Xihua Emerges from Seclusion, Candle Dragon's Trump Card

"Wow! Husband! My comprehension has somehow increased by twenty percent!"

Changxi set down her teacup, her almond eyes wide as she spoke with unconcealed delight.

Do not underestimate this mere twenty percent increase. As one of the foremost Innate Sacred Beings born bearing the Lunar Star's fortune, her comprehension had already stood at the pinnacle of all living beings in the Primordial World. If this additional twenty percent of spiritual insight were forcibly quantified, it already surpassed that of over ninety percent of the Primordial World's Innate Sacred Beings.

Even many Great Supernatural Beings who had been renowned for ages probably did not possess even a tenth of her comprehension!

Xihe nodded lightly as well, a trace of undisguised surprise on her cool, jade-like face. "My spiritual insight has increased by twenty percent too. This tea's spiritual effect is actually this extraordinary."

Only Lingxiao raised his brows slightly. He merely felt his spiritual platform grow somewhat clearer, his comprehension having barely risen by ten percent.

It was not that the spiritual effect was insufficient, but that his foundation was a Ninth-Grade Flower Bloom Great Sun Golden Crow. His spiritual insight and comprehension had long since touched the upper limit of the Primordial World's heaven and earth. Even this innate spiritual tea could only add a little more clarity to his spiritual platform.

Unless it was the legendary Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree.

Only a Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Root like that could grant a greater boost to comprehension. Otherwise, for an ordinary spiritual item to increase his comprehension by ten percent was already exceedingly rare.

"In that case, this Dongting Biluochun can indeed be considered a remarkable treasure. When comprehending the Great Dao or deducing divine abilities in the future, we may use it to temporarily enhance our comprehension."

With a sweep of his divine sense, Lingxiao counted the spiritual leaves on the tree that could be brewed. Including those just consumed, there were a total of eighteen hundred leaves. That was hardly scarce, more than enough to support the daily use of the three husband and wives.

--Naturally, the entire tea tree bore far more leaves than that, but only a very small portion truly contained the Great Dao's spiritual effect.

Fortunately, Dongting Biluochun's harvesting cycle was not long. Every three hundred and sixty years, it could produce another eighteen hundred spiritual leaves, an unending supply with no fear of shortage.

"As for these Ginseng Fruits, we can consume more of them to stabilize our newly broken-through cultivation."

With a tap of his finger, Lingxiao divided the ninety-nine Ginseng Fruits gifted by Zhen Yuanzi into three portions, thirty-three for each of the three husband and wives.

The three then sat cross-legged, each taking one and swallowing it to nurture their Great Firmament Dao foundations, which had only recently broken through.

The hall fell silent for a time, with only the Dao rhythms of sun and moon flowing slowly, intertwining and merging.

While Lingxiao and his two wives entered seclusion to consolidate their foundations, Kunpeng and Eastern King Lord, who had originally traveled together, temporarily went their separate ways.

The former had already consolidated the rudiments of scripts for all races. He resolved to travel throughout the Primordial World, taking heaven and earth as his teachers, and from the natural Dao of mountains, rivers, vegetation, the turning sun and moon, and rushing star rivers, comprehend the fundamental connection between writing and the laws of heaven and earth, the order of the Heavenly Dao, thoroughly bringing the creation of writing into reality.

--Such an act of Dao Integration could not be accomplished overnight. It required a calm heart, extensive travel, and gradual refinement.

As for Eastern King Lord, his work of subduing rogue cultivator groups and reconciling disputes among the myriad races had also come to a temporary close.

On this day, he rode a Pure Yang auspicious cloud straight toward Kunlun Immortal Island in the Western Sea. This journey was precisely to visit Queen Mother of the West, who had taken form from Western Supreme Wondrous Essence.

Just as Lingxiao had previously advised, the task of unifying the immortals and establishing the order of the Immortal Ranks could not be sustained for long through his lone enthusiasm alone; one tree could not hold up an entire forest.

This Kunlun Immortal Island in the Western Sea was not Kunlun Immortal Mountain in the Primordial World's Eastern Land, but the Daoist sanctuary where Queen Mother of the West had taken form and entered the world.

