Chapter 1232: Heavenly Dao as Nourishment

The power originally intended to protect the earth’s ley lines was devoured by the Dao Yi worms and transformed into nourishing sustenance. What began as a fist-sized black shadow instantly spread like thick ink dissolving in water, gradually tainting the surging river of ley lines black. Even more unsettling was that, apart from its color, the black torrent, after being corrupted by the Dao Yi worms, shared the exact same aura and energy fluctuations as the former yellow ley lines. Simple perception alone could not detect this anomaly.

However, Wang Xuanba, possessing a clone within the Dao Yi swarm, could distinctly perceive the terrifying rate at which the swarm was growing and expanding. From Yueyang Prefecture, the swarm spread aggressively along the ley lines, expanding throughout the entire Xuanhuang World. In addition to horizontal expansion, the Dao Yi worms also steadily eroded downwards through the dense roots of the inverted trees, extending their reach vertically.

"The marvels of creation are truly astonishing. Without Master's guidance, I would never have conceived that such a colossal tree lay hidden beneath the Xuanhuang World," Wang Xuanba mused inwardly. Through images transmitted by the Dao Yi worms, Wang Xuanba observed the previously dense yet static roots, which, as they gradually blackened, began to sway faintly, as if coming to life. A vast consciousness swept back and forth through the darkened sections, now imbued with more apprehension and uncertainty than before. Wang Xuanba knew this was the consciousness of the Ancient Ley Line Tree.

Yet, it was destined to be in vain. As long as these mutated Dao Yi worms remained parasitic and had not yet triggered their full 'insectification,' the Ancient Ley Line Tree was completely unable to detect the infection within its own body.

"It knows something is wrong with its body but can't pinpoint the cause. As the condition worsens, its fear and despair will only intensify. As the saying goes, 'attacking the mind is paramount'—Master's strategy is truly brilliant," Wang Xuanba thought, a faint sneer gracing his lips. Feeling the moment was right, he issued a mental command.

The rapidly expanding, surging tide of shadow worms instantly stilled. The Dao Yi swarm collectively fell into a deep slumber, lying dormant within the Ancient Ley Line Tree. The yellow ley line energy continued to flow, seemingly suppressing the shadows. Yet, the blackness had not vanished; it merely settled at the base of the yellow current. Viewed from a macroscopic perspective, it appeared as a faint, dark spot within the Xuanhuang ley lines.

"Master said that the ley lines ultimately impact countless beings on the surface, and even minor alterations can trigger landslides and ground collapses. Mishandling could even incur the hostility of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao..." Indeed, Wang Xuanba had just faintly detected a disturbance in the will of heaven and earth. However, as the Dao Yi swarm became dormant, this disturbance swiftly disappeared.

"Interesting," Wang Xuanba murmured, narrowing his eyes as he pondered for a moment. Without delay, he then hurried to the next ley line node. His goal was to implant sixteen such black spots within the Xuanhuang Ancient Ley Line Tree.

The plan proceeded smoothly. Apart from a few minor injuries he sustained during the final stages, when the increasingly restless ancient tree spontaneously triggered violent ley line currents, the remaining swarm shadows were flawlessly positioned. Even when the Ancient Ley Line Tree struggled, dimly aware of the intrusion, its efforts were utterly futile. In fact, its resistance only caused the Dao Yi swarm to spread explosively through the ley lines, resulting in shadow spots noticeably larger than those elsewhere.

Half a month later, Wang Xuanba returned to Shengjing City, his mission successfully accomplished.

In the Holy Emperor's throne room, several of Li Ping's disciples were already waiting. Wang Xuanba was somewhat surprised. His fellow disciples, both brothers and sisters, usually cultivated individually according to Master's teachings, rarely having occasion to meet. Some, Wang Xuanba had only heard about, never having seen them in person. He hadn't expected them all to be gathered here today.

"It seems Master is finally planning a major move," Wang Xuanba thought, immediately feeling a surge of excitement.

Striding before the Holy Emperor, Wang Xuanba knelt on one knee and reported his mission's progress. The Faceless Holy Emperor gently waved a hand, helping Wang Xuanba to his feet.

"Well done." Wang Xuanba, unaccustomed to such praise from the Holy Emperor, involuntarily lifted his head.

"With sixteen swarms of Dao Yi worms embedded, the Ancient Ley Line Tree cannot escape its fate. Which of you will subdue this tree on my behalf?" Li Ping then asked calmly.

The six disciples in the hall simultaneously responded in a clear voice, "Your disciples are willing to share Master's burdens!" Li Ping observed his disciples, all speaking with genuine sincerity, and nodded in satisfaction.

There were six disciples: three men and three women. Their names were Sun Erlang, Su Yuqing, Wang Xuanba, Lin Ling, Ou Shangtian, and the Daoist Child Liuli. The first five had been Li Ping's disciples and had undergone meticulous training for some time. However, the decision to take the Daoist Child Liuli was a spontaneous one Li Ping made after discovering the extraordinary nature of the cat treasure.

