The Only Golden Crow, Fellow Daoists Xihe and Changxi

The Primordial Starry Sky.

The Sun Star, one of the two supreme stars in the Primordial Starry Sky, inherited the fortune of the ultimate Yang. It was the most noble and supreme place of Yang harmony in the Primordial World.

The Fusang tree had tangled roots and gnarled branches that stretched across hundreds of millions of miles. Beneath its main trunk, within the Daoist sanctuary, golden flames and lunar radiance blended and complemented each other. There was not a hint of scorching heat, only a sense of serene tranquility.

"Solitary Yin cannot grow; solitary Yang cannot last."

"The blending of our auras and the mutual complement of Yin and Yang can actually refine magic power and solidify the foundation of the Dao! After ten thousand years of discussing the Dao, I have benefited immensely. Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Lingxiao, for your guidance!"

The voice, as cold and clear as a spring flowing under the moon, drifted down.

The woman wore a moon-white fairy dress with wide sleeves. Her figure was graceful and slender, her features cold and stunningly beautiful. A faint, clear glow from the Moon Laurel surrounded her, and her eyes were as clear as cold pools. When she looked at Lingxiao, a hint of undisguised admiration was hidden in the depths of her gaze.

--This was none other than Xihe, the Innate Sacred Being nurtured by the Lunar Star.

On a meditation cushion woven from tender Fusang twigs opposite her, a man sat cross-legged:

His dark gold imperial robe accentuated a posture as upright as a pine. His face was handsome and heroic, his brows naturally carrying the innate majesty of the Sun's supremacy. His smile was gentle and light, and though he was surrounded by the brilliant aura of the Great Sun, there was not a shred of scorching intent.

--This was Lingxiao, the only Great Sun Golden Crow nurtured by the Sun Star.

He was an anomaly in this Primordial World.

The Sun Star, formed from the left eye of Pangu, had not given birth to Dijun or Taiyi. Instead, it had condensed all the ultimate Yang origin, the remaining grace of the world's creation, and the fortune of the stars from billions of Yuanhui into a single golden egg, hatching him as the only Great Sun Golden Crow. The name Lingxiao was bestowed by the Heavenly Dao upon his hatching. The moment he was born, he was already a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal with the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and the Five Qi Returning to the Origin, ranking among the top Innate Sacred Beings of the Primordial World.

"We were born bearing the fortune of the supreme stars; why must we thank each other when we are of the same breath and branch?" Lingxiao smiled slightly, his voice gentle. "Besides, discussing the Dao is inherently mutually beneficial. Through this exchange, I have also gained much insight into the principles of Yin and Yang generating and completing each other."

As his voice fell, his eyes flickered, and a trace of melancholy swept through his heart.

If he had not transmigrated here and known of the Infinite Calamity that awaited this Primordial World, he might have been like Dijun and Taiyi, who were originally destined to be born. He might have used the Sun Star's fortune to establish a Heavenly Court, rule over all demons, and vie for the position of the Primordial Heavenly Emperor.

But he knew the unspoken rules of the Primordial World too well.

Power could allow one to run rampant for a time, but only virtue and fortune could protect one from being extinguished through ten thousand calamities!

Those who vied for hegemony were, in the end, mere chess pieces of the Calamity, cannon fodder to fill the void. Even those as strong as the Ancestral Dragon, Yuan Feng, and the Primordial Qilin—did they not end up exhausted and dead, their Dao dissipated?

What he sought was never momentary prestige, but eternal transcendence. He sought the freedom to sit beneath the Fusang tree and watch the stars revolve even when the Calamity descended.

He did not contend for momentary superiority, but planned for eternal freedom.

"Oh my, Big Brother, Sister, you keep thanking each other back and forth—my ears are going to grow calluses from listening to it!"

Beside Xihe, a delicate and lively voice broke the serenity of the sanctuary.

The young girl had a stunning face that was eighty percent similar to Xihe's, though her brows lacked the cold reserve and possessed more playfulness and spirit. Her light green fairy dress made her look vivid and lively.

This was Changxi, the other Innate Sacred Being born from the Lunar Star.

