Nuwa initially felt some hesitation, as she did not wish to make enemies of Di Jun and Taiyi.
The two possessed formidable strength, and creating karmic enmity with them was hardly a wise move.
Yet he had just called her elder sister!
Hitherto, she had only ever addressed her own eldest brother as such; no one had ever called *her* an elder sister before.
Standing nearby, Fuxi caught her eye and silently gestured for her to agree.
Moreover, since Laizi had previously returned the Innate Gourd and started this chain of cause and effect, this presented a perfect opportunity to resolve that karma.
"Very well. If those two attempt to break through our position, I shall step in to block them."
Only upon receiving Nuwa's confirmation did Feng Xuan's mind settle. With Nuwa standing in their way, Di Jun and Taiyi would scarcely be able to fly away on wings.
[Congratulations to the host for choosing option two. A bottle of Three-Light Divine Water has been issued.]
True to its word, the system's reward materialized immediately—an entire bottle of Three-Light Divine Water!
There were at least several hundred drops inside!
The Three-Light Divine Water was formed by the fusion of golden Sunlight Divine Water, silver Moonlight Divine Water, and purple Starlight Divine Water.
It was the premier healing panacea of the Primordial World, capable of neutralizing all poisons and curing anything deemed "incurable."
It could heal every manner of wound and ailment.
It could even restore flesh to bones and bring the dead back to life.
It was an absolute essential for traveling abroad.
With the Three-Light Divine Water in his possession, Feng Xuan's life had gained yet another layer of security.
"By the way, little brother, how is it that you are traveling with the Sanqing friends? I don't recall seeing you in the Zixiao Palace before."
At that moment, Nuwa blinked her bright eyes and asked with curiosity, her voice like the crisp, enchanting sound of a clear spring flowing.
"Elder Sister Nuwa, I am a newly accepted disciple of the three Masters. My name is Feng Xuan, and this is my first time venturing out."
Feng Xuan answered truthfully, eager to establish a good impression in front of this future first Sage—and ideally, to latch onto her powerful patronage.
That way, he would be all the safer in the Primordial World!
With four Sages at his back, who would dare to kill him, and who *could* kill him?
"Oh, I see."
Nuwa's beautiful eyes shifted thoughtfully as she nodded.
Right at that moment, the heavily injured brothers Di Jun and Taiyi seized their chance, pouring all their power into the Chaos Clock to freeze the Sanqing for a fraction of a second, before executing the Golden Crow Rainbow Transformation technique to break through the encirclement.
The Chaos Clock possessed the might to suppress the "Great Cosmos," the power to overturn "the time and space of all heavens," the function to unravel "the profound mysteries of the Heavenly Dao," and the capacity to refine "earth, water, fire, and wind."
Wielded by Taiyi in his current state, it could not unleash its full might, barely managing to freeze the Sanqing for a single instant.
"Hold on. Leave the Innate Gourd that does not belong to you."
With a wave of her delicate hand, Nuwa conjured a massive barrier that sealed off the realm, blocking their path and completely cutting off this route of escape.
Fuxi also raised the Fuxi Qin to bar their way, a stern, killing aura gradually rising as he refused to let the two leave.
"You!"
Enraged to the extreme, Di Jun and Taiyi never expected such an unexpected turn of events halfway through their escape.
Yet they were utterly unwilling to just hand over the Innate Gourd!
They had taken a beating and made enemies; if they lost the gourd as well, wouldn't they be left completely empty-handed after all their trouble?
"Do the two of you truly wish to make enemies of us!"
The pair asked through gritted teeth, their tone heavy with threat.
Feng Xuan found it amusing. These two simply could not read the room!
Disaster was staring them in the face, yet they were still puffing out their chests like a pair of absolute fools!
"A mere ant dares to laugh at us! You're courting death!"
Spotting Feng Xuan chuckling, Taiyi instantly flew into a rage. How dare a mere ant mock them!
With a single breath, he spat out a stream of Solar Divine Fire, sending a scorching, blistering heat directly toward Feng Xuan's life.
Seeing the attack incoming, Feng Xuan unhurriedly produced the Fourfold Spirit Life-Protecting Array gifted to him by his third Master.
The phantom images of the Four Divine Beasts immediately appeared around Feng Xuan's four sides.
Sacred and inviolable!
The scorching Solar Divine Fire crashed against the array and was instantly neutralized, vanishing without a trace.
Feng Xuan tilted his head back at a forty-five-degree angle, wearing an expression of invincible detachment.
"Aah! I'll kill you!"
Flying into a frenzy, Taiyi prepared to unleash his full might once more.
"Don't run, you two mangy birds!"
Breaking free from the restraint of the Chaos Clock, the Sanqing closed in from all sides, trapping them in a four-way encirclement.
Di Jun and Taiyi instantly sobered up. Realizing the situation, they knew they would not escape safely today unless they surrendered the Innate Gourd.
"Fine! We concede defeat today!"
"We will return this a hundredfold in the future!"
The two hurled the Water-Fire Gourd and the Chaos Gourd in opposite directions, taking advantage of the moment Tongtian and Yuanshi reached out to catch them to rapidly flee.
