Primordial Era: A member of the Jie Sect, apprenticed to Tongtian

"Junior Brother?"

That one name alone gave Shi Yuan the answer in an instant.

Those who can address him in this way must be members of the Jie Sect.

"Senior sister is...?"

He spoke tentatively.

The woman smiled slightly and pointed to herself.

"My name is Yunxiao."

The moment those two words were uttered, Shi Yuan's heart jolted.

Fairy of the Clouds.

The leader of the Three Immortals.

Even though he was mentally prepared, he didn't expect that the person who came would be this one.

Within the entire Jie Sect, Yunxiao's reputation was almost unmatched. Although she came from an outer sect background, she was highly valued by the Tongtian Sect Leader, and her magical power and cultivation were so high that even the Golden Spirit Mother might not be able to surpass her.

Not to mention her achievements in the Investiture of the Gods.

The Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, combined with the Hunyuan Golden Bucket, resulted in the complete loss of the Three Flowers and Five Qi of all twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect in a single battle, with even Daoist Ran Deng being banished to the mortal realm.

That battle almost became a nightmare for the Chan Sect.

For this reason, even today, the name "Yunxiao" remains a shadow in the hearts of many Chan Sect and Buddhist immortals.

Upon realizing the other party's identity, Shi Yuan immediately composed himself and bowed respectfully.

"Shiyuan greets Senior Sister Yunxiao."

"I was in seclusion a while ago when I was breaking through a cultivation realm, and I was unaware of your visit. Please forgive my rudeness."

"You're too kind, junior brother."

Yunxiao waved his hand gently, his expression warm.

This gesture can be considered a formal confirmation of each other's identities.

Especially Yunxiao.

After Shi Yuan frankly admitted his identity as a disciple of the Jie Sect, a noticeable fluctuation appeared in her eyes.

For someone of her level, expressing emotions outwardly signifies a change in her Daoist heart.

Her thoughts seemed to be pulled back to countless years ago at this moment.

That was back when Jin'ao Island still existed.

Ten thousand immortals came to pay homage, and the Jie Sect reached its zenith.

as well as......

In Biyou Palace, there is the sage teacher dressed in green robes and wielding the Qingping Sword.

"Teacher...are you alright?"

Yunxiao asked softly.

Shi Yuan paused slightly.

With the Tongtian Sect Master's level of cultivation, it's naturally impossible for him to talk about whether things are safe or not. But he could hear the emotions contained in those words.

"The teacher is doing well."

He answered truthfully.

Then, he briefly recounted the current situation of the Tongtian Sect Leader in Biyou Palace.

Yunxiao listened and nodded gently, a hint of relief appearing in his eyes.

"That's good."

She murmured softly.

A moment later, Shi Yuan suddenly felt a sense of doubt.

"Since you miss our teacher so much, why don't you go to Biyou Palace to pay your respects in person?"

He had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

Even someone like Yunxiao, who has been listed on the Investiture of the Gods, wouldn't be completely bound. If he truly wanted to return to Biyou Palace, who would dare to stop him?

However, upon hearing this, Yunxiao simply shook his head slightly.

"We disciples have personally destroyed the destiny of the Jie Sect."

"To the point that a great religion has fallen into such a state of decline."

Her tone was soft, yet it carried an indescribable heaviness.

"How dare you face your saintly teacher?"

Yunxiao's words just now did not actually reflect her true feelings alone.

In a sense, that was a common thought among almost all disciples of the Jie Sect.

After the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, most members of the Jie Sect harbored an insurmountable hurdle in their hearts. The source of this hurdle was that defeat.

Before the investiture of the gods, the Tongtian Sect Leader had indeed warned them. As long as they stayed in the Daoist temple and cultivated in seclusion, avoiding karmic entanglements, they could avoid this great calamity. But in the end, they were still too confident.

They were confident in their own magical powers and in the profound foundation of the Jie Sect.

Ultimately, however, they gradually entered into a great calamity.

What truly haunted them was not just their own demise.

Figures like Wen Zhong and Zhao Gongming, for the sake of the Shang Dynasty and for the sake of loyalty, traveled far and wide, calling on friends and comrades to join the battle. In the end, however, all the immortals perished, and the Jie Sect was severely weakened.

But what they found most unacceptable was the final scene.

The saintly teacher, who was originally immune to all calamities, was implicated by them and personally entered into the tribulation.

