The Immortals Gazed, Watching the Honghuang Together

"I have met all the Ancestral Witches. This humble Daoist is Xuanqing, a disciple of the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain. I have come to Mount Buzhou solely to wander the Honghuang and observe the legacy of Great God Pangu, with no other intentions."

"Jade Void Palace? A disciple of Yuanshi and the others?"

As soon as Zhurong and the others heard this, they immediately recalled—wasn't this the little brat who sat behind Yuanshi Tianzun during the sermons?

At that thought, their anger flared even hotter.

Because Xuanqing had also been quite close to Houtu before, even if it wasn't his initiative.

At this moment, Houtu was behind her siblings, curiously sizing up Xuanqing.

"Hmph, you people of the Mysterious Gate are all hypocrites. The legacy of Father God—how could you possibly covet it?"

Xuanqing grumbled inwardly: I'm just looking, not saying I'll take it. What are you getting worked up about?

"Brother Zhurong, he is merely an outsider. Please, brother, do not go too far."

Houtu spoke softly, her voice gentle, yet it calmed the fiery Zhurong.

Houtu looked at Xuanqing and asked warmly, "Daoist Xuanqing, Mount Buzhou is a sacred ground of our Witch Clan, and now we are at war with the Demon Race. Your appearance here at this time is indeed easy to misunderstand."

Xuanqing quickly nodded: "This humble Daoist was inconsiderate. I will leave immediately and will not disturb the Ancestral Witches."

With that, he turned to slip away.

"Hold!"

Dijiang spoke again, blocking his path.

"Since you're here, explain yourself clearly before you go. Where did you come from?" Dijiang's gaze was piercing. Like Dijun, he was a leader of his race. Without Xuanqing stating his reason, he naturally wouldn't let him off easily.

Xuanqing's heart tightened. He couldn't exactly say he'd just come down from the summit of Mount Buzhou, could he? That place—even the Three Pure Ones hadn't climbed it. If he said that, these Ancestral Witches would probably tear him apart on the spot to study him.

As he racked his brain for an excuse to brush them off, the atmosphere grew heavier.

The auras of the nine Ancestral Witches faintly locked onto him, the immense pressure making it hard to breathe.

Just as the tension was about to snap, a pure, holy radiance fell from the sky, flashing brilliantly beside Xuanqing.

As the light faded, a transcendent Daoist in a green Taoist robe appeared, his face identical to Yuanshi Tianzun's.

The moment he appeared, he shielded Xuanqing behind him, cutting off all pressure from the Ancestral Witches.

Xuanqing was stunned at first, then ecstatic inside.

This face, this aura... though the feeling was different, it was absolutely identical to his Master! It seemed this was one of his Master's Three Corpse Avatars.

Sure enough, his Master still cared about him!

"Who are you?" Dijiang's eyes narrowed warily at the sudden appearance of the Daoist.

The Daoist's expression was calm. He gave a slight bow to Dijiang and the others: "This humble Daoist is Yuqing. Greetings to all Ancestral Witches."

Without paying heed to their reactions, he turned to Xuanqing and gave a light scolding.

"Disobedient disciple! I told you to cultivate diligently on Kunlun Mountain, yet you sneak off to such a place of trouble to join the excitement! Come back with me at once!"

The rebuke sounded stern, but Xuanqing caught a hint of concern in it.

His Master was helping him distance himself, giving him an out.

Xuanqing immediately understood and lowered his head, putting on a meek, apologetic look.

"Disciple knows his wrongs. Please punish me, Master."

Yuqing Daoist snorted coldly and said no more. With a sweep of his sleeve, a clear light wrapped around Xuanqing, and he prepared to vanish into the sky.

"Stop!"

Zhurong roared, flames surging around him as he moved to block them.

"Zhurong!" Dijiang stopped him in time.

Dijiang took a long, hard look at Yuqing Daoist, then at Xuanqing behind him.

