"An innate spiritual treasure?"
Mu Chen rolled his eyes in disdain.
They were seriously underestimating his prowess as the Primordial World's king of lying low.
Offending Taishang of the Three Pure Ones and entangling himself in karma with him for an innate spiritual treasure?
Only someone with a hole in their head would do that!
After all, Taishang Laojun had only ever taken Xuandu as a disciple.
And he had spent so long specifically observing and testing him.
Clearly, he thought extremely highly of him.
For Mu Chen to stick his foot in now would be unjustifiable, whether by sentiment or reason.
Who knew whether Taishang Laojun might make life difficult for him during the Investiture of the Gods Great Tribulation?
Where would he go to plead his case then?
As for the Great Way of the Golden Elixir, he had prepared it for the Human Race in the first place, so he felt even less regret over it.
With that thought, Mu Chen said calmly,
"The Human Race being temporarily held in check by the Demon Race is predestined. Heaven's will cannot be defied. There is nothing I can do either."
Hearing this,
Xuandu could hardly conceal his disappointment.
A faint smile touched Mu Chen's lips as he continued,
"But... I have a cultivation method for the Great Way of the Golden Elixir here. Those among the Human Race with the requisite affinity can use the golden elixir method to comprehend the Heavenly Dao and thereby attain the path of immortality."
"However, this Great Way of the Golden Elixir is somewhat incomplete. I will give you this method. Accept it, but do not open it. Focus on cultivating in peace from now on."
"In the future, an eminent master will take you as his disciple. Give this method to him then for him to examine and revise, and it can be spread throughout the mortal world."
With that, he gave Xuandu the cultivation method for the Great Way of the Golden Elixir.
Along with his delighted surprise, Xuandu felt somewhat puzzled.
An eminent master would take him as a disciple in the future?
But seeing that Mu Chen had clearly decided not to say anything more, he did not ask further.
Mu Chen gently waved his hand.
"Oh, right. I also have some spiritual pills, wondrous medicines, and decent weapons here. Take them and scatter them across the mortal world."
Spiritual pills and weapons piled as high as a small hill flew before Xuandu.
Mu Chen had fished all of these out of the pool.
Their quality was ordinary.
Now that Mu Chen possessed the strength of a Daluo Golden Immortal, they naturally failed to catch his eye.
But in the mortal world, they would absolutely qualify as divine artifacts.
Xuandu was stunned.
Then, his face filled with excitement, he said,
"Thank you, Senior Mu God, for performing such a great meritorious deed for the mortal world. On behalf of the Human Race, this junior kowtows in gratitude!"
With that, he knelt on the ground and respectfully knocked his head against it three times.
Mu Chen gave two dry coughs, his face flushing slightly.
To him, these things were merely trash.
It had taken no more than a casual gesture.
"Ahem, I am human too. Naturally, I should make some contribution to the Human Race."
"All right, you may leave. Remember not to spread word of my deeds, because I am... rather low-key!"
"As you command!"
Xuandu accepted these treasures and left.
Mu Chen watched him leave.
He silently nodded.
He could count this as another good deed he had done for the Human Race.
A moment later, Mu Chen suddenly froze.
Wait.
After I finished my seclusion, why hadn't the system given me the option to keep fishing?
What the fuck?
Did it think I was lying too low and decide not to give me any more rewards?
"No chance. Even without rewards, I'm not going out!"
With a sweep of his hand, Mu Chen committed himself to seclusion to the bitter end!
After leaving, Xuandu returned to the mortal world and cultivated in peace.
A hundred years later.
Laozi emerged from seclusion and successfully took him as his disciple.
In a palace somewhere in Heaven Beyond Heaven.
Laozi sat high upon a cloud dais, ethereal and unworldly.
Among the Three Pure Ones, Laozi could be considered someone truly without desires or wants.
Looking at the fine, dignified Xuandu,
he said with satisfaction,
"From this day onward, you are my eldest disciple. Do you have any wishes?"
With the Human Race always on his mind, Xuandu had long awaited this moment.
So he handed over the cultivation method for the Great Way of the Golden Elixir without hesitation.
At the same time, he recounted what had happened above the sea of clouds all those years ago.
"Immortal Mu God?"
Taishang Laojun ^_^ frowned slightly.
He calculated with a pinch of his fingers.
Sure enough, it was that man.
As a young fellow Daoist whom even Dao Ancestor Hongjun praised endlessly, he had naturally always remained in Taishang Laojun's thoughts.
But upon hearing that the Great Way of the Golden Elixir could give the Human Race a complete cultivation system for pursuing the Great Dao,
Laozi frowned slightly.
Giving the Human Race a path of cultivation was not difficult.
But enabling everyone in the mortal world to cultivate was exceedingly complicated.
In fact, this was also a question he needed to consider and ponder now.
After all, the Human Race was about to rise, and his task was to safeguard its path.
Laozi thought for a moment, then instructed,
"Xuandu, recite it for me."
Xuandu murmured an acknowledgment.
He gently closed his eyes.
Countless profound mysteries began to surface in his mind.
He declared in a clear voice,
"The Heavenly Dao states: the Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things..."
Rumble.
The instant the decree was spoken,
even Heaven Beyond Heaven began to rumble and quake.
Five-colored rays of rosy light faintly appeared.
Laozi was stunned.
Shock appeared on his previously calm, unworldly face.
"This... this is..."