Listening to Shennong Tell Tales of the Past~

Fine ingredients often needed only the simplest cooking.

An elegant smile rested on Wu Wang's lips as he kept turning the grill before him. The two tender slabs of meat cut from the leg of a thousand-year Fierce Beast sizzled softly atop it.

Elder Shennong sat nearby with a dark expression, turning to glance at the old man and black-clad woman hanging upside down within the Women's Country barrier several thousand li away.

"If Wu Wang had not stopped me just now, I would have rushed back to the Human Domain tonight!

How long has it been peaceful? Yet they already dared to be so insolent and overbearing, claiming they had my special authorization to vanquish demons and defend the Dao!

As those above act, so those below follow; teaching by word and example!

I thought Four Seas Pavilion had not yet rotted to the bone. Only now do I see that the problem is this thorny!"

"Senior, calm down, calm down," Wu Wang advised gently. "Even if someone needs to act in this matter, it would not be your turn, would it?"

Shennong Shi immediately cast him an approving look.

Wu Wang instantly changed his tune. "Just arrange for a few generals to take up residence in Four Seas Pavilion. Wouldn't that solve it?"

"Alas." Shennong Shi shook his head, then said, "There is no need to go to such trouble. Once I resolve the most urgent matter, I can naturally return to the Human Domain and set its internal affairs in order."

"Have you found what you were looking for, Senior?"

"I have only learned a few clues." Firelight reflected in the elder's eyes as he smiled. "Did you know that when I last brought you to Women's Country, I had already prepared to see you again only after you became immortal?

"Who would have thought that you would stir up such a spectacle in Women's Country? It truly came as a surprise.

"Gathering Belief into Godhood—the conditions in Women's Country are indeed uniquely blessed by heaven... Wu Wang, how did you think of such an idea in so short a time? Could it be that your mother, Cang Xue, had intended this all along?"

Wu Wang: ...

"Ah, yes. What would I know about Gathering Belief into Godhood? I merely learned it from someone else."

Shennong immediately smiled until his eyes narrowed, but the smile soon faded. He sighed again. "Is the Northern Plains about to embark upon this path as well? Once it does, there will be a rain of blood and a stench of wind. Who knows how much blood will be spilled?"

Wu Wang raised a brow. There seemed to be something beneath the elder's words, as though he wanted Wu Wang to ask a few questions.

Could he ask?

Given what had happened to him today, and the tone those two immortals from Four Seas Pavilion had used just now...

Really, Wu Wang swore upon the Star God's hair.

After going to the Human Domain, he would immediately conceal his name and burrow into the ground on the spot. He would definitely forge a perfect false identity, find a sect with decent-looking disciples and a balanced number of male and female disciples, then honestly learn the postures he wanted to learn—ptui, knowledge.

The moment he finished learning, he would return to the Northern Plains and hide!

The more he talked with the elder now, the more trouble he would invite.

If word got out that he had soaked his feet, curled his hair, eaten meat, and drank wine with the current Human Emperor, who knew how many jealous people it would provoke.

What if they mistook him for some Human Emperor successor and simply sent assassins after him?

Thus, Wu Wang calmly changed the subject. "The ruler of Women's Country is truly beautiful. What a pity."

"What is a pity?"

Shennong Shi said solemnly, "She may well become a deity in her own right in the future. Though she will not possess much combat strength, she may play a role at a critical moment.

"Speaking of Gathering Belief into Godhood, did you know that the Human Domain attempted it in its early years as well?"

Wu Wang could only smile and shake his head, grumbling inwardly—trying to steer away from a topic the elder wanted to discuss was truly not easy.

"Please go on. I am listening."

"How many people in the Human Domain today still know how difficult it was for the sages of old to open up the way?"

Shennong Shi narrowed his eyes slightly. His long sigh seemed to breathe out layer upon layer of cloud and mist.

Wu Wang blinked. For an instant, he seemed to see scrolls of paintings unfurling behind the elder. He set down the grill and rubbed his eyes hard, but there was nothing there again.

Then the elder said:

"In the past, the war of the Innate Gods was a chaotic battle between the Innate Gods of the northern and southern factions. It lasted tens of thousands of years, and nearly every powerful being of the ancient Great Wilderness was drawn into it.

"Our human race's Holy Mother, Empress Nuwa, was also swept into that vast calamity. In the end, she vanished without a trace.

"At that time, humanity had already multiplied and thrived between heaven and earth for a long time, taking root across most regions of the Nine Wilds. Inevitably, we too were dragged into it.

