Chapter 001: Pangu Opens the Sky and Changes Fate

  Xuanwei, after the demise of the Wuyao's soul in the Super Devouring Witch War, successfully beheaded the benevolent corpse Qingxuandao Ren. At this time, he was stepping on the White Jade Lotus Platform, leisurely flying in the air, heading towards the center of Hongyuan, Mount Buzhou. He sensed that his destined object had been born on Mount Buzhou, but since it was still early, Xuanwei deliberately slowed down his speed and collected some materials along the way.

  Although it took a long time, the harvest along the way was also considerable. Whatever rare flowers and herbs, immortal medicine or poisonous weeds, or mineral spirits that could catch his eye, he would put them in his sleeve. It's unknown whether it's because of saving souls from purgatory, accumulating a lot of moral character and fortune, but unexpectedly, Xuanwei even gained a pre-heavenly spiritual root and a post-heavenly spiritual root.

  This post-heavenly spiritual root is the first post-heavenly tea tree after the opening of heaven, named Wan Shi Tong Gen Tea. This tea tree has the effect of eliminating heart fire, calming the mind, condensing magical power, washing and cleansing the bones, and increasing longevity year by year. For the mysterious and subtle, it is also a top-grade pastime product.

  The congenital spiritual root is called the congenital four-image banana tree, which was obtained by Xuán Wēi when he approached Mount Buzhou. This banana tree has only four leaves, as big as a calabash, each with a different surname: metal, wood, water, and fire. The four leaves each have one of these attributes, collecting the power of the four images of Taiji. At this time, the four leaves on the banana tree separately nurtured the powers of Taiyin, Taiyang, Shaoyin, and Shaoyang. Among them, Taiyin is water, Taiyang is fire, Shaoyang is wood, and Shaoyin is metal.

  As Xuanwei knew, the Taiyang leaf and Shaoyin leaf transformed palm fans should have been obtained by Taishang Laojun. However, since Taishang Laojun had too many magical treasures, the Taiyang leaf transformed palm fan was only used for fanning fire to refine elixirs. The Shaoyin leaf transformed large palm fan contained infinite Tai Bai Jingjin and could transform into an infinite number of Geng Jin Li blades, making it a top-notch demon-slaying artifact. Later, it was bestowed upon Han Zhongli, one of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Caverns, for self-defense.

  The two banana fans transformed from the leaves of Taiyin and Shaoyang eventually fell into the hands of Rakshasa, also known as Princess Iron Fan during the Journey to the West. When Sun Wukong passed by Flame Mountain to borrow the fan, Princess Iron Fan hated him for bullying her children, so she lent him the Shaoyang leaf instead. Although the power of Shaoyang leaf was much weaker, it contained the wood element of the Five Elements and the wind and thunder of the Eight Trigrams. When Sun Wukong used the Shaoyang leaf at Flame Mountain, the wood fueled the fire, and the wind increased its momentum, almost burning him to death.

  Later, Sun Wukong made another bet with Princess Iron Fan. Sun Wukong stood still and allowed Princess Iron Fan to fan him three times, but unexpectedly, he was blown away by the gentle breeze of the palm leaf for a distance of 54,000 miles. If it weren't for Sun Wukong's mastery of the Eight-Nine Mystical Arts, which made his body indestructible like diamond, he would have been crushed to powder by the hurricane created by the palm leaf. Later on, if not for the powerful Wind-Taming Pearl of Lingji Bodhisattva, it was uncertain whether Sun Wukong could pass through the Flame Mountain or not.

