NOVEL WEB Chapter 43: Harmonious One of Blessed Wisdom
Kong Xuan’s unrestrained laughter rolled off Yingzhou Immortal Island and pervaded the surrounding waters. An immense pressure crashed down on all life in the surrounding area, be it the weakest bug or a Quasi-Saint like Jinchi.
However, Jinchi didn’t show any dismay as he fell to his knees. He shivered with excitement as he watched his esteemed brother float into the sky.
Up in the air, Kong Xuan ignored both Jinchi’s fiery gaze and the reverence and horror from all life in the South Sea. From his body, his Five Element Incarnations phased out and floated in front of him. They each transformed into the element they represented. Before his eyes, the elements formed five lines of red, black, yellow, green, and white that represented a law: the Law of Fire, the Law of Water, the Law of Earth, the Law of Wood, and the Law of Metal.
The five lines criss-crossed before immediately separating. The process repeated hundreds to thousands of times until it formed a perfect circle, shimmering with five different kinds of radiance simultaneously. Anyone who saw it would feel the charm of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. Cultivators that saw it would catch a glimpse into the corresponding laws.
This ring represented Kong Xuan’s comprehension of the Law of Five Phases.
Behind Kong Xuan, three flowers above a five-colored cloud materialized. Each of the flowers had five petals, and each petal was a different color that corresponded with the five elements. The flowers absorbed the five-colored clouds and exuded a gentle radiance.
After absorbing the clouds, the flowers began to wither. As the left and right flowers withered, so did the light they exuded. In contrast, the central flower’s radiance increased. The three flowers wilted, disappearing into nothingness, but in the last flower’s final moments, a bud appeared.
The bud grew until it resembled a five-edged fruit. The five-colored circle flew toward the fruit and merged with it, greatly accelerating its growth. As it grew bigger, Dao Script flitted across its crystal clear skin. Each one seemed to expound on the grandness of the five elements.
When the fruit finished growing, the radiance dimmed until it only covered its skin. Despite that, anyone who saw the Five Phase Daofruit would become involuntarily attracted to it, as if it was the center of the world.
Kong Xuan waved his sleeve. The Daofruit shrunk and entered his glabella, disappearing into his sea of consciousness. With the disappearance of the Daofruit, the pressure bearing down on Yinzhou Immortal Island and the South Sea disappeared, and life sighed in relief.
“I, Kong Xuan, have entered the Primordial Origin Realm. Henceforth, I shall be known as the Harmonious One of Blessed Wisdom!” Unlike the pressure he exuded, Kong Xuan’s voice filled the entire Three Realms, even the newly incorporated territory from the Tengri Chaos World.
After Kong Xuan’s announcement, those lifeforms in the South Sea, regardless of their intelligence, swam away in fear. Even if they knew Kong Xuan had become a Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin, they had no thoughts of congratulating him. There was simply too much of a difference in their strength, and why would an immortal that could stand toe-to-toe with a Saint need their homage?
Jinchi immediately ran toward Kong Xuan who had floated down. “Brother, Brother, how does it feel to enter the Primordial Origin Realm? How strong are you?”
For once, Kong Xuan entertained Jinchi’s questions. He felt like the heavy weight pressing down on him had finally lifted. Still, he knew this was only an illusion. He was still the last one to enter the Primordial Origin Realm. Among the Saints, he could only guarantee Zhen Yuanzi’s defeat. Even then, he wouldn't be able to kill him. Likewise, it would be difficult for the other Saints. The only one with the chance to kill him was the strongest Saint, Yuanshi.
At that thought, Kong Xuan’s expression dimmed. The stronger Yuanshi was, the harder it would be to take the Azure Lotus Flag of East Treasured Light from him.
“Brother?”
“It’s nothing,” Kong Xuan said. “As for your previous question...”
The new Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin stared at his hands with a small smile. “It’s like heaven and earth. Only after stepping into the Primordial Origin Realm will you realize how insignificant you once were. Even my previous self, a Half-Saint, could only block a few moves from my current self.”
