"Each of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors must have a teacher to guide them. First, go and find the Kongtong Seal. Once it appears, the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors will officially begin." After Dao Ancestor Hongjun finished speaking, he sent the Six Sages away from Purple Firmament Palace.
After leaving Purple Firmament Palace, the Sages each sent their disciples to search with all their might for the Kongtong Seal.
At Su Mu's cave dwelling on Shouyang Mountain, he sat cross-legged in the center. Before him, three crystal-clear drops of Pangu's Blood Essence floated silently, radiating an ancient aura.
The three drops of blood essence seemed to contain boundless life force and power, filling the entire cave dwelling with an ancient and solemn atmosphere.
Su Mu took a deep breath, then immersed his mind in them completely and began absorbing and refining Pangu's Blood Essence.
As he cultivated the Nine Revolutions Divine Art, the three drops of Pangu's Blood Essence gradually transformed into three surging streams. They flowed along his meridians before finally converging in his dantian.
During the process, Su Mu felt an immense force surging through his body.
He carefully guided this force, blending it with his own and continually improving his cultivation.
Time passed, second by second. When the last trace of Pangu's Blood Essence had been refined, Su Mu opened his eyes, and a dazzling light flashed through them.
His aura had become deeper and more restrained, as if it held boundless potential.
Early Primordial Golden Immortal. Pangu's Blood Essence truly was a treasure. Combined with the Nine Revolutions Divine Art, it had raised his cultivation remarkably quickly.
What Su Mu didn't know was that the Nine Revolutions Divine Art had been created by Great God Pangu himself and was inherently suited to him. Su Mu also possessed Great God Pangu's Blood Essence, so the two complemented each other, allowing him to cultivate so quickly.
"Who would've thought this breakthrough in seclusion would take a thousand years? The era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors should have arrived by now. I'd better go ask my teacher what's happening." Su Mu left his cave dwelling.
He saw a young Human standing outside and asked, "Who are you?"
When the young man saw Su Mu emerge, a flicker of excitement and anticipation crossed his eyes.
He immediately stood and bowed respectfully to Su Mu. "Greetings, Senior Disciple Brother Su Mu! I'm Bei Xuan, a new disciple of our teacher."
Respect for Su Mu was evident in Bei Xuan's tone. He clearly held his Senior Disciple Brother in high regard.
His eyes remained fixed on Su Mu, as if he hoped to gain further insight and guidance from him.
Su Mu nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Just then, Sui Ren Shi and the other two approached. "Su Mu, you've finally emerged from seclusion."
"Elder Brother Sui Ren, you've all reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Realm." Su Mu noticed their cultivation and remarked.
"Yes, Su Mu. Thanks to your Ginseng Fruit, we were able to break through to the Early Taiyi Golden Immortal stage." Zi Yi Shi said with delight.
"Elder Brother, did you come here for something?" Su Mu asked Sui Ren Shi.
"Su Mu, we found something on Shouyang Mountain and wanted to give it to you," Sui Ren Shi replied.
"What do you want to give me, Elder Brother?" Su Mu walked over to Sui Ren Shi.
Just then, Sui Ren Shi suddenly pulled an object from his robes.
It looked quite unusual. Its shape was a perfectly regular square, giving it a sense of precision and mystery.
Su Mu stared at the object curiously, trying to make out what it was.
When he recognized it, he was astonished. It was none other than the legendary Kongtong Seal! This was a supreme treasure of the Human Race, capable of deposing and appointing the Human Sovereign.
After taking the Kongtong Seal, Su Mu put it away.
Then he cupped his hands to Sui Ren Shi, You Chao Shi, and Zi Yi Shi, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Elder Brothers. This is the Kongtong Seal. It's extremely useful to me personally, and it's also a vital treasure to the entire Human Race."
"Since it's so useful to you, then it's yours. I hope you'll put it to good use," Sui Ren Shi said.
After the Three Ancestors left, Su Mu took out a Ginseng Fruit and said to Bei Xuan, "Junior Brother, take this Ginseng Fruit and focus on cultivating. Only by raising your cultivation can you handle what comes next."
