Primordial Era: The Three Senior Brothers of the Taiqing Clan

The Three Pure Ones, carrying Chen Qing, sped all the way to the Chaos Realm once again.

The chaos remained the same, with earth, fire, wind, and water churning ceaselessly, and chaotic currents raging like knives and tides. However, this time, the Three Pure Ones had all broken through to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm, and traversing the chaos with far greater ease than before.

Before leaving, Tongtian originally planned to take his rat apprentice along to broaden his horizons. However, Laozi and Yuanshi stopped him as soon as he said it.

"Third Brother, your disciple hasn't even taken human form yet. What kind of decorum is it to bring him to Zixiao Palace?" Yuanshi's expression was not good. "Zixiao Palace is full of powerful beings from the primordial era. How will others view the Three Pure Ones if you bring a disciple who hasn't taken human form there?"

Tongtian muttered defiantly, "So what? I, Tongtian, take on disciples; what do I care what others think?"

Laozi glanced at him indifferently: "Third brother, it's not a matter of face. The Daoist aura in the Zixiao Palace is rich, and the chaotic energy is pervasive. Your disciple's cultivation is still shallow, and he has not yet taken human form. If he cannot withstand the impact of the Daoist aura and his primordial spirit is injured, it would be undesirable."

Tongtian thought about it and felt that his elder brother's words made sense, so he gave up the idea. Thus, his treasure-hunting rat apprentice was left on Penglai Island. Anyway, the island was protected by a primordial array, so there was no danger. He could just let it stay on the island obediently.

The big rat, on the other hand, was quite content with its leisure. It carried the stone pagoda that Chen Qing had given it and ran around Penglai Island with great joy.

After Chen Qing and the others entered the Chaos Realm, they remained silent and soon arrived in front of the Purple Cloud Palace.

The Purple Cloud Palace remains the same Purple Cloud Palace, majestic and solemn, standing in the chaotic void, exuding an aura that has remained unchanged since ancient times.

At the palace gate, Haotian and Yaochi, the two Daoist boys, still stood on either side, exquisitely beautiful and exuding spiritual energy. Upon seeing the Three Pure Ones arrive, the two respectfully bowed, said nothing, and simply stepped aside to let the gate open.

Upon entering Zixiao Palace, Chen Qing discovered that they had arrived rather late. The hall was already full of people; almost all the powerful figures from the primordial world had gathered.

They gathered in twos and threes, discussing Taoist principles in hushed tones.

Upon seeing the Three Pure Ones enter the hall, everyone stood up to greet them.

"Fellow Daoists of the Three Pure Ones have arrived!"

"Congratulations to the three fellow Daoists on breaking through to the Primordial Golden Immortal realm! A truly joyous occasion!"

"These three fellow Daoists are truly of the Pangu lineage, indeed extraordinary!"

Congratulations poured in from all directions.

Putting aside their status as the true descendants of Pangu, their current cultivation level alone—early stage of Hunyuan Golden Immortal, with faint signs of breaking through to the middle stage—makes them second to none among those present.

Although Di Jun and Tai Yi also possessed the cultivation of a Hunyuan Golden Immortal, they had only recently broken through to that level and were still inferior to the Three Pure Ones.

With smiles on their faces, the Three Pure Ones returned the greetings to everyone with clasped hands, neither appearing arrogant nor overly enthusiastic, maintaining just the right amount of dignity befitting the true lineage of Pangu.

After the ceremony, the Three Pure Ones led Chen Qing to sit down on the prayer mats at the very front. The positions of these prayer mats were exactly the same as during the last sermon. Laozi sat at the head, Yuanzi at the second, Tongtian at the third, and Chen Qing sat behind the Three Pure Ones.

After they were seated, the three Pure Ones stopped talking, closed their eyes to rest, and silently regulated their breathing.

Chen Qing, however, did not rush into meditation. He rarely had the opportunity to see so many powerful beings from the primordial era gathered together, so he couldn't help but look around, his gaze sweeping across the hall, trying to identify those who would become famous in the future.

Di Jun and Tai Yi—the two future Heavenly Emperors of the Heavenly Court, were majestic and extraordinary.

Nuwa—the demon saint who would later become a saint by creating humans—still appeared dignified and serene at this time.