She shook Xihe's sleeve and puffed out her cheeks. "We have known each other for thirteen Yuanhui. We started discussing the Dao and cultivating together shortly after we were born; we are closer than real siblings. Why do we need such empty formalities?"

"You, your temperament is still so restless, without a shred of the dignity a Lunar Goddess should have." Xihe extended a jade finger and tapped her sister's smooth forehead with a helpless smile, though there was no reproach in her eyes.

"I don't need to be dignified anyway!" Changxi stuck out her tongue adorably, her bright, sparkling eyes looking at Lingxiao. "It's just that Sister is too formal! Between us and Big Brother Lingxiao, where is the need for such hollow etiquette? Never mind discussing the Dao or guidance—even if Big Brother Lingxiao wanted our Lunar Star, we two sisters would never have the slightest reluctance!"

When these words were spoken, Xihe lowered her eyelashes and did not respond, yet she did not refute them either.

Lingxiao shook his head with a laugh, his gaze sweeping over the two sisters' pretty faces. His expression was slightly dazed, and a trace of reminiscence flashed in his eyes.

One Yuan could be divided into twelve Hui, totaling 129,600 years.

Thirteen Yuanhui was not a long time in the Primordial World, where years were measured in Yuanhui, but it was certainly not short.

Ever since he hatched, the Sun Star's fortune had surged and roiled, attracting the two sisters, the Jade Rabbit, to investigate.

After getting to know each other, they discussed the Dao and cultivated together, supporting one another while watching the stars revolve.

They were the people who had accompanied Lingxiao the longest in this strange world.

"Fellow Daoist Changxi, let's have no more of these jokes." Lingxiao looked at Changxi, his eyes remaining gentle. "Having this Lingxiao Palace on the Sun Star as my sanctuary is already enough. The Lunar Star is the foundation of your fortune; it should not be given away lightly."

Before his voice had even faded, he was excitedly interrupted by Changxi: "Big Brother Lingxiao! Do you remember the scene of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans vying for hegemony a few years ago?"

"That Phoenix Clan relied on being the strongest among the flying birds of the Primordial World and called themselves the Emperors of the Primordial Birds. They were so incredibly arrogant! Hmph, if you hadn't been born yet, how would it have been their turn to be so rampant in the Primordial sky?"

The more she spoke, the more spirited she became, her eyes shining like stars:

"In my opinion, everyone has two wings and one head. If the Phoenix Clan can be the Emperors of the birds, why can't you, Big Brother? A Great Sun Golden Crow bearing the fortune of the Sun Star is even more qualified!"

As soon as these words were out, the corners of Lingxiao's mouth twitched violently.

No, I really am not qualified. I don't want to be cannon fodder for the Calamity!

"Why don't we go travel the Primordial Lands together!" Changxi's eyes darted around.

"When the time comes, Big Brother, you can be the Emperor of the Birds and rule the Primordial sky;"

"Sister has a steady temperament, so she can be the Empress of the Beasts and rule the Primordial Lands;"

"As for me, since there are no other positions, I'll just suffer a little and be a Water Rabbit, ruling over the rivers, lakes, and seas of the Four Seas and the vast wilderness."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to rule the sea, land, and sky together?"

Since she had taken human form, she had rarely left the Primordial Starry Sky. After meeting Lingxiao, she had only traveled between the Lingxiao Palace on the Sun Star and the Moon Palace on the Lunar Star to meditate.

Although they were top-tier sanctuaries and blessed lands, after more than ten Yuanhui, she had long since grown restless and was filled with the desire to go out and travel.

"Changxi, do not be reckless!"

Xihe's expression darkened abruptly, the previous gentleness vanishing entirely as her voice turned stern, the Lunar Moonlight surrounding her taking on a sharp, piercing edge.

"Although the Dragon-Han Calamity has drawn to a close, the Primordial Lands are vast and boundless, and hidden masters with great divine powers are as numerous as carp crossing a river!"

"Even top-tier powerhouses like the Ancestral Dragon, Yuan Feng, and the Primordial Qilin ended up exhausted and perished in the Calamity, their souls scattered and spirits extinguished."

