Chapter 58: The Dao of Red Cloud

"So that is what the predestined Saint truly meant?" Hongyun said with a desolate tone.

Zhenyuanzi also wore a complicated expression.

"Viewed in this light, this Grand Purple Qi is a disaster rather than a blessing for this poor Daoist!"

"Indeed. Were I in Fellow Daoist's position, I certainly would not want this Grand Purple Qi," Bai Jing said.

Hearing this, Hongyun let out another long sigh. "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, you do not know. After this Grand Purple Qi flew into my sea of consciousness, it completely merged with it and became utterly impossible to extract. Even if I wanted to take the Grand Purple Qi out, I simply cannot do it!"

Bai Jing had already guessed as much. In the original history of the Primordial World, Hongyun was besieged by Di Jun, Taiyi, Kunpeng, and Styx, and ultimately chose to self-detonate rather than surrender the Grand Purple Qi.

However, after interacting with Hongyun a few times, Bai Jing felt that Hongyun was by no means someone who would rather die than submit, nor did he have an excessive obsession with the Saint position. To say he had no desire to become a Saint would be false, but he certainly did not value becoming a Saint more than his own life.

Listening to Hongyun now, Bai Jing understood completely: it was not that Hongyun was unwilling to surrender the Grand Purple Qi, but that he was simply incapable of doing so!

"If Fellow Daoist Hongyun trusts me, you should stay here in Wuzhuang Temple for the long term. With Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi's Earth Book grand array, no one in the Primordial World can kill you. Once the predestined Saints are born, Fellow Daoist, you will be safe."

Hongyun nodded, indicating that he understood.

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, your origin is the red cloud formed when a mouthful of Pangu's heart blood landed upon the clouds, is it not?"

Hongyun nodded in acknowledgment.

"No wonder."

"No wonder what?"

"No wonder Fellow Daoist Hongyun and Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi were able to become such close friends."

"Could it be that my ability to befriend Brother Zhenyuanzi is related to my origin?" Hongyun asked curiously.

"Indeed. Clouds are naturally born from the convergence of the water and wind elements, while the heart belongs to fire. The heart blood of the Primordial God Pangu naturally carries the power of the heart fire, meaning that Fellow Daoist Hongyun inherently gathers the forces of the three phases: water, fire, and wind.

Meanwhile, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi is the embodiment of the Innate Essence of Earth, born from the power of the local terrain. The two of you together naturally assemble the four elemental forces of earth, fire, water, and wind."

The key to harmonizing the four elemental forces lies within the water and fire phases, because water and fire are mutually contradictory—the saying that water and fire are incompatible is no mere exaggeration.

Yet, viewed another way, although the water and fire phases are mutually opposed, if they can be harmonized, they give birth to the power of vitality. All life in this world is inseparable from the functions of water and fire.

The wind phase possesses the ability to nourish and generate the fire phase, while Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi's earth phase allows the water phase to flow in a steady, unending stream. Thus, water and fire harmonize of their own accord, and the forces of earth, fire, water, and wind begin to evolve.

From this perspective, the two of you becoming friends can truly be described as enhancing each other's strengths."

Upon hearing this, Hongyun glanced at Zhenyuanzi and said, "No wonder I felt a deep sense of affinity the very moment I first met Brother Zhenyuanzi. So this layer of karmic tie existed between us."

Zhen-yuanzi also wore a smile; he too had felt the desire to befriend Hongyun upon their very first meeting.

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, why not take earth, fire, water, and wind as your foundation, severing the three corpses of fire, water, and wind, while your true self cultivates the Law of Earth? Ultimately, fusing the four phases together means that even without the Grand Purple Qi, you may still attain the Dao of Sagehood. Not to mention that you already possess a strand of Grand Purple Qi; your path to Sagehood should be all the more smooth."

Hearing this, Hongyun felt as though a thunderclap had exploded beside his ears. A moment later, he rose, bowed deeply to Bai Jing, and burst into unrestrained laughter. "Hahaha! Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, for parting the clouds to reveal the sun! My Dao is about to be realized!"