Fuxi—who was later reincarnated as the Human Emperor, was still a powerful figure among the demon race at this time, with a profound and enduring aura.

Kunpeng—who would later betray the demon race and join Buddhism—was sitting in a corner with a gloomy expression, seemingly plotting something.

Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of earth immortals, who was indifferent to worldly affairs, was currently having a low-key conversation with Hongyun.

Hongyun—the kindest man in the primordial world—was unaware that he was about to face a great calamity.

Burning Lamp—who would later betray the Chan Sect and join the Western Paradise—was sitting not far away at this moment…

Wait, a lamp?

The moment Chen Qing's gaze met Randeng's, he felt a malevolent gaze directed at him. That gaze was as cold as a snake's, and although Randeng's face remained expressionless, Chen Qing could still sense the unfriendly intent in his eyes.

Obviously, given Randeng's temperament, how could he easily let go of the fact that his spiritual treasure had been stolen last time?

Chen Qing smiled indifferently, ignoring Ran Deng and continuing to observe the others.

What is Randeng? Just a traitor who will betray his sect and defect to the West. Even if he were a Great Luo Golden Immortal now, Chen Qing wouldn't be afraid of him. With the Qiankun Cauldron protecting him, Randeng couldn't do anything to him. Besides, the Three Pure Ones were standing behind him.

Chen Qing looked around at everyone in the hall, and finding nothing particularly interesting, he withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate silently.

Time passed slowly in silence.

"Buzz—"

After an unknown amount of time, a soft sound echoed through the hall, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread. Everyone in the hall who was cultivating or meditating awoke from their meditation and opened their eyes.

Looking again, Hongjun Daozu had appeared out of thin air on the platform in front of him, sitting upright. He wore a simple Daoist robe, his white hair was as white as snow, his face was ancient and simple, and his eyes were as deep as an abyss, as if they contained the mysteries of heaven and earth.

As always, Hongjun made no opening remarks, no small talk, and didn't even glance at anyone. He went straight to the point and began his sermon.

The sound of the Great Dao once again resounded throughout the Purple Cloud Palace.

In this final sermon, Hongjun spoke of the Way of the Sage.

However, he did not begin directly with the profound path of the sage. Perhaps considering that most people's cultivation level was not yet sufficient to understand the path of the sage, or perhaps for other reasons, Hongjun instead began with the very beginning of cultivation.

He started with the most basic Qi cultivation, progressing to Golden Immortal, Taiyi, Daluo, and finally Hunyuan Golden Immortal. Of course, unlike his previous two lectures which were comprehensive and meticulous, he outlined the key points and clarified some easily mistaken areas to help everyone solidify their foundation.

When everyone was listening with rapt attention and seemed to have gained some understanding, Hongjun changed the subject and began to talk about the way of the sage.

This time, most of the people in the hall looked bewildered. The path of the sage was far too profound, beyond the reach of even a Great Luo Immortal.

Even for the Three Pure Ones, who were all primordial immortals, the explanations were obscure and difficult to understand, and they could only barely grasp one or two of them.

Chen Qing was even more straightforward. Knowing he couldn't understand, he quietly absorbed the innate spiritual energy in the Purple Cloud Palace to cultivate. His cultivation method was special, requiring a massive amount of resources. The Purple Cloud Palace had inexhaustible spiritual energy, making it an ideal place for cultivation.

Three thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Hongjun's voice abruptly ceased, the sound of the Great Dao dissipated, and the strange phenomena in Zixiao Palace gradually faded away. The crowd slowly awoke from their trance-like state; some wore expressions of joy, some frowned, and some smacked their lips in lingering satisfaction.

Chen Qing also awoke from his cultivation, feeling that his cultivation had improved even further. All 840 million microscopic particles within his body had become Xuanxian, and his magical power was many times greater than before. Although he was still some distance from restoring himself to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, it wasn't far off.

However, everyone soon noticed that after this sermon, Hongjun Daozu did not disappear as he had the previous two times. Instead, he sat quietly above, calmly surveying the crowd below, seemingly lost in thought.

Chen Qing's expression changed, and he thought to himself: They're here!

He knew that the most important moment of this sermon was about to arrive—the conferment of holy titles!

Sure enough, Hongjun spoke.

"Since my enlightenment, I have preached the Way three times, each time for three thousand years, totaling nine thousand years. Now that my merits are complete, I should have several disciples under my tutelage."

