Primordial Era: Starting with the repair of Penglai Immortal Island

Tongtian is a sage, and the foremost master of both swordsmanship and formation in the primordial world. Answering Huanglong's question is naturally a piece of cake for him.

"This disciple does have a question," Huang Long said slowly, gathering his thoughts, "about the balance between the 'Way of Evolution' and the 'Way of Destruction' of the world..."

He began to recount the perplexities he encountered while evolving the Xuanhuang Realm, repairing the primordial land, and cultivating spiritual roots.

How can we ensure that life continues uninterrupted, and how can we ensure that prosperity and decline are in harmony?

There are even questions about how to cultivate and refine the physical body using chaotic energy.

This is the doubt that arose from his comprehension of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique he obtained from the Ancestral Witch.

He has now cultivated to the seventh level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, but he still cannot absorb the chaotic energy.

The Master of Heaven listened quietly.

After Huang Long finished speaking, he pondered for a long time, then suddenly raised his hand and gently made a stroke in the starry sky.

A flash of sword light appeared.

The sword light was initially incredibly sharp, as if it could cleave everything in two and destroy all things.

But halfway through its journey, the sword light suddenly split, one begets two, two begets three, three begets ten thousand—countless tiny sword lights scattered like seeds, each one landing and transforming into a flower, a blade of grass, a tree, an insect...!

From destruction comes new life.

"Our Jie Sect seizes a sliver of life, not to defy Heaven." The voice of the Tongtian Sect Leader echoed through the starry sky. "The Heavenly Dao is flawed, and all things have their regrets. That sliver of life is the leeway that the Heavenly Dao leaves for all living beings. To balance birth and death, the key is not in 'following' or 'going against' the natural order, but in finding that 'sliver'."

He looked at Huanglong with profound eyes: "Your Daoist temple is too full of life, which has caused it to lose its naturalness. You should know that the flourishing and withering of plants is the way of nature; forcing them to remain evergreen is going against the natural order. Appropriately introducing 'calamities'—wind and rain destroying, thunder and fire burning the forest, insects devouring the veins of leaves—allowing living beings to grow in hardship, this is the true 'endless cycle of life'."

"The world is the same...!"

Huanglong felt as if he had been enlightened.

He suddenly understood the source of his confusion all these years. He had managed the Xuanhuang Realm like a greenhouse, where all things grew peacefully under its protection, but he had lost the cruelty and competition that a primordial wilderness should possess. Without calamities, how can there be transformation? Without destruction, how can there be rebirth?

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master!" Huang Long stood up and bowed deeply.

This bow came from the bottom of his heart. The words of the Tongtian Sect Leader dispelled the fog and pointed out the way forward for him.

"As for the chaotic energy?" Tongtian shook his head and said, "You don't even know what chaotic energy is, how can you absorb it to temper your body?"

"Please instruct me, Uncle-Master...!" Huang Long was interrupted by Tongtian before he could finish speaking.

"Go! When the time comes, you will know!" The Tongtian Sect Leader closed his eyes again. "Duobao and the others are waiting for you. The Jie Sect and the Chan Sect are ultimately both Xuanmen (mystical sects). You brothers must not let any rift develop between you."

"Your disciple will remember this."

Seeing that his Uncle Tongtian was unwilling to talk about it, Huanglong did not dare to press him further.

Huanglong bowed again, slowly withdrew from the platform, and walked out of the palace along the path he had come from.

The two boys were still refining the spiritual energy in the wine, their faces as red as apples, and their bodies surging with spiritual energy.

As Huanglong passed by, they barely opened their eyes and managed a smile at him.

Upon exiting the gates of Biyou Palace, Huanglong discovered that Duobao and Zhao Gongming were already waiting outside the palace.

Duobao was still the same as before, still so plump, only now he had a few more objects radiating precious light on his body, and a smile often played on his lips.

But Huanglong could tell at a glance that the Daoist aura of this senior disciple of the Jie Sect had merged with the heavens and earth, and that his breathing stirred up the Daoist aura throughout the universe.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Duobao, on attaining the Great Luo Dao." Huanglong was the first to bow.

Duobao quickly stepped forward to help him up, and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Huanglong, there's no need for such formalities between us. It's been tens of thousands of years since we last met, hasn't it?"

