After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three entered the main hall.
The hall was elegantly furnished. Incense smoke curled from the table, while a screen carved from spirit wood partitioned off a tranquil space.
The three took their seats as host and guests. Nüwa sized up Bei Ming and said with a smile:
"Fellow Daoist Beiming, you do not look as vicious and savage as the rumors in the Primordial Wilderness claim."
Fuxi frowned slightly and reminded her, "Nüwa, do not be rude."
"It is fine." Bei Ming waved his hand lightly and asked openly:
"I am rather curious why Fellow Daoist Nüwa thinks I would look vicious and savage."
In truth, throughout Bei Ming's journey, he had either been breaking through innate formations or traveling at full speed.
He had not paid much attention to the affairs of the Ten Thousand Clans, and the intelligence he occasionally obtained had been rather vague.
He had paid even less attention to such trivial matters as rumors.
Moreover, more than five hundred thousand years had passed since he parted ways with Ju Mang and left the mountain again.
After several Yuanhuis, such an insubstantial rumor should have long since scattered with the wind.
A hint of teasing glinted in Nüwa's eyes.
"I recall that some living beings who came to Mount Qixi seeking refuge mentioned it while chatting about interesting happenings in the Primordial Wilderness some time ago.
They said that the Wu Clan had befriended a Daoist named Bei Ming.
Everyone knew that the Wu Clan had always been domineering across the continent. Many clans had suffered under their oppression, so naturally, they held no favorable opinion of the Wu Clan's friends."
"Rumors truly do harm people." Bei Ming shook his head slightly. There was a trace of helplessness in his expression, though his tone remained calm.
"I have never oppressed any weaker clans, yet my reputation has still been tarnished."
Nüwa covered her lips and smiled, her gaze gentle.
"Rumors end with the wise, and besides, that happened a hundred thousand years ago.
None of the living beings who have come to Mount Qixi recently mention it anymore.
Now that I have met you, Fellow Daoist, my curiosity has been satisfied."
"So be it." Bei Ming spoke indifferently.
"I do not care much about it anyway. A good name or a bad one is merely passing cloud and smoke, not worth mentioning."
Suddenly, Bei Ming paused slightly. He realized that it was inappropriate to make his first visit empty-handed!
Was not Zhen Yuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple able to casually take out Ginseng Fruit to socialize with others? How thoughtful that was.
With that thought, spiritual light flashed within Bei Ming's sleeve as he took out ten plump pine cones.
Five-colored Dao Patterns flowed across the surfaces of the pine cones, their fragrance carrying innate spiritual energy.
Bei Ming waved from afar, and the pine cones landed steadily before Nüwa and Fuxi.
"This Poor Daoist has come uninvited. Please accept this small gift as a token of respect."
Fuxi's gaze shifted. He carefully examined the pine cones first, not reaching for them immediately. Instead, he asked slowly:
"Fellow Daoist, could these be the legendary pine cones of the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots, the Five-Needle Pine?"
"That is correct." Bei Ming nodded slightly. "I obtained them by chance.
Since karma brought me here at your invitation, I naturally could not come empty-handed.
Though they are the fruit of Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots, we are all Great Luo Golden Immortals, so their actual effects are not particularly significant. Still, they make a fine snack."
Innate Spiritual Roots also contained laws, and the roots themselves were their most precious aspect.
Resonating with them and comprehending the laws within could yield twice the result with half the effort.
As for their fruits, although each possessed its own wondrous uses, they were mainly useful to cultivators below the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
After all, among the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Roots, the renowned Huangzhong Li—
Its fruit could only allow someone to directly advance into a blank-slate Great Luo Golden Immortal who had not comprehended any laws, and their cultivation would then struggle to advance further.
Within the Primordial Wilderness, there were countless living beings, yet only a small fraction of cultivators could reach the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
To lower- and middle-tier cultivators, such an opportunity was practically heaven-defying.
But to cultivators who had already broken through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, it was somewhat unimpressive.
Still, as the fruit of Innate Spiritual Roots, it certainly tasted good and could satisfy one's appetite.
Fuxi accepted the pine cones and said, "I will accept your gift, Fellow Daoist."
