Chapter Thirty-Six: Who's Afraid of Whom!

Nuwa stepped forward and took a yellow-skinned gourd, which she later refined into the supreme treasure for controlling the demon race—the Demon Summoning Banner. As long as a demon placed a strand of their divine soul into the banner, they would be subject to its master's control.

Seeing Nuwa take the yellow-skinned gourd, Dijun, unable to contain his eagerness, hurried forward and grabbed a golden gourd. This was the predecessor of the infamous Immortal-Slaying Gourd, which appeared several times in the Investiture of the Gods. It was the weapon of the Western Kunlun Immortal Lu Ya and had slain Yu Yuan, Yuan Hong, Daji, and others, earning a fearsome reputation.

No sooner had Dijun taken the golden gourd than Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Hongyun almost simultaneously dashed toward the red gourd, each intent on claiming it.

“Hongyun, this gourd is mine!” Eastern Emperor Taiyi declared in a deep voice.

Hongyun frowned and retorted, “Eastern Emperor Taiyi, you brothers have already secured a gourd. Don’t be so greedy. This red gourd is clearly fated for me—it ought to be mine.”

“You think it’s yours? If you dare compete with us for treasures, you’d best be ready for a fight!” Dijun said, flipping his hand to summon the Chaos Bell, ready to strike.

Hongyun’s face flushed with anger, his chest heaving, and he pointed furiously at Dijun, rendered speechless by his rage. “You…”

“Dijun, you brothers are going too far!” Zhen Yuanzi stepped forward, his expression darkening, standing beside Hongyun. “Nuwa and Fuxi each took a single gourd. Yet you brothers want two—are you suggesting that the remaining three of us have to split the last one? And how would we do that? Moreover, the last gourd clearly isn’t ripe. You wish to take all the mature gourds for yourselves—isn’t that a bit too greedy?”

Hearing Zhen Yuanzi’s words, Nuwa, who had initially intended to secure a gourd for her brother Fuxi, found herself unable to speak up.

Though Zhen Yuanzi was known for his gentle temperament, he was not as easily bullied as Hongyun. As he spoke, he produced both his companion treasures—the Earth Book and the Heaven and Earth Mirror—making it clear he would not hesitate to fight, causing Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi to look rather displeased.

“These treasures of Zhen Yuanzi’s are impressive!” The Three Pure Ones could not help but show a touch of envy. Primordial Origin, in particular, glanced at Zhen Yuanzi with jealousy. Despite being one of the three avatars of Pangu, he possessed only a single supreme innate treasure—the Three Jewels Jade—that was fit for display. Who would have expected Zhen Yuanzi to casually produce two treasures not inferior to the Three Jewels Jade, one of which was a rare defensive artifact.

Nuwa and Fuxi, siblings, felt a pang of envy as well. Though they were born as innate divine beings, they had no treasures worth showing.

By comparison, Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi were rather fortunate. Eastern Emperor Taiyi possessed the Hetu and Luoshu, two supreme innate companion treasures, while Dijun’s companion treasure was none other than the Chaos Bell. Yet, without saintly cultivation, how much of their treasures’ power could they truly wield? With the Earth Book to protect him, Zhen Yuanzi could at least ensure his own safety and shield Hongyun, even if he couldn’t defeat them.

Moreover, Hongyun, having transformed from the primordial first cloud, had a strong foundation and cultivation. How could he not possess a treasure for his own protection?

Should they truly come to blows, Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi might not gain much advantage. Still, they had no intention of profiting—they merely wanted to seize the red gourd.

Just as Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi exchanged a glance, ready to act, the Blood Sea avatar finally spoke. “Dijun, Eastern Emperor Taiyi, you two truly disregard the other mighty cultivators of the Great Desolation. If you wish to feast alone, you’ll have to see if I, the Ancestor Minghe, consent!”

“The Ancestor Minghe? Who do you think you are, daring to compete with us brothers?” Dijun sneered, casting a contemptuous glance at the Blood Sea avatar.

The Blood Sea avatar smiled slyly, flying over to stand beside Hongyun and Zhen Yuanzi. At his feet, karmic fire arose, revealing the Twelve-Petal Karmic Fire Red Lotus. The twin swords—Abhijna and Yuantou—emerged from his body to circle him, their scorching flames and fierce sword aura distorting the surrounding space, startling both Hongyun and Zhen Yuanzi. What did it matter if he was the future Demon Emperor, or if he had the Chaos Bell? Who feared whom?

“What? Three supreme innate treasures—offense and defense both! This Ancestor Minghe…” The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi all widened their eyes in amazement. Heavens! The Ancestor Minghe possessed such hidden depths, and they had all underestimated him before.

Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi were first stunned, then their faces darkened further, inwardly cursing. Damn it! Ancestor Minghe had always been obscure in the Great Desolation, but his sudden display was astonishing. How many such hidden experts were there in this vast world?

Against three opponents, even with powerful treasures, Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi could not guarantee victory over the Blood Sea avatar, Zhen Yuanzi, and Hongyun. Though domineering, they were not fools; there was no need to forge deadly enmities over such disputes. Thus, they gritted their teeth and conceded, relinquishing the red gourd to Hongyun.

Seeing the battle end before it truly began, the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and Fuxi, finding it uninteresting, departed first.

Once Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi had left, Hongyun plucked the red gourd and, glancing at Ancestor Minghe, Zhen Yuanzi smiled and said, “Fellow Minghe, if you don’t mind, the last unripened gourd is yours.”

“Haha… Fellow Zhen Yuanzi, you are truly generous. But don’t regret it later. This last gourd may prove far more extraordinary!” The Blood Sea avatar laughed meaningfully. Even as he spoke, the gourd vine began to wither rapidly. Upon closer inspection, the small black gourd was absorbing the essence of the immortal vine and growing swiftly. Within a few breaths, its aura surpassed that of the other gourds.

Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun were dumbfounded, watching as the vine quickly became a shriveled stalk. The black gourd detached itself, not much larger than before, but emanating a strange devouring power, continuously absorbing the immortal energy of heaven and earth—like an insatiable black hole, eerily bizarre.

The Blood Sea avatar waved his hand and collected the black gourd, then stepped forward to uproot the withered vine, discovering a cluster of innate soil at its roots—a prized material indeed.

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi’s eyes light up at the sight of the innate soil, the Blood Sea avatar smiled and split it, handing half to him.

“Thank you, fellow Minghe!” Zhen Yuanzi accepted it without hesitation, smiling as he took it. His Ginseng Fruit Tree was one of the top spiritual roots in the Great Desolation, and its roots were entwined with some innate soil. However, each time the Ginseng Fruit Tree bloomed and bore fruit, it consumed some of the innate soil’s essence, causing the amount at its roots to dwindle. He had long been troubled by how to find more innate soil to nurture his tree, lest the fruit’s quality decline.

Having joined forces to oppose Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi, the Blood Sea avatar, Zhen Yuanzi, and Hongyun grew closer. Zhen Yuanzi warmly invited the Blood Sea avatar and Hongyun to his Five Villages Temple for a visit. The Blood Sea avatar gladly accepted, being quite curious about the Ginseng Fruit—such a rare fruit of the Great Desolation must not go untasted.

As for the shriveled vine left behind, the Blood Sea avatar took it away, planning to bring it to Fangzhang Island to see if it could be revived using the Three Lights Divine Water from the island’s lake.

Such an exceptional innate spiritual root, even if its quality diminished upon re-cultivation, would surely yield extraordinary post-celestial gourds—still treasures beyond compare.