Just then, a clap of thunder rang out in the sky, and the mist in the valley was instantly shaken away.
Before the cliff in the valley stood a gourd vine, radiating waves of vigorous life force.
Before Chen Xuan could react, Tongtian pulled him along with the others to the foot of the cliff.
Taishang Laozi flashed over and arrived beneath the gourd vine.
"This Purple-Gold Red Gourd looks exactly like the gourd I use to store pills. This Purple-Gold Red Gourd shall belong to me."
Without waiting to see whether anyone agreed, he reached out and plucked the Purple-Gold Red Gourd.
After Taishang Laozi took the first gourd, Yuanshi Tianzun prepared to make the next move.
But before Yuanshi Tianzun could act, a Daoist in red robes rushed forward first. It was none other than Red Cloud Ancestor.
Red Cloud Ancestor arrived before the gourd vine, plucked the Purple-Red Gourd without hesitation, then turned into a streak of red light and vanished into the mountain hollow.
Yuanshi Tianzun's face darkened. After letting out a cold snort, he said, "Fellow Daoists, who intends to take the next Innate Gourd?"
Yuanshi Tianzun had only meant to be polite, but Eastern Emperor Taiyi actually stepped forward.
He walked up and plucked the Purple-White Gourd, then cupped his fists toward the Three Pure Ones and Goddess Nvwa before turning into a streak of red light and leaving Mount Buzhou.
This only made Yuanshi Tianzun even angrier, and he also took note of the Demon Race.
Chen Xuan could not help but wonder, Was this why Second Uncle-Master held such deep prejudice against all demons beneath heaven?
Fortunately, Goddess Nvwa stepped forward at that moment. "Please allow the two senior brothers to choose first. Whatever remains in the end will be mine."
Tongtian smiled and shook his head. "Second Senior Brother and Junior Sister Nüwa should choose first. Just leave any two for my master and disciple."
Though Tongtian seemed unwilling to contend with others, he was actually telling everyone that one of the gourds on the vine belonged to his disciple.
Yuanshi Tianzun paid no attention to this and simply strode beneath the gourd vine.
After examining it, he said, "This Purple-Green Gourd can nurture magical treasures. It happens to align perfectly with my Yuqing Artifact Dao."
Yuanshi Tianzun plucked the Purple-Green Gourd, and Goddess Nvwa then took the Purple-Cyan Gourd.
Only a Purple-Yellow Gourd and a Purple-Black Gourd remained on the vine.
Tongtian smiled at Chen Xuan. "Which of these two do you want? Don't say your master is bullying you. I'll let you choose first."
Chen Xuan smiled and shook his head at Tongtian. "Master, you should choose first. You can even take both. This disciple only wants the gourd vine."
With that, Chen Xuan truly made his move.
He walked beneath the cliff and directly uprooted the gourd vine.
A large clump of soil still clung to its roots, leaving behind a sizable pit where it had stood.
Holding up the gourd vine with the two gourds still hanging from it, Chen Xuan walked over to Tongtian with a smile.
"Master, these two gourds are yours. This disciple will take the vine back and plant it. Perhaps it might bear seven more gourds in the future."
Tongtian helplessly shook his head at Chen Xuan. "Even if it bears more gourds, they will be acquired treasures. How could they compare to these innate ones?"
After saying that, he plucked the Purple-Yellow Gourd and shoved everything else at Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan did not stand on ceremony. Smiling, he stored them in his sea of consciousness.
He then planted the gourd vine beneath the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill Tree. In an instant, the vine wrapped itself around the tree and burst forth with vigorous life force.
At the same time, Tongtian muttered an incantation and pointed at the Purple-Yellow Gourd in his hand.
The Purple-Yellow Gourd immediately transformed into a young boy, who knelt before Tongtian and obediently bowed.
"From now on, you will be called Water-Fire Disciple. Stay by my side and serve as my attendant."
Water-Fire Disciple naturally kept bowing in thanks to Tongtian. Then, at Tongtian's introduction, he paid his respects to Taishang Laozi and the other elders, as well as Eldest Senior Brother Chen Xuan.
No one expected Tongtian to transform an Innate Spiritual Treasure into an attendant. It was nothing short of a waste of heavenly treasure.
Chen Xuan, however, did not take the matter to heart. Compared to the Duobao Pagoda, an Innate Gourd truly was not worth mentioning.
Moreover, Chen Xuan's attention was entirely on Goddess Nvwa. No one knew what he said to her, but he had her laughing sweetly without end.
Yuanshi Tianzun could not help saying to Tongtian, "Third Junior Brother, when you have time, you should discipline this disciple of yours properly. If this continues, what will become of him?"
Tongtian looked at Yuanshi Tianzun with disdain. "Didn't Second Senior Brother say that he would be responsible for teaching him for these three hundred years, so that he would not be led astray by me?"
Just as Tongtian and Yuanshi Tianzun were about to start clashing again, a Plate-Horned Ox came walking over from the distance. A round little fatty sat atop its back.
From far away, the little fatty spotted Tongtian. He flipped down from the Plate-Horned Ox in one motion.
In just a few steps, he ran before Tongtian and dropped to his knees with a thud. "This disciple, Duo Bao, pays respects to Master."
Seeing Daoist Duobao before him, Tongtian could not help pinching his fingers in calculation. He immediately understood who this little fatty was.
With a wave of his hand, he helped him up and said, "I never expected you to take form so quickly. From now on, follow me as my disciple."
Seeing Tongtian casually accept another disciple, Yuanshi Tianzun was immediately displeased.
"Third Junior Brother, is it really this simple for the Three Pure Ones to accept disciples? You did not even test his character before taking him into your sect?"
Seeing Yuanshi Tianzun's dark expression, Chen Xuan reckoned that if Tongtian traded another barb with him, they would start fighting again.
So Chen Xuan could no longer bother cozying up to Goddess Nvwa and hurriedly walked before Yuanshi Tianzun.
"Second Uncle-Master, Daoist Duobao was personally enlightened by Master a thousand years ago. He encountered some danger while taking form, and this disciple happened to come across him..."
Chen Xuan then recounted in detail to the Three Pure Ones everything that had happened over the past two hundred years.
A trace of bitterness appeared on Goddess Nvwa's face. Before the Three Pure Ones could speak, she pulled Chen Xuan over to her side.
She then said to the Three Pure Ones, "Three senior brothers, this junior sister wishes to bring Chen Xuan back to my residence and instruct him for a hundred years. Do you have any objections?"
Seeing that the Three Pure Ones did not object, Goddess Nvwa bade them farewell and took Chen Xuan back to her own Daoist sanctuary.
Chen Xuan did not even have the right to refuse. He could only turn back and shout to Taishang Laozi, "Grand Uncle Master, this Plate-Horned Ox is a mount this disciple found for you.
"The Diamond Cutter is still tied to the Plate-Horned Ox's nose. Grand Uncle Master, please keep it for this disciple first. When this disciple returns to Kunlun Mountain, I will ask Grand Uncle Master for it."
At last, Chen Xuan's voice completely faded away, leaving behind only the smiling Three Pure Ones and a bewildered Daoist Duobao.
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