At the back of Mount Sumeru, beside the Chaos Merit Pool that had been renovated into something extravagantly luxurious, the atmosphere was solemn and tense.
Taiyuan stood by the pool with his hands behind his back. The Human Creation Whip, now renewed and crystal-clear, its entire length wrapped in Dao Runes, swam joyfully through the water like a roaming dragon.
At the bottom of the pool, the Essence of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil he had excavated from Buzhou Mountain radiated a warm, rich Yellow Divine Light, shining in harmony with the Three Lights Divine Water around it.
Nuwa stood beside Taiyuan, her beautiful eyes fixed on the two treasures in the pool. Her breathing had grown rapid.
She could clearly feel the Primordial Violet Qi within her, which had always lain dormant, suddenly stirring violently. It was as though it had encountered a long-lost relative and was frantically urging her to touch the two objects.
The Sainthood Opportunity!
Right before her eyes!
"Daoist Taiyuan..."
Nuwa's voice was somewhat hoarse, and even carried a faint, barely perceptible tremble. "Could these two things be..."
"Precisely."
Taiyuan turned around, his expression grave, without a trace of humor. He beckoned, and the Human Creation Whip flew into his hand. At the same time, a lump of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil wrapped in Three Lights Divine Water floated into the air.
"You once said that you wished to create a new kind of life, but lacked both a soul and a foundation."
"Now, everything is in place. All that's missing is the final push."
Taiyuan pointed at the lump of soil, his tone carrying the wisdom of one who had seen through the secrets of Heaven:
"This soil was formed from the essence of Father God's spine. As flesh, it can bear the creations of Heaven and Earth."
He then pointed to the starlit divine water in the pool:
"This water contains the essence of the sun, moon, and stars. As blood, it can grant intelligence and awareness."
Finally, he raised the Vines in his hand:
"This Vines is called the Human Creation Whip. As bone—or as a tool—you can use it to scatter droplets of mud and mass-produce living beings, allowing them to multiply without end."
"With all three combined, along with your Creation Dao and the Wish Essence I gave you earlier..."
"Great things can be accomplished!"
Boom!
Those words rang out like a massive bell, completely shattering the last haze in Nuwa's mind.
She seemed to see an entirely new race being born from her hands. Though the race would be weak, it would possess boundless potential, as well as a creativity and resilience that other races lacked.
This was more than mere creation. They were... the protagonists who would shape the world!
"So that's how it is... So that's how it is!"
Nuwa murmured to herself. Divine light blazed in her eyes, and her aura began to climb steadily, a trace of Saintly Might faintly spreading around her.
She stared at the two treasures in Taiyuan's hands, her gaze burning with desire. She could hardly wait to take them.
But she held herself back.
She knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Taiyuan had gone to such lengths to obtain these things, even risking the wrath of the Ancestor Witches. He couldn't have done it just to play the good Samaritan.
"Daoist Taiyuan."
Nuwa took a deep breath, forcing down her excitement as she spoke solemnly. "I will remember your great kindness. But treasures of this caliber are far too valuable. If you have a request, please speak plainly."
"As long as it doesn't go against righteousness, I will agree to anything."
A clever woman.
Taiyuan praised her inwardly and stopped beating around the bush.
His smile faded, and his expression grew extremely solemn, even carrying an unquestionable authority.
"What I want is simple."
"I can give you these two treasures for nothing, to help you attain sainthood."
"But I have one condition."
Taiyuan held up one finger and looked straight into Nuwa's eyes.
"When that new race is born, they must honor me as their 'Saint Master.'"
"My Western Sect must receive thirty percent of their fortune and the merit of teaching them, forevermore!"
Saint Master!
Thirty percent of their fortune!
Nuwa furrowed her brow slightly.
It was no small demand.
Fortune was an abstruse thing, yet it determined whether a Saint's lineage could endure.
If that race truly became the protagonists of Heaven and Earth, thirty percent of its fortune would be unimaginably vast.
Taiyuan was taking a share of the fruits of her sainthood!
But then she thought it over.
Without the things Taiyuan had provided, without his earlier guidance and that strand of Wish Essence, even with the Primordial Violet Qi, she might have remained stuck at the threshold of sainthood for countless eras.
She might even have gone astray.
Besides, Taiyuan himself had contributed a portion of his essence. In a sense, he was also "half a father" to the new race. Asking for the title of Saint Master seemed... reasonable enough?
In fact, she even felt that Taiyuan was getting the short end of the deal.
After all, the treasures were real, while the so-called "Saint Master" title and "fortune" were still nothing but vague promises.
What if that race failed to thrive? Wouldn't Taiyuan have lost both his treasures and his investment?
"Daoist... Is that all you want?"
Nuwa asked uncertainly. "You don't want a spiritual treasure? Or any other resources?"
"That's all."
Taiyuan answered firmly, confidence shining in his eyes. "I believe the race you create will astonish the Primordial World. This deal is no loss for me."
"Good!"
Nuwa no longer hesitated. She raised her right hand, and the laws of the Great Dao flowed across her palm.
"I, Nuwa, swear by the Great Dao!"
