As a supreme blessed land of grotto-heavens, Mount Kunlun naturally grew a multitude of precious spiritual herbs. Those herbs that had matured over several millennia or even longer were frequently overlooked by high-level cultivators.
Zhang Tianchen, however, treated spiritual herbs of all ages equally. Whenever he laid eyes on them, he gathered them all. He planned to take the lower-grade spiritual herbs back with him and cultivate a private patch of medicine fields to grow them himself.
After searching Mount Kunlun for a millennium, Zhang Tianchen collected numerous ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs and even discovered a few hundred-thousand-year medicinal plants. Regrettably, he failed to find any million-year ingredients.
Upon returning to his small wooden cabin, Zhang Tianchen first planted the herbs under ten thousand years of age and then crafted a pill cauldron using some gathered materials. An alchemy cauldron was an indispensable component for refining pills. Yet, given the materials at hand, this cauldron was merely a lesser acquired spiritual treasure restricted by six seals.
"This should be sufficient for the present stage. I will collect better materials later and slowly replace it."
With everything prepared, Zhang Tianchen initiated his first alchemy attempt. Moving both hands to cast a hand seal directed at the base of the pill cauldron, he instantly summoned a roaring blaze. He then tossed a ten-thousand-year spiritual herb into the flames. Under the intense heat, it gradually melted, shedding its impurities until only a droplet of pure golden liquid remained.
Manipulating the ball of golden liquid with one hand, Zhang Tianchen continued to toss other spiritual herbs into the cauldron for refinement. After expending forty-nine years, he finally extracted the essence from all several dozen ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs.
"Condense!"
Changing his hand gestures continuously, Zhang Tianchen began the process of solidifying the medicinal pills. This procedure required a high degree of skill; if handled carelessly, the entire batch of pills would be reduced to ashes. More importantly, it was a lengthy and patient endeavor.
Spending eighty-one years, he successfully fused the essences of those ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs into a single, plump, and gleaming Golden Core.
"Success!"
Discovering that he could successfully refine pills on his very first attempt, a smile inevitably bloomed on Zhang Tianchen's face. However, this first-revolution Golden Core used for practice was only effective for cultivators at or below the Mysterious Immortal realm. Zhang Tianchen's current cultivation was at the early True Immortal stage, with strength approaching that of an average late Golden Immortal, so this kind of Golden Core was of little further use to him.
Stowing away the first-revolution Golden Core, he prepared to proceed with the more complex three-revolution Golden Core. Typically, a three-revolution Golden Core used spiritual herbs aged several hundred or a few thousand years as the main ingredients, supplemented by hundreds of ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs for refinement.
Due to the higher age and greater quantity of the spiritual herbs, this not only made extracting and gathering the essence much more difficult, but it also introduced an additional step during the manufacturing process: smelting. Once the condensation of the Golden Core was complete, two further rounds of smelting were still required to fully harmonize its properties. This was the so-called "two revolutions."
Three hundred years passed. The first three-revolution Golden Core crafted by Zhang Tianchen finally came into being.
"Just this single three-revolution Golden Core consumed three hundred years. I wonder what the actual effect will be?"
He spent a century extracting the medicinal essence, another century on condensation, and then a hundred years on the final smelting, totaling three hundred years to complete this precious three-revolution Golden Core. This was because he had not yet achieved mastery in herbal refinement; once he became proficient enough to manufacture them in batches, it would save a great deal of time and effort.
Zhang Tianchen consumed this newly crafted three-revolution Golden Core and began to absorb and refine it. Once the medicinal efficacy entered his body, it transformed into a pure and formidable torrent of energy. Compared to the power emitted by flat peaches, the energy of this three-revolution Golden Core was far gentler and more delicate, making it much easier to absorb.
Spending a mere ten years, Zhang Tianchen completely refined the entire Golden Core, directly boosting his cultivation level by the equivalent of ten thousand years.
"It truly feels exhilarating for a moment! The sensation of continuously refining pills is simply endless enjoyment."
Through personal experimentation, Zhang Tianchen finally understood why Xuandu's cultivation progressed so rapidly. As it turned out, rapidly boosting one's cultivation through this method felt incomparably pleasant.
From then on, Zhang Tianchen either spent his time searching for required herbs or poured more effort into refining them. The pills he successfully produced were all absorbed and utilized by himself at the earliest opportunity.
Before long, about ten thousand years of time elapsed. During this period, his cultivation soared like a rocket, rapidly rising to the equivalent of forty-eight yuanhui of cultivation, rivaling the strength of ordinary top-tier Golden Immortals.
Meanwhile, the increasingly tense relations between Jiejiao and the Daoist domain of Master Tongtian began to frequently spark friction and disputes. Both sides quarreled multiple times and lodged complaints before their superiors on several occasions.
This time, Jiejiao's Golden Light Fairy and Chanjiao's Daoist Cihang clashed once again, even destroying a patch of Laozi's medicine fields.
"Did I not warn you to try your best to avoid disputes with the people of Chanjiao, and to treat harmony as the most precious thing in all matters? How is it that you still couldn't control yourself, not only resorting to fists, but actually destroying Master Laozi's medicine field? How do you expect me to explain this to Master Laozi and Second Uncle?" Daoist Duobao asked with a stern face, reprimanding Golden Light Fairy.
