"Kunpeng, Dijun, Donghuang Taiyi, and Minghe were all involved, weren't they? Besides, Master once said that Hongyun's fall was far from so simple." Holy Mother Wudang sighed.
Chen Yang's expression turned grave. His eyes flickered as he fell silent.
Chen Yang had not known Hongyun for long, only a few thousand years.
Yet over those few thousand years, Hongyun had been an unquestionably qualified elder. He had taught Chen Yang many divine abilities and aided his cultivation. Because of this, Chen Yang deeply respected such an elder. That was why he had secretly warned Hongyun long ago not to take risks.
But Chen Yang had ultimately been a junior then. He had found it difficult to influence Hongyun's thoughts. Who could have known that once they parted at Five Villages Temple, it would be forever?
Chen Yang's eyes flickered before he finally said, "Senior Hongyun was immensely powerful, and his escape arts were peerless. Didn't he leave behind even a remnant soul?"
"No. Senior Hongyun was besieged and had no chance to escape." Holy Mother Wudang sighed as well.
Chen Yang nodded at that, no longer knowing what to say.
Seeing this, Holy Mother Wudang said no more, merely saying, "All right, your aunt-master will not say too much. Think over the rest yourself. Also, I am about to return to the Jie Sect. You will be safe staying among the Human Clan, so remember not to run around recklessly."
"Rest assured, Aunt-Master. I know my limits," Chen Yang said solemnly.
Holy Mother Wudang nodded without another word, then flew away.
Chen Yang closed his eyes and mourned quietly for a moment. "Demon Race, it seems our hatred has grown a little deeper."
As Chen Yang pondered, the hatred in his heart for the Demon Race grew ever deeper. He had personally experienced the Demon Race's slaughter of the Human Clan. His hatred for them had long seeped into his bones and marrow.
Over all these years, Chen Yang had cultivated painstakingly partly because he wished for revenge.
Now that Senior Hongyun had been killed, the hatred in Chen Yang's heart deepened further.
New hatred piled atop old grievances, leaving Chen Yang's hatred for the Demon Race with nowhere to pour out.
Chen Yang clenched his fists. "In the end, my strength is still insufficient..."
Though Chen Yang had seemingly entered Immortal Great Unity, compared to the true powerhouses of the Primordial World, the gap was still far too vast.
To catch up to those great powers in a short time was simply too difficult.
Chen Yang's eyes flashed, and he finally said with resolve, "If I want to catch up to those great powers, then I can only take risks. I can only gamble my life on formations. The Daluo Realm may be where my hope lies."
A trace of madness surfaced in Chen Yang's eyes. The burning flame of wisdom kindled a crazed idea within him.
Chen Yang went into seclusion once more. He took out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, deducing the Earth-Fire-Wind-Water Formation and enhancing his own wisdom.
He took out the Human Pool and used divine abilities to gather the wisdom of the Human Clan.
Under that wisdom, Chen Yang seemed to become a prophet. Endless inspiration and countless fragments of knowledge spread through his mind, giving rise to innumerable thoughts.
[You comprehend yourself and gain insight into the Body-Forged Formation method. Enlightenment dawns in your heart, and you intend to create a Primordial Spirit Formation Refinement method.] [You...]
In the blink of an eye, several hundred more years passed.
With the amplification of wisdom, Chen Yang perfected himself and comprehended many wondrous methods.
But the time had ultimately not yet come.
Chen Yang left his secluded dwelling, intending to rest for a while.
As he entered the tribe, Sui Qing followed obediently behind him. Along the way, they encountered many Human Clan members, all of whom looked at Chen Yang with respect.
Chen Yang was now the teacher of the Human Clan. Within the major tribes, aside from honoring Attendants such as the Suiren Clan, they also honored Chen Yang.
Looking at the tribe, expanded more than tenfold, at the people coming and going, and at the many improvements in their lives, Chen Yang felt greatly satisfied.
Suddenly, he arrived at a place where the clear voices of children reading aloud drifted out. "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow; the universe was vast and primeval..."
Chen Yang stopped and looked toward the place of study. Many children held books as they read, while a woman dressed in apricot-yellow garments held a book and taught them.
The woman was exceedingly beautiful. Her yellow robe and white garments were immaculate, like a jade branch planted amidst green mountains and clear waters, gathering all the essence of heaven and earth. She was also like Kunlun jade resting in a corner of the southeast, radiating a faint, splendid glow.
Chen Yang merely observed such beauty for a moment before no longer paying it heed. After all, the Primordial World was rich in spiritual energy, and every woman was exceptionally beautiful. Compared to that, it was the woman's temperament that drew admiration.
