SWDnovel Chapter 36 Heavenly Merit
Chapter 36 Heavenly Merit
As the lingering echo of the last Daoist phrase slowly dissipated in Longevity Mountain, like the last ray of sunset sinking into the sky, the thousands of beings on the platform who were immersed in the enlightenment of the Great Dao gradually came back to their senses from their deep state of enlightenment.
A brief silence enveloped the entire mountain range, as if heaven and earth were savoring the Daoist aura that had lasted for nine hundred years.
Then, led by someone unknown, all those listening to the sermon, regardless of their cultivation level or race, bowed deeply and sincerely towards the ancient and majestic figure on the high platform. Their voices, initially scattered, quickly coalesced into a vast and devout torrent that echoed through the valley.
"Thank you, Immortal Zhenyuan, for your kindness in imparting the Dao!"
The roar of voices was filled with sincere gratitude and heartfelt respect.
The systematic teachings over the past nine hundred years have been like a beacon in the darkness, not only resolving countless doubts on their path of cultivation but also pointing them in a clear direction. This grace is like a second birth.
Many creatures had tears in their eyes, a testament to the joy and emotion of hearing the Great Way and glimpsing the path ahead.
At that very moment when all living beings sincerely offered their thanks, the originally clear sky above suddenly responded, the void trembled slightly, and a magnificent, vast, and perfectly just golden pillar of light appeared.
Without warning, it suddenly pierced through layers of clouds, ignoring the mysterious innate protective formation of Longevity Mountain. It seemed to descend directly from the source of the Heavenly Dao, falling straight down and completely enveloping Zhen Yuanzi, who was sitting on the stone platform!
This pillar of light was dazzling, yet not blinding. It contained an incomparably pure, warm, and peaceful aura of heaven and earth merit, while also carrying the supreme majesty unique to the Heavenly Dao.
Wherever the golden light reached, the vegetation became even more vibrant, and the rocks seemed to possess a touch of spirituality.
It was Heaven's response to Zhen Yuanzi's teachings to the Western beings, his awakening of their spiritual wisdom, his guidance of the path, and his completion of the prehistoric cultivation tradition that bestowed this reward of merit!
The golden light of the merits shone brightly, making the entire Longevity Hill seem to be plated with an eternal golden edge, and even the swirling clouds were tinged with golden radiance, creating a sacred scene.
The beings below the stage were inspired by the boundless righteous energy of heaven and earth and the recognition of the heavenly way contained in the golden light of merit, and their awe of Zhen Yuanzi reached its peak. Many beings involuntarily bowed their heads again.
However, faced with this vast amount of heaven and earth merit that would make any powerful being in the primordial world envious and madly fight for it, Zhen Yuanzi did not immediately absorb it to improve his cultivation level or use it to refine a merit treasure with infinite power, as ordinary people would think.
He simply raised his head calmly, his deep gaze sweeping over the pillar of merit that stretched from heaven to earth, as if he could see the essence of the Dao of Heaven through the golden light.
Immediately, he formed a profound and unfathomable hand seal in front of his chest, drawing upon his absolute control over the earth and his exquisite manipulation of energy.
The magnificent, surging golden light of merit seemed to encounter an invisible guide, no longer spreading recklessly, but rather being slowly compressed and condensed by his supreme magical power, like all rivers flowing into the sea.
Golden light flowed between his fingers, becoming increasingly restrained, eventually transforming into a golden sphere the size of a fist, yet incredibly solid, resembling slowly flowing liquid gold, radiating a gentle and eternal aura.
On the surface of the sphere of light, faint Daoist runes appeared and disappeared, mysterious and extraordinary.
Zhen Yuanzi carefully stored it deep within his sleeve and placed several seals on it, temporarily sealing it away.
He had his own profound considerations. The power of merit is mysterious and boundless; it is one of the highest rewards that Heaven bestows upon those who do good deeds, accumulate virtue, and contribute to Heaven and Earth.
Whether used to enhance one's foundation and refine one's spiritual power, to offset karma and gain divine protection and favor when facing major calamities in the future, or to refine special merit artifacts at the right time (such magical treasures are unaffected by karma and are extremely mysterious), they have great potential and can be considered one of the most important foundations.
If he were to absorb it directly at this moment, although it would immediately improve his cultivation level, the effect would not be decisive for his current peak Great Luo realm, and it would be somewhat wasteful.
Preserving it for a crucial moment in the future may allow it to play a more significant role in turning the tide, with a value far exceeding that of absorbing it now.
When Zhen Yuanzi preached at Wanshou Mountain, he incited the Heavenly Dao to bestow merits. Although the impact was mainly limited to the West, the unique golden light fluctuations of merits and the charm of being recognized by the Heavenly Dao could not escape the perception of the top powerful beings in the prehistoric world who had keen senses and profound cultivation.
Deep within the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, the colossal body of the Ancestral Dragon swayed slightly in the dark abyss, stirring up the undercurrents. A distinct look of surprise flashed in his enormous dragon eyes, and a low murmur echoed throughout the Dragon Palace:
"To preach and receive divine merit? This Zhen Yuanzi... has certainly taken a unique path."
But he immediately shook his head, and the light in his dragon eyes returned to calm.
The dragon race has its own ancient and powerful bloodline heritage and pride. Its core Dao is related to the rise and fall of the race, and it is absolutely impossible to make it public, let alone tell potential competitors (such as the Phoenix Clan, Qilin Clan) or their subordinate races. Although this method is good and can bring merit, it is fundamentally unsuitable for the dragon race's survival and development strategy.
At the core of the immortal volcano, Yuan Feng dwells atop the eternally burning Wutong Divine Tree. In her clear, icy eyes, a fleeting yet incredibly clear golden light of merit seems to be reflected from the distant west.
She murmured to herself, a hint of complexity in her voice: "Merit...it is indeed a shortcut. What a pity."
The Phoenix Clan's situation is similar to that of the Dragon Clan. Their bloodline inheritance is supreme and is the foundation of their strength. They would never expose their core inheritance to gain merit, giving their opponents a chance to see through their weaknesses. This would be a case of losing more than they gain.
On Qilin Cliff, auspicious clouds still swirl around. The Qilin stands on five-colored auspicious clouds, its deep gaze fixed on the west, as if it could penetrate endless space to see the scene of Longevity Mountain.
His face remained calm, and in the end, he only smiled faintly. His loud yet peaceful voice echoed from the cliff top: "Everyone has their own destiny; it cannot be forced. The path of our people lies in cultivating virtue, bringing blessings to all living beings, and consolidating our foundation."
The Qilin clan follows the righteous path of accumulating auspicious omens, developing the clan, consolidating power, and bringing blessings to the land. While preaching to gain merit is good, it is not the core direction of their great path. Blindly imitating them may lead to losing oneself.
Although the three clan leaders were all surprised and even a little envious of Zhen Yuanzi's attainment of Heavenly Dao merit, they could not and were unable to emulate him due to their respective racial stances, core interests, and the fundamental characteristics of their own path.
This makes Zhen Yuanzi's act of publicly preaching and benefiting the people of the West, to some extent, a unique feat since the beginning of time, at least in this era.