Chapter 77: with translation of chapter title

After all the sages had disappeared, Yun Zhongzi appeared in the Huaxu tribe.

By order of the Human Race's Holy Master, the leader of the Ren Sect, now that the Human Race's sovereign Fuxi has completed his merit and attained the position of Heavenly Emperor, he should cultivate in seclusion in the Fire Cloud Cavern to protect the Human Race's fortune, which shall forever flourish.

Following the command of the Human Race's Holy Master, the leader of the Ren Sect, now that the Human Race's sovereign Fuxi has completed his merit and attained the position of Heavenly Emperor, he should cultivate in seclusion in the Fire Cloud Cavern to protect our Human Race's fortune, making it everlasting and unwaning.

Thus: "By the command of the Human Race's Holy Master, the leader of the Ren Sect, now that the Human Race's sovereign Fuxi has fulfilled his merit and attained the Heavenly Emperor Dao, he shall cultivate in seclusion in the Fire Cloud Cavern to safeguard our Human Race's fortune, that it may forever flourish."

"'Fuxi obeys the command!' Fuxi bowed to Yun Zhongzi and said."

"'Younger brother, govern the Human Race well; elder brother will wait for you in the Fire Cloud Cavern.' Fuxi turned to Shennong and said."

But he keenly noticed a strange expression in Shennong's eyes; upon seeing it, Fuxi's smile stiffened slightly, then he bowed to Shennong and disappeared from the altar.

Finally, Fuxi, Shennong sighed; when he learned that Fuxi's past life was the Demon Race's Xi Huang, he didn't know what attitude to adopt toward Fuxi, after all Fuxi was also a sudden member of the Human Race back then.

Meanwhile, after Nüwa returned to the Wa Huang Palace, the Human Race fortune she controlled began to fluctuate; within just a few breaths, she had lost one-tenth of it—needless to say, that one-tenth of Human Race fortune had already gone to Panhuang.

Although Fuxi remains the Human Race's Fuxi, Luohuang ultimately went to the Demon Race, and Luohuang is Fuxi's evil corpse; although Fuxi severed his ties with it, Luohuang still ultimately originates from Fuxi.

Thus, this caused part of Nüwa's oath from back then to be fulfilled, and this is also why she lost one-tenth of the Human Race fortune.

Now the Human Race fortune is divided: one-tenth lies with all the Human Race people, one-tenth with Si Teng, five-tenths with Panhuang, and Nüwa herself retains only three-tenths; she has no alternative, and compared to losing all of the Human Race fortune, this is undoubtedly the best outcome.

In the Huaxu tribe, after Yun Zhongzi saw Fuxi depart, he bowed to Shennong and then also vanished within the Huaxu tribe.

Panhuang did not utter the words letting Fuxi suppress the Fire Cloud Cavern; he only said to cultivate in seclusion there to protect our Human Race fortune—that was Panhuang's instruction.

Because Panhuang is not Laozi, he does not treat the Human Race as a tool, so he will never utter words like suppressing the Fire Cloud Cavern.

After Fuxi departed, Shennong became the new Human Race sovereign; upon assuming the throne, he also began to grow busy.

To help the Human Race be more comfortable in the scorching summer, Shennong wove hemp into cloth, making linen clothes, solving the problem of the Human Race covering themselves with leaves and animal hides; he also improved upon Panhuang's initial pottery base, producing more pottery for the Human Race.

Of course, after becoming Human Race sovereign, the spread of the five grains became more convenient; Shennong used his crystal belly to let the Human Race's recipes grow ever more abundant, and the Human Race fortune grew ever stronger; at this point the Human Race already felt like the protagonists of heaven and earth.

In the fifth year of Shennong's tenure as Human Race sovereign, an epidemic broke out within the Human Race domain; countless fell ill, and with the Human Race's existing conditions they could not possibly cure it; in a short time, those at the epidemic's center were reduced to one in ten.

The surrounding Human Race tribes, for the safety of all Human Race, isolated themselves from other Human Race tribes and barred anyone from approaching, in order to minimize the epidemic's impact.

After receiving this news, Shennong disregarded anyone's dissuasion and came to these tribes; after observing the situation there, he found that some Human Race individuals had much milder symptoms than others, and upon inquiry learned they had eaten some herbs, which made their symptoms milder.

However, exactly which herbs they were, these people could not say, because they fundamentally did not know what kind of herb it was; they were just eating at random.

After understanding this, Shennong looked at his crystal belly, believing it should now be put to use.

Thinking this, he left there and went to Zhao Gongming's thatched hut.

"'Master, I prepare to venture into the wilderness for training, to seek herbs that can cure our Human Race epidemic,' Shennong said to Zhao Gongming."

"'Mmm!' Zhao Gongming nodded."

Then he threw a crimson-red whip to Shennong; this whip is called the Zhe whip, which Panhuang personally forged after learning of the Human Race epidemic; since the emergence of the artifact wizards, he has not forged any artifact spirits anymore; all artifact spirits of the artifact wizards, including the transformations of the Lingbao clan, are accomplished by the spirit hammer.

