Arriving at the summit of Mount Tianzhu beside the celestial pool, Xuanjian chose a relatively flat stretch of grassland to serve as his future private garden for spiritual roots.
There was no need to till the land.
Nourished by the Three Lights Divine Water all year round, the surrounding soil was exceptionally fertile and rich with spiritual charm. Although it could not compare to innate spiritual soils like Nine Heavens Soil or Five-Colored Profound Soil, it was more than enough to sustain the growth of certain spiritual roots.
However...
Xuanjian had an even better choice!
Xuanjian took out the Chaos Primeval Soil.
One hundred cubic measures of Chaos Primeval Soil landed on the ground and multiplied boundlessly, instantly spreading across an area of a million li.
In an instant, dense wisps of the qi of creation swirled as a chaotic aura diffused outward, displaying profound mystery.
Compared to Nine Heavens Soil and Five-Colored Profound Soil, the Chaos Primeval Soil was vastly superior.
The enrichment of the soil was complete.
Xuanjian then took out the four Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots: the Innate Gourd Vine, the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree, the Money-Shaking Gold Tree, and the Twelve-Petaled Purifying White Lotus. After planting them one by one into the ground, he channeled the Three Lights Divine Water from the neighboring celestial pool to irrigate them.
Supported by two divine items—the Three Lights Divine Water and the Chaos Primeval Soil!
The spiritual roots grew vigorously.
Among them, only a single purple-black gourd remained on the vine of the Innate Gourd Vine, and it was not yet fully mature.
Once the Innate Gourd Vine absorbed the nutrients of the Chaos Primeval Soil, the purple-black gourd, which had previously ceased growing, burst into brilliant splendor!
A purple-black halo expanded, casting a deep, pitch-black shroud over the surroundings as if forming its own domain of chaotic violet.
The purple-black gourd swayed gently along with its root.
It seemed highly cheerful.
Sensing its condition, Xuanjian gained a clear idea of its state. “Based on the current growth rate, the purple-black gourd will mature within two and a half yuanhui. By then, it will become a true embryo of an Innate Treasure!”
He then turned his gaze to the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree.
Although both were Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots, the Innate Gourd Vine ranked among the top ten finest of their kind, whereas the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree did not. This showed that despite sharing the same grade, a substantial gap existed between the two plants.
Now, having taken root in the Chaos Primeval Soil and being nourished by the Three Lights Divine Water, the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree began to evolve toward an even higher level.
Logically speaking, once a spiritual plant reached the tier of a Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Root, it should possess the potential for boundless evolution.
However, their native environments capped their upper limits.
For instance, the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree's inherent conditions were inferior to those of the Innate Gourd Vine.
As a result, it fell short compared to the Innate Gourd Vine.
Now, provided with an incomparably richer innate environment, the long-stagnant Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree naturally began to evolve once more.
Observing the plantain tree as it constantly erupted with the power of the four elements—creating worlds through water, wind, and fire before destroying them again—Xuanjian nodded with satisfaction. “The overall shape of the plantain tree resembles a fan. The best way to utilize it would be to refine the entire tree into a single precious fan possessing all the power of the four elements, capable of manifesting countless wonders, rather than splitting it apart.”
In the original timeline, without the participation of Xuanjian and the Ancestral Witches, the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree would have been split by the Three Purities, Ancestor Minghe, and Houtu into five embryos of Top-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.
But this was undoubtedly wasteful.
The power of the four elements should have been a unified whole. If refined together with the tree trunk, even if it could not reach the tier of a true Innate Treasure, it would still possess the quality of a Pseudo-Innate Treasure.
But now...
With Xuanjian's intervention, the Innate Four Elements Plantain Tree was destined to become an Innate Treasure in the future!
Furthermore, it would be an Innate Treasure containing the Innate Yimu Great Dao Law and the Great Dao Law of the Four Elements.
Finally, there was the Money-Shaking Gold Tree and the Twelve-Petaled Purifying White Lotus.
There was not much to say about these two.
The Money-Shaking Gold Tree, one of the Three Treasures of Commerce, lacked offensive capabilities but could gather the Qi of the Five Virtues of heaven and earth, condensing them into the Coins of Five Virtues.
It also possessed the effect of suppressing and anchoring destiny.
It was truly extraordinary.
Not to mention the Twelve-Petaled Purifying White Lotus.
Anyone who knew of it understood its value.
“Everything is prepared. Next is...”
“Proclaiming to heaven and earth, and establishing the merchant guild!”
...
The world of Honghuang was peaceful and serene.
The region of Mount Wuyi was shrouded in swirling mists and lingering celestial qi, presenting the spectacular atmosphere of an immortal mountain and blessed land.
Right at this moment.
The region of Mount Wuyi suddenly dimmed. It was not a pitch-black darkness where one could not see their own hands, but rather... as if a colossal entity had blocked out the sun, casting a massive, oppressive, and heavy shadow.
