Chapter 32

His consort, Leizu, raised silkworms and made clothing. She also discussed the principles of illness with Qibo and compiled the Inner Canon.

Minister Cangjie created writing, establishing the Six Methods.

All these achievements completely reassured Shennong, and he chose to abdicate at Mount Tai.

In the blink of an eye, the day arrived when the Shennong Clan abdicated and the Xuanyuan Clan became Co-Lord of Humanity.

On Mount Tai stood the same high platform for abdication, except the one abdicating had changed from Fuxi to the Shennong Clan.

Just like humanity's sacred flame, passed down from generation to generation.

Although the Co-Lord of Humanity had changed, the Imperial Preceptor was still Taishang's disciple.

Not only did the Six Saints of the Heavenly Dao come to witness the Shennong Clan's abdication ceremony, but numerous Quasi-Saint mighty figures also attended, along with Zhen Yuanzi, who had founded the Earth Immortal Mansion.

Zhen Yuanzi in particular looked at the Shennong Clan atop the platform, his heart filled with excitement as he respectfully called out, "Worthy Brother Hong Yun."

.

Today, he had finally attained great freedom and enjoyed the honor of a Saint.

Lieshan Clan, as a human, had cut wood into bows with his mighty strength. He had also planted the Five Grains, tasted hundreds of herbs, and eased the suffering of the world.

Now that his merit was complete, in My supreme name, I grant you the honored status of one of humanity's Three Sovereigns.

The Earthly Sovereign is established! Li Er's voice echoed through every corner like ethereal Dao intent.

At that moment, the Kongtong Seal rose once more. When it descended, the position of Earthly Sovereign merged with Shennong.

The name of the sovereign appeared beneath the seal's base, and the grand trend of the human realm was acknowledged. This was the fruition of the Earthly Sovereign.

In an instant, following Fuxi, the image of another sovereign appeared—the Earthly Sovereign, Shennong.

From that moment onward, the Shennong Clan received the recognition of Human Race Destiny and officially became the Earthly Sovereign.

An auspicious phenomenon appeared between Heaven and Earth as countless streams of merit gathered, stretching for thousands of miles without end.

One portion went to the Shennong Clan's own cultivation, while another went to Xuandu.

Xuandu casually put it away, intending to use it when he later struck at a higher realm.

On the high platform of Mount Tai, as the merit entered his body, Shennong's cultivation soared. In a short time, it reached the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm.

This scene drew the attention of Yuanshi, Tongtian, Nuwa, and the other Saints.

They immediately realized there had to be a reason behind Shennong's difference from Fuxi.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi took out the Nine-Nine Soul Scattering Red Gourd, and the Saints instantly understood the key.

Shennong accepted the red gourd and burst into laughter, expressing his gratitude to Zhen Yuanzi.

Shennong was actually Hong Yun's reincarnation, and the Saints tacitly accepted this fact.

The authority over the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors was not in their hands. Whomever Li Er wished to appoint as the Earthly Sovereign was beyond their interference.

Hong Yun had once obtained Primordial Violet Qi. Though he had failed to comprehend it, he already possessed the foundation and destiny of that rank.

Having reincarnated into humanity and attained the status of an Earthly Sovereign Saint through this was only natural.

Venerable Yuanshi had complicated feelings about this. The disparity between Daoist Randeng's fate and Hong Yun's left him deeply dissatisfied.

He had originally believed that by taking Randeng into the Chan Sect, he could gain a small advantage over others in the Daoist Lineage of the Yuqing branch. Yet reality had repeatedly slapped him in the face.

After Li Er finished establishing the sovereign, Hong Yun returned to Huoyun Cave like Fuxi before him.

Li Er's words rang beside Yuanshi's ear.

"Will you contend for the position of Imperial Preceptor to the first of the Five Emperors?"

Yuanshi asked.

Of course he would!

How could Yuanshi let go of a matter involving face? Especially the first Imperial Preceptor among the Five Emperors—it would allow the Chan Sect to surpass the Interception Sect.

Thus, Yuanshi countered, "Elder Brother, are you willing to give the position of First Preceptor of the Five Emperors to my Chan Sect?"

Li Er answered with a smile, "We can discuss the details later at Eight Sceneries Palace."

Afterward, the Earthly Sovereign's abdication ceremony came to a perfect conclusion.

Hong Yun had returned after his tribulation, and both Zhen Yuanzi and Li Er were satisfied.

However, Jieyin and Zhunti found themselves in a difficult position.

Back when they listened to the Dao at Purple Cloud Palace, the karma between Hong Yun and the Two Sages of the West over yielding their seats had been ordinary.

If it had merely been an ordinary act of yielding, that karma would have been insignificant.

