Chapter 35

Combined with Li Peng's earlier display of the aura of the peak of the Dao of No-Dao, all the signs pointed to one conclusion: he was undoubtedly the incarnation of the Yin-Yang Demon God.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun pondered for a moment before finally saying, "Very well. I agree."

After speaking, he gave Li Peng a deep look and let out a soft sigh. His figure merged into the void and silently vanished.

Li Peng stared at the place where Dao Ancestor Hongjun had disappeared, waves of shock surging through his heart.

He had failed to discern how the other man had left or what method he had used.

"A Heaven Dao-level powerhouse truly is far beyond a Hunyuan-level one. That move just now is already beyond my reach."

Li Peng could not help but sigh.

Just then, the system notification sounded:

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully protecting Nuwa, driving back Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and completing Option Two.

Reward obtained: ten million years of cultivation, the top-grade innate spiritual treasure Yin-Yang Twin Hammers, and a thirty percent increase in comprehension of the Yin-Yang Great Dao laws!"

As the system's voice fell, boundless magical power surged forth from Li Peng's body.

He immediately circulated the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art to refine that power.

Fortunately, the magical power granted by the system was incomparably pure and transformed on its own with only the slightest guidance.

At that moment, Li Peng felt his physical body strengthen once more. Combined with the transformation from his earlier breakthrough into the Hunyuan Ta Luo Golden Immortal realm, he now had a sixty percent chance of reaching the ninth level of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art.

If he supplemented it with Pangu's essence blood, the chances of success could rise to ninety percent.

At the thought, joy welled up in Li Peng's heart.

Just then, countless insights into the Yin-Yang Great Dao flooded into his sea of consciousness, instantly pushing his comprehension to the thirty percent level.

But it did not stop there. The Yin-Yang Demon God's insights he had obtained in the past emerged as well, continuously deepening his understanding of the Yin-Yang Great Dao until it broke through to the forty percent level in an instant.

The moment the Yin-Yang Great Dao reached forty percent, Li Peng's cultivation began to rise steadily as well.

Peak early-stage Hunyuan Ta Luo Golden Immortal, mid-stage Hunyuan Ta Luo Golden Immortal!

When his realm broke through to the mid-stage Hunyuan Da Luo Golden Immortal, a vast aura burst forth, only to be instantly retracted by him.

Kunlun Mountain

"What did Li Peng say to Dao Ancestor Hongjun just now? Why did the Dao Ancestor actually leave?" Yuanshi said with disbelief written all over his face. Clearly, his Dao heart was on the verge of collapse. His path of cultivation had always been to obey the Heavenly Dao and follow Hongjun. To put it bluntly, it meant bowing his head to Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao. Yet now, even Hongjun had yielded. Yuanshi simply could not accept it. In his eyes, Dao Ancestor Hongjun and the Heavenly Dao were supreme, and no challenge against them could ever be tolerated. So what was this scene before him?

Seeing Yuanshi's Dao heart waver, Laozi immediately shouted, "Wake up!" His voice was like thunder ringing beside Yuanshi's ears, shaking his mind directly. Yuanshi instantly awoke from his confusion and respectfully bowed to Laozi with lingering fear. "Thank you, Elder Brother." Laozi replied calmly, "An unstable Dao heart easily invites disturbances from inner demons." Yuanshi nodded. "I will remember Elder Brother's teaching."

At that moment, Tongtian suddenly said, "Elder Brother, Second Brother, did you notice the aura Li Peng released just now?" Laozi fell silent at those words, clearly having noticed it as well. Tongtian sighed. "It seems Elder Brother noticed too." Yuanshi, who had only just recovered from his Dao-heart crisis, could not help asking, "Noticed what?" Laozi sighed. "Fellow Daoist Li Peng has already attained sainthood. Judging by his aura, his cultivation seems even stronger than Fellow Daoist Nuwa's."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi was completely stunned. He had never expected that Li Peng had not only become a Saint, but that his cultivation would even surpass Nuwa's.

On Western Spirit Mountain, Zhunti said with relief, "I never expected Li Peng to attain sainthood as well. Fortunately, our karma with him has already been settled. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable." Jieyin suggested, "Before we attain the Dao, we should remain here and cultivate in seclusion. If we offend anyone connected to Li Peng or Nuwa, trouble will surely never end." Zhunti considered it for a moment before finally agreeing.

In the Heavenly Court, Di Jun and Donghuang Taiyi exchanged bitter smiles. Di Jun said hoarsely, "It seems we must avoid the human race." Donghuang Taiyi replied with a bitter smile, "With two Saints backing the human race, we are no match for them." Di Jun's expression turned solemn. "Do you think the human race will contend with our demon race in the future?" Donghuang Taiyi pondered before answering, "Dao Ancestor Hongjun once said that Saints may not interfere with the workings of the primordial world. If Li Peng had not reached some sort of agreement with the Dao Ancestor this time, Nuwa would have long been punished for interfering in the affairs of the human race. As long as we do not provoke the human race, Nuwa and Li Peng can do nothing to us."

