A Guest at Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain

Zhenyuanzi patiently explained, in terms both profound and easy to grasp, the wondrous secrets concerning the origin of earth and the workings of terrestrial veins, teaching them all to Yellow Dragon without holding anything back.

Yellow Dragon listened, utterly absorbed.

As he listened, he practiced alongside the explanations. His efficiency immediately soared, and his connection to the entire earth became clearer and deeper.

With Zhenyuanzi imparting everything he knew, Yellow Dragon benefited immensely and grew even more grateful and respectful toward him.

In just over ten years, the final region was completely restored with Zhenyuanzi's assistance.

Immortal grasses and spiritual trees flourished, spirit springs brimming with spiritual energy reappeared, and herds of spiritual beasts roamed the mountains. Not a trace of desolation remained.

The Creation Origin Yellow Dragon had condensed over these tens of thousands of years had reached twenty-two drops.

The moment life returned to the entire wasteland, brilliant golden light suddenly blazed across the nine heavens!

Vast and majestic merit poured down like the Heavenly River cascading in reverse, its momentum earth-shaking!

That boundless Heavenly Dao merit surged into Yellow Dragon's body, directly condensing behind his Primordial Spirit's head into an incomparably enormous dharma manifestation of merit, like that of a Saint!

Beside him, Zhenyuanzi stroked his beard and smiled. "Congratulations, little friend! Congratulations! Bringing forth life and mending heaven and earth—this is supreme merit!"

"With this dharma manifestation of merit, you may travel freely throughout the vast primordial world. Opportunities will come without end, calamities will not draw near, evil demons will struggle to approach, and it will bring unimaginable benefits to your future cultivation!"

Yellow Dragon too felt his Primordial Spirit grow warm and clear beneath the radiance of merit, becoming closer to the Great Dao of heaven and earth than ever before.

He bowed to Zhenyuanzi in thanks. "Many thanks for your guidance, Senior. Without your instruction, this junior could never have completed it so quickly."

"This is your own merit and fortune, little friend."

Seeing that matters here had concluded, Zhenyuanzi asked what Yellow Dragon intended to do next.

After some thought, Yellow Dragon said, "I have been away from Kunlun for tens of thousands of years. I fear my master may be worried, so I plan to return to Kunlun first."

Then Yellow Dragon recalled something. He removed the Soul-Scattering Gourd hanging at his waist and offered it to Zhenyuanzi, intending for him to pass it on to Hongyun after his revival, thereby settling one karmic bond.

Yet upon hearing Yellow Dragon's intentions, Zhenyuanzi slowly shook his head, his voice gentle. "Little friend Yellow Dragon, you spent tens of thousands of years gathering the scattered true spirits of my worthy brother Hongyun. Since this treasure has fallen into your hands, it was Hongyun's own choice. Your destined affinity lies with it."

After a pause, he lightly stroked his long beard with his fingertips. "If I were to transfer it for you, that would instead be improper. Why not refine and use it for now? When my worthy brother Hongyun truly returns one day, you may personally give it back to him and bring this karmic bond to completion."

Yellow Dragon fell silent. Knowing Zhenyuanzi was right, he no longer insisted. He merely put the Soul-Scattering Gourd away and hung it once more at his waist, deciding to report the matter to his Eldest Martial Uncle after returning to Kunlun before making further arrangements.

He looked around and could not help frowning. "I wonder how far this place is from Kunlun."

This was the southern region of the primordial world, an unknown distance from Kunlun Mountain. With his Golden Immortal cultivation, who knew how much time mere flight would consume.

Sure enough, only upon reaching the Great Luo realm could one roam the primordial world at leisure. Below Great Luo, even traveling was a problem.

Seeing his expression, Zhenyuanzi understood his difficulty and laughed heartily. "Little friend, there is no need to worry. Our meeting is also a matter of fate. If you do not mind, why not first visit my Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain as a guest?"

"The Grass-Returning Elixir in my temple has ripened several times. I invite you to sample some; it will provide you with no small benefit."

"Afterward, I shall directly open a passage through the void and send you back to Kunlun. It will take but an instant, sparing you the waste of time on the road."

Hearing Zhenyuanzi's words, Yellow Dragon felt this was not a bad arrangement. He could both taste the Ginseng Fruit, one of the legendary Ten Great Spiritual Roots, and save time. How could he possibly refuse?

Yellow Dragon immediately bowed. "Then I shall trouble you, Senior!"

"Haha, little friend, you are too polite!"

Zhenyuanzi laughed. With a sweep of the whisk in his hand, Dao rhythms flowed around his body.

