The Western Land had become a wasteland after Luohu's self-destruction destroyed its spiritual veins and scattered its earth energy. Charred mountains lay like the corpses of enormous beasts, dried riverbeds were riddled with cracks, and the air reeked of blood and lingering Demonic Energy. Ordinary living beings simply could not survive there.
Li Cha stood at the foot of Mount Sumeru, gazing at the land that had come to such an end partly because of his indirect involvement. He felt little of a victor's joy. Instead, a heavy sense of responsibility weighed on him. Especially when he saw the "descendants" of the Spiritual Tea Trees he had planted with his own hands, now barely clinging to life under the corrosion of Demonic Energy, that feeling grew even heavier.
"Though this place was destroyed because of Luohu, I still bear a share of the karma." Li Cha sighed softly. "Let me try to fight for a sliver of survival for you."
He knew that repairing the shattered Earth Veins of the entire West would require even a saint to expend limitless effort and time. It was far beyond what a Grand Unity Golden Immortal like him could accomplish. Thus, he set his sights on the relatively less-damaged region centered around Mount Sumeru, where the greatest number of Spiritual Tea Trees were found.
He found an Earth Vein node and sat down cross-legged, taking out the Five Spirit Pearls that contained the innate origins of the five elements. The five pearls floated around him, radiating azure, yellow, red, black, and white light, corresponding to wood, earth, fire, water, and metal. Li Cha activated the Five Spirit Pearls with Great Mana, drawing out their origin powers and carefully probing into the chaotic, fragile Earth Veins beneath his feet as though wielding the finest surgical blades.
It was an exceedingly slow and tedious process. He had to use wood spirit energy to awaken the remaining vitality within the Earth Veins, earth spirit power to stabilize the broken mountains and rivers, water spirit essence to guide the earth energy into gathering and flowing once more, fire spirit might to refine the lingering Demonic Energy and baleful aura, and metal spirit sharpness to clear the clogged Earth Vein passages.
The powers of the five elements generated and supported one another. Under his exquisite control, they were like threads in a weaver maiden's hands, gradually mending this ravaged land.
Spring passed into autumn, and cold gave way to heat. Li Cha remained beneath Mount Sumeru for nearly a thousand years, sitting motionless like an old monk in meditation.
A thousand years was no more than the flicker of a finger to the Primordial Wilderness, but for this land, it brought changes visible to the naked eye.
The scorched earth was no longer absolutely lifeless. Hardy moss and lichen began to appear in scattered patches, clinging tenaciously to the rocks. Deep within the dried riverbeds, traces of moist vapor emerged. The thick, nauseating stench of blood and Demonic Energy in the air was replaced by a faint freshness belonging to soil and newly sprouted plants. Though the spiritual energy remained pitifully thin, life had at least begun to germinate in this land once more.
The Spiritual Tea Trees that Li Cha cared about most were finally able to catch their breath. Sustained by Li Cha's Wood Spirit Origin and the improved environment, most of them gradually regained their lush green color. Their growth remained slow, but they had escaped the fate of withering away.
Some tea trees, however, underwent unexpected mutations after prolonged exposure to Demonic Energy and stimulation from Li Cha's five-element power. Their leaves were no longer pure green, but dark purple or ink-green. Faint demonic patterns flowed through their veins, and the fragrance they released no longer calmed the mind and soothed the spirit. Instead, it carried a strange aura capable of stirring inner demons and helping Demonic Cultivators condense demonic essence—Demonic Tea.
Li Cha stared at these mutated tea trees. He was briefly stunned before understanding dawned on him. "The Great Dao has fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine, and one escapes. All things possess a thread of survival, and the Tea Dao does not have only the path of purity and tranquility. This Demonic Tea was born here and grew here. Perhaps it is suited to some future fortune of this Western Land."
He did not disdain them for becoming "demonic." Instead, he considered them an alternative expansion of the Tea Dao. He carefully selected several Demonic Tea Trees with the best quality and most complete mutations, transplanting them together with the soil around their roots into a designated area within the Chaos Pearl. He kept them separate from the Pure Spirit Tea Tree, intending to study them carefully in the future.
When Li Cha finally used the Five Spirit Pearls to barely clear the last major Earth Vein node and establish a faint internal circulation, he rose to his feet. The promise and karma he bore toward the West and these tea trees had finally come to an end. A feeling of freedom and completion, as though a burden had been lifted from him, arose naturally in his heart. His cultivation of the mind improved once again, becoming ever clearer and more harmonious.
At the very moment he completed his work and stood up, a patch of Mysterious Yellow merit clouds suddenly descended from the Nine Heavens! Though its scale was far inferior to World Creation Merit, it was still considerable as it fell directly toward Li Cha.
Heavenly Dao Merit!
The Heavenly Dao had recognized his contribution in repairing the Earth Veins, restoring a trace of life to the West, and benefiting the Primordial World, thus bestowing this reward.
