Food System in Cultivation World

Above the clouds, the treasure map unfolds.

In Pingyang City, the people watching from afar were mostly anxious initially.

They have experienced too many changes in a short time, so now they become particularly nervous at any disturbance.

Yet, just as Yu Zhi muttered at this moment: "This golden light is unique, it's not blinding at all, but rather gentle, like a spring breeze on your face, like the warm sun in winter.

Could this truly be merit on paper?"

The classmate next to him listened, and after sensing it carefully, found that Yu Zhi's words were not unfounded.

Indeed, the light from that treasure map in the distant sky was dazzling yet gentle, inexplicably easing their panic.

Though panic subsided, curiosity remained.

Moreover, as they watched the changes in the sky from afar, a strong expectation arose among them.

A classmate asked: "Yu Zhi, what is merit on paper?"

Talking about this, Yu Zhi became proud and hurriedly said:

"Everyone knows paper can give rise to mist, right? This happens when one writes sufficiently wonderful poetry or prose, prompting a response from heaven and earth, hence paper gives rise to mist.

Elementary is blue mist, superior is purple mist, and the highest is golden mist.

Blue mist is already extremely rare, purple mist is even more dramatic, and golden mist is at another level entirely.

We've always thought that paper's golden mist requires writing an extraordinary piece unlike any before, like Shang Jun's 'Praise and Punishment,' Jia Yi's 'Disquisition on Passing Qin,' or Kong Ming's 'Going Forth.'

Therefore, extraordinary works achieve golden mist, and this assumption isn't wrong.

But recently, after researching the dragon bone waterwheel, I discovered many records on paper mist and realized there's another path to generate paper's golden mist.

This path is an immense amount of merit!"

Thinking of his guess, Yu Zhi trembled with excitement.

He couldn't control himself, and when he spoke, his teeth involuntarily chattered.

Yet, even so, it didn't dampen his fervor in speaking passionately.

"If what's written on that paper can greatly benefit the world and mankind, naturally... it can also cause paper to emit a golden light!

This is… paper's merit."

Yu Zhi paused after a few words, and toward the end, despite stumbling over his words, his face radiated with excitement and flushed red.

His classmate, however, somewhat disbelieving, said:

"What kind of work could possibly summon golden merit? That day, Top Scholar Chen drew the dragon bone waterwheel blueprint and got only blue mist on paper.

The dragon bone waterwheel is sufficient to pass down through generations, benefiting all farmers under the heavens.

This… this… what kind of work in this world could just be written on paper and generate merit's golden light?

I… I really cannot imagine it!"

Not only he couldn't imagine it, everyone couldn't imagine it.

Including Master Lü, who was supported by his students, standing tremblingly on the rooftop, stretching his neck to look into the distance.

At this moment, countless people were eagerly anticipating.

And at the same moment, in Yunjiang Prefecture, Jichuan County, there was also someone gazing into the distance.

The person gazing resided in a small bamboo grove, atop a small peak, precisely the person who initially guided Chen Xu on his path – Mr. Zhou!

This skeleton-like famous scholar, though once caused a minor stir in Jichuan County, attracting aristocrats like Cui Yunqi from Yunjiang Prefecture to visit.

But strangely enough, since that time when Chen Xu and others left the bamboo grove, almost no one has come here again.

It's as if the world forgot about the small peak, naturally also forgetting Mr. Zhou residing on it.

His former fame quietly faded away unconsciously, as if it never existed, as if… he never came.

Never came to this world, never walked through this mortal life.

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" Suddenly, an ugly monkey jumped out of the forest, holding a sour fruit in its paw, baring its teeth in a twisted grin.

Mr. Zhou stood at the mountain top with hands behind his back, the mountain wind blowing his garment light as paper, he laughed and said:

"Ugly monkey, if this fruit is so sour, why don't you toss it away?"

The ugly monkey giggled and said: "Won't toss, won't toss, though it's very sour, it's red and pleasing, I will save it to eat later, can't toss!"

Mr. Zhou said: "You're just greedy because it looks nice."

The ugly monkey, hairy hand scratching its cheek non-stop, said:

"What's wrong with that? I'm greedy because it looks nice… Master, what are you gazing at from afar? Could it be, you're greedy because the clouds look nice?"

Mr. Zhou smiled slightly: "No, something more wonderful than the clouds. Look…"

As he spoke, he pointed gently.

Suddenly, a mirror-like water surface appeared in the sky before him, as the water waves opened, showing a vast expanse of rivers, and above them, a figure in a blue shirt.

As golden light radiated slowly in front of that figure in the blue shirt.

The golden light illuminated the young face, but his sword-like brows, starry eyes, elegant demeanor, standing out from the crowd.

The ugly monkey blurted out: "Chen Xu! Is this that boy Chen Xu?"

Not waiting for Mr. Zhou to respond, the ugly monkey jumped up, pointed at Chen Xu and exclaimed: "This… this… this boy, what is he holding? How can it emit such rich merit's golden light?"

