After the melodious chime of the bell struck twelve, immortal beings one by one emerged from their abodes and gathered before the Floating Luo Palace.
On the square, meticulously constructed from opulent white marble, over a hundred immortals stood in respectful attendance.
All disciples of the Jade Floating Dojo were present, save for Qi He and Bai Ze.
Many disciples of the third generation appeared anxious, for this was their very first time meeting their Ancestral Master.
Qing Ling, accompanied by Hua Ze and Hua Shuo, exited the palace. Standing at the high steps, he looked towards Bei Xu and asked, "Are all present?"
Bei Xu stepped forward and replied, "All third-generation disciples within the sect are accounted for."
Qing Ling nodded, his gaze sweeping over the hundred-odd grand-disciples behind them. With a single glance, he discerned the origins and backgrounds of these disciples, and he chuckled, "I did not expect you to have actually found some promising individuals."
Qing Ling pointed a finger at a broad-shouldered disciple and said, "Come forward."
The disciple, singled out, felt a tremor of apprehension. With unsteady steps, he approached and bowed, "Disciple Yu Fan pays his respects to the Ancestral Master, wishing you boundless longevity!"
Qing Ling nodded and smiled, "Who is your master?"
Yu Fan quickly replied, "This disciple is fortunate enough to be under the tutelage of Master Hei Xuan."
Hei Xuan was the Daoist name of that scoundrel Hei Bao. He felt that being addressed by his true form lacked the necessary gravitas before his disciples, so he requested Qing Ling to bestow a Daoist name upon him.
Hei Bao scratched his head and chuckled, "Esteemed One, this is my most senior disciple! He is a Golden Fur Bear that achieved human form, possessing the sect's spatial divine abilities, quite remarkable."
"Indeed. You must guide him well, lest you lead him astray," Qing Ling said, inwardly amused. Golden Fur Bear? Wasn't that just a hamster? "This Nine Yang Xuan Tian Bell is a treasure I fashioned casually. I shall bestow it upon you."
Yu Fan's heart soared with joy. He quickly bowed, "This disciple thanks the Ancestral Master!"
Bai Fu laughed and said, "Esteemed One, rest assured, his disciple is highly valued. When I was accepting disciples, I had also taken a liking to nephew Yu Fan, but he refused to allow it. Esteemed One, perhaps you could also examine my disciples. Yun Yao, are you not going to come forward and pay your respects to the Ancestral Master?"
From the crowd below, a handsome youth emerged. However, his eyes held a seven-colored hue.
The youth respectfully bowed, "Disciple Yun Yao pays his respects to the Ancestral Master!"
Qing Ling nodded, "Indeed, a rare primordial species, a Seven-Colored Illusory Crow. Your cultivation is commendable. This Shimmering Mirror, though merely a low-grade innate spiritual treasure, suits your divine abilities."
Yun Yao exclaimed with joy, "Disciple thanks the Ancestral Master for the treasure!"
The disciples below looked on with envy.
Qing Ling smiled and said, "There is no need to be anxious. Today, each third-generation disciple will be granted a treasure. Afterward, you may proceed to the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall to collect them."
Joy and surprise filled the hearts of the assembled disciples. "We thank the Ancestral Master!"
Qing Ling smiled and said to You You and Bei Xu, "Where are your most senior disciples? Bring them forth for me to recognize."
You You glanced at a young woman in the crowd. The maiden immediately stepped forward and bowed, "Disciple Ban Nuo pays her respects to the Ancestral Master!"
Qing Ling nodded with a smile, "Excellent. You have already attained Golden Immortal cultivation. You are a spiritual entity from the Solar Star who has taken human form, are you not?"
Ban Nuo replied, "It is as the Ancestral Master has said. This disciple is the Fire Spirit Pearl from the Solar Star that has achieved human form."
Qing Ling paused for a moment upon hearing this and said, "On the Solar Star, you are considered a descendant of an old acquaintance. I shall gift you this Two Elements Banner."
Ban Nuo was overjoyed and bowed, "Disciple thanks the Ancestral Master for the bestowed treasure!"
Even some of the second-generation disciples couldn't help but feel a touch of envy. This was a post-celestial supreme treasure personally refined by the Esteemed One, surpassing ordinary mid-grade innate spiritual treasures by several points.
Bei Xu said, "Tao Yao, are you not going to pay your respects to the Ancestral Master?"
A half-grown elfin girl hurried forward and bowed, "Tao Yao pays her respects to the Ancestral Master."
