Xiao Hei tumbled out of Xuanqing's sleeve with a plop.
The little fellow had been badly frightened by the fluctuations from the Kunlun Mirror. After being swept all the way back to the Jade Void Palace, it finally couldn't hold back any longer.
It let out a whimper and looked up at Xuanqing, its round, glossy eyes full of innocence.
Xuanqing and Xiao Hei stared at each other, and the scene grew awkward for a moment.
He'd forgotten to let Xiao Hei out beforehand—or put him in a Qiankun Bag.
The three future Sages immediately looked down at Xuanqing's feet.
Taishang Laojun's gaze held a hint of curiosity.
Yuanshi Tianzun gave a slight nod, as if he recognized something.
Seeing this, Tongtian Cult Leader wore an amused smile.
"What's this?" Tongtian Cult Leader asked softly, flicking a finger.
Xiao Hei immediately rose from the ground, supported by a gentle stream of immortal power and suspended in midair.
He shifted uneasily, but didn't dare resist a Sage's power.
Tongtian Cult Leader examined the Ink Qilin cub closely.
"A little fellow from the Ink Qilin Clan? And a Crown Prince, at that?" Tongtian Cult Leader's voice carried a hint of surprise.
He recognized Xiao Hei's origins at a glance.
"That old stick-in-the-mud Moyuan actually has such a clever scheme?" he murmured to himself.
Xuanqing stood to the side, feeling a little uneasy.
So these powerful figures all knew Xiao Hei's identity.
It seemed that no matter who you were, in front of these Sages, you were an open book.
Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun also glanced at the Ink Qilin.
They naturally knew what Moyuan had planned.
The Qilin Clan had suffered devastating losses during the Dragon-Han Calamity, and its fortune had greatly diminished.
Moyuan had entrusted his son to the Mysterious Gate simply to borrow its fortune and protect Xiao Hei.
He hoped Xiao Hei would face fewer hardships, grow up safely, and preserve the Qilin Clan's bloodline.
It was a silent bargain, and also how living beings in Honghuang sought to survive.
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Xuanqing and spoke slowly.
"Xuanqing, do you know that the Ink Qilin Clan once made an agreement with our Mysterious Gate?"
Xuanqing paused, then replied, "This disciple only knows that Ancestor Qilin and Master were old acquaintances. I don't know the details of their agreement."
He wondered to himself if there was some hidden story behind it.
Yuanshi Tianzun nodded, his gaze profound.
"Back then, Ancestor Qilin and we Three Pure Ones did indeed make an oath."
"On the surface, it was an agreement to protect the Qilin Clan, and all the living beings of Honghuang knew about it."
"But there was another secret pact, known only to the three of us."
Taishang Laojun and Tongtian Cult Leader glanced over when Yuanshi Tianzun brought it up.
As Yuanshi Tianzun's brothers, they naturally knew of the secret pact.
But it involved far too much to be mentioned lightly.
Yuanshi Tianzun said no more. Instead, he sent a strand of divine consciousness directly into Xuanqing's Consciousness Sea.
When Xuanqing received it, a tempest roared through his heart.
Though he remained composed on the surface, he was utterly astonished inside.
The secret pact was far more complex and important than he'd imagined.
Yuanshi Tianzun's voice rang out in Xuanqing's Consciousness Sea.
"This secret pact concerns the fortune of our Mysterious Gate and will greatly benefit the future cultivation of our disciples."
"When you reach the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, I will take you there to fulfill the pact."
"By then, you will understand its deeper meaning."
Xuanqing recovered from his shock and bowed respectfully to Yuanshi Tianzun.
"This disciple understands. I will cultivate diligently and live up to Master's expectations."
He had great confidence in the speed of his cultivation.
With Double Merit Fortune and the Body Refinement Achievement he'd gained on Mount Buzhou, he was certain that if he focused on cultivation, reaching the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm before the Witch and Demon Calamity ended would be no difficult feat.
Perhaps he'd even reach it sooner.
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at him with satisfaction, then his expression turned serious again.
"Besides traveling around Mount Buzhou, where else did you go after leaving the mountain?"
"Where have you been all these years? Why didn't you return to the Jade Void Palace?"
Xuanqing knew his Master was concerned about him, so he didn't hide anything.
"Reporting to Master, after leaving the mountain, this disciple first went to Phoenix Mountain, where I discussed the Dao with Empress Nüwa and Fellow Daoist Fuxi."
"After that, I headed for Mount Buzhou. My main goal was to seek the Primordial Purple Qi and earn more merit."
Xuanqing explained, "This disciple is a Merit Spiritual Root, blessed with Double Merit Fortune. I've always hoped to earn merit by doing good deeds in Honghuang Heaven and Earth."
Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Laojun exchanged glances, their eyes showing that they understood.
Tongtian Cult Leader let out a laugh.
"Not bad, kid. You've got guts!"
Xuanqing continued, "This disciple then came to Mount Buzhou. I'd devoted myself solely to cultivating the Dao and hadn't seen enough of Honghuang Heaven and Earth, so I decided to climb the mountain. I began a thousand years ago and only finished half a month ago, when I encountered one of Master's Three Corpses."
As soon as he said this, the hall fell silent.
The smile on Tongtian Cult Leader's face froze, then gave way to disbelief.
Yuanshi Tianzun was visibly moved, though he showed little else.
"What did you say? You reached the highest peak of Mount Buzhou?" Tongtian Cult Leader broke the silence first.
He rose from his Cloud Bed, walked over to Xuanqing, and examined him closely.
"Well done, kid! My two elder brothers and I never set foot on the summit of Mount Buzhou."
"And you managed it, little fellow!"
Xuanqing scratched his head sheepishly. "This disciple was fortunate, and my innate nature and merit protected me, so I was able to reach the summit."
But inwardly, he grumbled, You three old masters probably didn't care to go—or had other considerations.
I nearly worked myself to death getting up there.
Yuanshi Tianzun also asked, "Did you find anything at the summit?"
Seeing their reaction, Xuanqing knew he couldn't keep it to himself. Besides, even if he took them out, the three Masters probably wouldn't think much of them.
With a thought, three Plantain Fans appeared in his palm.
The Earth Banana Fan, Fire Banana Fan, and Wind Banana Fan—all three Innate Spiritual Treasures—radiated their own distinctive auras.
A powerful pressure from the treasures filled the hall.
Tongtian Cult Leader's eyes lit up. He reached out, took the Wind Banana Fan, and examined it closely.
"What a treasure! It was made from the Innate Spiritual Root, the Banana Tree! And you actually obtained all three!"
His face was full of admiration.
Taishang Laojun took a look as well and nodded slightly, clearly approving of the quality of the three treasures.
Yuanshi Tianzun remained calm and said to Xuanqing,
"Put them away. Magic Treasures may be powerful, but your own strength is what matters most."
"Your cultivation is still shallow. Revealing these treasures too soon will only invite trouble."
Xuanqing immediately put the three Plantain Fans away in his Sleeve Universe and respectfully agreed.
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Xuanqing with a hint of satisfaction.
"Your trip to Mount Buzhou has also greatly strengthened your body."
"But you probably don't know much about the system of body cultivation."
"Today, I'll explain the different realms of Body Tempering in Honghuang."
Before you continue