Yuanshi returned to Yuqing Peak and went directly into his artifact refining hall to begin forging formation flags for Tongtian.
Yuanshi considered that Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun would also live within Tongtian's grand formation in the future, and it would be inconvenient without identity tokens. He also remembered that Fusang and Yuegui had not yet received theirs. It was a good opportunity to craft them all at once.
Tongtian was also improving the mountain protection formation. Ever since Tongtian created this formation, he had been continuously refining it.
Although Tongtian had been modifying the formation, he had not replaced it. This time, he took the opportunity to optimize it.
After Taishang put down the Morning Bell, he returned to Taiqing Peak.
Taishang sat in the main hall of Taiqing Palace, gazing out blankly.
"Now that Hongjun has finished his preaching, it is time to contend with the Heavenly Dao again. The Wu and Yao clans, fearing Hongjun, will not have major conflicts for ten thousand years. My brothers and I have only these ten thousand years!"
"If we cannot achieve sainthood within these ten thousand years, I fear there will be no more chances!"
Taishang sighed, feeling that since Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun had joined Kunlun, they should properly host a welcoming feast for them.
After Yuanshi finished refining the formation flags and tokens, he immediately handed them over to Tongtian, and then also came to Taiqing Palace.
Upon receiving the formation flags from Yuanshi, Tongtian immediately began carving the formation patterns. Before long, he had finished carving them.
Tongtian sighed, "It truly is that practice makes perfect. Carving these formation patterns this time is much faster than the first time!"
Just as Tongtian began to deploy the formation flags near Kunlun, Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, who had gone to Huoyun Cave, also returned. Tongtian looked at them and asked in surprise, "Why so soon?"
Hongyun smiled and replied, "There was nothing significant to take from my Huoyun Cave. I just needed to collect the things I've gathered over the years, so it naturally didn't take much time!"
Zhenyuanzi saw Tongtian deploying the mountain protection formation and said, "Daoist Tongtian, do you need any help?"
Tongtian nodded and said, "Since that is the case, you two should go and set up your respective dojos first! I will handle things here!"
The two nodded and returned to Wanshou Peak.
After Tongtian finished deploying the formation flags, he formed a hand seal. The surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged into the formation flags. Then, a beam of light shot up from the top of the formation flags, and a massive transparent shield enveloped Kunlun.
Once the transparent shield completely covered Kunlun, the beams of light emitted by the formation flags disappeared. Ripples of space appeared around the formation flags, and they vanished into the void.
Seeing this, Tongtian clapped his hands, "Success!"
Just as Tongtian was about to return to Shangqing Peak, he remembered the tokens Yuanshi had given him. He took out the four tokens and carved Zhenyuanzi, Hongyun, Fusang, and Yuegui onto the front of each.
On the reverse side, he carved the formation patterns of the mountain protection formation. Tongtian poured his spiritual power into the tokens, and a portal appeared on the mountain protection formation.
Tongtian nodded with satisfaction, then went to Wanshou Peak to find Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun. He gave them the tokens inscribed with their names and said, "Fellow Daoists, these are the tokens for the mountain protection formation. To leave, you only need to infuse spiritual energy into these tokens to open the grand formation!"
After Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun accepted the tokens and thanked Tongtian, Tongtian went to Yuqing Peak to find Fusang and Yuegui. He gave them the remaining two tokens and explained their usage before heading towards Taiqing Peak.
When Tongtian arrived at Taiqing Palace and saw Yuanshi was also there, he said, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun have traveled a long distance. Should we not host a proper reception for them?"
Yuanshi heard this and said, "I'm afraid Third Brother is just craving Eldest Brother's cooking!"
Taishang chuckled at this. Seeing that Yuanshi had seen through his thoughts with a single remark, Tongtian immediately denied it, "How could that be! I have no such intentions!"
Yuanshi smiled and, seeing Tongtian's denial, continued, "I remember the last time Eldest Brother made hot pot, it was you, Third Brother, who ate the most!"
Tongtian, not wanting to continue with Yuanshi, quickly turned to Taishang and said, "Big Brother~"
Taishang smiled and said, "I was thinking the same thing. Tonight, I will host a banquet to welcome Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun!"
Tongtian, upon hearing this, happily asked, "Is there anything I can help with, Big Brother?"
Taishang nodded and said, "Since you wish to help, go and find some wild beasts with delicious meat for me!"
Hearing this, Tongtian immediately headed outside Kunlun.
Yuanshi watched the hurried Tongtian and said to Taishang, "Big Brother, look at Third Brother's haste. He still denies he's craving the food!"
Taishang shook his head with a wry smile and said, "You know how stubborn Third Brother is."
Yuanshi nodded and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you, Big Brother?"
Taishang shook his head and said, "No need. This time, I want to let you all try something new!"
After speaking, Taishang headed towards the medicinal field.
In the medicinal field, Jinjiao and Yinjiao saw Taishang arrive and quickly bowed, "Master, if you have any instructions, please just give them. Why do you need to come yourself?"
Taishang looked at Jinjiao and Yinjiao and smiled, "It's nothing. I'm here to find some things."
Taishang entered the medicinal field and headed straight for the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns he had planted there last time.
Seeing this, Jinjiao and Yinjiao's eyes lit up. It seemed they were in for a treat today!
Taishang picked a lot of chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and handed them to Jinjiao and Yinjiao, instructing, "You two, dry them and grind them into powder. Tonight, Master will teach you how to eat something new!"
Upon hearing this, the two readily accepted the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns from Taishang.
They knew that anything their Master prepared was always delicious, and they couldn't help but look forward to it!
Tongtian ran out of Kunlun and roamed the forests near Kunlun. Taishang had said he wanted wild beasts with delicious meat, but in his excitement, he had forgotten to ask what kind of beast had delicious meat!
Just as Tongtian was unsure which wild beast to choose, a sheep walked past him.
The sheep bleated, interrupting Tongtian's thoughts. Tongtian looked at the sheep before him and his eyes lit up. He said, "It's you! Who told you to bleat in front of me?"
Sheep: ??????
After Tongtian brought the sheep back to Kunlun, he ran into Qichen. Qichen saw Tongtian holding a four-horned beast and asked curiously, "Master, what is this you've caught? What is it for?"
Tongtian saw Qichen and handed the sheep to him, saying, "I don't know what it is! But it goes 'baa'!"
Just as Qichen took the sheep, it obediently bleated three times.
"Baa!"
"Baa!"
"Baa!"
Tongtian pointed at the sheep and said, "See!"
Tongtian continued, "Alright, hurry and send it to your Eldest Uncle!"
Qichen looked at Tongtian and asked doubtfully, "Master, why don't you send it yourself?"
Tongtian immediately berated him, "Just send it when I tell you to! Why so many questions! Come back and tell me after you deliver it!"
Hearing this, Qichen had no choice but to obediently take the sheep to Taishang.
After Qichen left, Tongtian thought to himself, "I don't know if this 'baa-ing' thing is delicious or not. Let Qichen go and scout ahead! If it's not good, I'll go out and find another one!"
Tongtian chuckled and waited on the spot for Qichen's reply.