"If I create life and attain sainthood, I will honor Daoist Taiyuan as my Saint Master, and the Western Sect will receive thirty percent of their fortune. Let Heaven and Earth bear witness!"
Taiyuan raised his hand as well and struck his palm firmly against Nuwa's.
Smack!
The sharp sound of their palms meeting rang through Mount Sumeru.
Rumble!
The Heavenly Dao seemed to sense something from the highest heavens and sent down a thick golden thread of Karma, binding their fates tightly together.
The contract was sealed!
[ Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully laid plans for the future and secured the position of Saint Master of the Human Race! ]
[ It has been detected that this move will drastically change the future course of the Human Race and may even affect the direction of the calamities. ]
[ Reward issued: Human Dao Supreme Treasure—Kongtong Seal (Fragmentary Seal). ]
[ Note: This seal is a treasure that suppresses the fortune of the Human Race. It is currently inactive. Once the Human Race is born and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors take their proper places, it will evolve into a complete treasure. At that time, the host will be able to decide who rules the Human Race and who is cast down—and even... challenge the Saints! ]
Taiyuan was overjoyed.
The Kongtong Seal!
This was the "proof of equity" he had truly wanted!
With this thing, who became emperor, who could become an immortal, and even where the fortune of the Human Race flowed would all be up to Taiyuan.
Laozi wanted to Establish Human Teaching? He'd have to ask whether this Saint Master, holding the seal, approved!
"A pleasure doing business with you."
Taiyuan handed the Human Creation Whip and the lump of Essence of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil to Nuwa with a smile. "Take good care of them. When you return, you can study them in peace. Once the time is right, it will be time for you to prove the Dao."
Nuwa accepted the treasures as if they were priceless. She bowed deeply to Taiyuan once more, then took her leave, unable to hide her delight.
She could hardly wait to return and go into seclusion to create the Human Race.
After Nuwa had left,
Zhunti, who had been holding back all this time, finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He looked after Nuwa, then at the gray, brick-like seal in his elder brother's hand. His face was full of pain and confusion.
"Elder Brother! How could you just give them away?"
Zhunti stamped his foot anxiously. "That was the Innate Gourd Vine! And the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil! We could've traded them for two Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures and still come out ahead! And you traded them for... an empty title? Plus a promise we don't even know will be kept?"
"Thirty percent of their fortune? If that race doesn't even have as many members as there are rats, what good will thirty percent do?"
Jieyin also looked regretful. He wondered if his elder brother had been blinded by beauty... or, no, by the halo of a future Saint.
Taiyuan toyed with the fragment of the Kongtong Seal in his hand, feeling the Human Dao aura within it—faint, yet full of limitless potential. A cold smile curled his lips.
"An empty title?"
"Third Brother, you're still too young."
Taiyuan patted Zhunti's bald head. "This isn't an empty title. It's equity! It's stock in a start-up!"
"What we invest now is for a return a thousand or ten thousand times greater in the future."
"When that race spreads across the Primordial World, when the gods and Buddhas in the heavens are all fighting over even a little incense, you'll understand just how solid the 'brick' in Elder Brother's hand really is."
Zhunti nodded as if he understood. He still felt they'd taken a loss, but if Elder Brother said it was a good deal, then it had to be.
Just then,
a hurried set of footsteps sounded from below the mountain.
Daoist Liuguang, who had once been a spy but had now honorably become the Western Sect's chief gardener, came running up, panting. He clutched a Messaging Jade Talisman, his face terribly grim.
"Grand Master! This is bad! Something terrible has happened!"
Daoist Liuguang shouted as he ran, even losing one of his shoes.
"What's the panic? If the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up."
Taiyuan frowned, put away the Kongtong Seal, and returned to his lazy demeanor. "Take your time. What happened?"
"It's... it's that old bastard, East King Duke!"
Daoist Liuguang ground his teeth, clearly harboring no fondness for his former employer. "He just used his title as Head of Male Immortals to issue a 'Prohibition Order' to the entire Primordial World!"
"He said... he said that Taiyuan of the West has no respect for hierarchy, is hoarding precious treasures, and may even be colluding with the Witch Clan!"
"From this day forward, all Primordial World cultivators—especially male cultivators—are forbidden to trade any spiritual materials or magic treasures with the West! Anyone who dares to sell us anything, or buy anything from us, will be making an enemy of Purple Mansion Continent and defying the Head of Male Immortals!"
"He's trying to... trying to economically sanction us!"
Zhunti flew into a rage. He slammed the Sky-Turning Shovel into the ground with a boom. "That old bastard! He's trying to cut off our income! Elder Brother, I'll go kill him!"
Taiyuan, however, wasn't angry.
On the contrary, after hearing the news, he not only didn't get mad—he burst out laughing.
"Sanction me?"
"An economic blockade?"
Taiyuan shook his head, his eyes full of amusement. "Is East King Duke's head full of mush? Who does he think he is? Dao Ancestor Hongjun?"
"Good. I've just developed a batch of new products, and I was wondering how to advertise them."
"This is practically... a timely assist delivered right to my door."
Before you continue