Primordial Era: Reborn as a Qi Immortal, Steadily Cultivating

Chapter 148 Zhenyuan Daxian
After leaving Skull Mountain, Ma Yuan headed west.

With a thought, the Red Cloud Escape Technique, which he had obtained from the remnant spirit of the Red Cloud Ancestor, was quietly activated.

Its form slowly became ethereal, eventually transforming into a wisp of invisible, intangible crimson cloud.

It silently blended into this world, leaving no trace whatsoever.

This technique truly lives up to its reputation as the life-saving divine ability that the former Ancestor Hongyun relied on to make a name for himself; it is one of the most outstanding speed divine abilities in the primordial world.

Its mystery lies not in the ordinary escape light, but in the brute force that tears through the void and forcibly moves it.

Instead, it seemed as if it had completely transformed itself into a wisp of cloud between heaven and earth, gathering and dispersing at will, changing unpredictably.

Traveling with the wind, one can travel thousands of miles in an instant.

Its speed far surpasses the realm of ordinary immortal escape techniques.

In the past, in that Zixiao Palace.

Neither the Crimson Cloud Ancestor nor the Demon Master Kunpeng were among the most powerful beings in terms of cultivation and foundation.

Yet the two of them managed to stand out among the three thousand mortals and snatch two saintly prayer mats from the powerful figures such as Di Jun, Tai Yi, and Ming He.

What it relies on, apart from its already perfected quasi-saintly cultivation, is its own.

This is the supreme escape technique that is unparalleled in the primordial world!

However, the profoundness of this technique cannot be fully summarized by the single word "fast".

Its most wondrous aspect lies in the eight-character mantra: "Gathering and scattering are determined by the mind, and changes are boundless."

Once the light of escape is released, its form can transform into countless invisible and intangible red clouds.

Every wisp of red cloud can be the real thing or an illusion.

If used in battle, this technique can transform into countless clouds, splitting the user's body.

It makes it difficult for the enemy to distinguish between truth and falsehood, making it impossible to defend against.

Unless it is forcibly imprisoned by a supreme innate treasure or a top-tier formation capable of suppressing a region of space and time.

Otherwise, even with Ma Yuan's current cultivation level of just entering the Great Luo realm, ordinary quasi-saints would find it difficult to completely lock onto his true form.

Ma Yuan's cultivation level is now vastly different from before, and he has frequently deduced this great supernatural power during his 89,000 years of cultivation in West Kunlun.

Therefore, he has thoroughly understood the essence of this art.

At this moment, the crimson cloud that Ma Yuan had transformed into trembled slightly amidst the fierce winds of the heavens.

The next moment, they had already traversed tens of thousands of miles of void in an instant.

"The wings of the Kunpeng are like clouds hanging from the sky. With a single flap of its wings, it can traverse 90,000 miles of void. This Red Cloud Escape Technique is probably not much inferior to it."

Ma Yuan secretly praised him.

He knew that with such unparalleled escape techniques by his side...

As they journey across this increasingly turbulent and unpredictable land, their confidence in survival will undoubtedly be strengthened once again.

He did not delay for even a moment.

Once again, it transformed into a streak of red cloud and sped off towards Longevity Mountain.

……

I don't know how long we traveled.

When a majestic, rolling mountain range, rich in natural beauty and natural wonder, appears on the distant horizon.

Ma Yuan's mind stirred slightly at that moment.

He immediately stopped his escape light deep within the sea of ​​clouds.

It gathered all the crimson clouds in the sky into its body.

His figure reappeared, and the Great Luo Dao Aura that had long since returned to its original simplicity was now completely contained deep within his Dao body, without revealing even a trace of it.

Now, his aura is completely ordinary.

He looked just like an ordinary Xuanmen cultivator with shallow cultivation, traveling around this primordial land, without any special characteristics.

Having done all this, he finally took a step and slowly descended from the void towards the sacred land below.

It wasn't that he was arrogant.

This place is the Daoist temple of Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of the Earth Immortals, and the location of Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain!
Although Zhen Yuanzi was a man who did not contend with the world, he was also known for his kind and gentle nature.