Li Ping, however, harbored no ill will. His intention was simply to nurture her and then leverage her unique connection with the fishing pond to acquire more treasures from it. Li Ping's thoughts were sincere, and he was upfront about it. The Daoist Child Liuli, being highly sensitive to human hearts, gradually accepted and grew accustomed to her Master's presence after sensing his honesty. Furthermore, Zhong Shentong had constantly nagged her to diligently obey the Holy Emperor's commands. Combined with Daoist Baihua occasionally providing Liuli with special lessons, the young Daoist child's progress became the fastest among all the disciples.

As for Zhong Shentong, ever since arriving in the Great Qi Holy Dynasty, he had fully embraced his preferred "lying flat" lifestyle. The continuously increasing spiritual energy concentration within the Holy Dynasty meant he could comfortably live for several more decades even without advancing his current cultivation, so he simply abandoned further practice entirely. Granted special permission by the Holy Emperor, he spent his days leisurely fishing in the pond, truly living a life that would make others envious.

Returning our focus to the Holy Emperor's throne room, the disciples were all eager to undertake the task. Li Ping, however, had already made his decision.

"Lin Ling, you and Xuanba shall go. If the ancient tree is cooperative, that will suffice. But if it proves stubborn..." Li Ping smiled, "You may replace it."

Lin Ling, as the incarnation of a spiritual wood from the Spirit Wood Realm, had been conquering other minor worlds for the Great Qi Holy Dynasty ever since Li Ping awakened her in this life. The undisguised, almost tangible murderous aura she exuded made her the most awe-inspiring of Li Ping's six disciples. When Li Ping assigned the task to her, the others raised no objections.

The Faceless Holy Emperor levitated a wheel-shaped magical artifact to Lin Ling. "With this wheel, you can freely control the Dao Yi worms. With the worms deeply embedded, the Ancient Ley Line Tree should have no means of resistance. However, you must also guard against it retaliating in desperation..."

After a few final instructions, Li Ping watched Lin Ling and Wang Xuanba depart from the throne room. A brief silence fell over the great hall.

It was Ou Shangtian who, gathering his courage, finally asked, "Master, that matter you previously mentioned entrusting to me..."

Li Ping smiled faintly. "Soon. Just be prepared." The remaining three disciples also turned their gazes towards him. Sun Erlang, as Li Ping's eldest disciple, had long assisted in managing the various affairs of the Holy Dynasty. He knew his Master had been planning for a long time, and that this sudden decisive action could not possibly be limited to just one matter.

"Erlang," Li Ping said, just as expected.

"Disciple is here."

"On my behalf, you are to make a trip to the Five Elders' Association." Sun Erlang froze in surprise. He had anticipated many future campaigns, but he had never once foreseen that his Master would send him to the Five Elders' Association. The name was largely unfamiliar to most within the Holy Dynasty. Sun Erlang himself had only learned a little about it previously from Yi Shu.

"On my behalf, ask them if they know what happened with Heavenly Venerate Dongji in the past." Li Ping transmitted an image into Sun Erlang's mind.

"Dongji?" Sun Erlang had never heard this name before. Yet, to bear the title of Heavenly Venerate, his power must undoubtedly be at the Longevity Realm. Consequently, when Sun Erlang clearly saw the image in his mind, even with his resolute disposition forged through "two lifetimes as a human," he couldn't help but tremble.

Ignoring Sun Erlang's reaction, Li Ping instructed, "The Five Elders' Association differs from the Myriad Immortals Alliance. The power of the Heavenly Venerates blankets the entire territory, governing it separately. For this journey, you are to go to the True Heavenly Venerate's dominion. As for the other Heavenly Venerates, do not provoke them..."

Sun Erlang committed his Master's instructions firmly to memory. Like Lin Ling, Sun Erlang also received a treasure before his departure.

"With the Dao Transformation Stone already within you, you possess the ultimate magical artifact. Relying on other external objects would only lead you astray," Li Ping stated, slowly levitating a brilliant, crystalline stone before Sun Erlang.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the Dao Transformation Stone abruptly burst forth with an unprecedented blue light, followed by a flood of greedy, restless intent. A craving from his very soul made Sun Erlang both unable and unwilling to suppress it.

"Another Dao Transformation Stone? And its quality is even superior to the one in my Sea of Consciousness! At least mid-grade or higher," Sun Erlang exclaimed, overcome with surprise. Having spent a long time touring the Holy Dynasty with Yi Shu of the Taiyan Sect, Sun Erlang naturally understood the immense value of Dao Transformation Stones in this world. Only a few remained, nearly all of them held by cultivators of profound destiny, making them unattainable for outsiders. Yet now, his Master could actually produce a mid-grade one to gift him...

Sun Erlang immediately prostrated himself in gratitude for his Master's benevolence. The joy in his heart immediately diluted the fear he had just experienced due to Heavenly Venerate Dongji's predicament.