Di Jun agreed with Donghuang Taiyi's assessment.

Outside the Human Ancestor Hall, Li Peng stood in the air and dispersed the remaining lightning tribulation with a wave of his hand.

Once the lightning tribulation dissipated, vast clouds of black-yellow merit gathered overhead.

"Merit?" Nuwa exclaimed in surprise.

She could not understand why the Heavenly Dao had just unleashed a world-destroying lightning punishment, only to bestow merit in the next moment. The abrupt reversal left her unable to adjust for a time.

Nuwa was not the only one confused. The other great powers of the primordial world were equally baffled.

The merit split into two portions. Seventy percent descended upon Li Wu, while the remaining thirty percent merged into the newly created characters.

In an instant, the characters shone with brilliant golden light and quickly transformed into a book suffused with golden radiance.

The golden book was connected to the human race's fortune, and its light illuminated the entire human race.

In that instant, countless characters and their explanations appeared in the minds of every human.

This book was tied to the human race's fortune. When the human race prospered, it could rival an innate supreme treasure; when the human race declined, it would not even compare to an ordinary spiritual treasure. It could be called a treasure of the human race's fortune.

After receiving the merit, the martial intent within Li Wu's body began to fuse with his physical body.

As his martial intent merged with his body, the strength and power of his body increased at a tremendous rate, while in turn nourishing the growth of his martial intent, forming a virtuous cycle.

Driven by the immense power of merit, this process accelerated by tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, of times.

One hour later, boundless martial intent rose from Li Wu's body, and his aura had reached the Quasi-Saint level.

"So after the realm of martial intent comes the union of intent and body, body and intent, forming a perfect cycle that allows the physical body and martial intent to grow together.

When martial intent and the physical body first merge, one can enter a new realm and contend with Quasi-Saints of the primordial world. This realm should be called the Martial God Realm.

Once martial intent and the physical body fuse perfectly and grow to their utmost limit, one can prove the Hunyuan Dao through martial arts. That would be the Martial Saint Realm!" Li Wu muttered to himself.

This unexpected enlightenment allowed Li Wu to deduce the Martial Dao all the way to the Hunyuan Da Luo Golden Immortal realm.

Although Li Wu was speaking to himself, the cycle between his martial intent and physical body did not stop. Instead, it continued improving under the impetus of merit.

Peak early-stage Martial God Realm, mid-stage Martial God Realm, peak mid-stage Martial God Realm...

Seeing Li Wu break through, Li Peng and Nuwa silently stood in the sky to protect him.

After all, quite a few great powers were watching this place. If anyone, tempted by the Heavenly Dao or Hongjun, launched a sneak attack and caused Li Wu to perish,

Li Peng would have nowhere to seek justice.

Ten days later, Li Wu's realm finally stabilized at the peak of the late-stage Martial God Realm.

It was not that he did not want to continue breaking through, but that the merit had been entirely exhausted.

Li Wu followed a path of cultivating both the physical body and martial intent. The merit he required far exceeded that of ordinary people, nearly twice as much.

Thus, merit sufficient to create an ultimate Saint had only allowed him to rise to the peak of the late-stage Martial God Realm.

However, Li Wu's combat strength was now no weaker than that of any peak Quasi-Saint—unless they possessed an innate supreme treasure.

After completing his breakthrough, Li Wu bowed toward Li Peng and Nuwa in the sky.

"Thank you, Holy Father and Holy Mother, for saving me."

This was actually meant for the great powers of the primordial world who were still watching.

Neither Li Peng nor Li Wu wished to reveal their relationship too early.

Li Peng and Nuwa nodded slightly and said, "Rise. From now on, lead the human race toward prosperity, so that they may survive peacefully in the primordial world."

With that, the two opened a spatial passage and departed.

On Kunlun Mountain, Laozi suddenly rose to his feet and slowly walked outside.

"Elder Brother, where are you going?" Yuanshi and Tongtian asked in unison.

"I wish to visit the human race." Laozi's steps were unhurried, and his tone was calm.

Yuanshi and Tongtian looked puzzled. "What are you going to the human race for?"

"To see the Martial Dao created by Li Wu, to see why Nuwa could become a Saint merely by creating humans,

and to see what is so extraordinary about the human race that Nuwa and Li Peng would rather offend Dao Ancestor Hongjun than preserve their writing."

Before his words had even faded, Laozi's figure had already vanished.

Outside the Human Ancestor Hall,

Li Wu raised a hand and grasped the golden book floating in the air.

The moment he touched the golden book, an unseen pull entered his sea of consciousness.

Li Wu immediately tossed the book into the air—

That mysterious pull instantly vanished without a trace.

Li Wu immediately realized that the pulling force originated from the golden tome in his hand.

The corners of his lips rose. "Let me see what kind of opportunity you can bring me."

Following the tome's guidance, Li Wu sped toward the direction indicated by that vague sensation, eventually arriving at an ordinary mountain range.

