Good Things Take Time: Southward Once More

Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve!

This was the Great Divine Ability that Zhen Yuanzi wielded in the later Journey to the West, able to leave Sun Wukong utterly defenseless with a single sweep of his sleeve. Years ago, he had wondered when Zhen Yuanzi had created the divine ability known as Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve.

At last, after ten thousand years of painstaking study and constant experimentation, he had successfully created an earth-shattering Great Divine Ability that belonged to him alone—Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve!

The profundity of this divine ability was simply beyond imagination. Its power was more than several times greater than the Palm Buddha Kingdom said to belong to the Western Teaching.

Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve contained the supreme laws of the Great Dao of Space. Once cultivated to its pinnacle, a casual wave of the hand would allow one to create countless vast and boundless major worlds at will.

It could create new worlds as though opening heaven and earth, and it could just as easily utterly destroy an entire world. As those worlds arose and perished in the void, cycling over and over, even peerless experts who had stepped into the Great Divine Ability Realm would likely struggle to possess such heaven-shaking power.

Ever since he had gained this miraculous divine ability, the unease and worry in his heart had instantly vanished.

Thinking back, he had spent years pondering and comprehending in solitude in order to realize this divine ability, yet had never managed to create it. Just as he was nearly despairing, the Heaven-Earth Daoist had appeared again. At the time, he had believed Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve to be the Heaven-Earth Daoist's method and had secretly considered whether he could ask him for this divine ability.

Yet, to his surprise, Li Zhengyuan had stumbled into comprehending a trace of Dao intent that the Heaven-Earth Daoist had unintentionally bestowed upon him.

It was precisely through that incomparably precious trace of Dao intent that he had received sudden enlightenment and created the Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve he had long dreamed of ahead of time.

Li Zhengyuan was in an exceptionally good mood. Amid his delight, he could not help looking once more at the Merit Golden Wheel shining brilliantly behind him.

He thought, Perhaps my successful creation of such an astonishing divine ability as Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve was also thanks to the immense merit I had accumulated, which added so much luck to my fate!

He picked up the Treasure-Seeking Rat again, delighted over it for quite a while, and bestowed two Ginseng Fruits upon it. Everyone was happy.

Li Zhengyuan once again set out southward, following the route he had originally planned. By ordinary calculations, he should have reached the legendary Undying Volcano long ago. Though he had been delayed somewhat, the difference was not great. After all, the Undying Volcano was an important destination of this journey, and he had to investigate it no matter what.

With that thought, Li Zhengyuan quickened his pace. His speed this time was simply incomparable to before. Before long, he spotted the towering, majestic Undying Volcano ahead, shrouded in mist and smoke.

Along the way, Li Zhengyuan was surprised to discover that this region was home to countless feathered creatures.

There were no shortage of rare species such as luan birds, azure sparrows, and white cranes. Some spread their wings and soared through the skies, while others rested leisurely upon branches, creating a peaceful and tranquil scene.

The aura here was exceptionally gentle, and even the spiritual energy permeating the air was especially pure and immaculate. Everyone knew that feathered creatures loved cleanliness and avoided filth. This was particularly true of the Phoenix clan among them. Legend had it that they would not rest except on parasol trees, would not eat except bamboo fruit, and would not drink except sweet springs. Their purity was unmatched.

As Li Zhengyuan gazed at those beautiful feathered creatures, a thought suddenly arose in his heart: Wouldn't it be both convenient and imposing if I captured one to serve as my mount?

But on second thought, most feathered creatures were proud by nature. Why should he invite trouble? Besides, even if he truly subdued one, apart from the Phoenix, the other feathered creatures here likely lacked the ability to serve as his means of travel.

Li Zhengyuan could now travel hundreds of millions of li in a single step, and few could match his speed. He was also compassionate by nature and unwilling to seize living creatures on a whim, so he dismissed the thought.

The feathered creatures showed no reaction when they saw Li Zhengyuan approach. His entire aura was peaceful, compassionate, deep, and vast, so no feathered creature came to disturb him.

Instead, quite a few white cranes carried over purple ganoderma and sweet dew as offerings to Li Zhengyuan. They flapped their wings and occasionally bowed, as if worshiping him, their expressions sincere and reverent.

Li Zhengyuan casually waved his hand again, transforming it into a clear radiance that scattered over the white cranes. It became Dao essence, advancing the white cranes' cultivation.