Chapter 24: The Three Pure Ones Gather at Hongyuan

  The Kunlun Mountains are quite large, covering an area of tens of thousands of miles, and beneath them lie dozens of major congenital spiritual veins. As a result, the congenital spiritual energy of the Kunlun Mountains is extremely dense, even among the famous mountains in the entire Honghuang world, it's rare to find such a place.

  Due to the Kunlun Mountains being extremely high, although they can't compare to the Heavenly Pillars or Mount Buzhou, they are still a hundred million miles tall. Among the many famous mountains in the Primordial Chaos, they are considered to be quite high. Therefore, wanting to climb from one side of the mountain range to the other is not something that ordinary cultivators can accomplish. On the east side of the Kunlun Mountains are the Three Pure Ones and some other cultivators, but their cultivation isn't very high. On the west side of the Kunlun Mountains are Hongjun as the main deity, and also the Queen Mother of the West in the Western Kunlun.

  So to sum it up, this Kunlun Mountain doesn't only belong to the Three Pure Ones or Hongjun. There are many other cultivators in Kunlun Mountain, and although their cultivation isn't very high, they can't be underestimated due to their large numbers. Moreover, even if their cultivation isn't high, at least they are considered top-notch. Among them, the most famous ones are the Queen Mother of the West and the Mountain God Kunwu. So even in history, this Western Kunlun was only associated with the Three Pure Ones after they became saints.

  Tongtian looked at the two brothers in front of him, one was an old Taoist priest who was Taichu, the oldest of the Three Purities, and the other was a middle-aged Taoist priest who was Yuqing Yuan Shi, the second of the Three Purities. Tongtian could see that his two brothers had reached the peak of their cultivation in the Golden Immortal Realm, with the eldest brother's cultivation being the most profound, on the verge of breaking through the boundaries of the law.

  But like Second Brother, it took some time to break through the Law Boundary. Now Tongtian also knows that there are differences between teachers. Otherwise, even if he had become an apprentice with his two older brothers earlier, the difference wouldn't be this great! Not to mention his own few junior brothers who were only at the Golden Immortal cultivation level when they met, but have already become Law Boundary strongmen over the years.

  "I've seen two brothers, the two brothers are doing well now. I haven't come to see you two brothers for many years, it's really my fault." Tongtian looked at the two brothers, and indeed missed them very much, with tears already welling up in his eyes. In fact, Tongtian still had a lot of feelings for his two brothers.

  Laozi and Yuanshi were also excited to see Tongtian, although they both had cold personalities. However, the three brothers hadn't seen each other in a long time, and this was the first time the Three Pure Ones had been apart for so long. Now that they were reunited again after millions of years, even with their cold demeanor, it was hard to avoid feeling some excitement.

  "Third brother, how come you haven't returned for so long? Has something happened during this time?" The old man asked Tongtian with a concerned expression on his face. The old man was actually really wanting to ask if anything had happened to Tongtian and was asking out of concern.

  Tongtian looked at his big brother's concerned expression and told Laozi and Yuanshi about his experiences over the past million years, including how he became a disciple of Baishi Zhong. However, Tongtian didn't mention his own cultivation level or that he was brothers with them, mainly because he was afraid of hurting their confidence. Tongtian knew that his two big brothers had strong competitive spirits, especially the second brother, who always claimed to be the true heir of Pangu and boasted about his noble identity and exceptional talent. Although Tongtian disliked this behavior, they were after all his brothers, so he hadn't said anything in the past. Now that they had been separated for so long, there was even less opportunity to bring it up.

  The two old men saw that Tongtian had already taken Shi Zhong as his master, and their faces showed a very disappointed expression, but only for an instant. Although it was just an instant, this instant was still easily noticeable to Tongtian, who was already in the middle period of the Great Luo Dao fruit and about to enter the later period. Tongtian thought for a moment and knew what his two brothers were regretting, but he pretended not to know and asked Laozi and Yuanshi with concern, "What's wrong with you two brothers?"

  Laozi and Yuanshu saw the concerned eyes of Tongtian, their hearts were filled with warmth, and they felt that their third brother was really thinking for themselves. The two also frankly told each other about the process of taking Hongjun Laozu as their master.

  Originally, when Hong Jun Lao Zu broke through the law boundary and came to Dong Kunlun, he coincidentally met Er Qing of San Qing. Seeing his extraordinary talent, deep aura, and the light of merit guarding his body, Hong Jun calculated with his fingers and actually figured out Er Qing's origin. After realizing that these two were indeed Er Qing and another Qing from San Qing, he had the idea to take them as disciples. If he could take these two as disciples, it would mean that he could also gain a lot, especially since he possessed the Cihai Yu Die and the Xiantian Zhizhen Pan Gu Fan, which could suppress aura.

  But wanting someone like Yuanshi to acknowledge others as their master is not an easy task, after all, people like him who are so arrogant that they look down on everyone in the entire Honghuang world, except for the Twelve Ancestral Witches, because the Twelve Ancestral Witches looked down on everyone and only revered Pangu, but Pangu died, so they fear no one.

  But someone like Yuanshi, Hongjun is also very capable. First, he kindly says something like "you and I have a fate, I want to take you as my apprentice", when the other party is willing, he uses his power to pressure them, saying things like "I can help you break through the Daluo Jinxian position or even higher". Anyway, Hongjun used every means possible to recruit Laozi and the two of them eventually surrendered and became Hongjun's apprentices.

