Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

After seeing Fuxi off, Zhen Yuanzi did not immediately set off for Phoenix Perch Mountain. He stood alone under the ginseng fruit tree, gently stroking his symbiotic innate spiritual root, which was also Hongyun's favorite spiritual fruit. Basically, every time the ginseng fruit ripened, Hongyun would eat more than half of it, but now... At this moment, a thousand emotions flashed in Zhen Yuanzi's eyes.

"Brother..." he murmured to himself, his voice filled with a rare pain.

The ginseng fruit tree seemed to sense its owner's emotions; its branches and leaves moved without wind, emitting a soft, bluish light that resonated with the earth's energy in Longevity Mountain. The earth's energy flowed slowly throughout the entire mountain range, as if a sleeping dragon was beginning to awaken.

Zhen Yuanzi took out a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Earth Book, which emitted a thick, earthy-yellow light. He turned the pages and lightly touched one of them with his fingertips. The wisp of Hongyun's aura that was originally imprinted there was now as dim as a candle flickering in the wind.

"Di Jun, Tai Yi..." Zhen Yuanzi closed the book, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold determination, "Since you dare to touch my brothers, Zhen Yuanzi, you shall bear the wrath of this earth."

He waved his hand and summoned two young boys from the temple: "Qingfeng and Mingyue."

"Master!" Two young servants rushed forward. They had followed Zhen Yuanzi for countless years and had never seen their master with such an expression.

"I'm going to Phoenix Perch Mountain. You two guard Wuzhuang Temple, close the mountain gate, and activate the earth vein array. No one is allowed to enter unless I return."

"Yes!" The boy respectfully accepted the order.

Zhen Yuanzi looked eastward again, towards the direction of Kunlun Mountain: "This time, even a sage might intervene."

With a swift movement, a yellow cloud appeared beneath his feet—not a cloud he rode, but rather a condensation of the earth's energy. The next moment, he vanished from Longevity Mountain, heading straight for Phoenix Perch Mountain.

Phoenix Mountain is in extraordinary condition at this moment.

After Nuwa attained sainthood, this place resonated with the Heavenly Dao, and with the addition of the Heavenly Marriage, it was naturally surrounded by auspicious clouds and countless streams of lucky energy. The Three Pure Ones sat on the lotus platform on the east side, Laozi closed his eyes to meditate, Yuanshi Tianzun's face was ashen, and Tongtian Jiaozhu was looking at the array formations in the mountains with great interest.

Xuanbao sat cross-legged beside Nuwa, his face as pale as paper—of course, it was an act. But to make the performance convincing, he deliberately had Nuwa use her saintly power to conceal her aura, creating the illusion of a depleted essence.

"Brother Zhenyuan has arrived." Nuwa suddenly opened her eyes and said softly.

When Zhen Yuanzi stepped into Phoenix Perch Mountain, Nuwa was already waiting for him at the mountain gate. After all, Phoenix Perch Mountain was a sacred place, and according to Xuanbao, Zhen Yuanzi might have a connection with the Earthly Dao. Perhaps he would become a sage of the Earthly Dao in the future. So, he could not be too negligent.

"Brother Zhen Yuanzi." Nuwa nodded slightly, her saintly aura naturally revealed, yet with a touch of gentleness.

"Saint Nuwa," Zhen Yuanzi returned the greeting with a respectful but not servile gesture. "Where is my virtuous brother Hongyun?"

"Come with me."

Nuwa led the way, and the two arrived at a cave filled with spiritual energy. Inside the cave, the Three Pure Ones were all present. Laozi sat with his eyes closed in meditation, Yuanshi was solemnly focused, and Tongtian stood with his sword in his arms. Upon seeing Zhen Yuanzi arrive, they all nodded slightly in greeting.

In the center of the cave, on a white jade bed, Hongyun's figure was faintly visible, with only a wisp of her true spirit slowly circulating under the protection of the Laozi Taiji Diagram. Xuanbao was sitting cross-legged to the side, using his own magic power to nourish the remnant soul. His forehead was covered with sweat, and his face was pale, clearly indicating that he had already suffered considerable exhaustion.

Upon seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi trembled slightly, took a few steps forward, stared at the remnant soul, and remained silent for a long time.

"Brother..." His voice was hoarse as he reached out his hand, but then stopped in mid-air, afraid of disturbing the fragile balance.

