Chapter 330

The Kun-Peng dwelt in this small tribe, hunting and farming with them each day; after several years, it finally bade them farewell.

Over the ensuing tens of thousands of years, the Kun-Peng wandered across the Primordial Wilds, leaving traces in every large and small tribe.

Among them were super-large tribes such as those of snakes and tigers, as well as some small clans that the Kun-Peng had never known before.

They were scattered like weeds across the Primordial Wilds, but any slight disturbance would wipe them out completely.

Yet with the arrival of spring, they would sprout anew, grow endlessly, cycling eternally.

As the Kun-Peng traveled, it realized that the entire Primordial Wilds seemed divided into countless different strata, with no interaction between them, and their circles never overlapped.

Among the top-tier tribes, their people cultivated diligently, all were practitioners, walking they flew, soaring high above the clouds.

Their own method of recording and inheritance was also the divine symbols circulating among the innate sacred, profound in meaning, passed down through bloodlines, requiring no study.

In somewhat lesser tribes, they used the cloud seal script transmitted from the Dao of Immortals, mixed with some divine symbols, and passed down through oral instruction, continuously preserving it.

Next, some used only the cloud seal script, perhaps with one or two divine symbols, but basically it could only be used for spell combat or ritual, lacking a systematic framework.

Further down, however, it was worlds apart: only a few understood the cloud seal script, while most used scripts they themselves had invented in their tribes, serving merely for record-keeping, yet complete enough not to hinder transmission.

Going lower still, the cloud seal script vanished entirely; only their own tribal scripts remained, and even those were riddled with gaps, lacking any value or possibility of circulation.

At the very bottom, these people seemed utterly uncivilized: they had no writing, and even their farming was extremely crude.

They mainly relied on hunting for food, ate wild mountain fruits, were ignorant of the seasons, and recorded events by tying knots and carving stone.

Their clothing did not cover their bodies, they dwelt in caves, their speech was coarse and hard to understand, their expression unclear, and they were hardly worthy of being called human.

In the Kun-Peng's view, such mundane beings, though upright and tool-using, deserving of standing tall between heaven and earth and possessing some wisdom, were more like beasts than humans.

They almost lacked any inheritance or moral conception; perhaps a fortunate few occasionally gained heaven's favor, luckily entered the qi realm, or consumed imperial nectar to embark on the path of cultivation, yet ultimately still failed to attain the Dao.

As the Kun-Peng walked the road back to Mount Buzhou, it felt that perhaps an opportunity lay hidden within, yet it seemed shrouded by a veil of mist, forever unclear.

"Inheritance? Morality? Education? What exactly do they need?"

Kunpeng muttered to himself, yet he felt that, given the vastness of the Wasteland, to slowly advance with his own strength was nearly impossible.

After all, as mighty as Hongjun Daozu, who wandered throughout the Wasteland spreading the Dao of cultivation, the Wasteland remains just as it is.

Although Kunpeng held himself in high esteem, he did not dare claim to be comparable to a Dao Ancestor, which he could not attain; how could he achieve the Dao relying solely on himself?

Moreover, in the present Wasteland, languages are chaotic and scripts each have their own; even the cloud seal script capable of bearing the words of the Great Dao cannot be widely spread, so even if Kunpeng wished to educate, how could he influence the entire Wasteland? On this journey, Kunpeng had been pondering this matter until he stepped onto the summit of Mount Buzhou, looking around, as if the whole Wasteland lay beneath his feet, and only then did Kunpeng's mind suddenly open up.

"Although cloud seal script can bear the words of the Great Dao, it is too profound; only immortals can understand its principles, while others may know what it is but not why."

"Since I intend to educate the Wasteland, why not first create a script that can carry the Great Dao but is not as profound as cloud seal script?"

"It may be somewhat inferior in power, but it must be sufficiently simple and its meaning clear; only then will it have significance in the Wasteland."

"At the very least, we must first unify the script and language of the entire Wasteland, so that these completely incompatible tribes of all strata may have the possibility to communicate."

"Perhaps language can be slow, but script can transcend ancient and modern, cross ethnic divides, disregard sectarian biases, allowing this information to be smoothly transmitted and preserved."

"If the Wasteland wishes to welcome another surge of development, unifying the script is crucial! My opportunity lies within this!"

Kunpeng muttered to himself, gazed at the gate of the heavenly realm within reach, then flashed his form and instantly returned to the heavenly realm.

