The Red Dust Realm
In misty, rainy Jiangnan, a painted boat glided over the waves. Jiang He stood at its prow, turning a warm, crimson-red pearl between his fingers. It was none other than the Human Race's supreme treasure, the Red Dust Pearl. Spiritual light flowed across its surface, reflecting the dazzling Merit glow in the Primordial World. News of Feng Luo's breakthrough to Quasi-Sage flooded into his mind like a tide.
"The Literary Way has just emerged, and the Human Race has gained another Quasi-Sage..." A smile tugged at Jiang He's lips, and a look of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. He turned toward the cabin. Feng Li Yue was holding Jiang Hanyue's little hand as she helped her copy a landscape painting of the Red Dust Realm. Mother and daughter laughed together, their warmth filling the cabin.
"Yue'er, Hanyue," Jiang He said gently as he entered the cabin. "There's an important matter in the Primordial World that I need to take care of. You two can stay and enjoy the Red Dust Realm for a while longer. Once everything's settled, I'll come back for you."
Feng Li Yue put down her brush and looked up at him, understanding in her eyes. "It's something to do with Mr. Feng Luo, isn't it? Go without worry. I'll take good care of Hanyue." Jiang Hanyue looked up too and said in her clear little voice, "Hurry back, Father! I'm going to paint the beautiful scenery of the Red Dust Realm and bring it back to show you!"
Jiang He rubbed his daughter's head and nodded with a smile. A flash of red light enveloped him, and he transformed into a streak of light that shot out of the Red Dust Realm, pierced the barrier between the two realms, and raced toward the Human Race's center in the Primordial World.
On the banks of the Luo River in the Primordial World, the Human Race Council Hall stood tall, its roof covered in Ten-Thousand-Year Glazed Tiles that gleamed in the sunlight. Jiang He appeared out of nowhere in the plaza outside the hall. The aura of the mortal world had barely faded from around him when a golden light tore through the sky from the direction of the East Sea and landed before him in the blink of an eye. It was Liu Bai, carrying a Sage Edict.
"Liu Bai greets Clan Leader Jiang He." Liu Bai stepped forward and bowed, presenting the golden edict with both hands. "This is the Alliance Edict personally bestowed by my master, Saint Tongtian. He said that the Interception Sect is willing to form an alliance with the Human Race to protect the peace of the Primordial World together, rather than limiting our cooperation to Tianyuan City alone."
Jiang He raised his hand and accepted the edict. The instant his fingers touched the runes, he sensed the Sage's authority and Tongtian's intentions within it. He couldn't help but laugh aloud. "Saint Tongtian is as straightforward as ever. He wants to borrow the Human Race's fortune to strengthen the foundations of the Interception Sect, yet insists on dressing it up as 'protecting the peace together.'" He unfolded the edict and scanned its profound runes, understanding its intent.
The Three Pure Ones were now on good terms as brothers, with none of the grudges they had held in his previous life. But the Heavenly Dao was unpredictable, and no one could know whether circumstances might change in the future. The Interception Sect had many disciples, most of whom had attained the Dao as nonhuman beings, leaving its fortune mixed and unstable. Though Liu Bai was reforming the sect, its principles meant that it could not remain in its current state forever.
Tongtian's move both secured a fallback for the Interception Sect and gave the Human Race a helping hand. It was a win-win for both sides.
"I accept the alliance." Jiang He put away the edict, his tone steady. "The Interception Sect may establish a Preaching Point and a Marketplace in Tianyuan City. Disciples of the Interception Sect are welcome to visit and cultivate throughout Human Race territory as well. As long as we uphold the principle of mutual support, the Human Race and the Interception Sect will be the staunchest of allies."
Liu Bai was overjoyed. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Clan Leader, for making this possible. I'll return to Tianyuan City and see to the arrangements at once." With that, he transformed into a streak of golden light and left.
Jiang He turned and entered the Council Hall. Taking his seat on the Human Race Clan Leader's throne at its center, he gave a solemn order: "Summon Libationer Feng Luo to see me."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a figure in a green robe appeared outside the hall. It was Feng Luo, who had just finished stabilizing his cultivation. Literary Qi swirled around him, and the Merit that had nourished him lent his features a gentle air. He entered the hall and bowed. "Feng Luo pays his respects to Clan Leader."
"Why are you still being so formal with me? Tell me, how is your Literary Way coming along?" Jiang He smiled and gestured for him to rise, then fixed his gaze on him. "I've learned the general principles of your Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art through the Red Dust Pearl. I summoned you here today to ask what you plan to do next."
Feng Luo replied solemnly, "In answer to Clan Leader, the Literary Way is founded on the 'heart of literature' and guided by 'Talent Qi.' It makes no distinction between those with high or low aptitude. Anyone who holds righteous convictions, reads widely, and can discern right from wrong can draw in Literary Qi to cultivate. It doesn't require tempering the body like the Martial Way, nor does it require comprehending the spiritual energy of heaven and earth like the Immortal Path. It is best suited to the Human Race's scholars and literati, the Hundred Schools of Thought, and even ordinary people."
He raised a hand and sent out a wisp of Literary Qi from his fingertip. It transformed into the words "Enlightenment," which floated in the hall. "The Literary Way can enlighten the people and unite their hearts. It can nourish the Dao heart and strengthen the soul. It can even evolve laws, allowing one to attain eternal life through Righteous Qi. I created the Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art because I want the Human Race to have more than the Martial Way—a path to strengthen the body and defend against enemies. I want us to have the Literary Way as well: a path to understanding reason and passing civilization down through the generations."
