The force that originally served as protection for the Power of Ley Lines, after being devoured by the Dao Yi Bug, instead turned into a nourishing supplement.
The initial mass, no larger than a fist, of a Dark Shadow, in an instant, like thick ink spreading in water, gradually darkened the raging Earth Vein River.
What was even more eerie was that, after being eroded by the Dao Yi Bug, the black deluge, apart from the difference in color, showed no other differences in its aura or energy fluctuations when compared to the yellow Leylines before. Simple perception couldn't detect such an aberration.
However, Wang Xuanba, who had a clone within the swarm of Dao Yi Bugs, could clearly feel the terrifying speed of the swarm's growth and expansion.
Following the Leylines, it fiercely spread from the Land Yueyang Prefecture, which was at its center, to various places in the Xuanhuang World.
In addition to lateral expansion, the Dao Yi Bug was also constantly eroding downwards, making its way through the densely packed roots of the Inverted Trees in the vertical space.
"What a marvel of creation, to have reached this point. If it hadn't been for Master's hint, I'm afraid I would never have imagined that beneath the Xuanhuang World, such a colossal tree could be hidden," Wang Xuanba thought to himself in awe.
With the help of the images transmitted from the body of the Dao Yi Bug, Wang Xuanba saw those dense but motionless roots begin to stir slightly, as if coming to life, as they blackened.
A vast consciousness swept back and forth through the blackened parts. There was more uncertainty than before. Wang Xuanba knew that this must be the consciousness of the Leyline Ancient Tree.
But it was doomed to be in vain. Until these Taoist Incest Variants made their home without fully erupting into an infestation, the Leyline Ancient Tree couldn't detect the fact that its body was being infected.
"Knowing that something is wrong with one's own body but unable to pinpoint the cause. As the condition worsens, the increasing panic and despair accumulate in the heart. As they say, 'conquering the mind is paramount,' Master's strategy is indeed a brilliant move." Wang Xuanba revealed a cold smile, feeling the time was ripe, then issued an order in his mind.
The rapidly expanding swarm of dark shadows suddenly came to a halt. The Dao Yi Bug Swarm fell into hibernation, lurking within the body of the Leyline Ancient Tree.
The yellow Leyline Energy continued its surge, as if pressing against the shadow. However, the black didn't disappear; it still settled at the bottom of the yellow.
From a macro perspective, it seemed as though a dim spot had appeared within the Xuanhuang Leylines.
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"Master said that the Leylines ultimately relate to and affect the myriad of living beings above ground, a slight variation could cause mountains to crumble and the ground to cave in. If handled improperly, it could even provoke animosity from the Xuanhuang Heaven Path..."
Just a moment ago, Wang Xuanba indeed sensed a subtle movement from the Will of Heaven and Earth. But as the Dao Yi Bug Swarm went into hibernation, that disturbance quickly disappeared.
"Interesting," Wang Xuanba squinted, taking a moment to reflect on the spot.
Then, without breaking stride, he hurried to the next Leyline node. He intended to plant sixteen similar black spots within the body of the Xuanhuang Earth Vein Ancient Tree.
The plan proceeded smoothly.
Except for the last few times, when the increasingly restless Ancient Tree caused the Leylines to surge and rebel, which wounded him slightly, the rest of the Bug Swarm's shadow was placed perfectly.
Even the Ancient Tree's conscious struggles were to no avail. In fact, the struggles only accelerated the spread of the Dao Yi Bug Swarm in the Leylines, making the shadows spots significantly larger than in other areas.
Half a month later, having successfully completed his task, Wang Xuanba returned to the Holy Capital.
In the Saint Emperor Seat, several disciples of Li Ping were already waiting in advance.
Wang Xuanba was somewhat surprised; these fellow brothers and sisters all cultivated on their own accord following the guidance of their Master, and it was rare for them to meet. Some Wang Xuanba had never even seen in person, only hearing that the Master had taken such a disciple. Unexpectedly, today they were all gathered together.
"It seems Master is finally ready to make a big move," Wang Xuanba immediately felt a rush of excitement.
Striding forward, he kneeled on one knee before The Emperor and reported the progress of his mission.
The Faceless Saint Emperor waved his hand lightly, helping Wang Xuanba to his feet.
"Well done."
Hearing The Emperor's rare praise, Wang Xuanba couldn't help but raise his head.
"Given the sixteen swarms of Dao Yi Bug nailed down, the Leyline Ancient Tree is bound to face Tribulation. Which of you will take this tree on behalf of your Master?" Li Ping then asked calmly.
The six disciples, three men and three women, all declared in unison, "Disciple is willing to share Master's worries!"
Li Ping looked at the several disciples, all speaking sincerely from their hearts, and nodded in satisfaction.
There were six disciples, three men and three women.
They were Sun Erlang, Su Yuqing, Wang Xuanba, Lin Ling, Ou Shangtian, and Daoist Luli.
The first five had been personally selected and rigorously trained as disciples by Li Ping for some time, whereas Daoist Luli was decided on a whim by Li Ping after discovering the marvels of Kitty Treasure.