"I merely spoke offhand. As long as it is of help to you, that is enough. However, if Fellow Daoist wishes to sever the three corpses of fire, water, and wind, it is best to use spiritual treasures of the corresponding attributes."

"What the Fellow Daoist says is entirely correct. As it happens, I obtained a Water Spiritual Pearl upon the Treasure-Dividing Cliff." With that, Hongyun opened his palm, and a cyan spiritual pearl materialized within it.

"Then you only lack spiritual treasures of the fire and wind attributes. Unfortunately, I possess no treasures of these two attributes, so I cannot assist you," Bai Jing said.

"Fellow Daoist Bai Jing is mistaken. Your words today are worth more to me than any Innate Supreme Treasure. Even if you were to offer me such treasures, I would not dare accept them, lest the debt I owe you become impossible to repay."

Hongyun spoke with utmost sincerity, and Bai Jing found his words deeply gratifying.

Having concluded serious matters, Bai Jing, Zhenyuanzi, and Hongyun began to sit and discuss the Dao.

The discourse was led primarily by Bai Jing and Hongyun, while Zhenyuanzi listened attentively from the side.

"Marvelous! To think my Hongyun Evasion Technique could be adapted into a movement technique suitable for all living beings to cultivate. Fellow Daoist Bai Jing's comprehension is truly astonishing."

Bai Jing smiled. No matter what, he was the sole living being born from the Chaos Green Lotus lineage, inheriting the very destiny of the Chaos Green Lotus itself. With such vast destiny gathered upon him, Bai Jing's comprehension could naturally not be poor.

Combined with the aid of the Enlightenment Tea Trees to facilitate his insights, perfectly improving Hongyun's evasion technique was only natural.

A century later, Bai Jing bid farewell to Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, flew out of Wuzhuang Temple, and returned to the East Sea.

Next, Bai Jing intended to enter seclusion to comprehend the Dao of Devouring to perfection in one go.

In his possession, Bai Jing held fragments of the Creation Jade Disc recording the Dao of Devouring, alongside two Enlightenment Tea Trees—one whose leaves were used directly to brew tea, and another beneath whose canopy one could sit to accelerate comprehension of the Dao.

Presently, Bai Jing's mastery over the Dao of Devouring had already reached seventy percent. Although the closer one got to the end, the slower comprehension of the Dao would inevitably become, with so many treasures aiding his enlightenment in hand, coupled with the destiny of the Chaos Green Lotus lineage resting upon him, Bai Jing was confident he could completely master the Dao of Devouring within one hundred thousand years.

Once he completely mastered the Dao of Devouring, Bai Jing merely needed to refine the immortal materials and ores collected on Fangzhang Island to naturally break through to the pinnacle of the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm.

Before entering seclusion, Bai Jing released Qinglin from the Yuanyang Cauldron.

"I greet my master." Qinglin lowered its head submissively toward Bai Jing on all fours.

Having cultivated within the Yuanyang Cauldron for an entire chaos cycle, Qinglin was now at the late stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. It was estimated that another chaos cycle would see it break through to the Daluo realm, at which point it would be fit to serve as Bai Jing's mount.

Bai Jing was quite satisfied with Qinglin's cultivation speed. He nodded at the beast and said, "Rise, Qinglin. I shall be entering seclusion for some time to break through my cultivation realm. If, during my seclusion, someone named Changxi comes outside the island looking for me, you may pass through the restrictions and exchange this item with her; otherwise, let it be."

With that, Bai Jing retrieved the Nine-Colored Fairy Dress and handed it to Qinglin.

Qinglin carefully accepted the dress, then glanced at the restrictions surrounding Yingzhou Immortal Island and said hurriedly, "Master, I am afraid I cannot pass through this grand array."

"Rest assured, I have already left your imprint upon the restrictions of Yingzhou Immortal Island, so you may come and go freely. You may find a cave dwelling here on Yingzhou Immortal Island and cultivate in peace. Unless there is an emergency, do not come to disturb me."

"Understood, Master." With a respectful bow, Qinglin turned and departed.