Yellow Dragon Becomes a Disciple

Kunlun!

In the Primordial World, it was second only to Mount Buzhou, formed from Pangu's Spine.

Clouds of dense spiritual energy wound between the mountains. Showers of spiritual rain fell from time to time, gathering into streams that meandered through the valleys.

More wondrous still, the laws of the Great Dao were unusually active here. Runes formed from those laws were imprinted across the mountains for the creatures dwelling there to contemplate.

Nourished by the abundant spiritual energy, countless Immortal Herbs and Medicines grew. Some Spiritual Roots and immortal herbs were fortunate enough to absorb the runes of the Great Dao among the mountains. They gained sentience and became plant spirits that played and tussled with one another.

On the main peak of Kunlun Mountain stood three immense palaces: the Supreme Pure Palace, the Jade Pure Palace, and the Upper Pure Palace. These were the cultivation grounds of the Three Pure Ones, who had formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit.

A spatial rift suddenly appeared before the Supreme Pure Palace. Supreme Pure, dressed in a yin-yang robe, his hair and beard white, rode slowly out on an Azure Ox whose coat gleamed with blue light.

Two young men clung to the Azure Ox's tail: Xuandu, Sage Supreme Pure's personal disciple, and Yellow Dragon, who had caught a ride.

Yellow Dragon had planned to wait until all three of the Three Pure Ones had become Sages and opened their gates to accept disciples. Then he would climb Kunlun Mountain, pass their tests, and enter Jade Pure's tutelage.

But after becoming a Sage, Supreme Pure had seen the bond of master and disciple between Yellow Dragon and Yuanshi at a glance. He had brought Yellow Dragon along with Xuandu. In an instant, the world shifted, and they went from the shores of the East Sea to Kunlun's main peak.

While Yellow Dragon and Xuandu were still marveling at the density of Kunlun's spiritual energy and the clarity of its laws of the Great Dao, two figures suddenly appeared beside them.

The newcomers first congratulated Supreme Pure. "Congratulations, eldest brother, on becoming a Sage imperishable through countless tribulations."

They were the other two of the Three Pure Ones: Jade Pure Yuanshi and Shangqing Tongtian.

They looked at Xuandu, who belonged to the Human Race yet had grasped the essence of Supreme Pure's Dao of tranquility and nonaction, and at Yellow Dragon, whose dragon body was surrounded by merit and whose Primordial Spirit was clear.

They could not help praising them. "Eldest brother has become a Sage and gained two fine disciples. This calls for celebration."

Supreme Pure looked at Yuanshi and smiled. "There are fine disciples here, but only one is mine. The other is yours."

Yuanshi listened, then looked from Xuandu to Yellow Dragon. His gaze finally settled on Yellow Dragon, and his fingers moved swiftly in calculation. A moment later, he smiled in understanding.

Yuanshi beckoned toward Yellow Dragon. An ancient-looking blue dragon scale slowly emerged from his body and drifted over.

Something seemed to trigger the scale. Light flowed across it, and a speck of light floated out and landed on the ground before the Supreme Pure Palace. With a flash, a carriage appeared there. Golden from end to end, it was magnificent, its body fashioned as one seamless whole and drawn by nine True Dragons.

This was the Dragon Race's supreme treasure, the Nine-Dragon Agarwood Carriage. During the struggle among the three races, it had been made for Ancestor Dragon to ride after uniting the Primordial Continent and reaching its pinnacle. But Ancestor Dragon had never succeeded, so the Nine-Dragon Agarwood Carriage had never been shown to the world.

Yuanshi gazed at the carriage with delight. He turned to Supreme Pure and Shangqing Tongtian. "Fellow Daoist Green Dragon needn't have worried. Given our friendship, he only had to ask if he wanted this young dragon to become my disciple. Why offer such a lavish gift?"

Tongtian spoke up. "Because you said in the Purple Cloud Palace that creatures clad in scales or armor, born of dampness or hatched from eggs, were unworthy to sit beside you, second brother. Even our old friend Green Dragon knows you dislike those 'clad in scales or armor.'"

Tongtian glanced at Yellow Dragon. "If you don't want to take this young dragon as a disciple, second brother, let me have him. I rather like him."

The approval in Tongtian's eyes as he watched Yellow Dragon was impossible to miss.

"I never said I wouldn't accept him..."

Before Yuanshi could finish, Tongtian signaled to the dazed Yellow Dragon. Yellow Dragon understood at once. He hurriedly dropped to his knees, bowed low, and cried, "Your disciple Yellow Dragon pays his respects, Master!"

