Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

With the establishment of the Netherworld, order began to emerge. Deep within the Fengdu Imperial Palace, Xuanbao sat cross-legged on the imperial throne, his divine sense inextricably linked to the entire Netherworld. The gears of the Netherworld began to turn slowly.

However, just as Xuanbao was preparing to sort out what he had gained and further consolidate his power, the unseen connection between his mind and the Wheel of Reincarnation made him realize something was amiss.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation, an immense vortex, slowly rotates at the center of the Netherworld, emanating a magnificent aura encompassing all beings in the six realms: Heaven, Human, Asura, Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell. Among them, the vortices representing the Heavenly Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Hungry Ghost Path, and Hell Path shimmer with light, their laws relatively complete, subtly resonating with their corresponding categories of beings in the primordial world. Only the vortex representing the "Asura Path" appears somewhat dim and stagnant, its internal laws intertwined and chaotic, failing to fully harmonize with the other five paths, and unable to establish a clear and stable "sensorial" and "guiding" channel with the outside world.

Xuanbao frowned slightly. In the original timeline, the Asura Path corresponded to the Asura race created by the Styx River. The Asura race was not born, but was created by the Styx Ancestor, imitating Nuwa's creation of humans, by combining the essence of the Blood Sea with endless evil energy and vengeful spirits. The men were ugly and the women were beautiful. They were naturally bloodthirsty and warlike, but they were not purely evil. They had their own karma and cause and effect, so they were listed as a separate path.

On the other hand, the Asura Path is also a means for the Heavenly Dao to compensate the Styx River, since Houtu's reincarnation also occupied the Blood Sea.

However, due to Xuanbao's appearance, a conflict with the Styx occurred prematurely, resulting in the seizure of Yuantu, Abi, and the Karmic Fire Red Lotus, severely damaging the Blood Sea's foundation. Furthermore, due to Xuanbao's series of interventions and the changes in the Lich and Demonic forces, the Styx did not "create" the Asura race. Or rather, even if the Styx had still created the Asura race, Xuanbao certainly wouldn't have made it so simple for the Asura race to become one of the Six Paths.

In this way, the Asura realm becomes "water without a source, a tree without roots." Incomplete reincarnation poses a huge hidden danger. In the short term, it might only cause slight stagnation, but in the long run, it will lead to structural defects in the reincarnation system, affecting the balance of the primordial cycle of life and death, and may even allow the Heavenly Dao or other forces to find loopholes for intervention. More importantly, as the Emperor of Fengdu, who governs the Netherworld, the perfection of reincarnation directly relates to the integrity of his authority and the depth of the Netherworld's acceptance of him.

"This is indeed a thorny issue..." Xuanbao tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the imperial throne, lost in thought. He would naturally not "help" the Styx Ancestor create the Asura race to complete the cycle of reincarnation, as that would be tantamount to aiding the enemy. Moreover, the Asura race created by the Styx Ancestor was inherently too deeply bound to the sea of ​​blood and slaughter, and might not be the most ideal choice for the Asura path.

So, how do we fill in this missing piece?

Why not create a new race to replace the Asura race? Besides, my own laws of creation have already reached the level of a Primordial Golden Immortal, so creating a new race isn't impossible. Moreover, I have Nuwa, my sister who achieved sainthood through the laws of creation, behind me...

Having made up his mind, Xuanbao no longer hesitated. His divine sense sank into the depths of his primordial spirit, and the profound Dao Fruit, representing the laws of creation and having reached the level of a Primordial Golden Immortal, lit up. At the same time, with a slight thought, he communicated with Nuwa in the Nuwa Palace on Phoenix Perch Mountain.

A stream of light imbued with intent pierced through Yin and Yang, following the cause and effect of the sage, arriving in an instant. A moment later, Nuwa's gentle yet slightly surprised voice resounded in Xuanbao's heart: "Xuanbao? The matters of the Netherworld are settled, why seek me? Is there a flaw in the cycle of reincarnation?" Clearly, she too had sensed the disharmony in the cycle of reincarnation.

Xuanbao responded with his divine sense: "Sister, you are wise. Because of the River Styx, the source of the Asura Path is missing, and the cycle of reincarnation is sluggish. I do not wish to rely on the River Styx or the Heavenly Path, but wish to create my own path to make up for it with the power of creation. However, the wonders of creation are unparalleled in the primordial world, sister, you are a saint. Therefore, I have come to seek your guidance."

Inside the Nuwa Palace, Nuwa sat quietly on her cloud bed, a red embroidered ball beside her gently turning, radiating an aura of predestined marriage. Hearing Xuanbao's telepathic message, she raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes. As a sage, she naturally sensed the incompleteness of reincarnation, but she hadn't expected Xuanbao to act so quickly, much less that he intended to "mend" it himself.

