Desiring to Open a Dojo and Debate the Dao Once More

In the mountains, there is no concept of time; when the cold passes, one loses track of the years.

Li Cha's breakthrough and the subsequent seclusion to stabilize his cultivation consumed nearly a thousand years. Just as he fully solidified his Late Da Luo realm, his Dao aura becoming flawless and harmonious, and his Spiritual Sense slowly awakened from deep meditation, Mo Ran, within the Chaos Pearl, reached its own critical moment.

Mo Ran's ink-jade-like Qilin Armor shone with brilliant radiance, and its auspicious aura transformed into tangible, swirling clouds. It let out a low roar, struggling to break through the final barrier. Benefiting from the supreme Dao aura dissipated during Li Cha's breakthrough, as well as its own thousand years of arduous cultivation, the sturdy wall was finally breached by a torrential flood of spiritual power!

"BOOM!"

A tyrannical aura belonging to the Early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal erupted from within Mo Ran. The Human Flower condensing above its head slowly bloomed, finally settling at the ninth-grade level.

A ninth-grade Human Flower was already a top-tier foundation that countless cultivators in the Primordial World dreamed of, sufficient to prove Mo Ran's origin and potential. However, compared to Li Cha's shocking twelfth-grade Supreme Dao Foundation, it was still a step behind. This confirmed that an unbridgeable chasm truly existed between Innate Beings and those top-tier Innate God-Demons. Mo Ran felt no dissatisfaction with this; on the contrary, it was filled with joy. Being able to step into the Da Luo realm was a stroke of fortune it had never dared to imagine before.

Li Cha nodded slightly, acknowledging Mo Ran's breakthrough. He did not rush to end his seclusion, but instead continued to act as a guardian, allowing Mo Ran to fully stabilize its Early Da Luo realm.

Another three hundred years passed before the master and disciple finally concluded their seclusion.

When Li Cha withdrew the restrictions around him and his aura merged back into the valley, he immediately sensed that a cold and vast presence had been waiting for a long time at the valley entrance.

With a thought, his figure appeared at the entrance. He saw a woman standing quietly there. She wore a moon-white, cloud-patterned, wide-sleeved immortal dress. Her figure was graceful, and her appearance was peerlessly beautiful, as if she had gathered all the brilliance between Heaven and Earth. Starlight halos flowed around her like a dream, and her aura was as deep as the sea—she was clearly a powerful expert at the Mid-Stage Quasi-Saint realm!

Seeing Li Cha appear, the woman's eyes flickered with curiosity and inquiry. She did not show the slightest bit of arrogance despite Li Cha's cultivation being lower than hers; instead, she took the initiative to perform an obeisance, her voice as crisp as the clashing of jade:

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist. I am Wang Shu. Seeing that the formations here are exceptionally profound, I have felt drawn to them, yet after sitting in meditation for a thousand years, I have failed to find a way in. Seeing you enter a millennium ago, I have taken the liberty to ask for guidance. Would you be willing to enlighten me?"

Wang Shu! The Mother of Stars, the Moonlight Goddess, and the original creator of the future Demon Race's guardian formation—the Grand Formation of the Stars! Li Cha felt a slight chill in his heart; he had not expected to attract this top-tier female immortal of the Primordial World. Not daring to be presumptuous, he quickly returned the gesture with a warm smile:

"So it is Fairy Wang Shu who has graced me with her presence. I am Li Cha, known as Yun Hua the Hermit, and this is my Daoist temple. It is my honor that you have come. I would not dare to speak of 'enlightenment,' but perhaps we could discuss the Dao. Please, come inside to talk."

As Li Cha had broken through to the Late Da Luo realm, his understanding of the "Qiankun Seal and Sever Formation" that had formed because of him had deepened. Although he could not fully control it yet, he could use his unique connection to the formation to briefly open a safe passage. He gestured, and the light curtain of the formation rippled open like water to form a gateway.

Surprise deepened in Wang Shu's eyes as she stepped inside with poise.

