The Three Ancestors

Suiren achieved Grand Unity Golden Immortal by drilling wood for fire, obtaining the supreme treasure Suiren's Fire Drill, and was honored as the Human Ancestor!

This was the beginning of Human Race civilization, of extraordinary significance!

The light and warmth brought by fire dispelled the cold and fear of the Great Desolation's nights.

The widespread use of cooked food greatly reduced diseases and strengthened the Human Race's physique, especially improving the survival rate of the old, weak, women, and children.

The Human Race's destiny, due to the appearance of Suiren, ushered in another significant leap!

Meanwhile, Dao Xuan, who pioneered the Martial Dao and guided the Human Race on the path of self-strengthening, had long been revered as the "Martial Ancestor"!

After Suiren, the Human Race's reverence for the Martial Ancestor reached an unprecedented height!

Atop a nameless mountain peak, Dao Xuan, still clad in his elegant blue robes, quietly observed the changes in the Human Race.

The path of the Martial Dao bloomed in a thousand different ways!

Those three thousand Children of Destiny who entered the Dao through martial arts and achieved the Earth Immortal realm did not become complacent under the influence of the "Great Dao" that Dao Xuan lectured on regularly.

What Dao Xuan spoke of was not specific techniques, but the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, the crucial mechanisms of all things.

"Water has no constant form, and an army has no constant formation. The Martial Dao is the same; clinging to form leads to inferiority."

"Observe mountains and comprehend their solidity, observe water and comprehend its fluidity, observe wind and comprehend its swiftness, observe fire and comprehend its explosiveness... all things can be teachers, and all methods can be integrated into oneself!"

"Your foundations are already laid; you must forge your own paths!"

Dao Xuan's words were like a splash of cold water, awakening these three thousand Martial Dao Earth Immortals.

They were no longer content with merely mastering a single martial art from the Martial Codex to its peak.

Instead, they began to experiment!

Experimenting with integrating different martial arts philosophies!

Experimenting with incorporating insights from observing heaven and earth into their Martial Dao!

Experimenting with creating new martial arts that were more suitable for themselves and more in line with the Dao of heaven and earth!

The might of the Dragon Subduing Palm was integrated with the speed of the Wind God's Leg, palm winds and leg shadows intertwined, combining hardness and softness!

The formless sword energy of the Six Meridian Divine Swords was combined with the profound movement techniques of the Lingbo Micro-steps, finger winds like lightning, and their figures like phantoms!

The resilient internal strengthening of the Muscle-Tendon Purifying and Bone-Strengthening Chapter was supplemented by the explosive power accumulation of the Golden Toad Swallowing Moon Power, their Blood Essence like mercury, capable of uprooting mountains!

The three thousand Martial Dao Earth Immortals were like three thousand seeds, guided by Dao Xuan, the "gardener," beginning to grow vigorously in different directions!

They sparred with each other, tested their knowledge, and sparked countless flashes of wisdom!

Martial arts proliferated, endlessly!

The exploration and innovation of the three thousand Martial Dao Earth Immortals were like huge stones thrown into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves in the Human Race's martial arts world!

Countless Human Race martial artists were inspired!

They might not have the realm of Earth Immortals, but they possessed the same passion and spirit of exploration for the Martial Dao.

The three thousand basic martial arts in the Martial Codex became an inexhaustible treasure for them!

Deconstruct! Combine! Borrow! Innovate!

Based on the insight of the Nine Forms to Break Demons, combined with hunting experience, the Bone-Breaking Tendon-Splitting Hand was created, specifically targeting the vital joints of demonic beasts!

From the fluidity of the Beast Taming Staff Technique, combined with the methods of using fishing forks by the sea, the Raging Waves Fork Technique was created!

Observing the rhythm of waves crashing against the shore and the ebb and flow of the tides, these were integrated into fist techniques, creating the Surging Waves Fist!

Mimicking the flick of a poisonous snake's tongue and the swoop of an eagle, the Spirit Snake Sword and Eagle Claw Technique were created!

In an instant!

Within the Human Race settlements, the martial arts atmosphere reached an unprecedented peak!

Various new martial arts, whether powerful, gentle, swift, or solid, emerged like bamboo shoots after a spring rain!

Although most were rudimentary and far less exquisite than those created by the three thousand Earth Immortals, they excelled in their sheer numbers and comprehensiveness, greatly enriching the foundation of the Human Race's Martial Dao. This also made the Human Race's methods for dealing with various environments and demonic beasts more diverse!

