Innate Gourd Vine

Within Purple Cloud Palace, as Hongjun's sermon reached its climax, strange phenomena arose one after another behind the great powers.

Yin and yang energies circulated behind Taiqing. The phantom of a Flat Cane flashed past, and his aura grew ever more powerful.

Jade Pure One immortal light flowed around Yuanshi, while the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi hung at his side.

Behind Tongtian, the Green Duckweed Sword gave a soft hum. A wisp of sword intent seeped from its sheath, yet it did not spread outward, remaining confined to Tongtian's surroundings.

The aura of creation surged behind Nuwa. Receiving Guide and Zhunti wore pained expressions, while glints of light flickered incessantly in their eyes.

Xuan Heng sat upon his small meditation cushion. The Dao mark between his brows grew increasingly distinct, and his aura steadily climbed.

Hongjun's voice continued: "The Great Luo Dao Fruit illuminates one's true self. At the Quasi-Sage realm, sever thoughts to illuminate the Dao. Yet though the method of the Three Corpses can advance your cultivation, you must not forget your roots. If you seek only an increase in magical power and fail to comprehend the Dao within yourself, then even if you sever the Three Corpses, it will be difficult to unite them as one. The path to Hunyuan will likewise remain chaos ahead."

The moment Hongjun spoke those words, the great powers in Purple Cloud Palace calmed down considerably. Their eagerness to break through, which had flared up upon learning of the Three Corpses method, was suppressed.

Xuan Heng's heart also sank slightly. Hongjun had revealed the route to a breakthrough, but he had also laid bare the difficulties along that road.

Yet how many present had truly taken those words to heart remained unknown. For most of them, advancing to the Quasi-Sage realm was already a heaven-sent opportunity. As for how to unite the Three Corpses and ascend to Hunyuan after reaching the Quasi-Sage realm through this method—that was a matter for later.

As Hongjun's sermon neared its end, the magical power Xuan Heng had accumulated over three thousand years was stirred by the Dao voice. The bottleneck at the peak of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm began to loosen.

At this moment, Xuan Heng's Five Qi had already reached perfection, and Dao intent flowed within his chest. He was only one final step away from blooming the Three Flowers Above His Head and condensing the Great Luo Dao Fruit.

Xuan Heng's expression changed as he forcibly suppressed the urge to break through. A breakthrough was naturally no bad thing, but breaking through within Purple Cloud Palace would draw far too much attention.

Taiqing keenly sensed Xuan Heng's change. The Heaven and Earth Mystic Yellow Pagoda above his head stirred slightly, and a strand of Mystic Yellow merit energy silently descended onto Xuan Heng, helping him conceal the realm he was about to break through.

Yuanshi also noticed Xuan Heng's change. Though his gaze remained calm, there was a hint of concern in his eyes.

The corners of Tongtian's lips rose slightly, but he made no move and continued listening attentively to Hongjun's sermon.

Seeing the actions of the Three Pure Ones, warmth rose in Xuan Heng's heart. He continued to steady his Primordial Spirit and listened to the Dao in peace.

After an unknown amount of time, Hongjun's voice gradually ceased. The great powers within Purple Cloud Palace also awoke from their enlightenment, their expressions varied. The only thing they shared was that every one of them had become more powerful than before, to varying degrees.

Hongjun sat upright upon the Dao platform and said calmly, "This sermon ends here. In three thousand years, Purple Cloud Palace will hold its third sermon—and its final sermon."

As Hongjun's words fell, his figure vanished from Purple Cloud Palace.

"Many thanks to the Dao Ancestor for transmitting the Dao!"

As Hongjun disappeared, Xuan Heng rose from his small meditation cushion. The cushion then turned into a strand of purple qi once more and entered the space between his brows.

Xuan Heng did not rush to inspect the changes. Instead, he first left Purple Cloud Palace with the Three Pure Ones, intending to examine the changes to his Dao mark closely once they returned to Kunlun.

The instant they emerged from Purple Cloud Palace, chaotic astral winds rushed straight at them.

Taiqing raised the Heaven and Earth Mystic Yellow Pagoda, firmly shielding the four of them.

Tongtian glanced at Xuan Heng and said with a smile, "Fourth Brother, were you about to break through just now?"

Xuan Heng nodded. "Yes, but I forcibly suppressed it. It's better to wait until we return to Kunlun before breaking through."

