Lingxiao Comprehends the Dao, Yin-Yang Five Elements

Lingxiao froze at her words. A few traces of embarrassment soon surfaced on his handsome face as he realized his phrasing had been far too euphemistic, leading Nuwa to such a romantic misunderstanding.

"Cough, cough."

He hurriedly coughed lightly to hide his awkwardness, then solemnly cupped his hands toward Nuwa and explained, "Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand! The human creation I speak of is not the joining of yin and yang to reproduce and multiply. It is using Fellow Daoist's Creation Dao as the core, Nine Heavens Breath Soil as the foundation, and Three Lights Divine Water for harmonization—creating humans from clay, granting them spiritual intelligence and souls, establishing the Heaven, Earth, and Human Three Realms of the Primordial World, and mending the shortcomings of the Heavenly Dao."

At this point, Lingxiao paused slightly, and an almost imperceptible glimmer flashed through his eyes.

Thoughts raced through his mind. He knew that even if he revealed the mystery of creating humans today, Nuwa would still need to wait until after Dao Ancestor Hongjun divided the treasures before she could truly carry it out—

For this method to reach perfection, she would need the aid of the Universe Cauldron, a Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, to firmly bind their spiritual intelligence and stabilize the Human Clan's physical Dao foundation.

The Universe Cauldron had originally been transformed from the lotus seedpod of the Thirty-Six-Petal Chaos Azure Lotus. It had innately inherited the Dao of Creation and Heaven-Earth, and after the Creation Calamity, it had accompanied Ancestor Qiankun into being.

At the end of the War of Dao and Demons, Ancestor Qiankun perished within the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation. The cauldron, together with Yin-Yang Ancestor's Taiji Diagram, was taken away by Dao Ancestor Hongjun. Only when treasures were distributed at Treasure-Dividing Crag would it fall into Nuwa's hands.

Such matters concerning the heavenly secrets of the future could move the whole body with a single hair. Naturally, Lingxiao would not reveal even the slightest bit to an outsider and needlessly entangle himself in boundless karma.

"Fellow Daoist may first comprehend the Creation Dao. When the opportunity arrives, you will succeed in a single stroke." Lingxiao pondered briefly, rubbing his chin with his fingertips as he slowly added.

At his words, a flash of sudden enlightenment appeared in Nuwa's clear eyes.

With Lingxiao's precedent of establishing the Twelve Time Markers and gaining immense Heavenly Dao Merit before her, she was already certain that if this matter succeeded, the Heavenly Dao would surely bestow supreme merit upon her.

At once, Nuwa gathered the lingering blush of embarrassment from her face, adjusted her wide sleeves, and gave Lingxiao a deep bow. Her bearing was solemn, while her gentle, clear voice brimmed with sincerity. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for clearing away my confusion. I shall remember this favor. Once I return, I will devote myself to comprehending the Creation Dao. When the opportunity arrives, I shall certainly try the method of creating humans from clay that you have described."

Lingxiao quickly stepped aside to avoid the bow, raised a hand in empty support, and replied with a smile, "It is merely my duty. Why mention it?"

He also breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. At last, he had made up for the debt of taking the Calabash Vine's destined opportunity.

"By the way, there is another matter for which I must ask Fellow Daoist's help. I fear I must trouble you with it." Lingxiao's smile faded, and his expression turned solemn once more as he finally revealed the true purpose of this visit.

He immediately told her, from beginning to end, that he wished to ask Nuwa to serve as the honored guest and matchmaker for this marriage, presiding over the wedding.

Seeing Nuwa's puzzled expression and her confusion over the meaning of "matchmaker," a thing never before seen in the Primordial World, he carefully explained, "A matchmaker is the honored guest who binds a marriage contract between a man and woman, witnesses their union, and announces it to Heaven and Earth. With Fellow Daoist's Lesser Yin Creation foundation, and your command over the principles of yin-yang vitality, there is no one more suitable for this marriage."

Nuwa covered her lips and laughed softly.

Her gaze flowed with gentle warmth, and her peerless beauty made even the spiritual rosy clouds filling the valley pale by comparison. She immediately agreed with delight. "So that is how it is. This is one of the greatest joyous occasions in the Primordial World. Since Fellow Daoist trusts me, how could I refuse? When the time comes, I shall certainly go to the Sun Star, bear witness to this marriage for the three of you, and preside over the wedding rites."

Having received Nuwa's assurance, the great stone in Lingxiao's heart finally fell to the ground. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Nuwa regarding superficial insights into the Creation Dao, he and Xihe and Changxi cupped their hands in farewell.

Before leaving, Lingxiao condensed a wisp of molten-gold Solar True Fire at his fingertip and gathered all seven residual traces of aura left by the gourds upon the vine into his sleeve, intending to carefully comprehend the intrinsic connections between yin-yang, the Five Elements, Creation, and life in the future.

The three left the secluded valley but did not return directly to the starry sky. Instead, they leisurely traveled through Mount Buzhou.

—Mount Buzhou had been transformed from Pangu Spine. Above, it reached the Thirty-Three Heavens; below, it connected to the Nine Netherworlds and Yellow Springs. Its ravines were steeped in hazy innate spiritual essence, while its cliff faces were carved with Great Dao patterns left behind by the Creation Calamity. It was one of the foremost blessed lands and grotto-heavens with the richest spiritual charm in the Primordial World. At this time, countless opportunities still lay hidden among its valleys, awaiting their emergence.