Upon hearing this, the crowd below immediately became excited. Countless eyes turned straight to Hongjun, their gazes filled with boundless expectation and longing.

This is my biggest backer!

Hongjun Daozu ignored the eager gazes below, turned to look at the Three Pure Ones sitting at the front, and slowly said, "The Three Pure Ones are transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu, and are my personal disciples. Laozi is my eldest disciple, Yuanshi is my second disciple, and Tongtian is my third disciple."

Upon hearing this, even the Three Pure Ones, with their magnanimous nature, couldn't help but reveal a hint of excitement.

The three Pure Ones rose and bowed down in unison.

"Disciple Taiqing Laozi greets Master."

"Disciple Yuqing Yuanshi greets Master."

"Disciple Shangqing Tongtian greets Master."

Hongjun Daozu nodded slightly, his expression still calm: "The Three Pure Ones possess the merits of Pangu in creating the world, and should be considered saints. I hereby bestow upon you the foundation of the Great Dao—the Primordial Purple Qi."

Having said that, he waved his hand, and three streams of purple gas, exuding a profound aura, flew out from his sleeves and slowly drifted towards the Three Pure Ones. The purple gas contained indescribable Daoist charm, like the first ray of light at the beginning of heaven and earth, or like the manifestation of the origin of the Great Dao.

The three streams of primordial purple energy entered the primordial spirits of the Three Pure Ones, who trembled and their faces showed signs of enlightenment.

Lao Tzu was the first to recover his senses and respectfully asked, "May I ask, teacher, what is a sage?"

Hongjun spoke, "The primordial spirit is entrusted to the Heavenly Dao, attains the Primordial Dao Fruit, endures countless eons without perishing, remains untouched by karma, coexists with the Heavenly Dao, and is immortal and indestructible."

These words immediately caused a stir among the crowd below.

Saints are so powerful, who wouldn't want to become a saint?

In an instant, countless envious, jealous, and resentful gazes were cast upon the Three Pure Ones. Alas, having a good birth truly gives one an advantage in everything! They were transformed from the primordial spirit of Pangu, born with the merit of creating the world—who can compare?

However, everyone's attention quickly turned back to Hongjun, their eyes filled with eagerness—the Three Pure Ones have been subdued, shouldn't it be our turn next?

Laozi was also secretly pleased, but being a man of composure, he quickly calmed down and continued to ask, "May I ask, teacher, is there a method to become a saint?"

Hongjun slowly spoke: "There are three ways to become a saint. First, prove the Dao with force—break through the Heavenly Dao and attain the Primordial Dao Fruit, which is outside the Heavenly Dao. This method of proving the Dao is the strongest. The great god Pangu walked this path in the past."

The enthusiasm that had just been building instantly turned to dismay.

Who doesn't know the great god Pangu? He was the one who created the world! Even he failed, so you can imagine how difficult this path is! To prove the Dao by force? That's suicide!

Someone below couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, is there any other method?"

Chen Qing turned her head curiously, wanting to see who was so bold as to call her "teacher" directly.

In the corner below, Kunpeng gazed eagerly at Hongjun above, clearly having spoken those words. This guy certainly knows how to take advantage of a situation.

Hongjun above ignored Kunpeng and continued, "The second method is the method of severing the three corpses—using a primordial spiritual treasure to entrust worldly thoughts, one can sever the three corpses of good, evil, and self. The three corpses will then unite to form the Primordial Dao Fruit. The stronger the spiritual treasure used to sever the three corpses, the stronger the magical power of the severed corpses will be."

"Thirdly, attaining enlightenment through merit—attaining the primordial Dao fruit through immeasurable merit."

Of the three paths to sainthood, the latter two sound slightly more plausible. But everyone knows that none of them are easy to achieve.

At this moment, Tongtian spoke up and asked, "May I ask, teacher, do you know the number of sages?"

Hongjun remained silent for a moment, as if sensing the secrets of heaven, before slowly speaking: "Under the Heavenly Dao, there should be nine sages. Under my tutelage, there should be six sages."

Chen Qing silently memorized these words. According to his understanding, there were only nine saintly positions below the Heavenly Dao, but the number beyond the Heavenly Dao was unknown. With six saints under Hongjun's tutelage, the remaining two saintly positions would likely be extremely difficult to attain!

