As Chen Xuan knelt before Tongtian, Dao Ancestor Hongjun in the Purple Cloud Palace nearly stumbled.
Then a smile appeared on his face. "What a clever child. Since you understand gratitude, you shall henceforth become the Profound School's Third Generation Head Disciple."
"Tai Shang, Yuanshi, from this day onward, you two shall join Tongtian in teaching Chen Xuan. When you next attend my lecture, you may bring him with you to the Purple Cloud Palace."
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice faded away, and the Three Pure Ones once again bowed in the direction of the Purple Cloud Palace.
Only then did Tongtian raise Chen Xuan with trembling hands. "You child, how could you give up the chance to take our master as your teacher? Our master is the only Saint in heaven and earth!"
Chen Xuan brushed the dust from his knees and said to Tongtian with a smile, "Is a Saint really that impressive? Can he cut apart heavenly lightning like Master did?"
Chen Xuan's feigned foolishness left the Three Pure Ones helpless. Goddess Nvwa could only cover her mouth and chuckle, thinking that this little fellow was rather interesting.
Why had Chen Xuan chosen to enter Tongtian's sect, which bore such immense Karma? After all, during the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, fewer than one in ten of Tongtian's disciples survived.
If he had wanted stability, he naturally should have become Dao Ancestor Hongjun's disciple. Even if he could not attain sainthood, no one would have dared to bully him.
Yet Chen Xuan had ultimately still chosen Tongtian as his master, and it was not merely because Tongtian had saved him at the critical moment.
More importantly, Tongtian was Chen Xuan's idol. Perhaps this child had been poisoned by later-era primordial fantasy novels, but in any case, Chen Xuan chose Tongtian.
Tongtian wore a helpless expression, then smugly looked toward Taishang Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun, as though saying that they could not steal his disciple this time.
Yuanshi Tianzun glared fiercely at Tongtian. "Master just said that we are to teach Chen Xuan together. Therefore, Chen Xuan is nominally our disciple as well."
Laozi nodded directly. "Second Brother is right. Therefore, for the first three hundred years, this poor Daoist should be the one to teach him Tai Shang Alchemy."
Yuanshi Tianzun refused to be outdone and immediately said, "For the next three hundred years, this poor Daoist will teach Chen Xuan, lest he be led astray by Third Brother."
Tongtian was utterly speechless. Chen Xuan was clearly his disciple, yet his two senior brothers were competing to teach him. How was he supposed to maintain his dignity as a master?
By then, Chen Xuan had already come before Goddess Nvwa, completely ignoring the Three Pure Ones' argument.
Instead, he looked at Goddess Nvwa. "Thank you, Big Sister, for saving me just now."
Goddess Nvwa was stunned by Chen Xuan's words and immediately shot him a fierce glare.
"I am your master's junior sister. By rights, you should call me Martial Aunt.
"But considering that you and I share some affinity, I shall acknowledge you as my little brother."
Everything was a mess, a complete mess. Goddess Nvwa had actually accepted Chen Xuan as her younger brother, leaving the Three Pure Ones with black lines all over their faces.
After bidding farewell to Goddess Nvwa and the great deity Fuxi, Chen Xuan followed the Three Pure Ones back to Kunlun Mountain.
Kunlun Mountain was not yet as magnificent as it would be in later generations. Only three thatched cottages stood atop its peak.
Chen Xuan could not help shaking his head repeatedly. "Master, two Martial Uncles, could this be your Dao Field? Isn't it a little too shabby?"
Seeing Chen Xuan's disdainful expression, black lines once again covered the Three Pure Ones' faces.
Ever since they had taken form, they had regarded themselves as the Authentic Pangu Sect. When had they ever been looked down upon like this?
Laozi immediately waved his hand. The thatched cottages vanished in an instant, replaced by a majestic and solemn palace. Above it were the three words: Taiqing Palace.
Yuanshi Tianzun did not lag behind either. With a wave of his hand, the thatched cottage transformed into Yuqing Palace. Master Tongtian did the same, transforming his cottage into Shangqing Palace.
Then the Three Pure Ones looked proudly at Chen Xuan. Tongtian directly asked, "How about it now? Is it grand enough?"
Chen Xuan looked at the three palaces before him and nodded. "The Authentic Pangu Sect should have this sort of grandeur.
"Otherwise, would it not disgrace Master and my two Martial Uncles? After all, Master and my two Martial Uncles will all attain sainthood in the future."
Chen Xuan had finally said something the Three Pure Ones wanted to hear, and smiles appeared on each of their faces.
Taishang Laozi was even more straightforward. Without paying attention to Yuanshi Tianzun or Tongtian, he directly pulled Chen Xuan toward his Taiqing Palace.
As the gates of Taiqing Palace closed, Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian helplessly shook their heads, then each returned to his own palace to contemplate the Great Dao.
Chen Xuan followed Taishang Laozi into Taiqing Palace and saw an enormous Eight Trigrams Furnace standing in the center.
Samadhi True Fire burned endlessly within the Eight Trigrams Furnace, while waves of medicinal fragrance drifted out from it.
"This is the Eight Trigrams Furnace, the furnace this poor Daoist uses to refine Nine Revolutions Golden Pills. From today onward, this poor Daoist shall teach you Tai Shang Alchemy. You must remember it well."
After saying this, Taishang Laozi sat cross-legged upon a Prayer Mat, preparing to explain Tai Shang Alchemy to Chen Xuan.
However, Laozi had not expected Chen Xuan to flip his hand over, producing a glittering Nine Revolutions Golden Pill in his palm.
"Grand Uncle Master, is this the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill you intend to refine?" Chen Xuan asked Taishang Laozi while holding the pill.
Taishang Laozi nodded, not finding it strange that Chen Xuan possessed a Nine Revolutions Golden Pill. After all, Tongtian had given him an entire gourd full of them.
"Grand Uncle Master, if this is the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill, then this disciple need not study Tai Shang Alchemy. There is a great tree in this disciple's sea of consciousness, and the fruit upon it is all these glittering Nine Revolutions Golden Pills."
After Chen Xuan spoke, a thought from him caused the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill Tree in his sea of consciousness to appear directly before Laozi.
Taishang Laozi looked closely and found that it was indeed covered in Nine Revolutions Golden Pills. There were even several hundred of them.
There were also countless tiny golden pills still in bud. They would presumably mature before long and become Nine Revolutions Golden Pills.
Suppressing the shock in his heart, Taishang Laozi plucked a Nine Revolutions Golden Pill. He sent his divine sense into it to inspect it and discovered that its quality was actually higher than that of his own Nine Revolutions Golden Pills.
What shocked Taishang Laozi even more was that, where he had just plucked the pill, a flower bud instantly appeared, and a new Nine Revolutions Golden Pill began to grow.
This meant that Chen Xuan possessed an inexhaustible supply of Nine Revolutions Golden Pills. Why would he need to learn any Tai Shang Alchemy?
A blow—an absolutely naked blow. How was Taishang Laozi, who had devoted himself to the art of alchemy, supposed to bear this?
The Tai Shang Alchemy he took such pride in was utterly worthless before Chen Xuan. For a moment, Taishang Laozi truly found it difficult to accept.
At the same time, this feeling stirred Taishang Laozi's mind, causing him to subconsciously half-close his eyes and enter a state of enlightenment.
Taishang Laozi had actually sensed the foundation of his own aura and was about to become a Quasi-Saint powerhouse.
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