Lord of the Earth

In the summer, standing on the altar, his gaze sharp as torches, he looked at the crystal that floated quietly beneath the "Ten-Petal Merit Lotus" and emitted a chaotic light!
Amidst the joy, calm and reflection returned to my mind.

He knew in his heart that the previous actions were expedient measures taken in an emergency. Whether this chaotic cataclysmic beast, which had awakened prematurely due to the stimulation of the cataclysmic power and absorbed a large amount of essence in this battle, was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

After all, the value of this "catastrophe beast" was far beyond expectations, so much so that the gods were willing to violate some ancient agreement to forcibly cross realms to fight for it!
For Qian Xia, this was an immeasurable opportunity!
If one can subdue or establish a positive symbiotic relationship with it, it will greatly enhance the ultimate control and understanding of the power of cataclysm, and may even grant a trump card that transcends the system of the gods' cataclysm.

But it could also be a huge potential risk.

After all, this was a being that once made all the heavens and myriad realms tremble, and its nature, will, and even the direction of its future growth were difficult to fathom.

Even its very existence would attract countless covetous and hostile forces to Qianxia, ​​far exceeding any imagination.

However, its act of devouring the power of calamity and indirectly helping Qianxia break the deadlock seems to reveal some goodwill or instinctive tendencies—at least, it did not choose to stand on the side of the gods who were with it.

At this moment, the small beast figure in the crystal was curiously observing the cheering crowd below who had survived the ordeal.

His gaze occasionally fell on Xia Tian, ​​his eyes pure and clear, like a newborn child, without a trace of violence or destruction, but rather with a hint of bewilderment and exploration!

"For now... let's maintain the status quo. As long as I, Qian Xia, advance smoothly and have a more solid foundation and stronger power, I will have more room to deal with them and even try to establish contact."

Summer pondered in her heart.

Although this chaotic divine beast possesses extremely high power, even capable of directly seizing control of the power of calamity from a true god, it is clearly far from its full strength and its power level has not truly returned to the realm of a "true god".

In particular, it is essentially a "catastrophe creature" and seems to need to rely on the pure and profound power of merit of the Qianxia Merit Heavenly Pool to conceal its overly special original aura, so as to avoid being overly scrutinized or even "purged" by the will of heaven and earth of the Eternal Land.

Therefore, in the short term, there is no need to worry too much about the summer having a negative impact.

"The most urgent task is to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, forge a true foundation for the Immortal Dynasty, and complete the final step of advancement!"

Summer calmed his mind, stood solemnly, looked up at the sky, and used his "Human Emperor - Dao Fruit Prototype" which he had refined to the extreme as a guide to communicate with that vast and intimate eternal will.

"I, the ruler of Qianxia, ​​the summer emperor, today at the altar of Heaven, report to Heaven and Earth, and pray for the eternal will to bear witness!"

"Since its founding, the Qianxia Kingdom has been blessed by Heaven, protecting countless eternal beings, expanding its territory, spreading civilization, and resisting foreign aggression. Now, amidst this great calamity, it rises up to fight against the evil gods from beyond the realm and safeguard the peace of this world. Even if it dies a hundred times, it will not regret it!"

"Now that the merits have been manifested, the fortune has transformed into a lotus, the hearts of all people have turned to the people, and the gods protect us. We earnestly request the Eternal Will to grant us recognition and an opportunity to help Qianxia—to forge the foundation of the Immortal Dynasty and usher in an era of eternal peace!"

His voice was not loud, yet it resonated with the dragon vein beneath his feet and connected with the fortune above his head, transforming into a mysterious wave that soared straight to the heavens, communicating with the grand will that was watching over this place from the shadows.

After a brief silence—

"Can!"

A magnificent, ancient, and indifferent voice of will resounded directly in the minds of all the core subjects of Qianxia, ​​and even those powerful individuals with keen senses!

It was not human speech, yet everyone instantly understood its meaning.

