Chapter 265: Heaven and Earth Dao Yin Returns, Moon Essence Revealed

"This... is..."

Lu Qing and Old Doctor, who had been studying Toxic Blood, froze mid-action as a massive surge of celestial energy rippled through the air. Their eyes widened in shock.

For this overwhelming cosmic resonance—this Heaven and Earth Dao Yin—was unmistakably identical to the one that had first heralded the transformation of the Heaven and Earth Rules long ago.

Without hesitation, they abandoned their research and rushed out of the room, eyes turning skyward.

"Brother!" Xiao Yan burst from the room, clutching Xiao Li tightly in her arms. She, too, had heard the sound.

"Lu Gongzi!" Hu Ze Zhi hobbled out of her own room, her face pale with alarm. "What... what is this noise?"

"Later—first, we must go to the rooftop," Lu Qing said gravely, scooping Xiao Yan into one arm while supporting Hu Ze Zhi with the other. With a few agile leaps, they reached the inn’s roof.

Old Doctor, meanwhile, ascended with effortless grace, striding upward as if walking through a garden. His calm demeanor left Hu Ze Zhi gaping in disbelief.

So this kind, gentle old man... was actually a Martial Arts Master of staggering power?

The rooftop was broad and flat. Lu Qing settled Hu Ze Zhi down before raising his gaze to the heavens.

Hummm...

Another wave of Heaven and Earth Dao Yin echoed through the sky—deep, resonant, and all-encompassing.

"Lu Gongzi... this..." Hu Ze Zhi gasped, finally realizing the sound had come from far above. Her mouth fell open.

"Silence."

Lu Qing didn’t have time to explain. His eyes were locked on the sky.

Tonight was the full moon. Yet the night sky was clearer than ever—crystal-clear, the moon impossibly bright, almost oppressive in its radiance.

Hu Ze Zhi swallowed her questions and joined him in staring upward.

Hummm... Hummm...

One after another, the Dao Yin waves rang out, each more profound than the last. The three stood in silence, utterly still, listening to the celestial resonance that shook the very fabric of the world.

At last, the ninth wave faded, and the world fell silent once more.

But Lu Qing and Old Doctor’s expressions remained grim.

For though the air had stilled, the pressure in the atmosphere had only grown heavier.

The moon—already radiant—now seemed rounder, larger, as if something immense were stirring within its core, ready to burst forth.

Lu Qing stared intently at the moon, searching for answers.

But his usual Abilities failed him.

He could see the moon, yes—but whether due to distance or its sheer spiritual rank, no glyph appeared in his vision.

Still, he could feel it.

A strange, powerful energy was gathering—something ancient, something vast.

“Awooo!”

From Xiao Yan’s arms, Xiao Li suddenly trembled, restless and agitated.

"Xiao Li, what’s wrong?" Xiao Yan murmured, stroking its head.

Lu Qing’s mind sparked. Just then—

From the stables came the sharp, excited whinnies of their two tall horses.

And from the distant hills surrounding Yunlai Town, faint, wild howls echoed through the forest.

Before Lu Qing could make sense of it, he snapped his head upward.

Simultaneously, Old Doctor barked:

"A Qing—It’s coming!"

As the words left his lips, the celestial energy reached its peak.

Above, the full moon flared with blinding light.

Then—

Countless threads of moonlight descended like falling stars, showering the earth below in silvery radiance.

"This is..." Lu Qing’s breath caught. His eyes widened.

A legend from Li Hua Zong Chuan Cheng flashed through his mind.

“When the Moon Essence falls, the world changes.”

“Awooo!”

Xiao Li leapt toward the sky in a frenzy, sensing the immense benefit within the moonlight.

It shot upward, clearing the roof by over ten zhang in a single bound.

But the light was farther than it seemed.

It missed.

The little beast spun in midair, then landed lightly on the rooftop.

"Xiao Li, don’t rush—wait!" Lu Qing reached out, catching it before it could leap again.

He turned to Old Doctor.

"Master, this Moon Essence is a life-changing opportunity for Xiao Li. I must collect as much as I can. Please guard me."

"Done." Old Doctor nodded without hesitation.

Lu Qing settled into a cross-legged position on the roof.

Time was short. No time for concealment.

He reached into his robes and pulled out a jade bottle—no bigger than a palm.

He placed it before him.

Then, with a thought, the Shen Hun Fu Lu—hidden within the Soil Spirit Pearl—suddenly surged forth from his Brow Qi Cavity.

It expanded in the wind, becoming a colossal talisman, radiating overwhelming authority. It pushed the Soil Spirit Pearl to the edges of the meridian, reclaiming the central position in his spirit realm.

As the talisman flared with power, a tremor of soul energy washed over the rooftop—so potent that even Old Doctor’s eyes widened in shock.

For the first time, he truly grasped the sheer strength of his disciple’s Spirit Soul Power.

But Lu Qing had no time to dwell on it.

He began forming seals with lightning speed.

A flicker of light appeared between his hands—floating, pulsing.

Instantly, the surrounding Qi began to surge toward him.

The air trembled. The Qi spiraled inward, drawn to the point of light.

As more and more Qi poured in, the light swelled—then exploded into a Qi Talisman, glowing with a soft, mystical white light.

"Go!"

With a final seal, Lu Qing pointed forward. The talisman shot toward the jade bottle.

