Chapter Twelve: Devouring the Young Rat

In the desolate northern wilderness, among the hundred-thousand great mountains, a lone figure walked along a vast, mist-shrouded path, humming and chuckling to himself. As for who he was, none other than Tongtian of the Three Pure Ones, the one rescued by Pangu.

After Pangu split heaven and earth and transformed his body into the primordial world, innate spiritual energy drifted everywhere across the unmeasured wilderness. In every corner of this boundless land, it was not unusual to find a ginseng that had gained consciousness or a mystic fruit aged ten thousand years.

Tongtian had already plundered most of what Kunlun Mountain had to offer, but after the previous great battle, he had been gravely wounded and consumed nearly all his spiritual treasures. Now his bag hung empty, desperately in need of replenishment—thus, Tongtian resumed his scavenging quest.

As for his own cultivation, at the time of the battle on Kunlun, he had reached the realm of Profound Immortal, yet lacked the power to match his level—how could he contend with others like this?

But with the great Pangu as his guardian, what was there to fear?

Pangu had imparted to Tongtian the "Eight Styles of Creation." After opening the heavens, knowing his days were numbered, he inscribed the ten scrolls of the "Sublime Scripture of Supreme Spiritual Treasures" directly into Tongtian's soul.

Among the Three Pure Ones, the Grand Supreme Elder cultivated the "Mystic Dao of Silent Emptiness," a practice whose name alone bespoke tranquility. Why else would his disciple, the Mysterious Capital Master, spend his days fanning the flames beside the Eight Trigrams Furnace with a plantain fan? This method was meant to temper one's mind, rendering it untroubled by the outside world.

As for the Primordial Heavenly Lord, he practiced the "Primordial Sovereign Way"—primordial meaning "origin," and sovereign, "beginning." The Heavenly Lord inherited the energy of nature, seeking pure spontaneity, aligning his heart with the heavens above and the will of the people below. That’s why he had but twelve Golden Immortals as disciples; his path was difficult to tread, yet once attained, it endured eternally.

Since all Three Pure Ones' Daoist arts originated from the great Pangu, their cultivation methods were largely the same: refining essence, energy, and spirit.

Essence referred to the vital substance forming all living beings. This could be understood on two levels: innate essence, the supernatural powers one was born with; and acquired essence, the natural energies learned or absorbed.

Energy, too, was divided into innate and acquired. Innate energy was the native purity and bloodline of one’s body at birth; acquired energy was the vital force drawn from the environment and refined within the dantian.

Spirit also split into innate and acquired. Innate spirit was the completeness of one’s soul—whether one was clever or dull; acquired spirit referred to the conscious mind, the faculty for recognition and distinction, useful for learning and, simply put, memory.

Tongtian had reached the third realm of the "Sublime Scripture of Supreme Spiritual Treasures"—the Essence Origin stage.

Each aspect—essence, energy, and spirit—was split into three phases: building, condensing, and originating for essence; gathering, refining, and transforming for energy; controlling, enlightening, and transcending for spirit. When spirit reached its peak and further cultivation fused all three, one achieved the Supreme Golden Immortal of Primordial Unity.

In later times, when the Investiture of the Gods unfolded, the Grand Supreme Elder’s "One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones" marked the highest stage of energy transformation, while the three flowers blossoming atop the Primordial Heavenly Lord’s crown represented the ultimate state of spirit transcendence.

Staring at the bamboo slip of the “Eight Styles of Creation” in his hand, Tongtian was wild with excitement. Pangu had reached such mastery that he slew three thousand Demon Gods, all Supreme Golden Immortals themselves—if he could master these arts, wouldn’t he be able to send Jieyin and Zhunti flying across the heavens?

So, Tongtian walked as he cultivated, sparring with any monster he encountered, seizing every spiritual treasure he found.

Meanwhile, Pangu had also taught him the "Flash of Flowing Light" escape technique: wherever there was light, he could ride it away in an instant. But what if darkness fell? Tongtian didn’t want an escape method with such a limitation.

"Then you must simply train your legs!" Pangu declared firmly.

Tongtian was dumbfounded. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"My escape art relies on light, but in truth, it's all in the footwork. Watch me." As he spoke, Pangu took a single step and vanished from sight, leaving only a fleeting shadow—hence, the "Flash of Flowing Light."

As he traveled, Tongtian heard the sounds of a fight ahead. To his astonishment, a massive scorpion was locked in battle with a large and a small mouse. Since when did scorpions and mice do battle? The mother mouse, fiercely protective of her young, bared her teeth at Tongtian when he approached their battlefield.

