Bestowing Treasures

When Hongjun saw Xuan Heng's actions, he said nothing more. Instead, he turned to Red Cloud, who was standing with Zhenyuanzi, and said, "Red Cloud."

Hearing Hongjun call him, Red Cloud was first taken aback, then hurriedly stepped out from the crowd and bowed with cupped hands.

Seeing Red Cloud step forward, Hongjun said calmly, "This qi is fated to be yours."

As Hongjun's words fell, the final strand of Primordial Purple Qi at his side shot straight into Red Cloud's brow.

As Red Cloud took the Primordial Purple Qi into his possession, the atmosphere within Purple Cloud Palace instantly changed.

The others could still accept the first six people receiving Primordial Purple Qi, but Red Cloud had not even possessed a meditation cushion. He had merely sat on the fifth cushion once before.

Kunpeng hid among the crowd, his expression exceptionally ugly. Especially after seeing Zhunti, who had stolen his seat, obtain a strand of Primordial Purple Qi—and even Red Cloud, who had been the first to yield his seat, receive one—while he himself gained nothing at all, the flames of jealousy blazed fiercely in his heart.

Watching the changes in the expressions of the great powers behind him, Xuan Heng sighed inwardly. Red Cloud's killing tribulation had still arrived; the root of it all lay in this strand of Primordial Purple Qi.

However, Red Cloud was different from before in this life. After Xuan Heng's reminder, he now traveled together with Zhenyuanzi whenever he went out. It would still be very difficult for others to seize this strand of Primordial Purple Qi from him.

Hongjun ignored the undercurrents within the hall and merely said calmly, "The three sermons have concluded. Each of you shall have your own path in the future; cultivate diligently."

Before the people below could react, Hongjun looked at Taiqing and said, "Taiqing."

Taiqing rose and bowed with cupped hands. "This disciple is here!"

Hongjun raised a hand and pointed. A scroll of black-and-white qi swirling around it slowly unfurled from the void.

The moment the scroll appeared, the yin and yang qi within Purple Cloud Palace both trembled and converged upon it. As the scroll emerged, Taiqing's aura stirred as well, as though the scroll had long been linked to him.

"Taiji Diagram!"

The instant Xuan Heng saw the scroll, he recognized it. This was the Taiji Diagram, one of the three supreme innate treasures transformed from the Pangu Axe, as well as the signature treasure of Taiqing and the Human School.

"This treasure is called the Taiji Diagram. It can suppress yin and yang, stabilize earth, wind, water, and fire. I bestow it upon you."

Taiqing accepted the Taiji Diagram with both hands and said, "Many thanks, Teacher."

Hongjun nodded, then looked to Yuanshi. "Yuanshi."

Yuanshi rose and bowed with cupped hands. "Teacher, this disciple is here."

Another ancient banner flew from Hongjun's sleeve. Its surface stirred without wind, and with only the slightest sway, it sent chills into the hearts of the great powers within the hall.

"The Pangu Banner has appeared as well," Xuan Heng thought to himself, then continued watching.

"This treasure is called the Pangu Banner. It can split chaos, divide the clear from the turbid, and shatter all laws. I bestow it upon you."

Yuanshi respectfully accepted the Pangu Banner, his expression solemn as he said, "Many thanks, Teacher."

Hongjun nodded again, then raised his hand. Four streaks of sword light emerged from the depths of the void.

Immortal-Slaying, Immortal-Trapping, Immortal-Ending, Immortal-Butchering—they were precisely the Immortal-Slaying Four Swords. As the four swords appeared, the killing intent throughout Purple Cloud Palace abruptly sank. Even great powers at the quasi-saint level felt their hearts tighten.

"Tongtian, these are the Immortal-Slaying Four Swords, peerless in slaughter. There is also a formation diagram; I bestow both upon you."

With a wave of Hongjun's right hand, a formation diagram appeared and flew together with the swords toward Tongtian.

Tongtian raised his hand and caught the Immortal-Slaying Four Swords and the formation diagram.

"Many thanks, Teacher."

Afterward, Hongjun bestowed the Red Embroidered Ball and the Mountains and Rivers State Diagram upon Nuwa. Receiving Guide obtained a Receiving Guide Treasure Canopy, while Zhunti received a Seven Treasures Wonder Tree.

"Xuan Heng." Finally, Hongjun looked at Xuan Heng, who was seated on the small meditation cushion, and called out to him.

The gazes of all the great powers present instantly locked onto Xuan Heng.