He knew that the Daoist just now was one of Yuanshi's Three Corpses, with unfathomable strength. Moreover, the man had only come to take his disciple away, not to meddle in the war between the Wu and Yao—his stance was clear.

To incur Karma with the Three Pure Ones of the Mysterious Gate over such a trivial matter would be unwise.

"Let them go." Dijiang finally made his decision.

Yuqing Daoist didn't spare them another glance. His form turned into a streak of light, carrying Xuanqing and vanishing in an instant.

Watching the direction they left, Zhurong said resentfully, "Big Brother, we're just letting them go like that? That kid was sneaky—definitely up to no good!"

Dijiang shook his head, his gaze deep.

"Our true enemy is the Demon Race."

Time and space shifted, stars revolved.

When Xuanqing came to his senses again, he was already inside the familiar Main Hall of the Jade Void Palace.

At the head of the hall, Taishang Laojun, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Tongtian Cult Leader—three future Sages—sat side by side on a Cloud Bed.

And the "Yuqing Daoist" who had brought him back had already turned into a wisp of clear energy, merging back into Yuanshi Tianzun's body.

Xuanqing quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple Xuanqing pays respects to Master and to the two Senior Uncles."

Taishang Laojun nodded with a faint smile, his expression as serene and detached as ever.

Yuanshi Tianzun, dignified and stern, let out a faint "Mm" that revealed neither pleasure nor displeasure.

Only Tongtian Cult Leader, upon seeing Xuanqing, wore a half-smile and spoke with a hint of teasing in his tone.

"Well, well, Xuanqing, you've got some nerve! Going alone to Mount Buzhou and nearly bumping into the Twelve Ancestral Mages head-on. When Second Brother used his treasure to watch you just now, you gave us all a fright!"

Xuanqing heard this and grew curious. Use a treasure to watch me?

He followed Tongtian Cult Leader's gaze and saw, floating before Yuanshi Tianzun, an ancient bronze mirror.

Its surface was smooth as water, and within it, the scene of Jumang and Jimeng locked in fierce combat at the foot of Mount Buzhou was clearly reflected. The clash of Demon Soldiers and Witch Warriors was vivid in every detail, as if one were there in person.

"Is this... the Kunlun Mirror?" Xuanqing's heart stirred.

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at him and spoke slowly, "This is your master's birth spirit treasure, the Kunlun Mirror. It can observe all heavens and peer into the netherworld."

Xuanqing suddenly understood.

No wonder Master's incarnation arrived so promptly—turns out these three big shots had been sitting here watching a live broadcast the whole time!

Thinking back to how he had crept around Mount Buzhou so carefully, believing himself unseen and unheard, only to have every move monitored by his master and the others, Xuanqing felt his face flush with heat.

It felt just like being caught skipping class by the head teacher.

Seeing his disciple's somewhat embarrassed expression, Yuanshi Tianzun softened his tone.

"Though your descent from the mountain was a bit reckless, your fortune was not shallow, and your cultivation has improved. For this, your master will not punish you."

"But remember this: the Dragon-Han Initial Calamity has just passed, and the qi fortune of the Wu and Yao clans is at its peak. Their struggle for supremacy is already set. The muddy waters of this Tribulation are not for you to wade into now. From now on, be cautious in word and deed, focus on cultivation, and do not lightly incur Karma."

Xuanqing felt a warmth in his heart and replied respectfully, "Disciple humbly heeds Master's instruction."

He knew his master was protecting him.

Though he was shielded by double merit and qi fortune, his cultivation was still shallow. In the face of a great calamity like the Wu-Yao conflict sweeping the entire Honghuang, an individual's power was still far too insignificant.

Just as the hall fell into silence, with a "flop," Xiao Hei tumbled out of Xuanqing's sleeve.

The gazes of the three future Sages instantly fixed on the spot at Xuanqing's feet.

"What is this?"