"What constitutes nurturing?"
A rich, upright voice rang out within the hall where Blue-Yellow mysterious radiance gathered. Several yellow candles burned inside, gleaming like stars and illuminating all four walls. Below stood six or seven Daoists in Blue-Yellow robes, quietly listening to Ting Xuan.
Outside, the daylight was dim, and a hazy mist rose. At the highest point of the hall stood an old Daoist in pale azure immortal robes, his features lean and refined, his bearing profound and inscrutable. He seemed to stand there, yet also to be far away on the horizon, like a stretch of deep earth that could never be depleted.
The old Daoist looked down with a smile, his gaze passing over the disciples.
"Master, it lies hidden beneath the earth, making it barren or fertile, transforming between these two natures. This is nurturing."
A woman spoke first. She was slender, her face composed, and a natural dignity attended her words. A nurturing earth divine ability faintly rose and sank around her, manifesting as yellow sand, locusts, and other forms.
"What constitutes Ji?"
"Ji means recording. It records the forms of the earth and governs all histories. It also disperses earth qi to nourish the five grains. Our great Dao of nurturing earth can achieve these wondrous effects as well."
A faint trace of pride entered her voice, but several Daoists beside her stirred in surprise.
"Correct."
The seated old Daoist gathered his broad azure sleeves, embroidered with abundant harvests and peace throughout the world. Each movement stirred the world outside, turning all the mountains and rivers around the Azure Goat Mysterious Palace into azure loam.
"Stone-Chiding, how do you interpret nurturing?"
He looked down, his gaze gentle.
The Daoist standing in the center below came back to himself. He was exceedingly handsome, yet a