Teaching Humanity, Honored as Their Teacher (Seeking Monthly and Recommendation Votes)

This time, having found his opportunity to attain the Dao, Taishang Laojun no longer concealed himself. Revealing his true form, he swept Li Yunjing along with him and, in an instant, crossed billions upon billions of miles of the primordial world to arrive beneath Shouyang Mountain, a famed mountain of the primordial world. Within a hundred-mile radius lay human settlements. The newly born human race numbered tens of thousands and lived and multiplied here.

Yet these newborn humans lived in utter misery. Though they possessed innate Dao bodies and the first generation of humanity had been born at the Heavenly Immortal realm, even the several generations that followed were hardly powerless enough to be unable to truss a chicken. If any one of them had been placed in the era after Journey to the West, what business would those demons who claimed mountains as kings have had? Humanity's strength would have been enough to sweep through the Four Great Continents.

But in this age when the Witch Race and Demon Race stood at the height of their power, Golden Immortals were less common than dogs, and Great Luo Immortals walked everywhere. Humanity suffered the oppression of both races; their days were so wretched that "not knowing whether one would survive from morning to night" scarcely described it.

Standing beside Taishang Laojun, the two revealed themselves amid the clouds. Li Yunjing looked down upon the entire human settlement, his brows knitted tightly as he let out a sigh.

The whole of humanity was wrapped in leaves, their faces yellow and bodies emaciated. Though the primordial world teemed with abundant resources, humanity had no place to set down roots. Coupled with illness, wounds from attacks by the Witch Race and Demon Race, and countless disabled people, their plight was grim indeed.

The entire settlement was shrouded in the air of death. No one knew whether, after today had passed, they would still see the great sun of the primordial world rise tomorrow.

"Yunjing, there is a gourd of immortal pills here. Take it and treat humanity."

As this concerned his opportunity for enlightenment, Taishang Laojun was no longer as indifferent as before. Seeing humanity's miserable state, he too furrowed his brow, secretly resenting the Witch Race and Demon Race. Fortunately, he had discovered this in time. If humanity had truly been exterminated by those two races, would they not have cut off his opportunity for enlightenment?

The hatred of one who blocks another's path to the Dao cannot be borne under the same sky!

Taishang Laojun had already decided to find an opportunity to make the Witch Race and Demon Race answer for this.

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!"

Accepting the Purple Gold Gourd handed over by Taishang Laojun, Li Yunjing revealed heartfelt gratitude. Though Taishang Laojun's motives were not entirely pure, this life-saving grace was real enough. In the vast primordial world, only the Three Pure Ones had the power to shelter humanity!

Li Yunjing took out ten Seven Revolutions Golden Elixirs from the Purple Gold Gourd and suspended them before himself. Then he blew a breath. The ten Seven Revolutions Golden Elixirs transformed into dense medicinal vapors, like mist and rain, drifting down over the entire human dwelling place.

Whoosh!

The power of the immortal Dao scattered across the earth. These people had originally possessed excellent aptitude; though their harsh lives had drained their bodies, the medicinal vapor of the Seven Revolutions Golden Elixir restored humanity's vitality the instant it entered their bodies.

Severed limbs regrew, illnesses were cured, and depleted vital energy was replenished. In an instant, the entire human tribe brimmed with life, and joy returned to every face in the settlement.

"This is Taishang Laojun of Kunlun Immortal Mountain's Three Pure Ones Palace, one of Pangu's Three Pure Ones, and my Eldest Senior Brother. As he traveled the lands of the primordial world today and saw humanity's hardships, the immortal took pity upon you. He has specially decided to reside here for a time and teach humanity the skills of survival. Why do you not thank him?"

Seeing that the humans had recovered, Li Yunjing was delighted. He gave a light cough, then shouted out Taishang Laojun's purpose in coming here.

"Many thanks for the immortal's mercy!"

With a great rush, every human in the tribe knelt and offered thanks. Taishang Laojun's arrival had become their sole hope, and every bit of their gratitude came from the depths of their hearts.

"Rise. From this day onward, my martial nephew and I shall reside here. We will teach you the Grand Purity Immortal Method and instruct you in the skills of survival. I hope humanity will strive endlessly for self-improvement and stand tall upon the lands of the primordial world."

Taishang Laojun smiled, thoroughly pleased with both humanity and Li Yunjing.

"Yunjing, you will teach humanity some skills for survival. First give these humans a stable living environment; then I shall impart the Great Dao to them."

"Yes! This disciple shall obey Eldest Senior Brother's decree!"

Li Yunjing's expression turned solemn. Naturally, he understood the importance of this matter to Taishang Laojun. It was a task that had to be completed, and completed beautifully. Humanity could neither be allowed to develop too quickly nor be left on the brink of extinction at every moment.

Taishang Laojun had to remain the sole hope of all human life!

Taishang Laojun nodded. Seeing that Li Yunjing truly understood his intentions, he became even more satisfied with him.

The two descended from their auspicious cloud in their Dharma bodies and strolled toward the crude settlement.

The dwellings in this tribe were all rudimentary stone huts, piled together from huge rocks without beauty or any uniform shape.

Taishang Laojun shook his head and, at the people's enthusiastic invitation, settled down there.

Taishang Laojun naturally had no interest in personally teaching humanity matters such as farming, fishing, and animal husbandry. Thus, that burden fell upon Li Yunjing's shoulders.

"So be it. I'll lend you a hand, though it can only go so far."

Li Yunjing thought it over. Though he had come from a later age and understood all manner of techniques, he could not pull seedlings to make them grow and cause humanity to lose its ability to stand on its own.

After Taishang Laojun returned to his stone hut to rest, Li Yunjing gathered all the humans and motioned for them to learn from him.

First, he took out a dry branch and used a sharp stone awl to spin it rapidly in his palms. Before long, smoke rose from the branch. Li Yunjing then had the humans gather dry twigs and leaves, using that tiny spark to ignite them.

"This thing shall henceforth be the source of your fire. Use fire for light, warmth, and roasting meat. I have already taught you the method of drilling wood to make fire. You must practice it often until you master it."

Looking at the bonfire before him, Li Yunjing thought for a moment, then piled stones around it to form a small sheltering stone hut. At the very least, it could keep out wind and rain so the bonfire would not be extinguished.

"This is fire!"

The humans were greatly shocked. In their understanding, flames might occasionally appear when lightning split a tree amid thunder and rain. Who could have imagined that a dry branch and a stone awl could produce fire?

Watching these transformations unfold one after another, the humans below were all deeply astonished. They only knew that Nuwa had created them; they had never been taught by anyone and knew nothing of the skills needed to survive.

Li Yunjing then caught a demon beast, killed it, and taught humanity how to use fire to roast food.

Day after day, Li Yunjing taught humanity from every aspect of survival, passing on to them the most basic survival skills. Through this alone, Li Yunjing gained the title of Teacher of Humanity among the humans.

Li Yunjing was somewhat delighted by this. Once humanity became the protagonists of Heaven and Earth in the future, his name, Li Yunjing, would naturally spread among them, and he would enjoy boundless power of incense offerings.

As they continued learning, the humans became increasingly quick-witted, no longer as dull as before. At first, they learned whatever Li Yunjing taught them. Little by little, they came to understand how to draw inferences from one instance to another, even taking the initiative to raise all sorts of new questions with Li Yunjing.