"The final result of that divine war was that more than half the Innate Gods perished. The new overlord, Di Jun, defeated the ancient overlord Candle Dragon. The latter led some of the Innate Gods away and disappeared without trace, while Di Jun established the Heavenly Palace and parceled out the Nine Wilds.

"The Star God of your Northern Plains was one of Di Jun's powerful allies back then. His strength was enough to contend with Di Jun, which was why, even grievously wounded in the end, he could monopolize the Northern Plains.

"Look at the Western Plains. There are dozens of Primordial Deities there, yet not one can truly fight.

"The degree to which they comprehended Dao Principles, along with the power of those principles themselves, created an extremely severe polarization in the strength of the Innate Gods.

"Do you know who Di Jun's strongest subordinate was back then?"

Wu Wang pondered for a while before answering slowly, "The god who monopolized the Southern Plains?"

"Correct. The deity who monopolized the Southern Plains—the ancient Fire God."

Shennong Shi paused his tale, took out an earthen xun flute from his sleeve, and held it to his lips, playing a mournful tune for a while.

The night breeze came softly, and heaven and earth seemed to grow incomparably cool.

Once the meat beside Wu Wang was nearly done roasting, the old man took out two gourds and tossed one to Wu Wang. The old and young pair ate and spoke at the same time.

"That truly was... a long night.

"Those people who passed away in that distant past—who knew whether they had found peace by now?

"The ancient Fire God was violent by nature and held no recognition whatsoever for living beings. Whenever displeased, he would send down heavenly fire, while not a single beautiful living being escaped his grasp.

"Any of the hundred races of the Southern Plains who tried to flee across the sea were burned alive. The first thing every living being had to do each day was pray to him, in exchange for a little mercy.

"Back then, people lived by gathering and hunting. A small number of living beings mastered Divine Language and thereby became the gods' spokesmen, creating a second layer of oppression.

"At last, disaster fell upon humanity..."

In those days, there was no firelight at night in the Great Wilderness. If people wished to use fire, they could only await the Fire God's blessing or occasionally acquire some natural source of flame.

A young human tribal leader created fire by drilling wood and spread the method far and wide. Humanity and the hundred races of the Southern Plains soon learned how to control flames.

Because of this, their fear of fire faded by more than half. At night, they began keeping company with bonfires, dancing endlessly around the flames.

This enraged the Fire God, who sent down surging heavenly fire and destroyed who knew how many living beings.

In the end, after calming some of his anger, the Fire God decided to execute that young human tribal leader.

The leader did not bow his head so easily. He arranged everything, then had his tribesmen escort him to the Fire God's throne. The Fire God thus pardoned his tribe.

The Fire God demanded that the leader who had discovered how to control fire confess his crimes. Yet the leader declared war upon the deity instead. The ancient Fire God, seated within a volcano, sent him flying with one finger. Wrapped in flames in midair, he finally fell into the sea.

Everyone thought he had died. The Fire God also believed he had extinguished his soul.

Yet he survived just like that.

No one knew how much suffering he endured afterward, nor how many trials he weathered.

Finally, several thousand years later, when the ancient Fire God once again sent down fires that filled the sky to vent the humiliation he had suffered at a Heavenly Palace banquet, an old man stepped forward.

Wearing a straw rain cape and barefoot, he crossed the misty waves of the sea, arriving before the volcanic throne upon which the Fire God sat. Raising his head, he gazed into the distance and shouted:

"Fire God, grant us a land upon which we may multiply and thrive!"

The ancient Fire God stared at this old man, saw those familiar eyes, and pressed one finger toward that somewhat frail figure with a savage grin.

The old man stood firm, his long hair fluttering as the countless scars on his cheeks were revealed.

That finger crashed down like a mountain, yet halted the instant it neared the ground. Blasts of fierce wind carrying fiery waves surged from the fingertip in every direction, and heaven and earth suddenly changed color.

The Fire God froze for a moment, sensing a force erupt from his fingertip and spreading through his entire body.

As he felt heaven and earth spin, his enormous body soared into the air, then immediately crashed down heavily, smashing out mountain after mountain.

It sat up in shock, struggling as it looked at the place where its finger had just descended. The figure there stood quietly. The straw rain cape had already drifted away, and the figure leaped into the air, stirring heaven and earth, breaking through the firmament, and crashing into the Fire God's forehead...

"A fierce battle lasted more than a thousand days and nights."

