Zhen Yuanzi looked at Xuandu, at those calm but deep eyes, at that young but endlessly calm face.
With trembling lips, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence:
"You... you want to take my Earth Book?!"
Xuandu shakes his head:
"It's not about taking it away."
"It's refining."
He raised his hand and pointed at Qiankun Cauldron:
"Use this cauldron to refine Earth Book and return it to Great Earth Origin."
"Earth Book Returns to Position, Earth Dao Perfection, nine Earth Dao Sage Fruit Position can be born."
"At that time, as the person who donated Earth Book, Immeasurable Merit, Earth Dao will return the favor."
"You lose Companion Spiritual Treasure, but you can prove Earth Dao Sage."
"One loss and one gain. What is lost is a treasure and what is gained is a holy throne."
He looked at Zhen Yuanzi with calm eyes:
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi."
"You are trapped in Quasi-Saint Peak Billion Dollar Club, what do you want?"
"Isn't it just for the supreme Sage Fruit Position?"
"Now that the opportunity is in front of you, do you... still want to hide?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhen Yuanzi was shaken all over.
The light flashed crazily in the depths of those eyes that were as clear as a billion dollars.
Earth Dao Sage Fruit Position?
Nine?
Can you attain enlightenment by giving Earth Book?
Even if Empress Houtu occupies one place, there are still eight others.
He stared at Xuandu, at those eyes as calm as an ancient well, at that young but endlessly calm face.
In my mind, countless thoughts exploded like thunder.
Sage.
That is a realm that he could only ask for with hundreds of millions of dollars.
That was the reason why he watched Hong Yun fall but was unable to do anything.
That was the only reason why he survived by hiding in Longevity Mountain, hiding in the Earth Book formation, hiding under Ginseng Fruit Tree.
If he had been Sage, how could Hong Yun have fallen?
If he had been Sage, why would he have to hide his billionaire fortune?
If he had been Sage...
Zhen Yuanzi slowly closed his eyes.
A long time.
A long time.
When he opened his eyes again, there was a bottomless complexity deep in those clear eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Xuandu."
He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse:
"Do you know how long we have been waiting for this moment?"
Xuandu looked at him and said nothing.
Zhen Yuanzi asks and answers:
"Billion Dollar Meeting."
"From the moment Purple Heaven Palace returned from listening to the sermon, from the moment Hong Yun fell, I have been thinking, if I were Sage, if I had Sage Power, how could Hong Yun fall?"
"But I'm not."
"I'm just Quasi-Saint, just Ancestor of Earth Immortals, just a coward hiding in Longevity Mountain and trying to survive."
He smiled.
The laughter was very light, but filled with endless bitterness and self-mockery:
"In the Billion Dollar Society, I have enlightened myself day and night, practiced day and night, and tried to take that step day and night."
"But I can't step out."
"With Earth Book in hand, I will always be trapped in Quasi-Saint Peak, and I will never be able to reach the threshold of Sage."
"I know."
"I always knew."
"Earth Book and I have been together in the Billion Dollar Club. They have been blended in our hearts for a long time and have become part of my Dao Path."
"But it is this Earth Book that became my Shackles."
He raised his eyes and looked at Xuandu, at the Qiankun Cauldron hanging in the void, and at the frozen Earth Book:
"I thought about giving up Earth Book, thought about finding another Dao Path, thought about..."
"I can't bear to part with it."
"This treasure accompanies my Billions of Dollars Association. It was born with me, grew up with me, and cultivated with me."
"It is no longer a spiritual treasure, but a part of me, my way, and my destiny."
"If you abandon it, my Dao Path will be damaged, and my cultivation will fall. I..."
He paused, his voice trembling:
"I'm afraid."
"I'm afraid that after losing Earth Book, I won't even be able to keep Quasi-Saint Peak."
"I'm afraid that what happened in Hong Yun years ago will happen again."
"I'm afraid that hundreds of millions of dollars spent on practicing cultivation will be wiped out in one day."
The sound fell, Ginseng Fruit Tree, and there was deathly silence.
The branches and leaves swayed slightly, as if they were sighing for this Ancestor of Earth Immortals.
Xuandu stood under the tree, his green clothes slightly raised, his eyes calmly looking at Zhen Yuanzi.
He saw it.
