"I shouldn't have taken Dao Ancestor Hongjun as my master. To end the war between the Witch and Demon Races, he actually used the Human Race as a tool and trapped me in the Purple Cloud Palace, preventing me from stopping the Demon Race from slaughtering them. How cruel." Nuwa thought.
At that moment, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who had been preaching from his cloud bed, said to everyone, "This lecture is over. You should take time to comprehend what you've learned. You may leave." With a wave of his hand, he sent everyone out of the Purple Cloud Palace.
Nuwa left the Purple Cloud Palace and immediately headed for the Primordial World. The Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, and Zhunti had no idea why she was in such a hurry.
Taiqing Laozi was a shrewd man by nature. He wondered, Could something have happened to the Human Race?
The Primordial World.
Watching his people being brutally slaughtered by the Demon Race, Su Mu's heart filled with endless grief and fury.
Tears glimmered in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks, falling to the ground.
Each tear represented the pain and sorrow buried deep within him.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. Blood seeped between his fingers, but he felt no pain.
His gaze fixed on the direction the Demon Race had gone, hatred burning in his eyes.
"From this day on, the Human Race and the Demon Race are sworn enemies!" His voice was low and resolute, brimming with grief and fury.
His vow echoed through the air like a thunderclap, shaking everyone in the Human Race.
"Whenever the Human Race encounters the Demon Race, we'll drink their blood and eat their flesh!" His words were filled with ruthless determination, as if he meant to wipe out the Demon Race completely.
This was not only a promise to his fallen people, but also a spur to himself.
Su Mu knew that the road ahead would be fraught with hardship, but he would not retreat.
He would use his strength to protect the Human Race and ensure they would never again suffer the Demon Race's bullying and cruelty.
He would let his departed people rest in peace and make their sacrifice count.
At that moment, the Human Race united as never before. They huddled together, standing as one, their eyes filled with determination and resolve.
Countless people stepped forward and raised their arms, their voices booming like thunder and shaking the entire Primordial Heaven and Earth: "The Human Race and the Demon Race are sworn enemies! We'll fight to the death!"
Their roars erupted like a volcano, carrying boundless fury and hatred.
"From this day on, we'll regard the Demon Race as our mortal enemy. We'll never back down. We'll eat their flesh and drink their blood!" Hatred burned in their eyes. They vowed to make the Demon Race pay and avenge their fallen kin.
Su Mu respectfully bowed to Great Immortal Zhenyuan and said earnestly, "Thank you for your help this time, Great Immortal. If you hadn't come to our aid, we would have perished.
"The Human Race will forever remember your protection and never forget it. In the future, we'll build a temple for you and offer incense day and night to express our gratitude." He then presented him with the Twelve-Grade Pure World White Lotus.
He knew that without Great Immortal Zhenyuan's help, they would never have escaped this calamity. Su Mu was filled with reverence and gratitude toward their savior. As the Human Race's representative, he also had a duty to express the gratitude of his entire people and promise to build a temple in Zhenyuan's honor.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan nodded slightly, accepting Su Mu's thanks. He was pleased with Su Mu's attitude, seeing that this young man knew how to be grateful and had a kind heart. Those qualities gave him greater hope for the Human Race's future.
Meanwhile, Sui Ren Shi and You Chao Shi also bowed to Queen Mother of the West and said, "Thank you for protecting the Human Race, Empress. We'll build a temple for you, and the Human Race will worship you for generations to come."
"Very well," Queen Mother of the West replied. Her face was weary; holding off Di Jun and several Demon Saints by herself had been an arduous task.
Nuwa hurried back to the Primordial World. She had intended to return to Shouyang Mountain, but when her divine sense detected Su Mu's location, she immediately went to Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain.
Nuwa nodded to Great Immortal Zhenyuan. "Thank you, fellow Daoist." As a Saint, she knew all that had happened in the Primordial World with a single thought.
As soon as Nuwa entered the Primordial World, she learned what had happened. She then said to Su Mu, "It was thanks to your careful planning that we made it through this."
Nuwa looked up at the Thirty-three Heavens, fury rising to its peak. She lifted her foot, intending to go to the Demon Race Heavenly Court and wipe out the Demon Race.
But an overwhelming power bore down on her, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun's voice rang in her ears: "Saints must not interfere in the affairs of the Primordial World at will."
Nuwa was furious, but whenever she thought of going to the Demon Race Heavenly Court, her power was suppressed.
