Half a month later, Yi Shuyuan and the others appeared with a wisp of spring breeze atop the peak where the Chan pavilion stood in the rear mountains of Great Autumn Temple.
"To think the Mountain-River Realm within this Mountain and River State Map has already grown so rich! Back then, I watched you begin refining this treasure with my own eyes. The Dharma Power of the Immortal Dao can achieve such grandeur-who could imagine it without experiencing it themselves?"
Jiang Lang's words brimmed with emotion. The Mountain-River Realm was already another world, a true Grotto-Heaven beyond the mortal world. It was even grander than what the Immortal Dao defined as a Grotto-Heaven. That was all he could think of it as, and his thoughts stopped there, for he scarcely dared contemplate anything deeper.
Back then, Jiang Lang had not really understood why Huang Zihe, that old minister of the East Sea, could never forget the Mountain and River State Map after seeing it. The treasure had barely shown any promise at the time, which only proved how piercing the old Yellow Flood Dragon's judgment had been.
Yi Shuyuan smiled and added a remark.
"Not just you, Brother Jiang. Even I could hardly have imagined what it would become."
"Heh, Dragon King Jiang, don't believe him. Sir is only sparing your pride!"
Hui Mian delivered this remark with an insufferably cheeky air. Jiang Lang glared at Hui Mian, while Xue Tian only dared snicker off to the side.
"Kree-"
An eagle's cry echoed through the mountains. Yi Shuyuan tilted his ear to listen, then slowly turned toward a cliff edge outside the pavilion. Jiang Lang and the others seemed to notice something as well, and all turned to look.
At the outer edge of the cliff stood a plant with