When news reached Luo Shui City, Jiang He looked at the report on his Communication Ring, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Han Yue's victory had not only added valuable spiritual materials to the Human Race's reserves, but also proved how effective the techniques deduced by the Red Dust Pearl were against the divine abilities of other races.
Meanwhile, on the shores of the East Sea in the eastern Primordial World, a human merchant caravan was trading with the Dragon Clan. At its head was a young man named Qin Feng. Though his cultivation was not top-tier, he had a natural talent for arithmetic and negotiation. Drawing on his extraordinary intelligence and the business knowledge of his past life that he had learned from the Red Dust Pearl, he worked with human artifact refiners to create many defensive magical artifacts urgently needed by the Dragon Clan.
"Daoist Qin Feng, your Human Race's Dragon Scale Shield truly lives up to its reputation. It can withstand attacks from Golden Immortals, and the price is fair." The Dragon Clan's envoy nodded with satisfaction and pushed box after box of deep-sea spirit pearls toward Qin Feng. In this deal, the Human Race exchanged magical artifacts for the Dragon Clan's deep-sea spiritual materials, leaving both sides delighted.
The deal not only brought the Human Race a wealth of supplies, but also showed the Dragon Clan its strength and integrity, further strengthening relations between ordinary members of the Human Race and Dragon Clan. Qin Feng's reputation soared as a result, and he became a leading figure in human commerce.
Similar stories were unfolding across the Primordial World. Lin Xiaowan, who excelled in alchemy, used the Hundred Herbs Pill Scripture deduced by the Red Dust Pearl to refine the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill, capable of bringing the dead back to life. She saved the Rhinoceros Race from extinction and earned its friendship.
Xiao Yan, born with control over the laws of fire, used the Nine Yang Immortal Scripture as his foundation and fused it with the power of the Primordial World's flames. Deep inside a volcano, he subdued the unusual Southern Bright Departing Fire and became a renowned fire-forging master.
Shadow, who excelled at concealment and assassination, used the Stealth Technique from the Red Dust Pearl to infiltrate an Asura Race stronghold and steal its battle plans, helping the Human Race avert a major crisis.
From the watchtower in Luo Shui City, Jiang He gazed at the Human Race's gathering fortune across the Primordial World, his eyes full of satisfaction. The Red Dust Realm within the Red Dust Pearl was fusing at an ever-quickening pace. Every victory and breakthrough by the Human Race's young prodigies across the Primordial World infused the Red Dust Realm with new strength, which in turn made the Red Dust Pearl's power of deduction ever greater.
Reports of victories from the prodigies of various races kept arriving on the Communication Ring. The Human Race's territory was expanding imperceptibly, and its influence was growing day by day. At last, the races of the Primordial World realized that this once low-profile people had become a new supreme race!
Jiang He clenched the Red Dust Pearl in his hand, his heart filled with resolve. The Human Race's prodigies were only just beginning to shine. As the Red Dust Realm fully merged, and as more cultivation techniques, formations, and alchemy methods suited to the Human Race were deduced, the Human Race would surely find its footing amid this treacherous Tribulation of Calamity and shine with its most dazzling radiance.
On Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones were filled with mixed emotions. The conflict between the disciples of the Three Sects had grown ever more bitter over the years, until it could no longer be reconciled.
The disciples of the Sect of Elucidation followed Primordial Heavenly Lord's decree that "only those with deep roots may light the lamp." They considered themselves the orthodox lineage and looked down on the unorthodox and strange beings accepted by the Interception Sect under its principle of "teaching without discrimination." The Interception Sect's disciples, in turn, resented the arrogance of the Sect of Elucidation. They believed that the three thousand Great Daos all led to the same destination, so why should one's origins determine their worth?
Even the disciples under Grand Pure Laozi, though they upheld the Dao of non-action, were often drawn into disputes between the two factions. At first, the conflicts were only verbal, but later they escalated to private duels and even the seizure of spiritual leyline resources.
One day, in Spirit Stream Valley on the western slopes of Kunlun Mountain, True Person Huang Long of the Sect of Elucidation and Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang of the Interception Sect came to blows over a Millennium Snow Lotus. With Xuan Du, Liu Bai, and others backing him, True Person Huang Long had advanced rapidly in cultivation and reached the late Golden Immortal stage. In his hand was the Innate Spiritual Treasure Dragon Subduing Stake, bestowed upon him by Primordial Heavenly Lord. Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang, meanwhile, relied on a formation personally taught by Sect Master Tongtian. Gathering Immortal Qiu Shou, Immortal Ling Ya, and others, he laid down a simplified version of the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, trapping True Person Huang Long inside.
"Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang! You dare trap a disciple of the Sect of Elucidation with an evil formation? Do you really think nothing of my master and uncle?" True Person Huang Long activated the Dragon Subduing Stake, but still could not break the formation. He rebuked Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang angrily.
Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang sneered from outside the formation. "Huang Long, this Snow Lotus grew in Interception Sect territory. You trespassed and tried to seize it, and now you think you're in the right? Today, I'll show you the might of my sect's formations!"
As the two sides remained locked in a standoff, Liu Bai hurried over after hearing the news. He had reached the early Great Luo Golden Immortal stage and was Tongtian's personally appointed eldest disciple. After years of training, he had made astonishing progress!
