Primordial Era: From the Creation Lotus to the First Disciple of the Three Pure Ones

Laozi lightly flicked his sleeves, and an invisible Daoist aura spread out. The clear light beneath his feet gathered and transformed into a rainbow bridge spanning the void, purely composed of pure innate Qi, without any trace of magical treasures.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable was surrounded by a pure and ethereal light, with auspicious clouds arising spontaneously. Lotus blossoms appeared with every step he took, and the void beneath his feet seemed to solidify into a smooth path.

The Tongtian Sect Leader was the most unrestrained. With a clear sound, the Qingping Sword at his waist rang out, and the sword light was like autumn water suddenly bursting forth, instantly enveloping the two of them (Tongtian and Qinglian). Wherever the sword pointed, the void automatically cracked open.

With one step, one is already in the Kunlun region! The chilling aura of Buzhou Mountain had not yet dissipated, but the unique, clear Daoist charm of Kunlun Mountain swept over one's face, cleansing the soul and making one feel as if they had been transported to another world.

Qinglian stood firmly on the ground, feeling an incomparably pure innate spiritual energy rising from beneath her feet.

He couldn't help but take a deep breath and look up. Three Taoist palaces with distinct styles hung above the sea of ​​clouds atop the mountain.

Taiqing Palace is the most unadorned, with gray and white stone walls and no carvings. Only the palace roof seems to have a Taiji symbol slowly rotating, exuding a profound artistic conception of tranquility, non-action, and the return of all things to oneness.

The Jade Purity Palace exudes a solemn atmosphere, with towering jade steps and carved beams and painted rafters that seem to evoke the chaotic stars, majestic and imposing, as if the order of the Dao is manifested.

The Shangqing Palace is completely different. It seems to be cast entirely from green jade, with sword intent soaring to the sky. The palace lines are hard and sharp, and the sound of metal clashing echoes in the void. It exudes an arrogant spirit that cuts off all laws and is determined to forge ahead.

"This is our sacred ground," Laozi said calmly, pointing to the three palaces. "Now that you have joined the Three Pure Ones, you belong to the Kunlun lineage. Follow me."

With a gentle flick of his sleeves, Laozi unleashed a soft yet irresistible force that lifted the blue lotus and carried it straight into the seemingly inconspicuous Taiqing Palace.

The palace was empty, with only a futon and a cloud bed in the center, nothing else. Yuanshi and Tongtian did not leave immediately, but also stepped into the hall together.

Qinglian stood in the center of the hall, her heart surging with unsettling emotions.

Finally having a moment to catch his breath, he immediately focused his mind and looked inward at himself.

Deep within his dantian, a large, plump, azure lotus seed hung in the center, the very essence of his primordial spirit. Twenty-four innate divine runes flowed clearly across the lotus seed, radiating a rich and pure aura of creation and life force. His boundless magical power, like a vast galaxy, surged ceaselessly through his limbs, bones, and acupoints, perfectly harmonious and inexhaustible, reaching the limit that even a Taiyi Golden Immortal could contain!

Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm!

Qinglian's heart trembled, and then a bitter feeling welled up in her heart.

This level of cultivation, if placed on an ordinary being in the primordial world, would be enough to make him a revered ancestor. But his "origin"... a lotus seed transformed into human form, ultimately cannot compare to the innate divine foundation nurtured by the twenty-fourth-grade Creation Green Lotus. Even the original lotus seed is no match for those top-tier innate gods who are born as Great Luo Golden Immortals.

"How is it?" Yuanshi Tianzun's voice rang out, carrying his usual majesty. His gaze fell on Qinglian as if it were a tangible thing, as if he could penetrate her skin and see right into her essence.

The Tongtian Sect Leader crossed his arms, staring at Qinglian with great interest, a faint, sharp smile playing on his lips: "To be able to take form at the core of such a restriction, you must have quite a background, kid. Tell me."

Although Lao Tzu did not speak, his eyes, which held the secrets of heaven and earth, gazed upon him silently.

Pressure, an invisible pressure, descended. Facing the three future sages, Qinglian knew that any attempt to conceal anything would be futile and might even lead to unforeseen consequences.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and bowed deeply to the Three Pure Ones, his posture extremely respectful:

"This disciple is terrified. I dare not deceive my three masters." He raised his head, his eyes filled with a complex mix of lingering fear and composure. "This disciple was not originally the spirit of this lotus seed..."

