Tea Dao Appears

The Heavenly Dao Sealing Grand Array, profound and obscure, appeared to the beings of the Primordial World as an insurmountable chasm, the very embodiment of the rules themselves, with no possibility of forceful breakthrough. Yet, to Li Cha, this barrier that had imprisoned him for several kalpas held little mystery. Relying on his supreme comprehension, which rivaled the Heavenly Dao and even surpassed it on the path of "Dao Enlightenment," he had long since, during his endless years of cultivation, deduced the core secrets of the array with only occasional, diverted attention.

This array was formed from the rules of the Heavenly Dao, its core lying in "recognition" and "rejection." It recognized all beings with spiritual power who attempted to pass through using divine abilities or spells, forcibly blocking them or triggering backlash. To leave silently and unnoticed, the key was not to "break the array," but to "deceive."

He needed to conceal his own heavenly fate to an imperceptible degree, as if temporarily vanishing from the "sight" of the Primordial World. At the same time, he had to completely seal and hide his vast cultivation and spiritual power fluctuations, returning to a state of simplicity, like an ordinary mortal or plant. With both conditions met, he could find that sliver of "ordinariness" within this net of rules targeting the "extraordinary," and slip through silently.

This might be as difficult as ascending to heaven for others, but for Li Cha, who possessed the Chaos Pearl and had already mastered the Way of Sealing, it was no trouble at all.

With a thought, the Chaos Pearl atop his head spun, cascading down countless strands of Primordial Chaos Qi, completely obscuring his aura, karma, and heavenly fate until they became as insignificant as dust in the perception of the Primordial World's Heavenly Dao. At the same time, he activated his technique, drawing all the vast spiritual power of his early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation, like a whale swallowing water, into the Chaos Pearl for temporary storage. In moments, not a trace of spiritual power fluctuation remained on him, making him appear no different from an ordinary mortal who had never cultivated.

Preparations complete, Li Cha took a deep breath and stepped toward the invisible sealing barrier. His foot landed without any obstruction, as if he were merely passing through a slightly cool curtain of water, and his form appeared outside the valley.

The long-lost feeling of freedom rushed toward him. Though the air was thick with blood and fiendish energy, that sense of liberty still refreshed his spirit. He glanced back at the valley still shrouded by the invisible force, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth. With a flicker of his form, he appeared within the forest, his aura perfectly merging with the surroundings, and he stealthily moved away from the main battlefield near Buzhou Mountain.

Not long after he left, above the valley, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment silently materialized once more. It coldly observed the seal below, its rule-force sweeping over to confirm the seal was intact and that the aura of the "Enlightenment Tea Tree" within still existed—an illusion Li Cha had created with the Chaos Pearl—finding nothing amiss. After a moment, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment, with a faint trace of barely perceptible doubt, slowly faded away.

Soon after, several immensely powerful divine senses swept across the area—some brimming with immortal energy, others thick with demonic energy, some sharp and domineering—all drawn by the earlier disturbance of the Eye of Heavenly Punishment to investigate. Yet, under the perfect concealment of the Chaos Pearl and Li Cha's own superb stealth techniques, no one detected that the "prisoner" had already slipped away, free and unbound.

Li Cha concealed his form, moving through the fiendish energy-laden forest. His eyes fell upon scenes of ruin: broken walls, scorched earth, bleached bones, and the corpses of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes scattered everywhere. Occasionally, small skirmishes erupted, with roars and the thunder of spells filling the air. He looked up at the sky, stained red with blood and resentment, and calculated in his mind: "Judging by the concentration of this fiendish energy and the energy fluctuations from the core battlefield of the three tribes, this farce sweeping the Primordial World will likely reach its end in a few thousand years."

He had no intention of interfering. Under the Tribulation, karma was tangled, and rash involvement would be difficult to escape unscathed, even for him. What he most wanted to do now, an obsession he had nurtured for several kalpas, was to brew a cup of tea! A cup made from his treasured, the number one tea of the Primordial World—the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea!

For a tea fanatic, being unable to perfectly brew the finest tea leaves was more agonizing than death itself.

To perfectly brew this Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea, ordinary utensils would be a desecration. Li Cha had long planned in his heart: he needed to forge a set of tea tools based on the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, subtly aligning with the five virtues of tea—"Purity, Respect, Joy, Truth, and Harmony"—only then could he do justice to the number one tea of the Primordial World.

Tea Table: This was the vessel of support, belonging to the Wood virtue. He planned to cut a branch from his own main body (the Innate Enlightenment Tea Tree), carve it into a table by hand, and engrave upon it the original Dao diagram of the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea Tree. Using this table to host the tea ceremony would be fitting and not an insult.

Teapot: This was the vessel of containment and brewing, belonging to the Metal virtue, governing "transformation" and "bearing." He planned to go to Shouyang Mountain to take the copper from the source of Innate Golden Qi to forge it, so it could withstand the Dao resonance impact of the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea.

Tea Furnace: This was the vessel for making fire, belonging to the Fire virtue, requiring stability and purity. The best material would naturally be the Five-Colored Divine Stone, imbued with the merit of Mending the Heavens. But Li Cha knew this stone carried too much karma; its limited quantity was predetermined, and forcing it was impossible. As a fallback, he planned to find top-grade single-element Five Elements divine stones and refine them into a Postcelestial Five-Colored Divine Stone. Though its effect would be inferior to the innate version, it would barely suffice.

