Primordial World

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Primordial World
Original Name	洪荒
Type	World encompassing heaven, earth, seas, and associated realms 1 502 806
Creator	Pangu, who separated heaven and earth from primordial chaos 1
Governing Authority	The Heavenly Court governs the sky, land, seas, and living beings; the Heavenly Dao and Saints also shape the world's order 261 502
Principal Peoples	Dragons, Phoenixes, Qilin, Witches/Shamans, Demons, Humans, Witch-Humans, and Iron-Eating Beasts 1 133 246
First Appearance	Opening account of Pangu's creation and Gungun's life on Mount Buzhou 1

Cosmology and Geography

Structure and Origins

• Heaven and earth emerged when Pangu split primordial chaos and separated the clear from the turbid 1.
• Mount Buzhou, formed from Pangu's spine, originally served as the Pillar of Heaven 1.
• Reincarnation completed the world's cosmic order and became an ongoing source of benefit and merit 260.
• Minor worlds can be bound to the Primordial World or enclosed within individual locations. Examples include the Azure Dragon World and the lotus-pond world inside Crouching Bear Hall 94 806.
• Chaos lies beyond the Primordial World and becomes the battlefield for conflicts involving Hongjun, Luo Hou, Houtu, and the Saints 625 946 969.

Major Locations

Location	Significance
Mount Buzhou	Pangu's spinal mountain and the Witch Race's sacred homeland. Huanglin later guards it, with support from the Forestwood Demon God's body 1 5 305.
Heavenly Court	Seat of heavenly government. Its authority extends over the sky, land, and seas 502.
Endless Starry Sky	Region visited by Dijun and Taiyi in their dealings with the Violet Star Deity. The Demon Race's star-based warfare makes prolonged fighting here disadvantageous to the Witches 246 295.
Four Seas / East Sea	Dragon territory. The East Sea Dragon Palace hosts negotiations over alliances, Saintly patronage, and the Dragon Race's future 98 156.
Sea of Blood	Destination for wandering vengeful spirits and the site where Houtu establishes reincarnation. River Styx can seal it off from outside threats 246 251 252 629.
Underworld / Netherworld	Realm governing the dead and reincarnation, administered through offices including the Netherworld Emperor, Ghost Emperors, and Ten Halls of Yama 260.
Mount Kunlun	Location of the Jade Clarity Palace and a destination for those seeking audiences with Yuanshi and Tongtian 163 165.
Western Lands / Mount Sumeru	Associated with the Western sages and their religious order. Mount Sumeru's Buddhist Pure Land is later corrupted during the Devil Race invasion 26 629.
Iron-Eating Forest	Homeland of the Iron-Eating Beast Clan. Crouching Bear Hall contains a hidden minor world and powerful defensive formations 94 110.
Penglai Island	Former seat of the Eastern King's Immortal Court, destroyed during the Demon Race's campaign against him. It later hosts Bai Suzhen's marriage tournament 41 762.
Yellow River	Region associated with humanity's early development and Kuafu's assignment to protect the Human Race 118 177 278.
Southern Wastes	Proposed protected territory for the Witch Race and a settlement region for Witch-Human descendants 133 260 404.
Longevity Mountain / Five Villages Monastery	Zhen Yuanzi's refuge for displaced beings and a later meeting place for resistance against Wutian 629 926 928.

Sacred Beast Realms

• Azure Dragon World — A minor world bound to the Primordial World, containing a vast ocean, Meng Zhang's Daoist abode, and the Ancestral Dragon Hall. It sheltered aquatic peoples during the Witch–Demon catastrophe 308 806.
• Vermilion Bird Realm — A realm of volcanoes and forests, associated with Lingguang and the Phoenix Race 600 806.
• White Tiger Realm — Supplies cultivators for the coalition assembled against Hongjun 625.
• Yellow Kirin Realm — Huanglin's realm, visited by Buddhist figures seeking information about ancient sariras and sought as a refuge during the pursuit of Zhu Gaochi 928 934.

