Druid Fairy

Chapter 214 The Ascension of the Dojo
Lingshan Cave.

Li Pingcan, who was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, suddenly shuddered.

A hint of surprise flashed across his calm face, which quickly turned into satisfaction and pride.

Just now, a vast and incomparable torrent of insights, yet originating from the same source as him, crossed countless mountains and rivers and poured into his divine soul and sea of ​​consciousness!
That was Li Mengze's most fundamental understanding of "withering and flourishing," "reincarnation," and "balance" after he had completely refined the "Dao Fruit of Life and Death."

This realization is not simply a transmission of power, but a resonance with a higher level of "Tao".

If Li Pingcan's previous Druidic path was a vast forest full of vitality and flourishing life, then...

At this moment, the insight that Li Mengze conveyed was like adding the laws of "withering" and "decay" to this forest, giving it a complete cycle from prosperity to decline, and then from death to new life!
"Boom!"

The entire Druid dojo began to tremble violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over.

The ancient tree that was rooted in the center of the dojo, seemingly connected to heaven and earth, and which had helped Li Mengze when the projection descended, began a new round of frenzied growth after being nourished by this "reincarnation" Daoist rhyme!

Its roots were no longer content with the land of the temple itself, but broke through the barriers of space and truly connected with the vast mountains and rivers of the Great Yu Dynasty in the outside world!
For hundreds of years, the earth's veins of the Dayu Dynasty have been polluted, suppressed, and distorted by the evil energy of the Nine Netherworld Dragon, like a patient suffering from a disease and on the verge of death.

Now that the vengeful dragon has been refined, the shackles that bound the earth's veins have shattered.

Inside the temple, the atmosphere changed dramatically.

Visible torrents of earthy yellow energy flowed in from all directions.

Li Pingcan sat cross-legged, his expression solemn. His soul was integrated with the entire dojo, carefully guiding this unprecedented and powerful force.

This is both an opportunity and a test.

If he can successfully incorporate it, his dojo will no longer be an illusory "domain", but will transform into a true miniature world prototype!

"All things return to their origin, nature is the root. Heed my command, solidify!"

The roots of that ancient tree that reached the heavens transformed into an enormous emerald green vortex, drawing in all the surging power of the earth's veins.

On the trunk of the ancient tree, the patterns of mountains and rivers began to emerge. Each leaf seemed to contain the weight of a mountain peak and the dynamism of a river.

The absorbed earth vein energy, after being transformed and processed by the ancient tree, did not dissipate. Instead, under Li Pingcan's guidance, it converged again towards the central earth of the dojo.

"Roar!"

A silent roar, yet seemingly echoing deep within the soul, reverberated throughout the dojo.

The myriad earth vein energies slowly condensed and took shape, transforming into a dragon a thousand feet long, composed entirely of the purest rocks and chalcedony. Its horns were towering mountain peaks, its whiskers were rushing rivers, and its scales were fertile soil shimmering with five-colored light—the Azure Dragon of the Earth Veins!
It perched beneath the ancient tree reaching for the sky, slowly closing its eyes, which resembled two suns, as if falling into a deep sleep.

But Li Pingcan knew that from this moment on, his Druid dojo had a true "guardian deity".

And he himself was no longer a simple druid.

As long as he is on the land of the Great Yu Dynasty, he can mobilize a portion of the power of the Azure Dragon of the Earth's veins.

He is truly the "land god" of this land!
……

Meanwhile, outside the Lingshan Cave.

What was originally just a trickle of spiritual energy transformed into a raging, roaring river in an instant!

The pure spiritual energy, so refined that it became tangible, condensed into a visible white mist that flowed slowly through the mountains and forests.

Ordinary herbs growing by the mountain stream unfurled their leaves, blossomed, and bore fruit at a speed visible to the naked eye, their bodies faintly radiating a layer of spiritual light.

Some ancient tree spirits that had been stuck at a bottleneck for many years felt a jolt throughout their bodies. The shackles that had plagued them for centuries were shattered under the sweep of this vast vitality!
"Roar!"

A tiger's roar, filled with shock and ecstasy, echoed through the mountains and forests.

Tiger's striped fur moved without wind, and its blood and energy surged, making it far more powerful than before. It could clearly feel the ground beneath its feet come alive!

"What...what's going on?"

Xiong Er's voice was filled with deep horror. It sat down on the ground with a thud, but felt a gentle yet powerful force coming from the depths of the earth, nourishing its limbs and bones, which was even better than the effect of sleeping hard for ten years.

