Nuwa spoke again, her expression solemn. "After careful consideration, I've decided to establish the position of Supreme Elder and an Elder Hall within the Human Sect. There can be only one Supreme Elder, and that person can only be me. As for the number of elders, there's no limit; we can decide according to circumstances."
She surveyed everyone, then emphasized, "All of you must remember this: whether you're the Supreme Elder, an elder, the sect master, a vice leader, or an ordinary disciple of the Human Sect, your foremost duty is to safeguard the sect and protect the interests of the Human Race. Never let personal gain harm the interests of the sect or the Human Race as a whole."
Then Nuwa turned her gaze to Su Mu and said gently, "Su Mu, starting today, you are officially the Human Religion Leader. I hope you'll take up this heavy responsibility and lead everyone in working together to strengthen our Human Sect. You and your fellow senior brothers and sisters must support and help one another, joining hands to keep the sect moving forward."
Nuwa then looked at Zhenyuanzi and smiled. "Daoist friend Zhenyuanzi, from now on, you'll be the Grand Elder of my Human Sect. With your ability and wisdom, I'm sure you'll make a great contribution to the sect's development. I hope you'll do everything you can to assist the sect master and manage the sect's affairs together."
Zhenyuanzi bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Daoist friend Nuwa, I, Zhenyuan, will do everything in my power to help Sect Master Su Mu lead the Human Sect to prosperity. I won't let you or the sect master down!"
Su Mu, however, looked troubled. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Uh... Teacher, shouldn't you think this over a little more carefully? Making me the Human Religion Leader just like that makes me rather uneasy."
Nuwa's expression was solemn, and her tone resolute. "There's no need to worry, Su Mu. From today onward, you are unquestionably the Human Religion Leader. The upcoming Investiture of the Gods Tribulation will be entirely under your charge. If you run into any difficult problems along the way, you can come to me, and we'll discuss how to resolve them."
Hearing this, Su Mu knew there was no refusing. He could only nod helplessly. "All right. Since Teacher trusts me so much, I'll do my utmost and won't let you down."
Everyone present bowed to Su Mu in unison and called out, "Greetings, Senior Disciple Brother and Sect Master!" Their voices rang out together, shaking the heavens.
Su Mu hurriedly waved for them to rise and said loudly, "There's no need for such ceremony. Please, stand." His gaze slowly swept over the people before him as he quietly contemplated the heavy responsibilities and mission that lay ahead.
Su Mu bowed slightly to Nuwa and replied, "Shouyang Palace would make an excellent Elder Hall. The Human Sect's elders will surely make progress in their cultivation there. As for holding meetings in my Green Lotus Cave Heaven, I have no objections. I'll leave everything to you, Teacher." His voice was respectful and obedient.
Nuwa nodded in satisfaction and said gently, "Very well. I have nothing more to tell you, so all of you should hurry off and cultivate." With that, everyone bowed and took their leave of the Human Dao Hall.
They each used their supernatural abilities, turning into streaks of light as they returned to their own training grounds. Zhenyuanzi alone went in a different direction. After leaving the Human Dao Hall, he headed straight for Chaoge City in the Nine Provinces of the Primordial World.
After the Human Dao manifested the magnificent Human Dao Hall on Shouyang Mountain, the place had become a world of its own.
Although it still appeared within the Primordial Continent, it was, in truth, separate from the Primordial World.
For this reason, even with Zhenyuanzi's profound cultivation, it took him quite some time to return to Chaoge City.
Earlier, when Nuwa had publicly announced Su Mu's appointment as Human Religion Leader, she had used the mighty power of the Human Dao to spread the news throughout the Primordial World.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who was deep within the chaos at the Purple Cloud Palace, paid it no mind. After all, in his view, now that Nuwa had become the representative of the Human Dao, it clearly wasn't appropriate for her to also serve as Human Religion Leader.
The two Saints from the Western World, however, had quite different thoughts.
Jieyin said with displeasure, "Junior Brother, tell me, what has Su Mu done to deserve the position of Human Religion Leader? He's not even a Saint!"
