Daojun, start from Penglai foundation building

Golden lotuses dot the rippling water, reflecting the moon's light; a vast expanse of starry river reflects the Magpie Terrace.

At this moment, the Demon Lord Yingtian looked at the vast lotus pond before him with great satisfaction. He saw the golden lotuses shining with dazzling light and the banyan fruits falling and splashing ripples. He felt extremely proud and satisfied.

In the vast Kunlun Mountains and the sacred land of Yaochi, he finally stood before the sixth trial. Recalling the previous five trials, he was either lost in the misty mountains or chased by the raging waves. Finally, he no longer had to run, only to be used as a punching bag by a golden-haired beast...

Then, in the fourth level, you lie in a melon field searching for watermelons; in the fifth level, you stand by the Heavenly Lake fishing…

The first five trials of this Dharma banquet are truly extraordinary. They can be said to test one's fortune, comprehension, supernatural powers, temperament, and consciousness, all of which are fundamental to cultivation.

Based on this speculation, Ying Tian Yaojun believes that the sixth trial must also be one of the tests of the fundamental skills of cultivation.

Looking at the figures standing outside the Jade Pool alongside him, he realized that while there had truly been tens of thousands of geniuses from all the realms vying for the throne, now only a little over two hundred remained.
The fact that Yingtian Demon Lord can stand here shows that, looking at the Five Tribulations and Mahayana realms across all heavens and myriad worlds, Yingtian Demon Lord is among the top two hundred, or even not necessarily the second hundredth!
Thinking of this, Ying Tian, ​​the Demon Lord, couldn't help but let his thoughts wander a little further...

Meanwhile, the Daoist Duoming, dressed in hemp robes and wearing a bamboo crown, was also quietly observing the powerful figures from all the heavens and myriad realms around him, whose auras were strong and whose backgrounds were overwhelming.

The Fruit-Ranking Banquet is only at the sixth level, and of the tens of thousands of heroes and talents from all the heavens, only a little over two hundred remain. Those who can stand here now are all beings with great fortune and destiny, and powerful supernatural abilities and profound cultivation.

Duoming Daoist knew very well that these people were among the top in the Nine Realms across all the heavens and myriad worlds.

Leaving aside the Taoists of the Eastern Heaven, the Buddhists of the Western Heaven, and the veteran Fifth Tribulation and Mahayana cultivators of the Heavenly Court who did not participate in this competition, it can be said that the most outstanding group of people in the entire Chaotic Universe Nine Realms are all here.

Among these people, Duoming was inconspicuous. He was only from the Middle Thousand Worlds and had no background or support, nor any lineage or tradition. Duoming himself found it unbelievable that he had been able to get to where he was today.

Who could have imagined that a wild boy who crawled out of the 100,000 mountains of the Mingzhou Realm would rise step by step to become the famous Duoming True Lord in the Mingzhou Realm and several surrounding Middle Thousand Worlds with just a common Qi Refining Manual?
Duo Ming knew perfectly well that, in terms of background and connections, he was nothing more than a wild mountain dweller; in terms of talent and ability, he couldn't compare to the prodigies and geniuses of those sects; and in terms of magical treasures and cultivation techniques, he was utterly unremarkable…

He has come this far by diligence. He has been diligent in his practice and has never been lazy. To this day, what he relies on is still just diligence.

It was this diligence that allowed him to reach the sixth level of the Fruition Banquet and snatch the top spot in the fourth level from a group of proud disciples from holy lands.

The one who diligently searched through the melon field, bowing to each melon one by one, seemingly the most foolish, was actually the first to find the Dharma body of Maitreya Bodhisattva!

Holding the melon, no bigger than a thumb, in his sleeve, which was as smooth and translucent as jade, Duoming Daoren felt a surge of pride: So what if I come from a humble background?
Having reached this point, he has already surpassed most of the geniuses of the myriad races. If he can reach the final stage, all the heavens and myriad realms will remember him, Duoming, and the Mingzhou Realm, which was insignificant in the chaotic universe, from which he came.

