The Heavenly Dao as Nourishment

The power originally meant to protect the earth vein was devoured by the Dao-One Worms and instead turned into nourishing food. What began as a patch of black shadow no larger than a fist spread in an instant like thick ink dissolving in water, gradually staining the rushing river of the earth vein black. Even more uncanny was that, aside from the difference in color, the black torrent eroded by the Dao-One Worms was indistinguishable from the previous yellow earth vein in both aura and energy fluctuations. Mere sensory perception could not detect this anomaly at all. Wang Xuanba, however, having an avatar of his own within the Dao-One Worm swarm, could clearly feel the swarm's terrifying rate of growth and expansion. Following the earth veins, with Yueyang Province as the epicenter, it spread violently toward every corner of the Xuanhuang Realm. Beyond this horizontal expansion, the Dao-One Worms also crept downward through vertical space, steadily corroding along the dense roots of the inverted tree. *The wonders of creation truly reach such heights. If Master hadn't pointed it out, I never would have imagined such a massive tree was hidden beneath the Xuanhuang Realm,* Wang Xuanba marveled inwardly. Through the images transmitted by the Dao-One Worms' bodies, Wang Xuanba saw those roots—originally dense yet motionless—gradually seem to come alive as they blackened, swaying faintly. A vast consciousness swept back and forth across the blackened sections. Compared to before, it carried a touch of unsettled suspicion and dread. Wang Xuanba knew that must be the consciousness of the Earth Vein Ancient Tree. Yet it was doomed to futility. As long as these mutated Dao-One Worms merely took up residence without triggering a full infestation, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree could not perceive the reality of its body being corrupted. *It knows full well something is wrong with its body, yet cannot find the cause. As the affliction worsens, the dread and despair in its heart will only pile up. As the saying goes, attacking the heart is the supreme strategy—Master's plan is truly brilliant.* Wang Xuanba sneered coldly. Sensing the time was ripe, he issued a command in his mind. The surging shadow-tide of worms, in the midst of rapid expansion, halted in a flash. The Dao-One Worm swarms fell into slumber one after another, lying dormant within the body of the Earth Vein Ancient Tree. The yellow power of the earth vein continued to surge, seemingly suppressing the shadow. But the black had not vanished; it remained settled at the bottom of the yellow torrent. Viewed from a macroscopic perspective, it looked as though a dim blemish had appeared within the earth veins of Xuanhuang. *Master said that the earth veins ultimately affect the myriad living beings on the surface; the slightest shift could cause mountains to crumble and the earth to cave in. Handled improperly, it could even draw the hostility of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao...* Just now, Wang Xuanba had indeed faintly sensed an unusual stir in the will of heaven and earth. However, with the Dao-One Worms entering dormancy, this disturbance quickly faded. "Interesting." Wang Xuanba narrowed his eyes and took a moment to reflect where he stood. Then, without resting, he hurried toward the next earth vein node. He intended to plant sixteen such black blemishes within the body of the Xuanhuang Earth Vein Ancient Tree. The plan went very smoothly. Aside from minor injuries sustained in the final few attempts—when the increasingly uneasy ancient tree spontaneously stirred up violent surges in the earth vein—the placement of the remaining swarms of shadows was executed flawlessly. Even when the Earth Vein Ancient Tree struggled in vague apprehension, it was entirely in vain. If anything, it only caused the Dao-One Worms to spread through the earth veins at an explosive rate, leaving that shadow blemish noticeably larger than the others. Half a month later, having completed his task to perfection, Wang Xuanba returned to Shengjing. Within the Sacred Emperor Throne, several of Li Ping's disciples were already waiting. Wang Xuanba was somewhat surprised. These fellow disciples all cultivated separately according to their master's teachings, and rarely had opportunities to meet in ordinary times. There were some Wang Xuanba had never even seen, having only heard that Master had taken such a disciple. He had not expected them to all gather together today. *It seems Master is finally about to make a major move.* Wang Xuanba grew excited. Striding before the Sacred Emperor, Wang Xuanba dropped to one knee and reported his progress. The Faceless Sacred Emperor waved a hand gently, lifting Wang Xuanba to his feet. "Well done." Rarely receiving praise from the Sacred Emperor, Wang Xuanba could not help but hold his head high. "With sixteen swarms of Dao-One Worms pinned into it, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree cannot escape its fate. Which of you will subdue this tree on my behalf?" Li Ping asked placidly. All six below the dais chimed in unison, "Your disciple is willing to share Master's burdens!" Looking upon these disciples whose words came entirely from the heart, Li Ping nodded with satisfaction. There were six disciples in total: three male and three female. Namely: Sun Erlang, Su Yuqing, Wang Xuanba, Lin Ling, Ou Shangtian, and Dao Child Liuli. The first five had been accepted as Li Ping's disciples and carefully trained for some time. Dao Child Liuli, however, was a spontaneous decision Li Ping had made after discovering Cat Treasure's