Five Hundred Years of Enlightenment Tea Fragrance!

Dao Xuan saw the Witch Clan leader's eyes were blood-red, his entire body radiating a tangible aura of killing intent. The giant axe dragged along the ground, carving deep furrows as he charged forward like a madman!

Another Witch Clan member, wielding a stone hammer, also roared incessantly, his eyes filled with bone-chilling murderous intent!

Two ferocious auras from the late True Immortal stage locked onto Dao Xuan, pressing down like two mountains!

"Little thief! You killed my brother, and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth, tear your soul apart, and grind your bones to dust, old ancestor!"

The Witch Clan leader's roar echoed through the valley, causing leaves to rustle and fall!

Dao Xuan's scalp instantly tingled, and a chill shot up his spine to the top of his head!

One frenzied Witch Clan member at the late True Immortal stage, plus an accomplice at the mid True Immortal stage – a direct confrontation would only lead to death!

"Run!"

Only this one thought remained in Dao Xuan's mind, crystal clear!

Without a shred of hesitation, he didn't even spare a thought for the trace of Golden Flood Dragon Origin Essence Blood he had stirred, pushing the Heavenly Water Evasion Art to its absolute limit!

Buzz!

The faint golden evasion light around him suddenly erupted with a blinding radiance, his speed skyrocketing in an instant!

Like a golden lightning bolt tearing through the sky, he no longer followed the mountain wall but instead charged towards the deepest part of the valley, where the killing intent was thickest and the area seemed most hopeless, fleeing for his life!

Whoosh!

The faint golden evasion light was so fast it almost left afterimages!

"Where do you think you're going!"

The Witch Clan leader roared in fury, taking massive strides. Each step covered dozens of feet, the ground beneath him cracking like a mud bog!

The Witch Clan member with the stone hammer followed closely behind. Though slightly slower, he was still nipping at Dao Xuan's heels!

One chasing, one fleeing, they instantly plunged deep into the valley!

Dao Xuan pushed his evasion speed to the limit, the wind whistling past his ears like ghostly wails!

He didn't dare to look back, his divine sense locked onto the complex terrain ahead, weaving rapidly through jagged rocks and ancient trees, attempting to use the environment to shake off his pursuers.

However, the Witch Clan possessed incredibly resilient bodies and astonishing stamina!

The Witch Clan leader, like a tireless war machine, showed no sign of slowing down!

The furious roars and heavy footsteps were like the drumming of death, growing closer and closer!

"Little thief! Your life is forfeit!"

A thunderous roar erupted from behind him!

Dao Xuan felt a sharp, unparalleled gust of wind strike him from behind, carrying a destructive force that could tear everything apart!

It was a bloody axe energy the Witch Clan leader had unleashed from a distance!

While not as powerful as his full-strength attack earlier, it was still enough to cleave mountains and shatter rocks!

There was no escape!

A fierce glint flashed in Dao Xuan's eyes. He abruptly turned, the Mysterious Gold Law-Breaking Halberd erupting with golden light. Its twenty-seven Innate Restrictions whirled frantically, condensing all his magical power as he fiercely slashed towards the weaker side of the bloody axe energy!

Chiiii!

The law-breaking power erupted, and the bloody axe energy was split open with a massive gap, most of its destructive force being deflected!

Boom!

The residual power of the axe energy still slammed fiercely into the protective golden light Dao Xuan had hastily erected!

Pfft!

Dao Xuan felt as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer. The protective golden light flickered violently, dimming instantly!

A surge of violent Bloodline Power pierced through his body, churning his insides. His throat felt sweet, and a stream of golden-red blood trickled from the corner of his mouth!

His aura immediately weakened slightly!

"Hmph!"

Dao Xuan grunted. Using the impact of the blow, his evasion light actually accelerated by a third as he charged towards a dead end ahead, a place tangled with vines and steep stone walls!

"Haha! You're injured! Let's see how much further you can run!"

Seeing Dao Xuan spit blood, the Witch Clan leader's sinister laughter intensified, and his speed increased again!

The Witch Clan member with the stone hammer also caught up, blocking any possible escape routes for Dao Xuan!

Ahead lay a sheer stone wall, a hundred feet high, covered in thick moss and withered vines, looking utterly impregnable!

Both sides were steep cliffs, and the pursuers were already behind him!

A dead end!

A trace of madness flashed in Dao Xuan's eyes!

Rather than be caught and dismembered by axes, he would gamble on that sliver of hope in the unknown!

He didn't slow down at all. Instead, he burned his remaining magical power along with the essence contained in the mouthful of reversed blood!

"Open for me!"

Dao Xuan roared in his heart. His escape light transformed into a decisive golden rainbow, charging headfirst into the seemingly indestructible, mottled stone wall!

The anticipated shattering of his body did not occur!