The path of the Martial Dao truly presented a scene of prosperity, blooming in a thousand different ways, with myriad streams converging to the same source!

Dao Xuan looked down at all this, feeling deeply gratified.

"This is more like it! The Martial Dao should be vibrant, constantly evolving!"

He even thought with a touch of mischief, "Perhaps the sect founders in later martial arts novels started from this era?"

The light of civilization, passed down from generation to generation!

However, the progress of civilization never stops.

After solving the problems of "food" and "fire," new troubles quietly emerged.

On this day.

A sturdy man with calloused hands arrived at the foot of Dao Xuan Peak, his face etched with worry.

His name was "Chao," a renowned craftsman of the Mountain Ridge Tribe, skilled in handling giant trees and massive stones.

"Martial Ancestor above! Disciple Chao has a perplexing question and implores the Martial Ancestor for guidance!" The man's voice was loud and clear, carrying the simple honesty of a craftsman.

Dao Xuan's gaze fell upon him.

"Speak."

Chao looked up, his eyes filled with worry. "Martial Ancestor! Although our tribe possesses the fire of Suiren, which drives away the cold, illuminates the darkness, and deters wild beasts, most of our people still reside in natural caves and rock shelters!"

"Cave dwellings are cold and damp, breeding snakes and insects. During the rainy season, they become muddy and disease-ridden!"

"What's more, the mountains are unstable, and falling rocks injure people from time to time!"

"I observe birds building nests in trees, finding them safe and comfortable. Reflecting on my tribe's situation, I cannot find peace in my heart! I dare to ask, Martial Ancestor, can our Human Race, like birds, build for ourselves a safe, dry, and sheltered dwelling?"

His question directly addressed the primitive and harsh living conditions of the Human Race.

Upon hearing this, Dao Xuan's gaze drifted into the distance.

Mountains rose and fell, ancient trees towered into the sky.

Birds chirped on branches, and beasts roamed the forests.

He withdrew his gaze, looked at Chao, and spoke calmly, guiding him:

"Observe that giant tree, its roots anchored to the earth, its branches reaching for the heavens; it can serve as a pillar."

"Observe those vines, supple and interwoven; they can be used for binding."

"Observe those rocks, heavy and solid; they can serve as a foundation."

"Birds carrying twigs to build nests is instinct. The Human Race has hands and intelligence; you should emulate Heaven and Earth, take the materials of all things, and create a world!"

"A world?" Chao murmured to himself, the confusion in his eyes fading, replaced by a spark of thought.

"Take giant trees as pillars, use vines as beams, cover with branches and thatch for the roof... stand upon the earth, not relying on mountain caves..."

He seemed to have grasped the key!

"Stand upon the earth! Not rely on mountain caves!"

Chao suddenly slapped his thigh, his eyes bursting with astonishing brilliance!

"Thank you, Martial Ancestor, for your enlightenment!"

He said no more, turning and rushing into the forest near the tribe.

Chao gathered the tribe members who were also skilled with their hands.

They felled straight and resilient giant trees, stripped them of branches, and drove them deep into the compacted ground.

Using supple vines and tough animal sinews, they securely bound the crossbeams to the upright pillars.

Then, they collected large sheets of thick broad leaves and pliable thatch, layering them carefully on top of the crossbeams to form a roof that shielded from wind and rain.

Finally, they used a mixture of clay and crushed stones to fill the gaps in the walls, making them more solid and warmer.

A simple, yet entirely human-built, primitive house standing on the earth, far from damp caves, was born from Chao's hands!

The moment the first house was completed!

RUMBLE!

From the nine heavens above, wind and thunder roared again!

Vast and magnificent Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi, like a heavenly river pouring down, descended once more!

Although its quantity was not as great as when Suiren acquired fire, it was enough to shake the Great Desolation!

Seventy percent of it poured into the trembling body of "Chao"!

BUZZ!

Mysterious Yellow light erupted around Chao's body!

Vast Creation power and Heavenly Dao insights washed over him!

His internal Martial Dao Blood Essence instantly sublimated!

Earth Immortal! Heavenly Immortal! True Immortal! Mystic Immortal! Golden Immortal!

Finally, he firmly stepped into--

Early Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

His aura was vast, his foundation solid!

The remaining thirty percent of merit transformed into golden light and infused into the first house he had personally built!

BUZZ!

The entire house was instantly enveloped by the light of Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi!

The wooden structure became as lustrous as jade, solid and indestructible! The thatch roof flowed with divine light, impervious to wind and rain! The earthen walls were imprinted with Dao patterns, warm in winter and cool in summer!