Beyond her temperament, the sight of the youths reading aloud made Chen Yang feel as though he had returned to an ancient schoolhouse.
Sui Qing walked over and could not help saying, "Uncle Chen Yang... now, every child newly born in the tribe has their marrow cleansed with Human Pool Water. Then, once they are a little older, someone specially teaches them to read and write."
"Mm, you have done well. Also, what is with this woman? She does not seem to be Human Clan..." Chen Yang pondered slightly as he looked at her, inexplicably sensing something different.
Sui Qing was startled upon hearing this. "Not Human Clan! Could she be Demon Race? Then, Uncle Chen Yang, we should first..."
"This woman is neither Human Clan nor Demon Race. I cannot see through her, so do not act rashly. By the way, how did she come to the tribe?" Chen Yang asked with a grave expression.
"Uncle Chen Yang... you do not know this, but many tribes among the Human Clan now know that the teacher of the Human Clan comes from our tribe. Thus, people from other tribes often come to visit. Over time, this led to many outsiders of the Human Clan coming here. This woman was the same. She seemed to be a Human Clan member seeking knowledge and came to our tribe. Afterward, she did not leave, instead choosing to remain and teach the children to read and write. But who would have thought that she was not Human Clan!" Sui Qing said indignantly.
"All right, there is no need to dwell on matters of race. As long as she is not Demon Race, that is enough. What is this woman called?" Chen Yang asked curiously.
"Pingxin. She said her name was Pingxin!" Sui Qing answered directly.
"Pingxin, Pingxin... could it be..." Chen Yang murmured softly, as though he had thought of something.
Chen Yang pondered but said no more. He looked at the woman again as though gazing into a veil of mist.
Ever since Chen Yang had obtained the Human Pool, he had been able to clearly distinguish whether someone was Human Clan. During his journey to spread written language, he had passed through many tribes and discovered many races other than the Human Clan.
Many Rogue Cultivators among them were of no concern, while some Demon Race members had been killed by Chen Yang.
Yet the instant he saw this woman, Chen Yang knew she was not Human Clan. He simply did not know what race she was. But hearing that she was named Pingxin made him think of a certain woman.
Chen Yang fell silent for a moment. "Named Pingxin... could she be her? That should be impossible, shouldn't it?"
Chen Yang was puzzled, and Sui Qing was puzzled as well. "Uncle Chen Yang... is there something wrong with this woman?"
"No, there is nothing wrong. All right, you need not ask further about this. I will handle what remains," Chen Yang said.
Sui Qing nodded and did not ask any more.
At night, Pingxin came to a place within the tribe and looked up at the night sky, at the endless stars.
Chen Yang walked over, looked at Pingxin, and gave a slight salute. "Jie Sect disciple Chen Yang greets Ancestor Shaman Houtu."
Pingxin did not deny it, nor did she admit it. Instead, she looked at Chen Yang. "Among the Human Clan, there is only Pingxin, no Houtu."
Chen Yang was slightly stunned and could not help saying, "I was only guessing. I did not expect it to be true. But if there is only Pingxin among the Human Clan, then good, good... May I ask why Lady Pingxin has come to the Human Clan?"
"Teacher of the Human Clan... there is no need for you to be nervous. I came to the Human Clan with no ill intent. On the contrary, I find the Human Clan very beautiful." Pingxin smiled faintly.
Chen Yang was somewhat embarrassed, not knowing what to say.
One of the Twelve Ancestor Shamans, Houtu, had come to the Human Clan for no reason and was even teaching Human Clan children to read and write. No matter how one thought about it, it was strange.
Chen Yang said awkwardly, "Just call me Chen Yang. I..."
"Chen Yang? Very well. You may call me Pingxin. Also, I truly came to the Human Clan with no ill intent. I merely seek to comprehend Reincarnation," Pingxin said casually.
"Comprehend Reincarnation? Could it be the Great Path of Reincarnation?" Chen Yang asked in surprise.
Pingxin remained casual. Within her beautiful, tranquil face seemed to rest a kind of compassion. "Yes. After the Human Clan migrated to the Eastern Sea Coast, I came to observe them. I watched the Human Clan grow old, fall ill, and die. I watched them bear descendants and multiply generation after generation. I comprehended the wonders of Reincarnation and also sighed over the changes of the Human Clan."
A trace of gravity appeared on Chen Yang's face. "Was it not said that you are the Ancestor Shaman of Earth, cultivating the Great Path of Earth? How has it now become the Great Path of Reincarnation?"
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