Emerald mountain ranges overlapped across the island, while jade pavilions and jeweled halls lay hidden amid seas of clouds. Immortal mist curled through the air, and a thousand strands of auspicious radiance filled the heavens.

Dragon Moon City at the island's center was an even greater gathering place for female immortals of the Primordial World. Those coming and going all wore rainbow-hued immortal gowns. Some held Whisks as they swept courtyards and halls, while others sat beneath pines, comprehending the Dao and investigating mysteries. Their steps were light, untouched by mortal dust, presenting a scene of pure and transcendent serenity.

Whoosh!

Eastern King Lord descended from the clouds and stood before the mountain gate of the immortal island. Holding the Dragon-Headed Staff bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, he released a vast and mighty aura of Pure Yang wood essence. His voice, infused with Great Firmament mana, resounded across all of Kunlun Immortal Island, startling many female immortals within the city.

"Fellow Daoist Xihua, I, Donghua, have come to pay a visit. This journey concerns a matter entrusted by the Dao Ancestor. I hope Fellow Daoist can spare the time to meet me."

His voice was neither servile nor overbearing, upright and forthright. The Pure Yang Dao rhythm around him echoed from afar with the island's Pure Yin essence, with none of his former impatience or recklessness remaining.

Within Dragon Moon City's main hall, Queen Mother of the West sat upon a lotus dais. At his words, her willow brows lifted slightly.

This leader of the female immortals wore a simple white immortal gown of moonlight. Her dark hair cascaded like a waterfall, bound only by a Kunlun Primordial Jade Hairpin. Her beauty was peerless, cool and detached from worldly dust. Western Pure Yin Essence coiled around her body. Her pair of lustrous jade feet were bare, and with every step of her toes through empty space, innate lotus flowers quietly bloomed.

Ever since entering the world, she had devoted herself to secluded cultivation. After Eastern King Lord had encountered her by chance while traveling through the Primordial World, he had repeatedly come calling, pursuing her relentlessly and causing Queen Mother of the West considerable annoyance.

--After it happened too many times, whenever Eastern King Lord came, she would pretend she was absent from her Daoist sanctuary and avoid meeting him.

Yet this time, Eastern King Lord had invoked Dao Ancestor Hongjun, making it difficult for her to refuse again--

After all, the Pure Water Alms Bowl bestowed upon her when the Dao Ancestor personally appointed her leader of the female immortals still sat before her.

Having accepted the Dao Ancestor's title and spiritual treasure, and hearing Eastern King Lord's words, she had no reason to continue avoiding him.

"Alas."

After pondering for a moment, Queen Mother of the West sighed softly. Barefoot, with lotuses blooming beneath every step, she walked through the air and welcomed Eastern King Lord into Dragon Moon City's main hall.

After three rounds of tea, the hall was tranquil. Queen Mother of the West was the first to set down her teacup, her cool voice slowly sounding. "Fellow Daoist Donghua, what brings you here today? Speak plainly if you have something to say."

Eastern King Lord smiled at this and did not beat around the bush. "To be honest, Fellow Daoist, I came this time upon Brother Lingxiao's guidance, wishing to discuss with you the matter entrusted by the Dao Ancestor: governing the immortals and stabilizing the Primordial World."

"Oh?" At the mention of "Lingxiao" and "guidance," Queen Mother of the West's beautiful eyes stirred, and her interest was immediately piqued.

Who in the Primordial World did not know that Daoist Lingxiao of the Sun Star was second only to Dao Ancestor Hongjun of Violet Firmament Palace when it came to devising plans for Heavenly Dao Merit?

Back when he established the Twelve Time Markers and completed the Heavenly Dao's Temporal Order, he gained an ocean of Heavenly Dao Merit.

Not long ago, he had helped Nuwa establish the ethics of Heavenly Marriage, gaining Merit once more. Nuwa had even broken through her cultivation realm on the spot before the eyes of all immortals!