"Excellent!" Jiang He applauded. "The Martial Way strengthens the Human Race's body, while the Literary Way fortifies its soul. Only by advancing both together can the Human Race truly stand invincible." He rose to his feet and looked out of the hall. His voice, carried by the Red Dust Pearl, rang across the entire Human Race's territory. "Issue the order: starting today, the Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art is to be taught throughout the Human Race's lands. Every Human Race Academy and academy must offer courses in the Literary Way alongside the Martial Way. Let the children of the Human Race choose what they love and what they excel at, and let every one of them have the chance to attain the Dao!"
The moment the edict was issued, the Human Race in the Primordial World erupted in excitement. Jixia Academy, on the banks of the Luo River, was the first to respond. Countless students crowded into the academy, scrambling to get copies of the Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art. Martial Way sects across the land began offering lectures on the Literary Way, allowing their disciples to cultivate both literature and martial arts. Even in ordinary villages, learned scholars took it upon themselves to teach the basics of the Literary Way. Before long, the sounds of literary recitation mingled with the shouts of martial training throughout Human Race territory, and its fortune grew ever more prosperous.
The tide of change also kindled the ambition of those who carried on the Human Race's Hundred Arts.
Mo Chen, the foremost master artisan of Luo Shui City, had devoted his entire life to forging. He had crafted countless spiritual treasures, yet his cultivation had remained at the Golden Immortal Realm due to his limited aptitude. When he heard that Feng Luo had attained Quasi-Sage through the Literary Way, a fervent light flashed in his eyes. He immediately shut himself away in his forge, vowing to discover a path of cultivation through the Artificer Way.
Hua Tuo, a master physician in the southern lands, had practiced medicine and saved countless members of the Human Race for ten thousand years, yet he had never managed to break through the bottleneck to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm. Now, gazing at the Literary Qi that filled the sky, he suddenly saw the answer. "If the Literary Way can lead to the Dao, why can't the Medical Way? Healing the sick and nurturing life are also the foundation of the Great Dao!" He immediately dismissed his disciples and went into seclusion to study the true essence of the Medical Way.
Ancestor of Agriculture Hou Ji, Music Master Ling Lun, and the geniuses of every field, from Array Formation and Talismans to Alchemy, were all inspired by Feng Luo's example. They closed their doors to visitors and immersed themselves in their respective fields, seeking to open a path of cultivation from the arts they had studied all their lives.
In the Council Hall, Jiang He read the reports arriving from all over the Human Race's lands, his eyes full of satisfaction. He could feel the Human Race's fortune piling up like a snowball, while countless hidden opportunities began to emerge. The birth of the Literary Way was not merely a new path of cultivation; it had also awakened limitless possibilities for the Human Race to explore the Great Dao.
"The Great Dao of the Primordial World has never been limited to the Immortal Path, the Martial Way, and the Literary Way," Jiang He murmured. "The day all the Hundred Arts can lead to the Dao will be the day the Human Race truly reaches its height."
"Clan Leader, you're absolutely right! When I think back to those days, when you led us through countless hardships from the age of raw meat and blood, I can only say that the Human Race owes you an immeasurable debt for bringing us this far." Feng Luo, too, had been drawn back to the days when he followed Jiang He on hunts.
"However, Clan Leader, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Would you mind clearing up my doubts?"
Jiang He was curious about what Feng Luo had in mind. "Oh? What is it? Just ask. Why are you being so formal with me?"
"Clan Leader! The Human Race's fortune is thriving. I've always thought it was more than enough to put us above all others in the Primordial World, with only the Witch and Demon races ahead of us, and even then, by a narrow margin. So why have you seemed to hold our fortune back all this time, refusing to proclaim yourself Human Emperor and further strengthen it?" After becoming a Quasi-Sage, Feng Luo could clearly sense just how vast the Human Race's fortune was. It was no exaggeration to say that if Jiang He weren't suppressing it, the Human Race's fortune would have already surpassed the Demon Race's!
"Feng Luo, sometimes being too conspicuous isn't a good thing, especially now, with Calamity Qi rising throughout the Primordial World. Proclaiming myself Emperor would certainly unite the Human Race's fortune, but remember: the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be struck by the wind. This is no time to draw attention to ourselves.
"You need to understand what an Emperor is. An Emperor holds power. To walk the Imperial Way means facing the Demon Race head-on. There can only be one emperor in an era, and this era belongs to Di Jun of the Demon Race. The Human Race only needs to maintain a steady transition. The ones who remain until the end are the winners!" Facing the hall's entrance, Jiang He slowly gave Feng Luo the answer he had kept in his heart. Yet perhaps he was saying it as much to himself as to Feng Luo. After all, everyone wanted to stand at the very top, and Jiang He, too, needed to rein in his ambition.
After all, there was still the Heavenly Dao watching from the shadows!
At that very moment, on the shores of the East Sea, Liu Bai had informed Liu Suifeng and Ao Ling of the alliance. Construction had quickly begun on the Marketplace and the Interception Sect's Preaching Point in Tianyuan City. On Jin'ao Island, Sect Master Tongtian gazed at the Human Race's increasingly abundant fortune and stroked his beard with a smile. The alliance between the Interception Sect and the Human Race seemed to be going even more smoothly than he had expected.
Across the Primordial World, a new wave of change was quietly sweeping through the land, following the spread of the Literary Way and the awakening of the Hundred Arts.
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