
Great Rivers and Vast Waters surged like winding dragons, nourishing countless lives along their banks, their mist rich with the Essence of Water;
Primeval forests stretched beyond sight, their canopies blotting out the sky. Ancient trees towered over strange flowers and grasses, while venomous insects and fierce beasts lurked within, living by the rawest law of the jungle;
There were also bottomless chasms and vast marshes shrouded in Chaos Energy Stream, as if they led to unknown hidden realms.
Innate Spiritual Qi was so dense throughout the world that it seemed almost tangible. A single breath refreshed their bodies and brought a faint increase in cultivation.
What impressed them even more was the spectacular sight of myriad races flourishing and competing for their place in the world.
The Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin races had indeed begun to stand out. Relying on their powerful origins and bloodline gifts, each had claimed vast, fertile territories and continued to expand, forming a balance of three great powers.
But they had not yet reached the height described in later legends, when they would sweep across the lands, wage endless wars, and fight to rule the Primordial Wilderness.
Though they clashed along their borders and tested one another in small skirmishes, each remained wary. Full-scale war had not yet broken out, and an uneasy, fragile balance held.
Hidden among the clouds, Zhenyuanzi and Hong Yun had watched a divine dragon summon clouds and rain. Its enormous body appeared and vanished among the storm clouds, scales and claws flashing as it commanded wind, water, thunder, and lightning. Sacred and majestic, it brought its blessings to the land below;
They had also gazed toward the Southern Immortal Volcano, where phoenixes spread their wings and scattered Five Virtues Radiance. Hundreds of birds gathered to pay homage, their clear calls ringing out amid beauty and Auspicious Qi;
And in the central lands, they had seen a kirin emerge upon auspicious clouds. Plants flourished and sweet springs burst from the ground wherever it walked, while streams of auspicious light surrounded it. The bearing of that Benevolent Beast moved them deeply.
Countless other strange races lived and multiplied as well. The Giant Spirit Race possessed boundless strength, the Feathered Race soared through the skies, the Wood Spirit Race lived alongside plants, and the Yaksa Race dwelled at the edge of the Netherworld...
Different in form and gifted with peculiar talents, they all strove to survive and grow in this vast world, developing their own ways of life and the first outlines of their civilizations.
The entire Primordial World presented a vast scene of primal savagery and disorder, yet it brimmed with life and limitless energy.
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