Forty-Four: On the Dao of Kunlun

  Xun Daozi followed Yuanshi back to the main hall of Zixu Palace, where there was no one else except for Hongjun Daozu and the two Tongzi.

  The three old men went forward and paid their respects to Hongjun Daozu. Then, the Daozi also followed behind and paid his respects.

  Hong Jun Dao Zu looked at Xun Dao Zi, and Yuan Shi hastily said to Hong Jun Dao Zu: "This is a disciple I have accepted, named Xun Dao Zi. This time, I brought him to the Purple Mist Palace to listen to your teachings." After finishing speaking, he turned his head again to Xun Dao Zi and said: "Don't you hurry up and come over to pay respects to Master Ancestor!"

  Xun Daozi hastily stepped forward and fell to the ground, saying: "Disciple Xun Daozi pays respects to Master Ancestor!"

  Hong Jun didn't say a word, quietly staring at Xun Daozi, making Xun Daozi feel like his heart was racing and all his secrets were about to be exposed. In front of Hong Jun's ancestor, there would be no more secrets to keep. His heart was pounding, wondering if Hong Jun knew his secret, would he be eliminated?

  Just as Hong Jun was watching Xun Daozi, Xun Daozi's heart was uneasy; the gray and purple gas swirls hidden in the depths of Xun Daozi's sea of consciousness moved slightly, emitting a mysterious and inexplicable aura that protected Xun Daozi's sea of consciousness.

  Hong Jun Dao Zu looked at Xun Dao Zi for a while, and felt that he had great luck and fortune. He was also quite influential to Yuan Shi, Lao Zi, and Tong Tian. Then, he withdrew his gaze, flipped his hand, and a small cauldron appeared in his palm, which was ancient and majestic. Hong Jun handed the small cauldron to Xun Dao Zi and said: "This cauldron is the Qian Kun Cauldron, a pre-heavenly top-grade spiritual treasure that can stabilize one's luck. Since you are my disciple, take this object to protect yourself."

  Xun Daozi quickly knelt down to thank him and took over the small tripod. His heart was delighted! This is the "Qian Kun Ding"! Even Hong Jun said it was a pre-heavenly extreme treasure. Xun Daozi still remembered that when Hong Jun gave Jie Ying the twelve-product golden lotus, he only said it was a pre-heavenly spiritual treasure, but when he talked about the small tripod, he added the two words "extreme product". It can be seen that this small tripod is even more powerful than Jie Ying's twelve-product golden lotus. How could Xun Daozi not be delighted?

  Hong Jun Dao Zu gave the Qian Kun Ding to Xun Dao Zi, and then ignored him. He turned around and said to Laozi and the other two: "After this lecture, I will soon merge with the Heavenly Way to prove my way. Nothing big will happen. You all cultivate on your own, take care of yourselves. Go!" After finishing speaking, he disappeared.

  Everyone bowed towards the cloud bed and then got up and left.

  On the way back, everyone was very relaxed. The three of Laozi divided their consciousness to drive the cloud and hurry on the road, while most of their consciousness was meditating, recalling this time in the Purple Mist Palace, and understanding what they had gained.

  Xun Daozi was also taking stock of the gains from this trip to the Purple Mist Palace. Compared to what others had gained, Xun Daozi's gains were substantial: Firstly, he had achieved a thousand years of "sitting forgetfulness", his realm had greatly expanded, and he had suddenly enlightened to the "Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm" boundary, only awaiting recognition to attain the Taiyi Golden Immortal Fruit Position and become a small high-ranking expert in the vast expanse. Additionally, with the protection of the pre-heavenly extreme treasure "Qiankun Ding", he could generally ensure his safety. Secondly, his self-created technique had reached completion, and during his "sitting forgetfulness" meditation state in the Purple Mist Palace, it had mysteriously become perfect, merging with the variant "Zhou Tian Gong" to form a powerful technique that could refine and compress spiritual energy into pure liquidized divine power, possessing strong tempering and nourishing effects on the physical body and soul. As Xun Daozi had wished, his technique had become second nature, requiring no guidance, and could run automatically in any situation. Thirdly, he had obtained a pre-heavenly extreme treasure, two pre-heavenly treasures, and a rock that could store various pre-heavenly treasures, which he had asked his master to collect. This stocktaking revealed enormous gains, although others who had listened to the teachings were still confused.

