Looking at Ancestor Cangtian, a new thought formed in Luohou's mind: what would happen if Ancestor Cangtian joined his faction?
And what would happen when that fellow Hongjun failed to gather four Quasi-Saint mighty figures by that time?
If Ancestor Cangtian joined his faction, Luohou could impart to him the method of breaking through to the Daluo Golden Immortal and the Dao of the Quasi-Saint.
Even if that fellow Hongjun wanted to wage a great war against him at that time and had to gather at least five Quasi-Saint mighty figures—otherwise there would be no possibility of defeating him whatsoever—even with five Quasi-Saints, Luohou would not fear them.
At present, Luohou was a Late Daluo Golden Immortal, and his avatars of Qiqing and Liu Yu had not yet been cut away. Once all of them were cut away, counting Luohou's original body, there would be fourteen Luohous—how could Hongjun hope to fight him with that?
"Since you have gifted me such a treasure, Daoist friend, I hardly know how to repay it. You must accept these two fruits," Luohou said, taking out two flat peaches as spiritual energy surged and fragrance filled the air.
"The Ren Shui Flat Peach!" Ancestor Cangtian was immediately startled. These were fruits grown on the top-grade Innate Spiritual Root, the Ren Shui Flat Peach tree! An ordinary cultivator who consumed just one would instantly become a Taiyi Golden Immortal.
"I cannot accept this. The five-colored stone is of no great use in my hands, but the Ren Shui Flat Peach is far too precious; I would be ashamed to take it." Longing flickered in Ancestor Cangtian's eyes, but he waved his hand in refusal.
"These are merely things to fill our bellies, what is so precious about them? Could it be that you look down on me, Daoist friend?" Luohou pretended to let his face darken.
Seeing this, Ancestor Cangtian accepted the Ren Shui Flat Peach. Besides, deep down he still very much desired to obtain it; after all, this item was one of the top ten Innate Spiritual Roots and not something one could eat casually.
"Do not be angry, Daoist friend. Since you put it this way, I shall shamelessly accept." Ancestor Cangtian offered a flattering smile.
Only then did Luohou's expression soften, and he asked, "Where is your Daoist temple located, Daoist friend?"
"To tell you the truth, Daoist friend, I do not yet have a formal Daoist temple, though I do have a place to stay at Tianfu Cave, which can only be considered a middling blessed land," Ancestor Cangtian said with some shame.
No matter what, Ancestor Cangtian was still a mighty figure of the mid Daluo Golden Immortal realm, yet he did not even have a Daoist temple in the Honghuang; indeed, this was a rather embarrassing matter.
"My Daoist temple is not far from here. If you do not disdain it, Daoist friend, would you care to come to my temple to discuss the Dao?" Luohou smiled.
"Splendid." Ancestor Cangtian could naturally tell that Luohou's cultivation realm surpassed his own, and now that Luohou had proposed a discussion of the Dao, nothing could be better.
Luohou was overjoyed at this turn of events. This trip had not only gathered all the materials needed to forge the Four Swords of Immortal-Slaying and the Immortal-Slaying Formation Map, but he had also coaxed away a mighty figure, adding yet another powerhouse to his Magic Dao.
Arriving outside Mount Sumeru, Ancestor Cangtian looked at the scenery within. The mountain stood tens of thousands of feet high, surrounded by dense spiritual energy, with immortal beasts and exotic creatures leaping and frolicking about.
He also saw that Mount Sumeru was protected by a grand formation. Probing it with his divine sense, the formation actually threatened to injure his divine sense, giving him a sudden shock as he realized this was an innate grand formation.
This made Ancestor Cangtian sigh in his heart. This Daoist Luohou truly possessed profound karmic luck and boundless fortune, otherwise how could he have acquired such an exceptional blessed land?
"You are truly blessed, Daoist friend, to have obtained such a blessed land. It is truly the envy of this poor Daoist," Ancestor Cangtian said with envy.
