Qingxuan smiled upon hearing this, "A spiritual root that can cultivate such spiritual objects is naturally not ordinary. I think fellow Daoist Nuwa might have a use for it."
Hongyun agreed wholeheartedly, "Indeed, indeed! I saw with my own eyes that fellow Daoist Nuwa dug out the soil beneath that spiritual root for a thousand feet before gracefully departing. She truly lives up to her title as the 'Blood-Splattering Empress'!"
"Oh? Is this 'Blood-Splattering Empress' a new honorific for fellow Daoist Nuwa?"
"Not exactly. It's just a nickname we use for Nuwa amongst ourselves." Hongyun said mysteriously, "I heard that the East Prince, the lord of the immortals, returned from listening to the Dao in the thirty-third heaven and tried to recruit the great powers. Somehow, he offended fellow Daoist Nuwa, who chased him with her two red sleeve blades from the thirty-third heaven all the way down to the ninth heaven. Moreover, fellow Daoist Nuwa's sharp tongue so enraged the East Prince that he suffered a heart attack and spat out a mouthful of blood that nourished countless beings! Tsk tsk, that was a quasi-sage who had already severed two corpses!"
Qingxuan, seeing his gossipy demeanor, couldn't help but laugh, "Fellow Daoist Nuwa is truly a role model for us!"
Hongyun narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Fellow Daoist and I think alike! Why not come to Wuzhuang Temple for a visit? My friend Zhenyuan has a congenital spiritual root that only bears thirty wondrous fruits every ten thousand years!"
Qingxuan laughed heartily, "Daoist, are you not afraid of others snatching your brother's treasure by being so ostentatious?"
"Alas, I'm not. My Daoist brother is very capable!" Hongyun said with full confidence, patting his chest.
"Haha, since fellow Daoist is so hospitable, I shall shamelessly accept and bask in your glory?" Qingxuan said with a smile.
"I've eaten his fruits until I'm sick of them. What harm is there in giving a few to the neighbors as guests? Fellow Daoist, come with me!" Hongyun said, grabbing Qingxuan and directly riding the clouds towards Wuzhuang Temple.
Upon arriving at Wuzhuang Temple, Hongyun landed and called out, "Qingfeng, Mingyue, come out and welcome me!"
As soon as he spoke, two young Daoist attendants walked out with resigned expressions, "Uncle-Master! Which immortal friend has the great virtue you've brought today?"
Hongyun scoffed, showing no sign of seniority, "You two are so glib. Hurry up and get three to five Ginseng Fruits to entertain our esteemed guest!"
The two attendants, helpless, bowed to Qingxuan. Qingfeng then said to Hongyun, "Yes, yes! Three to five fruits again! Uncle-Master, you don't even need to tell us, we've already prepared them and are waiting inside the temple."
Hongyun burst into laughter, "As expected of good nephews. Fellow Daoist Qingxuan, please come in quickly!"
Qingxuan smiled, "Fellow Daoist, you have a truly genuine nature!"
As the two walked into the Daoist temple, a person approached them. His sleeves fluttered, his hair was tied with a hairpin, and his whisk swayed, like a warm spring breeze, instantly creating a favorable impression.
"So you are fellow Daoist Qingxuan! I am Zhenyuanzi, I have kept you waiting!"
Qingxuan bowed, "Greetings, fellow Daoist Zhenyuan! You have already severed one corpse, your Daoist magic is truly profound!"
Since the three thousand guests in Zixiao Palace listened to the Ancestor's teachings together, they all addressed each other as peers. Even if some had departed earlier, they maintained this address before the Ancestor's sermon concluded. However, after the Ancestor's sermon, these titles would change.
Zhenyuan waved his hand and smiled, "My cultivation is far inferior to fellow Daoists like the Sanqing and Nuwa. Please, Daoist!"
The three walked into the temple. Hongyun immediately lay down, leaning casually on a high seat, unconcerned with his image, "I'm exhausted! Yuanzi, do you know what treasures I obtained this time when I went to Buzhou Mountain?"
Zhenyuan looked at him helplessly, "What good treasures could you possibly have?"
Hongyun was displeased, "Then I'll show you!" Saying this, he took out a red spiritual gourd from his waist and said proudly, "This treasure was plucked by me from a congenital spiritual root on Buzhou Mountain. This spiritual root is a gourd vine with seven spiritual gourds. Do you know who took the first six?"
Zhenyuan replied indifferently, "I'm not a divination master, how would I know?"