However, it is ultimately a top-tier innate deity that was born at the beginning of the world.

He was a quasi-saint who had personally listened to the Dao Ancestor preach in the Zixiao Palace!
Such beings are not to be underestimated by ordinary cultivators.
Ma Yuan came here to make good connections, not to cause trouble.

Both out of courtesy and respect, one should walk up the mountain as a junior, in order to show sincerity and respect.

When his feet truly stepped onto this blessed land of immortals, which was already famous throughout the primordial world.

Even with Ma Yuan's current level of cultivation, he couldn't help but feel a slight chill, and a heartfelt admiration appeared on his face.

Looking around, one sees majestic peaks, surging dragon veins, swirling celestial mists, and auspicious energy rising.

Above it, the essence of primordial earth, so dense it was almost supernatural, gathered into a sea and transformed into a visible cloud of profound yellow merit, enveloping the entire mountain range.

Ma Yuan could clearly sense it.

The seemingly ordinary land beneath our feet is actually connected in some mysterious way to the ancestral veins of the entire primordial land!
When one is prosperous, both are prosperous; when one is lost, both are harmed!
Its foundation is so solid and its fortune so magnificent that it has long since transcended the realm of ordinary blessed lands!
"Truly worthy of being the ancestor of earthly immortals who reigns in harmony with the world..."

Ma Yuan thought to himself.

He knew that the path Zhen Yuanzi cultivated was the path of the Earth Immortals.

This path does not seek the carefree existence beyond heaven and earth, nor does it seek the majesty of wielding the power of the Heavenly Way.

What he seeks is to use the method of "great virtue carries all things and bears all spirits" to completely unite his own Dao fruit with the ancestral veins of the vast and boundless primordial earth!
As long as this ancient land does not perish, its true spirit will not perish and will live on forever!
This method, though seemingly clumsy in the face of future battles and bloodshed, appears rather awkward.

However, its defensive capabilities are enough to make any quasi-saint of the same level tremble in fear!
Ma Yuan calmed himself down and stopped thinking about it.

He walked along a rustic mountain path paved entirely with natural bluestone.

Step by step, we slowly climbed the mountain to its highest point.

……

Longevity Hill, Wuzhuang Temple, under the ginseng fruit tree.

A middle-aged Taoist priest, dressed in an earth-yellow robe, with an ancient face, wearing a purple-gold crown, and with three long strands of beard flowing down his chest, was sitting quietly cross-legged, meditating with his eyes closed.

Its aura was as deep as the sea, completely merging with the earth's veins of Longevity Mountain, and even the vast and boundless primordial land further away, becoming one with it.

He was none other than Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of all earth immortals!

Since the passing of his close friend Hongyun, he has been living in seclusion in Wuzhuang Temple, detached from worldly affairs.

But at that very moment, Zhen Yuanzi's eyes suddenly opened without warning!

Zhen Yuanzi cultivated the path of the Earth Immortal, and had already refined the entire Longevity Mountain into a part of his own Dao Fruit.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every mountain, and every stone here is his eyes and ears, an extension of himself.

Even if a bird that has not yet become a spirit flies by in the mountains, it cannot escape his perception.

Just now, he clearly felt a perfect and flawless, eternally indestructible Great Luo Dao Aura descend upon his Daoist temple!
"Daluo Jinxian?"

Zhen Yuanzi frowned slightly, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

The age of sages has arrived, and the witch and demon races have also ceased their activities.

The entire prehistoric world was shrouded in a tense atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing.

At such a sensitive moment, a strange Great Immortal quietly visits his Wuzhuang Temple, which has been closed for countless eons.

Their intentions are probably far from ordinary.

With a thought, Zhen Yuanzi's vast, ocean-like quasi-saintly divine sense instantly enveloped the entire Longevity Mountain.

On the ancient stone path halfway up the mountain, he saw the Taoist in blue robes walking slowly and steadily towards him.

Within his divine perception.

Although the Taoist in the green robe exuded a pure and simple aura, he was no different from an ordinary Qi cultivator.

