Arc 17The Three Realms and the Five Emperors
As Da Yu brought the floods under control, Yuanfeng and two other powers attained the Dao, and Li Fan reshaped the Underworld and established the Three Realms. The investiture of Da Yu and Emperor Ku as Human Dao Saints left the question of Da Yu’s successor unresolved.
- Yao abdicated in Pingyang and passed the Human Emperor Seal to Shun, who ordered the people to dredge rivers and canals against the Water Essence Tribulation.
- Shun failed to stop the floods in time, and Nuwa sent him Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, which he kneaded for a hundred thousand years as humanity used it to build barriers.
- Yuanfeng defied the Heavenly Dao, crossed the River of Fate, and attained Hunyuan, helping the Four Seas recede from the land.
- Da Yu took over flood control, confronted Wu Zhiqi and the Dragon Clan over the waterways, and used a mountain-splitting axe to help create a sea-suppressing Divine Needle.
- After Da Yu finished controlling the floods, Xihe and Baili attained Earthly Dao sainthood, and Li Fan and Houtu established the City God system and appointed officials to govern the Underworld.
- Li Fan raised the Three Realms, divided the lands into Nine Provinces and Twelve Domains, and began the Heavenly Court calendar as the Divine Kingdoms formed and competed for territory.
- Da Yu established the Xia Kingdom and cultivated with the Nine Provinces and Nine Cauldrons, then broke through to the Quasi-Saint realm before the Five Emperors’ investiture.
- Li Fan invested Da Yu as Water Official Great Emperor, and Nuwa appointed Da Yu and Emperor Ku Human Dao Saints, while Zhuanxu, Yao, and Shun were passed over and Da Yu’s successor remained undecided.