The Abbot Takes Bitter Bamboo [Seeking Monthly Votes]

Having fully mastered the Innate Three Talents Grand Formation, Zhenyuanzi's mind stirred slightly, and his divine will soaked through every vein of earth and thread of spiritual energy across the three immortal islands like flowing water.

The layout of the islands, the nodes of the prohibitions, and even the unique Dao resonance emitted by the core objects were all as clear as the lines on his palm, perfectly reflected in the lake of his heart.

The resonance coming from the central Penglai Immortal Island was the strongest, like the call of the earth's maternal womb, nearly identical in origin to his own earthly foundation, drawing him to go there immediately.

However, Zhenyuanzi's Dao heart was perfectly rounded, and he deeply understood that although the opportunity had arrived, it must be taken step by step, without haste.

The clear, solitary bitterness emanating from the left Fangling Island, though not his primary path of cultivation, held a unique mystery that might benefit his own Dao.

He suppressed his urgency toward Penglai Island, purified his Dao heart, and stepped forward.

The formation patterns beneath his feet flowed naturally, space rippling like water. The next instant, using the grand formation's teleportation ability, he appeared silently in the core area of Fangling Island without stirring a single speck of dust.

Here, spiritual energy was thick and dense, nearly condensing into tangible spirit mist. But strangely, this spiritual energy did not feel rich and sweet; instead, it carried an indescribable bitter aftertaste.

Inhaling it into his lungs did not bring the pleasure of enhanced mana, but rather felt like drinking a cup of clear tea—bitter at first, then sweet in the aftertaste, ultimately leading to a settling and calming of the mind and spirit.

Looking around, the core area had no magnificent palaces or perilous peaks, only a patch of spiritual soil that seemed ordinary on the surface but was inwardly rich with Dao resonance.

The soil was a deep brown, faintly showing the interweaving flow of Wood Essence and Wutu Essence Qi, clearly no ordinary earth.

And in the center of this spiritual soil stood a single spiritual bamboo, solitary and alone.

The bamboo was about ten feet tall, its entire body a vivid, dripping green, crystal clear and translucent, as if it were not a mortal plant but meticulously crafted from flawless glass.

The bamboo stalk was straight and tall, each joint clearly defined, and on every joint were naturally imprinted profound spiral patterns. These patterns seemed to contain a strange power that could draw in the mind and sort through the laws of the Dao.

The leaves were sparse, no more than a few dozen, yet each was like the finest jade, carefully carved, thin as cicada wings, with clear veins, emitting a warm, jewel-like radiance.

They moved without wind, and when they rubbed against each other, the sound was not the rustling of ordinary bamboo leaves, but a subtle, clear tone that pierced straight into the depths of the soul—like a Buddhist chant, like a Zen hum, faintly echoing through this quiet, solitary space, washing away all restlessness and stray thoughts.

This was none other than one of the ten Innate Spiritual Roots, the strange object containing the Law of Salvation—the Bitter Bamboo.

As Zhenyuanzi's gaze fell upon it, the moment it touched the bamboo stalk, his Spiritual Platform cleared, and at the same time, a strange, formless power had already spread throughout his body.

This power was not a fierce, overbearing attack, nor was it a seductive, bewitching evil; it was more like a subtle, silent infiltration of the Dao realm, nourishing things without sound.

It quietly washed away the dust of the heart, leading one to let go of all obsessions, dissolve all afflictions, and guide one toward an absolute "stillness," a profound "enlightenment," and even faintly, a trace of the meaning of salvation that made one yearn to "convert" to this quiet, empty realm.

If an ordinary Golden Immortal or even a Taiyi cultivator were here, they would likely lose their Dao heart within moments, unconsciously abandoning their past convictions, their nature tending toward some empty, silent state, sinking into the illusion of "enlightenment" and losing their true original self.

"What a Bitter Bamboo! The power of salvation, to such a degree..."

Zhenyuanzi's heart grew vigilant, and then he understood.

"This object will eventually fall into the hands of those two in the Western Lands..."

Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti would later establish a great teaching in the barren Western Lands, swearing forty-eight great vows, and the essence of their doctrine and divine abilities were all closely related to "guiding the destined" and "saving all beings."

The innate Law of Salvation contained in this Bitter Bamboo was precisely the supreme treasure that perfectly aligned with their Dao.

But fate was ever-changing. Since he, Zhenyuanzi, had found this island first, this object was destined to have a connection with him.

He did not grow impatient upon realizing this treasure was fated for the West, nor did he immediately act to collect it.

At his level of cultivation, he deeply understood that collecting an Innate Spiritual Root, especially a top-tier one like the Bitter Bamboo, was by no means a simple matter of uprooting it by force.

