Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens

At Shouyang Mountain, in the human race's plaza, spirit herbs and fruits were piled as high as mountains across the ground. The people, nourished by spiritual energy, all looked rosy-cheeked.

The three Human Ancestors, Suiren Shi, Youchao Shi, and Ziyi Shi, trembled with excitement.

Overcome with gratitude toward Zhao Gongming and the others, they bowed deeply.

"Esteemed Immortals, the human race will never forget your great kindness!"

"If you hadn't stepped in, who knows how many more eras the human race would have struggled just to keep body and soul together!"

Zhao Gongming hurriedly helped them up and modestly waved his hand, keeping a low profile despite his great contribution.

"Come now, you three are too kind."

"If you want to thank someone, thank the Dutch."

"What a beguiling accent! What incredible wisdom!"

The three Human Ancestors stared at him in confusion.

"Who is this He Nan? Is that the Daoist title of some Great Expert from the Primordial Era? We must build a shrine to honor him someday!"

After the pleasantries, Zhao Gongming's expression turned serious. He took on the air of a project manager.

He began assigning tasks to the team of all-around troublemakers.

"Ahem, brothers, since we're here, we ought to get some real work done."

"For the rise of the human race and the peace of the Primordial Era, I'm assigning everyone their roles!"

Zhao Gongming pointed at Xuandu, who was still covering his face.

"Senior Brother Xuandu, you'll keep handling logistics."

"Use your treasures to enhance every resource the human race can find!"

"Make sure everyone has techniques to practice and medicine to take!"

Xuandu nodded through his tears.

"Right on! Energetic Magic!"

Zhao Gongming pointed at Cihang next.

"Senior Brother Cihang, you're in charge of combat training."

"The Witch-Demon Tribulation is underway, and the human race is weak."

"Whenever you have a spare moment, wave your Magic Fairy Stick and summon a few projections of Great Experts."

"Have those female versions of Di Jiang, Tai Yi, and the rest..."

"Demonstrate some high-level combat tactics for the human race and broaden their horizons!"

Cihang bit his lip. It was embarrassing, but he could only accept.

"All right... for the human race."

Zhao Gongming turned to Medicine Master.

"Junior Brother Medicine Master, you're the medic."

"Keep an eye on any members of the human race who've taken in Tribulation Qi because they trained too hard or were affected by outside forces."

"If you see the warning signs, don't hesitate—get in there and play the rattle drum!"

"Better to turn them into idiots than let them fall into demonic corruption!"

Medicine Master thumped his chest.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I've got a huge repertoire of nursery rhymes!"

Finally, Zhao Gongming turned to Lu Ya.

"Junior Brother Lu Ya, you're the head instructor."

"Put on your crown and patrol the tribes."

"If you spot a talented youngster, issue an Absolute Command right away!"

"There's only one command: train hard—train until you drop. No breakthroughs, no food!"

Lu Ya touched the cat ears on his head.

"Roger that, meow!"

With the assignments clear, everyone had their own duties.

Just as they were about to throw themselves into the work,

off to the side, Yellow Dragon True Person—who hadn't been given a task—stared at Zhao Gongming with pleading eyes.

His gaze was full of longing and anticipation, along with a trace of hurt at being forgotten.

"Junior... Junior Brother?"

Yellow Dragon rubbed his hands together and asked tentatively.

"What about me? I want to do my part for the human race, too!"

"Look, everyone's showing off the treasures you made. I want one too..."

Zhao Gongming looked at Yellow Dragon, a treasureless, penniless True Person, and fell silent for a moment.

Then he walked over, patted Yellow Dragon on the shoulder, and spoke gravely.

"Senior Brother Huang Long, your task is the most demanding."

"Look at the human race's ancestral land—it's exposed to wind and sun."

"You can transform into a true dragon and fly up into the sky to... bring the human race some clouds and rain, and help regulate the climate."

"Keeping the weather favorable for the human race is a great merit, too!"

Yellow Dragon: "..."

The light in Yellow Dragon's eyes went out in an instant.

So everyone else got to be magical girls, nursery-rhyme kings, and cat-eared instructors,

while he got to be... a living sprinkler?

"Junior Brother... I want one of those ridiculous treasures, too!"

Yellow Dragon wailed inwardly, so envious he felt like his insides were splitting apart.

Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, at the Eight Sceneries Palace,

the Three Pure Ones sat gathered around a water mirror, watching the human race's development project unfold below.

When they saw Yellow Dragon looking so wronged, only to end up transforming into his true form and spraying water from the sky,

Laozi set down his teacup and turned to Yuanshi Tianzun. His expression stern, he launched into a lecture.

"Second Brother."

"Look at what you've done to Huang Long!"

"Cihang, Medicine Master, and Lu Ya—all of them traded top-grade materials for their treasures, didn't they?"

"But Huang Long has empty hands. He can't even produce a decent heavenly treasure, so all he can do is work as a sprinkler."

"Do you still look down on those born of the wet and hatched from eggs? Are you still prejudiced against him?"

"If word gets out, people will think the Three Pure Ones mistreat their disciples!"

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at the Taiji Diagram slowly appearing above Laozi's head. The terrifying Yin-Yang energy made his eyelids twitch.

"Elder Brother, I'm innocent!"

Yuanshi Tianzun hurriedly explained, sweat breaking out across his forehead.

"I didn't—I really didn't!"

"I just overlooked him for a moment... Right, I overlooked him!"

"Don't worry, Elder Brother. As soon as Huang Long returns, I'll give him special attention. I absolutely will!"

"I adore those born of the wet and hatched from eggs. From now on, Huang Long will be my most treasured disciple!"

Watching his usually proud Second Brother get scolded by their elder brother like a naughty child,

Sect Master Tongtian couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Pfft..."

He covered his mouth, shoulders shaking as he let out a booming snicker.

Yuanshi Tianzun whipped around. The face that had been meek and obedient in front of Laozi instantly turned murderous.

"Tongtian!!!"

"What are you laughing at?!"

"Our elder brother is lecturing his second brother—that's only right and proper! What gives you, the younger brother, the right to laugh?!"

The Pangu Banner appeared in an instant, and a blast of chaotic sword energy shot straight at Tongtian's face.

"Holy crap, Second Brother, are you serious?!"

Tongtian yelped and bolted, clutching his head.

"Stop right there! If I don't teach you a proper lesson on our elder brother's behalf today, I'm not Yuanshi!"

And so a spirited chase, full of brotherly affection, broke out inside the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Laozi watched them, not only making no attempt to stop them but smiling as he leisurely took a sip of tea.

"It's nice to be young."

Deep in the chaos, at Wa Huang Palace,

Nuwa remained in her homebody state, keeping an eye on the human race's development.

But one look left her utterly dumbfounded, as if a whole new world had opened before her.

The scene in the water mirror was bizarre and downright surreal.

Grand Master Xuandu wore orange gloves and was frantically acting cute at a pile of rocks.

"Energetic Magic (,,＞᎑＜,,)! Make it taste even better~★! Right on?!"

The rocks then turned into spirit stones.

Elsewhere, Daoist Cihang wore a pink dress and waved his Magic Fairy Stick, summoning a female version of Di Jiang dressed in a sports bra.

Senior Di Jiang shouted at a group of human cultivators.

"Run! Whoever's slowest has to wear a little skirt!"

The human cultivators were so terrified that they trained for their lives.

In a corner, Pharmacist Daoist spotted a member of the human race showing signs of cultivation deviation.

Without a word, he rushed over, shook his rattle drum, and sang.

"Big-Head Son, Little-Head Dad..."

The human instantly became a drooling idiot, but at least the cultivation deviation was gone.

The most outrageous of all was Lu Ya.

The Demon Court Crown Prince, with cat ears on his head, walked up to a talented young man and ordered him with a stern expression.

"Go train, meow! No sleeping until you've trained for twelve full hours, meow!"

The young man looked as if he'd been brainwashed. His eyes turned red.

He shouted, "As you command, meow!" and started slamming himself against a tree to train his body.

"..."

The spirit fruit fell from Nuwa's hand. Her rosy lips parted slightly and stayed that way for a long time.

She rubbed the space between her brows, feeling as though her Sage's Dao Heart had just taken a hundred thousand points of damage.

"This..."

"My three senior brothers usually seem so dignified and proper."

"What kind of unorthodox path are their disciples even practicing?!"

"Is this still the Primordial Era? It's more like... a riot of demons!"

"Still..."

Looking at the lively scene of everyone training, Nuwa had to admit:

"The results... actually seem pretty good?"

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