Hearing this, Yuanshi nodded and said, "It is good that you could suppress it. The Great Luo Dao Fruit concerns one's foundation. Breaking through in a place where the auras are this chaotic may have a tremendous impact on your future."

Taiqing also looked at Xuan Heng and spoke softly. "Once we return to Kunlun, we will stand guard for your breakthrough."

Warmth filled Xuan Heng's heart at the words of the Three Pure Ones. He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, three elder brothers."

"No need for thanks. We four brothers are one family, aren't we?"

The four of them crossed the chaos all the way back into the primordial world.

Yet just after entering the primordial world, the Purifying White Lotus between Xuan Heng's brows suddenly trembled gently.

At almost the same moment, Taiqing, Yuanshi, and Tongtian all came to a halt and looked toward the northwest of the primordial world.

There, in the northwest, a beam of spiritual light shot into the heavens, visible throughout the entire primordial world.

The spiritual light was vast, brimming with incomparably dense innate yi-wood qi. Within it were also seven rays of treasure light, each a different color.

"A new innate spiritual root has emerged!" Tongtian's eyes lit up.

"In that direction, it should be within Mount Imperfection," Yuanshi said as he looked at the spiritual light.

"It is the Innate Gourd Vine." Taiqing had already recognized the spiritual root within that light.

Xuan Heng's heart skipped a beat. The seven innate gourds were about to emerge.

"Let us go take a look." Taiqing said no more than that. Then, protecting the four of them, he flew toward Mount Imperfection.

Mount Imperfection had been formed from Pangu's spine and served to support the heavens. Even from afar, it bore down upon them with an indescribable pressure.

Following the Three Pure Ones, Xuan Heng landed outside Mount Imperfection. The moment his feet touched the ground, he sensed an extraordinarily dense aura of innate yi-wood.

Deep within the mountainside before them, a vine coiled around the cliff face. Its roots were buried deep within the earth veins of Mount Imperfection, and seven gourds shimmering with treasure light hung from the vine.

"What a fine innate spiritual root—and it even comes with seven magical treasures radiating treasure light." Tongtian's eyes shone brighter and brighter.

"Yes. All seven gourds bear the signs of innate spiritual treasures. The emergence of such treasures will likely alarm the entire primordial world."

Yuanshi's gaze rested on the gourd vine, and his expression grew more serious.

Xuan Heng stood to one side without speaking, searching his memories for the eventual owners of these gourds.

If he remembered correctly, the Three Pure Ones would obtain three of the seven gourds, Nuwa would obtain one, Red Cloud would obtain one, and Di Jun and Taiyi would each obtain one.

As for the remaining one, its fate was unknown.

Before long, two more powerful auras descended from the sky—it was Fuxi and Nuwa, who had rushed over.

"Three fellow Daoists, Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng." Upon seeing the four of them, Nuwa first offered a salute.

The Three Pure Ones and Xuan Heng returned the greeting.

"It seems everyone was drawn here by this spiritual light," Tongtian said as he looked at Fuxi and Nuwa.

Fuxi nodded and said gently, "With such an innate spiritual root coming into being, it would be difficult not to be alerted."

No sooner had Fuxi finished speaking than crimson cloudlight came flying in from afar.

Red Cloud and Zhenyuanzi had arrived as well.

The moment Red Cloud landed, he spotted Xuan Heng. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng, you and I truly are fated—we meet again."

Xuan Heng returned the salute. "Fellow Daoist Red Cloud, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi."

Next, the sky blazed with golden light as two savage auras tore through the air. Di Jun and Taiyi arrived side by side.

After landing, the two first looked toward the Three Pure Ones and Xuan Heng, then at Nuwa and Fuxi, before finally fixing their gazes on the Gourd Vine.

Taiyi swept his eyes over the crowd and said, "Mount Imperfection is certainly lively today."

Tongtian gave him an indifferent glance. "A spiritual root is coming into being. Naturally, it will draw a crowd."

Taiyi raised a brow, glanced at Taiqing and Yuanshi standing beside Tongtian, and said no more.

Xuan Heng swept his gaze over everyone present, gaining a rough understanding of the situation. The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa and Fuxi, Red Cloud and Zhenyuanzi, Di Jun, Taiyi—nearly everyone had arrived. The Innate Gourd Vine was likely close to maturing as well.

No sooner had Xuan Heng thought this than the seven gourds on the Innate Gourd Vine suddenly trembled in unison. Beneath the vine, innate Yi Wood energy surged upward, and seven-colored treasure light shot into the heavens.

"The gourds are about to mature!"