Such an act would be like burning a zither to cook a crane—not only could it damage the root's origin, but it would also cause him to miss the true meaning of the Great Dao laws contained within the root itself.

Only by quietly contemplating and understanding the true meaning of "bitterness" and the mystery of "salvation" it contained could he truly unleash its effectiveness, and even integrate the beneficial parts of its laws into his own Earth Immortal Dao, making his foundation more solid and complete.

With his mind made up, Zhenyuanzi found a flat, smooth green stone beside the Bitter Bamboo, brushed away the nonexistent dust, and sat down cross-legged in peace.

His mind settled, all thoughts unified, and the Innate Wu Tu Qi and Wood Essence within his body flowed naturally, merging with the surrounding environment.

Then, his vast and gentle divine sense slowly extended outward, like a thin mist under the warm spring sun, gently enveloping the entire Bitter Bamboo.

He did not forcefully assault the bamboo's core origin, nor did he try to refine it immediately. Instead, he acted as a humble observer and contemplator, carefully experiencing the true meaning of "bitterness."

This "bitterness" was not the pain of the flesh, nor the resentment of unfulfilled desires, but a clear, solitary understanding born from experiencing all phenomena and seeing through the impermanence of the world—a true liberation achieved by cutting off the three thousand afflictions, a strange power that guided the mind toward absolute stillness, nearly approaching the Dao.

The power of "salvation," from a certain perspective, could also be seen as an extremely advanced, direct-to-the-heart form of "mental influence" and "law assimilation."

Although Zhenyuanzi did not cultivate the path of stillness and emptiness, the three thousand great Daos all ultimately led to the same destination, and all methods were interconnected.

Contemplating this path would be of immense benefit to him in further stabilizing his Primordial Chaos Dao Heart, deepening his understanding of cause and effect, karmic ties, and worldly karma, and even in the future, if he needed to deal with the two Western patriarchs or other great divine power users skilled in mental attacks and confusing the Primordial Spirit.

In the Primordial Wilderness, time was not counted. Within the Three Immortal Islands, sealed off by the Innate Grand Formation and forming a world of their own, the passage of time was even harder to perceive.

No one knew how long had passed—perhaps a flicker of an eye, perhaps a thousand years.

The Dao resonance of Wu Tu, originally heavy, vast, and bearing all things around Zhenyuanzi, gradually took on a trace of the same clear solitude as the Bitter Bamboo. This resonance flowed, making his figure seem more ethereal and empty.

But then, it was absorbed, dissolved, and integrated by the even deeper, more vast Dao resonance of the earth's origin, returning to a state of righteousness, peace, and flawless perfection.

He slowly opened his eyes, and deep within them, a flash of clear light seemed to pass. He had already gained a preliminary understanding and control of the Law of Salvation contained in the Bitter Bamboo. Though not profound, he had grasped its essence, enough to wield it freely without being tainted by its power.

The time had come. Zhenyuanzi extended the index finger of his right hand, and at its tip, a strand of pure Wood Vitality and Wutu Nourishing Qi flowed together, emitting a compassionate aura that nurtured all things.

He gently touched the spiritual soil at the root of the Bitter Bamboo, not forcefully infusing it, but conveying goodwill and acceptance with a guiding, soothing gesture.

At the same time, he quietly deployed his signature divine ability—the Sleeve Universe technique.

His sleeve did not suddenly expand to swallow heaven and earth; instead, the Dao patterns within its space shifted, and using his profound understanding of the earth and the Dao of life, he instantly constructed an independent, stable cave-heaven space most suitable for the survival of an Innate Spiritual Root like the Bitter Bamboo. The quality of the spiritual soil inside was even superior to the outside.

The Bitter Bamboo seemed to possess a spirit. It trembled slightly, and the Zen hum of its leaves seemed to brighten a little.

It sensed the righteous, peaceful, and vast aura of Zhenyuanzi, far surpassing ordinary beings, as well as his harmless guidance. Combined with the comfortable temptation from the Sleeve Universe space, it no longer resisted.

The entire Bitter Bamboo bloomed with a warm, jade-green radiance, then transformed into a stream of life-filled light, actively leaving its original roots and lightly diving into Zhenyuanzi's seemingly ordinary, wide sleeve. There, it took root again in the simulated top-grade spiritual soil, its branches and leaves stretching out, continuing to inhale and exhale spiritual energy, growing peacefully, and even seeming more radiant than before due to the better environment.

Having collected the Bitter Bamboo, Zhenyuanzi's heart was not stirred by much turmoil. His Dao heart remained calm.

He moved again, the formation patterns beneath his feet flickering, space ripples spreading. The next moment, he had left the quiet, bitter cold of Fangling Island and appeared in another realm—the core of the right-side Yingzhou Island.