Chapter 001: Pangu Opens the Sky and Changes Fate
After Xuanwei returned to Yuhua Xian Mountain from Wanshou Mountain Wu Zong Guan, he carefully thought back to what he had gained this time. After all, he first listened to the Hunyuan Great Tao, and then discussed the Tao with eight other gods of the same level, so naturally he gained a lot of insight. Xuanwei couldn't help but ponder it carefully. After Xuanwei realized the three purities' mysterious door orthodox Qi cultivation method, the accurate introduction of the Sarira golden body heart cultivation method, Nüwa Fuxi's pre-heavenly yin-yang creation method and Zhenyuanzi's earth-bearing life machine method, he felt that the threshold of Hunyuan Great Tao was even more apparent.
But how difficult is the threshold to mix the great Tao? This threshold unknowingly trapped countless Da Luo Dao fruit full monks, and ruthlessly blocked the progress of countless Da Luo Dao fruit distant door monks! Xuan Wei Yan himself was quite tolerant, but wanting to find his own way, it's still quite difficult!
Xuanwei thought that this was the perfect opportunity to make some plans and accumulate more good fortune and karma, which would likely play a significant role in his future enlightenment. He also realized that there was still a considerable amount of time before the Witch-Yao calamity began, so he could set up some hidden agents. Additionally, he needed to further refine the magical artifacts in his possession. Having thought this through, Xuanwei summoned Tongzi and instructed him to guard the cave entrance, then rode off on the Five-Colored Divine Deer to wander the Desolate Expanse.
As Xuanwei wandered through the vast expanse of Honghuang, he discovered that there were signs of the birth of some demon tribes in the area. As for the origin of these demons, Xuanwei had not been very clear about it in his past life, but now he knew. In fact, the earliest demons were not called demons at all, but rather the "Honghuang Hundred Tribes". During the Dragon and Phoenix Calamity, three tribes emerged: the Scales, the Flying Creatures, and the Beasts. After their powers collapsed, some new-born post-heavenly spirits joined them to form the Honghuang Hundred Tribes. According to Xuanwei's calculations, the Honghuang Hundred Tribes were either absorbed by Taiyi Emperor Jun or exterminated, and after unification, they came to be known as demons. This was also why some exceptionally gifted post-heavenly spirits like the Nine-Tailed Fox and the Three-Headed Dragon were sometimes referred to as "divine beasts" or "sacred beasts", and at other times as "demonic beasts" or "ferocious beasts".
At this time, Xuanwei was planning to leave a backhand in the Honghuang Hundred Clans to deal with future calculations. As he wandered through the Honghuang, he collected heavenly treasures and observed the trend of the earth's veins. Suddenly, he saw three earth veins surging with spiritual energy, which then entwined and converged into a mountain valley, condensing countless spiritual energies that gushed out violently. The spiritual energies were suppressed by a crimson golden light, and Xuanwei felt a faint smell of copper emanating from the light, indicating that it was a copper-based treasure. Overjoyed, Xuanwei flashed five-colored lights and pressed down on the treasure, which resembled an ancient coin. Upon closer inspection, he found that the treasure had two wings on either side, flapping wildly. Xuanwei immediately understood that this was the legendary "Luo Bao Jin Qian" (Falling Treasure Golden Coin), owned by Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao of Wuyi Mountain in the Two Immortals Ridge. During the Great War of the Gods, they had obtained Zhao Gongming's 24 Dinghai Divine Pearls, thus gaining fame.
Xuanwei was astonished, he had originally gone out to search for treasure during the Dragon and Phoenix Tribulation, and had specifically looked for these famous treasures of later generations, but ultimately returned without success, not finding a single pre-heavenly treasure. Now that he had come out to set up an ambush, he had unexpectedly obtained one, it was indeed a case of "having a mind to plant flowers, but the flowers don't bloom, and unintentionally planting willows, which grow into shade".
Xuanwei was about to leave with the fallen treasure, when he suddenly felt a faint spiritual light flash by. In the midst of his meditation, he seemed to sense that there was still something connected to him in this place. He closed his eyes and began to think deeply, then carefully observed his surroundings. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the location was not quite right - the object that had originally suppressed the spiritual vein had been taken away. This cave should have either collapsed or produced a chaotic spiritual energy, with the earth's veins shifting out of place. However, at this moment, the three earth veins not only showed no signs of displacement but were also continuously supplying spiritual energy to one location, which was clearly not right.
Xuanwei walked towards the place where the spiritual veins converged, and unexpectedly found a small jade bell in a small spiritual cave. The jade bell was delicate and exquisite, with 3,000 five-colored threads of light surrounding its body. On the surface of the bell, there were countless mysterious five-element divine patterns, which suppressed the five-colored cloud smoke transformed from the spiritual energy. Large and small five-colored light wheels also appeared and disappeared in the misty threads of light.
"What is this?" Xuan Wei was slightly distracted, but felt that this object had a great connection with himself. He immediately began to calculate and saw that in an instant, his ten fingers were like butterflies fluttering through flowers, with spiritual lights flashing and the rhythm of the Tao lingering, tracing the connection between himself and the jade bell in front of him.
The result was that Xuanwei was speechless for a moment, and it turned out that the birth of this jade bell still had a considerable connection with Xuanwei. In the original mythological process, the primordial five-elemental essence, except for part of it merging into the heaven and earth, the remaining part did not transform into the primordial spiritual treasure, but was stained by the phoenix, giving birth to the future Mahavira Vairocana Buddha, also known as Kong Xuan Dao Ren who would fight against Zhuangzhi on Jinji Peak.
