Ao Xuan sat cross-legged under an ancient tree, holding the purple jade tablet transformed from Hongmeng Purple Qi in his palm. Bathed in the flowing water fortune spiritual light from his fingertips, the tablet glowed with a faint purple halo.
Even if he didn't plan to fully fuse with the Hongmeng Purple Qi, studying it would still bring immense benefits.
Beside him, Yuan Hao hugged half a Golden Metal Spirit Crystal, squatting on the ground and poking the patterns on its surface with his stone staff. The golden metal spiritual energy emanating from the crystal seeped into his body through his fingertips, making his snow-white fur stand on end like a layer of fine silver frost.
Not far away, White Tiger Cang Lie lay on a rock, with half a crystal embedded beside its front paw. Golden metal spiritual light flowed along its tiger stripes, and with each breath, faint silver qi streamed from its nostrils, dispersing the surrounding chaotic turbid energy.
"Whoosh—!"
Yuan Hao suddenly jumped up, spinning his stone staff in his hand before slamming it heavily onto a nearby boulder. With a crisp "boom," gravel flew everywhere, yet the staff remained unscathed.
He scratched his head excitedly, a few strands of golden metal spiritual energy still clinging to his snow-white fur. "Fellow Daoist Ao Xuan, this crystal is amazing! I feel like I could punch this tiger to death with one fist now!"
Ao Xuan opened his eyes, a hint of a smile flashing in his dragon pupils. Yuan Hao was originally an innate spirit beast, and wood-element spiritual energy excelled at nurturing life. Now, tempering his body with golden metal spiritual energy perfectly aligned with the principle of "wood borrowing metal's sharpness."
Not only had his physical body become several times tougher, but his origin had also stabilized significantly.
He looked at Cang Lie, who slowly stirred awake. The "king" character mark on the tiger's forehead was clearer than ever, with silver spiritual light flowing within the patterns. Its front paw, which had been hit by the stone staff earlier, had fully recovered.
The golden metal cold light glinting from its claw tips was brighter than before. It was evident that as an innate exotic beast with superior roots, Cang Lie had gained even more from the crystal than Yuan Hao.
Yet even here, Yuan Hao's extraordinary nature shone through.
"Both of your origins have stabilized," Ao Xuan said, putting away the jade tablet. A wisp of pale blue water fortune spiritual light from his fingertip swept across the ground, gathering the scattered golden metal spiritual energy.
"But these past few days, I've felt something abnormal about the Dao rhythm of the Primordial World. It seems a great event is about to happen."
As soon as he finished speaking, a faint glow of celestial light suddenly appeared in the distance.
Unlike the pure white light of ordinary spiritual veins, this glow carried a faint purple tinge. Rising from the center of the Primordial World, it pierced through the clouds, transforming into a slender band of light that flowed slowly across the sky.
Immediately after, a vast yet gentle Dao sound echoed faintly, as if someone were preaching from the clouds. Though the specific words couldn't be heard, it sent tremors through the souls of all three.
The stone staff almost slipped from Yuan Hao's hand. Cang Lie suddenly raised his head, his tiger eyes fixed on the direction of the glow, his breathing growing rapid.
"What... what's that commotion?" Yuan Hao scratched his ear, the excitement on his face fading into solemnity.
"I've lived in the Western Wasteland for so long, and I've never seen such celestial light. And that sound—it makes my heart tremble, yet it feels so comforting."
Cang Lie let out a low growl, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "This Dao rhythm... it's similar to the chaotic origin I felt deep in the Western Wasteland before, but purer and vaster. Could it be... an innate god breaking through?"
But Ao Xuan's heart stirred. The purple-tinged celestial light and the faint Dao sound in the sky were clearly a message from the Heavenly Dao to the world—a precursor to the preaching at Zixiao Palace!
He quickly took out the purple jade tablet. As soon as the tablet came into contact with the Dao sound in the air, it trembled violently. The purple halo on its surface grew more intense, and it automatically floated into the air, tilting slightly toward the glow.
"It's Taoist Hongjun!" Ao Xuan's voice held a hint of excitement. "This is a precursor to the preaching at Zixiao Palace! Taoist Hongjun, Lord of Zixiao Palace beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, is about to open the palace to preach the Great Dao.
This celestial light and Dao sound are warnings from the Great Dao to all living beings in the Primordial World, inviting those destined to come listen!"