However, within its physical body, it seems to contain a complete and harmonious world of the Five Elements.

The five most fundamental elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—generate endlessly and circulate within it.

It had already become a world of its own, completely isolated from the primordial world!
The strangest thing is that in the vast web of celestial secrets in this ancient land, not a single trace of this person's cause and effect can be found!
It was as if he didn't exist in this world at all!
"What a strange and bizarre Taoist technique..."

Even with Zhen Yuanzi's calm and composed Dao heart, which had already experienced countless eons, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised at this moment. He had friends all over the Three Mountains and Five Peaks in this primordial world, and he also had some relationship with most of the three thousand guests in Zixiao Palace.

However, the Daoist foundation of this Great Luo Golden Immortal before him was something he had never heard of or seen before!

Zhen Yuanzi's mind raced, but he did not lose his manners.

He knew that since this person had chosen to come on foot, it meant that he had no ill intentions.

He immediately rose slowly from the prayer mat and, addressing the two young Taoist disciples who were already waiting outside the temple, calmly instructed them:
"A distinguished guest has arrived at the mountain gate. You must go quickly to greet him and show no disrespect whatsoever."

Inside the Wuzhuang Temple, upon hearing their master's instructions, a deep sense of surprise flashed in the clear eyes of the two young Taoist disciples.

They had served Zhen Yuanzi for countless years, and were well aware of their teacher's temperament.

Especially after the tragic demise of the old Master Hongyun in the Chaos of the Outer Heavens, the teacher became even more disheartened and completely sealed off the gates of Wuzhuang Temple, refusing to have any further contact with any cultivators from the outside world.

Aside from watering and loosening the soil for the ginseng fruit tree, he usually secluded himself on the futon for meditation, and had not had any visitors for countless millennia.

Unexpectedly, today they took the initiative to ask them to go and greet a distinguished guest.
Although the two were curious, they dared not be negligent in the slightest.

They knew that although their teacher was kind and unassuming, his profound understanding of the Tao had already placed him among the pinnacle of this vast world.

Those whom he calls distinguished guests must be extraordinary people.

"is teacher."

The two young Taoists dared not ask any further questions and immediately agreed respectfully.

He then quickly tidied his clothes and hurried through the ancient courtyard, heading towards the main gate of the Taoist temple.

"Squeak-"

With a dull thud, the heavy temple gate, made of thousand-year-old agarwood, was slowly pushed open.

The two young Taoist boys peeked out and stared intently at the ancient bluestone path outside the mountain gate.

Outside the mountain gate, a young Taoist priest dressed in a simple blue robe, with an unremarkable aura, stood quietly.

His gaze was calmly fixed on the couplet above the gate, which was already famous throughout the primordial world.

"The immortal abode of eternal life, the Taoist home of the same heaven and earth."

Ma Yuan murmured to himself and nodded slowly.

What a grand vision, yet it is not an arrogant statement.

This couplet perfectly captures the supreme truth of the Way of the Earthly Immortals.

It was at this moment that the two young Taoist disciples behind the gate also saw Ma Yuan's appearance clearly.

The newcomer was just an ordinary cultivator with no powerful magical energy fluctuations around him, and his background was completely unknown.

A hint of doubt appeared on their still somewhat immature faces.

However, they ultimately remembered their teacher's instructions and dared not be the slightest bit impolite.

The two immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Ma Yuan.

“My teacher has been waiting inside the temple for a long time and specially ordered the two of us to come and greet him.”

The young Taoist priest at the head of the group asked in a clear, crisp voice.

"This humble Taoist priest, Ma Yuan of Skull Mountain, greets the two celestial children."

Ma Yuan smiled calmly and returned the greeting with neither arrogance nor servility.

Seeing that although the two children were young, they had the manners of Taoist disciples and nodded to themselves.

"Senior please."

Seeing Ma Yuan's reaction, the two boys said no more and immediately stepped aside, respectfully clearing the path leading into the temple.

Ma Yuan nodded slightly and calmly stepped inside.

As soon as you step into Wuzhuang Temple, an earth elemental energy that is a thousand times more concentrated than that outside hits you!