One man fights four saints alone.

Ultimately, the Jie Sect was defeated, and Tongtian Jiaozhu was punished by the Dao Ancestor, confining himself to Biyou Palace and forbidden from emerging into the world for five hundred years.

In their view, this guilt was even heavier than death.

For this reason, over the years, almost no disciple of the Jie Sect has dared to set foot in Biyou Palace again. It's not that they don't know that the Tongtian Sect Leader hasn't blamed them, but they simply can't get over their own conscience.

"The teacher has never blamed you."

After listening to Yunxiao's words, Shiyuan also spoke truthfully.

But Yunxiao simply shook his head and didn't continue the topic.

She certainly knew that.

The problem has never been with the Tongtian Cult Leader, but with them.

Seeing Yunxiao's expression, Shiyuan understood that further persuasion would be futile. This kind of mental block is always the most difficult to break.

Unless one day the Jie Sect truly revives and everyone breaks free from the shackles of the Investiture of the Gods, regaining their freedom, this guilt cannot be erased by words alone.

So he simply stopped talking about it and changed the subject.

"Senior Sister, has your visit to Yuanquan Mountain been about Qingfu's matter?"

"Exactly."

Yunxiao composed himself and nodded.

However, the way she looked at Shi Yuan was more meaningful.

"I've already heard about this from my junior brother Wen Zhong. But, junior brother, your current cultivation level..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already clear.

According to the Golden Spirit Mother, when Shi Yuan descended to the mortal realm, he should have only been at the peak of the Celestial Immortal realm. But the one standing before her now has clearly crossed a complete major realm.

In Yunxiao's discerning eye, Shiyuan's three flowers on his head were solidified, and his five qi in his chest were bright. He was not only at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, but his cultivation was also extremely stable, and he had almost touched the gate of Taiyi.

This state is not a forced breakthrough, but rather a result of a perfect foundation.

"A few days ago, there just happened to be a bit of an opportunity."

Shi Yuan gave a slightly shy smile.

"I broke through to a higher level by accident."

Yunxiao: "..."

In three months, he went from a celestial being to the peak of a golden immortal.

Is this what you call "accidental"?

Even with Yunxiao's knowledge, he was at a loss for words at this moment.

After a moment of silence, she gently shook her head and chuckled, "Junior brother is indeed an interesting person."

Immediately, her expression turned serious.

"To be honest, junior brother, I have two purposes for coming to Yuanquan Mountain this time."

"One of the most important things is that I want to confirm one thing."

She looked at Shi Yuan, her tone becoming more serious.

"Junior brother, is your journey to the mortal realm at our master's behest?"

This is the real key.

Not long ago, the Golden Spirit Mother summoned all the disciples of the Jie Sect in the Heavenly Court to the Kan Palace. After explaining the matter of Shi Yuan, everyone was almost instantly in an uproar.

Everyone wanted to meet this junior brother who had suddenly appeared.

Ultimately, it was the Holy Mother Jinling who personally suppressed the objections and, after careful consideration, decided that Yunxiao would come to Yuanquan Mountain.

The reason is also very simple.

Firstly, Yunxiao's cultivation level is high enough. Looking across the Three Realms, there are almost no beings who can secretly spy on her movements without alerting her.

Secondly, the divine position conferred by Yunxiao was "Fairy Maiden Who Responds to the World".

To put it bluntly, she is what people commonly refer to as the "Goddess of Fertility".

This was a deliberate arrangement by the Chan Sect back then, carrying a somewhat disgusting connotation. After all, the battle at Yunxiao had nearly decimated the cultivation of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect.

However, this divine position, though small, has one advantage... relatively few constraints, and a high degree of freedom when walking among mortals.

That's why she eventually came to Yuanquan Mountain.

And what she is asking now is exactly what all the disciples of the Jie Sect most urgently want to know.

Was Shi Yuan's appearance truly a move orchestrated by the Tongtian Sect Leader himself?

Shi Yuan did not give a direct answer.

He simply raised his hand slightly and waved it casually.

The next moment, an ancient fisherman's drum appeared in his palm.

The moment the fish drum appeared, Yunxiao's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Fisherman's drum.

This is a symbol of the Jie Sect.

The one who possesses this item can summon ten thousand immortals and act on behalf of the Jie Sect.

This one thing itself says it all.

The attitude of the Tongtian Cult Leader is self-evident.