The World Emerges, and the Luan Chariot Is Forged Again

In the boundless Void Sea, gathering and scattering suddenly erupted. Wherever the Earth Book reached, the void collapsed, transforming into a single breath of Chaos.

Then the Earth Book churned again, like a plow tilling the soil, cleaving open Chaos as heaven and earth divided.

Zhen Yuanzi watched the world before him rise and fall, as though he had returned to the days when the Primordial Heavenly King had created heaven and earth.

Suddenly, a cry rang out: "Zha!"

A world manifested, wandering through that profound and subtle place, flowing freely through the lofty river of time.

Within the vast Void Sea, the new world seemed to have passed through countless eons of unhurried years, calmly merging into the great transformations of nature and displaying endless divine splendor.

Clear radiance washed over this new heaven and earth. The shifting scenery was as illusory as beautiful jade; within the broad and lucid world, primordial energy flowed freely, while joyous harmony permeated all.

As Zhen Yuanzi's gaze roved about, he still found himself immersed in it, unable to pull free, as though he had forgotten to turn and return.

Before long, this world's luminous order had been established and sustained, and its inner divine charm had become whole and complete.

Five-colored radiance gleamed brilliantly before concealing itself. Its pure, crystalline heart was as flawless and immaculate as fine jade.

Its principles were smooth, pure, and harmonious; the empty womb condensed into form. This wondrous spectacle of the Great Possession realm unfolded within this simple world of spirits.

What a fine "Pure Good Void Compassion Earth-Spirit Realm." Looking within, it was boundless and immeasurably vast.

Zhen Yuanzi's Dao heart had long been clear and tranquil, so he did not marvel. He merely offered up his Dao Fruit, letting it float in the void. The Earth-Spirit Realm seemed to have found its foundation and immediately absorbed the Dao Fruit within itself. It vanished without revealing even a trace of its aura, yet everywhere displayed Zhen Yuanzi's Dao.

"Only upon standing upon the earth did I first understand cause and effect; today, at last, I know that I am myself!"

With another soft laugh, he flashed into the Earth-Spirit Realm.

The moment he entered, he discovered that it was empty. Mountains and rivers, sun and moon, stars and all other things had yet to appear. Only heaven and earth were evolving, hazy and chaotic.

Zhen Yuanzi already understood within his heart that he had only just entered the Dao Lord realm; this was all it could be for now. Once his Dao Fruit matured further and his Dao realm deepened, this world would follow his will and evolve Dao laws. With another idle point of his finger, a cloud couch rose into the air.

Zhen Yuanzi stepped onto the cloud couch and sat cross-legged upon it, his five hearts facing heaven and his eyes lightly closed. He began expounding the Dao in a clear voice, sorting through his Dao Fruit:

"Freed from the net of ornate luxuriance, clad in plainness within the market of empty abiding; vast isles dimly explored, mysterious waves and clouds standing still. Gathering the reins, fleeing and shifting; clarifying principles across ten thousand paths. Kindling cool winds in wondrous awareness, concealing the soaring heavens as one wanders and coils. Stirring the Mysterious Origin beyond the heavens, moving the nine breaths through the rosy ford. Wandering melodies over orchid waves, condensing clear, still whorls; strange notes resound in dark echoes, clouds gather amid the eight mists, principles play within the Primordial Beginning..."

Within the Earth-Spirit Realm, splendor reflected upon the purple court, drifting brightly through the Nine Mysteries. It flowed freely and shone within the Jade Purity; spiritual mist scattered its fragrance amid luminous rosy clouds, while divine lamps blazed in the great void.

Heaven and earth paid homage, all breaths bowed in salute, and the Earthly Dao rejoiced, leaping without cease.

Zhen Yuanzi's Earthly Dao was not the Dao of the earth. Rather, it took the Earthly Dao as its foundation and encompassed the evolution of worlds, the transformations of the Five Elements and yin and yang. Yet the basis of everything remained the Earthly Dao.

The Earthly Dao was his root. In other words, if Zhen Yuanzi's Earthly Dao were to collapse in the future, Zhen Yuanzi would surely perish. But if Zhen Yuanzi returned to the Ruins of Return while his Dao did not collapse and continued to exist, then he would still have a chance to return.

Whether after one cosmic cycle or one Kalpa, he would eventually return.

After expounding the Dao for sixty thousand years, he stopped. He allowed this world to develop naturally, without pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

Now that Zhen Yuanzi had attained the Dao Lord realm, he found himself vastly different from before.

Previously, he had seemed to cultivate solely in order to return home, cultivating for the sake of returning home. Now, he had long understood the principles within.

His heart naturally devoted itself entirely to the Great Dao, and he had grown ever more compassionate. This time, he had spent quite a bit of Merit, but it had been well spent.

Had Merit not repaired Azure Jade and allowed him to see the full sequence of events, how could there be a him today?

He felt even greater fondness for Merit, but he did not covet it. At his current level, he was already a man of virtue; how could he put the cart before the horse?

Still, he took half of that Merit and, with a slight guiding force, refined it into three thousand golden flowers. He then forged a Luan chariot, decorating it slightly and enlightening it into an imperial carriage. Three thousand golden flowers atop it shone with dazzling light, piercing through the darkness.

Cloud-and-rainbow curtains surrounded the imperial carriage, while a golden lamp stood at each of its four corners. What grandeur, what magnificence!

He summoned the Fire Luan and patted its crown. It revealed its true form, and as he drew the silken reins, the Fire Luan lowered its head and pulled up the Luan carriage.

Zhen Yuanzi stepped lightly inside the Luan carriage and slowly sat down. The Fire Luan drew the chariot aloft, spreading its wings and soaring. Wherever it went, rosy light stretched endlessly, golden radiance soared ten thousand zhang, and auspicious signs and wondrous fragrances filled the heavens. Truly, it was a splendid sight.

This was the first chariot between heaven and earth. When the Dao of Heaven learned of it, it rejoiced greatly and bestowed even more auspicious signs. The Luan carriage became still more divine and extraordinary, evolving more than thirty restrictions.

"Hahaha, good, good, good! A carriage like this is one I would not dare make—I fear it would diminish my blessings. What a pity, what a pity."

He then engraved innate Dao script upon it, writing: "Auspicious Virtue Fire Luan Chariot," before storing it away.

This was no ordinary seat. Since he established no sect and opened no abode, he did not dare sit in it.

Yet he had his own considerations; it was not for the sake of showing off.