Bei Xuan cupped his hands. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I'll go cultivate now." Watching Bei Xuan leave, Su Mu headed up the mountain.
At the entrance to Shouyang Palace, he bowed and called, "Teacher, Su Mu requests an audience."
Nuwa opened her eyes and murmured, "My good disciple has finally emerged from seclusion." She waved her hand, opening the palace gates, and sent Su Mu a voice transmission. "Come in."
Su Mu entered Shouyang Palace and walked over to Nuwa. "Greetings, Teacher. Has Haotian become the new Heavenly Emperor?"
"Yes, Su Mu. Your prediction was spot on. Dao Ancestor Hongjun really did appoint Haotian as Heavenly Emperor." Nuwa smiled.
"Teacher, Haotian will need people to help him govern the Heavenly Court. We could send some members of the Human Race there," Su Mu suggested to Nuwa. "That way, they could take on posts in the Heavenly Court and earn merit, which would benefit the development of the Human Race."
"You're right, Su Mu. Serving in the Heavenly Court can earn merit." After saying this to Su Mu, Nuwa turned to Golden Phoenix. "Golden Phoenix, select some members of the Human Race who have cultivated the immortal path and take them to the Heavenly Court. Tell Haotian that the Heavenly Court has only just been established and must need people. Have these members of the Human Race follow his orders and help him build it."
"Yes, Empress." Golden Phoenix went to select members of the Human Race to take to the Heavenly Court.
After Golden Phoenix left, Su Mu took out the Kongtong Seal and said to Nuwa, "Teacher, I've obtained the Kongtong Seal. We can discuss the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors now."
Seeing the Kongtong Seal, Nuwa was overjoyed. "My precious disciple, you truly are my lucky star."
With a wave of her hand, Nuwa made a Creation Cushion appear before Su Mu.
Su Mu sat down. "Teacher, as for my Senior Uncle Fuxi's reincarnation, you'll have to seek out Empress Houtu yourself."
"Very well. Once we've reached an agreement with the Five Sages, I'll go to the Underworld," Nuwa replied.
"Disciple, since your Senior Uncle Fuxi will reincarnate as the Heavenly Sovereign, there'll be no one left to serve as the Heavenly Sovereign's master," Nuwa added.
"Teacher, let's choose the Earth Sovereign as our candidate for the Human Sovereign and Earth Sovereign."
"Why?"
"Teacher, the Human Sovereign will need to unite the Human Race, which will surely require warfare and risk incurring karmic debts.
"Emperor Yu will establish the borders and divide the land into the Nine Provinces, earning immeasurable merit, so we can choose him. But if the Sages want to become the masters of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, they'll have to pay a price," Su Mu said.
"Your reasoning is sound, disciple. We'll do as you say," Nuwa said after thinking it over.
"Then I'll go and begin negotiations with the Five Sages." With that, Nuwa departed.
Since Dao Ancestor Hongjun hadn't summoned the Six Sages, they gathered at Jade Void Palace to discuss the matter.
Zhunti asked in confusion, "Senior Sister Nuwa, have you found the Kongtong Seal? Is that why you've called us here to discuss this?"
Nuwa nodded and said, "My eldest disciple has found the Kongtong Seal. We can now discuss who will serve as the teachers of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors."
"Our Human Cult wants the position of Earth Sovereign's master and Emperor Yu's master. You may discuss the others, but they won't come for free. We'll need to exchange something for them," Nuwa continued.
Taiqing Laozi spoke up. "Our Daoist Religion wants the Heavenly Sovereign's mastership. Xuandu can serve as the Heavenly Sovereign's master."
Primordial Lord spoke next. "Our Chan Sect wants the Human Sovereign's mastership. Guangchengzi can serve as the Human Sovereign's master."
Tongtian said helplessly, "Since Eldest Brother and Second Brother already have two of the Three Sovereigns, then I want three of the Emperor-teacher positions."
Zhunti and Jieyin hurriedly said, "Senior Brother Tongtian, you can't take all of them for the Interception Sect! Our Western Sect needs two Emperor-teacher positions too."
