Chapter 596: Hun Dun Dao Venerable

"Lin Xuan... you're awake..." A familiar and gentle voice came from beside him.

Lin Xuan turned his head to look, only to see Xiao Yuan sitting beside him, a serene smile on her face. Her appearance was even more beautiful and moving than before; her skin was as crystalline as jade, her eyes as bright as stars, and her whole body radiated a kind of otherworldly Immortal aura.

"Xiao Yuan! You're alright!" Lin Xuan sat up excitedly, but was surprised to discover that his own body had also undergone tremendous changes.

His cultivation base had not only fully recovered but had advanced by leaps and bounds; the True Qi within his body surged like a great river, and every wisp of True Qi was as pure and transparent as crystal. He felt that he was already approaching the realm of an Immortal, only a single step away from Ascension to the Immortal Realm.

"Our cultivation..." Lin Xuan felt the changes within his body in disbelief.

"Yes, we have both broken through," Xiao Yuan nodded, a gleam of joy flickering in her eyes, "The Spirit Qi here is too dense, and its quality is extremely high, purer than any Spirit Qi we have ever encountered before. Cultivating in this environment, one day is worth a year in the outside world."

Xiao Yuan stood up and pointed to the surrounding environment: "This is the Core of the Taichu Shengdi; we were healing here after we sealed the Hun Dun Demon God back then."

As her voice fell, more memories surged into their minds like a tide. Scenes from the Taichu period flashed by one after another: they had cultivated in this sacred land, gained insights into the laws of heaven and earth here, and spent countless wonderful times here.

"So that's how it is... no wonder this place gives me a feeling of déjà vu," Lin Xuan looked at the familiar scenery around him, a warmth of returning home rising in his heart, "We have truly returned."

The two walked hand in hand through the sacred land. Every blade of grass and every tree here remained as it was in the Taichu period, without the slightest change. The flowers were still brilliant, the spring water was still clear, and even the fragrance in the air was exactly the same as in their memories.

"Look, that is still the place we often went to back then," Xiao Yuan pointed to a sea of flowers not far away, her eyes full of nostalgia, "Do you still remember? There is a divine flower there called the 'Wangyou Flower', which can make people forget all their worries."

"Of course I remember," Lin Xuan smiled gently, "You always liked to watch the sunrise there, saying it was the most beautiful moment of the day."

The two arrived at the center of the flower sea and indeed saw those beautiful Wangyou Flowers still in full bloom. The flowers presented a dreamy purple color, and when a light breeze blew, they would emit a pleasant ringing sound, making one feel relaxed and happy.

"It really hasn't changed at all," Xiao Yuan gently stroked the petals, crystalline teardrops welling up in her eyes, "As if we had only left for an instant."

In the center of the sacred land stood an ancient and magnificent divine temple. This temple was built entirely of white jade, the hall standing a thousand zhang high, carved with exquisite patterns of Shenshou. In front of the temple gate were ninety-nine steps, each step engraved with different Rune, containing profound laws of heaven and earth.

"Taichu Divine Temple... our place of origin," Lin Xuan looked at this familiar building, a great sense of awe rising in his heart.

The two slowly walked up the steps; with every step they took, the Immortal aura on them grew a fraction richer. By the time they finished walking the ninety-nine steps, their cultivation had completely stabilized at the level of a Quasi-Immortal.

Pushing open the heavy temple doors, the scene inside left them stunned. The temple was enshrined with statues of various deities from the Taichu period, each statue lifelike, as if they would come back to life at any moment.

The two statues in the very center were none other than the Taichu Immortal Lord and the Purifying World Immortal Maiden, which were the past incarnations of Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan. The two in the statues were holding hands, their eyes full of compassion for heaven and earth and love for all living beings.

"This is what we used to look like..." Xiao Yuan looked at the statues, filled with deep emotion.

The two knelt piously before the statues, feeling the blessings from the ancient past. As the kneeling continued, the statues began to emit a soft light; this light warmly surrounded them, making them feel an unprecedented peace and strength.

"We are back," Lin Xuan said softly, "Back to the place that belongs to us."

Just then, an old and kind voice came from the depths of the divine temple: "Children, you have finally returned."

The voice was full of relief and love, as warm as a kind father seeing his children return from a long journey.

A figure slowly walked out from the depths of the divine temple; it was an old man with white hair and a beard. He wore a simple white robe, his face was kind, and his eyes contained infinite wisdom. Although he looked aged, the aura he radiated was unfathomable, as if the entire universe were contained within his body.

"Senior..." Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan saw the old man and immediately stood up to bow respectfully.

Memories of their past lives told them that this was the guardian of the Taichu Shengdi, named the Hun Dun Dao Venerable. He was one of the oldest existences of the Taichu period, having witnessed the birth of heaven and earth, the rise and fall of the gods, and the vicissitudes of countless years.

"No need for such formalities," the Hun Dun Dao Venerable smiled and waved his hand, "You are the masters here; I am just an old man who watches the door."

Although he said this, Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan still dared not be negligent. They knew the greatness of this old man and understood what kind of merit it was to be able to guard the Taichu Shengdi for countless years.

"Dao Venerable Senior, we..." Xiao Yuan wanted to say something, but was gently interrupted by the old man.

"I know everything, child," the Hun Dun Dao Venerable looked at her kindly, "Your experiences in the Human Realm, your sacrifices and contributions, I have seen them all. You have not failed the names of the Taichu Immortal Lord and the Purifying World Immortal Maiden; very good, very good indeed."

His words caused a great warmth to rise in their hearts. Being able to receive the recognition of this ancient existence was the greatest honor for them.

"You have already completed the mission of purifying the Demon God," the Hun Dun Dao Venerable continued, the expression on his face becoming slightly more serious, "But greater trials are still to come."

"Greater trials?" Lin Xuan asked in confusion, "Dao Venerable Senior, you mean..."

The Hun Dun Dao Venerable looked at them deeply, then slowly spoke: "The balance of the Three Realms is changing, and a new crisis is coming. Although you purified the Hun Dun Demon God, this is only the beginning, not the end."

He waved his hand to draw a complex Rune in the air, and the scene of the Three Realms appeared within the Rune. The images of the Immortal Realm, the Human Realm, and the Mo Jie were clearly presented before their eyes.

"Look," the Hun Dun Dao Venerable pointed to the images, "Although the purification of the Hun Dun Demon God eliminated a threat, it also broke the original balance. The Mo Jie has lost a powerful existence, while the power of the Immortal Realm and the Human Realm has relatively increased. If this imbalance is not adjusted, it will eventually lead to greater chaos."

Lin Xuan and Xiao Yuan observed the images carefully and indeed discovered that there were abnormalities in the energy flow between the Three Realms.