"Not to mention the Devil Ancestor Rahu, who wreaked havoc upon the Primordial World and detonated the spiritual veins of the Western Lands, leaving countless Innate Sacred Beings without even a complete True Spirit remaining."

She paused, her gaze heavy and her tone brooking no argument: "The waters of the Primordial World are too deep, and the aura of the Calamity has yet to dissipate; it is far too dangerous. We were born in the starry sky and raised in the starry sky; we should remain like the sun and moon suspended in the heavens, eternally illuminating the world. Why descend to the earth and become stained with that boundless karma and slaughter?"

These words were ostensibly a reprimand for Changxi, but in reality, they were meant for Lingxiao as well.

She understood her sister's heart all too well, and she feared even more that Lingxiao might be incited to harbor thoughts of traveling the Primordial Lands, thereby becoming tainted by the lingering ripples of the Calamity.

Even though all three of them were Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals, in this Primordial World, they could by no means be considered perfectly safe.

"Alright, alright, sister, I was wrong. I won't go to the Primordial Lands, okay?"

Seeing that Xihe was truly angry, Changxi immediately shrank her neck and admitted her mistake obediently.

Yet, her eyes darted around, and she had not abandoned the idea of going out. Pulling on Xihe's sleeve, she said in a soft voice, "Then we can just travel within the Primordial Starry Sky, that's fine, right? The Sun Star and Lunar Star are the supreme stars of the starry sky, and Brother Lingxiao has the Chaos Bell that suppresses the fortune of the starry sky. With that held above our heads, we are innately in an invincible position; surely there won't be any danger?"

Hearing this, Xihe ignored her sister's coquettish behavior and turned to look at Lingxiao, her cold, clear eyes filled with both consultation and determination.

"Dao Brother Lingxiao, although Changxi is a bit mischievous, her words hold some truth."

"If you could unify the Primordial Starry Sky and gather the fortune of the Heavenly Stellar Array, it would be of great assistance to your cultivation of the Great Dao."

"The main battlefields of the Beast Calamity and the Dragon-Han Calamity were both in the Primordial Lands, and the starry sky was not significantly affected. If you are interested, my sister and I are willing to assist you in unifying the starry sky, establishing the Heavenly Court, and becoming the Heavenly Emperor of this Primordial Starry Sky."

She spoke these words with extreme solemnity.

To her, titles of supremacy and hegemony over the starry sky were all hollow.

But if she could help Lingxiao stabilize his Dao foundation and protect his safety, then even if it meant risking her life to accompany him in conquering the entire Primordial Starry Sky, Xihe would not hesitate in the slightest.

Lingxiao, upon hearing this, shook his head slowly.

He naturally knew the glory of unifying the starry sky, but he was even more aware that the upcoming Witch-Demon Calamity was inherently a struggle for heaven and earth where "demons rule the heavens and witches manage the earth." This Primordial Starry Sky was never a pure land free from the Calamity; rather, it would be the main battlefield for the future.

If he truly established the Heavenly Court and unified the starry sky, he would be replacing the positions of Dijun and Taiyi.

He would become the primary target of the Calamity, mere cannon fodder to fill the void.

Seeing Lingxiao shake his head, Xihe said no more. She turned to look at Changxi, her tone flat but allowing no room for rebuttal: "Did you hear that? Focus on your seclusion and enlightenment, and do not think about running around anymore."

Changxi's small face collapsed instantly, her lively eyes dimming as she muttered dejectedly: "Still can't go out? But spinning around between the Sun Star and the Lunar Star every day is really so boring..."

"It is not that we cannot go out."

Lingxiao suddenly spoke, interrupting Changxi's muttering.

The two sisters looked up at him simultaneously, both stunned.

Lingxiao smiled slightly, his fingertips tapping lightly against his knee. A flash of sharp light crossed his eyes, and his tone was steady yet carried an unquestionable certainty:

"The matter of traveling can be postponed, but I do indeed have a matter to discuss with you two."

"I intend to scheme for some merit."

"Scheme for merit?"

Xihe and Changxi exchanged a glance, both stunned, their eyes filled with confusion.