As the sun rose and set and time flowed on, half a month later, a vast aura suddenly burst forth from Bai Jin's body, stirring the winds and clouds of heaven and earth. With a wave of his hand, Fuxi sealed off the aura.
Bai Jin abruptly opened his eyes, starlike brilliance flashing within them. Only after a moment did the immense aura emanating from him recede.
A voice came from beside him. "How does it feel to be a Taiyi Golden Immortal?"
Bai Jin replied reflexively, "It feels great!"
Only after answering did he realize something was wrong. There was someone else here? He hurriedly turned his head and saw a magnificent pavilion on a nearby mountaintop, where Fuxi sat drinking tea.
Bai Jin quickly rose to his feet and bowed from afar, saying gratefully, "Thank you, Uncle-Master, for guarding me."
Fuxi laughed heartily. "If anyone should give thanks, it should be me. If not for you, who knows when my sister would have attained the Dao?" He beckoned. "Bai Jin, come have some tea."
"Yes!" Bai Jin answered, drifting gracefully toward the pavilion and taking a seat opposite Fuxi.
Fuxi poured a cup of tea and set it before Bai Jin. Raising his own cup, he said, "Nephew, please."
Bai Jin also lifted his cup with both hands. "Uncle-Master, please."
The two raised their cups, took a sip, and set them down.
Fuxi pointed down the mountain. "Look."
Bai Jin lowered his gaze and saw wooden houses and caves built around the valley below, forming a settlement.
"Eh?" Bai Jin let out a soft sound of surprise, astonishment filling his eyes.
Fuxi smiled. "You noticed?"
Bai Jin asked in confusion, "Why are there only women in the valley?"
Fuxi said leisurely, "Because the Clan Leader of the Human Race is now a woman, and because my sister appeared in female form, the Human Race venerates women. They believe that all things are born from the mother, and all things turn toward the mother.
"The valley where they were born is called the Sacred Land, while that Creation Mud Pool is called the Sacred Pool. Only women of high status may live in the Sacred Land and guard the Sacred Pool."
Bai Jin murmured, "A matriarchal clan society."
Fuxi chuckled. "You are right. It is a matriarchal society."
"Doesn't Empress Nuwa care?"
"My sister went into the chaos to establish a Dao field. The Human Race has now been entrusted to our care."
Bai Jin pointed at himself, asking in surprise, "Us?"
Fuxi nodded with a smile. "Nephew, are you unwilling?"
Bai Jin immediately stood.
Fuxi asked, "Where are you going?"
Bai Jin halted, then said at once, "Naturally, I am going to correct their mistake. A lone yang cannot grow, and a lone yin cannot give birth. Only the union of yin and yang is the proper law of development. What they are doing now is wrong.
"Since Empress Nuwa entrusted the Human Race to me, I cannot betray Empress Nuwa's expectations."
Fuxi smiled. "Sit down! Of course I know all that, but there is no need to correct them."
Bai Jin returned to his seat and asked doubtfully, "Why?"
Fuxi said seriously, "Nuwa fused her sacred blood into the Human Race's bloodline. This shows that my sister's hopes for the Human Race are very, very high. The Human Race also possesses tremendous potential.
"So long as the Human Race does not face a crisis of survival, we need not interfere. Let them develop on their own. Even if they make mistakes, it is not frightening. Only by constantly growing through their mistakes can they become stronger."
Bai Jin said worriedly, "What if they sink into those mistakes?"
Fuxi said calmly, "Then that means they were not worthy of my sister's hopes."
Bai Jin said anxiously, "But the Human Race has only just been born. They are like blank sheets of paper. They need guidance to take the right path."
Fuxi asked in puzzlement, "Bai Jin, you seem very concerned about the Human Race."
Bai Jin stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. "I want to see a day when people just like us are everywhere. Then I could ask for directions anywhere I went, and I would not have to fear getting lost."
"Haha!" Fuxi laughed, amused. "You can actually get lost?!"
Bai Jin scratched his head sheepishly.
Fuxi's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "If you want the Human Race to spread across the land, they must become strong on their own."
Bai Jin was about to speak when Fuxi raised a hand to stop him. He said leisurely, "Bai Jin, do not think your Uncle-Master is cold-hearted. This is the law of the primordial world: survival of the fittest, the strong are honored. If they cannot adapt to the primordial world themselves, then even with our protection, the Human Race will not go far."
Bai Jin nodded. "Then I will follow Uncle-Master's wishes." Looking at the tens of thousands of humans below, he said, "I believe in them too."
Fuxi laughed heartily. "Hearing you say that makes me somewhat look forward to the Human Race's future." He rose. "It is time to go."
Bai Jin rose as well and asked in confusion, "Where are we going?"
Fuxi said, "Buzhou Mountain is the pillar of heaven in the primordial world. It is destined to become a place where karma entangles. It is not suitable for the Human Race's development, so we must move them elsewhere, somewhere they can develop during their early days."
Bai Jin asked, "Where has Uncle-Master chosen?"
"While traveling through the primordial world, I discovered a peaceful place beside a great river, situated on a plain. It can serve as a place where the Human Race may settle down and build their lives."
Fuxi raised a hand toward the sky. Boom! Boom! Boom! Centered on the mountain peak, azure pillars of light rose across a radius of a thousand li. Runes flowed over the pillars.
The humans below were all greatly alarmed and immediately fell into chaos. Human cultivators rose into the air one after another.
"Silence!" Fuxi's vast voice rang out as his enormous Dharma form towered above the mountain peak.
The humans below were all startled. They hurriedly descended to the ground, kneeling as they cried excitedly, "Greetings, Sacred Envoy!"
Bai Jin asked in confusion, "Uncle-Master, how did you become the Sacred Envoy?"
Fuxi said speechlessly, "How would I know?" Yet his hand did not stop. With a turn of one hand, the four pillars of light spun rapidly around the thousand-li expanse. Rumble! The earth shook and the mountains trembled. The thousand li of land, including the valley, rose into the sky and flew southward.
A thousand-li sunken basin was left at the foot of Buzhou Mountain. Muddy water began gathering within it, and before long, a thousand-li lake would form there.
Like an island, the Human Race settlement traveled through the clouds for several months. When it finally reached a place not far from a surging river, the enormous island crashed down. With a thunderous boom, it settled onto the earth, sending towering waves rolling across the river and dust billowing over the land. The humans cried out in alarm, unable to keep their footing.
After a while, everything returned to calm. Within the Sacred Land of the valley, Nuling respectfully called out, "Great Sacred Envoy, why have you moved us here?"
All the humans raised their heads to look toward the sky.
Fuxi's vast voice rang out. "This place is rich in resources and has no great demons or great fiends. It is more suitable for your Human Race to develop. Grow quickly! I am greatly looking forward to your future."
All the humans cried out gratefully, "Thank you, Sacred Envoy!"
Bai Jin looked into the distance with an odd expression. "Uncle-Master, you said there were no great demons here. Then what are those?" You spoke too soon. Got slapped in the face already, didn't you?
To the east, billowing demon clouds swept toward them, thick with the stench of blood.
Fuxi glanced at them. "A few demons at the Taiyi realm count as great demons?" He casually extended a hand and struck. The distant demon clouds exploded with a boom, obliterated by a single slap.
Bai Jin opened his mouth, then finally gave a thumbs-up. "Uncle-Master, you are formidable! By your standards, as long as one does not go to the Demon Court, there are no great demons anywhere in the primordial world."
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