Over ten thousand li away, Tongtian and Redcloud Ancestor reappeared. Tongtian released a breath as she felt the consumption of her qi. To teleport herself while carrying Redcloud Ancestor increased the qi needed ten times over.
"Daoist Redcloud, how are...you?" Tongtian turned around to ask and stopped.
Redcloud Ancestor was floating in the air with his eyes closed. His aura, which almost dropped to the same level as a Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament, suddenly stabilized and even showed signs of returning to its peak—no, not returning but surpassing.
Redcloud Ancestor snapped his eyes open and shouted.
"Sever!"
"SEVER!!"
"SEVER!!!"
Redcloud Ancestor's words echoed over ten thousand li as his aura shot up. It increased from ten thousand li to over sixty thousand li. Simultaneously, a figure emerged out of his body, it bore the exact same features as Redcloud Ancestor, except there was without a trace of emotion on his face.
"Wuqing greets the main body," Wuqing, Redcloud Ancestor's Obsession Corpse, said as he saluted.
"That's good and all, but quickly store him right now," Tongtian said, face palming. "It's good and all that you severed a Corpse and improved your cultivation, but you just attracted everyone, and we're going to have to run again."
Redcloud Ancestor smiled sheepishly as he quickly stored his Obsession Corpse. Once again, he and Tongtian disappeared before anyone could reach their previous location. When they reappeared, Tongtian turned toward Ancestor Redcloud. "Where do you plan on going? Do you want to come to Kunlun Mountain?"
Redcloud Ancestor shook his head. "Daoist Tongtian has already saved my life, it's more than enough. I don't want to impose on you any more than this."
"If you are sure," Tongtian said as she disappeared. She still had to visit another acquaintance she met at the same time as Redcloud Ancestor.
As Tongtian disappeared, Redcloud Ancestor sighed. He felt as if the mist blocking his view had been lifted, and he could see a clear path to sainthood. Even the Grandmist Violet Qi felt more intimate.
The only problem was that he risked falling into the Early Quasi-Saint Realm again. He had to recondense his Evil Corpse as soon as possible.
Redcloud Ancestor drifted to the clouds and turned into white clouds. His abode, the Firesource Grotto, was no longer safe. He couldn't defend against the throngs of people looking for the Grandmist Violet Qi with it.
This also left out Longevity Mountain. He didn't want to burden Tongtian and the remaining Three Purities on Kunlun Mountain, much less his bosom friend. Even if the Ginseng Fruit Tree could hasten his recovery, Redcloud Ancestor did not want to put Zhen Yuanzi in danger.
Out of everyone, the one with the greatest opportunity to kill him and take his Grandmist Violet Qi was Zhen Yuanzi, yet he never had.
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Tongtian smiled brightly as she greeted Qiankun Ancestor. It was a smile that terrified the former chaos fiendgod to no end. She didn't bother with useless pleasantries, promptly attacking with her sword finger.
Qiankun Ancestor quickly brought out the Qiankun Ruler and slashed forward, clashing against Tongtian's finger. The Qiankun Ruler couldn't break through the sword light shrouding Tongtian’s finger and his whole arm was flung backwards, numb from the force.
As Tongtian's forefinger flashed towards him, Qiankun Ancestor felt his body chill as the fear of death overtook his mind. He used all his abilities to dodge or block approaching death. However, the Law of Qiankun evaded him; he couldn’t teleport or even form a barrier as his control over the space around him slipped from his grasp.
The Law of Space was superior to the Law of Qiankun, not to mention Tongtian’s mastery of the Law of Space was greater than Qiankun Ancestor’s mastery of the Law of Qiankun. She locked the space, preventing from escaping.
"Wai–" Qiankun Ancestor never had a chance to finish as Tongtian's finger pierced his head. The light in his eyes faded with the destruction of his soul.
Tongtian took the Qiankun Ruler and whatever other treasures Qiankun Ancestor had stored on him. She watched in dull silence as his body fell to the ground like a meteorite and created a crater. Tongtian expected a grand chase between her and Qiankun Ancestor, but it ended rather anticlimactically. With a sigh, her figure disappeared into space.
When she neared Kunlun Mountain, she saw a massive crowd outside. With so many people, it only naturally made sense that conflict would start, creating an uproar. In such a situation, the empty gaps of space around a few people made them stand out more.
