Talk of the Dao on the Sun Star lasted a thousand years.
Hong Yun was utterly selfless, holding nothing back as he shared everything he had heard at the Purple Heaven Palace.
After the discussion ended, Di Jun and Tai Yi both broke through to the middle stage of the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, gaining a great deal from it.
Over those thousand years, Ling Xiao had also used the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil and the Chaos Bead to comprehend a trace of the Law of Earth.
Along with his progress in the Laws of Space, Yang, and Fire, his cultivation had reached the late stage of the Daluo Golden Immortal realm.
Aside from Hongjun, his cultivation now unquestionably placed him among the foremost. He was probably no weaker than the Three Pure Ones, the Western Duo, and the other powerful figures.
In the Primordial World, comprehending the Laws was difficult. Hongjun's sermons had enabled many powerful figures to make tremendous leaps in cultivation, but Ling Xiao had steadily caught up through consistent effort.
"But this still isn't enough. I have to get even stronger, faster!"
Ling Xiao lamented inwardly, never letting his guard down. Once these powerful figures reached the Quasi-Sage realm, they could use the Method of Severing the Three Corpses to cheat their way forward and take shortcuts.
Severing even one corpse could bring about a tremendous leap in cultivation.
But there were no shortcuts on the path to becoming a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal. The further one advanced, the harder it became to comprehend the Laws. To advance to Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, one needed to grasp a Law to a certain degree.
A Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal, however, had to completely master an entire Law.
"The road ahead is long and winding..."
Ling Xiao pondered. He had to cultivate faster, and would not leave the Sun Star again unless absolutely necessary.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Hongyun, for sharing everything you know."
That day, after absorbing what they had learned, Di Jun and Tai Yi thanked Hong Yun gratefully.
"Think nothing of it. Compared to the help you three Crows have given me, this is nothing." Hong Yun waved a hand, his face brimming with a kind smile.
"In a few thousand years, the Dao Ancestor will preach again. When the time comes, you three Crows can go to the Purple Heaven Palace to listen."
He offered the reminder kindly.
Di Jun and Tai Yi nodded, visibly eager at the prospect. Just then, Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes and gave Hong Yun a meaningful look.
"Thank you for the kind advice, Fellow Daoist Hongyun."
The mention of a sermon at the Purple Heaven Palace reminded him of the Primordial Violet Qi. He had considered warning Hong Yun, but on reflection, it was still too early.
Hongjun would likely distribute the Primordial Violet Qi when he granted the holy seats at the Third Sermon.
"Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao, I should be the one thanking you." Hong Yun declined modestly, then rose to his feet. "Three Crows, now that our discussion is over, I'll take my leave."
"Please."
Ling Xiao and the others stood to see him off, watching until Hong Yun had left the Sun Star and disappeared into the distance.
"Hong Yun really is a fine Daoist friend. Being with him is exceptionally pleasant."
Di Jun gazed after Hong Yun and sighed.
"Indeed. The contrast with those two from the West is especially clear," Tai Yi said with a laugh.
After seeing Hong Yun off, the three returned to the Sun Star and the Fusang Wood.
Di Jun and Tai Yi immediately prepared to sit in meditation and continue absorbing what they had learned.
Ling Xiao glanced at them and spoke. "Big Brother, Second Brother, don't rush to cultivate just yet. I have something for you."
"What is it?" Di Jun and Tai Yi asked curiously. Their Third Brother always seemed to come up with something new.
"Don't be surprised, and don't get too excited," Ling Xiao said, his expression serious.
"You make it sound like we've never seen the world," Di Jun said with a smile. He felt Ling Xiao was making too much of it.
Although they had only left the place of their birth once, they had been born with an understanding of the mysteries of Heaven and Earth. There was little they did not know.
Almost nothing could excite them.
Ling Xiao nodded and flipped his hand. A Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation appeared in his palm, its Daoist aura swirling with boundless mystery.
"This is..."
Di Jun and Tai Yi froze, staring at it in astonishment. Their minds seemed to short-circuit, and for a moment they could not even name it.
It felt as if they had seen it before, yet somehow they had not.
"A Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation," Ling Xiao said calmly.
The moment the words fell, silence descended.
Di Jun and Tai Yi sprang to their feet, pointing at the fragment, too shocked to speak.
Ling Xiao not only possessed a Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation, but had two of them!
"Third Brother, where did you get this?"
Di Jun took a moment to steady himself before asking, still uncertain.
This was terrifying. The complete Jade Plate of Creation was a Chaos Supreme Treasure. Even a fragment of it had to be as precious as an Innate Supreme Treasure, didn't it?
Ling Xiao paused, then smiled. "If I said I was born with it, would you believe me?"
His casual tone left Di Jun and Tai Yi stunned. They pondered for a moment before answering.
"Of course we believe you. You're my brother," Di Jun said.
"Third Brother, I don't want this. Keep it for yourself."
Tai Yi didn't get sentimental. He simply refused, without hesitation.
Ling Xiao laughed. "I have another fragment of my own, so this is more than enough. Daluo Golden Immortals need to comprehend the Laws, and with this, cultivation will be twice as effective."
In truth, Ling Xiao only had two fragments of the Jade Plate of Creation. But with the Chaos Bead, the fragments were less important to him.
With the Witch-Demon Catastrophe approaching, increasing their strength was the top priority.
Although Ling Xiao had no intention of getting involved with the Demon Clan or being drawn into the catastrophe, unforeseen events could still happen.
Di Jun and Tai Yi were his brothers by origin. When the catastrophe came, they would be his most capable allies, so he couldn't let their strength fall too far behind.
To avoid being controlled by Hongjun in the future, they all needed to follow the path of the Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal.
The Slashing the Three Corpses method was Hongjun's, so that path was closed to them.
Becoming a Sage through merit was no different; their primordial spirits would have to be entrusted to the Heavenly Dao.
Only by becoming Primordial Daluo Golden Immortals could they truly roam Heaven and Earth freely.
Di Jun and Tai Yi were utterly speechless. They had never imagined Ling Xiao had yet another fragment.
Apparently, these things could be bought in bulk.
"Second Brother, let's take it. We can't keep holding Third Brother back," Di Jun said solemnly.
Those words hit Tai Yi hard. He immediately took the fragment without another word.
"Remember, never show the Fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation to anyone outside," Ling Xiao warned them.
Di Jun and Tai Yi nodded firmly. They understood the stakes.
Then, eager to begin, they returned to study the fragment.
As usual, Ling Xiao continued refining the Chaos Bead while comprehending the Laws.
Since entering the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, he had been refining the Chaos Bead noticeably faster.
Of its three thousand restrictions, he had now refined more than five hundred.
Ling Xiao refined the restrictions and comprehended the Laws, quietly slipping into meditation.
A cultivation frenzy swept across the Sun Star.
Outside,
the conflict between the Witch Clan and the Demon Clan grew increasingly fierce. At this time, the Demon Clan had not yet been unified, and the countless beings of the Primordial World were scattered like loose sand, no match for the Witch Clan.
As the Witch Clan expanded, conflict erupted across the Primordial Land, and the outcome was almost always one-sided.
The myriad races of the Primordial World had no choice but to pin their hopes on powerful figures, hoping that one of them would step forward, lead them, and resist the Witch Clan's advance.
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