Night fell.
Nights in the Primordial World were far more dangerous than those of later ages.
The roars of savage beasts rose and fell, while frigid winds swept up sand and stones, cutting against their bodies like knives.
The newly born humans huddled together, shivering uncontrollably.
They had no fur to shield them from the bitter cold, nor claws to fend off wild beasts.
Their eyes were filled with fear and confusion toward this unfamiliar world.
Hunger, cold, and fear weighed upon every newborn human like three great mountains.
The strongest young man held several trembling children in his arms, yet his own body would not stop shaking.
His name was Sui.
He was among the first humans fashioned by Empress Nuwa.
He was also the unspoken leader of this group.
Yet at this moment, even this leader's heart was full of despair.
Another tribesman closed his eyes forever in the cold.
If this continued, their newly born race would likely vanish completely before tomorrow's sun rose.
"My Lady... why did you create us, only to abandon us?"
Sui cried out mournfully in his heart.
Just as his consciousness grew hazy and he was about to be swallowed by the cold,
a vast yet warm voice rang in his mind like a divine message from beyond the heavens.
"Strike wood against wood, and you may gain light."
"Use wood to create fire, and you may gain warmth."
Sui jolted awake and opened his eyes.
A strange image had appeared in his mind.
In the image, someone held a sharp piece of wood and rapidly drilled it against another piece.
As it turned, black powder fell away and wisps of smoke rose.
At last, a flicker of orange-red flame was born amid the smoke!
That flame gave off light and heat, driving away darkness and bringing warmth.
"Fire..."
"Light..."
"Warmth..."
A brilliance unlike anything before burst forth in Sui's eyes.
He did not know where the voice or the image had come from, but instinctively, he believed it was guidance from Empress Nuwa, the Mother Goddess who had created them!
A divine revelation!
"Quick, find wood! Do as I do!"
Sui no longer hesitated. Struggling to his feet, he picked up two dry branches and began awkwardly drilling them together, imitating the image in his mind.
The surrounding tribespeople were drawn by his actions.
They did not understand what Sui was doing, but seeing the persistence and fervor in his expression, they began to imitate him.
Once, twice, ten times, a hundred times...
Their palms split open and bled, yet not a single person stopped.
Because in their leader Sui's eyes, they saw something called hope.
At last.
Through Sui's unrelenting efforts, a faint wisp of smoke curled up from where the pieces of wood met.
Then, a spark burst forth!
"Puff."
A small cluster of orange-red flame successfully ignited the prepared dry grass.
Boom!
The flames surged upward, instantly illuminating every face, filled with joy and astonishment!
Warm air rushed toward them, driving away the bone-piercing cold.
Even the roars of the fierce beasts seemed to recede somewhat, as though they feared this sudden light.
"Fire!"
"It's fire!"
"We have fire!"
Everyone cheered. They danced around the bonfire, tears of excitement streaming down their faces.
This was the first thing humanity had created with its own hands.
This was the dawn of civilization.
At the same time, within Nuwa's body,
a heavenly voice rang through Chen Ran's consciousness.
[Detected that humanity has successfully made fire by drilling wood and ignited the first wisp of acquired Fire of Civilization!] [Human Civilization has taken a crucial step forward!] [Civilization Power +100!]
A pure and majestic energy poured into Chen Ran's Spark of Civilization, making his illusory flame slightly more solid.
Immediately afterward, most of that Civilization Power flowed toward the owner of this inner space according to the system's rules.
[Host enhancement activated!] [Host 'Nuwa's Saint's Body strength +1%!]
Wa Empress Palace.
Upon a cloud couch, Nuwa sat with her eyes closed, regulating her breath as she refined the wisp of Innate Spiritual Fire she had just swallowed.
She always felt that although she had swallowed that flame, it had not completely dissipated. Instead, it remained within her body in some peculiar manner.
However, it did her no harm. On the contrary, it felt nourishing, so she did not investigate further.
Just then.
An inexplicable warm current surged from the depths of her Saint Body without warning.
This warm current was vast and pure, carrying a unique aura of "the beginning of all things, the enlightenment of civilization." It swiftly coursed through her limbs and bones, merging into every corner of her Saint's Body.
"Hmm?"
Nuwa abruptly opened her eyes.
She could clearly feel that her indestructible Saint's Body had somehow become a little tougher at that very moment!
Though it was only an insignificant amount, this was a Saint's Body!
A saint's Nascent Soul was entrusted to the Heavenly Dao, imperishable through countless tribulations, undying and indestructible.
At this realm, even the slightest improvement was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
It required cultivation and enlightenment over periods measured in yuanhui.
Yet now, she had done nothing but meditate for a while, and her strength had increased on its own?
"What is going on?"
Nuwa's delicate brows drew together, her face full of confusion.
She performed a divination, but the heavenly secrets were utterly muddled. She could calculate nothing.
It was as if the source of this power lay entirely outside the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Dao.
She cast her divine sense toward the human tribe below Mount Buzhou.
There, the little creatures she had created were cheering and leaping around a bonfire.
The firelight reflected off their vigorous, lively faces and brightened the Primordial World's long night.
"Was it them?"
Nuwa fell into thought.
Could humanity's development have brought some benefit to her, the Human Mother Saint, that she still could not understand?
It seemed that creating this weak race had not merely been for the sake of becoming a saint.
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