Parting Ways to Preach

"Thank you for your grace, Master!"

The demons only then snapped out of their immense surprise, hurriedly kowtowing in unison to express their gratitude, their voices trembling with excitement.

The few Immortal Cranes bent their long necks deeply, their pure white wings trembling slightly.

The Nine-Headed Lion pressed all nine of its heads to the ground, letting out a deep and muffled roar.

Even the usually steady Black Tortoise slowly dipped its massive head in a nod.

Being able to freely enter and exit such a Blessed Land, one that even Primordial Great Powers would covet, and to have its gate opened to them—this was a fortune they had never dared to dream of in the past!

This meant they had not only obtained systematic guidance in the Dao but also gained an incomparably safe and resource-rich foundation for cultivation.

In this Primordial World ruled by the Law of the Jungle, being able to have such a stable place for cultivation was an immeasurable treasure.

Zhenyuanzi slightly nodded and did not speak further. Daoist Hongyun understood, a warm smile on his face as he stepped forward, his wide crimson Daoist robe fluttering lightly in the wind.

His form drifted ethereally, as if he might transform into a wisp of cloud and dissipate at any moment. When he spoke, his voice carried the same ethereal and shifting quality of clouds and mist: "Little ones of the Crane Clan, step forward."

The cranes quickly folded their wings and walked forward gracefully and respectfully, lining up in a row, quietly awaiting his Teachings.

Hongyun's gaze was distant, as if Looking At the drifting clouds at the horizon, and he spoke slowly:

"Clouds have no fixed form, gathering and dispersing without constancy, yet their core lies in the word 'change'—adapting to Heavenly Timing, borrowing the power of the wind, only then can one roam the nine heavens.

Water has no constant shape, it can be soft or hard, dripping through stone, surging to break mountains, yet its foundation lies in the word 'nourish'—nourishing all things without contending with them.

You of the Crane Clan are born with light and elegant bones, able to soar among the clouds and wade through waters, naturally close to the Dao of Cloud and Water.

On the path of cultivation, you must deeply comprehend the True Meaning of the Unpredictable Changes of Cloud and the Softness and Nourishment of Water. Do not cling to a single form or state; like clouds and water, Go With the Flow, and only then can you attain Great Freedom..."

His words seemed to carry a strange power, not only clearly explaining the essence of the Dao of Cloud and Water but also drawing in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

Threads of Water Vapor began to condense on the pure white feathers of the Immortal Cranes, forming faint clouds and mist that swirled around them. Their postures became lighter and more agile, a gleam of understanding shining in their Eyes.

The leading crane could not help but spread its wings, dancing gracefully in the courtyard, stirring up layers of mist and clouds.

Then, Hongyun turned to the four pure-blooded Descendants of Sacred Beasts—the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise. He did not teach them all together but instead gave individual guidance based on their original attributes.

He said to the Azure Dragon:

"Eastern Azure Dragon, belonging to Wood, governs life and controls thunder and rain. Yet after spring's growth comes summer's flourishing, autumn's harvest, and winter's storage.

Your life force is not about blind exuberance; you must understand the cycle of Growth and Storage, comprehend the true cycle of life from prosperity to decline and from decline back to prosperity. Only then can your life force be inexhaustible, and your thunder and rain nourish all living beings Rather Than bring disaster."

Hearing this, the Azure Dragon's body blazed with green light, faint, fine electric currents flickering across its scales, deepening its understanding of life force.

Its meandering form slowly swam through the courtyard, and wherever it passed, the plants seemed to radiate even richer vitality.

He said to the Vermilion Bird:

"Southern Vermilion Bird, belonging to Fire, governs the Li Flame, presiding over Destruction and New Birth. Yet fire is prone to flare upward and is the easiest to lose control, burning all things and itself alike.

You must understand the importance of 'measure.' Flames can incinerate decay and sprout new growth, but they can also warm the cold winter and illuminate the darkness. The secret to controlling fire lies in the heart; a calm heart makes fire steady, a righteous heart makes fire pure."

The Southern Bright Leaving Fire burning around the Vermilion Bird seemed to lose A Few Points of its violence, gaining A Trace of agility and gentleness. It let out a Clear Chirp, as if enlightened.

It spread its magnificent wings, flames dancing at the tips of its feathers, no longer Scorching Hot but carrying a warm aura.

He said to the White Tiger:

"Western White Tiger, belonging to Metal, governs slaughter and controls warfare. Yet killing is not the goal; purging filth, severing Karma, and guarding the righteous path—these are the True Meaning of Metal.

Excessive rigidity breaks easily. You must understand that Metal can also give birth to Water; beyond fierceness, you must harbor A Trace of softness and benevolence. Life within slaughter—that is the great Dao of the White Tiger."

