Xuan Heng, Martial Uncle

"You're Duobao?" Xuan Heng asked with a smile as he looked at the plump little Daoist before him, whose entire body radiated the aura of treasures.

Duobao froze, then spoke with some smug pride. "That's right. Do you know me, fellow Daoist? I am the strongest, strongest, strongest treasure-seeking rat in the primordial world."

Seeing Duobao like this, Xuan Heng chuckled. Before he could speak, Tongtian's voice arrived.

"Duobao, what are you showing off for? Why haven't you greeted your Martial Uncle Xuan Heng?"

Hearing that voice, Duobao's eyes widened at once. Since entering Supreme Pure One's lineage, he had naturally heard of Xuan Qing, Kunlun's Fourth Pure One. Yet Xuan Heng had secluded himself for thirty thousand years; Duobao had only heard his name, never seen the man himself.

Duobao reacted quickly, immediately straightening his robes and offering a respectful salute.

"This disciple Duobao greets Martial Uncle Xuan Heng."

Xuan Heng smiled and raised a hand to help him up.

"We're family. No need to be so stiff."

Tongtian had already walked over to the lotus pond, with a female Daoist following behind him. She wore a Daoist robe woven from golden clouds, her brows and eyes brimming with heroic spirit, her aura steady and composed. As she walked, she carried an innate sharpness, yet it was not ostentatious.

Tongtian pointed at her and introduced her. "Fourth Brother, this is another disciple I've taken in—Jin Ling."

Jin Ling stepped forward and respectfully saluted Xuan Heng. "Jin Ling greets Martial Uncle Xuan Heng."

Xuan Heng nodded.

"Her foundation is good."

At those words, the smile on Tongtian's face deepened.

"Fourth Brother, while you were in seclusion, Kunlun has become much livelier. Second Brother has taken in two disciples as well."

No sooner had he spoken than Yuanshi approached from the direction of Jade Purity Peak, followed by two Daoists.

One had white hair and the face of a child, with gentle features. He held a bamboo staff, his aura deep, steady, and enduring.

The other wore a Daoist robe patterned with clouds. His features were bright and clear, and a pure aura of merit and virtue surrounded him. Simply standing there made others feel at ease.

Yuanshi looked Xuan Heng over from head to toe before speaking. "Peak Great Luo, and your realm is stable. It seems you have not been lax these past thirty thousand years."

Xuan Heng smiled. "Second Brother, the moment you see me, you inspect my cultivation?"

Yuanshi's expression did not change as he spoke again. "You secluded yourself for thirty thousand years. If something had gone wrong with your foundation, it would not be a small matter."

Tongtian chuckled and patted Xuan Heng on the shoulder. "Second Brother is concerned about you."

Xuan Heng naturally understood that his earlier words had been a joke. He immediately said, "Thank you for your concern, Second Brother."

Only then did Yuanshi turn to the two behind him. "Nanji, Yunzhongzi, come greet your Martial Uncle Xuan Heng."

The white-haired Daoist and the Daoist in cloud-patterned robes stepped forward together.

"This disciple Nanji greets Martial Uncle Xuan Heng."

"This disciple Yunzhongzi greets Martial Uncle Xuan Heng."

Xuan Heng looked at the two and nodded. "Rise."

He now had a clear picture in his heart.

Nanji, Yunzhongzi, Duobao, Jin Ling.

Disciples had already begun to gather on Kunlun Mountain, though the Three Pure Ones had yet to formally establish their teachings, and their disciples were still few in number.

Taiqing arrived last, dressed in plain robes, with no disciples following behind him.

Seeing this, Xuan Heng stepped forward and saluted him. "Eldest Brother."

Taiqing nodded and looked toward the gourd vine in the lotus pond. "The gourd vine is in fairly good condition. Its vitality has stabilized considerably."

Xuan Heng nodded. "With the Purifying White Lotus nourishing it, and with the large amount of Spirit-Purifying Divine Water I left before entering seclusion, its vitality has finally been stabilized."

Taiqing said no more, merely replying, "So long as you know what you are doing."

At that moment, Tongtian looked toward Xuan Heng's sleeve and smiled. "Fourth Brother, after thirty thousand years of seclusion, how have those things from Treasure Distribution Cliff been refined?"

Xuan Heng raised his hand, and the Six Pure Roots Bamboo emerged from his sleeve.

