Condensing a Dao Seed

The Three Pure Ones did not disturb Xuan Heng for long. After giving him a few instructions, they left his cave abode.

After the Three Pure Ones departed, Xuan Heng sat in meditation within his cave abode for another hundred years. The Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd Red Cloud had left behind rested beside him.

Whenever Xuan Heng saw this gourd, he would recall Red Cloud's smile, warm as a spring breeze. He would also remember that final instant—Red Cloud transforming into crimson cloud-light and standing before him.

The Purifying White Lotus hung in midair, strands of pure light descending to suppress those images in Xuan Heng's mind.

Xuan Heng closed his eyes and circulated the Profound Pure Immortal Scripture. This cultivation art was the one most suited to him, comprehended by combining the Profound Pure Immortal Light with his own Profound Pure Great Dao. It was also his path to attaining the Primordial Unity Dao.

As Xuan Heng circulated the Profound Pure Immortal Scripture, the profound-blue Dao pattern between his brows gradually lit up.

Xuan Heng's Great Luo Dao Fruit emerged within his chest. As one who cultivated the Profound Pure World-Purifying Great Dao, his Great Luo Dao Fruit ought to have been immaculate and flawless. Yet several black threads of tribulation qi, like venomous serpents, were wrapped around it.

These were all the backlash of tribulation qi from the Chaos battlefield. Though his tribulation dream had already been shattered, this rebounding tribulation qi had yet to be completely cleared away.

Xuan Heng raised a finger, and the Purifying White Lotus lowered a beam of white light. The foulness within the black marks was washed away bit by bit, leaving behind only the purest wisp of tribulation qi.

Xuan Heng gazed at that wisp of tribulation qi and waved his hand. The Calamity-Suppressing Gourd appeared at his right. As it trembled softly, a profound-blue calamity-suppressing pure light sprayed forth from the gourd and pressed down upon the thread of tribulation qi.

Once the preparations were complete, Xuan Heng circulated the Profound Pure Immortal Scripture once more. That wisp of tribulation qi followed the Profound Pure Immortal Light into the space between his brows.

The instant the tribulation qi entered his brow, Xuan Heng's body shuddered, and a stabbing pain came from between his brows. Tribulation qi entering the body was inherently perilous, let alone when Xuan Heng intended to directly absorb this purified wisp into his Great Luo Dao Fruit and use it to condense a seed of the laws.

Xuan Heng steadied his mind and allowed that wisp of tribulation qi to travel through his Dao Fruit. Before long, guided by the Profound Pure Immortal Light, it entered Xuan Heng's Great Luo Dao Fruit.

Xuan Heng immediately began refining that wisp of tribulation qi.

After an unknown amount of time, a faint profound-blue gleam suddenly appeared within Xuan Heng's Great Luo Dao Fruit. The glimmer was weak, but its aura was stable.

Like a seed that had just fallen into the earth, it took root within Xuan Heng's Great Luo Dao Fruit. The clear qi in the cave abode trembled in response, and deep within the lotus heart of the Purifying White Lotus, that trace of verdant intent from the Chaos Green Lotus softly flickered as well.

Xuan Heng opened his eyes. Though his cultivation remained at the peak of Great Luo, with the formation of this Dao seed, he felt that so long as he underwent another tribulation and tempering like Red Cloud's killing calamity, purified the tribulation qi, and absorbed it, he would truly cross the bottleneck of peak Great Luo and advance to Quasi-Saint.

Xuan Heng lowered his head to look at the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd in his palm and murmured, "Fellow Daoist Red Cloud, I have to thank you again this time. Otherwise, who knows when my Dao seed could have condensed."

With that, Xuan Heng put away the gourd, rose to his feet, and walked out of his cave abode.

Upon leaving, he saw a golden macaque running toward him. Who else could it be but Six Ears?

"Master, you have emerged from seclusion!" Six Ears was still holding the Six Pure Roots Bamboo, but Xuan Heng could already sense from him an aura sharing the same origin as his own Profound Pure Immortal Light. He had presumably already begun cultivating the Profound Pure Immortal Art.

"Mm. Go invite your three martial uncles."

Six Ears cupped his hands in acknowledgment, then departed.

After Six Ears left, Xuan Heng also transformed into a streak of clear light and arrived at the Kunlun lotus pool. With a wave of his hand, a stone table and four wooden stools appeared.

Before long, Taiqing, Yuanshi, and Tongtian arrived at the lotus pool.

The moment Taiqing landed, he noticed the changes in Xuan Heng.

