Chapter 18

This was proof that the great calamity of the human race would eventually come to an end.

He thanked the Eastern Emperor.

"Thank you, Eastern Emperor, for giving me this opportunity!"

The Eastern Emperor knew that his gratitude stemmed from the tempering brought by pressure and recognition.

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Today, the Demon Race had made Xuandu its master, turning him into a whetstone for East Emperor Taiyi.

Even so, Xuandu still expressed his gratitude to East Emperor Taiyi.

Xuandu was reserved by nature, but incomparably resolute within.

His ability to break through his bottleneck today owed much to East Emperor Taiyi's pressure.

Therefore, Xuandu sincerely thanked East Emperor Taiyi for his help.

East Emperor Taiyi smiled upon sensing Xuandu's gratitude.

At the same time, he understood that Xuandu was about to face a challenge, yet he would still fully support it.

Demon Master Kunpeng's actions on the other side of Shouyang Mountain were interrupted. It turned out that Zhen Yuanzi, who had always protected the human race, had intervened.

Zhen Yuanzi had his reasons for targeting Kunpeng.

He resolutely stepped forward to oppose Demon Master Kunpeng's actions, doing everything he could to maintain order and stability in the world.

The battle was about to begin.

The purpose of his journey was to protect the human race, while also taking revenge on Demon Master Kunpeng.

Among the many Quasi-Saint giants, Zhen Yuanzi was the first to step forward. His primary task was to protect the human race; taking revenge on Kunpeng was merely incidental.

During the previous calamity involving Hong Yun, Zhen Yuanzi had suffered a deep hatred that remained engraved in his heart.

Thus, when he saw the human race suffering **, he felt compassion and decided to lend his aid.

His strength was evenly matched with Demon Master Kunpeng's, but his goal this time was not to defeat Kunpeng. It was to protect the human race, slow the Demon Race's advance, and cause Kunpeng trouble.

After understanding Zhen Yuanzi's intentions, Xuandu expressed his thanks to him.

With Xuandu and Zhen Yuanzi holding them back, the Demon Race's offensive continued, but it had already become more restrained.

After a prolonged battle, Xuandu gradually began to show signs of fatigue.

After confronting East Emperor Taiyi, he chose to retreat.

Although he had been forced back, Xuandu's performance had earned the respect of every Quasi-Saint giant.

They understood that with Xuandu's strength, being able to contend with East Emperor Taiyi for so long after slaying only one corpse was already exceptionally impressive.

Xuandu did not fear East Emperor Taiyi's fatal strike.

At that moment, West Queen Mother appeared in time, leading the forces of the Immortal Court onto the battlefield. She seemed to have come for Xuandu's safety.

Her arrival immediately created a tense atmosphere. Many Quasi-Saint experts guessed that it might mean the two great factions were about to go to war once again.

Some recalled the previous war and the Taiji Diagram Taishang had once manifested. They speculated that Xuandu and West Queen Mother were closely connected, and that West Queen Mother might have come for Xuandu, an affiliate of the Daoist sect.

Upon reaching the realm of a Quasi-Saint giant, everything became clear.

As a giant who protected the Daoist sect, West Queen Mother had come both to protect Xuandu and under Taishang's orders.

East King Duke, whose cultivation had previously surpassed hers, had died at East Emperor Taiyi's hands. Naturally, the latter would not fear her.

Yet West Queen Mother's appearance at this moment represented Taishang's stance.

Thus, they could foresee that the human race's great calamity had passed.

East Emperor Taiyi's thoughts flashed like lightning. Thinking of that terrifying existence, the Supreme Saint, his expression showed neither joy nor sorrow.

Di Jun appeared at that moment and announced that forty to fifty percent of the human race had already been slaughtered—enough to forge the Witch-Slaying Sword.

This was not only to tell East Emperor Taiyi that they could withdraw, but also to convey a message—the human race was not meant to be exterminated.

They had already slaughtered nearly half the human race, making West Queen Mother's appearance all the more reasonable.

After all, the human race was connected to Nuwa's sainthood, and the Supreme Saint also possessed ten percent of Human Race Destiny. West Queen Mother naturally could not ignore the matter entirely.

East Emperor Taiyi's heart stirred. His gaze shifted to Xuandu as he praised, "You performed exceptionally well. As expected of the Supreme Saint's disciple. I look forward to battling you again in the future."

As he spoke, battle intent surged and boiled in the depths of East Emperor Taiyi's eyes.

