Harvest

Deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains of the southern Primordial World.

This place lay shrouded in miasma year-round, with venomous insects and savage beasts running rampant. Ordinary cultivators simply did not dare set foot here.

Yet at this moment, above a hidden Venom Dragon Pool, two figures were locked in fierce combat.

"Hand over that Innate Venom Dragon Grass, and I shall spare your life!"

An elderly man draped in a black robe, his face sinister and gloomy, wielded a White Bone Banner that emanated foul black qi as he frantically attacked a female cultivator in azure robes opposite him.

This old man was none other than the notorious Myriad Poisons Ancestor of the Primordial World. His cultivation had reached the Peak Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, only one step away from severing a corpse.

Although the azure-robed female cultivator was also a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, she was clearly no match for Myriad Poisons Ancestor. She was driven back step by step, blood spilling from the corner of her lips.

"Dream on! I discovered this Venom Dragon Grass first. Why should I give it to you?" The azure-robed female cultivator gritted her teeth and struggled to hold on, her eyes filled with unwillingness.

"You refuse the wine only to drink the forfeit! Since you seek death, I shall grant your wish. Your Primordial Spirit will serve nicely to refine my White Bone Banner!"

The ferocity in Myriad Poisons Ancestor's eyes surged. He suddenly bit through the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto the White Bone Banner.

"Woooo—"

The White Bone Banner instantly swelled in the wind, expanding to a hundred zhang. Countless shrieking vengeful souls rushed out from the banner, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws as they pounced toward the azure-robed female cultivator.

Despair surfaced on the azure-robed female cultivator's face. She knew she could not withstand this strike.

At that very instant, when a hair's breadth could decide life or death.

"Bzzzt—"

The void above the Venom Dragon Pool suddenly rippled with strange waves.

Immediately afterward, a phantom River of Time descended without warning, instantly shrouding the sky full of vengeful souls and Myriad Poisons Ancestor.

"Time, freeze."

A calm voice carrying boundless majesty rang out.

In an instant, the clawing vengeful souls, Myriad Poisons Ancestor's savage expression, even the poisonous water churning within the Venom Dragon Pool—all of it froze completely at that very moment!

"Whoosh!"

Three figures stepped out of the void.

At their head stood Zhu Jiuyin. As his eyes opened and closed, the Time Law flowed through them, making him seem like a sovereign who ruled over the passage of ages.

At his side, Zhu Rong and Tian Wu stood to the left and right, watching the frozen Myriad Poisons Ancestor with mocking expressions.

"This old poisoner is truly ugly."

Zhu Rong curled his lip and flicked a finger. A wisp of Southern Bright Flame drifted lightly onto Myriad Poisons Ancestor's White Bone Banner.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—"

That fairly formidable high-grade acquired Spirit Treasure could not even last a single breath under the burning Southern Bright Flame before it turned into a pile of ashes.

"Ahh—!"

The time freeze lifted, and Myriad Poisons Ancestor let out a miserable shriek. With his life-bound treasure destroyed, he instantly suffered a severe backlash and vomited a huge mouthful of blood.

He stared in utter terror at the suddenly appearing trio of Zhu Jiuyin, sensing the unfathomable Primordial Origin Realm pressure emanating from them. He was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder nearly split apart.

"S-Seniors, spare my life! I do not want the Venom Dragon Grass anymore. I offer it to you, Seniors!"

Myriad Poisons Ancestor scrambled and rolled as he dropped to his knees, frantically kowtowing and begging for mercy.

"Scram."

Zhu Jiuyin did not even spare him a glance, merely spitting out one cold word.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, Seniors, for sparing my life!"

As if granted a great pardon, Myriad Poisons Ancestor transformed into a streak of black smoke and fled for his life without looking back.

The azure-robed female cultivator also recovered her senses at this moment. She hurried forward and gave Zhu Jiuyin's group a graceful bow. "Thank you, three Seniors, for saving my life. This Innate Venom Dragon Grass should rightfully be offered to you three Seniors."

As she spoke, she held up a spiritual herb radiating seven-colored toxic miasma in both hands and respectfully presented it to them.

"Though this Venom Dragon Grass is merely a mid-grade innate spiritual root, its poison is fierce. It is quite suitable for that fellow She Bishi."

Tian Wu stepped forward, accepted the Venom Dragon Grass, and casually put it away.