"'This whip is called the Zhe whip; it was personally refined by your master's ancestor; the Zhe whip has little attack power, but it can help you discern the properties of herbs; go on, this is the master's transmission jade slip; if there's anything you cannot resolve, send word to the master at any time,' Zhao Gongming said with a smile to Shennong."

"'Thank you, Master!' Shennong bowed to Zhao Gongming."

After leaving Zhao Gongming's place, Shennong arranged the affairs of the Human Race tribes, then set out with the Zhe whip; wherever he passed, upon seeing a plant he did not recognize, he would stop to taste it, then record it.

When encountering a plant he was unsure about, he would first use the Zhe whip to test for toxicity; if non-toxic, he would personally taste it; if toxic, then the Zhe whip would taste it, and then he would inform Shennong of its medicinal properties.

In this lifetime, because the Zhe whip is an artifact spirit, Shennong fundamentally has no need to risk tasting poisons; this saves him considerable time.

Shennong spent nearly fifty years, traversing most of the wilderness's territories; during this period he tasted countless herbs and recorded their properties entirely; this is the precursor to the Shennong Materia Medica.

Fifty years later, Shennong returned to the Jiangshui tribe; when he set out, he was still a vigorous middle-aged man; when he returned to the tribe, he had become an old man on his last legs.

This is due to long-term consumption of various herbs; Shennong looks like an old man on his last legs, but in fact his body is not weak at all.

After returning to the Jiangshui tribe, Shennong spent another ten years organizing these herbs, then compiled the Shennong Hundred Herbs Classic.

After the Shennong Hundred Herbs Classic was published, he brought it to the tribe where the epidemic had broken out; during those fifty years, the epidemic there saw no relief, fortunately it also did not spread.

Just as Shennong began to treat the Human Race epidemic, the Youxiong clan's Shaodian also welcomed his own son, whom he named Xuanyuan.

When Xuanyuan was born, Guang Chengzi descended to the Youxiong tribe.

"'Pay respects to the Immortal Master!' Shaodian bowed his hands to Guang Chengzi and performed a salute."

Guang Chengzi saw Shaodian like that, his brow furrowed imperceptibly; in the Sect of the Supreme Truth, they place great emphasis on rites, and seeing that Shaodian did not perform the kowtow ritual gave Guang Chengzi a hint of dissatisfaction, though he did not show it.

"'I am the senior disciple of the primordial sage of the Sect of the Supreme Truth; your child has a karmic bond with me as teacher and disciple; today I have come specially to take on a disciple—hurry and bring your child to me,' Guang Chengzi spoke with an air of superiority, his words also carrying a tone of condescension."

"'No need, Immortal Master; my child's fortune is meager, he is unworthy to be your disciple,' Shaodian coldly said upon hearing Guang Chengzi's words."

"'Impudent!' Upon hearing Shaodian say that, Guang Chengzi instantly flew into a rage, and his aura as a Golden Immortal immediately burst forth."

"'Hmph! What does it matter being under a sage? My Human Race fights heaven and earth; my Human Race's Holy Master is not someone who has never fought sages; your sage title cannot intimidate us,' Shaodian gave a cold snort, his aura as a Taiyi Golden Immortal burst forth, directly suppressing Guang Chengzi's aura."

"'You!!!' Guang Chengzi pointed at Shaodian with a furious expression."

"'Get lost!' Shaodian coldly said."

"'When you come begging me,' Guang Chengzi said resentfully, then turned and left without looking back."

In the Sheng Huang Hall, Panhuang had been paying attention to the Sect of the Supreme Truth; when Guang Chengzi emerged from the Sect, he took out the Kongdong seal, and then a white light flew out from it.

The Jiuli tribe.

Now the Jiuli tribe and the Human Race have a very close relationship; in some tribes, Jiuli people are still leaders; this is utterly unlike the previous life, because in the previous life the Jiuli tribe had Wu Clan blood, and when the Wu Clan used Human Race to forge demon-slaying swords, the relationship between Human Race and Jiuli became like fire and water, hence the later war between the Emperor and Chiyou.

But in this lifetime, under Panhuang's intervention, the relationship between the Jiuli tribe and the Human Race is very intimate; the Jiuli tribe is simply the Human Race, purely Human Race.

Jiuli tribe, Chiyou tribe.

Because the relationship between Human Race and the Jiuli tribe is good, in this lifetime there is no longer a designation 'Jiuli tribe'; Jiuli is merely a name of one branch of the Human Race.

In the Chiyou tribe, inside the leader's quarters, an infant was sound asleep; suddenly a white light flew out from the void into the infant's brow, and when it entered, the infant's brows involuntarily furrowed.

No one knows how long passed, the infant opened its eyes; these are not the eyes an infant should have; the emotion in those eyes is incredibly complex—surprise, excitement, and a hidden hint of killing intent.