But Li Ping himself had no malice; he simply intended to use Luli's special connection with the Fishing Pond to acquire more Treasures from within it, later on. Li Ping's intentions were honorable, so he frankly proclaimed them to her. And Daoist Luli, with her acute sensitivity to human hearts, gradually accepted and grew accustomed to the presence of her Master upon discerning Li Ping's honest intentions.
Moreover, Zhong Shentong constantly nagged her to pay careful attention to The Emperor's commands. Occasionally, Bai Hua gave private cultivation tips to Luli, causing Little Daoist's progress to surpass all the other disciples.
And just to mention Zhong Shentong, ever since arriving in the Sacred Dynasty Daqi, he had thoroughly indulged in the lifestyle he loved most: to live without any obligations. The increasing concentration of Spiritual Energy in the Holy Dynasty meant that even without breaking through his current Realm, he could lead a carefree life for several more decades, so he simply gave up on Cultivation altogether.
Having received special permission from the Emperor, he fished in the Fishing Pond every day, truly an enviable life to all.
Returning to the Saint Emperor Seat, faced with the task set by the Emperor, all the disciples were eager to try.
Yet, Li Ping had already made up his mind.
"Lin Ling, why don't you accompany Xuanba on a trip. If that ancient tree knows its place, well and good. If it stubbornly refuses to comply..."
Li Ping smiled: "You may take its place."
As an Incarnate of the Spirit Tree in the Spirit Tree Realm, ever since being awakened by Li Ping, Lin Ling had continuously campaigned for the Sacred Dynasty Daqi to conquer other Small Worlds. Carrying an overt and palpable aura of death, Lin Ling had become the most fearsome presence among Li Ping's six disciples.
The sign of Li Ping assigning the task to her met no objections from the others.
The Faceless Saint Emperor handed over a Turning Wheel-shaped Magic Treasure to Lin Ling: "With this Turning Wheel, you can freely control the Dao Yi Bug. Once the bug penetrates its vitals, the Leyline Ancient Tree should have no grounds to resist. But still, beware of it lashing out in desperation..."
After a brief briefing, Li Ping watched as Lin Ling and Wang Xuanba left the Saint Emperor Seat.
A brief silence fell in the Grand Hall.
Ou Shangtian gathered his courage and asked, "Master, about the matter you said you'd assign to me..."
Li Ping smiled lightly: "Soon. Just prepare yourself."
The remaining three disciples also looked up in anticipation.
Sun Erlang, as Li Ping's first disciple, had long been assisting in managing the Sacred Dynasty's various affairs. He knew that his master must have been plotting for a long time, and his sudden move certainly wouldn't just concern this one matter.
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"Erlang." As expected, Li Ping spoke.
"Your disciple is here."
"Go and make a trip to the Five Elders Organization on my behalf."
Sun Erlang stood stunned.
He had anticipated many potential campaigns, but had not expected that his master would send him to the Five Elders Organization.
The name was unfamiliar to the majority of the Sacred Dynasty, and Sun Erlang also had only some knowledge from what he had learned previously from Yishu.
"Ask on my behalf if They know about what happened with the Eastern Supreme Celestial back then."
Li Ping transferred an image into Sun Erlang's Spirit Consciousness.
"Eastern Pole?" This was a name Sun Erlang hadn't heard before. But anyone entitled Celestial was undoubtedly of the Immortal Realm.
So, when Sun Erlang saw the image in his Spirit Consciousness clearly, even with his determined nature of 'having lived two lives,' he couldn't help but shudder.
Li Ping paid no mind to Sun Erlang's reaction, continuing to instruct: "The Five Elders Organization is different from the Alliance of Thousands of Immortals, The Power of Heavenly respect envelops the entire territory, divided and ruled. On your visit, head for the territory of the Real Celestial Sovereign. As for the other Celestials, don't provoke them..."
Sun Erlang committed his master's instructions to heart.
Like Lin Ling, before departing, Sun Erlang too received Treasures as a reward.
"With the Stone of Transformation you possess, it is already the greatest Magic Treasure. To rely on other external forces, you might instead be led astray." Li Ping said, slowly handing over a radiant and translucent stone to Sun Erlang.
In his own Spirit Consciousness, the Stone of Transformation suddenly burst forth an unprecedented blue light, followed by greedy, restless intentions, surging like a flood.
The craving from his soul made Sun Erlang unwilling and unable to suppress it.
"Another Stone of Transformation? And the quality is even better than the one in my Spirit Consciousness! At least it is Middle Grade or above." Sun Erlang was pleasantly surprised.
Having spent quite some time wandering the Sacred Dynasty with Taiyan Sect's Yi Magic, Sun Erlang, of course, understood the value of the Stones of Transformation in this world. There were only a few remaining in the world, and they were mostly possessed by cultivators with profound fortune, with outsiders unable to find them. And now, his master actually managed to gift him with a middle-grade one...
Sun Erlang instantly thanked his master for his kindness.