His voice lowered as he slowly recounted that long and desperate period. As the original form of the Twenty-Fourth Grade Creation Green Lotus, he was suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, struggling for countless ages, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not break free from those invisible shackles and take form.

Finally, after sensing the terrifying "fate" that destined him to be divided, he took a desperate gamble, entrusting his entire primordial spirit to the fullest lotus seed in the lotus platform, drawing upon the essence of the Creation Lotus to infuse it, in order to seek a glimmer of hope.

"...This disciple is actually the spirit of the twenty-fourth grade Creation Green Lotus. Due to the taboo of the Heavenly Dao, I was unable to take human form. Helpless, I had no choice but to abandon my physical body to survive. My primordial spirit escaped into this child, and by chance, I was taken in by the mercy of my three masters."

Qinglian's words carried a calmness of having settled down, yet they could not conceal the deep-seated weariness and relief.

"As for my true form... the treasures that my masters obtained just now—the Dragon Head Flat Staff, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, and the Qingping Sword—are all transformations of my true form."

After he finished speaking, the Taiqing Palace fell silent.

On Lao Tzu's usually calm and composed face, his eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

The majestic gaze of the Primordial Celestial Venerable lingered on Qinglian for a moment, then slowly swept over the warm yet infinitely majestic Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand, his eyes becoming extremely deep and complex.

The Tongtian Sect Leader subconsciously gripped the cold hilt of the Qingping Sword at his waist. A faint, clear hum came from the scabbard, as if it resonated strangely with Qinglian's words.

Awkward? Absurd? Or some inexplicable cause and effect of fate?

The three supreme innate spiritual treasures, possessing boundless power and subtly aligned with their Dao origins, were actually transformed from the very body of their newly accepted eldest disciple! Even with their profound cultivation, the Three Pure Ones could not fully comprehend the mystery within them in a short time.

Qinglian keenly noticed the subtle silence and changes in the eyes of her three masters, and her heart tightened suddenly.

He immediately bowed again, his tone full of sincerity and frankness, proactively addressing and resolving any potential "resentment":

"This disciple believes that these three treasures should rightfully belong to Master! Red flowers, white lotus roots, and green lotus leaves—the Three Pure Ones were originally one family! This is an opportunity ordained by Heaven. It is also Master's good fortune that my body can transform into a treasure for his enlightenment and protection. This disciple is merely an exception who escaped by sheer luck. To be able to become Master's disciple and listen to the Great Dao is already an immense blessing. How dare I harbor any resentment? Master, please do not hold this against me!"

These words, spoken with heartfelt sincerity, pointed out the origin of the saying "the Three Pure Ones are originally one family," getting straight to the heart of the matter.

The Tongtian Sect Leader was the first to break the silence. He laughed heartily, his laughter carrying a sharp edge, like a sword piercing the sky: "Good lad! You see things clearly! What's this talk of a physical body? You are now my Tongtian Sect's first disciple! All the past is but smoke and clouds!"

The stern face of the Primordial Celestial Venerable softened, and he nodded slightly, his gaze towards Qinglian showing more genuine approval: "Although their backgrounds are different, their temperaments are acceptable."

Lao Tzu spoke last, his voice still calm, yet containing a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction: "The arising and ceasing of things are all predetermined. Now that you have broken free from the shackles, you should look forward. At the peak of Taiyi, you are only one step away from Daluo, and your foundation is exceptionally solid."

His gaze swept over the aura emanating from Qinglian, aura that was subtly imbued with the perfect harmony of creation's essence.

"Hearing from Zixiao, we have also gained some new insights into the Great Luo Realm. Please calm down and let us explain it to you."

"Thank you, Master!" Qinglian felt a weight lifted from her heart, her gratitude and excitement almost overflowing.

He immediately sat cross-legged on the futon that Lao Tzu had pointed to, facing the sky with his palms facing outwards, emptying his mind and not daring to have the slightest distracting thought.

Lao Tzu spoke first. His voice was not loud, yet it was like the supreme pronouncement of the Dao, resounding directly within the depths of Qinglian's divine soul: "The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Nameless, it is the origin of heaven and earth; named, it is the mother of all things..." There were no dazzling pronouncements, no golden lotuses springing from the earth, only an indescribable stillness.

As the seemingly ordinary words flowed, Qinglian felt his restless heart soothed by an invisible hand, becoming clear and reflecting the most fundamental workings of heaven and earth. A trace of the true meaning of "non-action" permeated his primordial spirit like a clear spring, refining his magical power, making it purer, more condensed, and closer to its origin.