"To forge a path from scratch, to use creation to mend the deficiencies of reincarnation..." Nuwa murmured to herself, pondering for a moment. She knew that Xuanbao possessed the laws of creation and had reached the level of a Primordial Golden Immortal, and had also received her true teachings, but creating a race out of thin air to correspond to the path of reincarnation was no small feat. This not only required profound cultivation in creation, but also a perfect alignment with the origin of reincarnation, defining the race's position, cause and effect, and even its connection with the Dao of Earth and the Dao of Heaven in the primordial world. If she was not careful, the race she created might not be able to bear the fortune of reincarnation, and instead suffer a backlash, or even affect the foundation of reincarnation.

However, Nuwa understood Xuanbao's intentions. Having just assumed control of the Netherworld, and with reincarnation as the foundation, how could she allow it to be incomplete? Furthermore, she could not allow forces with grudges against the River Styx or the Western Sect to interfere. Xuanbao's desire to complete the task himself was both a matter of responsibility and a strategic maneuver.

"The 'holy water' and 'pure, innate souls' you spoke of are indeed excellent materials. The holy water contains innate vitality and purifying power, while the pure souls possess complete spirituality and are highly malleable." Nuwa's voice came through cause and effect, clear and gentle. "However, creating a race is not simply a matter of molding form and spirit. One must understand its 'Dao,' define its 'nature,' establish its 'order,' and align it with its 'fate.'"

Nuwa's guidance went straight to the heart of the matter. Xuanbao listened intently, deducing the implications in his mind. He recalled his previous concept—using holy water as a foundation, its purifying power cleansing impurities from the soul; using the innate purity of the soul as a deity, possessing profound spirituality; and supplementing this with his own understanding of the laws of "protection," "order," "purification," and "judgment," attempting to create a race. This race would not be as bloodthirsty and warlike as the original Asura race, burdened by karma, but should possess more qualities of "holiness," "assistance," and "balance," perhaps it could be named the "Holy Spirit Race"?

"Good." Nuwa nodded. "Since you have this thought, you may begin. However, you still need to be cautious about the specific creation process. I can lend you a wisp of the primordial energy of creation to help you stabilize the creation process and make the race you create more in line with the fundamental nature of primordial creation. In addition, when creating the race, you need to obtain the approval of the source of reincarnation, and it would be best to get the consent of Houtu, who will bless it with the power of the earth. Only in this way can the new race truly integrate into reincarnation and be accepted by heaven and earth."

Having said that, Nuwa flicked her finger, and a point of emerald light, brimming with boundless vitality and containing the profound mysteries of the Great Dao of Creation, pierced through the void and fell into Xuanbao's primordial spirit. Xuanbao immediately felt the laws of creation stirring, and its understanding and control over the creation of life instantly rose to a new level.

"Thank you so much, sister!" Xuanbao said sincerely, then added, "I will discuss it with Sister Houtu right away."

Xuanbao withdrew his divine sense and opened his eyes. Beneath the imperial throne, the order of the Netherworld was beginning to operate, with the figures of Yin gods and ghost messengers performing their respective duties shuttling back and forth. With a thought, his voice entered the Pingxin Palace: "Sister Houtu, the Asura path of reincarnation is incomplete, and your younger brother wishes to use the Creation Clan to fill this gap, so I have come to discuss it."

Deep within the Pingxin Palace, Houtu and the Wheel of Reincarnation were originally one, and she sensed that discord most clearly. The moment Xuanbao finished transmitting her voice, her figure silently appeared within the Fengdu Imperial Palace, her aura perfectly integrated with the entire Netherworld.

"I have sensed the stagnation of reincarnation." Houtu's gaze swept over the Xuanbao, landing on the slightly dim vortex of the Asura Path in the void. "How do you intend to complete it?"

Xuanbao presented his concept—based on holy water and pure innate souls—to create the "Holy Spirit Clan," possessing the characteristics of "purification," "balance," and "guardianship of reincarnation." He intended to use this clan to replace the original Asura Clan in bearing the Asura path, and he elaborated on the special duties this clan could perform in the Netherworld and its beneficial effects on reincarnation.

Houtu listened quietly, the illusory images of the Six Paths of Reincarnation flickering in her eyes, as if she were deducing the feasibility of the Xuanbao concept and its impact on reincarnation. After a long while, she slowly nodded: "This proposal is excellent. The race corresponding to the Asura Path was originally a compensation from the Heavenly Dao to the River Styx. Their nature is biased towards killing, and although they are listed as a path, they actually slightly conflict with the original intention of reincarnation to 'balance life and death and sort out cause and effect.' If we replace them with the 'Holy Spirit Race' you mentioned, their nature is more in line with the balanced and harmonious intention of reincarnation, and can also help the operation of the Netherworld and strengthen order. However..."

