Treasures Exist to Aid the Dao; What Matters Is Whether They Help Cultivation

Time flowed on, and the years quietly passed.

Several hundred years later, Zhu Yin left the Dao Field once more.

During this time, many great powers were listening to the Dao at Purple Cloud Palace. Those remaining were either in seclusion or burdened with major responsibilities, and the Primordial Wilderness was temporarily much more peaceful.

With his current Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation, along with two Innate Spiritual Treasures protecting him, so long as he did not deliberately provoke serious trouble, the great powers generally could not be bothered with him.

Besides, he had shown his face at the Heavenly Court last time and had made a name for himself. Everyone knew he was Zhunti's disciple, and no one wished to make an enemy for no reason.

Of course, if he truly had the misfortune of encountering Jieyin and Zhunti's mortal enemies, then it was simply fate. There was no avoiding it.

Now was the best time to travel.

He intended to use this opportunity to journey far and wide, seek treasures, and explore opportunities. First, he wanted to strengthen his own foundation so he could cultivate in seclusion without worry in the future. Second, once the Purple Cloud Palace's teachings ended and the powerful returned, Western living beings would face even greater exclusion.

The Primordial Wilderness was vast, but its blessings were limited. If the Western Lands gained one more share, other regions would lose one more share. Conflict was bound to erupt sooner or later.

Moreover, the Witch-Monster War would begin before long, plunging heaven and earth into chaos. He would certainly have to withdraw from the world to cultivate, so traveling now was the wisest choice.

Before leaving, he enlightened two Boy Attendants—Zhilan and Lingzhu, one male and one female—and instructed them to guard the mountain gate, tend the plants, and look after the Dao Field.

Zhu Yin traveled eastward without pause, undeterred by wind or rain.

Several hundred years passed. After crossing hundreds of millions of miles, he finally stepped onto the Eastern Continent of the Primordial Wilderness.

The moment he crossed the boundary between east and west, dense spiritual energy and vigorous vitality rushed toward him. His entire body shuddered, and he immediately sensed a heaven and earth completely unlike the Western Lands.

It was as though an invisible barrier stood between the two continents. The Eastern Lands' spiritual energy was blocked within; even letting a trace leak out seemed like a loss.

Zhu Yin descended into a mountain forest and strode forward.

With every step, he crossed a thousand zhang. At the same time, he sank his divine sense into the earth, sensing the differences in spiritual energy and Dao resonance between east and west. The more carefully he compared them, the heavier his heart became.

There was no helping it. The disparity was simply too great.

After traveling six hundred thousand miles through the Western Lands, places rich in spiritual energy were few and far between, and cultivators were sparse. The Eastern Lands were different. He had encountered dozens of High-grade Spirit Lands alone, along with Supreme-grade Spirit Lands and some low-grade Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands. Spiritual energy overflowed, and treasures lay everywhere.

All sorts of spirit beasts, rare flowers, exotic herbs, and cultivating beings were too numerous to count.

There were over a thousand Mysterious Immortals alone, more than ten thousand True Immortals, and as many as a hundred thousand Heavenly Immortals.

More importantly, this was only the eastern fringe, yet its spiritual energy was already ten times denser than that of the Western Lands' interior!

Still, Zhu Yin took it in stride. He steadied his mind and calmed himself, refusing to be disturbed by such superficial splendor.

He knew clearly that although the Eastern Lands were prosperous, where there were many people, there was much trouble. Conflict was constant, and it was easy to get dragged into problems. The Western Lands, though barren, were peaceful, with fewer karmic entanglements. Even if great calamities came in the future, they would not reach this place.

Thus, he had come to the Eastern Lands not to settle down and cultivate, but merely to broaden his horizons.

He did not inspect every step as he had in the Western Lands. Instead, he made only a general survey and casually comprehended some of heaven and earth's spiritual mysteries. Though progress was slow, small gains accumulated, and his Dao practice gradually improved.

Along the way, he gathered many rare flowers and spirit herbs, collected several pieces of immortal gold and divine iron, and scattered some seeds of Western spirit medicines. He also sent down spiritual rain to nourish the mountains and rivers, repaying a little karma in the process.

The days flew by. Three thousand years later, Zhu Yin had entered the Eastern Continent's interior.