Beaming with joy as they secured their respective gourds, Yuanshi and Tongtian did not bother pursuing the fleeing Di Jun and Taiyi.
They had never intended to kill them anyway; as the two Golden Crows who governed the supreme star, the Sun Star, the cost of killing them was simply too high, far outweighing the gains.
"Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Nuwa and Fellow Daoist Fuxi for your assistance! This poor Daoist is deeply grateful."
The Sanqing offered Daoist salutes to thank the siblings for their help.
"Thank you, Elder Sister Nuwa."
Feng Xuan also imitated the gesture to thank Nuwa properly.
Nuwa acknowledged the thanks, and the group descended toward the location of the Gourd Vine.
One gourd still remained unharvested there, and none knew whose lot it would fall to.
Looking at that final purple-green gourd, Feng Xuan knew that none of them would obtain it, for it was about to be taken away by Hongjun.
Just as the group prepared to discuss how to divide this last gourd, the purple-green gourd unexpectedly flew into the air of its own accord, circled once, and dropped straight into Feng Xuan's embrace.
This startled everyone present. Treasures possessed spirit and actively chose their masters.
"Haha, as expected of my good disciple! Such profound fortune and affinity!"
Yuanshi could not help laughing aloud. He admired and favored those blessed with deep fortune, and Feng Xuan's performance had once again made him look at the boy in a new light.
Meanwhile, Feng Xuan remained completely frozen in a daze.
He could guarantee that this purple-green gourd flying over had nothing whatsoever to do with his own fortune; someone had deliberately engineered this.
"That settles it, then—there's no need to negotiate. However, we've taken the lion's share of the benefits; I shall only take a few vine leaves, and leave the rest to you two fellow Daoists."
At this moment, Laizi spoke up, conversing with Nuwa and Fuxi.
With a wave of his hand through the air, he harvested several leaves of the Innate Gourd Vine to use for alchemy.
Nuwa, on the other hand, stepped forward and picked up the barren, leafless Gourd Vine, as a voice in the depths of her mind told her that this vine was of vital importance.
Afterward, the various parties prepared to part ways and return to their respective dojos.
"Wait, Elder Sister Nuwa! That soil might be of immense use to you."
Seeing Nuwa turn to leave without looking back, Feng Xuan could not help calling out. This was the Nine-Heavens Breathing Soil, after all! How could she just leave it behind!
What about creating humanity?
Nuwa, who had been on the verge of leaving, halted her steps, turned around, and looked toward the spot Feng Xuan pointed out.
A clump of black soil, entirely distinct from the surrounding earth, lay right there—the very spot where the roots of the Innate Gourd Vine had once anchored.
Sensing it closely, she realized this soil contained boundless vitality and the Law of Earth, which would be immensely useful for the Dao of Creation she cultivated.
Without hesitation, she dug three feet deep into the ground to take all of the Nine-Heavens Breathing Soil away, leaving behind a deep pit without wasting a single speck.
Filled with gratitude after acquiring such a divine treasure, Nuwa looked at Feng Xuan with a face full of fondness.
"Thank you so much, little brother Feng Xuan! Whenever you have time, you must come play in the Fengqi Valley. Elder Sister will cover you!"
"Mm."
With that, the siblings Nuwa departed. The Sanqing also prepared to set off, but suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck their minds, and they felt as though something else was calling to them.
"There is another treasure!"
Following the guidance in their hearts, the three ascended to the upper reaches of Mount Buzhou, where they came upon a bottomless cave.
Inside rested a pool of sparkling spiritual springwater, and growing within the spring was a jade-green lotus.
Counting them, the petals numbered twenty-four in total.
Its slender form swayed gently, and with every subtle movement, it stirred the Great Dao of heaven and earth and the laws of all things!
The Sanqing's breathing grew ragged. They could sense the extraordinary nature of this object; facing this lotus felt akin to facing the entire universe.
In terms of tier, it faintly showed signs of surpassing the Chaos Clock!
Moreover, this item had a predestined affinity with them!
Standing to the side, Feng Xuan understood that this was the Twenty-Four-Grade Creation Green Lotus, grown from the sole matured lotus seed of the Chaos Green Lotus.
Its grade reached the level of an Innate Supreme Treasure, yet lacking the merit of splitting the heavens, it was rejected by the Primordial World.
Once it fully matured and manifested, it would inevitably invite Heavenly Tribulation to destroy it.
Fortunately, sensing the presence of the Sanqing, it split into three parts just in time, transforming into three Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures so that it could endure in the world.
After the four waited for a long time, the Twenty-Four-Grade Creation Green Lotus was finally about to mature and manifest!
The Heavenly Tribulation arrived as scheduled. Endless seas of tribulation clouds gathered overhead, dyeing the skies above Mount Buzhou a pitch-black hue.
Thunder rumbled, and purple lightning flashed faintly within the clouds.
It was the supreme Zixiao Divine Thunder, a fatal annihilation for all things, leaving not a single path of survival!
Faced with the might of the heavens, the Creation Green Lotus trembled continuously, emanating a sense of unwillingness that infected all four people present.
Yet heavenly might was merciless, driven by the order of heavenly law, and the Zixiao Divine Thunder was about to fall.