: Becoming Tongtian's Apprentice.

Seeing Xuanbao standing there dumbfounded, Tongtian felt somewhat helpless. He had neutralized the supernatural power with just one hand, and he had originally wanted to show off.

Then he tried to persuade Xuanbao to become his disciple, but Xuanbao completely ignored him, which made the atmosphere very awkward.

Tongtian coughed lightly, trying to break the slightly awkward atmosphere. "Young friend, I just neutralized your supernatural power with one hand, which was to let you know my abilities. If you become my disciple, you will definitely receive my careful guidance in the future, and your cultivation path will be much smoother."

Tongtian was also helpless, fearing that Xuanbao had not understood his meaning at all, so he simply stated his words directly, asking Xuanbao to become his disciple.

There was no way to transform a top-grade innate spiritual treasure into human form; in the future, it would at least be a quasi-saint. Thinking that his disciple would be able to suppress the disciples of his two elder brothers so much that they couldn't even raise their heads, Tongtian couldn't help but grin.

Xuanbao then came to his senses and looked Tongtian up and down. Well, it wouldn't be bad to become Tongtian's disciple.

Although in the later stages, Tongtian Jiaozhu was severely defeated, and the entire Jie Sect was reduced to only a few members, he also suffered the misfortune of consuming the Fallen Saint Pill, which meant he could not emerge from the world except during a great calamity, and was directly confined to Zixiao Palace.

However, they didn't even consider that Tongtian was fighting against four other saints. If it weren't for Chang'er Dingguang Xian's defection at the last minute and taking away the Heavenly Dao Treasure Six Soul Banner, the four saints would have been able to break Tongtian's Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation together.

Even if the Jie Sect hadn't suffered such a crushing defeat, they would still have had tens of thousands of disciples who could have set up the Wanxian Great Town. They could have at least held off the two disgraced saints, Jieyin and Zhunti. Jieyin was somewhat better, as he was at the second level of sainthood, while Zhunti, who had always remained at the first level of sainthood, was at the bottom of the list. The Wanxian Great Town would still have been a chance for them.

However, it was all a matter of timing and fate. The Jie Sect rose to prominence by teaching without discrimination, and it also fell because of the same thing. The sect was filled with all sorts of cultivators, many of whom were burdened with karmic debts, which corrupted the Jie Sect's fortune, which already lacked any spiritual treasures to suppress it.

"I don't know how to address you, senior. I was rude and disrespectful just now. I hope you will forgive me." Xuanbao did not show that he had recognized him as Tongtian. He simply spread his hands and bowed respectfully.

"Hmm...good," Tongtian was very pleased to see that Xuanbao, in front of someone whose strength far surpassed his own, could still maintain this composure and did not follow his wishes to directly become his disciple. Instead, he was very polite and respectful. Tongtian was also very pleased and looked at Xuanbao with even more appreciation.

"Young friend, I am Tongtian of Shangqing, one of the Three Pure Ones. A quasi-saint and a great power, if you take me as your master, your path to the Great Dao is promising," Tongtian said, striking a pose at a 45-degree angle looking up at the sky, displaying the demeanor of a great man. If the young man were replaced with a middle-aged man, his majesty would be even more pronounced.

Xuanbao remained respectful and bowed again, saying, "So you are Shangqing Tongtian, one of the Three Pure Ones. My apologies for my rudeness. This humble one greets Senior Tongtian."

"I wonder what benefits I can get if I become your disciple, Senior Tongtian?" As he spoke, Xuanbao took out the Kunwu Sword, a spiritual treasure he had just put into his space, and played with it in his hand. The meaning was clear: don't take out anything lower than a high-grade innate spiritual treasure.

Seeing the superior-grade innate spiritual treasure that Xuanbao took out, and hearing Xuanbao ask what the benefits were of becoming his disciple, Tongtian smiled. He did not think Xuanbao was greedy.

In the primordial world, it's not about who you become a disciple of. A master only needs to teach his disciple what he knows to fulfill his responsibility as a master. What the primordial world pursues is fortune. As long as you become a disciple of someone, your fortune will be intertwined with that of your teacher.