Nuwa looked at Xuanbao: "Creating a race out of thin air and drawing upon the origin of reincarnation requires immense effort and an extremely high level of cultivation. Are you confident in your abilities?"

Xuanbao smiled, his body radiating the aura of the laws of creation, with the Daoist charm of the Primordial Golden Immortal level flowing around him, and a wisp of the primordial energy of creation bestowed by Nuwa appearing: "With the help of Sister Nuwa, the art of creation is ready. I need you, Sister, as the Lord of Reincarnation, to draw the approval of the primordial source of the earth, to 'rectify' the name of this race, so that it can smoothly inherit the position of the Asura path."

Houtu no longer hesitated: "Alright. Go ahead and do as you please, I will protect you and guide the origin of reincarnation to resonate with you."

The two had made their plan and immediately put it into action.

Xuanbao communicated with the Chaos Gourd through his thoughts, drawing upon the holy water from the sacred pool. This crystal-clear water contained boundless innate vitality and pure creative power. Upon its appearance, it caused the surrounding netherworld's deathly aura to dissipate, radiating a sacred and pure light. Immediately afterwards, Xuanbao meticulously selected three thousand of the purest, most spiritually abundant souls from among the billions of souls on the Human Emperor Banner. These souls were all innate beings in their previous lives, free from major karmic entanglements. Enveloped in the light of the holy water, these souls instantly became even more transparent and clear, subtly exuding a sense of holiness.

Xuanbao sat cross-legged on the imperial throne, his hands clasped in a gesture of respect, three orbs of holy water floating above his palms, surrounded by three thousand pure souls. Xuanbao closed his eyes and concentrated, the laws of creation within his primordial spirit operating at full power, releasing his cultivation at the level of a Primordial Golden Immortal without reservation, while simultaneously drawing upon the wisp of primordial energy of creation bestowed upon him by Nuwa.

"Creation is boundless, yet the cycle of reincarnation is flawed. Now, with holy water as our body and pure soul as our spirit, we forge a race to complete the earth's way, balance yin and yang, and safeguard the order of reincarnation. This race shall be named—Holy Spirits!"

After thinking for a moment, Xuanbao took out the 18 embryos he had obtained from the Western deity. These embryos were all innate deities. As a race created by Xuanbao, there had to be some leaders. These 18 embryos could give birth to 18 innate deities.

"Sculpt its holy body with holy water, forge its pure spirit with cleansing soul, establish its innate foundation with a sacred embryo, bestow upon it the responsibilities of the netherworld with the origin of reincarnation, and grant it the source of life with the Great Dao of Creation!" Xuanbao chanted the Great Dao mantra, each word causing the laws of the netherworld to tremble. Houtu stood to the side, her body radiating the power of reincarnation. The illusory image of the Pingxin Palace manifested behind her, and the Six Paths of Reincarnation Wheel rumbled and turned, actively separating a portion of the pure origin of reincarnation and the will of the earth, transforming it into streams of light, dim yellow and imbued with mysterious runes, which poured into the forming core of holy water.

The entire Fengdu Imperial Palace was enveloped by the vast energy of creation and the light of reincarnation. Outside the palace, the Ten Kings of Hell and the various underworld gods all sensed it, stopping their work and looking towards the palace, feeling the new life force that was being nurtured, which resonated with the underworld and carried a sacred and purifying meaning.

Time flowed slowly as Xuanbao focused intently on his creation. The core of the holy water gradually expanded and differentiated, with three thousand pure souls perfectly merging with it and beginning to absorb the Dao essence and potential of the eighteen innate divine embryos. With the integration of the origin of reincarnation, the essence of these new lives began to form a mysterious connection with the "empty space" of the Asura realm.

Xuanbao's primordial spirit power and the laws of creation continued to be output, and even with his cultivation as a Hunyuan Golden Immortal, he was feeling somewhat strained. Creating a race out of thin air, especially one that could bear the weight of one of the six realms of existence, required far more energy than usual. Fortunately, the wisp of primordial energy of creation bestowed by Nuwa continuously provided high-level Daoist support, and the primordial energy of reincarnation activated by Houtu was also constantly replenishing the energy consumed; otherwise, Xuanbao alone would likely have been unable to sustain it.

Forty-nine days later.

The strange phenomena within the Fengdu Imperial Palace reached their peak. The ball of light, a fusion of multiple origins, suddenly erupted with an incomparably dazzling holy radiance. Within the radiance, the silhouettes of countless figures with luminous wings on their backs, clad in holy armor, and possessing faces that were either handsome or solemn, could be faintly seen. Immediately afterward, the ball of light split, with three thousand smaller cocoons of light and eighteen exceptionally dazzling and powerful cocoons of light floating in mid-air.

"Click..."

