An Overwhelming Gift That Could Not Be Refused

Chen Xuan was not surprised by this. After all, who would willingly choose death if they could live?

So he spoke directly. "Since that is the case, why not follow Fellow Daoist Yang Mei's example and go to the west to sort out the spiritual veins?"

"In doing so, you will make some contribution to the Primordial World. When you return to the Primordial World in the future, at least people will remember you."

After hearing this, the Yin-Yang Ancestor sighed. "The western spiritual veins were originally part of Hongjun's karmic debt. If we help him sort them out, then Hongjun will owe us a karmic debt."

"Hongjun is about to merge himself with the Dao. That means the Heavenly Dao will owe us a karmic debt. This is a deal that guarantees profit without loss. It is indeed worth doing."

The Heaven-and-Earth Ancestor nodded as well. At the same time, he took out the Heaven-and-Earth Cauldron and presented it before Chen Xuan.

"Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus, establishing your Daoist sanctuary is a joyous occasion. I have nothing else suitable to offer, so I shall use this Heaven-and-Earth Cauldron as a congratulatory gift. It will also serve as thanks for Daoist Azure Lotus's life-saving grace."

Chen Xuan had not expected the Heaven-and-Earth Ancestor to bring out the Heaven-and-Earth Cauldron as a gift. For a moment, he found himself in a difficult position.

After all, giving up the Heaven-and-Earth Cauldron would pain Chen Xuan's heart no matter what. Yet taking someone else's top-grade innate spiritual treasure also made him feel uneasy.

Just then, the Yin-Yang Ancestor beside them took out a magical treasure as well and likewise presented it before Chen Xuan.

"This is the Taiji Diagram. I shall offer it as a congratulatory gift—first, to celebrate Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus establishing his Daoist sanctuary; second, to thank Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus for saving my life."

At this point, Chen Xuan's mind was practically frozen. The Taiji Diagram was a genuine innate supreme treasure. Together with the Pangu Banner and the Four Swords of Execution already in his possession, would that not complete the treasures originally belonging to his disciples?

That made Chen Xuan even more conflicted. He truly could not bear to refuse them, but if he accepted them, he had no idea how he should repay this karmic debt.

At that moment, Yang Mei Ancestor, standing nearby, spoke as well. "Fellow Daoist Azure Lotus, this is all a token of our regard. You should not refuse."

As he spoke, Yang Mei Ancestor also took out a magical treasure and presented it before Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan looked closely and saw that it was a gray pearl. At the same time, the words "Chaos Pearl" surfaced in his mind.

This is getting more and more outrageous. A top-grade innate spiritual treasure and an innate supreme treasure as congratulatory gifts would have been enough. Now they have even brought out a chaos spiritual treasure.

If I still refuse, wouldn't that be a bit too saintly? As for karmic debts and the like, they would have to return to the Primordial World first.

With that thought, Chen Xuan gritted his teeth and accepted all three magical treasures. Then he spoke.

"By all reason, I should not accept such generous gifts from the three of you. Yet today, I have no choice but to do so."

"The reason is that the three of you have decided to leave the Primordial World and venture into chaos. If that happens, these three spiritual treasures will leave the Primordial World."

"Every innate spiritual treasure has its own value to the Primordial World. Should one be lost beyond the Primordial World, the Primordial World itself will be left lacking."

"If the three of you return to the Primordial World one day, I will certainly return these treasures intact. Even if these three spiritual treasures are no longer in my possession then, I will compensate you with spiritual treasures of equal value."

Even Chen Xuan felt rather shameless as he said this. If my skin had been this thick in my previous life, I would not have transmigrated only to still be a standard young man.

Yet Yang Mei Ancestor and the other two wholeheartedly agreed with Chen Xuan's reasoning. They immediately stated that once a gift had been given, there was no reason to take it back.

In the end, everyone discussed matters a while longer, guessing how much time Hongjun would need before attaining the Dao.

Chen Xuan believed it would take at least one yuanhui. That would be enough time for the three of them to restore the western spiritual veins to a certain extent.

Even if the west remained a barren land by then, it would still be far stronger than the west in the original course of the Primordial World.

Having just seen Yang Mei Ancestor and the other two off, the Three Pure Ones arrived at Azure Lotus Island. After first performing the formal rites of master and disciples, they began wandering around Azure Lotus Island.

On the surface, they claimed they were inspecting Azure Lotus Island for their master, checking whether it possessed any top-grade innate spiritual roots or heavenly treasures.

But Chen Xuan knew perfectly well what the three of them truly had in mind. They wanted to find a suitable place to build their own cave residences.

After all, Chen Xuan could already tell from the Three Pure Ones' eyes that they seemed to have no intention of returning to Kunlun Mountain. Azure Lotus Island was countless times better than Kunlun Mountain, after all.

Chen Xuan did not mind this. He had long decided to establish a Daoist sanctuary for the Three Pure Ones on Azure Lotus Island.

He had even already chosen the locations: the heaven, earth, and human directions outside his own Daoist sanctuary.

There happened to be three mountain peaks in those three locations. They could not have been more suitable for his three disciples to establish their Daoist sanctuaries.

However, Chen Xuan did not tell the Three Pure Ones of his arrangement. He wanted to see whether their eyes were sharp enough to choose the finest places to establish their sanctuaries.

While the Three Pure Ones searched for places to establish their sanctuaries, the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers finally arrived outside Azure Lotus Island.

Before they could announce themselves outside the island, Chen Xuan waved his hand and pulled the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers directly into Azure Lotus Island.

Though Azure Lotus Island was overflowing with spiritual energy, the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers had little interest in it. After all, they did not cultivate by relying on such things.

They immediately knelt before Chen Xuan and respectfully performed the rites of juniors.

Then Houtu spoke directly to Chen Xuan. "Master, why do I not see the three senior brothers? Have they not arrived yet?"

Chen Xuan sighed. "Those three brats arrived long ago. Right now, they are in your master's Daoist sanctuary, choosing suitable places to settle down."

When she heard that the Three Pure Ones were choosing their own cave residences, a sharp glint flashed in Houtu's eyes.

Then she smiled and said to Chen Xuan, "Master, you cannot favor one over another. This disciple wants a cave residence too."

Chen Xuan flicked Houtu on the forehead, then said, "You have a perfectly good Ancestral Sorcerer Hall to live in. Why are you running over here?"

Houtu rubbed her head as though it hurt, then protested indignantly, "But those three senior brothers still have Kunlun Mountain, don't they?"

Chen Xuan looked utterly helpless. "Can you be compared to them? Coming here helps their cultivation. If you leave the Ancestral Sorcerer Hall, what will your brothers do?"

After hearing this, Houtu could not help falling into thought. Chen Xuan had long told them that only by cultivating together could the Twelve Ancestral Sorcerers comprehend the grand formation that summoned Pangu's physical body.

But in the next instant, Houtu found a solution. She immediately said to Chen Xuan, "Then this disciple will move the Ancestral Sorcerer Hall here together with my brothers."