Su Mu held the Kongtong Seal and declared in a clear, resonant voice, "Di Ku cares about the people's hardships and strives to improve their living conditions. He governs the world with integrity and benevolence. He is worthy of becoming the Great Emperor of the Human Race. Let Heaven and Earth bear witness!"
As soon as Su Mu finished speaking, another Golden Cloud of Merit appeared in the sky.
As Merit Power poured into Di Ku without end, his aura steadily rose. At last, he broke through a bottleneck and reached the Early Primordial Golden Immortal Realm.
The breakthrough brought a qualitative leap in his strength. However, despite receiving such immense merit, Di Ku's cultivation had not improved significantly; he had only advanced from the peak of the Martial Venerable Realm (Grand Unity Golden Immortal) to the Primordial Golden Immortal Realm.
But for Golden Spirit Mother, this merit was the opportunity she had dreamed of.
With the power of this merit, she successfully severed her Good Corpse, advancing her cultivation further and finally becoming a Quasi-Saint.
Yao began governing the Human Race as its next Co-Lord.
When Su Mu returned to his cave abode, he found Golden Phoenix waiting there.
"Big Sister Golden Phoenix, what are you doing here?" Su Mu asked. "Did you need something from me?"
"Su Mu, I'm not the one looking for you. Cangjie has something to discuss, and Empress Nuwa asked me to find you," Golden Phoenix replied.
"All right, let's go." Su Mu and Golden Phoenix headed together to Shouyang Palace.
Nuwa, Bei Xuan, and Cangjie were already waiting in the main hall.
After Su Mu sat down, Nuwa gestured for Cangjie to speak.
Cangjie's eyes shone as he said, "Ever since I ate that miraculous Ginseng Fruit, my cultivation has improved tremendously. I've reached the early stage of the Martial Venerable Realm (Grand Unity Golden Immortal)."
"After that, though, I kept thinking about how to develop the Human Race further and lead them toward a more prosperous future."
"But I still felt uneasy, as if I hadn't found the real answer. So I decided to set aside cultivation, quiet my mind, and keep thinking deeply about the problem."
"After a long period of reflection and insight, a brilliant idea finally came to me—establish an academy!"
"This academy will be a cradle of wisdom for the Human Race, cultivating more outstanding talents and advancing the development and progress of our people."
After Cangjie finished speaking, the others considered his proposal and nodded, agreeing that it was feasible.
"What will the academy be called? Have you decided?" Bei Xuan asked.
"I have. It will be called Ju Xian," Cangjie replied.
He thought that the name meant gathering worthy talents from across the world, so they could exchange ideas, learn, and grow there.
It was also his hope for the academy's future: that it would become a place where wisdom and strength came together.
"Ju Xian—a very good name. What do you think, Su Mu?" Nuwa turned to him and asked with a smile.
Her eyes glimmered with anticipation, as if his opinion mattered greatly to her.
Su Mu fell silent for a moment, then slowly replied, "It is an excellent name. Gathering the worthy suits the academy's purpose. I believe that such an academy will surely cultivate more worthy talents, who will bring blessings to all under Heaven." His voice was calm and firm, conveying deep conviction.
Nuwa gave a slight nod, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.
She knew that Su Mu cared about the academy just as much as she did, and his insight and wisdom were convincing.
With his support, the academy would be built all the more smoothly.
"Cangjie, where do you want to establish the academy? I think the Human Ancestral Land would be an excellent choice," Su Mu said.
"Senior Brother, I had the same place in mind," Cangjie said with a nod.
"When building the academy, you can seek help from Ancestor You Chao. He has extensive experience in building houses," Su Mu added.
"Good. I'll go to Ancestor You Chao right away." After speaking, Cangjie bowed to Nuwa, then left for the Human Ancestral Land to find You Chao Shi.
After hearing Cangjie's request, You Chao Shi agreed without hesitation and promised to give his plan his full support.
After establishing the ancestral land, You Chao Shi's reputation quickly spread far and wide.
Many people heard of his wisdom and creativity and came to join him.
Before long, You Chao Shi had assembled a team of his own, including craftsmen skilled in building houses and palaces.
You Chao Shi immediately summoned the craftsmen and laborers in the ancestral land to begin preparations for the academy.
They chose a scenic, tranquil site, shaded by green trees and filled with fresh air—a perfect place to study and reflect.
After a period of hard work, the academy was finally completed. The grand structure was fully equipped, with bright, spacious classrooms, a library full of books, comfortable living quarters, and more.
Four large characters—"Ju Xian Academy"—were written on the sign above the entrance.
Cangjie was very pleased with the academy. He believed it would become a cradle for nurturing talent and make an important contribution to the development of Huaxia civilization.
Standing before Ju Xian Academy, Cangjie solemnly announced to the crowd, "Fellow tribespeople, I hereby declare that any member of the Human Race who wishes to pursue learning and master cultural knowledge may come to Ju Xian Academy to study!" His loud, firm voice carried across the entire Human Tribe.
The news was like a spring breeze sweeping through everyone's heart, filling them with excitement and joy.