Shennong Shi set down his wine gourd, exhaled softly, and smiled. "Guess what happened in the end?"

Did he even need to guess? Was the outcome not obvious?

Of course, he needed to watch his tone and expression, making sure to emphasize his nervousness and concern as he asked:

"The Fire God lost?"

Shennong Shi revealed a slight smile and said slowly:

"The Fire God lost.

"And it was truly fortunate that his temper had been so foul. He had offended every Innate God he could possibly offend, and when he finally fell, heaven and earth were full of people merely watching the show.

"And when the old man shattered the ancient Fire God's divine spark with a single punch, the many Innate Gods suddenly realized something."

Wu Wang spat out three words. "God-slaying."

"Yes. God-slaying."

Even Shennong Shi's brows lifted, and his entire being was somewhat exhilarated. "This was the first time that acquired living beings of the Great Wilderness had defeated a powerful Innate God head-on.

"Before the Innate Gods could recover their senses, the god-slaying elder devoured the Fire God's divine spark. Dazzling firelight burst from his body as he took control of the Great Dao of Fire and stood beneath the skies of the Southern Plains.

"His name was Suiren."

The gods fell into panic and unleashed wave after wave of attacks. Suiren Shi stood unshaken, comprehending the Great Dao of Fire while fighting the gods who besieged him.

The skies of the Southern Plains filled with endless divine radiance, and several more Innate Gods fell within the boundless flames.

With a roar from Suiren Shi, his long hair transformed into fiery clouds, and by his strength alone, he drove back the gods.

The Heavenly Emperor flew into a rage and sent a great army to the border. Suiren Shi fought alone, but figures gradually began appearing at his side.

The battle continued without sight of sun or sky. The figures beside Suiren Shi continuously fell, while new people continuously stepped forward. They fought their way out of the Southern Plains, attacked Zhongshan, and pointed their swords at the Heavenly Palace!

"It was then that the Heavenly Emperor sent people to negotiate peace."

Shennong Shi's eyes brimmed with emotion. He shook his wine gourd, raised it to his head, took a drink, and said slowly:

"At that time, although Suiren Shi had surpassed the Fire God, the prolonged battle had left him covered in wounds. He was holding on by a single breath.

"The Heavenly Emperor Di Jun was also the strongest Innate God. Suiren Shi had not even half a chance of victory.

"To preserve the hard-won spark of fire, Suiren Shi did not meet the Heavenly Emperor's envoys. He led his people out of Central Continent and returned to the Southern Plains.

"After the Fire God's death, the Southern Plains had become a wilderness, and most of the hundred races had scattered and fled.

"There, the sages of old opened up the Human Domain.

"Suiren Shi succumbed to his grave injuries and handed the Fire God's divine spark, seized from the Fire God, to the successor he had chosen.

"And thus began Fuxi Shi's story."

As the elder spoke to this point, his eyes were filled with longing and aspiration.

He looked at the bonfire before him and smiled.

"Wu Wang, remember this: fire was drawn from dead wood by human hands. It was not bestowed by gods.

"Heaven and earth ought to contain the hundred races so they may live, not belong to gods.

"The gods' divine wars were merely struggles for territory and believers, plundering the power that made them stronger and let them live longer.

"Our predecessors charged forward bravely, shedding their heads and spilling their hot blood, so that we could live in the Great Wilderness with our heads held high. We need not bow and scrape, nor need we watch the gods' expressions.

"What are gods, anyway? They are merely powerful beings who grasped power early."

Wu Wang nodded slowly and asked, "Then Immortal Cultivation is the cultivation of oneself?"

"Correct. That is also the fundamental reason Suiren Shi could defeat the Fire God. Essence, qi, and spirit—none may be cast aside, and the self must never be forgotten."

Shennong Shi smiled.

"You are still young. You must remember these things and tell them to those who come after.

"This is the root of the Human Domain, the root that distinguishes our Human Domain from the hundred races of the Great Wilderness, and the foundation for humanity's current flourishing age."

Wu Wang smiled. "I am from the Northern Plains, Senior."

"Ah, it is all about the same. Now do you understand what the Flame Emperor Token is?"

Shennong Shi spoke slowly. "When I obtained it, it was called the Fire God Token. It is a key that can lead you to master the Great Dao of Fire, condense the Fire God divine spark, and inherit the position of Human Emperor."

Wu Wang: Are you perhaps a professional locksmith?

