Chapter 111

Qi was amidst the clouds and mist; the clouds obscured their form, and no outward appearance could be seen.

Fine drizzle continued unceasingly; within the dim space, the Dao lay hidden and nameless, though not outwardly manifested, it was everywhere, and those who had attained the Dao could hear it clearly.

When Qi was contemplating the Great Dao of clouds and mist, they felt it extremely familiar, and their progress was rapid.

Qi surmised it was due to a brief union with Cloud Dream Marsh, which allowed them to so easily comprehend the Great Dao of clouds and mist.

Although that ten‑breath union with the Dao was only in Cloud Dream Marsh, it caused Qi to become immersed, unable to extricate themselves.

Qi could not describe the feeling at that time, only sensing that they had never felt so tranquil yet full of vitality.

The marshes and wetlands nurture all things; in merely ten breaths, Qi's consciousness almost became assimilated by Cloud Dream Marsh—if not for the marsh's consciousness actively disengaging, Qi would likely never have awakened again.

During that period, Qi never felt the Dao to be so close to themselves; if the Qi of that time could choose, they would even willingly remain forever immersed, never to awaken again.

The ten‑thousand‑year slumber that followed was merely because Qi did not wish to wake, and even refused to accept disengagement from Cloud Dream Marsh's consciousness.

After awakening, it took another thousand years for Qi's true spirit to gradually relax; their primordial spirit was no longer obscured by the Dao, allowing clear cognition and slow digestion of the gains from the union with the Dao.

Unfortunately, such opportunities are rare; Qi could only prioritize contemplating the Great Dao of clouds and mist and the nurturing of the flawless Dao fruit, temporarily setting aside the previous gains.

During the process of contemplation, Qi discovered something extraordinarily special: the flawless Dao fruit actually gestates within the Great Dao itself, bearing fruit before cause at the fundamental level.

It is flawless precisely because it exists within the Great Dao, enabling it to bear the Dao, for it originally emerges from within the Dao.

Upon discovering this, Qi could not help but exclaim:

"If it weren't for the limit of the Dao fruit being only this, I would truly wish to be gestated again; indeed, the Hongmeng has the Dao, and gods and the Dao are one!"

After all, being enveloped and gestated by the Dao, such an opportunity occurs only once in a lifetime, and it is even more suitable for gods than union with the Dao, because it points directly to the root and is the source of the Dao.

Kunlun Mountain.

Shi Qilin has now emerged from seclusion; taking a single step forward within the Qilin Cave, their form vanished within.

Upon reappearing, Shi Qilin had arrived at Eastern Kunlun, hovering high in the sky with hands clasped behind their back; divine might filled heaven and earth, and though motionless, there was a sense of the earth's weight.

The Three Pure Ones immediately sensed Shi Qilin's arrival, feeling somewhat surprised, not knowing what change had occurred that brought Shi Qilin to Eastern Kunlun, and moreover they came with a formidable presence, as if to confront and question them.

But the three felt they had never offended Shi Qilin; although they had just left their retreat, they made no move or utterance, merely raising their heads to gaze at the sky, wondering what the cause was.

Shi Qilin watched the Three Pure Ones emerge, expecting them to step forward and speak, but never anticipated that after leaving seclusion the three would take no action, merely standing still in place.

Shi Qilin furrowed their brows, sweeping their divine sense around, yet found no sign of any plot from them; this left Shi Qilin utterly bewildered, unsure what the Three Pure Ones intended.

The Three Pure Ones also did not know why Shi Qilin behaved thus; after displaying their divine might, they took no action, spoke no words, and saw no enemy appear.

The three looked at one another, unaware of what had happened.

The atmosphere remained tense for a while, until Shi Qilin's face grew darker and darker, and the Three Pure Ones noticed that Shi Qilin's gaze kept falling upon them.

"Two elder brothers, do you think Shi Qilin might have come to bring us misfortune?"

