Primordial World

Biodata

Cosmology and Natural Laws

Major Regions

• Great Desolation — The central terrestrial expanse of the world, containing divine mountains, Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, spiritual veins, and the territories contested by major races 1 36.
• Buzhou Mountain — The ancestral vein and former heavenly pillar formed from Pangu's spine. Its residual will imposes crushing Great Dao pressure, especially upon cultivators with deeper Dao comprehension 10.
• Thirty-Three Heavens — The heavenly region from which cultivators may pass beyond the world barrier into the Outer Chaos 6.
• Netherworld — The domain of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, established when Houtu transformed herself into reincarnation for the sake of wandering souls and the cycle of life and death 124.
• Circumference Heavenly Star Sea — The world’s starry expanse. Lu Yuan later organized its chaotic stellar power into the Primordial Chaos Star Sea Source Land, creating star pools, Star God Mountains, and a system that transforms violent starlight into spiritual qi 170 171.
• Mortal Realm — A Human Dao-dominated domain whose rules restrict unrecognized Great Luo Dao Lords and above; descending powers can be weakened and entangled by mortal karma 248.

History

Early eras

The Primordial World emerged from Pangu’s creation of Heaven and Earth. The World of Gods and Demons preceded the present age, followed by the era in which the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans ruled. By the main era of the story, even those ancient clans had declined 5 11.

Buzhou Mountain stood as the world’s heavenly pillar and ancestral vein during the Innate Era. Its fall later tore open the heavens, unleashed Chaos Qi and Nine Heavens Weak Water, destabilized earth veins, and pushed the entire world toward collapse 75 137.

Establishment of Heavenly Dao order

Hongjun’s attainment of Hunyuan established a new Heavenly Dao order and marked the approach of the Saint Era. His lectures at Purple Heaven Palace drew the world’s greatest cultivators, while the possibility of sainthood intensified competition for destiny, merit, and Primordial Violet Qi 1 3 61.

Witch and Demon ascendancy

The Witch Race and Yao Race rose as the dominant powers of the Great Desolation. Dijun, Taiyi, Fuxi, and Nuwa established the Yao Race, then reopened the Heavenly Court with the Thirty-Three Heavens as its foundation 28.

Both races expanded through warfare against the myriad races: the Witches massacred or consumed those who resisted, while the Yao Race transformed willing beings into demonkin and enslaved others 36. Their struggle spread calamity throughout the Primordial World.

Rise of the Human Race

The Human Race was recognized as the future protagonist of Heaven and Earth because of its rapid reproduction, shallow inherited karma, and compatibility with the Heavenly Dao’s preference for balance and preservation of life 84 86.

The Human Race became fertile ground for Dao lineages. Cultivators could strengthen their Dao by establishing sects, educating regions, protecting races, and allowing their teachings to spread through humanity 208.

Restoration after Buzhou Mountain's fall

When Buzhou Mountain collapsed, the Four Sacred Beasts stabilized the four poles of Heaven and Earth, while Zhenyuanzi used the Earth Book to protect the core earth veins. Nuwa later refined stones to mend the heavens 137.

Opening of the Star Sea

As Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole, Lu Yuan directed the transformation of the barren starfields into the Primordial Chaos Star Sea. The project united cultivators of the three Mystic Gate sects, constructed formation-based star pools across the Zhou Tian Stars, and received Heavenly Dao recognition for the Star Sea Source Pool 170 171.

Inhabitants and Power Structure

Major races and lineages

• Innate God-Demons — Beings born from Heaven and Earth with differing grades of origin, destiny, and potential 1.
• Witch Race — A Pangu lineage formed from Pangu’s blood and earth’s baleful qi; its Twelve Ancestral Witches possessed inheritance related to the Hunyuan path 25.
• Yao Race — A coalition of postnatal beings organized by Dijun and Taiyi under the Yao Race Heavenly Court 28.
• Human Race — The later protagonists of Heaven and Earth and the principal foundation for the Human, Chan, Jie, and Western sects’ teachings 86.
• Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans — Former rulers of the world whose decline left them burdened by the karma of the previous epoch 86.
• Mystic Gate sects — The Human Sect, Chan Sect, and Jie Sect, established by the Three Pure Ones and central to the world’s later Dao-lineage conflicts 86 87.

Cultivation hierarchy

Notable World Events