Discussing the Dao, Zhenyuanzi Takes Form

At that moment, Zhenyuanzi's true form—that mass of Profound Yellow Essence of Innate Earthen Energy—rippled faintly, transmitting a gentle yet majestic will as he summoned Qingfeng and Mingyue to his side.

The two young Daoist children hurried forward, standing respectfully with their small faces full of reverence.

Zhenyuanzi, Fellow Daoist Hongyun, and Lord Wanshouyuan exchanged a knowing smile, all words unnecessary.

The next moment, these three beings standing at the pinnacle of the Primordial Continent—Peak Great Luo Golden Immortals (though Zhenyuanzi had yet to take form, his realm, dharma power, and Dao attainment had already reached Great Luo Peak)—began to discuss the Dao on the spot!

This was no one-sided lecture, but an exchange of insights, a mutual verification of their respective learnings—a collision and fusion of Dao principles.

Zhenyuanzi's true form emanated a heavy, vast, all-carrying intent, expounding the mysteries of the Way of the Great Earth through divine thought.

He began from the origin of the Essence of Earthen Energy, spoke of the flow of earth veins, the formation of mountains and rivers, the growth of all things sustained and nourished by the earth, and the principle of Great Virtue Carrying Things—steady and unmoving. His words were simple and unadorned yet grand, directly pointing to the root of the Dao, causing the earth veins of Longevity Mountain to rumble as if in response, while the courtyard ground glowed with a warm, earthy yellow radiance.

Fellow Daoist Hongyun followed closely behind, opening his mouth to expound the Four Symbols Dao he had comprehended.

Using the transformations of his own cloud essence as a guide, he derived the principles of Mutual Generation and Restraint among Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, their Endless Circulation, and the mysteries of Yin-Yang Evolution—the rise and fall of clarity and turbidity.

As he spoke, four-colored radiance naturally revolved, the forces of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind manifested gently, as if tiny, ever-birthing and ever-perishing Four Symbols worlds were opening around him. The Dao tones were clear and melodious, and wondrous principles revealed themselves.

Lord Wanshouyuan then expounded the Way of Wood, speaking of the vitality of tree growth, the principle of flourishing life, the order of spring blossoms and autumn fruits, and the close connection between wood and the earth, water, fire, and wind.

His voice was clear and melodious, brimming with vibrant life force and natural rhythm, causing those who heard it to feel relaxed and clear-minded. The Four Symbols Plantain Tree in the courtyard swayed its branches and leaves joyfully, scattering specks of azure radiance filled with life essence, as if cheering in delight.

The three great beings cultivated seemingly different Daos, but in reality, all things in heaven and earth were interconnected, originating from the same source.

The earth bore and nurtured all things (Earth); all life could not do without water, wind (air), and sunlight (fire); and wood was rooted in the earth, relying on wind, water, and sunlight.

As the three discussed the Dao, verifying and inspiring one another, countless sparks of wisdom collided. The sounds of the Dao filled the air, and various phenomena arose and vanished in the courtyard, evolving infinite wondrous principles.

As the saying goes, by understanding one thing, you understand others; a stone from another mountain can polish jade. Zhenyuanzi gained new insights into the Four Symbols derivation and the Way of Wood Vitality.

Fellow Daoist Hongyun deepened his comprehension of the earth's Great Virtue Carrying Things and the cycle of wood's vitality.

Lord Wanshouyuan also grasped more of the true essence of wood's growth and adaptation from the earth's stability and the Four Symbols' transformations.

All three felt they had gained immensely. Though their Dao attainment had not directly advanced, their understanding of the Dao had become more rounded and thorough, their foundations firmer than rock, and the path toward the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal of the Origin seemed a little clearer.

But the ones who gained the most were Qingfeng and Mingyue, listening from the side!

These two little ones were already gifted by nature, having been transformed from Ginseng Fruits with pure Innate Foundations. Serving here year-round and listening to the Dao, they had laid an excellent foundation.

