After creation, the new rules devoured the old ones and underwent constant, rapid expansion. Dao fortune and immortal essence likewise continued to grow. The descent of the laws themselves also gave newly born living beings a chance to acquire spirit essence from those laws.
With this spirit essence came a foundation for bearing the rules of heaven and earth—in other words, the potential to cultivate into beings more attuned to those rules.
Living beings born without spirit essence, or unable to encounter it later in life, could not store the rules of heaven and earth. They could only become passing travelers through the world, with no chance of laying a foundation for the Great Dao.
The sun and moon alternated, the stars revolved, and several days passed in a flash.
"We're here, we're here! Look, Great Immortal! That's Green Jade Immortal Island!" the green jade bird cried happily, unable to conceal its excitement.
Only a return to the homeland that had birthed and raised it could make it lose control like this.
I smiled and patted its back. "Do you still have friends or family in the mountains?"
The green jade bird let out a cackling laugh and called at the top of its voice, "After all these years, they've probably all been eaten. Besides, beasts like us eat flesh and drink blood. We even eat our own kind. How could we gather in groups like ordinary immortals?"
"At least you're telling the truth this time," I said with a smile.
"You jest, Great Immortal. You awakened my spirit essence, which was as good as teaching me immortal arts. That makes me different from those beasts now. Even if I'm not an immortal yet, I'll soon be a lesser immortal!" the green jade bird replied smugly.
"All right. Now that