Chapter 101: After the Calamity

The vast wilderness after the flood receded was a scene of devastation; perhaps after a long time, all living beings had grown accustomed to living in water.

Faced with the world after the tide had receded, they felt somewhat at a loss.

The life they had long awaited finally arrived; sunlight pierced the clouds, showering the human world, and the earth began to regain its vitality.

In the constant recounting of their ancestors, they believed the retreat of the tide was the beginning of hope, yet though they had long awaited this scene, they discovered it brought more than just hope.

There were also countless troubles and plagues.

To deal with these, responding to the prayers of all beings, the gods began to walk again upon the vast wilderness.

They started from the surroundings of their own Dao Chang, driving away plagues, purifying heaven and earth, guiding beings on how to survive, and imparting knowledge and cultivation.

Qi and Nüwa were among them; Di Jun was especially enthusiastic, merging with Taiyi to form the great sun, soaring within the vast wilderness.

Wherever they passed, disasters retreated, and the various miasmas previously hidden beneath the waters were burned and purified, bringing warmth and fire to all beings.

Qi also walked within the vast wilderness; wherever he went, boundless pure light followed, making the heavens clear, the earth bright, and the universe lucid.

The five set out from Yunmze Marsh, each taking a direction, spreading out to expand the area of purification as much as possible.

During this period, the Phoenix Clan fully emerged, continually dancing in the sky; while purifying heaven and earth, they expanded their influence, spreading the phoenix's footprint across the entire sky, intending to gather the sky's qi.

The Dragon Clan did likewise, constantly appearing in rivers and rivers, gathering turbid currents, purifying water quality, and accelerating the tide's retreat.

They taught the people, expanded the Dragon Clan's influence, and gathered the vital essence of all aquatic beings.

At the same time, they established the Dragon Clan Water Manor, opened offices and appointed officials, gathered the water tribes, and formed a water army.

The Qilin Clan differed from the two; in the process of sending clansmen to heal, they always left some behind to teach the local populace.

They continually exerted influence over livelihood, institutions, law, and cultivation, assimilating those tribes so they would accept the Qilin Clan's rule.

They brought them a better life and superior cultivation resources, yet reduced them to vassals of the Qilin Clan.

Yet those tribes detected nothing abnormal; the Qilin Clan began laying plans during the rainstorm, and as those tribes continually changed over time, the Qilin Clan had already imprinted itself upon their lives.

The Dragon Clan and the Phoenix Clan also showed no reaction; now they are each pursuing their own schemes, advancing smoothly, and by the time they realize it, the vast wilderness will likely have fallen into the Qilin Clan's hands.

The heavy rain lasted a Great Cycle, but its effects required ten times that time to dissipate; Qi watched the vast wilderness gradually return to normal, wearing a satisfied smile.

Finally letting out a deep breath, Qi knew the great calamity had passed and he should return to Yunmze Marsh.

In the coming time, Qi needed to properly organize his gains; the power gained from sudden enlightenment came too fast and needed to settle and be refined.

Only power that one can freely master is truly one's own; possessing a flawless Dao Fruit, one should ensure it remains without defect.

During the time the gods walked after the calamity, the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humanity returned to balance, and the heavenly clouds grew ever thinner until they vanished.

The gods sensed that a world was being born, yet they could not find its entrance, and tearing space could not enter it.

News of the Heavenly Realm began to spread within the vast wilderness; the gods all had a basic awareness of this.

That is, the emergence of the Heavenly Realm should bear some special significance, symbolizing the beginning of an era at a particular time.

Only then will the Heavenly Realm truly come into being; for this, there is a fitting term to describe such things: responding to fate.

All primordial divine beings are born this way; however, given the current state of the Heavenly Realm, most gods believe a top-tier primordial divine will also be nurtured within it.

It is unknown which of the Three Powers he will belong to, nor what responsibility he will bear.

As the gods returned to their caves and Dao Chang, the Dao Sound echoed between heaven and earth; Qi lifted his head from Yunmze Marsh, gazing ahead with a hint of anticipation.

Di Jun, Taiyi, Fuxi, and Nüwa likewise wished to know how much heavenly reward their efforts over these Great Cycles would earn.

Boundless merit-golden clouds gathered, stretching across the entire sky, endless and limitless.

Rosy light transformed into heavenly maidens; accompanied by the Dao Sound, petals of heavenly flowers fell upon the earth; ordinary beings who touched them dispelled calamities, eliminated misfortune, increased longevity, and gained blessings.

Plants and trees regained vitality; between mountains and waters, spiritual energy abounded, lively and jumping.

Within the vast wilderness realm, heavenly flowers scattered everywhere, and the profound sound of the Great Dao resounded.

Most primordial divine beings remained unmoved, awaiting the final distribution of merit; only a few used divine power to gather the scattered heavenly flowers, letting them fall only near the Dao Chang.

The Dao Sound resonated for one hundred and eight days; heavenly flowers fell for seventy-two days; the remaining thirty-six days only featured omens accompanying the Dao Sound.

When the Dao Sound ceased, the merit-golden clouds in the heavens stopped gathering, turning into beams of divine light that showered upon the vast wilderness.

In the great calamity, those who excelled were all possessors of merit, whether human or divine.

The Great Dao is impartial; those with merit suffer no loss, evildoers reap what they sow, and the myriad beings who have endured the calamity, with neither merit nor fault, enjoy the Dao Sound.

The immense merit-divine light flew toward Yunmze Marsh; in midair it transformed into countless streams of light, scattering outward.

Among them, the thickest five beams of divine light fell upon Qi, Taiyi, and others.

Qi's profound Merit Golden Wheel appeared to receive the divine light.

On the golden wheel, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and all worldly manifestations were fully displayed; heavenly rosy light, merit protecting the person.

The divine light placed upon the Merit Golden Wheel enlarged the wheel by one circle; behind Qi it shone forth, displaying greater divine might and far-reaching virtue.

Likewise, the others preferred the more ostentatious Merit Golden Wheel over the Merit Celebration Clouds.

However, obtaining merit is not easy; heavenly gods and earthly deities fare relatively well, but gods and humans mostly gain merit only by teaching beings.

Mount Sumeru.

Rahu gained little merit this time, nor did he mind; merely gazing at the five treasures still gestating, he sighed:

"Time is short, Hongjun; the Heavenly Dao will emerge; thereafter it will depend on our respective means."

Activating the World-Annihilating Grind, countless divine thoughts and spiritual lights shattered, leaving only a single divine thought like a jade bead, flickering with faint light.

Rahu held it in his hand, a slight smile on his face; the jade bead turned to dust and fell to the ground.

"Now I stand invincible, Hongjun."

(End of chapter)