Now, listening to three great beings whose cultivation far exceeded Primordial Unity Golden Immortal and whose understanding of the Dao had reached profound depths, discussing the Dao—covering all-encompassing topics, explaining the profound in simple terms, directly pointing to the origin, and with three Daos mutually verifying each other, forming a wondrous complement—

This was, for them, a once-in-a-millennium, even fate-altering, supreme fortune!

Countless profound principles and fragments of laws poured into their Sea of Consciousness like an enlightening baptism. All the doubts and bottlenecks they had encountered in their past cultivation melted away in an instant.

Their dharma power involuntarily surged and circulated along with it, the speed of their heavenly cycle increasing a hundredfold or more. Their aura rose steadily, and the immortal light within their bodies grew ever brighter!

When the sounds of Dao discussion slowly ceased and the Dao phenomena gradually subsided, Qingfeng and Mingyue simultaneously erupted with intense, pure immortal light.

Faint shadows of three flowers began to gather above their heads, the Five Qi in their Chests surged toward their origin, and Dao resonance permeated their bodies. They had clearly broken through the bottleneck that had troubled them for so long, and by means of this supreme fortune, they had stepped directly into—

The Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm!

The two young Daoist children were so excited their little faces turned red, their bodies trembling slightly. Feeling the vast power within and their brand-new realm, they quickly knelt, kowtowing repeatedly, their voices choked with emotion:

"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Fellow Daoist Hongyun! Thank you, Lord Wanshouyuan! For bestowing this fortune! Your disciple will Never Forget for Eternity!"

Zhenyuanzi and the others nodded with smiles, quite satisfied with this outcome. Enlightening the children was also a merit to heaven and earth, and witnessing their growth was a joy.

But not long after the Dao discussion ended and everything seemed calm—

That mass of Essence of Innate Earthen Energy, which had been floating, absorbing the aura of the Merit Golden Dragon, and lying dormant, suddenly began to tremble violently Without Warning!

The amplitude of its tremors far exceeded any previous instance!

Within it, the vast power that had been elevated to the extreme by the Pangu Jade Marrow, nourished by the Merit Golden Dragon's aura, and then thoroughly sorted and perfected by this trinity Dao discussion, could no longer be suppressed. It had reached a Critical Point where it must be released, must transform, must be reborn!

The opportunity to take form had Arrived!

An indescribably terrifying suction force erupted from within the Essence of Earthen Energy, like an awakening chaotic black hole, madly drawing in the earth's spiritual energy from Longevity Mountain and even more distant places, along with the Wu Tu Origin of the Primordial World!

The entire Longevity Mountain began to shake violently, as if an earth dragon was turning over. The mountains rumbled, earth veins roared like billions of dragons, and endless earthen-yellow spiritual energy pillars burst forth from the depths of the earth, converging on Wuzhuang Temple!

In the sky, drawn by this force, the boundless heaven and earth spiritual energy over millions of miles converged madly, forming a massive spiritual energy vortex covering the firmament. At the vortex's center, lightning flashed and thunder roared, Purple Qi Came from the East for thirty thousand miles, golden lotuses appeared and vanished in the void—World-Shaking phenomena!

Such commotion, if left unshielded, would surely startle all the great beings across the Primordial Continent! At that time, who knew how much prying and trouble would be invited?

"Not good! The true form's foundation is too deep; the heaven and earth spiritual energy and Heavenly Dao resonance it has drawn are too vast!"

Lord Wanshouyuan's face changed. As an incarnation, his connection to the true form was the most sensitive. Without a moment's hesitation, he poured his Peak Great Luo Golden Immortal dharma power without reserve into the Innate Earth Fetal Membrane Array beneath his feet!

"Boom—hum!"