  The leaves of Taiyin transformed into a banana fan, which was even more powerful when Sun Wukong extinguished the flames on Fire Mountain. The fire on Fire Mountain was not ordinary fire, but the primordial purple fire from the Eight Trigrams Furnace that Taishang Laojun had been nurturing since the separation of Hongjun's treasure. This primordial purple fire was a spark of divine fire from the beginning of heaven and earth, with boundless power. Think back to when Sun Wukong caused chaos in Heaven and kicked over the Eight Trigrams Furnace, causing a brick to fall and create Fire Mountain - just one brick created an entire mountain, showing its ferocity. However, no matter how powerful this primordial purple fire was, it was useless against Taiyin's banana fan. Under 49 waves of the fan, it could be extinguished at its roots, demonstrating the might of Taiyin's leaves.

  At the moment when Xuanwei was rising to the sky above Buzhou Mountain, he was blocked by a seven-colored beam of light that shot up into the air. The seven-colored beam of light was introverted and obscure, and if Xuanwei hadn't passed directly overhead, he really wouldn't have noticed it. Xuanwei's heart shook with excitement as he realized that a spiritual treasure with which he had a predestined connection was about to emerge from the earth. He couldn't help but feel great joy, and while marveling at his own good fortune, he flew towards the location where the spiritual treasure would emerge. When he arrived at the location, Xuanwei was shocked to discover that someone had beaten him to it, and not just one person - there were four or five people present, most of whom were familiar faces. By looking at these people, Xuanwei immediately knew what kind of spiritual treasure was about to emerge.

  But then, the first one was his own Taichu Dao person Laojun, the second one was Nüwa Niangniang, the third one was Hongyun Laizu, and the fourth one was Donghuang Taiyi who had a slight fate with him. The remaining one, Xuán Wēi, although unfamiliar, also knew that this Lingbao was born from the pre-heavenly calabaza vine at this time. The origin of this spiritual root calabaza vine was also extraordinary, and it was a calabaza root in the chaos that opened the sky and fell into the Honghuang after the opening of the sky.

  After entering the vast wilderness, it took root on this uncompleted mountain. The spiritual energy of the uncompleted mountain was abundant, and the gourd vine finally absorbed the spiritual energy here. After dozens of years, it has just matured today, but unfortunately, the original source suffered damage. The gourd vine that should have produced seven gourds can now only mature six. The seventh gourd grew, but it's wilted and hangs on the gourd vine, as if it would be blown away by the wind at any time.

  The five people present nodded in unison as Xuanwei arrived, originally there were six gourds and it was difficult to distribute them among the five of them. Now that Xuanwei had arrived, it was just right, just enough to divide evenly. No one said anything, they all quietly waited for the gourds to ripen with a tacit understanding.

  Three days later, the gourds were ripe. The first purple gourd fell in front of Lao Jun. Although it was the weakest among all the gourds, it was also the most mysterious one. The gourd itself had already achieved the power of cause and effect, and whoever possessed it could call out someone's name, and as soon as they responded, their fate would be sealed, regardless of whether they were a ninth-grade heavenly immortal or a golden immortal who had attained enlightenment. It was truly a power without bounds. Unfortunately, it had found the wrong master. Lao Jun had too many magical artifacts and too few disciples, so this excellent pre-heavenly spiritual treasure with the attribute of cause and effect could only be used to store elixirs.

  Then the second golden calabaza floated in front of Nüwa, and it was unknown whether it was due to the entanglement of cause and effect. This calabaza was born to restrain evil spirits, with a flame that refines evil spirits inside. It is most restraining for all evil tribes under heaven. I don't know what Emperor Jun will think after learning about this, but like the purple calabaza, the master has many magical artifacts, but few disciples. The good refining pot became a container specifically for holding the treasure of the demon tribe, the demon-attracting banner, after the decline of the witch demons.

  The third yellow gourd fell in front of Taiyi, this yellow gourd was the most skilled at nourishing all things among many gourds. Later, there was the matter of Hou Yi shooting the sun, and it was used by Donghuang Taiyi to store the primordial spirit of Hou Yi and Kuafu, two great witches, to practice a flying knife for his nephew to defend himself, successfully allowing him to shine in the period of sealing the gods, killing many lives of Xianjia.