"Taoist Hongjun? Preaching at Zixiao Palace?" Yuan Hao blinked, leaning closer to the jade tablet and staring at the purple halo. "What's that? Can listening to the preaching make you stronger? Even more useful than this Golden Metal Spirit Crystal?"
Cang Lie also moved closer, his tiger eyes fixed on the jade tablet, clearly curious about the "preaching." Though he didn't know Taoist Hongjun's identity, he could feel a power far surpassing his own from the Dao rhythm, knowing this was an extremely rare opportunity.
Ao Xuan nodded, tapping the jade tablet lightly with his fingertip to let the Dao sound reach the two more clearly. "Taoist Hongjun is the Dao Ancestor of the Primordial World and Lord of Zixiao Palace beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.
After Pangu opened the sky, he inherited the Heavenly Dao. His preaching can help one comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, and even provide a chance to obtain Hongmeng Purple Qi and attain the Hunyuan Dao Fruit.
For us, listening to the preaching will not only enhance our strength but also help us understand the essence of the kalpa and find a way to deal with the Dragon-Han Catastrophe. This is far more important than simply absorbing the crystal's power."
At that moment, a series of hurried footsteps came from the distance. A Taoist cultivator stumbled over, his face pale, his robe stained with black demonic energy.
When he saw Ao Xuan and the others, he seemed to grasp at a lifeline, quickly falling to his knees. "Help... help! Immortal lords, please help! A large group of demonized Bloodfang Wolves has appeared behind me!
They're wrapped in demonic flames and kill every living thing they see. Cough! Cough... My companions are trapped—they sacrificed themselves to send me out! Please save my fellow cultivators!"
"Demon wolves?"
Cang Lie stood up abruptly, his claws scratching deep marks in the ground, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. "Bloodfang Wolves are already ferocious. Now corrupted by demonic flames, they'll be even harder to deal with!"
Yuan Hao also gripped his stone staff tightly, his snow-white fur standing on end. "My monkey clan is in the valley to the east. If the demon wolves find them, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
Ao Xuan frowned. He hadn't expected Luo Hu's demonic flames to spread so quickly, penetrating deep into the Western Wasteland. If these demonized creatures weren't dealt with soon, not only would the rogue cultivators in the Western Wasteland suffer, but their path to Zixiao Palace might also be blocked.
He looked at the two, his voice serious. "Fellow Daoist Yuan Hao, go back to protect your clan first. Cang Lie and I will intercept the demon wolves to prevent them from spreading. Once this is done, we'll meet up and head to Zixiao Palace together."
But Yuan Hao shook his head, waving his stone staff firmly. "No way! This old Yuan isn't an ungrateful scoundrel! You gave me the crystal and helped me balance my laws.
Now that danger has come, how could I run away and leave you behind? My monkey clan is protected by the elder monkeys for the time being—we should kill those demon wolves first, then go pick them up!"
Cang Lie also nodded, letting out a tiger roar. "I'll go with you! Demonized creatures are public enemies of the Primordial World. As an innate White Tiger, how can I stand by and do nothing?"
Ao Xuan looked at the two, nodded, and said no more. His figure flickered, and a wisp of cyan-gold spiritual light emanated from his body, dispersing the surrounding chaotic turbid energy.
"Good! Then let's go together—make it quick!"
The three raced toward the direction pointed out by the rogue cultivator.
Yuan Hao was the fastest, darting through the forest like a white bolt of lightning. His stone staff whirled fiercely in his hand, splitting any blocking ancient trees with a single strike.
Cang Lie followed closely behind, his tiger claws stepping on the rocks, stirring faint golden metal spiritual light with each step. Small beasts hiding in the shadows couldn't escape in time, trembling to death one after another.
Ao Xuan brought up the rear, gathering water fortune power in his palm, ready to deal with any unexpected situations.
As soon as they approached the southern part of the Western Wasteland, a strong stench of blood and demonic energy rushed toward them.
In the valley ahead, dozens of massive Bloodfang Wolves were surrounding and tearing at several rogue cultivators. The demon wolves were pitch-black, their fur stained with dark red blood, their eye sockets glowing with scarlet light.
They spat black demonic flames from their mouths, and each bite carried a toxin that corroded spiritual energy.
"Roar—!"
Cang Lie launched the first attack. Silver golden metal spiritual light condensed at his claw tips, transforming into a sharp claw wind that instantly severed the head of one demon wolf.
As soon as the wolf's body hit the ground, it was devoured by black demonic flames, leaving only a pool of black pus.