At this moment, there are quite a few people who share the same thoughts as Daoist Duoming. Among the two hundred prodigies, half of them are not from the Great Thousand Holy Land. With equal cultivation, they have still reached this point without relying on their background. Who would not be ambitious and want to try their luck at that Heavenly Fruit position?

Emperor Liuyuan, Venerable Zhidu, Daoist Duoming, True Lord Baihua, Divine Lord Chunqiu… these chosen ones from the Middle Thousand Worlds exchanged glances and immediately understood each other's meaning:

In this sixth level, they will fight against the geniuses from the holy lands of the Great Thousand World. If they win this battle, then from the seventh level onwards, the Fruit-Ranking Banquet will be decided by these scattered warriors!

The rogue cultivators—humans, gods, ghosts, and demons—were eager to try, while the Daoist prodigies from the Great Thousand Realms were also itching to make their move. Just as everyone was brimming with confidence, the barrier that had blocked them from entering the Jade Pool vanished without a trace. Although no one spoke, everyone knew that the battle for the sixth trial had begun!

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, a group of immortals, Buddhas, and saints gazed at the scene of the Yaochi microcosm projected by the Heavenly Mirror, and smiled as they watched the two hundred prodigies vying for dominance within the Yaochi.

At this moment, Daoist Qiongyun stroked his beard and smiled, "Queen Mother, could you tell us your thoughts on this matter?"

Jinmu Yuanjun didn't hesitate and said with a smile, "To be honest, I owe this trial to the questions posed by fellow Daoists Jinglian and Mingguang."

Upon hearing this, both the Pure Lotus Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Bright Light Guanshi Bodhisattva showed surprise: the Golden Mother Yuanjun had actually borrowed their ideas for this challenge?!
The Golden Mother pointed to the vast Jade Pool, where in the center, where the starlight and moonlight shone, there was a Magpie Platform. This platform was covered with intricate Daoist and spiritual patterns, clearly a teleportation array. At the other end of this array was a tranquil place where myriad flowers bloomed and the water flowed like waves.

Amidst the flowers and rippling water, a colossal ancient tree with gnarled roots and lush foliage stood tall. This ancient tree was so enormous that its trunk diameter covered an area of ​​100,000 li, and its lush canopy covered nearly a million li.

On this enormous ancient tree, comparable to the stars, hung exactly one hundred and eight fruits.

But then the Golden Mother Goddess said, "My sixth trial is after the Golden Lotus Pavilion, which leads to this Immortal Banyan Tree. There were 219 people who passed the fifth trial. My Immortal Banyan Tree happens to have 108 fruits. Whoever picks the fruit can pass the trial."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Qiongyun couldn't help but laugh and say, "The Queen Mother is still too soft-hearted; she set this challenge to be so simple."

Simple?!

The Golden Mother Yuanjun laughed: "Emperor of Longevity, this trial is not as simple as you think. It won't be easy for them to pass the Magpie Terrace."

Qiongyun Daojun became interested: "Oh? Please enlighten me, Queen Mother."

The Golden Mother Primordial Sovereign calmly said, "Fellow Daoist Jinglian is testing your comprehension, Fellow Daoist Mingguang is testing your supernatural powers, Fellow Daoist Maitreya is examining your character and destiny, and the Great Emperor Wanggong is observing your divine consciousness and destiny..."

"As for me, I'll test their Dao hearts once more."

Test your resolve for the Tao?
A premonition arose in the hearts of all the immortals, Buddhas, and saints: the sixth trial set by the Queen Mother was definitely not simple.

The Pure Lotus Bodhisattva then looked at the Golden Palace Heavenly Emperor: "I wonder if Your Majesty can guess what kind of obstacle the Queen Mother of the West has set up?"

The Golden Emperor smiled calmly, "I already know, but it would be boring to say it aloud. My lords, please continue reading..."

...

"what?!"

"You expect me to offer immortal fruits based on my own worth just to get through here?!"

Standing before the Magpie Terrace, Lord Yingtian gazed at the teleportation array so close at hand, feeling utterly incredulous.