Zhunti hurriedly tried to calm him. "Senior Brother, please watch what you say. Don't speak so carelessly!" As he spoke, Zhunti was so exasperated that he nearly reached over to cover Jieyin's constantly complaining mouth.
Jieyin was unconvinced and retorted, "Am I wrong? Su Mu is only a Primordial Golden Immortal, after all."
Zhunti sighed helplessly and reminded him, "Senior Brother, have you forgotten the axe in Su Mu's hands?"
"The axe? What axe..." Jieyin was taken aback. Then he swallowed, and the terrifying scene of Su Mu wielding the axe came rushing back to him.
A moment later, Jieyin seemed to realize something. His expression changed, and he hurriedly changed his tune. "No, no! In my opinion, Su Mu is absolutely the right person for the position of Human Religion Leader!"
Just thinking about Su Mu's terrifying strength made Jieyin shudder. He didn't dare say another word about Su Mu.
After all, the last time Su Mu had killed him had been a truly painful experience. The fear of being on the verge of death still haunted him, and he couldn't shake it.
Whatever mysterious method Su Mu had used, there was no denying the fact that he had killed Jieyin.
Ever since that clash with Su Mu, which had ended with his death, Jieyin had felt as though something crucial was missing from him.
The feeling was subtle and hard to describe, as if a fog were hanging over him and keeping him from seeing the truth.
No matter how hard he thought and searched, he still couldn't say for certain what he had lost.
Meanwhile, on distant Yujing Mountain stood the magnificent Eight Scenery Palace, the new training ground of Taiqing Laozi.
After leaving Kunlun Mountain, Taiqing Laozi had nowhere to go for a time. With no other choice, he went to the Purple Cloud Palace in the chaos to seek a place to stay.
When Dao Ancestor Hongjun learned why Taiqing Laozi had come, he felt a headache coming on. Although his careful schemes and deliberate guidance had successfully split the Three Pure Ones apart, things had gone quite differently from what he'd expected.
He had originally planned for each of the Three Pure Ones to occupy a famous mountain and blessed land. Unexpectedly, Nuwa had taken Shouyang Mountain. Now Taiqing Laozi had set his sights on Yujing Mountain.
Faced with Taiqing Laozi's dogged pestering, Dao Ancestor Hongjun ultimately had no choice but to give in and hand Yujing Mountain over to him.
"Ha! What a surprise! That brat Su Mu actually became the Human Religion Leader? Nuwa, Nuwa, I may not be your match, but I can handle a mere Su Mu with ease! Hmph, how dare he compete with me? Just give me the chance, and I'll make sure to scheme against your Human Sect and show you what I can do! Hahahahaha..."
Taiqing Laozi wore a smug expression as he privately plotted how to cause trouble for the Human Sect. The thought of soon making a move against them thrilled him so much that he laughed aloud.
At that moment, in the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain, Primordial Lord was quietly cultivating. When he heard that Nuwa had appointed Su Mu as Human Religion Leader, a trace of disdain appeared on his face.
He snorted and said, "Nuwa has done something so absurd—putting a fellow who's only a Primordial Golden Immortal in charge of the Human Sect? This is ridiculous! With his paltry cultivation, how could he possibly lead the sect well? The Human Sect is finished. It's not worth my attention."
Primordial Lord was deeply displeased with Nuwa's decision and considered it an act of self-degradation.
Yet among the many voices of opposition, one person held an entirely different view. That person was Sect Master Tongtian.
His eyes lit up, and he praised the decision without hesitation. "Excellent! Truly excellent! Su Mu has ascended to the position of Human Religion Leader—he deserves it! He once had the glorious achievement of killing a Saint. How could someone like that be ordinary? With a leader like him, the Human Sect is bound to rise and shine!"
Sect Master Tongtian had always admired those who were powerful and dared to challenge authority. So he offered his wholehearted support and praise for Su Mu's appointment as Human Religion Leader.
Su Mu naturally had no idea what the Saints were thinking. After leaving the Human Dao Hall, he walked briskly toward his cave dwelling.