"You flatter me, Daoist friend. Please follow me," Luohou said as his divine sense entered the Palace of Freedom, where he discovered that the two boy attendants had already awakened and were playing with the goldfish in the backyard.
As Luohou and Ancestor Cangtian entered Mount Sumeru, the two boy attendants immediately became aware of them, feeling puzzled: hadn't the master been in closed-door cultivation? Why were they coming from outside?
At the entrance of the Palace of Freedom, Qiqing and Liu Yu watched Luohou and Ancestor Cangtian walking slowly toward them and bowed respectfully, "Welcome Master back to the mountain."
"This is Daoist Cangtian, you two come pay your respects," Luohou said indifferently.
"Greetings, Senior Cangtian," Qiqing and Liu Yu also bowed to Ancestor Cangtian.
"Your two boy attendants have extraordinary cultivation. These two little trinkets are gifts for the two of you," Ancestor Cangtian said, taking out two low-grade Xiantian spiritual treasures and giving them to Qiqing and Liu Yu.
Although Qiqing and Liu Yu had already cultivated to the late Golden Immortal realm, they possessed no spiritual treasures; after all, Luohou had not bestowed any upon them, and since they had never left the mountain, naturally they had none. Now that they had acquired spiritual treasures, they were immediately overjoyed and hastily expressed their thanks.
"How could you casually accept gifts from Daoist Cangtian? Go to the backyard at once and pick four flat peaches," Luohou instructed.
Afterward, Luohou and Ancestor Cangtian entered the Palace of Freedom, arrived at the main hall, and took their seats as host and guest.
A moment later, Qiqing and Liu Yu walked in carrying two platters. Luohou and Ancestor Cangtian each received a fruit platter, and inside were precisely two Ren Shui Flat Peaches.
Luohou picked up a flat peach and ate it. Initially, Ancestor Cangtian had been reluctant to eat the two flat peaches he had been given, but seeing the peaches served now, he naturally didn't stand on ceremony and began to eat as well.
"Meeting you, Daoist friend, feels like reuniting with an old friend. There is a matter I wish to discuss—wondering if I should speak of it?" Luohou was already preparing to extend an olive branch; he wanted to recruit Ancestor Cangtian.
Seeing Luohou's expression suddenly turn serious, Ancestor Cangtian felt puzzled and asked, "Please speak your mind, Daoist friend."
"What do you think of my Daoist temple, Daoist friend?"
"It is probably impossible to find another such treasured land in the entire Honghuang."
"If you are willing, Daoist friend, I would like to invite you to take up residence on Mount Sumeru, and we can become sworn brothers and live here together. What do you say?"
Ancestor Cangtian stood up from his seat, looked at Luohou in shock, and blurted out, "What?"
After a long while, Ancestor Cangtian came to his senses, carefully pondering what Luohou had said. To become sworn brothers meant their karmic luck would be bound together, yet his own karmic luck was not even a tenth of Luohou's.
To live together on Mount Sumeru and become masters of the mountain was simply a gift from the Great Dao, a pie falling straight from the sky!
"Who am I to deserve such an honor? How could I presume to climb so high?" Ancestor Cangtian said with some shame.
"Are you willing or not, Daoist friend?" Luohou asked directly without saying too much.
After deep contemplation for a long time, Ancestor Cangtian finally spoke solemnly, "Elder Brother is above, please accept this bow from your younger brother."
Joy surged in Luohou's heart. With Ancestor Cangtian, whenever he went out traveling in the future, Mount Sumeru would have someone holding down the fort, and furthermore, when the great tribulation arrived, there would be hope of surviving it.
"Second Brother, quickly rise," Luohou laughed heartily.
Qiqing and Liu Yu hurried to Ancestor Cangtian's side and bowed respectfully once more, "Qiqing and Liu Yu pay respects to Second Master."
......
On Yujing Mountain, Daoist Ancestor Hongjun was comprehending the laws within the Jade Plate of Creation when he suddenly opened his eyes and looked into the void, his gaze fierce and utterly incongruous with his immortal, transcendent appearance.
"Who is stealing my karmic luck!"