Visiting and Discussing the Dao

Zhenyuanzi led the group to the backyard, where the Ginseng Fruit Tree stood in the center.

The Ginseng Fruit Tree wasn't towering or ancient; its trunk was thick, but it only reached a few dozen feet high. However, its foliage was far more abundant than anyone could have imagined.

The entire tree resembled a massive, emerald-green canopy. Its branches stretched out in all directions, with layers upon layers of leaves overlapping and intertwining, almost completely blocking out the sky. The smooth leaves, like jade meticulously polished by a craftsman, displayed a vibrant deep green, shimmering with a gentle luster under the sunlight.

Over six thousand years had passed since the Ginseng Fruit Tree's last fruiting.

At this time, most of the pink petals on the Ginseng Fruit Tree had withered and fallen. A few scattered petals had tiny fruits forming at their centers, resembling pointed pine nuts. The fruits that had grown the fastest now looked like newborn infants. Their surfaces were as white as snow, emitting a soft, jade-like glow. Their features were not yet fully formed. From a distance, they truly resembled babies lying on the branches, hands and feet curled up, looking endearingly naive. A connection, like an umbilical cord, linked each fruit to the branch.

As the group approached the Ginseng Fruit Tree, a subtle, elegant fragrance of fruit wafted towards them. This wasn't an ordinary fruit scent; it was a unique aroma blending the essence of life with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Just a single inhale left them feeling refreshed, a sense of comfort permeating their very souls.

Upon sensing Zhenyuanzi's arrival, the Ginseng Fruit Tree gently rustled its leaves, making a soft, whispering sound as if welcoming him.

"Esteemed guests, this is the treasure that guards my Wuzhuang Temple—the Ginseng Fruit Tree. It has been with me since I gained consciousness, rooted here."

"My tree only bears fruit once every ten thousand years. Look at these fruits; they are shaped like infants, complete with limbs and features, radiating golden light and filled with spiritual essence. Hence, they are called ginseng fruits, also known as 'Grass Returning Pills.' A single whiff can extend one's life by three thousand six hundred years, and eating one can prolong it by forty-seven thousand years. They are truly rare treasures for immortals."

"Once these fruits mature, they cannot be picked by hand. A special tool from my Wuzhuang Temple, the Golden Striker, must be used. This is because the fruit will fall upon contact with gold, wither upon contact with wood, dissolve in water, char in fire, and burrow into the earth. Only by gently tapping the stem of the ginseng fruit with the Golden Striker will the fruit naturally detach. Then, it must be caught with a silk scarf or brocade cloth to ensure absolute safety."

Listening to Zhenyuanzi's explanation, Zhunti and the other two marveled. They were astonished by the peculiar method of harvesting the fruit and, of course, couldn't help but be awestruck by its potent effects.

After touring the Ginseng Fruit Tree and hearing the explanation, the group expressed their admiration for Zhenyuanzi, which greatly pleased him. Hongyun repeatedly chimed in, recounting amusing anecdotes about stealing ginseng fruits at Wuzhuang Temple, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

They chatted in the backyard for quite some time before returning to the main hall.

After discussing the Ginseng Fruit Tree, Zhenyuanzi suddenly recalled the gourd vine Jiang Yun had collected at Buzhou Mountain. He spoke, "Nephew Jiang Yun, I saw you uproot the gourd vine at Buzhou Mountain earlier. I presume you intended to try and heal it, to see if it could survive. My Ginseng Fruit Tree is a spiritual root of the earth element, and it has nurtured a significant amount of Innate Wutu Spiritual Soil beneath it. I shall give you some; try it and see if it has any effect."

With that, he produced a portion of Innate Wutu Spiritual Soil and handed it to Jiang Yun. Jiang Yun glanced at Zhunti and Jieyin, and seeing them nod, he readily accepted it.

"Thank you, Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi, for your generous gift!"

Jiang Yun thought to himself that Zhenyuanzi was truly a kind-hearted person. Ordinary individuals wouldn't have noticed such a detail, let alone offered spiritual soil to help.

