Looking over the vast new territory he had just claimed, Yellow Dragon suddenly remembered something.
He opened a passageway on the central plain, connecting it to the Mysterious Yellow World. Rare beasts he had collected during his travels through Kunlun Mountain poured out: nimble white foxes, spirit deer with multicolored antlers, golden-furred spirit apes, and spirits formed from plants...!
The thousands of spirit beasts and spirits felt the astonishingly rich spiritual energy and the familiar aura of the Dao. They leaped about in delight. The Mysterious Yellow World could not compare to Kunlun Mountain.
"Ziling."
At Yellow Dragon's soft call, a purple figure sped down from Spirit Herb Peak and appeared before him.
"Master! Our home has grown so big!" Ziling said excitedly.
"These spirit beasts all came from Kunlun Mountain. I'm leaving them in your care. Settle them in properly, and don't let them enter the five main peaks."
"If you find any with special talents, you can train them as your assistants. You and your swarm can't manage a home this large on your own."
"As you command, Master."
Yellow Dragon took out a great many seeds and saplings of rare flowers, exotic herbs, immortal medicines, and Spiritual Roots he had gathered across Kunlun Mountain, then handed them to Ziling. "Open up more Spirit Fields and cultivate these medicines carefully. I'm leaving that entirely to you as well."
Ziling's eyes shone at the sight of the precious Immortal Herbs and Medicines.
Yellow Dragon watched as Ziling assigned part of her swarm to manage the spirit beasts, then directed the others to clear Spirit Fields on the surrounding peaks, sow seeds, and draw spring water for irrigation. The whole place bustled with new life.
Then he suddenly sensed that the day of his master's lecture had arrived.
Not daring to delay, he gave Ziling a few more instructions, mounted an Auspicious Cloud, and hurried to the Jade Pure Palace.
He had only just reached the palace when he heard an uproar through its open doors, mingled with indignant complaints.
Yellow Dragon quickened his steps and crossed the threshold.
Chijingzi was airing his grievances to their master on the cloud couch, his voice heated. "...Master! You must stand up for us! The disciples of the Interception Sect are growing more brazen by the day! They seized a place I found first, and just a few days ago, they ganged up on me and stole the nine-leaf Purple Ganoderma I found on Kunlun Mountain!"
Another figure spoke up in outrage. It was Qingxu. "That's not all! Master, they've slaughtered countless intelligent beasts on Kunlun Mountain for food!"
"The mountains are littered with spirit beast carcasses. The air is foul, and the surviving beasts cry out in terror day and night! How is that the conduct of the Orthodox Xuanmen? How are they any different from the Demon Race?"
"Master, please give us justice!"
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi looked at the clamoring disciples and shook the Jade Ruyi in his hand. It gave a clear chime.
The Jade Pure Palace fell silent at once.
"I know what has happened. I will speak to your martial uncle about it!"
The newly admitted disciples bowed to Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi in unison. "Thank you, Master."
"Last time, I explained the principles of cultivating the Yuanshi Golden Canon. Today, I will teach you the essentials of cultivation from the beginning through Great Luo. Quiet your minds and listen!"
"Yes!" the disciples replied as one.
From drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to gathering the five qi and refining the immortal nature of a Golden Immortal...!
The forging of a Golden Immortal's foundation and the mysteries of Dao seeds...!
Comprehending the laws of the Dao in the Taiyi Realm, nourishing the three Dao seeds of essence, qi, and spirit until the Three Flowers bloomed...!
Which grades of the Great Luo Three Flowers stood highest...!
As Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi lectured, an incarnation of him appeared in each disciple's mind. He demonstrated the Dao according to each one's cultivation and understanding.
The key points of every realm unfolded clearly before them...!
Clang...!
A bell rang across the Primordial World, jolting Yellow Dragon out of his enlightenment as he listened to the Sage's lecture. Interrupting another's path to the Dao made one a mortal enemy. A surge of fury rose within him.
When Yellow Dragon opened his eyes, he saw that Nanji and the others were furious too. Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi looked down at them from his cloud couch.
"Calm your minds...!"
His voice fell like a clear spring from the highest heavens, washing over their hearts and soothing their turbulent spirits.
Seeing that they had settled, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi said sternly, "Today's lecture ends here!"
"Master..."
The newly admitted disciples in the Jade Pure Palace looked at Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi pleadingly, hoping he would finish the lecture.
But Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi ignored their appeals. He sat motionless on his cloud couch, his consciousness roaming Chaos.
"Master, was that the Chaos Bell of Demon Emperor Taiyi?" Yellow Dragon asked. The sound had seemed familiar.
"Master, could you tell us what happened?"
The others fixed their eyes on Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi, eager for an answer.
"Very well. Watch..."
A beam shot from the Jade Ruyi in Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's hand and spread into an image across the palace ceiling.
Several figures appeared before them, and a voice came from the image.
"Hong Yun! Hand over the Primordial Violet Qi!"
The commanding voice rang out, heavy with pressure.
South Pole Immortal Elder spoke. "That's Demon Emperor Di Jun—and Ancestor Hong Yun!"
"Hmph! Why waste words on him? I lost my Primordial Violet Qi because of him. If he doesn't hand it over today, he'll face calamity!" Another voice rang out, shrill and brimming with murderous intent.
That must be Kunpeng, the great power of the North Sea! Yellow Dragon understood now. Kunpeng had joined forces with Demon Emperor Di Jun and Taiyi to ambush Ancestor Hong Yun.
The next voice from the image confirmed Yellow Dragon's guess.
"Fellow Daoists Di Jun and Kunpeng, the Primordial Violet Qi was bestowed on me by the Dao Ancestor. Give up on taking it." The weary voice belonged to Ancestor Hong Yun.
His aura was in disarray. He had clearly suffered serious injuries.
"Hong Yun, you'll give us the Primordial Violet Qi today, whether you want to or not. Once you're dead, I'll take it myself!" A domineering voice rang out as the bell shook the Primordial World, freezing space and forcing the laws of the Dao to retreat.
Three overwhelmingly powerful figures held positions around Ancestor Hong Yun, trapping him in the center.
Di Jun held the River Diagram and Luo Script, conjuring myriad transformations. Kunpeng blocked Hong Yun's retreat with a palace-shaped Spirit Treasure, while the Chaos Bell hung high above, suppressing space.
Under their terrifying pressure, mountains and rivers across hundreds of millions of li slowly sank, and peaks cracked apart.
Ancestor Hong Yun finally felt helpless despair. If only I'd listened to Zhenyuanzi and stayed on Longevity Mountain...
"So be it... I, Hong Yun, was born when heaven and earth first opened. I've never fought the myriad beings for anything, yet this calamity has found me..."
"If you want the Primordial Violet Qi, then... come and take it yourselves!"
"Hand over the Primordial Violet Qi. For the sake of the time we spent listening to the Dao together in the Purple Cloud Palace, we can spare your life." Di Jun held the River Diagram and Luo Script as he looked at Hong Yun. His voice was quiet, but it brooked no refusal.
"Why waste your breath on him? Hong Yun, you ruined my chance to become a Sage in the Purple Cloud Palace. Today, you'll pay for it!" A cold voice sounded behind Hong Yun, thick with hatred!
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