The living beings residing near Mount Wuyi grew restless and anxious. They looked up at the high heavens and saw a massive island appearing out of thin air, suspended in the sky—boundless, colossal, heavy, and immense.
Fangzhang Immortal Island!
It was also at this moment.
Xuanjian appeared, floating above Fangzhang Immortal Island. A hazy, white-gold luster swirled around him, exuding nobility and solemnity, while the phantom image of the Luobao Gold Coin materialized behind him.
To his left, the Treasure-Gathering Gold Basin hovered and spun.
To his right, the Money-Shaking Gold Tree swayed, shedding brilliant light.
At this moment, the Three Treasures of Commerce were gathered.
The three commercial treasures resonated with one another, their source auras intertwining to jointly manifest the ultimate Great Dao of Commerce!
“Heavenly Dao above!”
“I, Xuanjian, having observed the merits and flaws of the transaction systems in Honghuang, noting the chaotic disorder of trade among all living beings, and seeing the Dao of commerce shrouded in dust, solemnly swear an oath here today! Using the Three Treasures of Commerce—the Luobao Gold Coin, the Treasure-Gathering Gold Basin, and the Money-Shaking Gold Tree—as mediums, I shall manifest the Great Dao of Commerce and establish a merchant guild: the Treasure Vault!
“We shall use the Money-Shaking Gold Tree to anchor the destiny of the merchant guild.
“We shall use the Coins of Five Virtues to forge the universal currency of Honghuang!
“From this moment forth, the trade of Honghuang's living beings shall be orderly, harmonious, and mutually prosperous, and the Dao of commerce shall flourish!
“Supplementing the Heavenly Dao!
“I, Xuanjian, shall be the Lord of the Dao of Commerce!
“May the Venerable God Pangu bear witness!
“May the Heavenly Dao bear witness!
“Let the Dao of commerce be established!”
Xuanjian proclaimed his oath to heaven and earth, manifesting the Dao of commerce and founding the merchant guild. Though his voice was not loud, it reverberated throughout the entire world of Honghuang.
Countless living beings, thousands of almighty beings, and numerous Innate Sacred Beings observed the scene upon hearing the news, throwing the world into an uproar.
“Another power is being established.”
“Xuanjian? Is he the one who helped the Dragon Clan escape their tribulation from under the Duke of the East's nose?”
“Could his establishment of this faction mean he intends to stand on equal footing and compete with the Duke of the East's Immortal Court?”
Soon after Xuanjian finished his proclamation, the Heavenly Dao quickly responded.
Rumble!
Rumble!
Above Xuanjian's head, hundreds of millions of qing of golden clouds and auspicious mist surged and gathered. In an instant, auspicious signs filled the sky, casting thousands of radiant colors as qilin spat jade, phoenixes held pearls in their beaks, and true dragons danced, presenting all manner of highly auspicious and noble phenomena in the firmament.
All around Xuanjian, countless dark-gold Dao traces spread from the void, weaving into intricate divine runes of the Dao of commerce.
Behind him, the Three Treasures of Commerce displayed their respective mysteries. The Money-Shaking Gold Tree grew lush and verdant with dense branches, its golden leaves rustling and dropping copper coins, the clinking sounds drawing in the fortune of all eight directions.
The Treasure-Gathering Gold Basin floated in midair, its interior erupting with auspicious light as it absorbed the spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, summoning a tide of wealth as vast as rivers and seas.
The Luobao Gold Coin circled through the heavens, the patterns on the coin circulating the divine light of the laws to establish the regulations of commerce and amass the wealth and nobility of the world.
“Approved!”
A voice suddenly echoed throughout heaven and earth.
The voice was cold and indifferent, operating almost like a cosmic rule.
Who else could it be but the Heavenly Dao?
With the Heavenly Dao's approval, Xuanjian's identity as the Lord of the Dao of Commerce was completely solidified.
The Coins of Five Virtues produced by the Money-Shaking Gold Tree were now considered officially recognized and orthodox currency.
Just then.
The Merit Cloud of Celebration manifested, performing countless profound mysteries.
In the next instant, a majestic and colossal torrent of Heavenly Dao Merit poured from the golden clouds, surging toward Xuanjian!
The sheer quantity was immense!
It was simply terrifying!
There were a full ten million mu of Heavenly Dao Merit!
It was even greater than the Heavenly Dao Merit received by Dijun and Taiyi when they established the Demon race!
If Xuanjian were to refine this Heavenly Dao Merit to raise his cultivation, he would absolutely become the very first cultivator in Honghuang to break through into the Quasi-Saint realm!
But... Xuanjian would not do that.
Doing so would bring him more harm than good; there was absolutely no need for it.
Xuanjian stored all of the vast merit away, condensing it behind his head into a thick, holy golden halo of merit.
The myriad living beings of Honghuang: “!!!”
The Innate Sacred Beings: “!?”
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