The Gourd Vine Matures

Three thousand years in Violet Firmament Palace had passed in no more than the flick of a finger.

"Dong—"

With a crisp peal of the bell, Hongjun stopped preaching the Dao.

"This sermon ends here. Return and contemplate it well. Violet Firmament Palace will reopen in thirty thousand years."

Hongjun's voice was ethereal and distant. Before his words had even faded, his figure had vanished from the purple meditation cushion.

The three thousand worldly guests within Violet Firmament Palace seemed to awaken from a dream, all wearing expressions of lingering dissatisfaction.

"The path of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal is actually so profound and mysterious!"

"Many thanks for the Dao Ancestor's benevolence!"

Everyone bowed three times toward the empty meditation cushion. Only then did they leave Violet Firmament Palace in twos and threes, returning to the Primordial Wilderness Continent.

Mount Buzhou, halfway up the mountain.

Three streams of clear qi descended from the heavens and transformed into three Daoists.

The elder at the forefront had white hair and beard, with a lean, refined face. He was Grand Pure One Laozi. The middle-aged Daoist on the left wore a stern expression, carrying an air of lofty pride. He was Yuqing Yuanshi. The young Daoist on the right had sword-like brows and bright eyes, his sharpness fully revealed. He was Shangqing Tongtian.

"Eldest Brother, is the opportunity you sensed here?" Tongtian looked around and asked.

Laozi nodded faintly, his deep gaze directed toward the depths of Mount Buzhou. "That is correct. While listening to the Dao in Violet Firmament Palace, a sudden impulse stirred in my heart. I sensed that an Innate Supreme Treasure fated for us Three Pure Ones was about to be born here."

As the Three Pure Ones spoke, two dazzling streaks of golden fire suddenly descended from the sky.

The flames dispersed, transforming into two imposing young men clad in imperial golden robes.

They were none other than Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi, who had taken form upon the Sun Star and had just finished listening to the Dao at Violet Firmament Palace.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists of the Three Pure Ones." Di Jun smiled and cupped his hands slightly toward them.

"So it is fellow Daoists Di Jun and Taiyi." Laozi nodded slightly in return.

Yuanshi, however, frowned, a trace of displeasure flashing through his eyes. "Why have you two fellow Daoists come to Mount Buzhou instead of enjoying your blessings on the Sun Star?"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi snorted. The Chaos Bell cradled in his arms gave a faint hum. "Mount Buzhou is a sacred mountain of the Primordial World. Does it belong solely to you Three Pure Ones? My brother and I are not allowed to come?"

"You..." Yuanshi's expression darkened as he prepared to flare up, but Laozi stopped him.

"Opportunities are decreed by heaven. Each relies on their own ability." Laozi spoke calmly.

Aside from the five of them, ripples spread through the void one after another. Nuwa, Fuxi, Red Cloud Patriarch, and others also appeared.

Clearly, they had all been drawn here by the Innate Spirit Treasure that was about to be born.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone's gazes turned in unspoken agreement toward the foot of Mount Buzhou.

"Hm?"

Di Jun looked at the region below, stretching for countless miles and shrouded by a vast Spirit-Gathering Formation. Surprise flashed through his eyes. "Since when have so many living beings gathered at the foot of Mount Buzhou? Their order is impeccable, and a great formation seems to protect them."

"Hmph, merely a rabble of furred beasts, horned creatures, damp-born things, and egg-layers gathered together." Yuanshi Tianzun swept them a disdainful glance before withdrawing his gaze.

Even Kunpeng, who had reached the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, did not merit his attention, much less these living beings below who had not even reached the Great Firmament Realm.

At that moment, seven-colored divine light suddenly erupted from before a sheer cliff halfway up Mount Buzhou!

"Rumble—"

A surge of innate creation qi shot into the sky. Accompanied by waves of exotic fragrance, it instantly filled all of Mount Buzhou.

"It has been born!"

