Yuanshi Attains the Dao

At this, Yellow Dragon's eyes lit up. The innate Mysterious Yellow qi refined from Mysterious Yellow Stone could not only aid in tempering the physical body, but could also be fused into the Mysterious Yellow World Pearl to increase the world's origin.

"Senior Brother, how generous! Deal?" With a flick of his finger, a jug of wine flew steadily toward Duobao.

"You're straightforward indeed, Junior Brother." Duobao was overjoyed. The Mysterious Yellow Stone was leftover from his cultivation and no longer of any use to him. With a sweep of his sleeve, he collected the jug of blood jujube wine, while the stone flew toward Yellow Dragon. The two exchanged glances, both feeling they had gotten more than their money's worth.

Before the others could speak, Duobao slapped open his palm, revealing three grains of sand that gave off a faint purple glow. Within them seemed to be miniature starry skies, their starlight dazzling. "Three grains of essence condensed from the power of the Circumstellar Stars! In exchange for three tea leaves!"

Duobao truly lived up to his name—treasures upon treasures!

Watching Duobao casually produce the Circumstellar Star Sand, Yellow Dragon swallowed and said, "Senior Brother Duobao, this is too much. Your Circumstellar Star Sand far exceeds the value of Enlightenment Tea. But I happen to need this Star Sand, so I'll exchange ten leaves of Enlightenment Tea for it."

Yellow Dragon handed Duobao a jade box containing ten leaves of Enlightenment Tea.

Duobao said indifferently, "You're too polite, Junior Brother." As he casually accepted the jade box, he tossed the Star Sand in his hand to Yellow Dragon.

Watching the two complete their transaction, Golden Spirit waved her hand, and a piece of entirely crimson metal floated in midair. She lifted her eyes to stare at Yellow Dragon, her voice crisp. "A Red Copper Ore Mother. So long as it is buried in the earth veins of Junior Brother's dojo, it can give birth to an innate red copper ore vein. I'll trade it for ten leaves of Junior Brother's Enlightenment Tea."

Without a moment's hesitation, a jade box flew straight from before Yellow Dragon to Golden Spirit.

Yellow Dragon exchanged ten tea leaves with South Pole Immortal Elder for a section of withered tree root black as charcoal. It had likely once been an innate spiritual root, but for some reason only this root containing a trace of life force remained. Even South Pole Immortal Elder's Dao of longevity had failed to revive it.

Xuandu and Guangchengzi did not exchange anything with Yellow Dragon.

After everyone had finished bartering, "Xuandu has gained greatly from this Dao discussion gathering. I thank all my senior brothers here." Xuandu rose and bowed to everyone.

"Why don't we make an agreement now? Every so often, we can hold a Dao discussion gathering to verify one another's Great Dao and spur each other onward. We can also exchange things we need."

Duobao nodded in praise and said to South Pole Immortal Elder and the others, "This is feasible. We disciples of the Three Purities might as well agree to hold a Dao discussion gathering every thousand years! We shall take turns hosting. A thousand years from now, I will await your honored presence at my dojo."

The moment everyone heard this, their eyes lit up.

"Alright!"

"Wonderful!"

"That's exactly how it should be!"

"I agree!"

"Moo!"

Cheers rose all around. Even Azure Ox, who had been lying down, answered loudly.

South Pole Immortal Elder smiled and nodded. "Then it is settled. Once every thousand years. Duobao will host the next one. As for who will host afterward, we shall decide after the next Dao discussion concludes at Junior Brother Duobao's dojo."

No one objected. A thousand years was not long to Golden Immortals like them. It was enough time to digest the gains from this gathering and prepare things for the next. A tacit understanding and agreement had been forged among these core disciples of the Three Purities.

The rosy clouds faded, and the sun's shadow over Jade Pillar Mountain slanted westward. South Pole Immortal Elder rose and said, "Everyone has gained greatly from this Dao discussion gathering; it may be called a complete success. May all of you advance in your Dao cultivation and soon attain the realm of Taiyi!"

Everyone rose in succession, cupped their fists toward South Pole Immortal Elder, and said in unison, "Thank you, Senior Brother South Pole."

"Fellow Daoists, we shall meet again in a thousand years!" South Pole Immortal Elder declared loudly, waving his Coiling Dragon Staff to see them off.