Peoples and Powers

People or Institution	Position in the World
Dragon Race	Former overlords of the oceans. After their decline, they pursue survival through alliances, Saintly connections, and influence in the Heavenly Court 156 246 502.
Phoenix Race	Former overlords of the sky. Their later political interests include support for the Shang Dynasty 246 575 723.
Qilin Clan	Former overlords of the land, weakened alongside the Dragons and Phoenixes in their struggle for supremacy 246.
Witch Race / Shaman Tribe	Pangu's descendants and the Demon Race's principal rivals. Their Ancestral Witches possess a formation capable of manifesting Pangu's true form 246 404.
Demon Race	Established by Dijun, who took command of the Heavenly Court. Despite losing its former rule, it remains a major military force and later joins coalitions against greater threats 295 405 625 666.
Human Race	Created by Nuwa and selected as the Protagonists of Heaven and Earth. Its history develops through sovereign contests, flood control, dynasties, and civil wars 118 265 427 460 466.
Witch-Human Race	Descendants of Witch–Human unions. Houtu seeks to use their place within humanity to preserve a share of human destiny for the Witches 133 265.
Iron-Eating Beast Clan	Led by Gungun, the first Iron-Eating Beast. Its fortune is linked to the Dragon Race, and both clans hold numerous heavenly offices 94 97 502.
Saintly Teachings	Religious powers whose patronage offers protection, cultivation opportunities, and political influence to other races 156 239.
Devil Race	An invading force distinct from Dijun's Demon Race. Its armies corrupt cultivators and souls, attack major realms, and later become the subject of Gungun's plan to consolidate their providence 629 666.

History

Creation and the First Struggle for Supremacy

Pangu opened the world by splitting primordial chaos. The newly formed creation was wild and untamed; the Dragon and Phoenix conflict preceded Hongjun's teaching of the Dao to three thousand listeners 1.

The Dragons, Phoenixes, and Qilin ruled the oceans, sky, and land respectively. Incited by Luo Hou, they fought to unify the Primordial World, but all three exhausted themselves. None retained the strength to achieve supremacy or fully preserve its former dominion, leaving room for the Witch and Demon races to rise 246.

Witch–Demon Rivalry and Reincarnation

The Witches and Demons contested the position of Protagonists of Heaven and Earth. Hongjun prohibited a major war between them for one million years, but military pressure and territorial coercion continued. The Demon Race destroyed Penglai and the Wutong Forest and threatened to deprive the Iron-Eating Forest of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight 97 98.

The ten suns' rampage devastated land and left waves of vengeful spirits. Their suffering helped turn Houtu's attention toward reincarnation. She transformed herself to establish the Six Paths, while Gungun vowed to guard reincarnation and preserve her true spirit 246 248 251 252.

Houtu then organized the newly established Underworld and offered offices to disciples of the Saints. She initially proposed Witch-Humans as the world's protagonists, but the settlement favored humanity. Rather than challenge every Saint, she chose to support a Witch-Human Human Sovereign and preserve Witch interests through humanity 260 261 265.

The World's Collapse and Restoration

The War of the Liches shattered the firmament and brought down the heavenly pillar. Its shock broke the seals on the sea eye and the Undying Volcano, while countless primordial stars fell. The world was left devastated by water, fire, and celestial destruction 303 304.

Nuwa acted to mend the heavens, while five great beasts worked together to repair the world. After restoration, the Heavenly Dao appointed them Sacred Beasts of the Five Directions and distributed merit among the beings who had helped save creation 304 305.

The New Heavenly Court and Human Dynasties

An alliance between the Iron-Eating Beast Clan and Dragon Race conquered the Heavenly Court. Gungun became Heavenly Emperor and Ao Yue became Heavenly Sovereign; Hongjun's preferred ruler, Haotian, later held the titles Great Heavenly Venerable and Jade Emperor 308 564.

Humanity's leading status did not end conflict. Xuanyuan and Chi You fought during the Human Emperor Contest at Zhuolu, while the Saints' rivalries complicated intervention. After flood-control efforts and the forging of the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, Qi established the Xia Dynasty and made human kingship hereditary 427 460 466.

Later dynasties remained entangled with supernatural patrons: the Phoenix Race supported Shang, and Gungun supported Ji Fa's founding of Zhou. By the Great Ming era, imperial succession, warfare, trade, and reincarnated divine identities continued to intersect 723 934 946 969.

Devil Race Invasion

During the conflict with Hongjun, Gungun assembled forces from the Heavenly Court, Witch Race, Demon Race, Sacred Beast realms, and Saintly schools. Former enemies suspended their feud to support Houtu and the Saints 625.

The Devil Race subsequently entered through a Space Gate under ten Quasi-Saint chiefs. Its armies attacked immortal lands, corrupted cultivators, overran the Underworld, polluted Mount Sumeru, and ruined the unguarded Heavenly Court. Zhen Yuanzi sheltered displaced humans and used the Earth Book to protect the land 629.

