Fuxi asked in confusion, "Then what do you want to ask?"
Bai Jin looked at another bizarre animal taking shape in Nuwa's hands and said tactfully, "Why are all the things Empress Nuwa molds so... so, um... peculiar?"
Bai Jin was deeply worried for the Human Race now. Empress Nuwa's sense of aesthetics can't be a problem, can it?!
Fuxi pondered for a moment, then said awkwardly, "My younger sister's hands-on skills do have some issues. You could tell from that pavilion."
Bai Jin's face darkened. Some issues? This is a huge problem! He silently mourned for the first generation of human ancestors.
As the sun and moon passed and the stars shifted, Empress Nuwa grew increasingly skilled at playing with mud. The clay animals she made came alive the moment they touched the ground, and they survived longer and longer. One animal after another ran out of the valley.
A vast Dao rhythm of creation rose within the valley. It shrouded Buzhou Mountain and connected with the Heavenly Dao. The entire world was enveloped by the Great Dao of Creation. Countless immortals and gods felt a stir in their hearts and turned toward Buzhou Mountain. In the unseen, they seemed to behold an incomparably majestic saint seated within the world, supreme, exalted, and noble beyond measure.
On Mount Kunlun, the Taiqing Palace, Yuqing Palace, and Shangqing Palace opened with a thunderous boom. Three figures emerged from the palaces and stood upon the mountain peaks, gazing toward Buzhou Mountain from afar.
Taishang sighed. "Junior Sister Nuwa's Dao has been completed. I never expected her to be the first to attain sainthood."
Yuanshi's expression darkened. He had always claimed to be Pangu's true successor and held himself in high regard. He had thought that either his eldest brother or he himself would be the first to become a saint, yet he had been surpassed by his junior sister.
In the Western Pure Land, Jieyin and Zhunti stood beneath the Bodhi Tree, looking toward the east.
Jieyin said blankly, "Senior Sister Nuwa has attained the Dao. Where, then, is our own Dao?!"
Zhunti said solemnly, "Senior Brother, make the decision! We must completely abandon the Dao of the Profound Sect before we can achieve our own success."
"But what about our teacher?"
"We can remain within the Profound Sect for now. When the proper opportunity comes, we can announce our independence."
Jieyin nodded. "Then we shall do as Junior Brother says."
Zhunti laughed loudly. "Senior Brother, do you think the Three Pure Ones look terrible right now? They have always claimed to be Pangu's true successors, and they are also our teacher's direct disciples. Now that they have been surpassed by their junior sister, where can they put their faces?!"
Jieyin smiled as well. He could imagine what the three senior brothers looked like at that moment.
The Sun Star suddenly erupted. Streams of Solar True Fire burst forth as a handsome young man in a pale golden robe emerged from the Sun Star. With a single step, he crossed endless space and appeared within the Demon Court.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi entered the great hall and said gravely to Dijun, "Big Brother, the first saint has appeared."
Dijun laughed heartily. "It is Empress Nuwa. This benefits our Demon Race."
Eastern Emperor Taiyi said quietly, "The birth of the first saint heralds the opening of the era of saints. Big Brother, are you prepared?"
Dijun's smile immediately vanished. He fell silent. The era of saints...
Within the Ancestral Witch Hall, the Twelve Ancestral Witches had gathered, all staring solemnly toward Buzhou Mountain. A saint had been born. The Twelve Ancestral Witches knew the might of saints better than anyone. During the second War between Wu and Yao, even the Wu Clan's strongest formation, the Twelve Heavenly Gods Fiend Formation, had been unable to shake so much as one finger of the saint Hongjun. The saying that all beneath saints were mere ants was no empty boast.
Gonggong said anxiously, "Big Brother, a saint has emerged from the Demon Race."
Dijiang said steadily, "Nuwa is not of the Demon Race. She is an innate divine spirit."
"But the Demon Race says so! They have always claimed that Nuwa belongs to the Demon Race, and Nuwa has never denied it."
Dijiang said steadily, "Nuwa simply disdains to deny it. Rest assured, Nuwa will not interfere in matters between us. Houtu, prepare some heavenly treasures as congratulatory gifts. We will go and offer our congratulations to Saint Nuwa."
Houtu nodded. "All right!"
Time passed. The valley was filled with the joyful cries of all kinds of animals. The animals Empress Nuwa molded from clay no longer vanished. They had truly gone From Death to Life and gained life.
Moreover, after hundreds and thousands of attempts, Nuwa's clay-molding techniques had begun to take shape. At the very least, the creatures were no longer grotesquely strange. Bai Jin also breathed a sigh of relief for the Human Race.
Nuwa's hands paused, and she said joyfully, "The Great Dao of Creation has been completed!"
With a wave of her hand, the many animals lingering in the valley all flew away. The entire valley became empty once more, while the Dao rhythm that had filled the primordial world drew inward and instantly merged into Nuwa's body.
Nuwa called out, "Bai Jin!"
Bai Jin hurriedly rose and drifted downward. Landing in the valley, he cupped his hands and bowed. "This disciple greets Martial Aunt."
Nuwa gently lifted her hand, and Bai Jin involuntarily straightened.
Nuwa wore a brilliant smile, unable to conceal her delight. "I have already opened the path of creation. Now, I must create an entirely new race as the path to proving my Dao."
Bai Jin understood. She had learned everything she needed to learn; now she needed to create a finished product and submit it to the Heavenly Dao for approval.
Nuwa asked, "Bai Jin, what race do you think I should create?"
Bai Jin replied respectfully, "How would I dare speak rashly about Empress's path to proving the Dao?"
"It is fine. Speak your mind. I already have an idea, but I wish to hear your opinion."
Bai Jin pondered briefly, then said, "Empress, when I traveled through the primordial world, I often felt that heaven and earth were vast, desolate, lonely, and still."
Fuxi drifted down and said, "The primordial world is flourishing, with countless races prospering. How can it be called lonely?"
"But there are too few of one's own kind. One may travel a million li without encountering a single fellow Daoist."
Nuwa also said, "One's own kind? Are you saying there are too few of the White Crane race?"
Bai Jin said seriously, "No! Empress, the countless races in the world all possess their own peculiarities, but very few have cultivated innate Dao bodies like ours. The races one sees are like those in Empress's garden, strange and varied, each different from the next. It is inevitable that one would feel lonely."
Fuxi said, "That is normal. Most of the Demon Race also prefers to remain in half-demon form, as that allows them to maintain their greatest combat strength."
Empress Nuwa smiled brightly and said with satisfaction, "Bai Jin's meaning coincides with my own thoughts. Then let us create a race in our likeness! This race shall be called 'humans.'"
Humans! Bai Jin felt a faint surge of excitement in his heart. The Human Race was finally about to appear.
Nuwa struck the Qiankun Cauldron with her hand. With a hum, the cauldron rang loudly, and flames burst to life within it. A lump of mud tumbled amidst the fire.
Nuwa was about to fetch water, but after hesitating for a moment, she looked at Bai Jin and said, "Take out your Three Lights Divine Water."
"Yes!"
Bai Jin answered, waving his hand as a jade bottle appeared. A dazzling river of stars flowed out from within the bottle and entered the Qiankun Cauldron.
PS: Some readers may not like this chapter, but this is the primordial world I want to write, one somewhat different from the version that has been passed down. The primordial world is vast and desolate; it should not exist solely for the Human Race. Nuwa attained sainthood and then created humans, rather than attaining sainthood because she created humans. Once that order is reversed, the Human Race would stand above saints. That is not the primordial world I want.
Before you continue