Goal achieved!
Jiang Haofeng was instantly overjoyed, though his face remained troubled.
Ancestor Minghe said nothing, merely watching Jiang Haofeng in silence. The atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.
After a long while, Jiang Haofeng let out a sigh. "Fine, fine. Since Fellow Daoist Minghe has put it this way, I can hardly refuse any longer. But this truly concerns the survival of my human race. After Fellow Daoist Minghe sees it, I hope you will not spread word of it."
Ancestor Minghe was immediately delighted. If Haofeng had kept refusing, he would have had to force his way in, and that would have been troublesome.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Haofeng. I swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao that I will never reveal what I see!"
Seeing Jiang Haofeng be so forthright, willing to let him investigate even over a matter concerning his race's survival, Ancestor Minghe immediately prepared to swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao.
"Fellow Daoist Minghe, you exaggerate. There is no need. I trust you."
Jiang Haofeng waved his hand, stopping Ancestor Minghe from making the oath.
Ancestor Minghe had barely participated in the Witch-Demon War, nor had he any interest in joining it or competing for supremacy in the Primordial World. From beginning to end, the only thing he had ever sought was to prove Dao and become a Sage.
Even if he learned that the human race possessed a martial path similar to the Witch Clan's divine abilities, he had no reason to reveal it. Since that was the case, he might as well do Ancestor Minghe a favor and take this chance to build a good relationship with him, making him an ally of the human race. There were only benefits to it.
"Good!"
"Since Fellow Daoist Haofeng trusts me, I will never disappoint you!"
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I will not put you in a difficult position!"
A surge of pride welled up in Ancestor Minghe's heart, and he patted his chest as he spoke.
"Good. Fellow Daoist Minghe, please come in!"
As he spoke, ripples flickered through the surroundings, and a towering city appeared before Ancestor Minghe's eyes.
Looking at the vast city before him, surprise flashed through Ancestor Minghe's eyes. He had seen larger tribes, and he had seen dragon palaces more magnificent than this one.
Yet compared to Witch Clan tribes, this structure possessed an added splendor and solemnity; compared to dragon palaces, it possessed an added majesty and prosperity.
Before seeing this city, the Witch Clan tribes and dragon palaces had both been among the finest structures in the Primordial World. Yet upon seeing it now, neither seemed as pleasing as the city before him.
The Witch Clan tribes were rugged and immense, but scattered and disorderly, far inferior to this city of neat buildings and imposing grandeur.
The dragon palaces were splendid and majestic, seemingly the most luxurious places beneath heaven. Yet they were simply too extravagant; beneath their endless treasure light, they lacked solemnity and felt gaudy rather than substantial.
If Ancestor Minghe had to choose, he would certainly choose a city like this.
Perhaps he could build a city within the Blood Sea someday, Ancestor Minghe quietly calculated.
"Nuwa City!"
Seeing the three Innate Dao Script characters upon the city wall, Ancestor Minghe's gaze flickered. Naming a city after Nuwa—throughout the entire Primordial World, perhaps only the human race would dare do such a thing. With a Sage as their backer, there were probably few who would dare cause the human race trouble.
Accompanied by Jiang Haofeng, they entered the ancestral court of the human race. With Ancestor Minghe's strength, now that the Two Forms Micro Dust Great Array no longer concealed it, the entire human race held no secrets before him.
"A Witch Clan method?"
"Strange. The human race has no Witch Clan bloodline."
Ancestor Minghe immediately understood why Haofeng had stopped him. He promptly said, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Haofeng. I will not reveal a single word about the martial path!"
Jiang Haofeng smiled. "I trust Fellow Daoist Minghe's character."
Ancestor Minghe nodded in satisfaction. Being trusted by someone truly felt quite good.
Rest easy. Since my birth, I, Ancestor Minghe, have never broken my word. Even if a Sage interrogates me, I will not reveal so much as half a word!
