Wu Ming said to Zhenyuanzi and Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, "Fellow Daoist, follow me."
Then, Wu Ming turned around, leading Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun deeper into Pangu Hall.
Deep within Pangu Hall, a figure sat cross-legged, surrounded by flowing Dao rhyme, his aura as profound as the sea, as if he had merged with the entire Pangu Hall.
This person's face was ninety percent similar to Wu Ming's!
When the three of them drew closer,
the seated figure opened his eyes, looked at Wu Ming, and nodded, "Fellow Daoist, you've worked hard."
Wu Ming bowed slightly to the figure, "Fellow Daoist, we are one, why be so formal?"
That figure was precisely Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming nodded, his gaze turning to Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, a gentle smile appearing on his face, "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun, I trust you have been well."
Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun looked at the two almost identical people before them, their minds instantly short-circuiting.
What… what was going on?
Twins?
No!
The Wu Race were formed from Pangu's essence blood, how could there be twins?
This person… and Fellow Daoist Wu Ming… were practically carved from the same mold!
Moreover, this person's aura was far more terrifying than Fellow Daoist Wu Ming's! Unfathomable!
Hongyun, being the most direct, couldn't hold back the question in his heart and blurted out, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, you and this… Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming…"
He pointed to Wu Ming, then to the seated figure, a look of confusion on his face.
Wu Ming was about to explain, but Zhou Ming raised a hand to stop him.
"Let me speak."
"I believe both Fellow Daoists already have some guesses in your hearts."
He paused, then directly revealed the answer.
"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming is a Clone formed from a portion of my Primordial Spirit, combined with my own essence blood."
"I am Wu Ming."
"Wu Ming is also me."
"We are originally one."
As his words fell, Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun exchanged glances, both seeing unconcealed shock in each other's eyes!
So it was true!
Although they had a premonition, hearing this fact firsthand was still too impactful!
Fellow Daoist Wu Ming was actually just a Clone of this Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming!
Then what level of cultivation must this Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming's true body possess?
Zhenyuanzi quickly calmed down. He looked at Zhou Ming and asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Wu Ming… no, Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming, this matter is of great importance, and it must be a secret of the Wu Race."
"Why are you telling us today?"
Zhou Ming said frankly, "Telling you two about this naturally means I trust you two Fellow Daoists."
"Besides, there's no need to continue hiding it now."
"In the past, when my Wu Race had just been born, and my twelve younger siblings and I all needed to cultivate in seclusion to stabilize our cultivation and digest Father God's Legacy."
"But the newborn Wu Race could not be left unattended."
"So I cut off a part of my Primordial Spirit, combined it with my essence blood, and created Fellow Daoist Wu Ming, allowing him to handle the affairs of the Wu Race and travel the Primordial Land."
"Later, Hongjun Dao Ancestor attained the Dao and began preaching the Great Dao in Zixiao Palace."
"At that time, my existence was not suitable to be exposed, so Fellow Daoist Wu Ming continued to act on my behalf, listening to the Dao and forming connections."
"Now, the three lectures in Zixiao Palace have concluded, the various powerful beings in the Honghuang World have advanced in cultivation, Quasi-Saints are frequently appearing, and the positions of Saints have also been decided."
"The Dao Ancestor is also about to merge with the Dao, further retreating behind the Heavenly Dao."
"At this time, my appearance in the Honghuang World is harmless."
Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun listened, their minds shaken.
Although they didn't fully understand why Zhou Ming couldn't appear before and why he could appear after the Dao Ancestor merged with the Dao, they wisely did not press for answers.
Zhenyuanzi looked at Zhou Ming, feeling the unfathomable aura of the other party, and suddenly understood.
No wonder Fellow Daoist Wu Ming always remained so calm, even somewhat… disdainful, when facing Dijun and Taiyi of the Yao Race?
It turned out that his true body, this Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming, had reached such a terrifying level of strength!
Zhenyuanzi considered himself a top-tier powerful being in the Honghuang World, holding the Earth Book, almost Innate undefeated when standing on the Primordial Land.
But in front of Zhou Ming, he felt an indescribable pressure.
Aside from Hongjun Dao Ancestor, who sat high in Zixiao Palace, there was probably no stronger existence in the entire Honghuang World than this Fellow Daoist Zhou Ming!
Zhenyuanzi collected himself and bowed to Zhou Ming, "So that's how it is. May I ask why Fellow Daoist summoned us two here today?"
"With Fellow Daoist's strength, there should be few things in the current Honghuang World that could trouble Fellow Daoist, right?"
Zhou Ming exchanged a glance with Wu Ming beside him, and Wu Ming nodded slightly.
Only then did Zhou Ming look at Zhenyuanzi and directly said, "I do indeed have one matter for which I would like Fellow Daoist's help."
"I would like to borrow Fellow Daoist's Earth Book for a while, if that is permissible?"
Borrow the Earth Book?
Upon hearing this, Zhenyuanzi's heart stirred.
The Earth Book was formed from the primordial membrane of the Primordial Land, possessing unparalleled defense and the ability to connect with the Primordial Land's ley lines, with infinite wondrous uses.