He did not go to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall; Kunpeng immediately returned to his own palace, having no mind to send word, so he hung a jade tablet at the palace gate to indicate his intention to seclude himself and refuse visitors.

Immediately, Kunpeng became engrossed in his own ideas; over the following time, relying on the divine markings, he continually simplified them, creating one character after another.

But soon after, he found them too profound, overturning each one and recreating them, cycling repeatedly, unaware of the passage of time.

And when Di Jun heard that Kunpeng had returned, he originally wanted to inquire, but upon learning of the jade tablet, he happily said:

"The Heavenly Might King has attained the Dao."

At this time, Qi began organizing the marriage with Nüwa, and the Heavenly Court consequently grew busy, preparing the banquet, sending out invitations, discussing the Dao……

Of course, the Heavenly Court's busyness actually had nothing to do with Qi and Nüwa; although the earthly marriage concerned the two, neither Qi nor Nüwa placed much importance on it.

At this moment, the two were together in Qi's imperial palace, immersed in deducing the starry sky, hoping to rely on the River Chart and Luo Book to unravel the formations within the heavens.

Nüwa twisted her waist, let out a languid sigh, gazed at the River Chart and Luo Book before her, and spoke rather helplessly:

"Qi, is this truly what you said, the key to the formations in the starry sky?"

"We have been deducing this for so long, our contemplation never ceasing, yet why have we never seen it change?"

Facing Nüwa's weary appearance, Qi gave a slight smile and advised: "You are not skilled in formations to begin with, your grasp of the art of heavenly secrets is ordinary at best, your foundation is too weak, so forcing contemplation naturally tires you."

"Knowing you dislike this, why not rest for a while? I can deduce it alone; after all, this treasure is truly a fine thing for me."

"In this period alone, I have gained much in the way of formations; many things I previously overlooked now appear to still have room for improvement."

"Take the Heavenly Court's formation that transforms Chaos into innate spiritual energy as an example; if rebuilt, I am confident I can at least save considerable materials while enhancing its efficacy somewhat."

"Even the Primordial Cloud Dream Star Grand Array still has room for progress; it's just that the time spent contemplating the formations in the starry sky has been too short, and to this day I still cannot grasp its essence."

"After all, it concerns the power of Hongyuan Wuji Luo Tianzun; if we could easily fathom it, how could we be worthy of such great power?"

After Qi's words fell, he also stretched his limbs like Nüwa, having not moved for tens of thousands of years; today, moving about a bit, he felt rather comfortable.

Nüwa nodded, agreeing that Qi's words were reasonable, but for her, merely contemplating was rather dull.

Suddenly, Nüwa seemed to think of something, turned to Qi and said: "After the earthly marriage, how about you accompany me on a walk across the Wasteland? It has been a long time since I last saw the colors of the Wasteland; now I suddenly recall it, and I do feel a bit of longing."

After a brief hesitation, Qi agreed; having been still in thought for long, since he now lacks inspiration, he might as well go to the Wasteland for a walk.

Moreover, Qi harbors some doubt about the formations in the starry sky; he has contemplated the River Chart and Luo Book for a long time, and his manipulation of them is already second nature.

If there were any secrets hidden within, he ought to have noticed them long ago, rather than now blundering about like a headless fly.

Qi even feels that the River Chart and Luo Book indeed contain the secret of the starry sky, but perhaps it awaits the right heavenly timing to reveal itself.

And in the Wasteland, the only heavenly timing capable of affecting the Heavenly Court, in Qi's understanding, is the Great Calamity; there is nothing else.

Watching Nüwa depart happily because of his promise, Qi murmured to himself: "Surely it cannot be that only during the Great Calamity will the River Chart and Luo Book reveal the full picture of the starry sky's formations; if so, how could the Heavenly Court ever have a chance to respond?"

Previously, Qi had consulted with Di Jun and Fuxi; all three perceived that the Heavenly Court, though appearing splendid and unrivaled, was in fact merely a powder keg waiting to explode.

At present, with no sage yet emerged, the Heavenly Court can still suppress the Wasteland and the myriad gods, and even keep future sages silent.

But once a sage appears, there will surely come an era of greatest prosperity for cultivators in the Wasteland, and the Wasteland land will inevitably fall into chaos.

As the most exalted fruition between heaven and earth, a sage could never tolerate having a heavenly court still standing atop his head.