"We merely have not yet arrived at his lecture on the Dao; although we have slighted him somewhat in etiquette, Shi Qilin should not have mobilized forces so greatly."

The youthful face of the Shangqing Lingbao Daoist gradually darkened, and a hint of lack of confidence flickered in their voice.

Upon these words, the faces of the Yuqing Yuanshi Daoist and the Taqing Daode Daoist both darkened, yet they remained silent.

The atmosphere gradually solidified, and Shi Qilin's anger grew ever stronger; previously these three brothers had disregarded his dignity, and now they lacked even the courage to bear responsibility—truly a waste of the name of the Pangu Orthodox Sect.

The divine might between heaven and earth grew ever heavier, and the Three Pure Ones abandoned any fluke mentality, flying together toward Shi Qilin's position in the sky.

"I do not know why Daoist Shi Qilin has come here, nor why they adopt such a posture; if we three brothers have committed any breach of etiquette, please enlighten us."

The Taqing archer asked.

Shi Qilin's inner fury surged even more; he actually pretended to be unaware—yet in the entire wilderness, there are those who could intercept his messages, but who would have reason to do such a thing?

The Three Pure Ones considered the Qilin clan's grand scheme irrelevant; whether they were on good terms or not made no difference, and outsiders had no need to intercept such matters.

"I have long heard of the Daoist Three Pure Ones' name of the Pangu Orthodox Sect, and that they too dwell on Kunlun Mountain, which has long inspired my reverence as Shi Qilin; yet I have not been able to meet them, which is regrettable."

"Therefore I have come today for a visit, to see how the so‑called Pangu Orthodox Sect truly is, and whether it deserves its name."

Shi Qilin's solemn voice uttered words that seemed to disparage a person's face, as if today they were merely here to witness the reputation of the Three Pure Ones' Pangu Orthodox Sect.

Upon these words, the faces of the Three Pure Ones changed abruptly; as bearers of the Pangu Orthodox Sect, how could they tolerate such frivolous speech?

The Yuqing Daoist, who has always valued reputation, could no longer endure and retorted:

"You oviparous and moisture‑born wretches, how dare you be so arrogant? To behold the Pangu Orthodox Sect today is merely a sign of your deep blessings."

These words from the Yuqing Daoist caused the other three to change color; Shi Qilin was so angry they could not speak, and the Taqing and Shangqing Daoists realized that a conflict was likely inevitable today.

The two made preparations, ready to strike at any moment.

Shi Qilin shouted angrily:

"How dare a junior so disgrace our kind? Today I wish to see what ability such a reckless person has to bear the name of the Pangu Orthodox Sect."

Shi Qilin never expected that someone would so disgrace them—whether as an innate deity or as the chieftain of the Qilin clan, they had always stood at the pinnacle of the wilderness, yet now they were being reduced to the level of oviparous and moisture‑born wretches, no different from feral beasts and common folk.

The Yuqing Daoist's words could be said to have condemned more than half of the innate deities of the wilderness, after all, beast gods ultimately constitute the majority of innate deities.

This includes the likes of the Ancestral Dragon and the Primordial Phoenix, top‑tier great gods, as well as the Kun‑peng, Heavenly Serpent, and White Tiger—immensely renowned innate deities or powerful clans.

If today's remarks were not spread abroad, it would be fine; but should they leak out, the Three Pure Ones would likely encounter continual obstacles in their future wanderings through the wilderness.

Shi Qilin's great seal in hand swelled with the wind, fixing the entire space, and moreover the air seemed to become extremely heavy, making it difficult for the Three Pure Ones to move.

As the great seal fell, heaven and earth grew utterly still, as if nothing had changed, yet the pressure on the Three Pure Ones doubled.

The Three Pure Ones exerted their utmost to drive the spirit treasures in their hands, but saw only the spiritual light shattering inch by inch; they could not resist Shi Qilin's attack, nor could they escape, forced to endure it outright.

In that single strike, all three were severely wounded.

(End of chapter)