My classmates chose martial arts and fantasy, but I chose the prehistoric world.

The moment I stepped out of the gray mist forest, the sky suddenly brightened.

The rich, primordial spiritual energy flowed into his mouth and nose, and was easily absorbed and refined by the golden vortex in his dantian, transforming into pure magical power that nourished his entire body.

The difference between celestial immortals and earthly immortals is like heaven and earth!

It is not only a leap in the total amount and quality of magical power, but also an initial transformation in the level of life.

"It's time to go back."

He discerned the direction, channeled his magical power, and lightly stomped his feet.

boom!

His figure shot out like an arrow released from a bow, several times faster than when he came!

The return trip took less than half the time it took to get there.

The familiar entrance to the valley was soon in sight.

The array formation at the valley entrance still shone brightly, just as it had when we left.

Meng Chuan descended from the clouds and landed at the mouth of the valley. He straightened his tattered clothes—the cuffs were torn from the clash with the skeletal behemoth, and the front of his clothes was stained with dried, dark brown blood.

He raised his hand, his fingertips touching the array's light barrier.

The light curtain rippled like water, quietly revealing a slit.

Step in.

The valley remains unchanged, with clear blue pools, ancient and verdant trees, and crooked trees casting sparse shadows on the edge of the pools.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, intertwined with a light mist, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, completely different from the vast and rough landscape outside.

Houtu is not on the blue stone by the pool.

Meng Chuan's gaze swept across the area and landed on the crooked tree.

There, a simple stone table and two stone benches had appeared at some point.

On the table was a ceramic jar, two ceramic bowls, and several bright red fruits piled up beside them.

He walked over and sat on the stone bench.

The earthenware jar contained clear, cool, and sweet water, which must have been taken from a pool.

He poured himself a bowl and drank it slowly, but his gaze remained fixed on the surface of the pool.

The water was like a mirror, reflecting the gray sky and his reflection in the water, which was quite different from what it had been three months ago.

"You're back?"

The sound came from behind me, calm and still.

Meng Chuan put down the ceramic bowl, stood up, and turned his head.

The girl, still barefoot and dressed in hemp clothing, slowly walked out from the depths of the valley.

She was carrying several large, green leaves, on which rested some freshly picked berries and tubers that Meng Chuan couldn't name.

"Thanks to your kindness, senior." Meng Chuan bowed.

Houtu walked to the stone table, put the leaf down, and glanced at him, pausing at the torn cuffs and blood-stained clothes before returning to his face.

"She's like a celestial being," she exclaimed.

"Mm," Meng Chuan replied softly.

She paused, then looked up at him: "Did you get the things?"

Meng Chuan nodded, a thought flickering in his mind.

The Primordial Golden Cauldron emerged from between his eyebrows, returning to its original size and hanging above the stone table.

The clear light flowed, and the Daoist charm naturally arose, illuminating the surrounding area for several feet with a clear and vibrant atmosphere.

Houtu paused in her munching on the fruit.

She stared at the ancient square container for a long while before slowly swallowing the fruit in her mouth.

"Hun Yuan Jin Dou" (Primordial Golden Bucket).

She uttered four words softly.

She definitely recognized her!

At this point, Meng Chuan was completely certain that this treasure was "specially" arranged for him by the other party.

Houtu changed the subject, asking, "Now that you've broken through to the Celestial Immortal realm and obtained this treasure, what are your plans next?"

Meng Chuan pondered.

His original plan was to continue his ascetic training in the valley until he broke through to the True Immortal and Profound Immortal levels, and then, after gaining a certain level of self-protection, he would travel around to seek opportunities to break through to the Golden Immortal level!

His primary goal at this stage was to listen to the Dao at Zixiao Palace, which was a great opportunity in the prehistoric world at this time and could not be missed.

Hongjun used the Zixiao Palace to preach the Dao three times, accumulating merit and virtue to merge with the Heavenly Dao. When he went to listen to the Dao, it could be considered as supporting the other party.

However, the threshold for the three sermons at Zixiao Palace was higher each time.

In my memory, there are two versions of the story:

One theory is that the minimum requirement for all three sermons was to be a "Great Luo Golden Immortal";

Another version of the story goes that the lowest level of cultivation is "Golden Immortal," the second is "Taiyi Golden Immortal," and the third is "Daluo Golden Immortal."

He hoped the latter was accurate!

After all, for him, attaining the Great Luo Dao before a single lecture at Zixiao Palace would be an absolutely hellish challenge!

"This junior intends to continue his seclusion to consolidate his cultivation level and refine his profound techniques and spiritual treasures."

Meng Chuan told the truth.

"You can't develop real skills by working behind closed doors."

Houtu shook her head, "After becoming a Celestial Immortal, cultivation is no longer simply about accumulating magical power, but also about comprehending one's state of mind and verifying the Dao."

"The vast wilderness holds countless opportunities and dangers. To venture out, to see the world, to see all living beings, and to see oneself—that is the right path."

She paused for a moment, then said, "At the foot of Mount Buzhou, ten thousand miles to the east, there is a site of ancient battlefield ruins, left behind from the struggle for supremacy among the hundred tribes in ancient times."

"The murderous aura there is overwhelming, which may be beneficial to your killing principles. You can go there and take it as a training exercise."

Meng Chuan cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, senior."

"Don't thank me in time." Houtu took out a dark yellow bone fragment from her bosom. It was slightly different from the one she had given her before, with more intricate patterns on it.

"This is a token of my Wu clan. Keep it with you at all times. The ancient battlefield is near Buzhou Mountain, and Wu clan members often patrol and train there. If you encounter danger or need their help, you can use this token to seek their assistance."

She pushed the bone fragment towards her: "However, most of the shamanic men are straightforward and dislike beating around the bush. If you treat them with sincerity, they will reciprocate with sincerity."

Meng Chuan solemnly accepted it: "This junior has remembered it."