Brewing Tea and Discussing the Dao

With Mo Ran, a Golden Core Qilin familiar with the Primordial World's terrain, as his mount, Li Cha saved himself much trouble in navigating. Traveling like wind and lightning, avoiding the core battlefields thick with Sha Qi, he reached his destination—Shouyang Mountain—in less than a year.

The mountain stood majestic and imposing, not as sky-piercing as Buzhou Mountain, yet it possessed a dense, heavy Innate Dao Charm. The Pure Yang Golden Qi within it was especially abundant. At this time, the Human Dao had not yet manifested; as the raw material for the future human race's sacred artifact, the Kongtong Seal, Shouyang Copper should have been hidden deep within the earth veins, unseen by the world. However, at the tail end of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, the heavenly mechanism was chaotic, all things obscured, and the operation of heaven and earth's rules had developed a barely perceptible crack.

Li Cha knew the opportunity was fleeting. He ordered Mo Ran to guard outside the mountain while he himself quietly infiltrated an underground location where spiritual energy converged. With a thought, the Chaos Pearl emerged from his Primordial Spirit, hovering above his head, disrupting and shielding his aura and the heavenly mechanism within a hundred li radius, ensuring no one could deduce what was happening here.

Then, taking a deep breath, he sank his Spiritual Sense into the deepest part of his soul and carefully stirred that power which had lain dormant since his transmigration, a force incompatible with this Primordial World yet brimming with infinite potential—the Human Dao Spiritual Light from another world! This was not the acquired human race's fortune of this realm, but an Innate Conceptual Prototype of "civilization," "wisdom," and "self-improvement."

"Hum!"

A faint yet supremely high-level strange fluctuation flickered from Li Cha's body, lasting less than a breath before he forcibly sealed it with the Chaos Pearl's power and withdrew it into his soul. In that fleeting instant, it seemed to touch some hidden opportunity in the unseen!

"Boom..."

The entire Shouyang Mountain trembled slightly. Deep within the mountain's belly, a massive, mountain-sized block of Innate Copper Mother, entirely red-gold with natural Dao patterns, resonated with a low hum. A spark of spirituality at its core, stirred by the Human Dao's power, actively peeled off a fist-sized lump of Shouyang Divine Copper, turning into a golden light that broke through the rock layers and flew straight to Li Cha's location!

Li Cha's eyes were quick and his hands faster. He reached out and caught the divine copper, which was warm to the touch yet incredibly heavy, radiating pure Innate Golden Qi. He dared not take more, knowing that too much would be counterproductive. Obtaining this fist-sized piece was already a stroke of immense luck, enough to refine the teapot he envisioned.

Having obtained the Shouyang Divine Copper, Li Cha lingered not a moment. With a flicker, he returned to the surface. To avoid interruptions during the refining process and to prevent the birth of a spirit treasure from attracting unwanted trouble, he directly took the curious Mo Ran and together they entered the Chaos Pearl.

Inside the pearl's world, chaotic energy filled the air, earth, fire, water, and wind were unsettled, and the rules of time and space were unique—an ideal place for refining artifacts. Li Cha used his Great Mana to carve out a pure space, took out the Shouyang Divine Copper, and, drawing on his profound understanding of the Five Elements' generation and restraint, supplemented by various spiritual materials derived from the Chaos Pearl, began the meticulous refining process.

He wasn't just refining a tool; he was inscribing his understanding of the "Tea Dao," his insights into "containment," "transformation," and "harmony," into this vessel. Fire was born from the void—not ordinary flame, but Five Elements True Fire ignited by his own Dao charm. It slowly calcined, shaped, and engraved Dao patterns... The process took a long time; within the Chaos Pearl, time was imperceptible, but outside, forty-nine years had passed.

