Qing Ling stood for a long time on the green jade umbrella, listening to the sounds from all directions, following the wind into his ears, enjoying the nourishment of the wilderness, and his primordial spirit was warmed by home.
Within Du Guang, every spirit and every being rejoiced, every flower and every blade of grass welcomed him spontaneously.
He stood too high, too far, and all beings were too far and too insignificant from him, yet Qing Ling's eyes still held an entire Du Guang.
Qing Ling's primordial spirit fell into stillness, every wisp of his soul, every thought, was empty.
There was nothing in his heart, no reason, his heart became still, and his primordial spirit entered a deep slumber.
The fatigue of six Yuan Hui of exhausting his mind and spirit was relieved at this moment.
A dream of three thousand years, an awakening into three lifetimes.
Before sleep, his life was like a grand dream; after sleep, the afterlife was like a fleeting dream. Qing Ling's primordial spirit, without him realizing it, had detached from the Eleventh Heaven and ascended beyond the Third Heaven, and beyond the Third Heaven for three more times.
The power of his primordial spirit, without any spiritual treasures or roots to aid him, was already far superior to that of the ordinary Eleventh Heaven.
As Qing Ling's primordial spirit ascended, all things and all the world became still in his eyes.
Six Yuan Hui, seven hundred and seventy-four thousand years of ceaseless creation of order, of time, of momentum, though not creation itself, was already tantamount to creation.
Seventy-seven thousand years of comprehending the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, of perceiving the world as only supreme beings could, how could his primordial spirit still be the same as before?
At some point, the bridge of time beneath the feet of the primordial spirit figurine carried him across one heaven after another, stopping at the twentieth heaven of the thirty-three Xuan Huang Heavens.
The primordial spirit figurine was awakened by the restraint of the twenty-first heaven. He awoke from his slumber, and this opportune moment also dissipated.
Having undergone the baptism of nine heavens, the primordial spirit figurine had already grown strong, growing stronger each day. Therefore, upon reaching the twentieth heaven, the figurine had become a giant.
The primordial spirit was thousands of feet tall, standing like heaven, sitting like a mountain, moving like the wind, and like clouds rising, one movement stirring up winds and clouds in the firmament.
The primordial spirit's five senses were clearly visible, identical to Qing Ling's, but on the physical body, it was an alluring beauty, a walking hormone, seducing the spring essence of all things.
However, such a visage on the primordial spirit body was like an icy abyss of absolute cold, as noble as a deity, not to be blasphemed, only worshipped.
Therefore, the primordial spirit was more like a true deity.
The primordial spirit pointed a finger at the bridge of time below. The bridge transformed into waves, white light rippling through the void, and the bridge became a white robe, protecting the primordial spirit body.
The primordial spirit body stood on the twentieth heaven, with divine markings on its brow, between its left palm, and upon its right palm.
The divine marking on the brow was the Earthly Dao divine marking, the left palm bore the Serpent Ancestor's imprint, and the right palm held the Spring God's divinity.
The primordial spirit placed its left palm on its chest, its soul and body connected, and the Primordial Ancestor's imprint merged onto its chest.
He glanced at the heavens, and the reason and wisdom in his eyes seemed to penetrate the very essence of the Heavenly Dao.
"The time has come!"
The primordial spirit returned to the Dao body. The Qing Ling who stood in the firmament, looking down upon all beings like a deity, rejoined his Dao body.
Qing Ling smiled, and the Four Seasons Diagram rose. Southern fire light blazed, and the Summer Order’s laws appeared in the center of heaven and earth.
As soon as the Summer Order appeared, it was spontaneously integrated into heaven and earth and gradually spread throughout the Primordial World.
Qing Ling spoke to heaven and earth, "I, Qing Ling, by the creation from the Spring and Winter Orders, forge the Summer Order!
When the Summer Order arrives, all things shall flourish, life at its peak, all beings in their prime!
The Summer Order originates from me, and I shall become the God of Summer!"
The will of heaven and earth perceived this, and the Summer Order divinity condensed in the firmament, descending upon Qing Ling.
He raised his left palm, and the Summer Order divinity merged into his Dao body, imprinted on the palm of his primordial spirit body.
Countless living beings bowed in worship. From this day forth, they would have an additional temporal order of life!
