Chapter Three: Taking Bai Ze as a Disciple

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed, and the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth, having journeyed far and wide, finally arrived at Buzhou Mountain, the celestial pillar of the primordial world.

“What a magnificent Buzhou Mountain!” Even from a distance, gazing upon the towering heights of Buzhou Mountain whose summit was lost to view, and feeling the vast, intangible aura it exuded, the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth could not help but feel awestruck within.

As the celestial pillar formed from Pangu’s spine, even after more than a hundred thousand years, Buzhou Mountain still radiated a surging, overwhelming energy. Ordinary beings could not withstand its oppressive aura, and even those who had advanced far in cultivation struggled to draw near. Thus, although some spiritual plants and roots grew here, almost no living creatures could be found upon the mountain. The silence that pervaded its slopes was unnervingly profound.

At the mountain’s base, the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth strode forward, each step shrinking the distance as if the earth itself bent to his will. As he ascended, he felt the primordial aura of Pangu emanating from the mountain, and for a moment, it was as if he glimpsed the grandeur of Pangu splitting heaven and earth, and the scenes of countless primordial gods falling beneath the divine axe.

Before he could begin gathering the celestial herbs and spiritual materials scattered across the mountain, a sudden surge of violent energy fluctuations caught his attention.

“Hm? Is there a battle taking place atop Buzhou Mountain? The aura is formidable—whoever is fighting must be no ordinary cultivator,” thought the Ancestor, his curiosity piqued as he hastened toward the source of the disturbance.

Within a deep valley of Buzhou Mountain, white mist swirled thickly. Amidst the haze, two phantom figures—one red, one white—could be dimly seen locked in fierce combat.

Soon, the white phantom melted into the mist and vanished from sight, while the red phantom, lost within the swirling fog, thrashed about in confusion, unable to find an exit.

At the mouth of the mist-shrouded valley, as the fog rolled and churned, a young man emerged, dressed in white robes, refined and elegant, a feather fan in hand.

With a cold sneer, the young man in white cast a backward glance and uttered a dismissive snort, preparing to take flight.

“Wait, young friend!” A clear, smiling voice rang out as the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth descended as if from the heavens, landing before the young man in white.

Startled, the young man instinctively stepped back two paces, his expression wary. “Who are you? Why do you block my path?”

“I am the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth…” The Ancestor had scarcely spoken his name when the young man’s eyes widened in delight. Before the Ancestor could finish, the youth hurried forward, knelt, and offered a respectful salute. “This humble immortal greets the venerable Ancestor! I have long admired your great name, never expecting to meet you here today. Though I have cultivated for tens of thousands of years, I have not yet beheld the true words of the Way. Encountering you today is my great fortune. I wish to serve at your side, to become your disciple, and humbly beg you to show mercy and teach me the Great Dao.”

Um… To see this fellow so ardent—first bowing, then immediately pledging himself as a disciple—left the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth momentarily dumbfounded.

When he had first witnessed this young man in white in combat, he saw him cleverly use formations to entrap his opponent, which had aroused his curiosity and led him to reveal himself. Now, it seemed he had underestimated his own reputation in the primordial world!

Collecting himself, the Ancestor found his mind stirred by the youth’s eager and hopeful gaze. This young man’s cultivation was impressive. The current cultivation hierarchy beneath the quasi-saint rank in the primordial world was already well-established: from lowest to highest, Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, Mysterious Immortal, Golden Immortal, Taiyi Golden Immortal, and Da Luo Golden Immortal. This youth in white had clearly reached the level of Golden Immortal, which was quite outstanding in this era.

After the initial Dragon-Han Calamity, many of the world’s top experts had perished. Cultivators of Taiyi Golden Immortal and Da Luo Golden Immortal ranks were now exceedingly rare. To be a Golden Immortal in these times was to be considered a true master.

More importantly, this young man possessed an extraordinary bearing—his intelligence and fortitude were evident. Though the Ancestor could sense the aura of the demon race upon him, he lacked the usual ferocity and brutality of the demons, instead radiating the air of an immortal sage.

Turning these thoughts over, the Ancestor mused, “Not bad! Such a fine disciple is not so easily found—it would be a pity to let this chance slip by.”

After all, what was so difficult about accepting a disciple? Though the request had come suddenly, the opportunity for such a worthy student was not to be missed. To refuse would be to invite the wrath of heaven itself.

After a moment’s deliberation, the Ancestor, grinning broadly, nodded. “Very well, very well! I, the Ancestor of Heaven and Earth, have never before accepted a disciple. Since you are so sincere in seeking entry to my sect, I shall take you as my first disciple!”

“Disciple Bai Ze bows before his teacher!” The young man in white, overjoyed, prostrated himself in excitement.

Yet, at the sound of his words, the Ancestor’s eyes bulged and his smile froze slightly. “Bai… Bai Ze?”

“Teacher, is something wrong?” Bai Ze asked, looking up in confusion at the Ancestor’s expression.

“Oh, it’s nothing…” The Ancestor forced a slightly awkward smile, but inwardly he could not suppress his thoughts: “Heavens! Someone strike me down with lightning! Impulsiveness is a demon! What possessed me to take on a disciple? Who is Bai Ze? He’s the foremost of the ten great demon saints! Having taken him as my disciple, how can I possibly avoid getting involved in the coming war between demons and gods?”

Just as these thoughts churned within him, the cold, mechanical voice of the Primordial Dao System resounded in his soul: “Congratulations, master. You have accepted the future demon saint Bai Ze as your disciple. Reward: fifty system points.”

“System points? What on earth are system points?” The Ancestor was momentarily stunned and instinctively pondered the question.

The system promptly explained: “System points are value units used to exchange for items within the system. A brief introduction to the current exchange list: One, ten thousand system points for a portion of Creation Merit; two, one hundred system points for a chunk of Chaos Goldstone… Six, thirty system points for a top-tier primordial ginseng fruit… Thirteen, five hundred system points for a one-time journey to the world of ‘Stellar Transformations’…”

“What the—Merit can be exchanged?” The Ancestor was astonished, and as he listened further, his heart raced. “What? I can travel to the world of ‘Stellar Transformations’? I can journey to other worlds? Then I might witness even more wondrous cultivation civilizations, accumulate deeper foundations, and achieve even greater heights? Perhaps becoming a Saint of the Primordial World will not be my limit after all! Now this is truly interesting!”

Now that he understood the system’s marvelous capabilities, the Ancestor’s mindset changed entirely. So what if he had taken a demon saint as a disciple? Since he had come to the primordial world, what was there to fear or hesitate about? If he was forever cautious, how could he ever attain the Great Dao? A true cultivator should be fearless and dauntless, daring to defy fate itself.

Having come to this realization, the Ancestor felt his mind clear and his Dao heart rise to a new level. Looking at Bai Ze, who still knelt before him, he laughed and stepped forward to help him up. “Ha ha! Good disciple, up with you!”

“Yes, teacher!” Bai Ze replied respectfully, delighted as he stood.

Gazing at Bai Ze with satisfaction, the Ancestor, his curiosity piqued, asked with a smile, “Bai Ze, what grudge do you bear against the one still trapped in the valley? Why were you fighting?”

“Teacher, it’s all because of this newly acquired high-grade innate spiritual treasure, the Wind and Water Fan.” Bai Ze gestured to the white feather fan in his hand with a helpless smile. “On a whim, I came to Buzhou Mountain, and by fortune, obtained the newly emerged Wind and Water Fan in that valley. Unexpectedly, Zhu Yan arrived just then, saw that I had obtained the treasure, and attempted to seize it from me.”