He flicked his sleeve, and an earthen-yellow radiance enveloped the two of them before they vanished from where they stood.

The surrounding scenery instantly blurred and twisted as light and shadow shifted. Yellow Dragon felt as though only an instant had passed, yet also as though a very long time had gone by. When light returned before his eyes, he had arrived in another world.

The moment his feet touched down, dense spiritual energy rushed toward him. Yellow Dragon abruptly raised his head. Even though he was a disciple of a Saint and accustomed to the magnificent scenery of sacred Kunlun Mountain, the sight before him deeply shook him. Golden light flowed through his eyes, which were filled with amazement.

Longevity Mountain's peaks rose in clusters, shrouded in hazy mist. Across its slopes, ten-thousand-year-old ancient trees were mere saplings, while colossal trees tens or even millions of years old stood amid the mountains like small hills.

Immortal grasses, spiritual herbs, rare beasts, and exotic creatures appeared in groups and herds.

More wondrous still, every mountain peak seemed to contain the same Dao rhythm, as if this territory spanning hundreds of millions of li were a single body, resonating with heaven and earth together. With every breath, it secretly accorded with the cycles of the Heavenly Dao.

The Dao rhythms within these mountains were so rich that they did not fall far short of Kunlun Mountain, where his three masters resided.

"What a blessed land of immortals! Senior, your Longevity Mountain truly lives up to its reputation!" Yellow Dragon praised from the bottom of his heart.

Zhenyuanzi nodded with a smile and led Yellow Dragon up stone steps paved with pieces of green jade. Before long, they arrived before an ancient, unadorned Daoist temple. Above its gates hung a plaque inscribed with three great Dao runes: "Wuzhuang Temple."

For some reason, however, it lacked the words "Blessed Land of Longevity Mountain, Grotto-Heaven of Wuzhuang Temple."

Just as Yellow Dragon was wondering about this, the temple gates creaked open from within. Two slender figures ran out joyfully. They were a pair of exquisitely carved little boys, appearing no older than a few years old, their hair tied in twin knots and their bodies clad in pale green Daoist robes.

The instant the two boys saw Zhenyuanzi, their faces blossomed into incomparably delighted smiles. They bounded over, respectfully knelt, and called out in crisp, pleasant voices:

"Welcome home, Master! Master, you have finally returned! You and Martial Uncle Hongyun have been gone for tens of thousands of years—we missed you so much, Qingfeng (Mingyue)!"

These two children were Qingfeng and Mingyue, the attendant boys Zhenyuanzi had personally enlightened.

Seeing them, the kindness on Zhenyuanzi's face deepened. He lightly patted the heads of the two Daoist boys. "Rise. Your master was delayed by matters. You have both grown up—why are you still so rash and restless?" Though he spoke thus, there was not the slightest reproach in his tone.

Qingfeng and Mingyue rose with giggles, still clutching Zhenyuanzi's Daoist robe. Only then did they notice the handsome young man standing behind their master.

His cultivation was merely at the Golden Immortal realm, yet he walked shoulder to shoulder with their master, utterly composed. Curiosity stirred in their hearts, and their two round, dark eyes kept studying Yellow Dragon.

Turning slightly, Zhenyuanzi introduced Yellow Dragon to the two boys. "This is Yellow Dragon, disciple of the Jade Pure Saint of Kunlun. He has also rendered a great service to your Martial Uncle Hongyun. You must not neglect him."

Upon hearing this, the playful smiles on the two boys' faces immediately vanished, replaced by complete astonishment and reverence.

They immediately bowed to Yellow Dragon in unison. "Qingfeng (Mingyue) pays respects to Master Yellow Dragon!"

Yellow Dragon hurriedly returned the salute. "Please rise, you two. This humble Daoist merely happened upon this gathering; such is the fate between us. I dare not accept so grand a courtesy."

Once the pleasantries were done, Zhenyuanzi led Yellow Dragon into the monastery, where they took their respective seats in the main hall.

Zhenyuanzi said to Qingfeng and Mingyue, "Qingfeng, Mingyue, go fetch ten Grass-Returning Elixirs. I wish to invite young friend Yellow Dragon to taste them."

The two boys accepted the order and departed. Before long, they returned carrying ten strange fruits upon a jade platter.

The fruits resembled infants, complete with all four limbs and distinct facial features. A hazy, lustrous white glow surrounded them, along with an enticing fragrance and an incomparably pure aura of verdant life. One whiff made one's Primordial Spirit feel light and nimble, while saliva naturally welled up in the mouth.

They were none other than Ginseng Fruits—one of the ten great innate spiritual roots of the prehistoric world!