Then he departed, and the Demon Race dispersed with him.

The human race endured this calamity in a tragic and heroic fashion. The battle of Shouyang Mountain finally came to a complete end.

The Three Ancestors of Humanity were still somewhat dazed. They found it difficult to believe that their race had actually survived.

Once, they had merely been weak beings without any cultivation in the primordial world. Yet today, they had faced the strongest Demon Race head-on and survived.

The divine senses of those Quasi-Saint giants, meanwhile, fell upon Xuandu.

Xuandu had only just slain a corpse, yet he had already used the cultivation of Slaying the Three Corpses to contend with a peak Saint-level expert like East Emperor Taiyi. This deeply shocked many Quasi-Saint experts.

As they looked at Xuandu, their hearts grew increasingly solemn.

One Quasi-Saint expert sighed. "Xuandu can be called the youngest among us Quasi-Saint experts. As Taishang's disciple, he has now surpassed every member of the Daoist sect's second generation. Have we truly grown old?"

Another voice speculated, "Given time, this child may become another invincible Quasi-Saint Taishang."

After East Emperor Taiyi departed, Xuandu's name resounded throughout the primordial world following the human race's great calamity.

Having reached the highest realm of becoming one with the human lamp, bearing immense merit, he had fought an unprecedentedly brilliant battle against the Demon Race immediately after slaying a corpse.

After the human race endured its great calamity, Xuandu's name thundered throughout the primordial world.

Quite a few Quasi-Saint experts suspected that if Xuandu had not emerged so suddenly, the human race's casualties would have been even greater.

Before the power of the Chaos Bell, Xuandu was like a hidden dragon soaring into the heavens, indestructible.

This battle made his name known throughout the primordial world, and he was honored as the Little Dao Venerable.

Although he was still young, younger than any Quasi-Saint expert, his strength and achievements could not be ignored.

Xuandu paid no attention to the outside world's turmoil. As the Three Pure Ones' chief disciple, he had long grown accustomed to being the center of attention.

After the human race's great calamity, Xuandu swiftly returned to the Eight Sceneries Palace within the Xuandu Purple Mansion.

After matters concerning the human race were settled, Xuandu's Slaying the Three Corpses caused widespread discussion throughout the primordial world.

Whether within the Daoist sect or across the entire primordial world, it caused enormous upheaval.

First, a Quasi-Saint had emerged from the Grand Pure lineage's second generation, making its lineup exceedingly formidable.

Second, the human race's great calamity allowed the Quasi-Saint giants to clearly see the Saints' attitudes.

Finally, the Demon Race's influence gradually weakened. Even without any Saint personally targeting them, the era of the Saints had arrived, and the Demon Race's status continued to decline.

Although the Demon Race appeared to have won overwhelmingly in both the battle against the Immortal Court and the battle of Shouyang Mountain, discerning observers could see that while Di Jun and Taiyi had killed East King Duke and slaughtered nearly half the human race, Xuandu's rise and the Saints' attitudes were the true keys.

The Demon Race repeatedly stopped halfway. In the primordial world, the Saints controlled everything.

Di Jun and Taiyi were unfortunate to encounter the Grand Pure lineage. However, the truly unfortunate one was the creator of the human race, Empress Nuwa, who controlled ninety percent of its destiny.

After Xuandu saved the human race, Empress Nuwa's control over its destiny fell to seventy percent.

The conversation between Li Er and Xuandu took place in the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Xuandu had gained an opportunity to break through to Quasi-Saint after comprehending the human race's crisis, and he expressed his gratitude to Li Er.

Li Er pointed out the benefits Xuandu had gained from receiving ten percent of Human Race Destiny by protecting the human race, reminding him to comprehend it well.

In truth, Xuandu was not the only one who had taken ten percent of Nuwa's Human Race Destiny. Li Er, as the Daoist Sect Leader, had also received ten percent.

Li Er unexpectedly sensed the flow of Human Race Destiny. He had taken no action whatsoever, yet unexpectedly gained its blessing.

At first, he was surprised. Then he understood.

Xuandu, as his **, had protected the human race as his personal responsibility, but in the human race's eyes, they only saw those who protected them and did not care about the complicated relationships behind them.

The present state of the race differed from what it would be after the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors enlightened them, causing the human race's current stance to lean more toward gratitude and yearning for the power that sheltered them.