After all, the cake is only so big, who's going to divide it?

Hongjun continued, "Nuwa, you shall become my personal disciple. In the future, you will perform a great act of merit and may become a sage."

With that, he waved his hand, and a wisp of primordial purple energy flew toward Nuwa and entered her primordial spirit.

Nuwa quickly rose and bowed, saying, "Disciple Nuwa greets Master."

The gazes of everyone in the hall as they looked at Nuwa suddenly became complicated. Another holy position was lost!

After Nuwa sat down, Hongjun closed his eyes to rest and stopped speaking.

Now, the people behind them were getting anxious.

Zhunti and Jieyin exchanged a glance, then both collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.

"Please have mercy, Master!" Zhunti cried, tears streaming down his face, his voice filled with anguish. "We two have come from afar, wholeheartedly seeking the Way. We beg you, Master, to have mercy on us!"

Jieyin also had a sorrowful expression. Although he didn't cry out loud like Zhunti, his distressed look was even more heartbreaking than crying.

"Why--"

Hongjun sighed, his heart softening in the end. With a wave of his hand, he sent out two streams of primordial purple energy, saying, "I now accept you two as my nominal disciples. You possess great perseverance and wisdom; you can become sages in the future."

Overjoyed, Zhunti and Jieyin repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, teacher! Thank you, teacher!"

This time, everyone noticed—the front row of seats seemed a little different! It turned out that those weren't just seats, but were also used for accepting disciples and distributing holy positions! For a moment, everyone was filled with regret.

Kunpeng, in particular, had reddened his eyes. He had been sitting on a prayer mat in the front row! But Hongyun had pushed him aside, and he had lost his holy position! What an injustice!

"Please have mercy, teacher!"

When others saw that Zhunti had obtained sainthood by crying and begging, they all followed suit, prostrating themselves on the ground and crying out for sainthood.

"That's enough."

Hongjun sighed leisurely and casually tossed out a wisp of primordial purple energy.

The primordial purple aura drifted and swirled in the main hall, and everyone watched with longing eyes, but no one dared to make a move to snatch it—this was the Purple Cloud Palace, who would dare to be presumptuous in front of the Dao Ancestor?

Finally, the primordial purple energy swayed and slowly disappeared into Hongyun's primordial spirit.

Hongyun was completely stunned.

When he learned that the front row of prayer cushions represented the position of sainthood, he was filled with remorse—how could he have been so foolish? He had actually given up the position of sainthood to Zhunti! That was an opportunity to become a saint!

Unexpectedly, things took a dramatic turn, and in the blink of an eye, he obtained the Primordial Purple Qi!

Hongyun's face lit up with ecstasy. She grabbed Zhen Yuanzi beside her, too excited to speak.

Seeing this, Kunpeng was even more enraged. "You, Hongyun! You caused me to lose my saintly position, and now you've gained it! You're utterly unfilial!"

After a moment of joy, Hongyun gradually realized something was wrong.

He felt the malicious gazes around him—greedy, jealous, angry, scheming… those gazes were so real they made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

Hongyun's heart skipped a beat, realizing the gravity of the situation—he had obtained the Primordial Purple Qi, yet Hongjun hadn't accepted him as a disciple! He had no backing! No powerful connections! Would those who coveted the Primordial Purple Qi make a move against him?

The more Hongyun thought about it, the more frightened he became. He quickly grabbed Zhen Yuanzi and hurriedly headed out of Zixiao Palace. He dared not stay there any longer; every moment he stayed increased the danger.

Chen Qing glanced calmly at Hongyun's back and shook his head inwardly.

This thing is doomed.

Look at those who have attained sainthood—the Three Pure Ones were accepted as personal disciples, Nuwa was accepted as a personal disciple, and Zhunti and Jieyin were accepted as nominal disciples. These are all people with powerful backers, and their cultivation levels are not weak, so naturally no one dares to touch them.

But what about Hongyun? He had no powerful backing, no influential connections, and his cultivation was only at the Great Luo Golden Immortal level. While not weak in the prehistoric world, there were many stronger than him. Would those who coveted the Primordial Purple Qi let him go?

And he just left! That's awkward—didn't you see Hongjun above shaking his head, not even looking at him? Clearly, the Dao Ancestor didn't care whether he lived or died.