“So strong? Then isn’t killing a Quasi-Saint like me as easy as pinching an ant?” Jinchi asked, surprised.
Kong Xuan rolled his eyes. “It depends on the Quasi-Saint. My previous self could maybe block a few moves from my current self. You, on the other hand?”
He snorted. “Not even a half move.”
“Am I really that weak?” Jinchi asked.
“There’s a reason the Dao Ancestor said that all under Saints are ants.” Kong Xuan waved his hand. “I still have to consolidate my cultivation base. Don’t bother me.”
“Oh,” Jinchi said as he watched Kong Xuan enter the palace. Once the palace gate shut, Jinchi turned into a green streak and left Yinzhou Immortal Island. He couldn’t wait to brag about his Golden Immortal of Primordial Origin brother. With him as a backer, even Saints had to think twice before taking action against him.
While Jinchi roamed freely, Kong Xuan finally stabilized his cultivation base after a thousand years. There was even a slight improvement. If he persevered, he might make quick progress, but Kong Xuan didn’t stay still. Instead, he flew toward the quest to meet Zhunti. If he delayed much longer, then the latter might grow even stronger, and it would become difficult to obtain the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds.
Along the way to Mount Sumeru, Kong Xuan saw many mortals walking toward it as if on a pilgrimage. With his eyesight, he saw that most of the people making their way were not humans of the Three Realms, but mortals of the Tengri Chaos World that survived. Since the Tengri Chaos World lost, the mortals of the Tengri Chaos World were just another race in the world. Thus, they were given the name barbarians by humanity.
Like humans, the barbarians were born with spirituality despite their initial frailness. Instead of cultivation, they were more predisposed to worship, and after a thousand years, their numbers multiplied. However, the land they inhabited, the northwest, was barren and had not recovered from the merging.
So, many of them traveled to fertile land elsewhere. Although the newborn members of humanity didn’t know about the war of worlds, the older generation had lived through it and remembered it clearly. As a result, barbarians were not accepted by humanity despite their similar features.
It would be good even if the human tribes only drove the barbarians away. Many times, the tribes would attack the barbarians on sight.
A few days later, Kong Xuan saw a majestic mountain exuding a soft golden light. Sutra chants endlessly rang in his ear and wrapped him in a warm embrace. Before his ascension to the Primordial Origin Realm, Kong Xuan would have involuntarily felt a yearning for the Liberation Sect. No matter how small the effect was, no matter how strong his daoheart was, it was unavoidable. After all, the golden light was a creation of a Saint and before a Saint, he was just an ant.
Once Kong Xuan reached a hundred kilometers of Mount Sumeru, a voice echoed in his eyes. “I didn’t expect fellow Daoist Kong to visit the Liberation Sect so soon after achieving Primordial Origin.”
The gold-robed Zhunti flew out of Mount Sumeru, sitting atop a golden lotus, and appeared in front of Kong Xuan. He had a calm and merciful smile that elicited goodwill toward anyone who saw him.
“Has something urgent happened? Otherwise, why aren’t you comprehending the myriad laws and visiting Mount Sumeru?” Zhunti asked.
After Tengri’s defeat, the Tengri Chaos World was in the process of merging with the Three Realms. During this process, the laws of the Tengri Chaos World also merged with the myriad law of the Three Realms. The merge clarified the esoteric laws to the denizens. All the Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament and especially the Saints grasped this chance to deepen their comprehension.
Zhunti didn’t wait for Kong Xuan to answer as his smile became more meaningful. “Unless you’ve finally seen the light and decided to join the Liberation Sect. You and your brother are exactly the type of talent the West needs.”
Kong Xuan pursed his lips. When did Zhunti become so narcissistic? Quasi-Saints didn’t want to join the Liberation Sect despite it possessing two Saints of Heaven, so why would he, an exalted Golden Immortal of the Primordial Origin, join?
