```
...
Tian Nan Undying Volcano, Phoenix Hall.
"What? Yan'er, you're telling me that during your visit to Qilin Mountain, you almost fell victim to that beast Qi Yu?" Feng Tian's brows furrowed with anger, his words laced with murderous intent.
Tearfully, Feng Yan'er within the hall sobbed: "Father Emperor, I heeded your command and went to the Qilin Clan to discuss the alliance. On my way back from the central Holy Land of the Qilin, Lin Yu, who's unworthy of his role as the Young Clan Leader of the Qilin Clan, led the clan's experts to ambush us beyond the sacred grounds. They attempted to coerce me, and had it not been for Elder Feng Haoran's desperate protection, I fear I might have...!" Before she could finish, she was overtaken by another bout of weeping.
"And tell me! Where is Elder Haoran now?" Feng Tian's forehead veins bulged with rage.
"Elder Haoran, he... he... to hold off Qi Yu, he self-detonated..." Feng Yan'er, head bowed, revealed a fleeting sinister expression, curls her lips into a cruel smile, silently saying: "Hmph! A mere early-stage Quasi-Saint elder. What does it matter if he's dead for my cause!"
Feng Tian violently rose from his throne, his face twisted with ferocity!
"Lin Tian, you have gone too far!"
...
A thousand years later, the discourse among them concluded. Seeing Li Qingming in a daze, Primordial Venerable reached out and tapped his forehead, exclaiming: "If not now, when will you wake up!"
Hearing this, Li Qingming's eyes regained clarity, and he stood up to bow and thanked his master: "Thank you, Master, for waking me up!"
Primordial Venerable nodded slightly: "We are master and disciple; such formalities are not necessary! Your rapid progress has made cultivation taxing on your heart and mind, making you vulnerable to Heart Demon's influences, leading you to obsess over trivial matters. Remember, the path of cultivation cannot be rushed. Only with a solid foundation can you truly make accomplishments."
Li Qingming once again deeply bowed with sincerity: "Disciple will heed Master's teachings!"
Laozi then stood up and declared: "Our mutual discussion of the Tao with fellow Daoists has been quite fruitful. As I still have important matters to attend to, I must now bid everyone farewell. May we meet again if fate allows." With these words and a courteous bow, he floated away. The other members of The Three Pure Ones also paid their respects and followed Laozi.
"Those three are indeed possessors of Great Divine Power!" The utter silence in the cave was finally broken by a sigh from Hong Jun.
Nuwa, deep in thought, nodded gently: "Fellow Daoist speaks the truth!"
A glint of cold intent flashed in Taiyi's eyes, pondering unknown thoughts.
"Master, in observing Hong Jun who comprehends the Creation Skill of unbound freedom, such a peaceful life is hardly easy amid the many struggles within the chaotic Primordial World," Li Qingming reflected aloud after a long pause.
"What of the other two?" Primordial inquired, prompting the discussion.
"Nuwa cultivates the Great Dao of Creation. The greatest creator in this world is Pan Gu God, and those who take the Pan Gu God as their objective cannot be ordinary. Not to mention Taiyi; notwithstanding the Dao he has comprehended, the mere fact of what he carries at his waist is already extraordinary!" Li Qingming paused, catching the attention of Laozi and Primordial, and continued:
"Based on what I've learned from the Innate Spirit Root 'Bitter Bamboo' I consumed, there are three 'Heavenly Creation Treasures' in the Primordial World, formed from implements used by Pan Gu God during the creation. These include the 'Tai Chi Diagram' transformed from the axe-head, the 'Pangu Banner' from the blade, and the 'Chaos Bell' from the handle. All three are Innate Treasures. Observing that quaintly shaped small bell, covered in dense Tao Runes that even Primordial Spirits cannot probe, I boldly assert that this is the 'Chaos Bell'!"
After pondering for a while, Yuanshi Tianzun said: "At first, I did not pay attention to that small bell, until during the latter discussion, it subtly emitted traces of Taoist charm. Only then did I suspect it, and Qingmingzi's words now confirm my conjecture. This object must be the 'Chaos Bell'!"
"So what are we waiting for! Why don't we just take it for ourselves? Given he's only at the early stage of Daluo Golden Immortal, he couldn't possibly overcome the four of us!" Tongtian excitedly burst out with such a bold declaration.