  On the way back home, it was surprisingly much faster than on the way here. It took nearly a hundred years to come here, but this return trip only took over thirty years and I arrived at Mount Kunlun.

  Back to Mount Kunlun, the three old men returned to their respective thatched cottages and closed the doors for meditation and contemplation. At the same time, they also refined the pre-heavenly treasures they had just obtained, ignoring Xun Daozi who was left aside. Xun Daozi also returned to his own thatched cottage to refine the pre-heavenly top-grade spiritual treasure "Qian Kun Ding". For a moment, the caves of Mount Kunlun were as if uninhabited.

  Time flies, one hundred years have passed.

  On this day, Xun Daozi was meditating on the footprints of Taiyi Golden Immortal when he suddenly heard the voice of Yuanshi in his mind: "Go to the outside of the cave to welcome your Niwa, and bring back Zhun Ti Shu and Fuxi Daozhang."

  Xun Daozi heard this and quickly got up and walked out of the cave, standing on the ground quietly waiting.

  Soon, a loud noise was heard in the air, and a man and a woman fell from the sky. Xun Daozi hurriedly went forward to pay his respects, saying: "Xun Daozi has seen Nüwa Shifu and Fuxi Daozhang, masters and elders, who are already waiting inside the mansion. Nüwa Shifu, Fuxi Daozhang, please follow me!"

  Xun Daozi was about to turn around when another sonic boom echoed through the air, and two more people descended. It was indeed Jie Yin and Zhun Ti.

  Xun Daozi made a bow and said: "Please wait for a moment, Master Nüwa, Fuxi."

  Nüwa nodded and said: "Please go ahead, fellow Taoist."

  Xun Daozi welcomed the two who had fallen, and said: "Two masters, my master and master Bo, Master Shu is already waiting for you at the mansion. Please follow me." After finishing speaking, he made a gesture of invitation, leading the two, along with Nüwa and Fuxi, to walk towards the cave mansion.

  Zi Gong led Nu Wa and the others to arrive at the thatched cottage, where Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian were already waiting in the empty space in front of the cottage. Everyone met and exchanged polite greetings.

  Then everyone entered Laozi's thatched cottage together, sat down as host and guest, Xuanzang was on one side, spiritual fruit and tea were served.

  Not long after everyone sat down, the guide looked at Xun Daozi and said to Yuan Shi: "Fellow Taoist has obtained a good disciple. I'm afraid that Xun Daozi is about to attain the Taiyi Golden Immortal position. It makes me envious."

  He stroked his whiskers and smiled, looking rather pleased with himself.

  Zhun Ti also said: "The Easterner is indeed a rare talent, in the Western world there is no such good material, I am very envious."

  Nüwa watched from the side as Xún Dào Zǐ also said, "In just over a thousand years, Xún Dào Zǐ's Daoist friend can go from the Taiyi Scattered Immortal Realm to such a realm, and it's hard not to make Shī Jiě admire Yuánshǐ Shī Xiōng's teaching."

  Yuanshi was pleased in his heart, but humbly said, "It's all thanks to Brother Yuanshi's guidance." On the other hand, Tongtian also said, "This kid is indeed not bad, I'm envious that Brother Yuanshi has such a good disciple."

  Xun Daozi stood behind Yuan Shi's body and didn't say a word.

  The crowd chatted casually for a few more sentences, then heard Zhun Ti say: "Since parting from the Purple Mansion Palace over a hundred years ago, I have been practicing alone and have made some progress, but there are still many things that are not clear to me. That's why I came to Kunlun to ask for advice from fellow Taoist friends."

  Jie Ying also nodded in agreement.

  Nüwa said, "My mastery of the Tao is shallow and inferior. Although I was fortunate enough to be taken in as a disciple by my venerable teacher, after returning to the Purple Mist Palace and cultivating for over a hundred years, my progress has been extremely slow, and I am far behind all of you senior brothers. That's why I've come to Kunlun to seek your guidance."

  Xun Daozi couldn't tell the cultivation level of several people in the room, but he knew that his master Yuan Shi, his uncle Lao Zi, and his uncle Tong Tian had already attained the 'Dà Luó Jīn Xiān Guǒ Wèi' (Great Luo Golden Immortal Fruit Position). The aura of Jiē Yǐn was obviously weaker than that of his three masters. Fú Xī's aura was similar to that of Jiē Yǐn, slightly weaker than Jiē Yǐn. Nǚ Wā's aura was weaker than that of Jiē Yǐn and Fú Xī, so her cultivation level should be around the Great Luo Three Immortals Realm.