It struck the vessel.

The bottle trembled—then flared with light.

When the glow faded, intricate, swirling patterns had etched themselves onto its surface—identical to the talisman’s design.

Lu Qing didn’t stop.

He forged two more talismans in rapid succession, each one infused into the bottle.

Only then did he pause, wiping sweat from his brow, and smiled up at the sky.

"Good. Just in time."

He had been lucky. His Spirit Soul Power had grown remarkably under the nourishment of the Soil Spirit Pearl.

Otherwise, crafting three Qi talismans in such a short span would have been impossible.

Silence fell across the rooftop.

Everyone—Hu Ze Zhi included—was utterly stunned.

Hu Ze Zhi’s mind was blank. She had just witnessed magic that defied belief.

Lu Qing lifted the bottle, testing it with his Spirit Soul Power.

"Good. A bit crude, but usable."

“Awooo! Awooo!”

Xiao Li leapt onto Lu Qing’s shoulder, barking urgently at the sky.

The Moon Essence was nearly here.

"Easy, Xiao Li. I’m collecting it now."

Lu Qing soothed it, then tossed the bottle into the air.

With a whisper of thought: "Go!"

The bottle floated gently to the highest point of the roof.

A faint glow sparked across its surface.

Then—

The moonlight, scattered across the sky, suddenly shifted course.

Like a magnet, the falling light bent toward the bottle, drawn in from all directions.

"Success!" Lu Qing exhaled in relief.

He’d only been testing. He hadn’t expected it to work.

Now, with all his power, he channeled the talisman’s energy.

The bottle flared with light. The suction intensified—tenfold.

The moonlight poured in like birds returning to their nest, streaming into the bottle.

“Awooo! Awooo!”

Xiao Li danced with joy, ears quivering, eyes shining.

The light fell fast—then stopped.

The sky settled. The moon returned to its ordinary glow.

But Lu Qing could feel it.

The moon now carried a subtle, indescribable Yi—a shift, a change.

But now wasn’t the time.

The light had vanished.

Lu Qing snapped his fingers. The bottle dimmed, then floated back into his hand.

He sealed it with a jade stopper.

“Awooo!”

Xiao Li leapt onto his shoulder, staring at the bottle, eyes pleading.

"Not yet," Lu Qing said firmly. "If you take it now, you’ll fall into another deep sleep. I need to study it first."

He wasn’t certain what lay inside. He couldn’t risk giving it to Xiao Li prematurely.

Xiao Li pouted. It understood.

With a heavy sigh, it returned to Xiao Yan’s side, tail drooping.

"A Qing," Old Doctor finally spoke. "Now… what was that?"

Lu Qing exhaled. "Master… our prediction may be coming true."

"You mean…"

"The return of Heaven and Earth Dao Yin tonight means the Heaven and Earth Rules have evolved into a new phase. This change will affect all living beings.

I believe what we just witnessed—the falling Moon Essence—is a gift from the heavens.

It can awaken latent spirit in all things—plants, stones, animals.

Even a blade of grass, if it absorbs enough, might one day gain sentience.

Tonight’s descent was vast.

Countless creatures will undergo transformation.

After this, the world will begin to see rare beasts, spirit animals, and soul herbs—things never seen before."

Hu Ze Zhi stared, utterly lost.

Old Doctor, however, nodded slowly.

"So… this Moon Essence is a cosmic opportunity—given to all life?"

"Exactly," Lu Qing said. "For those born with spirit, like us, the effect is subtle. But for the ordinary—animals, trees, even rocks—it could be life-altering.

The heavens are fair. They do not favor man alone."

Old Doctor smiled. "Then this is not loss. It is balance."

"Master," Lu Qing continued, "the rules of Heaven and Earth are evolving. The second Dao Yin confirms it.

I feel it… soon, something greater will happen.

I believe Sheng Shan will be the epicenter. We must go there—soon."

The pull he’d felt earlier had grown stronger.

His intuition told him: if the great destiny he’d sensed all along was real… it would soon reveal itself.

"We’ll leave at first light tomorrow," Old Doctor said without hesitation.

"Also, Hu Gu Niang."

Lu Qing turned to Hu Ze Zhi, still dazed.

"Uh… yes?" She blinked, still in shock.

"Originally, I meant to heal your leg and deliver you to Xuan Xin Zong. But now, with events unfolding so fast, we must reach Sheng Shan without delay. We cannot afford to detour."

"You’re going to Sheng Shan?" Hu Ze Zhi gasped.

She knew Sheng Shan—the most sacred place in Zhong Zhou.

But she hadn’t known it was their destination.

They hadn’t mentioned it during the day.

"Yes," Lu Qing said. "So please forgive me, but I suggest you stay here and recover. The town is peaceful, the people kind. Once we return from Sheng Shan, we’ll come back for you.

Don’t worry about money. We’ll arrange everything."

He had wanted to study her—someone blessed by Qi Yun, after all.

But now, with fate calling, he had no time.

Hu Ze Zhi’s heart wavered.

Staying here was safer.

She’d heard their talk. The journey ahead was dangerous.

But… she didn’t want to stay.

After a long silence, she took a deep breath.

Looking straight at Lu Qing, she said:

"Lu Gongzi… can I come with you to Sheng Shan?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end