Primordial Era: Reborn Kong Xuan, Steady Cultivation

Kong Xuan heard Chi Jingzi's earnest invitation, but his mind remained clear.

Although Zhou Mountain is a primordial spiritual hub, blessed by the legacy of Pangu, its future is destined to be a place of turbulent calamities.

He knew that the current tranquility was merely a brief respite caused by the fact that all the great beings had gone to Zixiao Palace to listen to the Dao.

When those powerful beings return, they will surely take the opportunity to carefully search for their respective destinies. At that time, Zhou Mountain will become a place where great events converge and undercurrents surge.

Not to mention that when the great calamity of the Lich King begins, the heavens and earth will collapse and the earth will split apart. This place will be the center of the calamity. How can it be a place to live in peace for a long time?

However, his original intention in coming here was to use the eyes of Chi Jingzi, a "local cultivator," to find out if there were any undetected innate formations or places where spiritual energy was hidden in the mountains. If he refused outright now, he would lose the opportunity to have a deeper conversation.

In a flash, Kong Xuan's face showed a solemn and grateful expression, and he said earnestly, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, fellow Daoist."

Zhou Mountain is indeed a rare and blessed land in the primordial wilderness, full of spiritual energy and naturally imbued with Taoist charm.

However, the matter of opening up the cave and establishing the temple is related to the very foundation of cultivation and involves heavy karmic consequences, so this humble Taoist dares not be rash.

"Having just arrived at Baoshan, I haven't yet been able to fully comprehend the flow of energy and the subtle workings of the spirit within the mountain... I need more time to carefully observe before I can make a decision."

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingzi nodded slightly: "What you say is quite right, fellow Daoist. Establishing a residence and laying a foundation is indeed a crucial juncture on the path of cultivation. It was my oversight that I failed to consider this."

After saying this, he raised his glass in farewell, thus ending the matter.

After that, the two stopped mentioning the cave dwelling and instead sat down to discuss the Dao.

From the critical juncture of Golden Immortal cultivation to the initial glimpse of the profound mysteries of the Taiyi Realm, they mutually verified each other's findings and gained something.

Although Kong Xuan already possessed the foundational knowledge to reach the Taiyi realm, listening to Chi Jingzi's understanding of the future path and his analysis of the wonders of Qi transformation still gave him a fresh perspective and a clearer grasp of the road ahead.

Time passes unnoticed within the cave; amidst the gathering and dispersing of clouds, a hundred years have swiftly gone by.

On this day, a blue light suddenly shot through the sky outside the cave, like a shooting star streaking across the mountains, and abruptly stopped in front of the cliff.

As the light dispersed, a lean old man appeared, his goatee gently swaying, dressed in a blue-green Taoist robe, exuding an aura of purity reminiscent of pine and cypress. Before anyone could announce his arrival, he smiled and called out:

"Fellow Daoist Chijingzi, how have you been?"

His voice was clear and bright, carrying a sense of familiarity from reuniting with an old friend.

Inside the cave, Kong Xuan and Chi Jingzi, who were each meditating with their eyes closed, opened their eyes at the same time.

Chi Jingzi's face lit up with joy, and he immediately got up and walked briskly out of the cave to greet them.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Qing Songzi! It's been many years, and you're even more radiant than before. Please come in and have a chat."

As he spoke, he took the other person's sleeve and led the guest inside.

Qing Songzi followed him into the cave, his gaze sweeping over Kong Xuan, who was sitting quietly to the side, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Upon seeing this, Chi Jingzi immediately smiled and introduced, "This is Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan. He recently traveled to Zhou Mountain and had a very pleasant conversation with me about the Great Dao." He then turned to Kong Xuan and said, "Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan, this is Fellow Daoist Qing Songzi. He lives at Cangyun Cliff and has known me for a long time. He is also a hermit who cultivates in the mountains."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Qingsongzi." Kong Xuan rose immediately upon hearing the voice and bowed calmly.

Qing Songzi smiled and returned the greeting: "Fellow Daoist Kong is too kind." His tone was warm, but his gaze subtly swept over the aura flowing around Kong Xuan.

