Primordial Era: Cultivation level equals the sum of the Jie Sect's total; the Three Pure Ones a

Xuandu turned his head and looked up, and saw a patch of emerald green light slowly spreading across the southern sky.

The radiance spread outwards from the Xuanji Secret Realm, and wherever it passed, the chaotic energy transformed into countless green leaves, each leaf bearing ancient wood-based patterns.

"Every tree is in spring?"

Xuan Du raised an eyebrow slightly.

The blue leaves fell on the floating land of the North, melting upon contact with the ground and seeping into the stone platforms and rocks.

Dozens of tender shoots sprouted from the cracks in the stone platform where he stood.

The tender buds grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, transforming into green trees about a foot tall, with fine innate Dao patterns flowing on their leaves.

Xuan Du sensed the aura of those green trees and his heart stirred slightly.

This is the resonance of the Chaos Spiritual Root, a gesture of goodwill towards him.

Although Aoki had already become his disciple, he had been entrenched in the Southern Territory's Billion Yuan Society, and his cultivation had become one with that land.

When the Chaos Spiritual Source senses the existence of the Primordial Taiji, it will spontaneously release goodwill; this is a law that was engraved at the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth.

Although those green trees were small, the life force they contained was extremely pure, enough to make his aura more stable.

Just as Xuandu lowered his eyes to look at the dozens of green trees, a gray sword light suddenly shone in the eastern sky.

The sword light came from the direction of the Primordial World, passed through the boundary wall of the Xuanji Heaven Domain, and without pausing for a moment, shot straight towards the northern border.

The sword light landed on the floating land and transformed into a gray figure a hundred feet in front of Xuandu.

His face was cold and stern, his gray robe hung down, and his sword intent flowed like water around him, but the water had lost some of its former sharpness and gained a sense of peace that was hard to describe.

Taixu.

He has returned from the primordial era.

Taixu gazed at Xuandu, a faint light flickering in his sharp eyes.

After a moment of silence, he spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying a solemnity he had never shown before, even at a multi-million dollar event:

"You've made a breakthrough."

The three words, when spoken, are not a question, but a statement.

Xuan Du looked at him and nodded slightly:

"You just broke through not long ago. How have you been in the primordial world?"

Taixu did not rush to answer. He slowly raised his head and looked at the starry river and green leaves that had not yet dissipated in the sky, sensing the vast and profound Hunyuan Taiji aura around Xuandu.

After a moment, he spoke:

"I have met your master."

"His swordsmanship is indeed much purer than mine. I simply cannot maintain his unwavering commitment to billions of dollars."

"But I also realized something else. Although I can't do what he did—protect the Jie Sect, protect humanity, and uphold his original aspirations—I don't have to be like him."

"What I need to do is find my own path."

Xuan Du gazed at him, sensing the sword intent emanating from Tai Xu that was much calmer than when he left, knowing that this being at the peak of the half-step Hunyuan Taiji realm had gained quite a bit from this trip:

"So, did you find it?"

Taixu remained silent for a moment, a faint light gathering in the depths of his sharp eyes, as if he were considering something.

He then spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a certainty that even a billion-dollar meeting could not match:

"Found it. I will guard my sword. I will guard this celestial realm. I will guard you, Xuan Du."

As the last three words were spoken, a sudden silence fell over the floating continent of the North.

The silver specks of light suspended in the void trembled slightly, and the green branches and leaves between the stone crevices drooped slightly.

It was as if even the heavens and earth were holding their breath in remembrance of those three words.

Xuan Du gazed at the void, and for the first time, a genuine hint of surprise flashed in the depths of his eyes, which were usually as calm as an ancient well:

"Protect me?"

Taixu nodded slightly, his cold and stern face devoid of any mockery, displaying only a solemnity befitting a billion-dollar investment.

"You helped me break through the illusion, led me into the primordial world to see the heavens, and let me see where the cracks in my Dao heart lay."

"I will remember this kindness and gratitude."

"My sword will be wielded for you from this day forward."

"This is my choice, and it has nothing to do with you."

Xuandu gazed at the void, a rare complex expression appearing on his young and composed face.

He originally thought that after Taixu returned to the Primordial World to compete in swordsmanship, he would completely resolve his inner conflict, break through the Hunyuan Taiji, and become a powerful figure who would govern a branch of the Jie Sect.

Unexpectedly, Taixu entrusted his Dao heart to him.

Guard with the sword, remember him.

This cause and effect is far more profound than the apprenticeship of Cangxuan and Qingmu.

Xuan Du remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke:

"Your sword strike was too heavy. I may not be able to bear it."

Taixu gazed at him, a faint smile slowly curving his lips—a smile he had never seen even in the Billionaires' Club.

Whether you can shoulder the responsibility or not is not up to you, but up to my sword. It has chosen you.

As soon as he finished speaking, Taixu no longer hesitated.

Those sharp, billion-dollar eyes lowered slightly.

His gray robe billowed as he clasped his hands in a deep bow, performing the full salute.

"Disciple Taixu greets Master."

The five words fell like a long sword returning to its sheath, their sound reverberating across the floating lands of the northern border.

The silvery-white light spots suspended in the void trembled in unison, and the green wood branches and leaves between the cracks in the stone platform drooped rustlingly.

It was as if even the heavens and earth held their breath in response to this ceremony.

Xuandu stood on the stone platform, looking down at the bowing figure.

He sensed that the sword intent surrounding Taixu was even more profound than before, with a sense of weight and composure that was not yet fully unleashed within its sharpness.

He sensed a kind of determination in Taixu.

A kind of determination that even a billion-dollar event could never have.

Xuan Du nodded slightly.

Get up.

The three words fell like a spring breeze, like a sword sheath returning to its place.

Taixu straightened up, his gray robe flowing like water, and raised his sharp eyes again to meet Xuandu's gaze.

"During my journey to the primordial world, I spent three days discussing swordsmanship with the Tongtian Sect Leader, and the gains far exceeded my expectations."

"His swordsmanship remains as pure as ever, and will not change even if it costs billions."

"In him I saw what I lacked: that sense of duty, that heart, and that unwavering original intention."

"This disciple has finally figured it out; this disciple is guarding what it is."

Xuan Du looked at him without saying a word, simply waiting.

Taixu continued:

"This disciple cultivates swordsmanship for billions of yuan, but has always wielded them only for his own benefit."

"Even the sharpest sword, if it has no foundation, is just a rootless duckweed."

"What this disciple wishes to uphold is not the lineage, not a region, not an empty title."

"It is the path that Master pointed out to his disciple."

"It was Master who cleared away that layer of illusion for his disciple."

"It was Master standing there that allowed his disciple to see that there was an even higher heaven above the way of the sword."

Xuandu looked at him and remained silent for a moment.

He sensed the changes in the sword intent surrounding Taixu.

It is more profound, more solid, and more pure than when it left.

That sword intent no longer contained only sharpness, but also a touch of gentleness.

Like a heavy sword, with a hilt, it can be held more steadily.