The Nine Layers of Thick Earth barrier became more solid than ever, radiating light for ten thousand zhang, as if nine ancient Mount Buzhou were superimposed and manifested, densely covered with Dao patterns, tightly sealing the entire Wuzhuang Temple and the core area of Longevity Mountain, desperately trying to forcibly isolate the vast spiritual energy phenomena and Heavenly Dao resonance.

But the suction force and the phenomena it triggered were simply too immense, as if even a trace of the entire Primordial Land's power had been stirred.

Relying solely on the Innate Earth Fetal Membrane Array, it seemed barely able to hold back the trend. The light shield fluctuated violently, emitting a buzzing sound of being Unable to Bear, and even fine ripples and cracks appeared on its surface, as if it might be torn apart at any moment by the terrifying force erupting from within!

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, help me!" Lord Wanshouyuan shouted urgently, sweat already beading on his forehead as he Maintained the array with all his might.

Hongyun had long been prepared. His fate was intertwined with Zhenyuanzi's, and he understood the critical nature of this moment.

Hearing this, he immediately soared into the air, hovering midair, his hands dancing rapidly as he formed countless profound hand seals, drawing upon the Four Symbols Origin within him and the power of the Plantain Tree:

"Four Symbols Rotation, stabilize Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind! Evolve Chaos, seal off the universe! Array, rise!"

In that instant, with the Four Symbols Plantain Tree at its core, a massive Four-Colored Light Array abruptly rose up, enveloping the entire courtyard!

The four Xiantian Origins of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind interwove, cycled, and evolved, forming a powerful domain that was relatively independent, temporarily isolated inside from outside, and stabilized the internal laws of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.

With this array deployed, it greatly alleviated the impact of the internal energy upheaval on the outside world, and the madly surging flow of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy came to a halt!

The Four Symbols Array complemented the outer Innate Earth Fetal Membrane Array—one inside, one outside; one stabilizing, one guarding—working together to suppress and isolate this transformation commotion, which was extremely rare even since the Creation of the World!

With the combined force of two top-tier arrays, the radiance blazed to its utmost, barely managing to confine the cataclysmic phenomenon—enough to startle a Saint—strictly within the bounds of Wuzhuang Temple, preventing it from fully spreading out and startling the Primordial Land beyond.

And under the steadfast protection and suppression of these inner and outer dual arrays, Zhenyuanzi at the array's heart welcomed his final transformation!

That mass of Profound Yellow Essence of Innate Earthen Energy, swollen to its limit, blazed with light to the extreme, as if it had transformed into a Profound Yellow Sun, and then exploded with a thunderous roar!

But it was not destruction; it was like a chicken egg cracking open, chaos splitting apart, clarity and turbidity separating!

Within the endless divine light, the Mother Qi of All Things descended, the Earth Vein Dragon Qi rejoiced, and a figure, whose majesty and weight could not be described in words, slowly coalesced into form.

His form conformed to the rhythm of the Dao, his features simple and unadorned, and when his eyes opened and closed, scenes of the Primordial Land's birth and destruction, the reincarnation of all things, and the evolution of the starry river seemed to appear within them.

He wore the Earth Yin-Yang Dao Robe, which had naturally condensed upon him, and upon it naturally appeared images of mountains and rivers, the veins of the Primordial Land, and plants, insects, and fish.

His aura was a unified whole, vast and boundless, and his connection to the earth was so tight that it seemed he was the very incarnation of the Primordial Land—with a single thought, ten thousand mountains responded; with a single word, the earth veins obeyed!

The Primordial Land had since welcomed its master—Zhenyuanzi, who had today achieved perfection and transformed into form!

He stepped out, and in an instant, the myriad phenomena around him were instantly retracted, returning to simplicity. His gaze was calm and profound as he looked towards Lord Wanshouyuan and Hongyun, who were on high alert and had expended tremendous magical power.

He smiled slightly, and his voice was calm yet carried a supreme authority and gentleness that made all things on Longevity Mountain submit and the earth veins rejoice:

"I thank you two fellow Daoists for your protection. Zhenyuanzi offers his gratitude here."