"Enough. You may leave." Zhu Jiuyin waved a hand at the azure-robed female cultivator.

"Thank you, Senior." The azure-robed female cultivator bowed in thanks once more, then turned into a streak of light and departed.

"Second Brother, your Time Foresight is far too useful!"

Zhu Rong looked at Zhu Jiuyin with a face full of envy. "All along our journey, wherever treasures emerge or people fight, you can calculate it in advance. Your nose is sharper than a dog's!"

"The Time Law naturally encompasses the past, present, and future."

Zhu Jiuyin smiled faintly. "However, with my current cultivation, I can only briefly foresee events about to occur within a million li. If it involves mighty experts with profound cultivation, or places where heavenly secrets are obscured, I cannot see clearly."

"That is more than enough!"

Tian Wu rubbed his hands excitedly. "Come on, come on, Second Brother. Quickly calculate where the next treasure is!"

Zhu Jiuyin closed his eyes, and the phantom River of Time flowed once more within their depths.

After a moment, he abruptly opened his eyes and looked toward an extremely distant point in the south.

"Billions of li south of here, an innate great formation is about to break. Within it... there seems to be a Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure!"

"A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure?!"

Both Zhu Rong and Tian Wu's eyes lit up.

"Go!"

The three transformed into streaks of light and vanished from the spot in an instant.

Meanwhile, on the Central Continent of the Primordial World.

Gonggong, Jumang, and Ru Shou stood atop the ruins of an immortal mountain that had been leveled to the ground.

At their feet lay more than a dozen Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal corpses, their blood dyeing the earth red.

"Truly unable to withstand a single blow."

Ru Shou snorted coldly and casually flung the blood from his Geng Metal Sword.

"These fellows were willing to fight until they threw away their lives over a high-grade Innate Spirit Treasure."

Jumang shook his head and stored away a green vine emanating dense wood-origin essence.

"Why worry about them? As long as we got the treasure, that is all that matters."

Gonggong grinned. "Come, let us go to the next place. I just sensed fluctuations from the birth of a water-element Spirit Treasure to the east."

Northern Continent.

Qiang Liang, Xi Zi, and She Bishi wreaked havoc in a Thunder Marsh like three thunder gods.

"Rumble!"

Violent Purple Firmament Divine Thunder and nets of lightning intertwined, blasting a group of rogue cultivators attempting to seize Innate Thunder Fluid until they were charred on the outside and tender within.

"Hahaha! That was satisfying!"

Qiang Liang laughed loudly and scooped up an entire pool of Innate Thunder Fluid, pot and all.

The Twelve Ancestral Witches swept across the Primordial World like a plague of locusts, frantically plundering every region.

The Innate Spirit Treasures, spiritual roots, and divine metals hidden within famous mountains and great rivers—all those that caught their eye, without a single exception, fell into their pockets.

Most rogue cultivators and mighty experts who tried to compete with them were frightened away by their terrifying strength. The small number who followed unorthodox paths and were confident in their own methods, believing they could snatch things from Dijiang and the others, all became nourishment for the land of the Primordial Wilderness.

For a time, the Twelve Ancestral Witches' fame soared. They gained names such as killing gods and executioners, even earning a reputation for brutality. Yet no one dared step forward to launch a campaign of punishment against them.

After all, they were twelve Primordial Golden Immortals!

Talking was one thing. Actually taking action? No one dared.

Mount Buzhou, Pangu Hall.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Ripples spread through space in succession as the four groups returned to the hall one after another.

"Hahaha! Big Brother, we truly filled our bowls to overflowing this time!"

The moment Zhu Rong landed, he impatiently poured out all the treasures his group had plundered.

Clatter—

All manner of Spirit Treasures and spiritual roots radiating innate Dao resonance piled into a small mountain, bathing the entire hall in dazzling colors.

Gonggong, Qiang Liang, and the others were unwilling to be outdone, each pouring out their own spoils as well.

For a time, treasure light shot skyward within Pangu Hall, making it even more dazzling than the treasure vaults of the Dragon-Phoenix Clans.

"Not bad."

Dijiang looked at the mountain of treasures and nodded in satisfaction.

"With these resources, the foundation of our Mount Buzhou lineage will surely surpass all others in the Primordial World."

"By my reckoning, among those mighty experts listening to the Dao in Violet Firmament Palace, some should soon succeed in severing their corpses and break through to the Quasi-Saint realm."