Tongtian's return went unnoticed. Over ninety percent of them were under the Golden Immortal Realm, and she was a peak Quasi-Saint. Even a Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament couldn't detect her flying into Kunlun Mountain, much less them.
When she entered Three Purity Hall, she saw her two brothers already present and waiting. She sat down on her designated prayer mat and greeted them.
"I'm surprised that Eldest Brother isn't in Grand Purity Hall cultivating or concocting pills," Tongtian said.
"How can I miss seeing the first inheritors of the Jade Purity lineage?" Laozi said. Tongtian nodded in agreement.
She closed her eyes and waited. There were only a few years left until the end of the three thousand year time limit, and during this time, neither of her brothers questioned her disappearance.
When she opened her eyes again, the time limit was up, and it was time for Yuanshi to accept some disciples. Yuanshi waved his hands and opened a hole in the array guarding Kunlun Mountain.
Starting from Three Purity Palace, jade steps formed one by one and descended onto the base of the mountain where Yuanshi opened the hole.
"All those who can traverse all three thousand steps within the time limit have the qualifications to become my disciple."
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Hearing this, Tongtian couldn't help but tease him. "Qualifications, huh? Not fate?"
"To climb my Jade Enlightenment Steps, they must possess talent, luck, and perseverance, but just because they qualify, why do I have to accept them as disciples?" Yuanshi asked.
Tongtian nodded. Yuanshi was an exalted Saint of Heaven. As long as he asked, ninety-nine point nine percent of all life would kneel and accept becoming his disciple.
"Are you interested in accepting a disciple?" Yuanshi asked. "As long as Third Sister asks, I can give anyone who passes my test to you."
Tongtian's eyes turned towards the Jade Enlightenment Steps, her eyes piercing through the illusion and mysticism surrounding it. The only one she had an interest in was the immortal wearing gold robes. His true form was that of a yellow dragon, but that was more because she wanted him as a mount, not a disciple.
"Forget it," Tongtian said. "I already have a disciple. I'll give him some more time to grow before accepting more. Won't it be embarrassing if his junior brother surpasses him too much in strength?"
Yuanshi snorted but said nothing. His eyes returned to the cultivators attempting to pass his test. While he was testing them, he was also evaluating their characters.
As the time limit neared, thirteen cultivators successfully passed Yuanshi's Jade Enlightenment Steps. They were:
Guang Chengzi from Peachsource Grotto of Jiuxian Mountain.
Chi Jingzi from Cloudsky Grotto of Taihua Mountain.
Daoist Huanglong from Magu Grotto of Erxian Mountain.
Ju Liusun from Cloudsoar Grotto of Jialong Mountain.
Daoist Taiyi from Goldlight Grotto of Qianyuan Mountain.
Mystic Master Lingbao from Yangsource Grotto of Kongtong Mountain.
Broadart Venerable Manjushri from Skymist Grotto of Wulong Mountain.
Daoist Samantabhadra from Whitecrane Grotto of Jiugong Mountain.
Daoist Cihang from Luojia Grotto of Peach Mountain.
Daoist Yuding from Goldawn Grotto of Jadespring Mountain.
Venerable Daoheart of Jaderoof Grotto of Jinting Mountain.
Virtuous Monarch Qingxu from Violetyang Grotto of Qingfeng Mountain.
And the thirteenth was Daoist Randeng, the god who had loitered around Kunlun Mountain ever since the Three Purities entered the Quasi-Saint Realm. Due to the fall of Violet Manor and the shortage of three thousand guests, he had gotten the chance to listen to the Dao Ancestor's third sermon, but because of his low realm, he could not gain much from it.
Yuanshi didn't stare at Daoist Randeng. No, he stared at the seventh person who passed his test, Mystic Master Lingbao. Mystic Master Lingbao sweated under Yuanshi's gaze, wondering if he had done something wrong.
"Change it," Yuanshi suddenly said.
"Huh?" Mystic Master Lingbao said.
"Your name is displeasing, change it immediately," Yuanshi repeated.
Mystic Master Lingbao wanted to ask how it was displeasing. He had been using it since he had transformed, but facing Yuanshi's increasingly threatening look, he surrendered. "Y-y-yes, I'll be called... called Baoling from now on!"