Seeing Zhenyuanzi's generosity in gifting the precious Innate Wutu Spiritual Soil to Jiang Yun, Jieyin felt inclined to reciprocate. Recalling the Three Lights Divine Water that Jiang Yun had presented to him and Zhunti earlier, he took out a portion, approximately three thousand drops. He said to Zhenyuanzi, "Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi has bestowed such valuable spiritual soil upon my disciple, so I cannot be without a token of appreciation. This Three Lights Divine Water was something my disciple offered me when he first became my disciple. I now present some to you, fellow Daoist, and hope you will not find it wanting."

Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun were also quite surprised to see Jieyin produce such a large amount of Three Lights Divine Water. They were well aware of how rare this divine water, capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh, truly was. Furthermore, Zhenyuanzi, possessing the top-tier Innate Spiritual Root that was the Ginseng Fruit Tree, would likely have many occasions to use Three Lights Divine Water in the future. The divine water could provide excellent nourishment to the Origin of Innate Spiritual Roots.

This also made them understand why Jiang Yun had collected the gourd vine at Buzhou Mountain. With the Three Lights Divine Water in his possession, it was entirely possible for the gourd vine to recover its vitality and bear fruit and flowers again if nourished by it.

"Fellow Daoist Jieyin also knows the benefits of Three Lights Divine Water for spiritual roots, so I shall not refuse. I will shamelessly accept this divine water."

Zhenyuanzi flicked his sleeve, collecting the Three Lights Divine Water.

He suddenly felt a touch of awkwardness, realizing that his momentary act of kindness had resulted in such a significant benefit, almost as if he had been repaid for a favor he hadn't intended to bestow.

With this thought, he proactively proposed that they engage in a discussion of the Dao with the group.

This way, Jiang Yun could gain some insights during the discourse. An honest person wouldn't want to take advantage of others.

He began by expounding on his cultivation of the Way of the Great Earth. Zhenyuanzi revered "Heaven and Earth" and used his companion treasure, the Earth Scroll, as the foundation for cultivating his Dao. Through the Earth Scroll, he could deeply understand the operational mechanisms of the earth, its supporting capacity, its nurturing power, its inclusiveness, and its vitality... His comprehension of the earth naturally positioned him as its spokesperson and guardian.

He eloquently shared his understanding of the Way of the Great Earth. Jiang Yun, who already had profound insights into the Earth Element Law, found that the Way of the Great Earth also encompassed the Earth Element Law. By drawing parallels, he gained considerable understanding of the Way of the Great Earth.

After Zhenyuanzi lectured for a hundred years, Ancestor Hongyun then began to expound on his Way of Auspiciousness. Hongyun himself symbolized auspiciousness, and his cultivation was related to spreading good fortune and protecting all beings. He practiced methods of aiding the world and saving people, helping mortals overcome disasters and accumulate merit. This involved many aspects of the Way of Karma, forging good causes and accumulating good karma.

Another hundred years passed. After Ancestor Hongyun finished his lecture on the Way of Auspiciousness, Zhunti and Jieyin each lectured for a hundred years, expounding on the Way of Bodhi, the Way of Nirvana, the Way of Karma, and the Great Way of the West, respectively.

After the lectures concluded, everyone answered questions for Jiang Yun, Qingfeng, and Mingyue. Due to their lower cultivation levels, Qingfeng and Mingyue managed to break through from the True Immortal to the Mystic Immortal realm as a result of this discourse, and they were both very excited.

As for Jiang Yun, he sought clarification from Zhenyuanzi regarding the relationship between the Way of the Great Earth and the Three Ways of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

Zhenyuanzi explained his understanding: The Way of the Great Earth, as a crucial component of the Way of Earth, is the substance that the Way of Earth carries. The Way of the Great Earth provides fundamental material support for the Way of Man, nurturing the myriad beings of the Way of Man. Simultaneously, it provides a space for the Way of Heaven's teachings. The earth's cycles of seasons, its transformations from oceans to mountains, and a series of other changes are all manifestations of the Way of Heaven upon the Way of the Great Earth. The Way of the Great Earth acts as a coordinator and a link among the Three Ways of Heaven, Earth, and Man. It connects the Way of Heaven and the Way of Man, while also carrying the Way of Earth itself. The three are interdependent and mutually restraining.

These principles gave Jiang Yun a deeper understanding of the entire Primordial Desolation world and also sparked some new ideas for revitalizing the lands of the West.