Old Friends Reunited

Longevity Mountain stood in the shattered western lands, conspicuous as a bright moon in the black of night.

During the Dao-Demon War, Devil Ancestor Luo Hu had detonated Mount Sumeru's grand formation. The overwhelming devilish might had nearly torn the spiritual veins of the entire west to pieces.

As far as the eye could see, the spiritual essence of mountains and rivers across hundreds of millions of miles had dried up. Only one divine mountain still stood tall!

Its ridges stretched like a dragon's spine, its earth energy thick as the tides. Myriad rays of rosy light flowed from the mountain itself, forming a stark and brutal contrast with the surrounding desolation.

It had preserved itself through this catastrophe of earth veins only because the mountain's master, the great immortal Zhen Yuanzi, held the Innate treasure, the "Earth Book."

The Earth Book had transformed from the fetal membrane of the earth and governed the mountains, rivers, and earth veins of the Primordial World.

It was precisely through this treasure's supreme might that Zhen Yuanzi had protected this patch of pure land upon Longevity Mountain.

After years of arduous travel, crossing countless barren mountains and dried-up rivers, Yuan Ming finally caught sight of the immortal mountain wreathed in Wu Earth Essence.

Behold: luxuriant forests concealed auspicious beasts, while cloudlike mists and rosy haze hid immortal cranes.

At the mountain's summit stood a quiet, ancient Daoist temple. Upon its gate plaque were three grand characters brimming with Daoist charm—"Five Villages Temple."

On either side of the temple gate hung a couplet, its brushwork vigorous and powerful:

A mansion of immortals who live forever and never age

A household of Daoists whose lives match heaven's span

Just as Yuan Ming paused to admire the sight, the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd in his arms suddenly trembled softly.

A phantom-like figure, nearly transparent, slowly drifted out from the gourd's mouth.

It was Redcloud Ancestor's wisp of remnant soul. After a long period of nurturing, though it remained fragile, it could now manifest its former appearance.

He gazed at that familiar temple gate, his eyes revealing the dazed trepidation of one nearing home.

Almost at the very instant Red Cloud's remnant soul appeared—

With a creak, the gates of Five Villages Temple opened by themselves despite the absence of wind.

A Daoist wearing a violet-gold crown and a crane-feather robe was already standing at the entrance.

He was the master of this place, Zhen Yuanzi, the Lord Equal to the World.

Zhen Yuanzi had originally been meditating quietly within the temple when his heart suddenly churned violently. A familiar aura engraved into his soul had abruptly appeared, prompting him to teleport there in an instant.

His gaze first fell upon Yuan Ming, filled with scrutiny and doubt.

But in the next moment, when his eyes touched that phantom remnant soul, his entire body stiffened as though struck by lightning.

In those eyes, usually as calm as an ancient well, disbelief and shock came first, followed by overwhelming grief. At last, it all turned into the utmost tenderness, as though he dared not disturb it.

Red Cloud's remnant soul saw his old friend as well.

A complex expression, half weeping and half smiling, appeared on his blurry face.

"Zhen... Brother Zhen Yuanzi..." The remnant soul's voice was as faint as a thread, carrying endless vicissitudes and choked sobs.

Zhen Yuanzi's lips trembled. He took a step forward and stretched out a shaking hand, seeming to wish to touch him, yet fearing that this wisp of remnant soul would disperse like a bubble or mirage.

"Red Cloud... worthy brother..." Zhen Yuanzi's voice was hoarse, filled with grief and longing that ten thousand years could never dilute.

"You... how did you..."

He wanted to ask how Red Cloud had become like this, to ask where he had been for all these millions of years, but a thousand words lodged in his chest. In the end, they became only a deep, trembling call.

There was no heartrending sobbing, no impassioned speech.

The two old friends, who had accompanied and known one another since the Primordial World first opened, merely looked at each other in silence.

A gentle breeze passed, carrying the rustling of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, as though it too whispered for this reunion that had crossed life and death and endured immeasurable tribulations.

Red Cloud's remnant soul struggled to gather his form, his voice carrying relief and guilt. "Brother... I have made you worry..."

Zhen Yuanzi took a deep breath. A glimmer of moisture flashed through his eyes before being replaced by incomparable resolve.

Facing Red Cloud's remnant soul, and Yuan Ming as well, he solemnly bowed deeply.

"Thank you, young friend, for escorting my worthy brother's remnant soul home. Zhen Yuanzi shall never forget this kindness for all eternity!"

Yuan Ming returned the salute solemnly.

He knew that at this moment, no further words were needed.

All the waiting, all the searching, all the regrets found comfort in that silent exchange of gazes.

A wisp of an old friend's soul returned; before Longevity Mountain, tears nearly fell.

With a sweep of Zhen Yuanzi's sleeve, the ancient, weighty temple gates opened soundlessly, revealing the tranquil and elegant scenery within.