When the final Dao pattern, embodying "purity," "sweetness," and "mellow harmony," was struck into the pot's body, the entire teapot suddenly erupted with a brilliant yet not dazzling red-gold light. The pot hummed, Dao charm flowed, and faint sounds of dragon and phoenix echoed from the spout. The light faded, revealing a teapot of simple, elegant design, smooth and natural lines, with faint images of mountains, rivers, plants, and the shadow of a Chaos Tea Tree suspended in the air—a Postnatal Supreme Spirit Treasure, the Shouyang Pot!

Though refined postnatally, due to its material being Innate Divine Copper and infused with Li Cha's Dao insights and Five Elements True Fire tempering, its quality had reached the level of a supreme spirit treasure. Moreover, because it was born specifically for the Tea Dao, it surpassed many Innate Spirit Treasures in brewing spiritual tea and nurturing tea charm.

Holding the Shouyang Pot, warm and smooth as jade, Li Cha felt an uncontrollable surge of excitement. He finally had the first vessel worthy of the supreme Tea Dao in his heart! Eager to try it out, he turned and left the Chaos Pearl, returning with Mo Ran to the outside of Shouyang Mountain.

Finding a secluded valley, he set up a simple concealment formation. Li Cha drew mountain spring water into the Shouyang Pot and heated it again with the void-fire technique. This time, he took out his own produced Innate Enlightenment Tea.

As the tea leaves fell into the pot, stimulated by the Shouyang Pot's Pure Yang Golden Qi and unique Dao charm, extraordinary phenomena unfolded. The pot's mouth emitted a dense mist that turned into streaks of radiant light, faintly revealing Great Dao Runes appearing and disappearing within. An elegant yet profound tea fragrance spread, clearing the mind and smoothing thoughts at the mere scent.

Li Cha carefully poured the tea into a cup formed from spiritual energy. The liquid was clear and bright, like amber, with Dao charm flowing within. He raised the cup, took a light sip, closed his eyes, and savored it.

In an instant, five flavors burst forth! The first taste was an extreme bitterness, not unbearable, but like the arduous pursuit of the Great Dao; then it transformed into a crisp astringency, cleansing the tongue and washing away all pretense; next, an indescribable freshness erupted, like the first spark of life at the dawn of creation; after bitterness came sweetness, a rich, mellow sweetness rising from the throat, leaving an endless aftertaste; finally, all flavors merged into a rounded, penetrating mellow harmony, lingering between the lips and teeth, long undispersed.

"Excellent tea!" Li Cha opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing in them, full of praise and satisfaction. This cup of Innate Enlightenment Tea brewed with the Shouyang Pot was thousands, tens of thousands of times better than any famous tea he had tasted in his past life! This was true Immortal Tea!

Beside him, Mo Ran was already drooling. Though he didn't understand the subtleties of the Tea Dao, the Dao charm emanating from the tea made his mouth water, and he stared longingly at the cup in Li Cha's hand.

Seeing this, Li Cha couldn't help but smile. "You gluttonous fool, you do have good taste. Fine, I'll reward you with a cup, as a prize for carrying me all the way here."

"Thank you, Master, for your grace!" Mo Ran was overjoyed. Forgetting all decorum, he opened his mouth wide and gulped down the tea Li Cha handed him. The sight of him treating fine tea like a cow chewing peonies made Li Cha shake his head—what a waste!

As the tea entered his stomach, the vast spiritual energy and Enlightenment Aura within instantly spread through Mo Ran's body. Having already recovered from his injuries and calmed his mind from drinking tea, he was on the verge of a breakthrough. With this boost, he could no longer hold back. He let out a satisfied roar, and his massive body crashed to the ground, instantly falling into a deep slumber. Spiritual energy swirled around him, and laws faintly appeared, clearly digesting the tea's power and breaking through to a higher realm.

Li Cha knew this was a critical moment for him. With a helpless smile, he temporarily set aside his desire to continue savoring the tea, sat cross-legged beside Mo Ran, slowly enjoying the remaining Enlightenment Tea in his cup while guarding him.

