When Nuwa mentioned the coal mine, Xuan Yuan   suddenly thought of a question.

He asked, «The previous civilization made it off Earth, right?»

Nuwa nodded.

Xuan Yuan   finally voiced the doubt that had long lingered in his mind: «If they developed to that level, then logically, the Earth’s original natural resources should have been heavily depleted, maybe even exhausted. Why is it that we can still find resource deposits now and then?»

Nuwa quickly searched through the database, then shook her head.
«I don’t know. There’s no record of such events. But you’ve reminded me—based on current signs, it does seem like Earth’s resources may have been artificially restored or replenished through technological means.»

«Perhaps the humans of the previous epoch thought it was too harsh to let their species’ homeworld become a barren, depleted planet. So, once they had the capability, they repaired Earth. Judging from some of the files in my database, planetary-scale terraforming wasn’t difficult for them at all.»

After saying that, Nuwa also seemed troubled:
«But why don’t I have any engineering records related to that? That’s not right…»

Xuan Yuan   took off the Xuangang Pendant and held it in his palm, gently running his fingers across its surface.

He kept having the feeling that the humans of the pre-epoch civilization had foreseen something—and made a series of deliberate preparations for it.

Nuwa was one such preparation.

The Xuangang Pendant… and perhaps even he himself—were part of that as well.

Suppressing those thoughts, Xuan Yuan   slowly closed his eyes.

His consciousness flowed outward and connected to a Xuanbird stationed at the foot of Zishan. Instantly, a vibrant and prosperous scene unfolded in his mind.

                                              …Scene transition…

The lunar year had passed; the days moved into the first month of spring. In just a few days, it would be the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth.

The weather had yet to show signs of warming, but the snow had stopped. Lately, there were more and more sunny days—bringing an inexplicable sense of peace and comfort to people.

What was even more delightful was that this year’s Start of Spring (Lichun) and the Lantern Festival fell on consecutive days.

Start of Spring on the 14th. Lantern Festival on the 15th.

This kind of situation was extremely rare. An elderly man with white hair and a long beard stroked his whiskers and laughed:
«Start of Spring and Lantern Festival linked together—if the skies are clear, everything prospers!»

The people around Xiangyang City spread the word with increasing excitement: this must be a sign of the Celestial Taiyi’s descent.

Hadn’t they seen? Even with a massive influx of refugees gathered under Zishan, there hadn’t been a single riot. The local people were living prosperous lives.

Take honeycomb coal for example—now even Xiangyang City had a steady supply. Whether rich families or common folk, everyone could get what they needed.

Under normal circumstances, this kind of wealth-generating secret would draw jealousy. But Zishan was protected by shamans, and more importantly, there was a Spirit Maiden. The method itself had been bestowed by the Celestial Taiyi—who would dare risk their neck to covet it?

The usual troublemakers and petty crooks of Xiangyang, once they reached Zishan, all became meek as quails—head low, voice soft.

People’s reverence for the Celestial Taiyi grew daily. The new city’s construction progressed swiftly, and the area became a favorite hiking and excursion destination for the noble sons and daughters of Xiangyang.

By the time spring was in full bloom, even more people would surely visit for leisure and pilgrimage.

«Raise it a little more! Hey! That’s crooked! You blockheads!»

The old Daoist Xu Xuanzi hopped around in frustration, pointing and scolding several disciples perched on ladders, struggling to hang the plaque above the temple gate.

After much effort, the plaque was finally mounted. Xu Xuanzi examined it from left and right, nodding in satisfaction.

«Taiyi Temple… Yes, yes! That’s exactly what it should be called!»

A passing scholar from Xiangyang bowed with a smile.
«Daoist Master, why did you move Qinglong Temple to the new city? And you even changed the name?»

«Changed it? Changed what name?!» Xu Xuanzi immediately blew out his beard and glared, his hair bristling with righteous anger.
«I was already a follower of the Celestial Taiyi while still in my mother’s womb! What’s wrong with calling it Taiyi Temple? You ignorant brat! How dare you try to shake my celestial resolve!»

The remark drew laughter from the bystanders, and earned him some curious and meaningful glances from his own disciples.

Xu Xuanzi paid them no mind.

Fools! If they didn’t seize this opportunity to claim a prime spot in this sacred City blessed by Taiyi, later on they’d be scrambling to even get a foothold.

Inwardly, he also scoffed at the bald monks of Guangde Temple in Xiangyang. Still hesitating, afraid to move, mumbling something about fear of offending the Buddha…

What a joke. Has your Buddha ever shown a single miracle?

«Daoist Master! Daoist Master!»

From afar, a young gentleman approached, followed by a little girl and a group of attendants. Upon seeing Xu Xuanzi, the young man waved enthusiastically.

When they came close, Pei Hongxuan greeted him with a smile:
«Congratulations on relocating Qinglong Tem—»

«Tai! Yi! Temple!!» Xu Xuanzi’s expression changed dramatically as he corrected him on the spot.
«Young Master Pei, this humble Daoist—ahem, was a devout follower of the Celestial Taiyi in my previous life. You know that.»

Pei Hongxuan was stunned. No wonder this man became a Daoist—he can spout lies like that without even blinking.

All he could do was chuckle awkwardly and motion for the attendants to present their gift.

«Daoist Master, upon hearing about your temple’s relocation, my father specifically sent me and my younger sister to offer congratulations. Please accept these humble offerings.»

Since the Celestial Taiyi manifested, Pei Xiu, a man raised on the teachings of the sages, had developed sincere reverence toward spirits and celestials. His attitude toward monks and Daoists also shifted—now much more respectful than before.

Who knew when another celestial, buddha, or immortal might actually appear?

«Greetings, Daoist Master~»

The little girl, Pei Wenyao, bowed sweetly and shyly.

Her delicate, jade-sculpted features filled Xu Xuanzi’s heart with joy. He looked left and right, then leaned down and whispered:
«I’ve heard that Young Master Pei and Young Miss also saw the celestial’s true visage?»

«You mean Celestial Big Brother?» Pei Wenyao’s face lit up with a glow.
«He’s so pretty! And the sweet fruity nectar he gave me was so good!»

Just thinking of the juice Xuan Yuan   had offered her, Pei Wenyao’s mouth watered again.

A little bean sprout like her had gotten to drink celestial nectar. Xu Xuanzi was practically ready to cry from jealousy.

After chatting with Pei Hongxuan a bit longer, Xu Xuanzi suddenly recalled something. He motioned for others to stand aside, then stepped forward and spoke quietly:

«Young Master Pei, there’s something I had originally intended to report directly to the Spirit Maiden at the Taiyi Shrine, but after thinking it over, this matter also involves worldly affairs. Your esteemed father should be informed.»

«Oh?» Pei Hongxuan raised a brow, keeping his tone calm but lowering his voice.
«What matter?»

«Years ago, I traveled far and wide. I have a fellow Daoist in Handong Prefecture, a temple abbot.»

Xu Xuanzi’s expression gradually turned serious.

«That Daoist friend sent me a letter, saying that thirteen cities in Handong Prefecture have already fallen into the hands of bandits. Those heretics stirred up war—and plague. It seems… they’ve heard about Zishan, and now, they’ve set their sights on us…»