Tea Bowls and Tea Cups: These were the vessels for drinking, belonging to the Earth virtue, requiring cleanliness and warmth, best showcasing the true color of the tea liquor. White porcelain was ideal. And the best clay for firing white porcelain was the creation earth—Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. Though precious, since Nuwa had not yet created humanity, taking a small amount should be fine.

Water for Brewing: This was the mother of tea, belonging to the Water virtue. Ordinary spiritual springs or immortal dews were unworthy of the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea. In his knowledge, only the Three Lights Divine Water, containing the essence of the sun, moon, and stars, capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh, suited his taste.

Goals clear, materials identified. Li Cha was now full of motivation. For this ideal cup of tea, he was willing to traverse the thousand mountains and ten thousand waters of the Primordial World. However, a practical problem lay before him: though he knew he had come out from near Buzhou Mountain, where was Shouyang Mountain? Where could he find the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil? And who held the Three Lights Divine Water? He was almost completely ignorant of the Primordial World's geography.

Just as he was pondering how to obtain information, his spiritual sense stirred, detecting a faint trace of life in a messy mountain hollow ahead.

Drawing closer, he saw an ink-jade-colored Qilin. It was massive and divinely spirited, but now covered in blood, its scales shattered, a terrifying wound nearly cutting it in half, oozing dim, precious blood. Its aura was like a candle in the wind, clearly at death's door. From its residual energy fluctuations, it had the cultivation of an early Golden Immortal, likely an important member of the Qilin Clan.

Li Cha's heart stirred. An opportunity to ask for directions had arrived. And incidentally, he could find himself a mount familiar with the Primordial World.

He did not immediately rescue it. First, he carefully scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense, confirming there were no ambushes or traps. Then he stepped forward slowly. Instead of using his own treasured resources, he casually drew some relatively clear spiritual spring water from a nearby mountain stream, used the void as a teapot, shaped spiritual power into a furnace, and summoned the five-element fire between heaven and earth to begin brewing.

The tea leaves he took out were not the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea, but the Innate Enlightenment Tea produced from his own main body. However, he deliberately used a unique technique to temporarily suppress its vast spiritual energy that aided enlightenment, instead stimulating to the extreme its healing properties of "nourishing the origin, healing Dao wounds, and calming the soul."

In moments, the fragrance of tea spread—not the ethereal Dao resonance that induced enlightenment, but a warm, mellow, life-filled aroma. A wisp of emerald-green tea liquor, wrapped in spiritual power, was gently sent into the parched mouth of the Ink Qilin.

As the tea liquor entered its belly, a gentle yet vast vitality instantly dissolved, like sweet rain falling on parched earth. The terrifying wound on the Ink Qilin began to writhe and heal at a visible rate, its lost essence, energy, and spirit rapidly replenished. Even more miraculous, the tea's calming and mind-settling effect flowed like a clear spring through its blood-fiend-obscured sea of consciousness, washing away the violence, hatred, and madness within, purifying it bit by bit.

An hour later, the Ink Qilin's heavy eyelids trembled and slowly opened. Its eyes, which might have been filled with malice, were now clear and bewildered. It struggled to its feet, feeling its nearly healed injuries and an unprecedented peace of mind. When it looked at the calm, smiling green-robed Daoist before it, its eyes were filled with gratitude and reverence.

It clearly understood that this Daoist had saved its life, and more than that, that miraculous "water" had freed it from the control of the Tribulation Fiend Qi. Recalling the slaughter among its clan and the carnage on the battlefield, it felt no desire to fight again, only endless fatigue and detachment.

"Moo—" It let out a low, affectionate, and submissive cry, bending its front knees and lowering its massive head respectfully before Li Cha, conveying through thought its plea to be taken in.

Li Cha smiled slightly. His goal was achieved. He reached out and gently stroked the cold scales on the Ink Qilin's forehead, saying, "Since you wish to follow, I shall name you 'Mo Ran,' to serve as my mount. In time, you may yet attain a true fruit."

Mo Ran, meaning "dyed by ink jade," suited its form and carried a hint of Dao resonance.

Hearing this, Mo Ran let out a joyful low roar, actively shrinking its form to a few zhang in length, just the right height for riding, and nuzzled Li Cha's hand docilely.

Li Cha gracefully stepped onto Mo Ran's broad back, sat cross-legged, and instructed, "Rise, and take me to Shouyang Mountain."

"As you command, Master!" Mo Ran responded through thought, clouds forming beneath its four hooves. Though not at its peak speed, its early Golden Immortal foundation remained, and it transformed into a streak of ink-colored light, carrying Li Cha swiftly away from this bloody land of strife, heading toward Shouyang Mountain. Along the way, minor demons sensing its aura, seeing the majestic ink Qilin and the unfathomable figure on its back, all trembled with fear and gave way, daring no offense.

Li Cha sat on Mo Ran's back, his gaze sweeping over the vast, rapidly passing land below. His heart was filled with anticipation for the upcoming journey to "seek tea tools." His carefree journey through the Primordial World and his pursuit of the ultimate Tea Dao had officially begun.