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Nüwa and the Kun-peng are fine, after all they too hail from the heavenly court; becoming a sage would only bring them supreme glory, eclipsing all other sages at once.

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Although Qi and Emperor Jun and others provide a check, at least there remains a hint of mortal affection, so the heavenly court will not be overly harsh.

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Yet the Three Pure Ones and Jieyin, together with the one who wields the Primordial Purple Qi—though it's uncertain whether he can attain sagehood—will not permit the heavenly court to keep suppressing the primordial world.

Contains: Three Pure Ones (Three Pure Ones) - a group, proper name? Might be considered a proper noun; but it's a title. Should we translate? According to rules, sect/faction names should be translated by meaning. "Three Pure Ones" means "Three Pure Ones". It's a group of deities; we could translate as "Three Pure Ones". However the glossary didn't list it; we need to decide. The instruction: "List every character (incl. the protagonist & minor ones), place, sect/clan/faction/people, official & sect rank/title, technique, item/artifact, beast, and realm that appears in these lines." So sect names count. "Three Pure Ones" is a sect/group; we should translate meaning: "Three Pure Ones". Also "Jieyin" is Jieyin (glossary). "Primordial Purple Qi" is "Hongmeng Purple Qi"? Actually "Primordial Purple Qi" is a term meaning "Primordial Purple Qi". It's a concept; not a person name. Should we translate? It's a thing; we can translate as "Primordial Purple Qi". But it's not a proper name; maybe it's a concept. The rule: "CULTIVATION / XIANXIA / WUXIA terms MUST be TRANSLATED by meaning, never romanized". So we should translate "Primordial Purple Qi" as "Primordial Purple Qi". However we need to decide if it's a name of an item/artifact; it's a substance. We'll translate. "Zhunti" is Zhunti (glossary). "saint" generic. "Heavenly Court". "Primordial Wilderness" means "Primordial Land" or "Wilderness Land". "Primordial Wilderness" is a term meaning "primordial chaos". It's a place? It's the primordial world. Should translate as "Primordial Wilderness". But it's a place name? Might be considered a proper noun? The term "Primordial Wilderness" appears often as a setting; we can translate as "Primordial Wilderness". Not in glossary; we need to add if it's a place. The instruction: "List every character... place... that appears in these lines." So "Primordial Wilderness" is a place; we should translate meaning: "Primordial Wilderness". We'll add to glossary as "Primordial Wilderness". However we need to check if "Primordial Wilderness" alone appears elsewhere; but we have "Primordial Wilderness". We'll treat as place.

Especially Jieyin and Zhunti, the Xifang Dalu has suffered much under the heavenly court's checks; as the ones chosen by the Xifang Dalu's qi, they will certainly not endure in silence.

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And the Wu tribe, the source of chaos in the Xifang Dalu, will inevitably be their chosen means to oppose the heavenly court.

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After Pangu the Great God, they do not cultivate the Great Dao, they know nothing of heavenly numbers, they are not precise in calculation, yet they possess immense strength—truly a born blade.

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Originally the heavenly court could use it against the West, so they can naturally turn it against the heavenly court as well.

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Qi and Emperor Jun and the others had long foreseen this; the appearance of the demon realm and the departure of the auspicious qilin have already shown the heavenly court the way forward.

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In the vision of Qi, Emperor Jun, and Fuxi, if the heavenly court can endure the great calamity, they will have fulfilled their purpose and can withdraw.

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The heavenly court's succession will fall to those who take over—whether Ziwei, Taiyi, or the three yet‑undecided—who will be innate divinities born under the Way of Heaven, leading the court to continue under that Way.

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As for the heavenly court's future, it should likewise be left to those who succeed to decide. All Qi and the others need to do is provide a desolate yet pristine primordial world for them to act as they wish.

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That is enough.

Qi's thoughts were in turmoil as the River Chart and Lo Scroll glowed before him. Seeing this, he suddenly chuckled and said softly: "The heavenly court's affairs will be taken care of by later generations; I never imagined it would come to this—who knows, in the midst of the great calamity we might have accidentally shattered the primordial continent."

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"Then we will all wander together in chaos, returning to the Way beneath, hehe."

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When Qi finished speaking, his face broke into a smile again, though undoubtedly with a hint of heaviness.

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Although he had already found a way out for everyone, Qi dare not guarantee that the future will indeed be as he envisioned—that they will all attain the Way and withdraw smoothly.

