The Heavenly Dao Is Fair: The More You Give, the Greater the Reward

The sun and moon turned, and time flowed on.

Amid the green mountains, a figure bustled back and forth. Clad in azure robes, he moved with crisp efficiency—from turning the soil and planting, watering and harvesting fruit, to tempering his mana and refining magical treasures, everything flowed in one continuous motion, carefree and natural.

This person was Zhu Yin.

He had returned to the mountain for five thousand years and resumed his peaceful life. Besides repairing earth veins, he grew tea, refined pills, cultivated his body and temperament, and honed his divine abilities. His days were full and tranquil.

Since breaking through to the Great Principle realm, Zhu Yin had grasped a higher level of the Vitality Great Dao. Combined with the many spirit treasures in his hands, his efficiency in repairing earth veins had risen greatly.

Now, he needed only a hundred years to restore a small earth vein. Yet he did not covet this bit of merit, instead yielding such opportunities to the mountain creatures around him while focusing on the more complicated medium-sized earth veins.

The larger the earth vein, the harder it was to repair and the longer it took. Even Zhu Yin needed two thousand years to barely complete one.

However, the Heavenly Dao was fair: the more one gave, the greater the reward. Repairing a medium-sized earth vein not only aided his comprehension of the Dao, but also increased his merit.

Over the past five thousand years, Zhu Yin had cultivated while researching, and the principles and foundations he had accumulated grew ever deeper. Not only was he skilled in artifact refinement, he had also begun studying pill refinement and formations.

Because the West lacked resources and spiritual vitality, Zhu Yin could only improve the situation by acting himself. Pill refinement could supplement creation, while formations could stabilize spiritual vitality.

Relying on the advantages of his true form and the Vitality Great Dao, his pill-refining speed was extraordinarily fast. In five thousand years, he had achieved modest success and could even use the Vitality Cauldron to refine spirit pills for Golden Immortals.

Though his progress in formations was somewhat slower, he had gradually laid a foundation. So long as he persevered, one day he would surely shine brilliantly.

As for artifact refinement, the Dao he was best at, it improved even more steadily. In the past, refining an acquired high-grade spirit treasure like the Merit Pavilion still required a bit of luck.

But now, he had successfully refined two acquired high-grade spirit treasures in succession. This was no longer luck, but true skill.

Spirit Platform Mountain, within a pavilion.

Zhu Yin held a teacup and took a light sip of Enlightenment Tea, its fragrance winding around his tongue. His divine sense spread outward as he looked beyond the mountain.

As more and more spirit roots appeared in the mountain, its spiritual qi had become increasingly rich, and even the surrounding ranges benefited alongside it. Recently, three spirit lands had formed—two low-grade and one medium-grade.

This time, he took the initiative to permit the nearby creatures to settle in these spirit lands. Though only the low-grade lands were opened, this was already exceedingly rare.

One spirit land was reserved for Rogue Cultivators, while the other was given to the nearby races. As for how they would divide it, they could decide for themselves. Zhu Yin did not interfere much, merely requiring them to observe the bottom line and not act recklessly.

If minor conflicts arose from fighting over spirit lands, he would not concern himself with them. But if anyone dared disturb his peace and quiet, the consequences would not be so simple.

Now, the two low-grade spirit lands were bustling with activity. Rogue Cultivators gathered in groups to exchange insights and spar there, while the various races multiplied and thrived, gradually growing stronger.

At this moment, Zhu Yin's gaze fell near the Blessed Goodness Spirit Land.

The once-a-century market had arrived again. Immortals gathered together to exchange treasures. In the past, only Heavenly Immortals participated, but now even True Immortals and Mysterious Immortals had begun appearing.

A thought stirred in his heart, and he recalled a spirit treasure he had newly refined. This was the perfect opportunity.

With a thought, his figure vanished.

When he reappeared, he was already within that newly formed medium-grade spirit land.

He circulated his mana, instantly manifesting his Dharma form... a jade-green bamboo golden body thirty thousand meters tall. Golden light enveloped heaven and earth, carrying the fresh fragrance of grass and trees.

A golden copper coin hung from the bamboo, swaying in the wind, mysterious and sacred.

A steady, majestic voice rang out:

"Let the Heavenly Dao bear witness. I am the master of Spirit Platform Mountain. Seeing how difficult cultivation is in the West and how scarce its resources are, I hereby establish a Hundred Treasures Hall within the Blessed Goodness Spirit Land, for all beings to fairly exchange what they need. Regardless of cultivation level, once a transaction is concluded, it may not be regretted. Spirit Stones shall serve as the universal currency..."

The moment his words fell, a seven-story golden treasure tower descended from the sky and landed firmly at the center of the Blessed Goodness Spirit Land.

This treasure tower was the Hundred Treasures Hall.

Each floor could hold a million living beings and was divided into areas according to the grade of spirit items:

First floor: Ordinary spirit items

Second floor: Low-grade spirit items

Third floor: Medium-grade spirit items

Fourth floor: High-grade spirit items

Fifth floor: Supreme-grade spirit items

Sixth floor: Ordinary auction pavilion

Seventh floor: Advanced auction pavilion

Each floor was further divided into areas for pills, formations, magical artifacts, talismans, medicinal herbs, spirit fruits, metals, and more. There were even shops available for rent.