Having been modified by Li Cha, the valley now possessed the appearance of an immortal temple and a Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land. It was just that the time had been short, and the renovations were not yet complete, making it appear slightly humble.

Li Cha led Wang Shu to a newly fashioned stone platform, and the two sat down opposite each other.

Wang Shu had a cold and direct temperament. No sooner had she sat down than she spoke again, her beautiful eyes flashing with a thirst for the mysteries of the formation: "Might you tell me, Fellow Daoist, what is the name of this formation? And what profound powers does it possess?"

Li Cha was not in a hurry. He smiled slightly and swept his sleeve across the stone platform. In an instant, the dark-gold Sacred Spirit Table appeared, followed by the Five Elements Furnace and the Shouyang Pot. As he skillfully drew fire, poured water, and prepared tea, he said calmly, "Fairy Wang Shu, there is no need to be impatient. We can discuss the formation later. This is but a minor skill of mine, known as 'Tea Dao.' I invite you to sample it first."

His movements were like flowing water. They appeared simple, yet every step secretly aligned with the principles of the operation of Heaven and Earth, the rise and fall of Yin and Yang, and were filled with an indescribable, natural Dao aura. Wang Shu was a master of formations and was most sensitive to the flow of energy. At this moment, she was actually captivated by this peculiar "ritual." She forgot to press him about the formation, her gaze involuntarily following Li Cha's movements.

When a cup of Enlightenment Tea, with its clear, bright liquor and lingering fragrance, was held by Li Cha's spiritual power and delivered before her, she took it subconsciously. She took a light sip. The tea was slightly bitter and astringent at first, but it immediately transformed into an indescribable freshness and mellowness. A cool energy rushed straight to her Purple Mansion, and her mind instantly became clear! The obscure and difficult parts she had encountered when studying formations in the past suddenly became clear, and she found new lines of thought!

"Fellow Daoist, what is this?" Wang Shu looked at the tea leaves floating in the cup in surprise, feeling the activity and growth of the Dao aura within her body. Her cold face could not hide her shock. This item actually had the miraculous effect of helping one comprehend the Dao and calming the heart and spirit; it was truly a treasure the likes of which she had never seen in her life.

"This is Enlightenment Tea, and it is also the foundation of my own path to the Dao," Li Cha explained with a smile. "Fairy, now that you have finished this tea, do you have any new insights regarding the Dao of formations?"

As he spoke, he heard the sound of swallowing. Glancing over, he saw Shi Qing, Mo Ran, and the Dragon Eel drooling onto the ground as they smelled the tea. He waved his hand to bestow three cups of tea upon them, and the three fellows each found a corner to hold their tea and savor it slowly.

Wang Shu savored the experience carefully. A moment later, her bright eyes lit up. "Enlightenment Tea... it truly lives up to its name! I have indeed gained some insights. Observing this great formation, the atmosphere is stern and rigorous, connecting Heaven and Earth. It must possess the supreme power to seal the heavens, sever the earth, and isolate all Spiritual Energy. However... I see that this place is already your dojo, Fellow Daoist. I wonder why such a formation would be set up here?" Her inner confusion grew even deeper. What exactly was being sealed by such a powerful sealing formation? And how could Li Cha have become the master of this place?

Li Cha laughed heartily upon hearing this, his expression calm and frank, hiding nothing at all. "Fairy, your eyes are like torches; this formation does indeed have the power to seal the heavens and sever the earth. However, you should know that what this formation seals is not some other object, but yours truly."

"What?!" Even with Wang Shu's exceptionally high level of mental cultivation, she could not help but gasp, her beautiful eyes widening. "Then that Form Transformation Tribulation from before, which triggered the World-Destroying Divine Thunder..."

"That was indeed my Form Transformation Tribulation." Li Cha's tone was indifferent, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter unrelated to himself.

"My heavens... the Heavenly Dao..." Wang Shu spoke subconsciously, her words filled with disbelief.