  Don't let Xun Daozi make wild guesses on the side.

  The three seniors looked at each other after hearing the words of Zhunti and others, and Laozi spoke up: "It's a fortunate event that fellow Taoists have come to our Kunlun. We're able to discuss Tao with fellow Taoists here and verify it together, which is what we wish for. In this case, please let fellow Taoists show us the skills they've learned first, so we can take a look."

  "Let me go first," said Zhun Ti. As soon as he finished speaking, a Dharma body appeared with twenty-four heads, eighteen arms, holding various objects such as rosary beads, parasols, flower garlands, fish intestines, golden bows and silver spears, divine hammers, precious awls, and golden vases; each branch and twig emitted brilliant light. A blue flag floated above his head, emitting boundless blue light. He recited scriptures with his mouth.

  The reception also appeared on the top of three beads, bright and smooth, emitting infinite white light; a twelve-product golden lotus appeared below, flashing countless golden lights. The reception also recited scriptures.

  Above Nüwa's head was also suspended a picture, called the "Mountain and River Sheji Map"; a red silk ball; with infinite light, setting off Nüwa's dignified and sacred appearance. Nüwa also began to recite scriptures.

  Next to him, Fuxi also held an ancient jade qin on his head, the body of the qin emitted endless green light, and a clear and crisp qin sound rang out.

  Laozi and Yuanshi exchanged a glance, both revealing their techniques at the same time.

  The old master reveals a crystal pagoda, with a diagram on the side that rotates automatically. The crystal pagoda emits a misty yellow and black aura, while the diagram radiates boundless green light. The old master also begins to chant scriptures.

  Yuanshi's head appeared with a celebratory cloud, on which a blue light flowed, golden lanterns were linked together without interruption, and beside it was a gray misty banner, revealing a refreshing aura. Yuanshi recited the true scripture.

  A green light appears on Tongtian's head, and inside the light is a majestic giant sword. The sharp sword energy surrounds and crisscrosses. Tongtian continues to recite the scriptures.

  Xun Daozi hid behind Yuanshi's body early on, silently watching the crowd compete in magic. For a moment, he watched with his heart racing and his eyes dazed.

  Immediately, Xun Daozi sat down cross-legged behind Yuan Shi, concentrating his mind and contemplating.

  After an unknown period of time, the old man and others had put away their magical powers and began to discuss the Tao. The sound of the Tao echoed through heaven and earth, stirring up mysterious tracks that appeared and disappeared.

  This discussion has been going on for a hundred years, until the end of the discussion and departure of Ji Yong, Xun Daozi is still immersed in contemplation and has not awakened.

  Yuanshi didn't wake up Xun Daozi, but instead looked at this disciple who made him extremely satisfied with a relieved face. Xun Daozi's breath had reached the state of "Taiyi Golden Immortal Fruit Position", just one line away from proving his dao. Just now, Yuanshi had enjoyed the guidance, and when Nüwa left, he couldn't help but feel envious of her gaze.

  Beside Laozi, Tongtian also smiled as he watched Xun Daozi's enlightenment. They both genuinely loved this junior fellow apprentice, who had brought them many surprises.

  The most astonishing thing was the mysterious Tai Chi Fist, which brought them great benefits. During those days when Tong Tian and Xun Daozi practiced together every day, they both gained a deeper understanding of their own way: Lao Zi saw the non-contentious struggle of the effortless Tao; Yuan Shi saw the mutual transformation of yin and yang, the operation of the Tao with itself as the law, operating without stopping, being everywhere in the natural Tao; Tong Tian saw that the fist took a thread of life from the subtle, defeating the enemy and winning the way.

  And this time, the journey to the Purple Mansion has also made great progress in Taoism, and it has reached the edge of the "Taiyi Golden Immortal Fruit Position". At this moment, while listening to others discussing Taoism, there is further refinement, and now only a thin line separates from the "Taiyi Golden Immortal Fruit Position". Even as a disciple of Yuanshi, Laozi, Tongtian also has glory.

  The three of them waited in Laozi's thatched cottage for him to wake up.