The three sat down again, and Song Tongzi served them cloud-shaped cups.

At first, they merely talked about the weather in the mountains and the changing clouds, chatting and laughing.

After a moment, Qing Songzi gradually fell silent, a hint of hesitation between his brows.

Chi Jingzi, who had known him for many years, said gently upon seeing this, "If you have any advice, please feel free to speak. There are no outsiders here."

Upon hearing this, Qing Songzi glanced at the composed Chi Jingzi, then at Kong Xuan, who sat quietly listening with an upright demeanor, and finally sighed in relief: "Very well, since you say so, fellow Daoist..."

He straightened his robes slightly and lowered his voice: "Some time ago, in the depths of the secluded ravines of Zhou Mountain, I happened to see a mysterious array formed innately. The array was hidden above the earth's spiritual veins and was usually difficult to detect, but once one accidentally entered the array..."

He paused slightly, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes: "Then seven-colored divine light burst forth from the void, flowing and shifting uncertainly."

That radiance can not only blind people, but also disturb their spirit, causing their five senses to become confused and disordered.

"I was caught off guard and have been trapped in this formation for nearly a hundred years. After several attempts to deduce and probe, and the depletion of several protective treasures, I finally managed to find a slight opening and escape."

"A Primordial Grand Array?!"

Chi Jingzi's eyes suddenly lit up, and he exchanged a glance with Kong Xuan.

Both of them knew that the innate array was born in response to the Dao, and if it was not to protect spiritual roots and rare treasures, it was to suppress innate treasures, and there was absolutely no reason for it to be left empty.

This opportunity actually lies within Zhou Mountain?

Although Kong Xuan remained calm on the surface, he was secretly excited inside.

This century-long wait for the Daoist discourse has indeed not been in vain: "The array you described, fellow Daoist, sounds incredibly mysterious. I wonder if that seven-colored divine light, besides disrupting the five senses, has any other properties?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingzi's eyes also lit up, clearly showing his keen interest in the innate grand formation.

But Qing Songzi looked ashamed and shook his head, sighing, "I am ashamed... The divine light in the formation was unpredictable at the time, and my mind was almost overwhelmed by it. I was only concerned with finding an opportunity to escape, and I really failed to observe the mystery in detail."

Kong Xuan lowered his eyes and pondered.

In the primordial world, there are very few things that can manifest seven-colored divine light, and the most outstanding of them all is the Seven Treasures Tree.

However, that was a manifestation of the Western Cundi essence, and it was impossible for it to appear at Zhou Mountain.

Besides these, there still exist on this mountain, and those that resonate with the seven-colored divine light...

Could it be that "Primordial Qi Gourd Vine"?

This vine, like the Four Symbols Banana Tree, belongs to the top-grade innate spiritual root, but it is even higher, ranking among the top ten top-grade spiritual roots.

The seven gourds that it produced were all top-grade innate spiritual treasures with different powers. Even the vine itself was the "creation whip" that the saint Nuwa would hold when she molded humans from clay.

The depth of its karmic connection and the breadth of its influence are unique in the primordial world.

However, the cause and effect here is also the most terrifying.

In my memory, every owner of a gourd was destined to be a powerful figure who would later wreak havoc and face calamities in the primordial world.

If one rashly gets involved, it may not bring good fortune, but rather misfortune.

Thinking of this, Kong Xuan's initial enthusiasm gradually cooled, and he even felt a sense of retreat.

Even the best opportunities require the right life to bear them.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, his expression changing several times, Chi Jingzi finally asked gently, "Fellow Daoist, you have been pondering for a long time. Do you have any speculations about this formation... or what it protects?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cave fell into complete silence. Chi Jingzi and Qing Songzi stared intently at Kong Xuan, clearly believing that he had some guess about the innate grand formation.

Seeing their gazes, Kong Xuan hesitated slightly before making a decision.

Although the karma associated with these gourds is immense, there is still a chance.

Take Hongyun for example, he is a well-known good-natured person in the primordial world. If you take his gourd, you might not investigate the matter further.