That Hot Pot Base Was Coming Home with Us!

This was his origin.

It was also the purest emotion gathered in all the Primordial World.

"Fellow Daoist, creating life is no small matter."

"A body of mud alone won't be enough. It'll need a finishing touch."

Taiyuan balanced that Light of Origin on his fingertip. Though his face was pale, his smile remained gentle.

"From what I can see, what your Dao lacks is a 'wish.'"

"This is a wisp of my heart's original light. It contains Father God's hopes for all living things when he opened the heavens, as well as my own understanding of the emotions shared by all things."

"If the day comes when you truly create life, you might try blending this into it."

"Consider it a gift for the race that has yet to be born."

Nuwa looked at the glowing orb and instinctively felt a stirring deep within her soul.

The aura it contained was exactly the "vitality" and "hope" she had sought so desperately, yet could never find.

She stared at Taiyuan's pale face in shock.

He had divided his origin!

That was a matter concerning the very foundation of one's cultivation. Daoist Taiyuan had actually gone this far to help her fulfill her Dao?

"Fellow Daoist... this is far too precious!"

Nuwa's voice was a little hoarse, and her eyes reddened.

In this treacherous Primordial World, there was actually someone so sincere?

"Take it."

Taiyuan gave a gentle push, and the glowing orb floated slowly toward Nuwa. "The Dao lies ahead, and someone has to walk the path. I have faith in you, Fellow Daoist. You're sure to create the most remarkable beings in the world."

Without hesitation, Nuwa solemnly accepted the wisp of origin with both hands and carefully merged it into her sea of consciousness.

"I, Nuwa, will always remember your great kindness, Daoist Taiyuan."

Nuwa made her promise with solemn resolve. "If I succeed, I will never forget this Karma."

"Even if I attain the Dao someday, you will surely receive a share of the merit."

Clever woman.

Taiyuan hadn't needed to say a word. Nuwa had already offered the promise herself.

That was the sort of social intelligence a great power ought to have.

Taiyuan nodded in satisfaction and adjusted his breathing. A little color returned to his face. "Of course, of course."

"Our meeting was fate. I'm also eager to see what changes the new race born from your hands will bring to the Primordial World."

Nuwa thanked him again, then left without lingering, carrying with her those weighty insights and the wisp of Wish Light.

Watching her figure gradually disappear into the Chaos, Taiyuan's smile faded, replaced by a gleam in his eyes.

"The Human Race..."

Taiyuan murmured softly.

As long as Nuwa used that wisp of his origin, then when the Human Race was born, they wouldn't just be Nuwa's children. They would also share a blood connection with him, Taiyuan.

The Human Race would be his descendants, too.

From the very beginning, a portion of the Human Race's destiny had already been diverted to the Western Lands.

"Ding!"

The system's voice rang out at just the right moment in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host. You successfully checked in at the famous scene "Nuwa Comprehends the Dao" and established a deep Karma.]

[The Host's offering of his origin has greatly influenced the future course of the Human Race. A special reward has been triggered.]

[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Crude Embryo of Human Dao Supreme Treasure—Kindling Seed (Inactive).]

Taiyuan froze, then burst with joy.

The kindling!

It was the symbol of the Human Race's unbroken legacy, the embodiment of Human Dao Destiny.

He had traded a little of his origin for this. What a steal! He could restore his origin with a little cultivation, but there was only one kindling!

With this, in the Human Race's domain, aside from Nuwa and Grand Supreme Elder, no one's word would carry more weight than Taiyuan's!

As Taiyuan basked in his joy, faint footsteps sounded behind him.

"Second Brother, what exactly are you up to?"

Jieyin's long face didn't look quite so glum now, but his eyes were full of worry. "What Nuwa took just now was your origin! You..."

He was genuinely anxious.

His elder brother already had an excellent innate nature. What if giving away his origin for no reason damaged his foundation?

"Big Brother, don't worry."

Taiyuan cut Jieyin off and turned to look at his two utterly bewildered elder brothers.

Zhunti still had a handful of sunflower seeds he hadn't finished cracking. He'd clearly been eavesdropping the whole time, and now he looked just as confused.

"If the Western Lands are to prosper, we can't just rely on poaching and picking up scraps."

Taiyuan pointed toward where Nuwa had left, then toward where Di Jun and Tai Yi had gone, and finally at his own beating heart.

"We have to learn to invest."

"What we give away today is a sesame seed. What we get back tomorrow will be a watermelon."

"And not just any watermelon—a watermelon inlaid with gold and jade."

"This little bit of origin will recover after a few hundred years in seclusion. But even a Saint couldn't repay this Karma."

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, then nodded as though they understood.

They weren't quite sure what "investing" meant, but seeing their second brother's confidence, they instinctively felt that everything would work out.

"Enough. Don't overthink it."

Taiyuan stretched and gazed at the roiling Chaos Airflow outside Purplecloud Palace.

The first sermon was over, but this was only the beginning.

"Come on. Let's head back to the Western Lands."

"We should get our home in order. Things are going to get lively in the Primordial World soon."

"Oh, and remember to pack up that hot pot base. Don't waste it—we can cook another pot back home."

Jieyin: "..."

Zhunti: "Big Brother is wise! I've been craving that broth for ages!"