Above the sky, the blurry face representing eternal will, outlined by the light of the sun and moon and the Dao of Heaven and Earth, lowered its head slightly, its gaze seemingly falling on Xia Tian, ​​and even more so on the blooming first-grade ten-lotus merit golden lotus.

"The foundation of a celestial dynasty cannot be built solely by fortune and merit; it also requires the Great Dao as its backbone and the laws as its framework."

The sounds of summer resounded throughout the land of eternity.

"Theoretically, a Celestial Dynasty can only be established by a true god. However, at present, a true god cannot yet enter the mortal world in his true form. Therefore, I wish to borrow those innate spiritual roots that once nurtured heaven and earth, witnessed the Great Dao, and even those that are suspected to be the transformation of ancient true gods in Nirvana—to jointly build the foundation of this immortal Celestial Dynasty for my Qianxia!"

"I implore my fellow Daoists to lend me a hand!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Tian took a deep breath, and the Human Emperor Dao Fruit and the Jiangshan Battle Map that were beginning to take shape within his body vibrated simultaneously, emitting a silent call.

"Since Qianxia has invited me, how could I dare refuse? Fusang wood, come!"

A clear and melodious cry rang out from the eastern horizon, and a phantom of a divine tree, its entire body a deep red-gold, its branches and leaves like flames, and its crown seemingly perched with ten miniature suns, broke through the air and arrived!

Even more striking was the faint, ethereal figure of a majestic man, wearing a jade crown and imperial robes, surrounded by pure yang purple energy, appearing and disappearing beside the sacred tree, and nodding slightly to Xia Tian and those below.

It was none other than the Eastern King Duke and the innate spiritual root he controlled—the Fusang Tree!

The moment it appeared, the temperature of the entire dry summer seemed to rise slightly, and an infinite sense of light, heat, burgeoning life, and the passing down of civilization spread.

The Fusang tree represents the fire element of the Five Elements, the essence of the sun, and the flames that spread civilization!
"Since I have made the promise, I will certainly do my part and go to the peach tree!"

Behind Xiaoyaochi, the peach tree that was originally rooted in Baiyujing burst forth with an unprecedented emerald green divine light. Its shadow reached the sky, and although there were no fruits on its branches, there were scattered peach blossoms containing endless vitality, which turned into sweet rain to nourish the parched earth and the wounded creatures after the great battle.

Amidst the divine light, a graceful and dignified goddess, regal and adorned in a seven-colored robe, stood smiling – none other than the Queen Mother of the West!

The innate spiritual root she wields, the Peach Tree, represents the element of water in the Five Elements theory, which is the way to nourish life, prolong life, and purify the origin.

"Huang Zhongli is willing to contribute to the prosperity of the human race."

A gentle and mellow voice rang out, and a phantom image of an ancient tree, its body a lustrous yellow, its leaves like jade, and its trunk straight and reaching for the sky, appeared in the void, exuding a profound aura that carries and nourishes all things.

Beside the tree, a Taoist figure with an air of otherworldly grace, holding a jade ruyi, bowed in greeting. His origins were unknown, but the Taoist aura emanating from him clearly indicated that he was a being at the level of a true god!

The innate spiritual root, Huangzhongli, represents the wood element in the Five Elements theory, symbolizing vitality, resilient growth, and the prosperity of all things.

"The ginseng fruit tree, lend it to Qianxia for use!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a ripple appeared in space, and the phantom of an ancient tree, shaped like a child, with gnarled branches and roots that seemed to be embedded deep in the endless earth, slowly emerged. Several phantom fruits, like infants, were vaguely hanging on the tree, emanating an aura that made people feel stable in their souls and close to the earth.

Beside the shadow of the tree, the phantom of an elder with an ancient face, wearing a purple-gold crown, dressed in the robes of the ancestor of earth immortals, holding a jade whisk, appeared and bowed in the direction of summer—it was none other than Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of earth immortals, who was of the same name as the world.

