Obtaining the Gourd Vine

As Red Cloud claimed the fifth gourd, only the last two remained on the gourd vine.

Just after Kunpeng withdrew, the sixth gourd on the vine began to tremble slightly. It was on the verge of ripening.

Di Jun and Taiyi looked over at the same time. Sun True Fire flickered in Taiyi's eyes as he said, "This time, it should be our turn, shouldn't it?"

The sixth gourd was black and gold all over, with a glimmer like Sun True Fire flowing around its mouth. The instant it left the vine, it flew toward Di Jun and Taiyi.

"Since when did a place formed from our Father God's spine become somewhere you scruffy birds from the Sun Star could come to claim treasures?" As the words fell, blazing blood energy shot into the sky from the depths of Mount Imperfection.

Zhurong strode through the air, flames surging around his body. Without another word, he raised his head and threw a punch straight at the black-gold gourd.

Behind Zhurong, Gonggong arrived close on his heels. Black water vapor swirled around him as his gaze settled on Taiyi. "You think you deserve to take things from Mount Imperfection?"

It was not over yet. Another heavy aura descended.

Xuan Heng's gaze shifted slightly.

The last Ancestral Witch to arrive was Houtu. She stood behind Zhurong and Gonggong, her aura calm and composed, with no haste to act.

The moment Taiyi saw the three Ancestral Witches appear, his expression turned cold.

"When a treasure is born, it goes to the fated. The gourd flew to me of its own accord, and your Witch Clan still wants to stick its hand in?"

Hearing Taiyi's words, Zhurong seemed to have heard something hilarious. He burst into laughter. "What if I simply can't stand the sight of you? Anyone can take this gourd today—except for you, you scruffy bird!"

With his arms folded over his chest, Zhurong spoke arrogantly. The Witch Clan did not cultivate Primordial Spirits and had little interest in such dharma treasures. He had come this time simply because he could not stand seeing Taiyi seize treasures on Mount Imperfection.

At those words, Taiyi could no longer hold back. Sun True Fire erupted in his eyes.

Dong~ A deep, muffled bell toll rang out, and the innate supreme treasure, the Chaos Bell, appeared in Taiyi's hand.

Taiyi directly controlled the Chaos Bell to cover the black-gold gourd and brought it back.

Zhurong, meanwhile, was shaken back two steps by that bell toll.

Seeing this, Gonggong raised a hand, drawing forth a swath of profound-black water vapor that swept toward Taiyi.

"Hmph!" Di Jun snorted coldly. Behind him, the River Map and Luo Script abruptly unfolded, its star patterns spreading out and blocking the water vapor outside.

"Do you truly intend to wage war against us here?"

Di Jun's voice sank. Though he and Taiyi did not fear Zhurong and Gonggong, there were too many great powers here.

The Three Pure Ones stood nearby, as did Nuwa and Fuxi. Red Cloud and Zhenyuanzi had just fought Kunpeng. If a great battle broke out here, no one knew whether those present would strike them down and seize their treasures once both sides were left wounded.

But Zhurong gave none of that a thought.

He stared at the Chaos Bell above Taiyi's head, his battle intent rising even higher.

"Then come! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

"Enough."

Houtu, standing behind Zhurong and Gonggong, finally spoke.

Her voice was not loud, yet a heavy force pressed down with it, making even the fire raging around Zhurong pause for an instant.

Zhurong frowned. "Houtu, why are you stopping me?"

Houtu did not answer him. Instead, she looked at the black-gold gourd in Taiyi's hand. Sun True Fire now surrounded it, showing that Taiyi had already subdued it.

"The dharma treasure has already been subdued by him. There is no point in continuing to fight. It would only add to karmic entanglements."

Zhurong wanted to speak after hearing this, but before he could, Houtu spoke again. "I said enough. Fellow Daoists of the Three Pure Ones, Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng, and so many other great powers are here. Do you want them to laugh at our Witch Clan?"

