Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, needing no words to communicate.
They saw the same unshakable resolve in each other's eyes.
Jieyin stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and bowed. His voice carried its characteristic compassion and resolve:
"This is our duty, and we will not shirk it.
We can do what little we can to help the western lands and ease their suffering.
Even if it takes ten thousand years and drains every last bit of our magic power, we will do it willingly.
We will remember your instructions, Fellow Daoist, and give this task our utmost care and effort."
Zhunti added solemnly:
"Precisely. Smoothing the Earth Veins and quietly nourishing all things accords perfectly with our Dao hearts.
Rest assured, Zhenyuanzi. We will not fail you in what you have entrusted to us.
We will be the ones to carefully till the first patch of soil as life returns to the West."
A trace of relief appeared on Zhenyuanzi's face. He nodded and said:
"With you two saying that, I can put my mind completely at ease about this part of the groundwork."
Then he moved his finger to the darkest, most ominous core of demonic qi.
His gaze shifted to Xuande, carrying both scrutiny and trust.
"As for this grave threat,"
Zhenyuanzi said gravely,
"the demonic qi has sunk deep into the Earth Veins, polluting the spiritual energy and choking off life.
It is the source of the western lands' inability to heal, and may even cause them to deteriorate further.
Fellow Daoist Xuande, you carry the merit of Heaven and Earth. Your light is utterly upright and pure, and your nature is pristine and immaculate. You are the natural bane of all evil, defilement, and demonic thoughts in the world.
You alone are suited to the task of purifying the lingering demonic qi."
He explained the particulars in detail:
"For this work, you will need to venture into the heart of this demonic region yourself and use your Merit Golden Light to cleanse the demonic aura from within.
This is not a simple matter of washing it away with external force. It requires extremely precise control.
The demonic qi is deeply entangled with the Earth Veins themselves.
Like poisonous vines clinging to a great tree, it must be carefully scorched and peeled away with Merit Golden Light.
You must purge the demonic nature completely, yet not damage the already fragile, and in some places even corrupted, structure of the Earth Veins in the slightest.
The danger is considerable. The concentrated demonic qi will surely fight back, and demonic thoughts can invade through the smallest opening.
The Earth Veins are also in an extremely complex state. The slightest mistake could trigger an even greater upheaval in the Earth Qi, or even damage your own pure Dao foundation."
Xuande remained as calm as ever, as though he had already anticipated all the dangers Zhenyuanzi described.
He nodded slightly. His tone was casual, yet left no room for doubt:
"Your words are sound, Fellow Daoist.
My merit comes from Heaven and Earth, so I should use it to cleanse defilement, restore clarity, and protect the Origin Essence of Heaven and Earth.
This task of reaching deep into the heart of the disease and uprooting its poison is one I should undertake.
There are certainly risks, but success or failure depends on how one acts.
I will proceed with care and do my utmost to ensure everything goes smoothly."
Finally, Zhenyuanzi's finger moved to the areas on the map that were dark crimson, almost black, twisted like monstrous serpents, or located where multiple channels crossed. Their structures had suffered the most severe damage.
There were fewer of these areas than there were sections needing to be cleared, and they covered less ground than the demonic region.
But one glance was enough to tell that the complexity of their structures and the severity of the damage made them truly intractable afflictions.
"These," Zhenyuanzi said with unprecedented gravity,
"are the toughest obstacles in the restoration effort.
The main Earth Veins or important tributaries have been completely severed. Their broken ends may be suffused with shattered laws; they will need to be reconnected and their Dao wounds healed.
Natural hubs of Earth Qi circulation have been completely destroyed.
We will need a profound understanding of the Earth Dao and a careful study of the principles of Heaven and Earth to rebuild them amid the ruins.
Worse still, in some vast areas, the Earth Qi has fallen into utter chaos and dead silence, with yin and yang out of balance and the five elements in disarray.
We will need to guide it with supreme magic power and reconstruct the most fundamental framework of spiritual energy circulation within.