The innate spiritual root he wields, the Ginseng Fruit Tree, represents the Earth element of the Five Elements, the earth's support, the mother of all things, and the way of a stable foundation.

Four innate spiritual roots manifested simultaneously...

The Fusang tree is in the east, its flames blazing, and the phantom of the Eastern King Duke is awe-inspiring; the Peach Tree is in the south, its blue waves shimmering, and the phantom of the Western Queen Mother shines with benevolent light; the Yellow Plum is in the west, its green light lush and rich, and the phantom of the guardian Taoist is serene and inactive; the Ginseng Fruit Tree is in the center, its yellow light thick and heavy, and the phantom of Zhen Yuanzi is as heavy as a mountain.

Four colors of light soared into the sky, representing the four innate laws of fire, water, wood, and earth. They intertwined and resonated in the sky above Qianxia, ​​beginning to form a stable framework of laws!

"Unfortunately, among the Five Elements, it is missing the spiritual root that represents the Great Dao of Metal."

Amidst the crowd, Lü Dongbin let out a soft sigh.

“In the past, there was indeed a Bodhi Vajra Tree in the ancestral land of the Golden-Winged Roc clan, which was born from the innate Geng Metal Qi and was a metal element spiritual root that was no less than the previous four. Unfortunately, with the suppression of the clan’s true god, the spiritual root disappeared and its whereabouts became unknown. It may have been taken away or destroyed.”

Just as everyone was feeling a little regretful—

"Amitabha." A peaceful yet boundless Buddhist chant, seemingly capable of cleansing the dust of the soul, resounded between heaven and earth without warning. It did not come from any particular direction, but rather seemed to bloom directly in everyone's heart.

On the western horizon, boundless golden light spread out like a tidal wave. Within this golden light, there was not a magnificent scene of countless rays of light and auspicious clouds, but a gentle radiance of tranquility, peace, and wisdom.

A strange tree, not tall, yet seemingly cast from crystal and gold, with sparse branches and leaves, each leaf appearing to be naturally engraved with endless wisdom and Sanskrit, and with the Buddha sitting cross-legged preaching in the shadows beneath it, and illusory images of falling flowers, slowly descended.

This tree has no imposing presence, yet it involuntarily calms the mind of those who see it, instantly dispelling all distracting thoughts.

Even more striking was a monk beneath the tree, dressed in a simple yet brocade robe, holding a nine-ringed staff, with compassionate and solemn features, and enveloped in a gentle Buddhist light. He walked slowly, his feet seemingly floating on lotus blossoms. His face was handsome, and his eyes were clear and profound, as if he could see through the root of all worldly troubles.

His appearance instantly excited the few people on the battlefield!
"Master...Master?! It's Master!!"

The "Heavenly River General Manager," who was currently wreaking havoc, widened his eyes, his expression showing surprise. Gazing at that kind face etched deep in his soul, his eyes reddened, and his voice choked with emotion.

"Master! It really is you! You...you've come too?!"

On the other side, Sha Wujing, who was cleaning up the battlefield, was also shaken violently, and his demon-subduing staff slammed into the ground with a loud thud.

He gazed at that familiar figure, his honest and resolute face revealing an expression of extreme excitement. From a distance, he knelt down on one knee as if a mountain of gold and jade were collapsing, his voice loud and trembling.

"Disciple Wujing greets Master!"

Is this... the Tripitaka Master?
Or perhaps, the Venerable Xuanzang!
If it's the former, then it's merely a character from the Sea of ​​Illusions; but if it's the latter, then it's undoubtedly another "peerless genius" of China!
Xuanzang stopped and looked at his two long-lost disciples, a warm smile as gentle as a spring breeze on his face, his eyes filled with concern and relief: "Wukong, Wujing. It's been many years since we last met, you... are you both well?"

Then, he nodded slightly.

"It seems that you have also found your own path in this world, upholding the righteous way without ever slacking off. Well done, well done."