In this quiet moment, the space above the valley suddenly rippled with an almost imperceptible shimmer, like water waves. The next moment, a strikingly handsome Daoist with snow-white hair and brows, clad in a Moon-White Daoist Robe, silently descended through the air and landed not far from Li Cha.

This person's aura was ethereal and empty, as if merged with the surrounding space, unfathomably deep. His gaze swept over the sleeping Mo Ran and finally settled on Li Cha, who was drinking alone. A gentle smile on his lips, he made a Daoist salute:

"Greetings, Daoist friend. I am Yang Mei, passing by this place. I sensed an extraordinary Dao charm and felt a stirring in my heart. May I rest here for a while?"

Daoist Yang Mei!

Li Cha's heart shook violently, and the hand holding the teacup paused slightly. He had never imagined that the first top-tier Primordial World powerhouse he would encounter after breaking free from the seal would be this one! A Hollow Willow Tree attaining the Dao, reincarnation of a Primordial Chaos Space Demon God, now one of the top three most terrifying existences in the Primordial World!

He quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, stood up to return the salute, his expression calm and unhurried: "So it's Daoist Brother Yang Mei. I have long admired your name. I am Li Cha, also known as Yun Hua the Hermit. Please, make yourself at ease."

"Daoist Friend Yun Hua is too polite." Yang Mei's gaze fell on the Shouyang Pot in Li Cha's hand and the cup of spiritually vibrant tea. A hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes. "The object in your hand is quite extraordinary. From afar, I sensed its remarkable aura; up close, it clears the mind and calms the spirit. What kind of Immortal Brew or Marvelous Medicine is this?"

Li Cha understood immediately—the tea fragrance had drawn this great power. He smiled slightly and explained, "This is neither wine nor medicine. It is called 'tea.' I brew it from special spiritual plant leaves, using the power of water and fire. Tea contains the Dao of heaven, earth, and nature. Sipped carefully, it can clear the mind and see the true nature, occasionally granting insights. If Daoist Brother is willing, please do taste it."

With that, he formed a crystal-clear teacup from spiritual energy with a thought, held the Shouyang Pot, and poured a seven-tenths-full cup of Enlightenment Tea, sending it steadily to Yang Mei with his divine sense.

"Oh? Tea?" Yang Mei raised his snow-white brows, took the cup with interest. He did not look down on Li Cha for being only at Early Da Luo; instead, he held him in higher regard for his bearing and this novel item. Imitating Li Cha's earlier gesture, he parted his lips and took a small sip.

As the tea entered his mouth, a startling brilliance burst forth in Yang Mei's usually calm, well-like eyes!

First came an extremely subtle bitterness, instantly touching his Dao Heart, as if reflecting the myriad hardships of the cultivation path; then the bitterness dissolved into a clear sweetness, moistening his throat and tongue, nourishing his Primordial Spirit; next, an indescribably ethereal Dao charm rushed straight to his Purple Mansion, and many previously obscure points about the Great Dao of Space suddenly became clear, as if clouds had parted to reveal the sun, deepening his understanding of the Dao by half a step!

At his level, every step forward was incredibly difficult; a single insight was precious. Yet this small sip of "tea" could bring such obvious benefit—it was simply unbelievable!

"Wonderful! Indescribably wonderful!" Yang Mei set down the teacup, his gaze toward Li Cha now completely different, filled with sincere admiration and a trace of gratitude. "Thank you, Daoist friend, for this generous gift! This 'tea' is truly remarkable, with the miraculous effect of aiding enlightenment. It is a rare treasure in the Primordial World!"

"Haha, Daoist Brother flatters me. It's merely a minor Dao. To be worthy of your attention is already its fortune." Li Cha waved his hand modestly, but inwardly he was quite pleased. Having his Tea Dao recognized by a great power like Yang Mei was undoubtedly an affirmation of his path.

Thus, in this secluded valley, with tea as their medium, the two sat facing each other. Li Cha took out more Enlightenment Tea leaves, brewed them anew with the Shouyang Pot, and shared them with Yang Mei. A pot of pure tea, two Daoists—the more they talked, the more congenial they became.