A soft cracking sound rang out as the cocoons of light broke open one after another. The first to emerge were the eighteen beings conceived from innate divine embryos. They were slender, perfectly proportioned to the ultimate beauty of the Dao; the men were heroic and imposing, the women holy and beautiful, their skin as smooth as jade, their eyes clear and deep, seemingly containing the cycle of stars. They possessed varying numbers of pure light wings on their backs—one, three, or six pairs. These wings were not physical entities, but rather interwoven from highly condensed holy light and a portion of the laws of the Netherworld; with each gentle flap, a purifying and soothing Daoist aura flowed. They wore simple armor or robes formed from holy water and reincarnation runes, radiating an aura of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level. Their foundations were profound, their potential boundless, and they not only did not clash with the Netherworld environment, but possessed a peculiar affinity, as if they were born with the ability to mobilize a portion of the Netherworld's order.

These eighteen individuals were the progenitors or leaders of the "Holy Spirit Clan" created by Xuanbao, and could be called the "Eighteen Holy Spirit Envoys," each of whom was at the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

Immediately afterwards, the remaining three thousand cocoons of light broke open, revealing three thousand holy spirits whose auras were slightly weaker but equally holy and pure, each with a pair of luminous wings on their backs. They were born with cultivation levels ranging from Golden Immortals, possessed complete intelligence, and had a natural affinity and loyalty to the Xuanbao.

In Xuanbao's eyes, they were more like the angels of later legends...

After all the Holy Spirit Clan members were born, they all faced Xuanbao and Houtu, knelt on one knee, and said in unison, "Greetings, Ancestral God."

Xuanbao looked at the three thousand and eighteen new races before him, radiating holy light that contrasted sharply with the dark, yellowish background yet somehow harmoniously, and felt satisfied.

Regardless, the race he created was far superior to the original Asura race, with each member being a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

Xuanbao could sense that there was a close connection between himself and them as creators and beings. At the same time, they also began to establish a profound bond with the origin of reincarnation and with the originally empty position of the Asura realm.

Houtu's eyes flashed rapidly with the phantom images of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. She carefully sensed the essence of these newly born holy spirits, and after a moment, she nodded slightly: "Holiness, purification, order, protection... their nature is indeed more in line with the original intention of the balance and harmony of reincarnation. Their souls are pure and immaculate, their bodies contain vitality and the recognition of reincarnation, and they can freely travel to and from the Netherworld, unaffected by the erosion of death energy, but instead able to purify and harmonize. Brother Xuanbao, the race you created is truly wonderful."

Xuanbao nodded and addressed the Holy Spirit Clan below: "You were created by me using the art of creation, combining holy water, pure souls, innate embryos, and the origin of reincarnation. You are called the 'Holy Spirit Clan.' You are born with a mission: to complete the Asura path of reincarnation, maintain the order of the Netherworld, purify evil, and protect the operation of reincarnation. From this day forward, you are the orthodox beings of the Netherworld, enjoying the fortune of reincarnation and bearing the responsibilities of the Underworld."

Having said this, Xuanbao activated the Fengdu Emperor Seal, drawing upon the authority of the Netherworld, and proclaimed loudly: "Now, the Holy Spirit Clan is established, inheriting the position of the Asura, to fill the void in the cycle of reincarnation. The decree is as follows: the Eighteen Holy Spirit Envoys will be leaders of the Holy Spirit Clan, each fulfilling their duties, assisting this Emperor in governing the Netherworld, overseeing the operation of reincarnation, and able to mobilize a portion of the Netherworld's order. The remaining members of the Holy Spirit Clan, according to their characteristics, will be assigned to various halls and departments, serving as purification envoys, order patrollers, and reincarnation guardians, among other roles. Specific duties will be arranged collaboratively by the Ten Kings of Hell and the heads of various departments, integrating them into the existing Netherworld system!"

As the Xuanbao Edict fell, the laws above the Netherworld roared, and the previously dim and stagnant Asura Path vortex suddenly shone with a dazzling, holy light! Within the vortex, the bloody aura of slaughter vanished, replaced by the pure, orderly, and protective laws of the Dao. Simultaneously, all members of the Holy Spirit Clan shone with light resonating with the vortex, officially connecting with the Asura Path's position and becoming its bearer. The operation of the Wheel of Reincarnation, due to this completion, instantly became much smoother and more harmonious, and the entire network of laws in the Netherworld became more stable and active.

Houtu felt the fulfillment of reincarnation, and joyful fluctuations emanated from the underground passage, further solidifying her own sacred realm. She pointed, and runes containing the approval and blessings of reincarnation flew out from the Pingxin Hall, merging into the bodies of each member of the Holy Spirit Clan, deepening their bond and power with the Netherworld. "The Holy Spirit Clan, recognized by reincarnation, enjoy the protection of the underground passage. May you all diligently fulfill your duties, living up to the grace of creation and the entrustment of reincarnation."

"We will obey the will of the Creator!" The Holy Spirits responded in unison, their voices resounding through the netherworld.