However, this was the original process. In this world, 60% of the most pure primordial five-element essence that had not merged into the universe was taken away by the Taiji diagram, and the remaining 40% was also blown out when the Taiji diagram left. One quarter of it merged with a indestructible primordial spirit light during the collision and fell to this place, transforming into the primordial spiritual treasure in front of Xuanyi - the Five Elements Cloud Bell.
The Five Elements Cloud Bell was originally supposed to be able to transform into a piece of the same grade as the Wanli Mountains and Rivers Map, one of the Thirty-Six Supreme Heavenly Spirit Seals, a top-grade Pre-Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. However, unfortunately, at that time, when it merged with the Pre-Heavenly Five Elements Essence, there was a strand of spiritual consciousness within the indestructible Pre-Heavenly Light. As a result, over billions of years, the Five Elements Cloud Bell has been cultivating to the level of spiritual intelligence in this place. If its spiritual intelligence is fully developed in the future, it will likely become one of the rare Pre-Heavenly Spiritual Treasures that have taken shape as a Pre-Heavenly Divine Being between heaven and earth.
Unfortunately, it's all because of the Five Elements Cloud Bell that its fate is sealed. Due to its weak and small spiritual intelligence, the day when the Five Elements Cloud Bell can fully take shape seems far away. Xuan Wei looked at the Five Elements Cloud Bell, unsure whether it was good or bad luck for it to be discovered by a congenital divine spirit like himself. After all, under many constraints, he wouldn't do anything to harm it and might even lend a hand. If it were discovered by some postnatal spirits with cultivation, even if they didn't erase its spiritual intelligence, things wouldn't go well for the Five Elements Cloud Bell. It's as if this congenital spirit treasure would never be able to take shape without the help of a great divine being. Xuan Wei suddenly thought of something and quickly turned his head to look at the Five Elements Cloud Bell in front of him, his eyes beginning to change color.
The five-element bell began to sway gently, as if it had sensed Xuanwei's gaze. It started to sprinkle down ring after ring of colorful light, stirring up wave after wave of colorful clouds and mist. With a slight wave of his hand, a beam of colorful spiritual light carrying a hint of his own vital energy descended onto the five-element bell. As that hint of vital energy dissipated, Xuanwei's face turned slightly pale.
"Greetings, teacher. Thank you for your enlightening kindness." Along with a tender voice, the Five Elements Cloud Chime in front of Xuán Wēi began to swing up and down, its body slightly illusory. Through the crystal clear chime's illusory wall, a small, delicate child was seen sitting properly on a five-colored cloud, bowing slightly towards Xuán Wēi.
Xuanwei's pale face couldn't help but curve into a slight smile. In the realm of supernatural beings, if one party helps another to transform or enlighten them, then they can indeed be considered that person's teacher, but it would only be a simple title. Clearly, this was not what Xuanwei wanted. With a wave of his hand, a five-colored spiritual light flashed and he pulled the Five Elements Cloud Bell in front of him, saying: "You and I have a deep affinity, are you willing to acknowledge me as your master?"
What Xuanwei wanted was this - the reputation of a master-disciple, not to mention that after the Five Elements and Clouds Clock transformed into shape, it was one of the few pre-heavenly spiritual instruments that could be refined. The high-quality pre-heavenly Lingbao transformed into shape, which was not unexpected. One grade of Dao fruit was inevitable, even if you didn't say these things, the Five Elements and Clouds Clock were also the most suitable for inheriting Xuanwei's Dao tradition. Therefore, it is impossible for Xuanwei to be indifferent here, and having multiple disciples in the future will also have many benefits.
The jade bell in the middle of the child suddenly became, with a smile like a flower, overjoyed and nodding repeatedly. Xuanwei saw this and didn't say much, but put it into his sleeve, smoothing out the local earth vein energy to prevent losing two spiritual treasures that suppressed the aftermath of the earth's energy shift, which could even lead to the destruction of the immortal mountain. If such a thing really happened, the countless causal forces generated would immediately cut off Xuanwei's accumulated good fortune and karma over the years, with many aftereffects. Therefore, at this time, Xuanwei also had to take preventive measures, and only after confirming that everything was safe did he sit back on the five-colored divine deer and leave the place.
Ps1: The most orthodox school of artifact refinement is the one that originated from the enlightenment of Fa Bao Ling Bao, who obtained the opportunity to cultivate and refine artifacts. Fa Bao is oneself, and oneself is Fa Bao. As one's cultivation level improves, the quality of Fa Bao will also be enhanced to a certain extent. Later, human cultivators created another school of artifact refinement based on this principle, which involves refining an artifact into a destined object, thereby becoming inseparable from it, with their fates tied together in success or failure. As one's cultivation level improves, the artifact will also upgrade, and conversely, the upgrading of the artifact will also lead to an improvement in one's cultivation level. In theory, when an artifact refiner reaches the level of a saint, the power of their destined object is comparable to that of an ordinary pre-heavenly treasure.
Ps2: Regarding the title of "teacher", I think it's quite strange. Many people like to call others "teacher" while the other party is hesitant to accept the title, so I set it up in a way that's similar to not having a named disciple. The path forward depends on yourself, although there may be some connection, but it's not deep. In the future, when both parties have achieved similar cultivation levels, the other party can call you "teacher" out of respect, but you cannot demand that they do so.
