Primordial Era: Reborn Kong Xuan, Steady Cultivation

After waiting for nearly a hundred years in the outside world, the light and shadow at the edge of the innate array rippled slightly, and Chi Jingzi staggered out.

At this moment, his breathing was disordered, his face was slightly pale, and there was still a trace of lingering panic between his brows.

Upon seeing this, Qing Songzi quickly stepped forward: "Fellow Daoist Chi Jingzi, are you alright?"

Chi Jingzi naturally understood what he meant, and shook his head with a wry smile, then sat down cross-legged to regulate his breathing: "To escape this formation, I have exhausted all my energy, how can I have any spare strength to explore the secrets within the formation?"

It was already a stroke of luck that they managed to come out unscathed.

Kong Xuan and Qing Songzi exchanged a glance, both of them as expected.

Both of them had experienced the profound mystery of that great formation. If Kong Xuan had not possessed the Northern Profound Origin Water Control Flag, he would probably have been forced to return in the same sorry state as Chi Jingzi.

Three days later, Chi Jingzi's energy gradually returned to normal. When he opened his eyes, he let out a long sigh: "Since this formation is so difficult, it means the opportunity has not yet arrived. Forcing it will be useless; it's better to go back."

He didn't delve into Kong Xuan's gains or losses in his words, because he saw that Kong Xuan had gone into battle earlier than him, so he assumed that Kong Xuan had also failed to penetrate deep into the heart of the formation and had retreated early in the face of difficulties.

As for Qing Songzi, he had been trapped in the formation for hundreds of years and was familiar with the changes in the formation, so it was not surprising that he was able to escape first.

Seeing that Chi Jingzi's energy had stabilized, Qing Songzi smiled and suggested, "Why don't we go to my cave for a chat? We can also discuss our insights into this Daoist practice."

"Of course, of course!" Chi Jingzi stroked his beard and replied, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. "It just so happens that your Green Mist Tea Tree should be ripe by now, Fellow Daoist Kong and I can also enjoy some of it."

"You really are after my few ounces of tea leaves!" Qing Songzi laughed heartily, then explained to Kong, "This Qingwu tea tree is a mid-grade innate spiritual root, and regular consumption can help one comprehend the laws of mist."

However, it only produces a little over one pound of it every ten thousand years. If it weren't for Fellow Daoist Kong being here, this humble Daoist would not easily entertain guests.

Kong Xuan smiled and nodded.

Although I have already obtained the purple-red gourd and a section of innate vine, being able to taste this spiritual tea would be the icing on the cake.

Besides, he had other plans in mind.

Chijingzi is the first red pine tree in the world to take form, and it carries the innate fire and fire energies. Since Qingsongzi is on good terms with it, its origins must also be extraordinary, and it probably carries the innate wood or wood energies.

These two innate five elements will greatly benefit both the tempering of the five-colored divine light and the future condensation of the five elements in the chest.

When the time is right, we may use "the secrets of Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation" as a starting point to exchange what we need with the two of them.

In the primordial world today, many Taiyi Golden Immortals are still ignorant about the path of cultivation. They only know that they need to refine the innate five elements, but they do not understand what the "five elements in the chest" are or how to condense them.

After the Dao Ancestor Hongjun gives his teachings, this method will naturally spread throughout the prehistoric world, and at that time, the innate five elements will surely be worth more than a thousand gold pieces.

If we can grasp the key points now, this opportunity is far more precious than a mere strand of innate energy.

Having reached this agreement, the three of them rode on a cloud and flew back in the direction they had come from.

This mysterious and unpredictable innate formation was temporarily placed behind them.

Knowing that it is beyond our current ability to solve, forcing it will only waste time and delay our spiritual practice.

Before long, a verdant, lush cliff came into view.

Lush greenery grew on the cliff face, cranes danced gracefully, and red fruits and lingzhi mushrooms adorned the rock walls. A clear stream meandered down the mountain stream, its waters gurgling softly.

Before they even got close, Qing Songzi laughed loudly, "Bai'er, brew Master's Azure Mist Spirit Tea. We have a distinguished guest today."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crane in the mountains transformed into a handsome boy, who answered crisply, "Yes," and then nimbly turned and disappeared into the cave in the cliff.

