Feng Xuan walked out of the grand hall, shielded by the Sanqing.
As soon as they emerged, countless sycophants instantly swarmed toward Dongwang Gong and Western Wangmu with flattery. These were people desperate to hitch their wagons to rising stars, destined to become mere cannon fodder when the future Demon Court destroyed the Celestial Court.
Not all of the three thousand guests of Purple Qi Palace understood the workings of Heaven or recognized the opportune moments of the times.
The truly powerful beings capable of attaining longevity and eternal life were all watching with cold detachment, completely ignoring this so-called leader of male and female immortals.
"Fellow Daoists of the Sanqing, I intend to establish the Celestial Court to manage the affairs of the Primordial world. I wonder if the three of you would be willing to join my Celestial Court? I shall certainly reward you with exalted positions."
At this point, Dongwang Gong also realized that the ordinary creatures flocking to fawn over him were nothing special. If he wanted the Celestial Court to truly establish a firm foothold in the Primordial world, he needed the backing of genuine mighty figures.
The Pangu Sanqing were an excellent choice.
The three of them had traversed the Primordial world, enjoyed a formidable reputation, and possessed top-tier strength. Most importantly, they were transformed from the primordial spirit of God Pangu.
If they joined his Celestial Court, it would surely attract even more people to follow.
Therefore, he had come to extend an invitation.
He believed that, resting on his status as the leader of male immortals personally designated by the Dao Ancestor, they would surely heed his command.
His thoughts were well-intentioned, but unfortunately, he simply did not measure up.
Yuanshi cast an indifferent glance at Dongwang Gong, while Tongtian didn't even bother to react.
Not shouting "Get lost" was already showing him a great deal of face.
With an expression of awkwardness, Dongwang Gong turned and left, having suffered a blunt snub while also quietly harboring resentment toward the four of them.
"This Dongwang Gong is facing imminent disaster yet remains completely oblivious. Truly foolish!"
Yuanshi said to the three of them, having already seen through the situation and understood what the future held.
Dongwang Gong subsequently sought out Zhenyuanzi and other top-tier experts, but all of them rejected him.
Di Jun and Taiyi simply watched him with cold indifference, their faces revealing utter disdain and murderous intent. Daring to block their path was nothing short of courting death!
The Sanqing did not linger long, leading Feng Xuan as they crossed directly through Chaos.
Amidst the Chaos, Feng Xuan looked thoughtfully at the howling primordial gales swirling just outside the protection of the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda.
Could he perhaps cross the Chaos purely with his physical body?
Or perhaps use the chaotic gales to temper his physique?
After all, his true form was a piece of chaotic stubborn stone, which originally belonged within the Chaos itself!
"Eldest Master, I wish to test whether I can cross the Chaos."
Feng Xuan voiced his idea.
Tongtian and Yuanshi instinctively moved to refuse, but Laozi pressed them down.
"Very well, go and try."
Laozi stimulated the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda, opening a gap to let Feng Xuan step outside.
"Eldest Brother, our disciple is currently only at the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. Won't this be..."
Yuanshi and Tongtian asked with some concern.
Laozi remained expressionless, looking completely calm and detached.
"Have you both forgotten what our disciple's true form is?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Yuanshi and Tongtian experienced a sudden realization. Could a chaotic stubborn stone possibly meet with an accident in the chaotic gales?
That would be like a fish drowning in water.
Was that even possible?
Impossible!
Free from the protection of the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda, the moment Feng Xuan stepped into the Chaos, he was enveloped by countless chaotic gales.
These chaotic gales, capable of stripping flesh from bone and dissolving primordial spirits, did not cause him the slightest bit of harm.
He felt no discomfort or pain; instead, the sensation was merely comforting and familiar.
It felt just like coming home.
A brilliant mysterious radiance flickered across his skin—the innate might of his chaotic stubborn stone shell.
Because of this, the body-tempering effect he had anticipated simply did not materialize.
That made sense, too; his true form had already been buffeted by the chaotic gales for endless ages, rendering him completely immune long ago.
Understanding this, Feng Xuan followed the Sanqing back to Mount Kunlun for secluded cultivation.
Before entering closed-door cultivation, the Sanqing instructed him not to leave the borders of Kunlun. He was already being targeted and faced danger, but as long as he remained within the boundaries of Mount Kunlun, no one would dare to touch him.
Thus, Feng Xuan returned to his own Daoist abode to cultivate.
