Chapter 24 Lao Tzu bestows a decree, and one of the Twelve Golden Immortals breaks through.

Kunlun Mountain, Yuxu Palace.

That cold and deathly aura, rather than dissipating, became increasingly solid.

It seemed to transform into eternal profound ice that would never melt, suppressing the entire mountain range.

Nanji Xianweng rose from outside the palace, his pale face devoid of any blood.

Yuanshi Tianzun's decree was concise, yet as heavy as Mount Tai.

“Go beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens to Bajing Palace on Shouyang Mountain and seek an audience with your Senior Martial Uncle.”

Nanji Xianweng did not dare to be slightest bit negligent; he bowed to receive the order and transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky.

He tore through the sea of clouds, heading straight above the Nine Heavens to the Saint's Daoist field surrounded by chaotic Qi currents.

Speeding along like lightning, his heart was nonetheless ice-cold.

Revered Master is truly getting serious this time.

...

Shouyang Mountain, Bajing Palace.

This place lacked the majestic grandeur of Yuxu Palace and the atmosphere of ten thousand immortals on Jinao Island.

There was only a simple stone palace, a few thatched huts, and a stone statue of a green ox before the door; everywhere exuded a Daoist charm of 'Wuwei'—returning to simplicity.

Nanji Xianweng restrained all his aura and performed three bows and nine kowtows outside the palace, his posture respectful to the extreme.

“Nanji of the Chan Sect seeks an audience with Senior Martial Uncle.”

“Enter.”

An aged, flat voice without a hint of emotional fluctuation drifted out from within the palace.

Nanji Xianweng straightened his clothes and cautiously stepped into the palace.

The palace was empty of objects, save for a single prayer mat upon which sat an old Daoist with white hair and beard.

His eyes were closed, as if he had sat there since ancient times, as old as heaven and earth, existing alongside the Great Dao.

He was precisely the head of the Three Pure Ones, Taishang Laozi!

“Disciple Nanji pays respects to Senior Martial Uncle.” Nanji Xianweng performed the grand rite once more.

Taishang Laozi did not even lift his eyelids, his voice still as flat as water: “Yuanshi sent you.”

It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes.” Nanji Xianweng's heart tightened; before a Saint, any schemes were futile. “Revered Master... Revered Master, he...”

“Is it to reshape the Physical Body for Guangchengzi, or to seek an Opportunity for those twelve?” Taishang Laozi interrupted him directly.

Cold sweat broke out on Nanji Xianweng's forehead as he respectfully replied.

“Replying to Senior Martial Uncle, Revered Master wishes to seek a furnace of Nine-Revolution Golden Cores for Chi Jingzi, Junior Brother Huanglong, and the others—twelve in total—to help them... sever one corpse, break through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, and face the future Great Tribulation.”

After speaking, he bowed his head deeply, not daring to say more.

The palace fell into a long silence.

Every breath felt like ten thousand years of torment to Nanji Xianweng.

After a long time, Taishang Laozi finally let out a faint sigh.

“The Great Tribulation is about to rise; slaughter will be constant.”

He slowly opened his eyes—what kind of eyes were those?

There was no divine light, no pressure, only a vast void, as if reflecting the entire cycle of life, death, and Reincarnation of the Primordial World.

“Very well, this is destiny.”

As his voice fell, he did not directly bestow the pills as Nanji Xianweng had expected.

Instead, he extended a withered finger and pointed toward the seemingly ordinary bagua furnace nearby.

“The pills still require more heat.”

“You shall wait here for seven times seven, forty-nine days.”

Nanji Xianweng's heart skipped a beat as he instantly understood his Senior Martial Uncle's attitude.

The pills could be given.

Because the Twelve Golden Immortals breaking through to Grand Unity was also part of 'Heaven's Will'.

But he had to wait.

This wait was a declaration of his stance—neutrality.

He would not interfere in the struggle between the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect; everything would evolve on its own under the destiny of the Heavenly Dao.

“...Disciple obeys.”

Nanji Xianweng suppressed the thousands of thoughts in his heart and respectfully sat cross-legged beside the bagua furnace, beginning his long wait.

Forty-nine days passed in the blink of an eye.

When the sun turned and the forty-ninth ray of dawn shone into Bajing Palace.