"Junior Brothers, it's not that I won't give them to you. But what do you have to offer in exchange? After all, your Western lands are so impoverished." Tongtian spoke to Jieyin and Zhunti.
"This..." Jieyin and Zhunti were at a loss for words.
Taiqing Laozi said, "Junior Sister Nuwa, what do you want?"
At Taiqing Laozi's question, Nuwa looked at the Five Sages and said, "I want the Taiqing Alchemy Technique, the Yuqing Artifact Refining Technique, the Shangqing Formation Technique, thirty Bodhi Seeds, and thirty Merit Golden Lotus Seeds."
"What?" Before the Three Pure Ones could respond, Jieyin and Zhunti were the first to lose their composure.
"Senior Sister Nuwa, why don't you just rob us?" Zhunti shouted at her, unable to hold back any longer.
"If you don't want the qualification to be an Emperor's master, you don't have to offer anything," Nuwa replied coldly.
Jieyin and Zhunti still wanted an Emperor-teacher position, so they reluctantly agreed. With pained expressions, they took out thirty Bodhi Seeds and thirty Golden Lotus Seeds.
The Three Pure Ones also handed over the Taiqing Alchemy Technique, the Yuqing Artifact Refining Technique, and the Shangqing Formation Technique.
After putting everything away, Nuwa turned and left Jade Void Palace.
At Shouyang Palace, Nuwa sat in the seat of honor and looked at Su Mu. "Su Mu, I don't want to be controlled by the Heavenly Dao and Dao Ancestor Hongjun anymore. As a Heavenly Dao Saint, I'm controlled by Dao Ancestor Hongjun every time."
"Teacher, do you intend to sever your Dao Fruit and follow the path of Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal?" Su Mu asked.
"Yes. Only a Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal can keep Dao Ancestor Hongjun from controlling them as he pleases.
"Dao Ancestor Hongjun first sided with the Three Pure Ones, then helped the Demon Race slaughter the Human Race. It pains me deeply," Nuwa said, troubled.
"So, after the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ends and the Human Race fully becomes the protagonist of Heaven and Earth, I want to sever my Dao Fruit and prove the Primordial path anew." Nuwa was utterly resolute.
"Teacher, if you truly wish to follow the Primordial path, it would be best to sever your Dao Fruit when this Great Tribulation begins," Su Mu said.
"Why?"
"There are two reasons. First, the secrets of Heaven are obscured during a Great Tribulation. If you sever your Dao Fruit, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's Dao Integration will become unstable, and he'll fall from the Dao Integration Realm.
"Second, when the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ends, the Human Race's destiny will reach its peak, helping your power rise to another level." Su Mu explained.
Nuwa lowered her eyes and thought for a long while. "Very well. We'll do as you say. Once Elder Brother Fuxi has reincarnated, I'll sever my Dao Fruit."
She then addressed everyone below her. "Golden Phoenix, Bei Xuan, Lingzhuzi, once I enter seclusion, you're all to follow your Senior Disciple Brother's instructions."
"Yes, Teacher (Empress)," everyone replied.
Over the course of several thousand years, the population of the Human Race continued to grow, and its tribes gradually expanded.
As time passed, the Human tribes began to spread out from Shouyang Mountain in search of more space and resources.
On the East Sea Coast.
There was a small Human tribe, a peaceful and quiet place.
Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting dappled shadows and filling the place with warmth.
At that moment, a lively young girl skipped through the woods, curiously exploring every corner.
She was Hua Xu Shi, the daughter of the leader of the Huaxu Tribe.
Hua Xu Shi wore simple animal hides, but they couldn't conceal her natural beauty and liveliness.
Her eyes shone like stars, bright with boundless curiosity about the world. Her smile was as warm as a spring breeze, inspiring affection in everyone who saw it.
At that moment, she was absorbed in watching a colorful butterfly flutter through the air, as if she had forgotten everything around her.
She didn't know how far she had followed it. Before she realized it, she had entered Leize Land.
As she walked, she spotted a massive footprint ahead. Curious, Hua Xu Shi stepped inside to investigate.
She touched this and examined that, full of curiosity.