Since his transmigration, Li Cha had never spoken so freely with anyone (though he had communicated with Pangu, it had been more of a one-sided instruction). Yang Mei, too, was moved. As a reincarnated Primordial Chaos Demon God, he knew Hongjun, Qiankun, and Yin Yang, but always felt a barrier between them—more calculation than candor, more entanglement of interests than sincere Dao discussion. A Daoist friend like Li Cha, with such a pure aura, profound Dao realm, witty conversation, and no hidden agenda, was a first for him.

Having finished the pot of tea, Yang Mei felt refreshed and clear-minded. His cultivation, which had not advanced in years, faintly showed signs of loosening. Delighted, he looked at Li Cha and said solemnly, "Daoist friend, today, with the help of your Enlightenment Tea, I have gained immensely, advancing half a step in my Dao. My gratitude is beyond words. Would you be willing to engage in a Dao discussion with me, to mutually verify our learnings?"

Li Cha had been hoping for this. To discuss the Dao with a Space Demon God was a tremendous opportunity for him. He immediately agreed with a smile: "It is my long-cherished wish, one I dared not request. Please, Daoist Brother, share your lofty insights."

Yang Mei nodded, said no more, and let his Dao charm flow, beginning to expound on his Great Dao of Space.

In an instant, with Yang Mei at the center, the surrounding space seemed to come alive, twisting, folding, stretching, shattering... All kinds of spatial phenomena appeared, seemingly extremely dangerous, yet constrained by an invisible force within a small area—mere manifestations of the Great Dao's laws, not truly harming anything external. Li Cha listened intently, feeling countless profound truths about void, dimensions, distance, and domains pouring into his mind. Many previous doubts about Teleportation and Evasion Techniques and spatial formations were resolved. Unknowingly, he comprehended several Great Divine Abilities, such as Distance within Reach and Space Folding. Even the sleeping Mo Ran beside him faintly rippled with spatial waves, passively absorbing the scattered fragments of laws, benefiting greatly.

After Yang Mei finished, it was Li Cha's turn. Yang Mei initially thought that although Li Cha's Dao realm was impressive, his cultivation was still shallow, and his exposition of the Dao would be of limited help. However, when Li Cha began to speak, expounding on the seemingly soft, non-contending Tea Dao, Yang Mei immediately shed all condescension.

"The Tea Dao: the highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without contending... Because it does not contend, it is without fault." Li Cha's voice was calm, but every word was a gem. "The Virtues of Tea are purity, respect, joy, truth, and harmony. Its purity can wash away worldly worries; its respect can connect with spirits; its joy can delight the nature; its truth can reveal the original heart; its harmony can merge with all Daos..."

He spoke from the sprouting of a tea leaf to its picking, processing, brewing, and finally tasting and aftertaste, perfectly integrating the entire process with the operation of heaven and earth, the birth and death of all things, and the path of cultivation. It was not a Dao of slaughter and strife, but one of infiltration, nourishment, harmonization, and enlightenment. Yang Mei listened as if intoxicated; he had never imagined the Dao could be interpreted this way. Especially Li Cha's mention of "non-contention"—not cowardly withdrawal from the world, but a supreme state of "because one does not contend, no one in the world can contend against them," a grand power of softness overcoming hardness, subtle influence, ultimately nourishing all things and imperceptibly affecting heaven and earth.

This gave him a brand new, deeper understanding of the "containment," "bearing," and "infinity" aspects of his own Great Dao of Space. He faintly sensed that if he went into seclusion for a time to fully digest today's gains, breaking through to Peak Quasi-Saint would be a natural progression!

For a time, within the valley, Dao sounds lingered, and phenomena faintly appeared. One was a reincarnated Primordial Chaos Demon God at the Quasi-Saint level, the other was the founder of the Tea Dao, bearing the wisdom of another world and World Creation Merit. This unexpected Dao discussion was destined to have a profound impact on both their futures.