Clear Division of Labor

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, no need for any words between them.

Both saw the unshakable resolve in each other's eyes.

Jieyin stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and bowed, his voice carrying its characteristic compassion and firmness: "This is our bounden duty, a task we cannot refuse. To do even a little for the Western lands, to soothe their wounds—even if it costs us ten thousand years, even if it drains every ounce of our cultivation, we do it willingly. We shall keep your instructions in mind, Daoist friend, and give our utmost, without the slightest negligence."

Zhunti also spoke solemnly: "Indeed. To sort the Earth Veins, to moisten all things without a sound—this aligns perfectly with our Dao hearts. Rest assured, Zhenyuanzi, Daoist friend. What you entrust to us, we will not fail. The first shovel of soil for the West's revival, we two shall till with care."

A trace of relief crossed Zhenyuanzi's face as he nodded: "With your words, Daoist friends, I am fully at ease regarding this foundational part."

Then, his finger moved, pointing to the deepest, most ominous core of the demonic qi. His gaze shifted to Xuande, carrying both scrutiny and entrustment. "And this festering heart of the problem," Zhenyuanzi said gravely. "The demonic qi has sunk deep into the Earth Veins, polluting the spiritual mechanism, cutting off vitality. It is the poison source that keeps the Western lands from healing on their own, and may even worsen them. Xuande, Daoist friend, you bear the Merit of Heaven and Earth—its light is supremely upright and pure, its nature supremely clear and clean. It is the natural bane of all evil, filth, and demonic thoughts under heaven. This task of purifying the lingering demonic qi falls to none but you."

He detailed the crux of the matter: "This work requires you to personally enter the core of this demonic domain, using your own Merit Golden Light to cleanse the demonic aura from the inside out. It is no simple external scouring; it demands extremely fine control. The demonic qi that is deeply entangled with the Earth Veins themselves is like poison ivy parasitizing a great tree. You must carefully bake and peel it away with the Merit Golden Light. You must completely purify the demonic nature without damaging the already fragile, even demonized, structure of the Earth Veins in the slightest. The danger is not small—pure demonic qi will surely counterattack, demonic thoughts will seep in through every crack. Moreover, the Earth Vein environment is extremely complex. One misstep could trigger a greater upheaval of Earth Qi, or even harm your own pure Dao foundation."

Xuande's expression remained calm as ever, as if all the risks Zhenyuanzi described were already within his expectations. He nodded slightly, his tone indifferent yet brooking no doubt: "What you say is true, Daoist friend. My merit, gained from Heaven and Earth, should naturally be used to cleanse filth and uphold the origin of the world. This task of reaching deep into the marrow to uproot the poison is precisely what I should do. Risks exist, of course, but success lies in the doer, and failure too. I will handle it carefully and strive for stability."

Finally, Zhenyuanzi's finger moved to the areas on the map colored deep red, nearly black, twisted like monstrous pythons, or located at the intersections of multiple vein lines where the structure had collapsed most severely. These areas were fewer in number than the sorting zones, and their scope smaller than the demonic domain. But the complexity of their structure and the severity of their damage—one glance told you they were true "stubborn ailments."

"These," Zhenyuanzi said with unprecedented gravity, "are the hardest bones to gnaw in the entire restoration project. Main Earth Vein trunks or important branches are completely severed, the fractures possibly filled with shattered rule power, needing reconnection and healing of their Dao wounds. Naturally formed Earth Qi circulation core nodes have been utterly shattered, requiring a profound understanding of the Earth Dao, referencing the principles of Heaven and Earth, to carefully rebuild on the ruins. There are also vast regions where the Earth Qi has fallen into complete chaotic stillness, yin and yang unbalanced, the five elements in disorder. These need supreme divine power to guide and reconstruct their internal, most basic spiritual mechanism framework. These tasks can no longer be solved by dredging or purification—they are true acts of reshaping mountains and rivers. They require not only peak-level mastery of the Earth Dao, but also the ability to harmonize, soothe, and even redefine the Four Directions' Qi and the land's vitality within a region."

His gaze turned to Hongyun beside him. Hongyun had long since put away his smile, his eyes gleaming with a light of eager yet utterly serious determination.

Before Zhenyuanzi could speak, he slapped his own chest firmly and cut in:

"Naturally, that falls to me and you, Daoist brother! You hold the Earth Scroll, deeply versed in the forms and forces of mountains and rivers, the principles and orders of the Earth Vein's sinews and bones. This work of repairing sinews, reconnecting bones, clearing the main trunks, and reshaping the core nodes—none but you can do it. As for me,"

He chuckled, a faint aura rising around him—ethereal yet encompassing all things. "I have roamed the ten thousand directions, observed the shifting of cloud qi, felt the turning of the four seasons. I have some insight into harmonizing the Various Qi, ordering yin and yang, and awakening dormant vitality. I will take charge of harmonizing qi and blood, soothing the Four Directions, and infusing life into the sinews and bones you reshape! The two of us—one solid, one ethereal; one primary, one secondary; one shaping form, one infusing spirit—working together, we'll be a perfect fit!"

Zhenyuanzi heard this, and a genuine smile finally appeared on his face. He nodded at Hongyun: "He who knows me is Hongyun. Exactly so. Then these most troublesome, most core repair tasks—I shall rely on you, Daoist friend Hongyun, to join me in full cooperation, fighting shoulder to shoulder."

Thus, the division of labor was clear: Jieyin and Zhunti were responsible for the broadest scope—basic Earth Vein sorting and minor blockage clearing, requiring great patience. Xuande alone took on the highest-risk task—purifying the demon qi core zone, needing the purest power to dissolve it. And Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun would jointly tackle the most severely damaged structures—reshaping broken Earth Veins and rebuilding core nodes, the hardest repairs of all.

"Fellow Daoists," Zhenyuanzi swept his gaze across everyone, then emphasized solemnly: "Repairing the Earth Veins of the West is a vast, monumental project that will take an age. It cannot be accomplished by a burst of hot blood or a few days' effort. We must plan for the long term, prepare ourselves mentally to fight here for a thousand years, ten thousand years, or even longer."

He pointed again at the light-and-shadow map: "For specific execution, I propose we start with the relatively simple areas assigned to Daoist friends Jieyin and Zhunti. This will restore some vitality to the Western lands as quickly as possible and stabilize the Earth Qi in certain regions. It will also let us accumulate practical experience in repairing under these special damage conditions and refine our techniques. Once the foundation is somewhat firm and our experience grows, we can gradually advance to the complex areas. As for Daoist friend Xuande's purification of demon qi—since it forms an independent block—we can decide based on the stability of the Earth Veins around the demon domain. Either proceed in sync with us or start slightly later, ensuring the purification process does not trigger a chain collapse of the fragile surrounding veins. In short, everything must be steady and solid, step by step."

His eyes blazed as they swept across every face: "Better to move slowly and repair meticulously. We must ensure that every strike, every repair, is solid, stable, and leaves no hidden dangers. Never act hastily for speed's sake—if we trigger a relapse and cause secondary damage, all our efforts will be wasted, and the Western lands may never bear it again."

Everyone nodded solemnly, understanding in their hearts. The shocking wounds on the light-and-shadow map before them had already made them deeply realize that this matter concerned the future fortune of billions of living beings in the West, concerned the balance and stability of a corner of heaven and earth—a responsibility heavier than ten thousand jun. Indeed, as Zhenyuanzi said, there was no room for haste or impatience. Only with immense perseverance, patience, and sincerity could they inch by inch soothe the wounds of this land.