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Qi seemed to suddenly think of something; he chuckled and said: "This starry sky isn't bad either; how did the Dao Ancestor Hongjun just say to sever ties and be done with it? Why not lend him a hand in the future?"

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Having said that, Qi strode out of the hall; the weather was fine today, so he ought to go out and clear his mind.

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The primordial world, the Xifang Dalu.

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Countless Wu tribe members gathered around a bronze pillar; the bonfire lit the whole night sky, and the scent of roasted meat and drink drifted on the night wind.

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The Wu people's voices were noisy; everywhere were sounds of laughter, frolic, and uproar; many renowned great shamans were present, enjoying themselves with the clansfolk.

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In the starry sky, an eerie red star twinkled; yet viewed from beneath this bronze pillar, it shone especially bright and beautiful.

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This red star is the one Rahu became when he turned into a star deity, coincidentally born together with the Wu tribe; its significance is extraordinary, and many among the Wu tribe naturally feel affection for it.

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And today's gathering beneath the bronze pillar is precisely because Rahu's star shines brightest at this time of year; the spot where the pillar stands is the best viewing platform for hundreds of millions of miles around.

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Gazing at the twinkling Rahu star in the sky, Dayi, Kuafu, and Xingtian gathered together beneath the bonfire; the firelight flickered, casting upon the faces of the great shamans, appearing mottled and uneven.

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The largest wineskin lay scattered across the mountain streams, damming the small creek and forming a little pool where fish frolicked, showing that everyone had drunk quite a bit.

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Just as many great shamans were rising, suddenly from beneath the bronze pillar came countless cheers and shouts, drawing the attention of many great shamans.

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Then a chorus of boos came; see, a Wu man's veins bulged, looking extremely ferocious, yet the bronze pillar in his arms remained utterly unmoved.

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The flickering firelight shone on the face of the pillar‑pulling Wu man, making his complexion flush intensely; it's unclear whether this redness comes from the firelight, from blood rushing to his head, or from embarrassment amid the boos.

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As cheers and boos rose and fell, the atmosphere among the Wu people became intensely lively.

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The Rahu star in the heavens twinkled; unknown who started the chant, shouting:

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"Great shamans come, great shamans come!"

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Immediately, the countless Wu people in the field joined in shouting loudly; the sound waves shattered the drifting clouds in the sky and caused the birds in the mountains and forests to flare their wings and flee.

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The great shamans around the bonfire glanced at each other, seeing many enthusiasts running from the other side of the bronze pillar; Dayi couldn't help but tease: "Who should go? The clansfolk are so enthusiastic; today is also a rare festival—we might as well agree."

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On the other side, Kuafu gave Dayi a white look and said rather annoyed:

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"Step aside; that pillar is no ordinary thing—it was erected by the heavenly court. It's fine for the clansfolk to play around, but if we go, wouldn't that be making a fuss?"

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The people in the field burst into laughter; Xingtian even more so teased:

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"When did you, the great shaman Kuafu, become so understanding of the bigger picture? Or is it that someone actually tried, failed to move it, and now you're saying this to save face?"

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The laughter by the bonfire grew louder; Kuafu directly flung his wineskin at Xingtian, laughing and scolding: "Get out of the way, drinking and eating meat still can't shut your mouth; if you don't speak, nobody will take you for a mute!"

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As it turns out, Kuafu had tried this long before; he was the only one in the field to have attempted it, and even attracted many great shamans to watch.

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The result was that the bronze pillar didn't budge at all—not even a shake, let alone being pulled out or moved; Kuafu, having experienced this, was called by many clansfolk the weakest among the great shamans.

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But in fact Kuafu truly gave his all; among all the Wu tribe's great shamans, his strength ranks among the best, he just didn't manage to move the pillar.

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Seeing the many Wu people gradually approaching, many great shamans realized they weren't just playing around, and felt somewhat caught between a rock and a hard place; the great shaman Jiufeng even said: "Should we stop them? Otherwise we might end up like Kuafu, disgraced before the clansfolk; I don't want to be called the weakest great shaman."

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"And if it doesn't budge, that's fine; but if we actually pull out or shift the bronze pillar, how would we explain it to the heavenly court?"

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"We can't just put the pillar back, can we? If we did, how would the people of the other half of the continent view us?"

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Many great shamans fell into deep thought; it seemed whether they act or not, succeed or fail, it becomes a dilemma.

