Shennong Shi officially became the Co-Lord of the Human Race. He was well aware of his great responsibility. Fuxi Majesty Fuxi had laid the foundation for civilization, and what he needed to solve was the fundamental issue for the survival and development of the human race—food and medicine.
He delved deeper into agriculture, improved farming tools, and promoted planting techniques, earning him the title of "Shennong" (Divine Farmer).
At the same time, he continued to personally taste hundreds of herbs, identify their medicinal properties, and improve the Shennong Materia Medica.
Legend has it that he possessed Lapis Lazuli Belly, allowing him to see the reactions of plants within his body. He encountered seventy-two poisons daily, all of which he cured with tea. His selfless dedication moved heaven and earth, Merit accumulated continuously.
During this period, Grand Master Xuan Du continued to guide him, imparting Daoist teachings and leading his cultivation. Meanwhile, the disciples of the various sages also began to pay attention to this new leader.
The Yuanshi Tianzun dispatched his disciple Guangchengzi, ostensibly to assist him, but in reality also to observe and forge a connection.
Seeing that Shennong was engrossed in agriculture and medicine and not particularly concerned with fighting and killing, Guangchengzi felt that he would be unable to make any outstanding contributions. Therefore, he focused on preaching and discussing the Dao and waited for the right opportunity.
As time went by, the tribe under Shennong Shi's leadership became increasingly prosperous, with its population growing and its civilization progressing.
However, as the human race expanded its territory, friction with other races in the surrounding area became inevitable, especially with some powerful remnants of the Witch Clan and scattered demon soldiers, and conflicts occurred frequently.
Although the human race has benefited from Luck, their individual strength is still inferior to those of these naturally powerful races.
On this day, Shennong was inspecting the farmland near Lieshan (or Jiangshui, according to another account) when he suddenly saw a streak of crimson light fall from the sky. Where it landed, a raging fire broke out and did not go out for a long time. Shennong went closer to look and found that there was a strange metal in the fire. Instead of being melted, it shone brightly in the flames and emitted a sharp aura.
Just as Shennong was astonished, the void rippled, and a Daoist appeared. It was Daoist Duobao, Jie Sect Disciple who had come to form a bond with Sect Master Tongtian on his orders.
"Do not be alarmed, Lord."
Daoist Duobao laughed.
"This is Outer Star Iron, tempered by the Nine Heavens Leaving Fire, which fell here and is destined to be with our sovereign. I observe that humanity is in conflict with the outside world and lacks powerful weapons for protection. I wish to use this iron, along with the Hearth Fire of humanity, to help our sovereign forge a divine weapon that can slay demons and protect our people."
Shennong was overjoyed upon hearing this, as he was worried about the weakness of the human race's military strength. He immediately bowed in gratitude. Under the guidance of Daoist Duobao, he gathered the power of human craftsmen and drew upon the Daoist essence of Earth Fire and Hearth Fire. After forty-nine days, he finally forged the star iron into a sword that was entirely crimson and engraved with flame patterns.
On the day the sword was completed, flames soared into the sky, sword energy reached the heavens, and the faint sound of a dragon's roar could be heard.
Daoist Duobao said:
"This sword, imbued with the essence of stars and the fire of humanity, shall be named 'Chixiao.' As the Sword of the Human Emperor, it can be passed down through generations and vanquish all evil!"
With the sword in hand, Shennong felt a vast and powerful imperial aura connecting him. As he swung the sword, crimson sword energy surged forth, its power boundless.
He bowed again to thank Daoist Duobao.
Daoist Duobao nodded with a smile, left a few words of advice on weapon crafting, and then drifted away.
This move not only added a powerful weapon to protect the human race, but also fostered goodwill among the human race for the Interception Sect.
After obtaining the Chixiao Sword, the human race felt much more confident when facing external threats.
With this sword, Shennong repelled the ferocious beasts and demons that attacked him several times, further enhancing his prestige.
However, the long-term hard work and the toxins accumulated from tasting hundreds of herbs began to erode his body. Even with his cultivation, he felt himself growing weaker day by day.
He knew that the opportunity for him to attain enlightenment might lie in the few herbs and plants with the most potent medicinal properties that he had not yet fully tasted, and also in completely solving the fundamental problem of "food" and "medicine" for humankind.
One day, he came to the foot of a mountain shrouded in mist and heard that a strangely poisonous plant called "Intestine-Breaking Grass" grew on the mountaintop. It was extremely potent, but it could fight poison with poison and cure several difficult diseases. Shennong decided to go up the mountain to try it.
He bid farewell to his clansmen, Xuan Du, and Guangchengzi, and climbed the mountain alone.
The mountain was treacherous and filled with poisonous miasma, but it was not a difficult task for Shennong, whose cultivation had reached the Great Luo realm. Finally, on a cliff at the mountain peak, he found the Intestine-Breaking Grass, which had bewitching purple flowers and leaves as black as ink.