"Fairy Wang Shu, watch your words." Li Cha's expression turned solemn as he interrupted her. "It is fine for me to speak of these things, but if you do not wish to be targeted by the Heavenly Dao, it is better to say less." Li Cha was protected by Great Dao Merit; even if the Heavenly Dao targeted him, it would not dare to strike a fatal blow. Wang Shu, however, possessed no such Great Dao Merit.

Wang Shu felt a chill in her heart and immediately understood. The gaze she cast toward Li Cha was now filled with curiosity and inquiry. To be personally sealed by the Heavenly Dao with such a great formation, and to trigger the World-Destroying Divine Thunder during his form transformation... the background and experiences of this Yun Hua the Hermit, who appeared to be only at the Late Da Luo stage, were simply shocking! To dare to challenge the Heavenly Dao and still remain unscathed—it was truly inconceivable!

"It was my slip of the tongue. Many thanks for the reminder, Fellow Daoist," Wang Shu said with solemn gratitude.

Following this, the conversation between the two shifted to the Qiankun Seal and Sever Formation. Li Cha did not hold back, explaining his understanding of the formation to Wang Shu in simple terms. Wang Shu was already a master of formations, and she listened with rapt attention, occasionally offering her own insights and questions. As they verified their ideas against one another, they found themselves becoming increasingly compatible.

Once the discussion on formations concluded, it naturally transitioned into a discourse on the Dao.

Wang Shu expounded upon her Star Dao. With a wave of her hand, the void shimmered with brilliance. The Grand Celestial Stars seemed to be within reach; the rotation of the stars, the alternation of light and darkness, the manipulation of star power, and other profound mysteries were described eloquently. It was deep and esoteric, giving Li Cha a more fundamental understanding of the Grand Celestial Stars, and he benefited immensely.

When it was Li Cha's turn to speak of his Tea Dao, it left Wang Shu feeling a shock she had never experienced before. She had never known that there could be a Dao between Heaven and Earth that was so inclusive and gentle, yet pointed directly to the origin. With a cup of Pure Tea, he expounded on the principles of the mutual generation and restraint of all things, the balancing of Yin and Yang, the way to clear the mind and see the true nature, and even the philosophy of educating all living beings. This Tea Dao appeared to be non-contending, yet its structure was grand, faintly possessing the spirit to stand against the cold, mechanical rules of the Heavenly Dao! The gains she made from this discourse far exceeded her expectations.

By this time, Shi Qing, Mo Ran, and the Dragon Eel had long since been drawn in by the sound of the Dao. They had quietly gathered around, listening intently to the two great beings, completely enthralled and each gaining their own benefits.

As the discourse ended, the lingering echoes of the Dao resonated within the valley. Wang Shu felt her mind and spirit filled to the brim, her cultivation faintly showing signs of progress, and she felt even more grateful toward Li Cha. With a flip of her slender hand, she produced several dozen crystals that shimmered with brilliant starlight, each containing pure star power.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I have benefited greatly from this discourse, and I have no way to repay you. These are Star Crystals, condensed from the core of stars. They are not rare to me, but they are of great help for setting up formations and refining star-attribute spiritual treasures. I hope you will accept them as a small token of my gratitude."

Li Cha saw that the quality of these crystals was extremely high—they were indeed excellent materials for setting up formations and might be of great use in the future—so he did not decline. He accepted them with a smile. "In that case, I shall not be overly modest. Many thanks for your generous gift, Fairy."

He glanced at the valley, which was still undergoing renovations, and said to Wang Shu, "Fairy, I still need some time to manage this dojo, so I will not keep you any longer."

Wang Shu understood the situation and rose to take her leave. "It is no matter; please proceed as you wish, Fellow Daoist. I also need to return and properly digest what I have gained today. I look forward to the day when we may meet again to taste tea and discuss the Dao."

Li Cha saw her to the entrance of the valley. The two exchanged an obeisance, and Wang Shu transformed into a cold, clear ray of moonlight, vanishing into the horizon.