Buzz—!

The silent bagua furnace suddenly shook, and the furnace lid soared into the sky!

In an instant, ten thousand rays of rosy light and a thousand streaks of auspicious colors appeared! An indescribable fragrance of Medicinal Pills instantly filled the entire space beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens!

Just by taking one breath, Nanji Xianweng felt the Late Stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal Bottleneck loosen slightly!

Taishang Laozi waved his sleeve, and twelve Golden Cores the size of dragon eyes, purple-gold in color with naturally formed Dao patterns, flew out of the furnace and landed in a pre-prepared jade bottle.

“Go.”

He tossed the jade bottle casually and closed his eyes again, as if he had done a trivial little thing.

Nanji Xianweng caught the jade bottle as if it were a priceless treasure. After performing three bows and nine kowtows once more, he turned into a streak of light and rushed back to Kunlun Mountain.

...

Inside Yuxu Palace.

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at the twelve Nine-Revolution Golden Cores in the jade bottle, and a flicker of emotion finally appeared on his cold face.

“Good!”

With his command, the sound of a bell echoed through Kunlun.

Chi Jingzi, Master Huanglong, Ju Liusun, Taiyi Zhenren...

Twelve streaks of light flew in from various Immortal Caves, gathering in the great hall of Yuxu Palace. Everyone bore an Evil Qi on their faces, their eyes suppressing humiliation and anger.

“Greetings, Revered Master!”

Yuanshi Tianzun was expressionless as he held the jade bottle in his palm.

“These are Nine-Revolution Golden Cores; I have sought them for you.”

“From this moment on, all twelve of you shall enter Death Seclusion!”

His voice was like a heavenly decree, containing an unquestionable majesty.

“Within a hundred years, you must use the power of the Golden Cores to Breakthrough to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!”

Hearing this, the Twelve Golden Immortals were first stunned, then each of their eyes erupted with wild joy and an incredibly fervent Battle Intent!

Nine-Revolution Golden Cores!

Those were supreme Divine Pills personally refined by their Senior Martial Uncle; a single one was enough to give a Taiyi Golden Immortal the qualification to charge toward the Grand Unity realm!

Revered Master had actually sought twelve of them for them!

“Disciples receive the decree!”

Led by Chi Jingzi, the Twelve Golden Immortals knelt together, their voices carrying a hint of trembling and determination.

Yuanshi Tianzun flicked his finger, and the twelve Golden Cores flew precisely into each person's hand.

“Go.”

“When the day comes that you successfully emerge from seclusion, it will be the time to wash away the shame of our Chan Sect!”

“Disciples strictly obey Revered Master's command!”

The Twelve Golden Immortals tightly gripped the Golden Cores in their hands, feeling the vast Daoist charm contained within. Their gazes seemed to penetrate Yuxu Palace, crossing hundreds of millions of miles of Mountains and Rivers, locking dead onto the direction of Jinao Island on the shore of the East Sea.

Burning in those eyes was the fire of revenge and the determination to kill!

“If we do not kill Gu Ziyuan, we vow not to achieve the Dao!”

The twelve made a grand vow in their hearts simultaneously, then turned and transformed into twelve resolute streaks of light, each returning to their Immortal Caves to begin the most thorough seclusion.

Rumble!

As the mountain gates of the Twelve Golden Immortals all closed, the Luck of the entire Kunlun Mountain condensed.

A terrifying aura, suppressed to the extreme like the calm before a storm, began to quietly gather above the Primordial World.

On Jinao Island, within Biyou Palace.

Tongtian Jiaozhu, who was preaching the Dao, suddenly stopped and looked up toward Kunlun, his brow furrowed.

The heavenly secrets... have become chaotic.

A massive killing tribulation aimed at the Jie Sect was taking shape at an unimaginable speed!

The wind heralds the coming storm.

And the source of all this storm, Gu Ziyuan, was still in the Immortal Cave of Siguo Cliff, sitting as still as before, seemingly completely unaware of everything outside.

But on the chessboard before him, which had already ascended to become 'Mountains and Rivers', a new killing move had quietly been laid out at some point.

The opposite side of the chessboard was empty.

Or rather, his opponent was this entire heaven and earth.