"Stay your steps, Dao Brother!"

"Senior Brother South Pole, until we meet again!"

Xuandu climbed onto Azure Ox's broad back and patted it. "Moo!" Azure Ox let out a low bellow, its four hooves treading on the void as it carried Xuandu into the sky first, turning into a streak of azure light that vanished.

Guangchengzi nodded to everyone, then flashed away and disappeared in an instant. Duobao left together with Golden Spirit. A flash of treasure light rose from Duobao's body, enveloping the two of them and transforming into a thick yellow ray that flew toward the depths of Kunlun.

Yellow Dragon was the last to cup his fists to South Pole Immortal Elder. He summoned an auspicious cloud and flew into the clouds on the horizon.

Time went uncounted in the Primordial World.

Within Yellow Dragon's courtyard in the Five Elements Grotto-Heaven, dense innate spiritual qi gathered in midair into an enormous vortex. At its center, Yellow Dragon sat cross-legged beside the Enlightenment Tea Tree with his eyes tightly shut.

Bzzz—!

A deep, majestic tremor rang out! It was not that the sound was loud; the entire grotto-heaven space was shaking! The enormous spiritual qi vortex abruptly accelerated, then crazily contracted toward the center and was swallowed by that figure. At once, his aura surged, and an even more powerful presence spread outward!

Yellow Dragon's tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open!

Mid-stage Golden Immortal!

After the Dao discussion gathering ended, Yellow Dragon had cultivated in seclusion for several hundred years before finally digesting all he had gained. His cultivation had also broken through to the mid-stage Golden Immortal realm.

Time went uncounted in the Primordial World, and a thousand years quietly passed.

The gates of Supreme Pure Palace, closed for a thousand years, rumbled open. Three figures slowly emerged from within.

Standing on the right, Yuanshi glanced at Laozi and Tongtian, then took a step forward, arriving high above Kunlun Mountain.

Yuanshi's expression was solemn as he gazed over the boundless lands of the Primordial World. Raising a hand, he summoned a Three Treasures Jade Ruyi into his palm. A profound aura spread from Kunlun across the Primordial World!

He spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it resounded in the ears of every living being in the Primordial World:

"Heavenly Dao above! I am Yuanshi Tianzun of the orthodox lineage of Pangu, the Jade Pure One! I see that the myriad beings of the Primordial World do not cultivate the Great Dao, do not understand the heavenly ordinances, and do not comprehend the principles of Heaven! In accordance with the Heavenly Dao, I shall establish a sect named 'Elucidation'! I shall expound the laws governing Heaven and Earth for the myriad spirits of the Primordial World! I take the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi as the treasure of my Dao attainment, and the supreme creation treasure, the Pangu Banner, to suppress my sect's fortune!"

"The Sect of Elucidation, be established!"

As the word "established" left his mouth, it was like thunder from the Ninth Heaven, erupting with a deafening crash!

Boom—!

Above the Nine Heavens, wind and clouds changed color!

Boundless, blinding golden merit energy poured down from the highest heavens like the Milky Way bursting through its banks. In an instant, golden light of merit flooded Kunlun Mountain, dyeing half the primordial world's sky gold.

At the same time, an even grander, weightier aura of merit erupted from Yuanshi's body—the Heaven-Opening Merit left behind by Great God Pangu when he created the world!

The merit bestowed by the Heavenly Dao intertwined with the Heaven-Opening Merit within him.

An enigmatic violet aura (Primordial Violet Qi) flew from Yuanshi's body, transforming into a bridge that connected to the origin of heaven and earth.

Complete laws of heaven and earth's origin unfolded before him, surging and reforming wildly for him to comprehend and command!

Beside him, the Pangu Banner moved on its own. Chaotic currents rolled across its surface, faintly revealing scenes of creation, merging with Yuanshi's Great Dao.

"I, Yuqing Yuanshi, attain the Dao as a Saint today!"

Who knew how long passed before the dazzling golden light slowly faded. Yuanshi stood in the void, his aura completely transformed. He was still himself, yet he also seemed to have become the laws of heaven and earth themselves. A will that transcended all things, eternal and indestructible, radiated from him.