Passing through a teleportation Formation in the Heavenly Court, Han Xuanji and Li Haokong arrived at a place of transcendent purity. The surrounding environment grew increasingly serene and ethereal, with the dense Spiritual Qi intermingled with a faint fragrance of pills and a profound dao-rhythm that returned all things to their natural state.
Amidst the sea of clouds, an eight-trigram-shaped Daoist temple met their eyes. It was not particularly majestic, yet it exuded an ancient aura, appearing as if it had merged into one with the surrounding heaven and earth.
The temple gates were tightly shut, and above them hung a plaque inscribed with three ancient Daoist characters: 'Tushita Palace.' Every stroke seemed to contain the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
The palace walls were dark purple, with faint flows of purple-gold firelight shimmering across them. Most striking of all was the space above the temple, where a phantom of a massive Eight-Trigram Furnace slowly rotated. Its mouth seemed both open and closed, and within it, scenes of creation and evolution appeared to unfold. Though it was merely a manifestation of dao-rhythm, it inspired awe in all who beheld it, as if they were facing the very source of the Pill Dao.
The temple was ancient and simple, wreathed in purple mist. The phantom of the Eight-Trigram Furnace flickered atop the palace roof, and the residual dao-rhythm of this place was truly staggering.
"Great Heavenly Venerable, Tushita Palace lies just ahead,"
Li Haokong said, his tone carrying immense reverence.
"Grand Supreme Dao Venerable is the ancestor of the Pill Dao and one of the sources of all laws. His dao-field is extraordinarily profound. Even just the area outside the palace, having been steeped in dao-rhythm for years, is no small matter.
His Majesty once said that by sitting in meditation here, one can attain the Dao by smelling the pill fragrance and clear one's heart by observing the furnace fire."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly. He could feel that the level of dao-rhythm here was extremely high, perhaps even closer to a certain'Source' than the Hall of Miraculous Mist.
There were no guards here, because guards were simply unnecessary.
Who would dare to lightly intrude upon such a Holy Land?
Han Xuanji stepped toward Tushita Palace. As he reached the tightly shut gates, the System's prompt sounded.
[Detected 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Would you like to check in?]
"Even this place is only 8 stars?"
Han Xuanji pondered to himself.
He wondered what kind of place would qualify as a 9-star check-in location.
However, even among 8-star locations, there were differences in quality.
This place should be significantly stronger than most of the 8-star check-in locations he had encountered before.
"System, check in."
Han Xuanji felt a surge of anticipation.
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: 'General Principles of the Grand Supreme Pill Dao'.]
[General Principles of the Grand Supreme Pill Dao: A summary of the Pill Dao by the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable after stepping into the Limitless Primordial Realm. It contains the supreme truths of the Pill Dao, including countless Pill Formulas researched by the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable over eons.]
The value of this item was a supreme treasure to any Cultivator of the Pill Dao, enough to establish a sect and lay down a supreme Pill Dao Foundation!
For Han Xuanji, its use was also significant.
He possessed the 'Saintly Hand of the Pill Dao' trait and had joined the Lingxu Heavenly Palace as a Disciple of the Dan Meridian. Even if he hadn't spent much time focused on the Pill Dao, his attainment in it was among the best in the entire Immortal Realm.
Now, having obtained these General Principles of the Grand Supreme Pill Dao, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
However, Han Xuanji did not rush to claim the rewards, but continued to check in.
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: 'Six-Ding Divine Fire'.]
[Six-Ding Divine Fire: One of the divine fires used by the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable for Alchemy. It contains the supreme Fire Dao intent of 'Burning away all Impurities and extracting the Origin of creation'.]
Inside the System space, a tiny but incredibly pure purple-gold flame appeared. This was the source spark of the Six-Ding Divine Fire, possessing an extremely high essence and infinite mysteries, with the power to cleanse the marrow and transform the body.
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: 'Eight-Trigram Furnace'.]
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: 100 gourds of 'nine revolutions golden pills'.]
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: One gourd of 'Nine Revolutions Creation Golden Pills'.]