"Waaah, haha! Little deer, little deer, don't run! Let me touch your antlers!"

Along the way, Changxi lifted her skirts and chased after the Innate Spiritual Deer leaping through the mountains, laughing and playing. Her charming figure darted through the forest like a lively beam of moonlight.

Xihe, meanwhile, wore a moon-white immortal gown. Her figure was cool and transcendent, her steps unhurried. Her fair hand gently traced the Dao patterns of creation upon the cliff walls, and her phoenix eyes were filled with pursuit of the Great Dao. One still, one moving—both possessed peerless grace.

Yet after the three wandered leisurely through Mount Buzhou for a thousand years, Lingxiao still encountered no supreme opportunities such as the Innate Banana Tree or Pangu Spinal Marrow Origin.

"Forget it. It seems the time has not yet come."

One day, Lingxiao stood atop Mount Buzhou. His robes snapped wildly in the mountain winds as he looked down upon the vast and boundless Primordial Lands, sighing inwardly.

Opportunities of the Great Dao came without being restrained and departed without being stopped. They could not be forced.

In any case, he already had a direction for the road ahead. The most pressing task was still to plan for merit. As for external things such as Innate Spiritual Roots and Innate Spiritual Treasures, having them would be icing on the cake, but lacking them would cause no real harm. He must never abandon the root to chase the branch.

Whoosh!

His mind made up, he no longer lingered. He immediately wrapped an arm around Xihe and Changxi at his side, transformed into a streak of rainbow light, left the Primordial Lands, passed through the Thirty-Three Heavens, and returned to the Sun Star at the center of the Primordial Starry Sky, landing steadily before Lingxiao Palace.

The three entered the main hall, sat cross-legged, and jointly activated their Great Firmament mana to begin refining the Purple-White Gourd.

This gourd contained forty-two Innate Treasure Restrictions. It was a genuine Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Lingxiao summoned golden flames of Solar Origin, while Xihe and Changxi activated the cold radiance of Lunar Moonlight. Lunar and solar qi intertwined like dragons and phoenixes chasing one another, slowly seeping into the gourd and cleansing the innate restrictions within.

In less than a thousand years, they completed its preliminary refinement and binding.

Lingxiao raised his eyes and saw Changxi sitting to one side, her bright almond eyes fixed curiously upon the gourd. With a casual toss, he handed it to her. "Since you are curious, take it and play with it for a few days."

"Hehe, thank you, Big Brother Lingxiao!" Changxi cheered, catching the gourd securely and cradling it in her palms as she repeatedly stroked and examined it.

However, the Geng Metal Dao of slaughter within the gourd did not suit her Lunar Jade Rabbit foundation at all. Moreover, Changxi did not care for its sharp Geng Metal Killing Intent. After only half an hour, she lost interest and pouted as she handed the gourd back to Lingxiao.

After thinking for a moment, the girl untied the withered yellow Calabash Vine that had previously been wrapped around her waist. Holding it out to Lingxiao in her delicate hands, her almond eyes curved into crescents as she said sweetly, "Big Brother, when I was born, I already had several accompanying treasures. I do not lack an Upper-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. Big Brother should decide what to do with this Calabash Vine."

Lingxiao shook his head with a laugh but did not refuse. He reached out and accepted the Calabash Vine.

His fingertips brushed over the shallow scars left where the seven gourds had fallen from the vine. Faint Dao resonance of yin-yang and the Five Elements still lingered within those marks, subtly echoing the seven strands of aura he had previously gathered into his sleeve.

"Hmm?!"

Suddenly, inspiration descended upon him. A flash of insight exploded in his Consciousness Sea like a thunderclap at the dawn of creation, and dazzling golden light of the Great Sun burst from his eyes.

Rumble!

The Sun Dao around him shook thunderously, causing Lingxiao Palace and even the entire sea of Solar True Fire upon the Sun Star to churn in unison!

He was the Primordial World's sole Great Sun Golden Crow, innately aligned with both the Sun Dao and the Fire Dao.

But now that he possessed this complete Innate Calabash Vine, which bore the Dao resonance of yin-yang and the Five Elements, and had personally received the complete auras of the seven gourds, a bold idea arose within him—

Why not use this as his foundation, merging and elevating his own Dao to forge a perfect path encompassing yin-yang and all Five Elements, with the sun as its core and Creation as its support?

Lingxiao's fingertips rubbed over the vine as his mind completely sank into it. Before his eyes, it was as though the River of Time had split open, and a scroll depicting his own path to Primordial Unity slowly unfurled—

Take yin-yang as the guiding thread, establishing the order of Heaven, Earth, sun, and moon;

Take the Five Elements as the body, embracing the spiritual essence of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth;

Take the sun as the core, establishing the foundation of the Primordial World's ultimate yang;

Take Creation as the support, comprehending the principles by which all things live and multiply!

Bring Heaven and Earth's yin-yang and Five Elements into the Dao, refining them for his own use;

Attain supreme Primordial Unity upon the Sun Star—unworn through myriad calamities, imperishable and undying!

So long as Lunar Yin did not fade, the Golden Crow would endure forever!

"My Dao is clear."

Lingxiao's face broke into a radiant smile.