The Human Race's Plea

Lu Chen abruptly looked at Nuwa, but the surprise on his face vanished in an instant.

"You adjusted so quickly. Your composure is quite good."

"You are a Sage. My cultivation is shallow and my magical power meager; it is perfectly normal for a Sage to see through my disguise."

Lu Chen wore a faint smile, seeming as calm as drifting clouds and gentle winds, yet inwardly he sighed.

He had originally still held onto a sliver of hope regarding the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase's ability to conceal his aura. After all, it was already an innate supreme treasure; perhaps it could have hidden him from a Sage's eyes.

But now, it seemed the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase's aura-concealing ability was still somewhat lacking.

Still, it was nothing. Concealing one's aura was merely an additional ability of the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase. An innate supreme treasure dedicated solely to such a function should be able to attempt to deceive a Sage.

"Thank you for the reminder, Sage."

Lu Chen cupped his hands in thanks.

"Now that matters here are settled, I shall take my leave first."

"Although I do not know why you concealed yourself, you probably do not want the Three Pure Ones to learn that you hid your cultivation, do you?"

Nuwa took a single step and appeared before Lu Chen, a hint of amusement shining in her eyes.

"..."

Why did what Nuwa said sound somewhat like the flavor of Japanese light novels?

But the continent was still one whole piece, the Human Race had only just appeared, and there were still far more than one hundred and eight thousand miles before Japan could even emerge.

"It is of no concern. I will personally explain it to my master. My teacher is broad-minded and will not bear a grudge over such a trivial matter."

Lu Chen said stubbornly.

Whether Tongtian would truly hold this against him, he did not know either. Yet Teacher Tongtian was broad-hearted and bold, even accepting those burdened with deep karmic slaughter as disciples without dwelling on their past. He probably would not distance himself over this one matter.

He simply did not want Nuwa to seize hold of him with those words.

"You truly are no fun."

Nuwa shook her head. "Do not worry. I only saw through the concealment around you just after becoming a Sage. Even I cannot see through it now."

"So you need not worry that your master and martial uncles will see through your cultivation in the future."

"Still, a twelve-petaled flower in bloom—throughout the entire Primordial World, there is no one more monstrous than you. No wonder you drew the Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder back then."

"Just now, the Dao Ancestor..."

Hearing Nuwa's words, Lu Chen recalled that when the Dao Ancestor had appeared earlier, a finger of spiritual light had entered his spiritual platform.

Nuwa would not deceive him in this matter. It must have been the Dao Ancestor's intervention just now, concealing his cultivation once more so that even Sages could not see through it.

"I have accepted a favor from the Dao Ancestor this time. I wonder what I will have to pay in the future to repay it."

Nuwa blinked her beautiful eyes as she watched Lu Chen. "Are you still leaving?"

"Since the Human Race calls me their Holy Father, I naturally cannot do nothing. I intend to remain here for three thousand years, to protect and guide them."

"Then I shall leave this place to you. If anything happens, recite my name silently in your heart, and I will know."

As Nuwa spoke, she lightly brushed her fingers through her hair. A strand of green silk appeared in her hand. With a gentle breath, it transformed into a streak of light and landed on Lu Chen's wrist, becoming a pitch-black bracelet.

Having done all this, Nuwa took a step and departed from the seashore.

Lu Chen raised his wrist, looking at the bracelet around it, and sighed softly.

He had only come to ride the wave and gain some merit. How had things turned out so differently from what he had imagined?

He had become the Holy Father of the Human Race, enjoyed the Human Race's fortune, become entangled with Nuwa... and found himself another backer with the second thickest thigh in the Primordial World.

"Cultivate..."

Lu Chen shook his head.

His cultivation was still too low. His foremost priority now remained cultivating and increasing his strength.

"Greetings, Holy Father."