Shennong concentrated his mind and carefully plucked a leaf, then put it in his mouth.
In an instant, an indescribable pain rose from his abdomen, as if a thousand sharp blades were churning his internal organs! Even though he was prepared and used all his magical Magic Power to resist, the poison could be seen spreading rapidly in his Lapis Lazuli Belly like a black tide, corroding his life force!
"Such potent poison!"
Shennong was shocked and tried his best to use the Daoist techniques passed down by Xuan Du and his own understanding of pharmacology to neutralize the poison. However, this poison was far more potent than any he had ever encountered before, and his face quickly turned ashen, his life force rapidly waning.
At this critical moment, the medicinal power accumulated in his body over a long period of time, stimulated by this extreme toxicity, began to spontaneously merge and evolve, forming a delicate balance and confrontation with the poison of the Intestine-Breaking Grass.
The pain persisted, but his soul entered a state of clarity, as if he had touched some fundamental law of "life" and "death," "medicine" and "poison" in the universe.
At the same time, the vast and boundless Xuanhuang Merit Qi gathered in the sky once again, no less than when Fuxi performed the divination! Seventy percent of it crashed down and poured into the dying Shennong's body!
With this immense Merit, Shennong's body erupted with dazzling divine light. Under the power of Merit, the poison of the Intestine-Breaking Grass was completely refined and transformed into an incomparably pure life force! His aura surged wildly, instantly breaking through the bottleneck and stepping into the realm of Sub-Saint! His body was also reshaped by the Merit, shedding his mortal form and achieving the Medicine Emperor Saint Body, which was immune to all poisons!
Of the remaining 30 Merit, one-tenth flew to Shouyang Mountain, one-tenth was given to Xuan Du and Guangchengzi (although Guangchengzi did not directly lead the effort, he still made minor contributions in protecting the Dharma and preaching the Dao), and the last tenth fell to the Chixiao Sword that was stuck to the side, which further enhanced its quality and made it an acquired Merit Spiritual Treasure!
Shennong, who achieved the status of a near -Sub-Saint, slowly opened his eyes, his gaze gentle and profound, as if containing endless mysteries of life. He not only attained the Great Dao through the ultimate dedication of tasting hundreds of herbs and testing poisons on his own body, but also comprehended the true meaning of "medicine can cure diseases without causing death, and the Dao can guide those with affinity" on the edge of life and death, as well as the supreme law of mutual generation and restraint among all things in heaven and earth.
He rose and bowed to the void. "Shennong's Merit are complete, please grant me a title, Holy Ancestor!"
Amidst the myriad rays of light, Qing Huan Qinghuan (an avatar of the Sage) reappeared, holding the Kongtong Seal, and proclaimed. "Shennong Shi, you tasted hundreds of herbs, established medicine, promoted agriculture, and relieved the people's suffering; your merits are as Merit as the heavens! Today, in the name of the Holy Ancestor of the Human Race, and holding the Kongtong Seal, the supreme treasure of the Human Race, I hereby confer upon you the title of -- Earthly Earth Emperor of the Human Race! You shall enjoy the Luck of the Human Race and bestow blessings upon all living beings! By imperial decree!"
The Kongtong Seal shone brightly once more, and pure, vast human imperial energy surged into Shennong's body, merging with his immense Merit and the principles of the Medicine Emperor. A crown materialized on Shennong's head, and he donned the robes of the Earth Emperor, exuding imperial majesty. Like Fuxi, he officially ascended to the throne of the Human Emperor! He became the Earth Emperor Shennong Shi!
Humanity produced another emperor, Luck flourished like oil on a raging fire. Following precedent, Shennong selected a virtuous and capable person (Xuanyuan Clan) and conducted a preliminary assessment. He then held a grand abdication ceremony in Chendu, passing the position of supreme ruler to Xuanyuan. He himself took the <Shennong Materia Medica> and the Chixiao Sword and went to Fire Cloud Cave to suppress the Luck of humanity together with Fuxi.
With the return of the Earth Emperor, humanity welcomed its third supreme ruler— the Xuanyuan Clan.
The journey of Xuanyuan, the path to becoming the "Human Emperor" filled with sword fights, tribal integration, and fierce clashes with the remnants of the Witch and Demon forces, has only just begun. The Primordial Wilderness winds of the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods of the Investiture of the Gods will quietly approach amidst the rise and fall of the human race and the shifts in Luck... All of this is seen in the eyes of the Dao Ancestor, who indifferently watches over the fate of all living beings, Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, and also in the calculating minds of the Sage and great powers from all sides.
With the Dragon Clan departing from the heavens and Human Emperor emerging one after another, the seemingly chaotic Primordial Wilderness forces are slowly but surely heading towards the vortex of the Investiture of the Investiture of the Gods, following a predetermined trajectory.