Time flowed like water, and years in the Primordial world are uncounted!
Ten thousand years passed quickly. Feng Xuan consolidated his cultivation realm and broke through to the mid-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal.
He also refined twelve of the innate restrictions of the upper-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Star Essence Wheel, allowing him to command it on a preliminary level.
To his pleasant surprise, the Star Essence Wheel possessed a full thirty-six innate restrictions—the absolute limit for an upper-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure!
The grades of Primordial magical treasures were classified as follows:
Innate Supreme Treasures: 49 innate restrictions.
Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures: 37 to 48 innate restrictions.
Upper-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures: 25 to 36 innate restrictions.
Middle-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures: 13 to 24 innate restrictions.
Lower-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures: 1 to 12 innate restrictions.
Viewed in this light, he had truly acquired a formidable treasure!
At that very moment, Feng Xuan sensed a peculiar aura and looked up toward the east of the Primordial world.
"Heavenly Dao above, I, Dongwang Gong, acting under the Dao Ancestor's directive to serve as the leader of male immortals, in order to better manage all immortals of the Primordial world, hereby establish the Celestial Court on Penglai Immortal Island today, assuming the role of the Celestial Court Emperor. May the Heavenly Dao and the Sages grant permission!"
As his voice fell, the Heavenly Dao responded, descending boundless Heavenly Dao Merit. Five-tenths flew into Dongwang Gong's body, three-tenths flew into the fortune of the Celestial Court, and two-tenths flew into the top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Dragon-Head Walking Stick.
The Heavenly Dao had recognized the establishment of the Celestial Court!
This event instantly sent massive ripples across the Primordial world. Countless creatures who had been sitting on the fence successively joined the Celestial Court, seeking its protection and sharing in its fortune.
Dongwang Gong also ushered in the absolute peak of his lifetime.
Ten thousand clans came to pay homage!
[Ding! Detected that Dongwang Gong has established the Celestial Court. Please make the following choice, Host.]
[One: Join the Celestial Court and take up an official post. With your strength and status, you can easily secure a high-ranking position within the Celestial Court. Reward: Waylaid and assassinated halfway, with both soul and body obliterated.]
[Two: Keep a low profile. You were told not to leave Kunlun, not to leave Kunlun. Be a good boy and listen. Reward: Staying alive is already the greatest reward!]
Feng Xuan: (?_?)
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"System, are you messing with me?"
The system offered no response.
Speechless, Feng Xuan chose option two. These days, systems couldn't even afford to hand out decent rewards.
If you can't give out rewards, why even be a system?!
Continuing his secluded cultivation for several more millennia without any improvement in his realm, Feng Xuan grew bored and began roaming the mountains.
"Master told me to patrol the mountain, patrolling the southern mountains and searching the northern ones..."
Muttering a delirious little tune under his breath, one could tell that Feng Xuan's mental state at the moment was not entirely well.
He couldn't understand how his masters managed to endure closed-door cultivation lasting tens of thousands of years at a time. He was genuinely going to go mad.
Suddenly, Feng Xuan sensed a powerful aura, rivalling that of his three masters, rushing toward their location and already pressing close to the central region of Mount Kunlun.
[Ding! Detected that Western Wangmu has come to seek assistance. Please make a choice, Host.]
[One: Do not help Western Wangmu. What is wrong with your brain? Such a great opportunity handed to you and you still fail to make use of it? Reward: Iron-Willed Straight Man Badge.]
[Two: Directly help Western Wangmu. A simpering doormat ends up coming to a bad end. Reward: Simp Badge.]
[Three: Indirectly help Western Wangmu. Fellow Daoist Western Wangmu, surely you don't wish to be continually pestered by Dongwang Gong. Reward: Upper-grade Innate Spiritual Root, Enlightenment Tree.]
Hearing the long-absent electronic chime, Feng Xuan's spirits stirred—work had finally arrived.
However, looking at the three options and their rewards, he rolled his eyes. Straight man, simp, and the third option carried a rather distinct foreign flavor.
Was he, Feng Xuan, that kind of person?
"System, I choose three."
Having made his choice, he manipulated the cloud-riding technique from the Great Qing Immortal Scripture and hurried toward Western Wangmu's location.
At that moment, at the gates of Mount Kunlun's core region, Western Wangmu—designated by Hongjun as the leader of female immortals—was calling out in a soft voice.
"Might the Daoist friends of the Sanqing emerge for a meeting? I have an urgent matter requiring your assistance."