"Slowly absorb it; the Dao Transformation Stone's sublimation will, in turn, comprehensively enhance your abilities. Of course, to fully unleash its potential, it might need to be paired with another unique item." Li Ping's authoritative voice echoed through the great hall: "The Five Elders' Association is rooted in the Ten Immortal Sects of old. Though their names are gone, they still exist, holding countless treasuries within. On this journey, you might consider inviting Yi Shu of the Taiyan Sect to accompany you."

"I shall obey your command, Master," Sun Erlang said, nodding before striding away.

Among his disciples, Li Ping harbored the most unique affection for Sun Erlang. This assignment, beyond merely seeking to leverage strength, also arose from Li Ping's faint intuition about where Sun Erlang's destiny lay. This premonition was profound and subtle, not derived from known information, but rather akin to the intuitive guidance cultivators experience when on the verge of a breakthrough.

The Daoist Child Liuli, seeing her senior brothers and sisters receiving treasures, couldn't help but fix her large eyes on Li Ping, full of expectation. Su Yuqing, however, displayed the calmest reaction among them all. This was perhaps due to the child still unborn within her womb. Su Yuqing's mind recalled her Master's previous words: "The fetus in your womb is, in fact, the incarnation of this minor world's Heavenly Dao."

"This realm faces destruction, and thus borrows your body to seek a glimmer of hope. However, even with the Heavenly Dao of a minor world bestowed upon you, you are still mortal, and your body is too frail. Even if you are fortunate enough to successfully give birth, she will struggle to grow, and you will surely perish."

"Unless you cultivate with me..."

From that day forward, Su Yuqing followed him to the Great Qi Holy Dynasty. As her cultivation realm steadily advanced, her previous physical weakness gradually vanished. The fetus within her womb also began to sleep more soundly. However, her Master had stated that the stronger she was during childbirth, the greater her daughter's future accomplishments would be. This maternal instinct fueled Su Yuqing's relentless pursuit of cultivation, making her dedication to improving her realm unparalleled among the six disciples. She held no particularly deep obsession with achieving merit through conquest.

Li Ping's gaze settled on the two disciples in the hall who had not yet received specific assignments, and he remained silent for a long moment. This subtle shift caused the Daoist Child Liuli to sense something amiss, and her heart fluttered. She immediately lowered her head, retracting her hopeful gaze.

"Both of you have compatible temperaments and will benefit from being together. Furthermore, due to your unique physiques, it is not advisable for you to be exposed to excessive killing aura..."

"I have recently opened a unique minor world; you two shall go inside and assist me there."

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Child Liuli immediately pulled a long face. Perhaps because she was raised by Zhong Shentong, her temperament was remarkably similar to his. Without external pressure, she would become quite lax. Since Li Ping had accepted her as a disciple, he naturally intended to correct this undesirable habit.

After Ou Shangtian departed, Liuli and Su Yuqing followed Li Ping into the newly opened minor world.

"Master, it's so dark here. Liuli is a little scared," Liuli whimpered, deliberately slurring her words to sound more pitiful. Liuli wasn't merely feigning distress; this world genuinely differed from typical minor worlds, devoid of any light. It was a unique realm jointly created by Li Ping, Tianyang, and Xu Ke, specifically designed for the Ghost Clan.

"Yuqing, besides the darkness, have you perceived any other differences here?" Li Ping asked slowly, completely disregarding Liuli's feigned pitifulness.

The absolute darkness and serene silence caused the activity of the fetus within Su Yuqing's womb to diminish, as if hypnotized, gradually drifting into slumber. Sensing the emotions transmitted by her daughter, Su Yuqing soon furrowed her brow and replied, "The Heavenly Dao of this minor world... is it incomplete? Or perhaps it simply doesn't exist?"

"It's merely a vast expanse of space. In this disciple's view, it hardly qualifies as a 'world'."

Su Yuqing indeed possessed extraordinary talent, sensing the anomaly within moments. Li Ping smiled. "You've only answered half correctly. This place was not initially without a minor world's Heavenly Dao consciousness. Although very weak, it was indeed present."

Su Yuqing paused, startled, just as she was about to ask where the world's Heavenly Dao had gone. Just then, a golden cube suddenly appeared before her, its dazzling light illuminating the entire dark minor world. Upon sensing the somewhat familiar aura emanating from within the cube, Su Yuqing was suddenly overcome by an instinctive, uncontrollable fear. The fetus within her womb was startled awake, stirring restlessly. For sealed within this golden cube was a World Heavenly Dao consciousness, identical in essence to her own!

"They all received gifts, and you naturally won't be an exception," Li Ping said, sensing Su Yuqing's apprehension. "This place needs to be under my absolute control; there is no need for a World Heavenly Dao consciousness here, so I stripped and sealed it away."

"And now I bestow it upon you," Li Ping said calmly.