As Shen Gongbao's voice faded, a line of icy blue characters materialized:
[Host publicly apologized to Jiang Ziya, completing optional task 2 "A wise man knows when to yield", unlocking the Gold-tier lottery.]
Before Shen Gongbao could react, a massive giant wheel materialized out of thin air before him, its rim engraved with cryptic, obscure Daoist runes.
As the pointer spun, countless rare rewards continuously appeared before Shen Gongbao:
Nine-Turn Golden Pill (Flawed): Golden runes flowed across the pill's surface, yet three hidden cracks remained, and spiritual potency faintly leaked out.
Heavenly Fiend Body-Forging Art: A supreme cultivation method of the demon race, but one that doubled the agony during practice.
Blood Raven Incineration Manual: A low-grade spiritual treasure capable of summoning tens of thousands of blood ravens to combat enemies.
……
"This is just a Gold-tier lottery?"
Shen Gongbao's pupils constricted slightly, his heartbeat quickening uncontrollably.
Although the Nine-Turn Golden Pill was merely a flawed product, it still possessed the power to heal Dao injuries, and the Heavenly Fiend Body-Forging Art was the supreme cultivation method of the demon race.
At this moment, he no longer cared that he was standing right inside the grand hall of Yuxu Palace.
With a flick of his mind, Shen Gongbao pressed directly down upon the stop button at the center of the wheel.
Ten seconds later, the light screen froze.
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed!]
Shen Gongbao's pupils sharply contracted.
The Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus was, after all, a top-tier primordial spiritual item.
As far as Shen Gongbao knew, the phrase "red flower, white lotus root, green lotus leaves, the three teachings were originally one family" referred precisely to the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus.
Tai Shang Laojun's Coiled-Dragon Flat Staff, Yuanshi Tianzun's Three-Treasures Jade Ruyi, and Master Tongtian's Qingping Sword were respectively formed from the red flower, white lotus root, and green lotus leaves of the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus.
The lotus seeds of the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus might not equal the red flower, white lotus root, or green lotus leaves, but they certainly would not fall far behind.
Just as Shen Gongbao was gripped by excitement, the text on the light screen continued to emerge:
The Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed contains a wisp of chaotic qi within it, which can assist in cultivating the Chaotic Dao Body.
Detecting that the host's Dao body is damaged, the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed automatically merges into the host's body, repairing the injuries to the host's Dao body.
In an instant, dazzling cyan radiance erupted from around Shen Gongbao, and the surrounding spiritual energy seemed to respond to some form of traction, transforming into a vast spiritual vortex that poured downwards.
"What is going on?"
Shen Gongbao's sudden transformation prompted the cultivators within Yuxu Palace to inspect the scene.
They had still been marveling at how Shen Gongbao suddenly altered his temperament, never expecting such a monumental transformation to occur right after he finished apologizing.
Could this be a sudden flash of enlightenment?
Watching Shen Gongbao as spiritual energy continuously poured into him, they could conceive of no other more reasonable explanation besides this.
"Junior Brother Shen has actually broken through to the Mid Mysterious Immortal realm?"
Wuliang Xianweng, who had been observing Shen Gongbao all along, exclaimed in surprise.
He discovered that in merely this brief moment, Shen Gongbao's cultivation had risen from the Early Mysterious Immortal realm to the Mid Mysterious Immortal realm.
Judulsun, who had likewise perceived the elevation in Shen Gongbao's cultivation, said with heavy envy:
"What kind of sheer dumb luck is this? He manages to raise his cultivation just by apologizing."
Within Yuxu Palace, looking at Shen Gongbao whose cultivation had broken through, the remaining Chan Sect disciples wore complex expressions as well.
The Mysterious Immortal Realm was not so easily breached; even though every single one of them could be considered the cream of the crop within this Primordial World, those who genuinely reached beyond the Mysterious Immortal Realm, aside from the Twelve Golden Immortals, numbered only a few individuals—the same as Shen Gongbao who had attained the Early Mysterious Immortal stage.
And now, with Shen Gongbao's sudden enlightenment and breakthrough to the Mid Mysterious Immortal realm, he truly stood alone in a tier right beneath the Twelve Golden Immortals.
At this moment, the person with the most complex expression of all was none other than Jiang Ziya.
Over all these years, insufficient cultivation aptitude had forever been his eternal sorrow. Having entered Yuxu Palace for forty years, he had only barely reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm.
