Four Pure Ones Leave Kunlun

(Starting from this chapter, Taiqing will be changed to Taishang, mwah. (Calling him Taiqing directly seems a little strange.))

"Do you two know what you did wrong?"

Inside Xuan Heng's cave abode on Profound Pure Peak, Xuan Heng looked calmly at Kong Xuan and Six Ears, who were kneeling below him, and asked.

Profound Pure Peak had originally been one of Kunlun's peaks, much like Taiqing, Jade Pure One, and Supreme Pure One's respective peaks. However, it lacked the distinctive traits of those three peaks. After Xuan Heng advanced to the quasi-sage realm, Profound Pure qi lingered throughout Kunlun without dispersing, gradually gathering here and forming the present Profound Pure Peak. Xuan Heng had also moved his cave abode onto the peak.

"This disciple knows his mistake."

Kong Xuan and Six Ears nodded obediently and spoke.

"Very well. Your punishment is that neither of you may leave Profound Pure Peak for ten thousand years. Once you have fully refined the things Zhunti and Receiving Guide compensated you with and stabilized your Dao hearts, come find me again."

Xuan Heng spoke slowly.

"Yes!"

When Kong Xuan and Six Ears heard that they were confined for ten thousand years, their expressions turned rather unsightly. Six Ears in particular was naturally fond of going out to play. Now he could not even go find Duobao to play with. But since they had been at fault first, they could only accept it.

"You may leave now. Open up cave abodes on Profound Pure Peak yourselves. From now on, cultivate there."

"Yes."

After Kong Xuan and Six Ears left, Xuan Heng sank his consciousness into his origin. Following several thousand years of secluded cultivation, his Law Dao Tree had grown from a seed into a small sapling roughly several dozen centimeters tall, while his own realm had also stabilized.

Xuan Heng then continued circulating the Profound Pure Immortal Scripture, further consolidating his cultivation.

Another three thousand years passed. Immortal radiance abruptly rose from the three peaks of Taiqing, Jade Pure One, and Supreme Pure One.

"It seems the time has come for my three elder brothers to emerge from seclusion as well."

Xuan Heng slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the Three Pure Ones' peaks. Then he rose and left his cave abode.

"Master! Are the three martial uncles about to emerge from seclusion?"

The moment Xuan Heng stepped out of his cave abode, Kong Xuan and Six Ears, who had been sparring nearby, came over and asked.

Xuan Heng nodded without speaking. He turned into a streak of clear light and returned to the lotus pond on Kunlun's main peak.

Sure enough, before long, the Three Pure Ones also arrived beside the lotus pond.

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother."

Xuan Heng cupped his hands and saluted the three of them.

"Heh, Little Brother, not bad. You actually managed to suppress Receiving Guide and Zhunti by yourself. You've grown up—you're no longer the little brother who needed our protection."

Tongtian walked over, patted Xuan Heng on the shoulder, and spoke.

"Third Brother, you all knew?"

Hearing Tongtian's words, Xuan Heng froze for a moment. By all rights, while they were in seclusion, they should have been wholly immersed in comprehending the Dao and generally would not sense disturbances in the outside world.

"We had already finished comprehending the Dao on the day you battled Receiving Guide and Zhunti."

Taishang took a sip of tea and spoke.

"Indeed. We had already emerged from seclusion that day. Now it seems that although your method of proving the Dao through laws is exceedingly difficult, should you succeed in proving the Dao, you truly will be able to crush cultivators of the same realm."

Yuanshi spoke leisurely from the side.

"Second Brother, was that a compliment?"

Xuan Heng asked with a grin. It was no easy thing to get Yuanshi to praise someone.

Yuanshi did not answer, merely drinking his tea in silence.

"Haha, Second Brother is still the same. But Fourth Brother, watching that battle of yours has made my hands itch a little."

As Tongtian spoke, his gaze toward Xuan Heng held a few more undisguised traces of admiration.

Xuan Heng smiled.