Therefore, Xuandu's actions received widespread recognition and respect among the human race.

Li Er instructed Xuandu, "You need not concern yourself with worldly affairs any longer. Focus on secluded cultivation and deeply comprehend the true essence of Human Race Destiny."

At the same time, he reminded him, "You still have a thread of opportunity yet to claim within Six Paths Reincarnation."

Xuandu respectfully accepted his master's teachings and withdrew.

Not long afterward, Nuwa appeared before Li Er, her anger completely undisguised.

Nuwa accused Li Er of repeatedly taking Human Race Destiny without establishing the Human Sect, saying that he had gone too far.

Li Er had not yet responded.

This book will soon be released for paid subscription. I had not intended to make an announcement and return to the main topic. This book will be released at 7 p.m.

As for updates, I will maintain a steady update schedule so everyone can continue enjoying the pleasure of reading.

After release, the guaranteed updates: Nuwa anxiously made her way toward the Eight Sceneries Palace, worried that the loss of racial destiny caused by her negligence might make her lose her influence over the human race.

Her goal was to seek an explanation or a promise from Li Er, especially a promise regarding not establishing a sect.

She knew that the current situation differed from when she had previously asked Li Er to establish a sect. Her concern now was that Li Er might develop ambitions toward the human race, establish his own sect, and thereby take away Human Race Destiny.

Li Er understood Nuwa's purpose. His gaze rested on her, outwardly calm but carrying a subtle expression.

Facing Nuwa's accusation, Li Er calmly asked what the loss of Human Race Destiny had to do with her.

Nuwa was baffled by this.

Although Nuwa mentioned Human Race Destiny without stating it outright, her implication was that without the Grand Pure lineage's designs upon the human race, its destiny would not have become so abundant.

Facing Nuwa's words, Li Er responded calmly.

His choice to establish and protect the Dao was based on the principles of the Dao, not on deliberately bestowing favor upon the human race.

Nuwa brought up how Xuandu had protected the human race because he himself was human. In this matter, Li Er held the moral high ground.

Nuwa directly offered the Precious Lotus Lamp for Xuandu's use in Slaying the Three Corpses, but Li Er believed it did not meet the conditions.

Simply put, although the Precious Lotus Lamp was good, it might not be suitable for Xuandu's Slaying the Three Corpses.

The Good Corpse and Evil Corpse were easy to slay, but the third corpse—the self—was exceedingly difficult to sever.

In the primordial world, only Dao Ancestor Hongjun and Li Er had successfully slain the third corpse.

Even if Xuandu encountered profound opportunities in the future, he might not necessarily be able to slay this third corpse.

The Precious Lotus Lamp's usefulness was limited. Li Er possessed an Innate Supreme Treasure; how could it sway him? Nuwa frowned deeply and said with a bitter smile, "Senior Brother Laozi, I only want a promise from you—not an oath not to establish a sect. There is no need to press me so hard."

Li Er merely smiled without answering. He was no fool, so why would he casually accept an advantage delivered to his door? Besides, agreeing too readily would make the matter seem far too trivial.

Seeing Li Er's resolve, Nuwa fell silent for a long while before finally speaking in a deep voice. "In that case, I will add a karma. So long as you do not establish a sect, this karma will remain in effect."

At those words, Li Er raised his brows and agreed.

One had to know that Saints did not easily owe karma.

Karma was extremely precious to Saints. If used properly during a tribulation, it could produce unexpected effects.

Nuwa was willing to pay with karma this time, showing just how anxious she was.

Just as the saying went in the primordial world, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, Nuwa at this moment was the finest proof.

In the past, Nuwa had demanded that Li Er owe her karma before allowing him to establish a sect. Now, she was voluntarily offering a Saint Karma in exchange for Li Er's promise not to establish the Human Sect. How ironic.

However, Nuwa was not foolish. The premise of this karma was that Li Er would not establish a sect.

In other words, if Li Er decided to establish Daoism, the previous agreement concerning karma would no longer count.

If Li Er invoked the theory of karma yet still insisted on establishing a sect, then he would have to compensate Nuwa with a Saint Karma to safeguard her interests.

Yet today, Nuwa truly tasted bitterness.

Even so, she still breathed a sigh of relief, because Li Er had finally agreed to something.

Although Nuwa believed Li Er might not establish a sect, the future was difficult to predict.

The Three Pure Ones had once been inseparable, yet they had parted ways over the opportunity to become Saints.