Ling Qing and the others left the summit of Mount Tai and returned to Carefree Residence. After resting for a time, they too joined in smoothing away the lingering remnants of this final tribulation.
With everyone's help, the tribulation dissipated even faster.
Moreover, as the great tribulation faded, the mandate of Heaven shifted away from the Eight Immortals and scattered in all directions, while many humans and demons arose in response to the times.
Only now could the Eight Immortals be said to have fully fulfilled their grave duty of slaying demons, eliminating devils, and dispelling the demonic tribulation.
Another ten years passed in a rush. Cao Guojiu, having completed his tribulation, was sent back to the Song State era.
He would have to wait another two hundred years before he could truly attain the Dao and allow the Eight Immortals to fully take their rightful places.
Yet now that the demonic tribulation had been dispelled, the turmoil of the mortal world that should have been entangled with the tribulation amounted merely to the succession of mortals and no longer concerned the mandate of Heaven.
With no more need to fear the demonic tribulation, the Eight Immortals no longer had to remain gathered at Carefree Residence on Mount Zhongnan.
Instead, each sought out a cave abode elsewhere.
Iron Crutch Li moved to Mount Hua and opened Purple Mist Cave; Zhang Guolao wandered to Wudang Mountain and, seeing the singular grace of White Dew Rock, settled there; Lan Caihe lived in Wrinkled Cloud Valley on Mount Wangwu.
Lu Dongbin lived at Wispy Cloud Cliff on Emei; He Xiangu lived in Jade House Cave on Mount Lu; Han Xiangzi lived on Azure Cloud Peak of Mount Song, cultivating alongside his uncle Han Yu and aunt.
Only Zhongliquan remained on Mount Zhongnan, opening