“I don’t have any plans to join any force right now,” Kong Xuan said. “I came here to trade with Daoist Zhunti.”
He waved his sleeves and a twelve-petaled red lotus emanating karmic sin appeared in front of him. It was the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma.
Zhunti’s eyes flashed with yearning. When the Dao Ancestor accepted disciples, he also bestowed treasures. While Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, and Nuwa were true disciples, he and Jieyin were only nominal disciples. Naturally, the treasures they received were inferior.
While the four true disciples each received a top-grade cardinal spiritual artifact or something of similar rank, the best treasures the two Saints of the West received were the Twelfth-Ranked Golden Lotus of Merit given to Jieyin and the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds given to Zhunti. The two treasures couldn’t compare to a cardinal spiritual artifact and were only top-grade innate spiritual artifacts at best.
Still, between the two, the Twelfth-Ranked Golden Lotus of Merit had more potential. Although Jieyin injured its essence to create golden lotus seeds, he only needed time to heal the damage. With luck, he could possibly transform the golden lotus into a meritorious spiritual artifact equal to a cardinal spiritual artifact.
For a second, Zhunti considered snatching the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma then and there, but he caught sight of Kong Xuan’s smile. He calmed his agitated emotions. Even if Kong Xuan was only in the First Heavenly Layer of the Primordial Origin Realm, Zhunti did not dare to underestimate him. After all, Kong Xuan was the one immortal who didn’t rely on Grandmist Violet or Golden Qi to enter the Primordial Origin Realm.
“The West is happy to trade with Daoist Kong. Unfortunately, the West is poor and we don’t have much to trade with,” Zhunti said. Although he wanted to trade, he still cautioned Kong Xuan against asking for too much. True, the Liberation Sect desperately needed high end spiritual artifacts, but it wasn’t worth it if the process hollowed out nearly all their wealth.
“It’s nothing beyond the Liberation Sect’s abilities,” Kong Xuan said. “I just need a few materials such as Abyssal Seajade, Golden Flamecloud, Reverse Blackdirt, Jadesky Ore, Outer Willow Bark…”
Zhunti internally sighed in relief. Although the materials listed by Kong Xuan were rare and hardly appeared in the world anymore, they were just that, materials. Even if he listed double the amount, the Liberation Sect would still make a killing trading raw materials for the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma. Still, that didn’t mean he would immediately agree. He had to haggle after all.
So, Zhunti made a pained expression, but Kong Xuan wasn’t finished yet. His final request made him fall silent. “Oh, and I’m going to need the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds.”
Categorically speaking, the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma was worth more than his Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds, just like the Twelfth-Ranked Golden Lotus of Merit. However, it was still a top-grade innate spiritual artifact. Not to mention it was bestowed by the Dao Ancestor upon accepting him as a disciple.
“Impossible. Please change your request,” Zhunti said. This time, his pained expression had no falsehoods.
“I’m being very generous,” Kong Xuan said. “Even if I asked for quadruple the amount of materials, I would still be making a loss trading the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma. Since I lost it, I naturally need to be compensated with something of near equal value to make up for my loss.”
“I can’t part with the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds. The Dao Ancestor personally bestowed it upon me when I became his disciple,” Zhunti said. “How about we trade something else?”
Kong Xuan sneered in disdain. “Trade what? Even if you offer me your Eight Treasure Merit Pond and Daoist Jieyin’s Vajra Mortar and Pestle, I would still be unmoved. Those two are only high-grade innate spiritual artifacts. The only thing comparable is the Twelfth-Ranked Golden Lotus of Merit. Are you going to trade that instead?”
Zhunti almost couldn’t maintain his merciful expression anymore. For a moment, he wanted to attack Kong Xuan and be done with it, but reason won out. Inwardly, he apologized to Dishitian. “We have many other artifacts. What about the Thirty-Six Sea Calming Pearls? It’s also a top-grade innate spiritual artifact.”
“Thirty-Six Sea Calming Pearls, not Twenty-Four Sea Calming Pearls?” Kong Xuan asked, showing shock for the first time.