Laozi slowly opened his eyes: "Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, Fellow Daoist Hongyun's true spirit has stabilized, but his primordial spirit is shattered and his Dao foundation is completely destroyed. It cannot be restored overnight."

"Many thanks to the Three Pure Ones and the Sage Nuwa for saving me." Zhen Yuanzi turned around and bowed deeply. "I will forever remember this kindness. May I ask... is there any hope of recovery for my virtuous brother?"

Yuanshi said, "It is difficult. With the nurturing of the sage's original essence and the power of supreme creation, there may be a sliver of a possibility."

Tongtian added, "Even so, whether he can recover his former cultivation level and rebuild his foundation is still unknown. Moreover, the time required will likely be considerable."

Zhen Yuanzi remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Young friend Xuanbao, I heard that you sacrificed your own Dao essence to save Hongyun?"

Xuanbao finished his practice and stood up, looking slightly tired. He said, "Senior, you flatter me. Senior Hongyun once guided my cultivation, which was my duty. It's just a pity that my cultivation was too shallow, and I failed to detect the Demon Court's conspiracy sooner, which led to your calamity."

Zhen Yuanzi gave Xuanbao a deep look, said nothing more, and then turned to the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa: "Fellow Daoists, the Demon Court's actions are not only aimed at Hongyun, but also a blatant provocation against the majesty of the Sages. I wonder... what your plans are?"

Laozi and Nuwa exchanged a glance and slowly said, "Dijun and Taiyi have indeed acted disrespectfully by disrupting the heavenly order and ambushing the guests who came to offer their congratulations. However, they have already covered this up as a 'misunderstanding.' If we directly confront them, we will only give them ammunition to criticize us."

Nuwa continued, "Moreover, the great calamity has now reached a critical point, and under the Heavenly Dao, the Demon Court's fate is not yet exhausted. Forcing a war might trigger unpredictable changes."

Zhen Yuanzi's eyes turned cold: "So, you're saying you won't avenge Hongyun?"

Tongtian raised an eyebrow: "Who says we won't retaliate? We just need to find a proper method. Dijun and Taiyi covet the Primordial Purple Qi; if they fail this time, they certainly won't give up easily. Perhaps…"

Yuan Shi said, "It would be better to remain still and wait for the right moment. Since Hong Yun is under our protection, Zi Qi is still under our control. The Demon Court has suffered a setback this time, damaging its prestige and creating internal rifts. We can take this opportunity to win them over and divide them, and then proceed slowly."

Lao Tzu concluded: "Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, your Earth Book can manipulate the primordial earth veins. The Demon Court desires to establish a Heavenly Court and rule over all heavens, but it cannot do without the foundation of the earth. This is your advantage. Perhaps... you should temporarily conceal your strength and plan for the long term."

Zhen Yuanzi remained silent for a long time. He was well aware of the sage's concerns. Under the great calamity, even a sage must act in accordance with the trend. But looking at the remnant soul of Hongyun, the anger in his heart was hard to quell.

"Very well." He finally spoke, his voice icy. "I may temporarily refrain from a full-scale war with the Demon Court. However, this grudge will be avenged. From this day forward, anyone belonging to the Demon Court who wishes to use the earth's veins for cultivation or to establish a cave dwelling must obtain permission from my Longevity Mountain. Wherever the Earth Book reaches, the Demon Court's fortune will be suppressed by thirty percent by the earth's veins."

Upon hearing this, both the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa were slightly moved. If the Ancestor of Earthly Immortals truly intended to do so, it would be tantamount to strangling the lifeline of the Demon Court's development. This was even more distressing for Di Jun than a direct war.

"Furthermore," Zhen Yuanzi looked at Xuanbao, "I have no way to repay the kindness of saving Hongyun, young friend Xuanbao. Here are ten ginseng fruits. Although they are not enough to compensate for the loss of your life essence, they can make up for it. If you ever need the help of the earth veins in the future, Wanshou Mountain will not hesitate to help."

He took out ten fruits shaped like babies and with a fragrant aroma, and handed them to Xuanbao.

Xuanbao quickly declined, saying, "Senior, this item is far too precious..."

"Take it." Zhen Yuanzi said without room for argument. "What you did for Hongyun was worthwhile."

Xuanbao glanced at the Three Pure Ones, and seeing Laozi nod slightly, he respectfully accepted the gift: "Thank you for your generous gift, Senior."