The Golden Light of Merit shone brilliantly, containing the power of Heavenly Dao Laws. Once merged into one's body, it could instantly raise cultivation and grant insight into the Dao. It was a supreme treasure coveted in the dreams of countless cultivators.
Yet just as the Golden Light of Merit was about to enter Li Cha's body and flow into his meridians and Purple Mansion, a cold glint flashed through his eyes. His thoughts raced as he brought out the Heavenly Mechanism Umbrella!
"Collect!"
The Heavenly Mechanism Umbrella opened at his command. Its canopy spun and radiated a hazy, clear light, actively drawing in all the descending Mysterious Yellow Merit!
The moment the Heavenly Dao Merit entered the Heavenly Mechanism Umbrella, it encountered the purer and more boundless Great Dao Merit that had already existed within. Like a stream flowing into the sea, the Heavenly Dao Merit was instantly enveloped, absorbed, and assimilated by the Great Dao Merit, unable to exert any further influence on Li Cha himself.
Hmph, what a scheme! Li Cha snorted inwardly. The Heavenly Dao's act appeared to be a reward, but it concealed malicious intent. If he absorbed this Heavenly Dao Merit, he could certainly push his cultivation to the peak of Da Luo at once and perhaps even touch the threshold of Quasi-Saint. Yet in doing so, his Dao foundation would become tightly bound to the Heavenly Dao. If he wished to break free from the Heavenly Dao's framework in the future, prove the Dao through Strength, and attain the free and unfettered realm of Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal, it would become nearly impossible! It would be no different from pulling up seedlings to help them grow, cutting off his own future path!
"My Dao is the Great Dao of Tea. What I seek is my own perfection and transcendence. How could I allow your Heavenly Dao Merit to bind me?" Li Cha's gaze was unwavering. Pouring the Heavenly Dao Merit into the Heavenly Mechanism Umbrella both strengthened this Houtian Great Dao Merit Spiritual Treasure and completely prevented the Heavenly Dao's scheme. It killed two birds with one stone.
After dealing with the merit, Li Cha cast one final look at the Spiritual Tea Trees swaying gently in the breeze, now adapted to their new environment, and silently bid them farewell. Matters here were settled. It was time to return to his Yun Hua Grotto-Heaven.
He lingered no longer, transforming into a streak of azure light and fleeing toward Buzhou Mountain.
Not long after Li Cha departed, two auras that had been suppressed for countless years finally stopped concealing themselves within a hidden Earth Vein space somewhere on Mount Sumeru!
"Boom!" "Boom!"
Two vast pressures surged into the sky, stirring changes in the heavens! Two Transformation Tribulation Clouds spanning thousands of miles instantly gathered above Mount Sumeru! Yet although these two tribulation clouds appeared immensely imposing, the lightning tribulation power within them was far weaker than the Form Transformation Tribulation of ordinary great beings. Their colors were dim, their lightning scattered, as though they were merely going through the motions.
The Heavenly Dao owed the West! Because of Luohu, the Western Land's Earth Veins had been destroyed and its living beings devastated. These two sacred beings had been born carrying the remaining fortune of the West, and even when the Heavenly Dao sent down their tribulations, it unconsciously showed them leniency, almost perfunctorily.
The tribulation lightning descended, and it truly was like a mere itch. One figure wielded the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, sweeping out seven-colored treasure light and easily dispersing the lightning tribulation. The other held the Purple Gold Alms Bowl aloft, its opening releasing a suction force that swallowed all the tribulation lightning's power.
With barely any effort, the two figures safely passed the Transformation Heavenly Tribulation.
The tribulation clouds dispersed, and the radiance faded, revealing the forms of two Daoists.
One was tall and gaunt, his face filled with sorrow as though he carried all the suffering in the world. He wore a golden-threaded Kesa and held a Purple Gold Alms Bowl. He was already at the middle stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation. He was none other than Daoist Jieyin.
The other was somewhat plump, with a smooth bald head and a face bearing steadfastness amid suffering. He wore a brocade Kesa and held the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree. His aura was harmonious, and his cultivation had likewise reached the middle stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal. He was none other than Daoist Zhunti.
The two Daoists exchanged glances, their eyes sweeping over the Western Land, still barren but now carrying a trace of life. Determination and great aspirations appeared in both their eyes.
"Senior Brother, the West is barren, and all living beings suffer. Since we were born here, we should make great vows to revive the West and save all living beings!" Zhunti's voice carried a strangely infectious power.
Jieyin's expression grew even more sorrowful, yet he nodded heavily. "Junior Brother speaks truly. The Dao path is long. We must work together with one heart, and even if we die a hundred times, we shall not regret it!"
From this day onward, the two future leaders of the Western Teachings officially stepped onto the stage of the Primordial Wilderness.
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