Chapter 113: Qi

I, Yuan Feng, chief of the Phoenix Clan, leader of the flying creatures of the Primordial Wilds, now entering the Mixed Origin Dao, feel that seeking the Dao is difficult for sentient beings; after ten thousand years, beneath the Nan Fang parasol tree, I will lecture on the Dao for thirty thousand years—any sentient beings with affinity may listen.

After the Dao lecture ended, countless beings again turned from the Eastern Sea to the Nan Fang continent, following the Dao.

Gou Hui had just returned to West Kunlun, yet could only set off toward the Nan Fang continent again, and couldn't help sighing:

"There are still two more; it's soon, nothing more than consuming an extra eon; after all, listening to the Dao is also a form of cultivation."

Lu Wu stood nearby, intending to speak, but seeing Gou Hui's poor complexion, he also fell silent.

He wanted to say that actually there was no need to rush back to West Kunlun earlier, but saying it now would be useless, so he suppressed the urge to speak.

Now every move of the three clans draws the attention of the entire Primordial Wilds; even a trivial action could affect hundreds of millions of beings.

"Lecturing on the Dao is the same; how the arriving guests are, who jointly lectures, how the banquet is hosted—these are aspects that beings can compare, and thus they can intuitively discern the differences among the three clans."

"This is the Phoenix Clan's current predicament: they are not as extravagant as the Dragon and Qilin Clans, and their resources are not as abundant."

"Although they occupy the entire sky, aside from luck they have indeed gained little else, which puts the two Yuan Fengs in a difficult position."

"Compared with the other two clans, the Phoenix Clan's resources truly have no advantage; the Qilin Clan set the banquet's foundation too high and stretched the timeline too long—if the Phoenix Clan wishes to keep up, they will likely have to strain themselves."

"Phoenix, do you really think we need to keep up? If we truly entertain for ten thousand years at the standard of the Dragon and Qilin Clans, then within the next few eons, the clan's supplies will be reduced."

"Yuan Huang felt a pang of regret, after all, the number of beings coming to listen to the Dao is not just hundreds of millions; the spiritual fruits and fine wine may seem insignificant, but their daily consumption is enormously huge."

"At this juncture, we cannot avoid making a choice: first, it concerns the Phoenix Clan's dignity; if we are stingy with these things, no one knows how the Dragon and Qilin Clans will publicize it."

"Second, we must not show weakness before the beings, for it concerns their fortune; these things cannot be spared."

Yuan Feng also did not want this, yet he had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep up; he could only silently curse the Primordial Qilin for ill will, actually making himself nauseous in such a place.

"However, he also thought that perhaps one person could possess an enormous quantity of spiritual fruits, which could help him resolve this urgent crisis."

"Huang, for these days you should first guard the clan for a while; perhaps someone can resolve this for us, but in any case it will at least reduce some loss."

Yuan Huang, hearing Yuan Feng's words, also searched her memory, then somewhat uncertainly asked: "Friend Daoist Pan Wang?"

"Hmm."

Yuan Feng affirmed Yuan Huang's idea and spoke again:

"No delay; I will go first, lest the other two clans cause trouble later and bring lifelong setbacks."

Yuan Huang nodded; the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains are vast and boundless, everywhere perilous and abundant with spiritual qi, storing vast quantities of immortal herbs and spiritual roots.

"Moreover, being rarely disturbed, Daoist Pan Wang might indeed have large stores; at that time, offering a single innate spiritual treasure would suffice, and it would be enough to replace the value of these things."

Seeing Yuan Feng turn into a stream of light and disappear, Yuan Huang's heart also calmed a little; as long as there is a solution, that's fine—the Phoenix Clan lacks no spiritual treasures, but for the moment, taking out this vast quantity of spiritual fruits is truly difficult.

Mount Sumeru.

Rahu began calculating, wanting to precisely control the start time of the three clans' great war, so as to accumulate and gather calamitous qi while also eliminating some intangible risks. The Dragon Clan is too far away, and moreover the terrestrial deities are relatively closed off, making it not easy to act.

"The Qilin Clan is still somewhat of a collaborator; if he were to act against them, Rahu would feel reluctant, so he plans to hand this side over to Hongjun, since Hongjun has no dealings with the Qilin Clan, making it easier to act."

"Therefore Rahu can only focus his gaze on the Phoenix Clan, and it is absolutely not because he was previously harmed by the Phoenix Clan."

"Thinking this, Rahu inevitably feels satisfied with his own tolerance, never bothering to nitpick over such minor matters."

"A gentle breeze blew, and the bodhi tree beside Rahu seemed to sway as if shaken by it; its branches trembled slightly, yet it attracted no attention."

"Rahu glanced at it slightly, gave a faint smile, but expressed nothing, merely turning and leaving."

Mount Jade Capital.

"Although Hongjun had not received Rahu's message, under the calculation of the Jade Disc of Creation, his choice was no different from Rahu's prediction, and it is unknown whether theirs is coincidence or tacit understanding."

"As an Eastern being, yet you collude with Rahu, plotting to ally with the West—how could I allow you to rest easy? In the great calamity, your name will surely appear."

"Hongjun gazed at the Jade Disc of Creation emitting a faint clear light; first, to ensure the selection of the protagonist of the great calamity is correct, so as not to implicate himself."

"Second, to prevent the scenario where, if he loses to Rahu, Rahu—with the aid of the Qilin Clan—would directly annex the entire East and dominate the Primordial Wilds."

"By then he might even have no retreat left, after all, his massive unresolved karmic debts of heaven and earth cannot be settled, making it fundamentally impossible to escape the Primordial Wilds and flee into Chaos."

"At this moment the Phoenix and Qilin Clans are unaware that they are now enjoying their springtime success, while two top deities of the Primordial Wilds are scheming against them."

"Whereas the Dragon Clan, although it appears most relaxed and its prospects brightest, is actually the side that is being limited."

"Rahu and Hongjun will certainly not allow the three clans' strength to become unbalanced, and Yuan Feng, Yuan Huang, and the Primordial Qilin could never let the Ancestral Dragon act solely for its own benefit."

"The Dragon Clan now develops evenly, its prospects vast, and having suffered no interference or scheming, it will inevitably surpass a single clan in a period of time, and the result of that is easy to foresee."

Yunmeng Marsh.

"Qi constantly pondered: since heaven and earth give birth to innate divinities within the Great Dao, could it be possible, through things of the same origin, using the authority of heaven and earth, to reincarnate a dharma body for himself?"

"If so, how would it be carried out? With Qi's control over Yunmeng Marsh, plus the marsh's consciousness being so close to him, Qi believes that with diligent study, perhaps success is truly possible."

"The more Qi thought, the more he sensed there was room for manipulation, and a faint excitement stirred within him."

"After all, if successful, this would almost allow Qi, after death, with his true spirit intact, to live another life once more as an innate divinity and with the flawless Dao fruit."

"Furthermore, the foundation—his understanding and insight into the Great Dao, as well as his spiritual treasures—can be perfectly inherited; he only needs to continually accumulate Dao cultivation, and Qi's achievements and future remain unrestricted."

"Having formed this idea, Qi did not hesitate, but began to call out to Yunmeng Marsh in his mind and spirit, wishing to communicate a bit, to see if the other party agrees."

(End of chapter)