A heavy aura of stability, protection, and nurturing life permeated the air!

A Post-celestial Merit Spiritual Treasure--Youchao Dwelling!

The last 20% of Merit Qi scattered into the Human Race, nourishing its fortune.

On the mountaintop.

Dao Xuan's sleeve fluttered lightly once more.

The 10% Merit Qi that rightfully belonged to him was silently drawn out.

Condensed into a tangible Mysterious Yellow Qi, it coiled and landed in his palm.

A mysterious, non-gold, non-jade bottle appeared. Its mouth opened slightly, gently drawing in the strand of Merit Qi.

With a flash of light, the bottle vanished into his sleeve.

Dao Xuan felt the increase in Merit Qi within the bottle, a slight smile gracing his lips.

"Quite efficient."

Below, the Human Race had already erupted!

"Chao! It's Chao!"

"He created houses! We don't have to live in caves anymore!"

"Greetings, Human Ancestor Youchao!"

"Greetings, Human Ancestor!"

Cheers echoed through the heavens!

Chao, no, at this moment, he was already the second progenitor of the Human Race—Youchao Shi!

He felt the vast power within him, caressed the "Youchao Dwelling" where Merit Qi flowed, and then looked up at the mountaintop, bowing deeply!

"Disciple Youchao! I thank the Martial Ancestor for your enlightenment! This house shall be a place for the Human Race to dwell in peace! A place of shelter! A place of inheritance!"

The Human Race bid farewell to the era of cave-dwelling and began building their own homes on the ground!

Another hundred years passed.

A woman with a delicate face and bright, intelligent eyes, carrying a hint of shyness and confusion, arrived at the foot of Dao Xuan Peak.

Her name was "Zhi," a skilled woman from the Azure Waves Tribe, adept at weaving fishing nets and processing animal hides.

"Martial Ancestor above! Disciple Zhi has a confusion in her heart and hopes the Martial Ancestor will show mercy and guide me!" the woman's voice was clear and tinged with apprehension.

Dao Xuan's gaze was gentle.

"Speak."

Zhi looked up, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Martial Ancestor! Our tribe now has fire for warmth and houses for shelter; our lives are gradually improving. However... the coverings for our bodies still largely rely on natural animal hides. Without tanning, they are foul-smelling and stiff, and their sizes vary, making it difficult to cover ourselves completely."

"Moreover, some tribesmen only use leaves and vines for minimal covering, which hinders their movement and offers little protection from the cold and heat."

"I observe spiders weaving webs, intricate and delicate; I observe silkworms spinning silk, supple and long; I observe animal hides, which can be softened through processing... I wonder if it's possible to create more fitting, comfortable, and body-covering clothing for our tribesmen?"

Her question concerned the dignity and honor of Human Race civilization.

Dao Xuan heard her words and his gaze swept over those below.

Some wore rough animal hides, their movements often hindered; others were covered only by leaves, appearing quite primitive.

He looked at Zhi, his voice carrying enlightenment:

"Observe the mulberry and hemp; their stalks and bark are supple, and can be stripped and twisted into threads."

"Observe the silkworm cocoons; their silk is long and smooth, and can be drawn into threads to weave cloth."

"Observe the animal hides; after being baked by fire and rubbed, they can be deodorized and softened."

"Spiderwebs, though clever, cannot shield from wind and rain. You should emulate their principle of warp and weft interlacing, take natural materials, interlace warp and weft, and weave a small world to cover yourselves!"

"Warp and weft interlacing... weaving a small world... covering ourselves..." Zhi murmured, her eyes clearing of confusion, her inspiration growing stronger!

"Take hemp to twist into threads, draw silk to weave cloth, process hides to soften them... and weave them into clothing!"

She suddenly understood!

"Thank you, Martial Ancestor, for your enlightenment!"

Zhi excitedly ran back to the tribe.

She collected tough hemp plants, stripped their bark, and carefully twisted it into hemp threads.

She found a type of spiritual silkworm (a Great Desolation variant) that spun pure white, supple silk threads. She carefully collected the cocoons, drew out the silk, and organized it.

She took the hides of hunted animals, carefully baked them with Suiren's fire, then soaked them in a special herbal juice, and rubbed them repeatedly until they became soft and comfortable.

Then, using branches as shuttles, hemp threads and silk threads as the warp, and strips of softened animal hide as the weft, she began to experiment with weaving, imitating the warp and weft structure of spiderwebs!