After an unknown length of time, her excitement faded, and the fatigue from the long journey overwhelmed her. She lay down in the footprint and fell asleep.
By the time she awoke, the sky had begun to darken. Hua Xu Shi climbed out of the footprint and headed back to the Huaxu Tribe.
Life in the Huaxu Tribe carried on as usual. Three months passed in the blink of an eye, and Hua Xu Shi's belly had begun to swell slightly. She was clearly pregnant.
Naturally, the people of the tribe couldn't help noticing the change in Hua Xu Shi. They knew she wasn't married and had never been intimate with anyone.
Since she was pregnant despite never having been with a man, they all thought the child in her belly was a monster.
The tribespeople wanted to drive Hua Xu Shi out of the tribe. With no other choice, her father arranged for her to move into the mountains, where he built her a thatched hut and left her to fend for herself.
Hua Xu Shi lived in the mountains, surviving each day on wild fruit she gathered.
As her belly grew, it became harder for her to move, and she could no longer gather wild fruit to stave off her hunger.
She went to the stream beside her thatched hut and wept, lamenting the wretched fate of the child in her womb.,,
Great Master Xuandu, the eldest disciple of the Daoist Religion, came to the mountain where Hua Xushi lived, in the Huaxu Tribe's territory. Seeing how she was living, Xuandu had Pixiu bring her a Peach of Immortality every day.
One day, Hua Xu Shi was sitting beside the stream when she spotted a creature with a dragon's head and a leopard's body before her.
Hua Xu Shi froze in fright. The creature placed a Peach of Immortality on the ground, nodded to her, then left.
It was some time after the creature had gone that Hua Xu Shi finally recovered her composure.
Hua Xu Shi murmured, "W-was that a dragon?"
She looked at the Peach of Immortality and thought for a moment, then put it in her mouth. It melted as soon as it touched her tongue.
At once, Hua Xu Shi felt full. Overjoyed, she bowed in the direction Pixiu had gone. "Thank you, Dragon God."
Seven years passed in the blink of an eye. Women of the Human Race usually gave birth after ten months, but she had been pregnant for a full seven years.
She was afraid too, worried that the thing in her belly really was a monster.
For seven years, Hua Xu Shi had wanted to ask Pixiu about it but hadn't dared. So she had never asked.
This time, for the sake of the child in her womb, she gathered her courage and asked.
Hearing her question, Pixiu replied, "I am the son of Ancestor Dragon. Pixiu came here at an immortal's command, and I don't know the details of your situation.
"But the immortal once said that the child in your womb is a great sage of the Human Race, so of course he is extraordinary."
Hua Xu Shi wanted to ask where the immortal was, but Pixiu said, "The immortal said I can't tell you his name. But the child in your womb is destined to become his disciple. Once the child is born, he'll appear and take him as his disciple."
Three more years passed. The Huaxu Tribe learned that Hua Xu Shi had been pregnant for ten years without giving birth, that the Dragon God brought her food, and that an immortal had said the child in her womb was a great sage of the Human Race.
So they brought Hua Xu Shi back to the tribe. Pixiu continued to bring her a Peach of Immortality every day.
When the tribespeople saw that it really was the Dragon God, they held the immortal in even greater respect.
Two more years passed. Hua Xu Shi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her belly and couldn't help crying out.
The midwife, who had been looking after her, saw what was happening and knew the birth was imminent. She hurriedly told the others to prepare a room and get ready to deliver the baby.
In moments, the entire tribe knew Hua Xu Shi was about to give birth. The tribal leader and several elders gathered outside her room to wait.
After an unknown amount of time, a loud cry suddenly rang out from inside.
"Waaah~"
The tribespeople gathered around the room rejoiced.
"Hua Xu Shi has finally given birth!"
The moment the baby was born, a heavenly sign appeared: purple qi streamed thirty thousand li from the east.
The Sages proclaimed in unison, "The Heavenly Sovereign has descended!"
Xuandu came to the entrance of Hua Xu Shi's room and said to the tribal leader, "I am Great Master Xuandu. This child is destined to become my disciple, and I have come to take him as one."
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