The Tea Dao Emerges

The Heavenly Dao Sealing Grand Array was profound and obscure. In the eyes of all beings in the Primordial Wilderness, it was an impassable abyss, the embodiment of rules themselves, with no possibility of being forcibly breached. Yet to Li Cha, this barrier that had imprisoned him for several Yuanhuis held little mystery. With supreme comprehension comparable to the Heavenly Dao's—and even surpassing it on the path of enlightenment—he had long since grasped the array's core secrets through occasional deductions over his long years of cultivation.

This array had been formed from the rules of the Heavenly Dao. Its core lay in "identification" and "rejection." It identified all beings possessing spiritual power who attempted to pass through using divine abilities or spells, then forcibly blocked them or triggered a backlash. To leave without a sound, the key was not to "break the array," but to "deceive" it.

He needed to conceal his heavenly secrets until they were imperceptible, as though he had temporarily vanished from the Primordial Wilderness's "sight." At the same time, he had to completely seal and hide his vast cultivation and spiritual power fluctuations, returning to simplicity and appearing like ordinary grass or trees. With both conditions met, he could find a tiny gap of "ordinariness" within this web of rules aimed at the "extraordinary" and quietly pass through.

This might have been as difficult as ascending to heaven for others, but for Li Cha, who possessed the Chaos Pearl and had mastered the Way of Sealing, it was no difficult task.

With a thought, the Chaos Pearl above his head began to spin, releasing countless streams of Chaos Qi that concealed his aura, karma, and heavenly secrets until he became as insignificant as dust in the perception of the Primordial Wilderness's Heavenly Dao. At the same time, he circulated his cultivation technique and drew all the vast spiritual power of his Early Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal cultivation into the Chaos Pearl, like a great whale drawing in water, storing it there for the moment. In an instant, not a trace of spiritual power fluctuated around him. He looked no different from an ordinary mortal who had never cultivated.

Once he was ready, Li Cha took a deep breath and stepped toward the invisible sealing barrier. His foot passed through without meeting any resistance, as if he had merely crossed a curtain of cool water. The next moment, he was already outside the valley.

The long-lost scent of freedom rushed toward him. Although the air was thick with blood and fiend qi, that feeling of freedom still refreshed his spirit. He looked back at the valley still shrouded in invisible power, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. With a flicker, he appeared in the forest, his aura perfectly blending into the surrounding environment as he slipped toward regions far from Buzhou Mountain's main battlefield.

Not long after he left, the Heavenly Dao Eye silently appeared above the valley once more. It coldly observed the seal below. The power of rules swept over it and confirmed that the seal was completely intact, while the aura of the "Enlightenment Tea Tree" within remained present—it was an illusion Li Cha had created with the Chaos Pearl. Finding nothing unusual, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment slowly faded away with a trace of barely perceptible doubt.

Immediately afterward, several incomparably powerful strands of Spiritual Sense swept through the area in succession. Some were filled with immortal qi, some with dense Demonic Energy, and some were sharp and domineering... They were all great powers of the Primordial Wilderness who had come to investigate after sensing the earlier disturbance from the Eye of Heavenly Punishment. Yet under the Chaos Pearl's flawless concealment and Li Cha's superb hiding techniques, no one noticed that the "prisoner" had already shed his shell and departed freely.

Li Cha concealed himself as he moved through the fiend qi-filled forest. Everywhere he looked were shattered cliffs, ruined walls, scorched earth, and withered bones. Corpses from the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes lay scattered everywhere. Small skirmishes occasionally erupted, with roars and the thunder of spells ringing without end. He looked up at the sky, stained red by blood and resentment, and calculated inwardly. Judging by the density of this fiend qi and the energy fluctuations from the three tribes' core battlefield, in a few thousand years at most, this farce sweeping across the Primordial Wilderness will reach its end.

He had no intention of intervening. Under a Tribulation of Calamity, karma became entangled; if he rashly involved himself, even he might not be able to protect himself. What he wanted most right now was to fulfill the obsession he had accumulated for several Kalpas—brewing a cup of tea! A cup brewed from the Primordial First Tea he had treasured: Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea!

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

To perfectly brew Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea, ordinary utensils would simply be a waste of heaven's gifts. Li Cha had long since made his plans. He needed to use the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth as the foundation to refine a set of exclusive tea utensils, corresponding to the five virtues of tea—purity, respect, joy, truth, and harmony. Only then would he not disappoint the finest tea in the Primordial World.

Tea Table: This would be the vessel of support, belonging to the virtue of wood. He planned to cut off a branch from his own true body, the Innate Enlightenment Tea Tree, and personally carve it into a table. He would inscribe upon it the original Dao diagram of the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea Tree. Using such a table to support a tea ceremony would complement it perfectly and would not disgrace the tea.

Teapot: This would be the vessel for containing and brewing tea, belonging to the virtue of metal and governing "change" and "bearing." He planned to travel to Shouyang Mountain and use Shouyang Mountain copper, born from the source of Innate Golden Qi, to forge it. Only then could it withstand the impact of the Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea's Dao rhythm.

Tea Furnace: This would be the vessel for making fire, belonging to the virtue of fire, and it needed to be stable and pure. The best material was naturally the Five-Colored Divine Stone that contained the merit of Mending the Heavens. But Li Cha knew that this stone bore too much karma. The few that existed all had their Predetermined Fate, and he could not force the matter. Settling for the next best thing, he planned to seek top-grade single-element Five Element strange stones and refine them together into acquired Five-Colored Divine Stones. Though their effects would fall short of the innate kind, they would barely suffice.