  The fourth red gourd fell in front of Red Cloud Ancestor, and the gourd contained a bit of heavenly calamity that was received at the time of the opening of heaven. Later, it absorbed countless heavenly calamities and transformed into a handful of pre-heavenly sand within the gourd, which was extremely poisonous. After obtaining it, Red Cloud combined the pre-heavenly sand with his own body to cultivate the 99 Red Cloud Soul-Separating Sand. He stored it in the gourd, and once it was released, it spread across the sky and earth. If anyone came into contact with it, their entire body would turn into pus and blood, making it extremely poisonous.

  The fifth calabash fell into the hands of an unknown person, and its specific use was not seen, nor was it recorded in later generations. On the other hand, Xuanwei obtained the sixth calabash, which was a great treasure for nourishing life. It contained a strand of pre-heavenly creation green gas and a thread of pre-heavenly divine water source gas. It was skilled at absorbing the breath of the sun, moon, and stars between heaven and earth. Within ten thousand years, it could be transformed into three drops of Three Lights Divine Water to warm and nourish the body, with extraordinary uses.

  As for the seventh gourd, after the first six gourds fell to the ground, it also fell down, unfortunately, this seventh gourd was clearly damaged in its innate Tao foundation. Although it had a certain spiritual aura, in the eyes of someone at the Xuanwei level, it was useless and naturally no one paid attention to it. The pre-heavenly gourd vine withered quickly after using up all its energy to nurture the gourds. Xuanwei remembered that in later generations' legends, Nüwa would use this object when creating humans, so he hastily picked up the gourd vine and held it in his hand, planning to rely on it to establish a good relationship and gain some merit.

  Xuanwei looked down and saw that only the withered gourd was left on the ground, unattended. He thought to himself, "If I just stretch out my hand and lightly touch it..." A faint glow flashed from his fingertips, and he gently shook the gourd in his hand. A few drops of sweet dew fell onto the gourd, and suddenly it rapidly shrunk back into its original form, transforming back into a small gourd. Then, Xuanwei once again shook the magical gourd in his hand, putting the small gourd inside, planning to slowly nurture it.

  Nüwa said, "Xuānwēi fellow Daoist, this method is indeed compassionate. No wonder you're willing to obtain the merit of saving vengeful spirits. Unfortunately, we took six gourds and completely destroyed the vitality of the gourd vine, leaving no incense or continuation. Now, fellow Daoist, with the seventh gourd, you've continued the incense of the gourd vine, which is deeply in line with the great virtue of creation. However, this seventh gourd has already lost its innate foundation, and I'm afraid that when it grows again, it will be difficult to restore its original spiritual root. I have a few grains of innate soil here, which can be used as a token of my intention."

  At this time, Taiyi and the unknown great divine being had already left. The old gentleman and Hongyun who were left behind looked at Nüwa in surprise as she held a few grains of Xiantian Sihuang in her hand, intending to give them to Xuānwēi. It is worth noting that Xiantian Sihuang was the essence of Xiantian soil, containing the mechanism of Xiantian creation, and one grain could transform Mount Tai. Its wonderful uses were endless, and it had always been a famous treasure of the Nüwa imperial family.

  Actually, Lao Jun and the others were wrong to blame Nüwa this time. The pre-heavenly calabaza vine originally contained a hint of many children and grandchildren, which should have fallen into Nüwa's hands for creating humans. However, it was taken by Xuanwei first. Nüwa, who had a predestined connection, although unaware of the reason, decided to form a good relationship with Xuanwei. So she used the calabaza seeds as an excuse, and accepted the cause and effect of the pre-heavenly soil, making it convenient for her to act later on.

  Xuanwei saw it, and also guessed three points of Nüwa's thoughts. He smiled lightly and accepted the Xiantian Suiluan that Nüwa handed over. Then he said: "Haha, I dare not disobey? In this way, there will be more friends like Nüwa." After that, everyone bid farewell to each other and set off on their own auspicious clouds.