After a pause, Ancestor Minghe seriously reminded him, "Fellow Daoist Haofeng, the Witch Clan has the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Each one is as tough as forged iron, and they are extremely difficult to deal with. They are numerous as well—twelve at the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm. Even I cannot afford to provoke them. Brother Haofeng should make preparations early."
"The karma of the Witch Clan is truly not easy to resolve. The human race has the Great Dao passed down by the Grand Pure Sage. If necessary, abandoning this martial path would not be impossible!"
Jiang Haofeng inwardly shook his head. If the human race truly had no martial path, you would not be calling me Fellow Daoist Haofeng now. You would be calling me brat Haofeng.
The purpose of the martial path was not to give the human race its own method of cultivation, but to prevent the Grand Pure Sage from monopolizing the merit of enlightenment.
If the Grand Pure Sage monopolized the merit of enlightenment, the Humanity Teaching would rapidly develop among the human race. Combined with Sage Nuwa's never showing herself, all of humanity's fortune would gather around the Grand Pure Sage.
When that happened, he would receive the fortune but not manage affairs. The final result for the human race could only be the Son of Heaven replacing the Human King, leaving the human race without any mighty figures!
Still, since Ancestor Minghe could say such things, it seemed he had a favorable impression of the human race. In the future, the human race would have one more friend in the Primordial World.
Jiang Haofeng smiled. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Minghe. I know what I am doing."
Seeing this, Ancestor Minghe said no more. They were both Great Divine Powers, each with their own calculations, and saying more would be useless. If someone urged him to abandon his pursuit of proving Dao, he would never listen—he might even send them a streak of Abi Sword Qi!
As they spoke, Ancestor Minghe's gaze fell upon the Life and Death Springs. "Not bad. A fine treasure. Fellow Daoist, your fortune is quite good."
Jiang Haofeng cupped his hands toward the sky. "Thanks to Empress Nuwa's great grace, she has added three portions to my human race's foundation. Once the spring water condenses, I will give Fellow Daoist Minghe some."
Ancestor Minghe nodded casually. "Good. I also have some Lotus Seeds in the Blood Sea. They are nothing precious, but I will give Fellow Daoist a few plants to enjoy when the time comes."
"I could not ask for more!"
After this inspection, nearly all of the human race's foundations had been exposed before Ancestor Minghe. Apart from the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book in Jiang Haofeng's mind, the Heavenly Secret Nine Lot, and the Enlightenment Mat, nothing else could escape Ancestor Minghe's eyes.
There was no helping it. The strong preyed on the weak. Without sufficient strength, what could one do but sigh?
Before the Holy Mother Temple that worshiped Empress Nuwa and the Holy Master Temple that worshiped the Grand Pure Sage, Ancestor Minghe symbolically cupped his hands. Then he turned to Jiang Haofeng and solemnly said, "Fellow Daoist Haofeng, thank you for today. If you ever have need of me, simply call my name. Anywhere in the Primordial World, I will arrive in an instant!"
Jiang Haofeng did not answer directly. Instead, he immediately made a solemn promise. "Fellow Daoist Minghe, my human race is weak. Should Fellow Daoist Minghe ever need us, my human race will never refuse!"
"Haofeng, you are my kindred spirit!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the two parted ways, and Ancestor Minghe left Nuwa City.
In the void, Ancestor Minghe's expression returned to calm. As expected, he had discovered nothing special. The key to attaining Dao was to create a race that completed heaven and earth, as well as to enlighten living beings.
Of course, there was also Hongmeng Purple Qi. In an instant, the figures of Jieyin and Zhunti appeared in Ancestor Minghe's mind, and killing intent quietly rose within him.
The killing intent vanished in a flash. Ancestor Minghe restrained it and looked down at Nuwa City below.
Haofeng of the human race.
He was not bad. They could be friends. Of course, whether they could become close friends would depend on future developments.
He alone could not handle Jieyin and Zhunti. No, he needed to find another helper.
One Great Divine Power after another passed through Ancestor Minghe's mind. A moment later, one figure remained, and Ancestor Minghe's eyes lit up. It would be him—Demon Master Kunpeng!