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully checking in at the 8-star check-in location 'Tushita Palace'. Received reward: One bottle of 'Primordial One Qi Purple Gold Pills'.]
..."As expected of Tushita Palace..."
Han Xuanji thought secretly.
These nine revolutions golden pills were naturally inferior to the Primordial One Qi Purple Gold Pills he had obtained before, but they were still extraordinary and beneficial even to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
The Nine Revolutions Creation Golden Pills, on the other hand, were Medicinal Pills consumed by Cultivators in the Primordial Chaos Golden Immortal Realm below the Limitless Primordial level.
Each gourd contained ten pills. He had checked in for many nine revolutions golden pills and Nine Revolutions Creation Golden Pills, but only one bottle of Primordial One Qi Purple Gold Pills, which contained three pills.
The harvest was already startling, and there were also a large number of immortal Materials.
Among them were no shortage of Materials for refining Primordial One Qi Purple Gold Pills.
With the General Principles of the Grand Supreme Pill Dao plus the Eight-Trigram Furnace and the Six-Ding Divine Fire, it wasn't impossible for Han Xuanji to refine them himself.
Just as Han Xuanji stood quietly outside Tushita Palace, sensing the surroundings and taking stock of his rich harvest, that ancient palace door, which had been tightly shut, suddenly slid open a crack silently.
It didn't open completely, but an ancient dao-rhythm already flowed out from the gap.
Immediately after, a figure slowly stepped out from within the door.
This person wore a purple-gold Daoist crown and a black eight-trigram Daoist robe. His face was lean and refined with a three-strand beard, and his eyes were warm and peaceful, yet deep as an abyss.
His aura was perfectly rounded and restrained, harmonizing completely with the dao-rhythm of Tushita Palace. He was clearly a top-tier powerhouse who had entered the Celestial Golden Immortal Realm, and not just recently; his Foundation was so profound that it was faintly comparable to the Four Imperial Emperors like the Great Emperor of Ziwei.
Upon seeing this person, Li Haokong's expression immediately became incredibly respectful, and he bowed deeply:
"Junior Li Haokong pays respects to Sage Xuan Du!"
Sage Xuan Du was the Personal Disciple of the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable and his eldest Disciple. He served the Dao Venerable year-round and had deeply inherited the true teachings of the Grand Supreme Pill Dao. He was recognized as one of the leading figures in the Pill Dao across the myriad worlds, holding a transcendent status.
That his true body was actually within Tushita Palace was something even Li Haokong hadn't expected.
One must know that even for the major event of the Heavenly Emperor's return, Sage Xuan Du had not emerged from his seclusion.
He hadn't expected that Han Xuanji's arrival would immediately stir this person into action.
Sage Xuan Du nodded slightly to Li Haokong, and then his gaze landed on Han Xuanji.
With a gentle smile in his eyes, he stepped forward a few paces and bowed respectfully:
"This humble Daoist Xuan Du greets the Dao Venerable. Just now, while meditating in the palace, I suddenly felt the dao-rhythm outside surging in resonance. Knowing an honored guest had arrived who shares an affinity with the Pill Dao, I have taken the liberty of coming out to welcome you. I hope Fellow Daoist will not take offense."
Han Xuanji's heart stirred; he hadn't expected to meet this legendary figure on this trip.
He also returned the salute with cupped hands and said calmly:
"This humble Daoist Han Xuanji greets you. I happened to be traveling past and felt the infinite and mysterious Pill Dao of the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable, so I stopped for a moment and gained some insights. I did not intend to disturb Fellow Daoist Xuan Du's quiet cultivation."
After thinking it over, Han Xuanji decided not to place himself in too high a position. After all, he had been on the path for too short a time, and the Grand Supreme Dao Venerable and others had been kind to him.
"Fellow Daoist is too kind."
Sage Xuan Du's smile broadened; he hadn't expected Han Xuanji to be so easy to talk to.
He had been somewhat conflicted inside the palace because his Master had never told him anything about Han Xuanji.
He could only guess certain things, knowing that Han Xuanji seemed to have some connection with his Master.