Zhurong's expression was extremely ugly, but in the end, he suppressed himself and did not strike again.

Taiyi sneered at the sight. "The Witch Clan does have someone who understands reason after all. Not all of you are simple-minded brutes."

"Taiyi, are you refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit?" Zhurong's rage, which he had just forced down, erupted once more at Taiyi's words.

"Calm down."

Seeing that Zhurong was about to lose his temper again, Houtu slowly stepped in front of him and blocked him.

"Fellow Daoist Di Jun, shall we leave today's matter at that?" Houtu did not look at Taiyi again, instead turning to Di Jun.

"Second Brother, let it end here. Do not go too far."

Di Jun gave Houtu a deep look, then patted Taiyi on the shoulder as he spoke.

Taiyi nodded, putting away the black-gold gourd and the Chaos Bell as well.

Standing behind the Three Pure Ones, Xuan Heng took in this brief conflict between the Witch Clan and the demon race. It seemed the flames between the two races had begun to rise this early.

With the sixth gourd's ownership decided, everyone's gaze fell upon the final gourd. It was smaller than the previous six, its colors a mingling of green and white. Its treasure light was unstable, as though it had not fully ripened.

Yet the more this was so, the more those present could see its extraordinary nature. Just as their thoughts began to stir, a wisp of purple qi suddenly appeared around the seventh gourd. The instant that purple qi emerged, everyone froze.

After sensing the aura upon that purple qi, everyone present stopped what they were doing, for they felt the aura of Dao Ancestor Hongjun upon it.

Sure enough, in the next moment, a calm voice came from beyond the heavens.

"This object's destined time has not yet arrived. Disperse."

As the voice fell, the seventh gourd on the vine vanished as well.

Before Mount Imperfection, silence fell in an instant. Dao Ancestor had intervened; this gourd was no longer something anyone present could contend for.

After all seven gourds had been plucked, the Innate Gourd Vine, which had once blazed with spiritual light piercing the heavens, rapidly dimmed. Its vine turned withered yellow, its leaves shriveled and fell, and more than half of its Innate Yi Wood essence dispersed.

The crowd took one look before withdrawing their gazes one after another.

Clearly, those seven gourds had been the spiritual treasures. Now that the gourds were gone, all that remained was a dead vine. Though it was still the remnant body of an innate spiritual root, it had lost most of its spiritual vitality and was no longer worth fighting over.

But just then, the Purifying White Lotus deep within Xuan Heng's brow trembled faintly. The hint of green within the lotus heart also stirred, and Xuan Heng looked toward the roots of the gourd vine.

Deep within those nearly dead roots, there was unexpectedly still a thread of exceedingly faint life.

Xuan Heng fell silent for a moment, then looked toward the Three Pure Ones.

"Three elder brothers, there is still a sliver of life within the roots of this gourd vine. I wish to bring it back to Kunlun and nurture it with the Purifying White Lotus."

Tongtian was taken aback, then laughed. "Little brother, you're truly interesting. You don't fight for the gourds, yet you've set your sights on this withered vine instead?"

Yuanshi glanced at the dead vine and, after a moment, said, "Since it resonates with the Purifying White Lotus, take it."

Taiqing nodded as well.

"Agreed."

Xuan Heng cupped his hands toward everyone present.

"Fellow Daoists, this gourd vine has already lost the aura of a spiritual treasure. This humble Daoist wishes to take its remaining roots back to Kunlun to nurture them. If none of you are interested, then this humble Daoist shall accept it."

No one spoke.

Red Cloud smiled. "Since Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng has such intentions, naturally you may take it."

Nuwa also nodded lightly.

Houtu glanced at Xuan Heng, a few more traces of contemplation appearing in her eyes.

Xuan Heng hesitated no longer and raised his hand, summoning the phantom image of the Purifying White Lotus.

White light descended, enveloping that section of withered gourd vine. In the next instant, the faint thread of life within the vine's roots gave a gentle response.