Looking at the eager crowd below, Hongjun said calmly, "There are nine streams of Primordial Purple Qi, and I have obtained seven of them. I have already distributed them all today."

The crowd below felt a wave of disappointment, but their gazes toward the direction Hongyun had left burned even brighter.

Hongjun ignored everyone's thoughts, waved his hand, and several magical treasures appeared out of thin air in the sky, shining brightly and exuding auspicious energy.

"Laozi is the head of the Three Pure Ones and should possess the most precious treasure. This Taiji diagram was transformed from Pangu's axe and is now bestowed upon you to suppress the flow of fortune."

Laozi stepped forward and accepted the Tai Chi diagram. As it unfolded, the black and white were clearly defined, yin and yang flowed in harmony, and it exuded the profound aura of the primordial chaos. Laozi's face lit up with joy, and he respectfully said, "Thank you, Master."

"Yuanshi, I bestow upon you the Pangu Banner, a supreme treasure, transformed from the Pangu Axe, capable of suppressing destiny."

Yuanshi stepped forward and accepted the Pangu Banner. The banner fluttered in the wind, seemingly possessing the power to create heaven and earth. Yuanshi's eyes gleamed, and he solemnly bowed in gratitude.

"Tongtian, I bestow upon you the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords and set up the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, which cannot be broken by anyone but four people of equal cultivation. However, this treasure is too violent and cannot suppress destiny."

Tongtian stepped forward and received the four swords of Zhuxian—the Zhuxian Sword, the Luxian Sword, the Xianxian Sword, and the Juexian Sword. The four swords rang out in unison, their sword intent soaring to the heavens. Tongtian laughed heartily, delighted with them.

Seeing Tongtian's delighted expression, Chen Qing secretly made a decision: he must have a serious talk with his uncle when he gets back. Although the Primordial Measuring Ruler can suppress the fortune, if Tongtian takes in another bunch of unruly disciples, the fortune will inevitably dissipate, and there is a danger of the sect being destroyed!

Hongjun then bestowed several innate spiritual treasures upon Nuwa, Zhunti, and Jieyin, and each of them expressed their gratitude.

After the distribution of treasures concluded, Hongjun looked at the crowd below and said, "In my early years, I collected many spiritual treasures in the primordial world, all of which are placed on the Treasure Distribution Rock outside Zixiao Palace. You may take them yourselves, each according to your own fate."

The crowd below was stunned and hadn't reacted yet.

Chen Qing, however, was already prepared. As soon as Hongjun finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and shot towards the gates of Zixiao Palace at top speed.

"This kid..." Tongtian paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, "He's quick on his feet!"

Laozi and Yuanshi exchanged a glance, then got up and quickly followed.

The others then realized—first come, first served! They hurriedly used their own methods to crowd towards the gate.

Meanwhile, Chen Qing had just left Zixiao Palace when he saw a huge rock suspended in the chaos ahead. The rock seemed to have its own space, shining with precious light and filled with a dazzling array of treasures, with at least several hundred innate spiritual treasures piled up on it.

Knowing that this was the Treasure Sharing Rock, Chen Qing rushed over and reached out to grab the spiritual treasures.

However, his hand passed right through the magic treasure and grasped nothing.

Chen Qing was taken aback, then understood—this was what Hongjun meant by "each according to their own destiny." It's not something you can just take whenever you want; only spiritual treasures that are destined for you can be collected by you.

He immediately closed his eyes and focused his mind on sensing.

A moment later, he felt a subtle connection between himself and several spiritual treasures. He immediately waved his hand, and seven or eight spiritual treasures flew up from the Treasure Dividing Rock and fell into his hand.

Chen Qing looked down and was immediately disappointed—they were all low-grade and mid-grade innate spiritual treasures, not even a single high-grade one. Although there were quite a few, the quality was really mediocre.

However, he also knew that this was his destiny, and he couldn't force it. So he put away the spiritual treasure, stood aside, and waited for the Three Pure Ones.

Following closely behind are the Three Pure Ones.

Seeing Chen Qing standing there motionless, Tongtian hurriedly said, "Chen Qing, quickly put away the treasure! What are you standing there for?"

Chen Qing smiled wryly and said, "Uncle-Master, the Dao Ancestor said that it all depends on fate. I can't obtain other spiritual treasures."