Seeing this Ancestor of Earth Immortals, this Ruler of the World, this great master of the Xiaoyao Billion Dollar Society, there is bottomless fear and struggle in his eyes at this moment.
That is the despair of a billion-dollar society trapped in a bottleneck.
It was the pain of losing a close relative or friend but being unable to do anything about it.
It was the torment of a dilemma when faced with a choice.
Xuandu spoke slowly and in a calm voice:
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi."
"I understand what you just said."
"Earth Book has been with you for the Billion Dollar Club, and our hearts have been in harmony for a long time. This is a fact."
"But you also said that it is this Earth Book that became your Shackles."
He paused and looked directly at Zhen Yuanzi:
"If you don't give up, you will be trapped in Quasi-Saint Peak forever and will never be able to take that step."
"You can always hide in Longevity Mountain, you can always just watch, you can always just... live an ignoble existence."
"Is this the freedom you want?"
The last four words sounded like thunder!
Zhen Yuanzi was shaken all over!
He stared at Xuandu, his lips moved, but he couldn't say a word.
Xuandu continued:
"After Prove Dao Sage, do you still need to hide?"
"Do you still need to be afraid?"
"Do you still have to watch helplessly, unable to do anything?"
Zhen Yuanzi heard the words, and the light in his eyes flashed crazily.
Yes.
After Prove Dao Sage, does he still need to hide?
Sage are all ants.
If he is Sage, why should he fear calamity?
If he is Sage, why fear Karma?
If he is Sage, then he is Hong Yun...
Thinking of this, the light in Zhen Yuanzi's eyes suddenly condensed.
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Xuandu, with a trace of undisguised eagerness in his voice:
"Fellow Daoist Xuandu!"
"If I prove Earth Dao Sage, can... can I let Hong Yun come back?!"
Xuandu heard this, his eyes moved slightly.
He looked at Zhen Yuanzi, at those eager and expectant eyes, at the hope that finally emerged on that clear face.
He spoke slowly:
"Can the last trace of Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, True Spirit, be in your hands?"
Zhen Yuanzi nodded:
"Here!"
"When Hong Yun fell, I fought tooth and nail to protect his last bit of True Spirit, nourished him with Ginseng Fruit, and nourished him with Earth Vein Qi. The billion-dollar society has never stopped."
He raised his hand and pointed at the towering ancient tree behind him:
"Just under this Ginseng Fruit Tree!"
"Hong Yun True Spirit is sleeping in it, just waiting for the opportunity to be reincarnated!"
Xuandu Hearing this, a smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The smile was very light, but it carried a kind of understanding that penetrated everything.
He looked at Zhen Yuanzi and spoke slowly:
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi."
"Do you know how Earth Dao Sage and Empress Houtu will treat you if you become enlightened?"
Zhen Yuanzi was startled.
Xuandu continued:
"Empress Houtu, Earth Dao Sage, in charge of Reincarnation."
"She has a long history with me, is destined to the Witch Clan, and has compassion for all sentient beings Great Wilderness."
"If you attain Earth Dao Sage and are in the same row as her, you will be fellow practitioner Earth Dao, Nine Netherworlds Fellow Daoist."
"At that time, if you ask True Spirit of Fellow Daoist Hong Yun to be reincarnated into Reincarnation, will she refuse?"
Zhen Yuanzi heard this, and his eyes suddenly lit up!
Yes!
Empress Houtu!
Earth Dao Sage is in charge of Reincarnation!
If he proves Earth Dao Sage and is in the same row as Houtu, wouldn't they be... one family?
When the time comes, she asks Hong Yun True Spirit to become Reincarnation and be reincarnated. How can she refuse?
"What's more..."
Xuandu's voice sounded again, with a hint of meaning:
"If you realize Earth Dao Sage, your friendship with Empress Houtu and your dedication of Earth Book will complement the merits of Earth Dao."
"Even if Fellow Daoist Hong Yun's Reincarnated Body can take it to the next level, it may not be impossible."
Zhen Yuanzi was shaken all over!
Take your feet to the next level!
Hong Yun is originally Innate Deity, with extraordinary heels.
But if True Spirit is reincarnated, his heels will definitely be damaged.
If we can go to another level, it is not impossible to restore the top level Innate Pedigree!
When I return from reincarnation, won't my path to cultivation be smooth sailing?
Restoring to Quasi-Saint Peak is a piece of cake!
Even Sage is not a bad idea!