Every floor contained an enormous stone stele inscribed with the trading rules of the Hundred Treasures Hall:

1. Fair trade, deceiving neither the young nor the old;

2. Equality and mutual benefit; oppression forbidden;

There were nine rules in total.

These rules were few, yet they were enough to let all living beings trade without concern.

Besides daily buying and selling, the Hundred Treasures Hall would also hold auctions regularly:

The sixth-floor auctions were open to cultivators below the Golden Immortal realm and were held once every thousand years, auctioning all kinds of treasures such as pills, spirit treasures, and spirit fruits.

Every five thousand years, there would also be a "surprise auction," offering rare treasures of uncertain variety and full of anticipation.

The seventh floor was exclusive to beings above the Golden Immortal realm. It would hold an auction once every ten thousand years, where top-grade spirit pills, supreme-grade spirit treasures, and other fine items would be bid upon.

To ensure the safety of transactions, the Hundred Treasures Hall would also keep bidders' identities confidential.

As for Spirit Stones, they were not considered rare in the current Primordial Wilderness. They naturally formed in places rich in spiritual qi, sometimes appearing as spirit pools, spirit springs, or spirit jade.

However, most Spirit Stones came from acquired spirit veins, while innate Spirit Stones were exceedingly rare.

Though this was still the early era of the Witch-Monster War, the Primordial Wilderness remained dominated by innate spiritual qi. Acquired spirit veins had not yet attained much status, and Spirit Stones were not valued.

But in a barren place like the West, the situation was different. Acquired spirit veins instead became precious treasures, and the value of Spirit Stones stood out.

By establishing the monetary status of Spirit Stones early, Zhu Yin was not only benefiting the beings of the West, but also paving the way for future cultivation.

...There were two main reasons Zhu Yin could receive the Heavenly Dao's reward of Merit Golden Clouds.

First, absorbing the fortune of all beings.

The Hundred Treasures Hall itself was a special magical treasure. When Zhu Yin refined it, he had incorporated the Trade Dao he had comprehended.

By creating this trading platform and allowing everyone to exchange things for things, each taking what they needed, he not only made life easier for the beings of the West, but also allowed Zhu Yin to quietly collect a tiny bit of fortune with every transaction completed.

Though he gathered little each time, the sheer number of transactions and the long passage of time meant that small streams converged into a great river, eventually forming an exceedingly considerable pool of resources.

The more people came to the Hundred Treasures Hall to trade, the more fortune accumulated. The more renowned the Hundred Treasures Hall became, the stronger its attraction grew.

Second, advancing the order of heaven and earth and refining spirit treasures.

Zhu Yin's two supreme treasures—the Treasure-Gathering Basin and the Fallen-Treasure Coin—were magical treasures closely tied to trade. To fully control them, he first had to establish Spirit Stones as universal currency and use this to truly establish the Trade Dao.

This would not only completely refine the magical treasures, but also advance the evolution of heaven-and-earth laws, benefiting all beings and naturally earning Heavenly Dao merit.

Of course, Zhu Yin was not doing all this for nothing. The transaction fees he collected and the Spirit Stones gained from auctions were all put to practical use.

Over the past five thousand years, he had used these resources to refine quite a few spirit treasures. The two strongest among them were the Hundred Treasures Hall and the Heaven-and-Earth Altar.

One was responsible for gathering Spirit Stones, while the other was responsible for using them.

For example, offering Spirit Stones as sacrifices upon the Heaven-and-Earth Altar could be exchanged for acquired spirit veins. The more Spirit Stones offered, the higher the quality of the spirit vein.

After the Witch-Monster War ended, innate spiritual qi would diminish, and acquired spiritual qi would gradually become the mainstream. Zhu Yin was accumulating strength for the West's future development.

He was in no hurry. Instead, he intended to make the West rise completely in the future Sage Era!

Merit Descended, Magical Treasures Advanced

That day, Zhu Yin sat in meditation beneath the Heaven-Piercing Jade Bamboo when the Heavenly Dao suddenly trembled, sending down a vast and mighty power.

The entire West heard him establish the rules of currency and learned of the Hundred Treasures Hall's existence.

Immediately afterward, ninety-nine mu of Merit Golden Clouds descended from the heavens, dyeing the sky a profound yellow.

Of these, three hundred and thirty-three mu of merit directly entered the Hundred Treasures Hall, allowing it to advance in one stroke into an acquired high-grade merit spirit treasure. Its appearance became resplendent with golden light, and its aura grew even stronger.

Even the spirit land where the Hundred Treasures Hall stood was nourished, gaining the chance to advance into a supreme-grade spirit land, or even a grotto-heaven blessed land!

The remaining six hundred and sixty-six mu of merit entered Zhu Yin's body. Golden merit light gathered behind him into an enormous golden wheel, as though a deity had descended into the world.

The entire Heaven-Piercing Jade Bamboo also transformed into a Merit Spirit Bamboo, and the heaven and earth around it became sacred and solemn.