The first rudimentary yet profoundly significant piece of clothing, cleverly woven from hemp threads, silk threads, and softened animal hides, capable of adequately covering the body and offering relative comfort, was born from "Zhi's" hands!

The moment this simple yet extraordinary garment was completed!

Rumble!

Above the nine heavens, auspicious clouds gathered, and auspicious colors bloomed in a thousand streams!

Slightly weaker than the previous two times, yet still vast and boundless, Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi descended upon the shores of the East Sea for the third time!

Seven-tenths of the Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi was poured into "Zhi," who was moved to tears!

Buzz!

Mysterious Yellow light enveloped her!

Zhi's aura climbed steadily!

Earth Immortal! Heavenly Immortal! True Immortal! Golden Immortal! Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

Finally, she also stepped into--

Early stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

Her aura was gentle, imbued with the spirituality of creation!

The remaining three-tenths of the Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi, one-tenth turned into golden light and was infused into the first piece of clothing she personally wove!

Buzz!

The originally simple garment was instantly enveloped by the Mysterious Yellow light!

The hemp threads became as tough as gold wire, the silk threads flowed with a luster like moonlight, the beast hide became as soft as cloud brocade, and the whole piece exuded a mysterious aura of comfort, dignity, and the concealment of Heavenly Opportunity!

A Post-celestial Merit Spiritual Treasure--the Zhisheng Garment!

The last tenth of the Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi nourished the Human Race.

On the mountaintop.

Dao Xuan's movements were practiced, his sleeves gently brushed.

The one-tenth of the Mysterious Yellow Merit Qi belonging to him was precisely separated once more.

The condensed Mysterious Yellow Qi swirled and fell into his palm.

A mysterious small bottle appeared, its mouth slightly open, and it sucked the Qi in.

The light vanished.

Dao Xuan felt the three wisps of pure Merit Qi in his sleeve, his mood joyful.

"Three consecutive merits, all set."

Below, the Human Race erupted in cheers!

"Zhi! It's Zhi!"

"She made clothes! Clothes that are beautiful and comfortable!"

"Greetings, Human Ancestor Zhisheng!"

"Greetings, Human Ancestor!"

Zhi was honored as Zhisheng Clan! The third Human Ancestor of the Human Race!

She held the "Zhisheng Garment" flowing with merit, felt the vast power within her body, looked up at the figure on the mountaintop, bowed gracefully, her voice choked with emotion:

"Disciple Zhisheng! Thanks Ancestor Master for your enlightenment! This garment shall be the beginning of dignity for the Human Race! The beginning of protection from the cold! The adornment of civilization!"

The Human Race bid farewell to the era of being unclothed, and began to have garments for modesty, warmth, and the embodiment of civilization!

Ancestor Master Dao Xuan!

Suiren Clan! Youchao Clan! Zhisheng Clan!

These four Human Ancestor-level existences, like four pillars supporting the sky, bolstered the foundation of the Human Race's survival on the Great Desolation!

Martial Dao self-strengthening! The civilization of the fire seed! Places of dwelling! Garments of dignity!

The Human Race's destiny, with the successive birth of these three Human Ancestors, was like oil added to a raging fire, brocade adorned with flowers, reaching an unprecedented peak of prosperity!

The tribes became more prosperous, the population surged, the Martial Dao flourished, and the light of civilization shone brightly!

Dao Xuan stood on the mountaintop, his green robe unchanged, but his aura grew deeper and more profound.

He looked down at the thriving Human Race land below.

He watched Suiren, holding the Suiren's Fire Drill, ignite the inextinguishable fire of civilization for the Human Race.

He watched Youchao directing his tribesmen to build rows of well-arranged primitive dwellings.

He watched Zhisheng's clan teaching the women to weave garments, though simple, filled with hope.

Then he looked at the three thousand Martial Dao Earth Immortals, each leading their tribal warriors, practicing a hundred blooming, ever-evolving Martial Dao supreme skills.

The smile on his face was calm and content.

"We have fire, we have houses, we have clothes, and our fists are hard..."

The equipment for this newbie village is complete.

"Next..."

Dao Xuan's gaze seemed to pierce through the serenity of the East Sea coast, looking towards the core land of the Witch and Demon Races deep within the Great Desolation, where their Fiend Qi raged.

A deep gleam flashed in his eyes.

"It's time for the Human Race to make an appearance on the stage of the Witches and Demons."

The peaceful years on the East Sea coast were like the calm before a storm.

The foundation of Human civilization had been laid, and greater storms were brewing in the distance!