Just then, a clear, melodious voice called out behind him. "Senior Brother, please wait!"
Su Mu stopped and looked back. He saw Shaoyao, dressed in pink, hurrying toward him.
"May I ask what you need, Junior Sister?" Su Mu asked warmly, a smile on his face.
Shaoyao hurried over and caught her breath. "Senior Brother, I'm having trouble choosing a Magic Treasure for Yang Chan. I just can't think of what would be suitable to give her." Her face clouded with worry.
Su Mu patted his chest confidently. "That shouldn't be difficult. I can help you with it."
Shaoyao's eyes brightened, and her face lit up. "Really? That's wonderful! But we have to choose something suitable for a girl to use." She blinked her lively eyes and gazed at Su Mu expectantly.
"Of course. Just come with me." Su Mu turned and headed for his cave dwelling, and Shaoyao hurried after him.
Before long, the two of them arrived at Su Mu's cave dwelling. Clouds and mist swirled all around them, making the place seem like a fairyland.
As soon as they entered the cave, Shaoyao eagerly began searching everywhere. She looked high and low, turning the whole place upside down, but after all that effort, she found nothing.
"Senior Brother, there aren't any Magic Treasures here!" Shaoyao put her hands on her hips, pouting with dissatisfaction.
Su Mu smiled and reminded her, "Junior Sister, have you forgotten the name of my cave dwelling?"
"Green Lotus Cave Heaven... Could it be the lotus flowers?" Shaoyao froze, then suddenly understood and ran over to the nearby Lotus Pond.
"Wow! The lotus flowers in this pond are so beautiful!" Shaoyao exclaimed at the riot of colors blooming before her. Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, "These lotus flowers are so unusual. Could they be powerful Magic Treasures?"
Su Mu smiled and explained, "The lotus flowers in this pond were all carefully grown from precious lotus seeds. See that green lotus? It came from the seeds of the Green Lotus of Creation that Teacher cultivated. She probably didn't raise it properly, so she gave it to me."
"The white lotus was grown from seeds I collected from the White Lotus of Purity. As for the red one, I went to a lot of trouble to get those seeds from Ancestor Minghe. The purple lotus was generously given to me by Empress Houtu."
"And finally, that golden lotus. Heh, its seeds came from Jieyin's Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus of Merit. But don't misunderstand—I didn't steal them. I got them fair and square. Those are all five kinds of lotus flowers."
As he spoke, Su Mu pointed lightly at the green lotus. Countless green petals instantly broke free of their stems and drifted into the air.
As though drawn by some mysterious force, the petals swirled and danced in midair. Then they quickly gathered together, transforming into a delicate lotus lamp that glowed with a soft green light.
Su Mu held the softly glowing lotus lamp in his hands, then turned to Shaoyao, who stood gracefully nearby, and said gently, "Junior Sister, please pour some of your Magic Power into this lamp." His eyes held both expectation and trust.
"All right!" Shaoyao agreed without hesitation. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and concentrated, beginning to draw on the special energy she had gained from healing the sick.
At the urging of her thoughts, a soft, warm glow flowed slowly from her palms. Like a gentle stream, it poured steadily into the Green Lotus Lamp before her.
In an instant, the lotus lamp, which had only been glowing faintly, blazed with light. It shone like a brilliant pearl, illuminating every corner around them. The light rippled like jade-green waves one moment and drifted like colorful clouds the next—so beautiful it was dazzling.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" Shaoyao exclaimed, her eyes full of delight.
Su Mu smiled and said, "Junior Sister, since your power has transformed this lamp, why don't you give it a name?"
Shaoyao paused, then thought for a moment before replying, "Hmm... Let's call it the Precious Lotus Lamp. What do you think, Senior Brother?"
Su Mu nodded enthusiastically. "The Precious Lotus Lamp—a wonderful name! It's meaningful and easy to remember. From now on, after being empowered and transformed by your strength, only those with 'compassion' in their hearts will be able to use it. I hope it can help more people in need in the future." With that, Su Mu handed the Precious Lotus Lamp to Shaoyao.
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