marvelous nature. Yet Li Ping harbored no ill intent; he merely planned to raise her so that, through Liuli's special connection to the fishing pond, he might procure more treasures from it. Li Ping was forthright and had told her plainly from the start. Dao Child Liuli was also exceptionally keen at sensing human hearts. Discerning Li Ping's honest intentions, she had gradually accepted and grown accustomed to having this master. Moreover, Zhong Shentong was constantly nagging her to obey the Sacred Emperor's orders at all costs. Combined with Daoist Baihua occasionally giving Liuli private tutoring, this little Dao child had actually made the fastest progress among all the disciples. Speaking of Zhong Shentong, ever since arriving in the Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi, he had fully embraced the slacker lifestyle he loved best. The ever-increasing spiritual energy density in the Sacred Dynasty meant that even without breaking through his current realm, he could comfortably live for several more decades, so he completely gave up on cultivating altogether. With the Sacred Emperor's special permission, he cast a line in the fishing pond every day to his heart's content, living an existence that was truly the envy of all. Back inside the Sacred Emperor Throne, the disciples were all eager to take on the Sacred Emperor's task. In truth, Li Ping had already made up his mind. "Lin Ling, go with Xuanba. If that ancient tree knows what is good for it, well and good. But if it remains obstinate..." Li Ping smiled faintly. "You may replace it." As the Spirit Wood Avatar of the Spirit Wood Realm, ever since Li Ping awakened her in this life, she had continually campaigned across other pocket worlds on behalf of the Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi. The undisguised, almost tangible murderous aura clinging to her made Lin Ling the most awe-inspiring and feared presence among Li Ping's six disciples. With Li Ping assigning the mission to her, the others naturally had no objections. The Faceless Sacred Emperor levitated a wheel-shaped Dharma treasure across the air to Lin Ling. "With this wheel, you can freely command the Dao-One Worms. Now that the worms have burrowed into its vitals, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree should have little room to resist. Even so, beware of a cornered beast taking desperate measures..." After a few final brief instructions, Li Ping watched Lin Ling and Wang Xuanba depart from the Sacred Emperor Throne. The hall fell quiet for a moment. Ou Shangtian plucked up the courage to ask, "Master, that matter you mentioned entrusting to me earlier..." Li Ping gave a slight smile. "Soon. Just see that you are prepared." The remaining three disciples also looked toward him. As Li Ping's eldest disciple, Sun Erlang had long assisted in managing the Sacred Dynasty's affairs, large and small. He knew his master had been plotting for a long time; this sudden move could not possibly be limited to just one matter. "Erlang," Li Ping spoke, as expected. "Your disciple is here." "Make a trip to the Five Elders Association on my behalf." Sun Erlang froze. He had envisioned many possibilities for the upcoming conquests, but the one thing he had not anticipated was that Master would send him to the Five Elders Association. To the vast majority of people in the Sacred Dynasty, this name was completely unfamiliar. Sun Erlang had only learned a bit about it previously from Yi Shu. "Ask them on my behalf whether they know what happened to Heavenly Venerable Dongji back then." Li Ping transmitted an image into Sun Erlang's mind. *Dongji?* Sun Erlang had never heard this name before. But to bear the title of Heavenly Venerable, his strength was undoubtedly at the Longevity realm. Therefore, when Sun Erlang clearly saw the image in his mind, even with the hardened temperament forged from having lived two lives, he could not help but shudder all over. Li Ping paid no heed to Sun Erlang's reaction and continued his instructions: "Unlike the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, the Five Elders Association is divided and ruled under the overarching power of the Heavenly Venerables across its entire territory. On this journey, head to the territory of the Truth Heavenly Venerable. As for the other Heavenly Venerables, do not provoke them..." Sun Erlang firmly etched Master's warnings into his heart. Like Lin Ling, before leaving, Sun Erlang was also bestowed a treasure. "Having a Dao Transformation Stone within you is already your greatest magical treasure. Relying on external items would only lead you astray," Li Ping said as he slowly floated a dazzling, crystalline stone before Sun Erlang. Within his own sea of consciousness, the Dao Transformation Stone abruptly erupted with unprecedented blue light, followed by surges of greed and restlessness that welled up like a flood. A craving welling up from his soul made it impossible and undesirable for Sun Erlang to suppress it. *Another Dao Transformation Stone? And its quality is even higher than the one in my sea of consciousness! At least mid-grade or higher!