These problems cannot be solved by mere redirection and purification. They require us to truly reshape the mountains and rivers.
This calls for more than an Earth Dao cultivation that has reached the pinnacle.
It also requires the ability to harmonize, pacify, and even redefine the energies of the four directions and the life force of the land within a region."
He turned to Hong Yun beside him. Hong Yun had already stopped smiling, and his eyes gleamed with eager anticipation and utter seriousness.
Before Zhenyuanzi could speak, Hong Yun slapped his chest and chimed in:
"Of course that's a job for you and me, Brother Daoist!
With the Earth Scroll in your hands, you understand the shape and layout of mountains and rivers, as well as the principles and order of the Earth Veins' structure.
When it comes to mending the bones, clearing the main channels, and rebuilding the hubs, you're the only one for the core reconstruction work.
As for me..."
He chuckled, and a light, ethereal aura that seemed to embrace all things rose around him.
"I've traveled far and wide, observed the shifting clouds, and felt the changing seasons. I've learned a thing or two about harmonizing the various energies, balancing yin and yang, and awakening dormant life.
I'll be in charge of harmonizing the energies, calming the four directions, and breathing life into the framework you rebuild, Brother Daoist!
The two of us complement each other perfectly: one solid, one subtle; one leading, one supporting; one shaping, the other infusing it with spirit. We'll work together flawlessly!"
At this, a genuine smile finally appeared on Zhenyuanzi's face. He nodded to Hong Yun.
"You understand me, Hong Yun. That's exactly right.
Then these most difficult and crucial parts of the restoration will be entrusted to you and me, Fellow Daoist Hong Yun. We'll work together and fight side by side."
The division of labor was now clear:
Jieyin and Zhunti would handle the basic clearing of the Earth Veins and the easing of minor blockages across the widest area, a task requiring immense patience.
Xuande would take on the purification of the demonic core alone, the most dangerous task, which required the power of absolute purity.
Zhenyuanzi and Hong Yun would join forces to tackle the most severely damaged Earth Vein fractures and rebuild the core hubs, the most difficult parts of the restoration.
"Fellow Daoists,"
Zhenyuanzi said, looking around at everyone before concluding solemnly,
"restoring the western Earth Veins is an immense undertaking that will take an extraordinarily long time.
We cannot complete it with a burst of courage or a few days' work.
We must plan for the long term and be prepared to fight here for a thousand years, ten thousand years, or even longer."
He pointed to the image once more.
"As for the specific implementation, I propose that we first begin in the relatively simple areas assigned to Fellow Daoists Jieyin and Zhunti.
That will allow us to restore some vitality to the western lands as soon as possible and stabilize the Earth Qi in some areas.
It will also give us practical experience repairing this kind of unusual damage and allow us to refine our methods together.
Once the foundations are somewhat secure and we have gained more experience, we can gradually move on to the more complex areas.
Xuande, since the demonic region is self-contained, you can decide when to purify it based on the stability of the surrounding Earth Veins.
You can proceed alongside us or begin a little later, but you must ensure that the purification does not trigger a chain collapse in the fragile Earth Veins around it.
In short, we must proceed steadily and cautiously, one step at a time."
His gaze swept over every face, bright and intent.
"We would do better to move slowly and repair everything meticulously.
We must ensure that every action we take and every place we repair is solid and stable, with no hidden problems left behind.
We must not act carelessly in pursuit of speed. Otherwise, if the damage recurs and we cause further harm, all our efforts will have been wasted, and the western lands may not be able to endure another blow."
Everyone nodded solemnly, understanding the stakes.
The shocking wounds on the image before them
had made them fully realize that the future fortune of countless beings in the West depended on this task.
The balance and stability of one part of Heaven and Earth were at stake. The responsibility weighed heavier than mountains.
Just as Zhenyuanzi had said, there was no room for haste or impatience.
Only with immense perseverance, patience, and wholehearted dedication could they soothe the land's wounds, inch by inch.