Less than a night after Zhunti's incarnation retreated in defeat,
Kong Xuan, the first peacock in heaven and earth, withdrew all his Five-Colored Divine Light and stood alone before the Ruined Temple in Guanjiangkou.
This time, he brought no soldiers.
Nor did he circulate his Origin.
His five-colored Daoist robe settled on the mossy stone steps, without so much as a wisp of divine light escaping.
When he had come here last night, he had still carried some of a Quasi-Saint Powerhouse's arrogance.
Returning today, only one thought remained in his heart.
To seek the Dao.
Beside the temple entrance, Xiaotian Dog lay by the threshold, his tail draped over the stone steps, sound asleep.
Kong Xuan paused.
He recalled how, when he had tested the temple entrance last night, that wisp of Five-Colored Divine Light had been gently flicked away.
So he stopped three steps away of his own accord and cupped his hands in greeting to Xiaotian Dog.
Xiaotian Dog opened one eye.
He glanced at Kong Xuan and recognized last night's five-colored aura.
No hostility.
He could be allowed through.
So he yawned, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
Kong Xuan felt not the slightest displeasure.
To guard the entrance of this Ruined Temple and hear the Dao Venerable's incense offerings day after day-the black dog's fortune already surpassed that of ninety-nine percent of the Primordial World's Immortals and Gods.
He straightened his Daoist robe and pushed open the half-closed temple door.
Creak.
The battered wooden door slowly opened.
The temple was as cool and quiet as ever.
A cyan lamp.
An incense burner.
A clay divine statue.
And Gu Changqing, seated beneath the divine statue.
Gu Changqing wore a cyan robe, his eyes half-lidded, as though he had long known Kong Xuan would come.
"You're