With a flick of his sleeve, Qing Songzi stepped aside and invited the three of them to enter the cave side by side.

The layout inside the cave was quite different from Chi Jingzi's fire chamber. There was no intense heat; instead, it was filled with a refreshing, gentle, and vibrant aroma of grass and trees.

The walls are faintly visible with natural textures resembling pine bark, and the occasional delicate vines and tender ferns adorning the crevices of the rocks add to the serene charm.

Kong Xuanxin understood immediately. This Qingsongzi must be true to his name, and must be a pine tree that has attained enlightenment and transformed into human form.

Such a pure and spiritual source must possess an innate wood energy that is exceptionally refined.

Once the three of them were seated on the stone platform in the cave, the conversation naturally returned to the mysterious innate formation.

"Based on my past observations," Kong Xuan said carefully, "innate grand formations are often connected to the origin of the treasures they protect."

The array displays seven colors and obscures the five senses, suggesting that the objects within it often possess the power to deceive and create illusions, or are closely related to the principles of light and shadow, or divine consciousness.

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingzi clapped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist's words are insightful! Although we were born in Zhou Mountain, we have seen very few battle formations, and our experience is far less extensive and our insights more profound than yours."

Qing Songzi nodded in agreement, his eyes revealing a hint of longing and emotion.

"You two are too kind," Kong Xuan said with a slight smile, his tone calm. "I've only visited a few places and taken a few more glances, so my impressions are rather superficial and may not be accurate."

The true nature of the treasure within the formation may be completely different from what I imagine, and that remains to be seen.

He spoke frankly, yet with profound meaning.

The array derived from the primordial Qi gourd vine, with its seven-colored flowing appearance, is only the first layer of appearance. If one can truly delve into the core, one will experience the transformation of the seven colors into one, the indistinguishable chaos, and then the transformation back into primordial Qi. In the end, the array's intent will naturally subside, and the gates will open wide.

He naturally wouldn't reveal this crucial point at the moment.

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingzi pondered for a moment, then sighed softly, "In that case, perhaps our destiny was not originally in Zhou Mountain."

Otherwise, how could he, sitting atop the first sacred mountain of the primordial world, still possess such limited knowledge and attain so little, while being far less enlightened than Fellow Daoist Kong, who traveled far and wide?

Qing Songzi shook his head and laughed, "Fellow Daoist, you are mistaken. Zhou Mountain is the ancestral vein of the primordial world, and opportunities are scattered like stars in the sky, but they only appear and disappear at times."

How can we say we have no chance just because we haven't met yet?

In my humble opinion, it's not that there are no treasures in the mountains, but simply that the time is not yet ripe. As long as one cultivates diligently and waits patiently, why worry about the opportunity not coming?

He had the confidence to say that.

With this mid-grade innate spiritual root, the Green Mist Tea Tree, by his side, and having personally experienced the innate grand formation, although he did not break the formation and obtain the treasure, it still confirmed that there was indeed a great treasure hidden in Zhou Mountain.

For him, the current limitation is merely due to his cultivation level. Once he breaks through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, he will definitely explore that mysterious array again and will not give up until he obtains the treasure.

Hearing the two men's completely different opinions, Kong Xuan did not rush to speak. He simply held his teacup and let the fragrance of the tea permeate his mind.

What Qingsongzi said is true; Zhoushan is indeed the place with the deepest opportunities in the primordial world.

But just as a mirror has two sides, the greater the opportunity, the deeper the hidden dangers often are.

Without sufficient cultivation to protect oneself, so-called opportunities can turn into death warrants, and staying in the mountains may not be the best choice.

However, Chi Jingzi's earlier remarks stirred something in Kong Xuan's mind.

Judging from the detachment and distant gaze that his words subtly reveal, it may not be long before this Taoist priest, who has taken human form, embarks on a journey through the primordial world.

Just as I remembered, I finally chose Yunxiao Cave on Mount Taihua as my place of practice to quietly contemplate the Great Dao.

As for pine nuts...

Kong Xuan did not recall this person's name appearing in later legends. Perhaps it was because they chose different paths: one left the mountain to seek the Dao and eventually entered the sage's tutelage, attaining the Great Luo realm; the other guarded the ancestral lineage and, due to chance or calamity, gradually disappeared into the long river of primordial ages.