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If they do nothing, the clansfolk will surely accuse them of lacking courage, being struck down by the heavenly court, not daring even to try, making them cowards.

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But if they act and fail, they will inevitably face ridicule, just like Kuafu today, being branded as 'guilty weak' to preserve the tribe's reputation.

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Know that even to this day, many clansfolk still challenge like Kuafu, trying to prove they are stronger than the great shamans.

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If they succeed, it could become even more troublesome; they are not like ignorant clansfolk—after the conclave of the ancestral shamans ends, they are the first to learn the contents.

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The heavenly court's power is obviously far greater than that of the Wu tribe at this moment; if they move the bronze pillar, what consequences would follow? No one knows.

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They are not afraid of heavenly court punishment or having to atone with their lives; they worry that their rashness might instead drag the Wu tribe into a heavenly court strike.

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Seeing the clansfolk still continually approaching, Kuafu hesitated a moment, then stepped forward and said:

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"Anyway I've already lost face once; today I might as well lose a bit more—let me go, after all I can't move it anyway."

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Upon hearing this, many great shamans felt some guilt, but also knew this is the best course for now; as the greatest authority among today's great shamans, Dayi spoke:

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"Thanks, this time we owe you a personal favor; if later we can be of use, just speak up—whatever we can do, we'll do it without hesitation."

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"Remember, regardless of whether you can move it, you must ensure the bronze pillar does not wobble; later, I will give you some compensation personally."

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"You know, what is most important for the Wu tribe right now—I'm sure you haven't forgotten."

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Everything Da Yi said was heartfelt; he also knows this is stifling, but the circumstances leave no choice—they can only do this. Now that the Primeval Witch is gone, he must be the one to play the villain.

Fortunately, Kuafu was also reasonable, and didn't pay attention to Dayi's words; instead, he pretended to be relaxed and said:

"Don't worry, I know the importance; I don't want any compensation, but I remember that last time Hou Tu the Elder returned, he rewarded you with some fine wine from the Heavenly Court; after today, it'll all be mine."

Da Yi burst out laughing, knowing Kuafu meant well, but he felt quite uneasy inside; yet he could only go along with the teasing and said: "Turns out you, this bastard, have ill intentions, taking advantage of a fire to rob, fine, that good wine, tomorrow I'll send it over to you."

And as the two settled this matter, many great shamans in the field felt somewhat relieved, and they all raised their cups to Kuafu to express their gratitude.

Shortly after, seeing countless tribesmen surrounding them, they began to clamor, saying:

"Great Shaman Dayi, you are the foremost expert under the Ancestral Shaman Sir in our tribe; go give it a try!"

"Great Shaman Xingtian, you are the pride of our tribe; show us a trick!"

"Exactly, also let them know that you are the strongest among the great shamans!"

The clamor of countless people rose in a tumult, the lively atmosphere more dazzling than a bonfire; looking at the multitude of tribesmen before him, Dayi stepped forward to soothe them, saying:

"Everyone quiet down a bit, don't make noise, it's making my ears hurt."

"If you want to see the great shaman pull up the copper pillar, why don't you become great shamans yourselves? Go play aside, don't bother us."

The crowd immediately burst into boos, though most were good-natured; seeing the atmosphere ease a little, Dayi then spoke:

"Come, let Great Shaman Kuafu show you a trick; he has experience, let him go."

The field instantly erupted in cheers, but just as everyone was happy, suddenly a voice sounded, and it was extremely loud.

It was this voice that silenced the entire venue, many great shamans' faces turned as black as charcoal, only hearing that voice shout: "Who wants that weak-legged shrimp? The weakest great shaman comes; last time you lost face once, isn't that enough? Today everyone's happy, do you still want to come up and lose face?"

Upon these words, the eyes of many great shamans turned sharp, their gazes shooting straight to the source of the sound; many shamans also, under this sharp gaze, gradually stepped aside, revealing the speaker.

That person didn't hide either; seeing the great shamans' gazes focus on him, he moreover continued to shout:

"Isn't that so? Losing face last time wasn't enough? You insist on coming out now to be an eyesore?"

Upon these words, Kuafu slowly rose to his feet, his eyes full of anger and resentment, while Da Yi felt his heart jump, sensing something amiss.

The gazes of everyone in the field also followed Kuafu's rising, gradually focusing on him. (End of chapter)