"Fellow Daoist Donghua means... Brother Lingxiao's guidance is related to the Dao Ancestor appointing you and me as the leaders of the male and female immortals?" Queen Mother of the West was clear-minded and sharp as ice and snow, instantly grasping the key point.

"Precisely."

Eastern King Lord nodded with a smile and immediately recounted, point by point, the Immortal Court's crux, the means of breaking the deadlock, and everything Lingxiao had revealed to him in Lingxiao Palace.

To accomplish the Dao Ancestor's entrusted task, both sides had to work together with one heart. Thus, Eastern King Lord concealed nothing, explaining everything that could be explained.

Queen Mother of the West listened quietly, and the more she heard, the brighter her eyes became. When Eastern King Lord finished speaking, her mind thundered as though clouds had parted to reveal the sun, as though enlightenment had been poured directly into her head.

She had previously devoted herself to living in seclusion, believing that the Primordial World's slaughter never ceased and that Calamity was approaching, so only closed-door cultivation could protect her. Yet she had forgotten that she had now accepted the Dao Ancestor's appointment, received a Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and occupied the position and heaven-and-earth fortune of leader of the female immortals. She should therefore shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.

Taking benefits without bearing responsibility was wrong to begin with. If it continued, she would inevitably face reckoning.

Moreover, establishing the Immortal Ranks, setting order, and ending slaughter was a supreme opportunity to accumulate Merit and advance upon the Dao path.

She had actually let one leaf blind her eyes and nearly missed it all for nothing!

"Brother Lingxiao truly possesses great wisdom." Queen Mother of the West sighed softly and looked up at Eastern King Lord, her gaze now carrying greater resolve. "Fellow Daoist is entirely correct. You and I have both accepted the Dao Ancestor's charge, so we should naturally bear this responsibility together. My previous seclusion was indeed the inferior course."

Seeing that he had persuaded Queen Mother of the West, Eastern King Lord's smile grew brighter. Brother Lingxiao's guidance truly struck like pearls of wisdom, every word piercing straight to the heart of the matter.

The two immediately saw eye to eye and settled their course of action.

From that point onward, Queen Mother of the West no longer cultivated behind closed doors. She led the female immortals under her command who possessed outstanding cultivation, joining forces with the Primordial Unity Golden Immortals, Golden Immortals, and other immortals under Eastern King Lord to purge the lurking remnants of the Demonic Cult and wicked demons causing trouble throughout the Primordial World. Together, they reconciled disputes between rogue cultivators and the various races, establishing rules for the immortal path.

--Though their cultivation was not among the very strongest in the Primordial World, both held spiritual treasures personally bestowed by the Dao Ancestor and represented the will of Violet Firmament Palace. Unless absolutely necessary, even the foremost Great Supernatural Beings would not rashly make enemies of them.

Ordinary heretical demons and rogue cultivators causing chaos were even less able to withstand the joint suppression of the leaders of the male and female immortals.

In merely several thousand years, the atmosphere among rogue cultivators throughout the Four Seas and Eight Desolations of the Primordial World had been cleansed, and the prestige of Eastern King Lord and Queen Mother of the West gradually became truly established among the Primordial World's rogue cultivators.

In the blink of an eye, ten thousand years had passed.

Bzzzz--

Within Lingxiao Palace on the Sun Star, three vast auras slowly withdrew and returned to calm.

Lingxiao, Xihe, and Changxi opened their eyes together, Dao rhythms of sun and moon flowing within their gaze.

Their newly attained Late-Stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal Realm cultivation had been completely stabilized, their Dao foundations solid as bedrock without the slightest trace of superficiality.

The three examined their remaining wedding gifts one by one. Though there were many innate spiritual fruits, rare treasures, and exotic valuables, none merited much attention. Only a precious staff sealed within a brocade box made Lingxiao's expression turn grave the instant his fingertips touched it.

This treasure was the life-preserving trump card that Ancestor Candle Dragon had privately gifted him during the wedding. Candle Dragon had specifically warned Lingxiao that day never to take it out before a crowd--

The reason a trump card was a trump card was that the fewer people who knew of it, the more unexpectedly effective it would be when used!