The three Qing were taken aback for a moment, then understood. They didn't delay any longer, and seeing that the people behind them were about to catch up, they hurriedly stepped forward to collect the treasure.

With Chen Qing's reminder, the Three Pure Ones knew what to do. After sensing the surroundings briefly, they each took action, waving their hands and sending a pile of spiritual treasures flying up from the Treasure Dividing Rock and landing in their hands.

Chen Qing watched with envy—he clearly saw that among the spiritual treasures collected by the Three Pure Ones were many high-grade innate spiritual treasures, and even a few top-grade innate spiritual treasures! Is this the prestige of the true Pangu lineage? Their destiny is even better than others!

After the Three Pure Ones finished collecting the treasures, they tried again but couldn't collect any more. So they stood aside and waited.

Tongtian laughed and said, "Although there are no more spiritual treasures to collect, it's good to see what spiritual treasures others have. That way, we'll have something to be aware of if we encounter each other in the future."

Of course, this "having confidence when facing them in the future" was meant for their future disciples. With the Three Pure Ones' current cultivation and the supreme treasures they possessed, few in the entire prehistoric world would dare to fight them.

When the rest of the group arrived, they saw Sanqing and Chen Qing standing to one side and immediately breathed a sigh of relief—they were worried that Sanqing had collected all the spiritual treasures on the Treasure Dividing Rock!

So everyone stepped forward, each displaying their unique abilities to collect the treasures.

After everyone finished distributing the treasures, many more spiritual treasures on the Treasure Distribution Rock suddenly shot into the sky, transforming into streaks of light that flew towards the primordial land, scattering in all directions, waiting for their destined owners in the future.

Everyone accepted their magical treasures, satisfied, and prepared to return to Zixiao Palace to express their gratitude.

Chen Qing didn't rush to leave. He looked at the Treasure Dividing Rock, and a thought suddenly struck him.

He walked to the Treasure-Dividing Rock, looked it over from top to bottom, then reached out, grabbed a corner of the rock, and lifted it up with force—

"rise!"

He lifted Fenbaoyan up completely!

Sensing the movement behind them, everyone turned around and saw Chen Qing smiling as he put the huge treasure-dividing rock into his sleeve.

Holy crap!

At that moment, only these two words could express the emotions of everyone present.

They were all filled with regret! How could something that could appear in Zixiao Palace and be used as a treasure distribution rock by the Dao Ancestor be anything less than precious? Why didn't they think to put it away!

Chen Qing smiled, but secretly he was delighted.

The moment he obtained the Treasure Dividing Rock, he knew—this was not some innate spiritual treasure, but a chaotic stubborn rock! This was an excellent material for refining weapons!

If we could obtain the undying spiritual light, it wouldn't be impossible to refine this chaotic stone into a primordial spiritual treasure.

Of course, he doesn't have that ability now; he'll only have that possibility after he becomes a Great Immortal and begins cultivating.

But no matter what, this is definitely a good thing!

With mixed feelings, everyone returned to Zixiao Palace, thanked Hongjun Daozu, and then dispersed.

Chen Qing followed the Three Pure Ones to Penglai Island to pick up his junior brother, the treasure-hunting rat.

Upon arriving on the island, they discovered a pleasant surprise—the giant rat had transformed into human form!

Perhaps it was the island's rich spiritual energy, or perhaps it was the culmination of years of accumulation that had finally been digested, but the treasure-hunting rat had transformed into a chubby little boy, looking no more than eight or nine years old, with a round face, big eyes, and an endearingly clumsy appearance.

He was wearing a small Taoist robe that he had temporarily conjured with his magic, and he was squatting by the lotus pond, lost in thought.

"Oh, you've taken human form?" Tongtian stepped forward, looked him up and down, and nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad, plump and fair-skinned, looks very festive."

Upon seeing Tongtian, the chubby boy immediately knelt down and called out in a childish voice, "Disciple greets Master!"

Tongtian laughed and reached out to help him up: "Get up, get up, don't kneel all the time. Come, greet your senior brother."

The chubby boy turned to Chen Qing and bowed respectfully: "Duobao greets Senior Brother!"

"Duobao?" Chen Qing was taken aback and looked at Tongtian.