The joy in his heart washed away the fear that had emerged from learning about the current state of the Eastern Supreme Celestial.
"Absorb it slowly. As the Stone of Transformation is refined, it will reciprocally stimulate an overall enhancement of your abilities. Of course, to bring out the Stone of Transformation's potential to its fullest, you might need to combine it with other unique treasures."
Li Ping's authoritative voice echoed in the Grand Hall: "The foundation of the Five Elders Organization is the past Immortal Dao Ten Clans. They are named forgotten but still exist, and they contain countless treasure houses. On your visit, you may invite Taiyan Sect's Yi Magic to join you."
"I shall follow your orders, Master," Sun Erlang nodded and stepped away.
Among the disciples, Li Ping had the most special feelings towards Sun Erlang. The appointment was made not only because they indeed wanted to leverage his strength but also because Li Ping had a vague premonition of the opportunity that lay with Sun Erlang. This premonition was mysterious, not derived from the extrapolation of already known ample information, but more like the spur-of-the-moment guidance that cultivators would experience on the verge of breakthrough.
Seeing that her fellow Daoist brothers and sisters all received treasures, Daoist Child Luli also couldn't help but feel full of expectation, staring at Li Ping with wide eyes.
Su Yuqing, on the other hand, had the most indifferent reaction among everyone. Perhaps it was because the child in her womb had not yet been born.
Su Yuqing's spirit consciousness once again recalled the Master's words to her, "The fetus in your belly is actually the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao of this Small World."
"This realm is facing destruction, and therefore it seeks a sliver of vitality through your body. However, even though you are endowed with the Heavenly Dao of the Small World, you are still a mortal fetus, with a body too frail. Even if you are lucky enough to give birth to this child, she will struggle to grow, and you will die."
"Unless you cultivate with me…"
Since that day, Su Yuqing followed to the inside of the Sacred Dynasty Daqi.
As her realm grew higher and higher, the original weakness of her body gradually disappeared. And the fetus in her womb began to sleep more soundly.
But the Master had said that the stronger her own strength was at the time of childbirth, the greater her daughter's future achievements would be. Maternal instincts made Su Yuqing's obsessive pursuit of her cultivation realm the most steadfast among the six disciples.
As for the zeal to fight and make a name for herself, she had no deep attachment to it.
Li Ping's intent locked onto the two people in the Grand Hall who had yet to receive specific assignments, and he remained silent for a long time.
This allowed Daoist Child Luli to sense something, and her heart panicked. She quickly bowed her head and retracted her expectant gaze.
"The two of you are compatible in character. Staying together is mutually beneficial. And for reasons of your special constitutions, it is not advisable for you to come into contact with the aura of slaughter too much…"
"I recently opened up a special Small World, you both can come inside and help."
Hearing this, Daoist Child Luli immediately made a sour face.
Perhaps because she was raised by Zhong Shentong, her temperament was extremely similar to Zhong Shentong's. If there was no external force to coerce her, she would be fairly negligent. Since Li Ping had taken her as a disciple, it was natural for him to turn this bad habit around.
After Ou Shangtian left, Luli and Su Yuqing followed Li Ping to that newly opened Small World.
"Master Tiger, it's really dark here. I'm a little scared," Luli deliberately spoke unclearly and pitifully.
However, this was not Luli putting on an act of misery, but rather because this world was indeed unlike ordinary Small Worlds, devoid of any light. Only because this place was opened up by Li Ping together with Tianyang and Xu Ke, specifically prepared for the You Clan people.
"Yuqing, besides the darkness, do you feel anything else different about this place?" Li Ping, ignoring Luli's feigned helplessness, asked slowly.
The absolute darkness and quiet tranquility made the activity level of the fetus in Su Yuqing's womb reduce, as if hypnotized, gradually falling into deep slumber.
Su Yuqing, feeling the emotions coming from her daughter, frowned after a while and answered, "The Heavenly Dao of this Small World... it's not complete? Or rather, is it utterly absent?"
"It's merely an expanse of space. In my view, it doesn't yet qualify to be called a 'world'."
Su Yuqing indeed had an extraordinary talent. In just a moment, she sensed the anomaly here.
Li Ping smiled, "You're only half right. Initially, this place was not without the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao of the Small World. Although it was very weak, it indeed existed."
Su Yuqing was startled upon hearing this and was about to ask where the Heavenly Dao of this world had gone.
However, she saw a gold cube suddenly appear in front of her. The dazzling light illuminated the entire dark Small World.
Feeling the familiar aura within the cube, Su Yuqing instinctively felt an uncontrollable fear.
The fetus inside her was also frightened awake, restlessly stirring.
Because locked within this gold cube was the Heavenly Dao consciousness that was of the same essence as her!
"They all received gifts, and naturally, you will not be left out," Li Ping could naturally sense Su Yuqing's fear.
"Here, it needs to be under my absolute control, without the need for the existence of the Heavenly Dao consciousness, so I stripped it away and sealed it."
"Now I am giving it to you," Li Ping said lightly.