"Senior Brother, this really wasn't me deliberately stirring up trouble this time. It's just that Cihang of Chanjiao was simply too bullying! Seeing him put on such a condescending airs, saying that everyone in our Jiejiao is nothing more than beasts and creatures, and even claiming that someone like me is only fit to serve as a horse beneath his seat," Golden Light Fairy explained with burning resentment.
"Enough. Come with me now to see Master and see what instructions the old man has."
Daoist Duobao sighed, knowing full well that Golden Light Fairy wouldn't lie. If the situation truly was as described, then the other party had indeed crossed the line first. Immediately, Golden Light Fairy followed Daoist Duobao to see Master Tongtian. At this moment, Master Tongtian wore a displeased expression.
"Master..."
Before Daoist Duobao could finish speaking, Master Tongtian waved his hand to interrupt him. "You wait here for a moment. I have more to say. I am already aware of the details of this matter. Wait here for a while; I am going to pay a visit to your Second Uncle."
With that, Master Tongtian vanished instantly. Anxious that Master Tongtian might come to blows with Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoist Duobao offered a parting instruction: "Wait here for Master to return. I need to go pay my respects to Master Laozi first."
Not long after Daoist Duobao hurriedly departed, Master Tongtian arrived at Yuanshi Tianzun's residence, the Yuxu Palace. Faced with Master Tongtian's arrival, Yuanshi Tianzun immediately levied accusations:
"Third Brother, how have you been teaching your disciples? Every three or five years, your people find some trouble to stir up. Now even our tranquil sanctuary has no peace."
Hearing this, Master Tongtian grew even more irritated and retorted sharply, "Every time friction occurs, it is obviously your people who are deliberately provoking trouble."
Yuanshi Tianzun replied with disdain, "What kind of logic is that? The disciples of our Chanjiao are all individuals blessed with profound fortune, unlike those wild, untamed creatures under your command who know nothing of merit."
Seeing Tongtian talk back to him so bluntly, Yuanshi Tianzun's face turned livid. Consumed by anger, Master Tongtian dropped the title of Second Brother and called him directly by his given name: "Yuanshi, you are going too far!"
Yuanshi Tianzun's expression darkened even further as he chided, "Audacious, Tongtian!"
"Then today I shall speak my mind without holding anything back!"
Faced with such an uncompromising attitude, Yuanshi Tianzun could not help being somewhat taken aback, and he continued to press the issue: "Tongtian, if you want to shield your disciples, go ahead and shield them, but you cannot disregard the bonds of brotherhood!"
Faced with this accusation, Tongtian replied, "The one who disregards brotherly affection is you! In your heart, the orthodox path of cultivation is clearly more important than fraternal bonds."
In Master Tongtian's view, the conflict between Jiejiao and Chanjiao did not actually stem from the individual behaviors of their disciples, but rather from the fundamental differences in philosophy between themselves and Yuanshi. He advocated following nature, while Yuanshi promoted the harmonious unity of Celestial Humans and nature. Clearly, on this point they were diametrically opposed.
Just as Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian were arguing until their faces were red, Laozi and Daoist Duobao appeared.
"Eldest Brother."
Seeing Laozi, the emotions of both Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian subsided slightly.
"Stop arguing. Let us each find our own Daoist domain; that way there will be no more conflicts in the future," Laozi said.
"Eldest Brother!"
Hearing that Laozi wanted to split the family, Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian cried out in involuntary shock. The three of them had transformed from Pangu's primordial spirit and had accompanied each other since the opening of heaven and earth. Their bond as brothers was deep; how could it be severed by mere words?
"Mount Kunlun cannot bear the collective fortune of three Sages. Furthermore, the philosophies of you two do not align; parting ways has become imperative. Splitting up early will still allow us to preserve this brotherly affection; if we continue to bicker, I fear even the bond between brothers will fade away," Laozi said slowly.
"Eldest Master..."
When Daoist Duobao brought Laozi over, his original intention was for him to mediate the dispute between Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian. He never expected Laozi to directly propose a separation.
"Duobao, say no more." Laozi directly cut Daoist Duobao off.
Seeing their Eldest Brother express such a stance, Yuanshi Tianzun and Master Tongtian knew in their hearts that matters had reached a point where they could no longer be altered.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, since this is how it is arranged, then I am willing to relinquish this mountain peak and lead my disciples elsewhere to find a new dwelling place," Master Tongtian ultimately decided.
Immediately, Master Tongtian left the Yuxu Palace, taking Daoist Duobao with him.
"This Mount Kunlun shall be left for you, Second Brother, to use," Laozi suggested to Yuanshi Tianzun.
"Eldest Brother, this mountain should rightfully belong to you. Your Second Brother will lead his subordinates to select a new site and establish a Daoist domain." Although Yuanshi deeply yearned for this sacred land, he believed that Laozi, as the eldest of the three brothers, was the most suitable master for it.
"Say no more. At present, I have only Xuandu following and attending to me among my disciples; finding another place will actually be much more convenient."
Having spoken these words, Laozi turned and left, affording Yuanshi no opportunity to retort.
Seeing their Eldest Brother and Third Brother depart one after another, the entire Mount Kunlun was left to Yuanshi alone. Although a tiny trace of regret and apology lingered in his heart, it quickly vanished.
When Master Tongtian led Duobao away, he struck the fishing drum in his hand. Hearing the drumbeat the very moment he was out gathering herbs everywhere, Zhang Tianchen hurried over to assemble by his side. Once all the Jiejiao disciples had gathered in one place, he briefly conveyed the order: "Everyone pack up what you need to carry and follow me out of Mount Kunlun."