Just as Dao Xuan's body was about to collide with the stone wall, a sudden change took place!

The surface of the mottled stone wall, as if it were an ancient pond into which a stone had been tossed, rippled with soft and profound spatial undulations!

A gentle yet irresistible suction force emanated!

Dao Xuan's figure, as if passing through an invisible curtain of water, instantly vanished into the stone wall, disappearing without a trace!

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

The Witch Clan leader's axe, striking like thunder, and the heavy blow from the Witch Clan member wielding a stone hammer landed almost simultaneously on the stone wall!

Sparks flew! Debris scattered!

But the stone wall merely trembled violently, leaving two deep indentations. Immediately, a vast and irresistible counter-shock force emanated!

"Ugh!"

"Pfft!"

The Witch Clan leader's great axe nearly flew from his grasp, his tiger's mouth split open, and his blood churned! The Witch Clan member with the stone hammer was sent flying backward by the shock, spitting blood as his stone hammer flew out of his hand!

"What in the world?!"

The Witch Clan leader steadied himself, his giant, bell-like eyes wide, staring intently at the stone wall, which had returned to its normal state, hard and cold. His instant rage turned to astonishment and disbelief!

He strode forward a few steps, extended his fan-like large hand, and patted, pushed, and even condensed his blood essence to strike it fiercely!

BANG BANG BANG!

The stone wall remained unmoved, not even a few chips of stone falling off!

Where was the trace of an entrance?

"Where is he?! Where is that damned little thief?!"

The Witch Clan leader roared and pounded on the stone wall like a maddened tiger, his voice echoing through the valley, filled with unwillingness and brutality.

Another Witch Clan member struggled to get up, looking at the bizarre stone wall with fear in his eyes.

The two of them bombarded the stone wall for half a day, using every method at their disposal, but they could not budge it in the slightest, nor could they find an entrance.

"Big brother... this stone wall... it's too sinister!"

The Witch Clan member with the stone hammer panted, his eyes filled with doubt and uncertainty.

The Witch Clan leader panted, his blood-red eyes fixed on the stone wall, finally turning into a roar filled with endless hatred:

"Guard! Guard this place for me! I don't believe that little thief can hide forever! He has to come out eventually! The day he comes out will be the day he is torn to shreds!"

Thus, the two enraged Witch Clan members, like two ferocious door gods, stood guard outside the bizarre stone wall, beginning a long stakeout.

Dao Xuan felt a dizzying sensation, as if he had been swept into a bizarre, twisting, and shifting tunnel of space-time. He was enveloped by a gentle yet vast spatial force, his body no longer under his control.

He didn't know how long it had been; perhaps an instant, perhaps a long time.

The dizziness and sense of weightlessness suddenly vanished.

His feet landed on solid, warm earth once more.

Dao Xuan's eyes snapped open. He suppressed the churning blood essence and the internal pain, his gaze sweeping his surroundings with extreme caution. His magic power was secretly gathered, and the Mysterious Gold Law-Breaking Halberd was held tightly in his hand.

However, the scene that met his eyes instantly stunned him, and his tense mind involuntarily relaxed.

He saw:

Verdant green mountains stacked like painted screens, clear waters flowing like a singing zither.

Exotic flowers and jade-like grass spread like brocade, auspicious clouds winding around forest pavilions.

Spiritual birds sang melodiously on branches, and immortal deer drank from the clear stream.

Spiritual energy permeated the air, condensing into milky mist, and the natural resonance of the Dao cleansed the mortal heart.

This place, though only a few hundred miles in area, had become a small world of its own!

The sky was clear as if washed, with no sun or moon, yet a soft, clear light shone down.

Distant mountains were like dark eyebrows, while nearby streams gurgled, so clear that spiritual fish could be seen flicking their tails.

Strange flowers and exotic grasses grew everywhere, emitting a refreshing fragrance. Spiritual birds and immortal deer roamed freely, creating a scene of peace, tranquility, and natural Dao resonance.

Most wondrously, the spiritual energy here was so dense it had almost condensed into a tangible, milky-white mist, filling the air. Taking a breath made one feel refreshed, and even the internal pain had eased slightly.

Dao Xuan's gaze was instantly captivated by the scene in the center of this small world!

There was a clear spiritual pool, above which the most concentrated milky-white spiritual mist swirled.

And beside the spiritual pool grew an ancient tree, about ten feet tall!

This tree:

Its gnarled branches coiled like a dragon, its mottled bark imbued with profound patterns.

The leaves are verdant like jade, their veins flowing with radiant light.

Shaped like innate Dao patterns, their faint fragrance seeps into the soul!

No flowers, no fruit, yet naturally spiritual, its Dao rhythm surpasses all others!

Just standing beneath the tree, inhaling the subtle, refreshing fragrance emanating from its leaves, Dao Xuan felt his mind clear. Obstacles in his cultivation that had previously been obscure and difficult to understand suddenly seemed to become clear!

