"Senior Sister Jin Ling, why do you think Eldest Senior Brother pretended to be a Heavenly Immortal? What was his purpose in doing so?"
As she put a piece of sugar-tossed tomato into her mouth, Golden Spirit Mother asked Mother Wu Dang.
"I'm afraid Eldest Senior Brother himself is the only one who knows. In any case, I would never believe that he is merely a Heavenly Immortal.
What Heavenly Immortal could casually take out things that were each comparable to an Innate Spiritual Root?
Not to mention anything else, even these unassuming little dishes contain Innate Spiritual Energy beyond anything we could imagine."
As she spoke, Golden Spirit Mother did not forget to stuff food into her mouth.
"That's right. And it contains Innate Spiritual Energy, not ordinary spiritual energy of heaven and earth. After the Great Lich Tribulation, Innate Spiritual Energy has become exceedingly scarce."
Thus, Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang ate while discussing their mysterious Eldest Senior Brother.
Suddenly, Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang both sensed something. They promptly set down their chopsticks.
The two of them then sat cross-legged in meditation inside the cave dwelling. That meditation lasted a full hundred years.
On this day, the three flowers of essence, qi, and spirit appeared above Golden Spirit Mother's head, while the qi of the five elements coursed back and forth through her body.
It was the phenomenon of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and Five Qi Revolving to the Origin. Golden Spirit Mother had actually broken through across realms, becoming the Jie Sect's second Great Luo Golden Immortal.
Before the Great Lich Tribulation, a Great Luo Golden Immortal would have been nothing remarkable, for the Witch and Demon Races had been far too powerful then.
Not to mention Great Luo Golden Immortals—even quasi-sages had been plentiful.
The saying, "Great Luos were as common as dogs, and quasi-sages walked everywhere," referred precisely to the era before the Great Lich Tribulation.
During the Great Lich Tribulation, Gonggong rammed his head into Mount Buzhou, leaving the Primordial World devastated beyond recognition.
Never mind Innate Spiritual Energy; even the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was no longer what it had once been.
Cultivating into a Great Luo Golden Immortal had become a realm countless cultivators yearned for in their dreams.
Therefore, the aura Golden Spirit Mother released upon attaining the Great Luo Dao naturally shocked all the disciples on Golden Turtle Island.
Duobao Daoren opened his eyes at once, his heart filled with a tangled mix of emotions.
"What is going on? Why have people been attaining the Great Luo Dao one after another? Could it be that my aptitude has already reached its limit at the Peak Stage Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm?"
Just as Duobao Daoren was doubting himself, another powerful pressure arose.
It was Mother Wu Dang. Following closely after Golden Spirit Mother, she too attained the Grand Luo Dao Fruit and became the Jie Sect's third Great Luo Golden Immortal.
This left Duobao Daoren even more unable to believe it. His expression looked as though both his parents had died.
Unfortunately, he still had to go offer his congratulations, or his fellow disciples would surely say he lacked grace.
With a flash, he vanished directly from his cave dwelling.
At the same time, the Ten Heavenly Lords of Golden Turtle Island, Han Zhi Xian, Fairy Cai Yun, and many other Jie Sect disciples—
as well as Zhao Gongming and the Three Xiao Maidens, who had happened to be visiting Golden Turtle Island—had all arrived outside Golden Spirit Mother's cave dwelling.
Seeing Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang attain the Grand Luo Dao Fruit in succession, everyone hurried forward to offer greetings and congratulations.
Bi Xiao directly said, "I thought Senior Brother Duo Bao had attained the Great Luo Dao. I never expected it to be Senior Sisters Jin Ling and Wu Dang instead."
Bi Xiao's words happened to be heard clearly by Duobao Daoren as he entered Golden Spirit Mother's cave dwelling.
This made Duobao Daoren feel thoroughly humiliated, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
But it was already too late to leave, because the Jie Sect disciples had made way for him.
After all, Duobao Daoren's status and position within the Jie Sect were extremely important.
The Jie Sect disciples all looked to Duobao Daoren for guidance, and subconsciously, they had already regarded him as their Eldest Senior Brother.
Thus, Duobao Daoren could only force himself to approach Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang.
"Congratulations, Junior Sisters, on attaining the Great Luo Golden Immortal Dao Fruit. It seems this senior brother must work even harder as well."
Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang hurriedly rose to their feet and cupped their hands in salute to Duobao Daoren.
"Senior Brother Duo Bao flatters us. Our attainment of the Great Luo Dao was purely accidental. We believe that Senior Brother Duo Bao will soon surpass us despite starting later."
Though it was merely a polite remark, to Duobao Daoren's ears, it was like several steel blades carving into his flesh.
He could only nod with a forced smile. "Rest assured, this senior brother will absolutely not let you leave me behind."
At this moment, Bi Xiao jumped out again and said to Duobao Daoren.
"Senior Brother Duo Bao, in a thousand years, the once-in-ten-thousand-years Three Sects Dao Debate Assembly will begin. By then, Senior Brother Duo Bao will surely break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm."
Bi Xiao failed to notice that Yun Xiao was already looking at her with a trace of reproach.
Duobao Daoren could only nod with a forced smile, then prepared to find an excuse to leave.
Just then, Holy Mother Gui Ling unexpectedly appeared before the Jie Sect disciples, pulling along the rarely seen Hong Ze.
Although Hong Ze was not well-liked by the Jie Sect disciples, he was still the Eldest Senior Brother of the Jie Sect personally appointed by Master Tongtian.
Thus, no matter how unwilling they were, they had no choice but to salute Hong Ze and pay respects to this Eldest Senior Brother whom they did not truly accept.
Duobao Daoren was naturally no exception. He too properly cupped his hands and bowed to Hong Ze.
At the same time, he said, "Duobao pays respects to Eldest Senior Brother. What brings Eldest Senior Brother to the front mountain today?"
Before Hong Ze could speak, Holy Mother Gui Ling spoke first.
"I dragged Eldest Senior Brother here so that all of you fellow disciples could seize an opportunity, lest you fail to break through before the Three Sects Dao Debate Assembly."
Holy Mother Gui Ling's words left the Jie Sect disciples utterly confused.
They could not understand where this opportunity lay. Could it have something to do with this Eldest Senior Brother who possessed the cultivation of a Heavenly Immortal?
Others naturally could not imagine it and were unwilling to believe it, but Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang understood it better than anyone.
They immediately came before Hong Ze, respectfully saluted him, and ushered him to the seat of honor.
"For Eldest Senior Brother to personally come offer congratulations truly overwhelms Jin Ling and Wu Dang. Why not take this opportunity to offer guidance regarding the cultivation of our fellow disciples?"
Hong Ze helplessly waved his hand. "To this senior brother, whether Great Luo Golden Immortals or Taiyi Golden Immortals, both are realms beyond my reach.
So I hope that none of you fellow disciples will mock this senior brother. Otherwise, I truly will have no face left to leave the back mountain and meet you all.
As for guiding your cultivation, this senior brother has the desire but lacks the ability."
The moment Hong Ze said this, the Jie Sect disciples could not help but curl their lips. This Eldest Senior Brother at least knows his own limits. He knows exactly how capable he is.
At the same time, Chang Er Ding Guang Xian stepped forward directly and looked at Hong Ze with disdain.
"As the Eldest Senior Brother, your cultivation is inferior even to that of an outer sect disciple. If it were me, I would have surrendered the position of Eldest Senior Brother long ago."
Chang Er Ding Guang Xian failed to notice that, as he spoke, Golden Spirit Mother and Mother Wu Dang were already looking at him as though he were an idiot.
Before you continue