With a light gesture from Nüwa, spiritual light flowed over the table, and several Crystal-clear Fruit Platters slowly appeared.
The platters held spirit fruits of various shapes and vivid colors. A faint fragrance spread throughout the hall.
"Fellow Daoist Beiming, we do not have spirit fruits here that can compare to the Five-Needle Pine, but we have quite a variety. They were all freshly picked, so please have a taste."
Fuxi and Nüwa had not enlightened any boy attendants.
But plucking spirit fruits was a trivial matter that could be accomplished with a single thought.
Bei Ming swept his gaze across the platters. They were filled with fruits from high-grade Innate Spiritual Roots, round and lustrous in color, with faint spiritual light glimmering around them. Their quality was quite extraordinary.
"Two Fellow Daoists, there is truly no need to be so courteous."
Fuxi smiled. "It is rare for a fellow Daoist to visit Mount Qixi. How could we siblings neglect proper hospitality?"
For Great Luo Golden Immortals, only those of the same realm could be called fellow Daoists.
Due to the Wu Clan's expansion, quite a few living beings had fled to Mount Qixi.
However, not many Innate Gods had come to visit them personally.
After all, Nüwa and Fuxi had always kept a low profile, and their reputations were not widely known.
Di Jun and Tai Yi had visited once before. Although the Golden Crow Brothers had been exceedingly enthusiastic, they had harbored the intention of winning them over.
Nüwa did not care much about joining some force.
Even if Fuxi had such thoughts, he would not rashly put them into action.
After the three chatted for a while longer and ate some spirit fruits, Bei Ming suggested:
"Since karma has brought us together, why not discuss the Dao? What do you two think?"
Nüwa nodded slightly. "I have no objections."
Fuxi raised a hand to smooth his sleeve, sat upright before the table, and his Dao sound flowed forth leisurely.
"In that case, I shall begin. Fellow Daoist paused earlier because of my zither music, so I shall discuss the Art of Music."
"Music is the voice of Heaven and Earth, the veins of all things."
"The Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu Notes—the Five Notes correspond to the Five Elements."
"The gong tone is deep and weighty, the foundation of earth virtue. It bears all things and nurtures vitality."
"The shang tone is bleak and desolate, governing the West's metal and weapons. It gathers killing intent and conceals its edge."
"The jue note brings forth growth, corresponding to the Eastern Continent's Azure Wood. It surges upward, full of vitality."
"The zhi note burns fiercely, belonging to the Southern Continent's Li Fire. Its brightness leaps and dances, burning away all impurity."
"The Yu Note moistens and flows downward, aligning with the north's Dark Water. Utterly gentle and utterly cold, it nourishes all things."
"..."
As he spoke, five-colored radiance in the void transformed into five slowly revolving halos of earthy yellow, metallic white, azure green, blazing red, and deep black. They drew and answered one another.
Three hundred years passed quietly amid the discussion of the Dao.
When Fuxi finished speaking, the radiance in the void gradually faded, leaving only the lingering charm of a single zither note echoing through the hall.
A look of admiration flashed through Bei Ming's eyes.
"Music connects to the Five Elements, and the Five Notes and Twelve Pitch Standards. Fellow Daoist Fuxi's study of music commands my admiration."
Nüwa's eyes shimmered. "Fellow Daoist Beiming, would you like to go first?"
"Very well." Bei Ming replied, "What I cultivate includes the Water Law, so I shall discuss this Dao."
"Water is not water."
"Its form holds no constant momentum, its appearance no fixed shape. Those bound by its form remain trapped among rivers, lakes, and seas all their lives; only those who break through its appearance can see that three thousand Weak Waters are three thousand worlds."
"The softest thing enters wherever there is a gap. The hardest thing destroys whatever stands before it."
"Water is change, and change is Dao."
"Those who cling to one form drown; those who guard one appearance wither.
Only by becoming water oneself, accepting a hundred rivers without overflowing, entering filth without becoming stained—
Can one understand: the highest goodness is like water because it is ever-changing; the Dao of water is supreme because it is formless!"
"..."
Before you continue