The circulation of the Heavenly Star Evolution Technique within his body even quickened!

"This...this is..."

Dao Xuan's heart pounded. A name, famous throughout the Great Desolation in later generations, instantly sprang to mind!

"High-Grade Innate Spiritual Root—Enlightenment Tea Tree?!"

Pure joy surged through Dao Xuan like a tidal wave!

The danger of being chased earlier, the frustration of his injuries, all vanished in this moment!

"Misfortune is the foundation of fortune! The ancients never lied to me! This is... a massive profit! A massive profit!"

Dao Xuan couldn't help but cheer softly, so excited he almost danced.

He suppressed the urge to immediately rush over and pluck the leaves, his divine sense cautiously scanning the entire small world.

The place was tranquil and peaceful. Apart from some spiritual beasts and immortal birds with undeveloped intelligence, there were no other powerful beings, nor any traces of formations or restrictions.

"Safe!"

Dao Xuan's heart settled.

He immediately walked to the Enlightenment Tea Tree and found a spot where the spiritual energy was most concentrated, sitting cross-legged on a blue stone.

He activated his cultivation technique, guiding the pure spiritual energy of the place to heal the internal injuries caused by the shock.

The spiritual energy here was pure and gentle, further nourished by the Dao rhythm emanating from the Enlightenment Tea Tree. In just over a month, Dao Xuan's internal injuries had healed, and his condition had returned to its peak.

With his injuries healed, looking at the supreme spiritual root before him, Dao Xuan's thoughts began to stir.

"Such immortal tea, how can I drink it like rough wine? It must be brewed with elegant utensils to honor its natural Dao rhythm!"

As a transmigrator, Dao Xuan's innate "sense of ceremony" surfaced.

His divine sense swept through the space within the Chaos Bead.

Over the years, he had traveled the Great Desolation and collected quite a few heavenly treasures.

Soon, he found what he was looking for:

A piece of white jade, warm and lustrous like fat, imbued with spiritual energy, and several pieces of intensely pure Earth Core Fire Crystal.

"I'll use the white jade as the pot and cups, and the Earth Core Fire Crystals as the source of the furnace fire!" Dao Xuan acted immediately.

He opened his mouth and spat out a wisp of his Natal True Fire, which was Geng Metal True Fire transformed from the Golden Flood Dragon Origin, sharp yet with a hint of water element's gentleness.

The true fire enveloped the white jade and Earth Core Fire Crystals. Dao Xuan formed hand seals, his magic power flowing. Following his conception, he began to refine them.

Shaping, carving, inscribing simple spirit-gathering array patterns, drawing upon the essence of earth fire for tempering... Dao Xuan was completely focused, his mind immersed in the process.

Forty-nine days passed in the blink of an eye.

A set of tea utensils was finally formed!

A jade pot, round and full, with a spout curved like a crane's neck, a naturally flowing handle, and simple cloud and water patterns carved onto its surface with his finger like a knife, giving it an ancient and elegant appearance.

Four jade cups, small and exquisite, thin as cicada wings, also bore simple Dao patterns on their walls, complementing the jade pot.

Although they possessed no earth-shattering power, they contained an inner spiritual glow and were pleasantly warm.

Dao Xuan looked with satisfaction at the tea set he had personally refined, about to fetch some Enlightenment Tea Leaves to test their efficacy.

An unexpected event occurred!

From the nine heavens above, a strand of incredibly condensed Mysterious Yellow Qi descended without warning!

This aura was supremely righteous, grand, impartial, and holy, carrying unparalleled creative power!

The Mysterious Yellow Qi cascaded like a waterfall, precisely pouring into the newly formed white jade tea set before Dao Xuan!

Buzz!

The jade pot and cups instantly erupted with dazzling, resplendent Mysterious Yellow treasure light!

The simple cloud and water patterns on the surface seemed to come alive, flowing with profound Dao rhythm! An indescribably heavy, sacred, and pure aura emanated from the tea set!

"Holy crap?! My...Mysterious Yellow Merit?!" Dao Xuan was dumbfounded, his jaw almost hitting the floor!

He had refined this tea set purely for the convenience of brewing tea, emphasizing "ceremony," and had never considered anything else!

Who could have imagined that the birth of the first tea set in the Great Desolation specifically for tea tasting would trigger a heavenly response, bringing down Mysterious Yellow Merit?!

"What is this? A Great Desolation version of a 'Life Invention Award'? Or 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' certification?"

Dao Xuan complained wildly in his mind, but the ecstatic joy on his face couldn't be concealed!

A Postnatal Treasure of Merit!

Although the tea set itself was made of ordinary materials, with almost zero attack or defense capabilities, with this unprecedented merit blessing, its essence had fundamentally changed!