The summons emanating from within the mountain grew clearer and clearer, and Li Wu determined that what he sought had to be here.

Following the sensation, he arrived before a stone cave halfway up the mountain. The resonance coming from inside was already as intense as pounding drums.

"It should be inside the cave." Li Wu murmured, stepping into the cave without hesitation.

The moment he entered, however, an innate formation blocked his path.

Studying the exquisite formation patterns, realization flashed in Li Wu's eyes. "For such a formation to be laid here, there must be a great treasure within."

Thanks to the formation inheritance of his original body, Li Peng, Li Wu immediately began deducing a method to break the formation.

Time passed, and five hundred years went by in the blink of an eye.

When the final formation pattern lit up in his sea of consciousness, Li Wu formed hand seals at dazzling speed, and a five-zhang-wide opening slowly appeared in the stone wall before him.

The moment he stepped into the cave abode, dense spiritual energy rushed toward him. Its concentration was no less than that of any blessed land in the primordial world.

For this mountain's spiritual energy to be contained so completely, it surely housed a treasure of heaven and earth!

Li Wu's heart surged with excitement as he flew directly toward the depths.

After passing through the deep passage, his view suddenly opened up—ten thousand mu of spiritual fields covered in exotic flowers and rare herbs spread before him, while in the void above, a mysterious yellow great seal entwined with dragon aura floated silently.

The imperial pressure flowing from the seal made Li Wu's heart tremble, as though this object had always been his destined treasure.

Just then, the human race's fortune within his body suddenly boiled. Accompanied by an earthshaking dragon's roar, the golden dragon of fortune leaped from the crown of his head and plunged directly into the mysterious yellow great seal.

In an instant, the seal erupted with golden light stretching ten thousand zhang, while phantoms of dragons and phoenixes circled it, soaring and crying out!

A moment later, the phenomenon faded, and the seal transformed into a streak of light that entered Li Wu's body.

Clearly, this divine seal had voluntarily acknowledged him as its master.

As the divine seal recognized its master, Li Wu also learned of its origin—it was the legendary Kongtong Seal. It was neither an acquired spiritual treasure nor an innate spiritual treasure, but a unique fortune spiritual treasure.

From the moment it was born, the Kongtong Seal had served as the central treasure of the human race's fortune, preventing the human race's fortune from leaking away.

Though it was not an innate spiritual treasure, when the human race's fortune flourished, its power could rival an innate supreme treasure. If the human race's fortune weakened, however, its power would diminish drastically, becoming no different from an ordinary spiritual treasure.

Furthermore, the Kongtong Seal held the authority to appoint the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of the human race.

When the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were born, if the saintly emperors chosen by the Saints failed to gain recognition from the human race and heaven and earth, they would inevitably become a laughingstock.

In the original history of the primordial world, this fortune treasure had fallen into Laozi's hands, granting him an additional twenty percent of the human race's fortune and allowing him to seize the initiative in the struggle for fortune.

Now that the Kongtong Seal had entered Li Wu's hands, that twenty percent of fortune naturally belonged to him.

Li Wu looked around and discovered that the spiritual energy here was hundreds of times denser than outside. Countless spiritual herbs and spiritual roots also grew here, making it an ideal place for the human race to establish a secret base.

If the human race's top combatants were stationed here, they could both conceal their trump card and rapidly increase their cultivation with the aid of the dense spiritual energy.

With that thought, Li Wu immediately set off, transforming into a streak of light and flying straight toward the Human Ancestor Hall.

Li Wu flew through the air, crossing the territory of the human race.

Suddenly, his divine sense stirred, and he detected an outsider entering human territory. Sweeping his awareness over the area, he discovered that the newcomer was an old acquaintance—or more accurately, Taiching Laozi himself.

"Laozi has finally come to the human race... It seems the era of the Saints is about to arrive." Li Wu's thoughts churned.

At the instant Li Wu sensed Laozi, Laozi also noticed that someone was observing him.

Laozi did not dare underestimate Li Wu in the slightest. Not only had this man's cultivation reached the late Quasi-Saint stage, but Li Peng and Nuwa, two Saint-level beings, stood behind him.

Unless necessary, Laozi truly did not wish to make an enemy of such a person.

Therefore, he pretended not to notice and continued strolling through human territory.

Li Wu, having a clear understanding of the opportunities along the human race's path, no longer paid attention to Laozi and flew directly toward the Human Ancestor Hall.

A short while later, Li Wu returned to the Human Ancestor Hall.

He gathered all human cultivators at the Golden Core Realm and Aperture Realm. After counting them, there were fewer than a hundred at the Aperture Realm and only five at the Golden Core Realm.

These five could be called the human race's prodigies.

Li Wu looked at the more than three thousand people before him and nodded slightly.

After flying for three days, the group arrived at an unnamed small mountain.

Seeing that the mountain looked entirely ordinary, everyone revealed puzzled expressions.

Li Wu did not mind. He led them before the cave entrance, performed a series of techniques, and brought everyone into the cave.