Chapter 418 - 375, Taoist Establishment
Tu Shan Xiyu extended her fair hand and grasped the wooden stick, enveloping it with the pearly white power of the Fox Demon. The surrounding grass, influenced by the Fox Demon Power, grew at a visible rate, towering over the waist in moments, with flowers blooming all around, yet the Dead Wood Staff showed no change at all.
Tu Shan Xiyu released her grip, incredulously staring at the Dead Wood Staff before her, murmuring, "Why is this happening? Why isn’t the Dead Wood Springing to life?"
Panic surged in her expression, she quickly reached out her fair hand again, grasping a small branch of the staff and with a slight effort, snap—the dry branch was broken off, revealing the dried wood inside, where even a small white worm was writhing, no different from ordinary dead wood.
"I don’t believe it, it must be possible, I must be able to bring life to this dead wood." Tu Shan Xiyu reached out again to hold the staff, continuously channeling the Fox Demon Power into the staff. She would rest when her mana was depleted and continue after rest, day after day, year after year, never leaving its side, yet becoming more and more desperate as the dead wood not only failed to spring to life but rotted even more.
Elsewhere, Bai Jin followed Li Er through cities and saw the myriad states of being. The scroll in Li Er’s hand grew thinner, and yet, the Tao Rhythm grew denser.
Years later, the trio arrived in a city and encountered people from the Zen School. After a debate before the king, the Zen School was utterly defeated, and Li Er was honored as a guest by Chen Wang, invited into the Royal Palace to teach Tao.
In the twilight, with stars strewn across the sky, Li Er sat cross-legged in the courtyard, dipped his hand in water, and wrote the character "Tao" on the tabletop.
The courtyard door creaked open, and a young monk in a hemp robe walked in, came to the table, bowed with a smile, and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Li Er calmly replied, "Here, there are neither the Taishang, Saints, nor Senior Brothers, only the ordinary person, Li Er."
"Then it is ’Greetings, Fellow Daoist’!"
Li Er gestured with his hand and said, "Please, take a seat."
The young monk sat cross-legged in front of Li Er.