Creating Life

Zhou Jun smiled, his eyes fixed tightly on Di Kun. The corners of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly expression. As he spoke, he kept winking at Di Kun, as though hinting at something.

"The Earthly Dao embraces all things and nurtures all things. That's the law of nature! Just like the saying goes, survival of the fittest! As long as we can create a new life, who cares whether it succeeds in the end? If it works, then we'll be father gods! If it doesn't, we'll still have gained valuable experience. No matter how you look at it, there's nothing to lose!" Zhou Jun's voice carried a hint of excitement and confidence.

He continued, "Rather than fighting for a seat at the table, why don't we just flip the board and reshuffle the cards? That way, all the rules will be broken, and everything will become possible. That is the real opportunity!"

The more Zhou Jun spoke, the more excited he became. Light flickered in his eyes, as though he could see a brand-new world unfolding before him. His hands clenched tightly in front of him, as if he wanted to seize this rare opportunity.

"Do you know what this is called? This is natural selection—advance four!" Zhou Jun shouted at last, his voice echoing through the air with determination and resolve.

Di Kun looked at Zhou Jun expressionlessly and said nothing. He merely waved a hand casually, signaling that Zhou Jun could leave on his own. Since they had already made it clear that they were changing their approach, there was no need to dwell on it any further. They had already decided to completely overturn the current situation, so what was there left to worry about? Besides, no matter the final outcome, with his current strength, he could ensure that both he and Zhou Jun remained safe. There was nothing to fear at all.

Seeing this, Zhou Jun naturally understood Di Kun's meaning. He shrugged helplessly, then swiftly waved his hands and put away some Three Lights Divine Water and Creation Spirit Soil before turning and leaving without the slightest hesitation. Di Kun watched Zhou Jun grow farther and farther away until his figure completely vanished from sight. Only then did he slowly turn his head and stare at the Primordial Jade Lotus. Yet his eyes seemed somewhat vacant, clearly showing that his thoughts had long since drifted elsewhere.

"Magically modifying the Primordial Wilderness, western fantasy?..." All sorts of thoughts churned endlessly through Di Kun's mind. The corners of his lips rose slightly in a silent smile. "I refuse to believe it. That excuse is far too far-fetched. A place where bones are buried... a god's tomb? Burial Ground? Could it be trying to achieve immortality through death and rebirth?"

Di Kun narrowed his eyes and muttered thoughtfully, "Western fantasy, magic fantasy, xianxia fantasy, fantasy, science fiction... That really takes guts! Still, I have to admit, it's quite a good idea. Creation and nurturing..."

Di Kun slowly raised his head and gazed at the Primordial Jade Lotus, a sly smile appearing on his lips.

"Since I'm going to magically modify this world, I'll start with you," he said softly, as though the jade lotus could understand his words. "Since creating life later will require comprehending the Great Dao of Creation anyway, I might as well begin with this Blessed Land. There just so happen to be no living beings here, so I can really stretch my legs."

As Di Kun spoke, he reached out and gently stroked his chin, sinking into thought.

"Hmm... let me think..." he murmured, his mind racing as all sorts of wild ideas surged forth like a spring.

"Three Lights Divine Water, Water Sprites? Elemental life? Hmm, that's not a bad idea," Di Kun muttered to himself. "And later, I can create Blood Sprite in the Blood Sea. Then the Blood Sprite in the Blood Sea might be able to develop in the underworld along the Sea of Blood, the Yellow Springs, and the Wanchuan River."

He paused briefly before continuing to ponder. "Come to think of it, aren't Blood Sprite simply a variation of Water Sprites? They merely evolved into different forms under the influence of their environment. Their essence is the same. In that case, elemental life should have no fixed form. It could even improve its own living environment to a certain extent."

Di Kun's thoughts grew increasingly active, and endless ideas emerged one after another. "Elves... Elves... Right, the Primordial Life Tree can nurture the Elf race! And War Treants! The existence of these two forms of life will definitely make this world much more interesting!"

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He felt that this setting had great potential. "Respect nature—wouldn't that make them the finest inheritors of my Earthly Dao? And if the chance arises later, I can send them to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. That is their natural home ground! Elves and trees living together—there will be no need to fear even if the Demon Race arrives in the future. Perhaps they can even help one another and achieve mutual benefit?"

The birth of the Primordial Life Tree was the perfect fusion of the power of life and the power of creation, which was what gave rise to the Elf race. Beyond that, there was also the Water of Life and the Moon Well.

However, Di Kun did not seem particularly concerned about the Moon Well. What interested him more was how to create the first Primordial Life Tree and the original Elves. After all, this was an entirely new race, and everything remained unknown.