Yuanshi paused and considered it for a moment before nodding. "You can be one of my personal disciples."
Although he had been forced to change his name for unknown reasons, excitement coursed through Mystic Master Baoling after Yuanshi accepted him as a disciple.
Off at the side, the edge of Tongtian's lips twitched. She couldn't help but think that the innocent Mystic Master Baoling had been forced to change his name because of her. In fact, it was exactly as she thought.
After accepting Mystic Master Baoling as his disciple, Yuanshi went ahead and accepted the rest of the first twelve people who passed his test as direct disciples. The twelve would later become the famed Twelve Golden Immortals.
When Yuanshi looked at Daoist Randeng, he hesitated. "Daoist Randeng is a fellow guest of Violetheaven Palace. Why must a Golden Immortal of the Great Firmament like you demean yourself to become my disciple?"
Daoist Randeng directly kneeled. "I wholeheartedly seek the Great Dao. For it, there is no demeaning act, only sincerity. I beg Heavenly Venerable to accept me as your disciple."
Yuanshi hesitated a moment but acquiesced in the end. He had seen Daoist Randeng's perseverance. Even before Yuanshi decided to accept disciples, he waited outside for eons, hoping for a chance.
"I cannot accept you as a true disciple. How about this? You can become the vice sect master of the sect I will establish in the future and will share my burden."
"I thank Heavenly Venerable for your grace," Daoist Randeng said.
After accepting the thirteen people in front of him, Yuanshi expelled all the other test takers out of Kunlun Mountain and sealed the barrier once more. Those expelled were disappointed and tried to re-enter and discovered that they couldn't no matter what they did.
"A'pei!" One demon suddenly spat on the ground. "Just because you've become a Saint, do you think you're all that special? Once I find a better master and gain enough strength, I'll make you regret this!"
Many cultivators near him quickly distanced themselves from the demon that cursed Yuanshi, but a few nodded in agreement. When the demon tried to curse again, he discovered that he couldn't move at all. Not just him but the others who nodded in agreement or showed similar sentiments also froze.
The onlookers watched in horror as the frozen people disintegrated until nothing was left, not even their clothes or treasures. Everyone else quickly retreated as far as possible as they stared at Kunlun Mountain in horror.
Because of Yuanshi's awe-inspiring display of power, almost everyone left, not wanting to draw his ire. A few persevering people stayed and waited, hoping for Yuanshi or any of the Three Purities to take them as disciples.
"Third Sister, are you interested in accepting a few disciples?" Yuanshi suddenly asked.
Stunned by the sudden question, Tongtian looked at Yuanshi, but she quickly rejected the question. Right now, she only wanted to focus on cultivating. Accepting a disciple could wait until after her Corpse became a Saint of Heaven. She only had one disciple, and she let him have free reign.
Yuanshi didn't force it and brought his new disciples to Jade Purity Hall. There, he taught all of them the Jade Purity Scripture cultivation method. After they learned it, he began to preach to them much as the Dao Ancestor did during the first sermon.
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Far away from Kunlun Mountain and everything that had transpired, Lingbao, Tongtian's Corpse, tunneled to the center of Buzhou Mountain.
After many years of effort, Lingbao finally reached the spiritual vein under Buzhou Mountain. He saw signs of how prosperous the vein had once been. Adding the clues and signs, he concluded that the spiritual vein should have at least been ten times greater. Lingbao searched the veins until he found where the essence had shifted to. The place with the most potent vein would be the new center of the Great Desolation and where he would plant the Allheaven Jianmu Tree.
Over another hundred thousand years of tunneling, Lingbao finally discovered the location of the most potent spiritual vein. To find it, he had descended even deeper under the land. Perhaps to prevent its decline, the new center of the Great Desolation was hidden deep underground.
Lingbao sat in a lotus position above the spiritual vein, waiting for a chance. He took out the Allheaven Jianmu Tree and nurtured it slowly with the vein’s essence so as to not harm it. In addition, he used the Karmic Merit he gained from becoming Wutian's master to nurture the connate spiritual root. Compared to the snail’s pace of progress with the essence of heaven and earth, merit had more effect.
Lingbao requested to use the Heaven Opening Merit to cultivate the Allheaven Jianmu Tree, but Tongtian vehemently denied his request, so he could only continue slowly nurturing it, hoping Wutian would earn more merits for him.