Zhunti smiled. “How about it? My proposal is quite attractive, isn’t it?”
“No, my mind still remains unchanged,” Kong Xuan said. “The Thirty-Six Sea Calming Pearl is attractive, but I can feel that I have no fate with it.”
“We have other treasures,” Zhunti said. He began to list out the other spiritual artifacts belonging to the Liberation Sect, but without fail, they all paled in comparison to the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds and the Thirty-Six Sea Calming Pearls.
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Kong Xuan said. He turned around. “Since you don’t have any sincerity, I will ask Redcloud Ancestor or one of the Three Purities. I’m sure they’ll be willing to part with a top-grade innate spiritual artifact and a few materials for my Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma.”
Zhunti stayed silent as he watched Kong Xuan leave. Logically, he knew that this might be Kong Xuan’s tactic to force him to trade, but it might also be not. Once he lost this chance, he would never be able to attain the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma.
Memories of what happened in the Violet Heaven Palace flashed in his mind. He recalled the injustice. Why didn’t he and Jieyin also get something of equal value to a cardinal spiritual artifact? Zhunti gritted his teeth and called out. “Please wait, fellow Daoist.”
Unseen by Zhunti, Kong Xuan’s lips quirked upward. When he turned around, he showed no signs of his quick smile. “What is it, Daoist Zhunti?”
“Since Daoist Kong wants the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds, it isn’t impossible to trade,” Zhunti said. “But only that.”
Kong Xuan frowned. “Are you trying to cheat me? You and I both know that the Twelfth-Ranked Red Lotus of Karma is more valuable than your Plain Colored Flag of West Cloud. I thought you had sincerity, but since you are trying to trick me, then I will bid you farewell.”
If Kong Xuan had traded at this moment, he would be very happy. However, he didn’t want everyone to know that he specifically targeted the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds. Coupled with his trade with Tongtian, many people would think he wanted to merge the Black Domination Flag of North Profound Origin, the Red Radiance Flag of South Transience, Apricot Flag of Central Infinity, the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds, and the Azure Lotus Flag of East Treasured Light into one spiritual artifact. The end product would undoubtedly become a top-grade cardinal spiritual artifact.
Once the new spread, it would become much harder for him to take the Azure Lotus Flag of East Treasured Light from Yuanshi. So, he had to mask his true intentions by asking for materials containing the energy of the five elements. Kong Xuan did need those materials, so it wasn’t a total lie.
“Wait, we can negotiate,” Zhunti said, bending under the pressure.
What followed was seven days and nights of haggling between Zhunti and Kong Xuan. Had any other cultivator seen this, their respect for Saints and Golden Immortals of the Primordial Origin would have plummeted. In the end, Zhunti halved the number of materials Kong Xuan requested, and Kong Xuan had to reimburse him with Golden Enlightenment Apricots.
Still, both sides left satisfied.
After returning to Yingzhou Immortal Island, Kong Xuan refined the Plain Colored Flag of West Clouds. His eyes shone. Now, all he needed to do was wait for a chance to grab the Azure Lotus Flag of East Treasured Light. A golden coin appeared in his hand, and he flicked it up in the air. The golden coin spun several times before landing in Kong Xuan’s palm.
“Treasure, don’t let me down. Whether or not I can grab the final flag is all up to you,” Kong Xuan murmured.
Still, he could not rely solely on this treasure. So, Kong Xuan started deepening his comprehension of the myriad laws. He had to strengthen himself as much as possible before the confrontation with Yuanshi. Even if he wasn’t in a rush, Kong Xuan would be foolish to waste this chance. Once the Tengri Chaos World fully merged with the Three Realms, he would not have another opportunity for a long time, if ever again.
With all the Saints and Golden Immortals of the Primordial Origin focused on comprehending the myriad laws, the Three Realms entered a time of peace. But soon the mortals would usher in another era of turmoil, one that determined the third sovereign of mankind.