Although Demon Lord Yingtian anticipated that this trial would be difficult and realized it was far more than just a leisurely stroll through Yaochi, he hadn't expected that a teleportation array would require him to contribute resources. Contributing resources was one thing—immortal essence and divine jade were readily available—but the bluebird guarding the teleportation array only recognized immortal fruits, not money, and demanded at least a third of the immortal fruits based on his worth!
Upon hearing this request, not only Yingtian Demon Lord, but also Jinni Demon Lord, Venerable Putai, Fairy Zhenguang, and others showed expressions of surprise.

Before the Magpie Terrace, the intricate teleportation array was enveloped by beams of golden light that soared into the sky. A plump, round bluebird flapped its short wings with great effort, showing no fear in the face of a group of geniuses from all realms whose cultivation and strength far surpassed its own: "This pass is opened by me, this road is under my control. If you want to pass through here, you must pay the toll."

"If you don't want to give it, then you can just stand here and watch, but don't expect to get through!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Tian Demon Lord couldn't help but threaten, "Do you know who I am? I am Ying Tian Demon Lord of the Azure Dragon Clan of the Kuocang Realm. You dare to ask me for tolls? Aren't you afraid I'll strangle you with one slap?"

Unexpectedly, the Azure Bird raised its head and said, "Do you know who I am?! I am the Azure Bird Envoy, a personal attendant of the Golden Mother of the Yaochi Holy Land in the Kunlun Realm. My mother is the Azure Feather Zhuang Yan Demon Venerable, the eldest princess of the Azure Phoenix Clan in the Weiyu Realm, and my father is the current patriarch of the Chongming Clan in the Weiyu Realm, the Bright Day White Wing Demon Venerable!"

"In terms of background, I'm not afraid of you; in terms of current status, I'm far superior to you! You dare threaten me?"

Upon hearing this, Demon Lord Yingtian waved his hand and looked at everyone with a helpless expression: "I'm out of ideas, it's up to you now."

Everyone's cheeks twitched slightly. Although it was normal for the Demon Lord Yingtian to do things like bullying men and women given his personality and arrogance, in the midst of the competition for the Fruit Position Banquet, facing a group of immortals, Buddhas and saints from the Three Realms, did he really think they were fools to so brazenly threaten the trial messengers in the checkpoint?
Who is this charade for?

Jiang Sheng looked at the innocent-looking Demon Lord Ying Tian, ​​and then at the incredibly proud, fat bluebird. If he wasn't mistaken, these two must have known each other for a long time and were just putting on an act.

But acting is acting, and some information cannot be faked. For example, to cross the Golden Lotus Pavilion of this Jade Pool and reach the real test, one must go through the teleportation array behind the bluebird. There should be no other way out in this world...

Jiang Sheng could guess this, and others could see it clearly as well.

Venerable Pushe glanced at the poorly acting Demon Lord Yingtian, then stepped forward and asked seriously, "May I ask the Azure Bird Envoy, is this the only teleportation array in the Jade Pool? If I don't use the teleportation array, can I reach my destination? And if I do use the teleportation array, how much will I have to pay?"

The round bluebird said, "If you want to know the answer, you'll get a fairy fruit for every question."

Without hesitation, Venerable Pushe took out three white lotus seeds from his sleeve and presented them to the bluebird.

Qingniao glanced at it and nodded: "The top-grade white lotus seeds from Jinglian Temple in Shaoguang Realm, although only at the Refinement stage, are still quite good."

As she spoke, the bluebird swallowed the three white lotus seeds in one gulp, and then transmitted her voice to Venerable Pushe: "First, there is no other teleportation array in the entire Yaochi except for mine for you to use; second, if you want to go to the real checkpoint, there is only this one way. You can try other places, but you may not be able to get there."

"Third, whether you can pass through the teleportation array depends on your personal worth. In the first trial, you were second in the Buddhist trial and received the Seven Treasures Lotus Heart Seed of the Virtuous Magpie Bodhisattva; in the second trial, you were also among the top twenty and received the Two Thousand Years Old Seven Aperture Glazed Fruit; in the third trial, you were again among the top twenty and received the Bright Light Void Golden Fruit; in the fourth trial, you were among the top fifty and received the Jadeite Melon Fruit; in the fifth trial, you were among the top thirty and received the Heavenly Pool Golden Dragon Grass..."