Tea Bowls and Tea Cups: These would be the vessels for tasting tea, belonging to the virtue of earth. They needed to be clean and warm, best able to reveal the true character of the tea broth. White porcelain would be ideal. And the best clay for firing white porcelain was none other than the soil of creation—Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. Though precious, Nuwa had yet to create humanity, so taking a small amount should not be a problem.

Water for brewing tea: This was the mother of tea, belonging to the virtue of water. Ordinary Spiritual Springs and immortal dew were unworthy of Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea. In his understanding, only Three Lights Divine Water, containing the essence of sun, moon, and stars and capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh from bone, truly suited his taste.

His goals were clear, and the materials were well defined. Li Cha was filled with motivation. For the ideal cup of tea, he was willing to travel across every mountain and river in the Primordial Wilderness. However, a practical problem stood before him. He knew only that he had emerged from the vicinity of Buzhou Mountain, but where was Shouyang Mountain? Where could he find Nine Heavens Breathing Soil? And who possessed Three Lights Divine Water? He knew almost nothing about the geography of the Primordial Wilderness.

Just as he was considering how to obtain information, his Spiritual Sense stirred. In a wrecked mountain hollow ahead, he detected a faint trace of life.

Upon approaching, he discovered a jade-black qilin. It was enormous and majestic, but it was now drenched in blood, its scales shattered. A horrifying wound that had nearly cleaved it in two leaked dim precious blood without end. Its aura was like a candle flickering in the wind; it was clearly at death's door. Judging from its remaining energy fluctuations, it possessed Early Golden Immortal cultivation and should have been an important member of the Kirin Clan.

Li Cha's heart stirred. An opportunity to ask for directions had arrived. While he was at it, he could find himself a mount familiar with the Primordial Wilderness.

He did not immediately save it. First, he carefully surveyed the surroundings with his Spiritual Sense and confirmed there were no ambushes or traps. Only then did he slowly step forward. Without using any of his treasured supplies, he casually drew over the still fairly clear Spiritual Spring water from a nearby mountain stream, used the void as a teapot, shaped spiritual power into a tea furnace, and summoned the fire of the five elements between heaven and earth to begin brewing.

The tea leaves he took out were not Primordial Chaos Spirit Tea, but Innate Enlightenment Tea produced by his own body. However, he deliberately used a unique method to temporarily suppress the immense Spiritual Energy within it that aided enlightenment, instead stimulating its healing properties of "nourishing the origin, healing Dao injuries, and soothing the soul" to their utmost limit.

Before long, the fragrance of tea filled the air. It was not that ethereal Dao rhythm that drew one into sudden enlightenment, but a warm, mellow aroma brimming with the vitality of life. A stream of emerald tea broth, wrapped in spiritual power, was slowly sent into the Ink Qilin's parched mouth.

The tea broth entered its stomach, and gentle yet vast life force instantly spread through its body like sweet rain falling over parched land. The terrifying wound on the Ink Qilin's body began to writhe and heal at a visible pace, while its drained essence, qi, and spirit were rapidly replenished. More miraculously, the tea's calming effect flowed like a clear spring through the sea of consciousness clouded by blood fiend qi, washing away and purifying its violence, hatred, and madness bit by bit.

An hour later, the Ink Qilin's heavy eyelids trembled and slowly opened. Its eyes, which might once have been filled with viciousness, now held only clarity and confusion. It struggled to stand, feeling its nearly healed injuries and unprecedentedly tranquil mind. When it looked at the green-robed Daoist before it, whose aura was peaceful and whose face bore a smile, its eyes filled with gratitude and reverence.

It clearly understood that this Daoist had saved its life. More than that, the miraculous "water" had freed it from the control of Tribulation Fiend Qi. Recalling the slaughter within its clan and the battlefield's misery, it found that it could no longer summon even the slightest desire to fight again. There was only endless exhaustion and release.

"Moo—" It let out a low cry carrying affection and submission, bent its forelegs, and respectfully lowered its massive head before Li Cha, conveying through its thoughts its wish to be taken in.

Li Cha smiled faintly. His goal had been achieved. He reached out and gently stroked the cold scales on the Ink Qilin's forehead. "Since you are willing to follow me, I shall grant you the name Mo Ran. You shall serve as my mount. One day, you may yet attain proper fruition."

Mo Ran meant stained by black jade. It suited his appearance and also contained Dao rhythm.

Upon hearing this, Mo Ran gave a delighted low roar and voluntarily shrank to several zhang in length, just the right height for riding. He gently rubbed against Li Cha's hand.

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

"Your servant obeys, Master!" Mo Ran responded through Spiritual Sense. Clouds rose beneath his four hooves. Though he no longer possessed his peak speed, the foundation of an Early Golden Immortal remained. He transformed into a streak of black light, carrying Li Cha swiftly away from this bloody land of conflict toward Shouyang Mountain. Along the way, little demons who sensed their aura saw the majestic black qilin and the unfathomable figure upon his back. Fear rose in their hearts, and they scattered aside, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

Seated upon Mo Ran's back, Li Cha watched the vast land speeding past below. His heart brimmed with anticipation for the coming journey to "seek tea utensils." His carefree travels through the Primordial Wilderness, and his path toward pursuing the ultimate Tea Dao, had officially begun.