Merit Descends from Heaven (Seeking Monthly Votes)

When the final lingering notes of the Dao tone slowly faded across Longevity Mountain, like the last rays of sunset vanishing into the horizon, the countless beings immersed in the insights of the Great Dao on the platform gradually came back to their senses from the deep Dao Realm.

A brief silence enveloped the entire mountain range, as if heaven and earth themselves were still savoring the Dao resonance that had lasted nine hundred years.

Then, led by no one in particular, all who had listened to the Dao—regardless of cultivation level or race—bowed deeply from the heart toward the simple and unadorned, dignified figure on the high platform. Their voices, scattered at first, quickly converged into a devout and mighty torrent that echoed through the valleys:

"We thank the Immortal Zhenyuanzi for the grace of his Dao teachings!"

The sound waves rolled forth, filled with sincere gratitude and heartfelt reverence.

These nine hundred years of systematic Dao lectures had lit a lamp in the darkness for them, not only unraveling countless confusions on the path of cultivation but also pointing out a clear path ahead. This grace was like a second chance at life.

Many beings had tears glistening in their eyes—tears of joy and emotion at having heard the Great Dao and caught a glimpse of the road before them.

And at the very moment these sentient beings offered their heartfelt thanks, the clear sky above the nine heavens suddenly responded. The void trembled slightly, and a majestic, vast, supremely just golden pillar of light—

Without warning, it pierced through layers of clouds and mist, ignoring the wondrous innate guardian formation of Longevity Mountain, as if descending directly from the Heavenly Dao Origin itself. It fell straight down, completely enveloping Zhenyuanzi, who sat cross-legged on the stone platform!

The pillar of light was dazzling but not blinding, containing pure, warm, and peaceful heavenly and earthly merit energy, while also carrying the unique, supreme authority of the Heavenly Dao.

Where the golden radiance touched, the vitality of grass and trees grew even more exuberant, and even the rocks seemed to gain a few points of spiritual nature.

This was the Heavenly Dao, moved by Zhenyuanzi's efforts to educate the beings of the Western Lands, open their spiritual wisdom, guide their path, and complete the cultivation heritage of the Primordial World, descending a reward of merit!

The Merit Golden Light was brilliant and resplendent, casting the entire Longevity Mountain as if plated in an eternal golden edge. Even the swirling clouds and mist were dyed with golden radiance, creating a scene of sacred splendor.

The sentient beings below the stage felt the vast heavenly and earthly righteous energy and the Heavenly Dao's approval contained within the Merit Golden Light, and their reverence for Zhenyuanzi reached its peak. Many beings involuntarily bowed once more.

Yet, facing this vast heavenly and earthly merit that would make any Primordial Great Power green with envy and fight madly to obtain, Zhenyuanzi did not, as ordinary people might expect, immediately absorb it to elevate his cultivation realm or refine it into a supremely powerful merit spiritual treasure.

Instead, he calmly raised his head, his deep eyes glancing at the merit pillar of light that connected heaven and earth, as if seeing through the golden light to the essence of the Heavenly Dao.

Then, his hands formed a profoundly mysterious hand seal before his chest, drawing upon his absolute control over the earth and his exquisite manipulation of energy.

The vast, surging Merit Golden Light, like rivers flowing into the sea, no longer spread recklessly. Guided by an invisible force, it was slowly compressed and condensed by his Supreme Dharma Power.

The golden light flowed between his palms and fingers, its brilliance growing more restrained, until it finally transformed into a golden light sphere only Fist-Sized, yet so solid it seemed like liquid gold slowly flowing, emitting a gentle and eternal radiance.

On the surface of the light sphere, Great Dao Runes faintly appeared and vanished, infinitely mysterious.

Zhenyuanzi carefully stored it deep within his Sleeve Universe, adding several layers of seals to temporarily seal it away.

He naturally had his far-reaching considerations. The Power of Merit was infinitely mysterious, one of the highest rewards the Heavenly Dao could bestow upon those who accumulated virtue and contributed to heaven and earth.

Whether used to enhance one's own foundation and heritage, temper the Primordial Spirit and dharma power, or offset karmic sin in the face of future great calamities to gain the Heavenly Dao's protection and favor in the darkness, or refined at the right time into special merit sacred artifacts, it held great potential—truly one of the most important foundations.

If he absorbed it now, it would immediately boost his cultivation to some extent, but for his current realm at the Great Luo Peak, the effect would not be decisive, and would instead be somewhat wasteful.

Storing it away for a critical moment in the future might allow it to play a far greater role, even reversing the course of heaven and earth, with value far exceeding immediate absorption.

The matter of Zhenyuanzi lecturing on the Dao at Longevity Mountain and drawing down Heavenly Dao merit, though mainly confined to the Western Lands, could not escape the perception of the sharp-sensed, profoundly cultivated top-tier Great Powers of the Primordial World due to the unique fluctuations of the Merit Golden Light and the aura of Heavenly Dao approval.

In the deepest depths of the East Sea Dragon Palace, the Ancestor Dragon's colossal dragon body swayed slightly in the dark abyss, stirring the undercurrents. A clear hint of surprise flashed in his enormous dragon eyes, and his deep and muffled muttering echoed through the palace:

"Lecturing on the Dao can actually earn merit from heaven? This Zhenyuanzi... has walked a path unlike any other."

But he then shook his head, and the light in his dragon eyes returned to calm.

The Dragon Clan had its own ancient and powerful bloodline inheritance and pride. Its core Great Dao concerned the rise and fall of the race and could absolutely never be made public, let alone taught to potential competitors. Though this method was good and could obtain merit, it fundamentally did not suit the Dragon Clan's survival and development strategy.

At the core of the Immortal Volcano, Yuan Feng perched atop the eternally burning Wutong Divine Wood. Her cool and clear, ice-crystal eyes seemed to reflect the distant Western Lands, where the Merit Golden Light had flashed, clear and unmistakable.

She murmured to herself, a trace of barely perceptible complexity in her voice: "Merit... indeed a shortcut. A pity."

Her Phoenix Race's situation was similar to the Dragon Clan's. Bloodline inheritance was supreme, the foundation of the race's strength. They could not expose their core inheritance for the sake of obtaining merit, allowing opponents a chance to catch a glimpse of their true situation. That would be to sacrifice the greater for the lesser.

On Kirin Cliff, auspicious clouds still swirled. The First Kirin, stepping on Five-Colored Auspicious Clouds, looked deeply toward the Western Lands, as if he could pierce through endless space to see the scene at Longevity Mountain.

His expression was calm, and in the end, he only smiled lightly. His grand yet peaceful voice rang out atop the cliff: "Each has their own opportunity; it cannot be forced. Our race's path lies in great virtue carrying things, blessing all living beings, and stabilizing our foundation."

The Kirin Race's path was one of accumulating auspicious signs, developing the race, stabilizing influence, and blessing the earth with righteousness. Though lecturing on the Dao to obtain merit was good, it was not the direction of their core Great Dao. Blindly imitating it might instead cause them to lose themselves.

Though the three clan leaders were all surprised, and even a trace envious, that Zhenyuanzi had obtained Heavenly Dao merit, each was bound by their own racial stance, core interests, and the fundamental characteristics of the Great Dao they walked. They could not, and would not, imitate him.

This also made Zhenyuanzi's act of publicly lecturing on the Dao and benefiting the beings of the Western Lands, to some extent, a unique feat Since the Creation of the World—at least in the current era, it was one of a kind.