During the previous Yuxu Palace grand sparring competition, he had also had to rely on magical treasures bestowed by Yuanshi Tianzun and several senior brothers to barely squeeze into the finals.
Never had he expected that misfortune would turn into a blessing for Shen Gongbao, whose cultivation advanced yet another step.
"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have let Shen Gongbao apologize to me back then!"
Jiang Ziya felt immense remorse in his heart.
Shen Gongbao, however, paid no mind to the surrounding crowd.
Following the integration of the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed, the growth in cultivation was merely its secondary effect; the true function of the Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed lay in the word "Creation".
As that wisp of chaotic aura integrated, the Dao injuries on Shen Gongbao's body were swiftly smoothed away.
At that moment, Shen Gongbao once again experienced the unbridled freedom of his own cultivation—a freedom entirely unhindered by any shackles.
And this was not the end.
The very next moment after repairing his Dao injuries, that wisp of chaotic breath began to remold Shen Gongbao's Profound Underworld Body, transforming his Profound Underworld Body in the direction of a Chaotic Dao Body.
Upon the Twelfth-Grade Lotus Platform, Yuanshi Tianzun furrowed his brows slightly. His Sage's divine gaze pierced through the cyan radiance, only to see the Profound Underworld Dao Body within Shen Gongbao undergoing an astonishing metamorphosis—that was clearly...
"The aura of the Creation Green Lotus?"
Yuanshi Tianzun lightly pinched his fingers within his sleeve, attempting to divine the heavenly secrets, only to find Shen Gongbao's destiny suddenly shrouded within a veil of chaotic mist.
Such an anomaly had been exceedingly rare since the opening of heaven and earth.
Within the Eight Sceneries Palace of Mount Daluo, the Six-Yang divine fire in the Eight Trigrams Furnace suddenly flickered.
Tai Shang Laojun's banana fan paused in his hand, his profound gaze piercing through the thirty-three heavens and landing upon Kunlun Mountain.
"How strange," Laojun gently stroked his long beard. "The Creation Green Lotus was long since divided; whence comes this lotus seed?"
Pondering for a moment, he lightly tapped the pill furnace, and the refinement of the Nine-Turn Golden Pill within quietly accelerated by three parts.
At Biyou Palace in the East Sea, Master Tongtian, who was practicing a sword formation, suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily.
Yunxiao, standing respectfully at the side, saw her master's Qingping Sword spontaneously unsheath three inches, its ringing like a dragon's roar, and asked in puzzlement:
"Why is Master suddenly so joyful?"
Master Tongtian's sword-like brows lifted high:
"The heavenly secrets have changed! A glimmer of survival has appeared within the river of fortune of our Jiejiao!"
With that, Master Tongtian abruptly turned his gaze toward the direction of Kunlun, adding with meaningful profundity: "And moreover, it has emerged from the most unexpected place..."
Inside Yuxu Palace, Shen Gongbao slowly gathered his energy.
The lotus seed of the green lotus within his body had already taken root and sprouted; although it was merely an illusory shadow, it constantly exhaled and inhaled chaotic qi.
What surprised him the most was that not only had the Dao injuries left by Yuanshi Tianzun completely healed, but his Profound Underworld Dao Body even showed a trend toward transforming into a Chaotic Dao Body.
"Your disciple has attained a slight insight, and has troubled Master to wait long."
Shen Gongbao bowed respectfully, his lowered eyelids concealing the brilliant flash in his eyes.
By this time, Shen Gongbao's attribute panel had updated to:
Host: Shen Gongbao
Cultivation: Mid Mysterious Immortal (Chaotic Dao Body transformation at 1%)
Cultivation Method: Jade Clarity True Scripture (Fragmentary)
Spells: Puppet Technique, Yin Lightning Curse
Magical Treasure: Thunder Lord Whip
Spiritual Item: Twelfth-Grade Creation Green Lotus Seed
Mission: None currently issued
Yuanshi Tianzun gazed deeply at this disciple, the Sage's thoughts racing like lightning:
Heavenly secrets in chaos, destiny obscure.
Dao body metamorphosing, foundation reshaped.
Even stranger, the aura of that lotus seed shared the exact same origin as the Three Teachings...
For some inexplicable reason, Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly felt that he could no longer quite understand this disciple of his.