Chapter 4: Human Race Crisis

Zhou Yi was immersed in the joy of gaining Heavenly Mandate points when, suddenly, a sharp shout from afar broke the tranquility outside the Purple Sky Palace.

"It's bad, the Demon Race has started rampaging in the Human Race area; many of our people are suffering disasters," a panicked voice rang out among the crowd.

Immediately after, a ragged Human Race cultivator staggered forward before the crowd, his body covered in blood, clearly having endured a brutal escape.

Zhou Yi's heart sank sharply, his face turning ashen. As a member of the Human Race, he felt an instinctive concern for its safety.

Having crossed over, he already bore the mission of forging a future for humanity; now hearing of the Human Race's calamity, the fire of anger in his heart ignited instantly.

"Why is the Demon Race now running rampant through the Human Race area?" Zhou Yi asked in a low voice, his eyes sweeping the crowd like knives.

The cultivator lifted his head, trembling, "The Demon Race… we don't know why they suddenly launched an attack; many of our people were killed, our tribe… our tribe…" He choked, unable to continue.

Zhou Yi clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles producing a "clack" sound. He drew a deep breath, forced his fury down, turned and faced the Demon Race: "You Demon Race, how despicable, attacking the Human Race while the Dao gathering is underway."

"It's not our Demon Race; the Demon Race's scope is vast, it must be other demons," a demon from the Demon Race stepped forward to argue.

Zhou Yi, too lazy to continue, turned to the great beings and said: "All of you, the Human Race now faces a life‑or‑death crisis; can we just stand by and do nothing?"

Yuan Shi sneered, his tone dripping with contempt: "The Human Race are nothing but ants; what concern have they to us cultivators?"

Zhou Yi's gaze shot at Yuan Shi like an arrow, a hint of cold flashing in his eyes: "Ants? The Human Race are also living beings created after Pangu opened the heavens; should they just be trampled by the Demon Race?"

Zhou Yi stopped debating, cast "Void Cloud Surge", turning into a beam of golden light that raced toward the Human Race area.

The great beings, seeing this, followed closely behind.

A thousand‑li distance was but a moment's span for these great beings; when they arrived at the Human Race tribe, the scene before them made everyone gasp in cold shock.

The tribe had been reduced to wreckage by the Demon Race—houses collapsed, the people scattered in flight, blood staining the earth crimson. Countless demons were slaughtering the Human Race with cruel excitement on their faces.

"Beast!" Zhou Yi roared, his form flashing like lightning, instantly charging at the nearest demon.

His hands transformed into golden claws, executing "Life‑Tear Rending Hand", tearing a demon in two in an instant.

Blood splattered everywhere, the surrounding demons froze in shock at the sudden attack.

Zhou Yi lifted his head to the heavens, his roar like thunder, determination blazing: "I swear today, the Human Race will rise again; the blood debt you owe, I vow to repay a thousandfold!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, it seemed as if a mysterious force in the world silently forged an alliance with him.

Many great beings felt a sudden shiver, an inexplicable unease crawling up their hearts.

"What's going on?" Nüwa's heart skipped a beat; she clearly sensed a shift in the Human Race's fortune.

Since the Demon Race began slaughtering the Human Race, the Human Race's luck had plummeted to the lowest point.

Yet at that moment, news from Fuxi gave her a slight comfort; he would leave a way of survival for the Human Race.

But soon after, a strange feeling surged in her mind; she counted on her fingers, yet could calculate nothing.

This sensation, she hadn't felt since becoming a Saint, had not appeared for a long time.

Nüwa's figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye she rose to the high skies of Honghuang, looking down at the earth.

Taishang and Yuanshi also sensed something amiss and looked up toward Mount Buzhou.

The sky above Mount Buzhou, once shrouded in a blood‑colored mist, suddenly birthed a shaft of golden light.

Though the golden light was small, it shone strikingly bright within the blood mist. Zhou Yi looked up at the light, a smile curling his lips: "No need to fight to the death this time. The Saints are occupying the Human Race's fortune, doing nothing; this time I'll take everything back."

The fire of anger burned fiercely in his heart as he rose, standing steadily upon the golden light.

The surrounding demons saw clearly, brandishing swords and spears they charged at him.

Yet when Zhou Yi spoke, they all halted.

"Nüwa created humanity and made saints, yet she cares not for the Human Race's life and death—what kind of Human Race mother is she?"

"Taishang Saint relies on the Human Race to found a sect and become saints; when the Human Race is in trouble and he does nothing, can he be called the Human Race's revered teacher?"

"I, Zhou Yi, an ordinary Human, speak for the Human Race today: from now on, the Human Race will not worship gods or Buddhas, will not revere heaven or earth, will only trust itself, self‑strengthen without cease, for that is the true path."

Each sentence rang like a thunderclap, shaking hearts. Those demons who intended to kill him heard this and their hearts pounded: "Has this Human Race gone mad, daring to challenge the Saints?"

Taishang and Nüwa, hovering above Mount Buzhou, listened to Zhou Yi's bold words, trembling with anger, "This guy is too reckless."

Someone let out a soft sigh, out of place amid the surrounding clamor.

"Self‑strengthening isn't bad."

Though the voice was small, it rang like a great bell across the heavens. In an instant, clouds rolled on the horizon, purple qi surged from the east. The original blood mist, struck by the purple qi, gradually dispersed, and the golden light beneath Zhou Yi's feet grew ever brighter.

"It's Tongtian Saint!"

"He actually sighs for humanity!"

This turn of events threw the Demon Race into panic.

Zhou Yi's earlier words had openly provoked the Saints' authority; a misstep could have meant death. Yet Tongtian Daoist not only did not punish him, but sighed for him. Consequently, the demons mid‑slaughter halted, for the Saints' attitude mattered too much.

Zhou Yi looked at the system panel where the Human Race's fortune had stabilized, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

Taishang and Nüwa simultaneously widened their eyes, glaring eastward: "Tongtian, you're overstepping your bounds!"

In that vast universe, I personally forged the Human Race; how could I not feel compassion? Yet this disaster seemed a path already laid by fate, unavoidable.

Tongtian Jiaozhu sneered repeatedly: "I, the Jie Sect, was born to seek a way of survival for every life in this world.

At this moment, I speak; what's wrong with that? This matter has nothing to do with you; why create trouble? You, self‑proclaimed Mother of the Human Race; you, as Human Race leader, watch your people drown in fire and water without saving them, only spouting 'it's destiny'.

"Is this shirking responsibility? Today I will state my stance; disagree? Then come, the Sword Formation of Exterminating Immortals, let's compare strength."

"How audacious!"

A shout of anger rang through the clouds.

Zhou Yi looked up to the sky, bowed in thanks, his heart a mix of flavors: Tongtian Jiaozhu, indeed kept the oath made at the sect's founding, leaving a sliver of hope for all beings.

And he, faintly felt that between Tongtian, and the Human Race, an invisible bond seemed tightly tied.

Unfortunately, now the heavenly mechanisms are shrouded in Chaos; even Tongtian cannot glimpse its mysteries.

Zhou Yi straightened his back, his gaze piercing the clouds, a bitter smile curling his lips. If the myriad realms' Human Race could be reborn, that would be his greatest comfort.

Now, the Human Race's fortune has fallen into the abyss. To reverse the heavens, Zhou Yi can only place hope in Saint Nüwa and Saint Taishang, who still hold massive amounts of Human Race fortune in their hands.

"Hmph, since we're forced to this point, don't blame me for being ruthless!"