Li Qingming inwardly groaned, thinking: "Is this the guy who will later lead the Jie Sect and command 'Ten Thousand Immortals Coming'? Isn't he just a living bandit!"
"Stop your nonsense! Since the 'Chaos Bell' has come into Taiyi's hands, it must be as ordained by heaven! If we were to rob it from him, we would be deviating from the Great Dao! Imagine us, the orthodox lineage of Pan Gu, stooping to murder and thievery – It's infuriating!" Indeed, as one fundamentally orthodox and advocating for following the Great Dao, Yuanshi Tianzun firmly cut off Tongtian's ambition.
```
Tongtian momentarily fell silent.
"Very well! Our journey will inevitably pass through Kunlun Mountain, the very place of our birth. It would be ideal to return there to rest and regroup before continuing our journey. What do you think?" Laozi quietly glanced at Yuan Shi and Tongtian before speaking.
At the peak of Kunlun Mountain, a lofty and towering peak rose straight from the mountaintop. The peak was lush with vegetation and halfway down its side, a waterfall could be seen cascading continuously. Curiously, the stream did not flow down from the mountaintop but instead perpetually watered the many bushes atop the peak. At the edge where the peak met the rest of Kunlun Mountain, there stood a giant plaque with three dazzling Tao runes inscribed on it, named "Yujing Mountain"!
The Three Pure Ones and Li Qingming stood at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
"Elder Brother, could it be that after our long absence, some vile character has occupied our Kunlun Mountain?" Tongtian's forehead throbbed with bulging veins, his words nearly ground out between his teeth.
Laozi frowned, his hands continuously performing calculations, "Who exactly inhabits this peak? I can't discern even a trace!"
Yuan Shi's face turned iron blue as he spoke, "What's so difficult about that! If we go up the mountain and investigate, we will understand!"
The four of them hastened towards the mountain and reached it in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Gazing at the three glaring characters, the brows of the Three Pure Ones furrowed deeply. In Li Qingming's heart, however, there was boundless conflict: "Yujing Mountain, isn't that Hong Jun's domain? Why is it here atop East Kunlun? Could it be he is specifically awaiting the Three Pure Ones?"
"I have been waiting for you for a long time, why don't you ascend the mountain?" An ancient voice startled the four.
The Three Pure Ones exchanged puzzled glances, "This voice sounds so familiar. Well then, let us go up the mountain to see!"
Suddenly, a golden bridge stretched out across the peak, from which one could see a vast expanse as level as plain.
Upon reaching the mountaintop, what appeared before the four was an ancient Taoist temple with red glazed roof tiles and white walls, upon which hung a modest plaque that said "Zixiao Palace"!
At that moment, the palace gates were wide open.
The Three Pure Ones stepped into the Zixiao Palace and saw seated at the center the very Old Tao who had previously saved their lives.
They approached and gave a deep bow, "We dare not forget the favor of saving our lives last time. We are here to express our gratitude to the elder for this great kindness!"
The loose figure of the Old Tao seated on a cushion suddenly radiated a formidable aura, which he then instantaneously retracted. In that brief moment, all four were sweating profusely and filled with lingering fear.
"You are each transformations of Pangu's Primordial Spirit and possess the immense merit of Pangu's heaven-opening deeds. It would have been inexcusable for me not to save you, and thus you had nothing to worry about!" The Old Tao paused, then casually glanced at Li Qingming and continued, "I, Hong Jun, took on physical form right from the beginning of heaven's creation. There is a predestined teacher-disciple relationship between us. I wish to take you as my disciples, if you are willing?"
The Three Pure Ones, being transformations of Pangu's Primordial Spirit, came from noble origins and were always prideful. Nevertheless, owing to Hong Jun's life-saving grace and his revelation of their true origins, despite their slight reluctance, they agreed to become disciples. The Three Pure Ones looked at one another and said, "We are willing to take the Taoist Master as our teacher!"
Hong Jun nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting in a serene smile, "If that is so, Laozi will be my eldest disciple, followed by Yuan Shi, and Tongtian as my third disciple."
"We pay our respects to Master!" said the Three Pure Ones, bowing.
"Qingmingzi pays his respects to Grandmaster!" Li Qingming followed suit sharply.
"Haha, quite the clever one!" Hong Jun chuckled as he looked at Li Qingming.
Little did he know, Li Qingming's heart was blooming with joy: "I've finally latched onto this thick thigh!"