The spirit ape leaped and bounded among the treetops, scratching its ears and cheeks excitedly, babbling incoherently: "It's that lord! It must be Lord Night Immortal! Who else but him possesses such heaven-shattering abilities!"

The white crane gracefully spread its wings, but its posture was no longer composed; its clear eyes were filled with awe.

It looked up at the sky, as if it could see the invisible laws of heaven and earth being sorted and reshaped, and murmured, "This is no longer a simple blessing... this is... reshaping the universe!"

At that moment, the five spirits froze simultaneously as an absolute pressure, originating from the deepest part of their bloodline and directed at higher-level life forms, suddenly descended!
They all knelt down deeply towards Peach Blossom Mountain, not daring to raise their heads.

In their perception, the soul of this land was condensed into a supreme being.

It was a sleeping azure dragon. The mere wisp of its aura made these so-called spirit beasts feel their own insignificance and submit.

"We can never repay the Immortal's kindness, even if we die ten thousand times!" Tiger roared from the bottom of his heart, his voice filled with fervor.

Previously, they only regarded Li Pingcan as a mysterious and powerful senior master.

Now, in their hearts, Li Pingcan is the true god of this land!
…………

The Qianqing Palace, during the Great Qian Dynasty.

The entire palace is made of a rare mineral called "Crimson Flame Black Gold," which exudes a faint sense of pressure and heat year-round.

The dragon-carved pillars inside the hall are not the usual five-clawed dragons, but the winged dragon totem, showcasing the dynasty's ambitious aspirations.

In the center of the main hall, Qian Tianjue knelt there, looking utterly dejected.

He had changed into plain clothes, his half-white hair was disheveled and draped over his shoulders, and his once handsome face was now filled with humiliation and dejection, with no trace of the former pride of the Eastern Region.

On the dragon throne sat a middle-aged emperor wearing a flat-topped crown.

He was the ruler of the Great Qian Dynasty, known as Emperor Qianwu, a man of great talent and ambition.

Emperor Qianwu's face was seven parts similar to Qian Tianjue's, but he was more resolute and profound.

He simply sat there quietly, without releasing any aura, yet his imposing, majestic imperial presence, wielding the power of life and death over countless beings, was enough to freeze the very space around him. In his hand, he was toying with the "Purple Dragon Soul Jade," which had completely lost its divine luster and was covered in cracks.

"In other words," Emperor Qianwu finally spoke slowly, each word like a heavy hammer, striking Qian Tianjue's heart, "you led the Fire Dragon Elder of the Tianxuan Sect, commanding 300,000 armored soldiers, and besieged the city. In the end, not only did you lose the Dragon Soul Jade I bestowed upon you and shorten your lifespan, but you were also forced by the other side alone to sign this humiliating 'peace treaty' that ceded national sovereignty?"

He gently tossed the covenant, drafted by Li Mengze and bearing the seal of Crown Prince Qian Tianjue, onto the ground.

The sound of papers falling was particularly jarring in the deathly silent hall.

"Father... Your son is incompetent!"

Qian Tianjue's body trembled violently as he slammed his head heavily onto the cold ground. "That Li Mengze... he's no longer human! Elder Huolong was utterly powerless against him!"

"Hmm?" A barely perceptible glint flashed in Emperor Qianwu's eyes.

He ignored his son and instead turned his gaze to Elder Xuan, whose spiritual energy was weak and listless.

"Elder Xuan, you speak."

"Your Majesty." Elder Xuan raised his head with difficulty, and in a hoarse voice recounted everything that had happened in the Golden Palace and outside the Blackwater Pass.

Upon hearing that Li Mengze had crippled Qian Tianjue by ten years of his lifespan with a single move, "Withering and Flourishing," Emperor Qianwu's fingers, which had been resting on the armrest of the dragon throne, suddenly tightened, leaving five clear finger marks on the hard armrest.

An invisible yet tangible rage erupted from his body!
"A bunch of trash!"

He suddenly stood up, and a terrifying imperial dragon aura soared into the sky, transforming into a ferocious black dragon that circled and roared above the Qianqing Palace, shaking the entire Forbidden City!
"A mere child dares to trample on the face of my Great Qian Dynasty!!"

"My son has had ten years of his lifespan stolen! My 300,000-strong army has been used as spoils of war for extortion! This is an utter disgrace!!"