Shennong Shi stretched lazily and smiled. "That will be all for today. Judging the time, I should be setting out as well."

Wu Wang looked at the small pile of bones before him and asked quietly, "Are you going to tell stories to the next Flame Emperor Token holder?"

"Hahaha!"

Shennong Shi laughed heartily, though there was a trace of guilty unease in his laughter. "You already know?"

Black lines covered Wu Wang's forehead. This thing truly was not exclusive to him!

Lies. All lies!

This elder was simply casting a wide net and raising many prospects. Sooner or later, he would catch a big fish!

Wu Wang let out a faint sigh. The stirring emotion that had just surged within him now suffered a slight loss.

Shennong Shi picked up the wine gourd before him and smiled. "Actually, I came to find you this time because I wanted to ask you for a favor. There will naturally be benefits for you. Here."

As he spoke, Shennong Shi tossed over a small cloth bundle. Wu Wang opened it and found a pitch-black Medicine Cauldron inside.

"For you to practice pill refining with."

"Senior, this junior prefers artifact refining."

Shennong Shi's eyes widened.

Wu Wang immediately stored the Medicine Cauldron in his Storage Treasure and revealed a charming smile. "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. What this junior means is that only after refining matching magical treasures can one refine better pills."

Shennong Shi smiled until his eyes narrowed. "This time, you..."

"Senior, this junior wishes to ask a few questions!"

"Speak."

Wu Wang said, "If another Flame Emperor Token holder reaches the ninth level first, obtains the Great Dao of Fire, and condenses the Fire God divine spark, what changes will occur on my side?"

"No changes will occur." Shennong Shi replied gently, "The first eight levels of the Flame Emperor Token allow you to gradually comprehend the Great Dao of Fire. There can only be one divine spark upon a single Dao Principle.

"If someone else reaches the ninth level first, then this cultivation method can only reach the eighth level for you. There will be no other effects whatsoever."

Wu Wang nodded slowly and asked again, "Innate Gods can all live forever, so why does Senior have a limit to your lifespan?"

"The shackles of the Heavenly Emperor. You need not know too much about this matter."

"Do other powerful figures in the Human Domain also have such a limit?"

"They do. Those who surpass Heavenly Immortals can all fight Innate Gods, but their lifespans have all been locked," Shennong Shi said with a smile. "Still, compared to the Northern Plains, they can live tens of thousands more years."

Wu Wang nodded slowly and muttered, "Then other paths may also reach the Human Emperor's level of strength."

"Correct, though it is exceptionally difficult."

Shennong Shi waved a hand and continued:

"Your trip to Women's Country truly gave this old man many surprises. I am leaving to search for a spiritual herb. Though I am confident I can return unharmed, I cannot be certain of succeeding immediately.

"I still have an unfulfilled wish. If you go, perhaps you can help me fulfill it.

"That way, this old man will have no worries holding him back.

"Did you not say last time that, in consideration of my treating your strange illness, you would agree to help me once?"

Wu Wang corrected him. "You agreed to help with the matter of your lifespan."

"Oh, right. Look at me, I'd already forgotten. Thank you for the correction."

Shennong Shi smiled. "On this trip to Kunlun Hill, if I keep you by my side, you can also help me come up with a few ideas."

Wu Wang: ...

Kunlun Hill? The Heavenly Emperor's lower capital? That place was practically the backyard of Queen Mother of the West, one of the Great Wilderness's top Innate Gods!

Even Shennong, the Flame Emperor, only dared claim he could retreat unscathed. What could Wu Wang possibly do over there?

"Senior, I'll go help you fulfill your wish! For this junior, it is a duty I cannot refuse!"

"No, no," Shennong Shi said with a smiling squint, stepping closer and pressing a hand firmly onto Wu Wang's shoulder. "How could this old man use his position to bully others? Surely, boy, you won't go back on your word?"

"I..."

Wu Wang could not help feeling as though he wanted to cry, yet had no tears.

"Your wish is more important. I won't be able to help you, Senior!"

Shennong smiled until his eyes narrowed, took half a step forward, and vanished soundlessly with Wu Wang.

Only that pile of bonfire remained, burning through the endless night, as though savoring that sigh:

That truly was... a long, long night...

PS: Mythology springs from culture, and culture bears civilization. Do not forget the sages and martyrs of Chinese civilization who pressed onward through the darkness; do not forget the frontier-defending war gods who did not retreat half a step amid wind, frost, rain, and snow.

Next chapter, Kunlun Hill... passing by.