"Teacher." Xuan Heng rose and spoke respectfully.

Hongjun raised his hand. A blue-white gourd emerged from the void, with profound blue Dao patterns slowly flowing around its mouth.

Xuan Heng recognized it at a glance. It was the seventh immature gourd from Mount Imperfection that Hongjun had taken away.

"This is the Calamity-Suppressing Gourd. It can seal tribulation qi and stabilize the Dao heart. I also bestow upon you a Profound Pure Treasure Robe, personally refined by me. The Profound Pure Treasure Robe is a mid-grade innate spirit treasure. Though its rank is not high, it has many uses. You may learn them yourself in the future."

As he spoke, a Daoist robe appeared from Hongjun's sleeve. It was entirely white, with a profound blue radiance flowing across it.

When the great powers present saw the first gourd, only Taiyi and the others who had been there at the time showed traces of surprise; the rest showed no particular reaction. But when the Profound Pure Treasure Robe appeared afterward, all the great powers drew sharp breaths. Personally refined by the Dao Ancestor—this was what truly mattered to them.

"This disciple thanks Teacher."

Xuan Heng himself was somewhat puzzled. Hongjun seemed to be treating him a little too well. First, he had helped him obtain a gourd, and now he had personally refined a spirit treasure for him. Though he did not understand why, Xuan Heng accepted the treasures first. There was no reason to refuse what the Dao Ancestor bestowed.

Hongjun withdrew his gaze, looked at everyone in the hall, and said calmly, "The three sermons have ended. I am about to merge with the Dao. During my travels through the primordial world, I obtained many spirit treasures. They will be of no use to me after I merge with the Dao. You may go to Treasure Distribution Cliff and take them according to your own fate and affinity."

With a wave of Hongjun's hand, ten thousand streaks of treasure light suddenly soared into the heavens outside Purple Cloud Palace. Then his figure slowly vanished from the Dao platform.

As Hongjun's words fell, a tempest instantly rose within Purple Cloud Palace. The treasures just now had been personally bestowed by Hongjun, so naturally they could not entertain any designs upon them. But the spirit treasures on Treasure Distribution Cliff were different; those would be obtained according to one's own fate and affinity.

Moreover, these were the Dao Ancestor's spirit treasures. Their grades surely would not be low.

For a time, countless gazes within the hall fell upon the palace doors.

The gleam in Zhunti's eyes could no longer be concealed. Receiving Guide lowered his eyes and said nothing, but the aura within his sleeve had already begun to circulate faintly, ready to seize spirit treasures at any moment.

Xuan Heng rose from the small meditation cushion. The cushion turned into a streak of purple light once more and entered Xuan Heng's brow, followed closely by Hongjun's voice.

"After the treasure distribution, find an opportunity to come to Purple Cloud Palace and seek me out."

Xuan Heng did not make it known, merely committing it to memory. Then he stepped over to stand beside the Three Pure Ones.

When Tongtian saw Xuan Heng approaching, he said with a smile, "Fourth Brother, take whatever catches your eye later. There are countless treasures on Treasure Distribution Cliff—if you don't take them, someone else will."

Xuan Heng nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, Third Brother. I won't stand on ceremony."

Yuanshi glanced at Xuan Heng and said evenly, "Since Treasure Distribution Cliff is an opportunity bestowed by Master, we, as his direct disciples, need not yield. You have now attained the Great Luo, and as Kunlun's Fourth Pure One, you should naturally have several spirit treasures to protect your path."

Xuan Heng was slightly taken aback.

Yuanshi continued, "However, remember this: choose spirit treasures that suit you. No matter how many useless spirit treasures you take, they will be of no use."

Hearing Yuanshi's words, Tongtian laughed. "I like what Second Brother is saying today."

Yuanshi shot him a glance. "The same goes for you. Take only those that are fated to suit you, and don't focus solely on treasures of slaughter. Take some of the others as well."

Tongtian raised his brows and spoke again. "What if they're all fated to suit me?"

Yuanshi's expression remained calm. "Then take them all."

Tongtian froze for a moment at Yuanshi's words, then burst into hearty laughter.

Xuan Heng could not help smiling as well. He knew that Yuanshi only put on airs and spoke of rules, but he was exceedingly good to his own family. The meaning of those words was clear: before an immense opportunity like Treasure Distribution Cliff, Kunlun's own people need not yield.

As Taiqing watched the three chatting, a faint smile appeared on his face as well.