Gungun and allied fighters eliminated the Heavenly Court's invaders, although many gods and soldiers died. A three-year campaign later ended with the Heavenly Demon Beast's self-destruction. Rather than destroy the Demon Realm, Gungun planned to use a Blood Demon incarnation to unite the surviving Devil Race and gather its providence 634 666.

Wutian's Rule and Later Cosmic Conflict

Wutian sought to rule the Primordial World and merge with the Heavenly Dao. Resistance groups pursued ancient Golden Cores and Buddhist sariras as possible weapons against him, anticipating a decline in the Demon Dao's fortune after thirty-three years. Wutian also hunted for the Heavenly Emperor's reincarnation and possible protectors 926 928.

A later confrontation revealed that Pangu's heart had survived in Pangu Hall, retaining traces of his spirit. As Hongjun tried to escape into Chaos, the Five Sacred Beasts intercepted him at Pangu's command. Hongjun destroyed their formation and pierced them with Immortal Dao Light, causing them to begin dissolving 969.

Cosmic Order and Governance

Protagonists of Heaven and Earth

• The title concerns the entire world, not merely victory between rival races. Houtu acknowledges that Witch supremacy would require overcoming every Saint's opposition 265.
• Humanity retains the position. Nuwa rejects Gungun's later attempt to replace humans with the Iron-Eating Beast Clan 415.
• Other peoples can share human fortune indirectly. Zhunti proposes reincarnated Iron-Eating Beasts or humans with Iron-Eating Beast bloodlines as candidates for the final three Five Emperors 416.
• Saintly interests influence selection. Laozi explicitly links humanity's protagonist status to Renjiao's lasting prosperity 261.

Merit, Fortune, and Reincarnation

• Merit rewards preservation of the world and its inhabitants. The world's restorers receive Heavenly Dao merit, while Zhen Yuanzi receives human-path merit for protecting living beings 305 631.
• Merit can serve different purposes. Gungun keeps restoration merit for protection; Ao Yue uses his share to sever his self-corpse and advance 305.
• Fortune can be linked between peoples. The Dragon–Iron-Eating Beast alliance joins their destinies and provokes the Demon Court's opposition 97 98.
• Underworld service generates continuing merit. Zhunti expects Dizang's salvation work to benefit both the disciple and the Western Religion 260.
• Heavenly titles do not remove Underworld jurisdiction. Gungun declares that Ji Fa's “Son of Heaven” title grants neither authority over gods nor exemption from judgment after death 528.

Disputes over Heavenly Authority

• Houtu distinguishes Hongjun's commands from the Heavenly Dao's will, refusing to treat his personal decree as an unquestionable cosmic law 260.
• Haotian criticizes unequal access to heavenly office, arguing that the Dragon and Iron-Eating Beast clans occupy too many divine positions 502.
• Zhunti defends Gungun and Ao Yue's administration, crediting it with allowing the Ten Thousand Clans to live and multiply without the frequent clan exterminations of earlier regimes 564.

World Guardians and Major Formations

Sacred Beasts of the Five Directions

Guardians	Documented Duty
Meng Zhang, Jian Bing, Lingguang, and Zhiming	Guard the Divine Turtle's four limbs following the world's restoration 305.
Huanglin	Watches over Mount Buzhou, supported by the Forestwood Demon God's body 305.

• Their united formation produces pressure comparable to a Saint 305.
• They generally guard the Four Extremes rather than intervene readily in worldly affairs 575.
• When they leave to confront Hongjun, others temporarily guard Heaven's four poles in their place 969.

Formations Affecting the Balance of Power

Formation	Role and Limits
Twelve-Capital Heavenly Gods Baleful Formation / Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation	The Ancestral Witches' version manifests Pangu's true form with power equal to a Heavenly Dao Saint. A banner-based version used by other Pangu-bloodline descendants can instead manifest an Ancestral Witch true form 404.
Zhou Tian Star-Dipper Formation	The Demon Race's principal counter to the Witches' great formation. Gungun later deploys it with a coalition drawn from multiple factions 239 625.
Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation	Tongtian claims it surpasses the Witch and Demon formations and requires four Saints working together to break it 239.
Five Elements Formation	Used by the Five Sacred Beasts to intercept Hongjun; he ultimately destroys it 969.