Not long after the two reached an agreement, Jieyin and Xuantian arrived at the battlefield. Jieyin asked, "Where are Maitreya and the other disciples?"
Zhunti replied, "They could not help in a battle between quasi-saints, so I had them return to Mount Sumeru first."
Jieyin nodded. "That is for the best. I suppose no one would attack them." With that, he turned to Minghe. "Fellow Daoist Minghe, now that both my junior brother and I are here, will you not retreat?"
Minghe laughed loudly. "I may not be weaker than you. Take a sword strike from me!" As he spoke, Minghe raised the Abi Sword and slashed. A streak of bloody light shot straight at Jieyin.
Jieyin laughed. "The Dao of slaughter is but a minor path." A flash of golden light appeared beneath his feet and blocked the bloody radiance. It was the Twelve-grade Golden Merit Lotus.
Minghe said, "We both possess twelve-grade lotus platforms. You cannot harm me either. Forget it, I am leaving." With that, he sped toward Mount Sumeru. Why? Because a sentence had flashed through his primordial spirit: "If you seek the path to a breakthrough, ask the Golden Crow at Mount Kunlun."
After Minghe departed, Xuan Qing approached Zhunti with a smile and threw a punch—only for it to be blocked by a flash of golden light. Xuan Qing's face instantly turned livid. "Fellow Daoist Jieyin, what is the meaning of this?"
Jieyin gave an awkward smile. "Please do not blame me, Fellow Daoist. Mount Sumeru is lacking in resources and magical treasures, so our treasures are shared. I only promised not to stop you myself; I never promised not to lend magical treasures to Junior Brother Zhunti."
Xuan Qing flew into a rage and cursed, "I have never seen such a shameless man! If you strike first, I will strike back. Do you believe I will slaughter Mount Sumeru later?"
Jieyin laughed loudly. "Haha, Fellow Daoist, do not joke around. I could tell from our exchange just now that you carry no killing intent. That means you are a cultivator of pure tranquility, one who does not kill in ordinary times."
Xuan Qing said, "Fine. Do not regret this. I am not someone to be trifled with." With that, he left.
Meanwhile, at Mount Kunlun, Lao Zi said to Bo Huang in Taiqing Palace, "Perform that divine ability and fist art you comprehended at Nuwa Palace once more. I will offer you some guidance."
Bo Huang nodded and bowed in thanks. Then he pointed at Xuan Du and asked, "Granduncle Master, who is he? His origins seem rather ordinary."
Lao Zi stroked his beard. "This child is named Xuan Du. He is the personal disciple I have newly accepted. From now on, you must call him Senior Brother."
Bo Huang nodded upon hearing this, then ran over to Xuan Du and felt him over for a moment. "Oh, I remember now. Senior Brother Xuandu, I molded you with my own hands back then."
Xuan Du looked embarrassed and bowed. "Greetings, Saint Master."
Bo Huang nodded. "No need for such formality. Greetings, Senior Brother."
Lao Zi nodded. "All right, stop being so formal with each other. First, listen as I preach the Dao: 'The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name...'" After an eruption of heavenly flowers and golden lotuses springing from the earth, Lao Zi said, "I have already explained the Dao of yin and yang once. Bo Huang, perform that fist art for me again."
Bo Huang nodded and took up his stance. Opening move, Single Whip, Grasp the Sparrow's Tail, left yang and right yin, arms folded before his chest. His movements appeared smooth and flowing, yet Lao Zi was quite dissatisfied. Before long, he pointed out several mistakes. "Go back and cultivate properly. You possess an extreme-yang body, so this divine ability of balancing yin and yang requires much more practice. Also, you may consider comprehending the power of yin and yang through dual cultivation..."
Bo Huang thought, Damn, why did I never know in my previous life that the Taiqing Saint was like this...
Elsewhere, Minghe had already arrived at Mount Kunlun and was waiting for Bo Huang in Jin Ling's Daoist Palace. When Bo Huang returned to Jin Ling's Daoist Palace and saw Minghe, he said, "Patriarch Minghe? What brings you here?"
Minghe said, "I just fought Zhunti. A voice flashed through my mind, saying that you could help me achieve a breakthrough. Is that true?"
Bo Huang scratched his head. "I do have a way, but if I help you, what benefit will there be for me?"
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