Primordial Era: I, Hongyun, take charge of the literary path

Standing under the ginseng fruit tree, the tree's canopy, which blocks out the sun, envelops the entire backyard in cool, green shade.

Hongyun sniffed the air; the enticing aroma of the ginseng fruit was refreshing and invigorating.

"Is this the legendary ginseng fruit tree?!"

"Good fortune, fellow Daoist! Not only do you have the Earth Book, but you also have a ginseng fruit tree growing alongside you. Your blessings surpass all other deities."

Although Hongyun had long heard of the ginseng fruit, she couldn't help but exclaim in amazement upon seeing it with her own eyes.

"Haha, Hongyun, you flatter me. There are countless innate deities whose fortunes surpass mine!"

Zhen Yuanzi smiled modestly, stood under the tree, and looked at the spiritual root that had accompanied him for countless years, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.

"This ginseng fruit tree blossoms once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to mature. In total, it takes nearly ten thousand years to produce only thirty fruits."

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, you're in luck! This new batch of ginseng fruits has just ripened. I'll get you a few."

After saying that, Zhen Yuanzi raised his hand and waved it, and a golden light flew out from his sleeve, transforming into a golden mallet.

Zhen Yuanzi held a golden mallet and gently tapped three or five ginseng fruits. The fruits fell from the branches and were caught steadily by Zhen Yuanzi with a brocade handkerchief.

Before long, Zhen Yuanzi knocked down eight ginseng fruits, then summoned the servants Qingfeng and Mingyue who were waiting beside him, and ordered them to wash the fruits and place them on the stone table.

The two returned to the front yard. Hongyun looked at the ginseng fruits neatly arranged on the stone table. Each one was crystal clear and emitted a soft halo. He picked one up, examined it carefully, and then took a small bite.

A burst of sweet juice bursts in your mouth.

The fruit pulp melts in your mouth, transforming into gentle, refreshing energy that flows down your throat and throughout your body.

Hongyun felt every pore on her body cheering, as her magical power increased by thousands of years.

The life-extending ability of the ginseng fruit was useless to Hongyun, since he was already a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and the life essence within it had been refined into magical power by him.

"Delicious! I'm so lucky today!"

Hongyun gave a big thumbs up, ate a ginseng fruit in a few bites, and then took out two kinds of spiritual fruits.

"Zhen Yuanzi, you should try some of mine too."

One of them was the fruit of the parasol tree, which Hongyun directly roasted into a nut snack.

One of them was the money tree's fruit, which Hongyun directly preserved in sugar to make fruit snacks.

Hongyun pointed to the two items made from the spiritual fruits and said with a smile, "These were made from spiritual fruits I obtained from two good friends."

"This is a phoenix tree seed, and this is a money-making fruit. Although these two spiritual roots are not as good as the ginseng fruit tree, they are still top-grade innate spiritual roots and have many wonderful uses."

"Is this made from spirit fruit? Let me try it!"

Zhen Yuanzi picked up a wutong seed and tasted it slowly. He had eaten countless spiritual fruits, but the feeling this wutong seed gave him was the most wonderful.

"I never imagined that spiritual fruits could be made into other things to eat. Although some spiritual energy is consumed, the taste is much better than eating them directly."

Zhen Yuanzi sighed in admiration, tasted the candied money fruit, and nodded in agreement.

After enjoying the spiritual fruit and fine wine, the two began to discuss scriptures and doctrines, with Qingfeng and Mingyue allowed to listen in.

Hongyun sat on the stone bench and asked, "I see that you cultivate the Way of Earth?"

"Indeed, I am the essence of the Earth element, and my innate spiritual treasure is the Earth Book. My innate restrictions are related to the laws of the earth. I also have the Earth element spiritual root, the Ginseng Fruit Tree. The laws of the Earth element are a branch of the laws of the earth. Therefore, when I chose the Great Dao, I chose the Dao of the Earth."

Zhen Yuanzi spoke frankly and did not hide his background. People of the same level could also deduce it, but in reality, they rarely did so unless the difference in strength was too great. Otherwise, the person being deduced could sense it.

Hongyun praised, "The Taoist is rooted in the essence of Earth, and is accompanied by a ginseng fruit tree and a book of earth. The Way of the Earth is undoubtedly the most suitable path for you."

"But I have a question that I hope you can answer, fellow Daoist."

Zhen Yuanzi's expression turned serious. "Please ask."

"The Book of Earth and the Ginseng Fruit Tree both contain traces of the Way of the Earth. Fellow Daoist, by studying the Book of Earth and the Ginseng Fruit Tree, you are studying the Way of the Earth, but..."

"But what?" Zhen Yuanzi pressed.

"The Earth Book has its own Dao, and the Ginseng Fruit Tree has its own Dao. So, what about yours, fellow Daoist?"

Hongyun said meaningfully, "The Great Dao must be walked by oneself. If one always relies on the Earth Book or the Ginseng Fruit Tree, one will never be able to comprehend the true Dao."

Zhen Yuanzi's study of the Earth Book and the mysteries of the Ginseng Fruit Tree may allow him to cultivate to the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level and comprehend ninety percent of the laws of the earth.

However, the Book of Earth (the Ginseng Fruit Tree) is both the key to his success and his predicament. Without understanding the mystery within the situation, it will be difficult for Zhen Yuanzi to break through to the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm.

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, what is your Dao?"

"My Way is the Way of Literature, which carries the Way through literature. My Way of Literature emphasizes education and uses literature to educate the world."

"Observe human nature to transform the world."

"The Way of Literature? What does this Way mean?!"

Next, Hongyun and the other person talked back and forth, from their understanding of literature to the choice of cultivation methods, from the laws of the universe to the profound principles of the birth and death of all things.

As the years passed, Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi gradually shifted their conversation to the great calamity of heaven and earth.

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, have you ever wondered why great calamities occur in the world every so often?"

"The Lich Calamity, the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity... In each calamity, countless lives are annihilated. Is it only fate, and not destiny, that causes these calamities?"

Zhen Yuanzi asked with a solemn expression.

"I've thought about that too."

Hongyun said solemnly, "The great calamity begins in the heart and ends in the heart. As long as there are living beings, there will be desires; where there are desires, there will be strife; where there is strife, there will be calamity."

"Unless heaven and earth return to nothingness and all things perish, calamities will never truly disappear."

"It begins in the heart and ends in the heart."

Zhen Yuanzi sighed, "It's easy to say, but incredibly difficult to do. Aren't the greed, anger, and ignorance in people's hearts deeply rooted? Trying to change all this on your own is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Hongyun chimed in, "So all we can do is mind our own business, manage our own path, and cultivate our own relationships. The rest is beyond our control."

Zhen Yuanzi nodded, then shook his head. "You're right, but not entirely. Individual strength is insignificant, but many grains of sand can form a tower, and many small contributions can make a great achievement."

"If everyone only cares about themselves, then only indifference and strife will remain in this world. When the great calamity comes, how can one escape by merely remaining aloof?"

Hongyun gave Zhen Yuanzi a deep look.

At this moment, Hongyun suddenly understood why Zhen Yuanzi was still so active during the Journey to the West period. He not only had the Earth Book protecting him, but also a compassionate heart.

To some, this mindset might seem too old-fashioned, but to Hongyun, this is his way.

Why was Zhen Yuanzi later called the ancestor of earth immortals? Perhaps this can give us a clue.

In the backyard of Wuzhuang Temple, two figures sat under the ginseng fruit tree, continuing their conversation. Qingfeng and Mingyue listened with rapt attention, having gained quite a bit this time.