Tongtian laughed smugly, "I named him that. This kid is a treasure-hunting rat, born with a destiny for treasures, so 'Duobao' (meaning 'many treasures') is just right."

Chen Qing's lips twitched slightly—So that's how Duobao Daoren got his name? He thought Duobao was named so because he had many magical treasures!

But on second thought, given Tongtian's penchant for taking on disciples, naming a treasure-hunting rat "Duobao" (meaning "many treasures") is not unreasonable.

"Greetings, Junior Brother." Chen Qing returned the greeting with a smile.

Afterwards, the group took Duobao, who had transformed into human form, back to Kunlun Mountain.

Kunlun Mountain, Sanqing Cave.

Chen Qing and Duobao sat cross-legged below, while the Three Pure Ones each occupied a side at the head of the table.

Laozi spoke first: "Chen Qing, you are my eldest disciple. Today I bestow upon you the Eight Scenery Palace Lantern. This lantern contains the Heaven-Burning Purple Flame, which may be helpful on your future path."

With a wave of his hand, an ancient palace lantern flew towards Chen Qing. The lantern was entirely purple-gold, with a purple flame dancing within it, radiating a scorching heat.

Chen Qing accepted the Eight Scenery Palace Lantern with a joyful expression. This lantern would be of great use to him. The Nine Revolutions Profound Technique required both physical cultivation and spiritual practice, and the flames were quite effective for body tempering, greatly benefiting his cultivation.

"Thank you, Master!" Chen Qing said respectfully.

Laozi then turned to Duobao: "Duobao, I bestow upon you a superior innate spiritual treasure—the Five Elements Pearl."

A five-colored, shimmering pearl flew toward Duobao. The pearl contained the power of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and was extremely mysterious.

Duobao hurriedly caught it, his eyes narrowing into slits with joy: "Thank you so much, Uncle-Master!"

Yuanshi continued, "Chen Qing, I bestow upon you the Central Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner. This banner is a supreme defensive treasure; when used, it produces ten thousand golden lotuses, which nothing can break through, all evils will retreat, and all magic will be impervious."

A small apricot-yellow flag flew towards Chen Qing, its surface embroidered with mysterious runes, exuding a heavy and steady aura.

Chen Qing accepted the apricot-yellow flag, overjoyed. With this flag, along with the Qiankun Cauldron, his defenses would be even stronger.

Yuanshi then said, "I bestow upon you the Jade Void Glazed Lamp. Within this lamp burns a ball of golden flame, called the 'Ancient Flame of Ten Thousand Spirits,' which is said to possess the divine power to detect all spirits."

Another lamp flew toward Chen Qing, its entire body a glassy color, with a golden flame dancing within it, radiating a sacred light.

Chen Qing bowed in gratitude once again.

Finally, it was Tongtian's turn. With a wave of his hand, twenty-four precious pearls flew towards Chen Qing, each radiating five-colored light—the very twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls that Chen Qing had been longing for!

"Little Qing'er, these are the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls you requested. There are twenty-four in total, which, together with the twelve you already have, make a complete set," Tongtian said with a grin. "In addition, I'll also give you a Purple Lightning Hammer, a powerful offensive weapon."

A small purple hammer flew towards Chen Qing, its surface crackling and sparking with electricity.

Chen Qing caught the twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls and the Purple Lightning Hammer, and was so excited that he almost jumped up.

The thirty-six Sea-Stabilizing Pearls are finally complete! His plan to open up the heavens can begin once his cultivation level is high enough!

"Thank you very much, Third Martial Uncle!" Chen Qing bowed deeply.

Immediately afterwards, Yuanshi and Tongtian each bestowed a spiritual treasure upon Duobao.

After this bestowal of treasures, Duobao now possesses three innate spiritual treasures. For someone who has just taken human form, this is nothing short of instant wealth!

Duobao held Lingbao, beaming with joy. Suddenly, his eyes lit up when he saw Chen Qing sitting beside him. He walked over with a smile.

"Duobao greets his senior brother!"

He bowed respectfully, then raised his chubby little face, his big eyes gazing expectantly at Chen Qing.

The meaning couldn't be clearer—Senior Brother, what about you? You're also a guest of Zixiao Palace!

Looking at Duobao's expectant little eyes, Chen Qing knew exactly what he wanted.