Seizing the opportunity, the scorpion seized the mother mouse with its pincers, raised its stinger high, and plunged its venom into her. The mother mouse was instantly poisoned, collapsing weakly to the ground, unable to rise again.

The little mouse grew frantic, squeaking incessantly, looking from its mother to Tongtian, its eyes filling with tears.

Seeing this, the scorpion transformed into human form and cupped his hands to Tongtian. "You seem unfamiliar, Daoist friend. May I ask where you hail from?"

What he meant was obvious: this is none of your business, so move along.

Tongtian understood, but the little mouse had already caught his fancy. "Friend, I have wandered the wilderness and chanced upon your struggle. I advise you not to take life needlessly—beware the entanglements of karma."

He felt a subtle connection, as if fate bound him to this little mouse. Its bright, cunning eyes delighted him more the longer he looked, and he stepped forward to administer healing herbs to the mother mouse.

At the sight of the ten-thousand-year-old medicine, dark thoughts filled the scorpion’s mind. With a twist of his energy, the poison stinger shot toward Tongtian.

Not only would he claim the lives of the two mice, he would also take Tongtian’s. So he schemed inwardly.

Tongtian didn’t see the attack, but the mother mouse did. She threw her massive body in front of Tongtian, shielding him from the venomous stinger. Blood spewed from her mouth, drenching Tongtian. Only the merit-infused air of the Nine-Petal Purple Lotus neutralized the poison—otherwise, Tongtian would have fallen here today.

Seeing this, the scorpion quickly retreated. He had no strength left for battle; his power was spent in the earlier fight, and his sneak attack failed—he had no choice but to flee.

"Little Spirit Treasure, that is the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion," Pangu’s voice echoed in his mind.

Tongtian was filled with questions. "What is a Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion?"

"It is condensed from the turbid and yin-yang energies of the primordial wilderness. It has nine tails, each representing Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Yin, Demon, Monster, and Immortal—each tail carries lethal venom. Only the air of merit can dispel its poison; otherwise, the victim will return to dust," Pangu explained, channeling energy to heal the mother mouse.

"Even if it were the mightiest being in the sky, I would see it perish!" Tongtian declared, charging after the fleeing scorpion. The scorpion, weakened and unable to maintain its human form, was soon engaged. Tongtian knew a scorpion’s weaknesses well: its flanks lacked armor, and apart from its sting, it had little means of defense.

"This punch is repayment for your sneak attack; this one for bullying the mice; and this one is just because I want to—who told you to target me?" Tongtian rained blow after blow upon the scorpion, whose body was soon covered in foul blood, only the venomous stinger remained whole.

The scorpion was filled with hate. Why did his stinger always miss by just a hair every time he attacked? It was the merit-infused air of the Nine-Petal Purple Lotus automatically shielding its master.

Now the scorpion was enraged. If he could not win, could he not escape? He ignited his beast blood and invoked his clan’s "Ten-Thousand Mile Drifting Cloud" escape, but when he looked around, he was still in the same place. What was happening?

Pangu, wanting to temper Tongtian, had locked down the space for hundreds of miles—all escape techniques were useless, trapping the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion.

As the scorpion attempted to flee, Tongtian set up a great formation—the Gathering Light Array. All scorpions feared light, so Tongtian would finish this foe. "No, no!" the Nine-Tailed Earth Scorpion screamed, but in the array, it was reduced at last to dust.

Deep within the geomantic veins of White Tiger Ridge, amidst the nether magma, an old woman meditated upon a stone dais. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. "Who has slain my child? I shall tear them to pieces!"

At once, all the beasts of White Tiger Ridge were put to the sword.

Tongtian, gazing at the dying mother mouse, was deeply saddened. A mother’s love was truly great, love is greatness, love is selfless.

Though the merit-infused air aided her, the mother mouse’s time had come. Her eyes, blurred, lingered on Tongtian, then on her child, before closing in peace.

The little mouse let out a roar that shook the mountains and forests.

"Little Spirit Treasure, you have found a treasure this time," Pangu’s spiritual voice echoed.

Still mourning, Tongtian was startled by Pangu’s words. "Could this little mouse be some rare primordial species?" he inquired.

"The little mouse is the offspring of a Devouring Mouse and a Noon Mouse. It is clever and, whatever it eats, can imagine it and manifest it in its pouch. Thus, this kind of mouse is also called—" Pangu’s voice faded away.

"Called what?" Tongtian sensed something important.

"Called the Mouse of Many Treasures," Pangu replied after a pause.

"Mouse of Many Treasures?!" Tongtian muttered, stunned. Could this little mouse truly be the future Daoist of Many Treasures?

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