Its profound aura and pure Daoist charm made even Ma Yuan's already flawless innate Five Elements Daoist body feel a sense of intimacy from its very source.

The temple grounds do not contain any magnificent golden palaces or luxurious carved beams and painted rafters.

As far as the eye can see, there are ancient Taoist temples built of bluestone and logs, interspersed with a few clear ponds and a few green bamboo groves, all of which appear so natural and harmonious.

Yet beneath this seemingly ordinary scene lies the supreme truth of returning to simplicity and authenticity.

Ma Yuan's gaze was quickly drawn to a towering tree located in the very center of the courtyard.

The giant tree stood a thousand feet tall, its branches twisting like dragons, its green leaves glistening with dew, each leaf embodying the most fundamental principles of the Earth element.

A powerful and boundless life force emanated from the tree trunk, nourishing the entire Taoist temple.

Among the lush branches and leaves, more than twenty strangely shaped fruits were hanging sparsely.

The fruit was only three inches in size, yet it looked exactly like a three-day-old child, with all four limbs and facial features, lifelike.

A refreshing and unique fragrance wafted from the fruit; just one whiff was enough to save an ordinary cultivator from a hundred years of arduous practice!
"Ginseng fruit..."

Ma Yuan had already seen the peach tree in the West Kunlun Mountains long ago.

The ginseng fruit tree, which is also one of the ten top spiritual roots in the primordial world, is in no way inferior to the peach tree.

These rare treasures of heaven and earth truly possess the wonders of creation and the mysteries of the sun and moon!
It was at this moment that, under the ginseng fruit tree, a middle-aged Taoist priest who had been waiting for a long time slowly turned around.

His gaze was calm and gentle as it fell upon Ma Yuan.

"I wonder what path you cultivate, young friend, that even I cannot find the slightest trace of it in these heavenly secrets?"

He didn't directly ask about their purpose, but subtly pointed out the most peculiar thing about Ma Yuan.

"Ma Yuan, a hermit cultivator from the mountains, greets the Great Immortal Zhenyuan."

Ma Yuan also stepped forward and performed a deep bow.

"I have come here to pay my respects, not for any other reason than that my journey is related to an old friend of the Great Immortal."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi's originally calm eyes trembled slightly!
An old friend?

After obtaining that wisp of primordial purple energy from Hongyun, he severed all ties with all his old friends in this prehistoric world.

For him, the only person in this world he could call an old friend had long since perished in the chaos of the outer heavens, both in body and soul.

A deep sorrow that had been dormant for countless millennia suddenly surged up once more from the depths of his heart.

However, his expression remained unchanged.

"Oh? May I ask which old friend you are, that you would trouble yourself to come to my Wuzhuang Temple, which has long been isolated from the world?"

Zhen Yuanzi's voice remained calm.

However, Ma Yuan could clearly sense that the powerful aura around him, which had long been integrated with the entire Longevity Mountain, was now slightly disordered.

Ma Yuan sighed softly to himself.

He knew that Zhen Yuanzi, though seemingly indifferent to worldly affairs, was actually a rare person of deep feelings and true character in this primordial world.

He no longer held back in any secrecy.

"I have come here because of a karmic matter related to Fellow Daoist Hongyun."

"boom--!!!!!"

As soon as the words "Red Cloud" were uttered, the powerful aura surrounding Zhen Yuanzi began to fluctuate violently and uncontrollably.
His body trembled slightly, almost uncontrollably, at that moment!
"You...what did you say?"

Zhen Yuanzi stared intently at Ma Yuan in front of him.

Those eyes were filled with unbelievable shock, and a faint glimmer of hope!

Ma Yuan remained silent.

He simply raised his right hand calmly and waved it gently in front of him.

A flash of light appeared.

A simple, ancient gourd, grayish-yellow in color and imbued with a Taoist charm, floated quietly in his palm.

The gourd had just appeared.

Zhen Yuanzi's primordial spirit, which had been with Hongyun for countless eons, sensed a very familiar aura of origin in the darkness!

"This...this is..."

(End of this chapter)