But Hong Yun's yielding concerned an opportunity to become a Saint, making it immensely important.

When Hong Yun suffered his calamity, Jieyin and Zhunti had chosen not to help. Instead, they had passed information to Ancestor Minghe, worsening Hong Yun's predicament.

If Hong Yun died, they could free themselves from this Saint Karma.

Once the person involved was dead, there would be no need to repay the karma.

Their calculations had been shrewd. They could obtain an opportunity for sainthood without paying any price.

Yet Li Er had helped Hong Yun revive today, catching the Two Sages of the West completely off guard.

Hong Yun had not died, so the karma still existed, and Jieyin and Zhunti found it difficult to escape it.

Hong Yun no longer bore his former appearance. He was now one of humanity's Three Sovereigns Saints.

The former Quasi-Saints had now stepped into the true realm of Saints.

Karma revolved in cycles; today's fruit had arisen from causes planted long ago.

This karma had already developed into true Saint Karma.

A trace of pain appeared in the eyes of the two Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti. They inwardly sighed, This Laozi is trying to drive us Two Sages of the West into a dead end.

After the abdication ceremony ended and the Saints departed, the revelation that the Earthly Sovereign had once been Hong Yun drew the attention of many Quasi-Saint giants throughout the Primordial World.

The previously much-discussed Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of humanity were now partially overshadowed by Hong Yun's appearance.

The Primordial World's mighty figures all turned their eyes toward Hong Yun, secretly making their guesses.

Li Er remained detached, as though none of it had anything to do with him.

However, when Yuanshi met him in Eight Sceneries Palace, Yuanshi did not conceal his disdain for the Two Sages of the West. He laughed and said, "Elder Brother, your scheme has truly struck at Jieyin and Zhunti's sore spot."

Relations between Saints had always placed benefits first. Before profit, they could put aside past grievances and form alliances.

The future Investiture of the Gods would serve as proof of this.

Once the benefits disappeared, they would return to their original state of mutual dislike.

That was the essence of egoism.

Upon hearing Yuanshi's words, Li Er merely smiled faintly.

When he granted Hong Yun the position of Earthly Sovereign, he had already considered this.

This move was no different from setting up a creditor for the Two Sages of the West—one who had a poor relationship with them.

A good show would soon begin.

Li Er turned to the main matter and proposed granting Yuanshi the lofty position of Imperial Preceptor to the first of the Five Emperors.

After hearing this, Yuanshi showed great interest and asked what he needed to do.

Li Er did not state it outright, but he gave an important hint—the Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern was in Yuanshi's Chan Sect.

This lamp would be of tremendous use to Xuandu, who was about to slay his second corpse. It could help him perfectly align with the paths of the Evil Corpse and Good Corpse.

Although Yuanshi was disappointed in Randeng, his choice was obvious when faced with such an important trade.

He was willing to abandon Randeng, that useless Vice Sect Leader, in exchange for the interests of his own martial nephew.

What Li Er had originally wanted to exchange for was Yuanshi's Pangu Banner. He intended to unite it with the Taiji Diagram and other treasures, attempting to reverse-refine the Chaos Supreme Treasure, the Pangu Axe.

Li Er possessed the Pangu Imprint, the ultimate divine ability of transforming one breath into the Three Pure Ones.

If he obtained the Pangu Axe as well, his power would be sufficient to challenge the Heavenly Dao.

However, Yuanshi could not possibly trade the Innate Supreme Treasure Pangu Banner for the position of Imperial Preceptor to the Five Emperors. Li Er knew this demand could never be met, so he did not raise it.

The time was not yet ripe. Too many words would only be useless.

Li Er turned his attention to Daoist Randeng. During the Investiture of the Gods slaughter calamity, this man had led numerous Chan Sect Golden Immortals in betraying their sect and joining the Buddhist Sect. This was intolerable to Li Er, the Daoist Sect Leader.

Although people could freely come and go from the Daoist Sect, outright betrayal of one's sect was unacceptable.

During the Witch-Demon Calamity, the Daoist Sect had endured immense slaughter. Yet some Golden Immortals had chosen to betray their sect during the Investiture of the Gods slaughter calamity and cultivate unorthodox paths instead, leaving Li Er deeply pained.

As a pragmatist, Li Er decided to oppose all those who harmed the Daoist Sect's interests, including the Two Sages of the West and Daoist Randeng.

Though there was no absolute fairness in the Primordial World, survival of the fittest was an eternal law, and Saints followed that rule as well.

Yuanshi might not have been as calculating as Li Er, but his character was quite similar. Neither possessed a merciful heart, and both valued profit above all else.

From Yuanshi's standpoint, naturally, he felt no psychological burden over the protection and favors he had bestowed upon Daoist Randeng.

