Treasure-Splitting Cliff

Watching the Western duo leave, Bai Jing let out a long breath.

From the day he had taken form until now, he had schemed for two cosmic epochs. At last, he had obtained the first spiritual treasure capable of repairing his origin, along with six Merit Golden Lotus seeds.

The Source-Yang Cauldron already possessed the ability to nourish all things. There was also half a pool of Three Lights Divine Water within it, and now he had the Wood Spirit Pearl as well. Cultivating these six Merit Golden Lotus seeds into several Ninth-Grade Merit Golden Lotuses should not be much of a problem.

Thinking of the Wood Spirit Pearl, Bai Jing's thoughts stirred, and he looked toward the three spiritual treasures that had been stored inside the Source-Yang Cauldron along with the Eastern Green Lotus Treasure-Colored Banner.

Of these three spiritual treasures, two were low-grade innate spiritual treasures, while one was a mid-grade innate spiritual treasure.

The low-grade innate spiritual treasures were the defensive Vajra Alms Bowl and the hammer-shaped Heaven-Shaking Hammer. Both possessed nine innate restrictions, making them fairly good among low-grade innate spiritual treasures.

The mid-grade innate spiritual treasure was a fan called the Geng Metal Black-Yellow Fan. The fan itself was formed from Geng Metal qi, while a wisp of Black-Yellow qi clung to its ribs. It could attack and defend alike, and it possessed twenty-four innate restrictions. In terms of practicality, it rivaled some high-grade innate spiritual treasures with fewer restrictions.

"Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, now that matters here are settled, I should return to the Witch Clan. My elder brothers have likely already begun maintaining the Primordial World's earth veins. I must go lend them a hand."

Houtu's words interrupted Bai Jing's thoughts.

Bai Jing glanced at Dijun and Taiyi behind them before saying, "I'll travel with you, Fellow Daoist."

Houtu noticed Bai Jing's gaze. After a brief thought, she understood what he was worried about.

"Then I shall trouble you, Fellow Daoist Bai Jing."

"You are too courteous, Fellow Daoist Houtu. Please wait a moment. There are still some things I wish to do."

Houtu nodded and said nothing further.

Before long, the three thousand guests of Zixiao Palace arrived at Treasure-Splitting Cliff one after another. There had never been many innate spiritual treasures in the Primordial World to begin with, so it was naturally impossible for everyone who had listened to the Dao at Zixiao Palace to receive one. Those who arrived early could still obtain spiritual treasures, while those who came later could not get any at all.

Once all three thousand guests had visited Treasure-Splitting Cliff, Bai Jing made his move. The surrounding spiritual qi gathered into a giant hand and seized toward Treasure-Splitting Cliff.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhenyuanzi made the same move.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhenyuanzi clearly had not expected that someone else would have their eye on Treasure-Splitting Cliff. Bai Jing, on the other hand, had long expected someone to contend with him for it. He simply had not expected Zhenyuanzi to be among those who acted.

Bai Jing swept a glance over Zhenyuanzi. With a thought, he increased the power of the laws he poured forth. Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhenyuanzi tacitly exchanged no words and increased their strength at the same time.

The next moment, deliberately guided by Bai Jing, his Devouring Dao collided with Yuanshi Tianzun's quasi-sage mana. For a time, neither could do anything to the other.

As the two clashed, Zhenyuanzi seized the advantage. With a sweep of his Universe in the Sleeve, he collected Treasure-Splitting Cliff.

After taking Treasure-Splitting Cliff, a flicker of delight crossed Zhenyuanzi's face. He had noticed earlier that the top-grade innate spiritual treasures the great powers had taken from Treasure-Splitting Cliff could not even be counted on two hands.

A Treasure-Splitting Cliff capable of holding so many top-grade innate spiritual treasures had to be an extraordinary treasure itself.

Yet Zhenyuanzi did not care about Treasure-Splitting Cliff's grade. What he cared about was the space within it. Such stable space—if it could be incorporated into his Universe in the Sleeve, his divine ability would reach great completion. That was why Zhenyuanzi had acted.

Seeing Treasure-Splitting Cliff taken by Zhenyuanzi, a trace of helplessness flashed through Yuanshi Tianzun's eyes, and he withdrew his mana.