Looking back, he had encountered hundreds upon thousands of spirit lands along the way, including several Upper-grade Grotto-heaven Blessed Lands. Every one of them already had an owner, and he had not rashly intruded.

Over those three thousand years, he had encountered all kinds of living beings, both good and bad, and had experienced conflicts as well. He had slain several Taiyi Golden Immortals and seized their Dao Fields and treasures, keeping his conscience clear.

He had also saved several beings with pure auras. Naturally, helping others came with conditions. He would not give freely, and after offering aid, he would demand some compensation, such as spirit materials unique to the Eastern Lands.

Having crossed countless mountains and rivers and seen hundreds of millions of living beings, his heart became increasingly tranquil, and his cultivation grew ever deeper.

On this day, Zhu Yin stood at the foot of a towering mountain and looked up.

The mountain stretched for a million li. Evergreens flourished within it, flowers and grasses grew lushly, and blessings abounded. It was practically a treasured land born of heaven and earth.

This was the renowned Loose Immortal Holy Land of the Primordial Wilderness—Wuyi Mountain.

Compared with Penglai Island, this had been a gathering place for cultivators much earlier. Countless Loose Immortals unwilling to take part in disputes gathered here to live together, gradually forming a sizable force. Although no Great Principle Golden Immortal presided here, there were quite a few Taiyi Golden Immortals.

Even an ordinary mountain peak here would count as a High-grade Spirit Land if placed in the Western Lands.

Without alarming anyone, Zhu Yin avoided the local living beings and quietly climbed the mountain. Relying on the traits of his Innate Spirit Root, he searched for the legendary Enlightenment Tea Tree.

Rumors from his previous life claimed that Wuyi Mountain contained two treasures that every transmigrator had to obtain. Though he had always been aloof, he did not reject such legends, and he intended to try his luck.

If he obtained them, that would naturally mean his luck was good. If not, he would lose nothing.

At the very least, he would have tried, allowing him to rest easy without regrets.

As for those who thought obtaining the Enlightenment Tea Tree and Fallen-Treasure Coin was "vulgar," he did not care in the slightest.

In his view, treasures existed to aid the Dao; what mattered was whether they helped cultivation.

Thus, while comprehending the spiritual energy, he carefully searched with his senses. A hundred years passed before he finally found something.

His figure flashed, and he instantly appeared in a secluded valley.

The valley was isolated and closed off, its spiritual energy thin. Ordinary cultivators would never choose to settle here.

He looked up at the dense vines covering the cliff face, vibrant and lush with life, existing for who knew how many years.

Zhu Yin sat cross-legged and used the unique resonance between spirit roots to patiently search for a flaw in the formation.

Another hundred years passed. He suddenly opened his eyes and lightly stepped through the air. Though he appeared to be walking aimlessly, each step landed precisely upon a node of the formation.

Very soon, his entire body transformed into a streak of azure light and merged into the mass of vines.

Space rippled gently, and Zhu Yin's figure emerged.

The spiritual energy here was astonishingly dense, causing every pore on his body to open as he felt refreshed and invigorated.

He could tell that this aura was precisely the unique presence of an Innate Spirit Root.

Once he confirmed he had found the right place, he walked forward step by step. The farther he went, the broader the space became, until he finally arrived at a vast cave dwelling.

Within the cave dwelling stood a towering ancient tree, verdant and proud. Beside it was a glittering golden platform, upon which rested a peculiar treasure basin.

Delighted, Zhu Yin immediately placed a primordial spirit mark upon the ancient tree and collected it.

This was the legendary Enlightenment Tea Tree—the Primordial Mother Tea Tree.

Every nine thousand years, it produced nine liang of tea leaves. They could help one comprehend the Dao and enhance one's enlightenment, allowing even Great Principle Golden Immortals to benefit from them.

After collecting the tea tree, he walked over to the high platform and saw the two treasures: the Treasure-Gathering Basin and the Fallen-Treasure Coin.

The Treasure-Gathering Basin was entirely golden, refined from Primordial Copper Mother. It was inlaid with pearls, jadeite, agate, and other gemstones, with four large words engraved upon it: "Fortune, Gather Treasures."

The copper coin, meanwhile, had wings and a round shape with a square hole. Spiritual energy flowed around it. It was the Fallen-Treasure Coin.