Emperor Qianwu's anger caused the temperature in the entire hall to rise sharply, and the air became scorching.

Qian Tianjue and Elder Xuan were so overwhelmed by this pressure that they prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to even lift their heads.

This overwhelming rage lasted only a dozen breaths before Emperor Qianwu forcibly suppressed it.

He slowly sat back on the dragon throne. In his deep, ocean-like eyes, the anger subsided, replaced by a rational killing intent colder than ten thousand years of ice.

He was not a monarch who would be blinded by anger.

On the contrary, he knew better than anyone that the angrier he was, the calmer he needed to be.

"Issue my decree." His voice returned to calm, but it sent a chill down the spines of the two people below.

"First, order Yuchi Gong to lead the Armor-Breaking Army to immediately withdraw to Blackwater Pass. Strictly adhere to the terms of the alliance without fail. At the same time, order the Ministry of Revenue to prepare the first batch of medicinal herb seeds and send them to Dayu."

"Father!" Qian Tianjue suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with incomprehension and resentment. "Are we just going to let this go like this?"

"Shut up." Emperor Qianwu glanced at him coldly. "Do you think that a conventional army can deal with someone who has mastered the 'Dao'? Sending more people would only be feeding him."

He paused, then continued, "Second, order the Ministry of Rites to draft a letter of state condemning Emperor Tianxuan for his incompetence, which has brought shame upon our crown prince and damaged the prestige of the nation. Make them give me an explanation."

This order even startled Elder Xuan.

This is not just about holding someone accountable; it's clearly about distancing themselves from the Tianxuan Sect, and even putting pressure on them!

"Third," Emperor Qianwu's gaze finally fell on Qian Tianjue. In his eyes, there was not a trace of fatherly affection, only endless indifference and disappointment. "Crown Prince Qian Tianjue has behaved improperly before the Emperor, causing loss of power and disgrace to the country. Effective immediately, he is hereby deposed as Crown Prince and imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court to reflect on his mistakes. Without my decree, he shall never step out of the palace again!"

"Father! No!" Qian Tianjue was struck dumb. He never dreamed that such a cruel ending awaited him!

He was not treated by his father as a pawn to quell external anger and stabilize the internal situation!

Emperor Qianwu completely ignored his wails. Two imperial guards, dressed in black armor and exuding a deep and unfathomable aura, appeared in the hall like ghosts. They lifted the limp Qian Tianjue from the left and right and dragged him away.

Soon, only Emperor Qianwu and Elder Xuan remained in the hall.

"Your Majesty... what is this...?" Elder Xuan was filled with unease.

Emperor Qianwu slowly stepped down from the dragon throne, came to Elder Xuan, and personally helped him up. A rare hint of gentleness appeared on his usually cold face.

"Elder Xuan, you have followed me for eighty years, I trust you."

He walked to the huge sand table, looking at the territory that represented the Great Yu Dynasty, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light.

"Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. It would be foolish to use brute force to attack a young dragon that has already shown its claws."

His finger gently touched the location of the capital of the Great Yu Kingdom.

"I admit that I underestimated Li Mengze and the Li family. But this has also shown me an unprecedented opportunity."

He turned around, looked at Elder Xuan, and said slowly and deliberately, "A fruit that allows mortals to comprehend the 'Dao' in a short period of time has a value that transcends the scope of a dynasty or even a sect."

"I want it!"

"But even the Heavenly Profound Sect..."

"The Heavenly Profound Sect?" Emperor Qianwu sneered. "They were nothing more than a stone I threw out to test the waters. A bunch of reckless fools who only know how to cultivate but not how to scheme. A true hunter knows how to wait and how to endure."

He returned to the dragon throne, his aura becoming even more profound and terrifying than before.

"Issue my fourth secret decree."

"I hereby order the commander of the 'Shadow Guards' to personally lead a team to infiltrate the Great Yu and become part of them. I want you to cast a net that covers every corner of the Great Yu."

"I need to know Li Mengze's every move and every word. I need to know the weaknesses in the character of every member of the Li family."

"No matter how strong Li Mengze is, he is still just a person. But he has family, friends, and a country. These are his weaknesses."

Emperor Qianwu looked out the window, as if he could see through the barriers of space and see the figure standing outside the Blackwater Pass, his blue robe fluttering in the wind.

At this moment, Li Mengze, who had returned to Tingtao Xiaozhu, seemed to sense something and looked up at the western horizon.

(End of this chapter)