Back when the Six Saints of the Heavenly Dao had been ordained, Kunpeng had been meant to have a place among them. Yet he had been implicated by Hongyun, and the Sage position had been yielded to Jieyin and Zhunti.
Kunpeng taking action would be perfectly justified. If he helped Kunpeng reclaim the Hongmeng Purple Qi, that would naturally be justified as well. Then, once they killed Jieyin and Zhunti, each of them could take one strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi. Would that not be wonderful?
Ancestor Minghe's eyes immediately brightened. His figure flashed as he headed for the Heavenly Court. At its edge, Ancestor Minghe sent out a streak of spiritual light and waited quietly for Kunpeng to appear.
Eastern Emperor Taiyi was in the Heavenly Court, and his strength was already formidable. With the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Chaos Bell, he was even more powerful. Outside the Blood Sea, Ancestor Minghe had no desire to test himself against Eastern Emperor Taiyi.
A moment later, mysterious light flashed through the void, and a burly man in blue robes appeared before Ancestor Minghe.
Like Primeval Lord of Heaven, Kunpeng appeared to be middle-aged.
The innate divine spirits of the Primordial World possessed endless lifespans, so naturally there was no such thing as aging for them. The form they showed to others was determined entirely by their hearts.
Generally speaking, those who appeared as youths tended to be carefree and unrestrained, with sharp spirits. There were few Great Divine Powers in the Primordial World who appeared youthful, only a handful.
Those who appeared middle-aged were steady and calculating. Such people were generally active upon the stage of the Primordial World.
Those who appeared as elders mostly devoted themselves wholeheartedly to pursuing the Great Dao, living in secluded mountains and cultivating in peace. They rarely concerned themselves with the affairs of the Primordial World, and even when they participated, it was generally for merit or to prove Dao.
Of course, this was only a general rule, not an absolute one. Yet in most cases, it was reliable.
Kunpeng looked at Ancestor Minghe expressionlessly. "Minghe, why have you sought me out?"
"For Hongmeng Purple Qi!"
As the words fell, Kunpeng's expression changed drastically. He stared fixedly at Ancestor Minghe. "What?"
"Hongmeng Purple Qi!"
Under Kunpeng's gaze, Ancestor Minghe repeated the words slowly and distinctly.
Kunpeng's expression shifted slightly. After a long silence, he finally said, "Jieyin and Zhunti?"
"Correct, those two!" Ancestor Minghe said without concealment, a hint of killing intent flashing through his eyes.
"Kunpeng, you should have had one of the seats among the Six Saints of the Heavenly Dao. Yet it was taken by those two shameless bastards from the west, leaving you beneath others forever. Are you truly willing to accept that?"
"Kunpeng, you alone cannot contend with those two from the west. I will help you. The two of us will settle the karma from Purple Cloud Palace that day. Once we obtain the Primordial Violet Qi, give me one strand. The two of us can become Sages—would that not be wonderful?"
"Minghe, Jieyin and Zhunti are not easy to deal with. If we fail to kill them, then once they become Sages in the future, you and I will surely die and vanish from the world."
"Kunpeng, do not speak such useless nonsense. When you killed Hongyun back then, why were you not afraid that Hongyun would become a Sage and seek revenge on you?" Ancestor Minghe sneered.
"Hongyun owed you karma, and Jieyin and Zhunti also owe you karma. If Hongyun could be killed, why can those two not be killed?"
With Ancestor Minghe exposing his past, Kunpeng showed no embarrassment at all. "Hongyun ultimately died by your hand. Do not slander me."
Ancestor Minghe sneered and did not argue with Kunpeng over such meaningless matters. "Are you going or not?"
"I have no powerful Magic Treasures to protect myself. Jieyin and Zhunti possess quite a few treasures. I fear I may be unable to kill him."
"You only need to hold Jieyin back. Once I kill Zhunti, the two of us can join forces to kill Jieyin!" A domineering look appeared in Ancestor Minghe's eyes.
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