The Initial Ground remained unchanged.
Great slabs of bluestone emerged one after another. As their treasured radiance faded, young, vibrant faces appeared. New cultivators entered this mysterious world at every moment, beginning rich and colorful journeys of the spirit.
People gathered in the nearby marketplace, where countless stalls displayed a dazzling abundance of goods. Hawking and bargaining rang out without end, creating a bustling scene.
Two old men were not particularly conspicuous among the crowd, but each had his own distinctive traits.
One had the bearing of an immortal, his air transcendent, like an old celestial. The other's eyes flashed with keen light, his spirits lively. A Five-Colored Bird perched on his shoulder, occasionally preening its feathers.
They were none other than the Initial Ground's two "guardian deities," Lord Bird and Lord Essence Coin.
No one knew when they had begun keeping watch over the Initial Ground. Hidden amid this bustling market, steeped in the smoke and bustle of everyday life, they had witnessed seas turn into mulberry fields and the passage of ages.
Some noticed them and recognized their extraordinary nature, warning later generations not to provoke them and to treat them with reverence. Others hurried back and forth, busy cultivating and traveling, taking them for ordinary passersby. All in all, they had concealed themselves well and rarely drew much attention.
Only when Shi Yi slaughtered his enemies on all sides and the two old men helped draw hatred toward him did they enter the public eye.
Their old tricks of swindling newcomers had been mere small-time mischief. Helping Shi Yi attract hatred and enraging the Desolate Region's cultivators had been a truly big deal.
Afterward, the Ancient Era Families, Primordial Remnants, Primordial Divine Mountains, and others had all suffered varying degrees of losses.
They could do little against