The sparse and mottled monkey fur on the Ugly Monkey all stood on end. It widened its already bulging eyes, incredulous, and said repeatedly:

"No, no, how is this possible?

How can Chen Xu, at such a young age, earn such merit on paper? What is he trying to do? What does he want to achieve..."

At this point, the Ugly Monkey seemed to suddenly realize something, hissing in surprise:

"Master, if we could seize such abundant merit, wouldn't we finally be able to escape this barren wilderness?

No longer having to hide in this tiny box without a trace of spiritual qi, feeling stifled every day, and not knowing what lies ahead!"

The Ugly Monkey's excited voice even made the rocks tremble slightly.

Yet suddenly, a withered hand reached out and knocked heavily on the Ugly Monkey's forehead.

The Ugly Monkey hurriedly covered its forehead with its furry paw, feeling a fiery sensation where Mr. Zhou had just knocked, a large bump forming.

Mr. Zhou said helplessly, "You monkey, what nonsense are you talking! I asked you to observe the water mirror for this?"

The Ugly Monkey shrunk its head, a little defiant, "If not this, then what should I watch?"

"Naturally, it's to see how the young man I once approved of is now changing the world and achieving eternal merits."

Mr. Zhou's tone was leisurely, with a hint of nostalgia.

He continued, "Merely watching is not enough; I want to help him."

As he spoke, he suddenly stretched his hand toward the north and pointed from afar.

With that point, it was as if a hole was suddenly torn open in the sky.

Through this hole, on the other side, far away, a silhouette could be seen lifting a foot and stepping out the door.

The person was dressed in a rich purple robe, with an aura as profound and unfathomable as a deep pool.

As he stepped out, his stride was like the wind, with an imposing presence.

But as his leading foot crossed the threshold, he suddenly seemed pricked by something invisible, an indescribable fear gripping his heart.

His movement faltered as he hesitated with his left foot on the threshold.

The pause seemed both a test and a standoff.

After a few breaths, the person suddenly withdrew his foot.

Inside the hall, the Emperor's voice was filled with confusion and dissatisfaction, "Minister Liu, what is this? Why aren't you leaving?"

It turned out, Mr. Zhou, from atop the small peak, pointed through the air, connecting to the other end of the hole in the sky—the Imperial Palace of Great Li.

The Imperial Palace of Great Li had always been protected by the nation's fate and nurtured by the Emperor's aura, possessing a deep foundation of countless years.

Widely known as impervious to a myriad of evils and immune to divine invasions!

But who could have imagined that such an extraordinary foundation of the Imperial Palace could be lightly breached by Mr. Zhou, far away in the Southern Border.

While the Emperor himself within the palace remained completely unaware of it all.

Liu Shao, who was just about to step out, did sense something amiss.

But although he sensed something was wrong, he did not understand the cause.

He felt a vague unease, a growing fear.

As the Emperor urged again, Liu Shao contained his alarm, quickly turning to say to the Emperor:

"Your Majesty, the matter of the evil dragon is now unattainable. I believe our immediate duty is to mobilize the Ministry of Works and the Xingtian Guards to assist Master Wen.

If he can truly accomplish the South-to-North Water Transfer through his magic, how can we not lend a hand at this critical moment?"

The Emperor frowned, "But the dragon horn, the dragon pearl, the dragon blood..."

Liu Shao felt disdain in his heart, yet remained composed, stepping back toward the Emperor and saying with a bow and a smile:

"Your Majesty, the evil dragon is but a false dragon, having not truly transformed. How could there be dragon horns, dragon pearls, dragon blood?"

The Emperor frowned even more deeply.

He gazed intently at Liu Shao, who continued:

"Your Majesty, if it truly signifies an eternal accomplishment, then Your Majesty should be a benevolent ruler, a sage monarch... As for some worldly possessions, Your Majesty possesses the wealth of the nation; what harm is there in rewarding some ministers?"

Liu Shao's words were laden with meaning.

The Emperor stared at him.

Meanwhile, miles away on the small peak, Mr. Zhou was uninterested in watching the back-and-forth between the Emperor and Liu Shao anymore.

He merely smiled lightly and withdrew his finger.

The Ugly Monkey stared at the still-closing hole in the sky, hissing, "Master, these people want to cut off Chen Xu, that kid!"

Mr. Zhou chuckled, "They can't cut him off."

The Ugly Monkey grumbled, "Master, you're too good to that kid!"

"What kindness is this? I don't even know if by helping him, I'm assisting or harming him, alas..."

"Master, you've done good, yet you're still filled with so many concerns?" The Ugly Monkey sourly replied.

Mr. Zhou simply said, "Now, he does what others cannot and accomplishes such earth-shattering feats, yet he's likely gaining the attention of certain individuals.

If he fails, fine, but if he truly succeeds... well, I'll lend him another hand."