The resentment and fear of being suppressed by the Way of Heaven in the past seemed to gradually melt away in this calm narration, leaving only awe and understanding of "the Way follows nature".

Lao Tzu finished speaking, but the essence of Taoism still lingers.

The voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable had already taken over, his style suddenly changing: "The Way of Jade Purity lies in order, in the fundamental principles, in the rules by which the Primordial Qi gives birth to all things!" His voice was magnificent, like the laws of heaven! Every word seemed to contain ancient laws that had existed since the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

Qinglian seemed to see the grand scene of the beginning of chaos, with pure energy rising to become the sky and turbid energy sinking to become the earth, stars arrayed, and all things born in an orderly fashion. Under the guidance of this majestic Daoist sound, the magical power within his body involuntarily began to operate according to some profound trajectory, becoming more orderly and powerful, faintly resonating with the vast spiritual energy of the earth veins of Kunlun Mountain, and a majestic aura of "acting in accordance with the will of Heaven" began to condense on him.

The lingering echoes of the primordial spirit still resonate majestically among the beams and pillars of the palace.

The earth-shaking voice pierced through the sky like a bolt of lightning!

"Haha! The Great Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine, and one escapes!" Tongtian's voice was clear and resonant, carrying a sharp and heroic spirit that could cut through all constraints. "Brother Yuqing speaks of rules, but I say that beyond the rules, there is a glimmer of hope! Seize it! Grasp it! All things can be the target of my sword, and all laws can be the resources of my Dao!" In an instant, the entire Taiqing Palace seemed to be filled with invisible sword intent! The air became sharp, and wisps of sword energy and Daoist rhyme swirled and cut around Qinglian's body.

This sword intent was not about killing, but about breaking through the fog, severing shackles, and pursuing the ultimate sharpness of transcendence! Under the stimulation of this Heaven-Slaying Sword Intent, Qinglian's magical power, which had been smoothed by Laozi and regulated by Yuanshi, suddenly became incredibly active and agile, full of infinitely possible variables.

The dormant lotus seed of creation within his body began to spin at an unprecedented speed, greedily absorbing the vast spiritual energy of Kunlun Mountain, and resonating strongly with Tongtian's Daoist principle of "seizing life force"!

Three distinct yet shared origins of the Great Dao, like three surging rivers, collided, intertwined, and merged within the Azure Lotus's sea of ​​consciousness and Dao body. The Supreme's inaction and tranquility, the Jade Void's orderly majesty, and the Supreme Clarity's heaven-splitting sharpness… all belonging to the same source, now within the Azure Lotus's special "container," catalyzed by the all-encompassing essence of the Creation Lotus Seed, they began to produce a wondrous chemical reaction!

Qinglian was completely absorbed in it, as if she were intoxicated.

He forgot about time, forgot about space, and forgot about his own existence.

He felt the sea of ​​magical power within his body, which had already reached the Taiyi limit, begin to boil violently, compress, and undergo a qualitative change! The incomparably solid barrier that separated Taiyi and Daluo became vulnerable under the repeated erosion of the true meaning of the Three Pure Ones' Great Dao and the fierce impact of his own creation origin.

"Snap—!"

A crisp sound, audible only to those with a Dao heart, exploded clearly deep within his soul!

Outside Taiqing Palace, the clear sky atop Kunlun Mountain suddenly changed color! Endless primordial spiritual energy converged wildly from all directions, forming a massive vortex covering tens of thousands of miles, its center directly facing Taiqing Palace! Within the vortex, purple qi traveled thirty thousand miles eastward, the illusory image of a chaotic azure lotus floated, and a profound Daoist aura originating from the creation of heaven and earth permeated the air, majestic and sacred!

A Great Immortal! Ascending to Heaven in One Step!

Inside the hall, Qinglian suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze shining brightly. The illusory image of the twenty-four-petaled lotus platform flashed by, and a vast aura belonging to a newly born Great Luo Golden Immortal, accompanied by incomparably pure Daoist charm of creation, instantly filled the entire palace!

All three Pure Ones' gazes were focused on him at the same time.

Lao Tzu saw only a slight ripple in the ancient well and nodded without saying a word.

Finally, a genuine, approving smile appeared on the majestic face of the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

The Tongtian Sect Leader clapped his hands and laughed, his voice echoing throughout the hall: "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! With such a profound foundation, breaking through to a higher realm is a natural progression! This is truly my Tongtian Sect Leader's first disciple!"