These two simple words made Steward Tianhe blink his slightly hot eyes hard and grin, "Good! Master is good, then disciple is good!"

Xuanzang then turned to Xia Tian on the altar, put his hands together, and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty, I am Xuanzang, and I have come from a distant land. I have heard that the Qianxia dynasty intends to establish a celestial dynasty to protect the human race and usher in a peaceful and prosperous era. This is a great merit and a great aspiration. I have come here to lend my assistance by borrowing the wisdom of the Bodhi tree."

His voice was calm, yet it carried a comforting power.

"Bodhi has no tree, nor is the bright mirror a stand. Yet this tree carries the wisdom of the World-Honored One's enlightenment, containing the meaning of indestructibility, cutting through ignorance, and penetrating the truth. It may make up for the lack of sharpness, solidity, severity, and transformation of the metal element... More importantly, may the light of wisdom from this tree add a foundation of enlightenment, wisdom, and compassion for the world to this new celestial dynasty."

As he spoke, the Bodhi tree swayed gently, scattering specks of golden dust.

Beneath the tree, a more magnificent phantom of the Buddha, filled with boundless wisdom and compassion, slowly appeared. Although his specific features were unclear, the image of him holding up a flower, smiling, overlooking all beings, and possessing wisdom as vast as the sea, was deeply imprinted in everyone's heart.

The phantom of Buddha and the figure of Xuanzang stand side by side, jointly blessing the Bodhi tree.

Upon seeing this, Xia Tian's expression became extremely solemn. He cupped his hands in thanks, deeply aware of the significance of the Buddhist sect's assistance, especially at this crucial moment.

"The holy monk has come from afar, generously lending the Dao essence of the sacred tree of enlightenment to replenish the deficiencies of the five elements in our Qianxia and enhance the foundation of our celestial dynasty's wisdom. This kindness and grace will be forever remembered by the people of Qianxia!"

His voice was clear and sincere.

"Buddhist wisdom is profound and extensive, compassionate and dedicated to saving all sentient beings. Our Qianxia Kingdom believes in inclusiveness and embracing all rivers. Whether it is Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Mohism, or any other virtuous path, all those who wish to protect our human civilization alongside the people of Qianxia are friends of Qianxia and can find their place on this newly born immortal dynasty!"

"On behalf of the Great Heavenly Dynasty, I express my sincerest gratitude to Buddhism, the Holy Monks, and the World Honored One! May the Buddha's light shine upon all, illuminating the path ahead for our Celestial Dynasty!"

These words were both a formal expression of gratitude to Xuanzang and the Buddhist community for their assistance and a declaration to the world of Qianxia's open and inclusive national philosophy.

Xuanzang's smile widened, and he returned the greeting with his palms together once more.

"Your Majesty's magnanimity is truly admirable. With Your Majesty's guidance, the future of Qianxia is promising. Excellent!"

With the blessing of Xuanzang and the illusory image of Buddha, the Bodhi tree steadily settled into the western position, connecting with the energy of the other four spiritual roots. Instantly, a brilliant, resilient, yet gentle and wise golden pillar of light shot into the sky!

The five elements are perfectly balanced, and life continues endlessly!
Five pillars of light, representing metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, formed a huge, slowly rotating five-colored wheel of light above Qianxia.

The phantoms of the five great spiritual root holders—Eastern King Duke, Western Queen Mother, Huang Zhongli Guardian Daoist, Zhen Yuanzi, and Shakyamuni Buddha—stood in or beside their respective pillars of light, adding to their boundless majesty!

A powerful aura of the Five Elements' mutual generation and restraint, and the laws of creation and evolution, permeated the air, causing the spiritual energy structure within the Qianxia territory to undergo fundamental optimization, becoming more balanced, active, and full of opportunities for creation!

But this is not the end!

"The harmony of Yin and Yang is the way of Heaven. Now that Fusang has emerged, how can it be without the laurel tree as its companion?"