As the bluebird recounted Venerable Napushe's performance, ranking, and rewards in the first five rounds, an inexplicable sense of unease welled up in Venerable Napushe's heart.

The next moment, the ominous feeling became a reality.

The bluebird said in a rather casual tone, "If you want to pass through and see the real checkpoint, you'll have to pay at least a third of your worth of immortal fruit. Just give me either the Jade Melon Fruit or the Heavenly Pool Golden Dragon Grass, and you can pass through."

Hearing the Bluebird's casual tone, Venerable Pushe's heart skipped a beat, and his face instantly darkened: What do you mean, "Just give me either the Jade Melon Fruit or the Heavenly Pool Golden Dragon Grass?"

That jade melon was actually a Buddhist wisdom fruit planted by Maitreya Bodhisattva himself in the Buddhist realm. The one in Venerable Pusha's hand was even two thousand years old. If one of these jade melons were consumed, even if Pusha was left with only a breath of life, he would be fully revived and restored to his peak condition. Even if he had one foot in the cycle of reincarnation, he could be pulled back. Even if it wasn't used for healing, consuming it would allow one to comprehend Buddhist teachings and understand the laws of reincarnation of Maitreya Bodhisattva...

Such a treasure, yet it tastes just like any other fruit in the bluebird's mouth. Has it ever tasted it before?!
As for the Heavenly Lake Golden Dragon Grass, it is an extremely rare treasure.

It is a small world personally created by the Crimson Sky Dao Lord of the Cangwu Realm, now the Eastern Imperial King Emperor of the Three Realms. The Heavenly Pool in it is drawn from Mount Buzhou in Kunlun, and three thousand golden scales, all of which are true dragons, are raised within it.

A single Heavenly Pool Golden Dragon Grass represents the bloodline and cultivation of a golden dragon. Refining it into an elixir guarantees a ninth-grade immortal pill, and consuming it would be no exaggeration to say that one could ascend to immortality in broad daylight.

With these two treasures being targeted by the bluebird, Venerable Pushe even suspected that the Queen Mother of the West was using this opportunity to severely punish the Buddhist cultivators.

At this moment, two hundred and nineteen geniuses from all realms had gathered around the Magpie Platform. Everyone watched as the Azure Bird communicated with Venerable Pushe, a Buddhist master of the Great Vehicle Realm who came from the Pure Lotus Temple of the Lesser Light Realm. They watched as Venerable Pushe's face grew darker and darker until it was as black as the bottom of a pot. He snorted coldly and ignored the Azure Bird, clearly indicating that the negotiations had broken down.

But Qingniao didn't seem to care at all, still busy with business: "Anyone else want to ask me a question? One fairy fruit for each question, absolutely worth it, I'm not lying. Anyone else?"

Although the bluebird was shouting enthusiastically, the crowd couldn't help but hesitate when they saw the expression on Venerable Pushe's face.

Just then, the Demon Lord Yingtian suddenly leaped out: "Send me there!"

The bluebird laughed, "Of course, of course. You received the Penglai Enlightenment Tea from Daoist Jingxuan in the first trial, the Seven Aperture Glazed Fruit in the second, and..."

As Qingniao recounted Yingtian Demon Lord's gains one by one, everyone was astonished to discover that this seemingly carefree and dissolute man, who appeared to bully men and women, had actually received a reward for every single challenge!

At this moment, who would dare to underestimate Yingtian Demon Lord? Who would dare to think that Yingtian Demon Lord was just a brainless, arrogant fool?

The bluebird said with a grin, "I'll accept the jade melon. Take care!"

"I'll also charge you an extra tael of Penglai Daowen Tea as a side note: the next level will be a real battle of magic."

As he spoke, Yingtian Demon Lord discovered that the jade melon and Penglai Daowen Tea in his sleeves had flown out of his control and into the bluebird's arms. Immediately afterward, an immense suction force pulled Yingtian Demon Lord into the teleportation array, where he vanished in an instant.

Is anyone else passing by?

"Just give me a third of the price of the immortal fruit."

The bluebird spoke with a grin, while the assembled prodigies silently stepped back, protecting their own treasure pouches. (End of Chapter)