Nuwa could only take Su Mu and the Human Race back to Shouyang Mountain. Looking at the once beautiful and peaceful mountain, now utterly devastated and in ruins, she could not help feeling grief well up inside her.
She thought of the members of the Human Race who had been slaughtered by the Demon Race, and her heart filled with anger and self-reproach.
"Sui Ren Shi, take You Chao Shi and Zi Yi Shi and see to the Human Race," Nuwa said. Then she took Su Mu into Shouyang Palace.
Nuwa sat there, her face full of sorrow.
[The Demon Race's Witch Slaying Sword has already been forged. The Witch and Demon Races are headed for mutual destruction, and Buzhou Mountain is going to collapse. Repairing the sky will bring immense merit. If only I could claim all of it.]
"The Heavenly Pillar, Buzhou Mountain, is going to collapse. I must hurry and find something to repair the sky," Nuwa thought.
Nuwa stood and said to Su Mu, "Go back and cultivate for now. I'll be away for a while."
"Yes, Master." Su Mu clasped his hands and watched Nuwa leave before heading to the Underworld himself.
As the Eastern Ghost Emperor, Su Mu could move freely through the Underworld. He went straight to the entrance of Pingxin Hall and said, "Su Mu pays his respects to Empress Houtu."
"Come in." Houtu looked at Su Mu as he entered. "Su Mu, why aren't you seeing to the Human Race? What brings you to the Underworld?"
"Empress Houtu, my elder brothers and sisters in the Human Race are taking care of everyone. I came to the Underworld to tell you something."
"What is it that you had to come tell me in person?" Houtu grew curious.
"The Demon Race is hunting the Human Race to forge a Secret Treasure to use against the Witch Race. Buzhou Mountain might also collapse. I hope you'll make preparations."
"Very well. I understand." Houtu was puzzled, but she agreed nonetheless.
Su Mu returned to his cave dwelling on Shouyang Mountain and cultivated while waiting for the war between the Witch and Demon Races.
Time passed quickly. Several hundred years went by in the blink of an eye. During that time, Su Mu remained in seclusion in his cave dwelling on Shouyang Mountain, and his cultivation grew steadily stronger.
Meanwhile, tensions between the Witch and Demon Races grew ever sharper, and war was on the verge of breaking out.
During this period, Su Mu occasionally ventured out to gather news, but most of the time he stayed in his cave dwelling and focused on his cultivation.
He knew the war between the Witch and Demon Races would be earth-shattering. Only with sufficient strength could he remain undefeated in the conflict.
At last, the war between the Witch and Demon Races broke out. The Ten Golden Crows had scorched Kuafu to death, and Hou Yi had shot down nine of the young Golden Crows, setting the two races ablaze with conflict.
The two sides fought a devastating battle, and the entire Primordial World was swept into it. When Su Mu heard the news, a hint of worry rose in his heart.
He understood that this war would affect not only the Witch and Demon Races, but might also sweep up other living beings.
When the war began, Nuwa returned to Shouyang Palace. She had already found the Chaos Divine Stone.
She began forging the Five-colored Divine Stones. Once they were ready, she sent a message to Su Mu: "Su Mu, come to Shouyang Palace."
Su Mu opened his eyes. "Master's back." He rose, left the Underworld, and flew toward the summit of Shouyang Mountain.
When he entered Shouyang Palace, Su Mu clasped his hands toward Nuwa. "Master, you're back."
"Su Mu, I'd like to borrow two of your spiritual treasures."
"Of course, Master." Su Mu took out the Supreme Innate Spiritual Treasure Creation Pagoda and the Supreme Innate Spiritual Treasure Qiankun Fan.
Outside Shouyang Mountain, the war between the Witch and Demon Races was nearing its end. Seeing that fewer than one in ten of the Witch Race remained, Ancestor Witch Gonggong charged into Buzhou Mountain in a fit of rage.
Buzhou Mountain broke with a resounding crash. Houtu acted swiftly after its collapse, sending the mountain sinking into the Underworld.
After Buzhou Mountain collapsed, a massive rift appeared in the sky, like an immense chasm splitting Heaven and Earth in two.
Endless Water of the Heavenly River and Chaos Qi poured through the rift in an instant.
The collapse of Buzhou Mountain tilted Heaven and Earth: the sky slanted to the northwest, and the land sank to the southeast. Heaven and Earth seemed on the verge of closing in on each other.