During the Witch-Demon Calamity, Daoist Randeng had survived because of him. He had also obtained the position of Vice Sect Leader of the Chan Sect and cultivated with the aid of the Chan Sect's grand momentum.

Now that Yuanshi wished to trade with Li Er and contend for the position of Imperial Preceptor to the first of the Five Emperors, Daoist Randeng was naturally involved.

If Yuanshi brought up this matter, Randeng would have to respond.

The laws of karma were merciless. Where there was cause, there would be effect—this was an iron law of the Primordial World.

Although Yuanshi was jealous of his martial nephew Xuandu, as a Saint, he would not obstruct Xuandu's path because of personal feelings.

He understood deeply that, from the larger perspective, even Xuandu's learning as his own martial nephew contained a share of Yuanshi's contribution.

His cultivation of Xuandu had long surpassed personal face and narrow-mindedness.

Now, using Daoist Randeng's Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern as part of the trade was extremely advantageous for Yuanshi.

This trade between him and Li Er could be said to satisfy both their needs, and both were pleased.

In the end, Yuanshi decided to use this lamp as the bargaining chip.

After Li Er expressed his approval of Yuanshi's proposal, Yuanshi tore open a rift in space. A towering immortal mountain and the Jade Void Palace amid the clouds appeared within it.

He swiftly found Daoist Randeng, who was cultivating, and extracted the Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern from his primordial spirit.

As compensation, he bestowed upon Daoist Randeng a similar Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Yuanshi then tossed the Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern toward Shouyang Mountain.

Xuandu, who was cultivating in seclusion, immediately sensed it. After receiving the lamp, he bowed toward Eight Sceneries Palace in thanks for his martial uncle Yuanshi's gift.

At the peak of Kunlun Mountain, within Jade Void Palace, Daoist Randeng's mood was utterly bleak.

The Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern was his companion spiritual treasure, yet it had now been taken from him, leaving him deeply distressed.

He knew that this lamp had been taken for Xuandu, Taishang's disciple.

Xuandu had once used the Eight Sceneries Palace Lamp to slay a corpse, and Randeng had long foreseen this day.

Among the Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man, his Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern was the spiritual treasure most suitable for Xuandu to use as the vessel for slaying his Evil Corpse.

But Randeng was merely a Grand Unity Golden Immortal whose strength was still shallow. Faced with a Saint's actions, he could only silently endure the humiliation.

Randeng did not dare casually utter the famous saying, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."

Humanity had already been unified by Emperor Xuanyuan, establishing an ancient state system, dividing territories and setting borders as it entered an age of self-strengthening.

After Emperor Xuanyuan abdicated the position of Co-Lord, he finally achieved the completion of his merit.

Zhuanxu, the grandson of the Xuanyuan Clan and son of Changyi, had not initially been considered as a successor. Yet his extraordinary birth drew attention.

His mother, Nüshu, had conceived him after sensing the Yaoguang Star of the Big Dipper, and then gave birth to him.

Zhuanxu's birth won the recognition of Guangchengzi, a disciple of the Chan Sect Saint, and he came to take him as a disciple.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Emperor Xuanyuan decided to pass the position of Co-Lord to Zhuanxu.

Xuandu, as Imperial Preceptor, remained firmly in place.

Mount Tai witnessed it all as Emperor Xuanyuan's role changed from successor to one who abdicated.

Many mighty figures who had come to observe were astonished, though they all understood Xuandu's status as Imperial Preceptor to the Three Sovereigns.

They knew this was an honor unique to humanity's Three Sovereigns.

At the same time, the unfamiliar figure beside Xuandu heralded the end of the era of the Three Sovereigns and the arrival of the era of the Five Emperors.

Above the void, the six Saints—Li Er, Yuanshi, Tongtian, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti—gathered once more.

Notably, Jieyin and Zhunti did not seem to look very well, perhaps because the Earthly Sovereign Shennong had been Hong Yun reincarnated after his tribulation.

The Xuanyuan Clan lineage originated from Xuanyuan, its founding ancestor, who comprehended the Dao of Chaos, created formations, unified humanity, and divided Huaxia into nine provinces.

Today, Xuanyuan's achievements were complete. He received the honored position of one of humanity's Three Sovereigns, and Xuandu recognized him as the Human Emperor.

This ceremony was far from ordinary. Xuanyuan deeply bowed to Xuandu, fully displaying the profound bond between master and disciple.

The merit of Xuandu's position as Imperial Preceptor to the Three Sovereigns erupted from his body, displaying the profound might of his teaching Dao.

The lamplight flickered with boundless brilliance! At the wick, golden, purple, and gray flames intertwined, and an image emerged.