"Today, we gather here."
The Fire Qilin's voice suddenly rose, containing a do-or-die determination.
"It is precisely to resolve this predicament of boundless karma!"
However, this method... requires our clan to pay a heavy price; some of our clansmen must Sacrifice oneself for the Dao!
The Fire Qilin paused deliberately, its gaze sweeping over the clansmen with cubs on their faces.
"Do not worry, I have already made it clear that the children can be spared, and the foundation for the continuation of the clan's destiny will be secured."
"This method involves using the divine body of my Qilin Clan, which is naturally close to the earth and bears the origin of the five elements, to merge into the boundless earth veins in the west that were destroyed and shattered by the great calamity of the past!"
With the power of our very origin, we nourish the Primordial Wilderness and heal its wounds!
The Fire Qilin's voice echoed atop Qilin Cliff, carrying a tragic sense of destiny.
"If this succeeds, Heaven and Earth will be moved, and Heavenly Dao will show mercy! The boundless karma borne by our clan will be greatly reduced! Heavenly Dao is impartial, and Merit will surely descend upon us for the work of repairing the earth's veins!"
At that time, the new bloodline of our Qilin Clan will no longer be bound by this Karma Shackles, and will be able to freely absorb the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth, and climb to the pinnacle of the Great Dao once again!
"Ah?!"
"This... this really happened?"
"To transform oneself into the earth's veins... to mend the West?"
After a brief silence, a tremendous roar erupted! In the eyes of countless Qilin, the despair and gloom that had accumulated for billions of years seemed to be pierced by a beam of blazing light!
Karma! It prevents cultivation!
This is an eternal pain in the hearts of all Qilin.
Even the faintest hope, like a firefly, is enough to ignite a volcano that has been dormant for millennia!
"Chief! What is your request? I am willing to go!"
An old yet loud voice suddenly rang out, and a robust unicorn with graying mane stepped out from the crowd, its eyes gleaming as it stared directly at the high platform.
"If this crippled body can atone for the sins of my people and bring new life to future generations, what is death to me?!"
That shout was like a spark that ignited a prairie fire!
"I am willing to go!"
"For the sake of the Qilin Clan, I would gladly die a thousand deaths!"
"We are willing to die!"
In an instant, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami Yunxiao! Thousands upon thousands of Qilin, young and old (the cubs were protected by their elders), knelt down in unison on the cold cliff.
There was no more confusion or fear in their eyes, only fearless determination and a burning hope for the future of their people!
The cries of those facing death converged into a deafening torrent, surging through every corner of Qilin Cliff, even freezing the ever-changing mountain winds.
"Good! Good! Good!"
The Fire Qilin exclaimed "Good!" three times, and a barely perceptible glint appeared in its crimson-gold eyes.
"These are truly fine sons of my Qilin Clan! With such spirit, how can our clan's bloodline not prosper!"
The Fire Qilin took a deep breath, its voice booming like a great bell, and announced the final decision:
"I, the Fire Qilin, along with the four elders of Metal, Wood, Water, and Earth, have spent a thousand years deducing and discussing this strategy."
We are the strongest warriors in our clan, and also those who bear the deepest karma. Our lifespans are coming to an end, and our very essence is waning.
"For this grand plan, we five old fellows will join you in—going to the Western Lands! We will sacrifice ourselves to restore the earth's veins!"
His majestic gaze fell upon the second-generation Golden Qilin beside him:
"From this day forward, the Golden Qilin is the new patriarch of our clan! The future of the Qilin Clan rests in your hands!"
The Fire Qilin's gaze swept once more over the dark mass of its people below, kneeling yet with their spines ramrod straight, its voice filled with unwavering conviction:
"Our calculations show that the devastation caused by the collapse of the western earth veins is far beyond what a single Earth Element Qilin source could save us from!"
In that primordial Western Primordial Wilderness, all five elements were damaged, and the laws of nature were in chaos! But my Qilin Clan, born of heaven and earth, possesses all five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—in their entirety! This is Thread of Life upon our clan by heaven!
Our journey is not only the responsibility of the Earth Qilin, but also the responsibility of all Qilins who possess the fundamental laws of the Five Elements. They can enter the Western Land and use their own laws to fill the gaps in the Five Elements in the West!
The five elements cycle endlessly, creating a continuous cycle of life; this is the true path to completeness! In this battle, we must exert the full power of the five elements of our entire clan to defy fate!
The words, like the dawn breaking through the long night, not only revealed the grandeur and feasibility of the plan, but also ignited the almost extinguished flame of hope in the hearts of all the Qilin.
Transform your body into the Dao, and replenish the earth's veins with the Five Elements!
Golden Qilin Ruijin felt his primordial spirit tremble.
I am but a mere Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, what merit or ability do I possess to have been appointed as the leader of the Qilin Clan?
He hurriedly bowed, his voice filled with barely suppressed bewilderment:
"Reporting to the Elder, Ruijin also wishes to accompany the elders to the West, to dedicate his life to repairing the earth's veins and protecting our Qilin Clan! Therefore, we humbly request that the position of clan leader be filled by another capable person!"
"Snort!"
A thunderous roar, brimming with anger, rolled from the Third Elder's throat.
"This is truly a reversal of the Heavenly Order!"
Those weathered, monstrous eyes glared fiercely at Ruijin.
"Pushing you to the position was a unanimous decision made by the five of us old bones!"
If you won't take the job, who will?
"If you dare to shirk your responsibilities again, you will be immediately expelled from the Ancestral Land!" The words struck Ruijin's heart like a heavy hammer, and also echoed in every inch of the silent Ancestral Land.
Elder Water Qilin sighed, his voice distant and heavy:
"My son Ruijin, your words... are truly chilling. We have been secretly observing you for a thousand years, and among the new generation of Qilin, only you possess the temperament, bloodline, and sense of responsibility to shoulder this responsibility."
"If you retreat now, where will you place the thousands of people who trust you?"
His gaze swept over the suppressed grief of the people below, and his voice lowered even further.
"On this journey westward, we old folks, along with two-thirds of the clan's elite, will perish, our remains used to mend the broken veins of the Primordial Wilderness west."
This is... the only chance of survival our people have won.
The Fire Qilin finally opened its tightly closed eyes, its golden pupils revealing endless weariness and determination. Its voice was deep, yet carried an unyielding authority:
"Once we dissipate our physical forms, the overwhelming karmic backlash from heaven and earth will naturally subside. At that time, the shackles on your bloodline will loosen, and advancing to the Great Luo will be a natural outcome. This matter... is not up to you!"
His gaze sharpened, locking onto Ruijin. "Ruijin, come forward!"
An invisible pressure, like a mountain collapsing.
Ruijin's heart trembled violently, his throat tightened, and his feet felt as if they were filled with lead. He struggled to move in front of the Fire Qilin.
The five elders placed the last embers and hope of the Qilin Clan, along with the heavy burden of rise and fall that could crush the heavens, all on his still tender shoulders.
Even if my karma is lessened and I ascend to the Great Luo, what will I rely on to... revive the Qilin?
The Fire Qilin solemnly held up an ancient and weathered jade seal, imbued with the Innate Dao Rhyme.
On the seal, the Qilin totem raises its head as if about to roar, seemingly carrying the soul of the entire clan.
"This is the Qilin Seal, a token of our clan's bloodline, and also Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. Today... I entrust it to you."
He slowly handed the seal to Ruijin, pressing his palm heavily on Ruijin's shoulder. His gaze held expectation, entrustment, and an undeniable certainty.
"The Qilin Clan... we hope you... will pull yourself together! Shoulder this heavy responsibility!"