Hongyun chuckled, "I knew you wouldn't. The first three gourds were taken by the Sanqing, the fourth by Nuwa, the fifth by the two from the Sun Star, the sixth by Queen Mother of the West, and the last one is with me. They all say these gourds are supreme spiritual treasures, truly extraordinary! I have refined it into a Dao-protecting spiritual treasure called the 'Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Gourd', containing Soul Severing Sand and Spirit Lost Divine Wind. Once released, even a Da Luo immortal would inadvertently lose their soul within it!"
Zhenyuan remained unfazed and casually said, "It still wouldn't hurt me in the slightest, would it?"
Hongyun snorted, "I'm too lazy to bicker with a turtle shell like you. Oh, right. I haven't let fellow Daoist Qingxuan taste the Ginseng Fruit yet!" Saying this, he gestured with his hand, and three of the five Ginseng Fruits placed before him floated towards Qingxuan.
Hongyun generously said, "Eat to your heart's content. If you're not full, there are still over ten hanging on the trees in the backyard." He then picked up a fruit that resembled an infant and took a bite, complaining, "Tsk, why does it feel like it's getting less flavorful?"
Zhenyuan rubbed his forehead, completely resigned to him, and let him be.
Qingxuan looked at the fruits before him, feeling as if he was already full. He picked up one and found the Ginseng Fruit truly exquisite, like a perfect infant. It contained the essence of the Great Dao of Earth and Wood, condensed by creation into a spiritual fruit, an absolute heavenly treasure for cultivators!
Qingxuan took a bite. The flesh transformed into surging spiritual energy and essence that flowed into his limbs and bones, as if his soul was sublimating, making him feel ethereal and divine! He took a second bite, and the sensation was much more subdued. This single fruit was equivalent to his several thousand years of hard cultivation.
Qingxuan instantly understood why Tang Sanzang did not eat the Ginseng Fruit. Such a massive essence would be a tonic for the powerful, but for mortals, it would be like a world-destroying explosive, potentially causing them to burst after just one bite.
"Indeed, it is worthy of being a congenital spiritual root. This fruit has such a great effect!"
Zhenyuanzi smiled and said, "The effect of this Ginseng Fruit is greatest the first time you eat it. For beings like us, subsequent consumption is merely a slight supplement."
Hongyun waved his hand, "Indeed. I'm just tired of eating this fruit. I wonder if the Flat Peaches from Queen Mother's palace taste good. Unfortunately, Queen Mother hasn't hosted a banquet for a long time, so I have no excuse to sneak some."
Qingxuan couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this, "I didn't expect fellow Daoist Hongyun to be so gluttonous. I heard that the Dragon Clan once had an ultimate spiritual root, the Yellow Middle Plum, which is comparable to the Flat Peach and also tastes excellent."
Hongyun's eyes lit up at this, clearly interested. Zhenyuanzi, however, suddenly seemed to recall something, pondered for a moment, looked at Qingxuan, and then gazed towards the eastern heavens.
Hongyun and Qingxuan chatted about various matters, and eventually, the topic turned to the Wu Clan. Hongyun frowned, "Alas, those Wu Clan fellows only know how to fight all day. They offer no peace. My Huoyun Cave is near the Zhurong Hall of the Twelve Ancestral Wu. Those little brats from the Wu Clan disturb my rare tranquility, which is why I spend my days here at Wuzhuang Temple seeking peace."
Zhenyuanzi raised an eyebrow, "As if you wouldn't come if there was no disturbance from the Wu Clan!"
Hongyun laughed heartily and brushed it off. Qingxuan ignored their subtle exchange and said, "But if the Wu Clan were to expand to Wuzhuang Temple one day, I fear you would find no peace here either."
Zhenyuanzi chuckled lightly, "Then let them try. My Wuzhuang Temple is not easy to trifle with!" Although he spoke with a smile, his clear voice carried a powerful confidence. Hongyun nodded in agreement.
Qingxuan smiled inwardly and remained silent. He stayed at Wuzhuang Temple for over a hundred days before bidding farewell. Zhenyuan and Hongyun saw him off to the mountains. Although the three did not sit and discuss the Dao, they had established a certain camaraderie. After all, how could people meeting for the first time, especially those at the fundamental level of the Great Dao, freely discuss it and allow the other to glimpse its core?
Upon returning to his mountain, Qingxuan once again imparted the Dharma and teachings to his clan members. Some lay in the forests, others sat peacefully on mountain peaks amidst clouds and mist, watching the cycles of sunset and sunrise, calming their hearts and spirits. However, the tranquility of Luoling Mountain was shattered by the arrival of two individuals.