A clear, cold voice rang out, and the Moon Goddess gently raised her hand. The phantom of the Moon Palace appeared, and a pure white laurel tree, exuding a cool moonlight and a faint fragrance of osmanthus, stretched out its branches and leaves—it was indeed the innate spiritual root, the laurel tree!
The hibiscus tree shone even brighter, its heat intense; the laurel tree cast its gentle glow, its light soft and lingering. The shadows of the sun and the moon, the two supreme paths, began to intertwine, and the nascent form of the yin-yang symbol appeared, further stabilizing and elevating the entire framework of the laws!
"Hmm, I almost forgot about this."

Among the crowd, Yang Jian suddenly remembered something, spoke up, and took something out of his robes.

It was not a tree, but a strange ball of light that was constantly changing and contained endless starlight. Upon closer inspection, the core of the ball of light seemed to contain a miniature tree shadow made of starlight.

"This is a projection of the Zhou Tian Star Tree, the innate spiritual root of the Star Dao once held by the Ziwei Emperor. Now it is being given to you to help Qianxia draw upon the power of the Zhou Tian stars and lay the foundation for the Star Dao."

Within the ball of light, a majestic and imposing phantom of an emperor, wearing a crown and a robe draped in stars, flashed by.

The phantom of the Star Tree rose into the sky, suddenly enlarging as if resonating with the real stars in the heavens, showering down endless starlight! The power of the celestial stars merged in, suddenly filling the sky portion of the Immortal Dynasty's foundation, giving it boundless potential and versatility.

Immediately afterward, with a thought in Xia Tian's mind, the Three Lives Tree obtained from the True God of the Soul Clan also appeared.

This tree originally nourished itself by refining countless souls, making it extremely malevolent. However, under the cleansing power of merit and the guidance of Xia Tian's will, the profound Daoist essence at its core, concerning the flow of time, past lives, and fragments of destiny, was purified and stripped away, transforming into a neutral, silvery-white phantom of the laws of time, which merged into its foundation.

It no longer represents the devouring of souls, but rather the passage of time, cause and effect, destiny, and the path of reincarnation.

Finally, the "Five-Colored Universe Gourd Vine," which was nurtured in the Eternal Land and nourished by the summer's energy, automatically appeared. The vine stretched out, and the illusory gourds of various colors hanging on it swayed, exuding a rich aura of spatial fluctuations, creative vitality, and the ability to store and contain worlds.

It represents the expansion of space, the creation of blessed lands, and the way to nurture treasures!
So far——

Five elements, yin and yang, stars, time, space... a total of eleven innate spiritual roots, twelve great principles of heaven and earth that encompass the fundamental structure of the world.

Above the celestial realm of Qianxia, ​​a dazzling array of colors shimmered, with a five-colored halo as its foundation, guarded by the illusory figures of the five great rulers; yin and yang fish hovered above, the sun and moon shining together; stars adorned the celestial canopy, and the Emperor appeared and disappeared; the lines of time and space intertwined and interwoven…

The various laws and runes of the Great Dao manifested, collided, resonated, and ultimately tended towards harmony, weaving together an incomparably complex, magnificent, and stable three-dimensional network of the Great Dao laws. It slowly descended and perfectly combined with the vast mountains and rivers, dragon veins, urban culture, merit lotuses, auspicious clouds of fortune, and other elements of Qianxia!
"boom--!"

A thunderous roar, perceptible only to those at the Great Dao level, resounded!

Every inch of land and every city in the dry summer seemed to be infused with new life and new laws.

The spiritual energy completely transformed into a higher level of immortal spiritual energy, spontaneously condensing into spiritual rain and dew; the earth became more fertile and stable, with a faint glow of precious light shining through; the sky became clearer and higher, and the sun, moon and stars seemed within reach... All living beings felt their minds clear, their cultivation bottlenecks loosened, and their understanding of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth became clearer than ever before!
Thus, the foundation of the Immortal Dynasty is complete! (End of Chapter)