He carefully examined Huanglong, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Although I can't discern your cultivation level, your Daoist aura is becoming increasingly refined. It seems you've made considerable progress over the years, truly putting me to shame."

Huang Longqian said, "I've just gained some insights."

Zhao Gongming interjected, "Senior brothers, let's not talk standing at the palace gate. Senior Brother Duobao has prepared a banquet, and Senior Sister Jinling and Senior Sister Wudang have also arrived, just waiting for Senior Brother Huanglong."

Duobao nodded: "Exactly. Now that Junior Brother has come to Jin'ao Island, as his senior brother, how can I not treat him well? Your senior brother Guangchengzi will laugh at me."

With that, he gestured for Huanglong to go down the mountain.

Huanglong glanced back at Biyou Palace and saw that the gate was half-closed, with two small heads peeking out from the crack—the Water and Fire Boys were clinging to the door frame, looking this way longingly, obviously wanting to go too, but not daring to leave their posts without permission.

Seeing that the two boys had regained consciousness, a thought struck him, and he beckoned to them, "Want to come along, junior brothers?"

The two boys' eyes lit up immediately, but then they hesitated and looked into the doorway.

A calm voice came from inside the door: "Go if you wish."

"Thank you, sir!" The two cheered and darted out like birds released from their cages, running to Huang Long's side on either side, their little faces looking up at him. "Senior Brother Huang Long, we'll show you the way! Jin'ao Island is huge, with lots of fun places to visit!"

Seeing this, Duobao laughed and said, "These two little rascals usually wander around Jin'ao Island while their teacher is in seclusion."

"They know Jin'ao Island much better than we do!"

The group rode on their escape light and flew towards Duobao's dojo.

Duobao's dojo is located on Jinxia Peak of Jin'ao Island, which is famous for its abundant "Jinxia Stone". The stone contains the innate Geng metal energy, which is an excellent material for refining magic weapons.

Halfway up the mountain, a palace complex was built. Although the palaces were not as grand as Biyou Palace, they were full of precious treasures. The pillars of the main hall, the jade bricks underfoot, and the lanterns hanging from the eaves were all magical artifacts.

The temple grounds are filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, surrounded by artificial hills and flowing water, and there are also several medicinal gardens where rare innate spiritual herbs are grown.

Huang Long glanced at them and recognized that half of them came from his own dojo, but he had never seen the other half before. He secretly sighed that his senior brother Duobao was indeed a master of treasure hunting.

The group landed in the square in front of the main hall.

A jade table and cushions had been set up in front of the hall, with spiritual fruits and fragrant tea placed on them.

Several figures emerged from the main hall upon hearing the sound. Leading the way were two female immortals. One wore a golden celestial robe and a phoenix-winged crown, exuding an elegant and noble air; she was Jin Ling. The other wore a plain white Taoist robe, with a simple hairstyle and gentle features; she was Wu Dang.

Both of them were radiating spiritual light and condensing Daoist energy, with their three flowers faintly visible, clearly indicating that their breakthrough to the Great Luo realm was imminent.

Behind the two, the three sisters of Sanxiao appeared together, with Bixiao even winking mischievously at Huanglong.

The last figure surprised Huang Long.

She was a female immortal in green robes, with a cold and aloof face and a stone-like temperament, her body exuding a pure and profound Daoist charm.

It was Shi Ji who won first place in the Celestial Immortal Realm and obtained the Golden Lotus Seed of Merit during the Four Religions Grand Competition.

Later, he traded the Golden Lotus of Merit to Xuandu in exchange for a Nine-Turn Creation Golden Pill.

"Junior Sister Shiji?" Huang Long was somewhat surprised.

Shi Ji stepped forward and bowed, her voice clear and melodious: "Shi Ji greets Senior Brother Huang Long."

Zhao Gongming laughed, "Junior Sister Shiji has exceptional talent. After consuming that Nine-Turn Creation Golden Pill, her fundamental abilities have greatly improved, and she is now at the Golden Immortal realm!"

"Among the disciples, I got along very well with Jinling and Senior Sister Wudang, so we came together."

Huang Long understood.

Clearly, Shi Ji shone brightly in that competition among the four sects, winning first place in the Heavenly Immortal realm and bringing great honor to the Jie Sect and her Uncle Tongtian.

Naturally, he also caught the eye of Master Tongtian and had the opportunity to become a core disciple.