Seeing Yellow Dragon already kneeling before him, Yuanshi sighed. "Now that you have entered my tutelage, you must cultivate diligently and contemplate the Great Dao. From this day on, the affairs of the Dragon Race have nothing to do with you."

Yellow Dragon raised his head. "Your disciple will heed your teachings, Master."

"Rise."

Yellow Dragon bowed to Yuanshi once more before slowly standing. Then he saluted Supreme Pure and Shangqing Tongtian. "Your disciple Yellow Dragon pays his respects to Senior Martial Uncle Supreme Pure and Junior Martial Uncle Shangqing."

Supreme Pure and Tongtian nodded, clearly pleased with their martial nephew.

Supreme Pure, now a Sage, said, "Second brother, third brother, settle matters with your disciples, then come to my palace. We shall discuss the path of the Sages together." With that, he led Xuandu into the Supreme Pure Palace.

Yuanshi told Tongtian not to be long, then vanished from before the Supreme Pure Palace with Yellow Dragon.

Yellow Dragon's vision blurred. When it cleared, he stood inside an enormous palace.

The hall was empty save for a cushion at its center and two people standing nearby.

Yuanshi sat on the cushion and pointed to an old man with white hair and a youthful face, holding the Coiling Dragon Staff. "This is your senior martial brother Nanji." He pointed to the other, a sharp-eyed young man wearing the Eight Trigrams Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe. "This is your senior martial brother Guangchengzi. When I enter seclusion, you may bring any matters to them."

Yellow Dragon bowed to South Pole Immortal Elder and Guangchengzi in turn. "Greetings, senior martial brother Nanji, senior martial brother Guangchengzi."

"Nanji, Guangchengzi, this is Yellow Dragon, the disciple I have just accepted and your junior martial brother," Yuanshi said, gesturing toward him. His voice was mild, but both heard it clearly.

South Pole Immortal Elder smiled and returned the salute. "I am Nanji. Greetings, junior martial brother Yellow Dragon. We serve the same master now, so let us look out for one another."

Guangchengzi also bowed, his gaze curious and appraising. "Greetings, junior martial brother. Your foundation is firm and your merit abundant. Your future achievements will be extraordinary." His tone was calm, but his approval was sincere.

Yellow Dragon hurriedly returned the bow. "I've only just arrived. Please guide me, senior martial brothers!"

Yuanshi said no more on the subject and went straight to the point. "Yellow Dragon, now that you are my disciple, you shall cultivate my Dao. This is the general outline of the Primordial Golden Canon. Clear your mind and listen!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's lips remained still, yet the supreme words of the Great Dao rang out deep within Yellow Dragon's soul!

Every syllable struck like divine thunder and flowed like clear light!

Vast, majestic, subtle, profound!

Countless mysteries of the Dao—teachings on the Heavenly Dao, the origins of all things, and methods for mastering the laws of heaven and earth—became immortal runes that branded themselves into Yellow Dragon's Primordial Spirit!

Yellow Dragon felt as though his Primordial Spirit had been thrown into a furnace roaring with flame!

The Dragon Race Magic Power he had cultivated shuddered and boiled under the force of Yuanshi's words of the Great Dao. Strands of his old Magic Power were stripped away and refined out.

In its place, purer, denser Jade Pure Magic Power, more closely aligned with the Great Dao of heaven and earth, slowly took root and grew!

The process was agonizing. The Magic Power and Dao he had cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years were being remade!

But Yellow Dragon gritted his teeth and immersed his mind in the torrent of the Great Dao. Holding on to a sliver of clarity, he circulated the methods of the Primordial Golden Canon and guided his Magic Power through its transformation.

He could feel his foundation changing completely. None of what he had built up before was lost. Forged anew by Jade Pure's orthodox teachings, it became firmer and deeper, with greater potential—like the foundations of a great tower being reinforced!

After an unknown length of time, the torrent of the Great Dao's words gradually subsided. Yellow Dragon's aura rose and fell, now deep and still, now shining with pure Jade Purity Immortal Light.

He slowly opened his eyes. They shone with a clear, profound light.

Yuanshi watched Yellow Dragon's transformed aura, his satisfaction growing. "Your foundation in the Great Dao is set. I will enter seclusion with your martial uncles to contemplate the Great Dao. Nanji."

"Your disciple is here," South Pole Immortal Elder answered respectfully.

"Find Yellow Dragon a peak on Kunlun where he can establish a cultivation ground. He is to cultivate in peace, stabilize his foundation, and contemplate the Primordial Golden Canon."

"As you command, Master," South Pole Immortal Elder replied.

The Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi vanished from the cushion. An instant later, he and Tongtian appeared inside the Supreme Pure Palace, where the Three Pure Ones entered seclusion together.