"A seed of the laws? Fourth brother, you did not choose to enter Quasi-Saint by severing the three corpses?"

Yuanshi and Tongtian's expressions changed as well upon hearing this. Attaining the Dao through laws was no laughing matter.

"Mm, I did not choose to attain the Dao by severing the three corpses. Though the method of severing the three corpses is comparatively easier, its future troubles are endless..."

Xuan Heng nodded, then explained how he had used the Profound Pure Immortal Scripture to condense his Dao seed.

Upon hearing this, Tongtian looked at Xuan Heng in surprise. "Fourth brother, the road you have chosen is a difficult one indeed."

Taiqing spoke slowly. "The method of the three corpses uses spiritual treasures to house one's obsessions of good, evil, and attachment. Though it carries hidden troubles, the path of cultivation after Great Luo becomes much clearer. To attain the Dao through laws, one must rely on one's own Great Dao and push forward step by step. A single misstep, even half a step, may damage the Dao Fruit."

Yuanshi looked at Xuan Heng and spoke in a grave tone.

"You had only just awakened from the backlash of tribulation qi, yet you dared to use tribulation qi to temper your Dao Fruit and condense a seed of the laws. If the tribulation qi had not been thoroughly purified, not only would this Dao seed have failed to form—it would have dragged your own Dao Fruit apart."

Xuan Heng raised his head to look at the Three Pure Ones and said earnestly, "If I too relied on the method of severing the three corpses and became a Heavenly Dao Saint, then it would be difficult for me to break free of the great tide of the prehistoric world in the future. Besides, three elder brothers, there is no need to worry too much. Have you forgotten that our teacher gave me special instruction? What he taught then was precisely this method of attaining the Dao through laws."

At this, the Three Pure Ones finally felt much more at ease.

After a moment of silence, Tongtian spoke again. "Fourth brother, fourth brother, what you did this time truly does not suit your usual cautious nature."

Xuan Heng gave a light laugh. "Third brother, I'll take that as praise."

Taiqing looked at Xuan Heng for a long while before finally nodding slightly.

"Since the Dao seed has already formed, leave it at that for now. Rashly switching back to the method of severing the three corpses would also damage your origin. However, you have only just initially condensed your Dao seed. You are still one step away from truly completing it and advancing to Quasi-Saint. You must not rush this step. You must walk it steadily, or the road ahead will become even harder."

Yuanshi added, "If you use tribulation qi to temper your Dao again in the future, you must tell us first. One bout of recklessness on your own is enough."

Tongtian nodded as well. "Indeed. With us beside you, should something truly go wrong, we can remedy it at once and help you suppress the tribulation qi, so your Dao Fruit will not shatter and your cultivation will not regress."

Hearing the concern of his three elder brothers, warmth rose in Xuan Heng's heart. "Mm. Three elder brothers, next time I will definitely inform you in advance."

Taiqing took a sip of spiritual tea and spoke slowly. "Your Dao seed has now initially formed, and your injuries have stabilized. It is also time to settle the matter of Fellow Daoist Red Cloud. Come, let us go to Five Villages Temple."

Xuan Heng nodded. Then four streams of clear light left Kunlun Mountain and shot toward Longevity Mountain, where Five Villages Temple stood.

Longevity Mountain lay to the south of the western region of the prehistoric world. Its mountains were weighty, its earth veins stretched far and deep. Before they even approached, Xuan Heng sensed a somber, oppressive aura.

Outside Five Villages Temple, the Earth Book Grand Formation spread out in stillness. The power of mountains, rivers, and earth veins flowed without cease, protecting the entirety of Longevity Mountain so tightly that not even a drop could seep through.

Within the temple, the Ginseng Fruit Tree towered into the clouds, its branches and leaves blotting out the sky, brimming with dense vitality. Yet today, the spiritual leaves covering the tree trembled faintly, carrying an indescribable desolation.

The four descended outside Five Villages Temple.

Taiqing stepped forward and called out, "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, we have come to visit without warning. Might you open the gate so we may speak?"

His voice entered the temple. After a long while, the temple gates slowly opened.

Zhenyuanzi walked out from within. Compared to when they had met outside Purple Cloud Palace years ago, his aura remained deep and heavy, but the exhaustion on his face could not be concealed.

His gaze swept across the Three Pure Ones before finally settling on the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd at Xuan Heng's waist. In that instant, Zhenyuanzi's footsteps halted.

A mountain wind swept past. Before Five Villages Temple, no one spoke.