Otherwise, why would Hongjun preach the Dao? Wasn't it to use the primordial fortune to achieve Dao integration?

Tongtian also fell silent. Yes, what benefit would Xuanbao gain from becoming his disciple? He'd only gain Tongtian's protection! But Tongtian himself was constantly in seclusion. A single seclusion could last for tens of thousands of years—what kind of protection could he possibly receive?

Cultivation techniques are important, but Xuanbao, a top-grade innate spiritual treasure in human form, certainly possesses a cultivation method that is no weaker than one's own, and likely even more suitable. (The Three Pure Ones have not yet attained sainthood). The remaining option is the innate spiritual treasure itself.

But Tongtian didn't even dare to dream of it; he had seen it for himself. This kid had just thrown out over twenty innate spiritual treasures. Although their grades weren't particularly high, it was clear how powerful the Xuanbao's fortune was. In Tongtian's eyes, the Xuanbao's fortune was practically black with purple.

Tongtian also had a tough time. Of the Three Pure Ones, only the eldest, Laozi, was born with the "Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda," a treasure of acquired merit. Yuanshi and himself were born with nothing, and it took them countless eons to find a few magical treasures.

The only things he could offer were the top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Qingping Sword, and the top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Water-Fire Gourd. The other items were only mid-to-low-grade innate spiritual treasures, not worth mentioning. He had already used the Qingping Sword to slay his good corpse, so now only the Water-Fire Gourd was presentable. With a wave of his hand, a purple-yellow gourd appeared in his hand.

Xuanbao, who was still playing with the Kunwu Sword in his hand, saw the purple-yellow gourd in Tongtian's hand and instantly knew its origin: it was one of the seven gourds that grew from the gourd vine, one of the ten innate spiritual roots.

This is a top-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Water and Fire Gourd, containing two water and fire unicorns, symbolizing the fusion and balance of water and fire. If it were obtained by a powerful cultivator specializing in the ways of water and fire, it would be a supreme treasure of the righteous path.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xuanbao immediately knelt down and prostrated himself on the ground. "Disciple Xuanbao kowtows to Master," he said, thumping his head three times. "May Master attain sainthood soon."

Tongtian: ?

"Why be so blunt?" Tongtian, holding the water and fire gourd, was speechless. "You're making me look stupid. Why don't you try to refuse a few times?"

"Your behavior makes me feel like you're not here for me at all, but for Lingbao." Tongtian, with a complicated expression, still handed the Water-Fire Gourd to Xuanbao, whose hands were already raised.

If Xuanbao knew that Tongtian was thinking this way about him, he would definitely make him put aside his feelings and realize that he was only after spiritual treasures. He didn't have a single top-grade innate spiritual treasure right now.

It's not advisable for him to be here. Tongtian was quite pleased to have such a fine disciple, and he composed himself.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Tongtian said "good" three times in a row, and was still examining the mysterious treasure of the water and fire gourd with satisfaction, liking it more and more as he looked at it.

"From this day forward, you will be my eldest disciple under the tutelage of Tongtian of Shangqing." Thinking of his future eldest disciple Xuanbao, the pillar among the second-generation disciples, Tongtian couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"By the way, you have two senior uncles. My journey down the mountain has now been completed. Are you returning to Kunlun Mountain with me, my disciple?"

When Xuanbao heard that he wanted to go back to Kunlun Mountain, he was 100% in favor.

Kunlun Mountain is a renowned blessed land, so vast that it is divided into East Kunlun and West Kunlun. East Kunlun is the sacred site of the Three Pure Ones, while West Kunlun is the sacred site of the Queen Mother of the West.

One can imagine how vast Kunlun Mountain is, certainly much larger than my own Jubao Cave, and it must hold countless opportunities.

Instead of burying myself in the wilderness and searching aimlessly, I'd be better off raiding Kunlun Mountain first, and then paying my respects to my two senior uncles—cough cough, I'm not happy about getting two gifts for them.