"'Like the peach tree, blooming brightly.' A fine name. I shall bestow this peach wood hairpin upon you. This item was refined from the spirit-infused root of the Queen Mother's immortal peach tree, which I casually plucked back then. Its origins are certainly extraordinary."
Tao Yao busily bowed with delight, "Many thanks to the Ancestral Master for the bestowed treasure."
Seeing this scene, the Land God of Du Guang said with a hint of sourness, "Esteemed One, have you perhaps forgotten my lineage?"
Qing Ling chuckled, "I truly did. You old fox, you never accept disciples, do you?"
The Land God of Du Guang sighed, "However, the affairs of the All Beings Hall are numerous, and I am compelled to accept some disciples. Jiu Tuo, are you not going to pay your respects to the Ancestral Master?"
A handsome youth rose gracefully, approached the steps, and bowed, "Disciple Jiu Tuo pays his respects to the Ancestral Master!"
His elegant demeanor and gentle, handsome appearance instantly stirred nascent affections in many female disciples, who secretly pledged their hearts to him.
Kong Xuan, standing at the forefront of the disciples, subtly rolled his eyes with evident impatience. He was eager to hear the sermon and found the dawdling of these youngsters extremely irksome.
Qing Ling smiled and said, "Jiu Tuo, a fitting name. This Xuan Jian Fan is exceptionally suited to your true form as a Nine-Tailed Cat Demon. It can transform into either a sword or a fan, providing both offense and defense."
Jiu Tuo joyfully exclaimed, "I thank the Ancestral Master for the bestowed treasure!"
"Very well, I have met the most senior disciples of each lineage. The next order of business is the sermon. All of you, please be seated."
As his words fell, meditation cushions materialized behind everyone.
Qing Ling took the lead and sat down. After bowing to the assembly, everyone else also took their seats.
The opportunity to hear a Saint preach was a rare gift in the world. They all perked up their ears and focused their minds, hoping to commit every word to memory without omission.
Qing Ling began to speak slowly, "The Great Dao of the heavens and earth is boundless, yet my Great Dao has its limits. Therefore, one Dao cannot encompass all myriad laws. My disciples need not fully inherit my teachings. Each must pursue their own path while also learning one strength from my Dao. This is to seek common ground while preserving differences, to coexist and thrive. The myriad forms of the Great Dao, the beauty of great harmony. I expound upon the myriad Daos through the Dao of Wood. From grass and trees to dust and motes, each particle is a living being—this is the Dao of All Beings. From decay and flourishing to life and death—this is the Dao of Life and Death. From winter's dormancy and summer's growth, this is the Dao of Reincarnation. The alternating cycles of life and death are the Dao of Yin and Yang, the Two Principles..."
Qing Ling's sermon did not immediately delve into profound Daos, nor did it progress from basic principles to advanced concepts. Instead, as people listened, they heard different Daos, each distinct, each individual, with everyone gaining something unique, each following their own path.
Qing Ling expounded the Great Dao before the courtyard. Clouds drifted across the sky, jade shimmered, palaces and pagodas gleamed, and the sounds of the Dao echoed profoundly. The grass and trees of the Floating Cloud Mountain, even the Daoist fish in the pond, all listened to the words of the Saint. Even the boars at the mountain gate, hearing the Saint's voice in their dreams, envisioned delicious meat.
Amidst the mountains and rivers, beyond the mortal realm, were Daoists pursuing the Dao. Before the courtyard, spider lilies bloomed and swayed. A breeze swept through, brushing against their faces. A single petal fell upon the shoulder of a Daoist lost in contemplation of the Dao. The Daoist knew not, and no one knew.
Fleeting years flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, a thousand years and more had passed in the mountains.
Outside the mountains, the world's clamor and the hardships of the secular realm seemed distant from the immortals within.
Laozi visited the Palace of Nuwa and departed with satisfaction.
Not long after, the Human Race returned to the Primordial World. One by one, humans migrated from the Demon Realm and arrived on the Primordial World's lands.
Without the Witches and Demons, the Human Race still faced great difficulties. Because the Witches and Demons were gone, other races remained. The reproduction rate of the Human Race was too rapid; in just tens of thousands of years, a population of ten billion humans had multiplied several dozen times over. Moreover, the Human Race carried the inheritance they had obtained from the Demon Race, their cultivation progressed astonishingly quickly, and the consumption of heavenly resources was also exceedingly immense! Therefore, even though the lands where the Human Race thrived in Dongsheng Divine Continent and Nanzhan Budong Continent could accommodate a hundred billion mortals, they could not house the immortal beings generated from a base population of several billion mortals. Human immortals continuously expanded their territories, repeatedly encroaching upon the rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures of the Great Wilderness.