  Although Hong Jun used every means to accept the two as his apprentices, he was very good to them afterwards. Especially, he passed on the complete and intact Three Corpses' Way to the two of them, and even shared with them the secret that only those with three identical attributes could merge the Three Corpses into one Spirit Treasure. It's worth noting that in a world without Shi Zhong, Hong Jun had never revealed this secret before. As a result, several Saints were able to achieve their goals with the help of good deeds. Although Lao Zi beheaded the Three Corpses, he was still unable to merge them into one, which would have taken his cultivation to a higher level.

  Tongtian was still very angry when he first heard it, but after hearing the rest, he didn't have much emotional fluctuation. After all, others had already told him about his own Dao, and seeing that his two brothers didn't show any anger either, he also didn't show anything.

  "Big brother, three younger brothers, since we three brothers have not gathered together for so long, today is a rare gathering, let's discuss the Tao once?" Yuan Shi immediately proposed, originally Yuan Shi also wanted to see his third brother's current cultivation level, because when he looked at his third brother earlier, he found that he couldn't see through his cultivation, but didn't believe that San could surpass him, so he made this proposal to discuss the Tao, after all, your understanding of the Tao can fully reflect the depth of your cultivation.

  Laozi also had the same idea as Yuanshi, so he went along with it and said, "Well, in that case, let's take turns being the Dao today, you three brothers. What do you think, Third Brother?"

  "It's just as the two brothers said." Tongtian replied, Tongtian didn't think much of it and thought that the two brothers were just testing their own cultivation progress, so he answered cleanly.

  In a flash, in the Eastern Kunlun Mountains, a great Daoist saying was remembered, and various profound Daoist principles spread throughout the Eastern Kunlun with the sound, causing many Eastern Kunlun Mountain cultivators to listen quietly and comprehend the Dao.

  Before long, the two old men had finished speaking, and it was Tongtian's turn to speak. Tongtian didn't say much either, and directly spoke out his own understanding of the Great Way, including his own formation way and sword way.

  "The mysterious Way is obtained within, guarded without, used by the spirit, and forgotten in the instrument. This is the essential idea of the mysterious Way. Those who obtain it are noble, not awaiting the majesty of imperial power. Those who embody it are rich, not requiring rare treasures. It is high and cannot be climbed, deep and cannot be measured. Riding on the flowing light, riding on the flying scenery, transcending the six voids, penetrating the profound and subtle. Emerging from the highest nothingness, entering into the lowest nothingness. Passing through the gate of vastness, roaming in the field of obscurity. In the midst of carefree wandering, manifesting the appearance of being lost. Swallowing the nine glories at the cloud's end, sipping the six energies at the dawn clouds. Wandering and hesitating, soaring and faintly visible, treading on the rainbow, stepping on the whirling jade, this is what those who obtain it are like."

  "Next, one is content with what they have, and being content, they can hide their talents and not use them. They shine brightly in the mountains and forests, but do not show off their abilities. They nurture their spirit in a humble abode, and do not seek to trade it for fame or wealth. They carry a staff and walk slowly, but do not seek to ride in a luxurious carriage. They hide their light under a bushel, and do not seek to attack others. They sink their armor into the depths of the ocean, and avoid the disasters that come with being too visible.

  They move and rest with a sense of contentment, and have no desires or worries. They abandon the glory of high office, and avoid the dangers of the busy road. They wander in the mountains, and all things become like dust and mist. They smile under the shade of a tree, and the red gates of wealth and power become like a humble cottage.

  They hold a hoe and work in the fields, but their spirit is like that of a general holding a whip. They sip from a mountain spring, and the finest delicacies are no different from wild herbs. They have an abundance of joy in the midst of nothingness, and are at peace with the world without striving for wealth or status.

  They hold onto their simplicity and purity, and do not seek to change themselves for the sake of others. They are like a vessel that is empty and yet full, dwelling in a state of calm and tranquility. They are vast and expansive, like the universe itself, and are in harmony with the natural order of things.

  They are like the darkness and the light, like the murky and the clear, seeming to be slow but actually moving quickly, seeming to be lacking but actually being full. Would they be willing to abandon their peaceful existence and take on a position of power? Would they be willing to give up their simple life and assist in the work of others?

  They do not seek to gain fame or wealth from external sources, nor do they seek to avoid criticism or blame. They are not swayed by the opinions of others, and do not seek to change themselves for the sake of gaining praise or avoiding criticism.

  Therefore, even if one were to offer them great wealth or high status, it would not be enough to entice them. What else could possibly bring them joy? Even if one were to threaten them with a sharp blade or boiling water, it would not be enough to intimidate them. What criticism or blame could possibly disturb their peace?

  They are always without desires, and have never begun to mix themselves up with the troubles of the world."

  Tongtian's words became increasingly profound as he spoke, eventually revealing the realm of law and principle, giving Laozi a new understanding. In the end, they both realized that neither could convince the other, so Tongtian stopped speaking.

  At this time, an old man appeared in front of Tongtian and said to him, "Fellow Taoist is indeed a great cultivator. How did you come to the place where I live without greeting me? What brings you to this Kunlun Mountain?"