The green bamboo was jade-green throughout, its six patterns faintly glowing.

Duobao's eyes lit up at once.

"What a fine treasure."

Tongtian shot him a glance.

"You little rat, all you know is how to look at treasures."

Duobao hurriedly lowered his head, somewhat embarrassed.

Xuan Heng smiled. "I intend to leave this item to Six Ears."

Hearing that name, Tongtian raised a brow. "That registered disciple of yours?"

Xuan Heng nodded. "Those ears of his are both a blessing and a source of calamity. If they are not restrained, sooner or later he will meet trouble because of them. The Six Pure Roots Bamboo is just right—it can help him restrain them."

At the mention of Six Ears, Yuanshi frowned slightly. "How is that little monkey doing now?"

Just as Xuan Heng was about to answer, the Xuan Qing Dao Pattern between his brows began to flash continuously.

His expression changed. When he had taken Six Ears as his disciple, he had left a mark upon him. It normally showed no reaction, but now that the mark was trembling, there was only one possibility: something had happened to Six Ears.

Tongtian was the first to notice something was wrong. "What is it?"

Xuan Heng put away the Six Pure Roots Bamboo, his voice turning grave.

"Six Ears is in danger."

Yuanshi asked, "Where?"

Xuan Heng closed his eyes to sense it for a moment, then opened them. "On the western foothills of Mount Imperfection."

Tongtian's expression shifted. "Witch Clan territory."

Xuan Heng said no more. Profound blue light flashed across his Profound Pure Treasure Robe, and he became a streak of clear light that flew out of Kunlun.

A streak of Taiqing Immortal Light entered Xuan Heng's fleeing light.

"Go."

Xuan Heng moved with tremendous speed. In less than half a day, he reached the western foothills of Mount Imperfection.

Before he even landed, he caught the thick stench of blood.

Among the mountain forests, ancient trees lay broken and shattered rocks tumbled about. A golden macaque staggered forward in a frantic run, wounds covering his body, half his fur dyed red with blood.

He still clutched a broken branch tightly to his chest, seemingly something he had used earlier to conceal his aura. This macaque was none other than Six Ears.

Behind Six Ears, several Witch Clan warriors crushed rocks beneath their feet as they gave chase.

Leading them was a towering Witch general, a stone spear in hand. His blood and qi blazed like a furnace, while Sha Qi surged around him.

"Demon monkey, you still think you can run!"

The stone spear tore through the air, carrying heavy blood qi as it stabbed straight for Six Ears's heart from behind.

Six Ears's ears twitched slightly. Hearing the wind, he tried to dodge.

But his injuries were too severe. His legs gave way, and he fell to the ground.

In an instant, the stone spear had reached him, viciously stabbing toward his face.

Six Ears said nothing. As though resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes and prepared to meet death. Yet after several seconds, he realized he was unharmed. Opening his eyes, he saw that the stone spear had been stopped in midair by a beam of profound blue immortal light, unable to advance another inch.

Xuan Heng appeared before Six Ears. With a light sweep of his sleeve, he sent the stone spear flying back.

The Witch general caught the spear, his face darkening.

"Who are you? How dare you interfere with the Witch Clan's pursuit of a Demon Race spy?"

Six Ears lay sprawled on the ground, gasping heavily. Even so, upon hearing this, he struggled to raise his head. "I—I'm not from the Demon Court!"

The Witch general said coldly, "A demon monkey at the Golden Immortal realm, sneaking into Mount Imperfection's territory, and you still dare claim you have nothing to do with the Demon Race?"

Xuan Heng glanced at Six Ears.

The demon aura on Six Ears was not particularly strong, but in the Witch Clan's eyes, a furry monkey who had cultivated to the Golden Immortal realm and appeared near Mount Imperfection could indeed easily be mistaken for a Demon Race spy.

Xuan Heng said nothing further. Looking at the Witch general opposite him, he said, "This monkey is my registered disciple. He was traveling abroad and wandered into this place by mistake. I will take him away now."

Upon hearing Xuan Heng's words, the Witch general did not choose to let the matter drop. Instead, he spoke again. "Who are you? This is Mount Imperfection, Witch Clan territory. You think you can take him away just because you say so?"

Profound Pure Immortal Light rose around Xuan Heng, and the Purifying White Lotus bloomed above his head. He spoke calmly.

"Xuan Heng of Kunlun."