* Sun Erlang was overjoyed and astonished. Having accompanied Yi Shu of the Taiyan Sect on tours across the Sacred Dynasty for quite some time, Sun Erlang naturally understood just how precious Dao Transformation Stones were in this world. Scarcely any remained anywhere, and virtually all of them were held by cultivators of immense fortune; outsiders sought them in vain. And now, Master was actually giving him a mid-grade one... Sun Erlang prostrated himself on the spot to thank his master. The joy in his heart immediately diluted the fear instilled by the current state of Heavenly Venerable Dongji. "Absorb it slowly. The sublimation of the Dao Transformation Stone will feed back into your overall abilities, elevating them entirely. Of course, if you wish to push the stone's potential to its peak, you may need to pair it with another wondrous object." Li Ping's majestic voice echoed through the hall: "The foundation of the Five Elders Association lies in the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao of antiquity. Though dead in name, they exist in truth, housing countless treasuries within. On this journey, you may invite Yi Shu of the Taiyan Sect to accompany you." "Your disciple obeys Master's command." Sun Erlang nodded, turned, and strode out. Among his disciples, Li Ping harbored the most unique feelings for Sun Erlang. This assignment, beyond wanting to turn circumstances to his advantage, was also because Li Ping faintly sensed that Sun Erlang's opportunity lay there. This premonition was exceedingly subtle, not derived from deducing ample known information, but more akin to the spontaneous impulse of guidance that arises when a cultivator is on the verge of a breakthrough. Seeing her senior brothers and sisters receiving treasures, Dao Child Liuli could not help but brim with anticipation, her large eyes staring fixedly at Li Ping. Su Yuqing, however, had the calmest reaction among them all. Perhaps it was because the child in her womb had yet to be born. Su Yuqing's mind drifted back to what Master had told her before: "The fetus in your womb is actually the Avatar of the Heavenly Dao of this pocket world." "This realm faces destruction, and thus borrows your body to seek a slim chance at survival. Yet even with the pocket world's Heavenly Dao bestowed upon you, you remain mortal, your physical body far too frail. Even if you were fortunate enough to successfully give birth to this child, she would struggle to grow up, and you would certainly die." "Unless you cultivate with me..." From that day forth, Su Yuqing followed him to the Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi. As her realm rose higher and higher, the original weakness in her body gradually faded, and the fetus in her belly slept more soundly. However, Master had said that the stronger she was when giving birth, the greater her daughter's future achievements would be. Maternal instinct made Su Yuqing's relentless pursuit of cultivation realm rank firmly at the top among the six disciples. As for conquering and earning merit, she held no deep obsession with it. Li Ping's attention locked onto the two remaining in the hall who had yet to receive assignments, and he stayed silent for a long moment. Sensing something amiss, Dao Child Liuli panicked inwardly and quickly bowed her head, retracting her expectant gaze. "You two are compatible in temperament. Staying together will be mutually beneficial. Furthermore, due to your unique constitutions, it is not advisable for you to come into contact with excessive slaughter aura..." "I recently created a special pocket world. You two shall go inside to help." Hearing this, Dao Child Liuli immediately pulled a long face. Perhaps because she had been raised by Zhong Shentong, her personality was extraordinarily similar to his. If not forced by external pressure, she would be thoroughly lazy. Since Li Ping had taken her as a disciple, he naturally had to correct this bad habit. After Ou Shangtian departed, Liuli and Su Yuqing followed Li Ping into that freshly created pocket world. "Mashtur, it's way too dark here. Liuli is kinda scared," Liuli said with intentional slurred baby-talk, sounding utterly pitiful. Yet this wasn't purely Liuli playing for sympathy; this world truly was unlike ordinary pocket worlds, devoid of even a sliver of light. It was because this was a special world created through the combined efforts of Li Ping, Tianyang, and Xu Ke, specifically prepared for the You people. Turning a blind eye to Liuli's feigned distress, Li Ping asked gently, "Yuqing, aside from the darkness, do you sense anything else unusual here?" The absolute pitch-black, silent and serene, caused the activity of the fetus in Su Yuqing's womb to subside, gradually sinking into slumber as if hypnotized. Sensing the emotions transmitted by her daughter, Su Yuqing frowned before answering, "The pocket world's Heavenly Dao here... is incomplete? Or rather, is there simply none at all?" "It is merely a vast expanse of empty space. In your disciple's view, it is not yet worthy of being called a world." Su Yuqing truly possessed extraordinary talent, discerning the anomaly here in mere moments. Li Ping chuckled. "You are only half right. Initially, this place was not devoid of a pocket world's Heavenly Dao consciousness. Though extremely weak, it indeed existed." Su Yuqing froze upon hearing this, just about to ask where the world's Heavenly Dao had gone. When suddenly, a golden cube materialized before her. Its dazzling radiance illuminated the entire dark pocket world. Upon sensing the somewhat familiar aura inside the cube, Su Yuqing was suddenly seized by an uncontrollable instinctive dread. The fetus in her womb was startled awake, stirring restlessly in agitation. For locked within this golden cube was a world's Heavenly Dao consciousness—identical in nature to her child! "They all received gifts, so naturally you will not lack one," Li Ping said, sensing Su Yuqing's fear. "This place must remain under my absolute control, and has no need for the existence of a world's Heavenly Dao consciousness, so I stripped and sealed it away." "Now, it is yours," Li Ping said calmly.