Xi He spoke up, requesting a different condition.
"What condition? Let's hear it first," Ling Xiao said after a brief pause.
The two sisters exchanged a glance, seemingly asking each other. For a moment, they didn't know what condition to propose.
"How about this? We haven't decided yet. We'll tell you once we have."
"Rest assured, we won't make any unreasonable demands. It will definitely be something within your power."
Xi He's voice rang clear and cool.
As soon as she finished speaking, it was Ling Xiao's trio's turn to exchange glances. Di Jun frantically signaled with his eyes, as if urging him to agree quickly.
"Fine. I agree to your condition."
Ling Xiao hesitated for a moment, then nodded. How could he turn down a condition that was like getting something for nothing? Refusing would make him seem like a fool.
Who knew what might happen in the future?
Both sides readily agreed. Afterward, Di Jun held the River Map and Luo Scroll and openly studied the Lunar Grand Formation.
Before they knew it, a long time had passed.
One day, a vast aura rose up. Di Jun had finally mastered it.
And so, under the envious and jealous gazes of Changxi and Xi He, the three of them swaggered away.
The two sisters watched Ling Xiao's retreating figure, reluctant to look away for a long time.
On the way back, Di Jun couldn't help sharing his delight with his two brothers.
"Although we didn't find any heavenly treasures on this trip to the Lunar Star, gaining the Lunar Grand Formation is worth more than countless treasures."
At this, he couldn't help sighing again.
"This time, we have Third Brother to thank. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"Elder Brother, we're family. There's no need to be so polite."
Ling Xiao spread his hands, then thought of something and looked at Di Jun.
"Elder Brother, have you ever considered merging the Lunar Formation with the Solar Formation? If yin and yang were brought together, perhaps they could undergo a qualitative change."
Di Jun's eyes lit up. "I've had the same thought. But merging the two formations won't be easy. I haven't the faintest idea how to do it."
"I have a few ideas. You can hear me out..."
Ling Xiao described some formations he knew from his previous life.
Things like the Two-Emanations Dust Formation, the Immortal-Slaughtering Formation, the Five-Elements Formation, and all kinds of others he knew.
Ling Xiao was only mentioning them in passing, but Di Jun listened with growing enthusiasm, a smile gradually spreading across his face.
"Brilliant! Third Brother, your ideas are truly ingenious. You've opened my eyes. I'm now quite confident I can merge the two formations and create an even more powerful one!"
Di Jun spoke excitedly. He had been completely at sea, without a clue, but Ling Xiao's ideas had enlightened him, scattering the clouds and revealing a clear sky.
"Once I've merged the formations, our safety as brothers will be greatly assured. We won't have to fear any enemy."
Di Jun spoke with longing, a startling gleam flashing in his eyes. The battle earlier had moved him deeply. As the eldest brother, he hadn't been able to protect his younger brothers. Worse, he'd only held them back.
It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"By the way, Elder Brother, there's something I want to give you."
Ling Xiao spoke suddenly. With a thought, the Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus appeared in his hand.
"Your River Map and Luo Scroll are extraordinary, but they're more suited to support. You're bound to be at a disadvantage in battle. This treasure will make up for your lack of offense and defense."
Di Jun stared at the Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus in shock.
"This is...?"
"The Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus, a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure," Ling Xiao said with a smile, then added, "I found it on the Sun Star after you went to the Lunar Star."
Di Jun came back to himself and immediately shook his head. "No, this treasure is too precious. Keep it for yourself. Your elder brother has the formations; I don't need this."
"Elder Brother, I have the Primordial Cauldron, which serves for both offense and defense, and the Primordial Measuring Ruler. I have no use for this. You need it more than I do."
Ling Xiao tried to persuade him. Compared to himself, Di Jun clearly needed the Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus more.
The earlier battle had made it obvious. With the Chaos Bell protecting Tai Yi, even when he was outmatched, he'd only suffered a few injuries.
Di Jun, on the other hand, would have been beaten to a pulp if they'd arrived any later.
Their cultivation levels were about the same, but when it came to magic treasures, there was a huge difference.
"Third Brother's right, Elder Brother. Just take it. With this treasure, your strength will improve, and you won't hold us back anymore."
Tai Yi joked, with just a touch of sharp-tonguedness.
Di Jun hadn't wanted it at first, but those words struck a nerve. He glared at Tai Yi, then accepted the Twelfth-Grade Purifying White Lotus.
He swore to himself that once they returned, he would cultivate hard and make his two younger brothers look at him in a new light.
Back on the Sun Star, the three began a long period of secluded cultivation.
Ling Xiao was so immersed in refining the Chaos Bead that he couldn't pull himself away.
Countless ages passed.
One day.
Ling Xiao awoke from his cultivation, his eyes a sea of Chaos. Heaven and earth unfolded, stars glittered, and in the end, it all flowed back into his pupils.
Over these long years, he had cultivated while refining the Chaos Bead. His cultivation had advanced from the mid-stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm to its pinnacle.
Each realm was divided into the initial, middle, late, and pinnacle stages.
As for the levels of cultivation, those below the Immortal realms need not be mentioned. Starting from the Immortal realms, they were Earth Immortal, Heaven Immortal, True Immortal, Mystic Immortal, Golden Immortal, Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, and Daluo Golden Immortal.
After that, one could either cultivate the laws and Prove Dao by Force, becoming a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal and then a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal.
Or one could practice Slashing the Three Corpses. After reaching the pinnacle of the Daluo realm, one could cut off the first corpse to become an early-stage Quasi-Sage, the second to reach the middle stage, and the third to reach the late stage. Then, after cultivating to the pinnacle and merging the three corpses into one, one would seize the Creation of Heaven and Earth and attain the Dao Fruit of the Origin.
There was also Proving the Dao via Merit.
All three methods could make one a Sage, but there were differences between them. With the latter two methods, one's Primordial Spirit was entrusted to the Heavenly Dao. As long as the Heavenly Dao endured, the Sage would not perish.
The first method, Proving Dao by Force, cultivated one's own Dao Fruit. One used one's boundless, profound magical power and cultivation to forcefully break free of the Heavenly Dao's restraints and attain Sainthood.
For Ling Xiao, with the Chaos Bead in hand, cultivating the laws to prove the Dao was naturally his first choice.
The other two methods weren't even worth considering.
That day, Di Jun and Tai Yi also woke from their cultivation one after another.
The three brothers gathered to assess their progress.
"Your elder brother has now reached the late stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. What about you, Second Brother and Third Brother?"
Di Jun laughed heartily. Inspiration had struck him, and he'd gained deep insights. He'd advanced from the initial stage to the late stage so quickly that he figured he must have surpassed both of his younger brothers.
That way, as the eldest brother, he could protect them.
"Elder Brother, I was fortunate enough to break through to the late stage as well," Tai Yi said with a modest smile.
Di Jun's smile froze, but that wasn't the end of it, because Ling Xiao spoke up too.
"Elder Brother, I was lucky and broke through to the pinnacle."
"You... You two are monsters."
Di Jun looked at his two younger brothers, fell silent for a long while, then managed to force out those words.
At that moment, an ethereal voice rang out across the sky.
"I am Hongjun. Today, I attain Sainthood. Three thousand years from now, I will preach at Purple Heaven Palace. All who are fated may come."
Before you continue