Everyone was greatly invigorated. They transformed into streaks of light and sped toward the source of the seven-colored divine radiance.

Before the cliff, the innate grotto-heaven that Dijiang had concealed with the Space Maze Formation was exposed as the formation broke apart on its own due to the Spirit Treasure's maturation.

At the heart of the grotto-heaven, a gourd vine shimmering with seven-colored divine light grew quietly atop the Nine Heavens Resting Soil.

Seven gourds of differing colors hung from its vines, each radiating innate Dao resonance!

"The Primordial Gourd Vine!"

"A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Root!"

A brilliant gleam burst from Laozi's eyes. "These seven gourds are all embryos of Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures!"

"Hahaha! This supreme treasure is meant for my brother and me!" Eastern Emperor Taiyi laughed loudly and moved to pluck them.

"Hold it!"

Yuanshi Tianzun shouted coldly, producing the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi and blocking Taiyi's path. "My eldest brother was the first to sense this treasure. It should rightfully belong to us Three Pure Ones!"

"What a joke! Treasures belong to whoever sees them, and whoever snatches them gets them!" Taiyi refused to yield. The Chaos Bell rang with a heaven-shaking chime.

Nuwa and Fuxi, who had arrived afterward, watched from the side.

Just as both sides stood with swords drawn and bows bent, ready to erupt into battle.

"Hum—"

The space within the grotto-heaven suddenly twisted violently.

"This gourd vine was planted by me. Since when was it your turn to decide how it should be divided?"

A domineering voice exploded beside everyone's ears without warning.

Immediately afterward, twelve figures radiating the terrifying pressure of Primordial Golden Immortals stepped from the distorted space like descending Gods and Devils, directly blocking the way before the gourd vine.

"Who are you people?!"

The expressions of the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun, and the others changed drastically.

Though they had listened to the Great Dao for three thousand years in Violet Firmament Palace and their cultivation had advanced greatly, they were still only Late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals.

Yet the auras of these twelve people before them were all above their own.

"Fellow Daoist, that is not quite right."

Suppressing the shock in his heart, Laozi stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "This Primordial Gourd Vine is an ownerless object nurtured by heaven and earth. How could it possibly have been planted by mortal effort? Fellow Daoist, do not rely on your numbers and strength to twist words and force reason."

"Twist words and force reason?"

Dijiang sneered and pointed at the Nine Heavens Resting Soil beneath the gourd vine. "Are you blind? Can't you see the creation qi contained within the gourd vine's roots? I personally infused it back then. Without me, could this gourd vine have borne seven gourds?"

At those words, everyone focused their eyes and looked carefully. Sure enough, they discovered an exceedingly pure trace of creation qi winding through the gourd vine's roots, sharing the same origin as Dijiang's aura.

This left the Three Pure Ones, Di Jun, and the others somewhat embarrassed.

Not only had the other side discovered this treasure long ago, they had personally nurtured it for countless years. Now that the fruit was ripe, these people had come to pick peaches. It truly could not be justified.

But those were seven Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures!

Who could willingly give them up?

"Hmph! So what if you discovered it first?"

Yuanshi Tianzun snorted coldly and declared proudly, "Treasures belong to the virtuous. We are guests of Violet Firmament Palace, personally taught by the Dao Ancestor, and bear the great fortune of the Primordial World. Such supreme treasures are meant to belong to us!"

"Belong to the virtuous? Personally taught by the Dao Ancestor?"

Zhu Rong, who had remained silent until now, was so enraged by Yuanshi's lofty words that he laughed instead.

"What are you, to dare speak of virtue before us, the Pangu Orthodox Lineage?!"

Zhu Rong stepped forward. Southern Bright Flame erupted from his entire body, and the terrifying pressure of a Mid-Primordial Golden Immortal burst forth like an erupting volcano, crushing directly toward Yuanshi Tianzun.

"Today, your grandfather will let you know what it means for treasures to belong to the virtuous!"