The White Tiger let out a Low Growl, the sharp Metal Qi around it seeming to withdraw slightly. The king pattern on its forehead shimmered with light, gaining a sense of steadiness.

Its agile form paced through the courtyard, each step carrying authority, yet no longer Causing People to feel fear.

He said to the Black Tortoise:

"Northern Black Tortoise, belonging to Water, governs darkness and presides over guardianship. Yet water can carry a boat or capsize it, and darkness holds infinite possibilities.

Your guardianship is not about standing still; you must understand the principle that Still Water Runs Deep—accumulating power in silence, dissolving impacts through tolerance. The Turtle and Snake Entwined is the fusion of Extreme Yin and Extreme Softness, and the most resilient manifestation of life.

The Mysterious Patterns on the Black Tortoise's shell glowed faintly, and both the snake's head and the tortoise's head nodded lightly, a contemplative look In the Eyes.

Its massive form moved slowly, stirring up Water Vapor that quickly settled, as if containing boundless power.

Each of the four beasts received their true teachings, their Dao resonance aligning more closely with their bloodline, faintly resonating with the primal power of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind emanating from the Four Symbols Plantain Tree in the center of the courtyard. Their aura visibly became more condensed and pure.

Meanwhile, Zhenyuanzi sat Cross-legged beneath the Four Symbols Plantain Tree, his form seemingly merging with the earth beneath him and the entire Longevity Mountain, becoming one and indistinguishable.

He focused his attention on the two Kirin—the Pure-blooded Kirin and the Ink Kirin.

His voice was deep and heavy, like an echo from the depths of the earth:

"The Kirin is the Chief of Beasts, a symbol of Auspicious Qi. Your Dao is Rooted in the earth.

Earth occupies the center, bearing the four directions and nourishing all things—this is 'profound virtue.' Yet earth is not dead matter; it contains metal, stone, and jade, and when met with fire, it can be fired into pottery or smelted into metal—this is the ability to 'bear things' and the wonder of 'transformation.'

As you walk the earth, you must sense the flow of Earth Veins, discern the clarity and turbidity of Earth Qi, guide spiritual energy, and bring blessings to all lands. Only then can you live up to the name of auspiciousness."

The Pure-blooded Kirin nodded repeatedly, its Auspicious Qi growing denser, its connection to the earth's energy becoming even closer.

Its golden scales Shone Brightly in the sunlight, and when its hooves struck the ground, it seemed to resonate with the earth.

As for the Ink Kirin, whose scales had turned a dark, dull black due to a bloodline mutation and had been rejected by its clan, it listened with even greater focus now, its enormous Eyes flickering with excitement and relief.

From Zhenyuanzi's words, it finally understood that its seemingly ominous mutated bloodline was not a flaw, but rather a unique affinity and potential for mastery over the deeper, more hidden power of the earth—Netherworld Qi. This was a rare and extraordinary opportunity!

Baptized by Zhenyuanzi's Daoist tones, a layer of deep, pure, and mysterious luster began to shimmer across its dark, ink-colored scales, and its aura grew profound.

Qingfeng and Mingyue, the two Daoist children, stood quietly not far behind Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun. Although these explanations were not directly aimed at them, every word from the two Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals expounding the Ultimate Truth of the Great Dao was a gem of wisdom, containing the Heaven and Earth Law.

Listening to the exquisite discourses on the Five Elements Mutual Generation (such as Earth generating Metal, Metal generating Water) and the Four Symbols Rotation (such as Wood generating Fire, Fire generating Earth), many vague points in their past cultivation suddenly became clear. They gained a deeper understanding of the Earth and Wood paths they cultivated, feeling their Dao foundations grow more stable.

Mingyue couldn't help but stretch out her small hand, sensing the Wood Qi flowing through the air, a joyful expression spreading across her face.

Perhaps the one who gained the most was the silent Black Tortoise.

With the highest cultivation, already in the Great Luo Realm, it was shackled by its innate limitations. Despite possessing vast magical power and a formidable physical body, it had never been able to shed its original form and transform into a Daoist.

Now, listening to Zhenyuanzi's exposition on the origin, bearing, and returning-to-storage nature of the earth—especially the profound meanings of "All things carry Yin and embrace Yang; the interaction of Qi creates harmony" and "Form and Spirit Together"—its Dao heart, stagnant for Several Epochs, finally stirred with a trace of movement.

Its massive, mountain-like body began to tremble with an extremely subtle, rhythmic motion, as if attempting to understand, communicate with, and align itself with heaven and earth in a brand new way. The Transformation Barrier that had plagued it for countless ages seemed, for the first time, to show a sign of loosening.