Sitting and Discussing the Dao

Yuanshi Tianzun looked closely and only then discovered that Bai Jing's physical body had already broken through to the mid-stage Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal realm. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. With the Primordial Violet Qi aiding his comprehension of the Dao, he himself was still at the mid-stage Quasi-Saint realm and had yet to break through to the late stage.

This Fellow Daoist Bai Jing walked the path of proving the Dao through strength. Comprehending laws was even more difficult than severing corpses, yet he had kept pace with his own cultivation. His talent was truly extraordinary!

With that thought, Yuanshi Tianzun praised him. "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, four hundred thousand years have passed since we last met. Your comprehension of the power of laws has deepened considerably!"

Bai Jing smiled. "I have merely made a little progress; it is nothing worth mentioning. The progress the three of you have made is the truly remarkable thing."

The Three Pure Ones merely smiled without speaking. Laozi had already reached the late-stage Quasi-Saint realm. As long as he severed his obsession corpse, he could break through to the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm.

Yuanshi and Tongtian had both completely severed their second corpses and stood only a single step away from the late-stage Quasi-Saint realm.

The Three Pure Ones had advanced so swiftly. From this, it could be seen that even if the other great powers who had obtained Primordial Violet Qi could not compare to the Three Pure Ones, their cultivation improvements would certainly not be slow.

After severing two corpses, Nuwa should now be searching for her own path to sainthood. Bai Jing remembered that Nuwa had not severed her third corpse even at the very moment she became a saint. In other words, her ascension to sainthood was likely not far off. Perhaps in another two or three yuanhui, Nuwa would become a saint.

A faint sense of urgency arose in Bai Jing's heart.

After Nuwa became a saint, she would shelter the human race for one yuanhui. Once that yuanhui passed, after Laozi preached the Dao to humanity, the five saints would emerge together. Then would come the era in which six saints ruled the Primordial World.

Within several yuanhui, Bai Jing had to reach the seventh turn of the Xuan Arts—the realm of physical sainthood. Otherwise, he would likely find it difficult to take part in the coming situation.

What Bai Jing lacked for physical sainthood were resources to strengthen his body: vast quantities of immortal materials and ores.

Although comprehending any Great Dao grew increasingly difficult the further one progressed, Bai Jing possessed the Fragment of the Jade Butterfly of Creation that contained the Dao of Devouring, as well as the Enlightenment Tea Tree. Bai Jing estimated that he only needed to enter seclusion for around one yuanhui to completely master the Dao of Devouring.

However, the immortal materials and ores in his possession were only enough to support his physical body's breakthrough to the late-stage Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal realm. There should be quite a considerable shortfall before he could reach the peak of the Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal realm, let alone accumulate enough to go from that peak to the verge of breaking through to the seventh turn of the Xuan Arts.

As for how to take that final step into the seventh turn of the Xuan Arts, Bai Jing had long since formed an idea.

As long as Bai Jing could break through to the peak of the Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal realm, he could climb to the summit of Mount Buzhou and obtain the Pangu Jade Marrow there.

The Pangu Jade Marrow was a divine treasure comparable to Pangu's essence blood. With its aid, he should be able to complete that final leap, break through to the seventh turn of the Xuan Arts, and reach the realm of physical sainthood.

It seems I'll have to take a trip into the chaos later and gather some ore materials, Bai Jing thought.

At this moment, Laozi spoke lightly. "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing's visit truly brings glory to our humble Kunlun. Please, come inside so we may speak."

As he spoke, Laozi made an inviting gesture.

"Then I shall impose upon the three of you."

With that, Bai Jing followed the Three Pure Ones into Kunlun Mountain. The moment he stepped inside, Bai Jing could clearly sense that the concentration of innate spiritual qi within Kunlun Mountain was already comparable to that of his Yingzhou Immortal Island.

This was the first time Bai Jing had seen such dense innate spiritual qi outside Yingzhou Immortal Island.

Amid the swirling spiritual qi, a treasure hall could be seen in the distance. Looking closely, he saw before him:

Flowers and grasses that never withered through the four seasons; crimson radiance shone from the open doors of the golden hall.

Pavilions and towers appeared and vanished amid auspicious clouds; jade chimes and golden bells rang with lingering resonance.