Yuan Hao was not to be outdone. Leaping into the air, he landed on the back of a demon wolf and slammed his stone staff hard on the back of its head. With a "bang," the wolf's skull shattered, and black brains splattered everywhere.
Using the momentum, he jumped again, pouncing on another demon wolf. The earth-element and golden metal spiritual energy intertwined on his staff, easily piercing the wolf's fur.
Ao Xuan raised his hand to form a seal, and a surge of water fortune power gushed from his palm, transforming into a cyan-blue water curtain that shielded the injured rogue cultivators behind him.
The curtain glowed with the golden light of Pangu's merit. When the demon wolves' demonic flames hit the curtain, they were instantly purified by the golden light, leaving no trace behind.
"Fellow cultivators, retreat to the back quickly!" he shouted to the rogue cultivators, flicking his fingertips to send out several water arrows that accurately shot toward the demon wolves' eyes.
The water arrows, infused with golden light, turned into golden flames as soon as they touched the wolves' eyes. The demon wolves let out shrill howls, rolling on the ground in agony.
Taking the opportunity, Cang Lie pounced, tearing open their throats with one claw.
The three cooperated seamlessly: Yuan Hao restrained the wolves, Cang Lie launched the main attacks, and Ao Xuan handled defense and purification. In less than half an hour, the dozens of demonized Bloodfang Wolves were all killed.
Black demonic energy filled the valley, but under Ao Xuan's water fortune power and merit golden light, it gradually dissipated, revealing the land contaminated by demonic energy beneath.
"Thank you, immortal lords, for saving our lives!" The rogue cultivators quickly knelt down, kowtowing to express their gratitude.
Ao Xuan helped them up, sending a wisp of wood-element spiritual light to their wounds to heal them. "You're welcome. With demonic flames spreading, leave the Western Wasteland as soon as possible and head toward the center of the Primordial World.
There, you may receive protection from Taoist Hongjun."
Upon hearing this, the rogue cultivators' eyes lit up. "Do you also know about Taoist Hongjun, immortal lord? When we were fleeing just now, we also saw the purple-tinged celestial light in the sky.
Other rogue cultivators said it's a precursor to the preaching at Zixiao Palace, and the Dao Ancestor will teach the Great Dao there, protecting those destined!"
"That's exactly it," Ao Xuan nodded. "We're on our way to Zixiao Palace. If you're willing, you can come with us—we'll look out for each other on the journey."
The rogue cultivators were overjoyed, agreeing eagerly.
After dealing with the demon wolves, Yuan Hao led everyone to the valley to the east to pick up his monkey clan. When the monkeys in the valley saw Yuan Hao, they swarmed around him excitedly, chattering and climbing onto his shoulders.
Yuan Hao smiled and comforted them for a moment, then told the elder monkeys to gather the clan's belongings, preparing to head to Zixiao Palace together.
Cang Lie stood guard nearby, his tiger eyes fixed on the purple-tinged celestial light in the sky, deep in thought. "Fellow Daoist Ao Xuan, although this preaching opportunity is rare, if we go to Zixiao Palace, how will we find Fellow Daoist Vermilion Bird in the Southern Region?
If we miss her, it might affect the establishment of the Four Symbols Covenant."
Ao Xuan's heart stirred, and he smiled. "Don't worry. I'm sure Fellow Daoist Vermilion Bird has also sensed the omen of Zixiao and may be on her way there now.
We just need to go to Zixiao Palace first—perhaps we'll meet her there."
Cang Lie's worries faded as he nodded.
Yuan Hao also finished gathering his monkey clan, bouncing over excitedly. "We're all ready! Fellow Daoist Ao Xuan, Cang Lie, let's go! I want to see what's so mysterious about this Zixiao Palace preaching—can it make this old Yuan even stronger!"
Ao Xuan waved his hand, and cyan-gold water fortune spiritual light condensed into a path ahead, leading toward Zixiao Palace.
The purple-tinged celestial light in the sky grew more intense, and the Dao sound became clearer, as if urging all destined beings in the Primordial World to head to Zixiao Palace, where the gate to the Great Dao was about to open.
"Let's go!" Ao Xuan stepped onto the light path first, his cyan-gold Taoist robe fluttering in the wind.
"To Zixiao Palace—listen to the Dao and comprehend the laws!"
Cang Lie let out a low roar and followed. Yuan Hao led the monkey clan and rogue cultivators, laughing and chattering as they followed closely behind.