Seeing Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang dare to provoke Huang Long again, Liu Bai seethed. His master had forced him into seclusion until now. When he had finally emerged, the Interception Sect was in such a chaotic state that he had almost fainted. It was clear Tongtian hadn't listened to a word Liu Bai had said back then. He had just been about to ask some of his fellow human disciples what was going on when he saw True Person Huang Long and Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang fighting again!
When Immortal Chang Er Ding Guang saw Liu Bai approaching, his fragile rabbit heart nearly gave out. He hurriedly shouted to the others, "Run!" Then he bolted.
When Huang Long saw Liu Bai emerge from seclusion, his eyes filled with tears. "Senior Brother Liu Bai!"
The Grand Void Hall atop Kunlun Mountain. Candlelight flickered inside, illuminating the three figures in silence.
"Second Brother, Third Brother," Grand Pure Laozi began, his voice tinged with weariness. "We were formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit, born from the same source, and ought to work together. But our disciples are constantly at odds. If we keep forcing them to live together, we risk harming our brotherly bond—and defying Father God's wish to protect the Primordial World."
Primordial Heavenly Lord fell silent for a long while, then slowly nodded. "Eldest Brother is right. The Sect of Elucidation values deep roots and order, while its principles are ultimately incompatible with those of the Interception Sect. Better to let each sect establish its own lineage and territory than allow the disciples' grievances to deepen."
A flicker of reluctance passed through Sect Master Tongtian's eyes, but he understood this was the only solution. He was free-spirited, yet valued his brothers above all. "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I never meant to make things difficult for the Sect of Elucidation. I simply couldn't bring myself to abandon those unusual beings who aspire to the Dao. In that case, I'll take the Interception Sect's disciples to Jin'ao Island in the East Sea. Its vast, misty waters will make a perfect place to teach the Dao in peace."
Grand Pure Laozi nodded. "That sounds best. I'll move to Shouyang Mountain and uphold the Dao of non-action, enlightening all living beings. Kunlun Mountain was bestowed by Father God, so I'll leave it to Second Brother and the Sect of Elucidation."
The three looked at one another, reluctant to part but harboring no resentment. Though their ideals differed, they remembered what Pangu's Will had told them and cherished their bond as brothers. The next day, Grand Pure Laozi took Xuan Du and the other disciples, rode his Azure Ox, and set off on auspicious clouds for Shouyang Mountain.
Sect Master Tongtian led the Interception Sect's myriad immortals aboard countless Flying Boats and set off in a mighty procession for Jin'ao Island in the East Sea.
Primordial Heavenly Lord remained on Kunlun Mountain to reorganize the Sect of Elucidation and enforce strict rules. From then on, the Three Pure Ones each established their own domain. Though they continued to visit one another, they were no longer together every day as they once had been.
Ten thousand years earlier, under Hongjun's prohibition, the Demon Race had been forced to cease fighting. They could only watch the Human Race rise, while they themselves—once rulers of the Primordial World—were held back by the might of the Sages, their ambitions thwarted. "Second Brother," Di Jun said, clad in golden Crow armor, flames billowing around him as the River Map and Luo Book turned slowly in his hand, "the Human Race's fortune is soaring. If we don't get moving, the Demon Race will eventually be reduced to a marginal race in the Primordial World."
Eastern Emperor Taiyi stood tall, the Chaos Bell suspended above his head. Its toll was deep and low. "You're right, Eldest Brother. Since Hongjun joined with the Dao, the Heavenly Dao has grown partial, and the path of the Primordial Violet Qi is no longer viable. But our Demon Race has the Sun Star's source and the Star Array of the Heavens. Surely we can find another path to Sagehood."
The brothers understood each other's intentions. They immediately decided to cultivate in seclusion. Di Jun would use the River Map and Luo Book to deduce the workings of the heavens, seeking to fuse with the Sun Star's source and comprehend the "Imperial Dao" to attain Sagehood. Eastern Emperor Taiyi would sink into the Chaos Bell and study the laws of chaos within it, attempting to Prove Dao by Force.
On the Sun Star, two terrifying auras surged forth as the Golden Crow's true fire blazed. The entire Demon Race knew that their two emperors were entering seclusion to make a desperate gamble for the Demon Race's future.
Meanwhile, deep within Nuwa Hall, the Human Race's Holy Land in Luo Shui City, Jiang He sat cross-legged, surrounded by the dense fortune of the Human Race, which formed a sky full of golden clouds. His aura had long since surpassed the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal stage. Now he was breaking through the barrier to the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm—the Quasi-Sage realm, as cultivators of the Primordial World called it.
For ten thousand years, the Human Race's prodigies had added to its fortune through their trials across the Primordial World. Zhenyuanzi guarded Luo Shui, using the Ginseng Fruit Tree to nourish the Human Race's spiritual leyline, while the Human Race's fortune flowed back into the tree, greatly advancing Zhenyuanzi's cultivation.
The human child into whom Hong Yun had been reincarnated had grown into a Golden Immortal cultivator. The air of benevolence he had possessed from birth made the Human Race's fortune all the more substantial. Meanwhile, the Red Dust Pearl in Jiang He's hand had absorbed countless insights into the mortal world and information from past lives, and finally undergone a qualitative transformation.
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