Bai Jing, in contrast, wore a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, Fellow Daoist Bai Jing and I contended with each other, only for you to reap the benefit," Yuanshi Tianzun said helplessly.

In Yuanshi Tianzun's view, he and Bai Jing had clearly been faster. Zhenyuanzi had been half a beat slower. At that moment, the two of them had nearly touched Treasure-Splitting Cliff at the same time, but precisely because of that, their mana had collided.

Once they collided, there was no way to determine victory or defeat in a short time. In the end, Zhenyuanzi had reaped the benefit.

But Zhenyuanzi did not see it that way. From his perspective, Bai Jing had been a fraction faster than Yuanshi Tianzun. Bai Jing should have touched Treasure-Splitting Cliff first, yet for some reason, Bai Jing had suddenly attacked Yuanshi Tianzun.

It was as though Bai Jing had deliberately blocked Yuanshi Tianzun, creating an opportunity for him to collect Treasure-Splitting Cliff.

Thinking this, Zhenyuanzi secretly glanced at Bai Jing. Seeing Bai Jing looking back at him, Zhenyuanzi knew his feeling had been correct.

Zhenyuanzi's eyes turned, and he burst into laughter. "Thank you, Fellow Daoists, for yielding to me. I have twenty Ginseng Fruits here. Ten for each of you, as a small token of my gratitude."

Only after Yuanshi Tianzun accepted the Ginseng Fruits did his expression improve somewhat. Bai Jing also cheerfully put the fruits away.

"When you two have time, you may come sit at my Five Villages Temple." With that, Zhenyuanzi cupped his hands toward Yuanshi Tianzun and Bai Jing, then left together with Hongyun.

After watching Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun depart, Yuanshi Tianzun turned to Bai Jing. "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, do you have time to visit my Kunlun for a discussion? I wish to exchange insights with you on the Dao of artifact refinement."

"Fellow Daoist Yuanshi, I already agreed with Fellow Daoist Houtu that I would first accompany her to the Witch Clan. Once matters here are concluded, I will certainly visit Kunlun."

"Very well. Then my brothers and I shall await your arrival."

"I too look forward to sitting and discussing the Dao with the Three Pure Ones. Then, Fellow Daoists, I shall take my leave first."

Hearing this, Houtu also nodded to the Three Pure Ones before flying away with Bai Jing.

Bai Jing and Houtu soon returned to the land of the Primordial World.

After confirming that no one was following them, Houtu asked with interest, "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, why did you yield Treasure-Splitting Cliff to Zhenyuanzi? Hadn't you waited so long precisely for Treasure-Splitting Cliff?"

"Treasure-Splitting Cliff is not truly useful to me. I only wanted it because the sight of a treasure stirred my interest. But Zhenyuanzi is different. He has a divine ability called Universe in the Sleeve. This divine ability may need the space within Treasure-Splitting Cliff to be perfected."

"Universe in the Sleeve? Does this universe refer to heaven and earth?"

"Yes."

"Can a narrow sleeve contain the yin and yang of heaven and earth, all things beneath them? It truly is a divine ability with immense grandeur." Houtu smiled.

Bai Jing nodded. Zhenyuanzi's divine ability was indeed formidable.

Bai Jing still remembered that in his previous life, when he had read Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang and his disciples had passed by Five Villages Temple and were invited by Zhenyuanzi's Daoist attendants to rest within the temple.

During that time, Sun Wukong learned that the temple had a Ginseng Fruit tree, so he stole several Ginseng Fruits and shared them with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing.

Later, after the attendants discovered that Sun Wukong had stolen and eaten the Ginseng Fruits, Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang's group took the chance to flee Five Villages Temple in the middle of the night. They even pushed over the Ginseng Fruit tree.

After Zhenyuanzi learned of this, he immediately caught up to Sun Wukong and the others. Using a move called Universe in the Sleeve, he swept Tang Sanzang and his three disciples, along with the white horse, into his sleeve and took them back to Five Villages Temple.

Even after Bai Jing had grown up and started working, that scene had remained deeply etched in his memory.