The Heavenly River flooded the mortal world. Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, which had been restrained, were now unbound and ravaged everything in their path. Wherever they passed, all things vanished into nothing, and everything seemed poised to return to chaos.
Mountains and rivers collapsed, the earth split with countless fissures, and the land was quickly swallowed by the sea.
Countless stars fell and crashed toward the Primordial Continent. The Sun Star blazed with tremendous light and heat, scorching all things across the Primordial World and evaporating countless seas as the land cracked;
the Moon Star released extreme cold. Everything the chill touched froze, only to be evaporated by the Sun Star's heat. The resulting vapor froze again, trapping the world in a vicious cycle.
Countless lives were lost across the Primordial Continent, and cries of agony filled the land.
Nuwa immediately appeared before the rift with Su Mu. She brought out the Mountain and River Diagram to block the opening in the sky, used the Qiankun Fan to restrain Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, used the Seven Heavenly Light Divine Blades to support Heaven and Earth, used the Red Embroidered Ball to stabilize the mountains, rivers, seas, and rivers, and used the Creation Pagoda to hold the stars in place.
Then she brought the Qiankun Cauldron to the rift. She withdrew the Mountain and River Diagram and used thirty-six thousand five hundred and one Five-colored Divine Stones to seal the opening in the sky. One Five-colored Divine Stone remained, so she casually tossed it onto an immortal mountain.
Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, the mountains, rivers, and seas, and the countless stars had all returned to their proper places. However, there was still nothing to support the sky.
She sent Su Mu a message: "What is there in the Primordial World that could support the sky?"
Su Mu was stunned by everything Nuwa had done. Had she taken on the entire task of repairing the sky by herself?
Hearing Nuwa's message, Su Mu immediately replied, "Master, I've heard there's a Divine Turtle in the North Sea whose limbs could support the sky. Please don't make things difficult for the Black Tortoise. Let him reincarnate instead."
After hearing that, Nuwa hurried to the North Sea. As one of the four seas, its vastness went without saying.
From above, the North Sea looked like an endless blue ocean, its waves surging with tremendous force.
Nuwa anxiously searched for the Black Tortoise. Then she saw a huge island trembling on the sea.
A massive head appeared at the front of the island. The enormous island was actually the North Sea Black Tortoise.
The North Sea Black Tortoise spoke, "Have you come for my limbs? What's destined to happen will happen."
Nuwa replied, "You're right. I did come for your limbs. Buzhou Mountain has collapsed, and yours are the most suitable supports for the sky."
"I am Saintess Nuwa. Would you be willing to take me as your master?" Nuwa asked the Black Tortoise.
The Black Tortoise was overjoyed and immediately said, "I'm willing. Your disciple, Bei Xuan, pays his respects to Master."
He then swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao: "Heavenly Dao above,
"I, the North Sea Black Tortoise, am willing to offer my four limbs to support the Primordial Heaven and Earth."
After saying that, he cut off his own four limbs. Under Nuwa's protection, the Black Tortoise's true spirit remained unharmed.
His shell gained merit and became a Postnatal Merit Supreme Treasure.
The Black Tortoise's limbs transformed into the Four Extremes of the Primordial World. Once the sky was repaired, the Heavenly Dao sent down a massive Golden Cloud of Merit.
Watching the Golden Cloud of Merit descend, the Three Pure Ones, Jieyin, and Zhunti felt nothing but envy and jealousy. They had been one step too late, and the merit was gone. It was enough to infuriate all five Saints.
Taiqing Laozi, however, wondered, Nuwa knew again. How did she know?
As the Heavenly Dao Merit descended, Nuwa brought out the Red Embroidered Ball and gathered all the merit into it.
The Red Embroidered Ball transformed into a Supreme Innate Merit Spirit Treasure, its grade even surpassing Taiqing Laozi's Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda.
Nuwa had made an absolute killing this time. Even more pleased with Su Mu, she waved a hand and returned the Creation Pagoda and Qiankun Fan to him. She also gave him the Black Tortoise's spirit and its Postnatal Merit Supreme Treasure Turtle Shell.
"Su Mu, this is the Black Tortoise's true spirit and shell. I've already taken him as my disciple. Go to the Underworld and arrange for him to be reborn into the Human Race."
"Yes, Master." Su Mu turned and entered the Underworld once more.
Before you continue