Brewing tea with it not only perfectly ignites the Dao charm of the Enlightenment Tea but also imbues the tea with a trace of virtuous and pure energy, nourishing the Primordial Spirit and dispelling inner demons. Its uses are limitless!

"An unexpected joy! A tremendous unexpected joy!"

Dao Xuan caressed the jade pot, its surface smooth yet bearing a trace of Mysterious Yellow's profound weight, unwilling to put it down.

He wasted no more time, carefully plucking three Enlightenment Tea Leaves—these leaves ripen once every ten thousand years, producing only thirty-six leaves at a time, making them exceptionally precious.

Using the jade pot to scoop water from the spiritual pond, his mind stirred, activating the Earth Core Fire Crystal at the pot's base. The spiritual water within quickly boiled.

Dao Xuan dropped the three Enlightenment Tea Leaves into the pot.

Instantly, an indescribable fragrance permeated the air!

This aroma wasn't strong but pierced directly into the soul!

The tea within the pot turned a warm, jade-green hue. Dao charm and auspicious light flowed ceaselessly within the tea, and the profound sounds of the Great Dao could be faintly heard!

Dao Xuan held his breath and filled a cup with the Merit Jade Cup.

The jade-green tea soup rippled in the Mysterious Yellow Jade Cup, auspicious light and Dao charm intermingling with virtuous purity, a sight of unparalleled beauty.

He lifted the jade cup and took a light sip.

Boom!

An indescribable cool stream of energy instantly swept through his limbs and bones, rushing straight into his Purple Mansion's sea of consciousness!

His spiritual platform became incredibly clear and pure in an instant!

Countless difficulties and bottlenecks encountered in his past cultivation, at this moment, were like clouds parting to reveal the sun, a sudden enlightenment!

The Great Dao laws of heaven and earth seemed never so clear, never so close, laid out before his eyes!

"Marvelous! Ineffably marvelous!"

Dao Xuan couldn't help but exclaim, completely immersed in this unparalleled state of enlightenment.

From then on, Dao Xuan settled down in this secret realm of enlightenment.

His daily routine:

In the morning, he would breathe in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth by the Enlightenment Tea Tree, refining his magic power.

During the day, he would use the Merit Jade Pot to brew Enlightenment Tea, savoring it carefully, comprehending the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.

At night, he would sort through what he gained during the day and practice his Daoist magic and divine abilities.

The tea fragrance curled upwards, and Dao charm permeated the air.

Drinking this immortal tea, Dao Xuan's spiritual platform became clear and empty, his thoughts a hundred times sharper.

The profound mysteries of the Heavenly Star Evolution Technique, which were once obscure and difficult to understand, could now be comprehended with twice the results for half the effort.

He gained a deeper understanding and integration of the law-breaking path of the Mysterious Gold Law-Breaking Halberd, the chaotic Dao charm of the Chaos Bead fragments, and the water element Geng Metal power of his own Golden Flood Dragon Origin.

He often fell into states of sudden enlightenment.

Sometimes, he would observe the veins and textures of the Enlightenment Tea Leaves, sitting for months, Dao charm flowing around him, his aura ethereal.

Sometimes, he would practice with the Law-Breaking Halberd, inspiration striking him, each move returning to simplicity, the intent of destruction and sharpness contained to the extreme.

Sometimes, he would simply sit quietly, sipping tea, his spirit wandering the void, his Primordial Spirit seemingly merging with this small world, sensing fragments of spatial laws from the unseen.

Time loses meaning in the mountains; the years pass without notice.

Dao Xuan forgot the outside world's conflicts, forgot his journey to Kunlun, immersing himself wholeheartedly in this rare period of pure cultivation and enlightenment.

Fleeting years passed like a white colt glimpsing through a crack.

Five hundred years flew by in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Dao Xuan sat quietly by the Enlightenment Tea Tree as usual.

In the Merit Jade Pot, the fragrance of Enlightenment Tea curled upwards, swirling and coiling above his head.

His aura was perfectly integrated. Above his head, three solidified golden-jade lotus phantom images slowly rotated. Upon their petals, the sharpness of Geng Metal, the gentleness of water element, and the profundity of chaos flowed ceaselessly, cycling endlessly, eternally!

Five strands of innate energy rose from his chest—red, yellow, white, black, and blue, corresponding to the heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and liver. They converged above his head, nourishing the three lotuses, then sank back into his five organs, forming a perfect grand cycle!

The five energies facing the Primordial Spirit, the three lotuses gathering at the crown, he had advanced further!

Magic power surged within Dao Xuan like a great river, vast and mighty, more than ten times more potent than five hundred years prior!

The stability of his foundation and the depth of his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the True Immortal realm!

He suddenly opened his eyes!

A flash of golden light streaked through his pupils, like lightning tearing through chaos!