The Heavenly Dao will of the East was slow to descend. Towards this being who bore the will of the Earthly Dao, it felt a natural aversion.
Yet, it had to manifest its will because it acknowledged the Summer Order, which meant acknowledging the beings of the Summer Order, and thus acknowledging its own Eastern Heavenly Dao.
This opportunity was extremely rare, a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
After a long period of hesitation, the Heavenly Dao's will finally descended a large amount of Xuan Huang merit from the thirty-three heavens.
A faint smile appeared on Qing Ling's face. "God Slaying," nurtured within the Great Luo Dao Scripture realm, instantly flew out and absorbed this vast merit.
Heavenly Dao merit, born of the Heavenly Dao, was acquired merit, and was most suitable for use on acquired treasures.
"God Slaying" absorbed the merit that filled the sky, its blade edge growing sharper, and stood beside Qing Ling, exuding a faint pressure.
At this moment, on the Sun Star, a handsome man in imperial robes frowned and remained silent, gazing at the Daoist who had just obtained the divinity of the Summer Order across the vast expanse of the universe.
"This person, if not eliminated, may become a major force in the future, even affecting the destiny of the Sun Star!"
Beside this man sat another man, whose radiance rivaled the sun. He chuckled and said, "Eldest Brother need not worry. This person owes me a great karmic debt. If he truly becomes a major force, he can be used by me!"
The imperial-robed man raised an eyebrow, as if understanding, "So that is how it is."
Above the East Sea, the Azure Dragon looked westward and saw the scorching sun sweeping across the Primordial Great Land. The new season of Summer had been established in the Primordial World.
He could not help but nod, "He truly did not disappoint me!"
Luo Hou in the West gazed eastward and laughed, "It's actually this fellow. The junior from back then has truly become a force. It is time he is put to use."
On Mount Yujing, the old Daoist, who was teaching the Sanqing, suddenly stopped. A complex expression remained on his face. Although this child seemed to benefit the Heavenly Dao, he seemed to benefit too much. He feared that the Heavenly Dao would have difficulty repaying this in the future…
However, before he could devise a plan, he saw divine light appear above the Eastern Wilderness.
Hongjun exclaimed in surprise, "How is there more?"
The Sanqing, standing beside him, saw their teacher exhibit "astonishment" for the first time.
Above Du Guang, Qing Ling once again pointed his finger at the divine diagram. The Four Seasons Diagram rotated, and autumn's Geng Qi spread throughout the wilderness.
The法则 of autumn spread through heaven and earth, integrating with the Spring, Winter, and Summer Orders to form the Four Orders, corresponding to the powers of the four directions.
The autumn wind swept past, bringing sadness and desolation to all directions, yet it also conveyed the intent of life. Grass and trees died to be reborn, autumn fruits lay everywhere, grass and trees withered, and beasts returned to their dens.
"I, Qing Ling, by the creation from the Spring, Summer, and Winter Orders, forge the Autumn Order.
When the golden autumn arrives, all things turn from peak prosperity to decline. All beings fall but are reborn with new opportunities, thus cycling eternally.
Autumn originates from me, and I shall be the God of the Autumn Order!"
As his words fell, the will of heaven and earth once again condensed the Autumn Order divinity. Autumn entered the Three Orders, and thus heaven and earth formed the Four Orders: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, their cycle complete, embracing the constant and returning to the one, seeking nothing externally.
The divinity merged into Qing Ling's body. The three Order divinities shone in harmony, and the divine light that filled the sky made countless powerful beings envious.
This time, the Heavenly Dao was slow to respond, and the merit was also less. It was not that Qing Ling's merit was less, but that the Heavenly Dao's authority over heaven and earth was insufficient to generate more merit.
The Heavenly Dao merit was no longer enough, so it had to be owed for now.
As for withholding merit, that was a taboo. No matter which Dao governed heaven and earth, it would always treat all beings with fairness, imprinting the Dao of Utmost Fairness onto the hearts of all beings.
Otherwise, if the Heavenly Dao had no beings to believe in, how could it speak of the Dao?
Whether the Heavenly Dao was private or public, evil or benevolent, at least before all beings, it had to maintain an appearance of fairness, justice, and trustworthiness.