The tribespeople present whispered among themselves, their discussion rising and falling in a steady hum.
They were full of curiosity and anticipation about the newly established academy, and many eyes shone with a desire to learn.
Looking at the excited crowd below, Cangjie felt his own spirits rise.
He knew how important cultural education was to a people, so he resolved to impart everything he had learned and help more tribespeople open the doors to wisdom.
As Cangjie's words rang out, the crowd burst into warm applause.
The tribespeople expressed their respect and gratitude to Cangjie in the most heartfelt way.
They knew that Cangjie was not only the Ancestor of Culture who had pioneered the Literary Dao for the Human Race, but would also be a selfless and dedicated teacher.
From that moment on, the Human Race would enter a new era—one that valued the inheritance and development of culture.
In the future, more and more tribespeople would enter Ju Xian Academy, nourish themselves with knowledge, and contribute to the prosperity of the entire Human Race.
Large numbers of Human Race members eagerly signed up for the academy, hoping to learn and grow there.
This made Cangjie's work exceptionally busy, as he had to handle a great many applications.
As one of the academy's key administrators, Cangjie bore the responsibility of selecting outstanding students.
He carefully reviewed each application, making sure that only those with genuine potential and aptitude could enter the academy.
As the number of applicants continued to grow, Cangjie faced piles of documents and all kinds of tasks every day, yet he remained focused and enthusiastic.
He knew how eager the students were to learn, and worked hard to ensure that everyone received a fair opportunity and a quality education.
Through this process, Cangjie gradually realized how great a responsibility he bore.
He had to do more than impart knowledge; he also had to cultivate the students' character and values, guiding them to become responsible people who were willing to shoulder their duties as members of the Human Race.
To this end, he actively spoke with the students, learned about their needs and concerns, and offered them guidance and encouragement.
Although his work was demanding and hectic, Cangjie felt deeply fulfilled and satisfied.
He saw the hope of the Human Race's future and felt that all his efforts were worthwhile.
He believed that the academy would nurture these students into pillars of the Human Race, who would contribute to its development.
Biyou Palace.
Sect Master Tongtian was troubled. Of his Four Great Personal Disciples, Duobao and Jin Ling had received great amounts of merit and successfully advanced to the Quasi-Saint Realm.
But Wu Dang Mother and Mother Gui Ling were still at the late stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm.
This left Sect Master Tongtian deeply conflicted. He did not know how to choose.
Among the outer disciples, Zhao Gongming was also at the late stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, while Yun Xiao was at its peak.
If Yun Xiao went to assist Emperor Yao, she would have the chance to sever her Corpse successfully.
But would the Personal Disciples be dissatisfied? After all, they had always been Sect Master Tongtian's favored pupils, and they had certain expectations about their status and treatment.
The eldest disciple, Daoist Duobao, had followed Sect Master Tongtian for a long time. Seeing his expression, he understood his teacher's thoughts.
So he spoke up. "Teacher, why not let Junior Sister Yun Xiao become Emperor Yao's next Teacher?"
Hearing what the Senior Disciple Brother said, Wu Dang Mother also spoke. "That's right, Teacher. Junior Sister Yun Xiao is only half a step away from severing her Corpse. Let her go."
Mother Gui Ling added, "Teacher, Senior Sister and I are both at the late stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm, still far from severing our Corpses. Let Junior Sister Yun Xiao go."
Hearing his disciples speak like this, Sect Master Tongtian felt comforted. It seems my Interception Sect is still very united.
"Very well. You shall be Emperor Yao's Teacher this time," Sect Master Tongtian said.
Yun Xiao bowed. "Thank you, Teacher. Thank you, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters."
Yun Xiao went to the Human Race and began her work assisting Yao in governing them.
Yao had governed the Human Race for five hundred years, diligently managing its affairs and striving to give the people a better life.
But then, an unexpected disaster struck.
The sky, clear moments before, suddenly darkened, as if covered by a thick layer of clouds.
Then torrential rain poured from the heavens, falling without pause.
The downpour unleashed a flood. The rivers rose rapidly, swallowing vast stretches of land and villages.
The people were terrified. Human Race Martial Cultivators sprang into action, helping their kin move to higher ground and escape the rising waters.
Yao was frantic with worry, knowing the immense threat the flood posed to the Human Race.
He immediately summoned the leaders and wise men of the tribes to discuss how to respond.
Everyone unanimously recommended that Gun manage the flood. Gun was among the first students to graduate from Ju Xian Academy.
So Gun led the people in building dikes in an attempt to hold back the floodwaters.
They labored day and night without complaint, but the flood remained fierce, and the dikes were repeatedly washed away.
Faced with such a predicament, Gun did not lose heart. Instead, he urged everyone to keep going.
The Dragon Clan excelled at controlling water, but even their efforts made little difference. This was a Natural Disaster, a trial that the Heavenly Dao had imposed on the Human Race, and also a means by which the Heavenly Dao sought to prevent Human Revival. Thus, the Dragon Clan could only lessen the rainfall.
In this difficult time, many people showed indomitable spirit and courage.
They joined forces to fight the flood, doing everything they could to save the fate of the Human Race.
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