He turned sideways and made a gesture of invitation, smiling at Yuan Ming. "Young friend, please come inside so we may talk."

He then instructed the two attendants, Qingfeng and Mingyue, who stood nearby, "You two, go to the rear garden and use the Golden Striker to harvest six Ginseng Fruits."

"We obey Master's decree." The two boys bowed to accept the order, then rode clouds toward the rear courtyard.

Zhen Yuanzi led Yuan Ming into a quiet chamber and seated him. Stroking his beard, he said, "My Ginseng Fruit, also known as the Grass-Returning Elixir, is one of the ten great Innate spiritual roots that existed before heaven and earth were opened. It flowers once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and requires another three thousand years to ripen. Only after a short ten thousand years may it be eaten."

"Smelling it grants three hundred and sixty years of life; eating one grants forty-seven thousand years. The Innate Yimu Essence within can also strengthen one's foundation and nourish one's origin, bringing immense benefit to cultivation. It may perhaps help shorten some of your years of cultivation, young friend."

He paused, as though only just remembering, then asked warmly, "I have yet to ask for your name, young friend."

Yuan Ming saluted respectfully and replied, "This junior is Yuan Ming, one of the three thousand Primordial Humans created by Nuwa before she attained the Dao and entered the Sage Realm."

Upon hearing this, understanding and reminiscence flashed through Zhen Yuanzi's eyes. He nodded. "So you are one of the Human Race created by a Sage. No wonder you possess such clear and ethereal Daoist charm. Speaking of which, this poor Daoist once listened to the Dao alongside Nuwa at Violet Firmament Palace. We can be said to share some connection."

Yuan Ming's heart stirred, and he took the opportunity to ask, "Senior's Dao is profound; this junior greatly admires you. I wonder how Senior Red Cloud is doing now..."

Zhen Yuanzi's expression darkened, and he sighed softly. "Fortunately, fellow Daoist sent this wisp of remnant soul here in time that day. This poor Daoist has nurtured it day and night with the Earth Book and the origin essence of the Ginseng Fruit Tree. His soul has now stabilized, and there is no longer any danger of it dispersing."

Then his tone shifted, carrying deep helplessness. "However, his true spirit was damaged too severely, and less than one part in ten of his memories remains. To reshape a physical body and restore his former glory would be harder than scaling the heavens—almost hopeless."

His words were filled with grief over his old friend's plight.

As they spoke, Qingfeng and Mingyue entered, carrying six Ginseng Fruits on an elixir tray.

The fruits truly resembled children less than three days old, complete with limbs and facial features, and they gave off a strange fragrance intoxicating to the mind and spirit.

Yuan Ming gave his thanks and took one.

The fruit flesh melted the instant it entered his mouth. Immediately, an indescribably vast torrent of heat surged into all four limbs and every bone in his body like a river bursting through a breached dam.

This was not pure magical power, but an even purer vitality of Innate wood spirit energy, close to the origin itself.

Gentle yet immense, this force instantly filled his meridians.

A flash of insight came to Yuan Ming. He knew this was an opportunity that came once in a thousand years.

He immediately gathered his mind and no longer suppressed the circulation of the Formless Scripture.

Boom—!

Within his perception, the Physical Bitter Sea in his lower dantian, which had long since been opened into a boundless expanse, was fiercely stirred by this external force, raising monstrous waves.

The Life Spring at the center of the Sea of Suffering erupted with life essence at an unprecedented intensity.

Originally, the first layer of the Formless Scripture had reached a bottleneck. The "Divine Bridge" connecting his physical body and soul had always remained unstable and indistinct.

Now, driven by the Ginseng Fruit's vast Innate vitality, the resonance between the Sea of Suffering and the Life Spring reached its peak.

This is the moment!

Yuan Ming shouted inwardly. He guided the force with all his might, no longer attempting to strike at that illusory Divine Bridge. Instead, combining it with the foundation of the Formless Scripture for opening Fleshly Secret Realms, he made a bold attempt!

Above the Sea of Suffering and beside the Life Spring, he forcibly opened an initial Fleshly Grotto-Heaven!

Under his guidance, the vast energy no longer scattered. Instead, it condensed to an extreme degree, forcibly opening within that boundless Sea of Suffering a tiny yet genuine embryonic space.

Though this Grotto-Heaven was small, it seemed like an independent origin point. It began devouring and refining the remaining medicinal power of the Ginseng Fruit on its own, even faintly forming a mysterious connection with heaven and earth, independently drawing in and exhaling thin traces of Innate spiritual energy.

At the instant the Grotto-Heaven opened, Yuan Ming's aura suddenly surged. Though his realm remained unchanged, his inner foundation and potential underwent a qualitative leap!

Inside the quiet chamber, the strange fragrance filled the air. A hazy clear radiance flowed around Yuan Ming's body, as though a newly opened world lay within him.

Zhen Yuanzi saw it all clearly from the side, and a look of astonishment could not help appearing in his eyes.