"'Great Ancestor Witch, Chiyou will surely accomplish the mission,' the infant murmured, of course his speech was that babyish babble."

Kunlun Mountain, Jade Void Palace.

"'What? The father of the Human Emperor refuses to let you take on a disciple?' Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun's brows immediately furrowed."

"'Yes, Master! Moreover, they even spoke rudely to us,' Guang Chengzi nodded."

Yuanshi Tianzun, seeing Guang Chengzi say that, calculated with his fingers; after he finished, his gaze toward Guang Chengzi carried a hint of anger and the feeling of resenting iron for not becoming steel.

"Oh no!" Seeing Yuanshi Tianzun's look, Guang Chengzi panicked, he forgot that the sage is omniscient and omnipotent, he guessed his little thoughts had been seen through by the sage.

Go to the Nine Li Tribe; the child of the Chiyou Tribe's chieftain is also a candidate for the next Human Emperor. In the end, Yuanshi Tianzun also didn't say any harsh words to reprimand Guang Chengzi.

Although Guang Chengzi's personality is somewhat arrogant, he is still my favorite disciple, so Yuanshi Tianzun didn't say anything to him.

"Ah!" Guang Chengzi exclaimed in surprise after hearing Yuanshi Tianzun's words.

"The Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Emperor help the human race develop, while this Human Emperor oversees warfare and the way of raising arms. Go take as disciple that child of the Nine Li Tribe, then help him contend for the Human Emperor's position. You remain the Human Emperor's teacher; this time, don't let your master down again." Yuanshi Tianzun quietly looked at Guang Chengzi.

"Yes, Master!" Guang Chengzi nodded.

Chiyou Tribe, when Guang Chengzi arrived here, it just happened to coincide with the Nine Li Tribe celebrating that the chieftain had an heir.

"Where did you come from, Immortal?" the Nine Li Tribe people asked after seeing Guang Chengzi.

This time Guang Chengzi put away his arrogant expression; the Nine Li Tribe, after all, still has some Wu Clan blood, so their temperament is even more fiery than that of humans.

"I am the senior disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun of the Orthodox Sect, Guang Chengzi. Your chieftain's child has a karmic bond with me as teacher and student; I have come specially to take him as disciple." Guang Chengzi said with a smile.

"Please wait a moment, Immortal; let me go report this."

"Alright!" Guang Chengzi nodded.

Not long after, the guard who had just come down ran out, saying: "The chieftain requests your presence!"

After following the guard into the Chiyou Tribe, Guang Chengzi saw the chieftain of the Chiyou Tribe and the child in his hands.

"Greetings, chieftain." Although Guang Chengzi was unwilling in his heart, his face showed no displeasure.

Because this is Guang Chengzi's last chance; the teacher of the Three Sovereigns was obtained by Yuanshi Tianzun exchanging one of the ten great innate spiritual roots, the Wind-Thunder Immortal Apricot. If I mess this up, my position as his senior disciple may become unstable.

"Don't be so formal, Immortal! It's a blessing for my child to catch your eye." said the Chiyou chieftain.

"I won't take him back to Kunlun Mountain; I will build a thatched hut around your tribe and teach him there." Guang Chengzi said with a smile.

He originally wanted to directly bring this child back to Kunlun Mountain to brainwash him, but after reconsidering, he gave up that idea, because the Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Emperor never brought anyone back to the sect for cultivation.

If I were to bring this child back to Kunlun Mountain, unnecessary troubles might arise later.

Thus, Guang Chengzi settled down in the Chiyou Tribe.

"Go send a message to the Holy Master, just say everything is proceeding according to plan." After Guang Chengzi left, the Chiyou chieftain said to his trusted aide.

"Yes, Chieftain!" the trusted aide nodded, then vanished on the spot.

"It's time to clean out the termites among humanity." After the trusted aide left, the Chiyou chieftain muttered to himself.

On another front, Shaodian also received a transmission from Panhuang; the one who sent the transmission to Shaodian was precisely Yuding, who is also Xuanyuan's teacher, responsible for teaching Xuanyuan and helping him contend for the Human Emperor's position.

"Dharma Protector Immortal Master, rest assured, we will certainly cooperate." Shaodian said to Yuding with clasped hands.

"Now humanity is like a giant stricken with plague; only by cutting away the rotting and corrupt flesh can the giant grow healthy. I hope that when the time comes, Chief Shaodian will not be soft-hearted." Yuding said, looking at Shaodian.

"Dharma Protector Immortal Master, rest assured, Shaodian knows the priorities." Shaodian nodded.

"I will stay in the senior fellow disciple's former thatched hut; when Xuanyuan grows older, I will come to personally teach him." After Yuding finished speaking to Shaodian, he vanished on the spot.

"Yes! It's time to clean out the termites among humanity, otherwise humanity will never be able to develop." After Yuding left, Shaodian muttered to himself, then turned and returned to the tribe.

(End of Chapter)