It was truly a precious land!

Soon, everyone arrived before the treasure hall. Above its entrance hung a horizontal plaque bearing the three words: "Three Pure Ones Palace."

The Three Pure Ones shared the same root and origin. They usually cultivated and discussed the Dao within this hall.

After entering the hall, they took their seats in turn. Yuanshi Tianzun summoned a young attendant to serve tea, then said with a smiling expression, "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, you truly kept me waiting for a long time! As it happens, in recent years, I refined a little trinket in my spare time from cultivation. Would Fellow Daoist Bai Jing care to appraise it?"

"I came to Kunlun precisely to exchange insights on the Dao of artifact refinement with you, Fellow Daoist. As it happens, I also have a newly refined spiritual treasure in my possession."

Yuanshi's eyes lit up at once. With a turn of his palm, a black seal appeared in his hand.

Bai Jing also took out the longsword he had refined.

The two exchanged spiritual treasures. As soon as Bai Jing received the seal, he immediately felt its extraordinary weight. Its weight alone could crush a True Immortal to death in a single blow.

This seal was naturally not Guangchengzi's Heaven-Flipping Seal from later days, but the characteristics of the two seals were much the same.

It seems Yuanshi really likes refining this type of spiritual treasure, Bai Jing thought.

After examining the longsword Bai Jing had refined, Yuanshi Tianzun could not help sighing. "This sword actually has twenty-seven postnatal restrictions. It is a high-grade postnatal spiritual treasure. Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, your attainments in the Dao of artifact refinement surpass mine! At present, I am unable to refine a high-grade postnatal spiritual treasure."

"Fellow Daoist Yuanshi is too modest. Although your seal has only twenty-four postnatal restrictions, it is incomparably heavy. Its weight alone can overwhelm my longsword."

Yuanshi Tianzun was clearly quite pleased by Bai Jing's praise. After laughing heartily, he said, "No matter what, the longsword of Fellow Daoist Bai Jing contains more postnatal restrictions than my seal. I merely held an advantage in materials."

Bai Jing shook his head and was just about to speak when Tongtian interrupted him. "Second Brother, Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, stop yielding compliments back and forth. The spiritual treasures you refined each have their own merits. Why not discuss the Dao of artifact refinement together?"

"Good." Bai Jing was the first to state his agreement.

Yuanshi Tianzun also voiced his approval.

Thus, the two sides began discussing the Dao of artifact refinement.

Laozi and Tongtian listened quietly from the side.

With the Fragment of the Jade Butterfly of Creation, Bai Jing's mastery of the Great Dao of Artifacts had reached twelve percent. Coupled with the influence of certain literary works from his previous life, he possessed his own unique insights into the Dao of artifact refinement.

Yuanshi Tianzun had always worked in isolation in the Dao of artifact refinement, but he was naturally gifted with exceptional comprehension in this field. Through this exchange with Bai Jing, Yuanshi Tianzun felt that his understanding of the Dao of artifact refinement had reached a deeper level.

Bai Jing also gained quite a bit. If he were to refine this longsword again, he could at the very least create a high-grade postnatal spiritual treasure with thirty restrictions.

A hundred years passed in the blink of an eye. Their discussion of the Dao came to an end, and both Yuanshi Tianzun and Bai Jing revealed satisfied smiles.

"Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, this discussion with you has benefited me immensely," Yuanshi Tianzun said with a sigh.

"The same is true for me. Fellow Daoist Yuanshi has achieved much in the Dao of artifact refinement. I admire you greatly."

"It is a pity that Fellow Daoist Bai Jing is not versed in the Dao of formations. Otherwise, I too would like to discuss the Dao with Fellow Daoist Bai Jing," Tongtian sighed.

Laozi merely smiled without speaking. He believed that no one in the Primordial World could surpass him in the Dao of alchemy. Even if the Dao Ancestor were here, he would find it difficult to instruct him in this Dao.

Flowers and grasses that never withered through the four seasons; crimson radiance shone from the open doors of the golden hall. Pavilions and towers appeared and vanished amid auspicious clouds; jade chimes and golden bells rang with lingering resonance. Excerpted from Chapter 63 of Investiture of the Gods.