What did Zhou Ming want to use the Earth Book for?
Zhenyuanzi's thoughts raced, and he instantly had a guess.
He looked at Zhou Ming and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps looking for two of the legendary Three Immortal Islands of the East Sea, Fangzhang and Yingzhou?"
"Oh?" Zhou Ming's eyes showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this. "How did Fellow Daoist know?"
Zhenyuanzi stroked his beard and said, "My Earth Book is formed from the primordial membrane of the Primordial Land, and one of its powers is to reflect the mountains, rivers, and ley lines of the Primordial Land. Many islands within the Four Seas are also within the Earth Book's manifestation range."
"If Fellow Daoist wishes to borrow the Earth Book, the matter must be related to the Primordial Land or islands."
"And among the Honghuang World, what is worth Fellow Daoist, such a great power, using the Earth Book to search for, besides the elusive Fangzhang and Yingzhou islands that occasionally appear above the East Sea, I truly cannot think of any other possibilities."
Zhou Ming nodded, "Fellow Daoist has a Wisdom Eye. I am indeed looking for these two islands."
Zhenyuanzi pondered for a moment, then continued, "Since Fellow Daoist has been frank, I might as well be direct."
"Lending the Earth Book to Fellow Daoist is certainly not an issue."
"However, Fellow Daoist should not hold too much hope."
Zhou Ming's brow slightly raised, "Oh? Why? Can the Earth Book not find Fangzhang and Yingzhou islands?"
Zhenyuanzi shook his head and said, "That is not the case. It can indeed sense the direction of those two immortal islands."
"It's just that these two islands do not truly exist within the Four Seas of the Honghuang World."
"Instead, they are attached to the Chaos Void Realm outside the Honghuang World, more like a blessed land of grotto-heavens."
"Only at specific time nodes, drawn by the Heavenly Dao's rules, will they temporarily'squeeze' into the Honghuang World and manifest above the East Sea."
"Moreover, their appearance location is not fixed each time, and the duration is extremely short, sometimes months, sometimes days, or even shorter."
"Even if the Earth Book discovers their traces, by the time Fellow Daoist rushes there from Mount Buzhou, those two immortal islands would probably have already left the Honghuang World and re-hidden in the Chaos Void Realm."
"I once had such thoughts, but after deduction, I gave up."
"Therefore, finding these two islands is extremely difficult; it can only depend on Opportunity and cannot be forced."
After listening, Zhou Ming asked, "Has Fellow Daoist never thought of waiting in the East Sea, like waiting for a rabbit by a tree stump?"
Zhenyuanzi gave a bitter smile, "I have. But, it's not worth it."
"Firstly, there is no pattern to the time and location of these two islands' appearance. They might appear only once every tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of years. If I were to wait idly in the East Sea, the time spent would be far too long, and the uncertainty too great."
"Secondly, even if I were lucky enough to wait for them to appear, no one knows what is on these two islands. If I spend endless years only to gain nothing in the end, wouldn't that be a waste of cultivation time?"
"Thirdly, and most importantly, as I just said, their appearance time is extremely short! Even if they are discovered, if one is not fast enough, or is delayed by something, one can only watch them disappear again. Rather than placing hope on such an elusive Opportunity, it is more practical to cultivate in peace at Wuzhuang Temple and comprehend the Dao."
Zhou Ming listened to Zhenyuanzi's explanation and nodded, "So that's how it is."
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for clarifying."
"But I still wish to borrow Fellow Daoist's Earth Book."
"On these two islands, there is something that is of utmost importance to my Wu Race!"
"No matter how difficult it is, I must try!"
Zhenyuanzi looked at Zhou Ming's resolute expression, and then at Wu Ming, who also had a solemn look.
That thing's importance to the Wu Race was probably beyond imagination.
"Good!" Zhenyuanzi no longer hesitated. With a flip of his hand, an ancient, heavy yellow book appeared in his palm—it was the Earth Book.
"Since Fellow Daoist is so insistent, I shall naturally assist."
He handed the Earth Book to Zhou Ming.
"This Earth Book, I lend it to Fellow Daoist for use."
Zhou Ming solemnly took the Earth Book; it felt heavy in his hand, and he could clearly sense the immense power of the Primordial Land contained within it.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!" Zhou Ming bowed deeply to Zhenyuanzi, "Fellow Daoist's help today, my entire Wu Race will remember it in our hearts!"
"In the future, there will surely be a generous reward!"
Zhenyuanzi quickly helped Zhou Ming up, "Fellow Daoist, you overstate it!"
"I have been friends with Fellow Daoist Wu Ming for many years, like brothers. Now that Fellow Daoist has a need, I am merely doing my humble best, what talk of repayment?"
"This small matter, Fellow Daoist need not take it to heart."
Zhou Ming, however, shook his head, his expression serious.
"What Fellow Daoist calls a small matter, to my Wu Race, is a great matter concerning our future."
"This friendship, my Wu Race has noted."
"In the future, there will be a repayment."
Seeing this, Zhenyuanzi said no more, only nodded.