Lu Chen descended before the three thousand innate humans. The man and woman standing at the very front were the two personally molded by Nuwa. Their appearances were the most exquisite, and upon closer inspection, they respectively bore some resemblance to Nuwa and Lu Chen himself.

Lu Chen looked at the two of them.

"The Primordial World was opened by Pangu, who then transformed his body into all things. I shall take one character from this as your surname."

"Gu!"

"Gu Chen!"

"Gu Xi!"

"Gu Chen—Gu Xi—thank Holy Father for bestowing our names."

"The rest of you may choose your own names."

Lu Chen used a thread of magical power to carry his voice outward, ensuring that it entered the ears of every one of the three thousand people.

The remaining people looked at one another, then knelt upon the ground.

"We obey Holy Father's command!"

After doing all this, Lu Chen sat cross-legged on the shore of the East Sea, comprehending the laws and allowing the three thousand innate humans to develop freely.

A thousand years passed. The Human Race's formidable reproductive ability was truly terrifying. After a thousand years, the original three thousand people had multiplied through many generations, becoming tens of thousands. Though compared to the Witch and Demon Races, each numbering in the tens of millions or hundreds of millions, they were still merely a tiny ant, the Human Race had only developed for a thousand years.

On this day.

Lu Chen was cultivating as usual.

Gu Chen and Gu Xi led a vast, dark throng of people to Lu Chen's secluded dwelling. Before a simple thatched hut, they knelt in neat rows.

"Holy Father, the ferocious beasts in the mountains and wilderness all possess cultivation. Our Human Race has only a little physical strength and no cultivation. Many newborn clansmen have already perished in the mouths of demon beasts. We beg Holy Father to grant us a method of cultivation."

"We beg Holy Father to grant us a cultivation method, so that we may possess a thread of strength to protect ourselves and no longer become blood food for demon beasts to devour at will."

"We beseech Holy Father!"

"Alas..."

Hearing the Human Race's plea, Lu Chen let out a long sigh.

What was meant to come could never be avoided.

If the Human Race wished to become the future protagonist of the Primordial World, they would inevitably have to endure countless trials. What they faced now were merely minor disasters and hardships. The true terror still lay ahead—for example, the Demon Race's mass slaughter of the Human Race to forge the Witch-Slaying Sword, killing an unknown multitude.

From then on, humans and demons would never stand together.

One reason he had not passed down a cultivation method was because of this.

Yet he had been human in his previous life. Now, with so many people kneeling before him and begging, how could he bear to refuse...

"The immortal path cannot be cultivated. But what if the Human Race focused on Martial Dao instead, tempering their qi and blood..."

Lu Chen muttered softly, the light in his eyes growing increasingly bright.

That was right. From a certain perspective, the Golden Core Dao passed down by Laozi had been meant to restrict the Human Race. As for the cultivation method he practiced, it was fundamentally unsuited for them. The Nine-Turn Origin Art had exceedingly high requirements for one's innate foundation.

The innate Human Race was not particularly outstanding in terms of innate foundation.

"The realms such as the Sea of Bitterness in Perfect World all excavate one's own potential. Perhaps I can use them as a template and deduce a suitable cultivation method."

As soon as the thought arose, Lu Chen slowly spoke.

"Gu Chen, Gu Xi, the two of you, come inside!"

Hearing Lu Chen's voice transmission, Gu Chen and Gu Xi exchanged a glance, joy appearing on their faces.

Holy Father was willing to see them. Did that mean he was willing to teach them the Dao?

"Holy Father."

Gu Chen and Gu Xi entered the thatched hut and cupped their hands in a bow toward Lu Chen.

"Sit down. No matter what happens next, do not move. If it hurts, cry out."

Lu Chen waved his hand, drawing the two before him. He placed a hand over each of their dantians and sent a thread of magical power into their bodies.

"All hundred meridians are open, and the seven apertures are fully unsealed..."

Lu Chen circulated through their bodies and encountered no obstruction whatsoever. Such talent was no weaker than that of an innate being like Duobao.