Those Who Follow the Dao Find Much Aid and Meet an Immortal

Li Zhengyuan sighed with emotion, then continued south. He had originally journeyed south to seek Fire Qi and perfect the Five Qi, but now he was no longer fixated on it. He simply wished to walk and see the world; seeking Fire Qi had become a secondary matter.

He turned to look at the Treasure-Seeking Rat on his shoulder and could not help but smile. Though the Treasure-Seeking Rat was an innate spirit, its foundations were merely middling. How could it compare to Li Zhengyuan's abundant mana? After traveling for a long while, its mana had weakened, so Li Zhengyuan simply had it shrink to the size of a palm, lie on his shoulder, and let him carry it along.

Yet the Treasure-Seeking Rat was bold, and its heart was pure. Whenever it grew tired, it would curl up on his shoulder and sleep, occasionally even rolling over. It was truly adorable.

Li Zhengyuan traveled onward for a long time before discovering that the earth veins ahead were tangled in chaos, with miasma rising everywhere and few living beings to be found. After making another calculation, he learned that this place was already close to the southern Undying Volcano. The feathered clans, lofty and aloof, were unwilling to dwell alongside other living beings. Taking the earth veins of Undying Volcano as their boundary, they had laid down a great formation and built Cave-Heavens within it. This had thrown the earth veins into utter disorder and bred miasma everywhere, leaving living beings to suffer.

How could Li Zhengyuan possibly stand by and watch? His nature was compassionate, but compassion was not weakness. He stopped ahead and began to regulate the earth qi, straighten out the earth veins, and save the living beings.

Undying Volcano was no single mountain, but a chain of mountains with Undying Volcano at its heart, stretching countless miles in every direction. If Li Zhengyuan wished to sort through every part of it, who knew how many kalpas it would take?

He let out another long sigh and began his work. He brought forth the Earth Book, connected with the earth veins, and used his mana to alter the lay of the land, reducing the Qi of Earth Sha. He then summoned a clear breeze to continuously scatter the miasma, only to find that it was difficult to disperse.

That made sense. If this miasma had been so easy to clear away, someone would likely have dealt with it long ago. Then he recalled that when he had slain Hun'e in the past, Hongjun Daoist had bestowed the Pure Water Alms Bowl upon him. Within the bowl was Immaculate Pure Water, which should be able to cleanse the miasma and restore life. He summoned another clear breeze and poured out several dozen drops of pure water. In the wind, one drop became two, two became three, flowing forth without end until it turned into a vast ocean. Then he pushed the clear breeze forward, sending down a great rain of pure water. At once, the miasma throughout the land dispersed, replaced by pure and spiritual qi. Life flourished everywhere, and countless flowers, trees, and other plants sprang forth.

Li Zhengyuan was delighted. It seemed this truly worked. So he continued casting spells throughout the region, clearing away the miasma. Yet he also knew well that if he did not alter the terrain and sort out the earth veins, the miasma would likely spread through this place again before long.

Thus, he used his mana to seize several great mountains, calculated again and again, and changed the arrangement of the terrain. He scattered pure water as well, transforming it into a rushing river that surged through the land. When mountains and waters met, the entire place changed in an instant.

Li Zhengyuan then descended into the earth veins and used the Earth Book to draw and guide them in every direction, setting right what had been thrown into disorder.

It took several thousand years before he had properly sorted out the earth veins. When he emerged and looked around, he found the place utterly transformed. Where was there any miasma now? All things thrived in abundance, brimming with vigor and life.

He was pleased, yet also moved. With the time he had spent over these thousands of years, he could have long since reached the southern Undying Volcano. Perhaps by now, the Five Qi would already have Returned to Origin. But he did not regret it. This was his Dao. Li Zhengyuan could not simply turn away after seeing earth veins in chaos and living beings suffering. He had to do something. This was his duty, and his station.

Then he saw five-colored auspicious clouds drifting over from the horizon, their strange fragrance filling the air. He knew that Merit had arrived once more. The Dao of Heaven rewarded him for his service in restoring the earth veins and bestowed Merit upon him.

Merit spanning ten mu floated above his head. Li Zhengyuan cupped his hands in salute, then stored the Merit within the Earth Book. The living beings of this land sensed it and all bowed in worship, praising Li Zhengyuan's great deed. Even the earth veins themselves seemed to rejoice. Just as Li Zhengyuan was about to say something, he saw an auspicious cloud drifting leisurely over from afar, filling the sky with rosy radiance tinged with mysterious yellow.

When Li Zhengyuan looked more closely, the cloud had already arrived. A Daoist stood upon it. Only then did he realize that what he had taken for rosy light earlier was actually the golden radiance of Merit above this Daoist's head.

Hiss—compared to that, it seemed his own Merit was not all that much!