With a wave of his hand, Di Kun displayed the gains he had accumulated over countless years, many of which were Innate Spiritual Roots. He knew well that if he wanted to create the Primordial Life Tree, he had to begin with the foundation of trees themselves.

Rubbing his chin, Di Kun pondered, "How exactly should I create it? Through hybridization, or by taking cuttings? But if I only do that, can it truly count as creating an entirely new race? What if the Great Dao refuses to acknowledge it? Wouldn't I lose out on a great deal of Merit?"

This question left Di Kun deeply conflicted. He needed to find a method that could both create the Primordial Life Tree and gain the Great Dao's recognition.

"Nuwa created humans with earth, water, and her own blood. So I can do the same, can't I? With my current understanding of the Great Dao of Creation, there's no reason I shouldn't be able to do it. Shape it with water and earth, add blood as the catalyst, and use the essence of these Innate Spiritual Roots to mold it. That should work..."

Di Kun muttered to himself as though encouraging himself. His heart was filled with anticipation and excitement, for he was about to attempt a method of creation unlike anything before.

Di Kun took a deep breath and calmed himself. Then, he carefully picked up a piece of Creation Spirit Soil, feeling the powerful vitality and energy contained within it. Next, he took some Three Lights Divine Water from the Lotus Pond. The divine water was clear and transparent, emitting a faint glow, as though it contained endless mysteries.

Di Kun placed the spirit soil and divine water together and gently stirred them, allowing them to merge completely. As he moved, the spirit soil gradually softened, while the divine water was absorbed into it. The boundary between the two slowly blurred.

Next, Di Kun did not hesitate to cut open his finger. A drop of bright red blood fell into the mixture of soil and divine water. The blood swiftly merged into it, as though swallowed by the spirit soil and divine water.

Di Kun's brows furrowed slightly. He felt the vitality in his blood intertwining with the energy of the spirit soil and divine water. The sensation was both unfamiliar and wondrous.

To make this creation more perfect, Di Kun decided to draw out the origins of several Innate Spiritual Roots. He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the existence of those spiritual roots, then used his Great Dao of Creation to extract their origins.

Those origins were as thin as threads, yet they contained immense energy. Di Kun fused them with the soil in his hands, allowing them to intertwine and seep into one another.

As time passed, the soil in Di Kun's hands gradually changed. It was no longer ordinary soil. Instead, it began to take on a strange shape, resembling the outline of a small tree.

Di Kun focused his mind and used his Great Dao of Creation to refine the clump of soil. A faint radiance spread from his palms, wrapping around the soil as he continuously kneaded and shaped it.

Slowly, the shape of the tree became clearer and clearer. Its trunk, branches, and leaves gradually emerged. Though the tree was not large, it gave off a mysterious aura that could not help but inspire amazement.

At last, Di Kun completed the final step. He gently tossed the soil in his hand, allowing it to land beside the Lotus Pond. As though it had gained life, the tree swiftly rooted itself in the earth, grew roots, and greedily absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy as it continued to grow.

Di Kun quietly watched the tree, his heart filled with accomplishment. He had successfully created a unique life. Though it was still young, it possessed limitless potential.

Di Kun did not stop after a single attempt. He knew that success was not achieved overnight and required constant practice and exploration. Thus, he continued shaping the next tree, every attempt filled with anticipation and uncertainty.

Di Kun did not think himself so extraordinary that he could achieve perfection in a single attempt. He understood that only through constant experimentation and adjustment could he gradually master the techniques and mysteries of creation. Therefore, every so often, he would plant one of the trees he had carefully molded and allow it to grow freely upon the earth.

Throughout this process, Di Kun observed the growth of every tree with complete focus. He discovered that each tree possessed its own unique life path and developmental patterns. Some trees flourished and displayed vigorous vitality, while others encountered difficulties during their growth and eventually withered away.

Di Kun was not discouraged by this. Instead, he gained insights into the mysteries of life from the growth of these trees. He began to understand more deeply the Earthly Dao's power of acceptance and nurturing, coming to understand the diversity and impermanence of life.

Whenever he created a new tree, Di Kun would stop and quietly reflect. He would consider the tree's traits and potential, as well as what he had gained and lost during its creation. Then he would adjust his methods and techniques anew, shaping the next tree in a different way.

As time passed, Di Kun created more and more trees, and the vitality within the Blessed Land grew ever more abundant. Under his careful care, some trees gradually revealed their unique qualities and became beautiful sights within this land. Though other trees unfortunately died young during their growth, their lives were not wasted. Their remains became nourishment for other trees, enriching the land.

Di Kun quietly watched these trees grow and change, sensing their joys, anger, sorrows, and delights with his heart. At times, he would use the origin power of these trees to create entirely new varieties, making this Blessed Land even more rich and vibrant.