"Third Brother, if your hands are itching, you should find Eldest Brother or Second Brother to fight you. I'm not fighting. My Law Dao Tree has only just stabilized—I'm truly afraid one stroke of your sword will split the little sapling I've only just raised."

Tongtian immediately burst into laughter.

Taishang set down his teacup and looked at Xuan Heng.

"Kong Xuan and Six Ears have already caught the West's attention. Keep a closer watch on them in the future."

Xuan Heng nodded.

"I have already punished them by forbidding them from leaving Profound Pure Peak for ten thousand years. We'll discuss it after they have refined the Bodhi seeds and the origin qi of Seven-Treasure Geng Metal."

Yuanshi gave a slight nod.

"They should be punished. Though Kunlun's territory is peaceful, they were ultimately too fond of play and wandered to its outskirts, giving the West an opening to exploit."

Tongtian smiled from the side. "Though they deserve punishment, those two little fellows performed quite well. Zhunti's mouth is no ordinary thing to withstand. The two of them held out until Fourth Brother arrived—that was already not bad."

Xuan Heng nodded.

"That is why I merely confined them and did not punish them severely."

Taishang said softly, "We will certainly have no small amount of dealings with the West in the future. It is best to prepare early."

Xuan Heng naturally understood Taishang's meaning. In the future, the West and the Mystical Gate would truly be like fire and water. After the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, half of the Exposition Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals would be lured away by the West, and even Tongtian's chief disciple, Duobao, would be taken away by the West.

Kong Xuan and Six Ears were only the beginning today, far from the end.

Yuanshi's expression turned faintly cold.

"If karmic affinity relies on suppression and forced conversion, then it is not karmic affinity—it is calculation."

Tongtian lightly patted the Green Duckweed Sword in his hand.

"If they reach out again next time, just cut them down."

Taishang said no more about the West. His gaze passed beyond the rolling clouds above Kunlun and fell upon that faint, fragile aura of the Human Race within the Primordial World.

"The Human Race has been born for several thousand years now. They possess neither formidable bloodlines nor innate divine abilities. All they can rely on are their own hands, along with the tiny inheritance of their race."

Yuanshi said slowly, "A race like this, if left without guidance, will indeed find it difficult to gain a foothold in the Primordial World."

Tongtian said, "But if someone teaches them, they learn the fastest."

Taishang nodded.

"Because they are blank within, they are suited to bear the Dao."

As Taishang's words fell, Taiqing immortal light slowly circulated around him.

Seeing this, Xuan Heng knew that his eldest brother's chance at sainthood had arrived. At the same time, the positions of all six saints would soon be filled.

Yuanshi rose to his feet, his expression solemn.

"Eldest Brother, are you going to the Human Race?"

Taishang nodded lightly.

"I should go and take a look."

Tongtian rose as well.

"I'll go with you."

Taishang glanced at him.

"You should go too."

Yuanshi said nothing more, merely flicking his sleeve as he stood.

At this moment, the auras of the Three Pure Ones all changed.

Taishang's aura was distant and tranquil, like the first wisp of stillness when the Great Dao first opened.

Yuanshi's Jade Purity immortal light was steady and weighty, as though it would sort out the order of heaven and earth bit by bit.

Tongtian's Upper Purity sword intent was clear, soaring, and sharp, carrying within it an added intent to carve a path forward.

Xuan Heng rose as well.

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, I'll go with you."

Taiqing did not refuse.

"You witnessed the birth of the Human Race and know their hardships. You should indeed come along."

Xuan Heng nodded.

Kong Xuan and Six Ears stood in the direction of Profound Pure Peak. Duobao and the others atop Upper Purity Peak and Jade Purity Peak also noticed the change in the clear aura beside Kunlun's lotus pool.

They did not yet know what was about to happen, but they could feel the aura of all Kunlun converging upon the Three Pure Ones at this moment.

Four streams of clear light rose from beside Kunlun's lotus pool and flew toward the land where the Human Race dwelled.